Captain – Chapter 466 – The Beginning of Everything

The scenes before Roy’s eyes constantly shifted, like a series of animated scrolls. Although she could see them clearly, she couldn’t touch them. No matter how familiar the people in the pictures were, she couldn’t recall their names.

The devil’s whispered questions continued, seemingly without temperature, like a countdown to an approaching abyss.

“What about her? Do you still recognize her?”

Despite the late hour, the small tavern was still packed with people, filled with laughter and the clinking of glasses.

This was the most popular place for entertainment on the island recently, not only because the drinks were cheap and the services excellent, but also because it had a beautiful proprietress with fiery hair yet an icy temperament. Anyone who could win her favor would gain countless valuable pieces of information.

Beauty, wine, and intelligence intertwined—gaining one meant gaining all. This was a great temptation for every pirate on the island, but unfortunately, the flower already had an owner.

Glancing at the young man sitting by the window in the best position, whose face was still youthful yet already famous throughout the Eastern Seas, the pirates’ burning enthusiasm cooled as if doused with ice water.

After a chorus of sighs, the burly men immediately immersed themselves in pleasure again, laughing as they played drinking games.

“Another bottle.”

Tilting his head back with mouth open, Roy shook the bottle vigorously, only to find that not a drop of alcohol remained. He frowned in frustration and slammed the empty bottle forcefully on the wooden table.

Hearing the captain’s order, the maid standing by the table, specially assigned to serve him, said with difficulty: “Captain Roy, you’ve already finished today’s quota. The proprietress said…”

“What? Am I not allowed to drink in my own tavern?”

Irritated by the emptiness in his heart, the young man’s tone was not as gentle as usual. He asked coldly, frightening both the maid and the customers sitting nearby into silence.

“Who’s making a drunken scene here?”

Composed footsteps approached. The maid retreated as if granted a reprieve, making way for her proprietress.

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Accompanied by cold yet not distant words, a young woman close to the captain’s age, drawing the burning gazes of the entire tavern, stopped in front of the table covered with empty bottles.

Sweeping her eyes over the table, she raised an eyebrow and said: “My dear captain, aren’t twelve bottles a day enough for you? Or are you trying your old trick again, using this as an excuse to…”

Skipping the latter half of her sentence, the young woman snorted coldly, said “Don’t even think about it,” then turned to instruct the maid: “He’s in a bad mood today. You can keep serving him drinks.”

“But you all, listen carefully.”

The young woman’s gaze shifted, falling on several people not far from the wooden table. They were crew members of the Mermaid: “When your captain has had enough to drink, take him back to the ship.”

“If anything goes wrong afterward, I’ll hold you responsible.”

Thinking of this young woman’s position in the captain’s heart, the pirates trembled and responded in unison.

“Yes, Miss Joyce!”

Watching the young woman walk away, Roy didn’t detain her or cling to her to “express his true feelings” as he usually did—or as he had done in the distant past. He only stared blankly at her retreating figure.

No miracle occurred; he couldn’t recognize her anymore.

He couldn’t even call out to her.

Bottle after bottle of poor quality but high-proof rum was placed on the table. Under the terrified gazes of the crew members, the captain drank silently, his desperate pursuit of drunkenness completely unlike his usual self.

Finally, after countless bottles had entered his stomach, Roy was as drunk as he could possibly be and collapsed face-down.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t truly get drunk, couldn’t enter dreamland and forget all his troubles.

Because he was already in a dream.

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The blackened vision regained light, and as for the drunkenness, it had long since disappeared.

And at this moment, the devil’s indifferent voice sounded again.

“Him?”

On the streets of Yadris, ravaged by cannon fire and filled with the homeless, an old man in tattered clothes suddenly spoke up, calling out to the new master of this island who had just come ashore.

“Hello, I am John Davidson. I know a lot about the situation on the island…”

The frail old man hurried forward but was stopped by fierce-looking pirates, unable to get any closer.

With a face full of humility, he shouted with all his might: “Captain, Captain, I want to work for you!”

John Davidson…

Roy silently repeated this name. Bewilderment gradually grew in her dark golden pupils. No matter how the mist churned within them, she couldn’t find any old, humble face resembling that man.

After a long silence, until the light in the old man’s eyes had almost faded, the captain finally nodded slightly.

“Bring him along.”

Hearing this, the slightly pale-faced youth at her side frowned and said: “But Captain…”

“It’s alright. Let’s first see if he’s exaggerating, then decide whether to use him or not. After all, we’re outsiders. We need someone familiar with this place to serve as a communication hub.”

As if by instinct, Roy unconsciously said these words, the confusion in her eyes deepening.

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That question haunting her surfaced in her mind once again.

Who are you?

“Yes, who is he?”

A light chuckle seemed to come through, but the devil’s voice still carried no amusement, cold as ice.

“Rumble…”

The deep thunder outside the porthole awakened the captain. She breathed rapidly several times before beginning to survey her surroundings, discovering she was now in the conference room of the Mermaid.

The conference room was already filled with people.

“What about them… surely you haven’t forgotten them too?”

As her gaze swept across the conference room, across one familiar face after another, Roy’s breathing not only failed to calm down but became even more rapid. The emotions that had accumulated for so long were increasingly difficult to suppress.

“Captain, how far are we from that island?”

Not noticing the captain’s emotional distress, the young man sitting in the first position to his left, with eyes as deep red as blood, knew that undercurrents were already surging on the ship and these questions could no longer be buried in his heart: “According to Cassius’s judgment, in half a day at most, we’ll be surrounded by that fleet.”

“By then…”

He couldn’t finish before being interrupted by Roy’s murmur.

“That island? You mean…”

Hearing the young man’s slightly hoarse question, Roy awoke as if from a dream, gradually calming herself. She reached into her bosom and took out a crystal skull-shaped pendant. At that moment, cold light like silk threads was flowing from its eye sockets, pointing toward the bow of the ship and becoming increasingly substantial.

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“Soon, very soon.”

After staring at the pendant for a while, the captain suddenly stood up and came to the tightly closed porthole behind her. Her pupils reflected the sea illuminated by lightning: “Before being surrounded by the Auran fleet, we will definitely reach it. Then I’ll go ashore alone, while you find a way to shake them off first.”

“But Captain…”

Just like the previous time, when facing that old man, the young man’s words of persuasion were interrupted once again.

Roy’s hands hanging at her sides gradually clenched. Although she had already forgotten everyone in the conference room, she still remembered that heart-stopping, unforgettable betrayal.

“That’s it then. Meeting adjourned.”

After a brief silence, the attendees responded one after another and then left. Only that young man remained motionless, while the raven that had been quiet on its perch flew over.

“I’ll go too, I’ll go too.”

The raven landed on her shoulder, calling softly.

Extending a finger to gently stroke its chin, the captain smiled at this familiar yet strange pet, saying firmly: “Not this time, my good girl.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll come back alive.”

Roy’s tone lifted, making a carefree promise to the raven and the young man who was expressing his opposition through silence.

Just like that day many years ago, just like…

The beginning of everything.