I Became the Cure for the Cursed Prince - Chapter 135

Leon stood still like someone whose soul had left their body, unable to move. Then, suddenly, he wrapped his arms tightly around Lucas’s back.

“I understand now. I didn’t before, but I do now. No, it’s only just now that I truly realize it. I was too late, wasn’t I?”

“I love you too,” Lucas replied softly.

Leon held Lucas even more tightly. His body had grown noticeably thinner over the past few days, likely from not eating properly, and it made Leon’s heart ache with worry. Who would have thought that a single phrase, I love you, could untangle something that had seemed so hopelessly knotted?

As Leon gently stroked Lucas’s back, he thought to himself:

We started out as teacher and student. Then we became lovers, then husbands, and now fathers. Just like we’ve already faced so many storms together, we will continue to face more misunderstandings and conflicts in the future, both big and small.

If he could, Leon would have taken the confession that just came from Lucas’s lips and hidden it somewhere no one could ever find. Then, whenever their hearts felt tangled again, he would bring it out and use it to help them find their way back to each other.

He pressed his nose against Lucas’s neck and took a deep breath. After everything that had happened over the past few days, he was amazed he had even been able to breathe at all. Now, for the first time, it felt like his chest could finally open up and breathe freely.

As he gently patted Leon’s back, Lucas spoke in a calm and steady voice.

“Let’s take our time thinking through the real-life problems. It’s not like anything is going to happen to your sister right away.”

“Okay,” Leon answered quietly.

He had made up his mind not to say something immature like, I don’t care what happens, as long as I have you. Even if that was how he truly felt, Leon now understood what it meant to love Lucas with his whole heart. To love one person completely, he had to also care for everything and everyone connected to that person. He had grown enough to understand that now.

How long had they been holding each other?

The sky had been glowing red before Lucas arrived, but now it had quietly darkened. Lucas shifted slightly and said it would be best to have dinner with the children tonight.

Leon hadn’t meant to hold on so tightly, but his arms instinctively pulled Lucas closer. Lucas looked up at him with a baffled expression.

It made sense. Leon had just said he had found the answer, that he now understood what true love was, and that he would learn to find balance between love and obsession. Yet here he was, once again showing the same kind of possessiveness.

Realizing his own behavior, Leon let out a quiet breath and lowered his arms, releasing Lucas.

Lucas spoke gently, trying to soothe him.

“It will take time, so take it slow. I can accept that, for as long as it takes. But right now, we should calm the children first. You saw it too, didn’t you? The stamps they made with their names, all so cute.”

Leon thought of the children’s names, and a soft smile appeared on his face. Lucas wouldn’t vanish during dinner, and when night came, there would be no interruptions. He could be patient, just a little longer.

He reached for Lucas’s hand, the one that had waited for him with such quiet strength, and walked with him outside. As they approached the dining hall, the sound of the children’s voices became louder. As expected, Elisha was the loudest.

“Do you think everything worked out?”

“Mr. Ermon told us they’re together now,” Andrea replied.

Elisha let out a small scoff.

“Just being together doesn’t mean everything’s fine. They could still argue. When people are upset, being close can make things worse. If they weren’t still working things out, they would have come to dinner already.”

Andrea looked worried at her words, and Dea turned to Elisha with a meaningful smile.

“Is that from personal experience?”

“What?”

“When we went to Rion, did you and Oliver spend the whole time arguing?”

“Dea… no!”

Just as Leon, who had been hiding and watching, was about to rush toward the children, Lucas quickly grabbed his hand and held it tightly.

“Let’s wait a little longer.”

“No. If Elisha takes the Oliver comment the wrong way, it could turn into a real fight. You don’t know how strong those kids are. They may act innocent, but inside they’re already full-grown tigers…”

Leon was speaking without thinking, words spilling out in frustration. Then he suddenly gasped and went silent. The fact that a ten-year-old child could transform into a tiger with adult strength was a secret he had planned to take to the grave. And now, he had just let it slip in front of Lucas. He never imagined this day would come.

Lucas looked at Leon’s shocked expression and gave a quiet smile.

“Did you really think I didn’t already know?”

“…What?”

“Did you think I hadn’t noticed you only pretended to be weak around me?”

“Oh…”

Leon’s face turned red with embarrassment. If he could, he would have erased Lucas’s memory or turned back time. But even if he returned to his childhood, could he have been honest? Could he have told Lucas, knowing he loved weak and helpless animals, that he was already grown and actually a very strong tiger?

Leon shook his head. No matter how many chances he got, he couldn’t imagine himself doing that.

“Yes, I pretended to be weaker around you.”

He laughed in defeat and pressed his hand to his forehead. Lucas laughed along with him.

At that moment, Elisha’s cold voice cut through the air.

“Did you just ask if I fought with Oliver?”

Dea nodded as if it was nothing.

“You feel bad, don’t you? And if Rai’s dad knew we didn’t trust him, he’d feel hurt too.”

Elisha didn’t answer right away. Her eyes were sharp, and her small fists trembled, but she didn’t raise a hand.

Leon let out a silent sigh of relief. Then, tears suddenly began to fall from Elisha’s eyes.

“I think now is the time to step in,” Leon said.

Lucas nodded.

Leon entered the dining hall and immediately picked Elisha up and sat her on his lap.

“You didn’t stop trusting me. You were just scared. It was the first time you saw your dads fight, wasn’t it? That’s all.”

Elisha blinked at his words, then slowly nodded. Maybe because she felt understood, she leaned forward and kissed his cheek.

Dea lowered her head. She hadn’t done anything wrong, but now that Leon was comforting Elisha, she looked upset. No matter how grown-up she acted, she was still a child.

Lucas reached over and gently rested a hand on Dea’s head.

“Thank you for trusting us. Sometimes, when people love each other very much, they end up fighting.”

Before Lucas could finish, Dea lifted her head. Her gloomy expression softened into a small smile.

“Rai’s father said the same thing. He told me not to worry. That it only happened because you love each other too much.”

Dea then curled into Lucas’s arms as well.

Andrea gave a loud laugh and shook his head with a grin.

“This is so cheesy. I can’t even look at you two right now.”

The cold tension that had filled the palace after Leon and Lucas’s fight had completely melted, replaced by warm laughter and peace.

After they finished their meal, Lucas returned to their room for the first time in a while and stood in shock. The bed and the area around the desk were buried under piles of books and documents. It was an absolute mess.

“So, the office was the cleanest place after all.”

“I told the attendants not to come in here,” Leon replied quietly.

Lucas let out a deep sigh. “Unbelievable…”

He began picking up the scattered books, sorting through the clutter. Leon watched him with growing unease. From the moment Lucas stepped into the room, his face had gone hot and his breathing had become uneven. It was not a rut cycle, yet the feeling was strangely similar. Concerned, Leon reached out and gently grabbed Lucas’s wrist, pulling him closer to observe him more carefully.

Sweat had gathered on Lucas’s forehead, and there was a subtle shift in his scent. Leon had assumed the weight loss was due to stress, but now he realized that was not the case. Lucas was currently in heat.

“You…” Leon whispered.

“Why are you saying that all of a sudden?” Lucas asked, struggling to breathe properly. He was panting as if he had just run a long distance.

Leon looked around, unsure of what to do. He regretted not having the room cleaned in advance, but there was no time to worry about that now.

“The medicine…”

“Why take medicine when I’m right here?” Lucas replied.

Every breath Lucas took made the air around them feel sweeter. Leon could no longer hold back. He pressed their lips together. The moment their mouths met, the sweetness poured in, filling Leon completely. His entire mouth felt hot, and an unbearable thirst followed. No matter how deeply he kissed, it did nothing to satisfy it. Still half-conscious, Lucas accepted Leon’s urgent and insistent kisses.

Gasping for air during a brief pause, Leon inhaled deeply and then lifted Lucas into his arms. The arousal visible through Lucas’s trousers left nothing to the imagination. Lucas wrapped his legs around Leon’s waist as they continued to kiss, making their way toward the bed. Even the short distance felt too far to be apart.

They reached the bed, and Leon gently laid Lucas down. As soon as their bodies separated, Lucas’s breathing grew even heavier.

“Leon… I feel so hot,” he murmured.

Lying on the bed, Lucas fanned himself weakly, then, as if he could not stand it anymore, began taking off his clothes. Without bothering to remove his accessories, he stripped off his cloak, shirt, and trousers in order. Each piece of clothing slipped from his hands and dropped onto the floor.

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