Chapter 21
“I understand what concerns you, Sister, but that won’t happen. I’m not someone who fails to separate duty from personal feelings. In truth… I don’t even know how to give my heart to someone.”
“That’s exactly why I’m worried.”
“Hahaha, even so, what can I do? The small and the weak need protection, so I can only do my best.”
Lucas’s laughter tickled Leon’s ears. The vanilla scent surrounding him made the tiny black tip of his tiger nose twitch as if he were about to sneeze.
“Since I’ve reviewed the imperial letter, I suppose I have no solid reason to stop you anymore. However, keep this in mind. If I see things going too far, I will have him sent back without hesitation.”
“Understood.”
As their conversation wrapped up, the sound of a chair scraping against the floor and the tap of a cane echoed through the study. Michelle was getting ready to leave.
Realizing she would exit at any moment, Leon swiftly turned and dashed toward Sion’s room.
A few moments later, Emma’s voice carried through the hall, announcing that she had come to escort Michelle. That meant Leon had successfully remained undetected.
Once back in Sion’s room, he let out a relieved sigh and settled into his original seat.
Then, just as before, a strange sensation washed over him—his body stretched, limbs elongating, and in an instant, he had returned to his human form.
“Perfect timing,” Leon mused.
Sion probably went out looking for me.
He felt a twinge of guilt for making Sion run around, but knowing what Michelle was thinking had been well worth it.
More than anything, Lucas’s words lingered in his mind.
“I don’t even know how to give my heart to someone.”
What kind of life had Lucas lived to say something like that?
No matter what it took, Leon was determined to make Lucas open his heart to him. But first, he had to win over Michelle, who clearly disapproved of him.
“Your Highness! Where on earth have you been?”
The moment Sion entered, he scolded Leon loudly, his face dark with frustration.
But Leon simply grinned, rising from his seat.
“Sion, I’m sorry. But you know, I heard something really interesting. Do you want to hear it?”
“I do not. Do you have any idea how worried—”
“It’s about Lady Michelle.”
The instant Michelle’s name left Leon’s lips, Sion fell silent. His expression remained stiff, but his curiosity was obvious. Just as I thought, Leon smirked.
Earlier, when Michelle had been mentioned, Sion’s face had turned a little strange. It seemed he had an interest in her.
“She was talking with Lucas, and she asked how you were doing. It looked like she was quite curious about you.”
“…Is that true?”
“Mhm. And they talked about a few other things, too… I might be able to tell you, or I might not…”
Sion exhaled sharply, shaking his head in resignation.
“Just this once. Do not pull something like this again.”
“Of course, I won’t!”
Nodding earnestly, Leon ran over and whispered the details into Sion’s ear.
As Leon spoke, Sion’s rigid expression slowly softened. By the end, he was clearing his throat awkwardly, trying—and failing—to hide the small smile tugging at his lips.
The entire ordeal had been wrapped up quite nicely.
A Few Days Later
Seated at his desk, Lucas skimmed over documents, but he couldn’t focus. His thoughts kept drifting elsewhere.
Since that day, Leon had been insistent—practically shouting about how Lucas must be the reason he could control his so-called “blessing.”
Lucas had corrected him numerous times.
“It’s a curse, not a blessing.”
But Leon stubbornly refused to call it a curse.
“Leon’s curse and mine… are somehow related?”
The idea wasn’t entirely impossible.
Judging by the Theian Imperial Family’s desperate need to find a solution, the curse must have been advancing quickly.
Yet, ever since Leon arrived in the North and began staying with Lucas, his transformations hadn’t worsened. He hadn’t lost control.
The only thing setting Lucas apart from others was his own curse.
“Maybe… looking through old records will help.”
If similar cases had occurred in history, they might provide a clue.
Rising from his chair, Lucas exited his office and made his way to the Grand Duchy’s secret archive, where ancient records were stored.
The dust-covered door handle revealed just how long it had been since anyone last visited.
Brushing off some of the dust with his gloved hand, Lucas pushed open the door.
The musty scent of old parchment filled the air, triggering a distant memory from his past life—
A secondhand bookstore packed with aging tomes, a particular novel he had discovered there… and the stray cat he had ultimately failed to save.
Would his life have been different if not for that incident?
Would he have been able to find peace?
It was a question with no answer.
Misfortune had merely changed its name and shape, never truly leaving his side.
Suppressing the dull ache in his chest, Lucas strode toward the shelves holding books on the Grand Duchy’s history.
He began pulling out volumes one by one, searching for records on past Grand Dukes who had also suffered from the curse.
The historical accounts were meticulously detailed—documenting the Grand Dukes’ physical traits, medical conditions, and even personality tendencies.
But when it came to connections between their curse and the Theian Imperial Family’s affliction, the records were frustratingly silent.
“…Was this a waste of time?”
If these books held no answers, where else could he even begin?
Then, just as he was about to close the final volume, an idea struck him.
“What if…?”
Since the curse had existed since the very foundation of the Grand Duchy, perhaps there was something in the earliest records—those documenting the Duchy’s creation.
Moving to the section containing books on the founding of the Grand Duchy, Lucas ran his fingers over the spines of the ancient texts.
And then—
A particular book immediately caught his eye.
Unlike the thick, heavy tomes surrounding it, this one was thin, almost unremarkable.
Yet, for some reason, it stood out to him.
Lucas occasionally experienced moments like this. Even during battles, this instinct had saved him from grave danger. Sion and Michelle referred to it as Lucas’s “intuition.”
“What is this…”
As he pulled the book from the shelf and flipped through its contents, he quickly recognized the familiar legend of Haros Rion and Theron Theian, a story every citizen of Rion Grand Duchy and the Theian Empire knew.
But this did nothing to prove any connection between Leon’s curse and Lucas’s ability to control it.
“Just where… am I supposed to start?”
Frustrated and uncertain, Lucas sped through the pages. Even after reaching the last chapter, he found nothing useful and was about to close the book—until he spotted something unusual.
Unlike the rest of the text, a passage written in a different handwriting stood out.
[Theron and Haros were not just comrades but partners, bound by a complex relationship.]
What?
Had they hated each other enough to cast curses that spanned generations? If not, then…?
Lucas quickly turned the page.
[They were close enough to promise each other the future.]
“A promised future…?”
Lucas tilted his head.
The two had been sworn allies—so why had they ended up turning against each other? What kind of promise had been exchanged?
Most importantly, how was that promise linked to the inherited curses of their bloodlines?
There wasn’t enough information here.
Sliding the book back onto the shelf, Lucas pulled out another from the same section. He was in such a hurry that instead of carrying it to the desk, he simply sat on the floor, flipping through the pages.
Just then—
The sound of small, quick footsteps echoed from beyond the library’s walls.
Lucas’s brow furrowed.
There’s only one child in this castle…
Had Leon turned into a tiger again?
A bad feeling took hold of him. Lucas immediately set down the book and stepped out of the hidden library, entering the hallway—
And the first thing he saw was Leon.
Thankfully, Leon was still in human form.
The problem was the dust-covered mess he was in. His clothes were filthy, and the passing attendants kept sneaking glances at him.
“What happened?” Lucas frowned. “I told you to remain in the greenhouse until I finished my work—”
He stopped mid-sentence.
Leon’s expression was troubled.
“Hic, Lucas…”
Leon spread his arms and threw himself forward, clinging to Lucas’s waist.
Lucas sighed in exasperation but wrapped an arm around Leon’s shoulder nonetheless.
“What happened?”
“I was in the greenhouse… and there was this huge bird with a massive beak—”
Lucas pressed his fingers to his temple.
The big-beaked bird.
Of course.
Like Lulu, it was a half-monster hybrid, part-parrot, part-beast. Despite its intelligence, it was an incredibly jealous creature, especially when it came to Lucas.
Lucas had completely forgotten about it.
He should have sent it away before allowing Leon to roam freely.
Kneeling to meet Leon’s eyes, Lucas spoke firmly.
“Whatever that bird said to you, it wasn’t true. There’s no need to feel bad about it.”
Leon blinked.
“Wait… it can talk?”
Lucas paused.
“Wasn’t that why you came running to me?”
“No? It wasn’t about that at all. The bird was bullying Lulu and trying to keep her away from me. But when I tried to stop it, Lulu just went ahead and bit it.”
Leon looked sheepish as he admitted that last part.
Lucas exhaled sharply.
There was no avoiding it—he needed to deal with this immediately.
Standing up, he strode toward the greenhouse, Leon following quietly behind him.
And though Leon trailed a step behind, a small, triumphant smile tugged at his lips.
Meanwhile, in the Greenhouse…
Inside the vast glass dome, Jerry the Big-Beaked Bird and Lulu the cat were in the middle of an intense standoff.
The large hybrid bird stretched its long neck, peering out the window.
Lulu, on the other hand, stood with her tail raised high, ears twitching, fully alert.
Jerry let out a sharp chirp.
“Piiik! (Alright, get ready!)”
Lulu crouched slightly, her golden eyes narrowing.
“Yaaoo! (He’s coming! Get into position!)”
The two exchanged a look—
And the very next second, Jerry collapsed onto the ground, flapping weakly.
Lulu, meanwhile, arched her back and let out a pitiful, drawn-out mewl.
Though their hearts raced with excitement, the two creatures lay there, pretending to be gravely wounded.
Because there was nothing more fun than stirring up trouble.
