Jax used to hate this.
Traveling in a carriage. Surrounded by cold, silent figures. The awkward tension. The forced proximity.
But right now?
He was enjoying every bit of it.
A book rested in his hands. "Fundantals of Mana: A Beginner’s Guide." The silence around him was perfect. No distractions. No complaints. Just him and the pages.
He needed to learn this.
His system had revealed a new affinity he could acquire. The cost? 569 DP points more that makes 1000 DP.
His current balance was 431.
After everything he had fard from the champions to his night with Adelina. Still not enough.
He had thought thoroughly about how to get stronger.
And with the new affinity he had seen, he was getting ready to how to master it through the knowledge.
Understanding the chanics. Exploiting the loopholes.
A wave of nostalgia hit him.
Back on Earth, he used to do this with every ga. Study every chanic. morize every stat. Understand every system.
Then dominate.
He smiled internally.
’Welco back, Jaxon.’
His study was interrupted by a voice.
"Professor?"
Seraphina.
Jax now knew who she was. The sister of Draven. And the polar opposite of that arrogant dragon-blood bastard.
Where Draven was loud and aggressive, she was calm and asured.
And gorgeous too.
’If she wasn’t related to that horned idiot, I might have considered—’
He cut the thought.
Looked around the carriage.
It was spacious. Luxurious. The kind provided only for royalty or those close to it.
His students were scattered across the plush seats.
Aeliana von Crestia sat with perfect posture. One leg crossed over the other. Her hands adjusting arm-length royal gloves with practiced elegance.
Jax now knew exactly who she was.
Princess of the Elven Kingdom of Faeloria.
And this assignnt? It was in her own kingdom. Her territory. Which explained the arrangent; fancy carriage.
She looked... regal. Composed. Untouchable.
’Fuckable.’
That was his honest thought.
The way that dress hugged her figure. The way those gloves accentuated her slender fingers. The way her silver-blonde hair caught the light.
’Jax. You’re loyal now. Rember Adelina. Rember things are different.’
But another part of his brain argued back.
’It’s for the mission. Devotion points. Getting stronger. Totally justified.’
He shook his head slightly.
’Focus.’
In another corner sat Astrid. Face pressed against the window like a child seeing the world for the first ti.
Her eyes tracked sothing outside with intense focus.
Cherry blossom trees.
She was practically drooling over them.
’Is she... horny for trees? What the hell is wrong with this girl?’
Then there was Victor Osmond.
Arms crossed. Face sour. Muttering curses under his breath about "incompetent managent" and "cruel fate."
Still traumatized from so unknown incident, apparently.
And finally, Seraphina. Standing before him. Waiting for his response.
Jax’s eyes returned to his book.
"Go on."
His voice was bored. Disinterested.
"You haven’t provided us with the details of the mission, Professor."
He yawned.
"I don’t have them either."
Seraphina’s face stiffened.
"But... didn’t the Headmistress say to collect them from The Index Hall?"
Jax looked up.
"She did?"
Seraphina’s expression went from stiff to horrified.
’He didn’t even know. He literally forgot to collect the mission briefing.’
Before she could respond, another voice cut through the carriage.
"Who made this imbecile a professor?"
Aeliana had risen from her seat. Her elven features twisted with barely contained fury.
"He isn’t serious about this at all."
She pointed dramatically at the pile beside Jax.
Four bags. Stuffed to the brim.
"Look at his luggage! He’s treating this as a vacation!"
She laughed. Cold. Mocking.
"And look at the book in his hand."
Her eyes narrowed.
"’Fundantals of Mana.’ That’s taught to eight-year-old children. When their cores first awaken."
She crossed her arms.
"I don’t understand how he crawled his way up to this position. He’s either trolling us..."
Her voice dropped.
"Or he’s secretly one of those otherworldly demons everyone’s been talking about."
She stepped closer.
"Here to kill us. Or kidnap us. The royals. The foundations of this world. For his evil sches."
Her chin lifted.
"I’m telling my father everything about you. And I will have you rusticated before this mission ends."
Silence.
Everyone watched Jax.
He hadn’t moved. Hadn’t reacted. Just kept staring at his book.
Then.
Movent.
Not just movent.
He vanished.
Teleported with speed that defied comprehension. One mont seated. The next—
Aeliana’s senses scread.
She was an elf. Her perception was leagues above humans. She could track fast movents. See things others couldn’t.
She saw him move.
But seeing and reacting were different things.
By the ti her body registered the threat, it was already over.
CLINK.
Sothing hit the floor.
The carriage went silent.
Jax stood inches from Aeliana. A small curved dagger in his hand. The blade glead under the filtered sunlight.
On the floor lay half of her earring.
The other half still dangled from her pointed ear. Cut clean through the middle.
Jax had stolen this dagger from a smith. Nothing magical about it. Nothing special.
He took it because he had seen sothing in his system shop. A modification. An enhancent in his weaponry. Sothing he would unlock after acquiring his new affinity.
This blade was just the training dagger.
Everyone in the carriage stood frozen.
Victor’s face had gone white.
Seraphina’s hand covered her mouth.
Astrid?
Astrid was smiling.
’Finally. Soone else gets the treatnt. I’m not alone anymore.’
She had learned her lesson with Jax long ago. Never bring up royal status. Never insult him when his mood was off.
Do either, and you’re done.
Aeliana didn’t know this yet.
But she was learning.
The air in the carriage changed.
Through the windows, sothing began drifting inside. Tiny particles. Spores. Pollen.
Floating gently. Almost beautifully.
Astrid’s eyes widened.
She threw herself sideways. Dodging.
Victor wasn’t as quick.
"AGH!"
Several spores touched his exposed skin. Wherever they landed, the flesh burned. Red marks appeared instantly. He hissed in pain, slapping at his arms.
It was just instinct. Aeliana hadn’t even consciously activated her magic yet.
Just a taste of what she could do.
Her eyes blazed with fury.
"What the hell have you done?"
Her voice was ice.
"Don’t you understand? You’re dood now. You’re crossing into my kingdom. My territory."
A smile spread across her face. Cold. Predatory.
"I could kill you right here. Right now. And no one would question it."
She tilted her head.
"But let’s wait. Let my little lamb feel the fear first. Let it sink in. Let you understand exactly how badly you’ve—"
Jax moved again.
Closed the distance in a heartbeat.
His finger ca up.
And flicked her pointed ear.
The ear wobbled. Shook. Like a leaf in the wind.
A sound escaped her throat. Sothing between a gasp and a squeak.
"I am your superior for now."
Jax’s voice was calm. Flat. Terrifying.
"I have permission to do whatever the hell I want. And you will follow my commands."
He leaned closer.
"Fail to do so, and you’ll be expelled from the academy."
His eyes t hers.
"Of course, you can try to rusticate first. Go ahead. Tell daddy. Write your letters. Send your complaints."
His finger traced the edge of her ear. Slowly.
"But rember this."
His voice dropped to a whisper.
"Piss off again, and I won’t miss the elegant ear next ti."
Aeliana opened her mouth.
No words ca out.
Everything she had built. Her ego. Her arrogance. Her confidence. Her certainty that status would protect her.
Shattered.
Replaced by sothing new.
Sothing she had never felt before.
Fear.
Astrid watched from her corner. Still smiling.
’Threatening him with status pisses him off more.’
She made a ntal note.
’Noted.’
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