011 Little Guest (1)
“Prince, are there any inconveniences?”
From outside the confessional, Sir Elizabeth asked politely.
“Yes, it’s cozy.”
I heard her laugh at my answer. I sat down and looked around.
It was definitely a different place from the confessionals you see in movies.
It’s only natural that it’s a fictional religion in the novel.
There was enough space to stretch out my legs when I sat down, and the cushioning of the chair was very good.
The ceiling was high, so there was no need to bow when entering.
“I will soon have the first confessors. If you need anything or have an emergency, please pull the rope on the left. We will wait outside the temple.”
“Yes, Thank you.”
Looking to the left, I saw a long line from the confessional ceiling.
At first glance, it looked just like a decoration, with colorful tassels and luxurious colors and finishes.
To the right was a large wooden window leading to the confessor’s seat.
I thought it was a lattice window, but when I looked closer, it looked like a down arrow, the symbol of Protestantism.
– click
Soon, the sound of a confessor coming into the next room was heard.
I wet my lips in the glass bottle that Canael had filled with sage tea.
Don’t be nervous, because I memorized the entire sequence.
“Hello, devotee.”
“Hello, Prince.”
“uh?”
It was a voice I knew well.
“Benjamin?”
“Yes, I fold.”
A neat butler-like silhouette could be seen through the dense wooden windows.
“Are you here to confess?”
“That’s right. I enjoyed the privilege of being a servant without waiting in line. Please forgive me.”
“ha ha ha.”
Laughter erupted. Benjamin was even more so, knowing he wasn’t joking.
It felt like my body was loosening up. The burden also subsided.
[I will forgive you.]
As soon as I put down the oracle, the golden circle of Yo-yo, the sanctuary, revealed the bottom of the confession.
There seemed to be an etheric reaction in the place of Benjamin, who had been forgiven, but it was hard to see from my side because of the wooden spear.
“I had my last confession a year ago.”
“Okay, then, please tell me.”
It was easier than I thought to distinguish between a normal conversation and an oracle.
At first, I was wondering how to differentiate this, but imagined to turn off the etheric faucet when the oracle is not down, and after a few practice sessions, I succeeded.
For reference, the test subject was Canael.
“I doubted Prince Jesse.”
“·················ogue.”
“I believed that the prince might have stolen something just because he was on the subject of investigation by the Guards. Even though I thought he wouldn’t, I couldn’t help but get my oath from the prince.”
Then I saw something like that. I completely forgot about it that night because I was threatened with my life.
In the dewy garden, the face of Benjamin who demanded of me to be a responsible priest came to mind.
“Please forgive the sin of insulting the noble one who dared to embrace the council at will.”
Well, looking back, I wasn’t very upset.
Benjamin was a devout Protestant believer, and I heard that he requested a transfer from the Palace of Romero to the Palace of Juliet to serve me.
He claimed to be exalted for the sake of his faith, but a prince equal to each bishop was involved in a huge theft case, so from Benjamin’s point of view he could have said such a thing.
It seems that the time when the treasure was stolen also perfectly matched the time when I crossed the border.
Although it was a bit unfair for me, it wasn’t enough to leave behind, but it seems that Benjamin was difficult to forgive himself for being suspicious of the priest.
[I’m fine, the Lord will forgive you.]
My voice hummed softly.
In the next cell, a much stronger etheric reaction appeared than before.
It still didn’t look good.
“Thank you, Prince.”
Benjamin’s voice had become lighter.
I smiled bitterly, wondering if I had been suffering in the past.
“Prince, now you must make reparation.”
“Ah yes.”
right, that was it.
Reparation (補贖) was the work of the confessor who committed a sin to make amends for the wrongdoing.
When I first read this part in ＜Introduction to Protestant Theology>, I did not understand it well.
I thought, ‘I’ll forgive you, so give me your offering’.
From https://noblemtl.com
Of course, I know what it is now. Because I’ve been looking at a lot of real examples.
[Come with me for breakfast, lunch and dinner tomorrow. Of course, including Canael.]
I don’t know what it is like in real religion, but at least the compensation of ‘Toegye Gong’ is at the discretion of the priest.
This is because the priest is the one who operates the ether, the ‘power of the Lord’.
“Prince, that’s not reparation…”
[Did you ask me for forgiveness? You said you were sorry for doubting me, right? This is my reward.]
In the next room, Benjamin sighed softly.
“All right. I will do my best.”
I smiled and took a sip of sage tea.
It’s good that Benjamin is forgiven, and it’s good that I don’t have to fill my stomach alone in front of servants who are public servants.
Things seemed to have worked out.
*
“Hello, devotee.”
“Hello, Prince.”
“Canael? it’s you?”
“No, my last confession was last month.”
I failed to hold back my laughter again.
The second confessor, Canael, seemed to be struggling in the next room.
“That’s it, Prince! Benjamin-nim does it too, but I want to do it too… Because he said he would listen to my confession at the end of the day.”
“Right, it was. I will listen.”
When I answered, Canael said, “Hmm,” and cleared her throat.
Curious what the story was, I naturally listened.
“On the first day the prince entered the palace… I brought you a book to read to the prince.”
“Yeah, I remember.”
“By the way······. That, in the magazine…. There was an article that insulted the prince. I, I didn’t know. I didn’t bring it with that in mind… I was in a rush and somehow happened…”
At the end of the child’s voice, there was water. I was confused as to what else this was talking about.
When it comes to magazines, are you talking about ＜Biweekly Lister>? Was there my cursing?
“I have committed the sin of scorning the Precious One . . . Please forgive me…”
“Wait, Canael. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I’m sorry, Prince…….”
Maybe it’s because of the cover title of ‘The New Country’s Reveler’?
The article also said that I was a well-known playboy and that I was the main character of many scandals, but I was blunt.
Rather, I think it was useful to know about character settings that I didn’t know about.
You’ve been caring about it until now.
[Ganael, it’s okay. i enjoyed reading it It helped a lot.]
“Prince······.”
[I have nothing to forgive, but I will forgive you. I’m serious.]
“Thank you very much······.”
In the echo of forgiveness, a bright etheric reaction poured out from the next room.
Hearing Canael sniffling, I thought of a very appropriate pace.
[Reparation is to recommend good books to me in the future. And I try to deliver as much news as possible.]
“News…?”
[Yes, especially the news about His Majesty Prince Cedric and Princess Cristel de Sarnez.]
Even though I pointed out two people who would not have much contact with each other yet, Canael did not express any questions.
I was happy that I had been forgiven, and I didn’t seem to think deeply about the content of reparation.
“Yes, I will do my best.”
“okay, thanks.”
It was a good thing for me. What do you need to know to avoid?
Since Kristel woke up, it was essential to understand her and her husband’s movements in advance.
*
After Ganael went out of confession, there was a period of time that he did not know whether this was a confession or a public talk show.
“So, you’re saying that you were kicked out of the house after you gave your middle name to a woman who wasn’t your wife?”
“Yeah, that’s right. But I swear to God, I’m not cheating! It’s just a girl I met at a bar…”
Why does the madman teach the middle name to the girl he met at the bar?
No, why do you meet a girl at a bar in the first place? Isn’t that the wind?
I felt like I had swallowed 100 sweet potatoes without water.
It felt like watching a dating counseling program in real time, where hyung turned on the steam cleaner every time he pushed it and cursed.
“Father, it is customary not to teach the middle name unless it is a close family member or lover. At least in the new country. Is the Empire a little different?”
I repeated the knowledge I learned in ＜Biweekly Lister> as if it were mine.
Continental people’s names are made by putting a middle name between the first name and last name, and it is said that the middle name is open only to family members, spouses, lovers, and very close friends.
‘Who is she who will hear Prince Jesse’s middle name?’ It was the content that I studied while watching the article that linked me with the noble girls I didn’t know.
“Yeah, the empire is the same. But what about me, because I thought I made a new friend……”
“I’ve only seen you for a few hours, but have you become close enough to tell me your middle name?”
“That is······. I’m sorry. Forgive me, Prince…”
A very life friend, a life friend. What did you two do to get so close?
I clicked my tongue and opened the sanctuary. The floor became as clear as a light.
[This is not a matter for me to forgive. It’s something your wife will forgive. Go home, get down on your knees at the door, openly and sincerely apologize, and swear that you will never do this again. It would be better to write a memorandum and stop drinking if possible.]
“then······. That’s too harsh…”
[This is the penance given to the believer.]
A golden circle flashed, and it rotated slowly in a clockwise direction.
There was no etheric response of forgiveness. Since I refused to embrace it, it was a natural result.
[If your wife doesn’t forgive you, accept that too.]
I put a wedge
Although we do not know the details of the couple, if they are not forgiven even if they ask for it, it must mean that the trust they have lost in the past is also significant.
“We will take orders.
The man responded with a crawling voice, then opened the door and went to confession.
I let out a sigh as the background sound of footsteps dragging me along.
“Really, a star…….”
At first, my conscience was a bit pricked.
I didn’t even know the religion, let alone believe in ‘Protestantism’, so I wondered if I could serve as a priest just because I had the ether.
No matter how much I want to live, no matter how many characters in a novel, it is not comfortable to deceive people who are alive in front of my eyes.
It has to do with ‘religion’.
But just like that guy, what did he just said, and the person who said, ‘Is it such a big sin to ask you to wait 10 years until you have the ability to repay the money?’
It seemed like I was really full of conscience.
In the old days, I would have received two refrigerators.
– Dumpling!
“Ugh.”
I groaned and turned my head.
It was from the next room, and it was quite different from the noise of the confessional door opening.
“who are you?”
I opened the sanctuary at the same time as the question. It was for self-defense, not confession.
Perhaps because he had been hit by the twin assassins once, his body reacted faster than usual.
“ね・・・・・・・.”
There was the sound of a human voice, the rustling of cloth.
“Are you a confessor?”
I put my nose in the thick wooden window and looked to the other side.
The view was a bit suffocating, but there were definitely more things that caught my eye than seeing it from afar.
······ Are you a kid?
“it’s okay? Are you sick?”
I spoke carefully.
A little boy with his head bowed was barely sitting on the confessor’s chair.
It was not normal to see her black hair trembling.
I had heard neither footsteps nor doors, but I couldn’t figure out how they got in.
“Where are your parents?”
Then, the child raised his head.
Sun-like bright orange eyes stared straight into my eyes.
“What are you doing here?”
The boy wrinkled his face and asked. I was stunned and opened my mouth.