Oomi
—The Harvester of Hearts, huh.
There’s a lot I want to ask, but I’m too afraid to say anything.
He’s saved me many times since I joined the company, but this is the first time I’ve ever felt like I need to protect Aochi-san.
Aochi-san, usually so cheerful, looked pale and shaken. Painfully so.And yet his eyes alone were moist and shining, clearly captivated by the Harvester.
I couldn’t count on Oze-san—we hadn’t known each other long.Besides, ever since the Harvester appeared, he’d had a disturbingly aggressive look in his eyes. He was dangerous.
The Harvester of Hearts opened a door beside the landing—one that looked incredibly heavy.Yet he pulled it open like a bathroom door and said, as if scolding a child, “Don’t pinch your fingers. Make sure to close it after you open it.”
He continued walking briskly through the ship, muttering instructions like he was talking to himself.Every time, he’d glance back to check if we were listening, so I nodded even though my voice wouldn’t come out properly.
“This floor is a shared space. Use it however you like. I’ll take you to the dining hall first.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.I didn’t have time to prepare breakfast, but there’s bread and stuff in the shelves—help yourselves later.I’m busy getting us ready to set sail, so you’ll have to manage on your own for now.”
I didn’t care about the bread.I tightened my grip on Aochi-san’s arm.
Oze-san had returned to his usual carefree expression, but his eyes were still sharp.
“This is the infirmary. You with the glasses—you already look pretty bad.We’ll reach the other side by tomorrow morning, sure, but there’s no doctor onboard.If you’re gonna get off, now’s the time.”
“I’m not getting off.I won’t leave Aochi-san alone with you.”
Aochi-san still wasn’t responding at all.I couldn’t help but worry—had the Harvester already taken his heart?
“I’m here too, you know,”Oze-san said calmly, asserting his presence.
I almost said, I still don’t trust you, but bit it back.
“You two seem close,”the Harvester said with a sneer. It pissed me off.
“In any case, we’d like to drop off our luggage first.”
“Your rooms are on the floor above.”
With that, he opened another heavy door.Beyond it was a proper staircase—not the rickety one we’d used to board—and I breathed a sigh of relief.
I’d been too focused on how creepy the Harvester was to notice, but this ship was surprisingly beautiful.The inside was like an old European mansion—completely unexpected from the outside.The glossy wooden table in the dining hall, the leather sofas in the lounge—they had the kind of tasteful elegance I’d seen in Scandinavian films.
At the top of the stairs, there were five doors.
“These are guest rooms.”
“I’ll take this one.”
I declared it—louder than I usually spoke—and opened the nearest door, tossing my bag inside.
Then I grabbed Aochi-san’s arm and roughly shoved him into the room with me.
“—Hey,”Oze-san called out, but I shut the door before he could say more.
Now it was just me and Aochi-san, face to face.