Chapter 442 – Confession

“···.”

Isn’t the position you are currently sitting in correct?

A word and a look from Ricke, who was attached to the priest’s seat.

Those purple eyes that seemed to know everything made the saintess stop breathing.

Atra, who got stabbed a lot, couldn’t even protest, so he hesitantly headed to the opposite seat and opened the door.

Dalkak.

Like Ricke, she sat down in her seat and closed the wooden door, so there was very little light coming in.

‘It’s much darker here.’

The other side where the priest sits has a good view of the front, so you get the feeling that you’re dealing with someone.

This is the feeling of being trapped in a box without light.

It was a feeling that it was the right time to bring out something hidden in her heart.

Perhaps because of the uniqueness of the place, this darkness feels cozy and comfortable rather than scary.

“···.”

In addition, there is a black cloth covering the opposite side.

As I watch it, I get a strange feeling. Even though Atra was in charge of the penitence room for quite a long time in the past, this is the first time we are in a situation like this.

I ended up in a position of complaining instead of listening.

“Saint. Can you hear my voice?”

“Oh, yes!”

Atra was startled by Rike’s voice coming over without warning and let out a loud voice.

“Huh~ Isn’t the basic rule here not to lie?”

“It’s not that kind of rule…”

Sharak- Sharak-

Across the street, Rike passes her paper. I heard that sound.

“The Sacrament of Penance is the raft of salvation that follows the Sacrament of Baptism. Church members with repentance and reform confess their sins and receive atonement… Indeed.”

Of course Atra knows what Rike is reading in a voice that says he understands.

There is a notebook tied with a string on the other side for new priests or priests who work as substitutes.

Even when she was in charge of the confessional, she read it dozens of times.

“Even if you go to confession, the punishment you will receive for that sin does not go away. An example of an examination of conscience is… Hmm…”

Tub.

Rike, who was muttering as if studying, closed the book. It was a sound that gave me such confidence just by hearing it.

“I just want to talk openly with the saint, but the process is more complicated than I thought.”

“···.”

– We may have something to talk about openly.

The last line of the letter Ricke sent came to mind.

The wit and courage he developed while meeting powerful nobles, the experience of meeting the imperial family of the empire, and the past of encountering the dragon people who rule the Federation.

I couldn’t erase the tension in Atra’s body right now.

Atra placed her hand on her chest to calm her racing heart.

Rike tried to talk to the saint in his light tone.

“Saint.”

“Yes…”

“Let’s start with something small. Did the dessert suit his taste?”

“Wow, it was very delicious.”

“I’m glad. That store is a little special. It’s a store that has desserts that suit my brother and Eclair’s tastes.”

The relationship between Roman and Eclair drawn in my head. Atra recalled the day of her first meeting.

“Did you two… Go well that day?”

“Yes. I heard briefly about how the truce was reached. My brother said he received a lot of help from the saint.”

At that one word, Atra, who had been looking down, raised her head.

The girl, who was deeply immersed in deep admiration, longed for an answer over a thousand pieces.

“Did Brother Roman tell you about me?!”

“Of course.”

Atra’s voice went up without even realizing it.

Even though Rike’s vision was blocked, she raised the corner of her mouth, feeling transparent.

“Si, if you don’t mind, what did you talk about…?”

“My brother was impressed by the fact that he took care of the healing and followed the arduous forced march without showing any signs of hardship.”

“···Was there anything else to talk about?”

Atra’s actions deeply resonated with Rike.

‘I guess so.’

You’ll want to hear more. It must be like grasping at straws.

Even though you rationally think that it won’t happen, you can’t help but think about what might happen.

The saint’s feelings conveyed in every word.

How can I understand this even without seeing her face? Anyone who sits in her mansion will understand Atra.

“Saint. I would like to tell you more, but as a listener, didn’t I step in to resolve her complaints?”

“···.”

Did he come to his senses after hearing her pouring cold water on him? I could feel the atmosphere in Atra calming down.

Now that her explosive instincts have been suppressed and reason has taken over, her reservation and hesitation in speaking has become even stronger.

“Saint.”

“Yes, yes…?”

“Do you like my brother?”

A moment of silence required to understand Ricke’s question.

Afterward, there was a loud crash and the other side of her shook violently.

“Joe, what I mean by whether you like it is… I naturally think that you are a good person…”

“No, saint. That’s not what I’m asking.”

The suspicion that she might have discovered her feelings became a certainty.

Rike’s words stung Atra like a whip.

Silence, silence, stillness, silence that weigh heavily on the confessional.

The saintess, unable to come up with an answer, trembled with her lips.

Then, she bowed her head in response to her drumming emotions.

“I’m sorry…”

For her part, this was all she could say, Atra whispered softly with her tearful face.

Rike stretched out her hand and grabbed the black cloth.

Damn it -!

Rike removed the cloth covering them and showed her face.

Atra, who was surprised to see her for the first time, looked at her moist eyes that looked like they were about to shed tears.

I made eye contact with the girl with the sweet smile.

“I don’t know why you’re apologizing. I didn’t commit an accidental sin out of anger… Is it a sin to hold on to affectionate feelings?”

“Come on, sister.”

“It was written that the purpose of the church’s confession is primarily to reveal her true feelings and have a light heart. Is the saint’s apology a step towards that?”

“···.”

Even Atra once sat there and gave advice that had the same flavor.

I didn’t know about it at that location.

Everyone sitting here was a person with courage that was incomparable to his own.

“Saint. Let me change the question a little. Was your brother kind?”

“Yes, yes…”

“Does it bother you when you think of your brother like that?”

Atra nodded, biting her lip to control her rising emotions.

“Is there any other torture as painful as unrequited love?”

“Tsk…”

Those words drove a wedge.

Atra’s lips trembled and tears streamed down her cheeks.

“Excuse me.”

Squeak.

Ricke, who opened the door of the confessional and came out, went to where Atra was.

Rike, who sat shoulder to shoulder with the saintess in her narrow space, gently held her trembling hand.

“You want to see your brother, right?”

“I want to see you…”

Rike stretched out her hand to wipe Atra’s tears and asked her question again.

“Do you like your brother?”

“···I like it. It feels so good just thinking about it… I don’t know what to do…”

Now I have finally found an answer I like.

The deep emotions that are coming out of me make me wonder how I was able to hold back until now.

Rike comforted the crying saint for a long time.

She tilted her head and asked in a soft voice as Atra’s breathing calmed down a bit.

“Then when are you going to confess?”

“Oh, a confession…?”

“Did you intend to stay like this?”

“···.”

Atra was so embarrassed by Rike’s face asking if that was even possible, that she opened and closed her lips several times.

“Sister. Ha, may I ask you a question?”

“Of course.”

Aren’t you shy about admitting your feelings to others?

It was Atra who was moving her fingers together.

“Boo, it’s a shame! Even though I have no relationship with you, I was jealous of your every move…”

“I think it’s natural.”

“If this is natural, then why did Sister Ricke ask me to confess…”

It was enough for Atra to not listen to her hesitation.

This is a question that everyone who has ever been in a relationship has asked at least once.

“I’m not suggesting that we eliminate her rivals on the assumption that the saint will fail. I don’t know the outcome.”

“···.”

“At one time, like the saintess said, I also wanted to monopolize her brother. But, well… Things have changed now.”

“Was there something that made you change your mind?”

Rike did not erase her laughter but filled her sorrow with a bright voice.

“At first, I smiled and pretended that I was okay with Eclair, but I felt like my heart was breaking.”

“···.”

“I endured it. It was what my brother wanted, and I thought it was right for him to be satisfied.”

Atra listened to Rike while holding her breath.

“But among the lovers my brother chose, there wasn’t a single one that was odd. One day, I started having fun, and on other days, I started feeling happy when we were together.”

– But I can assure you of one thing. A relationship thicker than blood definitely exists.

Although it was only a split second, Atra saw Roman and Rike overlap.

“···You’re starting to feel like we’re family.”

Rike laughed, saying that Atra’s words were the correct answer.

“I’m pushing your back, not having a choice. The outcome is entirely up to you.”

“Well, then…!”

“Of course, there is also the option of not confessing. I know well the fear and fear of confirming the other person’s true intentions.”

“···.”

“But it will be difficult if you just hold on to your love, believing that it will fade someday. People around you also worry about that.”

Even if I don’t get into the main topic, I give answers to things I’m curious about.

I felt like my mind was being read by Rike.

Rike got up from the seat next to her and came out to relieve herself.

She looked at Atra with a mischievous smile.

“Now! Now that I’m out of the confessional, I’ve forgotten what we talked about.”

“Huh…”

As light came into the dark interior, Atra’s face turned red as if it were on fire.

I was intoxicated and swayed by the dark and comfortable atmosphere and realized what kind of conversation we had.

“Oh, the reason I invited the saint to dinner tomorrow is because my brother is not there.”

“···Yes?”

“I said I was going to sort out article 3 tomorrow. I said it wouldn’t take that long, so if I spend some time after dinner, wouldn’t I be able to make sure my brother arrives safely?”

Ah.

Rike had noticed something about her from the beginning.

At least I can understand it now.

“Saint. Will you be coming tomorrow evening?”

Atra responded very slowly to Rike’s question.

She nodded.