The carriage rolled through endless countryside for an entire day.

Adelina talked. A lot.

She told him about Valdoria's history. The ancient wars between races. The peace treaties written in blood.

But what caught Jax's attention was one name.

"Astryx Academy."

"The floating island?" Jax leaned forward. "You're telling me there's an entire academy suspended in the sky?"

"Not just an academy." Adelina's eyes lit up with pride. "The most prestigious institution in the world. It trains the elite of every race. Humans, elves, dwarves, beastkin, even dragonkin."

"And it's literally floating."

"Held aloft by ancient magic no one fully understands." She smiled. "Some say it was built by the gods themselves."

Jax's mind raced. 'If a place like that exists, what kind of power is hidden there? Grimoires? Artifacts? Forbidden techniques?'

"Tell me more."

Adelina spent the next hour explaining. The academy's history. Its strict entrance requirements. The fact that even kings struggled to get their children enrolled.

"Only the best of the best are accepted," she said. "Prodigies. Geniuses. Monsters."

'Sounds like my kind of place.'

"Alright, Your Majesty. Your turn." Jax stretched. "You interrogated me about the dwarf thing. Time to return the favor."

"What do you want to know?"

"Everything. Who are you really? What's your story?"

Adelina hesitated. Then she began.

She told him about her childhood. Her arranged marriage to the King. Her daughter, Seris, who was a prodigy at Astryx Academy.

"And you?" she asked after a while. "Where are you really from, Jax?"

He paused. Then decided, 'Fuck it. Why not?'

"I'm not from this world."

Smack!

Her hand struck the back of his head.

"OW! What the hell?!"

"Don't mock me," Adelina snapped. "I just poured my heart out and you respond with nonsense?"

"I'm being serious!"

"Oh, really? And where are you from? The moon?"

"Another world entirely. Different rules. Different people. Different everything, Oh wait Fuck it I am not from that world too I was teleported to that world as well from another world."

Adelina stared at him. Then burst out laughing. "You're unbelievable."

"I'm telling the truth!"

"Sure you are." She wiped tears from her eyes. "And I'm secretly a dragon."

Jax sighed. "Forget it."

'She'll never believe me.'

The rest of the journey was surprisingly... pleasant.

They joked. Argued. Shared stories.

But underneath it all, a tension simmered.

Every time their eyes met, Jax remembered the kiss. The way she'd tasted. The desperate hunger in her touch.

And Adelina? She kept glancing at him when she thought he wasn't looking. Her cheeks flushed. Her breath quickened.

'This is ridiculous,' Jax thought. 'She's a queen. A mother. And I...'

He shook his head. 'I need to stop thinking about her.'

But his body had other ideas.

The carriage slowed as they approached the main gate of Veldora's capital.

Two guards stepped forward, spears raised. Their eyes scanned the plain carriage, then landed on Adelina through the window.

One guard's face went pale. "Your Majesty?!"

The other dropped his spear entirely. "Queen Adelina?! Is that really you?!"

Adelina stepped out gracefully, though her clothes were ordinary peasant wear. "At ease, gentlemen."

Both guards stared in horror. At her simple dress. Her tangled hair. The fading bruises still visible on her arms.

"What happened to you?!" the first guard demanded. "Where's your escort?! Your carriage?!"

"And who the hell is that?" The second guard pointed his spear at Jax, who was stepping out behind her.

Jax raised his hands slowly. "Just a traveling companion."

"A boy?" The first guard's eyes narrowed. "You expect us to believe our queen traveled alone with some random kid?"

"Watch your tone," Adelina said coldly, her regal authority snapping into place. "This 'random kid' saved my life."

The guards exchanged glances.

"Saved you from what?" the second guard asked carefully.

"Bandits. Dire beasts. A forest I never should have entered." Adelina's voice was steady. Regal. "He escorted me home. That's all you need to know."

The first guard hesitated. "Your Majesty, we need to search him. Protocol."

"Fine." Jax spread his arms. "Search away."

They patted him down roughly, checking for hidden weapons. Found his sword. Eyed it suspiciously.

"He's armed," the second guard muttered.

"Of course he is," Adelina snapped. "How else would he have protected me? Now let us through. The King is waiting."

Reluctantly, they stepped aside.

As the carriage rolled through the gate, Jax smirked. "Friendly guys."

"They're doing their job." Adelina didn't look at him. "You're lucky I vouched for you."

"Lucky?" Jax leaned back. "Or are you just soft on me?"

Her face flushed. "Shut up."

The palace was massive. White marble columns. Gold accents everywhere. Banners bearing the royal crest fluttering in the wind.

Servants rushed to greet them, gasping at Adelina's appearance.

"Your Majesty!"

"Oh gods, what happened?!"

"Fetch the healer! Now!"

Adelina waved them off. "I'm fine. Where's the King?"

"In the throne room, Your Majesty."

They were escorted through grand hallways. Jax took it all in. The wealth. The power. The sheer opulence.

'If this were a game, I'd kill the king and take all this for myself.'

The throne room doors opened.

A man sat on the throne. Tall. Broad-shouldered. Phase 4 mana core radiating authority. His face was stern, weathered by years of rule and war.

But the moment he saw Adelina, his expression crumbled.

"Adelina."

He was off the throne in seconds, crossing the room in long strides.

He pulled her into his arms. No words. No tears. Just a tight, desperate embrace.

Jax watched, something uncomfortable twisting in his chest.

'He actually loves her.'

This wasn't some political arrangement. This was real.

The King finally pulled back, cupping Adelina's face gently. "What happened? Where were you? I sent search parties—"

"I'll explain everything," she said softly, touching his hand. "But I'm safe. Thanks to him."

She gestured to Jax.

The King's eyes landed on him. Cold. Assessing. Calculating.

Before he could speak, the doors burst open again.

A girl entered.

Long blue hair cascaded down her back in soft, shimmering waves. Her eyes were a striking green, just like Adelina's. Her skin was flawless porcelain. Her body—curves in all the right places, accentuated by a form-fitting academy uniform that hugged her waist and emphasized her chest.

She looked eighteen. Maybe nineteen.

Jax's breath caught.

'Holy. Fucking. Shit.'

His cock twitched.

'Down, boy. Not the time.'

But his body ignored him. Heat flooded his veins. His gaze locked onto her like a predator spotting prey.

'I need to fuck her. I need to get her in my bed.'

The girl rushed to Adelina, grabbing her shoulders. "Mother! What happened?! Where have you been?! We've been searching for days!"

"I'm fine, Seris." Adelina smiled, stroking her daughter's hair. "Just a misadventure. Nothing more."

Seris's eyes scanned her mother's bruises. Her simple peasant dress. The exhaustion in her face.

Then her gaze shifted.

And landed on Jax.

Her expression hardened instantly. "Who is he?"

"Someone who helped me," Adelina said calmly. "He escorted me home safely."

Seris studied Jax. Her sharp eyes missed nothing. Not the way he'd been staring. Not the hunger barely hidden behind his neutral expression.

"Mother," she said slowly, suspicion dripping from her voice. "Are you sure he's trustworthy?"

"Completely." Adelina's tone left no room for argument.

But Seris didn't look convinced.

"Well," she said, turning back to her mother. "You're back. That's all that matters." She paused. "But why are you wearing the academy uniform? Did you miss classes because of me?"

"Yes. I came as soon as I read Father's letter that you didn't arrive on time. And the academy gave us a holiday today anyway because of... the chaos."

"Chaos?" Adelina raised an eyebrow. "What happened?"

"Didn't you hear? One of the instructors died."

Jax perked up. "Died?"

Seris nodded grimly. "The sword instructor. A girl killed him during training."

"Killed him?" Adelina's eyes widened. "How?"

"He was staring at her chest during a sparring session. She got pissed and ran him through with her real sword." Seris shrugged. "The academy ruled it justified. Self-defense against a predator. Her family backed her story."

Jax bit back a grin. 'Fucking savage.'

"That's... unfortunate," Adelina said carefully.

"Unfortunate for him," Seris muttered. "Anyway, they're scrambling to find a replacement. Good luck to whoever takes that job."

Jax's mind clicked into gear. 'A sword instructor position. Just opened up. At the most prestigious academy in the world.'

'Jackpot.'

The King finally spoke, his voice deep and commanding. "You."

Jax looked up. "Me?"

"You saved my wife. You have my gratitude." The King stepped forward, his presence overwhelming. "Name your reward. Gold? Land? A noble title?"

Jax's mind raced.

'This is it. My shot.'

He met the King's eyes. "I want the sword instructor position. At Astryx Academy."

Silence.

The King blinked. "What?"

"The position that just opened up. I want it."

Seris burst out laughing. "You? A teacher? You look like you're barely older than me!"

Jax ignored her. "I can do it."

The King's expression darkened. "Do you have any idea what you're asking?"

"Enlighten me."

The King leaned forward. "Astryx Academy isn't some backwater training ground. It's the most prestigious institution in the world. Students are prodigies. Geniuses. Monsters in their own right. And the teachers?"

He shook his head. "Kings struggle to get their children enrolled as students. You think you can just waltz in as a teacher?"

"Yes."

"You'd be bullied by students. Ridiculed by other instructors. Eaten alive by the academy's politics."

Jax smirked. "Sounds fun."

The King stared. "You're serious."

"Dead serious."

"I could give you this entire castle. A fortune in gold. A noble title. And you want a teaching job?"

"Yes."

The King sighed, rubbing his temples. "You're insane."

"Or ambitious." Jax's grin widened. "The academy has resources. Knowledge. Power. I want access to it all."

"As a student—"

"Would be boring." Jax cut him off. "As a teacher, I'd have authority. Freedom. And I could actually bully the students instead of the other way around."

Seris choked on air. "Did you just say you want to bully students?!"

"Did I stutter?"

Adelina covered her mouth, hiding a smile.

The King stared at Jax for a long moment. Then he laughed. A deep, genuine laugh that echoed through the throne room.

"You're either the bravest fool I've ever met, or the most arrogant genius." He shook his head. "But I can't give you the position. It's not mine to give."

Jax's smirk faded. "What?"

"The academy operates independently. Even I have no authority there. It's beyond royal jurisdiction."

"Then what can you do?"

The King glanced at Adelina. She stepped forward.

"We can give you an opportunity," she said. "I've seen your swordsmanship firsthand. You're skilled. Possibly skilled enough."

"Skilled enough for what?"

"We can refer you," Adelina continued. "Write a formal recommendation. Get you an audience with the academy's board. But whether they accept you?" She shrugged. "That's entirely up to them. And your performance."

Jax's grin returned. "That's all I need."

The King nodded slowly. "Very well. I'll arrange it. But don't say I didn't warn you."

Jax bowed mockingly. "Appreciated, Your Majesty."

As he straightened, his eyes flicked to Seris.

She was still watching him. Suspicious. Wary.

But there was something else in her gaze now.

Curiosity.

Jax's smile widened.

'Shit. I should have asked the king to serve her in front of me as a reward'.

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