Chapter 29
Jerry folded his outstretched wings and opened his beak wide.
<G-Gargoyles? Why are you asking about them?>
“Because Lucas is looking for one.”
<Is it because of Michelle?>
Leon nodded. At that, Jerry shuddered violently, his small body trembling.
<Wait… You’re not planning on looking for a gargoyle yourself, are you?>
“…Hmm, not right away. But I thought maybe I could help later.”
The moment those words left Leon’s mouth, Jerry shook his head frantically—
And suddenly, the entire greenhouse erupted with cries of alarm.
<Gargoyles are strong! You can’t just catch one! They never stay in one place—how do you even plan to find one?>
<Gargoyles are terrifying!>
<Leon, you’ll get hurt!>
Despite their warnings, Leon wasn’t afraid.
Rather than fearing the gargoyles, he was more worried about Lucas, who was trying to face them alone.
“I have to protect my fairy!”
Clenching his fists, Leon felt his whole body surge with energy. The mere thought of Lucas being in danger made his muscles tense, his pulse quicken, and something inside him burn fiercely.
Was he losing control of his strength again?
Sensing the shift, the animals started making a commotion.
<He’s going to turn into a tiger again!>
<Everyone, get back!>
Jerry immediately shot up to the greenhouse ceiling, while Lulu dashed behind a large tree. The rest of the animals scurried into their shelters.
“I won’t transform!”
Leon closed his eyes tightly and repeated the words in his mind, trying to suppress the change.
But it wasn’t easy.
His breathing grew uneven, and his scalp prickled as if his ears were about to shift.
No—calm down. Imagine Lucas is with you. Imagine a gargoyle right in front of you.
The only one who can protect Lucas… is me.
…
When he opened his eyes, he was still human.
“I did it! I controlled my power by myself!”
The animals cautiously peeked out.
Despite the faint presence of tiger energy still lingering in the air, Leon remained in his human form.
<Whoa!>
Lulu, tail high, trotted over and rubbed against Leon’s legs.
<Leon, that was amazing!>
“Hehe, this is nothing. Oh, right! This isn’t the time for celebrating.”
Leon clapped his hands together and motioned for the animals to gather around.
As they encircled him, he lowered his voice.
“What happened today is our secret.”
Lulu flicked her tail in confusion.
<Leon, are you stupid? You’re the only one who understands us anyway. How are we supposed to tell anyone?>
“Oh… right! Anyway! To protect Lucas, I need all of your help. If you hear anything about gargoyles, come and tell me immediately.”
The animals nodded in unison.
They had lived in the greenhouse for a long time, but every now and then, small creatures like mice or ants would sneak in looking for food. If anyone knew something, those tiny wanderers might.
Jerry flapped his wings determinedly.
<Don’t worry! I sometimes go outside with Sion, so I’ll ask around!>
“Thanks, Jerry.”
With that, Leon felt satisfied. Their meeting had been a success.
Meanwhile, in the Theian Empire’s Imperial Palace…
The funeral of First Prince Leon Theian was underway.
Mourning filled the air, and even the sky seemed to grieve, dark clouds rolling in as if to weep for the prince’s passing. A storm was brewing.
“Mother, Mother!”
Empress Leila had been watching the rain with a serene smile when she frowned in irritation.
Her son was eight years old now, and as the newly appointed Crown Prince, he was expected to lead the future of the Theian Empire.
Yet, his voice still carried the whine of a child.
When Bilter tried to throw himself into her arms, Leila gripped his shoulders firmly, keeping him at arm’s length as she stared down coldly at him.
Seeing his mother’s displeased expression, Bilter pouted and hesitated before speaking.
“Now that Leon is dead… I’ll be Crown Prince, right?”
“Of course. You are the Emperor’s only rightful heir.”
Leila’s voice was smooth, yet sharp.
“But if you keep acting like a child, even as Crown Prince, you’ll never be fit to rule.”
“Mm… But isn’t this good news?”
At those words, Leila’s smile returned.
She stroked Bilter’s back before pressing a kiss to his cheek.
“What did I tell you? I told you this day would come, didn’t I?”
Bilter grinned, nuzzling against his mother’s chest.
Since Leon disappeared, his mother had been far more affectionate. He loved it.
But then—
“Tsk.”
Someone clicked their tongue.
Bilter turned, puzzled, to see Duke Kitten watching them with a disapproving frown.
“Your Majesty. Your Highness. While I, too, would like to offer my congratulations… perhaps you should celebrate later.”
“Huh? Father? What do you mean…?”
Duke Kitten’s expression remained grim.
Unease flickered in Leila’s eyes as she gently pushed Bilter aside and approached him.
“What are you trying to say? Don’t tell me you think it’s too soon to assume he’s dead? Leon’s funeral is already underway.”
“…That’s precisely what I’m saying.”
Silence.
Then—
“But, Your Majesty… doesn’t this all feel a little too easy?”
After Kitten had sent assassins to pursue the carriage carrying Leon, none of them ever returned.
Unless every last one of them had committed suicide after completing the mission, something wasn’t right.
A scout sent to assess the situation reported that they had found an inescapable swamp—one that bore the distinct tracks of a small tiger.
Following Leon’s disappearance, the Emperor’s faction had conducted a frenzied search for him.
Yet, when they failed to find any trace, they abruptly called off the search and officially declared that Leon had succumbed to illness and passed away.
From every logical standpoint, Leon’s death seemed certain.
And yet…
Kitten, hardened by years of political scheming, felt something was off.
“…If Leon is alive, then this funeral might just be for show.”
“What are you saying…?”
“When I investigated, I found no body. If he survived, then he must be somewhere in the North.”
Leila clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug into her palms.
From the moment she was born as the daughter of a duke, to the day she became Empress and gave birth to Bilter, she had never allowed herself a moment of ease. Every move had been calculated.
Now was not the time for all her carefully laid plans to crumble.
Sensing her unease, Duke Kitten reassured her smoothly.
“Do not fret. From all we know, Leon is most likely dead. However…”
His eyes gleamed with cunning.
“Just in case, I will plant agents in the North. If the prince is alive, that is where he must be. The North has strong defenses, so it will take time—but we must confirm it for certain.”
As Kitten and Leila exchanged resolute glances, the dark clouds overhead finally released their burden, sending rain cascading down.
Meanwhile, in the Grand Duchy of Lyon…
While Lucas was tending to state affairs, Leon was in the greenhouse, whistling cheerfully as he led a playful flight exercise with Jerry and the other birds.
Every flick of his small hand sent his feathered friends gliding and swooping through the air.
But suddenly, Leon found himself missing Lucas’s pretty face.
Unable to resist, he dashed outside.
At that moment, a group of Alpha knights, having just finished their training, were standing in small clusters, casually conversing.
Leon, ever-curious, couldn’t simply walk away.
Instead, he hid behind a nearby column, his small body perfectly concealed, ears perked as he listened in.
The red-haired knight wrinkled his nose, waving a hand in front of his face as he addressed a black-haired knight.
“Ugh, that stench. It’s overpowering. What the hell did you do last night?”
Leon instinctively sniffed the air—and immediately grimaced.
Even from this distance, the odor was strong.
The black-haired knight let out a deep laugh.
“What do you think? I was trying to loosen up a bit, but my mate’s heat cycle is still far away.”
“So, what? You decided to douse yourself in pheromones instead?”
“Obviously.”
The red-haired knight’s eyes widened as if a thought had suddenly struck him.
“Wait, that pheromone shower thing—does it actually work? Would it work on an Omega who isn’t your mate?”
Pheromone shower?
Leon’s eyes grew huge.
He had learned about heat cycles, but he had never heard of this before.
Holding his breath, he waited eagerly for the black-haired knight’s response.
After a clearing of the throat, the knight spoke in a low voice.
“It works. You just have to be careful about how you use it. If they realize what’s happening, they might resist before they get hooked on your scent.”
“Oh-ho… That’s interesting. Maybe I should try it tonight. I already have a drinking plan lined up.”
“Go ahead. If you get rejected, give me a call—I’ll be your drinking buddy.”
“You bastard!”
The knights chuckled and playfully nudged each other before heading back toward the training grounds.
Leon remained frozen in place for a moment, his head tilted back, staring at the sky.
The sky was bright and cloudless—a perfect blue.
But in his mind, his thoughts drifted back to a few days ago.
That time when he had clung tightly to Lucas, kissing his cheek to help regulate his power.
That moment when a sweet fragrance had filled his senses—when his stomach had coiled with heat.
Come to think of it, it had always been like that.
Even in that dark, freezing swamp, when he had been lost and terrified…
That same scent had calmed him.
Even now, the memory of it lingered—only, recently, it had become stronger.
