"The Romalia Church is bullshit!"
The day after solving the Sea Door incident.
Sister Claire, who had been drunk at a bar in town, let out a roar and was celebrated by the drunk customers.
"Wow! Good job, neechan!"
"That's right! Just because they're the number one sect on the continent, those church people are acting all big headed!"
Thanks to my skills, the food situation in the town had temporarily improved, and people were excited about the long-awaited lifting of food restrictions, with people drinking and singing everywhere.
Amidst all this excitement, Sister Claire, who spread slander about the church, had become quite popular (incidentally, the improvement in the food situation was officially attributed to the opening of the town's secret food storehouse and the visit of a merchant with a skilled item box).
"Claire, you really hate the Romalia Church..."
It was with mixed feelings that I spoke to Claire, the
Then, Claire, who had returned to the table to refill the drinks, cheerfully said,
"No, no. In truth, I don't hate the Romaria Church as much as you say."
"Really?"
"Yes. To be precise, I dislike the current church and its twisted doctrine, but I actually quite like Romalia itself… or more precisely, religion itself. It's rational."
"Reasonable?"
I asked in response to the unexpected words.
Sister Claire sat down next to me, gulped down some alcohol, and began to speak in a drunken state.
"Religion is originally a place for rational and practical teachings to make people happy. For example, you see... many religions have strict rules for how to mourn the dead, right?"
"Well, that's fine."
"The method of mourning the dead is inherently a very delicate issue with no clear answers. If a religion didn't have a set correct answer, then endless debate would break out about what should be done for each and every deceased person. Unless a will is left behind, those left behind would be unable to find closure. But if it's decided by religious doctrine, then this alone would reduce unnecessary stress and bring relief."
"Now that you mention it..."
"There are other cases like this, too. A certain faraway sect has a teaching similar to the Romanian doctrine of 'Help thy neighbor.' This teaching that encourages helping others is actually a rational teaching that makes people happy."
Claire continues, munching on some snacks.
"Humans are noble creatures who find joy in saving and helping others. But at the same time, they also have a weakness that makes them unable to act voluntarily unless there is a reason. They can't act unless there is a reason, such as because they owe someone a favor, because it's their job, etc. They hesitate because they might be being nosy, they might be annoying, or they might fail. ...But if God is telling you to help others, the opportunities to help someone will increase exponentially. And the time you actually feel good will increase. So, everyone, since God is nagging you to help your neighbor, let's peel this snack together."
"Ha, ha."
Sister Claire called out to the townspeople who were listening to the conversation at the table, and began to process the pile of nuts still in their shells. Then, once the nuts were ready to eat, she roughly tossed them onto the table next to her, saying, "Here's a gift!"
"Oh? What's up with that, you guys are so thoughtful!"
"Thanks! Here's your treat!"
The drunk customer next to me returned the offer with a smile.
If we accept it with a warm heart, even if we are confused,
"You see, the teachings that God is forcing on me have made me feel good."
Sister Claire was laughing softly as she gulped down the drink she had returned.
"Religion is like a sword or magic. It's a powerful weapon that can either threaten or save people depending on how it's used . It's fine to have a pretense of worshipping and serving the God who created this world and bestows the Gifts, but doctrines are essentially a collection of know-how to make life easier for people like this."weapon invention
"This is certainly..."
Sister Claire's explanation was surprisingly persuasive, and not only I but even the beastmen looked impressed. It was only natural, since the doctrine, which at first glance seemed pretty straightforward, actually proved to be effective.
But when I thought about it like that, I realized that my attitude towards each and every custom that I had been practicing just as a ritual because it was the state religion and part of the teachings of my family would change...
"--So, that's how you deceive people and increase your followers, you know?"
Sister Claire grinned teasingly.
No wait! I thought it was a good story until halfway through!
"Hahaha. Well, don't worry. I don't like these kinds of conman-like tactics, so I only use them when I need to undo strong brainwashing! Please understand that for now, I just wanted to help you build up an immunity to them, since you're still quite obedient Elio."
Saying this, Sister Claire charged into the center of the drunks again.
As we continued to drink, Sylvia carried us on her shoulders and we once again got into a good mood talking bad about the church.
"That person is really..."
What an incredible person.
But how should I put it, the rational aspect of the doctrine that Sister Claire explained to me earlier was oddly persuasive...
(No matter how you look at him, he is a fallen monk… but he is the leader of the largest religious nation on the continent after all…)
With that realization in mind once again, I once again munched on food with Alicia and Sophia, and enjoyed the hustle and bustle of the town.