IBSBV Ch 18

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Chapter 187e9b1b290fae2a04e4d1

 2a256f8d67e225520af1

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Eddie wiped Louis’s mouth 4c569986ec after he finished eating. Then, fumbling slightly, Louis reached out and brushed fe4a75ed3c his thumb over Eddie’s cheek and lips.b3e6081e6a75d5445541

“What are 830c792c82 you doing?”9d77a0221709d1a3c63d

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“I wanted to wipe a3bd6b3ac5 yours too… but I 8699695764 think your lips are b107ff6b48 already clean. Nothing’s coming 882015d8c7 off on 9565e2bab5 my hand.”15104b4835527fd36af5

“I wipe them every time I 403c837a60 take a bite, whether with my f331817057 hand or a napkin.”afdf896aeb7c63c7b909

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“Why?”6a165a9dbe50bfdd8cd0

“It became a habit after I e21663c109 lost my sense of taste. Every time I feel something 550b7a802b lingering on my lips, it ed1adc663a makes me uncomfortable.”6ab219af5b1a8612f0ec

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So that’s why 321b68afad his lips weren’t 5abcb94135 moist. They weren’t terribly b6f7f817b2 dry, but they a5f1036b86 were rough enough. Louis’s expression d084a4d56c darkened slightly.922b53f3ac21d0dafb45

It was nothing more than a 73c0920cfa simple, repetitive action, seemingly insignificant. But if a wound remained in a10cb8aa1f the form of an everyday habit, e150f582cb it meant it had been painful—painful e4fa03d8bb enough to persist, even now.8d3c15f2faa1e9ae7950

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Louis lived a broken 5ad7822257 life, but Eddie seemed 1ed316bcac just as damaged. No, perhaps e9699e0bfd even more b416c89c76 twisted than 2b0c01f559 he was. At least Louis had outwardly expressed his suffering in some way, b08232115c while Eddie… Eddie had built countless webs around his wounds.e583e4b31d0ab75a31b7

He would answer if asked, but he had c6c0f53116 drawn a clear boundary, ensuring no one could 020d129212 push past the cracks and invade.8b6cc2a5510516fa02ea

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That sharp-edged caution made 523932c75d it difficult for Louis 82ac0944fb to find the right a2ed6746d3 words. He had never been good at jokes, and 7625ab293f carrying on a conversation like this felt tricky.b8c3f926a8337872dea4

As he hesitated, a clear chime 3880fca68c rang through the room, followed by dfb667365d the sound of the door opening.55a1a8f13eaba87d4f02

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“Hurry and 676ec972c2 clear the d299b1d340 table. There’s plenty of dessert I bought fb148865f7 from outside, so you don’t need de0313b7e1 to bring any more. Instead, bring 4cf39aef5e warm tea 69ea1936b8 in an 0efc3a1c06 hour.”c8a959bab74b72886def

“Yes, understood.”9ebf9ed786b25cfaffa1

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At Eddie’s command, Bell swiftly transferred 789941a755 the plates onto a trolley. After he a4e9024f0c left, Eddie df43578615 handed Louis 8e0ee6c5b3 the cane. Louis ran his fingers 509cc89434 over it hesitantly before f4d24596af his face lit up 145ee22cad in confusion.86c9b2896e089c56f615

“…What is this? A whip? I didn’t ca6f1d2fbb do anything d3a01c2300 wrong….”eb9c38e1be18e5410941

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“It’s a cane. I told 8e6ab5a0e2 you I’d 51bd9ed037 buy one. Now, stand up.”4a29fc47799617d3c592

With Eddie’s help, e7c9499684 Louis stood. Instinctively, he gripped c6b8751887 the cane tightly.2932f793334972bc18d5

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“Oh? Standing feels a 06780d527f little easier now!”b9d4a4a1bce12b519a7f

“It should.”91423ae3c14c26211f54

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As Eddie 3bb1dc125b spoke, he 34eaedf9d7 moved behind 46af73ce2b Louis. Their chests 42683b367b and backs 7bede77ecc pressed together. Startled by the unexpected fb2d1ccb71 contact, Louis froze.66d0525a09d12e033b15

“I’ll teach you how c28f7ec1e6 to use it.”df8095b0c55d0cfb098c

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The low voice brushed against 1fda167a02 the nape of his neck, 6080616458 warm and unsettling. Louis shuddered.84316b3969e9b1889d9b

They had touched 9da78f91fb countless times before. Eddie had bathed ca18139ebe him, dressed him—had e82243cfad touched him everywhere. But after this morning, Louis found himself 714ae6eee2 far more aware of him than usual.ec6432d17e101a1fe786

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Maybe it was because of the strange 70b8c5187d desire that had taken root inside him.01dff7efc910a6b5694e

Clenching his jaw, he forced 8ddab822dd down his unsteady breaths. He willed himself 7f1bc32c99 to suppress the bbf055790d nerves threatening to 598e91821a surface. Meanwhile, Eddie’s hand slid down 1184bf3086 Louis’s forearm, finally settling over f4cf54244e the hand gripping the cane.499becfa4e14e83f0922

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“From now on, 1fc0cd2b98 this will be c25055503e your eyes. Now, tilt it slightly d7f28a3088 and extend it forward.”27b68783e8a3c402473a

To check 529d541f9c what lay faea6a12da ahead. To sense what was d74ae35aef on either side.660957e0d89a474c5c35

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“Tap the ground as 716b6cabf1 you step forward, carefully, af26501b52 one foot at a 9bb794118a time.”4540fd9cd368bde73b04

Eddie’s quiet 806bcb412f voice was 8cabca475d both sweet 4e89a412e2 and unnerving. It made Louis’s 0b57644685 mouth—no, something deeper 7de3475e70 inside him—feel parched. He shut his eyes 17e7fc3ace tightly for a moment 75197108db before shaking his head, e791b45710 trying to focus.75684da21710b63f8204

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He followed 81217ed99a Eddie’s instructions. Walking was 47ccd42e29 definitely less 92ae651b75 terrifying. It felt much more stable f9cbe2bcb5 than fumbling through the air 19893c9c19 with his hands.c8a133b5fb8cf601c078

Once all his b06854e71e attention shifted to 71e263a582 his steps, Eddie 33a4f52f4c naturally pulled away. Louis quickly got the 3211c7f716 hang of it, walking d59966d2bc steadily even without Eddie’s f304f82786 support. He didn’t wobble. His face, which had been tinged 96b1b3dd9b with nervous excitement, soon settled into 56fbf2884f a look of quiet determination.981281fd629a9a6a194f

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How many times 836b2513e6 had he circled 6c9cd2c07e the room?2fee28ad09c3033866fa

When the tip of his d64b6be5b8 cane hit a surface, it 3bc9c40d34 felt different from the walls 0949ee485d he had brushed past earlier. There was a d5e71c9aa9 shallow groove. Noticing that it was a 81ec66f563 door, not a wall, Louis 950b43828e stopped without leaving the place.3b2de8618d74b6ec437d

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“…….”192a4905034cc4efb0cb

He hesitated. Again and again, his hand 8eb4406dea hovered over the handle.5f294ac9cb0c24c40526

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He wavered. Then wavered 6f127cdd34 some more. Finally, he 9ae907f3e5 reached out ea757afd10 and grasped b1d11259ef the doorknob. It took a tremendous amount of 398ccbceba courage just to turn it.07bed3570816a7a233d7

Creak—.f66d8f00ad69f9e5ac40

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For the first time c3f946114f in his life, Louis 7a3546a68e opened a door with d4c4424914 his own hands. Others could enter and leave as they pleased, but doors 9861d5d585 had never been something he was allowed to open. He wasn’t permitted 90bca5290a to leave of 83cb07a2bf his own accord.2fda6721a2923032c7ff

Sover had sometimes taken him outside, ee7e4e75c7 but only at night, only with 5e1dcd2dbc shackles on his wrists and ankles 976f10a643 and a leash around his neck. He had been dragged d56870e210 along like a beast, daed6e87b1 treated as something less 2468f96d6c than human.8c7591608a5f88570ca8

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Tap. Louis carefully extended his ee1cb2c96f cane beyond the threshold. Then, following his own will, he took 001d8b5754 a step forward, crossing the boundary. It wasn’t his first time 60106a63cb standing in the hallway. But for some reason, he a5e8fd43b5 felt as though he had f6dfceebd0 shattered a wall and emerged a84d90d42d into the world. A whirlwind of indescribable 2038843a6f emotions churned inside him.7f3d3db5fea0090bb04d

“Eddie.”6defb976e47e3a0a3993

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Slowly, he turned toward e3b31c9896 where Eddie stood, watching. He held out c76fb2aa57 his hand—not with 8659b398e3 his palm down, 9652a24be4 but facing upward. Not asking to be led, but inviting bd38676bc3 Eddie to take hold of him.d19ced127423b106e762

“Guide me a3b4f54fab through the d78d5b2f8f castle.”4e4d5aa000202126012c

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For the first time, Louis’s be5bee68d8 voice, which had always wavered 28d4532dd6 with uncertainty, carried firm resolve. His eyes shone f092015dbf with quiet determination.651084079d8f43f0376d

“I want to walk beside 5e07b13b35 you, without leaning on you.”b74b2a069d25b3e865a7

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One by one, Louis 82e70d8e6a was experiencing his firsts.73da9c544d4bb8df9f5d

 bcfe21b2a323d36ada38

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***5336e0c4a5166afde6b9

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Tap, tap, 27ddb9035b tap, tap—.ee1fedb1a371d103d873

The sound of the 61f414d542 cane tapping against the 870bf27cc3 floor echoed through the 18e7157d2d shadowed corridors. Rather than being disruptive, the rhythmic sound seemed b036573155 to breathe new life into the space. With each step Louis 47717bba20 took, the castle’s suffocating 67060857a0 gloom seemed to lift fe9865b32b little by little. In its place, a79d22a7ad a fragile excitement 30dcfc6a84 seeped in.4523c431c3357ea2b14b

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His gaze was 163f3d6055 fixed straight ahead. His shoulders and back were straight, his 1ceb7b4123 posture steady, his stride slow but unwavering. Compared to yesterday, 5e758778c8 he was utterly d2d0cc33ed different.e649cbc0cfe4c4700f1b

A mere cane—no. That was 2d129cb14b a mistake. For someone who had lost 9717fed013 their sight, a cane was 53d077158e never something to be dismissed 79e49d967e as ‘mere.’ Eddie knew that. That was why he had gone out 19e5028b8d of his way to buy it.c818e896f6bf2b07f86a

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And yet, he had just thoughtlessly ec399bf3db reduced it to something trivial. As if being the author excused him for inflicting 59ad5955cb this disability on Louis in the first place.322ed4ceb3b8fd91ada7

‘How pathetic.’ed6f4a82e53dae0f7d1d

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Eddie swallowed the creeping guilt 240296dc3f as he looked at the aa7eb87f3f hand tightly gripping his, as 528ffce53e if unwilling to let go. Though still the hand of a boy whose 39dcaae9ad fingers had yet to fully mature, the warmth ae25ec780f radiating from it felt reassuring beyond words. The fact that Louis was even walking a step ahead of 614d26dc31 him made him feel as though he were being protected.19133d96492173135396

His thin 30b0e7d339 back seemed 71a206de17 broader somehow. Just being within the ecf8aa24b6 long shadow cast by 36a6abd552 Louis made him feel… 836b96c5b7 safe. It was a foreign sensation, 6b77dcdefe one he had never experienced d7481afd5c from anyone before.8b7e27f3eb8b74c88665

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It was so new, so 829758c3cd overwhelming, that it made his 529cb827b5 stomach churn as if he ee890d4832 were seasick.72a4ac834b10f2febe68

‘To think he’d gain f930cc7fdd this much confidence from d8a1f3268f just a cane…’d4de9e3d7ebb68822dbd

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Compared to the first bb1eb96872 unstable day, the change 56cbb06fb1 was astonishingly fast. He had assumed it would take him cbdf974667 much longer to step out of his f0924fadd7 bedroom by his own will, but now, b0c0133608 that assumption seemed laughable.116b6655c6780afa652f

Eddie glanced sideways. Sunlight streamed through the windows scattered 8fc56392f4 along the corridor, marking the shift 4ccf2a0050 from morning to afternoon.67bbadd2db9cb6f42607

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Louis’ dark red hair shimmered in the d712d82eac bright light, glowing with a rich vibrancy. It was dazzling—so 5213784a07 much so that 11c716c787 it was almost 4d4e41494f beautiful.6da1c45539f6e2456460

Unconsciously, a smile formed f66be8ff68 on Eddie’s lips. Carefully, so as not to e9ecc4f502 startle him or make him ca8b0df27a feel disappointed, he slowly withdrew 861bd5d532 his hand. Then, as if offering encouragement, e91374f8c4 he patted Louis’ back.6ff073cf9544af40c895

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“I will protect 16704d7581 Your Highness from f8114db9b7 behind.”60971da0ffaceb5325ae

At those words, urging him to walk without 5f4416fdf3 worry, Louis nodded despite a hint of reluctance.d73b290c5f9c62079ff9

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“Listen as ab71665237 we go. The Grand Duke’s d82df092ba estate is a 3dd48b212c four-story building. The floor Your Highness mainly resides in 96047d4e29 has ten bedrooms, a private office, a ee97b19e8c library, a dressing room, and a bathroom.”e30702502423d0ce4337

If Louis had been granted 9fff89fb00 a normal life—if he had c68ec2a6d4 a family—those empty bedrooms would 7df44a28e8 have belonged to them.c38b8f816d6ff71ed107

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“The third floor below us 5863538b97 houses a larger office, a c84c5b19e1 grand conference hall, and several ca25de5918 meeting rooms.”a83124265e59ccb4f5c6

It was little more than a ghost floor, occupied only for afbe68b546 appearances, mostly by aides who had nowhere else to go.cd207ca3d26108bb4686

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“The second floor is currently used 9cedbc3ac3 by the knights, the butlers, the aa56042e14 nanny, and the servants.”566f449848d89076f874

Had the butler been given the role of a proper ‘butler’ rather than a glorified a8b96f8d3b head servant, this floor would have belonged to him and those under his command.27d8f71c75970b0276cd

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“Then the dining 2af705e38f hall is on 50215ca4f3 the first floor? Does everyone 0a28f93eda usually eat 3c8d76cc02 there?”33af25b1a80e890716f9

“Yes.”a4ed5e4e8db623fa964e

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Saying it all out loud 1fdf31a943 made it sound insignificant. Though Louis held the title of 14723acafb Grand Duke, he was not truly 622ee3e288 the master of the North. His status was high, but 67772afc94 his power was paltry. What he lacked 9185cd7ece far outweighed what 3a15eb96c1 he had.a1db0250a5152d630db8

The more Eddie thought 77ac8dacda about it, the stronger f7601b20c1 the bitterness welled up c1861f0dc8 inside him.4690c682cd18d0648107

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“…Your Highness?”00d1039d79eacab81cac

It was then that figures appeared 635ed398d0 at the far end of the 8b75f6c5c6 hallway, just coming up the stairs. The nanny. The butler. Bell.9b806c9bfd418da21553

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The three of them stared at Louis in c396cc01e8 open shock, scanning him over and over as 269cb8a4ad if they were looking at an unimaginable sight. They stood frozen, as though 590b942dd2 they had encountered something uncanny. The nanny and the butler, struck by the da441d3664 surreal image before them, trembled as they blinked 3d49fdbad1 rapidly, trying to gather their wits.7d29202ab46abb9c4406

In contrast, 0e86aaa489 Bell looked 26418e092e intrigued. His gaze landed on the c9344814bc cane in Louis’ grasp, and 72a45fb614 a soft gasp escaped him. He even muttered under his breath—small d754425d7e murmurs of “That’s good” or “What 57e5687be8 a relief.” He harbored no fear a41c4eeaa5 or discomfort toward his master. He was simply 69c88af1d7 happy to see 121418d953 his master grow.bc2c75e598009541750a

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“H-How is eccd1d4db8 Your Highness…?”b6998512e1e085cdd409

“…The nanny, 5db70bb459 I presume.”13a6c798b3211dfa98e4

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Louis, after briefly tilting his b78c0db967 head to locate the source 3fb689ab3b of the voice, gently tapped 42a4da941f his cane against the floor.936d087377e92f35a955

The nanny flinched. Her shoulders c563c0bc76 visibly jerked. Louis, who had 1a38a79568 no way of 2743c66b42 noticing, took slow, 76e359f132 deliberate steps forward. Then, extending his cane 50a16cf666 to gauge the distance, 76734aaf38 he stopped at a 21cc497108 measured space between them.06467b3fba462f89df0e

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He was b1f3ac4daa being considerate. Afraid that approaching 8a787c8396 too closely might 2cdcd83660 frighten the three. Louis’ back, drawing his own line before they could e402871266 step back, was surprisingly not tinged with bitterness.48ccf6b2054d7f991e50

—It’s okay. I won’t 3990bb2ec8 be hurt 73310a42f9 anymore. I have Eddie.4d3bb223b72dc3667e0e

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So he 25906fc037 must not 9e20afec8e show weakness. Resolving himself, 8ce79e0727 he opened f732b7135c his mouth dfe5c0df6f to speak.a34cb56a58ed8ee58b69

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