On My First Day Undercover, the Organization Collapsed - Chapter 329

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

First Day of Infiltration, The Organization Was Destroyed Episode 329
Ziel’s Dream
What is alcohol?
It is consumed for that warming sensation and the intoxicating pleasure that follows.
While alcohol certainly possesses its own distinct flavors, fundamentally it is drunk to become intoxicated and feel good.
Yet Ziel was a man who completely defied that very principle.
“Boss, you really aren’t getting drunk at all?”
“I’m curious what that sensation feels like.”
“The heat rises and… it just makes you dizzy, everything spins… and you feel good…”
“I feel good, but there’s no heat rising or dizziness.”
Twenty barrels of beer.
He had consumed all of it during the journey—each barrel yielding dozens of cups.
Of course, he hadn’t drunk it all alone, but Gilbert and Kelvin had each failed to finish even a single barrel.
Even what they did drink had made them drowsy enough to fall asleep.
“How on earth are you not getting drunk?”
“I don’t know either.”
“There are things even the Boss doesn’t know…”
In any case, by the time we had traveled westward toward the Harmatan Family Estate, the beer was nearly depleted.
The empty barrels were repurposed as firewood for the campfires during our camp nights.
Truly useful beer barrels, one might say.
“We’re almost there now, Boss. The next semester is starting too… it’s going to be hectic.”
“It will become busy.”
The students were now entering their second year, second semester.
From the events scheduled for the second semester to preparations for new classes.
Of course, Ziel had already prepared everything.
“What are your plans for this Festa?”
“I haven’t given it much thought yet. However, this time I plan to gather the students’ opinions.”
“Oh. So the students will build it themselves?”
“Yes. It was somewhat like that before, but this time it might be good to leave it entirely to the students’ autonomy while the teachers provide support from behind.”
Ziel had his reasons for thinking this way.
“From observing the Festa, I noticed the students felt greater joy from accomplishments they had prepared themselves.”
The Sword Dance Performance had been successful.
The students had felt pride in its success precisely because they had prepared diligently on their own.
However, the Sword Dance Performance could never have been completed without my training.
Therefore, this time I plan to take a supporting role rather than direct involvement.
“A Festa built entirely by the students from beginning to end would be more enjoyable.”
“The spectators’ expectations have risen quite high though. Will it be alright? Lord Mortis will probably need to attend again…”
Thanks to last year’s First Years who wore clothing designed by Mortis and performed sharp, synchronized sword movements, everyone’s expectations for this Festa had certainly increased.
“Do you think Lord Mortis’s reputation is what made the Festa successful?”
“It must have had some influence, wouldn’t you say?”
“Then this time, I’ll simply surpass it without needing a name for it.”
Goals must always be higher than before!
A Festa led by the Students.
Plans were steadily taking shape in Ziel’s mind.
I couldn’t speak for other grades, but these Second Years would likely follow that path.
“And in the second semester, we’ll be learning Magic.”
“Magic, that’s important, right? Hmm. Magic… Magic?”
“M-Magic?”
“Yes. Magic. Is there a problem?”
“Um… but this is the Sword School?”
“Is it strange to learn Magic at the Sword School?”
“Usually, it is, isn’t it?”
“I see. But I intend to teach it. Understanding Magic is the process of understanding Mana. Understanding Mana means becoming more familiar with the Mana you normally use.”
It wasn’t wrong.
I’d never conducted a direct Magic lesson, but I had conducted Mana Training several times before.
The Mana Release lesson utilizing the Necromancer King’s Heart was a prime example.
“Do you think the kids will understand? It seems difficult.”
But as Gilbert said, difficulty was the biggest problem.
Mages weren’t high-grade personnel for nothing.
A Mage had to have high aptitude for Mana and be intelligent as well.
“I’ll teach them until they understand.”
“Ah.”
The Boss’s teaching philosophy had always been like that.
In any case, the Boss was always someone whose thoughts exceeded expectations.
“The coming second semester will be fun too.”
“It will be.”
Then, suddenly, a question occurred to Gilbert.
Was it a thought brought on by the crackling Campfire burning with soft sounds?
“Boss, I have something I’m curious about.”
“What is it.”
“What is your dream, Boss?”
There were always short-term goals.
Festa.
Swordsmanship Tournament.
Final Evaluation.
Home Visits.
But I’d never heard about long-term goals, or more precisely, a ‘dream’.
Even Gilbert himself thought the question was sudden, but surprisingly, Kelvin was curious too.
“B-Boss, the future, I’m curious.”
Kelvin had been wanting to know as well.
Typically, goals and dreams are determined based on one’s current circumstances.
Gilbert works as a Teaching Assistant now, but he once belonged to the Red Raven, and his goal is to take revenge on the organization that abandoned him.
Kelvin’s goal was simply to become stronger. He also dreamed of cleanly severing his mercenary life and building a family if possible.
Predictable, if you know the background.
But looking at Ziel, I couldn’t predict anything at all.
‘The organization’s expansion is one thing… but he’s never talked about his dreams.’
Ziel had clear likes and dislikes, but he’d never spoken of his ‘dreams.’
What is a dream?
It can be a goal, but it’s also an ideal, and simultaneously something that might remain forever unattainable.
Gilbert’s dream was a happy life.
To live peacefully without the anxiety of his Crow days, free from any threat—whether financial or to his life itself.
Kelvin’s was family.
A dream that arose naturally from living as a mercenary for so long.
What about Ziel?
“Ah, well, you don’t need to answer if you don’t have one.”
I was about to withdraw the question, thinking I’d asked something unnecessary, when—
“To grow old and die.”
“Pardon?”
“I want to grow old without pain, comfortably, and die quietly. That’s my dream.”
“I… see.”
Simple if you looked at it one way, grand if you looked at it another.
It seemed somewhat distant from what I’d expect to hear from Ziel’s lips.
“Why… is that?”
“Do I need a different dream?”
“Well, it’s not that, but I still thought the Boss had some grand and tremendous plan…”
“I do.”
As expected.
Organization expansion and continental domination!
“But I don’t want to talk about it.”
“I see.”
“Regardless of that plan, I want to grow old and die.”
Gilbert stood blankly for a moment before understanding dawned.
The Boss was human too, after all.
“That’s my dream now.”
Dreams.
When I was very young.
Before being kidnapped by the Assassination Group, my dream was simply to eat my fill and sleep deeply.
After becoming an assassin, I had no dreams.
The brainwashing was too powerful to allow for dreams.
Occasionally, in those brief moments of clarity during re-brainwashing, what I felt was…
It was hunger.
A fleeting moment too difficult to hold onto dreams.
When I first entered the Academy, I was only focused on settling into my cover identity.
But now things were different.
There were more people around me.
I began to want things, one by one.
There were more things I wanted to protect.
That’s why I wanted to die old.
“Death is frightening, I suppose. But if it’s something I must eventually face, then dying of old age is my dream.”
“Boss….”
Gilbert felt a sense of kinship with Teacher Ziel for the first time.
Kelvin seemed similar, gazing at Teacher Ziel with thoughtful eyes.
Crack, crackle.
The campfire burned on.
The night was passing.

* * *
The party finally returned westward.
On the way back, they made inquiries and visited the Northern Black Market as well.
It was a promise.
True to the promise made when they first crossed the Trenia Mountain Range, both were able to obtain what they desired.
Kelvin acquired a well-crafted, sturdy yet lightweight suit of armor.
Gilbert obtained a sword.
“Thank you, Boss!”
“M-Master! Thank you so much!”
Both items were products with Magic inscribed upon them!
Though each cost tens of thousands of Sel—quite a substantial expense—Teacher Ziel paid it no mind.
Kelvin was especially delighted.
“D-during my m-mercenary days, I c-could only ever afford c-cheap stuff….”
Armor in particular could be incomparably more expensive than weapons depending on the type, always leaving Kelvin strapped for funds.
To purchase something like this.
Of course, it took considerable searching to find the right size.
In any case, after concluding their business, they continued westward and entered the Harmatan Family Estate.
Construction was underway near the mansion.
From what I heard, it seemed the Harmatan Family was finally seeing better days.
“The Renfield Family has provided all the support. It appears they’ve committed to a clear direction.”
Estate expansion, territory development, and preparations for new ventures.
The Renfield Family seemed intent on properly sponsoring the Harmatan Family.
“It’s all thanks to you, Teacher.”
Rangl Harmatan spoke with sincerity.
It wasn’t merely about blocking Ligron under the guise of class.
The reason Renfield supported Harmatan so substantially came down to their connection through Ziel.
Rangl was fully aware of this aspect as well.
Of course, Ziel paid it no mind.
“You handle that area, Gilbert. I’ll take this side. Kelvin, you go over there. We’ll need to transport the timber.”
He simply provided the labor he’d promised.
The workers naturally fell over in shock.
“He’s lifting all that in one go?”
“How is he even maintaining balance…?”
“This was supposed to take us until tomorrow.”
With three masters joining in and applying tremendous strength and endurance, the efficiency of transporting and organizing materials skyrocketed.
It was almost entirely a sight no one had witnessed before.
Noble knights simply didn’t involve themselves in such work.
‘It’s not about dignity or reputation… they’re simply doing what needs to be done.’
Rangl was impressed once again.
So he stepped forward alongside Yurio.
“Family Head, Young Master! We should be doing this. We cannot allow this!”
“If our family’s benefactors work like that, how could we possibly stand idle?”
And so a heartwarming scene unfolded with everyone pitching in to work.
Ziel didn’t stay long at the Harmatan Family Estate.
He worked for about a day, drank some Harmatan beer, and then observed Yurio’s training.
“You’ve improved since the last class. Have you been practicing?”
“Yes, Teacher. I haven’t stopped practicing even after you left.”
“Well done, Student Yurio Harmatan.”
“By the way, how did you end up visiting the Lertrung Family Estate? Did you really exterminate the Brotherhood?”
“No. I went to drink beer.”
“Pardon?”
“I heard the Lertrung Family’s beer was delicious, so I went. It truly was excellent.”
“….”
If Teacher Ziel said so, then that must be the case… but…
“Could it be… better than our family’s beer?”
“Yes.”
“…!”
Just as Yurio’s expression grew dejected.
“The initial taste of Lertrung’s beer appealed to me more. However, the aftertaste and the smoothness of the Harmatan Family’s beer were superior.”
“Oh!”
“When compared, each has its merits and drawbacks. In absolute terms, the Harmatan Family’s beer is better by a very slight margin.”
“As expected of you, Teacher.”
Ziel asked the now-beaming Yurio a question.
“What do you think would happen if we blended the two families’ beers together?”
“Beer… mixed together? You mean something already made?”
“No. I’m asking what would happen if we combined Lertrang’s yeast with Harmatan’s brewing methods.”
“….”
Yurio pondered this absurd question for a moment before asking.
“…That’s a question I’ve never even considered?”
Harmatan was in the West.
Lertrang was in the East.
Two families separated by vast distance.
I knew of their existence, but there was no exchange between them, and even if there were, they would never share their brewing methods or yeast….
“But why are you asking that, Teacher?”
“Because I have access to both. I’m planning to make it that way when I return.”
“…!”
Yurio was astonished.
Something I had never even considered!
But if it were truly possible….
‘Would a beer trend start in the Capital?’
It seemed I was thinking far too ahead.
Ziel wasn’t planning to make it for the purpose of selling beer.
‘If I just manufacture it when I return, I’ll never have to travel north to drink beer again.’
He had asked out of personal desire.
“I’m going to build a brewery.”
“Oh… in front of the Faculty Dormitory?”
“Yes. I’m planning to construct a building nearby.”
“Then I’ll help you with that!”
“Good. If you do, I’ll give you some beer.”
“But I’m still underage….”
Yurio was still a minor.

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