The morning I left for the Royal Academy, the Hansen estate felt smaller than ever.
Perhaps it was because I knew I wouldn't see it for months—maybe years. Or maybe it was simply that I couldn't wait to leave.
Father stood at the gate, his face grave yet proud. Beside him, James crossed his arms, trying to appear stern, though I caught the faint relief in his eyes.
"Do not shame the Hansen name," Father said, gripping my shoulder firmly.
I grinned. "Me? Never. I'll make sure everyone remembers us."
He gave me one of those long, searching looks, like he could already see the schemes ticking in my head. Maybe he could.
James leaned down slightly. "Behave, little brother. The Academy isn't some market stall you can trick for free apples. People there will eat you alive if you're careless."
"Oh, you wound me," I said, clutching my chest. "When have I ever been careless?"
He just shook his head. "That's what worries me."
As I mounted the horse they'd scraped together money to buy for me—a thin, restless beast that looked almost as stubborn as me—I couldn't help but smile wider. By right, it should have been James—the heir—riding to the capital. But Father had chosen me instead. He believed my face might catch the eye of a young noblewoman, someone whose family could lift the Hansen name out of decline.
And I wanted that chance. No—I craved it.
This was more than duty. It was opportunity. Sending me instead of James was a gamble, yes, but one I fully intended to win.
I waved once, and then the Hansen estate was behind me, swallowed by the dusty road.
---
Traveling to the Royal Academy was no short affair. It lay in the heart of the imperial capital, a week's ride from our border province. Most nobles traveled with retinues—servants, carriages laden with food and silk cushions.
Me? I had a skinny horse, a pouch of bread that already tasted stale, and a fraudulent smile.
The first two days passed without much trouble. I rode until the sun fell, slept in cheap roadside inns, and kept my ears sharp for gossip. A scammer's greatest weapon, after all, is information.
By the third day, my legs ached from the saddle, and my wallet ached worse. Inns weren't cheap, and while the System hadn't yet offered me a "Free Lodging for Liars" skill, I was beginning to wish it would.
When I reached the walled town of Levan, ruled by House Levan, I couldn't help but make a comparison. They held the same title as our house—Count—but their situation was nothing like ours. Past the town walls, I spotted their grand estate towering above everything else. And that's when I felt the stirrings of opportunity.
Tavern gossip filled in the rest. The Levan son might have inherited the title, but it was his mother, Lady Sonia Levan, who held the true power. A noble widow, wealthier than most other counts, she presided over the estate alone with her only son. Rumor had it she entertained guests often—"for company," the barkeep added with a knowing smirk.
A wealthy widow, lonely and fond of conversation? My lips curled into a slow, appraising smile. The scent of opportunity was stronger than the ale. After all, making a lonely woman happy is my expertise.
---
The next morning, I approached the estate gates, cleaned up as best I could, and presented myself not as the broke younger son of a failing house, but as a charming noble youth on his way to the Academy. Which, to be fair, wasn't even a lie.
The guard squinted at me. But when I presented my enrollment letter, his bored expression instantly changed to respect at the sight of the Imperial seal.
"My apologies, young master," he muttered, stepping aside to open the gate.
Inside, the gardens were lush, fragrant with flowers. The house itself was white stone polished so clean it gleamed. It screamed of money carefully preserved, not wasted.
And then I saw her.
Lady Sonia Levan.
She stood on the balcony overlooking the garden, dressed in soft lavender silk that caught the morning sun. She couldn't have been older than her early thirties—beautiful, elegant, with that poised grace only noblewomen seemed to master.
I bowed low, my most charming smile in place. "Forgive the intrusion, my lady. I am Jin Hansen, traveling to the Academy. I happened upon your beautiful estate and thought it rude not to pay my respects."
Her brows arched in mild surprise. "The Hansen family? I recall your name. Border nobles, aren't you?"
Ah, so she knew us—just vaguely. Perfect.
"Yes, my lady," I said smoothly. "Though I must admit, compared to the grace of Levan's jewel, our little lands seem quite dull."
Her lips curved into the faintest smile. Flattery: the simplest, cheapest investment in the world—and always worth it.
"You are well-spoken for a boy your age," she said. "Come up. Let us talk."
---
Her drawing room was spacious, fragrant with roses. Servants brought wine and fruit while she regarded me with keen, curious eyes.
"So, you are bound for the Academy," she mused. "Ambitious. I hear it is… demanding."
I sighed dramatically. "Demanding, yes. But necessary. My family hopes I will carry our name proudly. Yet I confess, the road grows long and lonely without the kindness of strangers."
[ Fraud Detected! +2 Fraud Points ]
I hid my grin by sipping wine. That had only been a mild exaggeration, but the System rewarded me anyway.
Her gaze softened. "You remind me of my own son, when he was younger. Bold. Bright-eyed."
Ah, the perfect opening. "Then I can only envy your son. To grow up with such a mother's guidance must be a blessing greater than any academy could offer."
Her cheeks flushed ever so slightly. Bullseye.
[ Fraud Detected! +3 Fraud Points ]
She chuckled. "You are a sweet talker. Careful, or the capital's ladies will eat you alive."
"Only if they are half as perceptive as you, my lady," I said smoothly.
Her laughter rang clear this time—genuine. Within the hour, she was insisting I stay the night at her estate.
"Travelers should not waste coin on inns when they have friends," she said firmly.
"Friends?" I echoed, feigning surprise.
"Of course. I shall consider you a guest of the house until you depart."
And just like that, I had secured free lodging in a noble's estate.
---
Of course, not everyone was pleased.
Her son, Count Landon Levan, entered the dining hall that evening while I enjoyed the finest roast I'd tasted since arriving in this world. He was a year or two older than me, tall, broad-shouldered, with the kind of perpetual scowl only a noble brat could perfect.
"Mother," he said coldly, eyes narrowing on me. "Who is this?"
I rose smoothly, bowing just enough to be polite but not submissive. "Jin Hansen, bound for the Academy. Your gracious mother insisted I rest here before continuing my journey, my lord."
Landon's gaze flicked from me to her. "Again, Mother? Every stray noble boy who smiles at you earns a seat at our table?"
Lady Sonia frowned. "Landon, mind your manners. Jin is a guest."
His jaw tightened. He sat heavily, never taking his eyes off me.
Looks like the rumor's true. Count Landon Levan can't go against his mother.
I smiled pleasantly. "It's an honor to share a meal with the head of House Levan. I've heard your family prospers under such stewardship."
Flatter the mother, and she blushes. Flatter the son, and—
Landon snorted, his mouth twisting into a half-smile. "Save your empty words. I know a silver tongue when I hear one."
[ Fraud Attempt: Failed. No Points Awarded. ]
Tch. So that's how it is. My points won't add up if the target doesn't buy the act. No shortcuts, no free gains.
I met his glare evenly. "Ah, then you must be very familiar with silver tongues, to recognize one so quickly."
His eyes narrowed further, but his mother chuckled, missing the sting. "He is clever, isn't he?" she said warmly.
Landon muttered something into his wine, but I only smiled wider. If he hated me already, all the better. A man who underestimates his enemy makes more mistakes.
---
That night, as I settled into the guest chamber—soft bed, silk sheets, the works—I pulled up my System screen.
[ Fraud Points: 20 ]
Just five more to unlock another skill.
Not bad. A few well-placed compliments, a couple of dramatic sighs, and suddenly I was eating roasted duck in a mansion instead of gnawing stale bread in a tavern.
And more importantly, I had caught the attention of Lady Sonia—a woman with wealth, influence, and a loneliness she tried to hide behind her poise.
If I played this right, I could leave Levan with more than just a good night's sleep.
Landon's scowl flashed in my mind, and I grinned.
Let the son hate me. Let the mother adore me. That, after all, was the oldest scam in the book.
And I had every intention of rewriting that book with my own name on the cover.