On My First Day Undercover, the Organization Collapsed - Chapter 18

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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 018

 

 

You Remembered My Name

 

 

Ziel’s students looked at their teacher.

Their role in this test was simple observation.

Long distance running.

They had been doing it like their lives depended on it, but facing the test made them inevitably nervous.

 

‘Won’t the teacher say something to us?’

‘Isn’t there any tips or something?’

‘What the hell is mana resistance anyway…’

 

On the other hand, their hearts were pounding with excitement.

Surprisingly, the long distance running that Teacher Ziel had taught them would come up as a test subject!

They hadn’t just run either, but ran without mana while wearing sandbags.

Indeed, how well would they do when running with mana?

 

“Student Yurio Harmatan.”

 

Then came Ziel’s voice.

 

“Your heart rate is too high.”

“Huh?”

 

How did he know?

 

“Calm your nerves. If your heart rate is high from the start, it won’t help when you’re running.”

 

As expected of Teacher Ziel.

 

“Yes, understood.”

 

Ziel looked at his students and added expressionlessly.

 

“Just do as you learned in class. Then you’ll all record high rankings.”

 

And he also said this.

 

“If anyone fails, I’ll have to change the teaching method. More efficiently.”

 

It was chilling.

What could that possibly mean?

 

‘Don’t tell me even harder than now…?’

‘Crazy, it’s already hard enough to kill us…’

 

Deep in their hearts.

Motivation growing rapidly.

That absolutely cannot happen.

 

‘I’ll definitely run. Until I’m exhausted to death!’

 

Yurio also gritted his teeth.

Though he barely made it into the school, now he could look toward the future.

 

“Karen, let’s do well.”

“Oh, yeah. We have to. We don’t have much hope in swordsmanship anyway. Let’s secure as many points as possible in physical strength.”

“Wouldn’t swordsmanship be worth trying too?”

“There you go again?”

 

Karen sighed.

 

“Who here hasn’t been called a prodigy?”

 

From their very first conversation after enrollment, she had heard such stories.

That Yurio had often been told he had talent in swordsmanship since childhood.

 

“But it’s true…”

“So am I, you know? But I keep my mouth shut here at Sword School.”

“…”

“Just think about the physical strength test for now.”

 

And finally, the first test began.

 

“Huff, huff.”

 

The pressure from the mana barrier and the gravity pulling from the ground made for a difficult preliminary round.

Their legs felt heavy as if they were wearing sandbags…

 

‘Wait.’

 

Karen recalled Ziel’s lessons.

Sandbags!

They had run wearing those.

 

‘Did he know about this?’

 

No way.

That couldn’t be.

But coincidentally, the environment of those lessons and this current exam were similar.

Perhaps because of that, she didn’t seem to tire easily and even felt confidence rising.

 

“Hey, huff, this is manageable!”

“Right! We ran like crazy, huff, wearing sandbags!”

 

The students were definitely feeling it.

If they hadn’t had Teacher Ziel’s long distance running classes.

If they hadn’t learned the breathing method and individually suitable running form.

 

‘I definitely would have collapsed by now.’

‘This is much more manageable than during class? Is it because we can use mana?’

 

Rising respect!

Teacher Ziel’s grand plan!

40th lap.

Among the students Ziel was teaching, no one had dropped out yet.

On the other hand.

 

“Huff, huff! I, I can’t!”

“Ugh, urgh.”

 

Among the students Ziel hadn’t taught, dropouts began appearing one by one.

 

“It’s not easy after all. Did you set the barrier intensity high?”

“As I mentioned before, it’s set to medium intensity.”

 

Department Head Berhal clicked his tongue.

 

“The first years’ level keeps dropping. At this rate, they’ll all drop out in about 5 minutes, won’t they?”

“I’ll guide them better.”

 

Professor Elcanto scratched the back of his head sheepishly beside him.

As Department Head Berhal said, he expected almost all students to drop out soon.

He also thought the students Ziel was teaching would drop out shortly after.

But after 5 minutes passed.

And another 10 minutes went by.

 

‘Wh, what’s going on.’

 

Out of 80 students, 30 had dropped out in droves…

Most of them were students Ziel hadn’t taught.

In other words, the 3rd and 4th Liberal Arts students taught by Professor Elcanto.

 

‘What? Why are they running so well?’

 

Professor Elcanto’s buttocks twitched.

Department Head Berhal, who didn’t know in detail which first year students attended which classes.

 

“Is something wrong, Professor Elcanto?”

“N, no sir. Professor.”

“You look troubled.”

“Ha, haha. I overate this morning…”

“You’ve been eating well trying to lose weight.”

 

Though he managed to brush it off with an excuse, cold sweat, not broth, was streaming down Professor Elcanto’s back.

 

‘How did this happen…’

 

Then 2 more students dropped out.

They were also students taking Professor Elcanto’s class.

At this point, even the students focused on the test realized something strange was happening.

 

“Huff, gasp. Hey. Almost all the kids still running aren’t in our class, right?”

“Y, yeah. Those… aren’t they the kids taking the liberal arts instructor’s class?”

 

From the perspective of most dropped-out students, almost all the still-running students had unfamiliar faces.

 

“How are they running like that, does it make sense?”

“I was about to die from exhaustion…”

 

The expressions of the two teachers watching this were polar opposites.

One side was restless with a mix of deathly pale and tearful expressions.

 

‘As expected, it’s effective.’

 

The corners of Ziel’s mouth, who had directly proposed and taught Self-Defense Arts and Long Distance Running classes, were slightly raised.

His mouth corners had risen without him realizing it.

 

‘This emotion… should I call it pride?’

 

And soon those mouth corners rose a little more.

 

“Hmm.”

 

Department Head Berhal also realized by then.

Why Professor Elcanto sitting next to him was so flustered.

Why the mouth corners of that liberal arts instructor named Ziel in the distance were slightly, but noticeably, raised.

 

‘Ziel Steelheart. A liberal arts instructor… but he’s changed the students somehow?’

 

From what he could see, the 40 students who hadn’t panicked even when the test subjects were announced were running almost intact.

Two or three had dropped out, but even they had good enough physical strength to run for quite a while before dropping out.

 

“The outline is starting to become clear.”

 

As soon as Department Head Berhal spoke, more students dropped out.

Now the remaining number was 45.

They would run until 40 remained.

 

‘I can do this.’

 

Karen and Yurio.

The two who had been at the bottom when Long Distance Running classes started were surprisingly still running.

Though their speed had slowed a bit, they were maintaining their pace to some degree.

The fact that they could use mana unlike during class.

And the fact that they had gradually overcome their helplessness while attending classes!

 

‘It wasn’t that it couldn’t be done. We just didn’t know the method yet.’

‘It’s almost time! We can move on to the next level!’

 

These two thoughts were what kept them running.

44 people.

43 people.

And 42 people.

 

“Huff, huff.”

 

Their breathing grew increasingly labored.

Their legs felt like they would burst and their heartbeats pounded in their ears.

 

“Ka, Karen. Just a little more strength!”

“Yurio, be quiet and, huff, run! There’s not, huff, much left!”

 

And then-

 

“The test is now over.”

 

40 people were eliminated and the first event finally ended.

Karen and Yurio collapsed on the spot, and most of the other students sprawled out as well.

 

“Huff, huff.”

“Hyaaaaaaaa!”

 

Screams that could have been either groans or cheers, along with rough breathing, filled the auditorium.

Tiron considerately waited a moment, only speaking after the students had drunk water and caught their breath.

 

“You all worked very hard. We plan to score your individual records and pacing through cross-verification by two evaluators.”

 

It wasn’t absolutely necessary to be in the top 40.

But the very fact that they had run without rest until 40 people were eliminated made the students feel proud.

 

“We, we did it. Karen.”

“Huff. That’s right. Whew. Wow. This actually worked.”

 

The two looked toward Ziel as if they had made a promise.

 

“Teacher… is he smiling?”

“It kind of looks like it…?”

 

The two were seeing Ziel smile for the first time in their lives.

They thought it was probably their imagination.

There was no way that could be.

Teacher Ziel was human too, but they couldn’t imagine him smiling at all.

 

“No, he’s not. I was seeing things.”

 

The corners of his mouth had already gone back down.

The two naturally dismissed it as a mistake and moved on.

 

“Professor Elcanto, quite interesting results have emerged.”

 

Professor Elcanto pressed his lips tightly shut at Department Head Berhal’s words.

They had only conducted the first physical fitness test, but the results were crystal clear.

The interesting results that Professor Berhal had mentioned in a roundabout way were exactly this.

Only 5 people.

 

‘How could this be…’

 

Except for only 5 people, all the first years from his 3rd and 4th Liberal Arts classes had been eliminated.

No, it was even more shocking since it included second years who hadn’t taken liberal arts classes in their first year.

How could everyone except 5 people fall behind?

 

‘More than that, what on earth did Teacher Ziel teach them…’

 

What was more shocking was the physical fitness level of the 40 students taking Ziel’s class.

Even the 5 who were eliminated dropped out around the middle, not from the beginning.

To think there was such a difference in physical strength.

 

“The next test will be conducted in one hour. Everyone please take a rest. Please note that anyone who unfairly recovers their stamina using magical tools or special beverages will be disqualified.”

 

The first test was now over.

Meanwhile, Professor Berhal cast his gaze toward Ziel as if he found it truly interesting.

 

“Hmm.”

 

A sense of crisis from that gaze!

There was no choice.

 

“Ha, haha. It seems Teacher Ziel introduced special training. For first years, their physical strength is…”

 

The only method was to elevate the opponent so I wouldn’t look inferior.

However, Professor Berhal was not such an easy person.

 

“Professor Elcanto. Wouldn’t different words suit this situation better?”

“…”

 

It was a failure.

It would have been better to cleanly acknowledge it and emphasize my shortcomings…

 

“I understand being fond of the liberal arts instructor who came after a long time. But isn’t this a bit suspicious?”

“What?”

“That’s right. What method could he have used to improve the students’ physical strength like that?”

“Ah…”

“Everyone would have been at similar levels originally, but whatever Teacher Ziel taught them, isn’t this situation a bit strange?”

“Th, that’s right!”

“Look into it once. How he did it.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“Hmm. I understand the liberal arts instructor’s passion, but this method is a bit problematic… Since it might not be the case, I’ll ask carefully. Got it?”

“Of course!”

 

Professor Elcanto’s eyes sparkled.

Indeed, thinking about it, it was strange.

Could physical strength improve this rapidly?

 

‘Did he feed them something?’

 

Considering the importance of the selection tournament and the glory gained from participating in the exchange tournament, it wasn’t entirely impossible.

 

“Ahem. Then I’ll go watch the Second Years’ selection tournament.”

“Yes, take care, Department Head.”

 

The Department Head waved his hand dismissively and walked away with shuffling steps.

As soon as the Department Head left the auditorium, Professor Elcanto hurriedly stood up.

 

‘Even if he has backing, medicine is… if something goes wrong, he’ll face an audit and get thoroughly investigated! Then I’ll die too!’

 

This professor position was so hard to obtain!

 

‘I’ll find out first somehow.’

 

He hurriedly waddled over to a student.

 

“You’re student Yurio Harmatan, right?”

 

In other words, among the students who didn’t attend his classes, excluding Delev, Celia, and other children from famous families, he was the only freshman he remembered.

The reason was simple.

 

‘What kind of family applied from there?’

 

The family name was so unfamiliar that it stuck in his memory, and also because Yurio had entered at the bottom of his class.

 

Meanwhile.

 

‘Eh, Professor Elcanto knows my name? Even though I don’t attend his classes?’

 

Yurio was completely misunderstanding.

 

“Ah, hello Professor!”

“Mm. Yes. You were running hard. You must have prepared a lot.”

“That’s right. I really worked incredibly hard!”

“Really? Hmm. But you ran too well.”

“Hehe, thank you.”

 

Professor Elcanto casually asked.

 

“Did you… perhaps eat something good?”

“Pardon?”

“Mm. I was wondering if you ate something. Regularly.”

“That…”

 

His eyes wavered.

 

‘That’s it!’

 

Got you, you little rascal.

 

“…Well, you see.”

“Yes, yes.”

“It’s a bit embarrassing to say…”

 

Professor Elcanto looked around.

 

“I’ll guarantee your secret.”

“…Actually.”

 

Thump thump!

 

‘Hurry up and tell me.’

 

Just as Professor Elcanto’s heart was pounding.

 

“The Student Cafeteria… I only ate meals there…”

“Huh?”

“…I don’t have much money, so I only went to the Student Cafeteria…”

“…”

 

What’s with this kid?

 

“The other kids buy delicious food from various places, but I just… please don’t tell anyone since it’s embarrassing.”

“You… didn’t eat anything special?”

“I don’t have money to eat anything special.”

 

For Yurio, something special would be the restaurants on the streets near the Academy, even if not expensive places like ‘Lancaster’s Star’.

But he didn’t have money to go there.

So he always filled his stomach with the cheapest cafeteria food.

Sometimes Karen would buy him food too.

Harmatan was a noble family in name only, but actually very poor, barely managing to afford Sword School tuition.

 

“Ah, if it’s something special that someone else bought me…”

“Yes! That kind of thing!”

“Teacher Ziel…”

“Teacher Ziel?”

“I ran into him while passing by and he bought me chicken skewers.”

“…”

 

This was maddening.

Professor Elcanto held his forehead and sighed.

 

‘Then how did he do it…?’

 

Professor Elcanto’s gaze wavered greatly as he briefly looked toward Ziel.

What is this?

Originally, Yurio should have been eliminated long ago, but he made it into the top 40 from the first test.

What kind of magic did he cast?

Even if he really cast ‘magic,’ he would have noticed.

 

‘What kind of training did he give him?’

 

Actually, if he had earnestly read Ziel’s report, he would have roughly figured it out.

But it was always Tiron’s job to sign those reports instead.

Professor Elcanto had never once read Ziel’s class report until now.

 

“You’ll keep it a secret, right…?”

 

Professor Elcanto looked at Yurio as if dumbfounded.

 

“Y-yes. I’ll keep it secret. I understand. I asked something unnecessary.”

 

Having nothing more to say, he squeezed out one more line after much thought.

 

“Well… make sure to eat your meals properly.”

 

Yurio stared blankly at Professor Elcanto’s back as he hurriedly got up and left.

Karen approached in the meantime.

 

“What’s this? Why was Professor Elcanto here?”

“The Professor knew my name…”

“Huh?”

“He told me to eat my meals properly and stuff. He even worried about me.”

“Oh… r-really?”

 

Yurio’s eyes were filled with emotion.

Karen tilted her head at that expression.

 

“Why would Professor Elcanto?”

“I don’t know either. But the fact that the Professor remembers my name…”

 

Yurio praised Ziel once again.

 

‘As expected, since I’ve changed, he’s looking out for me. Teacher Ziel, thank you.’

 

The revival of his noble family!

That was no longer just a dream.

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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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