On My First Day Undercover, the Organization Collapsed - Chapter 191

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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 191

Someone Who Recognizes Value (1)

The moment the Emperor’s lavish praise burst forth, other audience members sent applause and cheers as if they had been waiting for it.

Since the venue was what it was, the applause and cheers were more restrained than during the Festa performance, but their expressions were no different.

“Incredible, truly incredible. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen such a performance.”

“Indeed. How could those young students reach such a level…”

“It was a performance that required an incredible amount of practice and effort. It was very enjoyable to watch.”

What was certain was that while they had waited for the Emperor to speak first, they weren’t just blindly following his assessment.

There were even many people who were surprised by the Emperor’s evaluation.

“Hasn’t it been a while since His Majesty praised something like that?”

“I know he doesn’t easily give such praise even to the Imperial Theater Troupe. This seems like the first lavish praise in months.”

The Emperor has high standards.

He’s absolutely not someone who would give good reviews just as empty words to console performers who worked hard.

Sharp, cold rationality.

The lavish praise they managed to break through and draw out!

‘Did we… did we succeed?’

‘We got applause for now…’

The students themselves didn’t seem to fully understand what they had accomplished yet.

They did receive applause, but it was restrained applause different from the Festa, and the Emperor’s praise didn’t really sink in either.

Because they had to maintain tension until the curtain fell after the performance ended.

It seemed like they did well for now.

‘Should we exit now?’

‘Why isn’t the curtain coming down?’

‘I want to go backstage quickly and breathe!’

But then it happened.

When the Emperor raised his hand, the audience seats became quiet again.

Then the Emperor’s mouth opened.

“It’s been truly a long time since I focused entirely on a performance.”

Many audience members were surprised.

Not only praise but even such lavish praise?

“Everything was excellent. The sword dance, the restrained movements, and even the magic that made one doubt their eyes.”

The first years’ bodies trembled.

Only then did they realize it.

That they had done well!

‘We did it!’

‘Can we breathe now?’

And the fact that the Emperor was praising them was finally starting to feel real.

It was an incredible thing.

The Emperor.

The being who stood at the pinnacle of this Empire!

For such a person to give praise.

Lavish praise given by an existence that even students like Delev and Celia, who were children of Grand Lord families, had to tremble before without exception!

‘Holy shit, Gilbert’s life is a success… Yeah, screw you, Crow!’

And Gilbert was deeply moved.

A performance he could be proud of anytime!

The touching emotion added to that was creating extreme adrenaline.

The Emperor then mentioned one person.

“I heard that except for one person, you are all students. Then, there must be a teacher who led this performance.”

Gazes focused.

Toward Ziel.

Ziel stood up from his seat.

“So you are that teacher.”

“I am Ziel Steelheart, official instructor of Edelwein Academy Sword School, Your Majesty.”

Ziel introduced himself according to the etiquette he had read in books.

Of course, it wasn’t with the overwhelmed feeling that most people would have when introducing themselves.

He simply introduced himself calmly.

‘He, he should bow a little more…’

The administrator beside him was horrified, but the Emperor didn’t seem to mind.

Rather, perhaps impressed by that attitude, he showed an intrigued smile.

“I wondered who the person my sons were showing interest in was, and now I finally see that face.”

The Emperor apparently already knew about Ziel’s existence.

That fact alone made the dignitaries in the audience hold their breath and observe Ziel.

Ziel’s name was being inscribed in the minds of those who hadn’t heard it before.

“You worked hard planning such an excellent performance.”

Besides what he learned from books, Ziel had received a crash course from the administrator before the performance started.

When the Emperor praises you, first answer that you are honored.

“I am honored, Your Majesty.”

However, he hadn’t been told not to add other words afterward.

“It was indeed a lot of hard work.”

Everyone froze.

That way GEL talks!

I’m screwed.

Teacher, please!

Boss, at this rate we’re all going to die…

Back when people who knew that kind of speech pattern well were horrified.

“The students’ hard work.”

“Hmm.”

The emperor maintained his smile with a slight nod.

“How modest.”

I am deeply honored and grateful.

Humility.

A word that was the furthest thing from GD came out.

“I am not being modest. I have simply spoken the truth as it is.”

“How very modest.”

I am deeply honored.

Amid the suffocating conversation that followed, one thing seemed certain.

“Your Majesty seems to be misunderstanding…”

‘Is this the teacher’s plan…!’

Those who knew Jiel well were certain that the Emperor was gravely mistaken.

“It’s going to be a delightful banquet.”

The emperor rose first, and with him, the curtain finally fell on the performance.

And the audience members also began to exit one by one with a time delay after the emperor had left.

It is finally over.

“Whew.”

“Huh.”

Emeric and Mortis, seated next to Giel, let out long sighs as if they had been waiting for this moment.

It was filled with all the tension that had been building up inside.

“Teacher Jiel… aren’t you nervous?”

Why are you trembling?

“I figured you’d answer like that, but…”

The ones who are nervous are Teaching Assistant Gilbert and the students who put on the performance.

“We’re in front of His Imperial Majesty.”

Why do we have to leave?

“Because he’s His Imperial Majesty.”

I don’t understand.

G.L. tilted her head in confusion.

Why should one tremble before the emperor?

Emeric gave up trying to make him understand.

Meanwhile, Mortis seemed to be deeply inspired.

“I felt like I saw the bearing of a hero who stands confidently even before the absolute ruler in Teacher GL’s appearance. Should I call it a scene from a work of art!”

“Lord Mortis, why do you always treat the old man like that whenever you see Teacher Ziel…”

“Because they deserve it!”

Anyway, this much is clear.

A stroke of incredible luck for those who know G.L.

But to people who don’t know….

“Teacher Giel, doesn’t it seem like he’s caught the Emperor’s favor?”

“Even when given the opportunity to showcase himself, he humbly lifts up his students like that…”

“Did you hear what they said about you not being humble?”

JiEul became the most humble person in the world.

Another misunderstanding was growing.

The banquet began.

A massive banquet hall.

GiEul was assigned a seat somewhere around the middle.

According to the original rules, he would be seated at the end since he’s from a fallen family, but this time he was given a good seat as a specially invited guest.

“Teacher Jiel, what are you doing?”

I was looking at the windows and exits.

Of course, Ziel had instinctively surveyed the banquet hall, taking note of the number of exits and windows.

Along with the ventilation shafts and every other possible infiltration route.

It was an unavoidable instinct.

If someone were to infiltrate the banquet hall, it would be from that direction.

While others laugh and chatter, Jiel sits alone lost in absurd thoughts.

And indeed, someone’s breathing could be felt in the passage that G.L. had pointed out.

Someone’s there.

Ziel, who had drawn upon the Breathing Technique of the Polar Night, realized one fact.

Someone’s breathing and gaze in the hallway kept moving.

An assassin would typically keep their gaze fixed on the target while quickly scanning other situations around them.

But constantly keeping track of the surrounding situation is still…

‘Are they the ones guarding the Emperor?’

It was astonishing.

Beings never revealed to the general public.

They were ‘Shadows’ whose existence was unknown even to most high-ranking nobles and Imperial Family members.

Beings who guard the Emperor from the closest distance, yet in the most secretive manner.

Among all the people in this banquet hall, only Ziel had noticed them.

Not just noticed their existence, but analyzed them with his breathing technique to understand their intentions as well.

‘Strong ones are guarding him.’

Ziel briefly looked away.

Finally, the time he had been waiting for.

It was time for the food to be served.

“This is my first Imperial banquet… it’s really incredibly lavish.”

Emeric, sitting beside him, exclaimed in admiration.

This was Ziel’s first Imperial banquet as well.

Last vacation.

During the family visit process, he had been treated well by various families, but this was on a completely different level.

First of all, the variety was enormous.

“There’s so much food.”

“Just the food laid out on our table alone seems like it would be dozens of varieties, Teacher Ziel.”

And naturally, the taste was excellent too.

Ziel tasted the meat from an entire roasted leg and furrowed his brow.

“Excellent taste. It feels like beef.”

“Oh, that’s right. It must be a dish made from an entire roasted bull hindquarter.”

There were also spectacular dishes.

Steamed fish seasoned with spices and cooked whole!

The various ingredients decorating around it harmoniously blended together, creating an amazing taste.

And that wasn’t all.

The golden bread given to each person also had excellent taste and aroma.

“This isn’t just regular butter.”

“Since it’s the Imperial Palace, it’s probably butter made by blending expensive spices. How does it taste?”

“I’m curious who the head chef is. They must certainly be incredibly skilled.”

“High praise indeed.”

Ziel was sincere.

Just from briefly raising his breathing technique earlier, his greatly heightened taste perception was distinguishing all sorts of ingredients.

‘It feels like my tongue is being toyed with.’

But it was a very pleasant kind of manipulation.

“I think there’s apple in this.”

“Apple?”

“Yes. In the seasoning.”

Ziel’s taste show continued.

He would identify finely ground ingredients that had been added, and sometimes identify the spices Emeric mentioned by their subtle aromas.

“This nice aroma comes from golden pepper.”

“You can tell that aroma too?”

“I just feel it.”

Even while answering calmly, Ziel kept eating and eating more.

And without the two men knowing.

One of the Imperial chefs carrying food was listening to Ziel and Emeric’s conversation in amazement.

‘Is that person… a gourmet?’

“This sauce is unique. I don’t know what it is, but I can feel a very subtle spicy taste.”

An extremely sensitive palate.

The subtle tastes he was catching with it.

The chef was shocked.

He could detect such subtle tastes like that?

Any excellent chef must combine subtle tastes to create harmonious flavors.

The key is for each individual taste not to stand out but to support the intended flavor!

But this person called Ziel was not only detecting all those tastes but accurately reading the intentions behind them.

“The spicy, sour, and sweet tastes each blend well together harmoniously.”

The chef almost dropped his plate.

Throughout his experience with many banquets at the Imperial Palace, making and carrying many foods, such reviews were rare.

There weren’t even the common flowery compliments that gourmets usually add.

He was just calmly, plainly offering his impressions of the taste.

“Teacher Ziel’s palate seems incredibly sensitive. For me, it’s really just ‘tasty,’ that’s about it.”

Right.

That’s exactly the typical reaction.

After harmoniously blending various tastes, ultimately making people feel ‘it’s delicious.’

“Experiencing taste is an extremely enjoyable thing. I hope Professor Emeric Kent will experience it sometime later too.”

Ziel ate while genuinely enjoying it.

However.

He ate quite a lot.

So much that the chef forgot to carry food and opened his eyes wide in amazement!

‘Someone who eats so much with such enjoyment…’

And he even knows taste well!

He was deeply moved.

Ziel had unintentionally moved a chef to extreme emotion.

So the chef approached and asked.

“Ziel Steelheart, official teacher at Edelwein Academy Sword School.”

“Yes.”

A chef is someone whose profession brings the greatest joy when someone enjoys their food deliciously.

If even someone simply involved in cooking feels this way, how must the head chef who directly made that cuisine feel!

As the chef left to deliver this joyful news, Emerick spoke up.

“I did?”

“Yes. There’s probably no one here except Teacher Ziel who praises cooking so meticulously and magnificently.”

“So words like these can move someone.”

“Hmm.”

Assassination praise.

He had heard it every time.

Back then, he had no emotions, so he couldn’t particularly feel joy.

‘Praise for my abilities as a teacher would be more fitting.’

It was an understandable opinion.

“I’m Leman Needles, Imperial Head Chef. I heard you gave delicate and magnificent praise about my cooking.”

“I’m Ziel Steelheart. I merely expressed what I tasted as it was.”

It was a typically calm response from Ziel, but the head chef looked even more moved.

That’s how nobles’ taste evaluations were.

No one had actually pinpointed flavors accurately like Ziel and given such detailed evaluation.

It wasn’t because they were inadequate.

So sensitive that he discerned even minute flavors and clearly read all of the head chef’s intentions.

That’s what moved the head chef.

This joy was like thinking he was alone on a vast island, only to discover someone else there.

“If it’s not presumptuous, would it be alright if I treated Teacher Ziel to my finest cooking?”

That was Leman’s decision.

But Ziel tilted his head.

“That’s strange.”

“Pardon?”

“Why would such a tremendous offer be presumptuous?”

Leman couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

Meanwhile.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

‘If he likes fine cuisine… this might not be difficult to win him over?’

It was the moment when a new icon of rejection was devising a new plan.

“If you don’t mind, would it be alright if I prepared my finest dish for you, Mr. Giel?”

I repay those who recognize my worth.

That was Raymon’s decision.

But Ji-el tilted her head in confusion.

That’s strange.

“What?”

“Why would such an incredible offer be considered rude?”

Rayman couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

Meanwhile.

“Let’s find out what Head Chef Rayman and Teacher Giel talked about.”

Yes, Your Highness.

First Prince Franz was giving secret instructions.

“If you like good food… this shouldn’t be too hard to win over, right?”

It was the moment when the new icon of rejection was devising a new plan.

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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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