Captain – Chapter 673 – The Crown Prince’s Heart

The old man came bearing sunlight and returned dejectedly, bringing back Roy’s will.

So in the captain’s cabin with only three people aboard the tower ship that was surrounded by over ten large vessels and clearly ranked higher than the main warships at the front, there was complete silence.

Apart from the old man who had just returned, gasping for breath, the remaining two were naturally the officer who commanded the overall situation and the crown prince mentioned by the old man who had issued the invitation.

Soon, the calm was broken by indignant words.

“To actually ask you to attend the meeting, Your Highness—this is absolutely unacceptable no matter what. Also, Eunuch Qin, did you even tell them His Highness’s identity?”

Hearing the officer’s angry statement, the old man caught his breath and said with difficulty: “General Zhao, I used to run errands for His Majesty. When have I ever delivered a message wrong?”

“I conveyed all the attitude and intentions that should be given, but this is their response.”

Hearing this, the officer’s already poor complexion became even more gloomy, but thinking of His Highness’s heart, the words of persuasion that reached his lips ultimately couldn’t come out.

He could only sigh deeply and look toward the young man.

Even if those visitors showed not the slightest respect for His Highness the Crown Prince, from the old man’s previous account, their risky journey had actually guessed correctly.

Those people’s target was also that ghost ship.

It wasn’t easy to encounter fellow travelers—could His Highness really agree to leave just for the sake of pride?

But royal dignity…

“Alin, at this point, don’t worry about so much.”

After listening to the conversation between the two, the young man who had been sitting in his chair holding a small cup smiled self-mockingly, placed it back on the low table beside him, and spoke with seeming sentiment.

“From the records, apart from Prince Deming who crossed the sea to come here, we’ve had no other contact with the western world. They perhaps haven’t even heard the title ‘Crown Prince’—how could you expect them to show sufficient reverence?”

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“Moreover, regardless of what the identity of that young lady in Eunuch’s account truly is…”

The young man supported himself on the armrest and rose, walking with hands clasped behind his back to the side window, gazing at the undulating tower ships and the sea dyed golden by sunlight. After pausing for a while, he sighed.

“What qualification do I, a crown prince who has been homeless and forced into exile for twelve years and is about to run out of options, have to receive such a person’s respect?”

Such an… remarkable figure.

After speaking, the young man slightly lowered his eyelids and thought silently.

Before encountering those two warships, he had naturally speculated about their leader, but facts proved that no matter how he guessed, he had still underestimated them.

Of course, the “remarkable” here didn’t refer to that young lady’s deeds.

But only to herself.

An existence that transcended countless people in the world, reaching directly to the stars, even giving him a sense of oppression no less than what his father the emperor brought him—naturally deserved this evaluation.

Precisely because of this feeling, many doubts in the young man’s heart were resolved without asking.

Before that vast great power, there was no need to guess the reason for that thunder sea’s disappearance. He even vaguely sensed that she was definitely not Prince Deming’s minion.

Because someone like her… didn’t need to lie or submit to others.

Then why had she come here?

In the old man’s account, that person said her purpose in heading to the fog was also the ghost ship, but the young man didn’t think so, because that skeletal giant ship wasn’t worthy enough.

He felt that guest had come for Prince Deming.

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To… kill him?

Because of the endless hatred that Prince Deming personally described in those top-secret ancient texts?

“But Your Highness, even if they’re unwilling to come over, you can’t risk attending the meeting.”

“What if they harbor ulterior motives, or even this reply is false?”

The officer’s very anxious words brought the young man’s thoughts back to the present. He lightly patted the window rail, then turned around to look at the two people showing worried expressions.

“Don’t worry, Alin. They have no need to lie.”

Seeing the bewilderment on the officer’s face, the young man remained silent for a moment before explaining: “If you must ask for a reason, then think about that secret I told you.”

“The person Eunuch Qin met stands higher than me.”

As these words fell, only silence remained in the room.

The officer naturally remembered that secret. Even before fleeing the capital, the person before him had told him—simply put, all royalty were not ordinary people.

Not referring to status, but literally.

They were born with power that ordinary people could hardly understand. His Majesty sitting on the throne was even like an immortal in myths, living forever without aging.

And this was also the reason for twelve years of bitter endurance.

His Highness the Crown Prince wanted to go further, but His Majesty, revered as a celestial being, was unwilling to let go.

Thus came those military revolts, wars, and exile.

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The old man beside the officer knew even more about this and was even more shocked.

When he had served His Majesty in the past, though possessing an ordinary body and unable to sense much more, he had also touched that secret, even learning from His Majesty…

Looking across the dynasty, this young crown prince was the person closest to him.

He was the best puppet among his countless offspring.

But now, the young man said there were people on those two approaching ships who stood higher than him.

What kind of concept was this?

The silence didn’t last long, because the young man spoke again.

He looked at the officer who was just beginning to come to his senses and instructed: “But what you said also makes sense. Even if my crown prince identity isn’t worth much, for negotiations…”

“We still need to establish equal status as much as possible.”

“How about this—I remember there’s a not-too-large solitary island nearby. Eunuch Qin, please trouble yourself to make another trip. Tell them that since neither side is at ease, we’ll talk there. Also, limit the number to two people each.”

Recalling that equally remarkable first mate of that prince with a different surname mentioned in ancient texts, the young man didn’t forget to add this condition at the end.

Then he supplemented: “Tell that young lady I’ll bring the fleet’s overall commander.”

“Presumably she won’t think I’m playing tricks.”

This was again sincerity, though the other party might not care.

Facing the old man’s acceptance and preparation to depart, before his final reminder, the young man thought again, his gaze shifting slightly, finally falling on the nearby low table.

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On the small cup and wine pot.

“Just ask one more thing—does she want a drink? The only remaining specialty from our dynasty.”

After receiving orders, the old man left the room, descended the tower ship, and soon boarded the small boat again toward the giant ship, only somewhat distressed that the sunlight was truly too intense.

Soon, the young man’s heart was conveyed.

Thinking about that proposal with greater sincerity than before, the hints about the transcendent identities of the two people hidden in the old man’s words, and that final question about wine, Roy exchanged glances with the first mate, somewhat moved.

After Caine expressed his attitude that facing that ship of the dead, having assistance would naturally be good, the captain finally agreed to this matter, letting the old man return to report.

After sending away that “strange person” with a somewhat bizarre body, Roy indicated to the crew that they could relax somewhat—the anticipated battle probably wouldn’t happen.

Then she looked at the first mate and asked with a smile, “Aren’t you afraid they’re liars?”

“I think before you ‘slept’ for a year, or even longer, no one in this world could deceive you anymore, right, Captain?” The first mate answered thus.

“But even the Lady was deceived once—what about me?”

Looking at the girl’s slightly upturned face, made even more radiant in the warm morning light, Caine knew this was her not having heard enough praise. He smiled bitterly and shook his head.

So he leaned forward, gently kissed her forehead, then whispered softly in her ear: “Because we’re pirates, my dear Captain.”

“And you’re the smartest one among them.”

Translator Note

Ugh.. these two love birds

“Satisfied now?”