Fish Don't Know About Water - Chapter 51

“I-is this all your stuff?”

“Yes. Paints, ivory for carving, planks, wax, carving knives, brushes…”

“W-what about clothes?”

“They’re in the bag. Spare nurse uniforms, pajamas, coat, underwear, socks, and that’s it! Oh, there was a dress, but you tore it yesterday…”

Phenelity trailed off, narrowing her eyes. Viett, feeling guilty, avoided her gaze again. He felt sorry for tearing what was essentially a wedding dress, but he also felt a bit unfair. After all, the dress was already ruined with alcohol and cream.

“W-we have some time before the a-afternoon schedule… H-how about we go to the department store t-together?”

He mustered the courage to suggest it, but Phenelity frowned as if she had heard something strange.

“Department store? It’s gone now.”

“G-gone?”

“It collapsed with the Reimbert Hotel due to the dawn air raid.”

He realized she was talking about the place that was bombed last night. Viett recalled Hilias Law, who had looked like he had rolled in ashes.

“Not Reimbert, but Ruimbert.”

“Oh, right! Ruimbert! Even though such a big hotel collapsed, no casualties have been found yet. Maybe it’s a miracle because it was your birthday.”

He wanted to retort that it had nothing to do with his birthday, but Viett slowly closed his mouth. Phenelity had slipped her arm through his, the one holding the box he carried.

“Is this today’s newspaper?”

She stood on tiptoe to look at the newspaper he had thrown into the paper box. Their bodies were now closer. Viett felt his throat tighten and nodded.

“The photo came out really well! Can’t you ask the Minister for the original photo?”

Phenelity’s eyes widened as she looked at her picture on the front page.

“But I’m tickling your side… Oh, that was supposed to be a secret.”

“…”

“Viett, look at this photo. Isn’t it cheating for you to smile prettier than the bride? But do my eyes always look this uneven when I smile?”

Viett trudged along, half-dragging her, as she chattered away.

How can I find this rambling cute? I must be losing my mind. He sighed deeply, lamenting.

But he didn’t feel bad. He couldn’t keep up with her chatter, but he enjoyed hearing her voice. He couldn’t even remember the times he wanted to block his ears because of her chatter. It was a pleasant change.

* * *

Rose left Costonia in the evening. Viett, who had been nervous that she might stay at the residence throughout her vacation, drove his sister to the camp’s outskirts with a much more generous heart.

‘Can I come too?’ his wife, who had insisted on tagging along, dozed off in the passenger seat throughout the ride.

“She seems very sleepy.”

Rose, sitting in the back seat, looked at her sympathetically.

“Is it because someone didn’t let her sleep…?”

Her eyes were filled with contempt as she glared at Viett, who was driving. Viett ignored his sister’s blatant criticism and stopped the car near the checkpoint filled with soldiers.

He got out and took Rose’s bag from the trunk. He was debating whether to wake his wife when Rose quickly got out and whispered.

“Don’t wake her. She looks really tired.”

“…O-okay.”

“By the way, what about Minute? Have you heard from him?”

Viett shook his head as he handed over her bag. Rose’s expression turned a bit sullen. Even if he’s annoying, he’s still family, huh? Viett looked at his sister with a twisted smile.

“D-don’t worry too much.”

“Me? What are you talking about? I’m not worried about that guy at all.”

Rose scoffed, looking incredulous.

“He must have felt guilty about causing trouble and hidden somewhere. If he has any humanity left in him, he’d feel at least a bit of guilt for ruining his younger brother’s wedding reception!”

“If h-he could feel guilt, he wo-wouldn’t have ch-cheated in the first place.”

“True. How many times have we suffered because of his affairs? Now that he’s on an extended leave, he’s probably holed up in a hotel with some married woman, rolling around day and night.”

Rose’s casual expression slowly hardened as she glanced towards the distant city.

“Suddenly, I have a thought… What if it’s the Ruimbert Hotel that got bombed?”

“N-no way. They didn’t find h-his body among the r-rubble.”

“But the search isn’t completely over yet.”

Rose lifted her chin with a twisted smile.

“It’s probably just my imagination. Right? It wouldn’t be the first time that shameless man disappeared while having an affair…”

Viett nodded silently. This kind of situation was common. A bigger problem than Minute disappearing without a word was that he usually returned with several new lovers.

His lovers were all noblewomen who frequented the social scene. Like Minute, they were in adulterous relationships and couldn’t openly admit to spending the night with a member of the imperial family. That’s how Minute managed to keep his scandalous private life a secret until now.

“Oh, I have something to give you.”

Just then, Rose pulled a flat booklet from her bag and handed it to Viett.

“Wha-what’s this?”

“A Hundred Truths About Pepe.”

“There, there are a hundred truths about her?”

“When you observe someone’s life for nearly 7,000 days, you get to know them inside out. Their personality, preferences, hobbies, skills, strengths, weaknesses, etc. Of course, Pepe has no weaknesses.”

Viett skeptically took the green booklet. At the bottom of the cover, the name ‘Rosemary Hartmann’ was proudly embroidered in gold thread.

“Of course, I’m the author of that book.”

Rose pointed to herself proudly. Viett chuckled softly.

“Th-that’s right. Wh-who else would write something like this b-beside you.”

“What? Something like this? Aren’t you curious about your wife?”

He hesitated for a moment before glancing sideways. Through the car window, he could see his wife’s deeply sleeping face. He looked at her peaceful breathing and quietly opened the booklet.

“Looks like you are curious?”

Rose poked his side and giggled.

「First. Pepe longs for the sea. (But she’s never been to the sea.)」

I knew that already. Viett read the next entry with a bored expression.

「Second. Pepe can’t digest root vegetables well. (But the Count hates picky eaters, so she’s been forced to eat them. Crazy old man.)」

This was new to him. He recalled the lunch menu of meat stew, which had included carrots, potatoes, and turnips. The plate she had put into the sink was very clean.

Why didn’t she say anything? If she had told me earlier, I could have informed the cook. Why did she force herself to eat something she couldn’t digest…?

Viett looked at his sleeping wife with a frown, then turned his attention back to the booklet.

「Third. Pepe has only pierced her right ear. (It happened when she was fifteen. She followed Cecilia’s lead but gave up on the left ear because it hurt too much. Cute!)」

I already knew she had only pierced her right ear. I touched it myself this morning. I could still feel the mark on one side. It felt strange to learn the story behind it this way.

He flipped through the booklet, filled with text, and then closed it. Rose, who had been standing with her arms crossed, widened her eyes.

“What? Done already?”

“I-I don’t need th-this.”

He considered adding that it felt like reading a user manual and made him feel dirty, but held back for his sister’s sake.

“I w-want to hear it directly from h-her.”

“Huh. There might be solutions to marital conflicts in there.”

“What if we n-never have c-conflicts?”

“Think about it. Instead of reading thousands of serialized chapters later, wouldn’t it be better to memorize this summary and get a strategy?”

“I-I said we won’t have c-conflicts.”

“Excuse me, Prince Vivi. What about all those times you and Pepe argued at every opportunity?”

Rose looked at him with pity. Viett glanced at his sleeping wife and shook his head again.

“I d-don’t need a s-strategy.”

“Wouldn’t it be easier to celebrate special occasions if you knew what Pepe liked?”

“I’ll l-learn gradually.”