“Good.Looks like no one else is aboard.”
It’s my job to keep Aochi-san’s optimism in check.
“Don’t let your guard down.Look—right behind you.”
Aochi-san turned his head—just his head—and froze in shock before he could even speak.Then, without a word, he shoved me out of the room.
This ship was nothing like ours.The inside looked like it was built from gradients of inorganic silver.
We checked every corner.Maybe because we were both on edge, we barely spoke.Finally, we reached the last room: the infirmary.
Though it was called that, it only held two cold-looking beds.Beds I only recognized as such because of the white pillows and thin blankets.
Aside from that, there were four hard chairs and a desk made of the same material—like they were designed to keep anyone from staying long.
There was a cabinet, too, completely undecorated.But I couldn’t imagine it held medicine.More like poison.
Maybe it was the face of the Harvester on this ship that came to mind.
I started thinking—maybe ships reflect their Harvester.
Our ship, with its warm wooden interior, was just like him.And this place…this frigid, grinning murderer’s mind made real.
“You okay?”
And the problem now…was the something hiding behind the cabinet.
I get why Aochi-san was startled.Even I wasn’t sure this thing was human.
It was a large, red-black… something.Definitely alive.Grotesque, but strangely not frightening.
“We’re here to help.”
It seemed terrified, so I spoke gently, taking slow steps toward it.
“Sorry we scared you.Come on out.”
Aochi-san tried to sound calm, but the thing wasn’t scared.He was.
The mass stirred and revealed itself bit by bit.Aochi-san immediately dropped to one knee.
You’d never think this was the same guy who’d just tried to bolt.
“Hey… did the Harvester from this ship do this to you?Don’t die on me.I don’t know what to do, but I’ll help.”
“Ugh…”
I’d already suspected it, but this thing couldn’t speak.Whether it was born that way or Rhone did it—I had no idea.
Its face and body were unrecognizable.
Maybe it was burned in a fire or doused in acid.Either way, it was clear Aochi-san couldn’t save it.
“I’ll carry you, so come closer—whoa!”
The red-black thing suddenly stood.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.Even though he’d just asked it to move, Aochi-san yelped and backed away.
It turned out to be a lot bigger than I’d expected.How had it hidden back there?
“Uuuu…”
Then it lunged at Aochi-san.For a moment, I thought it was attacking—but no.It was hugging him.
Aochi-san stumbled, caught it, and made a face like he had no idea what to do.I knew he was popular, but… this?
The thing nuzzled his face over and over.
“Hey, take it easy.You’re surprisingly energetic for someone so messed up.”
“Uruuu—uruuuu!”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
It kept going, “Uruuu, uruuu,” like it was happy.
Its skin was practically falling off—how could it not hurt?And Aochi-san, how was he okay with being hugged like that?
“Uru—”
Wait… can it read my mind?
It turned to me and let out a noise like it was offended.
—It didn’t have a nose.Looking closer, its mouth and eyes were visible, but its nose and ears… weren’t.Just tiny holes where they should’ve been.
“Sorry, Ululu.You like Aochi-san, huh?”
It nodded furiously.Kinda cute.
“Oomi, you know its name?Ululu, huh?”
“...I think so.”
Why is Aochi-san always so simple?
“Ululu doesn’t seem to have skin, but it doesn’t look like it’s in pain.”
“Yeah.Mind if I touch you, Ululu?”
He touched it gently, like brushing a dandelion.
“Uruuuuuuuuu—!”
Ululu’s eyes sparkled with joy.If it had real skin, it’d be bright red.
“It’s smoother than I expected.Maybe Ululu was born with skin like this.”
“Uuuh—”
Ululu let out a blissful sound at the praise.
“Poor thing, running around naked.Isn’t there something we can dress it in…?Ah, there’s something like a hospital gown over here.”
On a shelf attached to the wall, a few white garments were folded neatly.
I picked the biggest one and held it up for Ululu.
“Ululu, will you try this on?I bet it’ll look good on you.”
I spoke as gently as I could.
“Urururu!”
Just as simple as Aochi-san.Ululu bounced over excitedly, as if to say, “Put it on, put it on!”
It took forever to dress him in what was basically a long T-shirt.But we managed.
“Uuuh—”
Ululu proudly spread his arms for Aochi-san.
“Nice!You look great!”
Ululu jumped, heels bouncing up and down in glee.
We’d grown pretty close in a short time.
“Ululu, it’s dangerous to be here alone.Will you come with us?”
He nodded once, sharp and clear,and reached out to us with both hands.
He wanted to hold hands.
When I took his hand, it was so warm.If we lost that warmth, this cold ship would become ice.
We walked back to the bridge, Ululu between us—we couldn’t hold hands the whole way, but still.
As we opened the door, the first eyes we met were the Harvester’s.
He looked at Ululu behind me, and without surprise, smiled.
“Well, well. So this one was hiding here.”
“Uruu—”
Ululu greeted him properly.Just as I’d hoped, the Harvester would protect him too.
“He was the only one on board.What about the other guy? The murderer who called himself Rhone?”
“We argued. He annoyed me, so I tossed him in the sea.Don’t worry—I tied him up with a chain. I’ll haul him back later.”
I wasn’t worried about Rhone at all, but I asked anyway.
“Won’t he die from that?”
Honestly, I was kind of glad it happened.
“Don’t know. Probably not.You’re soft, kid. Worrying about someone like him?”
“Not really. I actually don’t care.”
The Harvester laughed.For the first time, I noticed I liked the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes.
“Glasses, I kind of like that about you.”
Being praised made me honestly happy.
If I’d had the courage to speak to him back then, when he was collapsed on the ground…maybe I could’ve spent all these years getting to know him.
Aochi-san’s voice echoed in the bare, sterile bridge.
“So, what now?I want to get back to your ship.With Oomi… and this Ululu.I’ll try asking the woman on deck too, though I don’t know if she’ll respond.”
Yeah—this place didn’t suit the Harvester.It didn’t suit us either.I wanted to go back.Back to that warm, soft, breathing ship.
“Yeah, I was waiting for you guys to come back.Still… I wonder who’s stronger now—Ululu or that woman…”
He muttered that last part like talking to himself.Wait… can we only bring one?
If that’s the case, I want Ululu.He feels more alive than that doll-like knife woman.
“Relax. I’ll bring all of you.And I’m not pulling Rhone up just yet, so don’t get any weird ideas about justice.”
He glanced at Aochi-san.
“Yeah, yeah—whoa!!”
Standing by the door to the deck was the knife woman, drenched in blood.
It was the first time I saw her whole face.She was beautiful.Big, strong eyes.Maybe mixed-race?Her features were striking.
—But terrifying.
Dried blood clung to her soft curls.Her blade was gone—probably tossed into the sea.
The Harvester looked more surprised by Aochi-san’s scream than by the woman herself.
I stepped in to apologize.
“Sorry.Aochi-san’s just dramatic.Looks like we’re all here now.”