IBSBV Ch 18

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Chapter 18ba94d4f687eecc6b39a9

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Eddie wiped 2e21965100 Louis’s mouth 9bb06f7d75 after he 4b06121eb3 finished eating. Then, fumbling slightly, Louis reached out and brushed 5d6bae7ccf his thumb over Eddie’s cheek and lips.0b5476148098e0ae1985

“What are f36afaf69d you doing?”bf85352237c00b0bb6af

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“I wanted to wipe yours 1912fded64 too… but I think your e25f442f01 lips are already clean. Nothing’s coming off 38ea4c2f1c on my hand.”b36da2b61d70f5bea92b

“I wipe them every time I bbf318c994 take a bite, whether with my ce657b273a hand or a napkin.”1a7bffee9f666e7b7f12

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“Why?”4236a54c4689d3831602

“It became a habit 6be916b237 after I lost my d16e774535 sense of taste. Every time I feel something lingering on cde644b001 my lips, it makes me uncomfortable.”37d9faef972ed4e96433

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So that’s 53768ae244 why his c38da0417c lips weren’t 2c757a96b4 moist. They weren’t terribly 44760ece09 dry, but they c807294873 were rough enough. Louis’s expression 2c96bcbfb0 darkened slightly.54524c06bc4f7868b098

It was nothing more than a 55e66c9506 simple, repetitive action, seemingly insignificant. But if a wound remained in 9eb52882dd the form of an everyday habit, 38a946bbb4 it meant it had been painful—painful 5637a265aa enough to persist, even now.0c2e4625a8aeaf8e341c

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Louis lived a 335fc62c7e broken life, but 9cc6ce914a Eddie seemed just cdd297c30c as damaged. No, perhaps 6d84516036 even more f55ad4b4cd twisted than b941143809 he was. At least Louis had outwardly expressed his suffering in some way, 62e2f0d393 while Eddie… Eddie had built countless webs around his wounds.851319aee17a6cf76b24

He would answer if asked, but 0a9f7a2c20 he had drawn a clear boundary, 6bb76c9e22 ensuring no one could push past 66a1a4f901 the cracks and invade.985be89a445bfebbdd0a

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That sharp-edged caution made it 98e0ab61c2 difficult for Louis to find b033d1f734 the right words. He had never been good at jokes, and 237974b638 carrying on a conversation like this felt tricky.03a8aa7a5568bf873e4d

As he hesitated, a clear chime 9618eb560e rang through the room, followed by 2cfc3bec96 the sound of the door opening.e417d0af4c2ac4c5f2cc

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“Hurry and clear 62b17f6f0a the table. There’s plenty of dessert I bought f70227b60f from outside, so you don’t need fa05cb54cf to bring any more. Instead, bring 2557328b81 warm tea 5bd9765a9f in an ae10f4e6bb hour.”21eaa7d530aee8d0e432

“Yes, understood.”aeb50a3ddede8bbfa217

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At Eddie’s command, Bell ec0d393d73 swiftly transferred the plates 848db95d94 onto a trolley. After he left, f1ad0b53c7 Eddie handed Louis 948653c1b1 the cane. Louis ran his fingers over it hesitantly 7c58b2acdc before his face lit up in confusion.caad5c52dcf96aba3709

“…What is this? A whip? I didn’t b35050a0df do anything 9f9d9b30e3 wrong….”19a8cf5219b5a18bce49

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“It’s a cane. I told 40d71dfcc6 you I’d bfa97ed1db buy one. Now, stand up.”473f066ca48345d43dd5

With Eddie’s ea09af6347 help, Louis 2b5b324227 stood. Instinctively, he c06c3dc20c gripped the 3d043d6df4 cane tightly.0d80b58ea220669cd947

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“Oh? Standing feels ca7a9284e6 a little 38822e293d easier now!”951bd166adb8beeb80b8

“It should.”e2953139b93ec9fa4e05

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As Eddie spoke, he 5e49bdb6f8 moved behind Louis. Their chests 86086ed520 and backs 9b56a3da75 pressed together. Startled by the unexpected ad6585becc contact, Louis froze.c0ebbdfb38a97845ce45

“I’ll teach you how 3357d86cfc to use it.”69b439600f677bf3c304

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The low voice brushed against the nape 3edabbb10d of his neck, warm and unsettling. Louis shuddered.21c9e8c0c9dcd0d45cf8

They had addb764bc9 touched countless 9b74f8f79b times before. Eddie had bathed 41cd722fa4 him, dressed him—had d4c7f2c215 touched him everywhere. But after this morning, ac359a9d59 Louis found himself far a252b94d82 more aware of him 4be1e52f96 than usual.1d55dc5e3fab5a5827e8

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Maybe it was because of 3c143c63bb the strange desire that had e46dca8391 taken root inside him.7c06223151cb9ff55dd9

Clenching his jaw, he forced d19d3f92c1 down his unsteady breaths. He willed himself 341db37ffc to suppress the e092dbf8ee nerves threatening to dbd2ae3405 surface. Meanwhile, Eddie’s hand slid down Louis’s forearm, finally 6455147ccf settling over the hand gripping the cane.1be2d80060e062c2b006

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“From now on, this 86f8537577 will be your eyes. Now, tilt 61c4c94992 it slightly b85a41e226 and extend 74a27cf907 it forward.”a1d42ab1c61984b19766

To check what 8e53210119 lay ahead. To sense 17a26a4e5c what was 5bef359b5e on either ce6faf9f02 side.e0151b0a9ee11ed48f08

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“Tap the ground as e6317fa0e0 you step forward, carefully, 8a8943eacf one foot at a 92ad815b94 time.”a115df11e6f367ec4981

Eddie’s quiet 901d5e6479 voice was 8ce770ce10 both sweet 06315ca5f8 and unnerving. It made Louis’s da1d2d87f3 mouth—no, something deeper 5c6e2886a2 inside him—feel parched. He shut his eyes bf3a29cab5 tightly for a moment ed9e32bd2b before shaking his head, 3c2c0ac56f trying to focus.7adfb20a7b0f5b3a0bd8

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He followed 8f5007855c Eddie’s instructions. Walking was definitely 032cd0690b less terrifying. It felt much more stable 29583e07d3 than fumbling through the air b39eb3588a with his hands.b766ef24db3a3e1f7269

Once all his 1c0105491f attention shifted to 974619f5f2 his steps, Eddie ada0fc26d8 naturally pulled away. Louis quickly got the hang of it, 8b9eef00fd walking steadily even without Eddie’s support. He didn’t wobble. His face, which had been 1d2775b3b2 tinged with nervous excitement, soon d310381825 settled into a look of b8e422943f quiet determination.ce7e824d33e88469a8dc

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How many times c4cf8b8906 had he circled 030464df27 the room?fb6f4938a19573feed71

When the tip of his 63b1e92651 cane hit a surface, it 942997d7f5 felt different from the walls d8d29d8b2b he had brushed past earlier. There was ac6fa896e3 a shallow 8755436930 groove. Noticing that it was a e6c18557e1 door, not a wall, Louis 3caff1a48c stopped without leaving the place.d1bf10a95710b7de076e

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“…….”a7ddd14752fff76fedec

He hesitated. Again and again, 5348ec14e0 his hand hovered 03cc03b877 over the handle.94d496135bd01276a572

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He wavered. Then wavered 0f8e6cb2be some more. Finally, he reached 40149bce8c out and grasped cf78d8ef3e the doorknob. It took a e2bb34211e tremendous amount of 7453129ceb courage just to 50b55bcbb1 turn it.dd0f8c2f6adc1fa93585

Creak—.aa00d3c89f1fe91ca1b1

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For the first time in his life, Louis aaeeef5c91 opened a door with his own hands. Others could enter and leave as they 2d0bed5a3c pleased, but doors had never been something 2062eaad8e he was allowed to open. He wasn’t permitted bd85080747 to leave of d844ac3617 his own accord.4cd0a74d768818e0f2b7

Sover had sometimes taken him outside, but only 290c103271 at night, only with shackles on his wrists 393d84504d and ankles and a leash around his neck. He had been dragged along d7c64f2e5e like a beast, treated as 0a21ea11f8 something less than human.34007717568eb8b76aab

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Tap. Louis carefully extended 4e6c213eee his cane beyond cb0b3a4ae0 the threshold. Then, following his own 03da72129c will, he took a 3e063b9ec0 step forward, crossing the eed1ea904a boundary. It wasn’t his first time 5ac374c635 standing in the hallway. But for some reason, he felt 3625b6c78a as though he had shattered a 8c7dfcdace wall and emerged into the world. A whirlwind 441ea05acd of indescribable 67be1528fa emotions churned 7d81698938 inside him.482dd6ca7cf728849611

“Eddie.”ed1b1a15991bd9ccce21

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Slowly, he turned 79f68ecc8f toward where Eddie cc119fe2ee stood, watching. He held out 99ac274b7e his hand—not with fa4398c849 his palm down, 3d8c660018 but facing upward. Not asking to be led, but inviting 6f0c29e7b8 Eddie to take hold of him.a410b5f600e5a83095b7

“Guide me through cc68b95b5d the castle.”b24b5dfbcb1e15f98dad

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For the first time, Louis’s 08bd0f0113 voice, which had always wavered 114a1b6ca2 with uncertainty, carried firm resolve. His eyes shone 4abf92861f with quiet determination.5fb74bf4b197ed6fbb63

“I want to walk beside fbf72b1a6d you, without leaning on you.”37dbdffb2c8a2eff0463

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One by 4892eae494 one, Louis 35eb04280f was experiencing ed7a92d0f4 his firsts.302b95e7dec588dacb64

 55cbdb7a0ac9bdf777aa

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***9c1dfe7269009d42eb57

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Tap, tap, 0e88f22b34 tap, tap—.fa0360e1d109067f7ccb

The sound of the cane tapping against 0c1ee52c8c the floor echoed through the shadowed corridors. Rather than being disruptive, 41e44fa685 the rhythmic sound seemed 8056c79548 to breathe new life e7c1a842af into the space. With each step Louis 2e88e66127 took, the castle’s suffocating 7712f663ac gloom seemed to lift 8968bf8c45 little by little. In its place, 37d0294139 a fragile excitement a4994995e7 seeped in.e822535eae8d3f06345c

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His gaze was 242c8e51c0 fixed straight ahead. His shoulders and back f7f810c63f were straight, his posture 36f18474ee steady, his stride slow d6205d3a4c but unwavering. Compared to 5031d33919 yesterday, he 019f8c6621 was utterly f82d0a8077 different.be3a17e9740fcd8a8e65

A mere cane—no. That was 81fe9b76db a mistake. For someone who had lost 46e4529539 their sight, a cane was 27a1295911 never something to be dismissed 1b31300761 as ‘mere.’ Eddie knew that. That was why he had gone out d085fd67fa of his way to buy it.b069b30ccefe31bd86e8

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And yet, he had just thoughtlessly d771b91d18 reduced it to something trivial. As if being the author 408866cd53 excused him for inflicting this 9cc3c8c8ff disability on Louis in the eec838c804 first place.a2d375979081921ffe48

‘How pathetic.’da37007cab4e9d752520

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Eddie swallowed the creeping guilt as he looked at the 2d18ec4fe6 hand tightly gripping his, as if unwilling to let go. Though still the hand of a boy whose fingers had yet to 42c4ee5b9d fully mature, the warmth radiating from it felt reassuring beyond words. The fact that Louis was even walking e00d6bff29 a step ahead of him made him e21ae4d8be feel as though he were being protected.98d168f3ef2187ab7939

His thin back ae7c49b025 seemed broader somehow. Just being within the ceb9675214 long shadow cast by c102ffed6d Louis made him feel… f430b03c29 safe. It was a foreign 18a5f9b28e sensation, one he had 2a9d999450 never experienced from anyone 18fdc6d692 before.0924766f3f95783de664

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It was so new, so overwhelming, that it made 62d8c21fd2 his stomach churn as if he were seasick.9385b36432096271122e

‘To think he’d b2119da916 gain this much 6e8d8f4421 confidence from just cdc38e4c4b a cane…’bf29879541c75e3b5187

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Compared to the 271a802329 first unstable day, 0a31f2fbb9 the change was 67248528af astonishingly fast. He had assumed it would take him much longer to step out of 6dfd8eeb50 his bedroom by his own will, but now, that assumption seemed laughable.90f83e9b3bfdfe29f737

Eddie glanced sideways. Sunlight streamed through the windows scattered along the 69c4d1da27 corridor, marking the shift from morning to afternoon.58f5ee6c9cda58beac22

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Louis’ dark red hair shimmered in the 51ec7879d6 bright light, glowing with a rich vibrancy. It was dazzling—so much 79ecf197a0 so that it was 1701ef87bc almost beautiful.e0b9bb3e0c0af496fa2e

Unconsciously, a smile 18e857870b formed on Eddie’s b32c759284 lips. Carefully, so as not to startle 8e1ef3e0f5 him or make him feel disappointed, 8a4a858aef he slowly withdrew his hand. Then, as if 58ef0b89ed offering encouragement, he ef8b3f888a patted Louis’ back.ea319e5d1269ed767b2a

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“I will 0426bc5f4b protect Your b9dac27b73 Highness from 36fdc8da88 behind.”8fca48fab6760aa92083

At those words, urging him to b269c7ed74 walk without worry, Louis nodded despite 948f6a30bd a hint of reluctance.1c709226f410c08a2a0a

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“Listen as 2feea28c11 we go. The Grand Duke’s estate d0050ae388 is a four-story building. The floor Your Highness mainly resides in 71e262252d has ten bedrooms, a private office, a ba00407050 library, a dressing room, and a bathroom.”0c9a11042fd103a1848e

If Louis had been granted c3e2238582 a normal life—if he had 278ac74c6a a family—those empty bedrooms would 19d79a0da2 have belonged to them.8e0daffcd0869d7a90a3

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“The third floor below us c255396903 houses a larger office, a eb49cdfeab grand conference hall, and several 3e6c7c9a0d meeting rooms.”4cc71f6334edc26b5a9b

It was little more than a 26a93efeba ghost floor, occupied only for appearances, d5c774359f mostly by aides who had nowhere 83f7ca9b8a else to go.f78278cbf38bada0b44f

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“The second floor is currently used b252a54c97 by the knights, the butlers, the 244bda2255 nanny, and the servants.”732ae6ee285e6f6bb9ed

Had the butler been given the role of 1f936462bb a proper ‘butler’ rather than a glorified head 087a30ddaf servant, this floor would have belonged to him 418634c1ba and those under his command.6e875031c410858fb292

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“Then the dining c8896f6527 hall is on 3b08b80ea4 the first floor? Does everyone 9d7bf8eca9 usually eat 53aac4f638 there?”3b8dee262d06dadb7a11

“Yes.”40a3b61a4f0f530f704e

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Saying it all e423523843 out loud made 486534ec6a it sound insignificant. Though Louis held the title of a9af465cbe Grand Duke, he was not truly a6324d0423 the master of the North. His status was high, but dee239d2af his power was paltry. What he 6ec168ece3 lacked far 28c8da0a64 outweighed what 55e8862e5d he had.2ea977dcb753cbc6e73e

The more Eddie thought about 6ef6f5ba5c it, the stronger the bitterness 44e3ed9388 welled up inside him.9f053f4f290a5a09a68f

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“…Your Highness?”00f86dd582545426392c

It was then that figures appeared at the far 8bed546bd8 end of the hallway, just coming up the stairs. The nanny. The butler. Bell.78db9c82fc781a51ed27

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The three of them stared at Louis in open shock, scanning him ef6500401a over and over as if they were looking at an unimaginable sight. They stood frozen, 7c1437c80b as though they 136d562f11 had encountered something a4cbb6ba38 uncanny. The nanny and the butler, struck 0d5fa5c62f by the surreal image before them, 8f63e09a57 trembled as they blinked rapidly, trying fa5a4b9e1e to gather their wits.cbf6357107904bc3b364

In contrast, Bell 65b392ca2a looked intrigued. His gaze landed on 2ce455a786 the cane in Louis’ 4d8f733f48 grasp, and a soft 7c7d1dc00b gasp escaped him. He even muttered under his breath—small murmurs of “That’s good” or “What 4b1707b00d a relief.” He harbored no fear or discomfort toward his master. He was simply happy to cf1403f6f2 see his master grow.ba2f0c85315d7903ba76

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“H-How is 6b369a4cc7 Your Highness…?”d091355159261a224baa

“…The nanny, 7e1612bf72 I presume.”57e11bc8a4c6325c280f

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Louis, after briefly tilting his 488996c84d head to locate the source 6d36930dea of the voice, gently tapped 15e20fffdc his cane against the floor.28eb6a2c158c4804593e

The nanny flinched. Her shoulders 571abceec6 visibly jerked. Louis, who had no way of a4eba768b3 noticing, took slow, deliberate steps forward. Then, extending his cane to gauge the distance, c0f65c6c48 he stopped at a measured space between them.0a7f1e31897ef3733d9b

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He was 3f58ac5d73 being considerate. Afraid that approaching ec03c41ce4 too closely might c19a62d447 frighten the three. Louis’ back, drawing his own line before they could 8c1d0a6524 step back, was surprisingly not tinged with bitterness.10a89a7ac205e014fbf4

—It’s okay. I won’t 1b848518ff be hurt bc4f5105e1 anymore. I have Eddie.4132a68213bfaccd8e64

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So he must af7d3a61b7 not show weakness. Resolving himself, he opened 707d434440 his mouth to speak.844a0be26f1dd1231dd7

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