Captain – Chapter 458 – Whose Side Are You Really On

If Roy were to name the closest thing to this medium that could allow someone to observe others across vast seas, it would undoubtedly be the Lady’s Eye of Lamia. Through that mysterious crystal ball, one could not only see the entire world but even look back to the distant past and glimpse the immediate future.

But since the Lady’s departure, the Eye of Lamia had remained quietly on that solitary island at the world’s end. Without her permission, no one could find that crystal ball, let alone activate it with magic.

So, if not such a divine artifact, the next thing Roy could think of was the map of unknown waters she had obtained from the devil. Through it, one could similarly observe scenes from across the world. The problem was that the map couldn’t show changes.

Any changing entities or living beings with vitality were not within its viewable scope.

From this reasoning, the item possessed by the person spying on her must be far above that map in tier, perhaps even approaching the level of mythical artifacts, because its power was truly terrifying.

If the Eye of Lamia was primarily used for prophecy and divination, then this medium was created purely for monitoring the world, for depriving all living beings of their right to secrecy.

Under those eyes, nothing could be hidden.

It was truly deserving of being called evil.

Of course, based solely on this deduction, trying to know the true identity of the person behind the curtain would be absurd.

Even though the devil’s anchor points in the known world had been erased, the Lady had disappeared into the boundless sea with unknown whereabouts, and the remaining mysterious beings had successively appeared, Roy still couldn’t be certain whether there were still strange artifacts left from ancient times hidden in the secret places of this civilized world.

Like that death ship suspended like a sword above their heads, or the gaze hidden in the Triangle.

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But when faced with her first mate’s persuasion, the young woman dejectedly and almost without hesitation said she could guess who that person was. The reason behind this was complex, yet simple to explain.

“Because he has no intention of hiding himself.”

The dark golden pupils reflected the lightless sea and the snowflakes that fell rapidly, striking against the porthole. Roy explained in a low voice: “Caine, if someone told you they had a one-way mirror through which they could see scenes from any part of the world…”

“But it couldn’t hide the gaze. When you looked at someone, they would definitely feel it.”

“Do you think this… is possible?”

Hearing this, Caine frowned slightly in thought for a moment, then denied it: “Logically speaking, a gaze has no substance or quality, so it can’t be perceived by others. What we usually call perception is more about intuition. If someone could observe through a mirror, I think it would be difficult to detect.”

“However, this is only in general contexts. If that mirror has some limitation…”

“There is no limitation.”

Interrupting the first mate’s speculation, the captain smiled bitterly and explained: “This is easy to deduce, because neither you nor any other crew member on the Mermaid would have this feeling.”

“Only I can sense it.”

As if recalling past events, the young woman’s gaze became slightly unfocused. She sighed softly, almost murmuring: “Sensing that extremely lazy gaze that allows no defiance.”

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“My dear, respected Great Captain…”

Caine, who had been about to offer some words of comfort, also fell into silence when he heard her somewhat self-mocking tone and that title that seemed to carry boundless pressure.

The atmosphere in the captain’s quarters became momentarily downcast.

The raven, awakened earlier by the two’s movements, finally could not contain itself upon hearing that familiar title. It flapped its wings and called out: “Doomed, we’re doomed…”

Disturbed by this commotion, the young dragon, who had buried its head in the blankets and was sleeping soundly, also woke up. It impatiently flapped its tail, emitting protesting growls, immediately lightening the somber atmosphere.

“Quiet, both of you.”

Before the two lively creatures could turn the deep night captain’s quarters into a noisy marketplace, Roy decisively spoke up, stopping this trend. However, being disturbed like this actually improved her mood considerably. She turned her body, resuming her casual sitting posture, with a face full of displeasure.

“Everything else is fine, I just can’t understand what that guy is thinking. Usually he’s so lazy, not caring about my situation, and now he pulls this stunt.”

“He really…”

Pausing, Roy turned her head slightly, looking at the young dragon “buried” in the blankets with only its tail exposed, and said in a somewhat deep tone: “Which side is he really on? Aren’t you…”

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“The Guardian?”

Guardian—this title was told to her by First Mate Isaac.

According to his description, the Great Captain was undoubtedly this generation’s Guardian, the uncrowned king of the Southern Islands, bearing the burden bestowed by those great individuals of ancient times, and the sworn enemy of the devil’s lineage.

Previously, Roy would have thought that even if the Great Captain could cover the sky with one hand and influence every aspect of the known world with a mere thought, he shouldn’t be able to fully understand the secrets left by the old world, let alone the unknown dramatic changes occurring in that desolate ice sea countless nautical miles away.

But after learning his true identity through the “old pirate’s” mouth, this view changed, especially after returning from the world’s end and “seeing” that intricate and difficult-to-understand web.

And now, although this was the first time Roy had felt that gaze falling directly on her from the heavens, she couldn’t help but suspect that the great man had already seen everything, whether it was the grand play outside the civilized world or the choices she had made.

But what confused her was precisely this point.

If he didn’t understand the truth, that would be one thing, but if he had already observed all changes through such a divine object, why would he look at her with such a gaze, and why would he order her to return immediately?

Was this really… protection?

Roy didn’t know, which was why she couldn’t sleep, why she had leaned against the window pondering for half the night.

This was why she questioned that man in such a self-asking tone, hoping to get the answers she wanted from his possibly changing gaze. Unfortunately, there was no response from beginning to end.

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That gaze remained lazy and calm, but to the young woman, it gradually became unfamiliar.

It became lofty and indifferent.

Like looking at someone completely unrelated.

That strangely familiar feeling that chilled one to the bone made the young woman unconsciously clench her fists. She didn’t ask any more questions, only raising her head to look toward the wooden door.

Beyond the wooden door was the direction of the bow, and the end that the warship was currently heading toward was the Southern Islands.

The source of that gaze.

As if sensing the young woman’s thoughts, that feeling of being watched from the heavens receded like the tide. In the next moment, Roy’s gaze seemed to penetrate through the door, the mast, and the endless distance, meeting that pair of eyes that often hid in the shadow of a hat brim, as deep as the ocean depths.

Then, she saw reflected within them, flickering…

Intense golden color.

Like magma that was about to extinguish but not yet.