Captain – Chapter 340 – Siren, Oh Siren

Like the game of chess spanning ancient and modern times, this negotiation had now reached its conclusion.

All choices, success or failure, hinged on the “Old Pirate’s” few words and Roy’s single thought.

“The reason I chose to stand beside Edward after that negotiation that lasted several days wasn’t because of him, but because of the people he spoke of and the world we live in.”

Without any preamble, Isaac began simply and clearly.

“Whether he truly believed what he said at the time and only changed his mind during the twenty years that followed, or had already decided from the beginning to walk that path of no return, at least one thing he said wasn’t wrong.”

“Deities should not remain in this world, and those great powers should depart even more.”

“Annisdora is merciful to all beings, but because of the magic she possesses and her will that transcends the mundane, she is equally uncontrollable and even impossible to communicate with. Even I cannot change her beliefs, much less stop her.”

Roy and her companion weren’t surprised by this statement, because it was the truth.

Human laws, moral values, and many other constraints couldn’t apply to deities. In their eyes, everything in the human world was laughable and baseless, without meaning. Even life itself and the purpose of existence were equally trivial.

Just like the Lady.

She could bestow miracles with a single thought, guiding ships safely through storms at sea, bringing rain to drought-stricken lands. She could also deliver punishment on a whim, causing countless fields to yield not a single grain, or reducing hundreds of warships to dust.

For her, these were mere thoughts, but for humans, they carried immense significance.

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“Whether from Edward’s stories or from what I witnessed firsthand, I know how terrifying the power she possesses is, and I know what a great threat her existence poses to humanity. So, although I loved her so deeply, the thought of sending her away never wavered.”

“Later, when facing Edward, the principle was the same.”

“But in the end, I failed.”

At this point, Isaac’s eyes filled with profound compassion: “Although Annisdora no longer has such divine powers, a devil has been born in this world. You know the outcome of that decisive battle, but do you know about the tragedy that followed?”

“With countless preparations, Edward seized the power of the Box at the beginning of the war and used it to raise a great wind, a wind that caused all things to wither.”

“That great wind swept across the sea, extinguishing countless marine creatures. The Auran main fleet turned to dust in an instant. Only the Victoria survived because of the tear in that wooden carving, though I was the only person left alive on board.”

“But that wasn’t the end.”

Isaac stared intensely at the wooden carving, as if staring at the man who created it. His voice trembled slightly, not from fear but from anger: “That wind didn’t stop. It continued across the sea until it penetrated a hundred miles inland into Auran territory before finally dissipating!”

Hearing this, Roy’s eye twitched violently. Beside her, Caine’s brows furrowed tightly, the waves in his sea-like eyes churning as if lightning flashed and thunder roared.

The “Old Pirate” didn’t describe the full extent of that tragedy, but just from hearing these words and with simple imagination, the two at the table could sense the devastation.

A wind symbolizing withering swept across Auran’s most prosperous coastal and southern regions, areas with the highest population density, and continued inward for a hundred miles. In that terrifyingly vast area, all life naturally vanished without a trace, leaving only desolation.

A desolation colder than the ice sea.

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A deathly silence fell over the small room. Isaac was immersed in pain and self-reproach. Caine clenched his fists, too angry to speak. Even Roy, usually capricious and harboring complex feelings toward that devil, remained silent.

She thought she could understand her ancestor’s intentions.

It was a silent but most terrifying warning, a declaration of the devil’s emergence into the world, and also intimidation toward his followers to prevent any disloyalty.

Looking back now, it had indeed been effective.

After that decisive battle, Auran remained subdued for a century. The Southern Islands rose in peace, announcing that the world had officially entered the age of pirates. And before those nine legendary figures either died in battle or passed away naturally, none had ever uttered a word of criticism against Edward’s actions.

But was that right?

Roy didn’t know.

From the pirates’ perspective, although everything Edward did was for himself, they equally benefited from his path to godhood. One could even say that today’s Southern Islands were that greatest figure’s legacy.

Even in pirate history books, this was the prevailing view.

But that way… wasn’t it too cruel, to the point of being inhuman?

Even if the tragedy caused by that great wind could be attributed to different standpoints or the greater picture, or one could say it brought about a long period of peace and tranquility, the marine creatures who suffered undeserved disaster and the Siren race that was brutally exterminated could never be explained away.

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Or rather, was any explanation needed?

He was a devil, doing devilish things.

After an unknown period of time, Isaac’s voice finally sounded again: “To prevent such things from happening again, to ensure the world never again suffers from transcendent powers, I became determined to completely destroy the Box.”

With a slight rustling sound, the wooden carving was pushed in front of Roy. The “Old Pirate” looked directly into those dark golden eyes and said with utmost seriousness: “For this, I kept it secret from the Lady and made preparations for hundreds of years, suffering on that ship for hundreds of years, all to await your arrival.”

“To await that moment.”

Looking at the goddess statue within reach, Roy remained silent for a long time before saying: “I… I can’t just agree to this.”

“I understand your feelings, child.”

After a moment’s hesitation, Isaac finally released the wooden statue and slowly leaned back against the wooden chair, closing his eyes somewhat wearily.

Having spoken so much, having recalled so many things that even he was reluctant to remember, the “Old Pirate” was indeed tired. But regarding his choice made after hundreds of years, he felt no regret in his heart, and even some relief.

“You still have time. Before that box comes before you, before you must make a choice, you have time to consider and decide.”

As he finished speaking, Isaac reopened his eyes. His gaze was gentle but no longer fell on the goddess statue. Instead, he looked at those eyes that held some inner struggle, eyes whose color was extremely similar to that devil’s, yet fundamentally different in their essence.

Why had he chosen her?

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The answer to this question wasn’t actually as he had said earlier—because of the girl’s potential to kill the devil and her willingness to make such a choice.

This was far from enough, insufficient to move him.

The real reason wasn’t complicated; rather, it was simple, even somewhat absurd.

Earlier, he had sensed the ghostly fire ignited in the Mermaid’s hold, a fire that even he had little means to combat. Yet after a short time, that fire was extinguished silently without consuming the Mermaid along with him.

What kind of reason was this?

Just because Roy went to look at the fire once, and the fire extinguished as if influenced by divine will, did he therefore believe she was the one chosen by fate?

Of course not.

Thinking of that figure that appeared and vanished outside the hole in the hold, thinking of those familiar pale blue light particles that brought a sense of intimacy and coolness, a hint of a smile appeared in the “Old Pirate’s” eyes, along with a deeply hidden glimmer of hope.

She was willing to trust Roy—this was the real reason he had let down his guard, been honest with the Captain, and placed all his hopes on her.

Siren, oh Siren…

I hope your choice is the right one.