Captain – Chapter 206 – Meeting

“Impossible, absolutely impossible.”

In the medical room of the Mermaid, the ship’s doctor raised his hand to Roy and said righteously: “Having me go as your scapegoat to face that old lion who gives even my old man a headache? Captain, don’t even think about it.”

“Come on, everything’s negotiable. Ship’s doctor, Anderson, young master, it’s just a meeting to discuss his son’s future position on the ship and such. I’m not asking you to go to war with him.”

The girl wore an extremely rare pitiful expression on her face and said with exaggerated tone: “Besides, except for the hair color, you look exactly like my past self—equally handsome, noble, and courteous…”

“Stop, stop, stop. Are you complimenting me or yourself?”

Anderson rubbed his temples with a headache and said: “You know our hair colors are different. Do you think such an obvious flaw could escape Naren’s eyes? Moreover, though he’s an imperial governor, you’re still one of the five legendary pirates. Is there any need to be so flustered?”

“I couldn’t care less about him being a governor. If he weren’t Caine’s father, I’d cleave him with my blade without batting an eye.”

As if her pride had been injured by these words, the girl bristled like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. But her momentum quickly subsided: “But the problem is that he IS Caine’s father. I lured his only son away from the imperial military, and now I have the nerve to give him attitude?”

After speaking, Roy clasped her hands together in front of her, pleading with the ship’s doctor: “I’m truly desperate, that’s why I came to ask for your help. I just need you to deal with him on my behalf. Once we’ve sent this deity on his way, I’ll… I’ll give you more authority, how about that?”

Hearing this, the ship’s doctor seemed to finally understand that what troubled the captain so was that ambiguous and hazy relationship between her and the First Mate.

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Recalling how unfriendly the First Mate had been towards him initially, and the “life-threatening” situation he’d faced when conveying the dietary requirements, the ship’s doctor smiled slightly and said very politely: “I’m sorry Captain, I came to this ship to experience life, not to manage those tasteless brutes, and certainly not to help you handle your future family relations.”

“So now, please leave the medical room immediately. I still need to plan diets and treatments for some crew members suffering from scurvy. I have no time to waste elsewhere.”

With that, Anderson grabbed the captain’s shoulders, turned her around, and pushed her towards the door.

“If authority won’t work, how about when we obtain Edward’s treasure later, I’ll give you a ten percent share? I know you don’t lack money, but that ten percent might be more than all your family’s wealth combined…” the captain hastily proposed.

“No need. I couldn’t spend all that money in my lifetime anyway.” The ship’s doctor declined with a smile.

“Then treasures, legendary treasures—that should work, right? That’s something money can’t buy. Isn’t that what you noble families like? After adding it to your collection, you can claim it’s been passed down through generations to make your family’s heritage seem even more profound…”

Grabbing the doorframe, Roy refused to be pushed forward another inch. No matter how hard the ship’s doctor tried, she remained as immovable as a mountain.

Seeing his efforts were futile, Anderson helplessly let go and said breathlessly: “Not necessary. The Anderson family’s history is already ancient enough. Captain, you should just admit defeat. I absolutely will not wade into these troubled waters.”

“Tsk, let’s negotiate more. I’ve even prepared a wig for you. All you need to do is…”

The captain turned around, assuming a “I won’t leave unless you agree” posture. But before she could wear down the ship’s doctor with her persistence, the wooden door behind her abruptly opened.

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Turning her head somewhat stiffly, seeing the First Mate’s gloomy expression, Roy twitched her lips and gave an awkward smile: “Caine… how did you know I was here? And shouldn’t you be with the Governor right now? Father and son reuniting after so long must have much to talk about.”

“We’ve finished our conversation. Now he wants to meet you.”

Ignoring the girl’s resistance, the First Mate grabbed her wrist and dragged her out: “As for how I found you… I’ve searched everywhere you might possibly go except the lower deck. If Daniel hadn’t said you were heading to the medical room, I’d probably still be searching.”

“What a little traitor.”

Watching the medical room door being shut firmly by the ship’s doctor, Roy was dejectedly led away, saying listlessly: “What’s there to meet? I’m just an ordinary pirate. Let’s forget about it and avoid conflicts due to differences in ideals.”

Glancing at the captain, Caine remained silent for a moment before saying: “I don’t think he wants to discuss official matters with you.”

“Then what would we discuss, personal matters? Please, what personal matters could we possibly have to discuss? Does he want to take you back? But that’s not something I can decide…”

The captain’s guilty mumbling did not save her from this sudden meeting. After being dragged out of the cabin and arriving at the wooden door of the captain’s room, she finally accepted her fate.

Pulling her hand from the First Mate’s grasp, Roy patted her slightly wrinkled white dress and asked miserably: “Governor Naren is inside?”

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Caine nodded slightly: “Yes. Because of the time spent looking for you, Father has been waiting for quite a while.”

Let’s hope the Governor isn’t too angry…

Roy pursed her lips, thinking silently, then reluctantly reached out to push the door.

As the wooden door opened, warm candlelight fell through the gap onto the girl’s fair cheeks. In this process, the displeasure and irritation on her face seemed to melt away like ice under warm sunshine, replaced by a polite and elegant smile, as if she had transformed into a true noble lady.

In the captain’s cabin, the man was leaning rather relaxed against the chair back, gently stroking the small head of the young dragon that had jumped back onto the table, occasionally asking a few quiet questions to the raven standing on his shoulder.

The axe-carved hard lines of his face seemed to have softened considerably under the warm candlelight, just like that yellowing old photograph hanging in the Howard family manor on Frans Island.

In that photograph, the young and handsome man stood side by side with the woman he loved, his smile brimming with happiness.

But when that woman passed away early from illness, and everything he treasured was buried in a sea of fire, no one could ever see similar emotions on Naren’s face again. Only the steadfastness and dignity remembered by nobles and soldiers remained.

But now, perhaps because the culprit had been punished, or seeing his life’s only hope walk out from the shadow of revenge, or perhaps for meeting the girl who held special meaning to his child, this Governor had once again become that father who had made a “secret between men” with his child, had become once more that gentle officer who loved the violin and elegant operas.

“So, Caine has considerable prestige among the crew?” Naren quietly asked the raven, a smile of gratification on his lips.

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“Yes, the First Mate killed the Black Emperor. He is a true man,” the raven opened its wings and said with certainty.

“That’s precisely why he has become a pirate in name and deed, though he still maintains the integrity and perseverance from his military days.”

The girl’s crisp voice reached his ears. Hearing the footsteps stopping nearby, the governor turned his eyes and saw the girl curtseying with her dress held up.

“Elizabeth Roy, honored to meet Governor Naren.”

Examining this pirate captain who differed greatly from the rumors, looking at her soft golden hair, extremely rare dark golden pupils, and angelic, exquisite face, even iron-willed Naren couldn’t help feeling dazed.

Just like when Caine first saw Roy, Naren seemed to see that elf-like girl, growing up healthy and happy after escaping that hellish fire.

So similar…

Naren thought absently, taking a long while to come to his senses before asking gently: “You are Gerard’s child, which means…”

“Caine’s fiancée?”