Captain – Chapter 639 – The Reason We Cannot Stop

After saying that word, the two fell into silence.

It wasn’t that they had nothing to say or found each other’s company boring, but rather because such peaceful times were too precious for them, especially after being drawn into an endless whirlpool.

Looking back on those two years, the times they could truly call relaxed were pitifully few.

Even when they had such moments, they were quickly forced back onto the road by curses or mounting responsibilities, drawing their blades against one terrifying figure after another, even against specters.

Therefore, they cherished this quietude, this leisure of not having to think about or do anything.

Though this period of time would not be long.

The distant skylight twisted slightly, revealing a vague black shadow. Much later, the faint sound of beating wings reached their ears—Nidhogg had returned.

Rising somewhat reluctantly and patting the dust from her pants, Roy waved toward the distant shadow, knowing that with that big fellow’s eyesight, it would certainly see her.

Though she need only think to make the dust beneath her disappear without a trace, or transmit her voice for miles, subconsciously the girl still didn’t want to rely too much on the conveniences brought by great power.

Even when facing the world’s affectionate overtures, she controlled her restraint when making contact.

To prevent walking too far down that snowy path.

Soon, accompanied by intense wind pressure, the giant dragon carrying Ben, the ship’s doctor, and several pirates descended, stopping at the edge of the main stage while not forgetting to let out a low roar.

Expressing to the captain its satisfaction with the new home.

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After smiling and patting the giant dragon’s head, Roy examined with a scrutinizing gaze the ship’s doctor who was carefully climbing down, afraid of having his clothes torn by the spikes.

“I say, young master, when I had it bring people here, I was planning to have them begin arranging matters. Why did a pampered rich boy like you bother coming along?”

Hearing this, the ship’s doctor suppressed his embarrassment at not getting to see anything exciting and retorted, “That’s prejudice, prejudice! Where were you when I was cleaning people’s wounds, huh?”

Seeing him hopping mad, the girl crossed her arms, not needing to guess that his reason for coming was thinking she had discovered some novel curiosity and wanting to see it for himself.

So after a moment’s thought, she smiled mischievously and said, “Oh, so I misunderstood you?”

Hearing her deliberately drawn-out “oh” and her expression of obvious ill intent, Anderson swallowed and asked, “What exactly are you two scheming here?”

After hearing her renovation plans and glancing at Caine and the others who were busily making arrangements nearby, the ship’s doctor shrugged: “So it’s just this trivial matter.”

“Sorry, Captain, if you two get too passionate and end up with scratches or bite marks, I can help treat those, but painting and reconstruction…”

“No, no, no.”

Waving her finger to interrupt the ship’s doctor’s excuse, Roy stepped forward and vigorously patted his shoulder, ignoring his pained expression as she said seriously: “Since you’ve come, young master, why not participate in the most important design work?”

“I imagine that with your status, your artistic accomplishments shouldn’t be too shabby, right?”

Guessing her meaning, the ship’s doctor’s eye twitched as he hurriedly defended himself: “Hey, hey, get this straight—how does renovation relate to art in the slightest?”

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“Even for drafting plans, you need experienced builders, not abstract painters.”

Seeing his reasonable argument that left her no opening, Roy could only furrow her brow and resort to her usual shameless tactics: “That won’t work either. Since you came, you have to work.”

“Otherwise, who’s going to replace the person whose spot you took?”

“You… you…”

Pointing with a trembling finger at the girl’s expression of “no negotiation,” Anderson knew he couldn’t resist and could only leave behind words of regret, though more of angry revelation.

“But you never said how many people to bring!”

The ship’s doctor’s bitter cry echoed through the theater, which despite its age still had excellent acoustics, echoing… quite like the lines of a satirical play.

And just as the captain had said, Caine had greatly underestimated the power of wealth, authority, and connections.

After this news reached the city, within half a day, a team of highly professional architects, carpenters, and even sculptors of considerable reputation arrived at the theater under the guidance of pirates, bringing complete sets of tools.

And this was merely the first batch.

Subsequently, because the girl adopted a policy of accepting all comers based on the principle that more people meant higher efficiency, team after team of craftsmen joined this major project.

After coordination and task distribution, they immediately began working.

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Not to mention those craftsmen who came voluntarily, whether for generous wages or not, many of the others received specific assignments that didn’t all originate from within the islands.

A large portion came from the Empire and Federation. More surprisingly, those important figures who happened to be in the islands, many of whom had never even met Roy, simply lent their names to the dispatched teams.

Perhaps in their view, if this simple gesture could make their names familiar to Roy, it would be an excellent business deal.

Understanding this clearly from her experience governing Yadris, the captain had people record every name and even asked for basic information.

While this matter counted as her owing them favors, it also served to expand her network.

When dealing with Auran and Pronora in the future, these connections might prove useful.

Through day and night, sunrise and sunset, the renovation work on the ancient theater proceeded with great vigor, and beyond the girl’s expectations, it was completed early in the pre-dawn hours of the third day.

During this process, guests who had received Roy’s invitations also gradually arrived from various parts of the islands—former crew members who had disembarked but remained in the islands, or close elders like Snow Lion, who were also followers of her father.

Therefore, during these two days, the captain and first mate spent much of their time receiving guests and arranging accommodations, with their rare free time spent in the great cathedral.

Accompanying the old bishop, listening to his interpretations of the holy scriptures that could serve as lullabies.

Of course, occasionally mixed in were some dark histories of the girl’s past misdeeds and punishments.

These brief two days, whether busy or leisurely, were so peacefully warm that one would willingly immerse themselves in them forever, never again setting foot on the exciting but dangerous seas.

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That might have been the peaceful life the devil had described when tempting Roy, the life she could return to, perhaps what the first mate called “giving up.”

But…

Though knowing this was like the attic music, the ordinary life in the Garcia estate and the pleasant journey afterward—merely brief tranquility in this long and perilous journey—Caine couldn’t help asking the captain a question.

“Do you like this kind of life?”

In the past, the captain who loved freedom and viewed all responsibilities and duties as shackles would have waved her hand decisively, saying only those near death would like such things.

Back then, he had asked similar questions and received exactly such answers.

But after spending two years, experiencing countless moments of life and death and heart-stopping danger, experiencing the pain of loss and joy of recovery, truly seeing clearly many things and herself, when facing this question again, Roy hesitated.

She didn’t hesitate long, and her answer was different.

“Maybe. Maybe there really will come a day when this captain has had enough fun and will come to like it, but precisely because of that, to preserve the right to live this kind of life…”

“We cannot stop here, never stop until we reach our goal. So, accompany me… for one last bout of madness, will you, first mate?”

What responded to Roy’s whisper was a reply she hadn’t heard in a long time, yet remained as sincere as ever.

“Yes, Captain.”