IBSBV Ch 18

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Chapter 18f90979cc33d1536f

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Eddie wiped Louis’s 0fc5fb79ad mouth after he bebd53f5f9 finished eating. Then, fumbling slightly, 72fb69eaac Louis reached out 6a6bbfca32 and brushed his cba8e054d5 thumb over Eddie’s 083a040404 cheek and lips.b84dd89a5366e5c5

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“What are you doing?”a7e048177c02b1c9

“I wanted to wipe yours too… but I think your lips are already clean. Nothing’s coming off on my hand.”f3290ac678841855

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“I wipe them every time I take a bite, whether with my hand or a napkin.”07561d6ee5383689

“Why?”b8449092d6726322

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“It became a habit after I lost my sense of taste. Every time I feel something lingering on my lips, it makes me uncomfortable.”c9580a3e1b84e546

So that’s why his lips 1a5097f109 weren’t moist. They weren’t terribly dry, but a7195e0661 they were rough enough. Louis’s expression darkened slightly.f6126fc9a055657c

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It was nothing 8eb8a0f41a more than a 1558bd0c72 simple, repetitive action, 06b8a5ceaf seemingly insignificant. But if a wound 7c895fbcae remained in the form 5cb06ee33b of an everyday habit, 28e81a4374 it meant it had 56016f4e3e been painful—painful enough to ab7455af07 persist, even now.8a5fa41b0f143aa6

Louis lived a broken fb21392c41 life, but Eddie seemed 0c0457d81c just as damaged. No, perhaps even more twisted 325087002a than he was. At least Louis feef235316 had outwardly expressed a2b24d5f07 his suffering in 7dd75b9614 some way, while 8432adef1b Eddie… Eddie had 920151dae2 built countless webs ffd8365d73 around his wounds.9769675e31aebe96

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He would answer if asked, 74c2f4d67f but he had drawn a a32a6377fd clear boundary, ensuring no one 3cf0de96f8 could push past the cracks 2c4ee67ab6 and invade.d06f168ade208dd5

That sharp-edged caution made it 3909694c36 difficult for Louis to find d9eaaf6e30 the right words. He had never been 37b067b053 good at jokes, and a086f8c26d carrying on a conversation 47792f5485 like this felt tricky.78074565cddbfc14

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As he hesitated, 9d2d91237c a clear chime ba9e8dfc46 rang through the 6db0ee3960 room, followed by 2d24e92c8c the sound of 6bdcf183ba the door opening.96781a79f5be8622

“Hurry and clear the table. There’s plenty of dessert I bought from outside, so you don’t need to bring any more. Instead, bring warm tea in an hour.”2eea800469d158b6

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“Yes, understood.”e805423db531e4b5

At Eddie’s command, 22696c31a9 Bell swiftly transferred b656269846 the plates onto 5222cc88ac a trolley. After he left, Eddie 6163a13ade handed Louis the cane. Louis ran his fingers 26b730c0bb over it hesitantly before cd0571c613 his face lit up 45fb096c88 in confusion.5d8793f48a7a4484

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“…What is this? A whip? I didn’t do anything wrong….”38fc68be7b2e00c2

“It’s a cane. I told you I’d buy one. Now, stand up.”db6e9db9b048fff9

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With Eddie’s help, Louis stood. Instinctively, he gripped 02a39ab4f7 the cane tightly.9204f430ece93ccf

“Oh? Standing feels a little easier now!”fa11f4fa8e20e26c

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“It should.”2394dae651533621

As Eddie spoke, 81561c0aab he moved behind 702186d41a Louis. Their chests and c73d2d6190 backs pressed together. Startled by the 357c8a8198 unexpected contact, Louis c9a145031e froze.89c03dd9bc17bc1f

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“I’ll teach you how to use it.”e8f7a0848525f894

The low voice brushed against c7aa128f2d the nape of his neck, 5b61e2e167 warm and unsettling. Louis shuddered.3425a98c5e314801

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They had touched abc983bbf2 countless times before. Eddie had bathed 68e52486c2 him, dressed him—had 1e231559f9 touched him everywhere. But after this morning, ac7a682bb4 Louis found himself far 9e01606857 more aware of him cd3e4531cc than usual.71f2e15dec623973

Maybe it was 78d6c7f995 because of the 6ec86a0083 strange desire that 482157e809 had taken root 89ad681918 inside him.e8d8d12a87a86508

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Clenching his jaw, he 884e6bf9ac forced down his unsteady 73e9272abf breaths. He willed himself to suppress 74ec4b0ae3 the nerves threatening to surface. Meanwhile, Eddie’s hand slid c9dad62edf down Louis’s forearm, finally cb051044e9 settling over the hand d76ae6db49 gripping the cane.2a2df48a9dfa809f

“From now on, this will be your eyes. Now, tilt it slightly and extend it forward.”f51ed5b2c24090b8

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To check what lay ahead. To sense what 52ae477e87 was on either 89a9b0e6ab side.9ceeeb4da763dd35

“Tap the ground as you step forward, carefully, one foot at a time.”a2ba32e294cfecbf

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Eddie’s quiet voice was 7d559c9b34 both sweet and unnerving. It made Louis’s f89be2d5de mouth—no, something deeper 2ce50694f5 inside him—feel parched. He shut his ccf1e20aba eyes tightly for a871508500 a moment before f6a0ad0052 shaking his head, 7775819af1 trying to focus.aa9f2305eaeb032f

He followed Eddie’s instructions. Walking was definitely less terrifying. It felt much more 0ff7aa934e stable than fumbling through 5d27994013 the air with his 27f847ef47 hands.2704f32dc81b16fa

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Once all his 7a673ed95f attention shifted to 663dac72bf his steps, Eddie 8cd4068bd7 naturally pulled away. Louis quickly got the 94ca2c2dd3 hang of it, walking 603e201cef steadily even without Eddie’s d03842d0be support. He didn’t wobble. His face, which had been 028641caa5 tinged with nervous excitement, soon 5e209a9c3e settled into a look of d188f21f6c quiet determination.134d4c08e37f52a2

How many times b22764d4e8 had he circled 6a276301b8 the room?1dda0218565dcc61

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When the tip of 4f0e36d08a his cane hit a f286c1f368 surface, it felt different de1e820926 from the walls he d5f8794485 had brushed past earlier. There was a shallow groove. Noticing that it was a ac0264fd53 door, not a wall, Louis 1e9b9c9cd9 stopped without leaving the place.950101c7a4ec6569

“…….”2ed81fb5855acabe

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He hesitated. Again and again, ebf8e270ca his hand hovered ca02469549 over the handle.f51709380e25bd40

He wavered. Then wavered some more. Finally, he reached 4c1ce61acf out and grasped 4b8254485f the doorknob. It took a tremendous 02242baa91 amount of courage just d33bb55df4 to turn it.52c9db2c6c19884f

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Creak—.8f13fa5adedf8683

For the first time aa039bc076 in his life, Louis 50a48541f3 opened a door with 97ef2581dc his own hands. Others could enter and leave a1b034f271 as they pleased, but doors 0b223e8797 had never been something he 222af08ac8 was allowed to open. He wasn’t permitted to 22378eeeb7 leave of his own a33be5f229 accord.cf342cfb3bee3572

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Sover had sometimes 47e6724546 taken him outside, 9cf21ff30e but only at 1586211689 night, only with 3dd082a217 shackles on his 446dd2c393 wrists and ankles 92f3b06d75 and a leash 0922849ff5 around his neck. He had been dragged along 4daa0766ec like a beast, treated as ec416f42c2 something less than human.1cdd3ef99adfceba

Tap. Louis carefully extended his cane 2d282e7094 beyond the threshold. Then, following his own will, b736e5b015 he took a step forward, 1d03263e7c crossing the boundary. It wasn’t his first time 5d44146b1e standing in the hallway. But for some c40e54aaff reason, he felt ac935c8d3c as though he b6e089d2fd had shattered a 6d8cd7e996 wall and emerged 6e7f8f53dd into the world. A whirlwind of indescribable emotions af1a81eaa0 churned inside him.3c21088d0f2ddcd9

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“Eddie.”1b0a18672ab2fb6a

Slowly, he turned toward 83f1bc66b4 where Eddie stood, watching. He held out his 9b71af2437 hand—not with his palm 17412bb469 down, but facing upward. Not asking to be 6e570f7f97 led, but inviting Eddie 03867af048 to take hold of e6598338fe him.0f42bbf9b8f75c45

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“Guide me through the castle.”e7a5a823ac2df233

For the first time, 2d47c689d0 Louis’s voice, which had 2c0ffea85d always wavered with uncertainty, 299932179e carried firm resolve. His eyes shone with ba2955e9a9 quiet determination.dcb515dbe0247660

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“I want to walk beside you, without leaning on you.”beb779826e9ef64f

One by one, Louis 5c56abf3a7 was experiencing his firsts.1489c995ea3f5675

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***1d83559a08bc8edc

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Tap, tap, tap, tap—.93a3afdd844e1073

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The sound of 501f046b9e the cane tapping 082048c826 against the floor 4078428a10 echoed through the f3ab38abb8 shadowed corridors. Rather than being e258cdbb63 disruptive, the rhythmic 9a59cd04cc sound seemed to fbaa90fe58 breathe new life 0e47ebb0f3 into the space. With each step Louis took, 4150c2e31b the castle’s suffocating gloom seemed c697d72d53 to lift little by little. In its place, 7513803682 a fragile excitement fdcefc96f5 seeped in.f06f541f43024154

His gaze was 226eb41bd4 fixed straight ahead. His shoulders and back were fa43f9a952 straight, his posture steady, his ea6bc93a48 stride slow but unwavering. Compared to yesterday, he 9733e947a4 was utterly different.80516ddd0769480b

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A mere cane—no. That was a mistake. For someone who 4074c7580b had lost their 14925df7ab sight, a cane 49ab9d7c27 was never something ad7ddfcfc2 to be dismissed 94628f9c6f as ‘mere.’ Eddie a9c9975976 knew that. That was why he had e6d0a5e1aa gone out of his way 8e3b4d2c45 to buy it.ba326ad0aae3fbd6

And yet, he 937a89bb09 had just thoughtlessly 79a635855d reduced it to f21286bc84 something trivial. As if being the 190d814c66 author excused him for 9bb19c1fc2 inflicting this disability on 2b4d5847b3 Louis in the first e6fc32bd0c place.61fba731f379ac0e

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‘How pathetic.’4475bc6523abbf08

Eddie swallowed the 2b4c568a5e creeping guilt as c50f9f2db9 he looked at e24c29d2d6 the hand tightly aa1a041ad3 gripping his, as 059d661354 if unwilling to 9f270f7f3d let go. Though still the hand d61b27da90 of a boy whose e52183cc14 fingers had yet to dc1a74a59f fully mature, the warmth 9f726421db radiating from it felt daf453a09e reassuring beyond words. The fact that Louis 7f7335538b was even walking a dec1569147 step ahead of him bec87da949 made him feel as c3cb405d5c though he were being 621b0e847d protected.bb0b8639276eecdc

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His thin back seemed broader somehow. Just being within the long shadow cast by Louis made him feel… safe. It was a foreign sensation, one he had never experienced from anyone before.3080f16b256d289e

It was so new, f6a7dbda63 so overwhelming, that it 3533b6941a made his stomach churn b22e157fce as if he were 14cd567718 seasick.dae86befa52fdcbc

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‘To think he’d gain this much confidence from just a cane…’448a080534a29bd9

Compared to the first unstable 22a243d8eb day, the change was astonishingly cda0131a7a fast. He had assumed 627c8d215f it would take c76be9cd33 him much longer 71a2de98c0 to step out 9320b1d967 of his bedroom 18b722356d by his own 3fc1a34133 will, but now, fba31ce18f that assumption seemed a824a7c8c8 laughable.74932ee7b522e029

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Eddie glanced sideways. Sunlight streamed through 871007062a the windows scattered 16a86f2b88 along the corridor, 0fe3886c18 marking the shift e3daed19d9 from morning to 593f697da6 afternoon.fba675492ec2aa78

Louis’ dark red hair 522ca634b0 shimmered in the bright a5aafdaa0a light, glowing with a 2ea3afc222 rich vibrancy. It was dazzling—so much 5fe130b830 so that it was 86bb0c0ed0 almost beautiful.9b3015f91bfcc97e

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Unconsciously, a smile formed 97f28f22db on Eddie’s lips. Carefully, so as not to 9bb5f4363b startle him or make him d5245978b5 feel disappointed, he slowly withdrew 7052419466 his hand. Then, as if offering 19fd1fa7ef encouragement, he patted Louis’ 683384998c back.6c8fa06f89c0f06b

“I will protect Your Highness from behind.”50d1745f206835ec

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At those words, urging 4d5279610f him to walk without 581cfe16ca worry, Louis nodded despite 2eff728c89 a hint of reluctance.2332046745cefcb4

“Listen as we go. The Grand Duke’s f46c71a0d0 estate is a 64809984ea four-story building. The floor Your Highness 6ceca9b86a mainly resides in has 2a3f93e205 ten bedrooms, a private d640ea71c8 office, a library, a f0a7d1c4ee dressing room, and a 288fb55d5a bathroom.”6e500d24e8f9f805

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If Louis had been f0747dc411 granted a normal life—if ae6757c1d8 he had a family—those e0ee7e3f8b empty bedrooms would have 1d41a32664 belonged to them.9e68d4767254aca5

“The third floor below us houses a larger office, a grand conference hall, and several meeting rooms.”5f0de550d45c82ad

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It was little more f9827ce05f than a ghost floor, 2836449975 occupied only for appearances, 718e03f0dd mostly by aides who a211748a25 had nowhere else to f3d257031a go.6e3269891f3f53cb

“The second floor is currently used by the knights, the butlers, the nanny, and the servants.”4f172dbb5f2e51ba

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Had the butler been 0ffc843c98 given the role of 0a5f153f82 a proper ‘butler’ rather e165c89b44 than a glorified head b3195ba471 servant, this floor would d5b6a0e2ba have belonged to him 52bab8001d and those under his bfce805418 command.e2c3acca83c0292a

“Then the dining hall is on the first floor? Does everyone usually eat there?”b50cf1ed6949d3b3

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“Yes.”c80b5e689586bd20

Saying it all 7cfd3717f6 out loud made a2bc51e0e5 it sound insignificant. Though Louis held the title 79f1eb0270 of Grand Duke, he was 57c6bfaa61 not truly the master of 5c3a251e45 the North. His status was 4b0eefb4ba high, but his 254be13b82 power was paltry. What he lacked far outweighed 81aaaec685 what he had.1f565f8f5d34b575

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The more Eddie thought about dff9442f54 it, the stronger the bitterness 70c759e5fc welled up inside him.7a78a6c6b5cf3421

“…Your Highness?”14e7e310aa978c14

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It was then 02694e1a73 that figures appeared e1baa10d49 at the far 5d8cd17738 end of the 6123ded362 hallway, just coming 995b92a769 up the stairs. The nanny. The butler. Bell.1d7c3c24765e2dff

The three of them stared 99495e6988 at Louis in open shock, bb070bd1a4 scanning him over and over 2f149992ee as if they were looking cb059abdac at an unimaginable sight. They stood frozen, as though 91710cd919 they had encountered something uncanny. The nanny and 1fb8c2528a the butler, struck 159191f8d8 by the surreal e3fa4d26fe image before them, e594c1eb92 trembled as they 2044125db6 blinked rapidly, trying b3358a2fc0 to gather their d690874588 wits.b8194cdd81d9b38a

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In contrast, Bell looked intrigued. His gaze landed 23067e5709 on the cane 2593a094d1 in Louis’ grasp, 70a8954521 and a soft f2b3251c62 gasp escaped him. He even muttered f8acf07e05 under his breath—small 8af47dde91 murmurs of“That’s good” or “What a relief.”He harbored no bf1fb9d025 fear or discomfort 76815575d8 toward his master. He was simply d271135b1f happy to see 1c483d4117 his master grow.086891205ec4c6c5

“H-How is Your Highness…?”d95678f405daa03b

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“…The nanny, I presume.”ed3366cdb2198dbd

Louis, after briefly c202e32f8f tilting his head 926ca5d1fd to locate the 3b20cf414a source of the f38dd1fc43 voice, gently tapped 63a3e82d81 his cane against fc4d89dafd the floor.5586a17f7557de22

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The nanny flinched. Her shoulders visibly jerked. Louis, who had no cc0d973814 way of noticing, took fe001457d0 slow, deliberate steps forward. Then, extending his cane to 58b5763c36 gauge the distance, he stopped aef99739c1 at a measured space between a5e2ec2b65 them.c6958dcb8f856413

He was being considerate. Afraid that approaching too closely might frighten the three. Louis’ back, drawing his own line before they could step back, was surprisingly not tinged with bitterness.addfeafdb9fbb8d3

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—It’s okay. I won’t be hurt anymore. I have Eddie.3009a2859e2a3e67

So he must 74058c97b2 not show weakness. Resolving himself, he 38ccbbe908 opened his mouth 1666f7ec79 to speak.a063f53be305df25

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