Captain – Chapter 35 – Rules of the Game

Her golden hair cascaded like a waterfall. Against the white formal dress with gold-edged stripes, her already noble and rare hair and eye color were displayed to maximum effect. The small exposed skin was as white as snow, seemingly providing powerful proof of her origins from a Federation noble house.

This was the scene Caine witnessed upon entering the room.

In that moment, the devil seemed transformed into an angel—everything was perfect beyond reality… except for the expression on her exquisite face.

“How many times have I told you not to call me Elizabeth in public!”

Caine was momentarily stunned by the captain’s heavenly appearance until her low complaint reached his ears. He responded, “Well, what else should I call you? Captain?”

“Andersen,”

Roy emphasized through gritted teeth, “Miss Andersen.”

“Alright, alright, Miss Andersen. Since you’re ready, let’s depart.”

Looking at the captain’s usual expression, Caine bitterly smiled to himself, thinking it was unrealistic to expect a dangerous tiger to become a docile rabbit.

“Wait… wait.”

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Roy called out to her first mate about to turn and leave. Facing his slightly puzzled gaze, she displayed a hint of bashfulness for the first time, stammering for a while before blurting out: “How… how do I look? I mean, this outfit won’t give me away, right?”

Caine was momentarily stunned, then quickly understood the captain’s meaning. Unable to contain the impact of this contrast, he softly laughed.

His gaze traced down from her golden hair, passing over her face which was gradually turning unpleasant, to the silver necklace with brilliant pearls hanging on her slender neck, and finally to the blue sapphire teardrop ring on her delicate fingers. He examined every detail as if appreciating a rare, magnificent art piece.

Originally wanting to lash out at her first mate’s “mockery”, Roy was instead subdued by his archaeological-like scrutinizing gaze. She frowned slightly, “If there’s a problem, say it. Don’t let any flaws show up at the ball.”

“Problem? No, Miss Andersen, actually your taste is excellent. This dress seems tailored specifically for you.” Seeing Roy looking somewhat disappointed, Caine quickly suppressed his laughter and sincerely complimented her.

“Really?” Roy looked at him suspiciously.

“Yes, though if your expression could be a bit gentler, it would be perfect,” Caine made a gesture of invitation, signaling the captain to follow him.

Roy quickly walked to his side, leaving the room together. The major had been waiting outside with a look of deep grievance. Seeing them emerge, he hurriedly ran to arrange their departure.

“I know, but there’s no need to maintain the disguise when we’re alone,”

Finding themselves unobserved, Roy stretched her body, slightly restricted by the formal dress, her tone lazy like a cat just waking up.

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“And once we’re outside, I naturally have methods to make them deeply believe my identity.”

Just as the young girl said, once they left the main fortress, she seemed to transform completely.

A polite yet not cold smile, gentle eyes that seemed to speak a thousand emotions, and an impeccable dignified posture. The overwhelmingly strong Captain Roy appeared to have truly become a side branch heir of the Andersen family, possessing an innate nobility that ordinary nouveau riche nobles could never achieve.

Paired with her angelic appearance, a dress and jewelry that seemed tailor-made, she looked like someone stepping out of a painting, causing the soldiers waiting outside the main fortress to lose their senses.

The cold-blooded military officer and the elegant noble lady—such a combination was indeed eye-catchingly attractive.

As Caine and Roy boarded the carriage, the major sitting in the front compartment cracked his soft whip in the air, laughing and scolding the dazed soldiers: “We’re departing! Why are you standing there? She’s the young master’s woman, not yours!”

The soldiers laughed for a moment before leaving the castle with the carriage, passing through the town toward the estate hosting the ball.

Thanks to the duke’s generosity, a wide, convenient road connected the town to the estate. The carriage progressed smoothly and quickly, with only the raindrops striking the exterior telling of the journey’s hidden dangers.

Amidst the thunderstorm, the two conversed quietly.

“Where’s Alfie? You sent it out early—was it to keep an eye on the Black Raven Society assassins?”

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“Impossible. There are over a hundred assassins on this island. How could it watch them all?”

Roy glanced at her first mate, whose face remained calm but hands were unconsciously clenched: “Besides, those people are just tools for killing. No matter how many you eliminate, it’s useless. As long as they can take out Federo, the Black Raven Society considers any number of deaths worthwhile.”

She was right. While assassins were difficult to cultivate, they could always be replenished. If that governor symbolizing darkness fell, no one in the Auran Empire could directly confront the Black Raven Society’s founder—which was precisely their objective.

“So, I had Alfie seek out those executors, and then trace the line to catch the biggest fish.”

Hearing Roy’s words, Caine slightly raised an eyebrow: “Aren’t you worried it might encounter danger or expose your identity?”

A young girl with dark gold pupils might truly fool the Black Raven Society’s leaders, but if that girl were accompanied by a raven named Alfie, deception would be impossible.

“Rest assured, Alfie isn’t that stupid. The Black Raven Society’s ravens are no match for it, and as for hunting hawks, they’ll never match its speed.”

Captain Roy had always been this confident, whether she was doing something or her beloved pet was.

“Alright, if you really can find… the location of that big fish, I hope you’ll tell me,” Caine said, helplessly trusting the captain’s judgment.

“Why would I tell you?” Roy asked brazenly.

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Caine thought she wanted to make a demand, his eyes twitching slightly. He lowered his tone: “Would the captain please tell me?”

Roy realized he had misunderstood and couldn’t help but laugh: “No, you misunderstood. Telling you is useless. Would they really wait for you to bring troops?”

Caine was silent for a moment: “You’re right. Telling me is useless, but if the governor knew, it would definitely be useful.”

“No way. If that old man finds out, the game becomes much more complicated,” Roy wagged her index finger, still refusing.

“He just needs to do his part as bait, and what you need to do is lead the navy to hold back those assassins. That’s all.”

Wouldn’t this put the governor in tremendous danger? What would be the point of their coming?

As if sensing her first mate’s thoughts, Roy leaned back, making herself comfortable against the velvet cushion, narrowing her eyes enjoyably: “Caine, you must understand. I’m the protagonist of this game, not you, and certainly not your governor. Everything will proceed according to my will.”

At this point, her originally lazy and soft voice suddenly transformed, becoming as sharp as the coldest Arctic wind, carrying a thick warning that reached Caine’s ears.

“If anyone breaks the rules, I’ll flip the table… even if that person is you.”