Captain – Chapter 80 – The Key to the Box

Watching the scholar gulp water like a man dying of thirst, Roy sat on the table in front of Stephen III with folded arms, curiously asking: “How long has it been since you last drank water?”

Bivis shook the water skin vigorously and, finding not a drop remaining, smacked his lips with dissatisfaction before returning the deflated container to the captain: “Probably a few hundred years.”

With the replenishment of water, this scholar who had barely resembled a human being gained some color in his face. Even his skin no longer appeared as withered as dead tree bark, but regained some vitality. Judging from this, given enough water and nutrition, he might actually return to his original appearance.

“A few hundred years…”

Roy examined the scholar with slightly furrowed brows, confirming a certain fact from his words: “You mean you’ve been alive for hundreds of years, and during that time haven’t had a drop of fresh water?”

“To be precise, not a drop of any liquid sustenance,” the scholar shook his head, meticulously correcting the captain’s error.

“So you’re truly one of those legendary immortals?” Roy’s eyes brightened slightly, as if discovering a new continent.

“No. According to Lady Annisdora’s texts, beings like me should be called ‘death-fearers’—those who fear death. Quite fitting semantically, don’t you think?” The scholar continued shaking his head.

Roy’s eye twitched a few times, her expression turning unfriendly as she pressed her hand on the curved sword at her waist: “Can you cut the nonsense? I can’t guarantee I’ll have the patience to continue this conversation instead of ripping out your tongue.”

“Yes, Captain.” The scholar snapped to attention, responding as concisely as if facing a military officer.

Rеαd oո КαtReаⅾіոgСаfе

“Then tell me, how did you survive?” Roy rubbed her temples, feeling the onset of a headache.

“Actually, I wasn’t very clear about it myself, but after exploring for these hundreds of years and studying the numerous texts carried on this ship, I discovered that I must have been cursed by Lady Annisdora.”

The scholar spoke at length, seemingly still talking nonsense.

Seeing the captain’s expression gradually darken, Bivis hastily added: “A true curse, Captain.”

“A true curse… what does that mean?”

Roy was slightly bewildered, having never heard that curses could be real or fake, so she asked for clarification.

“As you can see, this ship is filled with skeletons decayed by time. But in fact, they weren’t subjected to the goddess’s curse—they merely had their life force consumed in an instant by the disaster released from the box. Only I, fortunately or unfortunately, escaped.”

The scholar extended his hand toward the emperor beside the captain, as if demonstrating an example.

“Then what exactly is Lady Annisdora’s curse?”

Rеαⅾ on KatReαԁіոɡСаfе

Beginning to understand the scholar’s explanation, Roy withdrew her gaze from the emperor’s hollow eye sockets and returned it to the scholar.

“Immortality without death, and eternal imprisonment on this phantom ship-turned-prison, with no release, no peace.”

The scholar moved a few steps closer to Roy, pressing his left chest: “Can you understand my feelings, Captain? As long as I’m on this ship, not a drop of water can enter me, not a morsel of food can be consumed. I’m tormented daily by thirst and hunger, my head splitting with pain, unable to sleep. Only those books—those books can temporarily ease my suffering.”

“Is that so? But logically, given the number of people on the Victoria, the stored water should have been enough for you to live comfortably for quite some time. Moreover, since this ship sails outside of time, that food and fresh water wouldn’t have had a chance to spoil.”

Roy leaned back slightly, clearly reluctant to have this neither-human-nor-ghost figure approach her.

“You’re right. By my estimation, if I were frugal, that food and water would have lasted me four hundred years. Still not enough to last until now, but so much better…”

The scholar retreated a step, his face bearing a sorrowful smile: “But clearly, Lady Annisdora isn’t so merciful. Any food or fresh water on this ship, once it enters my mouth, rots into a pile of disgusting dust.”

“Oh, that does sound rather miserable…”

Roy sympathetically agreed, then changed the subject: “Your narrative is excellent, Scholar, but what I really want to know is why you were chosen by the goddess to become the only, um, death-fearer on the Victoria?”

Rеаⅾ оn КαtRеαⅾiոgCаfe

“It’s because of this, Captain.”

Bivis returned from his painful memories to the present, fumbling around on his person for a moment before presenting a small object to the girl.

It was an exquisite statuette made from some purple wood with a metallic luster, carved in the likeness of a woman in flowing robes, dancing gracefully.

This finely crafted statuette seemed to possess a certain magical quality that made it difficult to look away. Roy, with iron-like willpower, barely managed to avoid staring at the small statue: “What is this?”

“It’s a family heirloom passed down through generations. After collecting much information, I discovered that this is… a statue of Lady Annisdora.”

The scholar gently caressed the goddess statue, his gaze full of longing and adoration, as if stroking a lover’s cheek: “Moreover, this is the key that can seal the box again. It was because of its existence that I was spared in that disaster, though I never expected to fall into another, more miserable situation.”

After a long while, the scholar sighed softly and placed the goddess statue into a hidden pocket near his heart.

Then he told Roy: “Without the suppression of the key, the box released such destructive power that it eventually spiraled completely out of control. Even the Pirate King could only bury it deep in an island unknown to anyone.”

“I survived because of the goddess and endured such arduous trials. So I often wonder if this might be the lady’s test for me—if she wants me to return this key to its rightful place, and only then will she help me escape the curse and regain freedom.”

Rеad оո КatRеadіոgСαfе

“That’s why I’ve been waiting for someone who could take me away. Now it seems that person should be you, Captain.”

After listening to the scholar’s account, Roy remained silent for a moment, then jumped down from the table with a smile: “I’m sorry, but I’m not your goddess. Even I couldn’t break such a curse.”

“No, Captain, I’ve found a method. If only you…”

Hearing this, Bivis’s eyes flashed with urgency, fearing that the captain before him might simply dust off her clothes and leave. If that happened, he had no confidence he would be lucky enough to encounter another cursed individual entangled with that devil.

Raising her hand to stop the scholar’s words, Roy narrowed her eyes, her lips curving into a sly arc: “No, no, no, Scholar. You misunderstand my meaning. Even if I truly had the ability to take you away, why would I do such a thing?”

“Why… why?” The scholar murmured, his brown eyes showing confusion, apparently unclear about what the captain meant to express.

Seeing this, Roy sighed helplessly. She should never have had any expectations of these rigid-minded scholars, so she had to explicitly state her considerations.

“Benefits, Scholar. Most importantly… what benefit would this captain gain from helping you?”