On My First Day Undercover, the Organization Collapsed - Chapter 69
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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 069
An Irrefusible Gift
The chaos at the Academic Affairs Office and Arcane School hadn’t reached the students. A few well-informed upperclassmen knew about it, but that was all.
However, there was one student who had been anxious all morning despite not knowing about any of that.
“Karen, do you need to poop?”
“Do you really want to die? Today’s the announcement day!”
“Oh, right.”
Yurio quickly tried to comfort Karen.
“It’s okay. Teacher Ziel told you to trust and wait, right?”
“Still… Sigh. I found out that only Arcane School kids usually get it.”
“Since it’s Teacher Ziel, won’t something work out?”
“I know the teacher is amazing, but this is different.”
Karen hadn’t yet developed the same level of faith as Yurio.
From the perspective of someone whose illness was cured, Ziel was no different from a god.
“Karen, trust me. It’s Teacher Ziel, you know?”
That incomprehensible devotion!
“Ah. It’s time. Let’s go to class.”
“Phew.”
Even while heading to the auditorium for class, her heart wouldn’t calm down.
‘What if I fail? Should I go to District 45 this time? I heard the security there is really bad… Of course I can handle thugs, but…’
All sorts of thoughts flashed through her mind.
She momentarily felt it was a waste to have readily given up the Exchange Tournament prize money and dormitory fee for her family.
‘No, that’s not right. I must be crazy. It’s for the family!’
Though she quickly felt ashamed, the feeling of regret wouldn’t leave.
It was too harsh a situation for a girl who was only 15 years old to handle.
Finally arriving at the auditorium.
Ziel wasn’t visible yet.
Friends who didn’t know the situation greeted Karen cheerfully, but she barely acknowledged their greetings.
“Karen, Karen. The teacher’s here.”
Karen’s head shot up.
Ziel with his usual calm expression.
He didn’t even glance in this direction.
As always, he entered, looked at the students once, then brought up the announcements.
“There will be a mid-term evaluation.”
“Ugh!”
“And there will be field training.”
What was bound to come had come.
“Really? Are we really going out too?”
“So it was true that first years are going out this year…”
The despairing first years.
Though they had achieved great results in the Exchange Tournament, that was only 10 people from here.
Even though they had shared in that victorious feeling, it was inevitable that most students would be frightened upon hearing the words ‘field training.’
The reason being it was the exclusive domain of seniors.
And-
“Arcane School first years are also participating. And you will be training in the same field as the Arcane School first years.”
“Ahhh!”
The relationship between Sword School and Arcane School.
The subtly established hierarchical relationship from some point wasn’t something shared only by professors and faculty.
Students also knew to some extent.
That mages were currently a much more promising profession than knights, and the social treatment and position that the mage profession received!
Because of this, there was an unconscious perception among students that Arcane School had more influence than Sword School…
‘Now we have to beat Arcane School instead of just seniors…’
‘How can we win…’
It wasn’t strange to have such thoughts.
“I don’t understand why you’re all reacting like that.”
While Ziel tilted his head in confusion, he finished the announcements and moved to the next step.
“I’ll take attendance. Student Ann Peshwa.”
“Yes, teacher!”
“Student Celia Rihart.”
“Yees! Here! Here!”
“Answer only once. Student Quantus Hopel.”
“Yes! Leader is here!”
“The leader thing is over. Student Maris Sopen.”
“Yes.”
During the attendance call, there was one student thinking about something other than the field training just mentioned.
It was Karen.
‘He’s not saying anything special…’
Would he tell her after class ended?
“Student Maris Sopen. Please speak a little louder when answering. Next. Student Karen Aswan.”
Seeing that he’s not telling me the story, I guess it didn’t go well.
“Student Karen Aswan?”
Karen raised her hand dejectedly.
“Yes, teacher.”
“I heard there’s a dormitory festival next month. Are you participating?”
“Pardon?”
“I asked because your name wasn’t on the application list. Next, student Delev Kundel.”
Karen was momentarily dazed in thought, then suddenly realized.
‘Could it be…’
Did it work?
‘Since he specifically mentioned the dormitory…?’
It worked!
Karen almost screamed out loud.
But instead of doing so, she expressed her joy with her feet.
“Karen, do you still need to poop?”
“I’ll see you later.”
Karen thought excitedly.
‘I’m so grateful to the teacher.’
But even if she tried to repay him, he definitely wouldn’t accept it.
He’d say something like, a teacher doesn’t accept anything from students.
But it felt too wrong to just pass off this gratitude with mere words.
‘Ah!’
Karen happened to think of a good idea.
“Hey, Yurio. Let’s talk after class.”
“Are you going to hit me?”
“Among other things.”
“Among… other things?”
“There’s something I want to do together.”
The corners of Karen’s mouth turned up.
“What are you planning to do?”
The one thing Teacher Ziel absolutely couldn’t refuse!
“Let’s go make something delicious.”
One week later.
The day of the midterm evaluation.
It wasn’t anything grand just because it was called a test.
It was just checking the students’ current academic achievement.
Of course, with Ziel as the evaluator, the students had to demonstrate their skills under pressure almost equivalent to midterm exams.
“Next. Student Ann Peshwa.”
“Yes, I’m coming!”
There were two categories.
Reflexes.
And swordsmanship.
Physical strength was automatically applied from existing class records.
In other words, the remaining two had to be demonstrated against Ziel.
“Three minutes have passed. Next.”
“Could you give me just a little more time? I think I can succeed in attacking if I try just a bit more!”
“Even an hour wouldn’t work. Next.”
“…”
Naturally, no student succeeded in attacking Ziel.
Conversely, no student avoided Ziel’s attacks either.
However-
Clang!
There were students who blocked them.
“As expected of Delev.”
“I was most surprised that Yurio blocked it.”
The two most outstanding students among the first years.
Delev.
Yurio.
Both had reached a level where they could block Ziel’s attacks to some degree.
Especially Delev, whose skills had improved significantly after the exchange tournament, even launched a counterattack.
Whoosh!
Though it cut through empty air, it was a counter that made Ziel, who had barely moved his feet while defending, take a step back!
“Your thrusting speed has gotten faster.”
The swordsmanship Delev uses is Kundel Heavy Sword Technique.
So it usually receives evaluations of being powerful, but this time the evaluation Delev received was like that.
However, Delev smiled as if pleased.
“I referenced Celia’s swordsmanship a bit.”
“Hey! You stole mine?”
“I referenced it, referenced!”
Ziel doesn’t know much about Kundel Heavy Sword Technique.
Usually, a family’s swordsmanship involves first learning standardized forms and then developing them.
Delev had incorporated Celia’s Swift Swordsmanship into his own technique while transitioning to the 8th Form.
But even if Ziel had known, he would have said it didn’t matter.
If necessary, use every method available.
One of the beliefs Ziel had learned while living as an assassin.
“Well done, student Delev Kundel.”
“That was praise, right?”
“Yes.”
“I knew it! I wasn’t wrong!”
Of course, after the praise came inevitable criticism.
“But it’s clumsy. Adding speed to a form focused on Heavy Sword Technique makes the connection unnatural. Next time during this class, demonstrate it again in front of me. Come prepared.”
“…Yes.”
Couldn’t he criticize first and then praise?
The order was always reversed, which was confusing.
“You seem different since meeting Big Brother at the Exchange Tournament, student Delev Kundel.”
“Huh?”
“Your swordsmanship seems a bit more refined since then.”
“Ah…”
“You look happier too.”
Delev slightly averted his gaze as if embarrassed.
He was still embarrassed about how he had charged at Big Brother yelling loudly at the Exchange Tournament.
Of course, after that, his Elder Brothers started playing with him again.
Recently, they even helped him with swordsmanship in the Dormitory Backyard.
‘Is that what family is like?’
Ziel was curious.
Could simply getting closer to his Elder Brothers change something this much?
The conclusion came quickly.
‘I don’t know.’
Ziel doesn’t deeply contemplate things he hasn’t experienced and doesn’t understand, concluding simply that he doesn’t know.
But this time he was a bit curious.
Wondering if that’s what family is like.
“That’s right. Getting closer to my Elder Brothers and all… it makes me feel more at ease.”
“That’s good.”
“Right. Teacher, do you happen to have any siblings?”
“No. I don’t. Next. Student Celia Rihart.”
Celia, who stepped forward next, gritted her teeth.
“Teacher, but Delev stole my swordsmanship, isn’t that too much?”
“The dictionary meaning of ‘steal’ is to take something secretly and make it your own.”
“Then he did steal it!”
“But how can you steal swordsmanship?”
“Well… if you watch and copy it…”
“If it’s simple enough swordsmanship to watch and copy, then there’s no meaning in calling it stealing, is there? It’s like saying you stole the method of hammering by watching and copying it.”
“…”
Irrefutable logic.
Noble logic didn’t work on Ziel.
‘Stealing’ swordsmanship was only talk among Noble Families.
But Ziel wasn’t a noble.
More precisely, he was someone who didn’t know much about noble life.
And Celia found herself convinced without realizing it.
In a slightly different direction.
“Then I want to steal too. You said it’s not stealing, right?”
Celia’s test followed.
Celia likewise-
Clang!
Blocked it.
Ziel’s attack.
The moment the number of people who blocked increased from 2 to 3.
But she couldn’t succeed in a counter like Delev did.
Her body swayed as she forced herself to mix in Delev’s Heavy Sword Technique.
“Tsk.”
Inevitable criticism flew toward Celia as she stood up huffing.
“Think more about how to execute Heavy Sword Technique with such a light sword. You completely lost your center of gravity.”
“…Yes.”
“Your Evasion Movement up to that point was excellent. Focus more on your own swordsmanship.”
“Yes…”
Celia looked disappointed.
But to Ziel, it looked different.
‘They’ve grown more.’
The Exchange Tournament.
It seemed like everyone had grown quite a bit since that point.
‘I hope they’ll grow even more during the field training.’
The field training that would begin soon.
The experiences they would gain in that place traversing ruins and forests.
It would certainly be of great help to the First Years’ growth.
This must be what joy feels like.
Anyway, the midterm evaluations were all finished.
“Starting next week, we’ll begin preparing for field training. That’s all.”
Class was finished too, and now on the way back, he’d buy chicken skewers to end the day…
“Teacher.”
“Haven’t you gone back yet, Karen Aswan?”
There was still a student remaining in the auditorium.
“Yes, I have something to give you.”
“I don’t accept anything from students.”
“Well, I don’t think you’ll be able to refuse this time?”
Karen smiled mischievously as she held out a box.
“Open it and see.”
“I won’t accept it.”
“Aw, that’ll be difficult, won’t it?”
Karen slightly opened the box.
Then a sweet fragrance wafted out!
“…!”
Ziel flinched.
To think such an enchanting fragrance existed in this world.
“…What’s inside?”
“I made it. To give to you, Teacher. Please open it.”
Ziel opened the box as if entranced.
What was inside was…
“It’s called a waffle – do you know what that is?”
“I’ve never heard of it.”
“It’s amazing when you drink it with coffee.”
Sweet sugar melted along the grid pattern on the surface.
The sweet and warm scent wafting from it.
This temptation that made him want to take a bite right away!
‘This is as difficult as assassin training.’
Assassins receive training to endure hunger.
So they starve you for three days and put you in a sealed room with food.
In that state, you have to endure for another three days.
For Ziel, who became an assassin after starving as a child, hunger was truly one of the most difficult things to endure.
That’s why his performance was particularly low only in that training.
“Don’t feel burdened. I’m just grateful… There’s a Baking Class at the Academy. I made it there briefly. Together with Yurio.”
A waffle baked once and coated with sweet sugar, then baked again to make the surface crispy!
Ziel had never seen it before.
So he couldn’t resist this temptation…
“I cannot accept it from a student.”
“Aw, Teacher. I’m doing this out of gratitude, you know? If you won’t even accept this, how can I repay my debt?”
“I didn’t do it expecting such things. You’re my student.”
It was a series of touching moments, but also a series of frustrating ones.
“Ah! Can’t you just accept it?”
Ziel wanted to accept it too.
But…
‘Hmm.’
Principles are important.
Just as he was about to refuse once more.
“I don’t like waffles anyway. Then I’ll just leave it here! Let’s just say I threw it away!”
“What?”
“Goodbye, Teacher!”
Karen placed the waffle box on a nearby chair and rushed out of the auditorium.
It was Karen’s own clever strategy.
Thanks to that, Ziel watched Karen’s retreating figure with a stunned expression.
“So there was such a method.”
And Ziel, left alone in the auditorium, hesitated for a moment.
The sweet fragrance tickling his nostrils!
Rising conflict.
His heart swept back and forth like crashing waves!
Ziel pondered for a moment…
He decided to make his first ‘compromise.’
It was absolutely not because he wanted to eat the waffle.
It was because he was grateful for student Karen Aswan’s thoughtful consideration.
Chomp!
He finally took a bite of the waffle.
“Hmm.”
Ziel unconsciously drew in a breath.
“…It’s the best.”
That was the highest praise Ziel could give at the moment.
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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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