Captain – Chapter 699 – Follow

“Yes, it should be about two years now, Miss Elizabeth.”

The crowd awakened by the girl gradually parted, and that noble young man emerged from among them, looking at her gently and responding, as if treating a close junior.

After being saved by the cat and regiven their memories, the pirates naturally knew more about Roy’s affairs, knew her real name, background, and the destination she was heading toward.

But similarly, they also recalled a thousand years of suffering, recalled everything Edward had done.

Thus regarding the revenge and vision the girl would pursue, which they should have been wary of and tried to stop, they only showed slightly strange emotions but expressed no opinions.

After brief pleasantries and thanks, the pirates dispersed—some climbed the masts to lower the sails, others worked together to pull up the iron anchor, tacitly preparing for departure.

After the farewell ended, the Satin and the surrounding warships and living beings facing the same direction would all set sail from this fragment of memory, or rather the sanctuary Mango had created for them, sailing toward the distance. Only no one knew whether the destination was hell or somewhere else.

Roy stood alongside Bosun Lucius at the side rail, leaning against the ship’s railing and gazing into the distance.

The words of farewell had already been said earlier.

In this private time the crew members had left for them, they naturally should discuss more important matters, such as the location of that nameless island, or the Pirate King’s secrets.

But what the bosun hadn’t expected was that from beginning to end, the girl never talked about matters concerning the devil, but only gazed with interest at that giant ship in the distance.

Looking in fascination at the giant sitting cross-legged on the giant ship’s deck, laughing cheerfully.

From time to time she asked him some light, casual matters, like whether that giant held an umbrella when encountering thunderstorms, or whether Mango used to be as lazy on the ship as she had seen.

Time passed quietly in idle chat. Soon, Roy knew it was time.

These ships and the “people” of the old era were about to depart, and she naturally should leave as well.

So she withdrew her gaze, looked toward Lucius, and asked the question she was most curious about—still unrelated to that approaching struggle for the world, but only asking about his thoughts.

“Bosun, I want to know, after you awakened, did you feel any regret?”

“Regret that the one you once followed was such a heartless person.”

Hearing this, Lucius was slightly startled, not expecting the final question to be like this. But then he understood—even though she had indirectly saved them…

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They were still the devil’s people, and might even have willingly fallen into this state.

After all, Captain Edward never lacked devoted believers.

Thus, they naturally couldn’t truly tell her the devil’s possible weaknesses, and even if they did, the girl would probably not believe it due to being unable to distinguish truth from falsehood.

It was better to chat casually, satisfy some curiosity, and avoid quarreling before parting.

Regarding this, Lucius couldn’t help but shake his head with a bitter smile, then first offered some explanation.

“Miss, we certainly couldn’t have been willing, after all we’re not true believers. No matter how much we respected the captain, we couldn’t possibly do such things for him.”

“As fellow pirates, you should understand this best.”

Hearing this, Roy said thoughtfully and apologized.

Come to think of it, pirates valued life and freedom most.

Even if they truly regarded someone as their faith, like Enzo to the people on the Ghost Scythe, or herself in her own crew’s eyes, the most they would be willing to do was live and die together with her. Even if sometimes it might be more…

It would be absolutely impossible to cast aside everything human and stand guard like puppets for a thousand years.

This was a matter of principle that would truly incite rebellion.

Unless they never knew until death.

But though he had stated his position, the bosun didn’t delve deeper into this, only saying apologetically: “But regarding fighting the captain, we can’t help you much.”

“Because many years ago, he was already nearly perfect. If not for First Mate Isaac’s sudden betrayal and Mango’s cold observation from the sidelines, he would have already won then.”

Lucius didn’t continue the rest, but his meaning was clear.

That was, times had changed. In the present when the magic box was already shattered, the devil would only be stronger, with no possible weaknesses to be found. Moreover, they had been away from him for a long time.

Naturally they had no way to probe for more.

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After saying this, the bosun began to answer her question.

“As for whether I regret it, I think even if I knew the outcome and could avoid being deceived by his radiance, if I and the crew were given another chance to go back and choose…”

“We would still follow him.”

Seeing the incomprehension on Roy’s face, Lucius smiled and said: “Because Miss, you don’t know that before meeting the captain, we were all people who had nothing.”

“The kind who couldn’t even survive. The only reaction to seeing a straw would naturally be to grab it, even if someone told you its end was full of thorns.”

“So in a way, what he did to us was merely taking back what he had given.”

“Though it was rather too heartless.”

Seeing understanding appear in the girl’s eyes, the bosun paused, then his smile gradually faded as he sighed softly: “But this… doesn’t mean he was right.”

“The captain ultimately took the wrong path, and we committed too many sins following him. Ending up like this is also retribution, but it’s a pity there’s no chance for redemption.”

“So Miss, this matter can only be entrusted to you. Go end all this. This era and all the spirits within are ultimately not the captain’s private property…”

Whether it was because the time for departure had arrived, the bosun’s originally gentle and clear voice gradually became faint, and his face also blurred in the rising morning light.

In the end, Roy saw nothing but radiance, so she gently closed her eyes.

When she opened them again, she had returned to the present world.

The real present world.

The dark sea had been dispersed by light, and the world illuminated by sunshine had also departed with the ship’s shadow, completely hidden. Therefore, the girl was naturally now standing on solid ground.

Returned to that ship within ships, the bottom hold in the true sense.

The environment before her was somewhat dim, but from the prison cells arranged on both sides, it wasn’t difficult to identify this as a bottom prison common on pirate ships.

Only the current Roy had no mind to examine those empty iron cages.

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She only quietly gazed ahead.

Because a few steps away, that person seemed to have just awakened, shifting his gaze from his hands and slowly raising his head to look at her. After a long time, he asked in complete disbelief.

“Child, this…”

As a near-divine being, the man naturally wouldn’t think he was trapped in an illusion between life and death, but had truly come back to life. He just couldn’t understand how.

So he instinctively wanted to ask.

But the question was never finished, because he saw the inexplicable emotions on Roy’s face, saw the slight bewilderment in her eyes fade away and be replaced by sorrow.

He was still alive, so that sadness naturally wasn’t for him, but for…

Some departed one, a “person” who had left to save him.

Therefore he could only remain silent.

Yes, when returning to the present world and seeing that person, the captain naturally thought of the cat. The emotions temporarily suppressed by curiosity and the bosun’s words also resurfaced.

Only she also knew this couldn’t bring the cat back.

Therefore, after pursing her lips and stubbornly, sadly remaining silent for a while, the girl no longer looked at that person but searched around, soon finding her target and bending down.

She picked up that crucially important black blade.

Though the short dagger remained profound, it was now pure and quiet as if its mark had been erased, no longer constantly spreading death intent, becoming a truly masterless object.

This was presumably also Mango’s handiwork.

Thinking this, Roy tore some fabric from the short shirt under her captain’s coat, carefully wrapped the black blade, and tucked it at her waist. When she planned to search for other things, she discovered her curved sword had already been handed to her by a palm.

It was naturally her father’s doing.

Without thinking, she knew this was an attempt to make peace, but the captain still didn’t raise her eyes, only silently received it and sheathed it, then brushed past him toward the depths of the prison.

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According to the position in the dark sea, there should have been a throne here.

Only that strange land no longer existed, and the objects formed by the man’s will had naturally vanished like smoke. Where could one still see the iron throne or dying candlelight? There was only a jade seal lying across the floor, and the gray hairs it had originally pressed down had presumably also scattered as light.

Roy picked it up, feeling the sea-like magical power within, but didn’t stir half a thought. First, it wasn’t necessary; second, it was also agreed upon with that prince.

After doing all this, she turned and walked toward the gangway, not glancing aside when passing that person.

Her posture and pace remained firm, only somewhat forlorn.

Throughout this entire process, the man’s gaze never left the girl for a moment.

He watched her somewhat lonely back, watched her shoulders that weren’t particularly solid yet had borne heavy burdens for so many years. His pupils were full of guilt and heartache, only knowing it was inappropriate, but in the deepest depths within…

There still lurked deep disappointment, naturally due to the girl’s silent stance.

But what could he hope for? He had already made her suffer for so many years, and now made her lose another “treasure.” Receiving such treatment was only natural.

But just as the man was collecting his emotions, planning to follow even if unwelcome, to use the rest of his life and even his life itself to make amends to her, the girl’s footsteps suddenly stopped.

After a moment, she turned her face slightly and spoke softly.

“Follow me.”

With those words, Roy turned her head back and no longer lingered.

And those emotionless words, seemingly plainer than clear water, fell in the man’s ears like music more beautiful than heavenly sounds, his dim eyes suddenly blazing with light.

Where could any complex emotions be seen within? Only a trace of fearful timidity remained.

Taking a deep breath and patting his cheeks, the man quickly pursued the girl’s retreating figure.

Like someone fortunately regaining a precious pearl, never wanting to let go again.