The Ice Belle's expression shifted first, not into alarm or confusion, but into something almost childlike as her awareness fully settled into the present. Then, quite suddenly, she let out a soft, musical giggle that contrasted sharply with the overwhelming presence she had just been moments ago. The sound was light, clear, and strangely disarming, as though the oppressive cold that had filled the tent earlier had never existed at all.
"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."
