Fish Don't Know About Water - Chapter 44

“Excited… Viett? The Viett?”

Rose blinked her half-closed eyes and looked at Viett. He had already wiped the smile off his face and was poking the side of the cake with the knife.

“Calling that gloomy, unpleasant face excited… Your eyes are really bad. Is that why you can’t go to the front lines and are stuck fooling around in the rear?”

“Shut your mouth.”

Minute glared at his giggling sister and turned away.

“I’m leaving.”

“What? Already?”

“I’m not in the mood to enjoy the party. If you can’t find a night driver, just sleep here and leave in the morning.”

“How can I sleep in the newlyweds’ house? There’s only one bed!”

“Then squeeze in between them!”

Rose’s face turned pale as she laughed foolishly. She stared blankly at Viett and Phenelity.

“How can I do that? If Viett isn’t impotent, then later with Pepe… My Pepe in bed… Ugh… This is so annoying!”

“You annoy me more, Rose.”

Minute looked down at his sister, who had her face buried in her hands, with a pitiful expression. Then he turned his irritated gaze towards the tent.

Phenelity was pulling Viett’s ear down and whispering something. Viett listened with one ear pulled, looking like a docile dog.

Minute muttered as he watched his brother, acting uncharacteristically tame, and the woman who was bossing him around.

“And that woman is more annoying than you.”

Is there no way to cut off this lingering attachment? Would it help to witness her in a disgraceful state? Like the fish that became hideous as it greedily ate the food he gave it long ago.

Minute glanced around. A large oak barrel stood next to the towering five-tiered cake. Drunken officers turned the spigot on the barrel, and golden apple wine poured out, filling their glasses.

He watched the scene intently, then threw his cigarette to the ground and crushed it under his shoe. Then he strode towards the tent where the cake-cutting ceremony was taking place.

* * *

“Look at this, Viett. They messed up the spelling of your name. The pastry chef must have made a mistake.”

Phenelity laughed, pointing at the cut cake. Viett’s name was written in large green cream letters on the white cake. Viett shook his head after confirming the crooked writing.

“Th-that’s not it… it was to h-hide my identity… T-they must have deliberately s-spelled it wrong.”

“Oh, I didn’t think of that.”

“For s-security reasons… W-we should have used an alias from the b-beginning.”

“I didn’t think of that either…”

Phenelity mumbled, her shoulders slumping. He hurriedly added, worried about his suddenly sullen wife.

“I-I wasn’t trying to blame you. We can do that n-next time.”

He was surprised by his own words. In truth, he hated parties. He disliked the loud cake with his name on it, the crowded people, and the smell of alcohol.

Yet he had mentioned ‘next time’ first. He had unconsciously hoped that this moment, which he hated so much, would come again next year. Astonished by his own change, he blinked, and Phenelity shook her head firmly.

“There won’t be a next time.”

His heart sank. Viett gripped the cake knife tightly and stammered.

“Wh… Why…”

“What do you mean why? The war will be over by next year. Are you going to use a fake name on your birthday cake then too? It’d be better to write ‘Duke Luck’!”

The tension melted away instantly. Viett couldn’t help but laugh along with her bright smile.

“How was it? Were you surprised by the surprise party?”

“Th-that’s a strange question.”

How much did she drink…? Viett looked at her with concern and brushed his hand against her thin cheek. As expected, her face was hot.

“Your hand is cold.”

She rubbed her cheek against his hand, tilting her head, then opened her eyes wide.

“Oh! Actually, I made a bet with Cecil.”

“A… a bet? Wh-what kind of bet?”

“Whether you would forget your own birthday or not.”

Wondering why they made such a bet, Viett frowned, and Phenelity suddenly said something unbelievable.

“By the way, the bet was for two slaps… no, three slaps on the cheek.”

Getting slapped? Does this woman not remember getting slapped hard by Cecilia Rosti? Viett asked with an angry face.

“Wh-which side did you bet on?”

“I bet on ‘didn’t forget’!”

“I-I didn’t forget.”

He lied with a blank expression as if it were nothing.

“Why would I forget my, my birthday? Like a, like an idiot.”

“Really? Wow, I won!”

He looked at his wife, who was jumping up and down like a child, with a troubled expression when Hilias Law’s voice came from beyond the giant cake.

“Are you leaving already?”

“Hm? You are…”

Minute’s voice could also be heard. His pronunciation was slurred as if he were very drunk, and his pitch was unstable.

“Hilias Law.”

“Now I remember. You’re the doctor from the Count’s family, right? It’s been a while.”

“I’m honored that you remember. But are you leaving already?”

“Yes, I need to get back before curfew.”

Leaving already? I thought he’d take this opportunity to find a new lover here, but it’s surprising. Or maybe it’s fortunate. At least Amelia won’t get hurt again.

Viett focused on the conversation coming from beyond the cake. At that moment, Phenelity grabbed his arm and shook it vigorously.

“Viett! This cake. The cream is lemon-flavored.”

She handed him a nicely cut piece of cake on a plate. Viett looked down at the sweet-smelling cake with wary eyes.

“Y-yeah. E-enjoy it.”

“The birthday person should eat first. Wait a moment. I’ll get a fork.”

“No. I’ll, I’ll get it, so stay… stay here.”

He hurriedly stopped her as she was about to skip away. He was worried she might trip while distracted by the cake. At that moment, a dark shadow loomed over her, who couldn’t take her eyes off the cake.

“Your Highness. What are you… Miss!”

The moment Hilias Law’s scream was heard, Viett instinctively sprang into action. When he took a quick step, the large oak barrel was already tipping towards his wife.

He pushed her aside and raised one elbow high. He struck the giant barrel with his arm, but the wooden lid had already fallen onto the lawn.

What spilled out was not strong rum but sweet-smelling apple wine. He knew because the liquid that poured over him like a waterfall had a sweet apple aroma.

“Viett?!”

Phenelity screamed loudly. Viett, soaked in wine, kicked the empty oak barrel away. His adjutant, Lieutenant Peter, and his subordinates, who had rolled the barrel away, urgently asked.

“Commander! Are you okay?”

“Are you hurt?!”

Viett nodded silently. Drops of wine dripped from his hair. Standing in the middle of a puddle of wine, his shoes were also soaked. As he brushed his disheveled hair back, Minute, standing beyond the table, burst into loud laughter.

“Hahaha! What’s this, Vivi! The birthday boy looks like a drowned rat soaked in wine! You’re the only one who could take that big barrel head-on and still be fine!”

Following his laughter, others around them subtly raised the corners of their mouths. Those who were drunk and out of control laughed loudly like Minute, holding their stomachs.

Viett sighed softly and took off his heavy, wine-soaked uniform jacket. Phenelity approached him with a handful of napkins.

“Viett…”

“D-don’t come closer.”

He snapped sharply. Phenelity stopped in front of the puddle of wine, looking startled.

“Th-the outfit you’re wearing is r-rare.”

That white dress was practically her wedding dress. Even if it was hastily prepared, he didn’t want it to get dirty.

As he shook off the drops of wine from his soaked bangs, he noticed her small feet buried in the grass. Drops of wine had splashed all over the toes of her brown leather boots. He suddenly recalled their conversation at the wedding.

‘Y-you’re probably the only b-bride who wore b-boots to the wedding.’

‘These are my favorite shoes.’

‘…Yeah… At least you didn’t come b-barefoot or in slippers, li… like usual.’

‘Don’t make fun of me. These are my favorite shoes, I said.’

‘I-I wasn’t making fun of you.’

‘Your expression says otherwise!’

‘…’

In the end, they got dirty. At least they weren’t pristine white wedding shoes. Still, she said they were her favorite, so it bothered him.

Viett sighed deeply and took the napkins from her hand. Then he knelt on one knee and began to wipe the front of her worn boots.

He heard her sharply inhale. She jumped back quickly, startled. Viett also looked up sharply, just as surprised. Phenelity looked down at him, bewildered.