Captain – Chapter 670 – Weary

It wouldn’t hurt to wait a bit longer, let me take part of the fleet to seek out those two ships and probe them first. Once we know their true intentions, you can then decide whether to fight or make peace.

Even if myself and those ships don’t return, you would at least still have room to maneuver.

This was what the officer, kneeling on both knees but keeping his back ramrod straight, wanted to say. He had even decided that if His Highness refused, he would remonstrate with his death.

After all, for the single crime of causing the death of royalty, he should have long paid with his life.

Being able to live was already His Highness’s magnanimity—what did it matter to die preventing him from taking risks?

However, neither those words in his heart nor the death resolve he had harbored since landing or even earlier had the chance to be conveyed to the person before him.

Because before he could speak, the young man raised his hand, just as he had interrupted him earlier.

The two had grown up together, later becoming master and servant, traveling together for decades. Naturally they understood each other deeply, knowing each other inside and out. Sometimes a simple gesture could contain a thousand words, requiring nothing more to express one’s resolve.

Just like earlier, and like now.

The officer had nothing more to say.

“Alin, how long have we been here?”

After helping the officer to his feet, the young man turned around, clasped his hands behind his back and walked forward a few steps, gazing up at the landscape reliefs carved in the dynasty’s style in the center of the hall. As if this reminded him of old scenes from the capital, he asked quietly after a moment of silence.

“Reporting to Your Highness, twelve years.”

Hearing his subordinate’s equally complex reply, the young man couldn’t help but narrow his eyes slightly, speaking with self-mockery: “Yes, in the blink of an eye, so much time has already passed.”

“Even I have grown somewhat weary of it.”

Not knowing whether he was weary of the affairs or weary of the world, the officer ultimately didn’t respond.

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“But this weariness is also related to hope fading, isn’t it? We came with a mighty force of over a hundred tower ships, and now only less than twenty remain. Yet that ghostly thing shows no sign of fatigue—instead, it’s become even more ferocious since two years ago.”

“According to your letter, Imperial Brother and the Swan Goose couldn’t even hold out for a moment.”

“How can we still see any chance of success?”

Hearing His Highness’s seemingly calm words that actually contained deep disappointment and irrepressible sorrow, the officer opened his mouth, not knowing whether he wanted to apologize or offer comfort.

But in the end, he couldn’t say a single word.

Because what he said was right—an undeniable fact that no words could change.

That ghost ship, or rather something within it, was the greatest reason they had come here.

In these twelve years, they didn’t know how many encirclement attempts they had launched against it, but whether surprise attacks or ambushes, without exception, all had failed.

It was manageable at first—even though they didn’t understand that monster and their operations had failed several times, because they had sufficient troops and warships, that thing could only retreat.

Once they gained experience and learned that the ship of the dead would be lured out by rare beasts or royal bloodlines, the hunts gradually got on track.

There were naturally times when they came close to success, but unfortunately they never managed to succeed.

But sometimes once you miss an opportunity, you can never find it again.

As time passed and the hunts continued, the previously controllable situation gradually deteriorated.

Although they took full protective measures each time, how could fighting such a monster leave them unscathed? So they began continuously losing ships and reducing personnel.

The magnificent fleet was like being targeted by insects in the shadows, constantly gnawed away.

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Especially since two years ago, that skeletal giant ship seemed to suddenly transform from a mindless beast into something with soul and backbone, becoming increasingly treacherous and powerful.

Many times, tower ships serving as “bait,” or isolated warships that let their guard down even slightly, would be destroyed without even being able to send out warnings.

Swallowed by that chaotic mass.

But even to this day, they still didn’t know the reason for that monster’s sudden increase in power, because not a single person survived from all the destroyed ships.

As the young man said, by now they seemed to see not the slightest hope.

So he had grown somewhat weary.

“When I received the message, I had already guessed the reason you and Imperial Brother would take such risks, because now besides me, only he could lure that thing out.”

“We don’t have many ships left either. In other words, that was the last opportunity.”

Hearing the young man’s deduction, the officer grew even more silent, as if he had long anticipated this scene.

He hadn’t known when he came that the western door had opened, but he knew His Highness would certainly guess the truth behind that tragic scene, and then no longer be willing to hide here.

In fact, the young man had long grown weary of this place, only staying because of their persuasion.

One stay became twelve years.

“Perhaps I shouldn’t say this, because in fact, we still have one more opportunity left.”

After pausing a moment, the young man withdrew his gaze from the relief and turned his head slightly to speak.

Even without saying it fully, the officer could guess that the opportunity he spoke of was naturally to stake everything, using his life and blood to gamble once more with that ghost.

Perhaps it could reverse everything, or perhaps it would only end tragically.

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Preventing this mad notion was the death resolve the officer had brought with him.

But now, the situation seemed to have changed again.

Because people had come from the west.

“I know you won’t agree, but Alin, you also understand my will never changes because of anyone, so I will eventually face that thing.”

“It’s just that with the western door open, that moment can be delayed slightly…”

“Perhaps there will be a turning point.”

After speaking, the young man finally turned around again, gazing at that familiar face, seeing the grief in the officer’s eyes, and said softly: “At this point, you shouldn’t prevent me from being willful once. Otherwise, even if I live, I won’t be content.”

“Go make arrangements. We’ll meet with the guests from the west.”

“Let’s see what my fate truly holds.”

At this point, the officer no longer objected, bowing his head in acceptance: “As you command, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

Several days later, at the outer capital’s harbor, under the gaze of countless eyes filled with worry or reluctance, the young man, having changed into fine clothes and wearing a neat short robe, boarded the largest tower ship. Then all eighteen warships departed port.

Heading toward the predicted route of those two western warships from the intelligence.

Though both were in the western region of the Cursed Sea, because this vast ocean was truly too expansive, the distance between the Goddess Hestia and Nightmare King and the island chain was still very far.

Naturally they knew nothing of the movements on that side.

But having sailed for so long, the ship sails, figures, and watching gazes appearing around the warships on all sides—or rather, only vaguely visible in the distance—naturally couldn’t escape Roy and the others’ notice. It was just unknown why they made no moves.

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Until one night, in the Goddess Hestia’s captain’s cabin.

“I say, Captain, being stared at by those annoying gazes like flying insects, don’t you feel uncomfortable? And they might even be that devil’s people.”

Having endured for who knows how many days, Caine finally couldn’t suppress his doubts and asked the girl beside him what was on his mind. But the first thing he received was a displeased eye roll.

“First, don’t you think asking this question after doing that sort of thing is quite mood-killing?”

Hearing the flapping sounds from the bird perch, knowing the raven must be getting an itchy beak again, wanting to imitate certain earlier conversations or sounds unfit for others’ ears, Roy glared at it. Her slightly bright eyes were particularly captivating in the dim darkness.

Seeing this, Alfie immediately fell silent as a cicada in winter, turning around and lowering her head, pretending to be sleepwalking.

“Second, those aren’t ancestor’s people. I can still sense that much. If I’m not mistaken, those fellows should be… the natives here?”

“If that’s true, their wariness toward us is quite understandable.”

“As long as they don’t come cause trouble, I’m too lazy to bother with them.”

Learning that those people weren’t devil worshippers, the first mate’s worries also faded. He reached out to grab the soft blanket that the girl was secretly pulling toward her side.

Though she no longer feared ordinary cold, curling up in bedding was always more comfortable.

“Fine, fine, we’ll do as you think.”

Feeling the resistance from the other end of the soft blanket, the captain couldn’t help but hum softly, as if saying that if that’s how it was, he should let go of his grip on the blanket.

Guessing her meaning, Caine added another line.

“One thing at a time—these are two separate matters.”