IBSBV Ch 25

Chapter 25

 

“The new servant at the northern castle is bolder than I expected. That’s a new piece of information.”

Even after his identity had been exposed, Eddie didn’t seem particularly surprised. Just because he hid his outward appearance didn’t mean the rest of his traces would be concealed.

The North wasn’t a region where outsiders frequently came and went, unless they belonged to a major merchant guild. And if even the castle was under their surveillance, there was no way the guild master wouldn’t know someone new had arrived. Especially since Eddie had gone out not too long ago.

His rare black hair had been fully exposed. If Raven hadn’t recognized him, Eddie would’ve been disappointed instead.

Eddie pulled down his mask. He didn’t lower the hood, but even that slight reveal of his face made the guild master, Raven, let out a soft exclamation.

“Seeing you head-on is quite different.”

“I need information on the northern nobles. And also news from the imperial capital and the palace.”

“You expect a lot for a first meeting. I trust you know I have the right to refuse?”

He casually ran a hand across his lips. A subtle threat—if things didn’t go well, he could just sell the fact that Eddie had come here seeking information. In other words, money wasn’t the only currency here.

“Isn’t confidentiality about clients the most basic rule of a guild? You’d gain nothing from running your mouth needlessly.”

“Well. Whether it gains me something or not—that’s for me to decide. Maybe if you threw me a better bait, I’d bite.”

Raven shrugged, as if suggesting Eddie ought to spill the reason he came to the North.

“I could, but I might have something even more interesting to offer.”

“You want an exchange of information? Do you really think there’s something we don’t already know?”

Eddie didn’t respond. He simply smiled. A rare expression for him. Despite the smile, it felt cold and unsettling.

Raven’s expression darkened as well. He pretended to stay calm, but a chill crept up his spine. Eddie was barely half his size, yet somehow didn’t seem easy to deal with.

Like a lone leaf resting quietly atop still waters, there was something aloof and unreadable about him. Just how much strength was he hiding beneath that light, careless tone? He was a strangely difficult opponent. And all Raven knew about him was that he had arrived at the northern castle barely over two months ago as a servant.

He had even sent subordinates to gather information, but it was as if someone had completely erased Eddie’s past. Nothing came up.

Just who was he? What was his reason for being near that cursed doll? Who was his master? As Raven silently observed him, trying to untangle the mess in his head, Eddie finally spoke.

“The next head of House Edlen won’t be the eldest son—it’ll be the youngest.”

“…Ha.”

He had tensed up, expecting something shocking. And this is what came out? If a northerner had said it, he might’ve at least considered it. But a stranger from outside the region, someone who just asked for information on the northern nobles, was saying this? It was ridiculous.

House Edlen! He couldn’t have picked a worse person to mess with. The Count was effectively the king of the North. And the eldest son, who’d already been half-recognized as the successor, had inherited his father’s charisma and domineering presence. He was widely supported as the next leader.

And yet, Eddie claimed the successor wouldn’t be him—or even the second son—but the thirteen-year-old youngest son?

“That’s nonsense.”

He tried to deny it, but there wasn’t much force behind his voice. This was the North. A place where all kinds of monsters poured out once or twice a month, sometimes even more. A place where it wasn’t strange for someone to die at any time, for any reason.

Especially Count Edlen and his eldest son—they were said to spend more time with swords in hand than within the safety of the castle. They never held back when it came to protecting the North.

“The eldest son will die in battle. The second son has a hereditary illness passed down through his maternal line for generations. Unfortunately, it’ll flare up soon. His limbs will stiffen and become immobile. No potion or priest’s prayer will be able to stop how quickly it progresses.”

It was a disturbingly cruel prophecy.

“So the youngest will be the heir?”

“There won’t be any other sons left.”

Though born of the Count’s third wife, the youngest son possessed the powers of a Spirit Summoner—a gift held in high regard across the Empire. There were two grown daughters as well, but knowing the conservative nature of Count Edlen, he would inevitably choose his youngest son.

“If you don’t believe me, just wait two weeks.”

Everything would happen by then.

“You can’t possibly not know how much House Edlen means to the North. And yet you’re spouting these ominous predictions one after another. Makes me want to cut off your head right now.”

“If you can?”

Eddie tilted his head, almost inviting him to try. At a loss for words, Raven shut his mouth and sank into thought.

Could this really be considered information? It felt too absurd to take seriously, but too disturbing to completely ignore. And if, by some incredible chance, this nonsense turned out to be true—

Then the value of Eddie’s request would skyrocket. Knowing things even Raven didn’t could only mean his information-gathering abilities were exceptional. That meant Raven would have to offer something just as valuable in return. He might even have to hand over deeply confidential information about the North—things that could never be allowed to leak to outsiders.

Of course, what he gained might be worth the risk.

“…Ha.”

Raven forcibly cut off the string of thoughts that had been trailing endlessly. It was absurd. The fact that he was unconsciously calculating whether this deal would be worthwhile meant the initiative had already slipped into the other’s hands. As soon as he realized this, a hollow laugh escaped him.

“…I’ve been dragged in.”

And quite thoroughly, at that. With a deep sigh, Raven ran a hand down his face and rolled his eyes upward.

Whistle—

At the sound of his whistle, a bird appeared amidst a puff of blue smoke. It was a magical messenger bird.

“I’ll send this thing to you in two weeks. You’ll have to take responsibility for what you’ve said.”

Despite the sharp threat that he wouldn’t be let off easy if the information proved false, Eddie remained completely unfazed. He merely shrugged, pulled his mask back up, and stepped backward without a word of farewell.

Then, reaching for the doorknob, he flung it open and hurled his body out in one swift motion. His movement was like the wind. The moment he vanished through the door, a chill crept into the room, slipping in through the gap as the door slowly swung shut.

Left alone in the empty space, Raven rubbed his brow and gave a quiet command.

“For now, we’re not taking any requests. All focus on monitoring the Edlen Count’s household.”

His subordinates, who had been hidden like shadows, silently disappeared.

 

***

 

While Eddie was darting across rooftops in a rush to return to where he was supposed to be, Louis, who had not yet fallen asleep, pulled on a thick fur jacket over his pajamas and picked up his cane.

He quietly opened the door and walked down the long corridor, stepping onto the staircase that led to the lower floor. He arrived on the second floor, currently used by the servants.

Ahem. The traces of the sleep-inducing incense Eddie had supposedly lit were either already dissipated or had sunk too deeply into the walls to be noticed. Not that it would’ve worked on him anyway.

Louis moved cautiously, every sense on edge. Before he knew it, a black aura had begun to ripple subtly around his body.

He groped along the wall, and as soon as his hand found a doorknob, he turned it. Click, the door opened, and quiet breathing could be heard from within. According to what Eddie had said, the first room at the bottom of the stairs should contain only servants.

‘They won’t wake up easily.’

He closed the door gently and checked the other rooms one by one. Worried someone might be awake—worse yet, that it might be a knight—Louis kept his senses sharpened. While he wasn’t too concerned about the average servant, knights were different. If one of them sensed something was off, it could put Eddie in a difficult position.

Just in case, he tightened his grip on the cane, prepared to strike someone unconscious at a moment’s notice.

He couldn’t help but feel tense. Only two rooms remained now. Swallowing dryly, he peeked through the slightly open door and listened. The breathing was steady. He checked the room beside it too, and only then did Louis finally turn around.

Instead of heading upstairs, he descended to the first floor. Eddie had told him to sleep, promising to return soon, but he just couldn’t. He couldn’t bear to rest comfortably while Eddie might be out there risking his life somewhere.

He passed through the entrance hall and stepped outside. Reaching out, he tested the air. Thankfully, there was no snow, but the chill was especially sharp tonight.

‘If only I could see…’

Then he wouldn’t have to rely on Eddie for everything…. Not long ago, that one-sided care had only felt sweet. But now, it left a bitter taste in his mouth.

“If only my eyes still worked…”

A sigh, invisible in the night air, slipped between his lips and scattered on the wind. The despair he’d felt when he’d first lost his sight began creeping back into his mind.

No, it was worse now—far more hopeless. Like waves crashing in endlessly. What weighed on him most was the feeling that he had become a burden to the person he most desperately didn’t want to burden.

Especially since it was now painfully clear that what Eddie was doing wasn’t for himself—but for him.

‘If I’d known, I wouldn’t have changed…’