I Became the Cure for the Cursed Prince - Chapter 48

Leon shuddered as he recalled the monster he had slain during the hunt. Just the thought of such a horrifying creature attacking Lucas made his fists clench involuntarily. There was no way he could let Lucas go into such danger alone.

Like a tiger stalking its prey, he moved soundlessly. The habit of walking without making a single noise, as if treading on air, had developed from his time shifting into his tiger form.

Because of this, despite Lucas’s orders for the servants to keep an eye on him, he slipped through unnoticed.

Leon made his way to the armory first. It was where both of their weapons were stored.

As expected, Lucas’s sword—usually resting beside his own—was missing.

The corners of his lips curled upward as he strapped his sword to his waist. Without hesitation, he then made his way toward the greenhouse. If Michelle happened to be there, he would have to be extra cautious.

Moving carefully between the plants as if walking on air, he finally spotted his target.

At the far end of the greenhouse, where the sunlight poured in, Rai lay sprawled out, mouth hanging open in a drowsy yawn.

Leon hunched his shoulders, then, in one swift motion, launched himself forward.

Hiiik! What the—?!

Rai bolted upright, snarling.

“Rai, now’s not the time for a nap.”

The lion’s fur bristled, already sensing trouble.

“No time to explain. We need to go—now. I’ll explain on the way. We’re heading west, toward the Black Forest. If we move fast enough, we’ll catch up with the expedition before they reach the hunting grounds. I need you at full speed!”

So Lucas snuck off to hunt again, huh? This time, we’re not failing!

Driven by his competitive spirit, Rai stomped a paw against the ground before breaking into a sprint.

Lucas peered through his spyglass, scanning the Black Forest.

A thick darkness loomed over the area, rendering it eerily quiet.

But he wasn’t about to let his guard down.

They had already encountered more monsters than expected during their journey here. There would undoubtedly be even more lurking within the forest.

Lucas raised his right arm.

“Stop here and assess the surroundings. Sion!”

At his call, Sion approached on horseback.

“Form two teams to scout the forest perimeter. We’ll clear the outskirts before heading in.”

“Understood.”

At his command, the knights split into two groups, each setting off to their assigned sections.

However, instead of following, Sion turned his horse in another direction.

On the way here, he had sensed a familiar but formidable presence. If it was a monster, he intended to handle it himself.

“Your Grace, I’ll be conducting a separate sweep.”

Lucas gave him a brief nod before Sion urged his horse forward, picking up speed.

The energy was drawing closer.

He was just about to close in when—

A lion’s roar rang out.

The thunderous beat of hooves followed immediately after.

Sion’s grip on the reins tightened.

That sound… No, it couldn’t be…

Turning his horse swiftly, he rushed toward the source of the noise.

And when he arrived, his jaw nearly dropped.

There, approaching him, was Leon—riding Rai.

“What in the world…?”

Leon pulled up beside him, his expression calm yet determined.

“I can hunt too.”

“…What?”

“The number of monsters has increased so much that you needed to recruit more knights. Doesn’t that mean every extra fighter helps?”

“You know why His Grace gave that order. I can assign knights to escort you back—”

“Oh, come on, Sion. You know Lucas is overprotective. And this is an emergency, right? Are you really going to make a decision without reporting to him first?”

Every single word hit its mark, and Sion had no rebuttal.

He had no choice but to accept.

“…Fine. But under one condition. Until His Grace gives explicit permission, you must stay hidden in your tiger form.”

This expedition included knights who weren’t privy to Leon’s true identity. If they found out, it could lead to complications.

Leon tilted his head slightly before glancing at Rai.

The lion flicked his tail as if to ask, What about me?

After a brief moment of deliberation, Sion answered,

“I’ll take Rai with me. There are already a few hybrid monsters among us, so it won’t seem suspicious. But you—stay out of sight.”

Before he even finished speaking, Leon had already shifted into a small tiger.

His youthful, not-quite-fully-grown form flicked its tail as he effortlessly leapt onto Sion’s horse.

The sheer audacity of the move left Sion momentarily speechless.

But after a deep sigh, he removed his cloak and draped it over the small tiger’s body.

Lucas rubbed his temples.

Handling the new recruits and planning the monster hunt was already a headache, but now this?

He narrowed his eyes at the small tiger wagging its tail in front of him.

“Shift back. Now.”

At the firm command, Leon obediently transformed back into his human form.

Leon’s deepened voice carried weight, matching his broad frame, making the situation all the more surreal. Sion, observing from the side, looked completely dumbfounded. But Lucas, already accustomed to this, remained expressionless.

Noticing the tension, Leon hesitated before cautiously stepping closer to Lucas. He reached out to hold his hand, only for Lucas to pull away with cold precision.

“Do you really not understand why I left without you?” Lucas’s voice was low, restrained. “Do you not think there was a reason for keeping this from you?”

“But… Lucas, you were sick not too long ago. You wouldn’t even let me see you, and now you’re leaving for an expedition?”

“Leon Teian.”

The sharpness of his name being spoken made Leon lower his head, looking dejected. Usually, when things reached this point, Lucas would let the matter drop. But today, his frustration was evident—he exhaled deeply and ran a hand through his hair.

“The Black Forest has the highest concentration of monsters in the North. What were you planning to do if something happened to you on the way?”

Though Lucas’s voice was stern, concern was woven into his words.

Recognizing this, Leon stepped closer, gently taking hold of Lucas’s fingertips.

“I won’t do it again. Please, just this once.”

Lucas remained silent.

“I promise I won’t get hurt. I’ll prioritize my own safety, I’ll keep my identity hidden, I’ll follow every rule… Just let me stay by your side. I need you, Lucas.”

Lucas sighed heavily.

Before he could speak, Leon immediately shifted into his tiger form. Purring, he rubbed his soft fur against Lucas’s body, looking up at him with round, pleading eyes.

Even Lucas wasn’t immune to such tactics.

At this point, there was no choice—Leon was already here. Sending him back alone wasn’t an option.

His voice was slightly hoarse as he spoke, “…Fine. You can come. But you will not fight at the front, you will stay hidden, and you will keep your identity a secret. And you better mean it when you say you won’t do this again.”

Leon let out an eager growl. Yes!

Lucas then laid out a few ground rules. First, Leon was not to stray from his side. Second, he had to disguise himself as an attendant knight. And third, he was never to reveal his tiger form in front of the knights.

“If you break even one of these rules, I will reprimand you harshly.”

“I’ll keep my word.”

Leon hid the thought that as long as Lucas wasn’t in danger, there would be no problems. He was relieved Lucas hadn’t sent him back. Clutching Lucas’s hand like he had when he was younger, he added,

“I won’t leave your side. Ever.”

—

Upon hearing Sion’s report that the reconnaissance team had returned, Lucas reorganized the formation. Leon, now disguised as an attendant knight, stood right beside him at the front.

Lucas turned to Sion.

“Have the nearby villagers been evacuated?”

“Yes, Your Grace. I spoke with the village chief, and by now, they should all be in the safe zone.”

Lucas nodded.

“We’re heading into the Black Forest. If you spot a monster, do not engage immediately—report first.”

“Yes, sir!”

The resounding response echoed through the trees.

Lucas took the lead, slashing away thorny vines as he stepped into the dense forest.

The Black Forest exuded an ominous, almost suffocating aura. At any moment, something could lunge out from the darkness. The trees were covered in thick moss, the ground was frozen solid, making it difficult to move quickly.

Overgrown vines restricted their visibility, and patches of ice-covered rock made it even harder to track monster footprints.

Leon pricked his ears, inhaling deeply.

With his tiger-like senses, he could detect even the faintest of sounds in the distance. Amidst the overlapping noises of various monsters, something unfamiliar caught his attention.

A sound he had never heard before.

A shrill, eerie cry.

Kiiuuuuk… Kiiiouuu…

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