Chapter 39
I want Lucas to smile.
No matter what troubles him, I want him to always smile beautifully when he’s with me.
Leon glanced around to make sure they were alone, then—poof! —transformed into a tiger and pounced onto Lucas’s shoulders.
Taken off guard, Lucas stumbled backward, and Leon clambered over him, eagerly licking his cheeks.
Purring playfully, he rubbed his soft fur against him, deliberately looking as innocent as possible.
“Haha.”
Lucas couldn’t hold back his laughter, tickled by the sensation.
Even as he chuckled, he wrapped his arms tightly around Leon in his tiger form.
They rolled around in the forest, playing for what felt like ages, until the sadness that had been lingering in Lucas’s expression slowly faded.
Yes.
Lucas should always smile like this.
And I’ll make sure he does.
Feeling satisfied, Leon returned to his human form and turned to admire the way the sunlight glistened over the pond’s surface.
“Lucas, is this pond deep?”
“Not very. Are you thinking of swimming?”
Leon hesitated, shifting his gaze between the water and Lucas.
Swimming would be fun, especially with Lucas, but…
The memory of nearly drowning because of Layla resurfaced, making his chest tighten.
“Well, I can swim, but…”
A faint shadow of fear passed over his face.
Lucas, who knew exactly why, simply removed his outer coat and stepped into the water first.
Leon watched with wide eyes as Lucas waded in, his movements calm and steady.
Lucas submerged his head completely before emerging, sweeping his wet hair back.
His soaked white shirt clung to him, revealing glimpses of his pale skin, toned muscles, and scattered scars.
Watching him move so effortlessly in the water made Leon feel like… maybe he could do it too.
“I-I’ll go in too.”
Despite his words, Leon hesitated at the water’s edge.
The sensation of water rushing up to his throat flashed through his mind again, making his feet freeze in place.
Seeing this, Lucas stepped out and extended his hand.
“Take my hand. The water isn’t as cold as you think.”
Leon swallowed hard.
Lucas waited patiently.
Finally, Leon reached out, gripping his fingertips.
Lucas held his hand firmly, guiding him into the water with slow, steady movements so he wouldn’t be afraid.
As soon as Leon’s feet left the ground, his breath caught.
His grip on Lucas tightened instinctively.
But Lucas’s unwavering presence gradually soothed his nerves, and soon, he found himself splashing and floating.
As Leon’s nervous giggles turned into genuine laughter, Lucas let go little by little.
Even though the water was deeper than he was used to, Leon kept paddling forward, his fear slowly dissipating.
Whenever he struggled, Lucas would gently catch his fingertips, offering just enough support to keep him from panicking.
Even from a distance, he never took his eyes off him.
Seeing that made Leon braver.
Before long, he was floating on his own.
Excited, he swam toward Lucas, reaching his arms out.
But Lucas wasn’t going to make it that easy.
Every time Leon got close, Lucas would move away, effortlessly maintaining the distance between them.
At first, it was frustrating.
But soon, Leon found himself determined.
“Even if you run, I’ll catch you, Lucas.”
“Good. Try to catch me then.”
This isn’t fair.
Realizing that his current approach wouldn’t work, Leon suddenly stopped swimming.
Seeing this, Lucas also came to a halt.
Then, slowly—Leon let his body sink into the deeper part of the pond.
Lucas’s eyes widened as he quickly swam toward him.
Just as he reached out, Leon surged upward and wrapped his arms tightly around his neck.
“Caught you! Lucas!”
…This little rascal.
If I underestimate him, I might regret it someday.
From the shore, Rai observed the scene with a skeptical huff.
Meanwhile, Lucas, half-surprised and half-amused, gazed at Leon.
“I caught you! You were trying to run, but I still caught you!”
“So you have. I guess I have no choice but to surrender. But does it matter? As long as we’re having fun, that’s enough.”
“Lucas, do you really enjoy playing with me?”
“Yes, I do.”
Lucas’s warm smile reassured him.
The water he once feared was no longer scary.
The sadness in Lucas’s face had also disappeared.
Everything felt perfect.
Leon wished this little trip could last longer, but… it didn’t matter.
Because there would be countless days ahead.
Days where they could be together—forever.
After drying off, the two returned to the cabin, bathed, and enjoyed the food prepared by the servants.
By the time they finished, the sun had begun its descent.
Leon watched the sky turn crimson through the window and thought—
I wish I could stop time.
Since coming to the North, time had flown by so quickly.
Was it because he was with Lucas?
It was strange how the same hours could feel so different.
I want to stop time.
I want to hold onto it so tightly that it never slips away.
Lucas had changed into comfortable clothes, draping his damp garments over the wooden table near the fireplace. Leaning back against the bed, he let out a quiet sigh.
His relaxed expression, the small smirk playing on his lips—it was so endearing that Leon found himself drawn to him, almost hypnotized.
Without thinking, he walked over and sat beside him, tucking a blanket over his lap and fidgeting with his toes beneath it.
Then, in a calm voice, Lucas spoke.
“Leon, how much have you grown?”
At that, Leon quickly hopped to his feet, stepping forward and stretching his head up as high as he could.
He had grown quite a bit—his small frame had noticeably shot up since he first arrived in the North.
“Quite a lot.”
Lucas murmured the words softly, reaching out to gently stroke Leon’s head.
His golden hair was as soft as ever, slipping between Lucas’s fingers like silk.
If I want to protect this precious child, I have to steel my heart.
Lucas took both of Leon’s hands in his own, clasping them tightly.
Leon, sensing something unusual, met his gaze with a hint of unease.
But Lucas did not stop.
“Thanks to your intelligence and hard work, you can now control your blessing properly. And you’ve grown so strong and healthy. That gives me great reassurance.”
Leon’s small hands trembled slightly in his grasp.
Lucas tightened his grip.
“That’s why I’ve decided that from now on, your education should be entrusted to someone more mature. My sister, Michelle, practically raised me, so she will guide you well, too. You’ve done so well up until now, Leon, so—”
“I don’t understand.”
Leon’s voice wavered.
“You promised to be my guardian. You even got my parents’ approval. What do you mean?”
“A guardian doesn’t always oversee a child’s education directly. That’s why I plan to entrust your training to Michelle. It doesn’t mean I won’t see you anymore, Leon. This is what’s best for you.”
Lucas tried to keep his tone even, but when he saw the way Leon’s lashes grew damp, his voice nearly faltered.
He forced himself to finish.
Then, a single tear slipped down Leon’s cheek.
His golden eyes were growing wet—he blinked rapidly, trying to hold back the flood of emotion.
Lucas’s chest ached.
Reaching out, he attempted to wipe Leon’s tears away, but instead, Leon pressed his face into Lucas’s palm.
Like a small tiger cub, he rubbed his cheek against it, clinging onto him with a desperate softness.
The warm moisture on Lucas’s skin made his heart plummet.
Then, Leon lifted his teary gaze and whispered,
“Is that the real reason?”
“…What?”
“Is this really for my sake? Because, Lucas… I know you. I’ve watched you more closely than anyone else. I know you’re not lying when you give me treats, or when you helped me at the lake earlier. You were happy then.”
Leon’s fingers gripped his hand tighter.
“But now… you look like you’re suffering.”
Lucas couldn’t answer.
Leon was staring at him so intently, as if he could see right through him.
“How can something that makes you suffer be good for me? Lucas, please… tell me. Why are you doing this?”
He had been seen through.
By a child, no less.
Lucas froze under the weight of Leon’s gold-rimmed gaze, damp and piercing.
Before he knew it, Leon had thrown his arms around him, burying his head into his shoulder.
“You say you’re just entrusting my education to someone else? That’s a lie.”
Leon’s breath was warm against his skin.
“You’re not just letting Michelle teach me. You’re trying to leave me.”
Lucas’s throat tightened.
An unfamiliar, painful lump formed in his chest.
He had nothing to say.
How could he keep lying to this child?
His voice trembled as he finally admitted,
“…I am afraid, Leon.”
He felt Leon shift against him, lifting his head.
But Lucas averted his gaze, forcing himself to continue.
“I… I have carried misfortune all my life. Not just the curse. Everyone around me—”
They had all suffered.
Even before he was Lucas.
When he had been Kim Woo-jin, his parents had died trying to protect him.
Now, he was the Grand Duke, the one responsible for leading the North into ruin.
“I don’t know what the future holds. But the thought of you getting hurt because of me, of you suffering because of my existence—”
His chest tightened painfully.
“Leon, you are precious to me. I want you to be happy. I don’t want even a shadow of misfortune to touch you.”
Even if that meant pushing away the one person he had come to cherish the most.
