Captain – Chapter 477 – Clue, or Trap?

The slowly rising morning sun appeared over the distant island. Cheers suppressed for a month burst forth. Everything was old, like a faded oil painting, presented before the young woman who seemed like a mere observer.

She had arrived at their first stop with him—Frans Island.

After fulfilling her promise and bidding farewell to the fat captain, Roy once again set foot on this barren island. However, she didn’t immediately follow her memories to the military post where she had briefly stayed to inquire about that person. Instead, she took a detour and entered a small tavern.

She stayed there for a day and a night.

During this time, she was like an inconspicuous shadow, huddled in a remote corner of the small tavern, sipping drinks casually, drawing no one’s attention. It was as if her once sun-radiant appearance had been veiled, denying mortals the privilege of glimpsing her true countenance.

And this was merely the tip of the iceberg of her boundless power.

Of course, to bear this excessively powerful ability, the young woman’s body had imperceptibly approached perfection. This brought benefits such as beauty, tremendous strength, and eagle-like acuity, but also had relatively negative effects.

For instance, since stepping out of the fragments of the past, no matter how many glasses of strong liquor she drank, she couldn’t feel even the slightest intoxication. This liquid, which she had once regarded as nectar, now tasted as bland as water.

Beyond this, Roy could perceive that her extraordinary sensory abilities were growing increasingly powerful day by day.

If on the lonely island she could already encompass scenes from nearly a hundred nautical miles around under her “gaze,” now, if she wished, she could view landscapes across half of Auran.

But correspondingly, those seemingly negative influences from the outside world—such as pain and temperature—were gradually leaving her, as if stripping away her experiences as a human bit by bit.

This process was wonderful, but for someone who didn’t want to enter that world, it was nothing short of torture.

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The pleasures of mortals were gradually receding.

In Roy’s eyes, the liquor before her, the games that people in the tavern enjoyed so much, and even the “grand plan” being discussed by the two Black Raven Society executioners shrinking in the corner were all extremely dull.

The meaning of all things was fading away. In the end, even the length of time no longer mattered.

If it can’t affect you, why should you care about it?

“Rather than fretting over these matters, why not set your gaze farther, to see the interesting things beyond this world?”

Facing the devil’s usual temptation, the captain swirled her wine glass and replied with complete disinterest, “I’m different from you. I don’t have the ‘courage’ to abandon everything for the sake of a vague other shore.”

“For a place that might not even exist.”

In response came the devil’s meaningful laughter: “Whether things or places exist or have meaning is bestowed by us. Is there anything better than that?”

Knowing that if she continued the conversation, he would launch into another lengthy discourse, discussing philosophy she didn’t understand before and might comprehend now but still had no interest in, Roy simply lay her head on the table and remained silent.

She looked either drunk or like a child being stubborn.

So the devil’s voice receded.

It wasn’t until the servant came to clear the table the next morning that she rose unsteadily. Then, under his astonished gaze, she walked straight and energetically out of the tavern.

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Continuing to follow her memories, after buying a set of ready-made clothes at the tailor shop, Roy carried a small wooden box and walked back and forth several times on the street where she had once fallen into an illusion. Obviously, no anomalies would occur this time, as she was already within a dream.

But… there was something unusual.

Recalling that strange dream, the captain involuntarily stopped, standing in the middle of the still bustling street. Yet, as if replaying that scene, no one around noticed her.

Though in the midst of a crowd, she still felt as if in that lightless world, where only solitude could be sensed.

“What’s the matter, child? Feeling a bit aggrieved?”

The malicious teasing voice sounded in her ear, but this time, Roy didn’t respond. She kept her head slightly lowered, her gaze rapidly flickering, as if thinking or analyzing these words.

Attempting to discern the devil’s emotions, something almost impossible to guess.

“Oh, scrutinizing intentions is not what a good child should do.”

After a brief silence, the devil’s voice sounded again, though this time with a hint of resignation.

“If you weren’t constantly prying into my thoughts, how could I, in turn, know yours?”

Hearing this, Roy replied smugly like a fox that had achieved its goal. However, both her mischievous smile and the emotions in her words had already become faint, nearly indiscernible.

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Unfastening the metal chain tied to her belt, she brought the pocket watch, which she had deliberately “neglected” for nearly a month, back before her eyes. Before Roy could take any action, the devil spoke again.

“Are you really sure you want to know what’s inside?”

Inside was an old photograph, featuring a fierce-looking but actually gentle “old pirate.”

This was what her memory told her, though she could no longer remember him.

But what the devil referred to was clearly not the surface appearance, but the true meaning concealed within this ancient pocket watch.

A clue, or a trap.

“I think you’d better forget it. If it doesn’t please you later, you’ll cry and blame me again,” the devil sighed, advising indifferently, even with a hint of indulgence.

Roy gave a light snort without replying.

She just silently looked at the pocket watch for a long time before murmuring to herself, “You should be a clue.”

“Oh, really? Don’t you want to look more carefully?” came the deliberately exaggerated questioning voice as the devil “kindly” reminded her, “One misstep leads to eternal regret. You know, if you ‘accidentally’ misjudge, it will be very difficult to recover.”

Annoyed by the disturbance, Roy gritted her teeth and looked at the blue sky, saying, “Can you please stop talking?”

Unexpectedly, upon receiving this request, the devil didn’t stubbornly continue to bother her but truly fell silent, while thoughtfully helping her block out the surrounding noises.

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The bustling street with constant hawking suddenly became a scene of silent drama.

Muttering “that’s more like it,” the young woman lowered her head and looked at the pocket watch again, thinking silently: you are a clue, but also a trap—what an exquisite design.

In the previous conversation, it wasn’t just the devil performing; she was acting as well.

In terms of strategy, planning, or control over people’s hearts, she, deeply immersed in the dream, had already come very close to the still-trapped devil. It was impossible for her not to see the issue with this pocket watch.

Just as the cat had told Caine, she knew this was a fatal gift, yet she would still open it.

Not out of curiosity, but because something deep inside was telling her that only this way would there be a turning point.

Even if the benefits of opening the pocket watch were far outweighed by the threat it posed, as long as there was hope for a breakthrough, no matter how slim—like finding a needle in the ocean—it would be absolutely advantageous for her.

In a sea of utter hopelessness, even a straw must be grasped tightly.

With this thought, the young woman hesitated no more and gently lifted the cover of the watch.

Inside was indeed an old photograph, but…

It was silently burning.