Captain – Chapter 449 – But I Love You

As the young lady’s whisper fell, a brief silence descended upon the table.

It seemed that not only the captain and her first mate, but even the ship’s doctor himself hadn’t expected his lover to give such an answer.

He gazed at her somewhat vulnerable profile, opened his mouth to say something, but in the end, couldn’t utter any words of persuasion. He only sighed lightly, giving a bitter smile: “Why didn’t you say so earlier? I’ve been preparing for so long. If I had known you wouldn’t agree…”

“But.”

Clearly having anticipated Anderson’s reaction, Miss York pursed her lips, interrupting him with just one word.

And this word typically signaled a turning point.

For the worse, or… tending toward the better.

The young lady raised her gaze slightly, turning to look at the ship’s doctor with such intensity, as if trying to commit to memory this face she had longed for—a face she might be separated from for countless days and nights to come, uncertain if they would ever meet again.

“But I love you.”

Because I love you, even if I don’t support your choice, I won’t force you to stay by my side.

It was that simple.

Watching this scene, hearing the affection in the young lady’s words, Roy inexplicably recalled her cheap ancestor. He too had once said that his beloved never supported him.

And because of this, that strong-willed lady refused to step into immortality, refused to leave with him, even knowing that after this farewell, they might never meet again.

Similarly, she had also spoken words akin to what Miss York just said.

Who told her to fall in love with him?

So although she disliked, even detested the devil’s numerous evil deeds, she still hoped to bear him a child before their parting, as a keepsake.

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Love has always been complicated and unfathomable.

With this thought, the captain couldn’t help but glance at her first mate, looking at his seemingly eternally calm face, thinking that perhaps many of her decisions and choices were ones he disagreed with in his heart.

But… who told him to love her?

So, despite weathering so many storms together, traveling down one forked path after another, he remained by her side.

“What is it?”

Sensing the captain’s gaze, the first mate turned his face and asked gently.

“Nothing.”

Roy smiled with a shake of her head, redirecting her gaze to the couple across from them, though her smile was brighter than usual.

On the other side, now aware of his lover’s feelings, the ship’s doctor didn’t know how to respond or face her. After pondering for a long while, he couldn’t find suitable words from his mind.

This medical man, who wouldn’t change color at the sight of even the most horrifying wounds, was now just like any ordinary person who had fallen in love—slightly embarrassed.

After all, not everyone could be as straightforward as the captain.

Instead, Miss York, having revealed her feelings, smiled slightly at him, then let her gaze drift between Anderson and the captain, asking: “Well, aren’t you in a hurry? Since everything that needed to be said has been said, shouldn’t you be on your way? Would you like to use my family’s carriage?”

Although the young lady’s voice remained clear and pleasant, compared to before, her pace had unconsciously quickened.

As if she feared speaking too slowly would make her regret parting due to reluctance.

For the Anderson family, members of the York family were undoubtedly among the guests who deserved the most respect. They came with invitations, and even the entrance inspection was merely superficial.

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Therefore, if they left in the York family’s carriage, the private guards at the gate wouldn’t dare stop them.

However…

“That won’t do. Wouldn’t that make you take the blame? If the old man investigates later, how would your father save face? Besides, if I have to burden you to leave, how embarrassing would that be?”

Without a second thought, the ship’s doctor firmly rejected the young lady’s kind offer, then reassured her: “Don’t worry, didn’t I tell you? I have an ‘insider’ with the old man. There won’t be any problems.”

Hearing this, although Miss York remained somewhat worried, she nodded, acquiescing to his choice.

Upon hearing Anderson mention that mysterious “insider” again, Roy pursed her lips, determined to see who this formidable person was. Then, lazily narrowing her eyes, she asked: “So it’s settled then. Since the young master has the ability to get us out of the estate, there’s no need for stealth.”

Initially, the captain’s plan was to first ask the ship’s doctor if he truly wanted to leave with them after meeting him.

If he did, they would take him and sneak out under the cover of deepening night. Given her alertness and judgment, even if all the Anderson family’s private soldiers were mobilized tonight, they would struggle to stop them.

But there was still a considerable risk.

That was because this so-called estate was simply too vast. Although she had memorized the general routes during their carriage rides over the past few days, she still wasn’t certain whether she could successfully lead… two “burdens” out of this place before the family head reacted.

The reason she had delayed until now was firstly because Miss York was present, and seeing how sweet they were together, Roy couldn’t bear to separate them immediately. That would be too cruel.

Secondly, it was because Anderson never showed any sense of urgency from the beginning.

As if leaving this place was a relaxed, pleasant affair.

“So, young master, shouldn’t we be going soon?”

Nevertheless, after so much time, Roy couldn’t help but ask, feeling that every moment of delay increased the risk of their departure.

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“No need to rush, Captain.”

With everything settled, the ship’s doctor seemed to relax, his face once again bearing a self-satisfied smile. That slightly smug expression suggested everything was under control: “The night is still young. Emily and I haven’t seen each other for so long, we should spend more time together. Otherwise, how could I bear to leave?”

Hearing this, Miss York, who had been watching Anderson since her previous declaration, had a slight brightness in her eyes, like stars appearing after the clouds had scattered. The reluctance in her eyes also faded somewhat.

“Being so presumptuous, aren’t you afraid of capsizing?”

With a confused “hmm,” looking at the ship doctor’s confident demeanor, Roy furrowed her brow and asked.

“How could there be any mistake in what I’ve arranged?”

Finishing the wine in his glass, Anderson gently placed it aside, then let out a light breath, his mouth finally revealing a hint of arrogance: “This is my home, my territory, though it’s also the old man’s. But tonight he’s too busy, and with some external help, it’s enough to handle everything.”

“External help?”

The captain murmured skeptically, thinking that no matter how powerful this external help might be, how could it possibly shake that family head.

“I’ve made many preparations, too many to list. You only need to know that Antonio, that friend of mine, has many deals to discuss with the old man, enough to last the entire night.”

“So, let’s relax for now.”

Giving Roy a knowing look, the ship’s doctor pushed back his chair, went to Miss York’s side, elegantly bowed, and smiled: “Well then, Miss York, may I have the honor of a dance?”

Seeing his manner, the young lady smiled helplessly, following him to the dance floor.

It seemed that amidst the rising and falling of gauze skirts and coattails, the couple still had many sweet words to exchange.

“Tell me, Captain, who exactly is this Antonio?”

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Watching the ship’s doctor and his fiancée walk away, Caine, who had heard this name numerous times, frowned in confusion and asked. He always felt that there was something Roy and Anderson were hiding from him.

This bewildered feeling was just like when they were in Auran territory, riding in a carriage to repay a debt, with the captain and Alfie exchanging cryptic messages. And this Antonio sounded exactly like a code word.

“Shameless, truly shameless.”

With a long sigh, Roy felt that when it came to shamelessness, the ship’s doctor was almost her equal.

He actually had Sand Fox delay his father, using matters that could involve the interests between the family and the Black Raven Society to buy time for himself and his fiancée. This was simply too absurd.

Even the most depraved young master couldn’t do such a thing.

After muttering, the captain explained to her first mate: “It’s hard to explain, but you can just think of Antonio as the richest person in the entire Federation, perhaps even the whole world.”

The wealth of the Black Raven Society might not compare to that of the Empire and Federation, but if it were all collected under one person’s name, then that person—Sand Fox—would undoubtedly be the world’s number one wealthy individual.

After hearing the captain’s description of that person, seeing that she still seemed unwilling to say more, Caine suspected she was hiding something, but he couldn’t force the ghost out against her wishes.

Therefore, he accepted her explanation and turned his gaze toward the dance floor, watching the pairs of elegant figures, changing the subject: “If you don’t want to elaborate, that’s fine. As long as it doesn’t cause trouble, I won’t pursue it. But Captain, it seems we… haven’t danced together in a long time.”

Knowing she was in the wrong today, hearing the undisguised intention in her first mate’s words, the guilty captain scratched her face and agreed: “Yes, yes, it’s been nearly a year, hasn’t it?”

“Shall we go dance as well?”

Caine seemed to be asking, but it was more like a notification.

Under normal circumstances, faced with such a commanding tone, the captain would have already bristled. But the situation was different, and under the circumstance of being “at someone else’s mercy,” the great Captain Roy could only comply.

“As you wish, my dear first mate.”