On My First Day Undercover, the Organization Collapsed - Chapter 379

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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 379
Festa Preparations (2)
Mortis had fallen into a deep quandary of late.
Namely, inspiration simply wouldn’t come.
The new collection he’d unveiled with Teacher Ziel and Quantus!
Ever since then, he’d been stalled.
The people—indeed, every citizen across the Empire—waited for Mortis’s next collection reveal, yet they hadn’t the faintest notion of this predicament.
“This has never happened before. Sigh.”
His workshop sprawled wide and empty.
At its center, Mortis sat hunched in a small chair, lost in thought.
He couldn’t fathom how it had come to this.
Inspiration wouldn’t come?
Until now, the opposite had been his torment.
So much inspiration flooding in that he couldn’t decide what to choose!
He’d spent entire days wrestling with that abundance before.
But today was different.
His mind had emptied itself completely.
“Haah.”
It was all because of that man.
“Teacher Ziel… you’ve raised my standards far too high.”
Art, too, has its levels.
Mortis recalled his work alongside Ziel.
The sword sculpture exhibition.
The Sword Dance performance.
And the new collection besides!
Every moment had been joyous, beautiful.
Now it felt as though…
he’d stepped from a vast amphitheater roaring with acclaim into an empty, silent cave.
“I miss those days.”
He’d seriously considered seeking out Teacher Ziel again, more than once.
Yet he couldn’t bring himself to do it.
An artist’s pride!
If he grew dependent on Ziel once more, he’d remain dependent forever after.
So somehow, he had to find the answer himself…
Knock, knock.
“Lord Mortis.”
A staff member from the Mortis Boutique entered.
“Teacher Ziel Steelheart has come to call.”
“What?!”
“He says he has business to discuss with you.”
“Show him in. At once!”
“Of course, sir.”
Pride doesn’t pay the bills.
Whatever brought him here, this opportunity couldn’t be squandered.
Moments later.
“Teacher Ziel!”
“Lord Mortis. It’s been a while.”
Mortis seized Ziel’s hand with the brightest expression he’d worn in days.
“Welcome, Teacher Ziel. I’m honored.”
“Is there some other reason I should have come here?”
“Oh, absolutely!”
Pride doesn’t pay the bills.
“I needed you, Teacher. Desperately.”
“Might you desire the destruction of some organization?”
“…I beg your pardon?”
Mortis was momentarily speechless, but he pressed forward regardless.
“I haven’t been able to find inspiration lately. To be honest, Teacher, when I worked with you—that’s when I produced my happiest, most magnificent pieces.”
“You’re saying my presence was necessary.”
“Exactly! Teacher, I’ll pay any price. Anything at all!”
“I understand.”
Ziel was relieved that work had finally eased up.
“Please, would you help our students with Festa?”
“Festa! Festa again this time? Wonderful. I’d like to do anything I can for you!”
Previously, Ziel had agreed to take the stage for the collection in exchange for helping with Festa.
But this time, things were different.
“I’ll do whatever it takes to participate. You don’t need to give me anything, Teacher! Of course, if you’d agree to participate in the collection, I’d be truly grateful, but…”
“It depends on the collection schedule. However, I won’t be able to participate during the coming break or next semester.”
“I, I see. Then would it be possible to collaborate on the design at least? I’d be happy to share part of the sales revenue with you!”
“Yes. That does sound interesting. Let’s do it that way.”
Mortis inwardly exulted!
Pride no longer mattered to him.
Ziel had joined him.
Just the sight of that sculpted face was enough to flood him with inspiration!
‘Is there sculpture and then sculpture? This—this is sculpture itself!’
Awash in admiration and gratitude, Mortis asked:
“But what sort of Festa are we talking about this time?”
“Ice sculpture.”
“Ice sculpture… Oh, my goodness. We could showcase the very essence of art. And what else will you do?”
“We’ve planned a labyrinth exploration.”
“A labyrinth! Or in other words, a maze! The geometric structure of that maze—I think I can be of help! What comes next?”
“A masquerade ball.”
“A mask! Heavens, masks are among the most crucial objects in the artistic tradition. A mask is not merely something that hides the face. It is a tool that conceals desire! By layering an ornate mask over desire, one conceals oneself!”
Mortis was clearly electrified.
Ice sculpture.
Maze.
Mask.
Those themes, which had seemed unremarkable until Ziel brought them forward, were now igniting Mortis with fierce passion the moment they came from Ziel’s lips!
‘Truly, in art, the artist is what matters.’
Mortis clenched his fists as this realization dawned on him anew.
“I’ll do it. Please, let me do all of it!”
“That won’t do.”
“Pardon?”
“The protagonist of this Festa must be the students. If Sir Mortis takes center stage, the meaning will fade.”
“But…”
At that firm tone, Mortis’s expression fell considerably.
It couldn’t be helped.
“Sir Mortis, your skill is exceptional. So please teach the students.”
“Ah…!”
“That is my request.”
Mortis found himself remembering the moments he’d spent teaching his disciples.
That was true.
In teaching, there is also learning.
In teaching, inspiration strikes anew.
“Very well, Teacher. Let’s start today itself!”
Mortis, thirsting for inspiration!
His manner was utterly enthusiastic.
“Would it be possible for me to bring my disciples along?”
“Yes. If it aids in teaching, that’s entirely acceptable.”
“Thank you!”
That settled matters with Mortis.
Next was the Berte Trading Company.
Stepping out of the boutique amid gracious farewells, Ziel suddenly encountered a strange figure on the street.
“Um, could you be…”
For a moment, Ziel wondered if this might be a remnant of the Red Raven.
“Teacher Ziel Steelheart, isn’t that right?”
Ziel hesitated over how to respond.
If he confirmed it, would a blade come flying?
The stranger’s hand was moving toward their chest.
Ziel nodded cautiously.
“Yes, that’s correct.”
And from the bosom came a hand holding—
“I saw this here! You destroyed that evil organization!”
A newspaper was held up.
“Here, here. It’s written in really big letters!”
It was real.
There was an article alongside Ziel’s portrait.
[Official Teacher of Edelwein Academy Sword School Ziel Steelheart, driven by a single resolve to dismantle the evil organization, destroyed the intelligence network ‘Red Raven’ in the span of a single night. According to investigation, Red Raven was plotting the reconstruction of ‘Black Sky,’ and as a result…….]
Ziel narrowed his brows.
‘An article written in falsehoods.’
The reason Ziel had taken action first was nowhere to be found in print.
‘I was told articles were meant to convey accurate information based on facts.’
[……His Imperial Majesty commended Teacher Ziel Steelheart’s achievements, granting the restoration of the Steelheart Family and fifteen thousand acres of neighboring territory as reward. Furthermore, in response to this publication’s inquiry, His Majesty added the remark: “A hero of the Empire has been born.”]
While Ziel regarded the article for a moment, a passerby, unable to contain their excitement, asked:
“Pardon me, but might I trouble you for an autograph?”
“An autograph, you say.”
“Yes!”
“I don’t possess one.”
“Ah…….”
An autograph.
That thing all famous people supposedly had!
“I’d, I’d really like to have one…….”
Faced with such earnest pleading, Ziel paused to consider before deciding.
‘I suppose I could make one now.’
So this was what a “fan” was.
Scratch, scratch-scratch.
Ordinarily autographs contained a name.
Ziel did the same.
“……This is an autograph, yes?”
“Yes. It’s my name.”
“Ah…… it’s, it’s quite plain. Ha-ha.”
There was no flourish, no grandeur to it.
Ziel.
Just those letters, written plainly.
“The plainness is beautiful.”
“……Are you really Teacher Ziel?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Then…… hehe, thank you so much!”
The passerby, thrilled to have received the autograph, departed with joy!
Watching their retreating figure, Ziel felt a peculiar satisfaction.
He’d only written a few characters, yet the person was so pleased.
‘This is an act of remarkable efficiency. I should make an effort to continue.’
After that, Ziel encountered several more fans and gave autographs to each. Their reactions were splendid.
“Thank you, I’m a fan!”
“Hero of the Empire!”
“Wow! It’s Ziel!”
As he descended toward the Lower Districts, more and more eyes recognized him.
Eventually, Ziel found himself moving along the rooftops and through the shadows, much as he had in his days as an assassin.
“Being recognized by so many people is remarkably inefficient.”
Giving autographs was an extraordinarily efficient act, but being recognized by someone was extraordinarily inefficient.
At least in terms of productivity!
In any case, he thus arrived at Berte’s Mansion.
“Aaaaahhhhh! Ah, ah, Dark Ghost Sir!”
And there he appeared again, behind Berte’s back.
Toward Berte, who had collapsed in a heap, Ziel inquired:
“How is the establishment of the education center progressing?”
“It, it, it shall begin construction s, soon!”
“I see.”
Berte managed to pull himself upright.
Even after being subjected to this several times, his legs trembled less now.
“Ah, ah, please, do sit.”
“Sit down first.”
“Ah, understood. I was just pouring tea.”
A moment passed.
Sip.
“Delicious.”
“Really? Now that I think of it, I haven’t offered you a cup whenever you visit…….”
That was because Ziel always appeared this way, squeezing Berte’s heart tight.
“Oh yes, Dark Ghost. Something strange happened recently!”
“What sort of thing?”
“Well…… I was thinking I’d tell you about it next time you came by, but you know the Commander of the Red Raven? That person suddenly came looking for me, and after that my memory became hazy!”
“…….”
“I remember preparing the tea, but when I came to my senses, the tea had gone cold…… and then daybreak came and I received reports that the Red Ravens had been utterly crushed—by some Academy teacher, no less! Can you imagine?”
Ziel listened in silence.
Wearing the Human Skin Mask now, he held the identity of Dark Ghost!
He could never answer that it had been himself.
“According to the newspapers, those people were aiming to rebuild Black Sky, weren’t they? Surely they came to ask you to participate in Black Sky’s reconstruction—something like that.”
Ziel remained silent and still.
Then Berte realized his mistake.
“I’m so, so sorry. I’ve been talking far too much.”
“Yes. You have.”
“…….”
It was then, feeling fear at the unfamiliar tone, that—
“There’s a task to be done.”
“You need only speak!”
“There is something to investigate in the Western Region.”
“An investigation, you say…….”
“Ziel Steelheart. It concerns that person.”
“……!”
Ziel Steelheart.
Dark Ghost.
The two most watched figures in the Empire at present!
‘So they finally collide.’
“I read in the papers that Ziel Steelheart was granted fifteen thousand acres of territory.”
“Yes, I saw that as well.”
“Go there and learn all the details of what kind of place it is.”
“I accept your command, Dark Ghost!”
One misunderstanding had been planted, but this time it was a misunderstanding Ziel had deliberately intended.
The two identities had to be kept strictly separate.
And before heading west, he would gather intelligence on the situation in advance.
That way he could form a plan before arriving!
He couldn’t send Gilbert or Kelvin, so this was the most efficient option available to him now.
“Then.”
After that, Ziel vanished like wind.
He’d arrived like wind, and he departed the same way.
Berte stood dazed once more!
“I had something else to tell him too, but again it happened so fast…….”
Berte had meant to mention that someone had come looking for Dark Ghost earlier that day.
What had they called themselves? A Mystic, wasn’t it?

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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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