Chapter 153 Aye Captain

"We saw and meet a man that overthrew every notion we held about him to the sea and bury it beneath the waves... It even got to the point that we began to doubt 'Who Knows Who' and his credibility".

Jerry's eyes still held a fierce glow, but his lips were sealed shut.

"Though I am not saying that you are wrong, because, in a way, I am wary of him..... But for good reasons too, because a man capable enough to deceive the information network of 'Who knows Who' must be capable enough to take care of my bands of Pirates without any overwhelming scruples". He added.

Jerry's eyes widened. His lips quaked as he expressed "You mean that you have already concluded that they are dead".

Captain Crimson eye nodded. "Although there is a possibility there are still alive because Prince Wyatt's actions are something that I can not predict, so I have to make that there is already an alternative incase he does the other".

He wouldn't have survived this long if he was unable to critically make sense of the world around him, and how to use it to his advantage.

Still, his Second-in-command stared at him gobsmacked. His expression of disbelief was slowly replaced by a stoic indifference façade. "Then why wasn't I already informed if you have already made arrangements for this sort of situation".

He sighed, heavily "You weren't informed because I needed to see if you can still make use of your head properly even though you are infatuated with a woman…. But you failed miserably on such a simple test. And, I will once again overlook your incompetence and all of my sentiments, for you".

He set his gaze back on Jerry. Disappointment. A shadow was cast on Jerry's face, blocking his emotions from seeping into his face. His lips twitched as several words danced upon his lips, each failing to come out with great difficulty.

Utter disappointment. Again, Captain Crimson eye shook his head.

There was nothing wrong in being silent and calm in times of failure, because, it showed how far one was willing to learn from his mistakes and make sure he doesn't fall for the same tricks twice.

However, his Second-in-command's unsightly display that fully showed his emotional instability was disappointing.

The primality of emotions that he felt the need to help Jerry control was slowly dissected in front of him as he continued. "Before I first became a Pirate, I read a story once…. Do you want to hear how it went?".

Jerry's brows furrowed as he stared straight at him. "I don't have a choice, do I?".

Captain Crimson eye merely chuckled. "You don't".

The room went silent for a few seconds, until…. "Alright, I would like to hear this story of yours Captain" Jerry said, in defeat.

He nodded and continued. "Beyond the sprawling plains of Tharcania, there lived a man - tireless and unwavering in his duty to serve a king he had never seen nor met. Though he laboured without pause, he felt unfulfilled, searching for a purpose beyond his endless toil."

Unfortunately, Jerry interrupted. "Is this man perhaps m…."

"Sssshhhh….. Let me finish" Captain Crimson eye cut off his words immediately. He stood up and walked towards the window, staring at the dazzling night sky, he continued. "But one fateful day, as he shouldered his axe and turned homeward, he was met with a vision of splendour - a beautiful woman newly arrived at the abandoned house beside his farm. Her poise and radiance left him spellbound, and he knew in an instant that she was the one he would spend the rest of his life with.

"Determined to make his feelings known, he approached her door - only to find it swiftly shut in his face. Day after day passed, with no sign of the woman leaving her house, until one night, her windows suddenly burst open in a blaze of light. Yet, despite this beacon of hope, she remained hidden from view."

"Unable to muster the courage to introduce himself, he resigned himself to returning home. But as he turned, he jokingly implored his shadow to venture inside the woman's home and report whatever he sees or hears back to him."

"To his surprise, his shadow nodded in agreement and vanished into the light of the woman's windows. Days passed and the man grew increasingly worried as his shadow failed to return, and the woman remained locked away in her home. The man locked himself inside his own home, consumed by the mystery of his missing shadow and the woman of his dreams."

Captain Crimson eye cleared his throat. "The end".

"The end?" Jerry responded confusingly. "… Is that it?".

"No" He shook his head. "But that is the end of part one at least".

Jerry questioned. "So there is part two?".

He nodded. "Yes. But you can ask your questions now".

Jerry hesitatingly opened his mouth. "Is the man in your story…."

Captain Crimson eye responded. "Yes, it's you" He enjoyed the faint breeze as his back still faced his Second-in-command.

"And the king?"

Captain Crimson eye knew. He could tell the expression on Jerry's face as he spoke without even looking at him "Why don't you guess?" He gently folded his arm behind his back.

Silence eclipsed the room for a second.

Jerry loudly freed his lungs, exhaling as he replied. "It's you, isn't it?".

He nodded. Who else would the King be other than him?

Jerry laughed. "And the man's shadow? Who does it represent…. signify?".

"Your sanity, it seems….. Logically speaking a man cannot exist without his shadow, unless by some divine intervention or providence. But, you -we are nothing but mortals below the ladders of divinity, so without it, we are doomed." Captain Crimson eye pointed out. '

Inwardly, he thought 'You threw out your mind and became both emotionally and mentally unstable all because of a woman'.

Captain Crimson eye turned around and stared at his Second-in-command who trembled with each movement as he nodded his head in understanding.

He asked. "Aren't you going to ask who the woman in my story represents"

Jerry shrugged his shoulders. "If you managed to come up with all this, then you know just as I who the woman is. " He shook his head. "There is no need for me to ask such a stupid question".

"But Captain…." Jerry smiled. He then began to chuckle. "….. Once again, you have managed to amaze me with your ability to think on the spot…. I dare say that this is one of the reasons why you will be able to defeat Captain Davy and reclaim what is yours".

"It is only because I learnt from my mistakes and the mistakes of others that I can acquire what I want" He paused. "Though, I won't reject your words all in the name of false modesty".

He looked at Jerry.

Jerry stared back at him.

"So, what are we going to do about Prince Wyatt?" Jerry questioned "…..You know that we can't let him be right, and not take action?".

Captain Crimson eye turned serious "I know…. And that is why I will be leaving that decision in your care." His unwavering eyes stared at Jerry's emotional gaze.

"YOU!"

"Yes. For now, I will let you handle this decision, and I will be looking forward to the results".

"But…"

"I know" He smiled. "… But as a King, I can't keep on overlooking your mistakes based on personal sentiments, or else you will sooner or later do something that can not be overlooked….. As your Captain, I am giving you a chance to prove yourself and show me that you are still capable enough of being my Second-in-command".

Captain Crimson eye knew that his response had shocked Jerry. The current unstable Jerry was useless to him, however, he couldn't just throw him out of his ship as he had done to others.

He believed in second chances, and in Jerry's case, a fifth or a sixth chance to redeem himself.

".…."

".….."

"Are you sure about your decision, Captain?"

"Yes. I trust that you would give me a satisfactory result".

Jerry sighed. He shook his head. "I might not give you the satisfactory results that you want, Captain".

Captain Crimson eye corrected. "You might not, but it would still be a welcoming result".

No matter how calmly Jerry tried to speak, He knew that inwardly, his mind and body were in turmoil.

That's good! This is his test after all, and something like that meant that he was desperately trying to come out with the right needed solution to handle the situation.

Out of nowhere, Jerry laughed with a roar. "Hahahahahaahaha!".

Captain Crimson eye rose a brow. "What is funny?".

Jerry shook his head amusingly. "Nothing. I will immediately get on to it and provide you with the most satisfactory results imaginable". Jerry saluted him before he turned around and walked towards the door.

"Of course, do your best".

He was still laughing.

"Aye Captain, aye".

The door shut close with a 'Click'.