Soulbound: Dual Cultivation

Chapter 326: Change of decision

When Lucas arrived at the throne hall, he noticed at once that the atmosphere was not the usual formal calm that accompanied royal meetings. The tension inside the chamber felt layered, subtle yet unmistakable. Several elders were already seated, including Henrietta, Elder Gideon, Varian and other council members who only attended matters of real consequence. They were speaking in low tones, but every face carried the same restrained seriousness.

Lucas stepped forward, bowed to the King and took his place quietly, wondering why he had been summoned in such urgency.

Before King Highmoor spoke, the doors opened again.

At first, no one paid much attention, assuming another elder had arrived. Then the hall seemed to freeze all at once. Conversations broke off mid-sentence, eyes widened slightly, and even Henrietta who was normally composed and unreadable turned her head sharply.

The Empress walked in.

But she walked in unveiled.

For a heartbeat, the room fell silent in absolute shock. The only sound was the faint rustle of her gown as she moved forward with a calm grace that had not been present in her for years. Her face caught the light of the chandeliers above, revealing skin so smooth and luminous that it almost seemed to glow. The deep scars that once marred her had entirely vanished, replaced by the regal beauty she had been known for in her younger years.

King Highmoor stood from his throne without realizing it. His eyes were wide with disbelief.

Henrietta stared with open astonishment, something Lucas had never once seen from her. Elder Gideon blinked as if questioning his own eyes. Even the stoic Elder Varian leaned forward, unable to hide the shock on his face.

The Empress bowed slightly to the King, her expression steady and warm. "My lord," she said in a voice that carried confidence instead of despair, "forgive my lateness."

Lucas watched everyone, unable to stop the small smile that tugged at the corner of his mouth. While the entire hall struggled to comprehend what they were seeing, he alone felt no surprise. He had been the first to witness her restored face, the first to see her look at her reflection with trembling hands and tears in her eyes. Seeing everyone else stunned now filled him with a quiet pride that warmed his chest.

He had done that.

He had given her this moment.

The Empress moved to her seat beside the King, her posture graceful, her eyes steady and unafraid. For the first time since Lucas had known her, she truly looked like the Empress of the realm.

The King returned to his throne, though he glanced at the Empress several more times, as if afraid she might disappear if he blinked.

Lucas straightened, sensing that whatever came next would shape the direction of the days to come. The Empress sat beside the King, radiant and unbroken, and her presence alone seemed to change the very atmosphere of the hall.

And Lucas felt the quiet surge of satisfaction again.

He had made this possible.

The elders settled slowly, though every few seconds someone’s gaze drifted back to the Empress as if drawn by instinct. Her presence had changed something intangible in the hall. Even the air seemed different, lighter and sharper at the same time.

Henrietta, who had always been regarded as the most beautiful woman in Valerion, sat with a calm expression, yet there was a brief flicker in her eyes as she studied the Empress’s features. It was not envy, nor resentment, but an honest acknowledgment of what stood before her. She understood beauty well enough to recognize a level beyond anything ordinary.

Yet it was also clear why.

The Empress’s cultivation had risen to a realm Henrietta had not yet reached. The purity of her Qi had refined her skin, her bone structure and even the glow of her aura. Her beauty was enhanced not merely by human features but by the spiritual vitality shining within her. It was the kind of beauty that came only from profound cultivation, deep healing and a spirit no longer suppressed by pain.

Henrietta tilted her head slightly, her voice mild but honest as she leaned toward Elder Gideon. "It seems I have lost my title today."

Elder Gideon gave a soft laugh under his breath. "You have not lost anything, Lady Henrietta. The Empress’s beauty is not mortal beauty. It is strengthened by cultivation. It is like comparing a burning torch to the sun."

Henrietta allowed a faint smile. "Perhaps. Still, it is quite a sight."

Lucas caught this exchange from where he sat. He saw no insecurity in Henrietta’s expression, only admiration and respect. She understood better than anyone that cultivation shaped the body as much as it shaped the spirit. The Empress was not merely beautiful; she radiated a power that had been dormant for far too long.

Lucas felt another quiet swell of pride. His potion had not just restored her looks; it had revitalized her entire being.

King Highmoor glanced once more at her before straightening on his throne. Only then did he clear his throat lightly and address the room.

"Now," the King said, forcing his voice to steady itself, "let us begin the matter for which we have gathered."

And the meeting finally started.

"We will begin with Lechia," he announced.

The reaction was instant.

Lucas’s brows arched sharply.

Henrietta straightened in her seat, her eyes narrowing with quiet disbelief.

The Empress turned her head toward the King so quickly that the silk of her veil-less hair brushed her shoulders. "Lechia?" she repeated softly, unable to hide her confusion. "Your Majesty... I thought our earliest target was Rus."

The elders exchanged murmurs. They too remembered the previous discussions. Rus was easier to save, Rus held strategic weaknesses. Rus posed the least risk.

Lucas leaned slightly forward, trying to keep his tone respectful even though surprise rolled through him. "Your Majesty... may I ask what changed? We all agreed Rus needed to be handled first. Lechia is farther, more fortified, and Ken..." He paused, choosing his words carefully. "He is not an easy enemy."

Henrietta spoke next, her voice calm but edged with the steel of logic. "If we move for Lechia first, we risk alerting the usurpers that laid siege around Rus. Strategically speaking, Rus remains the more reasonable first strike."

The King listened, but his expression did not shift.

At last he shook his head slowly.

"My mind is set," he said. "And I assure you... I do not take this decision lightly."

The Empress pressed her palms together on the table, leaning forward slightly. "Then please explain it to us, Highmoor. We cannot march blindly."

For a moment, he simply looked at her. His gaze lingered on her restored features, but there was no admiration in it...only a deep, heavy calculation. Lucas watched him carefully, waiting for the reasoning, and so did Henrietta, her fingers resting motionless against the polished wood.

But the King said nothing.

Not a word.

He simply rose from his throne.

The rustle of his royal cloak echoed through the chamber. The elders straightened, expecting a long explanation or at least a justification. The Empress remained still, her brows drawn faintly. Lucas sat with quiet tension in his chest. Henrietta watched the King with visible confusion.

Then, in a tone that closed the matter entirely, King Highmoor spoke.

"That will be all."

The room stilled.

He lifted a hand, dismissing them like a wall being lowered.

"My decision stands," he added. "Prepare yourselves accordingly."

There was nothing more. No reasoning. No clarifications. No table-wide discussion.

The meeting was over.

The elders exchanged uncertain looks. Henrietta frowned in clear dissatisfaction but said nothing. The Empress inhaled sharply as if she wanted to press him but realized he would not entertain another question. Lucas simply rose with the others, his mind spinning with unanswered thoughts.

The King offered no further explanation.

He simply watched them leave, silent and immovable, as if the weight of the world rested behind the decision he refused to share.

When Lucas returned to his chamber, he closed the door behind him and leaned against it for a moment. His thoughts were running in circles and none of them brought clarity. He could not shake off the feeling that something was wrong. The King had been firm in their previous strategy. Save Rus first, regroup, then face the larger threat. That was the plan. That was the logic. That was the safest route.

So why change the order now?

Lucas paced slowly across the room, his eyes drifting over the shelves, the desk, the trunk where Tom had neatly arranged his things. His fingers brushed through his hair as he muttered under his breath, "This does not add up. He would never risk the kingdom without reason."

He walked toward the window and stared at the horizon for a long moment.

"The King is not reckless," Lucas whispered. "Not with something this important."