Captain – Chapter 642 – Wedding Banquet

After seating Cecilia, Roy walked toward the lively drinking session.

It took considerable effort for her to extract her first mate from the “wheel battle” he was suffering under the elders, while coaxing each old man until they were beaming with satisfaction.

Then, each holding a cup, the two began the routine toasting process of the wedding banquet.

After raising their cups to the elders from afar and draining the shallow wine, the captain left behind a warning of “don’t drink yourselves senseless” before leading her first mate clockwise to the next table.

Along the way, she glanced at the young man who, despite enduring countless cups of strong liquor, still only showed a faint blush on his face, and couldn’t help scolding him.

“You really are something, cheating even when drinking with the elders.”

Roy knew well the drinking capacity of the old pirates, knowing that with their previous method of forcing drinks, even she would probably collapse, let alone her first mate who wasn’t as capable as her.

But earlier, if she hadn’t come to his rescue, those red-faced old men would probably have been drunk under the table by him, which naturally wasn’t due to any sudden improvement in his alcohol tolerance.

Rather, it was because he was secretly using his great power to neutralize the alcohol or forcibly maintaining his clarity.

In the captain’s eyes, this was extremely serious cheating behavior.

Hearing this, Caine coughed lightly, and whether from subconsciously calming his magical power or just feeling unnatural, the flush on his face suddenly deepened considerably.

“But if I got completely drunk before you returned, that wouldn’t be appropriate either, would it?”

“The subsequent proceedings couldn’t continue.”

The first mate explained a couple of sentences, though he consciously didn’t voice certain thoughts.

Because from his perspective, the old men either maliciously or enthusiastically forcing drinks on him without knowing his alcohol tolerance definitely had a whiff of “settling private grudges publicly.”

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Either they had suffered under his father in the past and wanted to properly torment him when given the chance, or although they had congratulated him on his happy marriage, deep down…

They were still somewhat displeased about their precious gem being stolen away.

Rolling her eyes at the young man whose face seemed to read “I have a hundred reasons you should understand without me saying,” Roy snorted lightly. Though still dissatisfied, she didn’t pursue the matter further.

The toasting process went smoothly.

The former crew members all offered heartfelt blessings, with the bolder ones even making appropriate jokes, and even the skeletons who couldn’t drink symbolically raised their cups.

Yes, not just ordinary guests.

This banquet, though it should be called an internal gathering, was incredibly grand, nearly filling the entire theater, with even skeletons and water ghosts in attendance.

Supernatural beings like the siren were the same.

The siren still held the cat, sitting at a table with power figures from the former Mermaid with whom she had relatively close relationships, earnestly listening to the ship’s doctor tell stories about his homeland.

Though now visible to the crew members, the ghost who still remained aloof from outsiders sat in the highest row of the ancient theater’s stands, looking up at the clear starry sky.

Occasionally breezes fell from the sky, making the candle flames on the tables sway gently.

That was Alfie and Nidhogg expressing their joy at their reunion, who despite now having quite different sizes, still chased each other as in the past.

Since falling into the fate the devil had set, Roy had rarely been able to experience the relaxed warmth of tonight, though this seemed like the calm before a storm.

Of course, besides those who had returned with the giant ship and the old hands who had once spent time with the water ghosts before disembarking at Hipalia, the other banquet attendees still felt some resistance to these monster-like alien beings.

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It wasn’t until they learned from designated explainers that these were all the captain’s friends or followers that the hidden fear and wariness in the pirates’ eyes finally dissipated.

Replacing it was undisguised curiosity and irrepressible reverence for Roy.

After all, however remarkable the past Golden-Eyed Devil had been, he couldn’t command such a monster army or even raise mythical creatures like dragons.

It was far more astounding and strange than the legends circulating among pirates.

Because of that horn placed in what was now being used as a kitchen—the former dressing room—the finest wines and delicacies, or the rum more familiar to pirates, were continuously brought into the banquet, making the atmosphere more heated and intense.

The gradually warming guests moved about more casually, strengthening the connections linked through the captain, even playing cards with the skeleton soldiers.

Only those water ghosts known for their brutality and limited rationality seemed somewhat out of place with the environment, sitting quietly by themselves, tearing at the seafood before them.

Even when facing Roy and her companion’s toasts, they mostly just caused mishaps—wine flowing through holes in their bodies or accidentally crushing wine cups with their pincers.

At this, the captain and first mate exchanged bitter smiles, no longer making such futile efforts, but after adding some wine, walked deeper into this “quiet zone.”

In the center of the circle surrounded by tables full of water ghosts sat a table with only two people.

“I say, you two, on such a lively day, why are you still huddled in a protective circle?”

Roy approached with her first mate, looking at the young man and woman who, though not alone, still seemed to be playing the roles of loneliness and despair, asking with teasing intent.

“Haven’t had enough of your two-person life at sea?”

Though this was the first time seeing the captain since their separation from the Death Silence Triangle and return to the islands, Richi showed no unfamiliarity. After shrugging and saying “she’s not used to it,” he asked instead: “But you two, isn’t this progress a bit too fast?”

“It’s only been two years and everything that should happen has happened?”

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Hearing the young man’s slightly displeased tone, as if she had found him a stepfather, Roy pouted and retorted: “What do you mean ‘only two years’? Compared to pirates’ usual impatience, this is already slow. Besides, we’re perfectly matched.”

Coming to Richi’s side and casually clinking cups with him, after draining the wine, the captain leaned down and whispered in his ear: “I say, Richi…”

“After all this time, you two haven’t still… not dared to do anything, have you?”

Though Roy had deliberately lowered her voice, and the theater was filled with the clinking of wine cups, singing, and loud calls for more food—hardly quiet at all.

But in the relatively “silent” circle of the water ghosts, her voice still gradually spread, clearly reaching the ears of her first mate behind her and the girl nearby.

So Vivian, who had been drinking by herself and seemed unwilling to watch the scene of the young man bantering with his former captain, suddenly froze, then slightly turned her head.

Naturally to the side the three couldn’t see, perhaps trying to hide her slightly chaotic gaze.

And Richi, who usually viewed people with cold indifference, couldn’t help but have a more colorful expression upon hearing this, then glared angrily at the captain who had straightened up and was smiling smugly.

“Are you out of your mind? I’m not even an adult yet.”

Hearing this, Roy’s smile stiffened as she mentally calculated and discovered that even by the Empire’s standards, he was indeed still a month or so away from turning eighteen.

But she, who never admitted mistakes, naturally wouldn’t apologize for this.

“So, so what if you’re not an adult yet? We’re pirates, pirates, okay? Besides, you’re only off by a month or so. Like when this captain was young…”

Suddenly getting stuck, realizing it might not be appropriate to mention her own glorious deeds at a wedding banquet, the captain guiltily stepped back and sheepishly changed her tone.

“Anyway, I’m telling you two, if you really have that intention, while you’re still on the island, hurry up and sneak to the great cathedral to register with Grandfather Cappe.”

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“You know he’s the most open-minded, and I heard he’s also witnessed many… ‘special’ couples in the past, which perfectly fits your situation.”

After mentioning things like how the old bishop was approaching his twilight years, and after this departure, it was uncertain whether he’d still be alive when he returned—truly a case of missing the opportunity—the captain took Caine and slipped away to play elsewhere, leaving only Richi and his companion in silent mutual gaze.

After a moment, Vivian seemed moved and asked: “Here you don’t need to be an adult to marry?”

The young man thought about it and found that the Holy Church was indeed more lenient regarding age. Even if they were still short of the Empire’s legal age, it should be fine, so he nodded: “Should be the case. Even if required, Grandfather Cappe wouldn’t pursue it.”

“What, are you tempted? But didn’t you say to wait until the curse is lifted before considering such things?”

Hearing Richi’s teasing words, the girl lowered her eyes slightly: “Not to mention the curse might not be removable in the end, and this journey away, we don’t even know if we’ll make it back.”

“Moreover… I’m very envious of her.”

Though Vivian’s slightly hoarse words didn’t explicitly mention anything, her meaning was crystal clear, and that “her” naturally referred to Roy, who was surrounded by warmth.

She had never said it before, but she had always been envious of her.

Whether because of the young man’s and the Lady’s regard for her, or the environment she lived in.

Hearing the slight sourness in the girl’s words, Richi smiled with troubled helplessness, saying hadn’t he told her many times that in the future his eyes would only hold her.

Seeing Vivian still distracted, the young man could only pretend to sigh wistfully, then meeting her glare that seemed ready to “devour” him, chuckled softly before complying.

“Alright, if you want to, let’s go. We don’t need to wait for dawn…”

“We’ll set out shortly.”