I Became the Cure for the Cursed Prince - Chapter 73 (Slight R19)

In front of him stood the younger version of Leon or rather, Leon transformed into a tiger cub.
A sudden wave of longing hit Lucas.
He had never once forgotten that adorable little tiger,  the one who used to scratch at his wrist to pull off his gloves,
the one who would purr and cling to him whenever he let down his guard, exactly like now.

“Rrrowl.”

Leon lifted a paw and puffed up his body, looking even cuter than Lucas could bear.
The strong resolve Lucas had held onto melted away, and his stiff expression relaxed.

Reading the small change in Lucas’s face, Leon pounced forward and pushed against his shoulder.
Lucas laughed without even realizing it, falling back onto the soft bed.
The next thing he knew, a rough little tongue was licking his face.

Purr, rumble, purr.
The sound Leon used to make as a cub filled the room, and Leon began kneading Lucas’s chest just like old times.

It felt as if they had been thrown back into the happiest days of Lucas’s life.

The soft scent of wood filled Lucas’s nose, spreading warmth through his entire body.
The tension and wariness that had become second nature to him slowly melted away.
He closed his eyes.

How long had it been since he last felt this kind of peace?
The more time he spent with Leon, the more his heart crumbled— only to grow back stronger and warmer each time.
Feelings he’d never known before, sweet and overwhelming, bloomed inside him.

The rough tongue licked its way up Lucas’s neck, leaving a trail that made him shiver and then— “Lucas, I’ve imagined this moment every day.”

When their eyes met—golden and burning with emotion—Lucas realized.

Ah, I’ll never be able to reject him.

Leon’s voice, back in his human form, made Lucas’s ears flush red.
He could feel Leon trembling slightly above him.
Leon, too, was nervous.

With a deep, smoldering gaze, Leon slowly lowered his head as if he were a young lover sharing his very first kiss.

Without resistance, Lucas let Leon capture his lips.
And it was only then that Lucas truly understood— He loved Leon.

That no matter how much he tried to push it down, no matter how much he told himself otherwise,
he would have to drown in these feelings alone.

Leon’s tongue brushed along Lucas’s teeth, tasting him. When their lips finally parted with a faint, wet sound, a sheen of moisture remained.

Almost without thinking, Lucas brushed his fingertips across Leon’s lips.
Leon immediately caught his wrist and deepened the kiss, pushing his tongue further in.

Their hot breaths tangled together, making Lucas’s head spin.

“Haa…”

Lucas gasped for air, trying to push against Leon’s chest— but Leon didn’t budge.
Instead, he devoured Lucas’s lips even more fiercely, as if he would swallow him whole.

The kiss grew rougher—so rough that Lucas could feel Leon’s teeth leaving marks on his lips.
Their tongues tangled; their breaths mixed; and a burning heat began to rise from deep within Lucas’s body.

What could he possibly call this relationship now?
It felt ridiculous to keep thinking of Leon as just a former charge under his protection.
Because Lucas’s heart no longer saw Leon that way.

Even before he could fully swallow his mix of happiness and despair— Leon was already claiming his lips again.

The relentless kisses left Lucas breathless.
His mind turned hazy— until Leon’s large hand brushed up along the inside of his thigh.

Startled, Lucas twisted away—but Leon pressed his hand against the firm bulge beneath Lucas’s trousers.

“Ah—!”

“Shh, Lucas.”

Leon whispered against Lucas’s exposed neck, placing soft kisses along the sensitive skin.

Leon’s teasing fingers brushed against the waistband—then slipped inside.
At the same time, he captured Lucas’s lips again, swallowing his shuddering moan.

“Hhngh…”

It was a strange feeling.
Lucas had never touched himself there before.

Now, Leon’s rough, calloused fingers were stroking over soft, untouched flesh— and an unfamiliar wave of pleasure washed over him.

The new sensation left Lucas helpless. His legs went weak, and he clung to Leon’s neck, gasping for breath.

He could hear Leon chuckling low in his ear, but Lucas couldn’t respond— he was too overwhelmed.

“You’re sensitive, just like I thought. I didn’t expect you to be this delicate, though…”

Leon’s fingers brushed teasingly over the slit of Lucas’s arousal.
Lucas shuddered again, letting out a broken breath.

Ashamed of how easily he was falling apart under Leon’s touch, Lucas turned his head away.

Leon’s hand moved faster.
His other hand cupped Lucas’s face, gently turning it back toward him.

The moment their eyes met— Lucas reached his peak.

Leon watched Lucas’s tremble with something close to awe.
Lowering his head, Leon pressed a soft bite against Lucas’s slightly parted lower lip and whispered:

“You’re beautiful, Lucas.”

The words made Lucas’s chest ache so much he couldn’t even answer.
All he could do was bury his flushed face into the bed sheets.

“I’ll stop here for today,” Leon murmured, pressing one last kiss against Lucas’s temple.
“But next time, I won’t hold back.”

Lucas thought he heard Leon whisper I love you— just before sleep dragged him down.

If only he could answer those words.
If only he could say it back without hesitation.

Leon stayed by Lucas’s side, quietly watching him sleep.

He remembered their days together long ago— walking through gardens, tending to animals, sparring with swords, riding horses, going out to hunt…

There were so many things he still wanted to do with Lucas.

But that was okay. Just watching him sleep like this was enough for now.
There would be plenty of days ahead to share.

Leon’s eyes traced over Lucas’s shining forehead, his thick eyelashes, his round nose, his red lips, his soft, flushed cheeks— and finally, down to the collarbone exposed through the loose shirt.

When his gaze reached that pale, straight line of bone, Leon shivered without even realizing it.

An uncontrollable desire boiled inside Leon’s stomach.

“Suddenly…”

He remembered the silhouette he had once seen at the lakeside when they were young.
Sometimes imagining what was hidden drove people crazier than seeing it outright.

A shiver ran down his spine, and his fingertips burned with heat.
Dark thoughts began to creep in.
It’s going to be my Omega’s body anyway… Would it be so wrong to claim him now?

No.
Taking someone he truly loved out of sheer lust was wrong.

Leon forced himself to breathe deeply, struggling to calm the wild craving rampaging through his body.
Eventually, he got out of bed, brought over a chair, and sat upright.
Then, he began to release his pheromones slowly, in a controlled flow.

The heavy scent of wood from the marble furniture filled the air.
Leon didn’t stop until he saw Lucas’s breathing grow uneven and his chest rise and fall.

Finally, Lucas’s entire body was completely wrapped in Leon’s pheromones.
Only then did Leon stop.

And yet, his body still burned.
It felt like he could devour Lucas from the tips of his toes to the very top of his head.

“No.
Not yet.”

Leon warned himself firmly, then left Lucas’s room.
He had other business to attend to.

At the private quarters behind the prince’s palace—Lai’s residence—Leon waited for Exer.
Though officially Exer was a royal knight assigned to Leon, he served as Leon’s most loyal aide—acting as his hands and feet, investigating Vilter’s every move.

<Sheesh, if you’re going to scheme, at least do it in your office! Why my house?>

Rai grumbled in his lion form.
Leon laughed and replied: “This place is the safest.”

<Why?>

“Because you’re the one I trust most, Rai.”

<…Tch.>

As Leon coaxed Rai with flattering words, Exer appeared, breathing heavily from haste.

“Apologies, Your Highness. I’m a little late.”

“It’s fine. What’s the situation?”

“Just as you predicted. However, there’s something odd.”

“…Odd?”

Leon raised an eyebrow.
If things were going as expected, there shouldn’t have been anything strange.
Ever since returning from Rion, Leon had been meticulously tracking Kiltan’s faction and Draco’s movements, without letting down his guard for a second.

“Is there new information beyond them trying to ruin the coming-of-age ceremony with Draco?”

“No, not exactly. That much lines up. But… it’s too quiet. By now, the spies planted inside the palace should’ve started to act, but…”

Worry clouded Exer’s face.
Vilter himself wasn’t the real threat—it was the power behind him: Kiltan’s influence and the still-unknown forces tied to Draco.

“Should we capture the spies now and interrogate them?” Exer suggested.

Leon shook his head firmly.

“No. That’s not the plan. I want Vilter to ruin the ceremony.”

Exer’s mouth dropped open in shock.
This was not the usual loyal knight’s calm acceptance—it was a raw, emotional reaction.

“Your Highness…! Even if it’s an order, I can’t agree to that! I—Exer—swore my loyalty to you. As your knight, I must—”

Leon lightly patted Exer’s shoulder, cutting him off with a gentle smile.

“I know, Exer. No need to say it again. Your loyalty is beyond doubt.”

“Your Highness, please, don’t try to persuade me. You already slipped away once to Draco’s borderlands by yourself, remember? Just thinking about it still makes my hair stand on end—”

Before Exer’s scolding could grow even longer, Leon interrupted quickly: “Exer. I told you not to interfere.
But I never said not to protect me.”

Confusion flickered in Exer’s eyes.

“Then… what’s your plan?”

“I’ll let Vilter run wild. And when he does, I’ll use that as justification to banish him for good. If you want to tear out the root of evil, you need solid cause.”

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