The cabin door closed with a soft thud, leaving Orimo alone with the moonlit sea. The waves shimmered silver under the quiet night sky, and the gentle rocking of the ship seemed to lull him into a reflective trance.
"I wonder… what happened in these two years," he murmured, eyes tracing the glittering horizon.
He stretched, yawned, and felt the weariness in his bones. The wood beneath his boots creaked softly as he walked along the deck, the chill of the night breeze brushing against his face.
His stomach growled, complaining, but he punched it lightly. "Not now," he muttered to himself, pressing onward.
Opening the bedroom door, he saw Rae, curled up peacefully under a thick blanket, clutching her pillow tightly. She looked so small, so undisturbed by the world outside.
Orimo sighed.
"Well… guess I'll have to make do," he murmured, lying down on the floor of the cabin. No pillow, no comfort, just the hard wooden deck beneath him. He stretched his arms above his head and let out a tired breath.
"Goodnight, me," he whispered softly, closing his eyes, letting sleep slowly claim him as the pirate ship cut silently through the moonlit waters, heading steadily toward Emka.
The night was quiet, the world still… but danger was still waiting somewhere beyond the horizon.