Soulbound: Dual Cultivation

Chapter 505: You’re pained

Lira opened her mouth slightly but said nothing, still processing the shift in the girl before her, while Nyx narrowed her eyes, studying her carefully as if trying to determine whether this was truly the same being they had known. Selene, however, recovered her composure faster than the others, her expression firming as she crossed her arms and stepped forward just a fraction. "You may look different now," Selene said calmly, her voice steady and unshaken, "but that does not change what you are. Having the form of a matured girl does not mean you are one."The bluntness of the remark caused a ripple of stunned reactions across the group. Selene’s eye twitched faintly, though she maintained her composure, while Lira looked between them in confusion, unsure whether she should intervene or simply accept that reality had shifted into something far less predictable than before. Nyx, on the other hand, exhaled slowly through her nose, her expression unreadable but clearly registering the absurdity of the moment.

The tension that had filled the encampment earlier gradually dissolved as the Ice Belle’s mood shifted once more, her sharp confidence softening into something far more playful as she turned away from Selene’s protest without lingering on the argument. In the next moment she was already moving, circling Lira, Selene, and Nyx with effortless lightness, tugging them into motion as though the heaviness of everything that had just transpired no longer applied to her at all. Lira, still stunned but unable to resist the sudden change in atmosphere, found herself moving along hesitantly, while Nyx followed with cautious curiosity, and Selene, though still visibly displeased, allowed herself to be pulled into the strange rhythm of the moment as well. What began as walking quickly shifted into a playful rush, the Ice Belle darting ahead with a burst of energy that made it clear she had no intention of standing still for long, her laughter carrying behind her as she led them away from the center of the crowd.

Then, just as suddenly as she had started running, the Ice Belle stopped mid-motion.

"Hey," she shouted, completely unbothered by the attention she drew, "remember to tell the cooks to prepare me something delicious and very meaty."

The Empress did not react immediately, only letting her gaze rest on the girl for a long moment as the playful energy lingered in the air. Then, almost imperceptibly, she exhaled and shook her head slightly, her expression remaining composed but clearly resigned to what she was witnessing. There was no irritation in her demeanor, only a quiet recognition that despite everything the Ice Belle had become physically, there were aspects of her nature that had not changed in the slightest.

The Empress’s gaze returned briefly to her before she gave a small, almost indifferent acknowledgment, as though accepting a fact rather than offering praise or criticism. The Ice Belle, in contrast, had already turned back toward the others, her earlier demand forgotten as quickly as it was made, slipping once again into lighthearted movement as though nothing in the world weighed heavily enough to hold her still for long.

The squire stepped forward immediately, attentive and ready.

Tom bowed once. "At once, Your Highness."

The Empress watched him go for a moment longer, then shifted her attention away from the lively scene unfolding near the girls. The Ice Belle’s laughter still carried faintly through the camp, mixed with the voices of Lira and the others, but the Empress no longer focused on it. Her expression settled into something more composed, more distant, as she turned slightly toward Lucas.

Lucas glanced once more toward the direction where the Ice Belle had already returned to her playful chaos, then followed without protest.

For a while, neither of them spoke.

She had not needed help.

If anything, she had needed nothing more than food and amusement, moving through the situation with an ease that defied the gravity of everything surrounding them.

"She didn’t even ask about the war," he said.

Lucas continued, more quietly now. "No questions about strategy, no concern about what is happening outside this camp. Nothing."

The Empress exhaled softly through her nose, not quite amused, not quite disappointed, but something in between.

Her tone carried no surprise.

They walked a few more steps before she added, almost as an afterthought, "She is not like us."

The Empress’s expression remained composed, but her words were precise.

A faint pause.

Lucas looked ahead again, silent.