chapter 13
13 – 13. Confession
People think they accept what they see and hear as it is, but this is not true.
The reason is that subjectivity is mixed in the process.
When reading newspapers, watching TV programs, and even when thinking about things we have experienced ourselves.
Someone’s subjective opinion is mixed in all that information, and if not, you judge it according to your own subjective opinion.
Among them, there are writers who ‘intentionally’ adjust the judgment of those receiving information to suit their own tastes.
We sarcastically call their work ‘the devil’s editing.’
“…Are you really okay with proceeding like this?”
“Yes. “Please get started.”
Two people sitting facing each other in a small room at the end of the hallway on the first floor.
There were two private rooms on the side for non-face-to-face confessions, but I said I would just do it face-to-face.
Because emotional acting is important.
The woman in front of me cleared her voice and spoke.
“Then, Saint Paula Maria. Although I am only a lowly shepherd, for now I will be a witness by the side of the Supreme Arka. “Ivan Kherson, promise me that there will be no falsity in your atonement.”
“I will tell you only the truth.”
Paula tries to sound stern and firm with all her might.
I made a bright promise, and he soon returned to his usual tone.
“hehehe, you can talk comfortably now.”
“Thank you, Miss Paula. “I feel somewhat relieved.”
“Originally, there is no need to go to confession to become a believer. But, you are still a brother.”
Confession.
Confessing her sins to her saint, repenting and becoming a new person.
She must understand that way.
But I did not come with the intention of repenting.
Repentance rather than repentance. Even that could be said to be quite blasphemous in the sense that it only intends to give me the information I want to give.
The person who transmits the information I have selected is a saint, and the listener who interprets it is the religious leader.
Her religious leader trusts her completely, as he is her own confidant and ‘her masterpiece.’
Take advantage of her strong trust.
“I’m sure you know, Miss Paula, but I am not a very trusted instructor.”
“…Yes. I won’t deny it. “I heard a lot of different things being said.”
The most important thing is to avoid being seen overtly.
I must maintain the position that I do not know the relationship between the religious leader and her.
In other words, you should not give the feeling that ‘you can just say this to the teacher’.
I spoke in a heavy voice, as if I were someone struggling to bring out a story I had kept inside.
“I don’t think my methods will be understood either. But, it’s a job that someone has to take on.”
“Yes.”
“I think you know Instructor Chris. He failed.”
My position was simple.
I had no choice. Someone had to do it. Chris failed.
The information that was intentionally excluded in the testimony was diverse.
What couldn’t be done? What should Ivan do? What did Chris fail to do?
“Instructor Chris?”
“Oh, you don’t know yet. “I’ll tell you about this in next week’s lecture, but he left the academy because something happened to his family.”
“…So something like that happened.”
Filling in the excluded parts is entirely up to the listener’s unconsciousness.
But, I will decide that too.
So, I swept my face with both hands to look as pitiful as possible.
Like a father who is not good at raising his children.
“Anyway, I’ll be in charge of that friend’s work now. I am confident, but no one knows if it will work out well.”
I slightly opened her fingers and checked her saintly expression.
Her expression upon hearing my confession was truly something to behold.
Paula reaches out to me, almost in tears.
“You must have had such unspeakable concerns.”
She seemed to have accepted my story as her ‘tough confession of an instructor with heavy shoulders.’
As proof, Paula overlaps her own hand over mine, which is like a bar on hers.
She took my hand and held it with both of her hands as if to give me strength.
“I will not deny that many negative comments are being made about your actions. However, I think the brother’s true feelings have not yet been conveyed.”
“…”
“And, it’s not just negative words that come out. “After the last lecture, I also see people recognizing your abilities.”
She jumped up and clasped her hands, as if she couldn’t bear the boiling confidence.
“You must not let prejudice dictate you, brother! “This saint will cheer you on!”
“…hahahaha, I don’t know what to do.”
Yes, think positively. Since you didn’t hear any of the key parts of my confession, I would have nothing to say even if you were criticized as believing that my confidence was an illusion.
As a result, my testimony about my confession during the meeting with the religious leader will be accepted by him not as ‘concerns as an instructor’ but as ‘the resolution of a subordinate whose work is not resolved.’
Chris is such an ugly guy. He was back home by now and wouldn’t be able to object, so things were easy.
The saintess in front of me, clearly mistaken, declared once again in a stern voice.
“Saint Paula Maria. As Arka’s most faithful servant, I accept your repentance.”
She said that she would immediately bow her 90 degree belly button. Paula lifted her head in that position and said with a bright smile.
“We sincerely welcome you to our school, Brother Ivan!”
—
“I believed it.”
“What do you mean?”
“Brother, one day, you will come to me with this sincerity. “If you have confidence in waiting, it’s great because impatience doesn’t rear its head.”
Conversation going back and forth amidst rattling noise.
After the time to express our position under the pretense of confession, we headed to the second floor.
The first floor of the temple is a space for all believers, but the second floor is her private room.
In other words, he entered the house where the saint lived.
I responded to Paula’s invitation to go and have some tea, and was looking through the shelves in the kitchen, collecting various tea leaves and ingredients.
As I was thinking about how to brew it with the ingredients I had, so that people would say that I drank it well, the woman next to me prepared a tea cup with heated water.
“I am just grateful that you trust me. However, I don’t think I can change this natural personality and way of speaking overnight.”
“If you work hard slowly but surely, you can receive Arca’s grace.”
“For now, let’s start by making delicious tea.”
Okay, I decided.
I poured water into a teacup and added a few freesia petals on top.
And a few drops of purified mana liquid. It’s low-grade, but since it’s just for flavor, it’s probably okay.
She recognized my recipe and said,
“This is freesia tea! “I heard that northerners enjoy drinking it to get rid of the chill in their bodies.”
“You recognize me.”
White petals and blue mana liquid are mixed to create a subtle azure tea.
Anyone can make this up to this point, but I decided to add one more ingredient.
That is….
“Uh, what?! Isn’t that Laffran powder? Are you sure you want to put that in?”
She was so surprised.
It was a natural reaction. Laffron powder is a seasoning that has a very spicy taste.
If I were to express it in the Earth way, it meant adding pepper to the black tea.
However, the powder goes in and mixes without any help.
After I stirred it a few times and it was in good shape, I read it with a piece of paper.
It has an excellent effect in stabilizing the mind and body.
When taken, the debuff duration is reduced.
That’s it.
Freesia tea made with a hidden recipe that cannot be obtained at this time.
Phrygia and Lafran. And when it meets mana liquid, it becomes incredibly sweet.
No one knows the principle, but since there are no side effects, it doesn’t matter.
“It’s done.”
“Ah, hahahaha. You put it in my car too…. “Rejoice.”
She couldn’t bear to openly show her dislike,
She was looking at the pepper-sprinkled black tea with a solemn expression.
“This is the tea that our family always serves when entertaining people. “Try it.”
“Okay, then shall we sit at the table and drink?”
She was sitting at the table, staring at the tea, and took a sip with an expression of great interest.
Blue eyes that sparkle immediately.
“…It’s sweet!”
“Is that so?”
“It’s sweet, it’s so delicious! Brother, how can I….”
I tried drinking it too. Even if I put this on, it’s too sweet. It’s not my taste.
However, she seemed to have a young taste and started drinking eagerly with a very happy expression.
I lifted her teacup to her mouth and looked straight at her.
‘Discernment.’
Her status window opens immediately,
Strength: D
Dexterity: E
mana: D
Mental Power: S
Stamina: C
Lucky: F
Potential: SS
Unique Abilities
-Gwangshin (EX)
Likeability: Favorable
Despite being a heroine, her abilities are ridiculously low.
In some ways, you could say that her stats are lower than mine, even compared to the girl who brought me food to my room the morning I was possessed.
But, I know. I remember it clearly.
Hidden behind that bright expression and decent stats are terrible fangs.
A stigma of anger that cannot be read clearly. The dark side of her that has become its owner.
I decided to check how much that madness had consumed her.
In some cases, it may be necessary to take drastic measures.
“Hey, Miss Paula.”
“Yes? Would you like to make me another drink?”
I never said that, but I guess I liked it enough to inadvertently share my wishes.
“My heart was relieved by the confession a little while ago, but I felt sorry for just receiving it and then standing up.”
“hehehe, it’s a natural thing for a saint to do.”
“That is correct. So, as an instructor, I will also do what is natural.”
I asked her after putting down her teacup.
“How is life at the academy?”
“I love it! “Being able to evangelize to the heroes who will save the world makes every day truly fulfilling!”
“Of course it is. “Then, let’s change the direction of our words a little.”
“Yes?”
“You are responsible for the temple all by yourself in this large Russell, and have you ever encountered a wolf?”
Wolf.
As soon as she heard those words, her face darkened.
Wolves are like the main enemy of the church.
The believer is the sheep, and she is the shepherd.
Unbelievers who do not believe in Arka are lost sheep, and she must evangelize to them as a shepherd.
Nothing pleases the saint more than a lost sheep returning to her home.
But….
“…I haven’t seen a wolf yet.”
Wolves are different. It was an expression used to refer to those who, even among non-believers, have deep sins and deny the very existence of Arca.
The beings who seduce lost sheep with sweet words and corrupt them by telling them that there is no such thing as Arca were her only enemies, along with monsters.
Paula continued her words as if fascinated.
“But, I saw some suspicious seeds.”
The tone of speech became slightly rougher.
The eyes also become blurry and cloudy.
Conversation is essentially about giving and receiving, but now she did not wait for my answer.
“I saw and heard. Many things can be seen and heard. How great it would be if the world were full of sheep like Brother Ivan. “Last week, he came to me for confession, but he said a lot of strange things and ended up gossiping about other believers.”
“…”
Her head lowered, as if she was thinking over that memory.
The two eyes with a shadowy complexion have already become completely cloudy.
The water surface of the teacup in her hand began to tremble slightly.
“I said you shouldn’t do that, Arca would be sad. I said it clearly. However, he said he doubted whether Mr. Arca even exists. At that time I-”
Clink!
A sharp sound that suddenly cuts through the air.
The teacup she was holding shattered.
‘It has begun.’
It was the moment when the back of the saint was revealed.