I Became the Academy’s Hidden Skill Master – Chapter 81

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Mod7
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Elua was bewildered.

‘Are commoners normally like this?’

Lee Seok-hyun’s behavior was a far cry from the stereotypical “commoner” image often discussed among nobles.

Commoners were supposed to be ignorant, foolish, and easily provoked, like uncivilized beasts.

Yet, in their conversation, Lee Seok-hyun was displaying a level of wit and composure that would rival even the most astute Velutos students.

‘This isn’t how it’s supposed to go.’

Shallow, easily swayed by immediate rewards, grateful for the smallest of favors—that was the Velutos Academy definition of a commoner.

Born into their social standing, their inferiority was predetermined.

Lee Seok-hyun, however, was defying all expectations, actively taking control of the conversation.

‘This isn’t right.’

This wasn’t just a casual chat; they were representatives of their respective academies.

To be so thoroughly outmaneuvered in such a setting was a disgrace.

“Make up your mind. Are we doing this wager or not?”

“Hmph! Are commoners always this impatient, demanding quick decisions? Important matters require careful consideration. Foolish commoners don’t understand—”

“You’re hesitant because you lack confidence. I can make quick decisions because I know Mirinae Academy won’t lose.

“You’re the one stalling because you’re worried about what will happen if Balutos loses.”

Lee Seok-hyun’s pointed remark made Elua bristle.

Every word he spoke seemed designed to provoke her, to challenge her aristocratic sensibilities.

“It’s Velutos, not ‘Balutos’! Are you mocking my family name?”

“Oops, my mistake. Silly commoners like me get those things mixed up.”

“You—!”

Having already called himself foolish, Elua couldn’t retort.

A typical noble would have exploded at the insult, refusing to acknowledge such a slight.

But Lee Seok-hyun calmly admitted his own foolishness, turning it into a weapon against her.

‘What kind of person is this?!’

This had never happened in conversations among nobles.

In their world, power dictated the flow of conversation; those with higher standing held the reins.

But Elua was now experiencing a conversation devoid of such external influences, a truly equal exchange.

And she was losing.

‘What do I do? He’s from a different academy, so I can’t use my usual tactics.’

The title of Mirinae Academy first-year Class S president carried significant weight, effectively neutralizing her authority. It placed them on equal footing.

This was why a noble, accustomed to wielding social status as a weapon, was now being outmaneuvered by a commoner.

“Wait a minute.”

On the verge of being completely defeated, Elua finally grasped at a lifeline, a way to regain control of the conversation.

“You’re so eager to make this wager… you must want something from me, right? You’re provoking me because you’re hoping to get something out of this.”

‘There you go, commoner. No matter how clever you think you are, you’re still playing in my hands.’

A surge of pride filled Elua. She was confident in her ability to manipulate others, especially those driven by greed.

She looked at Lee Seok-hyun triumphantly, certain she’d regained the upper hand, and…

Lee Seok-hyun…

“Haaaaaaaaaawm.”

…yawned.

His bored expression and the subtle annoyance in his eyes made it clear he was finding this whole conversation tedious.

“What are you talking about? You were the one who approached me, desperate to win the exchange competition.”

“W-well…”

“So, I’m right. But why are we suddenly talking about what I want? This is what you wanted from the beginning.

“I’m just humoring you because you’re so eager to make a deal with Mirinae Academy. Don’t you get it?”

Lee Seok-hyun’s relentless logic made Elua fall silent.

“…”

Thinking it over, he was right.

She had been the one to seek him out, waiting for him and then approaching him with an offer.

She had been the one to insist on a private room, worried he might leave.

She had been the one to suggest throwing the competition in exchange for a reward.

‘It was all me.’

Elua finally realized that she’d been the one pushing this whole charade, forcing every step of the interaction.

If Lee Seok-hyun had only proposed the wager because he felt pressured to accept her offer, then everything made sense.

While an outside observer might find the situation bizarre, Elua felt a strange sense of conviction. Lee Seok-hyun was right.

Perhaps the wager was the best compromise they could reach.

‘That’s what she’s thinking right now.’

How cute.

How to deceive a 17-year-old?

Easier than taking candy from a baby.

Lee Seok-hyun covered his mouth, stifling a chuckle.

He couldn’t contain his amusement.

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‘Just as planned.’

With everything going so smoothly, all that remained was to seal the deal.

A mere 17-years-old trying to outsmart me, who wasted four years playing games before getting transported into this game?

It was laughable.

A lion hunts a rabbit with the same intensity it hunts an elephant.

When making a deal, regardless of the opponent, thorough preparation was essential.

Recalling a famous line from a manga, I continued.

“So, what’s your decision? Are we doing this or not? Honestly, winning without some kind of dramatic twist would be anticlimactic. There’s no story.”

“Story?”

“Yes, story. Don’t tell me you thought simply winning against Mirinae Academy was enough?”

“…?”

“You really don’t know anything, do you?”

Those blindly fixated on their goals often missed the finer details, and Elua was a perfect example.

This made her the ideal target for a con.

“What do you mean I don’t know anything? I don’t understand. Are you trying to lecture me?”

Realizing a commoner was privy to information she, a noble, lacked, Elua’s pride was wounded.

Her emotions were so transparent—written all over her face.

Elua was a sucker, ripe for the taking.

Negotiating with someone like this felt more like a scam, and perhaps it was. Maybe I wasn’t doing this out of malice, but simply because she’d made herself such an easy target.

‘The perfect rationalization.’

Having assuaged my conscience about swindling a child, I responded to her question.

“No, it’s just… there’s no build-up, no climax, no resolution. What if I just accepted your offer and said, ‘Sure, I’ll concede victory’? Would Balutos really be happy with that?”

“It’s Velutos!”

Another provocation.

Anger clouded judgment.

“Fine, whatever. The point is, victory needs a story. You’ve already bragged to everyone about meeting me, haven’t you?”

“H-how did you…?”

“It was obvious. What do you think will happen if you fail to recruit me? ‘Elua couldn’t even handle a single commoner? Unbelievable!’ That’s what they’ll say.”

“…No one at our academy would ever disrespect me like that.”

“Publicly, perhaps. But they’ll definitely talk behind your back. You’ve gossiped before, so you know how it works.”

“…”

With every sentence, every carefully crafted phrase…

Elua’s expression shifted like easily molded clay.

Angry when I wanted her angry, dejected when I wanted her down…

‘Time to bake the bread.’

Let the games begin.

“So, that’s why you should say you were the one who proposed the wager, because I was being so difficult.”

“But you were the one who suggested it.”

“Exactly. That’s what you should tell everyone. We both know the truth, so you can twist the story to your advantage. I’ll play along.”

“You’ll really do that?”

Shifting the focus from the reward to her reputation lowered the stakes.

Elua was probably thinking, ‘He’s not so bad after all.’

And right now…

“Yes. So all we need to do is decide on the wager. I’m thinking the complete collection of Rubulub’s Necromancy Grimoires and a single Spirit Armor would be a fair trade. What do you think?”

I casually added my desired rewards.

“W-what?!”

“And of course, we need to set the odds. Since we’re the underdogs, we should get a better payout. Velutos is favored to win, after all.”

“Well, Velutos is obviously going to win, so…”

Elua grew increasingly flustered as the details of the wager became more concrete.

She might be a noble well-versed in etiquette, but negotiating was a different skill entirely.

Nobles typically used proxies for such matters, so they rarely had direct experience.

‘She’s no match for someone who used to sell clothes in Dongdaemun.’

This sheltered flower, raised in a greenhouse, had no idea how cutthroat the world of merchants could be.

“We’ll finalize the details later. You have something you want too, right? Tell me. Let’s list everything out and prepare a contract.”

It was easier than I’d anticipated.

‘Welcome, valued customer.’

It would be my pleasure to take everything you have.

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