On My First Day Undercover, the Organization Collapsed - Chapter 102

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Organization Collapsed on My First Day of Infiltration Episode 102

 

 

Grudges Are Carved into Bone

 

 

At the same time.

Just when Ziel had unexpectedly captured and turned in the bounty criminal.

 

“With this, all debts have been repaid, Guild Master Tollen.”

 

The head of the Riversong family had repaid the full principal to Guild Master Tollen, who had somehow come to visit of his own accord.

He had worried about what to do if Tollen wouldn’t meet with him, but for some reason, the man had come to the family estate himself.

 

‘What wind brought him here, exactly?’

 

Albert Riversong, head of the Riversong family, couldn’t understand it at all.

Tollen even seemed extremely urgent.

The Tollen Trading Company had arrived about 30 minutes ago.

He had suddenly appeared, saying he’d come to collect the principal, and had pressured the butler tremendously to arrange a meeting with the family head quickly.

 

“Is there some urgent matter, Guild Master?”

“Not at all. Urgent? I’m quite at leisure. Thank you for repaying on schedule. The interest is accurate too.”

 

No matter how you looked at it, he seemed rushed.

Though he was pretending to be calm, the trading company’s condition was terrible.

 

‘It looks like they ran here breathlessly without even time to brush off the mud.’

 

The state of the horses continuously snorting steam.

The exhausted trading company employees.

Even their strangely anxious appearance.

From the looks of it, they seemed to have rushed here at full speed.

Was there a reason for that?

 

‘There is. Definitely.’

 

A few hours ago.

Albert Riversong had received a certain emergency telegraph.

It was exactly as the contents of that telegraph had stated.

The very content that said there was a high possibility Tollen would visit the Riversong family.

 

“Well then, I’ll be taking my leave.”

“You just arrived, why leave so quickly? Instead of this, how about we sit and talk over a cup of tea?”

“Ah, I have some business to attend to, so unfortunately I don’t think I’ll have time for that. I’ll ask for your hospitality next time.”

 

Though his words were leisurely, Tollen kept looking back.

Albert asked.

 

“Is someone chasing you? You keep looking back.”

“…Not at all. No. My back was just itchy.”

“You seem to be breaking out in cold sweat…”

“Ha, haha. Not at all.”

“Your body seems weak. I happen to have some good tea, how about a cup? Actually, I have something to discuss about the truffle business too.”

 

In the past, he would have jumped at the offer.

The truffle business.

Though it had failed because of Ziel, that had been the beginning of taking control of the South.

Securing additional funds through the truffle business, and ultimately swallowing up even the Kundel Manor’s economy entirely – such a grand plan…

 

‘Why does he keep trying to detain me?’

 

But Tollen didn’t have such leisure right now.

 

‘I don’t have time for this.’

 

Tollen wanted to escape this southern region as quickly as possible.

It was right after meeting Ziel.

At first, he had simply fled from Ziel.

Since even a knight from the Kundel family was with him, getting involved would bring nothing good.

The problem was what came after.

No matter how much he thought about it, the feeling wasn’t good.

A merchant’s intuition was telling him.

 

‘Everything got twisted because of that bastard.’

 

Ziel Steelheart!

That son of a bitch!

Because that bastard interfered, his plan to devour the Riversong family had gone awry just when it was almost complete.

Was that all?

Even the expensive assassination contract had been canceled.

He had almost gotten entangled with the Kundel family after that!

 

‘For now, I’ll temporarily withdraw from the South. Now is not the time.’

 

Tollen, who had been stubborn, decided to quickly wrap up southern affairs and return to the Eastern Region as soon as he made his decision.

The reason he stopped by the Riversong family in the process was because he still needed to collect the debt.

Leaving was one thing, but money was money.

 

‘If I don’t collect at least this, I’ll return having only suffered losses here.’

 

Anyway, he had almost escaped from the South.

The Riversong family was a family located at the southern edge.

Now that he had received the money, if he could just get away…

 

“Come now, instead of this, have a cup of tea before you go. Do you know this? If you slice truffles very thinly and float them in tea, the aroma and taste are simply exquisite. Since you’ve come to visit like this, let me offer you a cup.”

“I’m sorry, but right now…”

“My. I’m happy about the debt repayment and want to show my gratitude since you helped me in my urgent situation, so why are you being like this?”

 

Albert was strangely insistent on detaining him.

Tollen also felt something was strange, but he had no more grounds to refuse…

 

“I’m sorry. I have to go.”

 

Even without grounds, he had to go.

This place was the South.

Territory ruled by Kundel.

 

‘What if Kundel comes looking-‘

 

Bang!

 

“Trading Company Head Tollen!”

 

As if his thoughts had summoned them, the mansion’s main gate burst open with a thunderous crash.

The Kundel Family.

The head of the Kundel Family, Aimerus Kundel.

Following him, the Kundel Knight Order was entering through the mansion entrance.

An overwhelming presence swept over them.

Gleaming armor.

Swords that seemed ready to be drawn at any moment.

The one who stood at the pinnacle of Kundel.

Aimerus Kundel approached.

 

“So you were here.”

“A, Aimerus Kundel, Family Head.”

“I’ve been wanting to see your face sometime, and here we meet like this.”

 

His tone was calm and peaceful, but to Tollen it was nothing but terror.

 

“I, I also wanted to see you…”

 

Albert stepped back as if he had been waiting for this moment.

Of course, to the flustered Tollen who met his eyes, he showed this expression.

I have no idea what’s going on.

 

“Family Head Aimerus Kundel, what brings you to this humble territory?”

 

Albert asked nonchalantly, pretending ignorance despite having received the telegraph.

Aimerus also answered while pretending ignorance.

 

“I heard there are those who threaten a benefactor of my family by hiring even an assassination group, and seek to harm the economic order of the South, so I came to investigate.”

“Ah. There are such people?”

“Indeed there are.”

 

His head turned back toward Tollen.

It felt like the grim reaper turning his head.

The kind where you die the moment you make eye contact-

 

‘I’m screwed.’

 

The grim reaper who had crossed the river of death.

 

“Trading Company Head Tollen, let me ask you something.”

“Yes, F, Family Head.”

“Do you know Kundel’s family motto?”

“Family motto… you mean…”

“Gratitude and grudges are carved into bone.”

 

Click.

 

Aimerus’s hand moved to his sword hilt.

 

“Listen well. I consider it natural for merchants to come to my South to trade freely and seek profit, but I cannot overlook attempts to start loan sharking operations that would harm the economic order of this South.”

 

Swoosh, Tollen’s gaze turned toward Albert.

But Aimerus’s words were just beginning.

 

“Above all, to try to harm a benefactor of my son, a benefactor of my family, and my benefactor. And to do so by hiring assassins here in this South.”

“It’s, it’s a misunderstanding. Family Head. No such thing happened!”

 

Tollen pleaded desperately.

 

“A misunderstanding?”

“That’s right! Really, I… I’m so bewildered. If you suddenly come and accuse an innocent person…”

“An innocent person. Hmm.”

“I, I belong to the Merchant Union. I don’t know what misunderstanding there is, but if you keep doing this, I’ll formally report this matter to the Merchant Union!”

 

The Merchant Union.

Right.

 

“That’s a place that’s been talked about a lot lately. The Merchant Union. Hmm.”

 

The Merchant Union under Imperial protection.

Anyone who knows understands it’s a means and tool to keep nobles in check.

But tools can always be discarded.

Certainly when faced with strong and clear justification.

 

“Sir Dricus.”

“Yes, Family Head.”

 

Aimerus gave instructions to the knight as if he had been waiting.

Shortly after.

 

Whoosh.

 

The knight called Sir Dricus began heating the black blade dagger that Aimerus had handed him.

It gradually turned red hot, and then.

 

“Aaaah!”

 

Suddenly flew toward Tollen and embedded itself in the ground before him.

 

“Wh-what is the meaning of this!”

“Read the surface of the dagger, Trading Company Head Tollen.”

 

[Ziel Steelheart. Tollen Trading Company Emergency Request. 6,000,000 gold cel. Must capture alive.]

 

“…!”

 

His heart pounded, and the cold sweat he hadn’t finished shedding earlier began flowing like a waterfall.

 

“I learned this is how the Black Blade delivers missions. Though I don’t know if you were aware of it.”

 

There was no way he could have known.

A message appears on a heated blade?

It was truly an assassin-like method, but he couldn’t accept it.

 

“Th-this is a frame-up. This is fabricated evidence! Family Head, no matter how much merchant forces irritate you, this is….”

“I expected you to say that, so I also obtained testimony from the Black Blade.”

“…!”

 

His eyes trembled.

 

‘Is, is it really true?’

 

No matter how well a merchant hides their expressions, few could maintain composure in this situation.

What mattered now wasn’t whether the testimony or evidence was fabricated.

Right now, before his eyes.

There was evidence that he had touched the Kundel Family’s benefactor.

 

“I’ll say it again.”

 

Clank, clank.

 

Kundel’s Knight Order began approaching the Tollen Trading Company.

 

“Kundel carves gratitude and grudges into bone.”

 

Thud.

 

Tollen, his legs giving out, collapsed on the spot.

 

“This is the price for touching my son, my family, and my benefactor, Trading Company Head Tollen.”

 

It was over.

 

 

Crow, Erso’s safe house.

 

“Hmm.”

 

Ziel, who had been heading for the secret door on the roof like last time, hesitated.

 

‘Security has been strengthened.’

 

Though Ziel had descended to the back without hesitation, he had no choice but to stop in his tracks.

Countless devices on the ground.

Though invisible to the eye, they were definitely detection devices.

Ziel looked back.

There was a window.

The interior visible through the window.

But he couldn’t trust what he saw.

 

“A disguised window.”

 

Glass specially made to deceive the eyes.

If he tried to break it or force it open, hidden projectiles would fly from behind the invisible glass.

Thorough security!

Nearly every entrance was blocked, making infiltration difficult even for Ziel, when—

 

“Hmm.”

 

Ziel carefully examined the corner of the wall, then pressed firmly on a certain point.

And after a moment.

 

Thunk.

 

The wall swiveled around, creating a gap large enough for one person to pass through.

As Ziel stepped inside.

 

“S-Senior?!”

“You’ve strengthened security.”

 

Erso jumped up in surprise.

A dagger was in his hand.

It was the very dagger Ziel had given him.

 

“How on earth did you….”

“I could see it.”

“…See it? Really? That device in the wall?”

“Yes.”

 

‘What are you talking about! If you can see security devices, what kind of security is that….’

 

After the safe house had been breached by Ziel twice, they had made a massive investment to more than double the security.

But it was all in vain!

He had spotted and opened the one emergency escape route they had left behind.

 

‘Damn, I should have made it only open from the inside.’

 

Actually, this kind of passage is meant for sneaking in when the safe house gets occupied while you’re away.

But even though he made it openable from outside, he naturally installed it so it wouldn’t open easily….

 

“Why can you see that?”

 

Erso asked back in bewilderment.

Ziel tilted his head and answered.

 

“If you ask why I can see something that’s just visible, how should I answer that?”

“Uh….”

“If you ask why I can see this pen on the table here, how would you answer that?”

“Ah.”

 

That’s right.

Senior is a man who defies common sense!

 

‘I had forgotten for a moment.’

 

Rather, his competitive spirit blazed even brighter.

Next time, he would definitely create security that even Senior couldn’t break through….

 

“The security has been reinforced, but I noticed some weak spots. Make sure to strengthen it more next time. And the recording device at the entrance seems useless.”

 

‘Recording device?’

 

“It was installed inconspicuously, but that’s all.”

 

Did I install something like that?

I’ve layered so much security here and there that my memory is hazy.

 

“Was there… such a thing?”

“Yes.”

 

Ziel got to the main point.

 

“I have a job for you, Crow.”

“…!”

 

Here it comes.

Another opportunity has arrived.

 

“It’s a very important job.”

 

‘As expected, it’s a test!’

 

Multiple rounds of thorough verification conducted for scouting purposes.

Another chance to reveal himself had come.

But….

 

“By any chance, is it right now?”

“Yes. As quickly as possible if you can.”

“….”

 

Erso was troubled.

 

‘I have to carry out a commission right away.’

 

Because a long-term mission expected to last a month was waiting.

 

“Would a month from now not work?”

“No.”

 

Ziel was firm.

 

“I actually have a commission….”

 

He had already received an advance payment.

A whole 1 million cel.

Money given in advance based on the trust in the Crow organization, ‘Red Shadow’.

Though the amount would decrease when split with the organization, it was still a large sum.

A total of 2 million cel!

Not even art pieces, but 2 million cel just to retrieve a single document.

 

‘But the problem isn’t the money.’

 

The client had specifically ‘designated’ him for the commission.

What if he broke the deal here?

Forget the money, he would not only face disciplinary action from the organization, but his future activities could become uncertain.

 

‘…But I also want to join Senior’s organization!’

 

His heart wavered back and forth.

Eventually, Erso confessed the truth.

 

“I’m about to start a long-term commission.”

“A long-term commission. How long will it take?”

“It’s expected to take a month.”

“Is that so?”

 

Ziel seemed to fall into thought for a moment.

Erso felt a pang of regret.

 

‘Co, could proceeding with both simultaneously have been an option?’

 

This might be an opportunity that would never come again.

 

“Um, then perhaps….”

 

Just as Erso was about to speak urgently.

 

“Let me check the commission document and I’ll help you finish it sooner.”

“What? You’ll help me?”

“Yes. I’ll decide after confirming what kind of work it is.”

 

A sudden proposal.

Certainly, if Senior joined in, the work would become much easier.

A month’s work might be reduced to a week?

But why would he suddenly get involved in someone else’s mission…

 

‘Interfering in someone else’s mission is an unwritten rule.’

 

An unwritten rule of this industry!

Yet for him to say such a thing—

 

‘Senior, could it be—’

 

Erso flinched at the thought that suddenly occurred to him.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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