Soulbound: Dual Cultivation

Chapter 504: There is nothing to eat.

"Hi," she said simply, her voice carrying a natural beauty that made even a single word feel unusually pleasant to hear, as if it resonated rather than merely sounded. Her gaze moved slowly across the space, taking in Lucas first, then the Empress, then the remnants of frost still clinging to the edges of the tent, as though she were reacquainting herself with existence itself. She tilted her head slightly, blinking once before continuing in the same calm tone, "How long was I sleeping."She nodded once as if processing the information with quiet seriousness, then immediately brought a hand to her stomach, rubbing it in a slow, almost absentminded motion. Only then did she glance around the tent properly, her eyes sweeping over the frozen surroundings, the remnants of ice that had once sealed her, and the empty space that now offered nothing of sustenance. It seemed the realization settled in all at once, because her expression shifted slightly into one of mild dissatisfaction.

Lucas blinked at the sudden complaint, clearly not expecting the situation to shift in that direction so quickly, while the Empress remained composed, her expression unreadable for a moment longer before she responded with calm authority. "Your condition was not yet understood at the time," she said evenly, stepping slightly forward. "But that can be remedied immediately."

At that, the Ice Belle’s expression softened slightly, the tension of hunger giving way to a calmer curiosity as she glanced around once more, now more interested in her surroundings than her complaint. The atmosphere in the tent, though still marked by remnants of her awakening, had begun to settle into something far more stable, as though the world itself was adjusting to her presence rather than resisting it.

She turned slightly afterward, as if newly curious about herself, and stepped closer to a faint reflective surface formed from a smooth sheet of ice along the tent’s edge, she saw her reflection clearly. For a brief silence she simply observed, her head tilting slightly from one side to the other as she took in every detail of her transformed appearance, the softness of her features, the refinement of her posture, the way the light still seemed to respond subtly to her presence even when she was still.

Lucas’s voice broke the lingering stillness in the tent, steady but cautious as he spoke to her. "There is a crowd outside," he said, glancing toward the entrance where distant murmurs and shifting footsteps could still be heard, evidence that the entire encampment had remained gathered, waiting despite the overwhelming display they had just witnessed. "They have been waiting for you to emerge."

The instant she stepped out of the tent, the atmosphere outside shifted again.

The crowd, which had previously been held in a tense mixture of awe and uncertainty, collectively fell into stunned silence. The cold that had once dominated the area had already begun to recede, but the memory of it lingered in the air, making the contrast with her radiant presence even more striking. Standing there at the center of it all, she no longer appeared as something distant or incomprehensible, but instead as something undeniably real, captivating in a way that drew every gaze without effort.

It was not a distant or formal smile, but something bright and genuine, carrying an ease that seemed almost unfair given the magnitude of what they had just witnessed. Her eyes moved across the crowd with natural curiosity before landing on familiar faces, and when she spotted Lira, Selene, Nyx, Henrietta, Lady Isabelle, Lady Cecilia, Gwen, and the others, her expression brightened further.

The reaction was immediate.

Lady Isabelle and Lady Cecilia exchanged a glance, both visibly shaken by the sheer presence of the girl now standing before them. Gwen simply stood motionless, her usual confidence subdued by quiet astonishment.

Awe, not fear and not confusion either.

The moment the initial shock began to settle across the crowd, the Ice Belle did not linger where she stood in passive admiration, instead she moved forward with light, confident steps that drew attention without effort, her crystalline dress catching faint traces of remaining light as she crossed the distance toward the group of girls. There was an ease in her posture now, a kind of playful authority that did not match the overwhelming presence she had displayed earlier, yet somehow felt natural on her newly matured form. Lucas watched from a short distance, while the Empress remained still, observing everything with quiet scrutiny, as if measuring not only the girl’s power but also her temperament as it unfolded in real time.