Fish Don't Know About Water - Chapter 38

— Captain!

— Congratulations on your wedding, Psycho. I was too busy to attend the ceremony.

— It’s okay! Only guests approved by Minister XX could attend anyway!

— The head of the Ministry of Magic? Why would he have a say in your wedding… Oh, right, he attended as the king’s representative.

The captain frowned as she looked at Viett. Viett, meanwhile, was staring blankly at the cigar I had taken from him. His usually sharp blue eyes looked less focused, perhaps experiencing withdrawal symptoms. (Is this what they mean by ‘losing it’?)

— Actually, I saw something interesting near the cathedral earlier.

The captain whispered in my ear, glancing at the dazed Viett.

— What did you see?

— Your husband and the new military doctor’s childish war of nerves.

— The new military doctor… You mean the doctor?

I tilted my head, recalling the situation right after the wedding. Could Viett have chased after the doctor for a nerve-wracking confrontation?

— His Highness’s intimidation skills are quite impressive.

The captain chuckled and punched Viett’s shoulder lightly.

— But please refrain from harassing the military doctor too much. He’s a valuable asset during these times. If even the new recruits run away, my workload will double.

— Viett, did you really threaten the doctor?

I grabbed Viett’s arm and shook it, trying to get his attention off the cigar. It took pressing my fingers into his thick arm for him to come to his senses.

— Hey, cut the lies.

Viett growled at the captain with his eyes regaining focus.

— It was just a suggestion. I asked if he would volunteer for the airship.

— The doctor on an airship? He hasn’t been trained long enough to be deployed to the front lines. Why did you do that?

He turned to me with a look of disbelief.

— Are you defending him in front of me?

— I’m not defending him…

— Psycho, His Highness doesn’t want you and the new recruit sticking together here while he’s away on the airship.

The captain laughed and leaned in between us. She took the cigar from my hand, placed it in her mouth, and winked playfully at Viett.

— Suspicion and anxiety are typical symptoms of jealousy, Your Highness.

— I’m just trying to prevent any dirty suspicions beforehand.

Viett snapped back with a displeased face. Seeing my puzzled look, he explained in a weary voice.

— Since you once had feelings for him, people might misunderstand your relationship.

Then he looked at me with eyes full of dissatisfaction.

— While I’m on the airship… you’ll be spending every day with him at the field hospital.

— Come on, the novel will prove my fidelity and innocence. Don’t worry unnecessarily.

— But…

— Are you saying you don’t trust me now?

When I snapped sharply, he looked a bit flustered.

— That’s not it…

At that moment, I heard snickering laughter from the side. The captain and Viscount XX were exchanging secretive glances and giggling. Viett glared at them fiercely.

— Both of you, get out.

The captain and the viscount exchanged a knowing look and raised their eyebrows. Then they climbed down from the sofa backrest and trudged out onto the terrace.

— Hmph, even after getting married, that way of speaking doesn’t change.

— It’s only been a day. It’ll get better gradually.

Their voices faded away beyond the terrace window. After their silhouettes disappeared into the noisy crowd, Viett sighed and turned to me.

— …Take it.

He handed me the small velvet box. It was the item he had vehemently denied was a gift for me at the cathedral.

— It should have been given during the ceremony… but I wanted to give it to you when we were alone.

He turned slightly towards me and opened the tightly closed box. Seeing the silver ring set with a brilliant blue sapphire, I felt a mix of awkwardness and embarrassment wash over me. His cheeks and neck were also tinged with a faint blush, just like mine.

— What is this…?

— It’s my mother’s engagement ring.

— Queen Lilliana’s?

I examined the ring closely with wide eyes. Only after squinting and scrutinizing it did I find the Hartmann royal family’s crest engraved inside the ring.

— I heard before that the wedding ring was given to the crown prince.

Viett nodded silently. He carefully took my left hand and slipped the ring onto my ring finger. It was too loose and left a lot of space. He fiddled with the loosely fitting ring and muttered.

— I expected it, but… it’s even looser than I thought.

— Is it okay to give me something so precious…?

— It was my mother’s dying wish. She wanted my brother and me to give her ring to our spouses.

He carefully took the ring out and placed it in my hand.

— So, this ring is yours.

I stared at the ring with tears welling up in my eyes. I could clearly feel the immense determination he had when giving me this item, without him needing to explain it. My mother’s keepsakes were also more precious than life to me.

— Thank you.

I smiled slightly and took out my necklace from inside my collar. Slowly, I unfastened the necklace and threaded the sapphire ring onto the chain. The rather heavy ring dangled next to my mother’s pendant.

— I promise to treasure it as dearly as my mother’s pendant. I promise.

As I put the necklace back on and smiled, Viett looked away, embarrassed. Then he snapped the ring box shut and pointed his chin towards the ceiling.

— You should make that promise to my mother.

— Really? Then, thank you, Queen! I will treasure it as dearly as my life!

I wiggled my pinky finger and shouted towards the ceiling. He looked at me, playfully winking, and laughed in disbelief.

— I thought it was unusually quiet today, but here you are doing something strange again…

— Didn’t you just tell me to do this?

— I was joking. I never thought you’d actually shout at the sky.

— What’s gotten into you? You’re usually such a dull person who doesn’t joke around.

— …I guess we’re no longer ‘not that close.’ You keep messing around whenever you have the chance.

He muttered in a tone that seemed to have a hidden meaning, then threw the cigar case onto the table. He stared intently into my eyes and asked.

— Are you sure you won’t regret it?

— Ah, I know what you’re trying to say, but this isn’t the place for that conversation.

I understood his intentions and pressed my elegant lips with my fingertips.

— I’ll give you my answer later while listening to your piano playing.

He frowned with his lips pressed together. He adjusted his posture, avoiding my hand, and looked at me skeptically, as if I were a scammer.

— Why are you avoiding the answer? Are you afraid you’ll regret it?

— Oh, come on! I won’t regret it! If I were going to, I would have run away to the sea long ago!

I jumped up from the sofa and backed towards the entrance. He also stood up, holding onto the backrest.

— Where are you running off to?

— Don’t follow me!

— Where are you going?

— I’m going to check if the party preparations are perfect, so stay put!

I pointed to the sofa and shouted, and he hesitated for a moment before sitting back down.
I looked down at him, fiddling with the empty cigar case, with an incredulous expression. (I just said that on a whim, but now he’s actually listening to me.)

— I’ll be back soon.

I left him looking sulky and went out to the garden. Luckily, the rain had already stopped, and the party preparations were in their final stages.

— Be careful! The cake might collapse!

Hearing the squeals, I turned my head and saw the doctor transporting a huge five-tier cake on a mobile trolley.
My fellow nurses were following him, laughing like children. (Thanks to his handsome face, he turns into the ‘Pied Piper’ wherever he goes, just like in our academy days.)

— Pepe! You clueless idiot!

At that moment, someone shouted my name loudly. It was my friend XX. XX was wearing a dirty apron over her beautiful dress, fuming.

— XX, why are you wearing an apron?

— These people weren’t invited to the party; they came to help! Ugh, I shouldn’t have come!

XX slammed a glass bottle full of purple liquor onto the table. At that moment, Viett’s adjutant, Lieutenant XX, rolled a huge oak barrel past and grumbled.

— If you don’t like it, just stay still. No one forced you to help with the party preparations.

— Hey, Lieutenant XX. Everyone’s busy, so how could I relax and have fun alone?

At XX’s sharp retort, the lieutenant’s eyes turned a bit cold. I stood between them, sweating nervously as they glared at each other.

So these two know each other well…? (Well, XX was Viett’s ex-fiancée, so they must have clashed often.)