Captain – Chapter 262 – Questioning

Robert was not wrong.

In fact, even while living on the ranch, Roy had been deeply attracted by the fantastical adventure stories told by her mother, and because of them, developed a longing for the vast and mysterious sea.

Although the legendary man in these stories had lost his glory and goodness in the young woman’s heart due to the various tragedies she had experienced, leaving only disgust and confusion after being abandoned, this hadn’t diminished her yearning for the sea. Instead, it became the driving force pushing her to embrace it.

The reason she still wanted to go to sea was actually identical to what the Governor had said.

She wanted to see with her own eyes whether the scenes from those stories truly existed, and whether that sea really possessed such immense charm that a man would rather abandon his wife and child than not return to it. And after that…

She would trace his footsteps, try to find him, and personally demand an answer to this question.

“Yes, I did have such plans.”

Hearing the Governor’s question, the captain’s dark golden eyes dimmed slightly, as if recalling scenes of depending on her mother, and the dark vortex that seemed to completely engulf her after losing her.

“Then, having experienced so much, you should know what profound darkness exists on that seemingly pure blue sea—it’s a paradise for smugglers, a treasury for pirates’ endless greed.”

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Observing the faint loss in the young woman’s eyes, Robert said gently: “Under such circumstances, allowing you—who had never experienced such an environment and only knew the tip of the iceberg about the sea from stories—to plunge into it would be like watching a lamb enter a wolf pack, ultimately being devoured until nothing remained.”

“Therefore, I thought for a long time before deciding to use what you call the jewelry box as a catalyst, to make you deeply experience the feeling of betrayal and abandonment, to let you understand that even someone who once cherished you could potentially become that deadly poisoned wine one day.”

“This way, you would maintain the utmost vigilance toward people approaching you and be reluctant to give your trust. After experiencing loneliness, helplessness, and despair in prison, you would truly understand how important power—your own power—is.”

At this point, the Governor’s typically clear eyes became somewhat unfocused. He seemed to traverse time and space, witnessing that child struggling desperately in dire circumstances, moving forward under the daily torture of hunger and exhaustion.

After countless days, she finally saw the city called Ilruwin, saw the port adjacent to the sea symbolizing chaos and freedom, and then unhesitatingly plunged into it.

“In my view, only this way could you protect yourself as much as possible on the unpredictable sea, survive one dangerous exploration after another… and have the possibility of meeting me again.”

“And facts prove that you ultimately succeeded, which can, in a sense, prove that my arrangement had its merits.”

With a deep sigh, the man looked at the young woman with eyes full of apology and affection, his tone becoming much lower: “But later, I realized… this journey was far too difficult and dangerous for you, causing you to endure too much darkness and pain that someone your age shouldn’t have experienced.”

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“Everything you went through turned into self-accusations, constantly knocking at my heart over these ten years. I looked at the various traces you left by my side, asking myself again and again…”

“Was I truly wrong?”

Hearing this, Roy’s eyes rippled slightly. She looked at the man whose lips trembled slightly, at his already whitening temples, and asked softly: “Then what is your answer?”

Without immediately answering the young woman’s question, the Governor slowly said: “Originally, I didn’t think I was wrong. Although I felt pained about everything you encountered, I believed those were necessary paths on your journey to strength, paths I had also walked.”

“But until meeting you, seeing your somewhat unfamiliar yet intimately familiar face, hearing you force yourself to call me, then your questioning, your intention to never see me again—only then did I truly feel a genuine, irreparable emptiness.”

“It was a feeling I had never experienced before. I used to think that no one was indispensable to me, but upon tasting that feeling, I realized how truly important you are to me.”

“You’re different from anyone else around me, and no one will ever replace your position in my heart in the future. You are the only person I’ve genuinely poured my emotions into, truly regarding as my own child.”

“So…”

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Robert suddenly smiled, his smile carrying an emotion called relief: “I was wrong, completely wrong, irredeemably wrong. But I still hope to make amends as much as I can.”

“Child, that is my answer, and the explanation I can give you.”

After hearing his conclusion, the captain remained silent for a long time before meeting his somewhat expectant gaze and smiling, saying: “Uncle Robert, I must admit, your explanation is touching and persuasive, but…”

“I’m sorry, I cannot accept it.”

The young woman’s somewhat cold words seemed to shatter all the warmth and harmony around the round table, leaving only the fierce storm raging outside the floor-to-ceiling window.

At the same time, it also shattered a certain hope in the man’s heart. He seemed completely unprepared for such a result after recounting his inner journey over these years and expressing his deep emotions for her.

This abrupt shock threw even Robert, whose mind was as hard and cold as iron, into a daze, leaving him speechless for a moment.

After an unknown period, the Governor was finally brought back to reality by the clear and urgent sound of rain. The soft colors in his eyes gradually faded, replaced by deep confusion.

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He asked slowly: “Why?”

“Why? Because you taught me that trust is a poisoned cup, not to be drunk lightly, even when offered by someone who was once one of the closest to you.”

Roy’s smile gradually faded: “Moreover, these are all your one-sided words. I have no way to verify them, so how can I determine their truth?”

“And even taking a step back, even if all this is truly as you say, arranged hardships for my growth, have you considered what if I… what if that eight-year-old child hadn’t survived?”

“What if he had died under the fists of the jailers, what if he hadn’t escaped that heavily guarded prison, what if he hadn’t received help from kind-hearted people and starved to death on the way before reaching Ilruwin.”

The captain stared directly into the Governor’s pitch-black eyes and said coldly: “Not to mention the various injustices and dangers faced due to age after reaching that city full of thugs, after going to sea.”

“In this race against death, there were too many ‘what ifs,’ too many possibilities that could have led that child with nothing to a tragic end. The possibility of truly realizing your expectations was as intangible and illusory as a bubble. These things…”

“Did you really consider them, Uncle Robert?”