Fish Don't Know About Water - Chapter 55

“……”

“Or should I say Acting King now? Should I be happy or sad about my comrade’s rapid promotion?”

He took a deep breath on his cigarette, then looked at Viett with troubled eyes.

“What about the airship?”

“I was e-excluded from the p-passenger list.”

“Then do you have to return to Westenia immediately?”

“I have to t-take the train t-tomorrow morning.”

“Damn, what about your subordinates?”

“I’ve delegated c-command to Raocos.”

“To that idiot?”

He scoffed, tossing the cigarette butt out the car window.

“It seems you’re not the only one who got a rapid promotion… Are you going to see Minute’s body?”

Viett silently shook his head. Minute was the only casualty found with all his limbs intact.

Others had their limbs severed and faces crushed beyond recognition by the rubble, but Minute was found relatively unscathed, trapped between sturdy rafters and steel beams.

The doctor speculated that he might have died from lack of oxygen or a heart attack. He also mentioned that Minute’s face looked like he was peacefully sleeping. Viett didn’t want to see his brother like that.

“I don’t want to s-see my brother r-right now.”

The estimated time of death was the dawn when the Ruimbert Hotel was bombed. In other words, it was on his birthday.

The shock that his birthday had become his brother’s death anniversary wasn’t as great. The greater shock was that while his brother was dying, he was spending a frantic night with his wife.

“Whether the King has collapsed or not, I’m most worried about you and your wife.”

Esca sighed thinly, resting his elbow on the car window.

“The day after the lady of Cochrun became the princess, the promising crown prince died. It was clearly an accident, but… such things don’t matter to the gossipers.”

“……”

“The family that benefited the most when you became the crown prince is you. People’s eyes will be drawn to you.”

Viett leaned weakly against the driver’s seat, tapping the steering wheel with his fingertips. In the darkened streets, people began to disappear one by one. Military vehicles that had come in a line from somewhere were carrying away those searching the hotel. The night street quickly became quiet.

“……Why did that bastard choose such a distant place to stay?”

Esca muttered in a troubled voice and patted Viett’s shoulder.

“Should I drive?”

Viett silently shook his head. He mechanically handled the series of actions from starting the car to smoothly setting it in motion.

The car moved smoothly toward the special forces camp, but his mind was blank, as if his hands and head were acting separately. It was as if his brain was determined to prevent him from thinking deeply, leaving his mind completely blank.

“Drop me off in front of the headquarters.”

As they drove into the camp, Esca pointed to the central building visible in the distance. Viett didn’t bother to ask for a reason.

He knew that his sudden return had caused a rush of work for his comrades. He was aware that Esca was handling the delegation of command on his behalf.

“I won’t be able to see you off at the station tomorrow.”

As they stopped in front of the headquarters, Esca informed him abruptly as he got out of the car.

“I have a lot to take care of.”

He scratched his head awkwardly, looking at Viett’s unresponsive face.

“Well… then, let’s meet again alive, Your Highness.”

Then he closed the car door and tapped the half-open window, signaling for him to go.

“E-Esca.”

Viett hurriedly called out to him as he was about to leave. Esca turned and met his gaze over his shoulder, as if asking what was up.

“……Th-Thank you.”

When he spoke in a lonely tone, Esca’s eyes slowly widened. He looked at Viett with a bewildered expression for a moment, then smiled wryly and shook his head.

“Marriage must be a good thing, huh. To hear a thank you from the young master Vivi who only ever cared about himself…”

“……”

“Take good care of Pepe. It seems like she’s the one who made you human.”

Viett nodded, indicating he understood. Esca, looking down at him with sad eyes, let out a deep sigh.

“When people start doing things they’ve never done before, it means they’re about to die… Never mind. I’m too scared to even joke about such ominous things now, damn it… I’m off!”

He tapped the car window with his fist and walked briskly towards the headquarters building. Viett watched his friend’s retreating figure for a moment before starting the car.

When he arrived at the house, he saw Lieutenant Peter and his subordinates. They were busy loading the prince and princess’s pre-packed luggage into a military truck.

Viett got out of the car with a stern face. Lieutenant Peter, who was moving an old phonograph with a subordinate, was the first to notice him.

“Your Highness.”

He carefully set down the phonograph and ran to Viett. Viett instinctively looked around. Even though it was unlikely his wife would be outside at this hour, he unconsciously searched for her first.

“Wh-Where is Phenelity?”

“She went to bed early.”

Lieutenant Peter discreetly pointed to the dark second floor.

“In the afternoon, she went to the hospital to say goodbye to her fellow nurses. After returning home, she packed with the help of Miss Rosti…”

“Wh-What about dinner?”

Viett interrupted Peter as he approached the truck.

“She said she had no appetite and tried to skip it, but Miss Rosti forced her to eat. They looked just like sisters, bickering.”

“……”

“Are you looking for something?”

As he scanned the loaded luggage, Lieutenant Peter approached with his hands behind his back and asked cautiously. Viett raised his hands to roughly describe the size of the item he was looking for.

“I put recording equipment and records in a leather bag about this big…”

It was something Minister Hinler had given him. One of the subordinates, overhearing the conversation, quickly found the bag.

Viett took the bag and crossed the garden. After ordering the subordinates to quickly load the phonograph onto the truck, Lieutenant Peter cautiously followed him.

“How was the visit to the hotel…”

“It was a d-disaster.”

Viett replied indifferently, and Lieutenant Peter hurried to open the front door. Viett frowned slightly at his unusually attentive aide.

“St-Stop overdoing it.”

“I’m merely showing the proper respect to the heir to the throne.”

“It hasn’t even been f-formally announced yet.”

He snapped sharply and walked into the cold house. He had expected the living room to look shabby with their few belongings removed, but it was filled with various flowers dried in the sunlight. The flowers he had given Phenelity as a wedding gift were packed in paper boxes, stacked layer upon layer.

“I c-clearly told her to throw them all away.”

Viett glared at the flowers, which gave off a dizzying scent.

“She insisted on taking them…”

Lieutenant Peter answered cautiously. Though he didn’t specify who, it was clear enough whose stubbornness it was.

“F-For now, leave them as they are and don’t load them onto the c-car.”

Viett sighed irritably and climbed the stairs.

“D-Don’t come near the second floor until m-morning.”

“Understood.”

Leaving his bowing aide behind, he went up to the second floor. The hallway was quiet. The bedroom door was firmly closed.

Was she already asleep? His wife always went to bed before midnight unless she was spending time with him.

He stared at the bedroom door with conflicted eyes before turning away. Then he opened the door to the study.

Most of the items in the study had been left behind by the previous officer who stayed there. The old piano, the solitary sofa, and the bookshelf were all still there.

Closing the door, he sat on the piano bench. He took out the recording equipment from the bag and inserted a new record. He opened the piano cover and brushed his fingers over the cold keys.

Some of the keys were in poor condition. The sound was dull because it was so old. But it didn’t matter. The performer was just as lacking.

He slid his trembling fingers over the keys. Savoring the sound like a string of glass beads falling, he turned on the recording device.

With a whirring sound, the record in the device began to spin slowly.

He knew what he had to play. A requiem. But he didn’t want to record a sorrowful piece. It had to be a piece for his wife. Not for the dead soul that had always been a subject of his love and hate.

He pressed the keys aimlessly for a moment before starting an impromptu piece. As he played frantically, his eyes stung.

That’s when he felt a presence behind him. Startled, he stopped playing. Forgetting to turn off the recording device, he turned around quickly.