Nerith continued explaining. Told Astrid how she fell for Jax. The small moments. The unexpected feelings. The realization that love had crept up on her without permission.

When she finished, Astrid was stunned into complete silence. Her brain needed several minutes just to process the information dump.

Finally, she moved.

Reached out and patted Nerith's shoulder with the sympathy of someone attending a funeral.

"May god bless you with strength."

Nerith blinked. "What?"

"By the way, you know right?" Astrid's voice turned serious. "This so-called love of yours won't be accepted by either community. Humans and demons. It doesn't stand a chance to work."

Nerith smiled calmly. "For that, I don't have to worry."

"Why?"

"Jax said he will take care of things."

Astrid's eye twitched violently.

"Jax, Jax, Jax. What magic did he cast on you?" She grabbed Nerith's hands desperately. "Don't be a fool! Don't accept all his lies!"

Then something clicked in her mind.

A memory surfaced.

Her expression shifted from concern to dark realization. Then to a knowing smile.

"So it was true. Queen Sylvie was right all along."

Jax's ears perked up.

"Professor is targeting all the high nobles of every kingdom. Every race."

She began counting on her fingers.

"First, Queen Adelina. Then her sister, Professor Roxana. And now in the demon realm as well!"

She gestured dramatically at Nerith.

"This innocent soul has been manipulated too!"

Nerith turned to Jax. Her crimson eyes demanded answers. The authority of a wife radiated from her gaze.

Jax raised his hands defensively. "You'd believe HER?"

His voice cracked with fake offense.

"It's absolutely a lie!"

Then he turned to Astrid with a predatory smile.

"So you believe it's true?"

She crossed her arms confidently. "Of course."

"Okay. Let me remind you of one small detail you might have missed."

He leaned closer.

"Queen Sylvie also mentioned YOU in that list. So does that mean my magic worked on you as well?"

Astrid's confidence shattered instantly.

"No! Bec... because... I... I..."

She stammered desperately.

"I'm strong! Your magic won't work on me!"

Jax's expression went cold.

"Shut up, Astrid. Enough of your tantrums and wild imaginations."

His voice carried genuine irritation.

"Let me make this absolutely clear. I don't have feelings for you. Or for Roxana. Not the kind of feelings called love."

He met Nerith's eyes.

"Don't ever bring this up again."

Nerith saw it. The emotion behind his words. Anger at the accusation. Protectiveness over their relationship.

She smiled.

Meanwhile, Astrid went dead silent. The verbal slap had landed hard.

Nerith patted Jax's arm gently. "It's okay."

Jax turned to her with exasperation. "See? Told you about this troublemaker. And you insisted on helping her."

He threw his hands up.

"What did you call her? 'Innocent soul'? Look at yourself now!"

He pointed accusingly at Astrid.

"She's nothing but a walking disaster!"

Astrid's eyes filled with tears again. Maybe from his harsh words. Maybe from his views on her. Maybe both.

Jax noticed. Rolled his eyes.

"Oh, what now? Going to cry and play the victim card?"

She barely held back the flood. Her voice came out trembling but defiant.

"Professor, I hate you."

Jax shrugged casually.

"Oh, the feeling is mutual."

Astrid spun around and marched toward the door in fury.

"Oh, hello princess."

Jax's voice stopped her mid-step.

"You can't leave like that."

She didn't turn around. "I don't need your permission."

"Dumbo, I mean you can't leave like that WITHOUT HORNS."

She twitched.

Looked up.

Felt her bare head.

Her face flushed with embarrassment as she began channeling magic to recreate the fake horns.

Jax sighed heavily. "How did you survive a whole day without me with that stupid brain of yours?"

She didn't respond. Too angry to form words.

"And where's your money?"

Silence.

"Don't tell me someone stole it from you."

She tensed visibly.

Jax's eyes narrowed. "That was MY money. Earned through blood and sweat if we look at it properly."

Her expression shifted to panic. Guilt. Shame.

"So you spent it all?"

She turned away, hiding her face. Her voice came out rapid and defensive.

"No! I invested the money!"

Jax raised an eyebrow. "How exactly?"

"I was planning to get out of here! So I was collecting information!"

She turned partially, her confidence returning slightly.

"I was THIS close! I found a guy who said he'd show me the exit if I won against him in a game!"

Her hands gestured excitedly.

"It was a really complex game! Each person has to guess which card the other marked in a set!"

Her voice deflated.

"Unfortunately, it wasn't my day. Or rather, his luck was at its peak. He won every single match. I lost everything."

Then her face brightened unnaturally.

"But I promise! Today I will win!"

Jax stared at her for a long, painful moment knowing she had been scammed.

"So you gambled all of it."

"No! It was an investment!"

Jax turned to Nerith with the expression of a man who had lost all faith in humanity.

"Tell your soldiers to bind her here again."

Astrid's jaw dropped.

"If she's left in the open, getting caught as half-human half-elf is one thing. But she'll definitely embarrass our entire species and become a spectacle for their amusement."

She clicked her tongue in frustration.

But then Jax moved toward her. Slowly. His expression softening.

He took her hand gently.

"Astrid, I'm sorry. Okay?"

She froze.

"Don't take it to heart. I wasn't being rude just to hurt you. I care about you. That's why I have to throw some sense into that head of yours."

Her face flushed crimson. Her heart rate spiked uncontrollably.

"Jax."

Nerith's voice cut through the moment.

He turned back to find her staring at him with intense curiosity. And suspicion.

"Are you SURE you don't like her?"

She gestured between them.

"Because watching this, it feels like a quarrel between a couple. Not to mention these words of yours"

Jax's expression twisted with horror.

"What? No. I'm not a pedo."

Astrid's voice came out broken from behind him.

"Don't make me remember you again and again. We're the same age."

"But that doesn't change the fact you're my student. And a professor has their own morals. Their own limits."

He paused.

"Ah, speaking of professor. That's the reason for my sudden shift in behavior, Nerith."

He gestured at Astrid.

"She's the daughter of some rich fat dude at the academy. Currently, we were on a mission together. Unluckily, I'm their supervisor."

He sighed dramatically.

"If anything happens to her, I'll lose my job. Along with some punishments. And I don't want that."

He shrugged.

"So I was just being nice. Hoping her tantrums and ego would fade away. You've seen how dangerous she is to herself."

Nerith couldn't help but chuckle.

'Who says that so bluntly? And right in front of her?'

From behind, Astrid struck.

She jabbed her newly created horn directly into his side.

"AGHH!"

Jax cried out and crumpled, clutching his stomach.

He was about to unleash a stream of curses when Nerith spoke first.

"So, Astrid."

The purple-haired girl paused.

"What do you think of him? Do you like him?"

Nerith asked for her own curiosity. Because she would hate to share him any further than necessary.

Astrid's face contorted with disgust.

"I would prefer DEATH over being with someone like him."

From the ground, clutching his wounded side, Jax wheezed out his response.

"Same. I would prefer death over going to jail for fucking a child."

Astrid's eye twitched.

She raised the horn.

Aimed at his exposed backside. Right at his asshole. Right at the asshole on the ground.

And launched.

***

[Time passed.]

The four of them stood in a frozen wasteland. Jax. Astrid. Nerith. And General Ithris.

Before them shimmered a void gate. A passage to the other side of the demon realm.

This particular gate was under Nerith's father's command. The only problem? It led to a desert situated between the Dragon Kingdom and Queen Sylvie's territory.

The gate closest to the elf kingdom was controlled by others. Still, this was helpful enough.

Jax turned to the General with genuine respect.

"Thank you, Father. For arranging this."

Ithris gave a silent nod. Stoic as ever.

Jax turned to Nerith.

"I'll be back sooner than you think."

He meant to sound confident. Reassuring.

But then he saw it.

The pain in her crimson eyes. She was barely controlling something within herself. Struggling to maintain composure.

And shame.

Because many eyes were watching this scene. Few Loyal soldier of father who wouldn't dare to tell anyone and Her father.

Jax smiled softly.

He closed the distance between them.

"Remember what I said?"

His voice was low. Just for her.

"Be selfish. Fuck the rest of the world. Do what you want."

She realized he understood.

So she stopped fighting.

Charged into him.

Wrapped her arms around his body.

And kissed him.

Not a quick farewell peck. A deep, passionate, consuming kiss that lasted far longer than any of their previous ones.

Her wings trembled. Her hands gripped his back desperately. Every ounce of love and longing poured through the contact.

General Ithris coughed loudly.

The universal signal for couples to separate.

But inside, he was smiling. Happy for his daughter.

And poor Astrid stood to the side, witnessing the entire dramatic scene unfold.

Her only thought?

'I just want to leave. Please. Someone. Get me out of here.'

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