Captain – Chapter 41 – So What

Amid the intense rain, the sounds of clashing blades and swords piercing flesh were incessant, like a magnificent, stirring symphony—except the keys playing this composition were not piano keys, but lives slipping away.

After what seemed like an eternity, this soul-stirring symphony finally reached its finale.

Figures dressed in black silently emerged from the invisible darkness, their footsteps making not even the slightest splash when stepping into puddles, testament to their supreme stealth abilities.

In their hands, they all carried gleaming stabbing swords.

Caine silently watched these black-clad figures gradually approach. From the moment the muskets had fired earlier, he knew that the frail, hunched old man before him had already taken control of the situation.

What he hadn’t expected was that the empire also possessed assassins capable of matching the Black Raven Society’s killers.

As if guessing Caine’s thoughts, the old man turned his head slightly: “They are death-sworn soldiers I’ve trained using the cruel methods of that Black Raven Society elder. If the enemy were prepared, they would still be far inferior to their assassins, however…”

More and more people emerged from the shadows, eventually gathering into a large mass of darkness, roughly estimated at over a hundred.

“With the advantage of surprise, plus a nearly threefold numerical advantage, it’s enough to consume this grand feast.”

Hearing this, Caine’s eyes grew heavy: “You mean there were supposed to be three hundred people here?”

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During their earlier breakout, after sacrificing the lives of nearly eighty navy soldiers, they had killed only seven assassins. Even adding those killed by Roy when she cleared the path, the total wouldn’t exceed fifteen.

After the musket squad’s volley, the number of assassins should have been around a hundred. And according to Federo, the empire’s death-sworn troops, three times that number—a force of three hundred—still suffered casualties of more than half to take down these assassins.

Facing those monsters trained by the Black Raven Society, one truly couldn’t afford the slightest underestimation.

While Caine was deep in thought, a black-clad figure who looked no different from the others stepped out from the shadow mass, stopping three paces in front of Federo and bowing slightly.

“Reporting to Governor, according to our count, a total of ninety-seven assassins were killed.”

Hearing this, Caine frowned: “That’s not right, the total should be one hundred thirty-two.”

The black-clad figure looked at the officer in surprise, seemingly not understanding how he knew the exact number.

“He was the one who told me,” Federo explained to his subordinate expressionlessly, then turned his gaze to the officer. “You see? This is how dangerous the Black Raven Society is. Even in this situation, they still managed to withdraw about a quarter of their forces.”

“In that case, those people…”

Caine seemed to suddenly realize something, rare astonishment appearing in his azure eyes, his tone becoming somewhat urgent.

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“Yes, they should be on their way back to their base, which is exactly…” Federo gave him a meaningful look and said, “where that Anderson young lady was heading.”

After a thorough search confirmed that not a trace of the Black Raven Society remained in the duke’s manor, the still-terrified nobles were escorted under the protection of soldiers and attendants to another estate adjacent to this location—the Howard family’s former residence.

Though no one had lived there since that hellish fire, His Majesty the Emperor, to console the devastated Governor Naren, had rebuilt it according to the same specifications as a memorial and assigned people for regular maintenance.

On the day the estate was completed, Naren had brought Caine, who was still studying at the military academy, back to this place of heartbreak. He stored all his past glories—his admiral’s uniform and epaulettes—here, never looking back again.

The nobles were settled in the castle’s quarters, some still unable to close their eyes, pondering the earlier terrifying assassination attempt, others falling asleep in the deep exhaustion caused by fear and panic. Outside each noble’s door and throughout the estate, solemn navy personnel patrolled.

Only the study still had its lights on. Outside the door stood Rear Admiral Merri, calm and silently waiting; a major pacing back and forth, unable to find peace; and several soldiers most skilled in close combat. Inside the room were only two people:

Caine and the Governor.

Looking at the young man who had remained silent since entering the study, Federo put down his hot tea: “Caine, you know there aren’t many things in this world that can escape my eyes. Even if something succeeds momentarily, it’s impossible to hide from me forever.”

For Federo, who commanded all the empire’s intelligence agencies, there were truly few things in this world he didn’t know. No matter how perfect that young woman’s disguise, she had still revealed flaws in certain places—flaws that were small matters she had long taken for granted.

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Understanding what the old man was referring to, Caine pressed his lips together, his voice devoid of emotion: “I naturally know your capabilities, and never expected our scheme to fool you, but… so what?”

Yes, contrary to what he had told Roy, even if that infamous captain was truly a woman who had shed her fangs and donned sheep’s clothing to become docile, she still could hardly deceive the old man’s eyes.

Despite this, he had still brought her to the ball.

In his eyes, the grudge between this captain and the empire was far less important than Federo’s safety, or the Black Raven Society’s threat to the empire.

He had even hoped to use this matter to ease the tension between her and the empire.

But witnessing the old man’s series of commands, he realized his mistake. In Federo’s eyes, there had never been any distinction between minor and major threats—anyone who was an enemy of the empire was a target to be eliminated.

For this reason, he now treated this close elderly friend with such coldness, beginning to bare his own fangs.

“Are you thinking that she saved you, and made undeniable contributions in the war between the empire and the Black Raven Society?”

Federo, completely unconcerned by the young man’s emanating coldness, continued to review the confidential reports delivered to the study while sipping his bitter, mind-sharpening hot tea.

Caine’s hand hanging at his side gradually tightened, his heart sinking lower with the old man’s calm questioning: “Isn’t that the case?”

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“Naive.”

This was Federo’s assessment of the young man who spoke through gritted teeth. His eyes showed slight disappointment: “Who is she? She is Golden-Eyed Roy, world-renowned precisely for her ingenious disguises. Even I was almost blinded by her, let alone you?”

Caine was silent for a moment. Although reluctant to admit it, he knew that part of the goodness the young woman displayed to him was indeed false, and this belief was strengthened after witnessing the captain’s terrifying capabilities.

Acting cute, appearing delicate, needing care… these descriptors could never apply to a legendary pirate, let alone the cold-blooded, manipulative Captain Roy. As for loneliness…

He believed she had never cared about such feelings.

But…

Caine took a deep breath, suppressing the irritation in his heart and returning to his usual calmness: “But she saved me, nursed me away from death’s clutches, protected me from Scorpion Lion’s harm—none of this was false.”

“Even at the ball, she didn’t refuse. So what right do I have to doubt her motives, to probe her purposes, to question her disguise?”

Caine slowly sat up straight, like a lion defending its territory: “So, Governor, what of it?”