Captain – Chapter 213 – Thoughts

The unwritten pirate rule was completely fabricated. Tricking Caine into temporarily moving out of the captain’s cabin was simply to more conveniently read the Governor’s letter. This way, her potentially strong emotional reactions wouldn’t affect him, and she could temporarily keep him from knowing about that fragmented past.

Lighting a white candle, in the illumination of the flickering flame, Roy opened the envelope and removed the soft, white letter paper. She gently caressed the flowing, familiar handwriting on the paper’s surface. Her eyes wavered slightly, like a calm water surface disturbed by falling leaves, rippling with complex, indiscernible emotions.

The letter was long, spanning many pages, but only the beginning of the first page contained simple greetings before quickly moving to the main point.

The changes in Yadris, the change of the Mermaid’s ownership, and the second transit document gifted by Federo—the Governor briefly explained how he had come to know all this. Besides using the Black Raven Society’s spies throughout the Empire, he had also received top-secret information from the military intelligence department.

Roy’s gaze lingered on the word “military” for a long time, her hand unconsciously gripping the letter paper tightly.

According to the Auran Empire’s strict power division, each governor possessed enormous political power. However, even with their privileges allowing them to have a group of elite soldiers as personal guards, they were absolutely forbidden from having even the slightest military authority. Even an ambiguous relationship with the military would be viewed as a challenge to supreme royal power.

This was because the current royal family—the Alexander family—had driven the Stephens from the throne precisely because they had both extensive political and military power, trusted deeply by the previous royal family, and acted during a time of internal and external crises.

For this reason, Alexander I, on his first day in power, had promulgated the law of separation between military and politics, strictly prohibiting nobles and officials, especially governors who symbolized the pinnacle of imperial power, from contacting the military and thus cultivating their own faction among soldiers.

Rеαԁ οո ΚаtRеаⅾiոgCafe

Of course, Auran also rarely promoted top military officers to the position of governor. According to imperial history books, in nearly three hundred years, only Naren had been exceptionally promoted to Imperial Governor due to his unsurpassable military achievements and glory, plus his close relationship with the current emperor.

But even so, when Naren accepted the title of governor, he decisively severed ties with the military. Apart from retaining a three-masted warship and its soldiers as a protective force, he had no further connection with the military.

Yet now, the Empire’s other governor, that old emperor’s distant relative—Robert Alexander—had frankly admitted his close ties with the military in a confidential letter to a pirate captain. He even had an ambiguous relationship with the Black Raven Society, which was a thorn in the Empire’s side.

What did this represent? Roy, who had previously communicated with Duke Darren and Governor Federo, knew all too well. But she knew even more clearly…

That the other party writing these top-secret messages in a letter, telling her in such a casual tone, represented what kind of trust and affirmation—just as if still treating her as that closest person.

Just like six years ago.

Pursing her lips, the girl suppressed the faint irritation in her heart and continued reading.

Reαԁ оո КαtRеαdіnɡСafe

During this process, the young dragon lying on the bed and the raven perched on its head both maintained rare silence. They sensed the captain’s current seriousness and inner torment.

“Do you know, child, when I stand on the boulevard of the imperial capital, looking back at that magnificent palace, I feel a desolate sensation in my heart. Except for our Emperor, I look around and see not a glimmer of hope in the royal bloodline.”

“The princes are arrogant and incompetent, just like Stephen XIII whom my ancestor pushed from the throne, who will eventually drive the Alexander family and the entire Empire into an irrecoverable situation.”

“For the continuation of the family, for the eternal glory of the Empire, perhaps the only solution is for the family to abdicate—at least that’s what I think. And as if blessed by the Auran Goddess, in the years since forming this idea, I’ve met a like-minded ally, that is Federo Garcia.”

“Under his guidance, I saw the rising star that could guide the Empire’s future—a little lion full of vengeful desire, namely Caine Howard.”

“I’ve never seen such an excellent young man. His brilliance almost overshadows his father’s. And when he defeated the Federation Navy and inherited the title of Imperial Lion and Admiral, I agreed to Federo’s plan, becoming the greatest support behind him.”

“If I could keep my hands unstained with blood, if I could avoid appearing before His Majesty and his nephews in such a major act of defiance—perhaps that would be my greatest pursuit and comfort. That was my consideration.”

Rеaԁ oո KαtRеαԁіոɡСαfе

“But facts prove that relying on outsiders is ultimately not the solution, because you can never truly read people’s hearts. You never know when your closest ally might betray you. This was the first lesson I taught you, but in the end, I too paid a heavy price for it.”

Upon reading “first lesson,” the captain’s eyes suddenly became intense, churning with terrifying flames. She crumpled the letter paper, making it crackle, her face expressionless.

“I must admit, your appearance and actions in that major event at Frans Island were beyond my expectations, to the extent that when Federo abandoned his ideals, when our little lion resigned and left, it caught me completely off guard, even burning all my past efforts to ashes.”

“But I know this can’t be blamed on you, young master Howard, or anyone else. It can only be blamed on my failure to adhere to my own principles. Therefore, I must thank you for giving me such a vivid yet heart-wrenching lesson.”

“After no longer harboring any hope for others, I seem to have regained my past feelings, the feeling of acting on my own and solving all obstacles independently. So I began new preparations. To achieve my goal, I can use forces hidden for many years, I can use any means necessary.”

“But after losing Federo’s help, and even being tricked by him, I found the resistance I face is too great. Standing beside His Majesty is that man named Naren, who has somehow become a solid wall, cutting off all my approaches to His Majesty. Perhaps it’s because His Majesty has also sensed my intentions?”

“So I decided to eliminate him, his supporters, his family, and all his allies. But the problem is, his child is now closely associated with you, and if I guess correctly, you will also establish a family-like relationship with him. This troubles me greatly.”

Rеaⅾ οn KаtRеadіոɡCаfе

“On one hand, I’m happy for you; on the other hand, I’m troubled because of you. This is a feeling I haven’t had for a long time, child. Because of this, I deliberated for a long time before finding a solution acceptable to both of us, which is also the reason I’m writing this letter to you.”

“I hope you can understand my good intentions.”

This was the last sentence the man wrote in a senior’s tone. After that, his handwriting suddenly became sharp, as if reverting to that cold-blooded governor who made the public revere and fear, and enemies sleepless.

After carefully reading every sentence that followed, Roy slowly put down the letter, her eyelids slightly lowered, as if moved by that person’s words.

After a long while, the captain smiled faintly, then gently blew out the candle. In the darkened captain’s cabin, only her low whisper remained, devoid of discernible emotion.

“You’re still so good at persuading people… Uncle Robert.”