Fish Don't Know About Water - Chapter 5

“Wha… Just because of that, you’re linking me with th-that woman?”

He glared at his sister with a cold expression, then reached out his unharmed arm to push away the file holder.

“Pu-put it away. I have no intention of g-getting involved with that woman anymore.”

“If you’re in the same camp, isn’t there a chance you might get involved with each other?”

“N-no, there isn’t. From the star…. If Cecilia hadn’t caused trouble, I wouldn’t have even come across that, that woman.”

It had only been a short time since they were assigned to the camp in Costonia. Viett had heard stories about a prominent figure who had caused a stir in the entire camp. A noble girl from Westenia working as a nursing assistant at the temporary field hospital.

After hearing the rumors surrounding her, Viett avoided even looking in the direction of the field hospital. He endured minor injuries without complaint.

He didn’t want to wander near the hospital for no reason, nor did he want to appear in that damn novel. He didn’t want his stuttering to be exposed in the novel and become a laughing stock.

“Hmmm. They say the perfect defense is when you need to know all of the enemy’s minor habits. If you want to avoid Phenelity Cochrun, shouldn’t you read these novels even more?”

Rosemary, who had been lost in thought for a moment, tapped the file holder with her palm.

“The novels contain Phenelity Cochrun’s entire life from the age of two until now. That means all her minor habits and personality traits are detailed.”

“……”

“If you read just the past four months’ worth, you could track all of her movements and avoid contact, couldn’t you?”

It made sense when he heard it. But he didn’t want to show that he was convinced, so he leaned back on the pillow and closed his eyes.

“I hope you marry Phenelity Cochrun.”

His sister left after leaving a curse behind and closing the door to the ward. Viett opened his eyes slightly. He reached out his unharmed hand towards the file holder, just as his hand was about to touch the thick file.

“Oh, right!”

The closed door suddenly swung open. He casually withdrew his hand. Rosemary peeked her head through the crack in the door.

“It’s a fallacy that Phenelity Cochrun’s entire life is depicted in the novel.”

“Is that really important?”

Viett stared at his little sister with a bewildered look. Rosemary’s expression was surprisingly serious.

“It’s very important! There was a time when serialization of Phenelity was suspended for a week starting from her nineteenth birthday.”

He remembered it now. There was a period when the serialization of <Pepe> was completely blank.

“In the history of the noble system, that was the only time serialization was halted.”

“But it was just for a w-week.”

In any case, serialization resumed quickly. The novel, which had been blank for a week, was filled with text again. That was about two years ago.

“But it still seems strange. Father and even the Magic Department don’t know the reason behind it.”

Rosemary’s worried expression clouded her face.

“Moreover, Phenelity Cochrun’s personality completely changed afterwards. She used to be a quiet and demure lady, but now she’s somewhat… “

She paused with a faint smile. It seemed like Rosemary was aware to some extent that Phenelity Cochrun was an extraordinary character.

Viett recalled Phenelity Cochrun’s unkempt appearance and vacant eyes. It was like the eyes of a wounded soldier who had been heavily sedated.

Was that fierce woman not always in that state? Well, the lady wasn’t initially known as ‘psycho,’ after all.

“If you get close to Phenelity, sneakily ask her what happened on her nineteenth birthday.”

Rosemary made an unreasonable request and closed the door of the ward. Viett stared at the closed door, then picked up one of the file holders.

Struggling to turn the pages, Viett checked the date printed on a corner of a newspaper scrap. Then he quickly skimmed through the serialization of <Pepe> published about ten months ago.

「Unfortunately, my homeland, Westenia, is an inland country not bordering the sea at all. I too was one of those who longed for the sea.

But circumstances never allowed it. My father strongly opposed my going abroad. Was it because I am a ‘Little Lady’?

So I came up with one solution. That was to apply as an assistant nurse at the Allied Forces camp.

I heard stories that training is short but very rigorous. I hope my brief study of botany during my academy days will be of some help.

Wherever I go, I must work hard! (I hope I’m assigned to an allied country with a beach!)」

Viett unconsciously raised the corner of his mouth. There was no sea in Costonia, so she must have been disappointed when she arrived.

As he recalled the girl’s pale face and flipped through the file holder, a brief knock was heard from beyond the door.

“It’s Tenessa.”

Before he could grant his permission, the door swung open. Viett barely managed to hold onto the file holder as he looked towards the door. His eyes widened.

“Here, Your Highness’ new dedicated nurse.”

The elderly lady pushed the frozen young woman into the ward before Viett could react. Viett covered up his gaze on the girl’s pale face with the file holder.

It was her. The protagonist of this cursed novel. The Phenelity Cochrun who had written him off as an unscrupulous ex-fiancé in the novel.

“Both of you. You recognize each other, right?”

Tenessa smiled cheerfully and pushed Phenelity Cochrun towards Viett’s bed.

“This child is also using a pseudonym like Your Highness.”

“A pseudonym?”

Viett glanced down at Phenelity Cochrun’s green name tag. Instead of ‘Phenelity Cochrun,’ it read ‘Nerity Sonia.’ Did she think she could hide her identity with such a crude name tag?

He met her uncomfortable gaze with an unpleasant expression. Phenelity Cochrun couldn’t hide her discomfort and rolled her eyes helplessly.

She wiped at one swollen cheek and shifted quietly behind Tenessa. Despite her efforts to hide, her petite and skinny frame couldn’t be concealed.

Viett swallowed a bitter laugh. So Tenessa finally lost her mind. Assigning a woman who could collapse at any moment as his nurse?

“I, I’m the dedicated nurse, but I, I definitely don’t need that kind of thing…”

“Huh? What’s all this?”

Tenessa, striding in, picked up one of the stacked file holders on the mobile tray.

Phenelity Cochrun also seemed curious as she peeked over her shoulder. The two of them simultaneously panicked as they saw the scrapped novels.

“Psycho. It seems His Highness is gathering information about you.”

“Really?!”

Phenelity Cochrun’s eyes widened even more. Her vacant gaze slowly shifted towards Viett.

“No way… are you trying to get revenge on me…?”

Viett was about to reply ‘yes’ to tease the trembling girl like a rabbit, but his own immaturity sent shivers down his spine, and he quickly turned his head.

If he teased the small girl with such childish pranks, he would just end up being portrayed as a bad-tempered man in the novel.

“I, I said I don’t need a n-nurse…”

“Do you know how many nurses you’ve chased away in the past few days? We’re running out of staff now.”

Tenessa, striding towards him where he had hidden behind the pile of file holders, glared at him. Viett peeked out from behind the file holders and met Tenessa’s rude gaze.

“I, I clearly said. We don’t n-need a nurse.”

“Well then, should I personally run around this cornered ward in this busiest field hospital and attend to you, Your Highness?”

Looking down at him arrogantly, Tenessa called Phenelity Cochrun.

“Psycho! Go to your quarters and pack your things quickly! You will be lodging near the ward for the next two weeks!”

“What? I don’t want to.”

The girl erased her vacant expression and sternly replied.

Does she only think this is horrible for her? It’s horrible for me too! Viett glared at the girl’s stubborn face with an annoyed look.

“Stop talking back and come with me!”

After Tenessa snapped, Phenelity Cochrun left the ward in a huff. As she closed the door behind her, Tenessa smiled as if asking when did she ever get angry.

“You’re so naive. Will you stop behaving like an immature young master now?”

“An i-immature young master?”

Although he put on a fierce expression, the experienced noblewoman didn’t back down and just snorted.

“In the palace, there are courtiers who prostrate at Your Highness’s word, but this is a battlefield. It’s a place where thousands, tens of thousands of lives come and go.”

“Do, do you think I wouldn’t know that?”

“Does someone who knows that act like that? Did you drive away the pitiful young volunteers who offered to help with nursing you?”

“T-that was those girls’ fault…”

He felt his own excuses sounded pathetic and closed his mouth.

Viett is also human. He can’t help but feel dirty when he sees women cowering in fear, trying to win his favor.