Once the royal hunt was underway and Joon-Woo was certain no one lingered nearby, he finally made his move.
The instant solitude closed around him, his fox form vanished completely.
No fur remained. No ears. No tail.
Only a lone human figure stood inside the silent royal tent. Silver-white hair spilled over his shoulders, catching the faint light that seeped through the fabric walls.
Joon-Woo was human again.
He looked down at himself and frowned.
"I can't go like this…"
Rifling through the supplies left behind for the hunt, he quickly found a spare set of clothes. He dressed without hesitation.
Then he ran.
Leaving the tent behind, he plunged into the forest.
The woods rang with the chaos of the hunt—blaring horns, distant shouts, and the thunder of hooves striking the earth. Guided by instinct and a growing sense of dread, Joon-Woo pressed deeper into the trees.
Until he saw him.
Prince Leon.
Separated from his knights during the chase, the prince stood alone. His horse pawed the ground nearby, restless, while Leon scanned the forest with sharp, vigilant eyes—isolated, yet unyielding.
Relief flashed through Joon-Woo—
And then the air shattered.
An ambush.
Without warning, an arrow ripped through the trees.
"Leon—!"
The arrow struck the prince squarely in the chest.
Leon gasped as the force sent him crashing backward. He hit the ground hard, blood blooming across his hunting attire. The arrow had missed his heart—by the narrowest margin.
Joon-Woo moved instantly.
He sprinted forward, catching Leon before consciousness slipped away. Without a second thought, he hoisted the prince up and dragged him from the clearing, deeper into the forest, toward a narrow cave concealed behind thick curtains of vine.
Inside, Leon collapsed against the stone wall, his breathing shallow and uneven.
Joon-Woo's hands trembled—but his resolve did not.
A familiar blue light flared before his eyes.
[System Notification]
[Emergency Condition Detected]
[Target: Prince Leon]
[High-Grade Healing Medicine Acquired]
Joon-Woo tore open the vial and poured the medicine over the wound. The glow spread as it soaked into torn flesh—but he didn't stop there.
He ripped a clean strip of cloth from the spare supplies and pressed it firmly against Leon's chest. With careful urgency, he wrapped the bandage around the prince's torso, securing it tightly to protect the wound.
His hands moved with steady precision, even as his heart hammered in his chest.
Only when the bandage was firmly in place did he finally ease his grip.
The bleeding had stopped.
Leon's breathing—still weak—slowly began to steady.
Five long hours passed.
Joon-Woo kept the fire low, cooking what little food he could find, never leaving the prince's side even once.
At last, Leon stirred.
Consciousness returned slowly.
His eyes opened to the soft flicker of firelight.
And then—
He saw Joon-Woo.
A young man stood near the fire, quietly preparing food. His expression was calm, almost gentle. Firelight danced through his silver-white hair, softening the sharp lines of his features.
Leon stared.
For a moment, he forgot the pain in his chest.
Forgot the hunt.
Forgot the ambush.
Who… is he?
Joon-Woo sensed the movement and turned.
Their eyes met.
And in that instant, something unspoken passed between them.
Prince Leon—weak, wounded, and barely breathing—felt his heart race.
Not from fear.
But from the sight of the stranger who had saved his life.