Captain – Chapter 180 – Triumphant Return

Using relaxation as an excuse, the ship’s doctor quickly left this contentious place with Daniel. With the wooden door slamming shut, only Roy and Caine remained in the captain’s quarters.

Hearing the faint cheers of the sailors and seeing the girl still like a powder keg, ready to ignite at the slightest spark, Caine carefully chose his words and said softly: “Captain, you should continue resting. I’ll go make an appearance first to prevent any unnecessary misunderstandings.”

Before leaving Yadris, Captain Diamond had led the takeover of the council hall. Now that fortress-like building’s high walls must be lined with heavy cannons, barrels pointed toward the port, ready to attack approaching enemies at any moment.

Besides this, the three captains’ vessels might have already quietly set sail, planning to take advantage of the terrain for a great battle against the Mermaid and Constantine in Yadris’s coastal waters, or preparing to leave at any moment, never to return.

So with the girl currently weakened, the First Mate felt he needed to show his face, both to dispel people’s hostility and concerns while announcing Captain Roy’s victorious return.

Roy tapped her fingers lightly on the edge of the pure silver tray, showing no intention of acknowledging this “ungrateful” fellow.

Sighing softly, Caine stood up, intending to leave first. But before he could take more than a few steps, there came a slight rustling sound of clothing against bedding from behind, along with the raven’s drowsy muttering as it awoke: “Home?”

“Yes, we’re home.”

Hearing Roy’s casual response, the young man turned back to see the girl sitting on the edge of the bed, her head lowered as she fastened her boot buckles, and Alfie who had flown up to land on her shoulder, pecking at a strand of pale golden hair.

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“Captain, you…”

After securing the buckles, Roy lightly tapped the floor with her feet, then stood up, raising her hand to stop Caine’s persuasion: “I won’t let you have this opportunity to steal the spotlight. Moreover, I am the true master of Yadris. Only by seeing me safe and sound, still powerful as ever, will people truly feel at ease.”

His gaze following the girl’s figure, watching her steps gradually become lighter, Caine still couldn’t help worrying: “Are you really alright? Should I support you?”

Coming to the First Mate’s side, the captain patted his shoulder: “Caine, I think you’re becoming more and more like my mother. When she was still alive, she used to nag me just like this. But remember, I’m not a porcelain doll.”

Looking at the familiar smile on the girl’s pale face, Caine shook his head helplessly: “I have been a bit too tense these days. I’ll try to improve.”

“‘Try to improve’ basically means you’ve said nothing.”

Roy muttered softly, then walked out of the captain’s quarters: “Follow me.”

Pushing open the wooden door, brilliant sunlight greeted her, causing the captain, who had been in a dim environment for a long time, to instinctively squint her eyes until she fully adjusted.

“Captain, you’re… not angry anymore?” the First Mate following closely behind cautiously asked.

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Although conflicts between them were like sudden rain—coming quickly, leaving quickly, and forgotten even more quickly—normally, to end this small “war,” one side usually needed to surrender first before it could be considered over.

But now, the girl clearly wouldn’t willingly accept that dietary regimen, and he certainly wouldn’t ignore her health condition and indulge her reckless eating and drinking. Since neither had yielded, they should still be in a state of “war.”

Rolling her eyes at the young man, Roy continued smiling and waving to the enthusiastic crew members while lowering her voice: “What’s the use of being angry? No matter how fierce I sound, you and the ship’s doctor, one is my…”

She paused, giving Caine a look that said “figure it out yourself,” then continued: “And the other is the Mermaid’s financial backer. Can I really do anything to you two? So I can’t be bothered to argue with you, but I absolutely refuse to accept your coercion.”

“Absolutely refuse!” the raven echoed mockingly.

Having said this, Roy ignored the increasingly grim-faced First Mate and quickly walked to the port railing, waving at the warship slowly approaching, her face wearing an unrestrained smile: “Hey, Captain Hubert, do you believe me now?”

Not far from the Mermaid, Hubert stood straight on the deck of the Wave Breaker, slowly exhaling a cloud of white smoke, then raising his cigar to the girl bathed in sunlight and radiance, smiling with a nod.

Satisfied, Roy turned back to the sailors and ordered: “Gentlemen, move swiftly now. We’re preparing to enter the port.”

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The Mermaid, the Orca, and the Wave Breaker passed each other and slowly sailed into the port, which appeared extremely spacious due to the departure of merchant ships, and dropped anchor.

Soon, small boats filled with people were lowered and headed toward the light-colored beach.

The beach, usually sparsely populated with at most a few celebration tents and some blackened charcoal remains from bonfires, was now packed with people—residents of Yadris and pirates who used this city of freedom as their base.

Watching Captain Roy standing at the bow of the foremost small boat, her lips curved in a polite smile, appearing completely unchanged from half a year ago, everyone’s eyes seemed to be covered with a layer of light, containing the excitement and hope of seeing the night ending and dawn approaching.

People did notice some changes in the captain, but compared to the bright prospects ahead, these differences were completely negligible.

After all, who would care about a pirate’s gender, especially a legendary pirate like Golden-Eyed Roy? That had no bearing on them whatsoever.

Finally, the first wooden boat reached the shore.

Roy stepped onto the soft sand, wearing her trademark smile, with her trademark raven perched on her shoulder. However, standing slightly behind her was no longer that cold-blooded butcher, but a calm-faced young man with equally imposing presence.

Walking into the crowd, she gave a gentle smile to the elderly captain with white hair and the tavern proprietress rarely seen outside the Banshee’s Eye. After nodding to Yadris’s important figures, Roy walked through the path they cleared for her, arriving before countless eager gazes.

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Standing before the endless crowd, feeling the weight of expectation and responsibility, the girl sighed somewhat emotionally. Though it had only been half a year, it gave her a feeling of being in a different world.

“Everyone, it’s been a while.”

Roy smiled and waved to the people. After they released emotions suppressed for half a year under the Blood-Eyed Butcher’s cruel rule, she gently gestured for quiet, and they quickly settled down.

“I, Roy, the great Captain Roy, hereby declare that from today onward, Yadris returns to my control. All broken rules will be reestablished, all civilians who suffered at the hands of rogues will receive compensation and protection…”

At this point, the captain’s tone suddenly shifted, a cold glint flashing in her dark golden pupils: “And all traitors, cowards who bully the weak and fear the strong, villains who took advantage of the chaos, will receive the most severe punishment!”

Facing this cold judgment, people’s emotions were not dampened but grew even more fervent.

They threw their hats and headscarves into the air, then raised their hands high, cheering with all their might. Some even had tears glistening in their eyes.

The dark veil that had shrouded this city of freedom, this pirate paradise, at this moment, was finally completely torn away.