Fish Don't Know About Water - Chapter 43

“It’s all thanks to you, b-brother.”

Viett couldn’t help but smile as he watched his wife fidgeting with excitement. Minute’s expression darkened at his casual response.

“Yeah, you little… Remember, it’s all thanks to me!”

“Right. It’s all thanks to y-you. I’m very g-grateful.”

“…Damn, that leaves a bad taste in my mouth.”

Minute, searching for a retort, ended up muttering a curse and turned away. Viett watched his brother walk towards the tent with calm eyes.

“When will he ever grow up…”

Hinler clicked his tongue and shook his head. Viett watched Minute drink heavily and slowly began to speak.

“Earlier… I-I su… suddenly remembered the fi-fish I had as a child…”

He used to look into the fish tank every day and cherish the spiny pufferfish, but now he could barely remember the name he had given it. However, he clearly remembered the sight of it floating belly-up in the water.

It happened on the day he returned to the palace after a two-day entrance exam at the military academy. He had rushed to his room and checked the fish tank first. The small pufferfish was dead, belly up.

The spiny pufferfish had died with its belly burst open, its eyes clouded like they were covered in white mold. Its excrement floated in the tank instead of the fish.

“I remember that too… For a while, you couldn’t eat fish dishes after that.”

Minister Hinler nodded, lost in thought.

“It died because it was overfed.”

“Wh-while I was away from the palace, Mi… Minute f-fed the fi-fish in my place.”

“He claimed he accidentally overfed it.”

Hinler said, looking at Minute, who was chatting with the officers. Viett nodded.

“A bro-brother… who loves animals wouldn’t… m-make such a basic mistake…”

The origin of the pet was unclear, but the pufferfish was one of Viett’s Christmas gifts. At the time, Minute was obsessed with collecting ornamental fish and couldn’t resist the rare species his brother had received.

Viett knew his brother coveted the fish but pretended not to notice. He liked the round, soft, cute fish and didn’t want to lose another thing to his accomplished brother.

If he had known his brother would kill it so cruelly, would young Viett have given the fish to him? Why did that long-forgotten memory suddenly resurface?

“That’s when I re-realized. My bro… brother doesn’t h-hesitate to d-destroy what he can’t have…”

A strange silence filled the gap between them. Hinler, who had been looking towards the tent with a frown, turned to meet Viett’s gaze.

“Are you worried that Prince Minute might harm your wife?”

“The woman he had an interest in r-rejected him and married his you… younger brother. He might hold a g-grudge.”

“A grudge? But his eyes look almost enchanted when he looks at the Little Lady.”

Though he spoke jokingly, Hinler inadvertently touched on an uncomfortable truth. In reality, Minute was sipping his drink and staring at Phenelity.

Phenelity was oblivious to his gaze, engrossed in admiring the cake. Hinler watched them disapprovingly and sighed deeply.

“His gaze is quite improper for looking at his brother’s wife.”

That lecherous bastard… Viett clenched his fists as he watched his brother glance at Phenelity. If there weren’t so many people around, he would have run over and punched him in the face.

“Perhaps Prince Minute killed your fish to force himself to give up on it.”

Hinler spoke, still watching Minute.

“G-give up?”

“Not out of childish jealousy, thinking ‘If I can’t have it, neither can my brother,’ but…”

He hesitated, choosing his words carefully, and then whispered.

“To literally cut off his own greed by ruining the object of his desire. If it’s ruined, he won’t covet it anymore.”

“Th-that’s chilling. I… I’d rather it be d-due to childish j-jealousy.”

“…Would you?”

A cold, self-mocking smile spread across Hinler’s lips.

“Those blinded by greed can easily take a life, whether it’s a person or a creature.”

Viett stared at Hinler without saying a word. The face of the man he had trusted and followed like a godfather seemed unfamiliar today.

He tried to find familiar things in his cold expression. Things like kind warmth or unconditional affection.

But he couldn’t see them. It was like looking at a blurred, unfamiliar face reflected on a wavering surface.

“Viett! Come here quickly! It’s time to cut the cake!”

At that moment, Phenelity’s voice called out from afar. Hinler smiled as he saw Viett snapping back to reality.

“Please remind the princess to use the alias ‘Lionel’ as much as possible. There are many ears listening.”

Then he quietly left. Viett watched his limping figure with vacant eyes.

* * *

“Damn, damn.”

Minute muttered curses as he downed strong apple wine. When the apple wine ran out, he drank wine, and when the wine ran out, he clung to the oak barrel. Turning the spigot embedded in the oak barrel, his glass filled up again.

It was cheap liquor that stung his tongue, but it was better than nothing. He quenched his thirsty tongue with the tingling rum, when his younger sister, who had woken up at some point, staggered towards him. She licked her lips and suddenly glared at him.

“Don’t cause any trouble!”

“Mind your own business, Rose. How much have you drunk?”

“Ugh… Costonia’s liquor… is so bitter and strong…”

“Please just stay in your room and drink wine elegantly. That suits you better.”

Minute patted his sister’s back as she retched. He debated several times whether to load her into a car and leave the party to save the Hartmann family’s face from her drunken state.

“Hey, Rose. We should…”

As he barely managed to support his staggering sister, Phenelity’s cheerful voice called from the table across the room.

“We’re cutting the cake, so everyone gather around!”

He turned his head towards the sound. Phenelity and Viett were standing in front of the towering five-tiered cake, calling people over.

Viett stood next to his wife with a blank expression, tapping the cake with the tip of a knife. Minute frowned at his brother’s sullen face, not appreciating his good fortune. He grumbled under his breath, his lips twitching in dissatisfaction.

“That cake is ridiculously big.”

“Yeah. How did they get a five-tier cake in times like these… Oh, they stacked cakes of different sizes. Interesting.”

He pushed his rambling sister aside and folded his arms, watching Phenelity. He eyed her from head to toe with a gaze full of desire.

She looked even more beautiful than usual, but not valuable enough to give up the glory he held. One experience of scandalous escapades recorded in the newspaper novels was enough.

Even knowing that, why couldn’t he take his eyes off her? Minute bit his lip and turned his gaze away.
Viett, looking at the tall cake with disdain, grabbed Phenelity’s shoulder. He bent down and whispered something in her ear.

Phenelity burst into laughter at his whisper. Viett also smiled faintly. It was a smile that even his brother had rarely seen, leaving Minute dumbfounded.

“Oh my, they really look like a couple now. How cute.”

Rose watched them with a satisfied look. Minute snapped involuntarily.

“Cute? What’s cute about them?”

“They’re cuter than you, so shut up.”

“Both of them are so annoying… Ah!”

He twisted his waist and screamed. Rose had pinched his side hard while he was off guard. He rubbed his stinging side, looking incredulous.

“What are you doing? If you’re going to get drunk, do it gracefully!”

“You should go crazy gracefully too, you damn prince.”

Rose snorted, shaking the hand she had used to pinch him.

“Who saved you from international embarrassment? Have you forgotten why Viett had to marry under duress?”

“Under duress? Damn, does that look like the face of someone who sacrificed? Look at him smiling!”