Captain – Chapter 495 – The Burial Island

Perhaps it was Lance’s intervention and request that reminded Roy of many years ago, when Golden-Eyed Roy was just a small captain who had barely resolved internal problems and taken charge of the ship, still relying heavily on the veterans for many matters.

Back then, she wasn’t anyone’s faith, and the Mermaid wasn’t famous for her. The ship, wealth, and crew were all inheritances left by Red Beard.

She used these inheritances to build her own team, and only after countless hard battles and life-or-death situations, surrounded by her crew, did she ascend to the seat of legend.

After that, Golden-Eyed Roy officially replaced Red Beard Ilias.

But even after achieving legendary status, gaining widespread fame, and creating those thrilling stories worthy of historical records, what Roy relied on was never just herself. She was equally inseparable from those people who surrounded her.

They were by her side at all times, which is why, even in desperate situations, she never felt she was facing them alone.

Until that unexpected betrayal.

In that betrayal, who knows how many people who had supported her and viewed her as their faith had turned against her, how many had died facing swords rather than betraying her.

That chaos and bone-chilling cold made her feel as if she had returned to her childhood, back to countless cold, hopeless rainy nights.

So she became that lonely child again, more willing to trust in her own strength.

That’s why on Frans Island, she went to the Black Raven Society’s secret location alone, and in Yadris, she infiltrated the warship by herself, facing the boy with eyes like blood and fire.

And every time along the way since then.

This might still be related to trust, or perhaps she simply didn’t want more people to be dragged into a deep, bottomless abyss because of her obsessions.

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There were many reasons, many excuses, so many that sometimes the girl herself couldn’t articulate them clearly.

Until now, as she took the first step into the Triangle, at the beginning of the Mermaid’s new journey, the crew expressed their opposition to her arrangement for the first time. Among them were veterans like Lance, and also included him.

That First Mate who, for her sake, had unhesitatingly entered the dream and searched painfully for countless days and nights.

Could you call this defiance, that they were ignoring ship rules and challenging the captain’s authority? Especially after Lance stepped forward and spoke those sincere words.

At least Roy couldn’t.

As if responding to Lance’s words, the crew gradually, as if by tacit agreement, raised their heads, no longer avoiding the captain’s gaze. That fearlessness and trust gave the girl an illusion, as if returning to those most uninhibited times.

They sang songs, searched for treasures, and trampled all obstacles along the way underfoot.

Whether enemies or legendary monsters.

Who among those who had experienced that speech in the church, who knew the terrifying opponents they would face in the future and still chose to stay, willing to sail the warship for her and spill their blood for her, was a coward not worthy of her trust?

Therefore, when such crew members presented their request to “fight side by side,” Roy truly couldn’t find a second choice other than to agree.

Not getting angry as usual, or trying to joke her way out of it, the girl looked around the deck, glanced at the calm face of her First Mate, which seemed to write “I did this,” and sighed softly.

Then she smiled, looking at the pirates whose eyes and faces seemed to contain a certain brilliance called “determination,” slightly opened her arms, and said: “Since this is your true feeling, I naturally have no reason to refuse.”

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“On the contrary, I’m delighted.”

Seeing the pirates first relax, then become excited, even showing faintly fanatical expressions, the girl’s smile became increasingly brilliant, unconsciously gaining a touch of recklessness: “I must admit, I may have indeed underestimated you all in the past.”

“I thought many of you hadn’t experienced true storms yet, that it wasn’t time for you to face those strange creatures, and therefore needed more protection, like larks in a cage who might not even know how to forage once released.”

Faced with the captain’s joking words, the pirates didn’t mind at all, all bursting into laughter.

Placing her index finger to her lips to quiet the crew, Roy’s smile didn’t diminish, only becoming much gentler: “For this, I must apologize, because I misjudged, forgetting that you rascals…”

“Are the ruffians who played the funeral dirge for the Constantine, dared to open fire in imperial territory, and faced off against the Death Silence. You’re no worse than anyone else.”

“So, I accept your opposition.”

Clapping her hands to wake those immersed in that brief yet inspiring speech, Roy left the bow and came to the side of the ship, which had changed direction to face the solitary island. She narrowed her eyes slightly, looking at that reminder.

“What are you still standing around for, gentlemen? You should know our time is precious. Quickly decide who will go ashore with me, and let’s go take a look.”

As the girl finished speaking, the deck immediately became lively.

With her pupils reflecting the black island swaying in her vision due to the rising and falling tides, Roy no longer concerned herself with the decision behind her. Veterans like Lance knew that in the past, she had actually cared less about these small matters.

In fact, she wouldn’t have even cared about their opposition, let alone responded to it.

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Just as Old John, who had stopped involuntarily while fleeing from the Mermaid’s rebellion, had sensed, she had truly changed a lot after that betrayal.

Perhaps the decision had already been made, as it didn’t take much time.

As Roy had predicted, the First Mate would accompany her ashore, along with ten elite members of the Fighting Squad, including Harriet. This arrangement was sufficient to handle most situations, and if they encountered unpredictable disasters…

At least not too many would be sacrificed.

Among those staying behind, the bosun would coordinate everything, which was beyond doubt. Ben’s loyalty, execution ability, and prestige among the crew were obvious to everyone. With the chief helmsman Alexis assisting, there shouldn’t be any problems.

Additionally, although they needed to guard against accidents, the main purpose of this island visit was to meet with Richi and the others, with no real threats to be concerned about. Thus, the young dragon that the captain often carried with her, along with the raven, remained on the ship.

Several small wooden boats were lowered, and Roy’s group sat in them, rowing toward the solitary island.

Before long, the wooden boats touched the hard stone surface, stopping successively at the edge of the island. This strange solitary island was composed entirely of rocks of different textures; even at the edges, not a single grain of sand could be seen.

Leaving the wooden boat, Roy stepped onto the hard ground, full of pits eroded by seawater and rainwater, and shrugged to the pirates disembarking one after another: “Obviously, Richi and his group haven’t arrived yet. I don’t know what delayed them.”

Although the Taranhof, due to various issues, couldn’t pass through the Federation’s customs and had to circumnavigate almost the entire western continent to return to the Western Seas, from the point of separation, it shouldn’t possibly be slower than the Mermaid.

Moreover, besides leaving Federation waters, they had also spent some time in Hipalia. This made it even less reasonable for Richi and his group to arrive late.

However, Roy wasn’t worried about their safety. Aside from the abilities of the young man and the Blood Craver, just those Water Ghosts alone were far beyond what ordinary forces could contend with.

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“Everyone walk around freely, but don’t spread too far apart. Look for anything valuable or worth noting on this broken island.”

At the captain’s command, the pirates maintained a distance that allowed them to signal each other at any time, gradually dispersing to begin a carpet search as ordered.

“Let’s go too.”

Nodding to her First Mate, Roy also joined in. Although having extra hands would make things much more convenient, she wasn’t a lady here on vacation after all.

The reason for doing this, rather than waiting obediently on the Mermaid for the Taranhof to arrive, was because she always felt there was something wrong with this strange island that served as a milestone. At the very least, there should be some guidance toward their objective.

Otherwise, with this island chain being so long, with so many safer islands suitable for anchoring than this place, why would Vivian specifically choose such a solitary island?

Well, Roy wouldn’t deny that her strong curiosity was partly responsible for this decision.

After all, who could resist the temptation of a gift box?

Even knowing that opening it might not be a good thing.

Unlike opening that pocket watch, which immediately brought forth the tide of fate, the solitary island was quiet. Except for the sounds of the tide, the wind, and their footsteps, there were no other noises. Similarly, no changes occurred.

Quiet, peaceful, just like…

A burial ground.