Captain – Chapter 369 – All Guilt Lies with Me

“Why me?”

Roy neither accepted the Devil’s proposal nor rejected it, but simply asked softly.

This was one of the questions that had been troubling her all along.

Whether it was her ancestor before her or the First Mate, both had recruited her without hesitation, viewing her as hope, as the destined one.

Why was that?

“Because your bloodline is closest to mine, the most excellent among all my children.”

Hearing the Devil’s explanation, the young woman asked in confusion: “But Ancestor, according to the laws of genetic inheritance, shouldn’t bloodlines become more distant as they pass down?”

“That’s for humans, but we…”

The Devil laughed pleasantly, using a joking tone that nonetheless sent chills down the young woman’s spine: “We are devils.”

“When I first obtained magical power, my bloodline—no, I should say the form of my life—had not completely transformed. The children born hastily were still within the realm of mortals.”

“Oh, as for why I say ‘hastily’.”

Halfway through his explanation, the Devil suddenly changed course, bringing up this point about ‘haste,’ as if the reason behind it mattered far more to him than the so-called main issue.

“It wasn’t because of those traitors, nor because I was gradually being sealed, so I randomly found a girl to bear a child. It was a request from the person I loved.”

At this point, in the Devil’s imposing dark golden eyes, an emotion called “tenderness” actually rippled, and his tone became gentler, as if returning to humanity.

Rеaԁ οո ΚаtRеαԁіոɡCαfе

“At that time, the great battle had ended, everything was settling down, the Southern Islands became the center of the world, and I, as I wished, had put down my burden and was gradually preparing to depart.”

“Perhaps in the eyes of those traitors, that journey of mine was to find the deity to eliminate her threat, but actually that wasn’t the case.”

“I just wanted to take the opportunity while my loved one was still alive to see the world with her, to see the sights beyond the known seas that had never been seen before.”

Looking into Roy’s eyes and sensing the confusion and curiosity arising within them, the Devil guessed her question and smiled: “After that, naturally, I would leave.”

This sentence was abrupt, its meaning somewhat vague, but the young woman understood perfectly.

“After that” referred to the end of the journey, when the Devil would accompany his beloved through the rest of her life, and “leave” meant leaving this world to go to the distant shore beyond the stars.

It was a romantic ending.

But there was still something unclear.

With the passage of time, the great power in the Devil’s Box would gradually flow into the Devil’s body.

Though time was long, eventually he would come to know the rules and transform into a true deity. By then, he would gain true eternity, becoming omnipotent.

So why not bestow immortality upon his beloved, as the Lady had done?

“Immortality is something countless people dream of, but for some, it’s a burden, an unbearable weight. My beloved was such a person.”

Knowing what the young woman was thinking, the Devil sighed lightly and said: “She was like you, an independent and strong girl who wouldn’t change her mind because of others’ will.”

Rеαⅾ on KatRеаԁіոɡСаfе

“She knew my pursuit, my deeds, and because of her love for me, she was willing to accept, yet absolutely not support. Similarly, she also rejected immortality.”

At this point, the Devil’s tone had faded considerably, and the warm smile that had hung at the corner of his mouth had disappeared.

“You don’t need to ask me about right or wrong, nor seek my forgiveness. That was your choice, so no matter what, you should bear the consequences and responsibility.”

“As for me? Of course I don’t support you.”

“But what can I do when I’ve fallen in love with you? Even if you’re heartless and a jerk, I can only blame myself for being blind and then accept it.”

“But don’t think you can trick me onto the ship. I won’t go with you. My life isn’t just about you, and… you don’t have to feel like you owe me anything.”

“Love is just that irrational.”

“Edward, before you leave, let’s have a child.”

The words of his beloved still echoed in his ears, that familiar voice and gaze, even after hundreds of years, still deeply engraved in his heart, showing no signs of fading.

“In the end, she didn’t come with me, only hoping that I would have a child with her.”

Awakening from the old sentiment, a strange smile appeared at the corner of the Devil’s mouth as he said: “Perhaps at that time, she already had a premonition, knowing that separation…”

“Would be forever.”

The Devil still left, but the person he loved most remained in the Southern Islands.

Rеaԁ οn ΚαtReadіոgСαfе

This way, that romantic ending, which would have been perfect for the world, became just a fantasy, not to mention what happened later.

Those cruel, cold betrayals.

“Back to the topic, because of this, those hastily born descendants only inherited my still incomplete bloodline. Although different from mortals, they still could not carry great power.”

Swirling the wine in his glass, the Devil narrowed his eyes, speaking somewhat lazily: “This wouldn’t have mattered, since I didn’t intend for them to get involved, but…”

He didn’t finish, but Roy knew what he meant.

If there had been no betrayals, if he hadn’t been sealed, the Devil would have already gone to the distant shore, and whether the children were divine offspring or not would have been irrelevant.

But since things changed, if he wanted to escape his confinement, he naturally had to place his attention and hope more on his descendants.

So bloodline became very important.

“Under the circumstances, I had no choice but to re-enter the world and make arrangements.”

Hearing this, Roy couldn’t help but raise an objection: “That’s not right, Ancestor. According to First Mate Isaac, you were well-prepared, as if you knew from the beginning that you would be betrayed.”

Whether it was the slaughter of the Sirens, the construction of the Acherousian Lighthouse, or the deadly agents scattered throughout the world, all were completed during that journey.

“Those were contingencies, child.”

After a long silence, the Devil gave a bitter laugh and said: “But he wasn’t completely wrong. Perhaps I did know early on that those I had personally trained would eventually stab me in the back.”

Rеαd oո КatRеαⅾіոɡСαfе

“Even though the Southern Islands were born because of me, even though I gave them a way to live and dignity, because of fear… or desire, they would still betray without hesitation.”

“That’s just how pirates are.”

Seeing the young woman no longer speaking, as if accepting his view, the Devil continued from his previous words: “Besides those preparations, the modification of the bloodline was also one of my preparations.”

“Each time the bloodline was passed down, I would use the bond to transmit magical power to the newborn, taking the opportunity while they were still unformed to integrate it into every part of their bones, body, and even soul.”

“Through this method, my descendants would approach perfection, able to carry increasingly powerful might, and eventually, truly approach me, becoming worthy of the name…”

“Devil’s offspring.”

So that’s the origin of my appearance, strength, and physical qualities far beyond normal people?

The young woman thought impassively, feeling that while this wasn’t bad, somehow it sounded… no different from the evil ritual that transformed Vivian into a Blood Craver?

“That is certainly different.”

The Devil seemed always able to hear the young woman’s thoughts, interrupting her thoughts mildly: “That curse-obsessed madman, it was in order to obtain something that didn’t belong to him that he had to rely on such a crude ritual.”

“But you are different, child. Although people call you Devil’s offspring, in reality, you are divine offspring, rightfully superior beings who should transcend the world.”

“That is what you deserve, no one can question it, and as for those so-called crimes…”

“All guilt lies with me.”