Captain – Chapter 36 – The Most Important Guests

The Captain’s words were not a threat, but a way of maintaining her dignity.

Though she didn’t fully understand Caine’s true identity, at least for now, he was her first mate. The captain would not allow her subordinate to lean too heavily toward outsiders.

Caine quickly understood this. He knew he had been too biased toward the Imperial military in recent decisions, which had already displeased Roy. Yet she still offered her patience and help—what that meant was obvious even to a fool.

As a Captain, Roy could solve problems for her crew and confront enemies. But she also demanded full, wholehearted support, without constantly thinking about her former employers.

After brief reflection, Caine followed her lead: “I understand. When the time comes, just tell me what to do.”

Seeing her First Mate had finally caught on, Roy’s eyes narrowed further, her voice returning to its lazy softness: “Hmm… that’s more like it. What kind of crew member doesn’t put the Captain first?”

“As for what to do, we’ll see when we get to the ball.”

After those final words, Roy seemed to have fallen asleep. The carriage fell silent, with only the raindrops beating against the side walls disturbing the quiet.

After traveling for some time, the carriage’s speed gradually decreased. The conversation reaching Roy and Caine’s ears indicated they had arrived outside the estate.

“Greetings, Major. Please show your invitation.”

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“Certainly. Thank you, soldier.”

“It’s our duty. After all, this is the governor’s ball. Hmm… the invitation checks out. Please proceed.”

As the naval guard’s words fell, the carriage moved again. This time, the Major’s three hundred subordinates did not follow, instead merging with the navy and stationed outside the estate.

“Captain?”

“Wha… what is it? Are we there?” Awakened by her first mate’s gentle tap, Roy rubbed her sleepy eyes, mumbling confusedly.

“You actually fell asleep? Get ready. We’re about to get out.”

As her first mate’s voice became clearer, Roy let out a small yawn. She reached out to slightly lift the curtain, looking at the gradually receding military camp. Her gaze immediately became sharp: “How many people did the Empire bring this time?”

“Including the nobles’ guards, around seventeen hundred total. Eight hundred naval personnel, two hundred elite riflemen, three hundred original Frans Island garrison troops. The rest are mercenary swordsmen or noble attendants.”

Caine had already reviewed the guest list with the Major and quickly calculated the precise number.

“Not a small number, though it’s a pity. In this rainstorm, the rifle squad is practically useless.”

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Roy lowered the curtain, her face showing no regret, but rather barely contained schadenfreude.

No matter how many Imperial soldiers or Black Raven Society assassins would die in this storm, it was nothing more than a trivial matter to her.

“Captain, could you consider my feelings for a moment?” Caine said, his face darkening.

“Sorry, sorry,” the Captain laughed, clearly showing no intention of reflection.

Finally, the carriage arrived at the ball’s venue—the most luxurious building in the entire estate, a palatial hall in Imperial court style.

Outside the hall, an exquisite courtyard was dotted with four water pools, housing many expensive rare fish. But in the midst of such a rainstorm, these pampered ornamental fish had all sunk to the pool’s bottom, unwilling to show themselves before the chatting guests.

Besides the pools, the courtyard had many round-topped, openwork stone pavilions perfect for admiring rare fish and pastoral scenery. However, no nobles were in the mood to elegantly brave the rain—they had long since entered the hall to meet the rarely-seen Governor Federo.

The carriage had barely stopped when a young butler in a black formal suit approached. He waved, and a servant came forward to take the horse’s reins.

The young butler bowed to the Major, his expression respectful: “Is the Major representing the Howard family at the ball again this time?”

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Because the Duke often held banquets when visiting Frans Island, and the Major represented the Howard family in the Empire’s southern frontier, the young butler responsible for hosting was not unfamiliar with him.

After asking what he thought was an unremarkable question, he joked, “Which lovely local lady is your companion this time?”

The Major had just descended from the front compartment, not yet steady on his feet, when the butler’s words made him stumble. He forced a laugh and glared at the butler: “No, no. I’m not attending this time. I’m just the carriage driver.”

The butler’s expression immediately stiffened: “Major, when you made the initial reservation, you didn’t say you wouldn’t attend. Changing participants… might break the rules.”

The butler’s concern was not unfounded. For a ball of this caliber, each invitation was precious. Changing the invitee would be disrespectful to the host, and this ball was not hosted by their usually broad-minded duke.

This was Governor Federo, notorious for his temper!

If he became angry, he wouldn’t care about anyone’s background. He could actually cause fatalities!

“If you’d come earlier, I could have helped you smooth things over. But you’ve waited until after all the guests have arrived to pull this…”

The butler’s expression of distress was like a surging sea, his meaning couldn’t be clearer.

“Don’t worry. The Governor’s temper won’t fall on you,” the major glanced at the butler, retrieved an umbrella from the front compartment, and carefully opened the carriage door.

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A silver-haired young man in pure black clothing stepped down the ladder cleanly, took the umbrella from the Major, and then went to the other side of the carriage to escort his dance partner.

The entire process was silent. The moment the young man descended, the butler—previously looking dejected—was shocked, mouth agape. Though he couldn’t know this young man’s noble status in the Imperial military, he recognized the magnificent badge on the young man’s chest.

A purple-copper lion badge, symbol of the Howard family.

Under the butler’s dazed gaze, a delicate white hand emerged from the carriage door, landing in the young man’s hand. Like a descending fairy, an incomparably beautiful young girl gracefully stepped down, her heavenly face bearing a perfect, flawless gentle smile.

“These… who are these two?” The butler, finally able to move his stiff neck, looked at the Major, whose eyes were full of appreciation, his throat incredibly dry.

He suddenly understood why the Major was willing to be a mere driver, why he dared to be the last to arrive at such an important ball—all because of these two incredibly noble individuals.

“Oh, old friend, who else could it be?”

The Major whistled, extending his hand to the approaching pair, proudly introducing: “Of course, the most important guests for the governor—Howard’s young master, and his partner…”

“Elizabeth Andersen. You may use my surname,” Roy smoothly continued the Major’s introduction, smiling.