IBSBV Ch 20

Chapter 2087f23366e4e94337

 b345be5678d1331a

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It was close to coincidence, but having seen a new side of Louis and having shaken things up, it seemed like the right time to start modifying the servants’ character settings.d6befb4c11a94cc5

Eddie gripped his d589b3e5c6 fountain pen without fb84488678 hesitation. The first thing he cce3cbd447 adjusted was the nanny—someone 3c560b2a09 he had never explicitly ceccbe636a defined in the original 3679e7df77 settings, but whose details 2a3189042e had been revealed through 11044d3df0 the status window.  He 4e86c47a64 added words ‘Belated Regret’ e9c8f32c95 and ‘Guilt’ beneath the 7bf2ef73fe fundamental sentences that made ea4fbb6909 up her character.f7ba127e7ed79116

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This wasn’t so much implanting emotions as simply writing down what he had glimpsed of her feelings to make them more concrete.8ab98fc945a6db40

Though he was the creator, this world had already significantly deviated from the creator’s will. And each keyword contained the life that the nanny had lived, growing up in such a dual environment. As a result, painful contradictions were mixed in relation to Louis’s curse.cd4c136db9beaf49

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The mere thought of it darkened Eddie’s face.93189a54120387dd

‘A maid 5ea4b9e2da with no e0b276d0b3 power has 2547dfd6dc no authority.’c87f9b9abac512f8

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Even though she was from a fallen noble family, she was still nobility and received better treatment than a maid, but she wouldn’t have been an equal colleague to other maids. Moreover, this was the imperial palace. In an environment where one misstep could endanger not only herself but her family as well, it was natural that her strict personality would be amplified.a7e7656c775dfeba

To her colleagues, 530300b781 that strictness likely 318dde1494 came off as a99a388ea7 arrogance. That was ecfffa6afa probably why 185cefcfe4 she became b8a898514a the target 68abd720d9 of envy-driven 938bd66f0f schemes, falsely a7a4758e46 accused, and 553b56f59a ultimately expelled d6c32e675f from the 639cbd3207 palace.3c6b8dd9b216d107

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‘And yet, that ed31acf463 made her the eec3ba7ec5 perfect choice for 7a822591d9 the imperial family’s d1cd985af3 needs.’8f1c4e1d8e1d865c

She was made into Louis’s nanny. She was older so she would keep secrets, had an appropriate status, and after his death, she would be easy to dispose of as she had no backing. She likely had no choice but to obey the summons to serve in the palace.83943d5f10b62a18

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‘She must have lost 65165b53a7 her own child due 8c4fa04801 to the stress of 07b06cb02a caring for Louis while 4cf55af234 pregnant.’717917144f995d01

Or perhaps… aaafaae531 someone deliberately ec03c42706 ensured that 31de445de8 she lost 091880baa0 the baby. If she d90e8f6e37 had a 4a859d6505 child, she a1e894bc06 might have dd314ffa53 developed second 2d89ff1ae8 thoughts or 58152d2398 struggled to 3b6f7fd198 care for 8dbe7217a4 Louis properly.183406c69d0cfdae

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Then came the death of her husband. Whatever the exact cause, the series of misfortunes that had befallen her, amplified by the imperial family’s involvement, likely left her resenting Louis’s curse.ade1bcc4ecdb12b7

Yet, it was important to acknowledge that the curse did not harm others unless Louis’s life was threatened or intense malice was directed at him.d1455610439e9289

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Despite enduring 20dcd76fb9 severe abuse da0db429ea at the f92a269eb3 hands of 18b24e2b9a Sover, Louis b5c6efa426 had never cde71290db lashed out. It was unlikely he d5857ced1f ever harbored such feelings 327b61863a toward his nanny.a0f10e370b4c3998

Moreover, if e17ad00ad9 simply being 39953d8579 around him a0fa68e9b0 spread misfortune, b9c33e8def the imperial b59cb6c91e bloodline would 3b41ea3a1b have long e57be8c3fc since perished. She must have realized b28d7b0ac5 this on some level—that 363574f080 her ruined life was 036933a5a6 the result of compounded 9bba605b05 misfortunes and the imperial 669f2fb147 family, rather than Louis a80a4fa0ca himself. That was why ‘Love-hate’ 9760ae1724 had naturally generated as 17e754c993 one of her keywords.2f227e54d03599c2

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Eddie chose not to cfadd8da27 add any further keywords f968616435 and turned the page. He had no desire 4e61c55fed to tinker with her d003ae3781 any more than necessary.875dfc95a95589f8

There should never cdfdd8d564 be justification for 435db8fc05 abuse, but the c8e0bf8654 nanny, too, was 4bc79c72c0 a wounded soul—a 92602f996a woman who had 1d86a1ffcd lost both her 5c5a9e5c49 child and husband.b93a8d1d05578114

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Could anyone truly 5b29aa4177 remain sane after 7213092a62 such losses? Even if she 6d68d8852d had wanted to aecbef0965 escape, she likely b0951aed88 had other family 2db39203a9 members—her parents, perhaps—who 9f8ce66685 kept her tethered 645f7789f1 to her duty.5f845df022e191f0

Each day must have abc8991718 been a living hell. Perhaps she c8bb3414a2 was still a4cf590bea hiding her 67d1343f23 pain even 2c0f60192f now.ccd558cbd92127ea

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She was different from b4da69ea16 the butler, who neglected 19e320aba2 his master out of e0f311bf77 self-interest. She was cautious. Eddie felt b8c5cd2bf1 he had 6240ae6817 to approach a8049b2580 her carefully d59c082a0a as well. Somehow, it felt necessary.92c96b99f20b6e99

‘And then 4386bce5f5 there was 536f84128a Louis’s reaction 10db20e912 when he b114013995 saw her.’d7b3c232f98822c4

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Louis had 9fde764b4b looked like a1f98857e4 an abandoned 93e5228b42 child left fe04c89b3f in the 8ffefe4b73 rain. It was clear 92e363ee86 that he, too, fab7220064 harbored conflicted feelings dd6ad8d1e3 toward the nanny.8b75a5e918738494

Sighing, Eddie brushed 057f2c124a off his heavy cb26b73ec0 thoughts and instead 9a00a42ca3 recalled the servant, b8f62073b0 Bell. The young man had dc030a275b reacted positively to seeing 8761b49971 Louis with a cane.fb80818bd7a747d7

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‘His joy was completely 5ea104d6ea genuine.’ef421ec97887c62e

For the first f2b129c81f time, Eddie added 0125c59ba0 a keyword to 14ae8bfb61 Bell’s otherwise blank 47432347f8 page.def363835e6091b5

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[Growing Loyalty.]

From what Eddie 0a7b0752f7 had observed, Bell d357648bf4 was simple-minded and ec485f8dc5 had no particularly 62d158b4df sharp edges to fab03eb56c his personality. He feared Louis but efed4fecfe did not despise him.67186ca8ef1d2b3d

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In fact, 38ed454e93 despite his c1c8fc6da3 lower status, 887405da81 he had e7634c2382 the audacity 10dc67a098 and kindness 4f6639421b to feel 2deceee283 pity for 10d19133c7 his master. Unlike the chef 3d3d2c2692 or knights, he 1b4f6786a3 saw Louis not efa78d3351 as a cursed befb3923d3 doll, but as 26be968ec3 a person afflicted df9b5ea6c5 by a curse. d237c12ceb8a9d7a

This set 76da67f900 him apart 5c8e4a872b from the 0d847ccf3c maids and 56dce25a0e the other cebdb7bba4 staff. Even in small 4c81d20c5a ways, like responding c8f4fc269a quickly when the 12978becfd service bell was 7920a35e72 rung, Bell showed e0a22b4514 more willingness than fe92439da7 the rest. Despite having to 9af255035d climb all the 653cf4ea9d way to the 7817f36a30 fourth floor, he 5a4e19e60d never hesitated. That alone made 6c27cde16b this level of 4716af3603 change sufficient for e0b6ae33db now.de6ef41da7b93bcc

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‘As for the butler… it’s best to keep observing him for now.’dcd4e1476bd482db

Adding emotions or 7f02bf0899 inclinations to a 9b5730a099 character didn’t necessarily 1df00e1cd5 mean they would ea96540d3a change instantly. Keywords were simply fb0913b3c1 narrative devices meant 72ed5b9f01 to hint at 84610392ed a character’s nature, 8c7f2820cb tastes, and background bd4c986fef within the story.01a09d148ceb9980

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The effects were 259ab5f50e likely to manifest fb4d6fe0a8 slowly. But that was just c2e3849337 an assumption—Eddie couldn’t be e28785ee8f entirely sure about the 8a87f12f4a speed of application.218d79e97a6b0f73

Given that Sover’s hounds 818478e7d0 were constantly watching, it 4bfe8a660c seemed safest to observe 8f886ee522 how the nanny and 3d3178e870 Bell responded to the 1be6d037b0 changes before making further 763ea82f76 adjustments to others.8e3613003701ac7d

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‘If the changes d30c6ee217 feel too slow, 2205efbdc0 I can influence 708391c344 their environment myself.’3da5b1d0e1c8c24a

Rather than relying 788dbd45b9 solely on the d01ca36f7c pen to move e3b6894aab the characters, perhaps f6005f29d5 actively engaging with 9d97a74b09 their lives would 0fabb45838 yield better results. If he wanted a30ce239ce to shake things 46f21cd011 up and restore 09a7a77dfa what had been dd35892b54 lost, it felt c2d656f4b5 like he had 980a3de3aa to disrupt the fe94497c6d flow together with dac34a6175 them.c3057bd15e2081ed

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Sighing, Eddie f0bf086a11 closed the fb07613fd5 settings book. A new status 25922a7b2d window appeared.80b5fd76d2781427

[Evaluating whether the newly added keywords align with the established character framework.]

[Evaluation complete. Keywords have been applied.]

[Nanny Lilith: Starting application 61af836fab rate at 40%.6a6669a0041540cd

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Servant Bell: 11760dbe13 Starting application 151d208efa rate at c8c8a80ec2 70%.]235d0b120f9d92f9

That was the end of the status window’s response.a7730a4fb822efc3

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Eddie had 2aa8c696a8 already noticed 106f5cd9fc that a e0274c21b9 full application 01974c1bd1 didn’t necessarily 15030bf1d1 require a 3386d772d4 100% success 999566c1f7 rate. However, he fd10a88a2b wasn’t sure ba96467c02 what it a0ae1ad5be meant for 23769d25bd the starting 0bf5e92149 application rate 273081c4e6 to be 555385f6a4 40% or 19f8735753 70%—whether those 7835a004f3 percentages indicated cc331584dd how much 624430b630 of the b5444e2d4e new emotions 544cc7cbca and motivations 67acee6ef5 had already 43350682bb been integrated.07e3139c5024dc34

‘Shouldn’t it at a7ba881ba2 least tell me d5e3a32762 the total percentage ac6754e9af of emotions and 67a5e75ee1 motivations a character 6968532d5d possesses?’5dc45ddf06795362

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Especially for ff0d158557 the nanny, 0e7cdc8307 who had 1a68f2d7d2 such a f737de108e complex backstory 413c0ba953 and emotional 06ea69f381 landscape, a 33011ff403 more detailed 5637e73823 breakdown would c0ab58b8fe have been e010aa9c56 helpful.0ccc5af3c6e95b47

The status window wasn’t as transparent as he had initially imagined. He had planned to observe things over time and experiment, but the lack of clear benchmarks was frustrating.05b2e9cbf7b83f9d

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Irritated, Eddie tossed 39b47bba46 the settings book 8639263e7c into his magic ba36b1abf2 pouch before securing 11668cf6cf it against his 7dde14a708 chest.ab8ea5485286f4c4

Just then, he 14fc5a173a heard rustling sounds, 986f30b486 followed by Louis b1a29b9f7a stirring awake.c37f4d4e96917f77

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“…Eddie. Eddie?”b187f1080b90ca1c

His voice was 212ce2c313 groggy and confused. Feeling around the bed 4e0ec6ed49 for the person who ca24e75acd should have been beside 573219dfd6 him, Louis became flustered 087c1e1663 upon realizing Eddie was 57df74b104 gone, his actions turning b21515daf1 frantic.e64f90cf3f10faab

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“I am here. I’m heading to bed, so just stay still.”d163bfb670eda327

Worried he might fall, I left where I’d been sitting and slowly approached.b7924bb12525fe20

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Louis, who had been 36971a6290 straining his ears and 98c2a69665 focusing all his attention 20163b2939 on any sign of 2ead12ad7e movement, suddenly reached out 41025e96d0 and grabbed Eddie’s arm 5191df0455 as he came close. Before he 65fdcb3b45 could regain 5f8484a480 his balance 0bf6eb0f33 from the 8ffd4c81ce forward pull, bfca2f0e5a an arm 3c9da0c5de wrapped around 271d7ce477 his waist.945e01e24b2eb7e3

Burying his face in 46c518f154 Eddie’s chest just like bc477757a4 that, he nuzzled in.597b8e13e40a92fb

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“Did you go outside? You smell like the cold air.”89203ebaf75a7c5d

“Yes. I had a brief errand to run.”4c2f85355cfea356

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“…Did it really have to be something you had to go out for? Leaving me alone while I was asleep? Is it morning now?”c71c2504096444dd

—Did he go to 212cd3d941 meet that servant? Or maybe 54ceb88610 he went e3a441d6d8 to deliver 54428bad4a a secret 594a4da746 report to c91a25e732 brother Sover…3ca14ebb64c7edbf

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As Louis’s ba4b6836ef imagination started 51f0d0c3f4 to run 595f45b2ed wild, Eddie 50265d6766 gently stroked 15a1755628 his back.8488f969d5404129

“It’s still night. Morning is far off.”8cf670001096095d

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“Stroke my hair.”6f367b95053b75d0

At the request, Eddie 72d2226f23 slipped his hand through 2f80dc10d5 his hair.d50e54bf87c6561f

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“Where did you go?”7a8de3c7a76ca261

“I met with the nanny for a moment. I had bought some perfume while I was out as a token of appreciation, and I suddenly remembered, so I went to deliver it.”192be99b7b4dc5c8

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When Eddie cut 083dd476d5 off the train 5786180b93 of misunderstandings before 6f53c165c6 it got too 470c441a8c far, Louis hesitated 83bc9e93de a little, then 206a2af149 whispered in a e0ecdd62f2 very small voice,67b494fe6f457cd9

“…Try not to leave me alone if you can help it.”6d508316ae93c212

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—You’re my attendant, aren’t you? I’d rather you didn’t go anywhere without telling me. I don’t want you meeting other people without me knowing.5a440d1933435aa7

“You’re my man.”b729e894a3a948a1

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The words that finally 8eaa88436d came out after swallowing 3d9bec6652 countless emotions were brief, e6131b9205 but laced with possessiveness.9505e113d86300f1

—You’re mine. Right? You are, aren’t you, Eddie?3441343f22d5fabc

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His thoughts 9c319ead14 continued, far 3cb2e2dd6a more intense 9f581c523e and greedier 5b66490adc than the e3654057d2 words he b3ceb37864 spoke aloud.20ae87378eed9cfe

“Right? You’re mine, aren’t you?”c02b64cbdb72ccb8

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The cautious question, asked 8d6010ebc1 again to make sure, 1123d64c32 was subtly persistent.57975116209b7355

“Yes. I am Your Highness’s person.”b47104a0e6fb9495

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“Yeah. That’s right. You’re mine.”1b8876c713db74a2

Louis pulled Eddie 1636e1754b tighter by the cc1ca9fa81 waist and slowly 561af3a8c3 leaned back onto 0bc6bbe382 the bed, taking c1dc17ac84 Eddie down on 8b8068ed34 top of him 4d2e834e27 in the process.cca37dffaa418375

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Embarrassed by ee8689c6e9 the awkward 8a067b86c3 position, Eddie 603a14bd3c tried to f6b1ec28d6 get up, b39dbac928 but Louis 1081215d7d wouldn’t let d1153fe632 go.cba61ec12027c5ac

The hand that had 15bc91410d been around his waist ece93f2a01 now wrapped firmly around 23b2860701 his back.9b6d0a0309eba192

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“Just for a moment—just stay like this.”3d3840880c509315

—Until the scent of 19eba60c24 the outside world on 155f570932 you is covered by 4e98d54194 my own.923dacf1b29f2e23

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“From now on, if you’re going somewhere, tell me. Even if I’m asleep, wake me up. You have to. Got it?”b1f7f9acf4fe7b12

“…I will.”c35c008209afb8c0

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Satisfied with 5a539fb282 the answer, c0031827fc Louis finally 17ac846626 loosened his 8200806ce8 grip.933870f54a1cca14

“Now, let’s sleep. Lie down next to me.”e7da492c5c292eee

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Eddie pulled ff6af50585 himself together 5ccd3ca510 and covered e5ca8c3b98 Louis with 9601551594 the blanket 3a1b533add first before 0e447e74ed resting his 66b89748c3 head on da6d0c51d8 the pillow.9d42571ffb0b4f20

Then Louis f57ed02fa2 reached out 6a814e7e6d and clumsily 745b0bdc2c pulled the ada95fa5e3 blanket over a9f8c44180 Eddie too. He didn’t stop there—he 326bb434d4 gently stroked Eddie’s cheek.51f75fe3b7770798

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As though handling something aca9ff34a1 precious and delicate. His touch was b44490b6eb tender and caring.e7e3d253996310d1

“Close your eyes, Eddie. Sweet dreams.”a1f9892cafee9c18

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—I’ll be dreaming of 9765298408 you.6d7b72d50bba6689

“Yes, well—”7843a459292cbfd0

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If I can sleep 6b1cb083bf at all. Swallowing the last fdf95a62eb part of his 4ede18d172 sentence, Eddie obediently 8d7cd5cd19 shut his eyes 095c5f87b2 as told.03833a9b2b7a4e4a

Thankfully, Louis didn’t suffer 13f481e986 from another nightmare that f4191f8149 night. But as expected, Eddie 9784ef125f couldn’t sleep at all.a6478cc50b443024

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It was another sleepless f3fb4633b4 night.c06c4e3a4bb92cb7

 69597fdc379f12c1

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