“Do you want a waffle, big sister? They’re sweet and delicious!”
After boarding the carriage with Orun-san and his disciples, Caroline, who was sitting opposite me, offered me a waffle.
“O-Oh, thank you. …It’s delicious.”
As I took a bite, a gentle sweetness spread through my mouth, putting my mind at ease. It really was wonderful.
“Right?!” Caroline beamed at me.
Seeing her, I realized that I was smiling as well. She had a wonderful smile—the kind that naturally made everyone around her feel the same.
“—So, Orun-san, could you please explain what is happening? I’m… I’m at a complete loss.”
I turned to Orun-san, who was sitting beside me. I truly couldn’t keep up with everything that had transpired.
“Well, that’s only natural,” Orun-san muttered with a wry smile before answering my question. “The situation is actually quite simple. To put it plainly, you and the others have been placed under probationary supervision.”
“Probationary supervision?”
If I recalled correctly, that was a system where someone who had committed a crime was allowed to live outside a detention center while under the oversight of a probation officer.
“That’s right. And I will be your probation officer.”
Orun-san… is my probation officer?
“Wait… when you said ‘and the others,’ does that mean…?”
“Yeah. It wasn’t just you; Derrick and Anneri have also been released. That said, those two suffered significant mental scars. They’ll be staying at a clinic for treatment starting today. Their probation officer is Marquis Forgas. As for Oliver, it’s still difficult to release him at this point, so he’s staying at the detention center for now. To be honest, I don't know when he'll be let out.”
“I see. They were released too… Orun-san, thank you so much.”
“Actually, Marquis Forgas was the one who pulled the strings. I didn’t really do anything.”
“But the fact that you became my probation officer means you worked with the Marquis, doesn’t it? So, thank you. Truly.”
When I voiced my gratitude, Orun-san replied with a slight smile, “You’re welcome.”
A short while later, the carriage came to a stop.
“We’ve arrived. Luna, let’s head out.”
“Y-Yes.”
When I stepped out of the carriage, we were within the grounds of the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky. I could see the clan’s emblem on the buildings; there was no mistaking it.
“You three, take Luna to the usual room. I’ll be there in a moment.”
After Orun-san gave the command, the three disciples responded. Caroline grabbed my hand and gave it a light tug. “Let’s go!”
The room Caroline led me to looked like a typical explorer strategy room, though it featured a teacher’s podium in front of a blackboard. Various notes were written on the board in Orun-san’s handwriting; this was clearly their space.
“Ah, come to think of it, we haven't introduced ourselves yet. I’m Logan Hayward, the leader of this party. Please, just call me Log.”
As I looked around the room, Logan introduced himself. Since they were Orun-san’s disciples, I already knew their names, but they didn't know that.
“I’m Caroline Inglot! Call me Carol!”
“I-I’m Sophia Claudel. Everyone calls me Sophie.”
“Thank you for the kind introductions. I am Luna Flockhart. Um…”
I tried to say more after giving my name, but the words wouldn't come. The Hero Party had essentially disbanded, and the Flockhart Trading Company was gone. I had nothing left.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”
Just as those dark thoughts began to surface, Orun-san entered the room.
“Ah, Master, welcome back!”
“I’m back. Alright, I want to talk about what happens next, so everyone take a seat. Luna, you can sit in any of the empty chairs.”
At Orun-san’s word, the three disciples immediately sat at the large table in the center of the room. Orun-san moved to the podium. Caroline beckoned me over, whispering, “Big sister, over here!” so I took the seat next to her.
Once I was settled, Orun-san spoke.
“Alright, let’s begin. First, regarding Luna. As I mentioned, I’ve been appointed as her probation officer. Because of that, I want Luna to join the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky as an explorer.”
“…Eh?”
“Furthermore, you’ll be assigned to the Rookie Unit Tenth Squad—this party. Technically, you’ll join them after they are promoted to the Third Unit following tomorrow’s 30th Floor Conquest. Putting an S-Rank explorer in the Rookie Unit would be a bit much, after all.”
“……”
I was still trying to digest everything, but Orun-san just kept saying more outrageous things. Me? Joining the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky?
“That said, this is merely my hope. As you can tell by the fact that a mere explorer like me is serving as your probation officer, this is largely a pretext to get you out. The punishment has no real binding force. You have the right to refuse, Luna. If you don't want to do this, tell me honestly.”
“It’s not that I don’t want to. On the contrary, I’m incredibly grateful that you would take someone like me in. However… if you complete the 30th Floor Conquest tomorrow, that means this will be a B-Rank party, right? It feels awkward for me to say this myself, but is it really alright for an S-Rank like me to join?”
“The groundwork has already been laid. There won't be any problems. The rest depends on how you feel, Luna.”
“……What do you all think about me joining your party?” I asked the three disciples.
Their feelings were far more important than mine.
“I totally welcome it!” Carol chirped. “Master has been saying we need more members for a while now, and I have zero complaints if it’s you, big sister!”
“Luna-san, your magic at the West Gate was incredible,” Sophie added. “I’m just happy that such an amazing person would join us.”
“You seem very kind, Luna-san. Orun-san said you’re the perfect person to fill the gaps in our party. If you’re willing, we’d love to have you,” Log said.
“So, there you have it,” Orun-san said. “Luna… it’s painful to say, but I don’t think your parents, Pascal and the others, will be released anytime soon. Even if they are eventually, it won't be for several years. They were caught red-handed in a kidnapping; there’s no way around that.”
He was right. I didn't know what Father’s sentence would be, but I knew it wouldn't be light.
“I’m not going to pretend I understand exactly how you feel about your parents being arrested. But I do think I understand the pain of losing family. To be honest… back when our village was slaughtered and only Oliver and I survived, we were incredibly lonely, even with the two of us. I’ve always been grateful to you, Luna. You were the one who reached out to us and formed a party back then.”
…I had no idea Orun-san felt that way. I had only approached them because of Marquis Forgas’s orders. If anything, I was the one who should have been grateful. They had accepted someone as hollow as a puppet into their circle as a comrade.
“So, this time it’s my turn,” Orun-san said with a warm smile. “I want to create a place for you to belong. I’ll be there for you, so you don't have to be lonely anymore. Let’s explore the labyrinths together again as comrades. Even if we’re in different parties, we can still team up on our off days.”
The expression he wore was the same gentle, reassuring one he used to show us back when we were all comrades in the Hero Party.
I can be Orun-san’s comrade again…
Before I knew it, a single tear rolled down my cheek. Ironically, my parents' arrest had liberated me from their shackles. Since Orun-san was the one who brought them to justice, in a sense, he was the one who had broken my curse.
And he wasn't stopping there. He was giving a new home to me, someone who had lost everything. It felt as though Orun-san was reaching into the darkness where I had been wandering lost, illuminating my path with a guiding light.
“…Yes. I look forward to working with you.”
This wasn't a scheme by the Marquis or an instruction from my parents. For the first time, of my own free will, I resolved to follow Orun-san.