Chapter 40
At that moment, Leon grasped my face with both hands and turned it sharply. He had drawn close without me realizing it, his eyes locking onto mine as he spoke.
“I can’t be happy without you, Lucas. You’re my blessing. Truly, my life changed the moment I met you.”
Leon spoke resolutely, though his lips trembled. Then, with a sob, he clung tightly to Lucas once more.
“Lucas, I… I really like you. So much that without you, my heart aches to the point where I can’t bear it. Hic… So please…”
Even as he hiccupped, Leon pressed on.
“I’ll show you. That you’re my sun, my blessing, and the source of everyone’s happiness. So… please, don’t abandon me.”
The faint, quivering voice sent a shiver down Lucas’s spine. He held the sobbing child in his arms, unable to find words for a long while.
Leon’s sunken voice carried hints of both anger and restrained tears. He gently lowered his hands before resting his cheek against Lucas’s chest once more. Though Lucas’s face remained hidden, the sound of his ragged breaths told Leon everything—how much he was struggling at that moment.
“…Haah.”
Lucas sighed deeply and pulled Leon closer.
How could he possibly push away the only person who saw his cursed existence as salvation? Perhaps fate had sent Leon as a test. But even so, having always lived in submission to destiny, maybe… just this once, he could defy it.
Watching Leon cry reminded him of his own childhood—of the times he had hidden in the orphanage’s corner, weeping in hopes that someone would embrace him. Of the nights he had sobbed alone in the cold, desolate castle.
He had never intended to grow attached. He had only thought to raise the child well. But before he knew it, Leon had become too precious to ignore. He didn’t know when it happened or if he could even do it…
But this one child—he wanted to take responsibility for him. As if it were an inescapable force of fate.
“Lucas, Lucas… I love you. I love you so much.”
Tears dampened his chest, and Leon’s earnest voice pierced his ears.
Yes, only you. The only one who calls my curse a light. The only one whose presence brings me such peace.
“Leon.”
At the gentle voice, Leon lifted his head. Lucas reached out and tousled his golden hair softly.
“I love you too, Leon.”
Leon’s eyes widened in shock. Ever since coming here, he had always asked Lucas to speak to him informally. But Lucas had never once done so—until now.
“R-Really?”
“Yes, I mean it.”
“Hic…”
“I will protect you. From the dangers of this world and from my own darkness. I will never let you be harmed.”
As those long-buried words finally left his lips, the storm raging in his heart began to settle. He cupped Leon’s face and kissed both of his tear-streaked cheeks.
Despite the salty taste of his tears, sweetness lingered in his mouth.
The night had deepened. It was time to sleep.
When Lucas gently laid Leon down, the small hands grasped his arm tightly.
“No! I don’t want to sleep. What if you disappear while I’m sleeping?”
His golden eyes, still shaken from the night’s events, wavered with unease. Lucas lay down beside him and reassured him.
“I’m not going anywhere. I promised to protect you, didn’t I?”
Leon narrowed his eyes, staring at him. His tone and expression had subtly changed—so much gentler now. But his lingering fear made him hesitate to trust.
Lucas chuckled softly and placed a warm hand on Leon’s forehead. The gentle touch made his heart melt, but he stubbornly fought the drowsiness creeping in.
“What if you leave anyway? You were just about to abandon me earlier!”
“I never said that. I only asked Lady Michelle to educate you.”
“That’s the same thing!”
Leon burrowed even deeper into Lucas’s embrace, as if refusing to be separated. As if daring to see if Lucas would truly stay. He nuzzled his cheek against his chest, determined not to fall asleep.
Pat, pat.
A soothing hand rubbed his back, and a soft melody filled the room.
“The stars twinkle in the night sky,
The golden moonlight spills through the window.
The stars have ceased their whispers,
And in the quiet room, the little one drifts to sleep…”
Leon had never heard this lullaby before, yet it felt so familiar, so nostalgic.
His arms were warm. His scent was comforting. His voice tickled his ears. His eyelids grew heavier.
Leon forced his eyes open, struggling to resist the pull of slumber. He clenched his fists, trying to stay awake.
But still, his eyelids fluttered shut.
Perhaps he had tired himself out from swimming earlier that day.
Lucas pressed a soft kiss to Leon’s forehead and murmured,
“Even in your dreams, may you never suffer. I will bear all the pain, so you can simply be happy.”
At those words, Leon’s lips curled into a faint smile in his sleep.
When Leon woke up, he quietly gazed at Lucas, who lay beside him.
The sunlight streaming through the window bathed the room in a golden glow, yet Lucas, seemingly unbothered by its brightness, remained in a deep slumber.
As Leon gazed at Lucas’s face, memories of the previous night suddenly surfaced.
Lucas had tried to send me to Michelle.
Leon understood why he had done it, but the mere thought that Lucas had considered pushing him away was terrifying. The warmth of Lucas’s touch and his lullaby had momentarily lulled him to sleep, easing his anxiety. But now, watching Lucas sleep so soundly, a terrifying thought surged through him—what if Lucas left him behind and disappeared somewhere?
“Everyone around me has always been sick, left me, or suffered misfortune.”
How deeply wounded must he be to think that way? How much had the world tormented someone as angelic as Lucas? Even just knowing that Layla and Vilter despised him was painful enough—Leon couldn’t begin to imagine how much Lucas had endured.
“No one can heal Lucas’s pain. They’ll only hurt him more.”
As long as the curse existed, Leon was the only one who could protect Lucas. Everyone else would only bring sorrow and push him further into darkness.
“I want to hide him away… Somewhere no one knows, where only I can hold his hand… where only I can kiss him.”
Leon murmured without realizing it, then immediately covered his mouth when Lucas’s shoulder flinched. If Lucas heard him say such things, he might hate him. He absolutely couldn’t let that happen.
But no matter what, he would make it so. He would protect Lucas. Because Lucas belonged to him.
As Lucas’s stirring quieted once more, Leon slowly released his pheromones. The cabin’s deep scent of wood mixed with the fragrance of dark chocolate, filling the entire room. He didn’t stop until the scent completely enveloped Lucas.
To confirm, Leon leaned close, pressing his nose and lips near Lucas’s ear, inhaling deeply. Once he was certain that only his scent remained instead of vanilla, his anxiety finally subsided, and his breathing steadied.
Placing a hand over his heart, Leon whispered softly,
“Lucas, wake up. It’s morning.”
But Lucas did not wake easily. Having suffered from overwork, insomnia, and nightmares while they were apart, his exhaustion ran too deep. Leon chose not to disturb him further and instead pulled him into a firm embrace. Tightening his grip, he whispered silently to himself:
I will never let go. So don’t run away like you did yesterday.
Lucas didn’t wake until noon. He could hardly believe he had slept for so long. Perhaps, after taking a moment to rest and sort through his troubled thoughts, his mind had finally allowed itself a reprieve.
After a simple meal with Leon, Lucas packed their belongings. It wasn’t until sunset that they finally left the cabin. Leon rode behind him on Rai, quietly conversing with the lion.
“Hey, kid—no, Leon. You seem… different somehow.”
“What? How did you notice? That’s impressive!”
“The entire forest reeked of your scent last night. It was suffocating.”
Leon absentmindedly stroked Rai’s mane, an unreadable expression on his face. He was still the same boy from yesterday, yet something about his touch sent an unexplainable chill down Rai’s spine. The lion’s fur bristled in unease.
“So, about that… I have a favor to ask.”
Rai had no desire to humor the impudent child, but despite himself, he shivered under the weight of Leon’s gaze.
“What is it?”
“Promise to do it first, then I’ll tell you.”
“Do I have to? What if I listen but decide not to help?”
“Come on, would a lion lie? Lions are brave and honorable, right?”
“W-Well, that’s true! Fine, I’ll do it. What’s your request?”
“You see, since you have such a keen sense of smell, I want you to focus on Lucas’s scent. If it ever starts to fade, chase after him immediately. Don’t let him go anywhere else.”
