Soulbound: Dual Cultivation-Chapter 48: I don’t want my girl looking like a maid

Lucas didn’t get to enjoy the peace for long.

Just as he was finally relaxing, savoring the warm food and the quiet comfort of Lira’s company, someone pulled out the empty chair across from them and sat down without so much as a word.

Lucas didn’t look up right away, but he felt the presence. It wasn’t just the sound of the chair scraping against the ground, it was the aura. Calm, confident, proud and entitled.

Lucas slowly lifted his gaze, his expression neutral, but his eyes already cold. The young man that sat before them had finely tailored robes, a polished emblem pinned to his chest, and the kind of well-groomed look that only nobles from the inner court could maintain. He smiled, not at Lucas, but at Lira.

Lira, who had just taken another spoonful of food, froze for a second. She noticed the stranger but didn’t acknowledge him. She simply resumed eating, though her posture had subtly shifted, shoulders a little more upright, jaw a little tighter.

"Pardon my interruption," the man said with a smooth, refined tone.

Lucas’s chopsticks paused mid-air. His expression didn’t change, but something in the air around him shifted. He didn’t speak. Not yet.

"I’m Marquess Scott," the young man continued, "Cousin to Prince Darius. I’ve seen your beauty, you’re truly beautiful and remarkable ."

Lucas’s jaw clenched, but he still didn’t say a word.

Lira looked up, her eyes calm and respectful, but cool. "Thank you, my lord," she said quietly, then returned to her meal without further comment. Her body language said it all: she wasn’t interested, and she wasn’t giving him an opening.

But Marquess Scott wasn’t done.

"It’s such a shame," he continued, glancing casually at Lucas before returning his gaze to Lira, "that someone like you is hidden away as a servant. You deserve to be seen. Admired."

Lucas finally placed his chopsticks down with deliberate calm. He wiped his mouth with a cloth, sat back slightly in his seat, and stared directly at the Marquess.

His voice was quiet, firm. "You’re sitting at my table."

The nobleman finally looked at Lucas properly, offering a faint smirk. "And you are?"

Lucas smiled faintly, though it didn’t reach his eyes. "Someone who doesn’t like uninvited guests, especially ones who think their bloodline gives them the right to touch what isn’t theirs."

That changed the atmosphere entirely.

The tension between them sparked in the air like dry grass near fire. Marquess Scott’s smile wavered slightly, but he recovered quickly. "No offense meant. Just conversation."

Lucas picked up his cup, took a slow sip, and then calmly set it down. "Then have your conversation somewhere else."

Scott stood slowly, his eyes lingering on Lira once more, too long.

"This won’t be the last time we speak," he said with a small nod to her.

"I hope it is," Lucas replied, his tone casual, but the weight in his words unmistakable.

The Marquess turned and left, his guards trailing behind him. Other students nearby had gone quiet, watching with wide eyes.

Lira looked over at Lucas. "I’m sorry, Master."

Lucas shook his head and let out a small exhale. "Not your fault."

Still, he didn’t say anything more. But his thoughts were boiling. Royals... they always thought they could do whatever they liked.

After the uncomfortable encounter at the food court, they made their way back to the dorms in silence. Lucas still had a lingering edge of irritation on his face, though it was slowly being replaced by calm. Lira walked just behind him, her steps quiet and respectful as always.

When they reached the student quarters, Lucas shut the door behind them and let out a slow breath. He looked at Lira, who had already started clearing a small corner for her usual tasks.

"You did well back there," he said.

Lira looked up, surprised by the praise. "Thank you, Master."

He waved for her to sit. "Come. Let’s work on your cultivation."

Without wasting time, he gave her a few more refined tips, small techniques he knew would gradually help her control the energy better. Breathing patterns, posture adjustments, and how to properly channel her Qi to avoid waste. Lira soaked it all in like a sponge, her eyes locked on his, absorbing every word. She still had a long way to go, but her progress so far was surprising... and promising.

Six days passed like wind sweeping through the mountains.

The buzz of Prince Darius’s upcoming birthday celebration was everywhere.

Lucas didn’t like the attention that came with it, but he knew it would be more foolish to ignore a direct invitation from the palace. He needed to blend in still, play the role of Xavier Alden convincingly.

So on the sixth day, just before noon, he called for Lira.

"Let’s go to the stalls," he said casually, slipping on his outer robe.

Lira blinked. "Stalls, Master?"

"Yes. I need clothes for the party," he said, already heading for the door. "And I’ll need your help picking."

A few minutes later, they were walking down the lively rows of merchants just outside the academy’s southern gates. The market was bustling with color, scent, and sound. Spices lingered in the air, silk garments danced in the breeze, and the noise of bartering rang through the lanes. Lucas ignored most of it, focused instead on the section of the stalls that catered to noble fashion.

They finally stopped before a tailor’s tent adorned with royal blue and silver trims. The merchant immediately recognized Lucas, of course, Xavier is the eldest son of Elder Alden.

Lira stood aside quietly, watching Lucas try on the options. After some time, they settled on a sharp blue robe with black trimmings and delicate embroidery down the sleeves. It fit his body perfectly, just regal enough to not offend any royals at the palace, but still modest enough to not attract more attention than necessary.

Lira nodded approvingly.

"That one suits you, Master."

Lucas gave a small grin, then turned to the tailor. "We’ll take it."

The tailor packed it up carefully, wrapping it in fine paper and sealing it with a silver thread.

Just as they turned to leave, Lucas paused.

"Wait," he said. Lira stopped mid-step.

He looked down at her, how she had stood all day without complaining, helped him choose his own clothes, and never once asked for anything.

"We’re not done," he added.

Lira tilted her head slightly, confused. "Master?"

Lucas smirked. "You’re coming to the party with me, aren’t you?"

Her lips parted, stunned. "I... I didn’t think—"

"Well, you are," he said simply. "So we’re buying you something as well."

Lira blinked, her cheeks already beginning to flush. "But Master, I’m just"

"Quiet," Lucas said playfully, already turning toward the women’s section of the clothing stalls. "I don’t want my girl looking like a maid when she walks into the palace beside me."

He walked off toward the fine silks and soft gowns, leaving a stunned Lira standing behind with wide eyes and a heart thudding loudly in her chest.

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