Captain – Chapter 359 – Moths to the Flame

“And for some reason… I feel uneasy.”

All those difficult questions seemed to be just trivial examples.

Roy didn’t even wait for the First Mate to respond before softly adding this sentence, then tilting her head back to take a large gulp of alcohol, trying to drive away the chill in her heart.

Since sensing Isaac’s sentimentality and beginning to ponder the word “emotion,” she had felt a strange yet tangible uneasiness, as if the beam of light cutting across the sky wasn’t leading to an endpoint but rather into an abyss.

The Mermaid following the light—wasn’t it just like a moth to a flame?

“If, Caine, I’m saying if…”

As if tired, the Captain stopped drinking and turned the bottle upside down, pouring the rum she normally coveted so much entirely into the dark sea.

She had used this sentence pattern before.

It had introduced a question that Caine, and all emotional and sentimental people, found difficult to answer. So what would it be this time?

“If I am that moth drawn to the flame, a poor soul who cannot escape the bonds of fate, then please go, get as far away from me as possible.”

What followed wasn’t another difficult problem but the parting words of the protagonists in an opera called “Moths to the Flame.” Little did they know that their words would become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

After that, they never met again.

Though each was safe and thought of the other, how different is eternal separation in life from separation by death?

Rеaԁ оո KαtReαԁіոɡСаfe

During that peaceful time in Yadris, after reviewing the somewhat forgotten opera script, the Captain wouldn’t put it back on the bookshelf but would place it randomly, often making the whole room full of books.

While tidying up for her, Caine would occasionally flip through a few pages, carefully reading those that interested him. Among them was “Moths to the Flame,” so when he heard this line, he understood her meaning.

“You want me to leave alone?”

The young man no longer had any interest in drinking. His emotions were so turbulent that he disregarded any environmental consciousness and simply let go like an ordinary pirate, allowing the bottle of rum, from which he had taken only one sip, to fall into the sea.

“It depends on the situation. If possible, you take the crew members too…”

“What difference does that make?”

Being coldly interrupted, Roy was silent for a moment before saying softly: “Don’t be angry. We need to prepare for all possibilities. If in the end the outcome is decided and I lose, you surely can’t let everyone die with me?”

“We agreed not to do that whole dying-together thing.”

Releasing the empty bottle, Roy watched it drift away until it was completely swallowed by the waves, disappearing without a trace, while speaking softly.

Will you ever meet again?

The young woman thought silently, feeling that these bottles—once so close, then falling into the sea one after another—were truly like the man and woman in that opera.

“Enough of this rambling.”

Rеαⅾ oո ΚаtReαⅾіngCаfe

Taking a breath, as if trying to expel all the uneasiness from her heart, Roy straightened up, leaning on the railing, and spoke seriously to the silent First Mate: “Caine, you need to carefully remember what I’m about to say.”

“Satin Island is not far now, but similarly, the Death Silence is also approaching. If, as we’ve calculated, the Mermaid can arrive first, then everything proceeds as planned. I’ll go up to retrieve the Box and the map, while you’ll be responsible for dealing with that ghost ship.”

“With the Siren here, the Death Silence’s firepower will be greatly reduced. If possible, I hope you can disable it for some time.”

Brushing aside a strand of hair that was obstructing her view, Roy considered for a moment before continuing: “If things change unexpectedly, hand over full command authority to Admiral Isaac. At least until the final moment arrives, he’s worthy of trust.”

“Understood.”

Sensing the young woman’s solemn gaze, Caine finally responded.

Seemingly to ease the young man’s mind, the Captain added softly: “Don’t worry about my evacuation. I’ll still have Nidhogg ready to pick me up.”

Though meant to be reassuring, these words sounded different to Caine’s ears, prompting him to ask: “What about Alfie?”

“Since we’re going to battle, of course it has to stay on the ship.”

The young woman spoke naturally, and it indeed seemed to be the case.

As the Mermaid’s swiftest messenger, the raven played a crucial role in warfare, something Caine had already experienced when facing the Constantine.

But even so, he knew the young woman wasn’t sincere.

Rеαd οո КatRеαԁinɡСafе

Having the young dragon as a pickup point was an almost unsolvable escape method in the ice sea, where storms were relentless and firearms ineffective.

But just like that ice tower, its agility and combat capability would be constrained by complex terrain. Under such circumstances, facing monsters like the Blood Craver, it could potentially be injured.

That naturally created the possibility of being trapped.

Therefore, when selecting pickup points, Roy would try to choose open, unobstructed areas to maximize its talents. However, this created another problem: the inability to communicate at any time.

Of course, the solution to this problem was simple: bring Alfie along to relay messages.

But Roy had no such intention this time.

This meant that if on Satin Island, among the ancient ruins, chambers, and caves hiding the Box, she encountered dangers she couldn’t escape, or even found herself in a desperate situation, there would be no help coming.

Wasn’t this cutting off her own retreat?

Realizing her thoughts couldn’t be hidden from the First Mate, Roy sighed lightly and said helplessly: “Sometimes you’re just too clever. But even if you think so much and guess everything, what’s the point in the end? Isn’t it just creating more worries?”

Indeed, there was no point, because no one could change her decision.

“Continuing.”

Before the young man could speak, the Captain began again leisurely, her tone very relaxed: “Not bringing Alfie is to protect it. Isn’t not bringing you and other crew members the same principle?”

Rеαԁ oո КαtReаⅾіոɡCаfe

“Ultimately, this journey to Satin Island is my own destiny, not yours.”

Roy looked at the First Mate’s face, at those beautiful sea-blue eyes, and said without allowing the slightest doubt: “So, if even the Mermaid can barely hold on and I haven’t returned, take it and leave.”

If that time comes, I probably won’t be able to return anyway.

The Captain thought silently. With the Siren and the Mermaid’s firepower, contending with the Death Silence wouldn’t be a problem. If they couldn’t hold on, it would be because they had reached the desperate situation of exhausted ammunition, depleted provisions, and scattered morale—which would be after a very long time.

That was her deadline for retrieving the Box and the map.

“Don’t listen to anyone’s persuasion, don’t accept anyone’s obstruction or threats. Throw all who disobey into the sea. If no one is willing to follow you, then let Alfie call Nidhogg back…”

Stepping forward into the First Mate’s embrace, Roy tilted her head slightly, her dark golden pupils utterly indifferent: “Then take them and leave by yourself.”

“They will listen to you, and the deity and devil… won’t care about you.”

“You’ll definitely be able to leave, to fly far away, to return alive to Auran’s northern frontier. After that, don’t think about avenging me. Forget everything about deities, devils, curses, and chess games.”

“Forget me.”

“Promise me, Caine Howard.”