Help Operation
“What the hell do you take me for?”
Ray’s etiquette lessons were utterly miserable.
Using honorifics, bowing greetings, making eye contact while talking. She taught this stuff with dead seriousness.
Elementary first grade? Nah, second grade? Anyway, at that level, how could I not explode inside?
“The basics are crucial. Especially for you, Sir Ethan, as a commoner—you must hone them even more.”
“I’ll hone that bowing real good, then.”
As long as my herniated disc doesn’t act up.
“Haa. If you’re gonna teach like this, just leave. What the fuck is this at dawn?”
I was already dying from the mess with Linea. Couldn’t even sleep, and here we are doing this crap.
“I shall take my leave.”
“You coming back?”
“Yes.”
“I need sleep too, you know.”
“To stand worthy at Her Highness’s side, you must cut back on sleep. Time is short.”
“Then why teach this shit when time’s short?”
“Because the basics matter.”
Words aren’t getting through.
“Just go. You’re making me more tired.”
“Understood.”
Ray vanished like a mirage. I yawned and headed to bed.
Glancing aside, Linea was out cold.
I give up.
A jumble of messy emotions. Should I treat her like normal? Or like a slave right now?
Sleep.
Harsh, but I had no bandwidth left for Linea. I hit the sack and begged for sleep.
The next day, Linea was unchanged.
She thoroughly ignored yesterday and acted normal.
“Master. Is this really okay?”
“It’s fine.”
Instead, I had changed.
Day two at the academy. I decided to skip.
Guys who bolt from school yelling there’s nothing left to learn are trash. But not me.
I’d mastered magic in one day.
“You still have tons of rough edges.”
“Yeah?”
Correction: I hadn’t quite mastered it in one day.
“But you’ll get it quick, Master.”
“Welcome news.”
Later, I could clone a doll of myself for proxy attendance. I floated the idea, and Linea looked at me with genuine contempt.
Deeper emotion than her desperate pleas yesterday.
“Your imagination’s lacking, Linea. Magic isn’t just for battle.”
“Master, it’s been one day since you started magic.”
“My one day equals your ten years.”
“...You’re right.”
Linea bowed her head. No, don’t sulk.
React like that to jokes, and what does that make me?
“Linea, that... it applies to others, but not you.”
“Master, you have zero talent for comforting people.”
Face back to normal like nothing happened, she said flatly.
“Anyway, where are you headed?”
“You’ll see.”
Plan was to find Sea today—no classes. But she sent us packing, saying it was too soon.
So after agonizing, I settled on this.
Operation: Help the Black Mages!
I’d enslaved Linea, sure. But the road ahead was long.
The other villainesses were still kicking. Time to move myself to topple them.
Operation: Help the Black Mages!
Short for Operation Help—it was key to accelerating the timeline. Sure, the name sounded kinda inhuman.
Misunderstanding. All for the greater good.
“First, disguises.”
“Where the hell are we going that needs disguises!?”
“Necessary.”
I scooped up the freaking-out Linea in a princess carry.
“Wh-what are you d-doing!?”
She bit her tongue and made a tearful face.
“Time’s short. Gotta go quick and come back.”
“Just run!”
“Not fast enough.”
I gripped Linea tight and kicked off.
Woooong—
Our bodies floated into the air.
“Kyaaah! Wh-what’s this!?”
Linea screamed, burying her face in my chest. Shaking like a scared puppy.
“No need to fear.”
Linea’s ears perked up.
“Really...?”
“Of course.”
She peeked out hesitantly.
Oh?
Timing hit right before landing on the building. Fine for me, but to her, the wall rushed at her face.
“?!!”
Linea froze with a silent scream.
“Uh... sorry. Wasn’t on purpose.”
I set down her stiff body. Legs gave out; she plopped down, muttering.
“...I’ll kill you...”
Really sorry. Totally not intentional.
I quickly soothed Linea.
“Haa... So why the disguises?”
Her mood a bit better, Linea asked.
“Part of the act.”
Per the op name, I planned to aid black mages. Not the scumbag kind helping with human sacrifices for demon summons.
The group I targeted specialized in curses—efficiently offing lifeforms with all sorts.
Including humans, so trash heap. But this time, monsters were the targets.
Info exchange is the goal.
Black mages nested across the empire. Most families traded with them on the down-low.
Even the imperial family had deep ties. They feigned crackdowns to avoid holy kingdom beef, but valued black mages highly.
Black mages were damn competent.
But they hate info leaks just as much.
Imperials guarded news of noble-black mage dealings fiercely. That’s why they steamrolled the Rosianne wipeout.
And I was exploiting that.
Time for some groundwork.
The black mages I sought linked to House Sibtant—the duke’s house, Isana’s family.
Sibtant barely dealt with them now. But over time, they’d taste the sweet fruit and corrupt.
Isana at the center. She had zero black magic ties yet.
But post-contact via Sibtant lines, she’d change fast. Sibtant shows true colors only after her full fall.
No waiting that long. I’d spread word of their dealings to bait imperial betrayal.
Not easy, though. This was just a little dent.
“So, we’re catching black mages?”
“Something like that.”
Vague for Linea.
“Aha. That’s why you’re disguising me too? Need backup.”
Linea’s lips twitched, hiding glee.
“You’ll see.”
“Last time I didn’t.”
“This time for real.”
Do I look like a bullshitter? Watch.
“But disguises won’t fool them. We’ll get caught...”
“Doesn’t matter.”
Getting busted changes nothing.
“If black mages spot us, what’s the point!?”
“You’ll—”
“No ‘you’ll see’! Explain properly!”
Linea plugged my mouth with her finger.
I eyed her with a how do I explain with my mouth shut? look.
“Fine, I’ll let go. So spill.”
“You’ll see.”
“You little shit!”
Linea’s face twisted demonically as she lunged. I subdued her easily and spoke.
“Means don’t be so curious.”
“Tch. Jerk.”
Linea grumbled, shaking me off.
“No more bickering. Time’s ticking.”
“...Who dragged it out?”
I ignored her mutter and cast disguise magic. My facial bones twisted.
Doesn’t hurt.
Body shifted next—from lean muscle to scrawny mess.
“Ugh, too skinny.”
“Not my real body.”
Voice turned a tad sinister. Hate listening long.
“No one else could cast disguise magic a week into learning, but you, Master.”
Linea disguised herself mid-sentence. Her pretty ex-lady face sharpened into vicious, pointy spite.
Her perfect curves bloated with fat.
“Ugh... this is why I hate it.”
Linea grimaced at her body.
“Won’t take long. Stick close.”
“Stick?”
“Act like a couple.”
“Not with this body...”
“So original body would be okay?”
“Not that either!”
I forced her arm through mine despite the scowl. She frowned but shut up.
“Jane, don’t talk unless spoken to.”
“Who’s Jane?”
“You. I’m Agnerus, FYI.”
No need for aliases, but fun to make up. Always wanted to.
“Thorough, huh.”
I dragged the snarky Linea to a tavern. Scribble-font sign.
Sinister vibe leaked from inside. No hesitation.
Kiiiek—
Stepped in. Eyes stabbed us.
“Kekeke! With a fine lady, eh?”
A sleazy baldy sneered nearby. Disguised Linea looked easy pickings, honestly.
That laugh, that mug—gross.
Not words for his type. Ignored him, unlinked arms, sat at a table.
“What’ll it be?”
“Not help—just highest proof booze here.”
“Carnein.”
“Carnein? Pfft, 43%!?”
Slammed the table. No stares.
Seemed natural.
Password’s embarrassing as fuck.
I wanted jazz lounge vibes, dropping cool shit like “One moonlit for you, one sunlit for me” to the bartender. This? Just drunk #1.
“Sorry, sir. Higher proofs are out.”
“Bull. Check and serve.”
“Right away.”
Followed the waiter—no, black mage—deeper. Linea relinked arms, poking giggles silently.
Even she thought it funny.
“New face. What brings ya?”
Black mage dropped formal.
“Can’t you keep it polite? My taste.”
“Fag, huh. Step back.”
“Just talk.”
Took joke serious. No social skills, no friends.
Oh wait.
That’s why the loner act? Pitied the black mage a bit.
“No weird thoughts—get to it.”
“Wanna see the basement.”
“In that shitty disguise?”
“Why the shitty disguise, then? Figure that first.”
Dunno why, but black mage code: high-ranks do sloppy disguises.
Like game vets running in undies.
“Impressive.”
Black mage murmured low.
“This way.”
Followed to basement—huge, way bigger than upstairs.
Monsters stuffed everywhere.
Hmm.
Time to test.
“Special holding’s over—”
Drew sword; black mage trailed off.
“W-wait. What’re you—?”
“Watch.”
Time to use magic. Infused sword with fire attribute.
Blade edge blazed.
Flame sword’s cool.
Wanna see power. No more waiting.
Swing.
Ku-goo-gak!!!!
Basement caved entirely.
“Told you you’d see.”
Said to dazed Linea staring at my strike. No reply.
“Whoa...”
Just awe. Lame reaction.
But Operation Help succeeded.
Cleared all the leftover monsters. Good enough.
Help complete!
Stamped virtual success on my hand.
“Kyaaaaack!!!!!”
...Ignored the screams.