I Became the Cure for the Cursed Prince

Lucas’s eyes widened unconsciously.

Given the circumstances, Leon’s words had to be true. Aside from the fact that Leon could transform into an animal, there was no other way to explain how he had suddenly appeared in Lucas’s room. He had chosen to believe it, yet seeing it with his own eyes was an entirely different matter.

Moreover, the way those tiny ears twitched between his golden locks and how his tail swayed gently…

Honestly, to Lucas, who had always been fond of animals, it was unbearably adorable.

With fascination, he cautiously reached out and touched the pointed ears protruding from Leon’s head. Even through his gloves, he could feel the soft, downy fur. Sensing the touch, Leon’s eyes widened before he reached up to feel his own head—then broke into a bright grin.

“Wow! Since Luca touched them, now I have amazing ears!”

Leon’s innocent excitement made Lucas involuntarily smile as well, but his heart grew heavy. The child’s appearance was endearing, but this was no reason to celebrate.

To the child, who was unaware that this might be a disease, it seemed like an exciting development. He might not understand it now, but when the symptoms worsened, he would have no choice but to realize the truth.

Lucas knew what it was like to suffer from a curse. Before it manifested, he had been just as bright and optimistic. But after it took hold, darkness gradually consumed him.

At least, as a member of the ducal family, people still served and followed him. But if anyone got even slightly close to him, fear would inevitably flicker in their eyes. When the world continuously rejected you, a person would wear down over time.

So, he hoped that this poor child would never have to endure those kinds of looks. The best solution would be to break the curse, but if that wasn’t possible…

Defying fate always required effort.

One undeniable fact in this already tangled and convoluted world was that this child had to survive to prevent war. Only then could Lucas live, and poor Michelle wouldn’t be dragged into slavery.

“What if you could change your form at will? Like becoming human when you want to be and turning into a tiger when you feel like it?”

“That would be amazing! I could be a tiger when I play and a human when I study!”

“Why a tiger when playing?”

“Well… If I say later that ‘the tiger did it,’ wouldn’t I get in less trouble?”

Leon scratched his head awkwardly before glancing up, twitching his ears a couple of times. Then, he turned back to Lucas.

Since he was raised in the imperial palace, Lucas had expected him to be more composed and mature despite his young age…

“It would be nice if I could figure out how to control my powers.”

Leon said this with hopeful eyes, his tail wagging wildly. Lucas, watching it swish back and forth in front of him, reached out to still it before asking calmly,

“Then why did your ears and tail suddenly appear just now? Did Your Highness think about turning into a tiger?”

Leon shook his head.

“No, I wasn’t thinking about that at all. I was just happy.”

“Your ears appeared because you were happy?”

“Yes! Luca smells so sweet, so I think that made them pop out.”

Lucas frowned at those words. Did curses have a scent? He had never heard of such a thing before… Though Leon described it as a ‘sweet smell,’ he was still just a child. Lucas worried whether his own curse might be affecting Leon in some way.

On top of that, although Lucas had treated Leon after he fell into the swamp, he had not yet been examined by a physician. Now seemed like a good opportunity to have him properly checked.

Just then, the sound of footsteps came from outside the dining hall. Lucas quickly removed his cloak and draped it over Leon, covering his ears and tail.

“It might be a little uncomfortable, but just stay like this for a while.”

Leon squirmed in protest, but Lucas held him firmly to reassure him before turning toward the entrance. A moment later, Sion entered, his expression grave.

“Your Highness, a message from the patrol unit.”

“What is it?”

“A gargoyle has been sighted near the Black Forest.”

“A gargoyle?”

“Unfortunately, capturing it was unsuccessful. However, traces that could serve as clues were found near the location where the gargoyle was spotted. Would you like to go and investigate in person?”

Lucas fell silent, his expression deep in thought. Until now, traces of a gargoyle had been found, but he had never actually seen one. The gargoyle was the key to curing Michelle’s illness, so he had to confirm this himself.

“Shall I accompany you?”

Lucas looked at Leon, his expression troubled. Then, after a moment of hesitation, he slowly spoke.

“No. I’ll go alone. In the meantime, you should visit the physician with His Highness.”

“Understood.”

From within the thick cloak, Leon’s ears perked up. It sounded like Lucas was entrusting him to Sion while going somewhere else. He disliked being separated from Lucas, but being left alone with Sion was even worse.

Leon carefully lifted the cloak just enough to peek at Lucas’s expression. His face was rigid, almost as if he were angry, making it difficult for Leon to speak. Still, he had to try.

“Um… but can’t I go too?”

“It’s dangerous. Besides, Your Highness must see the physician. I won’t take long, so just wait for me.”

The sharp rise of Lucas’s brows and his clipped, firm tone made Leon shrink back. Even when a much larger knight had scolded him, he hadn’t been scared, but hearing anger in Lucas’s voice made his heart pound anxiously.

Leon’s shoulders slumped as he nodded. When Lucas’s hand lifted slightly, Leon instinctively leaned forward, hoping for a pat on the head—but the hand, suspended in midair, hesitated before withdrawing.

“Then, enjoy the rest of your meal.”

Lucas’s words were curt as he turned away. Leon wanted to call out and chase after him, but he was afraid of making Lucas angrier. Instead, he softly murmured, “Luca…”

For a brief moment, Lucas’s steps faltered, but he didn’t turn back.

Beside Leon, the half-eaten bowl of soup continued to grow cold.

The door of the outpost swung open violently. The captain of the guard, who had been diligently at work, immediately stood up and saluted as Lucas entered.

“Captain of the Black Forest Guard, paying respects to the Duke—”

“Skip the formalities. There’s no time to waste.”

The outpost wasn’t large, so despite the guard’s invitation to step further inside, Lucas remained near the entrance. The small structure, built with a mixture of ice and stone to withstand snowstorms and monster attacks, housed several guards diligently writing reports. Lucas quickly scanned the room before fixing his gaze on the captain.

“You found a gargoyle?”

“Yes, sir. While patrolling near the Black Forest yesterday, something flashed past our vision. We gave chase, but unfortunately, we failed to capture it. However, we did find traces of its presence nearby, so we reported it immediately.”

Lucas nodded slowly. He had been tracking gargoyle traces for some time, suspecting that the creature might reside in the Black Forest.

“We’ve marked the location on the map and are currently documenting the details of the gargoyle’s tracks and possible habitat.”

“I’ll go and confirm the site myself.”

Lucas stepped outside with the captain. If this patrol led to the discovery of the gargoyle’s habitat, it might mean an earlier-than-expected cure for Michelle’s illness.

As he walked through the snowstorm in the northern frontier, anticipation swelled in Lucas’s chest.

Sion and Leon remained silent the entire way to the physician. Now, lying on the examination bed, Leon looked up at Sion. His expression was as impassive as ever, his gaze fixed straight ahead, but Leon could sense it—Sion was deeply displeased.

Leon felt the same. The moment Lucas had left, his magnificent ears and tail had vanished.

Was Sion also upset about being left behind, just like him? If so, that would make sense.

While Leon was lost in thought, the physician’s hands moved across his body, lightly pressing different areas before resting two fingers on his wrist. He was checking his pulse. Then, he carefully examined the area where Leon had been injured before speaking.

“It does not appear to be due to His Grace’s energy.”

Sion’s eyes widened. He had assumed that Lucas’s lingering curse energy was the reason they had been ordered to consult the physician, but that wasn’t the case. Frowning slightly, he asked again.

“Then, is there nothing wrong with his body?”

“That’s not entirely the case. His overall energy is weakened, and the wound has not fully healed. He should rest for a few days.”

Sion’s face finally relaxed. The situation with the Imperial Prince was already a headache. If, on top of that, there had been an issue with Lucas’s curse affecting him, it could have turned into a complex diplomatic problem.