IBSBV Ch 5

Chapter 5

Eddie seated Louis in a chair at the dining table, where the meal would soon be served. Then, he reached out to pull away the blanket Louis was holding. However, for some reason, Louis tightened his grip and refused to let go.

“It’s because of you… because of you…”

“What about me? You need to finish your sentence if you want me to understand.”

Eddie, who had replied curtly, suddenly recalled the small spark he had ignited earlier and cast his gaze downward.

He seemed to have calmed down.

“My body feels strange because of you.”

Louis turned his head abruptly, furrowing his brows as he muttered.

Eddie immediately understood what he meant and rubbed the back of his neck.

Even when he could still see, Louis likely hadn’t received proper care. Perhaps he had been taught how to wash himself, but no one had ever bathed him directly. After losing his sight, he had grown even more guarded, so yesterday was probably the first time he had ever felt warmth from another’s touch.

Under such circumstances, both the one being washed and the one doing the washing had inevitably experienced prolonged contact.

‘And last night, we even slept together.’

Though, for Eddie, it had been an uncomfortable night.

At his age, Louis was already going through puberty. This morning was probably the first time his body had reacted to such stimuli.

In the original novel, Louis was someone who engaged in passionate relationships after meeting the shou. But right now, he was still just a boy, utterly ignorant of such things. No wonder he was flustered.

“It’s not that something is wrong with you. This is just part of growing up. It’s a natural process, so there’s no need to overreact.” 

Eddie explained in a calm yet matter-of-fact tone.

“The meal will be ready soon. Unless you plan on eating with a blanket over you, you should hand it over.”

“…I don’t need it. I don’t need food either.”

“That’s nonsense. Eating is important. For people who are alive.”

Eddie gently tugged at the blanket. This time, Louis didn’t resist and loosened his grip, allowing Eddie to smoothly take it away and toss it onto the bed.

“…A person… Was I ever really a person?”

“If not, then what else would you be?”

“A person… alive…”

Louis mumbled the words repeatedly, as if they had left a deep impression on him.

As if he had never realized until now that he was a person.

Eddie’s lips twisted slightly. It was an expression that often surfaced when his emotions grew complicated, when he was in a foul mood, or when he was angry.

Knock, knock, knock.

“Your Highness, it’s the butler.”

Right on cue, a knock sounded, and the door opened to reveal the butler and Bell pushing a trolley inside. Eddie turned his attention away from the dazed Louis and observed the meal being placed on the table.

A thin, oil-free soup, two slices of bread, and a salad with finely shredded chicken. That was it.

“Since His Highness frequently skips meals, the head chef thought a heavy breakfast might be too difficult to digest, so he asked us to bring only this.”

“But he said dinner will be a bit richer.” 

Bell quickly added, as if trying to defend the chef when he noticed Eddie’s cold gaze.

Louis wasn’t like ordinary people. He felt pain when he was hit, and wounds left scars, but because of the curse, it was difficult for him to suffer serious harm under normal circumstances.

The same applied to his digestive system. If anything, given how underweight he was, it would be better for him to consume high-calorie meals.

They should know this.

Eddie barely held back a scoff.

“Not just dinner. It would be better to prepare heavier meals starting from lunch as well.”

“Understood. I’ll inform the chef.”

Nodding, the butler glanced at Louis.

“Take good care of His Highness.”

After the two left, Eddie draped a napkin around Louis’ neck. Then, he washed his hands and handed him a piece of bread.

“Open your mouth. One bite of soup, then one bite of bread.”

Holding a spoon, he scooped up some soup and brought it to Louis’ lips. After a brief hesitation, Louis barely parted them—just a little.

“Am I feeding a baby bird? How is the spoon supposed to fit if you open your mouth so tiny? Open wider.”

At Eddie’s blunt scolding, Louis’ mouth opened wide—much too wide.

“There’s no in-between with you, huh? Just open it moderately.”

Grumbling about how the soup would spill, Eddie slipped the spoon into his mouth. Louis swallowed with an audible gulp.

His long eyelashes trembled. His cheeks and ears flushed red. He licked his lips slightly, as if tasting the lingering flavor. Contrary to his blank expression, he seemed to find the food delicious.

“Take a bite of the bread and bite down.”

Louis obediently took a large bite. At first, his chewing was slow and hesitant, but before long, his lips started moving more quickly.

After finishing the soup and bread, Eddie fed him the salad. Finally, he wiped his lips clean, and Louis’ expression noticeably softened, as if satisfied.

Eddie placed the empty dishes back on the trolley. He reached for the service bell but then decided to take the dishes to the kitchen himself, wanting to check on things. He opened the door—

“This is the first time I’ve ever finished a meal properly… So this is how food is meant to be eaten…”

It was a warm meal.

It was a murmur, but it spoke volumes about the animalistic life Louis had led until now.

“I’ll be stepping out for a moment.”

There was no response, but he caught the brief motion of Louis closing and opening his eyes.

As if telling him to go.

 

***

 

The kitchen was filled with sweltering heat. At its center, the head chef was transferring freshly cooked dishes into large serving plates.

Beside him stood a maid and Bell, who was the first to notice Eddie’s arrival. Bell quickly approached and took the handle of the trolley from him.

“You could have called for me, and I would’ve come to you.”

Eddie ignored Bell’s sheepish smile and instead examined the food piled onto a new trolley, ready to be taken to the dining hall. With the knights’ hearty appetites, the morning spread was already brimming with meat.

“Oh, what brings you all the way to the kitchen?”

The head chef finally looked up, his eyes widening in surprise as he noticed the empty dishes.

“His Highness finished everything? Really?”

He asked again and again as if he couldn’t believe it. His gaze even flickered to Eddie’s lips, searching for any trace of food.

Of course, Eddie could have simply wiped his mouth beforehand, but recalling last night’s meal, he shook his head.

The way he had painstakingly picked at meat scraps no bigger than a palm, chewing without enthusiasm—it was hard to believe someone like that had any particular attachment to food.

“Hah… I should be celebrating, but this is so unexpected that I don’t even know what to say.”

The head chef now looked at Eddie like he was some strange, otherworldly being. It was absurd to think that this young man had only arrived yesterday.

Forcing Louis to bathe, making him finish his meals—what on earth was this newcomer?

No, more than that, there was another question that burned in the chef’s mind.

“Don’t you feel uneasy around His Highness?”

The question had slipped out before he could stop himself. The chef realized his blunder a second too late and rubbed a crumpled brow with one finger.

But the words were already spoken. He had never been one to hold back what was on his mind.

“You must know that His Highness is the cursed puppet of the imperial family. To be honest, even being near him gives me the chills. It’s just… eerie.”

“Why should I feel uneasy? It’s not as if the curse is contagious. He’s just a young boy—only fifteen.”

No matter what others thought, to Eddie, Louis was simply a child of high status who needed an adult’s care. 

“And though young, His Highness is still our superior.” 

At this subtle warning not to speak so carelessly, the chef forced an awkward smile. 

“That’s true. Ah, I heard from the butler. For lunch, I’ll prepare richer dishes with larger portions as you suggested.” 

“Thank you.”

At least the chef wasn’t stingy about food. If nothing else, he understood whose wealth sustained this northern fortress.

Relieved that the conversation hadn’t taken a worse turn, Eddie was about to step back when, out of nowhere, the chef stuffed a freshly cut piece of meat into his mouth.

“Sorry for making things awkward earlier. But you need to eat breakfast too.”

“I’m fine. I don’t have much of an appetite—”

“Nonsense! A proper breakfast is essential for getting through the day!”

Before Eddie could refuse, another piece of meat was shoved toward him.

The rough, forceful kindness made him uncomfortable.

People like this—loud, overly cheerful, easily swayed by rumors—were often the first to turn their backs when it truly mattered. He had learned that the hard way in his past life.

“This will do.”

Eddie drew the line and stepped back before more unwanted kindness could enter his mouth.

How stiff. The chef clicked his tongue in disapproval. However, he didn’t try to hold Eddie back anymore.

“Take this then. Eat it when you get hungry.” 

Instead, he tapped a basket with the back of his hand. Inside were freshly baked, warm cookies.

“Thank you.”