I Became the Cure for the Cursed Prince

Sion was the first to shout.

“Your Highness!”

“Yes, I see it too.”

The carriage, pulled by two horses, was lavishly adorned with glass and jewels. Judging by its design, it was undoubtedly a royal carriage from the Imperial Palace. However, for a diplomatic delegation, it was far too small in scale.

It wasn’t until the carriage drew closer that Lucas realized something was terribly wrong. Not only was the coachman’s seat completely empty, but there was also no one inside.

After inspecting the carriage, Sion reported, “Aside from this carriage, the surroundings are completely silent. There’s nothing else here.”

“…What in the world happened?”

“It appears they were ambushed.”

“If the attackers were after riches, they wouldn’t have just left this luxurious carriage behind, would they?”

“And they wouldn’t have let the horses go either.”

Something was off. They had stationed soldiers at the entrance of the Black Forest to prevent the delegation from straying into it by mistake. Yet, there had been no warning from them—only this empty carriage rolling in.

‘Damn it.’

Whatever had happened, it was serious. If they didn’t act quickly, this could escalate into a war. They needed to move immediately.

Lucas made a swift decision and ordered Sion, “We’re heading to the Black Forest right now. Inform the knights to follow us, but we’re going ahead first. Hurry!”

“Understood!”

With that, the two horses kicked off the ground, charging forward.

Three hours earlier.

The delegation had nearly reached Pretus Fortress when they encountered a group of assailants clad entirely in black. Judging by their appearance, they weren’t messengers from the Imperial Palace, nor were they soldiers from Rion’s border guards. Alarmed, the deputy commander of the Imperial Knights immediately shouted to the escorting knights.

“Prepare for battle!”

The knights quickly formed a protective circle around the carriage where Leon was hiding. In response, the masked intruders silently drew their swords and pointed them at the knights.

The deputy commander quickly assessed their numbers. The delegation’s forces were vastly outnumbered, and from their stances alone, it was clear the enemy was highly skilled.

“You scoundrels! How dare you obstruct the will of the Theian Empire! This is an outrage!”

Inside the carriage, Eric, who was seated with Leon, hurriedly peeked outside. The knights were already engaged in combat with the assailants. Eric wrapped Leon’s small body in a thick cloth and whispered urgently.

“Your Highness, you must remain silent. If these men were sent by Duke Kitten, they will undoubtedly target you the moment they realize you’ve transformed into a tiger. I know it’s frustrating, but please endure it for now.”

The clashing of swords and the cries of wounded knights filled the air. Leon, his senses heightened by fear, pressed his paws over his ears and curled into himself.

‘Is this happening because I disobeyed His Majesty’s orders and came here on my own?’

The screams didn’t stop. Then, a loud, commanding voice rang out.

“Search thoroughly for the little beast! Kill anything in sight, whether human or animal!”

Eric had miscalculated. The enemy already knew Leon was here and had been trailing them all along.

So, in the end, Raila really does want me dead.

Leon’s fur bristled, and his body trembled violently. Just then, the cloth was pulled back, and Eric locked eyes with him.

“Your Highness, when I open the carriage door, you must escape through the opposite side. No matter what you hear, no matter who calls for you, do not look back—just keep running forward. Do you understand?”

Leon nodded quickly.

Seeing this, Eric gave him a reassuring smile—one that felt like a final farewell.

“You are the hope of the Empire, Your Highness. And my hope as well. So, for my sake, you must survive.”

Despite Eric’s warm smile, Leon’s golden eyes welled up with tears.

If I hadn’t been so stubborn, none of this would’ve happened… This is all my fault.

Eric took a deep breath. “I’m opening the door now. Run as fast as you can!”

“Roar!”

With a loud cry, Eric flung the carriage door open and shouted at the top of his lungs.

“You wretches! I am the delegation leader! Face me!”

The assailants immediately turned their attention to Eric. Taking advantage of the distraction, Leon slipped out through the opposite door and bolted into the darkness.

“Who do you serve? Do you think His Majesty will forgive this treachery—!”

Almost simultaneously, a piercing scream rang out.

Leon clenched his teeth as he ran.

“Whimper… Roar… (Eric…)”

Eric’s voice was gone.

Had he been killed?

Leon’s entire body trembled. His kind face hovered in Leon’s mind, making it unbearable not to turn back.

No, I can’t! Eric told me to survive!

He bit his lip and forced himself to keep running.

Tears blurred his vision, his breath burned in his lungs, but he didn’t stop. The sounds of battle faded into the distance, but still, he didn’t stop.

Where am I supposed to go? What’s going to happen to me? I can’t even speak like this…

Just as his pace began to slow, something suddenly caught his hind leg.

“Roaaar!”

A searing pain shot through him, and the world went dark.

Leon had fallen into a deep, muddy pit where melted snow had mixed with the earth. He flailed his front paws desperately, trying to escape.

Just as he had done when sneaking out of his room, he attempted to climb up the walls. But each time, the softened ground made him slip back down.

The biting cold stung his skin, and his thirst burned like fire. Curling into himself, Leon waited for someone—anyone—to pass by. But as the distant glow of light gradually faded, there was no sign of anyone, not even the presence of an animal.

Eventually, as his strength drained completely, Leon found himself sinking deeper into the muddy pit. Fear gripped him, and he squeezed his eyes shut. His consciousness was slipping away.

Neigh!

Through the haze of his fading awareness, he heard the distant cry of a horse. Leon’s eyes snapped open. Gathering the last remnants of his strength, he let out a desperate cry.

“Roaaar!”

Please, please look this way. Someone, please save me.

He roared again and again, his voice growing hoarse. Just as his cries started to weaken, a sweet scent—reminiscent of vanilla—filled the air. At the same time, the biting chill around him began to fade.

Haa… haa… It’s warm… It feels nice.

Dazed, Leon lifted his head to find the source of the scent. His vision, blurred with tears, caught sight of something glowing brilliantly before him.

Was he imagining it? He rubbed his eyes with his front paw and looked up again. Despite the darkness of the night, the man’s figure was unmistakably clear.

He wore a uniform with its collar pulled high, draped with the pelt of a slain monster. His pale skin contrasted starkly with the dark surroundings, and his sharp features stood out in the dim light. He was more beautiful than even the most stunning noblewomen of the Empire.

Gasp… Could he be… a fairy?

The “fairy” gazed at Leon with shimmering eyes filled with pity before reaching out a hand.

The scent from his long, white fingers tickled Leon’s nose. Enchanted, Leon instinctively moved toward the hand, lowering his forehead to meet it.

But before he could touch it, a voice rang out from behind.

“Your Highness! Have you found something?”

At those words, the “fairy” responded.

“…It’s nothing. Just a small beast stuck in the swamp.”

Leon trembled and pressed his forehead against the man’s warm hand. The soothing heat spread through his body, melting away the ice that had encased his heart.

The pain that had once felt like someone tearing him apart, the unbearable ache in his injured hind leg—it all seemed to fade as drowsiness washed over him. Within moments, his consciousness dimmed.

“…Tsk.”

Lucas caught the limp body of the tiny tiger in both hands.

It was unclear how a cub without a mother had ended up in the swamp, but judging by the fresh blood dripping from its hind leg, it had been severely injured. It must have been in terrible pain, yet it hadn’t made a sound. Instead, it had simply pressed its forehead into his hand.

Sion, watching Lucas’ unusually gentle expression, wore a complicated look.

His master had always been particularly soft toward the young and weak.

Lucas never showed it openly, but Sion had seen it before—especially in the way he treated Lulu. Perhaps, in his lonely existence, Lucas found solace in connecting with animals. The thought was both saddening and, in a way, reassuring.

So, Sion carefully suggested, “…It looks badly injured. How about taking it back to the fortress for treatment? If left outside in this cold, it will freeze to death.”

“…I suppose so.”

Though Lucas’ voice remained indifferent, Sion could tell he welcomed the idea.

Knowing his lord’s heart better than anyone, Sion felt a quiet satisfaction.

“Have the attackers been captured?”

“We managed to subdue them, but… they all committed suicide.”

The assailants had clearly been prepared for this.

Their clothing and bodies bore no markings or insignias that could reveal their identity.

“Any survivors?”

“None. They are all dead.”

“Transport the bodies back to the fortress. Do whatever it takes to identify them. At first light, we will send a messenger to the Empire. For now, we return to the fortress.”

“Understood, Your Highness. Knights, withdraw!”

As the knights began their retreat, Lucas cradled the small tiger protectively in his arms and turned back toward the fortress.

The horse carrying Lucas moved steadily along the snow-covered path, leaving deep hoofprints in the direction of Pretus Outpost.