I Became the Cure for the Cursed Prince - Chapter 125

“That is why we should do as much as we want before we leave.”

Despite Leon’s demanding request, Lucas did not complain once. He accepted everything, without a single word of protest. This time was just as precious to him as it was to Leon.

It was only when it was time to return that the two finally pulled themselves away from each other. Even after pouring out so much energy, neither of them felt drained. If not for the slight muscle soreness, they could have easily gone on even longer.

“How are we still this fine after all that?” Leon asked with a laugh.

Lucas smiled and answered.

“Because of the curse, and the blessing.”

“I didn’t realize the blessing affected things like this too.”

In any case, it was a relief that they still had the strength to make the journey back. Watching Leon carefully fold and pack their clothes, Lucas suddenly felt a wave of worry for the children they had left behind in Rion.

What if they were scared of Michelle? What if the different climate caused Teian to catch a cold? What if they got into fights with the animals? What if they behaved poorly and ruined their reputation?

One worry led to another, spiraling endlessly in his mind.

“What’s wrong? You suddenly look pale. Did I push you too hard?” Leon asked, concerned.

“No, it’s not that. I just suddenly started worrying about the kids. No matter how strong they are as Alphas, they are still just children. Even adults struggle with the cold in Rion…”

At those words, Leon let out a soft laugh, looking both amused and a little exasperated.

“Lucas, have you ever seen me catch a cold when I was a kid?”

“Ah…”

Now that he thought about it, Leon had never once caught a cold, even in Rion. He had never suffered from even a mild fever. The only issue he had ever faced was his tendency to transform into a tiger wherever and whenever he pleased.

“The children take after me. Their bodies are strong, so there’s no need to worry.”

Leon tried not to show it, but the way he began packing a little faster made it clear that he was worried too. Lucas smiled gently and spoke.

“Then I’ll go take care of Clat in the next room.”

“Alright.”

Lucas quietly brought Clat out, making sure to avoid any unwanted attention. Outside, Leon was loading the last of their belongings onto the carriage. Fortunately, the coachman had grown used to Rai’s presence and showed no surprise when he saw Clat.

Before getting into the carriage, Leon turned to the coachman and gave him a few careful instructions.

“It would be best to pick up the pace while passing through the city. We don’t want people getting startled by Clat.”

“Yes, understood.”

It was time to return to the Kingdom of Rion, where the children were waiting. Lucas took Leon’s hand and looked out the window.

They passed through a bustling city filled with people in different clothes, then crossed a desert where there was nothing but sun and sand. As they traveled, a thought came to Lucas’s mind.

When would they ever be able to take a trip like this again?

As if he had read Lucas’s thoughts, Leon spoke gently.

“When the kids grow a little older and settle down, we’ll come back together. That time, we’ll actually do some real sightseeing.”

Lucas turned to him, touched by how Leon always seemed to understand him without needing words. He leaned in and kissed Leon softly on the cheek.

If it hadn’t been for the warm breeze blowing into the carriage, cooling the rising heat between them, something more might have happened right then and there.

The situation inside the castle was completely different from what they had imagined.

None of the children whined or asked where they had been. Not one of them said they missed them or complained about how long they had been gone.

Even Theian, who used to run into their arms the moment they made eye contact, didn’t pay them any attention this time. He was far too busy playing.

The first thing Lucas noticed was Elisha.

She was standing in front of Jerry, eagerly trying to teach him some odd new phrases.

“Okay, repeat after me. Dogs go woof woof, cows go moo, and mice go squeak squeak.”

“Coco! Woof! Coco woof!”

“No, that’s not right. When I say ‘Coco is?’ you’re supposed to say ‘woof woof!’ Got it?”

Jerry blinked, then slowly nodded as if he finally understood.

“Alright, let’s try again. Coco is?”

“Woof! Woof!”

As Leon watched the scene, he muttered with a faint smile, “Good boy, Jerry. Taking care of that little one must be a lot of work.”

Hearing those words, Lucas quietly stepped out of the greenhouse.

Outside, in the training yard, Andrea and Theron were sparring.

“Hiya!”

Andrea held a wooden sword that fit perfectly in her hands. It looked like something Theron had given her. The way she gripped it tightly and swung with focus made her look surprisingly skilled.

When Theron noticed Lucas from a distance, he looked ready to run over and greet him. But Lucas gently shook his head, signaling him to stay and continue playing with Andrea.

Theron blinked once in understanding, then turned his attention back to her.

“Captain, am I doing this right?”

She was only waving around a toy sword, but Theron praised her with dramatic enthusiasm.

“That’s perfect. Truly perfect. I am starting to wonder if you might be a genius chosen by the heavens.”

“Hee hee! Let’s go again. This time, I am going to win!”

“Then I will not go easy on you.”

“Then I will not go easy on you either.”

Andrea took a deep breath and carefully stepped forward, her expression serious. Theron pretended to be frightened and backed away playfully. As one moved in and the other moved out, their wooden swords swayed through the air. It looked less like a sword fight and more like a sweet, clumsy dance.

Watching Andrea brought a wave of warmth to Lucas’s heart. For a moment, he saw the image of a young Leon reflected in her. As he watched the children, he began to wonder what Dea was doing.

When he asked an attendant, he was told that Dea was in the study Lucas used to use.

Lucas headed there quickly and quietly opened the door, careful not to disturb anything in case Dea was reading.

Inside the study, Dea sat with bright, curious eyes, fully focused on a book. Nearby, Michelle was pressing her temples with both hands, a deep frown on her face.

The sight was exactly what Lucas had imagined, and it brought a quiet smile to his lips.

“So why do people invade peaceful countries at all? I just can’t understand it.”

“How many times are you going to ask the same question?”

“Because I don’t understand it,” Dea replied.

Dea believed that truly understanding something meant grasping it both logically and emotionally. That belief often made things difficult for the tutors who had to explain politics and global affairs in ways a child could understand.

That was probably why Lucas found himself curious about how Michelle would respond. Normally, with her usual temperament, she would have scolded Dea by now. With that thought in mind, Lucas waited for her next words.

“Dea, I need you to listen carefully to what I am about to say.”

Dea swallowed hard and gave a serious nod.

“You have older siblings, right?”

“They’re not older, they’re younger!” Dea quickly corrected her.

“Fine, either way, you have siblings. You share the same blood. Now imagine this. A natural disaster strikes, and suddenly there is no food left. You have been starving for so long that your life is in real danger.”

Dea gasped and drew in a sharp breath, as if the idea itself had never even occurred to him.

Lucas was starting to feel a little concerned. After all, Dea was still only five years old. It felt too early for a child that age to be thinking about fear and uncertainty.

He considered stepping in and telling Michelle that Dea was too young for such heavy topics. But he had a feeling Michelle had a plan, so he decided to wait and watch a little longer.

Michelle continued, her expression serious, as if she were explaining something much deeper than a child’s simple question.

“Yes, and one day, you will understand this too. As you live your life, you will find that sometimes there are things beyond your control. Natural disasters are one of those things. Humans cannot stop them.”

She paused for a moment before continuing.

“Now imagine, during this time of hardship, people in another country are eating so much that they get sick from overeating. Some of the food even rots and goes to waste. In a situation like that, what would you do?”

Dea placed a finger to his lips and thought for a while. Then he spoke.

“First, I would explain our situation and politely ask if they could share some of their food with us.”

Michelle’s eyes sparkled. She seemed pleased that Dea was truly thinking through the scenario.

“And what if they still refuse to help?”

“…I would keep asking until they said yes.”

“And if one of your siblings died from hunger while you were still asking, wouldn’t you be angry?”

Dea’s face fell into a sad expression.

“I think I would feel more heartbroken than angry. But even so, starting a war and taking things by force would be too cruel.”

Michelle slowly nodded.

“You’re right. War is always a choice made by the ones who want it. Someone like you might keep trying to negotiate, even through sadness. Others might grow bitter and turn to violence and looting instead. But if it is a choice, why do people choose war when they don’t have to?”

Dea was surprisingly serious for his age. He didn’t complain that it was too hard to understand. He didn’t ask, “Why would they do that?” And he didn’t insist that the weaker side was always right.

Lucas found himself growing more and more curious about what Dea would say next.

After a long sigh, Dea finally spoke.

“If they not only refused to help us but even started to hurt us… then I think we would have no choice but to go to war.”

“That is right. War happens when the survival of a country is at risk and there is no other option. Now do you understand a little better?”

“Yes, Aunt Michelle. This is really interesting.”

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