On My First Day Undercover, the Organization Collapsed - Chapter 66
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Organization Collapsed on My First Day of Infiltration Episode 066
Back Against the Cliff
Erso was quickly released from disciplinary action.
Because it would be a loss for an organization as significant as ‘Red Shadow’ to leave a Grade 1 Crow like Erso idle.
So Erso had just returned from completing a mission as part of his comeback and to stretch his muscles, and had just thrown himself onto the sofa.
“Hmm. Still not dead.”
The mission execution was perfect.
He received payment after a long time.
This feeling of being alive!
‘Right, it’s stable. The missions aren’t too difficult, payment isn’t delayed, and I get incentives regularly.’
Sometimes there are missions difficult enough to kill you, but that’s something you have to endure as a Crow.
All working people are like that.
Then three daggers suddenly caught his eye.
They were the daggers he had received from Senior and carelessly placed somewhere.
‘Ah damn, right. Living as a Crow is better.’
After being disciplined and having work cut off for a while, he understood.
How precious his previous life was!
Meeting that strange guy had made his mind a bit complicated.
Because of that guy, some stranger had even come looking for him.
‘Someone the Imperial Palace is tracking. That’s dangerous. Yeah. It won’t work.’
Though he had briefly dreamed of a life he could burn passionately for, Erso pulled himself together.
“What is Senior doing.”
“Looking for me?”
“Uwaaaah!”
Erso jumped up from the sofa and tumbled backward with a crash.
He hurriedly got up and saw that guy.
“H-h-how!”
“Didn’t we come together before.”
That wasn’t coming together, that was trespassing!
“S-s-s-Senior.”
“Did something happen? You seem startled.”
Even if he had been here before, suddenly seeping in like gas without any presence and appearing right in front of him – how could he not be startled!
‘I definitely strengthened security.’
Erso wasn’t an idiot.
After that day, he had thoroughly strengthened security and spent big money to get the latest detection devices.
But how…
“Good thing you’re here. If you weren’t, I was going to wait until you came.”
“I-is that so?”
Wait.
Why did he come?
Could it finally be a recruitment offer?
“I have something to ask of you.”
“…!”
Gulp.
He had made up his mind, but now that he thought about it again, his heart was pounding.
‘Elite organization!’
Is this finally the chance to become a member!
The test wasn’t over.
Another opportunity after that test!
“Please tell me, Senior.”
Erso immediately nodded.
This damn romanticism.
Right, a man should chase romance.
Life only comes once, and if he had already chosen a life devoted to the shadows, it wouldn’t be bad to live more stylishly.
“Investigate the families written here.”
Erensky.
Smolder.
And Griffin.
All families with considerable influence.
But asking to investigate these families…
‘Assassination?!’
As expected of an elite organization.
To think they’d boldly target such families.
“How should I investigate them?”
“Their assets and business status. Preferably recent information.”
“When do you need this done?”
“Until midnight when tomorrow becomes the day after.”
What on earth is that person?
Suddenly curious, Erso very slightly drew up his mana to gauge Ziel’s level.
‘Huh?’
Why can’t I see it?
He couldn’t sense any mana from Ziel.
Erso was flustered.
‘Why?’
With this level of strength, naturally some mana, no, a lot of mana should be detectable…
The mana felt from his senior’s body was no different from that of an ordinary person.
“What are you doing?”
“Pardon?”
“Why are you examining me with mana?”
“…!”
He detected even this?
“How unpleasant. If you do it again next time, then…”
“I’m sorry!”
It was indeed rude behavior.
But if he wasn’t caught, it wouldn’t be rude.
He had never been caught until now.
Erso was Crow.
Befitting a member of ‘Red Shadow’, he knew how to secretly gauge an opponent’s level.
But this time he was caught.
For the first time.
The problem was that the amount of mana felt from Ziel’s body was more bewildering than the fact that he was caught.
Generally, whether mages or warriors, they store mana in their bodies.
With that mana, they cast magic, draw out sword aura, and mystic arts users employ secret arts.
‘What on earth is this?’
No matter how much he thought about it, it was an incomprehensible situation!
“I’ll come back again.”
Ziel left like that.
Leaving only the 2 daggers given as advance payment.
Erso, who carefully examined the surroundings just in case, clicked his tongue.
“How is it possible to not leave a single footprint or hair?”
Erso had deliberately laid tiles that would easily show footprints to collect information about intruders.
Hair naturally falls off, but the problem was that no other information including scent and dust was collected.
Truly a pro among pros.
‘What could his identity be?’
Indeed.
He should definitely complete the mission perfectly to please his senior.
‘But why is his mana at an ordinary level?’
The question still remained though.
The day of the 2nd Review Committee.
Berhal had secured a promise of 1 additional position from the Dean.
He thought that alone would deal a blow to Arcane School.
He had caused a crack in their solid position and squeezed through that gap.
Since they would have already received news that the positions had increased, he thought they would probably include candidates with sour expressions.
“Department Head.”
“Ah, Teacher Ziel.”
Teacher Ziel approached at just the right time.
He was holding something in his hand.
It looked like a bundle of documents.
‘Additional documents for student Karen?’
He must have been discouraged, so let me quickly tell him this news…
“Oh my, our Department Head. I thought you wouldn’t come to the 2nd round. You had a word with the Dean, didn’t you?”
When he turned his head toward the voice, the Academic Affairs Director was standing there.
“Ah. Academic Affairs Director.”
“You created one position, the Department Head’s influence is remarkable, haha.”
“I did so because I believe students who need the system should definitely receive the benefits.”
“Ah. I agree with that too. I completely agree.”
What is this?
This uneasy feeling.
“So we added one student from Arcane School.”
“What did you say?”
“When I mentioned that the positions had increased, one student from Arcane School applied additionally, that’s what I’m saying.”
Look at this.
The story flows like this?
“Do you really need to go that far?”
“Didn’t the Department Head just say so? That students who need the system must receive the benefits. So it just happens that one more student who was pushed back by the previous three has been added. Coincidentally… though it’s an Arcane School student.”
It wasn’t unexpected, but I didn’t think they’d be this blatant about it.
‘I didn’t know they’d be so open about it.’
It seemed like they intended to build a fortress so we couldn’t get in.
Moreover, the Academic Affairs Director was openly taking Arcane School’s side.
‘The Dean must have quite a headache too.’
Why would the Dean have brought Berhal for no reason?
The intention was to use a former Imperial Knight Order Commander as Department Head in this power game.
But it really wasn’t easy.
Outside the Academy, the position of former Knight Order Commander would carry weight, but this was a closed society.
‘We have no choice but to try.’
In the end, we had no choice but to bet everything on those additional documents Teacher Ziel brought.
Teacher Ziel must have prepared evidence that Karen Aswan was more suitable for this system.
Documents that could prove the Aswan Family’s debts or poor financial situation.
“Oh my, it’s time. Shall we go in then?”
The Academic Affairs Director guided us with an annoyingly sly expression.
Thus began the Second Deliberation Committee.
Professor Anerton from Arcane School, who had participated in the first round, didn’t even come.
He was confident they would be selected.
“Today’s Second Deliberation Committee aims to finalize the students for the special support system. Oh, and in case you haven’t heard, one more slot has been added at the request of our Department Head Berhal. What wonderful news. One more student who needs the system can receive support.”
If the Academic Affairs Director was being this blatant…
‘It would be best to present our materials first and pressure them with logic.’
We had no choice but to present our materials first and build our justification.
“Indeed, it’s proper for ‘suitable’ students to receive support. Don’t you think so?”
The committee members nodded as if they had been waiting for the Academic Affairs Director’s words.
“Please submit any additional materials you need, and we’ll proceed with additional review regarding student Horton Rain from Arcane School applying for this system.”
“I have no objections to the materials.”
“There are sufficient reasons for support. I have no objections either.”
“I have no objections as well.”
Berhal looked at Ziel and nodded.
“Let’s present ours too, Teacher Ziel.”
“Yes, understood.”
And Ziel distributed Karen’s materials to the committee members.
No, what I thought were materials about Karen.
‘This is…’
Berhal’s mouth gradually fell open.
These weren’t materials about Karen.
They were…
“What is all this!”
“Business and asset status of the Erensky, Smolder, and Griffin families.”
Ziel continued speaking calmly.
“As you can see, they possess many assets including properties under borrowed names and liquid assets.”
The amounts were jaw-dropping.
No, there was another reason for the jaw-dropping reaction.
How did they investigate this?
It was an investigation so detailed and perfect that it was irrefutable.
“Looking at each family’s asset status in these documents, each student is not in a financially difficult situation that would warrant receiving the special support system.”
“…What are you saying right now! Where did you get all this, this data!”
The flustered Academic Affairs Director.
Berhal was equally bewildered.
The clearly organized materials on each family.
“It wasn’t a difficult investigation.”
At least not for Erso.
In fact, just looking at it, the idea that those three families had no money was absurd.
Even playing dumb had its limits.
Ziel had confirmed this through a ‘simple’ investigation and submitted it as evidence.
“The three students are not qualified. Based solely on the income bracket qualifications mentioned in the First Deliberation Committee… all three students are at least second bracket or higher.”
“That’s ridiculous!”
“I request a re-deliberation based on this data.”
“Re-deliberation!”
Whether the Academic Affairs Director was agitated or not, Ziel continued speaking calmly.
“The Academic Affairs Director said earlier that students who need the system should receive support. These students don’t seem to need such system support.”
“Do you know what you’re saying right now! Are you planning to make enemies of all these family members!”
“I have no such intention.”
“Then immediately withdraw this ridiculous data…”
“But there’s no reason to stay still when being antagonized.”
The conference room atmosphere suddenly becomes quiet.
An unknown sense of intimidation!
At Ziel’s single remark, the Academic Affairs Director momentarily gasped.
That was….
Instinct.
‘Ha, he was quite the character.’
Berhal clicked his tongue.
Now that he looked, he was a cunning snake.
To think he’d prepare all this.
The data was so clear there was no way to dodge it.
If it were an absurd list it might be different, but the business status and asset lists written here were facts that anyone in the know would recognize.
Assets transferred under borrowed names while pretending to be poor and unable to pay taxes.
Even art pieces with no cash but sufficient liquidation value.
‘If you’re poor at the 9th or 10th income bracket level, you can’t live that luxuriously.’
Decisively, the three Arcane School students were living very affluent school lives from what Berhal had observed.
They had the highest grade single rooms in the dormitory, and readily bought magic tools.
He’d heard the wands they used were also tremendously high-end.
“Students who aren’t selected despite having valid reasons… and students who are selected without valid reasons… This is a bit strange, isn’t it, committee members?”
“….”
“I think this level probably warrants an ‘audit.’ For example… from the Personnel Department?”
Berhal joining in with supporting fire.
Crack.
The Academic Affairs Director’s expression cracked.
That was also a crack in Arcane School’s solid monopolistic system.
‘This… the data is too clear. How on earth did he obtain it?’
The Academic Affairs Director’s heart pounded violently.
Now the situation had reversed.
The source of the data wasn’t the problem.
The data that came out was too clear.
No matter how favorably things went for Arcane School, a review committee was still a review committee.
They had to keep records of everything, and if records remained showing they selected these 3 students despite having this data….
‘Damn it.’
The Academic Affairs Director’s mind raced.
Now was the time to take a step back.
“…Fine. Alright. Ah. We were supposed to discuss our slots, weren’t we? Karen Aswan student….”
The Academic Affairs Director picked up Karen’s materials, which he hadn’t even glanced at before.
“Just this once, specially. Since Karen Aswan student’s circumstances are pitiful, how about allowing her to receive the support system?”
The committee members quickly exchanged glances.
“Let’s do that.”
“Oh my, that seems right.”
“Well, if it’s Karen student….”
Their stance suddenly changed.
They would give up one.
Right now, that was the only way to protect one.
Erensky.
Smolder.
Griffin.
Those families must not learn of this fact through unnecessary trouble….
“Before Karen student’s selection, the elimination of the existing three students must be decided first.”
Then Ziel spoke in a still calm voice.
“Teacher Ziel, no, Teacher Ziel. Right now Karen student….”
“Didn’t you say so yourself. The system should benefit suitable students.”
However, it wasn’t time to retreat ‘one step.’
The problem was-
‘This damn bastard.’
The fact that one more step back would put them right at a cliff’s edge.
Just one person.
And a liberal arts instructor at that….
Was shaking Arcane School.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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