Fish Don't Know About Water - Chapter 22

— Where do you think you’re going!

Just as I was sneaking towards the train, the man with silver eyes slammed his cane on the ground and shouted loudly.

— A bride-to-be can’t be so reckless!

The man’s shout echoed loudly through the train station. Startled by the thunderous voice, I shrank my neck. The Doctor, seeing this, glared disapprovingly at the man.

— Enough!

— Haha. Miss, eloping can wait until after the war.

The ticket inspector laughed heartily and jumped onto the train. At the same time, the train started with a loud whistle. Holding the ruined train ticket in my hand, I stared blankly at the departing train.」

The novel for today ended on an ambiguous note. The newspaper was once again crumpled miserably in Viett’s grasp.

“So… it’s certain that the Little Lady didn’t board the last train?”

Esca muttered in a bewildered voice, scratching his head. Viett nodded blankly.

“P-probably…”

“Are you happy?”

A sly smile spread across Esca’s face. Viett twisted his body to avoid Esca’s elbow poking his side.

“Who said I was h-happy.”

“You were even smiling a bit, yet you’re denying it.”

Esca laughed slyly, pointing at Viett’s face.

“Hey, look at this guy. The corners of his mouth are curling up mischievously.”

“I-I’m not the one smirking mischievously, y-you are.”

Viett folded the newspaper irritably, unable to hide his displeasure. He stomped on Esca’s foot, who was laughing hysterically while holding his stomach. Esca, who narrowly avoided his foot, tilted his head.

“But who is this Doctor guy? He seems to be a man, doesn’t he?”

“I… I don’t care.”
Even though he already knew the answer, Viett scoffed with a sullen face.

The ‘Doctor’ mentioned in the novel was undoubtedly the Cochrun family’s physician. He wanted to act indifferent, but the annoyance welling up inside him made his throat ache.

Watching over her married life? What an arrogant bastard. What right does a mere family doctor have? If he’s curious about the Little Lady’s married life, he should stay in Westenia and read the newspaper novel.

He didn’t like that a man who could serve safely in the rear decided to jump into the dangerous front line just to watch over the Little Lady, who once had a crush on him. No sane person would act so recklessly.

How can a doctor be this stupid? Does this guy not realize that Phenelity Cochrun is getting into absurd rumors because of him?

“Hilias Law. He’s a young physician working for the Count of Cochrun family.”

At that moment, Viett and Esca turned their heads at the familiar voice. A man with silver hair slicked back with pomade was walking towards them, leaning on a cane. Viett smiled warmly like a child meeting a long-lost parent.

“Mr. Hinler.”

“He seems to be called ‘Doctor’ in the Little Lady’s novel.”

Minister Hinler smiled as he stood before them. Esca, who had been standing stiffly, immediately saluted.

“Minister.”

“Viscount Esca. I am not a soldier.”

Hinler said indifferently, not even glancing at Esca.

“I am not your superior either. So refrain from saluting.”

“Ah… I apologize.”

Esca awkwardly lowered his salute. Viett looked at Esca’s stiff expression with a puzzled look. This guy was usually strict about saluting etiquette, he even made mistakes he didn’t make during his days as a cadet.

Mages affiliated with the Ministry of Magic maintain civilian status even when deployed to the battlefield. Moreover, Hinler was from the Minister of Magic who had not been granted command authority in this war. According to Westenia’s military law, Hinler was not in a position to receive a salute from a high-ranking officer like Esca.

“Well then, I will take my leave…”

Esca mumbled at the end of his sentence and quietly left. As he hurried away, Hinler made eye contact with Viett.

“It’s good to see you, even like this.”

His cold, wrinkled face softened warmly.

“I hoped to reunite with you in a more pleasant situation, Viett.”

“T-the timing is indeed not great.”

Viett smiled back at him and then lowered his gaze to the silver cane. The description of the ‘handsome old gentleman with silver eyes’ in the novel <Pepe> matched Minister Hinler’s appearance closely.

“Mr. Hinler, the person who stopped the Little Lady at the train station yesterday… was it you?”

“It was me.”

Hinler nodded as he looked at Viett, who trailed off.

“Now, instead of standing here, let’s move to a quieter place.”

Hinler carefully lowered his voice as he looked around.

“The Little Lady is waiting at Your Highness’s residence.”

With a kind smile, Hinler slowly started walking. Viett cautiously matched his steps with the limping man.

* * *

Viscount Esca wandered in the basement of the residence assigned to Lieutenant ‘Lionel Coulson,’ also known as Prince Viett. The basement, prepared for air raid evacuation, was narrow and musty, with only an old lamp hanging from the ceiling for light. The high shelves were filled with various military rations.

In the lowest compartment of the shelf, a suicide pistol and grenades were hidden. These were for officers to use just before being captured by the enemy, and only high-ranking officers knew their location.

“You idiot! How could you make such a basic mistake with the prince around!”

He yelled, ruffling his hair. His body trembled in fear of the impending pain.

“Damn it… I should just die.”

It might be less painful than being mentally tortured by the Master. As he debated while biting his nails, he squatted and felt around under the lowest shelf compartment. He retrieved the pistol fixed under the plywood and aimed it at his head. His finger on the trigger trembled.

…Wait. If I die like this, what about my wife and children? There’s no guarantee that Aisad will take care of the viscount family, which has fallen into sudden decline.

Thinking of his young sons’ innocent eyes, the strength drained from his hand holding the pistol. Damn. Just hold on a little longer. At least until my kids get into the academy…

Esca exhaled a tense sigh and returned the pistol to its place. As he dusted off his knees and stood up, a cold voice came from behind.

“Good thinking. I didn’t want to clean up a corpse in Prince Viett’s basement.”

Hinler Heinz stood in the doorway. Leaning on his cane, he limped into the basement. Esca straightened his clothes and saluted the leader of the anti-monarchist faction.

“Master.”

“That recent mistake was quite unexpected.”

Minister Hinler clicked his tongue and closed the basement door. Esca hurriedly brought over a wooden chair from the corner. Sitting down, Hinler struck the stone floor with his cane.

Thud! The dull sound echoed through the narrow basement. Esca shrank his neck like a frightened turtle.

“A man of your caliber making such a basic mistake. Have you become complacent from rolling around in this cesspool?”

Hinler looked up at the tense Esca with a blank expression. Esca lowered his gaze and bowed deeply.

“…I apologize.”

“Be careful. Prince Viett must not know my true identity yet.”

It’s not just the Master’s identity. Esca hid his sarcasm and resentment.

“I will keep that in mind.”

Lady Cecilia Rosti, Viett’s former fiancée. Viscount Esca, the only person Viett could somewhat call a ‘friend.’ From his aide who had assisted him since his days as a new officer, to the house cleaner. Viett Hartmann had no idea that everyone around him was an agent of Aisad.

Our innocent, stuttering prince. He’ll never know that I entered the military academy under the Master’s orders and deliberately orbited around him until the day he dies.

‘Poor guy.’

Esca clicked his tongue inwardly and swallowed a bitter smile.

Among the royal family members who lived like flowers in a greenhouse, Viett was particularly immature and delicate. He was clumsy in dealing with people and unfamiliar with forming relationships.

His excessive self-defense paradoxically manifested as rough violence. His narrow human relationships were evidence of his low self-esteem stemming from his stuttering.

I always thought that was the reason. But there was an even more serious reason.

‘Now I get it. The prince became a lonely fool all because of the Master’s overprotection.’

Esca lifted his head and glanced at Minister Hinler with a resentful look. Living surrounded by agents secretly planted by the Minister, anyone would end up like Prince Viett.

He built relationships with people and cut off the world according to the script written by the Minister. How could such a prince live a normal life?