dmims Chapter 134 What I'm Good At
Chapter 134 What I'm Good At
Chapter 134 What I'm Good At
That day, Casey pointed out Henry's grammatical error.
Henry said this was normal; pirates were mostly illiterate and often couldn't distinguish between subject and object.
But Casey soon discovered that Henry was at least not illiterate; he could read and write, and his speech was not as coarse as that of the other pirates.
However, he had only just met Henry, and perhaps with more time, he would be able to see another side of Henry.
From childhood, everyone around Cathy told her that pirates were villains who should be hanged.
Cathy was able to get on this ship because the pirates had raided the slave ship she was on.
Although Casey was saved, it was by no means an act of justice.
He still believed that pirates were indeed bad guys.
But Casey couldn't bring herself to dislike Henry; in fact, she even liked him a little.
Henry was a friend of Casey's mother, so he was Casey's friend, which is why Casey thought it was a vote-rigging scheme.
Master Jode said that a lord cannot be selfish and must give his all for his territory and people.
Count Reggie dismissed this idea, believing that those who came out of the Herald Academy were all bookworms, and how could a lord protect his family and clan if he didn't have selfish motives?
Rather than protecting the unseen people, Kathy naturally wanted to protect his family, even though he had never met his real family.
Pirates are indeed villains, but if we disregard their pirate identity, Casey cannot determine whether Henry is still a villain.
He was very good to Cathy, to the point of being somewhat clingy.
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During his time aboard the Two Gold Coins, whenever Cathy looked back, she could always find Henry secretly watching her.
When Casey asked Henry why, Henry's bronze face would turn red, and he would explain that he had just happened to be there.
Kathy suspected Henry was lying, but she had no evidence and couldn't think of any reason why Henry would lie.
However, Casey understood that Henry wasn't friendly to everyone.
If Cathy wasn't the son of Henry's friend, then Henry would have shown his cold-blooded and ruthless side.
Henry was very strict with his men, and every sailor on the ship had great respect for him.
When Henry learned that Cathy had been kidnapped by the crew of the slave ship, he instantly flew into a rage.
He immediately ordered that all the sailors be executed.
Upon hearing this, Cathy turned pale with fright and hurriedly pleaded for those people.
If Henry kills those people because of this, then they will die because of Cathy, and Cathy thinks she will have nightmares about it.
"The number of people who have died because of me is already enough," Cathy thought.
Henry eventually gave in and ordered a halt, but judging from his bulging veins on his face, it was clear he hadn't calmed down at all.
Ultimately, a pirate named Cyril proposed that all the slave traders be tied up and the captured slaves be released so that the victims could deal with the perpetrators.
Henry immediately agreed, and Casey had no objection.
Later, Henry heard that Cathy had almost been killed by slave traders because of that swindler, and he was so angry that he kicked the talkative Benson in the backside.
Blame Benson for letting the boat carrying the conman go.
Benson immediately lay down on the floor, crying and throwing a tantrum, blaming Henry for his earlier suggestion to sink the ship, which Henry had refused.
Now that they've gotten away, he's blaming them.
In the end, it was Victor who stepped forward to comfort Benson, and Benson's emotions gradually calmed down.
Kathy immediately realized that although it was a pirate ship, the atmosphere on board was very warm and cozy. Except when facing external enemies, there was no sense of cruelty.
Through Henry's attention and care for Cathy, Cathy also realized that Henry must be a person who values his friends.
He actually got so angry because of his friend's son.
Furthermore, although they initially appeared to have other objectives, upon hearing Casey's request, they immediately decided to change course and head towards O'Brien Bay.
Cathy felt incredibly lucky to have met Henry.
When Casey learned that Henry was a friend, he really wanted to cry, but he couldn't.
Only he himself knows how much he has lost along the way, and now he has nothing left.
All that remained in his body was the blood that blended the essence of the plateau and the ocean.
But the plateau receded further and further away, and although the ocean lay beneath her, Cathy couldn't swim and was too timid to jump in.
Embrace it.
Kathy, I really want to see the plateau and ocean that gave him his blood.
Kathy wants to cry.
But now he's laughing. Hehe, the Two Gold Coins is a good ship. Although the crew are all pirates, they take good care of Cassie.
Of course, Casey understood that this was because of Henry.
Henry was the captain of this ship, and they all held the captain's friend's son in high esteem.
Henry also personally introduced a few people to Casey: "Talkative" Benson, the shipwright Victor who was not a pirate, "Lookout" Cyril, and "Strongman" Mico.
When Henry introduced Casey to them, he would always puff out his chest, raise his chin, point his thumb at himself with one hand, and pat Casey heavily on the back with the other:
"This is my friend's son, a duke! He has noble blood! He's skilled in both literature and martial arts!"
Judging from the way they're doing this, someone who didn't know better would think they're introducing their own son.
When Casey heard Henry's evaluation of her, she would always blush with guilt.
Only he knew how poor his martial arts skills and knowledge were, but seeing Henry's smug attitude, Cathy couldn't bear to interrupt him, so she gritted her teeth and accepted these assessments.
"Strongman" Mico is very tall, like a giant.
But when Miko was with him, he felt like he was talking to someone his own age.
Kathy often chatted with him, and Miko's replies were always a bit silly, but Kathy could find resonance in Miko's words.
"The Observer" Cyril was a sharpshooter, so Henry had Cyril instruct Cathy in archery during this time.
And Kathy's terrible archery skills improved rapidly and noticeably in a short period of time.
Kathy thought Cyril was a good teacher, and that he spoke in a gentle and refined manner, so Kathy guessed that Cyril must have received a good education.
Grandpa Victor doesn't seem to be a pirate at all, and he really dislikes pirates. Except when he's drunk and bragging about his past, he basically doesn't talk to pirates.
But one day, the old man suddenly gave Kathy a wooden plaque and said:
"Amulet. We are not pirates, and we are not protected by the sea god at sea. We must think of ways to seek divine protection."
Before Casey could thank him, Victor had already turned and walked away.
However, Kathy was very happy and immediately hung the amulet around his neck.
Benson would talk to Cathy about women, and Cathy would always blush as she listened, yet she couldn't help but continue listening.
The interesting conversation would end when Henry came over and kicked Benson away.
Besides, there were many other things; these pirates always took Cathy to try new things.
Cathy was grateful to them; it had been a long time since he had been able to forget all his troubles and focus on the joy of the moment like this.
However, upon reflection, he realized that he had never experienced anything like this before.
Everyone wanted Cassie to become a proper duke, and Cassie gritted her teeth and tried her best to meet everyone's expectations, although she ultimately disappointed them.
In short, Casey was enjoying the moment. Even though this was a pirate's place, he felt a sense of "home".
But this is not home; he no longer has a home.
Even so, Cathy still found an opportunity to express her gratitude to them.
However, Benson said:
"We want to thank you, Lady Casey."
"?"
"Are you trying to say that you had a lot of fun on the ship?"
"Um!"
"But you're not the happiest one. Look, listen," Benson gestured with his chin toward the dashboard.
Laughter could be heard from behind the steering wheel every now and then.
"You get it now," Benson said. "The happiest one is the boss. I've never seen him smile like that before, but he's changed since you came to the ship."
Why is he so happy?
Benson shrugged. "Who knows? But one thing is for sure, it's definitely thanks to you, so I have to thank you. Lady Casey, thank you for bringing joy to the boss."
Cathy started to understand: "So that's why you're willing to come with me?"
"That's part of the reason," Benson said, "but there's also your own reason, if you're the kind of annoying guy..."
That's definitely not how we treat you.
Kathy nodded: "But I can also see that you really respect Henry!"
"Hmph! Of course," Benson laughed proudly, "If the sea has a king, it must be the navigator Henry."
Kneeling before a king, offering loyalty and respect—isn't that only natural?
When Casey heard that Henry was the famous "Navigator", she was incredibly surprised.
They were both surprised that Henry was such a great man and amazed that the navigator, whom everyone on the plateau despised, was actually such a humane person.
Compared to Benson and Cyril, Henry wasn't very good at joking, and he wasn't even as talkative as a drunk Victor.
Moreover, it often gives people a clumsy feeling.
But it seems that Henry only acts this way when he's with Cathy. When facing the crew members, Henry is always decisive and resolute, and he does indeed have a kingly aura of swiftness and efficiency.
Henry always liked to fiddle with his long, curly hair while telling Cathy about his background:
"In my father's hometown, names are composed of three parts: one's own name at the beginning, followed by the father's surname, and then the mother's surname."
Kathy would also politely mention the customs of the plateau: "Children of the plateau usually inherit their father's surname, unless they need to inherit the family business or title from their mother's side, like me, whose identity is inherited from the Lanes family."
Henry nodded: "But you can put your father's surname at the end."
"I think it's a good idea," Casey said sincerely, "but I'm afraid it won't work. The people who serve the Lines family will never agree. The nobles of the Highlands have always been arrogant, and they will definitely think that my father's surname is not worthy of their kneeling."
This conversation was repeated many times, and each time Henry heard Cathy's final refusal, his expression would become somewhat disappointed.
Kathy thought Henry must really like the surname culture of his hometown.
However, thanks to this, Casey remembered Henry's full name: Henry Gijano Panza.
Cathy liked to lie on the bow of the Two Gold Coins and feel the sea breeze coming towards her.
The wind in the Weeping Gorge sounds like a widow's weeping, icy and biting.
But Kathy wasn't afraid of the cold. The wind on the Lines Plateau was just as cold and dry, and it felt like a blade cutting into her skin.
The sea breeze was very moist, making him feel as if his face was being gently lifted, which was very comfortable.
Breathe carefully—
The air was thick, and a faint salty smell wafted in the sea breeze.
Looking down, you can see two huge discs at the bow of the Two Gold Coins ship, like a pair of eyes watching the sea ahead.
Henry told him that they had to sail southwest, around the Blois peninsula, and then sail east to reach O'Brien Bay.
Kashi was unfamiliar with the terrain outside the plateau, so she could only nod in agreement.
However, once he arrived at O'Brien Bay, he had to say goodbye to Henry and all the crew members on the Two Gold Coins.
Although he was reluctant, he had to go there and seek help from the administrator there, as Pegasus had instructed.
Henry also said, "The manager there is very capable; you can definitely rely on him."
"Even better than you?"
"Haha, although I don't want to admit that other men are better than me in front of you, but—he's an exception."
Henry always seemed quite pleased when the name of that administrator was mentioned.
"He's more capable than me, at least a hundred times more capable."
Kathy was somewhat surprised: "But you're the navigator!"
"So what if I'm a leader?" Henry said with a smile. "In his eyes, I'm probably just a clumsy, simple-minded guy. Right, according to him, I should be called a 'blockhead.' Hahaha—"
Henry looked to be about forty years old; if the caretaker mistook him for a young man, then he must be over sixty.
Grandpa?
Is someone this old really trustworthy?
Henry said he would accompany Cathy to see the administrator this time.
It wasn't that he didn't remember the agreement; it was just that he felt obligated to plead with the other party on Cathy's behalf.
Cathy didn't know what agreement Henry had with the administrator, but it must be important.
Moreover, Henry's eagerness to see the administrator was all too obvious.
But regardless, at least before arriving at the library, Cathy decided to just relax and enjoy herself without worrying about anything else.
Suddenly, a gust of wind behind her blew Cathy against the railing.
He turned around, the strong wind making it almost impossible for him to open his eyes.
"Hahaha!"
Cathy laughed, opened her arms, embraced the sea breeze, embraced the two gold coins, and embraced the past.
The comb rod tilted slightly forward, the sails were taut and billowed, and the ship accelerated forward.
With her back to the bow, Casey could only see the past, but it was the past that propelled the present toward the future.
"I really do have the blood of the ocean," Cathy thought. "I don't get seasick at all!"
As evening approached, the sunlight reflecting off the sea created a beautiful scene.
Henry said the sea would be orange-yellow at that time, which was his favorite color.
Kathy felt it was a coincidence that his hair was orange-yellow.
After dusk, Cathy ate with the pirates.
As they drank, they told all sorts of stories, some bizarre, some thrilling, and some vulgar. Cassie listened with great interest. They could also sing pirate songs, and Cassie learned a few lines.
Benson handed Cathy a large glass of beer.
Kathy doesn't really like the taste of beer; he prefers red wine.
But he still took it, drank it all in one gulp, raised the glass high, and shouted:
"Hold!"
Applause, whistles, and cheers immediately erupted on the deck, with Benson leading the shouts:
"Duke Cathy!"
All the pirates echoed this sentiment:
"Duke Cathy!"
"Duke Cathy!"
Kathy felt her cheeks burning.
But he felt it was because he was a little drunk, not because he was shy.
It's not shyness.
Absolutely not!
By late at night, most of the pirates were drunk, and Cassie had to go to sleep too.
Now, I'm sleeping in Henry's "octopus cave," sharing a bed with Henry.
When she was little, Casey slept with Pegasus, who was like a father to her.
Now, Casey is sleeping with Henry.
Although he had only known Henry for a short time, Henry was really, really kind, and he felt some fatherly warmth from Henry.
But Kathy knew he couldn't rely too much on this feeling; they would soon be separated.
Every night before bed, Cathy would ask Henry about her mother.
But Natalie Lines, whom Henry described, was a real troublemaker, an annoying and irritating character.
However, Henry did not seem to dislike his mother.
But how exactly should that attitude be described? Kathy didn't know.
Kathy sat on the edge of the bed and noticed that Henry was engrossed in reading a book.
The book was called "Stars, Moon, Night, and Enchantment," and it seemed to be a magic book.
Henry would read every night with great concentration.
Just like now, Henry doesn't seem to have noticed that Casey has come in at all.
When he closed the book and turned to look at Cathy, a strange glint flashed in his eyes, which was then quickly replaced by a gentle smile.
"You're back. Did you have a good night?"
"Yes," Casey nodded.
He thought about it for a while, but decided to ask anyway:
"Henry, are you studying magic?"
Henry paused for a moment, then smiled mysteriously, staring at the wooden amulet around Cathy's neck:
"Give this to me!"
Cathy didn't know what Henry was planning to do, but she did as he said.
Henry took the amulet and placed it on the table, then extended his right hand to it.
Suddenly, many thin, blue tentacles emerged from the palm of Henry's right hand.
The tentacles attached to the surface of the amulet and then imprinted patterns that shimmered with blue light.
The blue light flickered faster and faster, then became constant, and finally the peculiar pattern seeped into the amulet.
Henry laughed and said, "Ha! That's incredible! To succeed on the first try for an entry of this caliber!"
Kathy stared in disbelief: "What is this?!"
"Enchantment magic,"
As Henry spoke, he returned the amulet to Cathy.
"I've imbued your amulet with the 'Meteor' attribute. It's no longer just an ornament; it can truly protect you! However, this attribute only activates at night, so remember that."
Cathy was astonished: "So, you're actually a magician?"
"I suppose so," Henry said, "but the way I use power is probably different from that of a typical magician."
No wonder Henry was able to become a leader, Casey thought. He was definitely not an ordinary person!
Soon, both of them were lying in bed.
The candlelight swayed with the hull of the ship, casting dappled shadows on the ceiling.
Suddenly, Casey asked, "Hey, Henry, why is this ship called the Two Gold Coins?"
Henry, however, instinctively reached out and covered his face, seemingly in a difficult position.
"If I had to pick someone I least want to be asked this question, it would definitely be you—"
"Me?" Kathy asked, puzzled.
"Because this name is somewhat related to you—"
"·——"
Cathy was curious and wanted to ask more, but Henry preemptively begged for mercy:
"...Please let me go, Casey. This is the only problem."
Upon hearing this, Kathy didn't pursue the matter further.
After that, Henry asked Cathy to tell him about her story.
Henry seemed very interested in Cathy's story. He asked Cathy to tell him from the time she could remember, and he was very patient, never interrupting her even for the most boring parts.
Last night, he recounted how he was sold to the Unswearing Knights by that swindler.
"I followed Jarl and met up with his commander. After that, I was locked up with a sister with orange-yellow hair."
Upon hearing this, Henry suddenly propped his head up, frowned, and asked:
"Wait, you mean the sister with the same hair color as you?"
"Yes, she gestured to me with her hair," Casey nodded. "I know what she was implying. She has Capello blood in her veins, just like me."
"This is a bit strange," Henry said, sitting up in bed. "Since you say that the Unswearing Knights are a warrior order that acts on commission, doesn't that mean that there are two groups of people who want to capture someone with Capello blood at the same time?"
"But judging from what you said yesterday, and from the attitudes of Redburg and Duke Trent, it seems that no one from the Capello family is missing. In other words, the sister you mentioned is very likely not a member of the Capello family."
"They're not from the Capello family, yet they're worth the effort of the Unswearing Knights. You're the Duke of the Highlands, I can understand that."
"Who is she? Cathy, describe her in detail."
"She's very beautiful, has a very—very curvaceous figure, and is incredibly gentle; she's probably in her early twenties."
"Did she say anything to you?"
"Her reaction when she saw me was exactly the same as yours."
Kathy said,
"First she ran her fingers through my hair, then touched my head, and then hugged me tightly. After chatting for a few minutes, she—she started kissing me. Before leaving, she said she also had a son, but unfortunately she was separated from him, and hoped that I could call her 'Mother' on behalf of her son."
"You shouted?"
"Um."
"What was her reaction?"
"She was crying, but it also seemed like she was laughing; she was both crying and laughing at the same time."
Henry suddenly sprang up from the ship and stood on the plank:
"Kathy, how tall is she?"
Kathy also got out of bed and poked Henry on the shoulder.
It seemed as if they had just passed a wave; the ship suddenly jolted, and Henry fell to the ground.
"Henry, are you alright?" Casey asked anxiously.
"I'm fine—" Henry shook his head blankly, "but—she's in trouble."
"she?"
“Yes, that sister, no, you shouldn’t call her sister, Cathy,” Henry swallowed, “you should call her mother, she’s your mother.”
"Mom—Mom?" Cathy was stunned.
"May God protect you, may the sea god protect you, may the stars protect you."
Henry suddenly began to pray, then looked at Casey with a serious expression.
"Kathy, that orange-yellow-clad lady, that's Natalie Lines."
Even though the ocean was outside the captain's cabin, Casey felt the waves churning in his brain. The violent sound of the water filled his ears, making his heart pound and his mind unable to process anything.
How did you know?
"Your description is exactly the same as my impression of Natalie."
"But you've only seen her as a child."
"Plus one night," Henry added, "Natalie was fifteen by then."
"But even so,"
Cathy stood excitedly on the bed, but then the ship rocked and she fell off.
"You haven't seen that woman in person, how can you be sure from just a description that she might really just be another woman!"
"If she wasn't your mother, why would she act so intimately with you on our first meeting?"
Henry countered,
"Think about her attitude, and her final request for you to call her 'Mother.' Isn't that just a mother's instinctive reaction?"
Upon hearing this, Kathy immediately began to recall the scene from that time.
The loving look in her sister's eyes, the intimacy she showed to Cathy, the advice and comfort she offered—if she were my mother, Cathy thought, if she recognized me instantly, everything from that day seemed so reasonable and logical.
Oh God! Lord!
Cathy continued to shake her head desperately: "But since she recognized me, why doesn't she acknowledge me?"
"Back then, you were all prisoners of war in the Unswearing Knights' camp. Revealing intelligence could have been detrimental to you."
Henry analyzed the situation, then got up from the floor and sat back down on the edge of the bed.
"Either she doesn't want your identity to be exposed, or she doesn't want them to know you're her son. She undoubtedly hopes to acknowledge you, but probably out of desperation—"
Kathy stayed in bed, unable to think of anything, and afraid to think of anything.
Just then, he suddenly remembered something.
He rummaged through his clothes, took out a piece of paper, and handed it to Henry:
"That day, after I parted ways with that woman, I found this piece of paper in my clothes."
Henry took the paper and immediately nodded firmly:
"That's right, it must be Natalie! She's always loved mermaid stories—"
Kathy's mouth hung open, but she couldn't utter a single word...
That older sister, is she my mother?
Mother!
Kathy then asked, "Then—what was her purpose in giving me this piece of paper?"
Henry carefully read the contents of the paper for several seconds, then pondered for a long time before finally uttering his conclusion in a trembling voice:
"Being taken prisoner means her situation is far from safe, and this piece of paper might bring her danger, or it might be a clue left for you. It contains an address; your mother might go there—"
Cathy's heart tightened, and she quickly grabbed Henry's arm, shaking it frantically as she asked:
"Dangerous? How dangerous?"
Henry's bowed head and silence said it all.
This was clearly not a plateau, but Kathy felt a lack of oxygen and suffocation.
He immediately knelt before Henry and pleaded:
"Please! Henry, save her! Save my mother! You're the Navigator, you have magic! You can save her! Please, save her quickly, I'll do anything you ask!"
However, Henry smiled gently at Cathy and stroked her head:
"Silly child, how could I not go to save your mother? But—"
"But?"
“But this trip might be dangerous. I can’t take you with me. I have to get you to the library first to make sure you’re safe,” Henry said. “Otherwise, Natalie will blame me if she finds out that I saved him.”
"No, we can't wait until then," Cathy said. "Please, go now!"
"I'm sorry, I can't compromise. I can't think of any other way, so I can only send you to the library for now," Henry said stubbornly.
A solution!
Think of a solution quickly!
How can I get Henry to go and save that sister, Natalie, and my mother immediately?
But I'm too stupid, Cathy thought bitterly, I can't think of any ideas—
He felt so sad. Why was his mind always blank at times like this? Just then, he suddenly realized:
"Let your men think of a solution! Benson, Victor, they're both smart, they'll definitely come up with a way that satisfies both sides! Please, Henry, they seem to like me too, talk to them, they'll definitely help us find a way to save my mother!"
Hearing this, Henry considered for a moment, then nodded.
Then he put on a coat and went out of the captain's cabin.
Shortly after, Henry entered with Benson, Victor, and Cyril.
They sat down at the chart table, and Henry explained the situation.
Even though Cathy knew he shouldn't interrupt, he had to break the rules for his mother's sake:
"We must figure out a way to rescue Natalie immediately!"
Everyone racked their brains, while Cassie could only anxiously stare at the four silent people.
After that, they started discussing again.
Until the sun shone into the ceiling, Cyril suddenly proposed:
"How about this, let's put Cathy on the nearby shore first?"
Henry immediately objected: "That won't guarantee his safety. There's a bounty on his head!"
Cyril smiled: "Chief, I should have told you before that I used to follow Valen around the Weeping Fjords as a smuggler, and later I went it alone. During that time, I made many friends in the kingdom."
Henry frowned. "What do you mean?"
“I can put Cathy with my friend, which will ensure that Cathy is not discovered by outsiders,” Cyril’s eyes turned cold instantly. “And they would never dare to sell Cathy, otherwise their whole family would be wiped out.”
After much deliberation and confirmation of many details, Henry finally finalized the plan.
Two days later, the two gold coins docked at a port on the Blois peninsula.
Henry and Cyril took Cathy to a vineyard.
They had a conversation with the owner of the manor.
Ultimately, the estate agreed to take Cathy in.
Before parting, Cathy gave him these instructions:
"Henry, you must rescue my mother! Although I have nothing now, my head is valuable. I've heard the Zorc family is willing to pay a thousand gold coins for my head. If you rescue my mother, I'm willing to let you use my head to exchange for money!"
Henry simply patted Cathy's head gently and smiled as he said:
"To me, your existence is worth more than gold."
"Don't worry, Casey, I will definitely rescue your mother, besides..."
"Finding Natalie? That's exactly what I'm good at!"