Captain – Chapter 288 – Longing

The arduous dinner finally came to an end.

Governor Naren did not, as the maiden had thought, stay for a few more days. Instead, after finishing the dinner, he bid farewell to the three of them and departed that night under the escort of imperial assassins. He was likely hurrying back to the warship in Elvet, and would then return to the imperial capital by waterway.

This man was just as the rumors described him—beloved by the people of Auran, with a deep love for everything about the Empire, and unwavering loyalty to the homeland that birthed and raised him.

More admirably, he always upheld his principles regardless of the storms and dangers he faced, never wavering or changing. Such a man rightfully earned the trust of the Emperor and the royal family, though he would inevitably become a thorn in the side of many.

It seemed that once the young prince ascended to the throne, this situation would improve, and Naren would continue to shine brightly in service to the Empire, just as the old Marshal had hoped.

Unlike Governor Naren, Roy and Caine stayed behind. Contrary to what the maiden had said about the urgency of their journey, they would be staying at the estate for quite some time.

Ostensibly, it was to relax their minds, but in truth, they were waiting for the Mermaid to complete the remaining jewelry transactions and replenish the water supplies needed for the voyage, which would inevitably take some time.

As for the ammunition consumed during that rainy night, being absolutely contraband in the Empire, it couldn’t be purchased. The imperial navy would deliver it specially, as a token of gratitude from the young prince and those behind him to Roy’s group.

Of course, these reasons were one aspect, while keeping the old man company was another.

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Though Roy had many complaints about Federo’s difficulties with him, seeing the old man so alone in such a large estate made even Roy feel sorry for his loneliness.

Tonight was a rare clear evening.

Stars twinkled ceaselessly in the night sky, their bright light spilling over the rice fields. The golden ears of rice swayed gently in the night breeze, like a golden sea, and the soft, soothing “rustle” was like the gentle tide of this sea.

Within this sea were many small wooden cabins.

These were once the dwellings of servants who worked the fields, but after Duke Darren’s death, many people had been dismissed and left, leaving the houses empty. They would likely remain uninhabited for a long time.

On the roof of one of these small wooden cabins, covered with soft straw, two figures lay quietly, gazing at the not-so-dark starry sky.

In that night sky, shadows occasionally passed by, blocking the starlight that fell on their faces, and faint joyful calls could be heard.

These were the Raven and the young dragon, who had been permitted to be brought to the estate by the crew.

They flew freely, sometimes circling above the two people’s heads, sometimes playing hide-and-seek in the paradise formed by rice fields and standing water, searching for delicious meals.

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After some time, the maiden sighed softly, her face full of contentment and relaxation, as if this environment was both familiar and nostalgic to her.

“When I couldn’t sleep as a child, I would sneak onto the roof while my mother wasn’t paying attention, counting stars to help me fall asleep. But if I slept too deeply and didn’t get back to bed before she woke up, I’d certainly be in for a scolding.”

You slept on the roof, which was both dangerous and could make you catch cold—of course you would be scolded.

Upon hearing this, Caine thought silently, but he quickly noticed that when the captain spoke of her childhood, there was no longer any weakness in her voice, nor any deeply hidden sadness—only pure nostalgia and complete acceptance and relaxation.

This was perhaps because she had thoroughly moved beyond that past, and so could turn back calmly to savor and observe it.

After saying this, Roy suddenly sighed again: “It’s a pity… my mother is gone now, and that scoundrel’s whereabouts are unknown. I heard he also went to the Cursed Sea to search for the Devil’s Island where that demon resides. If so, the map on Satin Island might be helpful.”

“I just don’t know if the map left by Captain Edward has any clues about him. Otherwise, wouldn’t I have to spend my whole life searching for him aimlessly in the boundless sea, just like Enzo?”

Although the maiden had never shown any desire or longing for family affection—even her purpose in finding Captain Gerard was to give him a good thrashing—it would certainly be false to say that her heart wasn’t stirred at all after witnessing the relationships between Old John and his daughter, Rex and Victor, and her First Mate and Governor Naren.

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Especially after Governor Robert, who had once replaced her father in her heart and made her feel the warmth of family, betrayed her and died by her hand, these indescribable feelings about family grew increasingly intense.

So intense that she wanted to immediately see that man and question him about the truth of all these years, so intense that she hoped… her contempt and dissatisfaction with him was just a misunderstanding.

Even if all she got was an excuse.

That way, though she would still give him a beating and still wouldn’t forgive him, at least she would have someone to care about in this vast, boundless world.

Sensing the captain’s complex emotions, the young man sat up and, in the clear starlight, gazed at her fair face, saying softly: “We will find him. As long as you look for him, you’ll definitely find him. After all, you are Captain Roy.”

Knowing that her First Mate was comforting her, the maiden seemed to have received the answer she wanted. She sat up, the confusion in the depths of her eyes completely vanishing, her face blooming with a confident and composed smile: “Yes, after all, I am… the great Captain Roy.”

“With my ‘likable’ disposition, all sorts of characters flock to me—cursed ones, death-fearers, blood cravers, even ghost ships and deities—swarming around me like moths to a flame, no matter how I try to shake them off.”

At this point, Roy glanced at the young man, her meaning very clear—that among these characters, there were occasionally normal people, such as a certain Naval Commander.

Seeing the maiden place him among those characters, the young man couldn’t help but raise his eyebrows, somewhat displeased. But looking at her increasingly bright smile, he knew she was teasing him again, as she had done countless times before, so he could only shake his head helplessly.

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“In that case, that scoundrel might at some point run right into my gun sights, saving me the trouble of looking for him.”

Seeing the young man’s not-so-happy expression, the captain grinned and reached out to pat his head, like petting a big lion having a tantrum.

With a loud whistle, the two black shadows in the sky quickly approached.

The Raven landed on the maiden’s shoulder, while the young dragon pounced into the young man’s arms. Its increasingly large body nearly knocked him off the roof, fortunately the captain was quick to grab him.

“We should get our young master Anderson to speed things up. That way, we can leave the Empire’s inland sooner and return to the open sea.”

The two climbed down from the roof and walked onto the main road leading to the estate.

Roy gazed at the still splendid starry sky, narrowing her eyes like a little fox plotting something: “Whether it’s the lighthouse, the island, or the ship that has been lingering in the shadows, I’m already somewhat impatient to see them all. Of course…”

“We must first take care of all matters within the Empire.”