Chapter 164 : When You Save the Princess But Her Dad Still Wants You Dead

"So you’re telling me..."

The King’s voice trembled with barely contained fury.

"...that YOU are the professor. And my daughter - my Aeliana was sent on some mission where she nearly LOST HER LIFE?"

Jax shrugged playfully.

"Yup."

The King’s eye twitched.

"I will revisit this... stupidity... shortly. But first—"

His gaze shifted to the side.

"—deal with HIM."

Jax followed the King’s eyes.

There stood the old elf from before. Mr. Chisa. The village head who had briefed them on the mission.

Two soldiers gripped his arms, holding him in place like a criminal awaiting execution.

Which, Jax suspected, wasn’t far from the truth.

The events after the cave rescue flashed through his mind.

They had returned to the village—him carrying Victor over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, the girls limping behind.

But instead of grateful villagers, they found an army.

Soldiers everywhere. Surrounding every building. Weapons drawn.

As if war had erupted in their absence.

The moment the soldiers spotted the group and more importantly, spotted their princess’s torn, bloodied clothing the chaos ensued.

Interrogation in the village. Then transport to the capital. Then more interrogation in the royal palace.

And now, here they stood.

In the throne room.

The King paced before them like a caged beast. The Queen stood silently at his side, composed but tense.

And on the throne itself?

The King’s mother.

The same woman Jax had bounced, pounded, and creampied multiple times. In front of an audience that included her own son.

She sat there now. Regal. Serious. Listening intently.

’So the supreme power is mommy dearest. Again.’

Jax suppressed a smirk.

’This family really does have its priorities straight.’

The King whirled on the village head.

"How DARE you put my daughter’s life on the line for some backwater problem of yours?!"

His voice echoed through the chamber.

"Scratch that, why involve the academy at ALL?! You have US! The kingdom could have handled this internally!"

The old elf trembled.

"Y-Your Highness, please understand we tried! Multiple times! We sent requests to the capital, begged for assistance, pleaded for even a single magician!"

His voice cracked.

"No one responded. No one cared. We were helpless. Desperate. Sending a letter to the academy was our final hope—a hope we never believed would be answered."

He bowed his head.

"But surprisingly... they responded."

The King hissed through his teeth.

"That doesn’t change the FACT that you knowingly endangered my daughter. The future of this kingdom. The heir to the throne."

His fist clenched.

"None of your explanations grant you safety. So here is my judgment."

The old man’s face went pale.

"Tie him to a horse. Drag him back to his worthless village. If he survives the journey—"

A cruel smile.

"—then we shall show mercy."

Jax did the mental math.

’Survive? That old bag of bones? Being dragged across miles of rough terrain? His skin would be ground beef before they hit the first checkpoint.’

He glanced at the village head. Still held by guards. Shaking like a leaf.

Jax walked over and patted the old man’s shoulder.

"Buddy or rather Gramps. This right here?"

He gestured at the King.

"This is EXACTLY why words like ’revolt’ and ’rebellion’ were invented. Poor bastards like you, dying because some fancy-pants monarchy got their feelings hurt."

He sighed dramatically.

"Though I suppose rebellion requires a certain... vitality. And gramps, let’s be honest—one of your legs is already in the grave."

He paused.

"Oh wait. I forgot. You’ll be fully dead soon anyway."

His expression turned almost respectful.

"But hey, I appreciate the guts. You were a great patron. Sacrificing your ass—literally for your village people."

He imagined the scene. The old man tied to a horse. Body bouncing across rocky roads. Skin peeling. Bones scraping.

Jax instinctively put both hands on his own ass.

"Ouch. That hurts just thinking about it."

The King’s patience snapped.

"TAKE HIM OUT! And order all stationed guards that no one enters this chamber until I say otherwise!"

The soldiers dragged the village head away. The massive doors slammed shut behind them.

Silence.

Jax scratched his head.

’Why is he so pissed? I literally saved his daughter. Treated her with care the whole journey back.’

He recalled the trip from the cave to the village.

Every few minutes, he had checked on her.

"Princess, are you feeling alright?"

"Do you need anything? Water? Rest?"

"Are your feet getting heavy? Should I carry you?"

Genuine concern. Actual kindness.

And what had she done?

Rejected every offer with insults and venom.

’Ungrateful brat.’

So Jax had responded in kind.

"Ah, sorry princess. You’d probably be embarrassed being carried by someone as handsome as me. Especially when your face is more suited for the gutter."

She had glared daggers.

He had continued.

"Actually, I have another theory. Maybe you’re feeling heavy because of those ridiculously long ears. I bet they’re the heaviest things on your body. Definitely heavier than your brain."

Her glare intensified.

"Tell you what—let me just cut them off. Ease your suffering. Plus, those pointed things would be PERFECT for scratching the parts of my back I can’t reach."

He had pretended to consider.

"I’ll trade you my underwear for them. Fair exchange, I think. Probably equal value."

Astrid had laughed so hard she nearly collapsed.

Then stopped.

Then realized the kind professor from the cave was gone.

’Blessings to whoever becomes Professor Tsundere Jax’s wife,’ she had thought. ’She’ll need them.’

Back in the present.

The King’s voice cut through the tension.

"Aeliana tells me there were DEMONS involved in this mission of yours."

Jax tilted his head.

"Umm... yes? I mean, these elves were pretty demonic. Pathetic, really. One of them literally pissed himself just from SEEING me."

He clutched his chest dramatically.

"Do you know how much that hurt? I cried, Your Majesty. Actually cried. I spent the next hour questioning my beauty. My allure. My very existence."

"ENOUGH."

The King’s voice was ice.

"Did you kill the leader?"

Jax puffed his chest with pride.

"I don’t know which one was the leader specifically. But I can guarantee—you’ll find his head somewhere in that pile. Along with everyone else’s."

Aeliana stepped forward.

"Father, he’s LYING."

All eyes turned to her.

"All he killed were some stationed guards. Elves. The ones WE fought were a mix of races. Many were actual demons. The real threats escaped."

Jax’s face fell.

"Wait—demons? ACTUAL demons?"

He processed this information.

"So you’re telling me the mission isn’t over? That there are still enemies out there? That my FREE DAYS are RUINED?!"

He threw his hands up.

"Fuck these demons! Fuck EVERYONE!"

The King ignored his outburst.

"Now then. Let us address the MAIN culprit in endangering my daughter."

His eyes locked onto Jax.

"A professor who was busy... fuc—"

He glanced at Aeliana.

"—who was ABSENT. Who left his students to face death alone."

His smile was cold.

"I have more than enough grounds to strip you of your position. Your status. Everything."

Aeliana’s eyes lit up with vindictive joy.

Time to add fuel to the fire.

"Not only that, Father. He THREATENED me. Multiple times. He even touched me inappropriately."

Jax’s jaw dropped.

"TOUCHED YOU?!"

His voice echoed through the chamber.

"Even my DICK would vomit at the thought of touching you! Don’t fabricate stories to satisfy your revenge fantasy!"

He spun toward his other students.

"Astrid! Seraphina! Tell them! You were THERE!"

Both girls stood off to the side.

Watching.

Smiling.

Saying absolutely nothing.

’These traitors.’

Aeliana continued, emboldened.

"You see, Father? This is how he speaks to the Princess of Faeloria. With vulgarity. With disrespect."

She pointed at Jax.

"Punish him. Chop off his head. Right here. Right now."

She turned to her father expectantly.

But the King’s head was bowed.

His fists trembled at his sides.

Hissing through clenched teeth.

"Father...?"

Aeliana didn’t understand.

Her father—the KING couldn’t even look at her.

He couldn’t do anything.

Not because of mercy. Not because of law.

Because of HER.

His gaze lifted slowly. Toward the throne. Toward his mother’s eyes.

Begging silently for justice.

The grandmother rose from her seat.

Her presence commanded the room instantly.

"Aeliana, dear."

Her voice was warm. Motherly.

"Don’t worry. Your grandma will punish him personally."

Then her eyes locked onto Jax.

Cold. Brutal. Promising pain.

Jax grinned.

"Oh come ON. I can’t handle your punishment TWICE in one day."

He gestured lazily.

"At least let someone else do the honors. Give another hottie a chance."

His gaze slid deliberately toward the Queen.

"What do you say, Your Majesty? Want to take a turn?"

The three students blinked in confusion.

’What is he talking about?’

’Twice in one day?’

’Why is he looking at the Queen like that?’

But the adults understood perfectly.

The King’s face contorted with rage.

The Queen’s cheeks was filled with blush and embarrassment.

And the grandmother’s eyes promised a punishment that would make Jax never to look at another women.