I Became the Cure for the Cursed Prince - Chapter 67

After Ermon left, it was time for dinner.
Lucas tensed up, expecting Leon to barge in at any moment, but thankfully, he didn’t come.
Relieved, Lucas pulled the meal cart left outside the door into his room, sat down comfortably, and ate his dinner in peace.
Afterward, he carefully reviewed the schedule for the upcoming coming-of-age ceremony.

Still, his mind was heavy with worry.
Was there a gap in Leon’s security detail?
Would Kiltan suddenly try something reckless?

Suddenly, a wave of self-loathing washed over him.

Even while rejecting Leon so firmly, his heart was filled only with worry for him.

Fortunately, no flaws could be found in the security arrangements.
Before long, the sun set, and the room grew so dark that he could barely see the words on the page.
It was then that someone suddenly threw open the door and entered.

…Of course, it was Leon.

“Lucas, I heard you weren’t feeling well.”

“…It’s not serious enough to concern Your Highness.”

“Is that so?
Well, it concerns me.”

“What do you mean—”

Leon approached him without hesitation and sat down on the sofa across from him, smiling lightly.

“Ever since that day, being away from you makes me feel sick again.
So, I’ll just stay here with you for a while and recover.”

“…Excuse me?”

Lucas nearly dropped the papers in his hands.
He had tried so hard to push the burden away — only to have it cling to him even tighter.
Panic rising, he spoke quickly,

“That’s not appropriate, Your Highness.
If the Crown Prince remains in the Duke’s private quarters, it could cause all sorts of misunderstandings.
More importantly, I would be very uncomfortable.”

For a moment, Leon didn’t respond.
His eyes blinked rapidly, as if in shock.
Lucas’s heart stirred uneasily, but he quickly lowered his head, refusing to meet Leon’s gaze.

In the heavy silence, Lucas heard the sound of Leon shifting closer.
Then, with a strangely subdued tone, Leon spoke.

“If you say no…
Then I have no choice but to wander around like this.”

Leon’s voice was calm, but something in it felt ominous.
Alarmed, Lucas lifted his head — and his eyes caught sight of something strange.

Between the folds of Leon’s sleeve, he could see patches of coarse fur.

Not human fur.

It was tiger fur.

Without thinking, Lucas reached out and grabbed Leon’s arm, his hand trembling.
He didn’t even realize that Leon was silently watching him as he stammered out,

“What… what happened?
Weren’t you supposed to have complete control over your power now?”

Leon let out a soft, pained groan as he answered,

“Sometimes, I still lose control.
When that power shows up as something useful, it’s fine… but—”

Leon glanced down at his arm.

“But when it shows like this, in front of everyone… it’s painful, Lucas.”

Lucas stared at Leon’s arm, his heart full of worry, then slowly lifted his gaze.
Their eyes met — Leon’s golden eyes tried to stay calm, but they were trembling faintly.

“Lucas.”

Leon’s voice calling his name sounded just like a lost boy searching for someone to hold onto.
Lucas couldn’t say anything.

“Are you going to push me away again?
Like last time?”

The words “like last time” pierced straight through his heart.
Leon’s expression looked heartbreakingly similar to the one he wore when they had last parted ways.

“So please…
Let me stay here.
Only beside you can I be alright.”

Lucas must have been bewitched by those eyes.
Otherwise, he could not understand how he allowed the next words to slip out.

“…It would be best for you to stay here.”

To his own disbelief, Lucas accepted him.

At those words, Leon wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled him into a firm embrace.
Yet even as Leon held him, Lucas’s eyes were fixed on Leon’s forearm.

The patches of fur were slowly disappearing.

It was as if Leon’s body was regaining strength just by being near him — as if life itself was returning.

How could this even be possible?
How could he refuse after seeing that?

Lucas couldn’t bring himself to push Leon away.
Even though every part of him screamed that he must, the force pulling them together was too strong.
It made him feel dizzy.

Leon —
You’re a dominant Alpha, unaware that I’m a recessive Omega.
You’re the Crown Prince of a neighboring country, standing at the threshold of your coming-of-age ceremony.
You are the boy I swore to protect and take responsibility for.
You are the future Emperor of the Theian Empire.

Lucas thought of a thousand reasons why this couldn’t happen — but their tightly connected bodies refused to part.
Leon wrapped his other arm around Lucas’s legs, and before Lucas could react, his body was lifted into the air.
By the time he realized what was happening, he was already lying on the bed, his back against the mattress.

“Lucas, you’re thinking it, aren’t you?
That this is wrong.
Because you were once the Grand Duke of the Rion Principality, and I’m the Crown Prince who will someday rule the Theian Empire.
That you shouldn’t stand in my way.”

“…”

“But among all those thoughts…
Is any of it your true feeling?”

As Leon spoke, he gently brushed Lucas’s hair back.
It had been so long since Lucas had felt another person’s touch.

“Lucas, sometimes you need to let go of duty and think about yourself.
You’ve always thought too much, even back then.
Just for now… stop thinking.
Rest.
We’re both hurting, after all.”

Each word struck directly at Lucas’s heart.

“When you’re sick, it’s natural to be cared for.
Let me give you something that should have always been yours.”

To rest while being cared for.

Somehow, those simple words brought a strange, aching pain to his chest.
Lucas squeezed his eyes shut, afraid that tears might spill over.

Because of that, he didn’t stop Leon when he leaned closer, breathing warmly against his neck.
Even as Leon’s hot breath brushed against his ear, his neck, and his lips — even as large, comforting hands stroked his shoulders and waist — Lucas couldn’t bring himself to push him away.

Leon’s gentle touch, as if soothing away his pain, seemed to embrace the long, cold years Lucas had endured alone.

Like someone who had never slept peacefully before, a heavy drowsiness swept over him.
Slowly, Lucas’s eyes slid shut.

When Lucas woke again, it was already well past noon.
It felt like he had just closed his eyes, yet somehow, so much time had passed.
Before he could even feel surprised, he blinked in disbelief.

Right next to him, Leon was leaning casually over him, dressed lightly, golden hair falling softly around his face, his eyes sparkling brightly.

“You’re awake?”

“…Did you sleep here too?”

It was a foolish question.
Considering how long he had slept, it was clear Leon had stayed with him the whole time.
Still groggy from sleep, Lucas couldn’t think of anything else to say.
Leon simply nodded with a warm smile.

Without a word, Leon reached out and pulled Lucas gently into his embrace.
Lucas’s face rested against Leon’s strong chest.
Leon’s hand combed slowly through Lucas’s black hair, his fingers gliding down without a single snag, as if he had done it countless times before.

Leon’s scent filled Lucas’s senses — warm, soothing, familiar — creating an atmosphere so intimate that Lucas’s chest tightened painfully.
Struggling against the emotions rising in him, Lucas carefully pushed Leon away.

“Are you feeling better?”

Leon let go, blinking as if realizing something, then gave a small laugh.
He stretched out his arm and said,

“I’m fine now.
You’re my medicine, Lucas.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

Lucas slipped out of Leon’s arms and sat up.
Though not completely recovered, he could feel his body getting stronger.
He swung his legs over the bed and slowly stood up.

The throbbing headache and dizziness had disappeared.

“Where are you going?”

Leon immediately rose too, sticking close, as if he couldn’t bear to be apart for even a second.
The blanket slid off the bed with a soft whisper.

Lucas’s gaze involuntarily moved to Leon.

Leon was wearing a thin, translucent robe, revealing the shape of his firm body underneath.
Bathed in sunlight, his sculpted muscles seemed to glow.
His pure white skin and flawless figure were almost painful to look at.

Lucas’s heart pounded wildly.
He clenched his fists tightly.
Heat surged from his toes to the top of his head, and his stomach burned.

It wasn’t just admiration for a beautiful body — it was a desire he didn’t even know he was capable of feeling.
Lucas could hardly believe it.

Shamed by himself, Lucas turned away sharply, gathering his scattered will.

“I’ll go wash up.”

As he tried to step away, Leon grabbed his arm.

“Yesterday, you weren’t feeling well, so we didn’t even have a proper conversation.
Now you’ve just woken up, and you’re already trying to leave?”

Leon pressed close, his body practically flush against Lucas’s back.
Hot breath brushed the nape of Lucas’s neck, and a dry, woodsy scent — like smoldering firewood — filled his nose.

Lucas stiffened, fearing what Leon might do next.
But fortunately, Leon didn’t move further.
He only stayed there, quietly clinging to him.

Lucas inhaled deeply, trying to steady himself.
But the deeper he breathed, the stronger Leon’s scent became, wrapping around him.

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