I Became the Cure for the Cursed Prince - Chapter 121

After checking the gift, Lucas opened his eyes wide and looked at Michelle.

“What is this?”

“What do you think it is? It’s underwear.”

Lucas picked up the item with his fingertips, unsure whether it was a string or actual clothing.

“This doesn’t cover anything at all.”

“You’re going to take it off anyway. Why bother covering up?”

Michelle’s words and the gift didn’t quite connect in Lucas’s mind, leaving him dazed as if he were still dreaming.

“So, why are you giving me this?”

Michelle cleared her throat before responding.

“I bought it a while ago. I just didn’t have the chance to give it to you until now.”

“R-right. Well, thank you anyway.”

“Hmm. Saying thank you isn’t enough. You need to hold it like this…”

Michelle began explaining in detail how to wear and use the underwear, which was so revealing it was embarrassing just to look at.

Lucas wanted to tell her to stop, that there was no need for it right now, especially since the children were still young and there would be no use for such things for a while. But seeing how passionate Michelle was, he couldn’t bring himself to interrupt her.

“Lucas, are you paying attention? You need to put it on the right way. If you wear it backward, it’ll be a problem. This side is the front, and this side is the back.”

“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.”

After finishing her explanation, Michelle gave Lucas a slightly awkward look. She placed her hand on his shoulder for a moment, then let go. Leaning in, she kissed his cheek and whispered softly.

“I just want you to always be happy.”

“Thank you. I always pray for your peace as well.”

Even as he spoke, Lucas couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. He had only just arrived and taken a short nap, and though his schedule was busy and he couldn’t stay long, saying goodbye already felt strange.

“Get some rest,” Michelle said as she turned and stepped outside.

Lucas stood staring at the closed door, a blank expression on his face. Everything felt vivid and real, so it clearly wasn’t a dream. Yet it still felt like something was happening that he wasn’t aware of.

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

Startled, Lucas quickly shoved the underwear he had been holding into his luggage. He figured he would sort it out properly later when he had time to unpack.

“Oh, you’re awake.”

“I just woke up.”

Lucas’s voice trembled slightly, and cold sweat trickled down his back. Leon reached out and placed a hand on Lucas’s forehead, tilting his head in confusion.

“You don’t have a fever, so why are you sweating like this?”

“It’s probably just because I was sleeping too deeply.”

Lucas made an excuse that didn’t make much sense, hoping to brush off the moment. Fortunately, Leon seemed to have something else on his mind and let it go without pressing the issue.

“Anyway, Lucas.”

Leon sat on the edge of the bed and gently took Lucas’s hand.

“Let’s go on a trip.”

“A trip?”

“Yes. Don’t worry about the kids. His Grace said he would take care of them for us.”

At last, the confusion in Lucas’s mind began to clear. Now it all made sense. Leon suddenly wanting to take the children to Rion Castle, Michelle showing up earlier to give him revealing underwear, and now Leon suggesting they go on a trip.

Lucas gave Leon a sideways glare, slightly annoyed, but he couldn’t stop the smile forming on his lips. Leon gently touched his lips to Lucas’s, then pulled back.

“You need rest, and so do I. Ever since the baby was born, we’ve been pushing ourselves nonstop. I think it’s time we took a break.”

Lucas felt exactly the same. He hadn’t even allowed himself to dream of traveling because of the children, but if Michelle was the one looking after them, he could finally feel at ease.

He was touched by how thoughtful Leon had been. Pride and gratitude welled up inside him as he pulled Leon into a warm embrace.

“Alright. Let’s go together.”

The two held each other tightly for a long time. As their breathing grew heavier and they felt their bodies reacting, they both broke into laughter.

They needed to hold back for now. The children could burst in at any moment, and it would be better to leave this place before doing anything. There was still time.

After pulling away from each other, their eyes met, and without a word, they both quickly began getting dressed and gathering their belongings.

Lucas spotted the underwear Michelle had left behind. After staring at it for a while and thinking it over, he decided to take it with him. Leaving something that embarrassing in the room felt riskier than just bringing it along.

And, in the back of his mind, he felt they might actually need it.

His body wasn’t the same as it used to be, and it had been a long time since they had been intimate. The fiery passion they once had had gradually softened into quiet comfort.

He wasn’t sure if their physical distance was because that passion had faded, or simply because raising children had left them with no time or energy. It was a question without a simple answer.

Even though they were going on a trip, Lucas knew there was no guarantee the mood would be right. He reached deep into his bag and lightly touched the underwear.

In moments like that, this might come in handy. I’m counting on you.

Something that had felt embarrassing and unnecessary suddenly started to feel oddly reassuring.

“Lucas, are you ready?”

When Lucas nodded, Leon picked up his bag.

“The carriage is already waiting. Let’s go.”

“What if I had said no? You prepared the carriage before even asking.”

“If you said no, I was planning to kidnap you.”

Lucas couldn’t help but laugh, even after hearing Leon’s confession. Just being apart from the children, who normally clung to him like chewing gum, already made him feel a sense of freedom.

“Still, we should at least say goodbye to the kids before we leave.”

“Alright, let’s just take a quick look from outside the greenhouse. If they insist on coming with us, it’ll be a problem.”

“Yes, that sounds best.”

The two of them headed straight to the greenhouse, gently opened the door, and peeked inside. They had worried the children might not get along well with the animals and come looking for their dads, but it turned out to be nothing more than needless concern.

“Jerry, Jelly, woof woof!”

“Dummy! Jerry says chirp, not woof!”

“But Jerry was talking like a person earlier.”

“Oh dear, Diego really is the smartest one. Tigers are just impossible to handle.”

In response to Jerry’s words, Coco poked her head out from the bushes, holding a ball in her mouth that Elisha had thrown.

“Tell me about it. These little ones are driving me crazy.”

Lulu and the cats stayed close to the children, keeping a watchful eye. Whenever the kids tried to do something risky, they wrapped their tails around them or pressed close to stop them gently.

Laughter echoed brightly through the greenhouse, filling it with joy.

“We probably don’t need to worry, right?” Leon asked.

Lucas replied with a satisfied smile.
“Looks like it. They’re not even looking for us.”

“I actually stopped by before coming to you earlier. They didn’t even glance at me. Said if their dads went ahead, they’d catch up later. Unbelievable.”

Lucas chuckled.
“Leon, sounds like they treated you like some unwanted baggage.”

“Exactly. When did they grow up so fast?”

Even though they were relieved the kids weren’t searching for them, a small part of them still felt a little hurt and left out.

As they stood watching the children run and play inside the greenhouse, time passed quickly. If they stayed any longer, the sun would set before they even reached their destination.

Leon gently took Lucas’s hand and gave it a small tug.
It was time to leave.

The carriage carrying Leon and Lucas was making its way toward a warmer region. Because they had spent quite a bit of time with the children, the sun had already set not long after their departure.

They decided to camp for the night in a nearby forest. After stopping the carriage, they set up a tent.

Memories of their days fighting side by side came rushing back. Back then, they camped in forests almost every other day. Lucas’s face was full of emotion as he raised the tent poles and draped the canvas.

“It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

“It has. This is the first time since you became the crown prince.”

Even though they were only camping because they had nowhere else to stay during their trip, for some reason, Lucas’s heart was pounding and his chest felt fluttery with excitement.

He wiped his forehead with his hand and looked over at Leon. Leon took a deep breath and said,

“It’s been a long time since I’ve worked up a sweat. Maybe that’s why I smell a bit…”

Leon’s gaze was growing deeper, more intense. Sensing the moment was right, Lucas brushed his hair to one side and stepped closer to Leon. He placed both hands on Leon’s shoulders and gently pushed him into the tent.

“I’m warning you now. I might not be able to hold back.”

“Elisha’s not here either.”

Leon ran his hand along the inside of Lucas’s thigh. Even that small touch sent a rush of blood downward. Feeling the reaction in his own body, Leon’s waist gave a subtle twitch. He hurriedly brought his hands to his shirt, fingers fumbling with the buttons.

He was trying to stay calm, to unbutton the shirt slowly instead of tearing it off and climbing on top of Lucas right then and there.

But just as he started to undo the buttons, a sharp tearing sound broke the silence.

Leon froze and let out a long sigh. Lucas, wide-eyed, looked at him in confusion.

“What happened?”

“Just wait a moment.”

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