Fish Don't Know About Water - Chapter 34

“That slap was too much, Cecil.”

Being called out on her flaw by Hilias only doubled her embarrassment.

“That was ages ago…”

Cecilia rolled her eyes in embarrassment. Hilias gave her a strange smile.

“Or is it because you feel uncomfortable officially becoming a rival to our lady?”

“Rival? I have no interest in the prince anymore.”

“Indeed. You were always after the position of princess consort.”

Still smiling, he stepped beyond the door.

“If you come to the reception, Phenelity will be happy.”

Just before the cathedral door closed, a large hand reached out from behind Cecilia and caught the door with a thud.

Cecilia felt someone approach from behind and quickly turned her head. Prince Viett’s broad chest filled her view.

“Commander?”

“……”

Viett silently nodded as he pushed the massive door. Then, through the crack in the door, he cast a cold glance.

His gaze was fixed on the back of Hilias, who was quickly descending the cathedral steps.

Cecilia, debating whether to greet him, smiled softly at his sudden action. His blue eyes were particularly cold as he glared at Hilias Law.

Was it anger at his rudeness of leaving the venue without offering congratulations? Or hostility towards his wife’s first love?

If I try to talk to him now, it’ll just make things awkward, right? Cecilia took a step back with an embarrassed face. Unsure how to act as the ex-fiancée, she turned her head at the feeling of being watched.

Phenelity was standing in the aisle, staring at her with wide eyes. Just then, Prince Viett walked outside in the blink of an eye. She sighed at his indifference, leaving the bride alone right after the ceremony.

Chasing after Senior Law comes first, huh? Did they even share a vow kiss? What about the wedding rings? Cecilia felt sorry for the wedding that only left behind meaningless vows and a few fake photos.

What was most pitiful was the bride, who was smiling blissfully, was unaware that she was being used by the royal family’s schemes. Phenelity raised her arms and greeted her enthusiastically.

“Cecil! Hello!”

“Not so good, for me.”

Cecilia shook her head and turned towards Phenelity.

* * *

「<Pepe: On the 77XXth day since birth…?>

※ This propaganda novel contains inappropriate scenes for children, such as smoking, drinking, and suggestive elements.
※ This novel includes descriptions of blood. The elderly should read with caution.
※ Names of people other than the Little Lord and her family are marked as XX.
※ For royal security reasons, the wedding location and ceremony details are omitted. Please take note of this.

Just because it was a wedding day didn’t mean it would be a miracle to spend the day peacefully without incidents. As soon as I woke up at dawn, I had to rush to the field hospital with my colleagues. (Even though I was on leave!)
Early in the morning, because of an aerial battle near the city, injured soldiers flooded into the field hospital at the training camp.
I skipped meals while taking care of the injured who occupied not only the beds but also the cold floors and every corner of the corridor. I couldn’t even enjoy tea breaks in between. (This is unthinkable for a tea-loving Westenia citizen!)
The wedding was supposed to start at X o’clock at XX Cathedral. Originally, it was set to start at X o’clock, but my suddenly busy schedule kept pushing it back.
Luckily, the prince was just as busy as I was. Due to the aerial battle that broke out early in the morning, the deployment date for the special forces’ combat airship was moved up. The prince and his battalion members, who were about to board, were even busier.
There were rumors that the entire battalion would board the temporary airship for airborne training within the week. I imagined the prince relying on a parachute to drop from the sky. The thought alone was terrifying.

— There’s no way special forces would jump from the airship without any protection.

The doctor reassured me with a smile. The foreign soldier he was operating on was strapped to the bed, receiving anesthesia.

— Most of the special forces soldiers sent to this camp are people who can’t control their overflowing magic.

The soldier’s eyes widened at the sight of the bone-cutting saw the doctor pulled out. He shouted something in a foreign language, but I couldn’t understand him. The doctor stuffed bandages into the soldier’s mouth and continued.

— If a special forces soldier loses his mind out of fear during a drop and goes berserk, it could blow up the surrounding comrades. So the probability of special forces being deployed in airborne operations is low.

Come to think of it, why did the prince become a special forces officer when he has no magic?
I tilted my head, then quickly turned away as the sharp saw touched the soldier’s arm. To hear less of the soldier’s screams, I covered one ear and asked.

— Then why are the prince and the soldiers boarding the airship?

— There could be many reasons. Reinforcement of standby and defense forces, for instance… Ugh!

I sensed the doctor getting smacked hard on the head from behind. Then the booming voice of Captain XX echoed.

— You idiot rookie! Are you really Psycho’s physician? Don’t you know that explaining things in front of her would reveal all our tactics to the other side?

I glanced over my shoulder. (I tried my best not to see the patient whose arm was being amputated.)
The captain was scolding the doctor harshly. I felt sorry that the doctor was getting scolded on his first day because of me. (It was my fault for asking unnecessary questions!)

— Psycho! Stop loitering around and get out!

I was shoved out of the operating room by the captain. Then I tripped over someone’s leg lying next to the operating room door and fell flat on my face.

— I’m sorry…

I rubbed my stinging knees and looked to the side. I saw a body covered in a bloody sheet. Realizing that I had tripped over a corpse, my mind went blank with shock.

— That person just died.

Nurse XX, carrying a basin full of bloody bandages, said as she passed by.

— The mortuary is full, so they can’t even take care of the bodies.

I stood up awkwardly and made a grim face. Death was everywhere. Screams echoed from beyond the hospital doors left wide open for ventilation.
Is it okay to hold a wedding on a day like this? I was standing absent-mindedly, gripping my blood-stained apron with both hands, when someone tapped my shoulder.

— What are you doing? Standing there blankly.

It was the captain, dragging a bloody saw as she came out of the operating room.

— If I see you hanging around with your family physician again, you’re dead.

— I wasn’t hanging around; I was helping with the anesthesia…

— Ah, shut up.

The captain waved her hand dismissively.

— Go quickly to the end of that corridor

She pointed to the end of the corridor, which was piled high with blood-stained uniforms and boots. Before I could ask who was waiting, I was roughly shoved forward.

— I’ll give you 10 minutes, so hurry up and come back!

The captain shouted loudly at the back of my head as I stumbled away. I walked down the corridor, which was soaked with blood, with a dazed expression. Passing by the busy soldiers and nurses, I spotted a large window wide open at the end of the corridor.
I saw a sturdy figure leaning against the windowsill. His Highness was leaning against the windowsill, smoking a cigarette.
Unlike usual, he was wearing a navy blue short-sleeved training uniform. As I approached, I could smell faint traces of sweat, sand, and gunpowder.
The nape of his neck was a light pink from the sun, and his clothes were slightly damp with sweat. (Did he come straight from training?)

— You’re here?

His Highness heard my footsteps and looked back over his shoulder. His previously bored eyes widened slightly.

— You look even more disheveled today.

He frowned as he stubbed out his cigarette in the windowsill crevice.

— Aren’t you overdoing it right before the ceremony?

— …I’m fine…

— You’re supposed to be on leave, but you came to help. Take care of yourself.

Seeing his frowning face, I felt a sudden wave of relief. I rubbed my still-shivering arms vigorously.

— I… I did something terrible to a person who just died!

I started to sob as I explained what had happened earlier, and he threw the cigarette butt away with an exasperated look.

— Stop sobbing. The one who left the body there is at fault.

— But…

— How could things get so chaotic in half a day? Come closer.

His Highness opened the window wider and reached out to me. He rubbed the blood splatters off my cheek and ear with his fingers and clicked his tongue. The hand that had been holding the cigarette was now holding a sky-blue silk handkerchief.