I CHOSE to be a VILLAIN, not a THIRD-RATE EXTRA!!
Chapter 175 - 175: Bet (1)

Flakey clapped his hands together, his voice carrying an unmistakable air of theatricality.

"Mr. Adlet, I wouldn't want you to miss out on what transpired while you were busy ascending to the heavens. So allow me, the Great Teacher Flakey, to enlighten you—I have discovered another Supernatural aside from you!"

With a flourish, he extended his hands, expecting a reaction—perhaps shock, disbelief, or even mild surprise.

But Ashok remained utterly unfazed.

His gaze shifted, sharp and deliberate, landing on Lilia.

She stared back, her expression betraying the surprise she hadn't yet masked.

Flakey followed his line of sight, his brows lifting slightly. "You already knew?"

Ashok's eyes flicked back to Flakey, unreadable. 'How did this guy manage to figure out Lilia was a Supernatural?'

It wasn't supposed to happen—not yet.

In the game, Lilia's identity as a Supernatural was meant to remain hidden until the finale.

Her power had been designed that way—woven into the narrative so intricately that even if players uncovered hidden routes, the reveal would still be locked until the end of the Third Year.

That was how her abilities functioned.

Lilia's path to power was never meant to be immediate—it would take time, patience, and careful manipulation to unlock all Seven Sins.

And among them, the Sin of Lust was crucial in her early days. It was the key to gathering followers, to weaving influence, to ensuring her strength grew steadily before she could wield the full force of her abilities.

But now?

Now, that foundation had been shaken.

Her exposure would make it infinitely harder to operate in the shadows, to build the influence she needed without scrutiny.

Ashok's lips curled slightly, his thoughts sharp and calculated. Well, this works in my favor.

The weaker she remained, the easier it would be to end her life when the time came.

Still, one question lingered in his mind—'how had she been discovered?'

It wasn't supposed to happen yet.

But instead of dwelling on it, Ashok saw an opportunity. If the narrative had shifted, then it was time to tilt it further in his favor.

He turned to Flakey, his expression unreadable.

"Rather than another student being a Supernatural," Ashok said smoothly, "I'm far more interested in your Supernatural power, Teacher Flakey."

Flakey's eyes gleamed with amusement as he clasped his hands together, his voice carrying its usual theatrical flair. "I see! I see! It's good to be curious about another's Supernatural Power—especially when you possess one yourself. A natural curiosity, I understand that completely."

He leaned forward slightly, his expression playful yet firm. "But! You must understand, Mr. Adlet, that no matter how much a student asks—I won't be revealing my Supernatural Power, it -"

Before he could continue, Ashok cut in smoothly, his voice laced with quiet confidence.

"Ah, no need for such words," he said, his tone casual yet deliberate. "I've mostly figured it out."

Flakey's mouth, poised to launch into another round of self-praise, froze mid-sentence. His expression flickered, amusement giving way to intrigue as he straightened slightly.

His tone lost its playful edge, replaced by something far more curious.

"What exactly do you think you've figured out, Mr. Adlet?"

Ashok's lips curled into a knowing smile, his gaze unwavering.

"Your Supernatural Power, Teacher Flakey."

Flakey's gaze sharpened slightly, though his expression remained lighthearted. He tilted his head, amusement flickering in his eyes.

"Tell me then, Mr. Adlet—what is my Supernatural Power?"

Ashok's smile didn't waver. Instead, he leaned back slightly, his posture relaxed, his tone carrying a quiet challenge.

"Where's the fun in a simple guessing game, Teacher?" he mused. "How about a bet instead?"

A ripple of tension spread through the students.

Roan exhaled slowly, watching the exchange unfold with keen interest. 'As expected—he either has no fear or simply doesn't care who he's challenging.'

Elara's expression tightened, her thoughts laced with irritation. 'No end to that arrogance.'

The students' eyes were now fixed on Flakey, waiting—watching—anticipating his reaction.

Flakey hummed, tapping his finger against his chin in exaggerated contemplation, as if carefully weighing Ashok's words.

"A bet? Hmmm!" His voice carried a theatrical edge, his movements deliberate, as though he were performing for an unseen audience.

Then, after a pause, he spoke again, his tone carrying a hint of intrigue.

"This is the first time a student has asked me such a thing."

His gaze flickered toward Ashok, expectant—waiting to see if the boy would react.

Ashok's posture remained effortlessly composed, his presence carrying the quiet authority of someone who had long since stopped questioning his own worth.

His gaze, sharp yet unreadable, settled on Flakey, and when he spoke, his voice was smooth—measured—but beneath it lay an undeniable weight.

"What should I do with that information, Teacher?" he mused, his tone laced with an almost regal amusement.

"Shall I assume that, as the first student to challenge you, my reward will be doubled? How truly magnanimous—how great—you are, Teacher Flakey."

There was no mockery in his words, no overt disrespect—only the quiet confidence of someone who expected the world to bend to his will.

Flakey's brows twitched, the slightest crack in his otherwise composed demeanor.

He hadn't expected his words to be twisted so effortlessly, turned against him in a way that left him with little room to maneuver.

And now, under the watchful eyes of the students, he knew exactly what would happen if he rejected the challenge outright.

Ashok wouldn't hesitate.

He could already hear it—mocking words spilling from the boy's mouth, something along the lines of "Teacher Flakey is just all talk." Or worse, "Is that all a Great Teacher amounts to?"

Flakey sighed internally. This kid.

Fine. If Adlet wanted a bet, he'd get one.

"Very well," Flakey declared, his voice carrying a newfound weight. "I accept the bet, and I shall double the rewards if you guess correctly."

He paused, letting the words settle before adding, "But—if you guess wrong, you will receive a punishment."

His gaze sharpened slightly. "So, Mr. Adlet, what is it that you desire as a reward?"

Ashok didn't hesitate. His voice was steady, unwavering, carrying the quiet authority of someone who had already decided the outcome.

"Merit Points."

He didn't blink. Didn't waver.

Flakey felt as if a bone had lodged itself in his throat.

He had received instructions from the Academy, Merit Points weren't something handed out lightly, and if Ashok guessed correctly, he would owe him two—a price far steeper than he had anticipated.

"S-Sure," Flakey finally managed, regaining his composure. "But if you're asking for Merit Points, you'll need to provide reasoning behind your guess."

His gaze sharpened slightly, assessing Ashok with newfound scrutiny. "I don't expect you to name my Soul Trait, but if your answer accurately describes my power in any way, I will consider it correct."

He paused, letting the weight of his words settle before continuing.

"You will have one chance—and if you guess wrong, your punishment will be…" He tapped his chin, pretending to ponder, though the decision had already been made.

"How about becoming my Teaching Assistant for one month?"

A murmur rippled through the students.

Flakey smirked. "And since you were the first to propose a bet, I'll even pay you half the amount of credits that a normal Teaching Assistant receives for a month."

Before Ashok could respond, Althea spoke up, her voice carrying a sharp edge of skepticism.

"Teacher, how is that a punishment?"

Her words hung in the air for only a moment before Lilia followed suit, her tone equally pointed.

"Yes, Teacher—how can that possibly be a punishment equivalent to two Merit Points?"

A ripple of murmurs spread through the students. Though none openly opposed the bet, their focus remained fixed on the punishment, questioning its fairness rather than the wager itself.

Flakey observed the growing dissent with mild amusement before shifting his gaze back to Ashok.

"Mr. Adlet, it seems you don't have many friends in your class."

His words weren't mocking—just an observation. Not a single student had spoken in Ashok's defense.

Ashok, however, remained utterly unfazed. His expression didn't shift, his voice carrying the same quiet authority as before.

"I don't make friends with those whose mentality is no different than dogs fighting over a piece of bone. I have standards."

The words landed like a blade, cutting through the murmurs with effortless precision.

Alina's teeth clenched, irritation flashing across her face. 'That bastard.'

Mira, who had been quietly observing the class dynamics, tilted her head slightly, intrigued.

'He really must have a habit of making enemies.'

As a beastkind, she had been watching—studying—not just Adlet, but everyone in the class.

It was something she had developed ever since coming to the empire, she had the responsibility of her brother in the place where they are not preferred in many ways.

But unlike others, this was the first time she had seen someone pursuing deliberate isolation, and it was something she found oddly fascinating.

'I will not forget this insult.' Thought Althea.

Flakey, on the other hand, had no immediate response.

He simply observed Ashok, his mind weighing the boy's words with measured scrutiny.

'Either this kid is blinded by arrogance… or he's just a fool.'

He had gathered enough information about this so-called Golden Generation to understand the weight of what had just been said.

Most of these students hailed from renowned and powerful factions across the world—Hero, the princess of an empire, heirs of formidable families—and yet, Ashok had dismissed them all with a single word.

Dogs.

The Academy might strip away titles within its walls, treating nobility and lineage as meaningless, but the world beyond these gates was different. One day, Ashok would step outside the Academy's protection.

Does he truly believe he can survive after making enemies of nearly the entire world?

Flakey exhaled, deciding it was best to diffuse the tension before it escalated further.

"Okay! Okay!" he clapped his hands together, his voice carrying an easy authority. "There's no need to fight amongst yourselves."