IBSBV Ch 3

Chapter 3

 

He had to forcibly hold back the sigh that was about to escape. It had been somewhat bearable when covered by clothes, but his exposed body was shocking.

His broad shoulders were covered in old scars. His chest, where his ribs were visible, and his back, where his shoulder blades protruded, were all stained with deep, carved wounds.

It must have happened while he was in the imperial palace. There was no need to ask who had left such filthy marks on him—it was obvious.

Eddie, trying to remain as composed as possible, helped him sit up. Then, glancing downward, he swallowed for a completely different reason. The protagonist was, indeed, the protagonist.

He had no fat at all, and yet somehow… Did this even make sense? Was this fair or unfair?

Shaking off such useless thoughts, he carefully guided Louis, making sure he didn’t slip with each step.

As the warm water touched his frozen body, a faint groan escaped from Louis’ lips. Coming into contact with heat after being so cold, his skin must have stung to the point of pain.

“I’ll wash your hair, so please tilt your head back.”

Still reeling from what he had just seen, his words came out more sarcastic than intended. Eddie scooped up a handful of warm water and poured it over Louis’ head.

Despite repeating this several times, his hair barely lathered due to the thick grime. Only then did Eddie understand why the butler had brought two bottles of shampoo. After scrubbing for so long, his wrists started to ache—it was practically hard labor.

“…Your Highness, after getting properly cleaned today, I think it would be good for you to learn how to bathe on your own from now on.”

“……”

“Why aren’t you saying anything?”

Earlier, he had shouted so much, telling him to leave. But now, he was completely silent.

Wondering if he had fallen asleep, Eddie propped a foot up on the edge of the tub and leaned forward. Their faces met upside down.

“…Your eyes are open.”

Surely, he wasn’t sleeping with his eyes open. Muttering to himself, he leaned in closer, and he saw Louis’ chest flatten as he held his breath.

“You should answer if you’re awake. Do you feel refreshed? Any discomfort?”

“……”

Instead of replying, Louis shut his eyes tightly. Eddie’s round nose brushed against his jaw.

Gulp. The sound of swallowing echoed through the quiet bathroom.

“…Hmm.”

A shallow breath slipped from Eddie’s lips, adding warmth to Louis’ forehead. His shoulders stiffened.

Does he just not want to answer?

Clicking his tongue inwardly, Eddie resumed washing him.

 

***

 

After thoroughly scrubbing Louis, he dressed him in the clothes the butler had prepared—a navy-blue loungewear set that complemented his deep red hair.

Eddie reached out and brushed back Louis’ still-damp hair. Since it had gone untrimmed, it had grown quite long. Taking a handful, he brought it close to his nose.

Thanks to the excessive amount of shampoo used, it smelled nice. His skin, scrubbed clean with three bars of high-quality soap, carried a fresh floral scent.

“Let’s head to the bedroom now.”

Grasping Louis’ wrist, Eddie slowly led him forward.

After walking down a long hallway, they finally arrived at the bedroom. It was no longer dirty. The bedsheets and blankets were fresh and clean.

Even though he couldn’t see, Louis could feel the unfamiliar softness surrounding him. He looked around absently before, seemingly at ease, he lay down and immediately fell asleep.

Eddie pulled the blanket up to his chin, covering his youthful face, then quietly exited the room.

In the hallway, the butler, a nanny, and a maid were waiting for him.

The nanny appeared to be around the same age as the butler, while the maid was younger. As soon as she met Eddie’s gaze, she blushed.

“Thanks to you, we were able to clean the bedroom properly for the first time in a long while.”

The nanny’s face was full of relief. She even smiled, saying she felt refreshed.

“I don’t know what brought you all the way here, but I look forward to working with you.”

She extended her hand for a handshake with a deliberately friendly demeanor, but her formal speech made it clear she was keeping her distance.

“Likewise.”

“Oh, you should eat. Come down to the dining hall and join us.”

Eddie followed the butler and nanny down the stairs.

The dining hall was filled with the castle’s residents. Not that there were many of them to begin with.

Upon seeing Eddie, the two servants blushed just like the maid had. His wet black hair, contrasting starkly against his pale skin, naturally drew their eyes. Even the four knights couldn’t take their gaze off the teardrop mole beneath his left eye and his red lips.

The head chef let out an impressed gasp.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Oak, the head chef.”

True to his name, he was a man built like a mountain.

“I look forward to working with you.”

“Come, sit down. I put in a little extra effort today, though I’m not sure if it’ll suit your taste.”

Hah-hah! He laughed heartily as he expertly carved up a well-roasted turkey, serving generous portions onto each plate.

Eddie took a properly sized piece and put it in his mouth. The meat practically melted apart, the texture undeniably tender.

Whether it was tasty or not, he couldn’t tell. The moment he was deemed worthless, the shock had robbed him of his sense of taste. It was purely a psychological reaction, but even after possessing Eddie’s body, his sense of taste remained absent.

Just a few bites of meat and half a piece of bread—that was it. He disliked the heavy feeling that came from eating too much, so he always avoided stuffing himself.

“I’ll be heading up first.”

“Oh, then allow me to escort you to your room.”

A freckle-faced servant immediately got up to follow him, but Eddie shook his head, signaling that it wasn’t necessary.

“I’d like to use the room next to His Highness. Is it vacant?”

It probably was. Even the butler, who should have been closest to Louis, avoided being near him. There was no reason to think the others would be any different.

“It’s empty. Though, it’s a bit messy.”

“That’s fine. Then, I’ll see you all tomorrow.”

With that short farewell, Eddie left the dining hall before anyone could stop him.

On his way, he made a brief detour to Louis’ room to retrieve his belongings—his luggage and outerwear. He carefully opened the door and stepped inside, making his way toward the corner where his things were left.

“Mmhh…”

A faint groan made him freeze. Was he having a nightmare?

As Eddie drew closer, Louis suddenly kicked off his blanket. That wasn’t all—he began twisting and turning in distress.

“…I can’t see… suddenly, I can’t see… I can’t see anything… my eyes….”

Between his ragged breaths, his trembling voice carried desperate murmurs. It was clear—Louis was trapped in the memory of when he had lost his sight.

This wasn’t something Eddie could fix.

He could open a window to let fresh air in. He could help wash his dirtied body. He could even pull him out of his isolated life. But the scars left on his mind—Eddie had no way of reaching those.

He knew that all too well. He hadn’t escaped his own traumas either.

Pretending not to notice seemed like the better choice, so Eddie turned away.

But he couldn’t bring himself to leave. He knew all too well how unbearable the emptiness was after emotions were torn open and left to fester. He couldn’t just abandon Louis like this.

“Ugh… Hnn… Brother, brother… don’t leave me alone… I can’t see anything… I can’t see… please, don’t leave me alone in this underground….”

“…Ah—”

Tch. Why the hell was he calling for that bastard?

Even in his unconscious state, Louis clung desperately to the same blood relative who had tormented him. His pitiful state twisted Eddie’s lips in frustration.

Clicking his tongue, Eddie ran a hand through his hair irritably before striding forward and throwing himself over Louis.

The bed shook violently under the added weight. Eddie pinned Louis down, grabbing both wrists to stop him from clawing at his own eyes.

“My eyes… Aaargh! My eyes!”

“Your Highness! Your Highness!”

Where was this strength coming from? His frail body thrashed with a monstrous force, unlike anything he had shown while conscious. Eddie found himself nearly thrown off several times.

At this rate, he was going to be tossed onto the floor.

To counter the violent struggling, Eddie shifted lower, settling his weight onto Louis’ abdomen. Pressing his thighs firmly against Louis’ waist, he tightened his grip on the prince’s wrists.

“Calm down!”

But his shouting didn’t seem to reach him. His eyes remained tightly shut, refusing to open.

“Your Highness, Your Highness! Hey, get a grip!”

Screw formalities—Eddie leaned in and yelled directly into Louis’ ear.

Flinch.

At last, the wild resistance began to subside. His eyelids trembled before finally cracking open, revealing dull, glassy eyes.

Though he was now awake, his breathing remained erratic. His unfocused eyes wandered sluggishly, as if searching for something, and his lips moved slightly. However, his voice was so slurred that Eddie couldn’t make out what he was trying to say.

“You feeling any better?”

Huff.

Eddie asked indifferently, loosening his grip. Looking down, he noticed the red marks on Louis’ wrists from where he had held him too tightly. Feeling a twinge of guilt, he cleared his throat awkwardly.

After observing the dazed expression on Louis’ face, Eddie finally lifted himself off his stomach, shifting to sit on the edge of the bed.

“Are you alright?”

Even after repeating the question, Louis remained silent, simply staring blankly.

“Don’t sleep right away. If you do, you’ll just have another nightmare.”

Eddie added bluntly, rubbing the back of his stiff neck.

He was exhausted. He had traveled by carriage all day, then had to wrestle Louis into a bath. It had been a long, draining day, and all he wanted now was some sleep.

Without much thought, he reached out and ruffled Louis’ hair. It was a habit he had developed from looking after stray cats in his past life—nothing more.

“Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat? If you do, I’ll call for the nanny. If not, I’ll be heading out now.”

As expected, Louis didn’t respond. Taking that as a sign that he was stable enough to be left alone, Eddie lightly patted his shoulder before standing up.

But just as he turned away— A hand shot out, looping around his neck like a hook. And in an instant, he was pulled down.