Chapter 58 – Their Individual Pasts

　After I finish my conversation with Log, I head over to Estella’s place.

　She seems to be doing paperwork at the same desk as when I greeted her in the morning.

　It looks like Selma has already left.

“Estella, apologies for bothering you. Are you good for a bit now?”

“Nnya? Oh~, it’s Orcchi! Are you done with today’s teaching?”

“Yeah, since it’s the first day, I let them off early.”

“I see. I see. Once again, thank you for accepting my offer! So? What do you need me for? Ha! Don’t tell me you’re inviting me to a date!? Oh no~, that’s troubling~”

“…….I’m sorry. It’s an important matter.”

　When I say this in a grave tone, Estella’s mood changes to a serious one.

“I see. Sorry for poking fun at you. So, what’s your business?”

“My business is regarding Caroline. Please tell me what you know about her past.”

“……..I see. I can’t talk about that here, so can we go over there?”

　She got up from her seat and took me with her into a small conference room.

“Well, first of all, let me apologise. Before telling you anything about her, I left you in-charge of her education. I wanted you to meet her first without any prejudice.”

　Estella bows her head in remorse. 

　The fact that she brought me here probably means that there are circumstances that she can’t openly publicise. 

　But if she had been intending to speak to me, I’d prefer if she’d done so from the beginning. 

“Since it’s already over, it’s fine. In the future, it’d be helpful if you can inform me in advance. Well, other than Caroline, please tell me everything you know about Logan and Sophia as well.”

“Yeah, alright. Then let’s start with a relatively lighter story…… It’s rude to describe other people’s pasts as heavy or light, forgive me. First, from Logan. Do you know about his past?”

“I just heard about it. He was born and raised in a poor village.”

“I see. Then I don’t have anything else to tell you about Logan. All I know is that he was sent off by the people of that village and joined ‘Night Sky’s Silver Rabbit’ when we were recruiting new members. Then next, let’s talk about Sophia. Have you heard anything about her?”

”To be honest, I don’t know anything specific. I don’t really know how a child of an aristocrat came to be here without going through the House of Peers.”

“You know quite a fair bit about the aristocratic system, don’t you? Even though it’s got nothing to do with explorers.”

“I had chances to meet nobility when I was a member of the Hero Party, and that’s where I learned about it. Do you know the reason why Sophia isn’t going to the House of Peers?”

“Well, frankly speaking, what I know is only superficial. Sophia is apparently a, concubine’s child. So, ah……, Sophia’s mother, died soon after giving birth to her and apparently she was raised by Count Claudel’s family. However, the legal wife, in other words, Selma’s mother, mistreated her, it seems.”

　A concubine’s child, a child of a man and woman not related by marriage.

　In this country, monogamy is the official system.

　I’ve heard that some other countries do practice polygamy though.

“Selmachi didn’t care about that, and she loved Sophia very much. When she was with her, that legal wife didn’t treat her too badly. But after Selma became an explorer and started coming home less often, the abuse became worse. When Selma found out, she brought Sophia here. That wife didn’t even have any intention of sending her to the House of Peers.”

　This is quite the terrible story.

　I understand that aristocracy live with different mindsets from the common people, but it doesn’t feel good. 

“Finally, there’s Caroline’s past. Before we talk about that, have you ever heard of the ‘Cyclamen Cult’?”

　The “Cyclamen Cult” is an organisation that follows the most terrible demonic beast portrayed in fairy tales — the Evil God. 

　Their goal is to resurrect this Evil God.

　A dubious organisation that plans to revive a being who we don’t even know actually exists. 

　And to achieve that, they have their hands in inhumane activities such as human experimentation and human trafficking.

　Other than that, they are also involved in terrorist acts, such as attacks on towns and villages, and is one of the two major crime syndicates.

“Yeah, I know. Bringing up the name of the cult here means that…….”

“Mm, I think Orcchi has guessed it right. About two years ago, at the request of the Guild, they brought together the best from several Clans and smashed one of the ‘Cyclamen Cult’s bases. I wasn’t an executive at the time, so I don’t know the specifics, but I heard that Albert was the only one from ‘Night Sky’s Silver Rabbit’ who participated. I read in an old report that Albert brought Caroline back from there.”

　In other words, was Caroline held captive there? 

“Caroline was apparently abducted from somewhere else. That’s what she said. This is just my speculation, but I think she may have been treated atrociously in the Order’s base. I mean, because of her Talent, yeah.”

　A disgusting story.

　To begin with, I’ve never had a good impression of the “Cyclamen Cult”, but now a murderous desire to eliminate them is gushing out of me. 

“Hey! Orcchi, hold it in! It’s super scary!”

“A, ahh, sorry.”

　Hah…..

　It’s hypocritical to have such feelings only after you realise that someone close to you has been victimised…….

　But I did get some idea of the individual pasts of those three. 

　I’ve learned that they all have painful pasts.

　I hope I’ll be able to care for their hearts as well.