Soulbound: Dual Cultivation

Chapter 521: playing with the girls

Lucas slowed as Nyx turned to leave, his gaze lingering on her for a brief moment before he stepped closer, closing the small distance between them.

"Nyx," he called softly.

She paused and turned back toward him, curiosity flickering in her eyes.

Lucas leaned in slightly, his voice low enough that only she could hear. "Before you leave... I would like to give you a parting gift tonight."

There was a brief pause, just long enough for the meaning behind his words to settle.

"Come to my tent," he added quietly. "Alone."

Nyx’s lips curved almost immediately, a knowing smile forming as her eyes met his. There was no confusion in her expression, only clear understanding.

She gave a small nod, almost playful. "I will."

There was a lightness in her tone now, something bright and eager beneath her usual composure.

Without another word, she turned and walked away, her steps a little more lively than before, the hint of anticipation clear in the way she carried herself.

Lucas remained where he stood, watching her go.

A faint smile formed on his lips as her figure disappeared into the movement of the encampment.

Then he turned away, his thoughts already shifting toward the night ahead.

He made his way through the encampment, the earlier conversation with Nyx still faintly lingering in his mind, though it quickly took a back seat as he focused on those closest to him. It did not take long before he found them.

At one corner of the camp, slightly removed from the main flow of soldiers, Lira, the Ice Belle, and Selene were gathered together. A small fire crackled between them, and several roasted rabbits were laid out, the scent of cooked meat filling the air. The atmosphere around them was light, almost carefree, a sharp contrast to the tension spreading across the rest of the camp.

Lira was mid-sentence, laughing softly at something Selene had said, while the Ice Belle sat comfortably, eating without restraint, clearly enjoying herself.

Lucas approached, and they noticed him almost immediately.

"Xavier," Lira called out, her expression brightening.

Selene smiled, shifting slightly to make space. "You came at the right time. There is still some left."

The Ice Belle glanced up briefly, her cheeks slightly puffed from eating, then swallowed. "You are late," she said casually. "We almost finished everything."

Lucas allowed a faint smile as he stepped closer and sat with them. "I can see that."

He took one of the roasted pieces, though his expression soon grew more serious.

The shift did not go unnoticed.

Lira tilted her head slightly. "What is it."

Lucas looked at them, his tone calm but firm. "I have been assigned a mission."

The light mood dimmed slightly as his words settled.

Selene straightened a bit. "What kind of mission."

"A covert one," Lucas replied. "Into Rus."

That drew their full attention.

"The emperor of Rus is still alive," he continued. "Imprisoned. I will be leading a group to extract him."

A brief silence followed.

Selene’s brows furrowed. "Rus is under full usurper control."

"Yes," Lucas said.

Lira’s expression grew more serious. "That is dangerous."

"It is," he replied simply.

The Ice Belle leaned forward slightly, her earlier playfulness fading just a bit. "And you are going anyway."

"Yes."

Another pause.

Then Lucas added, "Nyx has also been assigned a mission."

That made Lira glance at him again. "What about her."

"She will be traveling to the next continent," he said. "To deliver a message to the king’s brother."

Selene exhaled softly. "So everyone is being split apart."

"For now," Lucas said.

The fire crackled quietly between them as the weight of his words settled.

Lira looked at him for a moment, then said, "When do you leave."

"Soon, when the army marches towards Lechia" Lucas replied. "Preparations are already underway."

The Ice Belle leaned back slightly, crossing her arms with a faint huff. "You always get the dangerous ones."

Lucas gave a small, almost indifferent shrug. "Someone has to."

Selene shook her head lightly. "That is not something to say so casually."

Lucas did not respond to that.

For a moment, none of them spoke.

Then Lira reached for another piece of meat and handed it to him. "Eat first," she said quietly. "You will need your strength."

Lucas took it, nodding once.

The atmosphere remained calmer than the rest of the camp, but now there was an underlying tension beneath it, a shared understanding that things were about to change again.

And that this time, they would not all be moving in the same direction.

Lucas stayed with them far longer than he had intended.

What began as a simple moment to inform them turned into something else entirely. The fire burned low as time passed, the pile of roasted rabbits slowly disappearing while their conversation drifted from light teasing to old memories, then back to laughter again. Lira’s soft laughter filled the air more than once, Selene countered with sharp but playful remarks, and the Ice Belle, despite her usual carefree nature, added her own blunt and amusing comments that kept them all entertained.

For a while, the war felt distant.

There were no strategies, no looming missions, no pressure of expectations.

Just them.

Lucas found himself relaxing in a way he had not in a long time. The tension that constantly sat at the back of his mind eased, replaced by something warmer, something almost unfamiliar. He laughed with them, exchanged small jabs, and even let himself be pulled into their rhythm without holding back.

It had been a long time since he had simply... enjoyed himself.

As the sky darkened and night fully settled over the encampment, the fire dimmed to embers, and the sounds around them quieted into a calmer, steadier hum. The moment could not last forever.

Lucas eventually rose to his feet.

"I have to go," he said.

Lira stood as well, her expression softer now. Selene followed, her gaze lingering on him a moment longer than usual. Even the Ice Belle looked up, her usual playful demeanor quieting slightly.

Lucas stepped closer to them.

He pulled Selene into a brief but firm embrace first, his hand resting lightly against her back before he leaned in and kissed her. Then he turned to Lira, doing the same, holding her close for a moment before pressing a gentle kiss to her lips.

As he stepped back, the Ice Belle suddenly stood, folding her arms with a small huff. "What about me," she said, though there was no real annoyance in her voice.

Lucas looked at her for a brief second, then gave a faint smile.

He stepped forward and pulled her into a hug.

She seemed satisfied immediately, her arms wrapping around him without hesitation before she pulled away on her own.

"Good," she said casually, as if that had settled everything.

Lucas shook his head slightly, a small trace of amusement in his expression.

"Get some rest," he said to them.

Lira nodded softly. "You too."

Selene’s voice was quieter. "Be careful."

The Ice Belle waved her hand dismissively. "Good night."

Lucas gave a slight nod to all of them.

"Goodnight."

Then he turned and walked away.

The warmth of the moment stayed with him for a few steps, but as he moved deeper into the camp and toward his tent, it gradually gave way to the reality waiting ahead.

By the time he reached his tent, his expression had returned to focus.

The night was not over yet.