On My First Day Undercover, the Organization Collapsed - Chapter 65

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

The Organization Collapsed on My First Day of Infiltration Episode 065

 

 

Why Do You Like Daggers?

 

 

Three days later.

 

“Let’s go in, Teacher Ziel.”

 

Berhal stood with Ziel in front of the conference room where the Review Committee was being held.

 

“You’re not nervous, are you?”

“No. I was thinking.”

“Oh, perhaps some secret plan?”

“After the Review Committee ends, I have class, so I was thinking about the lesson content. Midterms start next week.”

“Ah. I see. You must be busy preparing for field training too.”

 

Looking at him, I can’t figure out what he’s thinking.

What could be going through his mind?

 

“By the way… before we go in, I want to ask you something, Teacher Ziel. Did you really apply for this system just for one student?”

“Should there be other reasons?”

“Hmm.”

 

Could there really be no other reason?

Considering Arcane School’s status that anyone who spends even a little time at this Academy would know…

 

‘Is this some advanced strategy?’

 

A system monopolized by Arcane School.

Ziel had knocked on that solid fortress.

To say he’s simple-minded and ignorant of worldly affairs…

All of Ziel’s achievements that Berhal had witnessed so far were outstanding.

 

‘Does he have something hidden up his sleeve?’

 

Berhal was also taking on a great challenge.

Arcane School’s solid and lofty stronghold!

This was the first step to bring it down.

 

“Good.”

 

The plan was as follows.

Karen Aswan’s excellent Exchange Tournament performance as a qualification.

And the logic that Sword School should also be given opportunities by pointing out the monopoly that Arcane School had been maintaining.

The qualifications would probably be sufficient.

 

Click.

 

Opening the conference room door revealed five Review Committee members.

All were Academic Affairs Office staff.

 

“Welcome, Department Head. The person next to you is…”

“This is Teacher Ziel Steelheart, Academic Affairs Director.”

“Ah. I see. You’re… the one who recommended the Sword School student, right?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Please have a seat.”

 

Ziel.

Berhal.

The two men’s seats were at the far end, quite distant from the committee members.

In contrast.

 

“How have you been lately, Professor Anerton?”

“Oh, doing well. It’s all thanks to you, isn’t it? Haha.”

 

The person called Professor Anerton from Arcane School was sitting right next to the committee members.

 

‘This is a bit too much from the start.’

 

Sure enough.

As the Review Committee proceeded, Berhal realized something was off.

 

“Hmm. This time a Sword School student is included among the review candidates?”

“Indeed, hahaha. Well, anyone can apply.”

 

An openly mocking atmosphere.

Now he could see that while the Review Committee members were all Academic Affairs Office staff, they seemed to have personal relationships with Arcane School professors.

 

‘This is… a rigged game.’

 

Of course, Berhal hadn’t come without a plan.

 

“As you all in Academic Affairs well know, Sword School achieved amazing results in this Exchange Tournament. Our First Years took second place. And one of those First Years is Karen Aswan, the student we’ve applied for special support. Not only does she have the skills, but she also meets all the requirements for support.”

 

An appeal about Karen.

 

“Also, since no candidate from outside Arcane School has ever been selected… how about giving Sword School a spot to dispel any misunderstanding about monopolization?”

 

And even a statement that slightly touched a nerve.

 

“Did you just say monopolization, Department Head?”

“Ah. I did say monopolization, but it’s purely to dispel any ‘misunderstanding.'”

 

Berhal was no pushover.

However, Arcane School’s stronghold was even more solid than that.

 

“Even so, she falls short compared to the Arcane School students here. Quite unfortunately, the family circumstances of the students here aren’t very good.”

“If we’re talking about that, the Aswan Family’s circumstances are even worse.”

 

If Karen had been there, it would have been a situation that would have brought tears to her eyes.

But it was a strict condition.

Differential scores are assigned based on family circumstances.

Students from wealthy families shouldn’t take away these support programs too.

However, Berhal realized something was strange.

 

“Is that really so? Let’s see. Student Fabian Erensky’s family is… oh my, they’re having such difficulties they can’t even pay taxes recently. And the Smolder family currently has their assets frozen due to recent legal disputes. Finally, the Griffin family is… oh dear, just looking at it gives me a headache. The family is dirt poor. They only paid 30 cel in taxes last year.”

 

The Academic Affairs Office employee, no, the Academic Affairs Director, held up the documents triumphantly.

The Academic Affairs Office is a department that boasts considerable power in the Academy, along with the Personnel Department.

 

“As you can see, all three of these students are in worse situations than student Karen Aswan. When we select target students for this policy, we look at something called ‘deciles,’ and all these students fall into the 10th decile.”

 

Children of families known by name alone are in the 10th decile?

 

‘Even a passing dog would laugh.’

 

“But student Karen Aswan falls into the 9th decile. I fully sympathize that this student is also in difficult circumstances, but since there are students in even more difficult situations…”

“Coincidentally, all three of those students belong to Arcane School?”

“Those are the students who applied, Department Head.”

 

Berhal nodded as if he understood.

 

“Erensky, Smolder, Griffin. All families I know.”

“Ah, is that so?”

“Yes. I do have ears to hear with.”

 

The Academic Affairs Director’s eyes sharpened.

 

“Even so, nothing will change, Department Head.”

 

Neither struck at the core.

Not yet.

But then.

 

“Looking at the documents, all three students’ families are in poor situations. They appear suitable for the special support program.”

 

Ziel interjected.

Berhal whipped his head around.

 

‘What? Why is he suddenly doing that?’

 

We’re in the middle of a power struggle, and if he suddenly pushes like that…

 

“Ah. Excuse me, but who are you?”

“I’m Ziel Steelheart, Liberal Arts Instructor at Sword School.”

“Ah, the one I’ve heard rumors about…”

“I’m also the recommender for student Karen Aswan.”

“…Is that so?”

 

Proof he hadn’t looked at the documents.

If he had looked at the documents, he would have definitely seen Ziel’s name listed as the recommender.

 

“Ahem. I see. As Teacher Ziel Steelheart has seen, the student you recommended will be difficult to select since other students are in more difficult circumstances. I ask for your understanding in advance.”

“The head of the Erensky family visited during the recent Exchange Tournament. While they have a child in Arcane School, they also have a child in Sword School’s 3rd year.”

“So what?”

“At that time, the head of the Erensky family I saw didn’t seem to be experiencing economic difficulties.”

 

The Exchange Tournament.

The family head visitation incident triggered by the pride battle between Aimerus Kundel and Darren Rihart.

Not only first years, but all student parents up to the 5th years, the highest grade participating in the Exchange Tournament, attended.

In that process, Ziel had seen the head of the Erensky family.

Of course, he hadn’t spoken directly with him, but he had overheard and remembered a conversation someone was having with the head of the Erensky family as he passed by.

Along with that person’s appearance.

 

“How can Teacher Ziel judge that?”

“I heard a conversation he was having with heads of other families at the time. He was talking about pursuing some business venture, saying it would cost quite a bit of money but there was nothing to worry about.”

“With stories picked up from somewhere…!”

 

The Academic Affairs Director shot up, but Ziel continued without batting an eye.

 

“Student Rick Smolder of the Smolder family has a younger sister. Her name is Ellen Smolder.”

“What are you suddenly talking about?”

“I heard the family was in difficulties, but student Ellen Smolder was wearing quite a good sword and armor.”

 

The Academic Affairs Director’s eyebrows twitched for a moment.

 

“Who knows if she borrowed them! And swords and armor are matters of pride! You became a Sword School teacher and don’t even know that? Even if a family is poor, don’t you understand the heart that wants to give their child a good sword and armor…”

“The head of the Smolder family was the same. Not sword and armor, but he wore clothing and accessories that looked sufficiently expensive.”

“Appearances! Appearances! In a place where all the family heads gather like that, should he have gone wearing any old dirty clothing?”

 

Berhal let out a chuckle at the sight of him earnestly defending suspicions that could reasonably be raised.

But he let Ziel continue speaking for now.

Because the situation was flowing in an interesting direction.

 

‘There was a sophisticated strategy hidden, as expected. Impressive.’

 

Of course, there was no such strategy from the beginning.

Ziel was just recalling and mentioning what he had seen and heard since the situation was like this.

In fact, these were things that would have been difficult to see or hear without Ziel’s keen eye, honed by an assassin’s senses.

 

“So, what do you plan to say about the Griffin family?”

“I don’t know anything about the Griffin family. This is the first I’ve heard of them.”

“You’re insulting the Griffin family!”

“I haven’t insulted the Academic Affairs Director. There isn’t a single person from the Griffin family here, so I’m not sure why you’re getting angry.”

 

The Academic Affairs Director was momentarily speechless.

After acting like a spokesperson, he had become mute.

Finally, the Academic Affairs Director changed the subject with a cough.

 

“…Ahem, ahem. Anyway! Such mere ‘suspicions’ cannot influence the results! As decided, students Fabian Erensky, Rick Smolder, and Egil Griffin have passed. Unfortunately, it seems student Karen Aswan will have to aim for the next opportunity.”

 

The Academic Affairs Director declared triumphantly.

 

“This concludes the first Review Committee meeting. In two days, at the same time, we will finalize the students for the special support program in the second Review Committee meeting.”

 

And so the first Review Committee meeting ended.

Berhal walked out together with Ziel, letting out a quiet laugh.

 

“The Academic Affairs Director’s flustered expression was quite a sight to see, Teacher Ziel.”

“I didn’t expect you to defend the students so actively.”

 

Ziel spoke as if he truly hadn’t known.

 

‘That makes sense. He must have connections to the Arcane School side.’

 

Unless he was someone like Locus from the Personnel Department.

 

“I think it would be best to go see the Dean.”

 

This was the method he had been thinking of from the beginning.

The Dean was Berhal’s most powerful supporter.

Since he had joined the Sword School at the Dean’s request in the first place, increasing the quota by one person shouldn’t be a problem.

Ziel seemed to agree with this as well.

 

“Earlier, the Academic Affairs Director said that suspicions alone are useless.”

“Yes. I suppose… justification is important, isn’t it?”

“Justification. I understand. I’ll be going now.”

 

Ziel nodded and then left for somewhere.

Berhal watched his retreating figure and thought.

 

‘He’s going to tell student Karen Aswan.’

 

Regardless of his outstanding abilities, was even Teacher Ziel helpless when it came to Academy politics?

 

“It can’t be helped.”

 

But that wasn’t the case.

Ziel, who Berhal thought had given up and returned, gathered his equipment and secretly left the Academy.

 

‘He said suspicions alone won’t do.’

 

Then he just needed to bring back solid evidence.

Evidence that those three Arcane School students weren’t poor enough to qualify for the program.

And fortunately, there was someone who could help him find that evidence.

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