manynovel Chapter 243 The Roar of Ships
Chapter 243 The Roar of Ships
Chapter 243 The Roar of Ships
Kathy walked into the captain's cabin, which he used to know well but which was now riddled with holes.
He lay face down on the bed, covering his head with the blanket.
Kathy pretended to cry, but couldn't actually squeeze out a single tear.
He used to sleep in this bed, next to his father.
However, he never called the other party "father" even once.
"I'm so stupid," Cathy cursed herself. "He cares so much about Natalie, I should have realized he's my father."
"Father--"
The voice slipped helplessly from Cathy's throat, so sorrowful that even he himself felt haggard upon hearing it.
Kathy crumpled the blankets, hating that he couldn't wet the sheets with his tears.
But the Duke must be strong, and the navigator's son must be strong!
Breathe carefully...
Kathy took a deep breath, propped herself up on the edge of the bed, and sat on the edge of the bed.
This ship holds every moment he spent with his father, and it holds everything he had ever done.
Turning my head and looking around, those scenes were right before my eyes.
He saw the cabinet, as if Henry were there recounting his honors, with the flags of ships Henry had defeated displayed inside.
He saw the table, as if Henry were there recounting his experiences, with nautical charts on it recording Henry's voyages.
The bed beneath Cathy is where Henry reminisces about Natalie.
Henry must have been happy then—telling his son about his lover's past, how could he not be happy!
At least that's what Kathy believed, and that's what she hoped for.
Kathy gripped the pendant tightly in her hand.
The pendant was a gift from Victor, but Henry used it to demonstrate his magic to him.
Henry said the pendant would protect Cathy.
At this moment, Kathy firmly believed it.
Henry's magic remains, Henry's ship remains, the only thing gone is Henry himself, Cathy's father.
Kathy told herself she had to be strong.
He is a duke and cannot be defeated by sadness.
He has already lost one father, and now he's losing another; he should be able to accept it calmly.
But the more he thought about it, the more suffocated he felt.
It hurts to the bone, it hurts to the soul.
Kathy felt she couldn't stay here any longer.
So he left the captain's cabin and went to the ship's deck.
The salty and icy sea breeze blowing on his face felt incredibly refreshing.
He walked to the bow of the ship and leaned on the broken railing.
Benson apologized to Kathy.
He said he was mentally disoriented at the time and could only watch helplessly as Henry's body rolled into the sea through the breach.
If he had fought a little harder, he might have been able to save Henry's life.
Kathy comforted Benson, but also lied to herself.
He told Benson that corpses bring disease, and that Henry was a pirate, and pirates' destiny lies in the sea; every pirate hopes to go to an underwater palace after death.
In fact, Casey wanted to see Henry's body, even though he knew that Henry would be heartbroken to the point of fainting.
Kathy lowered her head and looked out at the sea.
The sharp bend in the bow of the Two Gold Coins ship easily sliced through the seawater.
It moves straight ahead, toward a specific destination.
Has Henry always been like this, forging ahead without ever having any doubts?
As I was searching, I heard a call from behind:
"Duke Casey".
Kathy turned around; it was an old man.
So he called out the other person's name: "Victor—"
"Hmm—" Viktor nodded, "Would you like me to chat with you for a while?"
"If you wish—"
Victor stood beside Kathy, also looking ahead.
He cautioned, "Please be careful, Duke Casey. I'm also sorry, but the pirates on board are not capable of controlling this ship. Before your arrival, it had been adrift in the Weeping Gorge, and therefore the ship's supplies could not be replenished."
"But the ship repair materials were limited. The ship had gone through many naval battles and there were too many places that needed repair. We could only use the materials on the most urgent places, so we were unable to repair the railings."
"I'll be careful."
Cathy nodded slightly, and after a while, she spoke.
"Victor, I remember you're not a pirate."
"That's right, we're not."
"Then why did you follow these pirates?"
"We're not following these pirates, but your father," Victor's gaze deepened. "Before meeting your father, I was just a fugitive trying to escape responsibility, living a miserable life on a pirate island, wasting my time."
"It was your father who pulled us into the ocean and led us through countless adventures. Looking back now, hey, it was fucking thrilling! He gave us a different life and made us feel that we haven't lived in vain."
Kathy nodded slightly. He had heard their story of sailing together told many times by the other people on board.
Victor suddenly turned to Casey and said seriously:
"Cassie, there's something we have to tell you, and we hope you'll listen to it."
Kathy nodded: "Go ahead and speak."
"Your father was a world-renowned pirate; the world must say he was an incorrigible villain."
Admittedly, some of the things he did warranted a hundred death sentences.
"However, your father was not entirely a bad person. Many of his decisions were made under duress."
"We are not pirates, therefore we often see things more clearly. Your father has not lost his conscience."
He has a kind side; for example, you can see his gentleness in his attitude towards Miko.
"Kathy, we hope you can accept and acknowledge your father."
Kathy immediately understood Viktor's good intentions:
"Victor, rest assured, I love my father, no matter who he is. Moreover, through my time with him, I have also experienced the side of him that you described that is unknown to the world."
Upon hearing this, Victor immediately knelt on one knee and said to Casey:
"Duke Keshi, you truly have a discerning eye. I'm sure the people under your rule will enjoy a peaceful life."
Kathy felt that Henry must have extraordinary personal charisma, otherwise Victor wouldn't have gone out of his way to talk to Kathy like that.
However, Victor's words also piqued Cathy's interest.
After parting ways with Victor, Kathy went to the cabin and found Miko.
"Miko, may I ask you some questions?"
Miko nodded.
What's your opinion of Henry?
"Henry is Henry," Micoe said.
"I mean, what makes him different from others?"
"Henry keeps his word. He always keeps his promises to Miko," Miko replied. "Henry wants Miko to stay. Miko likes being around Henry."
Mico wasn't particularly clever; he was honest and simple, and always told the truth.
Therefore, what he says must be what he is thinking.
The fact that Miko had such a high opinion of Henry shows that Henry was indeed very good to him.
Victor is right, Henry is not a completely bad person.
Henry has a gentle side, Cathy thought. Perhaps that's why Natalie chose him.
Night fell quickly, and everyone sat down to eat.
François took charge of cooking for everyone on board, and his culinary skills won unanimous praise from everyone on board.
At dinner, the pirates chatted and laughed, enjoying their drinks.
It's said that pirates are heartless and ruthless, and it seems that's true.
Look, even though their captain just died, they act as if nothing happened.
Cathy understood, of course, that such blame was unreasonable.
Apart from a few trusted men, the other pirates had no special feelings for Henry.
In their view, it didn't matter who the captain was.
Therefore, Casey had no reason to ask them to grieve for Henry's death.
A few nights ago, Kathy had already heard Benson recount in detail what happened on the ship that night.
He thus knew that Henry had died a glorious death, and that his enemy was the whole world.
Henry killed the loyal dog, and if it weren't for that strange ship that could summon black crows, Henry might have already escaped.
Kathy listened to everyone's jokes, but couldn't laugh at all.
He leaned against the pillar, staring blankly into space.
Suddenly a warm hand was placed on the back of his hand.
It's Harriet.
Harriet smiled and said to him, "Want to go shopping together?"
"The ship is only so big, there's not much to see."
Harriet said, "Up the treetop! The pirates say it's called Raven's Nest, and I want to see it. Can you take me there?"
Upon hearing this, Kathy immediately straightened her back.
No man can refuse the request of the woman he loves.
Kathy nodded, then walked over to Benson and asked for his request.
Benson said, "Of course, my little master, you can go wherever you want on this ship. If you want the jellyfish on the crow's nest to come down, just say it was me who told you to."
Cathy nodded, took Harriet's hand, and led her to the deck.
Harriet let Cathy climb first, and she followed behind.
After the two climbed onto the platform at the top of the comb, they let the "jellyfish" leave.
Harriet laughed and said, "The view here is amazing! You can even see the sea in the distance."
"But it's nighttime now."
"I can see the moonlight reflected on the sea."
Kathy paused for a moment, then looked over.
The white moonlight flickered and drifted on the sea, just like Cathy's restless heart.
Just as he was engrossed in watching, a hand touched his face.
Cassie turned her head: "What's wrong, Harriet?"
Harriet raised an eyebrow: "Your expression is so heartbreaking, Cathy. I haven't smiled in days."
Kathy forced a smile: "I did smile."
"It's a bitter smile, Casey," Harriet cupped his face in her hands. "Cassie, if talking to me will make you feel better, please feel free to confide in me."
Cathy shook her head: "I'm fine, Harriet, don't worry."
"Liar!" Harriet looked angry. "I can tell you're lying right away, Casey!"
Are you really going to lie to me?
Kathy opened her mouth, but couldn't utter a word.
He lowered his head: "I'm sorry—"
Harriet bent down and hugged him:
"I forgive you, Cathy, but you can open your heart to me. You know, I am your other heart."
"Um·..·
Cathy hugged Harriet, inhaling the fragrance of Harriet's hair.
"I miss Henry so much, I wish he were still alive."
"Mmm," Harriet replied softly.
"I want to be with him, to hear him call my name, and for me to call him father—"
"Um."
"Harriet, I love my father!"
"I know everything, my gentle little duke."
Harriet said this and kissed Cathy on the forehead.
Cathy hugged Harriet even tighter.
He stopped speaking, but he felt his breathing becoming more and more steady.
After a long while, he said:
"Thank you, Harriet, I feel much better now!"
"Yes, I can feel it."
At that moment, Cathy suddenly felt incredibly lucky to have Harriet by her side.
"Harriet?"
"Um?""
"May I kiss you?"
Harriet turned her face toward Cathy, and with a sly smile like a she-wolf:
"No!"
"Huh? Why?"
"Only I can kiss you!"
After saying that, Harriet pressed Cathy against the railing and lifted Cathy's chin onto the mast. In the moonlight, by the oil lamp, and in the sea breeze, they kissed.
That evening, after coming down from the crow's nest, Casey found Mr. Mosley:
"Mr. Mosley, I've already decided what to say to Henry."
"Is that so?" Mr. Mosley smiled gently. "Just tell him, as long as he's on this ship..."
I think he can hear you all, but you could try going to the bow; maybe he can hear you better from there.
"Hmm—but can he really hear me?"
"Probably, at least, we can believe that."
Kathy nodded and walked toward the bow of the ship.
He lay on the deck and touched a groove in the deck with his hand.
Kathy took a deep breath, then called out:
"Father"
He paused for a moment before continuing:
"Father, I love you, and I will live well."
The words had barely left his mouth when a loud bang was suddenly heard:
"—"
The two gold coin ships roared, as if in response to Cathy's words.
Kathy started to cry, but the tears flowed inwards into her heart.
He knew that Henry had heard him.
He gently stroked the deck and pressed it to his ear.
Kathy smiled, trying to find her father's heartbeat.
At this moment, Kathy finally accepted her father's death completely.
Henry is dead, but Casey has many more reasons to live a good life—
In the days that followed, Cathy's smile became even more cheerful.
At dinner, he was able to join in the pirates' jokes again, just like before.
Sometimes, he could even amuse Benson.
Of course, what Cathy was most passionate about was taking Harriet around the ship.
He explained to her the ship's special features, features that Henry had previously told her.
Harriet was also very happy and acknowledged that it was a very impressive ship.
One evening, Harriet said she also wanted to talk to Henry.
She went to the bow alone, after which the two gold coins roared again:
"—"
Kathy asked her what she said, but Harriet just turned her head away and snorted coldly:
"secret!"
A few days later, their ship finally arrived at its destination, and Cathy could see the library as soon as she looked up.
At that moment, he saw Mr. Mosley gently stroking the bow of the ship, like a father stroking his son's head.
他 说:
"We're home—"
The ship responded:
"—"