On My First Day Undercover, the Organization Collapsed - Chapter 316
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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First Day of Infiltration, The Organization Was Destroyed Episode 316
I’ll have to try using this next time.
The meal was exceptional.
More than exceptional—it was precisely to Ziel’s taste.
“Does it suit your palate?”
“Splendid. Each ingredient’s flavor shines through distinctly.”
Ziel was genuinely satisfied.
In truth, the meal was unpretentious.
Partly because the Harmatan Family lacked wealth, but also because Northern cuisine itself prioritized substance over ostentation.
“When you visit next time, I shall provide an even more impressive reception, Teacher.”
Yet the next visit would be different.
Renfield.
Lombardt.
Bernstein.
I hadn’t chosen yet, but whichever I supported, support would surely flow in return.
Then Harmatan’s long history of hardship would finally end.
Moreover, with Renfield’s involvement shifting the political landscape, the noble families holding voting rights would receive far better treatment going forward.
“This beer is also quite delicious.”
“Ah, that beer is our family’s pride. Truth be told, as our circumstances deteriorated, we couldn’t produce it at the same quality as before, but I believe we’ll soon be able to return to those standards.”
“I see.”
That crisp sensation sliding down the throat, that pleasantly bitter finish!
Ziel found this beer absolutely delightful.
“Would it be possible to purchase this beer?”
“Purchase? How could you say such a thing! If our family were to sell anything to you for money, that would be the real cause for pointing fingers.”
“But I’m paying fair coin for my purchase—why would the Harmatan Family face criticism?”
“Well, naturally….”
Rangl hesitated before continuing.
“Because you saved our family.”
“I never saved the Harmatan Family. I merely conducted supplementary classes.”
“That’s the same thing, Teacher.”
“It is not.”
“It is.”
“It is not, Rangl Harmatan, Family Head.”
Sensing this could go on forever, Rangl quickly changed the subject.
“In any case, that’s how it is. We simply cannot accept payment—absolutely not.”
“I noticed you measure beer here in units called kilderkins.”
“…?”
“I would like three hundred kilderkins.”
“…!”
Rangl’s mouth fell open in shock.
“T-that much?”
“One bottle a day is sufficient consumption.”
“Ah….”
“Even purchasing this quantity—surely you won’t refuse payment?”
For a moment, Rangl felt ashamed.
It was only a fleeting hesitation, but it had happened.
A habit born from the poverty that had tormented the Harmatan Family for so long!
Yet Rangl steeled himself.
“Yes. I absolutely will not accept payment, Teacher. Not even if it were 3,000 Kilderkins!”
Whether it was 30,000 or 300,000 made no difference.
“Everything our Family possesses belongs to Teacher Ziel. You have already saved my son, and now you have saved myself and our entire Family. How could we possibly accept compensation?”
“No. I will purchase it. I’ll stop by on my way back from the home visits.”
“But absolutely….”
In the midst of this tedious negotiation, Yurio offered a solution.
“Teacher, would you help us with repairs to our Family Mansion when you return?”
A proposal only possible because he had known Teacher Ziel longer than Rangl and understood him to some degree!
“Father mentioned that the Mansion will soon require renovation. It would be wonderful if you could help, Teacher. In exchange, you could take the beer with you, couldn’t you?”
Ziel nodded immediately.
“That’s excellent. Labor is compensation too. Understood. I’ll do it that way, Student Yurio Harmatan.”
Rangl was left dumbfounded by how easily the matter was resolved.
Yurio winked at Rangl.
‘My son surpasses me.’
Indeed.
It seemed I should pass the Family to him sooner rather than later.
Though he must graduate from the Academy first.
“Then, I will provide the labor and receive the beer. I’ll collect it on my way back.”
“Understood, Teacher.”
In the meantime, Rangl noticed something odd.
“The other two won’t be taking anything with them?”
“They mentioned fatigue. I gave them a brief rest.”
“I see.”
Rangl failed to ask further.
How would they possibly carry such an enormous load—300 Kilderkins of beer—all the way to the Capital?
And he had no idea what training awaited those two currently lost in slumber on the return journey.
And—
“Um, Family Head.”
“What is it?”
“We’ve nearly exhausted our food ingredients.”
“….”
I had never imagined that Teacher Ziel and his party would consume this much.
* * *
“There are many people on the roads because of the Council Chair voting, it seems.”
Ziel and his group set out once more.
Their destination was the Nihalis Family Estate.
Along the way, there were many messengers riding horses in haste.
They all had quite large flags hanging from their horses, and apparently those were the messengers delivering voting letters.
“If anyone were to attack or harm those messengers, there’s apparently a custom where all the Northern families unite to punish them, Boss.”
“They hold voting in very high regard.”
“It appears so.”
I had never been particularly interested in voting anyway.
I had achieved my original objective.
Yurio was now safe.
I had simply worked to ensure the student’s safety.
Thus, I didn’t expect any compensation, but it seemed others thought differently.
“What is that, Boss?”
“A package the Harmatan Family prepared for us since we have a long journey ahead.”
“Oh, you accepted it?”
“I accepted it since they said it contained only some food. Apparently there are snacks as well.”
So that’s why he accepted it—for the snacks, I thought.
“Since I’m hungry, I’ll open it now.”
“Could it contain Northern-style snacks?”
Upon opening it, I found preserved food inside.
Since we would need to travel for quite some time, they had apparently packed mainly food that could be stored and eaten over a long period.
“This tastes good. Northern preserved food has excellent umami.”
“Mm. It tastes fine.”
“M-Master. It’s delicious.”
The three of us pleasantly shared the preserved food from the bundle when we suddenly discovered something wrapped carefully in cloth at the bottom.
Based on its size and thickness, it seemed to contain either a book or something bundled together.
“Could it be a gift the Head of Harmatan secretly placed inside?”
My expression stiffened slightly.
I had told the parent that I wouldn’t accept anything material, yet they found a way to deliver it like this.
“Since you refused so firmly, Boss, it seems they decided to deliver it this way.”
“I’ll have to return it on the way back.”
“Come on, at least open it and look. I’m curious. I think we should see what it is.”
I nodded at those words.
“It doesn’t seem to be money at least.”
“You can tell without looking?”
“It doesn’t smell like money.”
“Ah.”
When I unwrapped the package, what emerged was a worn book, a letter sealed with the Harmatan Family’s insignia, and a weathered parchment as old as the book itself.
“It’s not money, at least.”
“Mm.”
Ziel read the letter first.
After finishing, he handed it to Gilbert.
“It’s not money.”
“What? Then what is it?”
“Something far more precious.”
“Huh?”
Gilbert quickly read the letter.
Then he nodded in agreement with Ziel’s words.
“You’re right, it’s more valuable than money. At least to the Harmatan Family.”
“What, what is it?”
“Read it yourself.”
“I, I don’t… I don’t know the n-nobles’ script.”
“Ah.”
The nobles’ language is somewhat different.
In everyday conversation, there’s little difference, but when written in formal script, they follow a different method.
So Gilbert interpreted it directly for me.
“Simply put, it contains the method for making beer and a secret route known only to the Harmatan Family.”
“M-making beer? A route?”
Both left Kelvin tilted in confusion.
The beer-making method was one thing.
“W-what’s a route?”
“A shortcut across the Trenia Mountain Range that only the Harmatan Family knows.”
“Oh!”
Kelvin’s expression brightened.
He wouldn’t have to endure that grueling journey on the way back!
“Exactly. The return journey will be much easier thanks to this!”
Due to the Northern Region’s nature, crossing the mountain range is necessary to travel to other areas.
In other words, it means risking your life.
That’s why each family had pioneered their own ‘route’.
In essence, Ziel had been given invaluable information written in trial and error and blood.
“Boss, you’ve received something truly precious.”
“Mm. I cannot accept it.”
“Boss, but haven’t you already memorized everything?”
Gilbert knew well of Ziel’s monstrous memory.
That transcendent memory that never forgets once seen!
Ziel couldn’t refute that.
But his reason for refusing was different.
“I’ll take the beer brewing method. I’ve already memorized it anyway, so there’s no helping that.”
It seemed Ziel had swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple visibly bobbing.
“But I won’t use the shortcut.”
So he’d accept one thing but refuse to use the other?
“If the return journey is easy, there’s no training in it.”
“Boss….”
“The return journey itself is the training. Remember that.”
“Boss….”
Gilbert and Kelvin, already exhausted from barely sleeping, nearly collapsed at those words.
But they knew.
That persuasion would be futile.
“In any case, I’ve received something truly precious. A beer brewing method, no less. This way, I can make it myself when I return without any problems.”
Ziel was absolutely delighted regardless.
A method to brew beer with his own hands.
Rangl, following the wisdom Yurio had demonstrated, wrote it down in a letter exactly as shown.
Specifically, he asked for help with repairs and barrel-making when passing through on the way back after finishing work in the Northern Region.
Rather than receiving something from a parent, it had become a fair exchange of labor and compensation.
Thus, Ziel had inadvertently demonstrated what one might call ‘flexibility.’
‘Was it this kind of feeling when Karen left the waffles behind?’
In any case, the delighted Ziel and the despairing Gilbert and Kelvin continued their journey toward the Nihalis Family Estate.
And then they encountered them.
“Are you the bastards who insulted our brothers!”
They were the same ones they’d run into right after entering the Northern Region.
“You stole our money, and even took our precious clothing!”
“We got hit here, Elder Brother!”
“They hit us, I’m telling you!”
To be precise, those ones were behind, while a new group came rushing in to surround Ziel’s party.
Their numbers easily reached dozens.
Ziel had already known.
He simply hadn’t bothered to pay attention because they posed no threat.
“Is it a crime to attack those who tried to attack us first?”
“Hah, you haven’t come to your senses!”
Gilbert and Kelvin looked around with expressions worn down by exhaustion.
And Gilbert sighed.
“You did it last time, so you do it this time? No complaints, right?”
“Yeah, none.”
“Good.”
Tired though they were, stress had certainly accumulated.
This was perfect timing.
“Don’t these idiots realize our numbers even now?”
“Hey, you idiots! You’re finished, finished! Do you understand? We have the illustrious Dark Brotherhood backing us!”
Ziel tilted his head at the arrogant outburst.
“Last time they said the Raut Family was backing them, and now it’s the Dark Brotherhood?”
“Aren’t they just trading on names, Boss?”
“If it’s true, then both the Raut Family and the Dark Brotherhood must be incredibly foolish—backing worthless rabble like this.”
Both statements were actually true.
And because they were true, Ziel’s words struck a nerve.
“You dare insult the Raut Family and the Dark Brotherhood simultaneously!”
“Arrogant bastards! You’ll regret this!”
It seemed these men had been abandoned by whoever was supposedly backing them.
Unless they were complete fools, they couldn’t possibly be ignorant of what the Harmatan Family had done two days ago.
It appeared their claim of having backers was merely their own delusion.
“One, two, three… roughly forty of them, I’d say.”
Gilbert counted them, then shrugged and drew his Sword.
“Plenty of Clothing to burn.”
Ziel sighed with regret.
‘I’ll save the newly acquired Sword for next time.’
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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