The Unaware Harem Adventure Tale of the Strongest Enchanter ~~I Don’t Know My Companions’ Faces or Identities, but I’m Pretty Sure They’re All Guys~~ - 47. The Sister Who Guides Lost Lambs

47. 47. The Sister Who Guides Lost Lambs

Confessor: Adventurer A

Clarissa entered the confessional and took her seat.

On the other side of the wooden wall, an anonymous person waited for the moment to begin.

“The Earth Goddess forgives all sins. Please, share the burden you carry.”

“Please listen. I’ve done something unforgivable.”

The voice reaching her through the wooden partition was a man’s.

Since she didn’t recognize the voice, Clarissa figured he was someone she’d never met outside the church either.

Avantale was a large town—there were still tens of thousands of people she didn’t know.

It was an everyday occurrence for strangers to come to confession.

To guide the lost lamb, she once again opened her heart and prepared to bear his sins with compassion.

The man fell into silence. He was perhaps struggling to confess. He then began to speak.

“I… spread a bad rumor in town about a colleague I know.”

“A bad rumor?”

“It was a moment of weakness. That guy’s successful in his work, has money, a big house, his name’s well known… He has everything I don’t. I couldn’t suppress my feelings.”

“Jealousy, is it? I understand how that feels.”

“You, Sister? You’ve felt jealousy too!?”

Clarissa nodded silently.

It happened during a communal bath. As she undressed in the changing room alongside a junior sister, she noticed she had put on a little more weight than before.

Meanwhile, the younger girl had a well-proportioned, slim figure. The shock Clarissa felt was so strong that her heart nearly said, “This hurts too much—I give up.” Her heart nearly stopped right there.

Clarissa had felt an intense jealousy toward her junior’s body.

“I too am still an inexperienced follower. At times, even I am overcome by ugly feelings. So what made you decide to confess? What triggered it?”

“Recently, my daughter was born. I held my child for the first time… and I truly wanted to become a father she could be proud of.”

“That is a wonderful resolve. And what exactly was the rumor you spread?”

“I said… that he was sloppy in a lot of ways. I just wanted to lower his reputation a little. I was frustrated he, a newcomer, had overtaken me. I was jealous. I deeply regret it now.”

Clarissa surmised that the man was an adventurer.

Likely someone who had been active in town for a long time, had built up trust from others and the guild, and had confidence in his skills.

He said it was done on a whim—perhaps he truly bore no ill intent.

But still, unconsciously, he had committed a sin to protect his pride.

Clarissa showed partial understanding for the man’s painful confession.

“The Goddess will surely forgive your sin. But first, you must apologize to the one you wronged. Only by acknowledging your mistake and bowing your head can you become a truly respectable father. Can you discipline your child while carrying guilt in your heart?”

“I can’t.”

“It might be frightening to show courage. But you must apologize properly. The Goddess always smiles upon those who recognize their sins and atone for them. Do it for your wife and child.”

“Yes!”

The man declared, “I’ll change my ways,” and left the confessional.

◇

Confessor: Magic Tool Craftsman B

Clarissa called out to the person beyond the wooden partition.

“What kind of confession do you bring today?”

“Actually, it’s not a confession. I need advice.”

“H-huh? Advice? I wouldn’t recommend using the confessional for consultations, but… are you sure? Really, really sure?”

“Yes, please. I need someone to hear me out.”

“…Very well.”

Lately, for some reason, there had been an increase in people coming to the confessional just for advice.

And invariably, they brought with them odd or troublesome matters.

Guiding lost lambs was her sacred duty—

But even so, dealing with these kinds of strange people so frequently made her feel tempted to shut down the confessional entirely.

Suppressing that urge, she straightened her posture and steeled herself.

“I was commissioned by a certain person to create a new magic tool. But I’m having serious doubts about how it’ll be used… I’m not sure if I should go through with it.”

“A magic tool? Can you tell me what kind it is?”

“To put it simply—it’s a device that lets you see into distant places. I first made it as a prototype. But someone liked it and bought it. That person claimed to have lost it in an unfortunate incident and asked me to make an improved version.”

“Oh? A tool for peeking at things? Can you elaborate?”

Clarissa’s eyes sharpened.

A tension like killing intent crept into the air. And the confessional filled with a cold stillness.

“The prototype came as a pair. If you placed one of them somewhere, you could see that location remotely through the other. Honestly, I had no intention of selling it initially. But he kept pleading. I asked many times how he intended to use it.”

“And what did he say?”

“He said it was for security purposes. Mumbled something about the Goddess’ blessing or some such. But I didn’t catch all of it. In the end, I sold it.”

“The Goddess’s blessing, huh? That sounds familiar.”

Clarissa’s internal rage flared higher.

The man continued speaking in a guilty tone.

“Now, for the upgraded version, he requested it be designed in a way that wouldn’t stand out inside a woman’s room, and could blend in naturally. That’s when I realized—it was clearly going to be used for something unintended.”

“Well done noticing. You surely have the Goddess’ blessing.”

“So here’s what I want to ask. Should I turn down this request? And if so, how should I respond? Please tell me.”

Wearing a face full of quiet fury, Clarissa replied gently. She did so as a true believer of the Goddess should.

Unaware of the pitch-black aura gathering on the other side of the partition, the man shrank slightly. He sensed a chill in the air.

“Just say you refuse, and that will be enough. If he persists, say this: ‘Do you want me to serve chicken again?’ That should make him back off without fail.”

“Chicken…? Uh, I mean, yes. Understood. I’ll do exactly as you say.”

“That was a very valuable consultation. If you receive any more suspicious requests, please come back. We’re always accepting reports of suspicious activity.”

“Understood.”

The man left the confessional looking much more at ease.