On My First Day Undercover, the Organization Collapsed - Chapter 355

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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 — Chapter 355
It would help somewhat.
The Family Heads were anxious.
In any case, they had to stay ahead of the other families.
Staying ahead meant recruiting more students than the rival houses.
He’d even entertained a ridiculous thought.
What if they grabbed Sword School students passing through the Academy Plaza and promoted themselves directly?
But family honor wouldn’t allow it.
Or so he’d believed.
“Family Head!”
“Good heavens!”
“A, Amil Renfield, the Family Head himself is in the plaza right now…….”
“What?”
These Northern savages seemed to have no concept of honor whatsoever.
“Meeting students directly in the plaza and speaking with them?”
“That’s what I’m telling you!”
“Does that man have no shame?”
The North valued justification.
But if justification existed, honor became secondary.
In the North, even sworn enemies could shake hands if the cause was sufficient — for it was a harsh land where you might die without making such pragmatic choices.
An environment so severe that survival itself demanded it.
That Northern disposition — caring nothing for means or methods when it came to survival and favorable outcomes!
“I was shocked too. How on earth could they go so far…….”
Daren clenched his fists and rose to his feet.
“It’s no accident the Northern Council’s chairman came from there.”
Yet Daren and the other Family Heads couldn’t act on the news.
Because they had honor.
They never imagined students would choose the Northern family even with such tactics.
Or so they’d thought.
“The applicant numbers…….”
“Seventy…….”
But seeing fewer than one hundred students from the entire six classes, he was shocked.
Daren muttered absently.
“Ninety?”
……
Six families had been invited for the practicum.
And there were six grades total.
True, some Sixth and Fifth Years had left for early graduation and knight corps positions, but even accounting for that…….
‘It’s a bit few, but surely this is acceptable!’
But there was something to confirm first.
“Kundel, what about Kundel?”
“One hundred and five.”
“Damn it!”
He’d lost.
Lost to Kundel again.
But the real problem lay elsewhere.
Renfield.
The Renfield family…….
“How did they get one hundred and sixty applications!”
They’d drawn twice as many.
Renfield, Kundel, Rihart.
The three families combined for three hundred fifty-five students.
That meant the remaining three families were dividing fewer than one hundred thirty students between them!
Someone else had truly lost, but Daren felt he was the greatest failure of all.
“That conniving Renfield bastard…….”
His hands trembled with fury!
But why was it……
Something important felt like it was missing.
‘I thought I saw something strange in that list earlier…….’
Daren reviewed the list again.
Then he noticed an odd name among the applicants.
“……Am I seeing things?”
“What is it, sir?”
“Why did she apply here?”
Delev Kundel.
A name that shouldn’t be there appeared before his eyes.
“Ah! The lists must be mixed up!”
To think the Sword School made such a foolish mistake.
Surely that couldn’t be right.
“Look, our daughter’s name isn’t here either, is it?”
“Ah yes. The lists must indeed be switched.”
“Heh heh, so we beat Kundel after all.”
Daren went straight to find Berhal.
But something was odd there too.
He encountered Amos on the way.
……
……
The two didn’t exchange a word until they reached Berhal.
And when Berhal arrived, neither hesitated to speak.
“Department Head, the lists seem to be switched…….”
“Department Head, no matter how I look at it, they must be mixed…….”
The two looked at each other.
A moment of silence.
Berhal tilted his head at their words, checked the lists, and shook his head.
“No. The lists are correct. This is Kundel Family, this is Rihart Family.”
“That can’t be!”
“It makes no sense!”
Berhal understood perfectly why they were protesting so vehemently.
He’d seen the list yesterday.
Though he hadn’t expected both to come.
“Why would our child go to Kundel! There’s nothing to learn there!”
“That piddling Swift Swordplay of theirs is nothing compared to ours!”
“Ha! So Delev applied to our family because of that? Hmm?”
“And Celia, she doesn’t resemble you at all — how wise she is — yet she deliberately chose our family? What’s that about?”
A smile bloomed at the corners of Berhal’s mouth as he watched them bicker and deny reality.
“You Family Heads are exactly as you were before.”
“Department Head, how did this happen? Why did our daughter go to the Kundel family…….”
“Why did our son…….”
To the two who couldn’t accept this reality, Berhal spoke gently but with absolute certainty.
“The important question isn’t why these two students made that choice, Family Heads.”
“Then what…….”
“Their choices have reasons, and you should observe those choices. I think it’s actually quite interesting. I’d have expected you to be pleased — if they learn swordsmanship you each secretly taboo and return, won’t that improve your families’ techniques?”
……
In truth, both were thinking the same thing.
Both had clearly seen in last semester’s tournament that their children’s swordsmanship was evolving in new directions.
And they were doing so while adopting elements from the families they most despised!
“Family Heads — or should I say, our juniors.”
The two flinched.
“You’ve risen to such lofty positions that decorum matters, but more important than that is trusting your children.”
……
“When we first met, newly married and not yet Family Heads, you were still snarling at each other — and if you’re still doing it now, you’ll do it until you’re dead.”
The two had nothing to say.
It wasn’t just the memory of those days when they couldn’t utter a word before Berhal, who was then the Imperial Knight Commander.
“And there are other students too. It’s not just Delev and Celia. Think about how to develop your other students — that will yield better results. Of course, if each of you takes in a young noble from the family you dislike and develops them greatly……well, the rewards would be considerable, wouldn’t they?”
The eyes of both men gleamed at Berhal’s words.
He was right.
If Delev or Celia developed greatly with a rival family rather than their own, that would be something remarkable!
‘If it works out that way, I could just…….’
‘I can already imagine the look on Amos’s face.’
Thus the two departed, having come to protest but receiving only a lecture.
As the door closed, Berhal sighed.
“How is it they can’t escape those old days whenever they meet?”
Now he dealt with them as parents, but there had been a time when they dared not raise their eyes before him as Knight Commander.
And now those two had become Family Heads of the Empire’s two greatest houses.
Berhal chuckled and was quite looking forward to results that had grown far beyond his initial expectations.
“When they learn that Renfield has secured the most practicum students……this is going to get quite interesting.”
Whether they came from genuine interest in Northern swordsmanship or other reasons, this fact would deliver considerable shock.
Had the Northern families ever influenced the Sword School or the Capital in any meaningful way before?
Never.
This would likely be the beginning.
‘A wind of change is blowing through the North, and that wind is now crossing the mountains to reach here.’
Still a gentle breeze.
But whether it becomes a storm remains to be seen.
Only, he didn’t yet know that even this breeze was summoned by Ziel.

* * *
The practicum participation roster by family had been announced.
The Sword School erupted.
“Delev went to Rihart?!”
“Why is Celia going to Kundel?”
The two most promising talents choosing rival families!
Neither said much about it.
They only stared at each other in shock.
Neither had expected the other to make the opposite choice.
‘Definitely doing it to steal our family’s swordsmanship!’
‘Why is she coming to our family…….’
Ann, watching the two, nodded with certainty.
“I’m sure of it.”
“Sure of what, Ann?”
“You don’t know, Quantus.”
“Hm?”
“They’re alike, see?”
“Maybe they’re spies for each other?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Oh.”
And there were those whose choices seemed natural enough.
“I’m trusting you on this, yeah?”
“Northern swordsmanship is solid — your evaluation report says you’re perfect for it.”
“But the Northern knights……seem like they’d be really intense.”
“It’s not like Teacher Ziel would be the only one, right?”
“True enough.”
It was Yurio.
He’d chosen the Renfield family.
“But what does Northern swordsmanship actually teach?”
“The most effective way to kill your enemy.”
“……You’re joking?”
“No, I’m serious. That’s just how the North is. If you don’t kill them fast enough, you die.”
Karen was somewhat shocked.
The Empire’s swordsmanship philosophy had been gradually shifting toward sparring focus.
Swift suppression.
With ornate technique layered on top.
But the regions beyond the mountain range were different.
“Practical swordsmanship is supreme.”
“So that’s why your swordsmanship is like that.”
“How is my swordsmanship?”
“No fixed form — more like you take whatever movement the situation needs?”
“Ah-ha.”
Yurio’s swordsmanship seemed at first glance like all methods mixed together.
That’s how Northern swordsmanship generally was.
Based on techniques to kill enemies swiftly, each family added their own characteristics — that’s Northern swordsmanship!
Of course, plenty of students applied after hearing a Master-grade instructor would teach them directly.
“I really hope the Renfield family curriculum delivers.”
“Can I get as strong as Yurio?”
“There’s definitely a secret to Northern swordsmanship.”
Some had even met Amil Renfield in the plaza and received direct promises.
At the Sword School, yes, they could expect such things, but outside its walls, this was a person nearly impossible to meet — so when someone like that offered to teach directly, there was no reason to refuse!
Now all the students had made their choices.
‘They’re going for quantity, I suppose. I’m betting on quality.’
‘Damn, our family’s numbers are the smallest.’
‘Numbers don’t matter. If we get results, we’re good!’
As the Renfield family received the overwhelming majority of student choices, the other families now faced the need to produce results by any means necessary.
Which meant the students’ practicum would be grueling!
And the long-awaited first day of practicum.
“Are we really doing this?”
“We already got huge physical training in class today…….”
“Did I make the wrong choice……?”
The families with the fewest students, Dark and Bernard, started with physical conditioning.
Schneider family wasn’t much different.
Meanwhile, on another front.
“We will now unveil some of the Kundel family’s swordsmanship! A special privilege for those who chose our house — learn it well!”
The Kundel family played a bold hand: revealing some of their Family Secret Sword Art.
The students’ eyes went wide.
Celia especially.
‘Really? Really?’
So far, Celia had stolen glimpses of Delev’s swordsmanship and integrated it into Swift Sword techniques.
If they’d been closer, perhaps they could discuss it and she could learn it in detail, but that seemed unlikely to happen in the future.
So this was an enormous opportunity.
‘But is this really okay? Does that mean our family too?’
Her suspicion proved right.
“Count yourselves honored! We of the Rihart family reveal our unparalleled swordsmanship — Rihart-style Swift Swordsmanship!”
Rihart responded in kind, unveiling part of their technique.
“Did we just hear what I think we heard……?”
“They said they’d teach us some swordsmanship!”
It was true.
The stakes had become enormous.
The other families, already defeated in recruitment, had to counter-offer.
And so they decided.
“All of this is for the future of Empire swordsmanship!”
Adding a fitting justification to minimize face-loss, they revealed their techniques!
Though it was only the preliminary foundations — whether Swift Swordsmanship or Heavy Sword Technique — the meaning was extraordinary.
“Family swordsmanship?”
“Yes, Department Head.”
Even Berhal was surprised by the news, and the other professors were startled.
Something was definitely changing.
A flow entirely different from before!
“Boss, Kundel and Rihart are unveiling Family Swordsmanship?”
Meanwhile, when Ziel heard the news, his reaction was calm.
“It’ll help the students grow somewhat.”

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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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