I Set the Stage for You

The frozen moisture had sharpened into gleaming ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠blades and whips, lashing down across the witches' bodies.

Crack. Crack.

Whoooosh—

The once-still surface of the water froze solid in a single instant. Surging ropes of ice coiled tight around the witches, binding them. Tangled together, they were swept away and driven under the lake.

Ssssssss—

Brains burst. Bodies crushed. The witches scattered into black smoke, leaving only ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠their teeth to click and skitter across the ice.

Ugh… what an eyesore.

Artifact or not, it was a visual I didn't even want to touch.

I turned to Igrian.

"You brought the gear, right?"

"Obviously."

Snap!

Igrian flicked her fingers. Scissors shaped like a nutcracker skittered to life on their own, crushing the teeth and prying out the artifacts. Artifacts, sure—but they were little more than pills shaped like tiny teeth. She swept them into her pockets until they bulged full, then wiped her lips with a tsk.

"With this, we're even on the Jeffbery matter."

At my words, the corner of Igrian's mouth curled up.

If we'd eliminated Jeffbery, she could have absorbed the mana circles packed into that body—something on a completely different level from anything harvested off witches. But with a haul this size…

You won't be able to hound me about it anymore either.

Ugh. This was an apocalypse story all on its own.

I looked out over the thoroughly ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠churned ice of the lake and the branches torn and broken to shreds. The press was going to tear into me again for wrecking the ecosystem.

We seek coexistence with the witches. We observe until they cause an incident.

It sounded nice enough—but that was talk from people who had no idea how dangerous witches already occupying the human world truly were. They'd only come to their senses after being eaten alive.

But I intended to stop that from happening as much as I could.

Why?

Obviously, for my favorite character.

From the big and small injuries that came with fighting witches all the way to the psychological trauma—Jeffbery even ends up brain-dead from critical wounds. Of course, that was a future only I knew about. So I had to take them out early.

For now, the witches hadn't fully awakened their power, which made eliminating them relatively easy. The moment they properly established themselves and spread their influence, not a single living thing would be left standing—and people would be worked like disposable rags under their thrall.

A future only someone who'd read the novel could know. But I couldn't exactly say that out loud.

The official reason I dealt with them was just one:

Anyone stronger than me is an eyesore!

I was the strongest villain in this world, after all.

I smacked my lips and turned around.

Time to go meet that bastard.

Top floor of the Magic Tower. Confidential Hall.

Jeffbery was being interrogated by three Magic Tower executives—the department heads of the Emergency Response Committee, assembled for rapid countermeasures against Double Crown's faction.

"You just let him go?"

"Yes."

Three flustered faces. Write this in the report as-is and the chairman would chew them out for sure.

1st Department Head Dren pressed hard at his brow.

"Look, Jeffbery—wouldn't it be better to just say you escaped on your own…"

"I was completely overpowered……"

3rd Department Head Schlang cleared his throat.

"Haha…. This is quite something. Stubborn to a fault, aren't you."

2nd Department Head Michael spoke in a solemn voice.

"From the Magic Tower's perspective, we currently view this situation as a sophisticated psychological campaign by Double Crown. He's desperate to use you to provoke Dwight."

Jeffbery's voice trembled.

"Dwight is…… How is he?"

"We sent a transmission saying you were in combat. There was no reply."

"I see."

A lonely look passed through Jeffbery's eyes.

In the end, Dwight hadn't come. Even knowing she might die.

Of course she understood. Dwight moving would mean an all-out war with Double Crown—and the consensus was that Double Crown had been aiming for exactly that. Ultimately, he would keep using her as bait to lure Dwight out. To prove the tactic was meaningless, it was right that Dwight didn't appear.

But…

Jeffbery's pupils shook violently.

Whoosh~

A rooftop where cold wind fluttered. After teleporting in, I turned my head and surveyed the surroundings.

This was the Magic Academy. Students were taking exams inside.

I began calculating with Blending, stacking the equations one by one and crossing the magic circles together. A moment later, a massive waterspout rose from the rooftop.

Whoooosh!

Wrapping up every scrap of dust and debris in the air, the rising spout swelled larger and larger.

Light flared in the crystal orb, and my image began broadcasting nationwide.

"Mwahahaha! Are you watching, Dwight! It's me—Double Crown."

I twisted my face into an exaggerated grimace as I spoke.

"I used Jeffbery as bait and you still didn't come running—impressive. I sent your fiancée back in one piece. I'll let it slide this time, but will I next time? Mwahahahaha!"

I pointed at the rooftop floor with one finger and winked.

"Do you know where this is? That's right—the Magic Academy. I could wipe this place out in a single stroke. Stop hiding like a rat and get out here. Now."

Whoosh~~!

Leaves were sucked into the steeply rising waterspout; dust swirled and danced. I raised a hand, gently taming the whirlwind as I spoke.

"See that? Next time, I'll swallow Jeffbery up in an instant—like dust. I wonder if you'll still be able to live with a clear head once Jeffbery disappears from this world."

A hero rescuing a captive heroine is the golden rule of movie and drama romance.

I'll hold onto Jeffbery—so go ahead and save her spectacularly.

I set the whole stage for you, didn't I?

"Jeffbery looked so delicious I wanted to devour her in one bite. If you don't show next ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠time either, even I don't know what I'll do."

Krr. I wiped my lower lip with a fingertip and smiled wickedly.

That should turn his stomach a bit.

A man shouldn't hide away in some villa doing penance—come out and fight already.

I would keep mentioning Jeffbery and burn her into that bastard's mind. They say out of sight, out of mind, right? The heroine you need to protect is Jeffbery—not some pretentious bitch who plays weak and pitiful.

As I swaggered and showed off, a figure appeared before me.

It was Dwight.

Oh, crap. Too late.

I'd been so focused on the broadcast I hadn't even noticed Dwight advancing right up to my nose. I had no intention of harming the kids, so I'd summoned the waterspout at the lowest possible level—literally just meant to scare them. From the outside, it looked like an incredible tornado. Pure performance.

Dwight charged straight at me and dismantled my magic circle.

Whoosh!

Like a match flame snuffing out, my waterspout vanished.

So this is how you come in—exploiting a moment of carelessness!

I'd provoked him intending to fight Dwight from the start. How dare you go into hiding when Jeffbery is on the verge of death? Are you even a man? You need a good beating from me.

I fled in a flash of teleportation and landed atop a chimney. Black smoke billowed up behind me.

"Dwight, I've always looked forward to an all-out war with you. But all you've done is run with your tail between your legs."

Snap!

Dwight flicked his fingers, golden hair streaming. He cleanly washed away the charcoal traces of the waterspout that had scorched the hems of his robe.

"To threaten like this, using young students' lives as leverage…"

"Well…. That doesn't seem like something you should say—not when you treated young Jeffbery's life like a disposable rag!"

"If you touch Jeffbery again, I won't stand for it."

Yes. That's it.

I grinned with satisfaction and snickered.

"Why? I'm having fun! Just thinking of your face going pale every time Jeffbery is terrified already makes my body itch."

"You piece of trash."

Dwight's face crumpled.

Yes—you need to have your pride wounded a bit today so you'll come charging with fire next time.

"You'll find out if you keep watching. Mwahahaha!"

I summoned Blending again. I layered new equations onto the previous calculations and flicked my fingers.

Snap!

In an instant, the robe Dwight was wearing flipped inside out and began thrashing, beating his body every which way. He staggered for a moment, then dismantled my magic formula.

Not bad, I thought, and flicked my fingers again. In a flash I inverted the calculation and shot the acrid smoke rising behind me straight into Dwight's face.

"Cough…. Cough!"

Hacking, Dwight waved his arms with a face smeared in soot.

From the start, I had been set as an extremely powerful final boss in this novel. The fact that Dwight managed this much defense was already incredible. I might be describing it casually now, but in the novel, this whole process is enormously stylish.

When he dismantled my magic formula again, I snickered.

"Not bad, Dwight! But can you block this too?"

"Stop with the clumsy games!"

Fine. I'll stop now.

Time for something strong.

I charged at Dwight with a smile of pure satisfaction.

Let's go.