On My First Day Undercover, the Organization Collapsed - Chapter 115

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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 115

 

 

Necromancer King’s Heart (2)

 

 

“Hey, Professor Emeric.”

 

Emeric’s eyebrows twitched at the voice calling him.

However, his voice responded brightly as if nothing had happened.

 

“Ah, did you call me, Professor Titus?”

 

Emeric stood up and bowed respectfully at the third-year supervising professor’s words.

However, Titus mocked him as if he had been waiting for this.

 

“What are you looking at? A swordsmanship manual?”

“…I was planning for next semester.”

“Ah. Next semester plans? Why, are you trying to do something with Sword School again?”

 

That’s when it started.

After the practical training ended.

During the reporting process, no matter how well he explained, the reactions of the senior professors at Arcane School were nothing but cold.

Especially the fact that they barely managed to finish the practical training with help from Sword School – they seemed neither to accept nor understand this.

 

“I’m curious, what’s your relationship with Teacher Ziel?”

“What do you mean by that…”

“No, it just seems a bit odd. Like you knew each other from before, or maybe you owed him some debt. Arcane School has its pride, you know. How could you depend on them for everything during the practical training like that?”

“Professor Titus, at that time, as I mentioned again, it was an unexpected accident…”

“An accident, sure. But handling it and solving it ‘wisely’ – isn’t that exactly the capability we Arcane School professors should possess?”

 

Other professors just let it slide, but Professor Titus was particularly severe.

The problem was that this person was currently the real power at Arcane School.

After graduating as valedictorian from Siren Family’s junior school, he had been receiving Siren’s patronage ever since.

It was well known that his reason for coming here instead of the Magic Tower was to expand Siren’s influence.

Therefore, Emeric could only bow his head silently.

 

“I was inadequate. I apologize.”

“Really? But what should I do? I’m still quite heated. I think I’ll keep getting heated every time I see you.”

“…What should I do to appease your anger?”

“Well now. Let’s see about that gradually. Until then, I plan to continue feeling this unpleasant.”

 

He was vicious.

He had felt it before, but this person’s level of harassment was serious.

But there was nothing Emeric could do.

Even though senior-junior relationships were quite strong at Sword School, it couldn’t compare to Arcane School.

In this already small magic community, the moment you step out of line or fall out of favor, it’s over!

 

“…I apologize, Professor Titus.”

“Yes, yes. Well, let’s see about it later.”

 

Titus left like that, and Emeric stood frozen in the corridor for a while.

Only his clenched fists represented his state of mind.

 

‘Damn it…’

 

Something had gotten seriously twisted.

It wasn’t particularly surprising that Arcane School looked down on Sword School.

The problem was that while looking down on them, they had been hit twice by that same Sword School they despised.

Once during the situation that arose while deliberating the special support system.

And once during practical training.

Coincidentally, both incidents involved the Sword School liberal arts instructor, Ziel Steelheart…

 

‘Damn it, how am I supposed to lend him the magic doll and magical tools now!’

 

I made a promise, so I can’t just ignore it!

But with Professor Titus glaring like that, if I act on my own, it’ll get even worse…

 

“Professor Emeric Kent.”

“Aaaaah!”

 

Emeric screamed and collapsed with a thud.

He hadn’t sensed any presence, but a voice came from behind him.

Rather, Ziel was a bit flustered.

 

“Are you hurt?”

“H-h-how can you appear so suddenly like that!”

“I just walked over.”

“You didn’t sneak over stealthily?”

“Your senses are dull.”

“…”

 

Right.

It’s my fault for being so seriously lost in thought.

By the way, there was one more person.

 

“The person next to you is…”

“This is Teaching Assistant Gilbert, newly employed at Sword School.”

“Ah, I-I see. Nice to meet you. Ahem. So… No, more than that. This is the Arcane School building?”

“Am I not allowed to enter? According to school rules, the only building with restricted access is the medical ward in the Northern Restricted Access Zone.”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

 

There are unwritten rules in this world.

But since he had already entered, it was awkward to argue about it.

 

“…So, what brings you here?”

“There’s still one promise remaining. Of course, I haven’t received the two things promised earlier either.”

“Let’s go first. There are watching eyes here.”

 

Professor Titus had just passed by after pouring out his mockery.

Fortunately, it wasn’t yet the time when all students had returned.

The two of them arrived at Professor Emeric’s research laboratory.

 

“Wow… Arcane School professors’ research laboratories are really different, aren’t they? There are so many documents and fascinating items… Mages really are different after all, right Boss?”

 

Boss?

It was an unusual way to address someone.

 

‘It’s not like we’re some thugs from the Robson Family or something.’

 

“Um, you mustn’t touch anything carelessly. If things collapse, I won’t be able to handle it. Since I’m the youngest professor, I have a lot of work.”

 

Even saying it himself filled him with self-loathing.

Half of those tasks were work that senior professors had dumped on him.

 

“Please have a seat for now. I’ll give you something… though there’s nothing suitable. Would you like some tea?”

“Yes, let’s do that.”

 

The three of them sat around the cleanest table available.

It felt like they had hastily cleared a spot in the middle of a garbage pile and settled down.

Ziel was the first to start the conversation.

 

“Please arrange the magic doll and magical tool rental starting from the semester that’s about to begin.”

“Well, that… might be difficult.”

“When you say it might be difficult, do you mean it’s difficult, or that you don’t know?”

 

Emeric squeezed his eyes shut and sighed.

 

“…It means it’s difficult.”

“Didn’t you promise?”

“That… my current situation isn’t good. I’m absolutely, absolutely not blaming Teacher Ziel, but I… from that practical exercise… Sigh. I got heavily criticized for receiving help.”

“Is there a reason to be criticized for receiving help?”

 

Is he asking while knowing the answer?

Or is he really asking because he doesn’t know?

 

“You know how it is. Arcane School’s feelings aren’t good about it.”

“I don’t have any particular feelings about it. If anyone should have bad feelings, it should be me.”

 

Every word was so perfectly reasonable it was maddening.

Admitting that they dislike him just because he outperformed them a bit, acknowledging their own pettiness—that’s really difficult to do!

 

“I’m truly sorry about this. If Professor Titus doesn’t allow it, it will probably… be difficult. He has a tight grip on those matters.”

“So you mean if Professor Titus accepts, then you can arrange the rental?”

“Yes. That’s correct. I’m really sorry, Teacher Ziel. I thought it would work out too. I thought I had that much authority….”

 

He had ended up being thoroughly disliked.

 

“And I don’t know if you’re aware, but Professor Titus is a graduate valedictorian from Siren Family’s Junior School.”

 

When he tilted his head wondering what that meant, Gilbert quietly explained from the side.

 

“It’s a gifted education institution run by the Siren Family. They gather magical prodigies from across the entire Empire.”

 

This was the reason why Siren had high influence among mages.

But Ziel interpreted it differently.

 

“So he’s connected to the Siren side. I understand. I’ll handle that myself.”

“Pardon?”

“Just prepare good magic dolls and magical tools.”

“….”

 

What is he talking about?

 

“Boss will handle it, Professor Emeric. Don’t worry.”

 

With Gilbert’s supporting comments added from the side, only question marks floated in his mind.

Then Ziel brought up the third condition.

 

“Now I’ll discuss something else.”

“Ah, that… Yes. You mean the third condition, right?”

 

Something feels ominous.

What will he ask for?

 

‘Could it be that he wants me to come to Sword School?’

 

Everything Ziel had shown during the practical exercise far exceeded expectations—by a long shot.

If that’s the case….

 

“Do you know how to purify mana?”

“As expected, something difficult… Pardon? Purification?”

 

Again, it was beyond expectations.

 

“By any chance, do you mean you want me to purify something?”

“If I can’t do it myself, I might ask for your help. But if it’s something I can do, I’ll do it myself. For now, I’m asking about the method.”

“Mana purification… Is there perhaps a student whose body has been damaged?”

 

Before Ziel could answer, Gilbert jumped in first.

 

“Something like that, yeah.”

 

Gilbert skillfully supported Ziel, who answered things as they were rather than lying!

Since they couldn’t very well say they possessed the Necromancer King’s Heart, it was quite a clever lie.

 

“Hmm… Teacher Ziel always looks out for his students.”

 

Since he was thinking of purifying the mana contained in that Necromancer King’s Heart to use for classes, it wasn’t entirely wrong either.

 

“There are two methods. First, using a magical tool. It’s a bit complicated, so just a moment.”

 

Emeric headed to a corner of the research laboratory, rummaging through piles of documents to find something.

 

“Fortunately, it’s here. This is a Simple Mana Purification Device used in Third Year classes. You connect a filter like this, and link the contaminated mana here. Then you input mana like this to operate it…”

 

Whirrrr!

 

“It reacts with the catalyst to purify mana that can be visually confirmed like this. Right now there’s no contaminated mana sample so it looks the same before and after, but when actually purifying, that’s how it works.”

“I see. Can’t you make this larger?”

“It’s possible. But the cost increases exponentially, and it’s extremely difficult to make. They’re only found in Magic Towers, mostly for experimental use, or for purifying mana contained in relics from ruins or tombs. The Academy has one too, but… it hasn’t been used in ages, and the filter area is small so it wouldn’t be very useful.”

 

Emeric explained in as much detail as possible.

He wanted to help somehow.

While it was true he’d fallen into a difficult situation due to matters involving Ziel, that didn’t mean he’d forgotten his sense of duty.

 

‘If it weren’t for Teacher Ziel…’

 

The situation during the practical where it wouldn’t have been strange if one or two students had died.

Even if conditions were attached, it was an undeniable fact that Ziel had saved the Arcane School First Years.

 

“I understand. Then what’s the other method?”

“Well, it’s a rather crude method…”

 

Emeric, who had been pondering as if troubled, opened his mouth.

 

“Purifying with the body.”

“…Excuse me?”

 

Gilbert asked back blankly.

 

“Actually, this device was made by mimicking the human body. The human body breathes in and out through breathing. There’s a filter called the lungs. That’s exactly it.”

“So… you’re saying to use human lungs as a filter for purification?”

“Yes. It’s an extreme method though.”

 

Emeric clicked his tongue.

 

“Sometimes people attempt it. When the contamination level isn’t severe, mages use their own bodies for purification.”

“There are such idiots?”

“Mages are originally the most foolish among smart people. When considering efficiency, such cases occasionally arise.”

 

Unlike Gilbert’s surprise, Ziel actually nodded.

 

“If that’s more rational when considering efficiency, then so be it.”

“Yes. If the contamination level is low, well, you just lie sick for a few days or cycle through breathing techniques a few times and that’s it. But if it’s high, the story changes. At that level, even several mages can’t solve it. You’d have to sacrifice your own body to resolve it…”

 

Emeric spread both hands.

 

“Who would do that? Do you know how much money goes into training one mage? No matter how important a relic is, it won’t be more expensive than a mage.”

 

He was right.

Mages were top-tier personnel.

To consider more expensive worth, it would be Secret Arts Users with even fewer numbers, or…

 

‘Well, assassins at Specter’s level?’

 

“Anyway, that’s how it is. Well, unless someone has mastered an incredible breathing technique that absolutely expels everything without accumulating anything in the body… for relics with very high mana contamination levels, the best method is just throwing them into some sea.”

 

The explanation ended there.

 

“That’s everything I know. I don’t know who it is, but… it would be good to resolve it quickly. If it’s a student, they wouldn’t be perfectly skilled in breathing techniques yet and would have little mana, so the contamination would spread faster.”

 

It felt somewhat deflating.

Compared to the previous two requests, this was really nothing.

Just sharing knowledge he already had…

 

‘Did some student visit ruins or something during vacation?’

 

So something you could just grab any upper-year student and ask about became a condition like this?

Well, it didn’t matter, but he hoped it would be helpful…

 

“The second method would be better than the first.”

“Excuse me?”

“The method of removing contamination through human breathing.”

 

Emeric was flustered.

 

‘What does this mean? Don’t tell me?’

 

It felt like being hit hard on the back of the head.

Those words meant…

 

“By, by any chance, are you planning to do it yourself?”

“If that’s possible, I’ll do it that way. No, there’s a high probability it will turn out that way.”

“…”

 

Sacrificing his own body for a student?

His body trembled!

 

‘He was a real teacher after all…’

 

That incomparable spirit of sacrifice.

There was a reason for everything he showed during the practical!

 

“All my questions have been resolved.”

 

Ziel stood up with a satisfied expression.

 

‘The second method is better?’

 

Gilbert was equally flustered.

 

‘Boss, surely not?’

 

The reason for their confusion was the same.

Because of that answer saying the second method was better.

However, their specific reasons were slightly different.

 

‘As expected, he’s ruthless! Is he planning to capture some random guys and purify them directly!’

 

His spine chilled in an instant!

He recalled when they had infiltrated the Academy.

If he had resisted back then or had different thoughts afterward…

 

‘Would I have had to purify the Necromancer King’s Heart directly with my own lungs?’

 

And Ziel thought like this.

 

‘A breathing technique that releases rather than accumulates.’

 

The Polar Night Breathing Technique.

Ziel was recalling when he first learned that breathing technique.

One person with doubts.

Another person with both doubts and misunderstandings.

And the remaining person who had resolved his concerns.

It was a perfect case of having the same bed but different dreams.

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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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