The Daughter of Evil - Volume 2 - Chapter 4.21

♥CHAPTER 4, SECTION 2, SCENE 1♥
Section II—Seaside’s Small Bottle—-

♥Clarith～Lucifenia Kingdom’s “Harbor Town’s convent ”～

The warm season has arrived, and the actual farming starts.

A new member has arrived in the convent.

“This has gone too far! Why are you slacking here again!”

A voice thundered from inside the tool shed. I hurriedly ran to the scene, it turned out that the older nuns and the blonde girl were arguing.

“If you don’t work, there won’t be any lunch today, Rin.”

“You’re so noisy, how can anyone move such a heavy tool alone!?”

(Not again…)

Even though I was getting a little fed up, I still scooped up a few shovels lying on the ground with my hands.

“I’ll help you take half of these, let’s go together, okay?”

“Clarith! Mollycoddling isn’t good for the child!”

The older nun who had her hands on her hips looked surprised.

“She is not yet accustomed to life here… I beg you to forgive her.”

“That’s not Rin’s only problem.  Anyway, everyone is waiting.  Leave the fertiliser to me, you two hurry along with the shovels.”

The Sister easily heaved two sacks of fertiliser onto her shoulders, and hurriedly headed for the fields. After watching the Sister’s retreating back, I turned my head to Rin.

“Come, let’s go, Rin,”

“Don’t wanna, it’s troublesome.”

Rin sat down and turned her head left.

“No pain, no gain. If you don’t carry these, the Sisters won’t allow you to eat.”

“Clarith can just secretly give me food.”

“I can’t do that every time. If we’re discovered, we’ll both get scolded.”

“I don’t care, I won’t do it! I— don’t—wanna!”

Rin simply flopped onto the ground.  With a child like her, it’s no use even if you get angry or try to persuade her.

(I’ve got no other choice…)

I called a slightly bigger kid who was playing at the nearby orphanage.

“Donnie, can you come here? I need you to do something.”

“What’s the matter, Clarith?

“I’m sorry,  I’d like you to help me bring these shovels to the field.”

“It’s no big deal.  Leave it to me!”

Donnie smiled while picking up the shovels.

I looked at Rin from the corner of my eye,  and spoke deliberately loudly so that she could hear:

“Donnie is indeed fantastic! She can carry so many shovels! That person who’s always lazing around certainly can’t do it!”

Donnie was also aware of the situation, and replied just as loudly as me:

“What are you talking about, big sister Clarith! The convent doesn’t even have trash that can’t lift a few shovels! Even a smaller kid than me is able to carry these!”

Rin was lying down, and secretly spied on us. Her pride seems to have been hurt. Children here should work hard. Let her pride have another blow.

“Donnie’s so amazing! To thank you for helping, I’ll give you some bread and butter as a snack later!”

At that moment, Rin jumped up and snatched Donnie’s armful of shovels away.

“Rin can do it too! I’ll take all of them.  Therefore, the snack is mine!”

“Wow! The fantastic one is big sister Rin! She’s so reliable!”

Donnie winked at me after exaggerating her surprise, then went back to playing.

The shovels were actually rather heavy.  Despite that, Rin behaved at ease, and so that I won’t discover her false ease, she said to me:

“Yes, let’s go, Clarith. Come with me!”

“Hmm, yes. Let’s go, Rin.”

We walked towards the field. The sky over our heads were cloudless, and it was good weather for farming.

There were some steep slopes in front of the convent. I found Rin there, a week after Elluka and Gumillia visited the convent.

Back then, she was thinner than she was now. The bakery owner and I saw that she was almost dying of hunger, and carried her back to the convent.

Rin said she had nowhere to go. When I had let her stay in the convent, no one objected. As for Rin’s personality, she won’t talk about her personal life. Although many people would like to know, no one asked her. However, the Head inferred from Rin’s behaviour and demeanour, her literacy and good breeding, that she might be a runaway from an aristocratic family.

At first, everyone were gentle towards Rin, but her every word and action haughtily disregarded others. For example, she would complain that the meals were not good; she hated the children working there, and she as rather spoilt. So gradually, the nuns viewed her as a troublesome devil.

I, too, felt that I couldn’t cope with Rin’s wilfulness, but I was still determined to treat her gently.

Back in Yatski village, I was viewed as a nuisance too. I had always been alone. That wasn’t what I wanted. I just didn’t know how to get along with people.

Rin, who usually had a tough attitude, sometimes reveals a lonely expression. She definitely didn’t want to be alone. When I rescued her, She said in her sleep: “I don’t want to be alone”. Even though I don’t know what had happened to her, it must have been that she was separated from someone she liked very much, or something sorrowful like that.

That’s only what I have guessed, though. But, I think that as long as I can be honest with her, one day, she will open her heart to me. I think I can save her.

As Michaela once did for me.

“How is it? Rin, is the food delicious?”

After that, we were also roped in to help with farm work. Rin was already exhausted, but nevertheless, she carefully cut her vegetables with a fork and knife, and fed herself with elegance.

“Hmm… not bad.”

Rin did not complain about the food like she used to.

Although she would only eat desserts in the past,  but now that she was involved with farming, she now feels that food is hard to come by. Of course, she won’t ever say it out loud.

I watered the potted plants while watching Rin.

The canteen lets in the most light in the convent, it couldn’t be better for the growth of the plants.

“What’s that plant?”

Rin asked while breaking her bread with her hand

“Um- what it is. I don’t know, either.”

“Why would Clarith raise something she doesn’t know?”

“It doesn’t matter what kind it is. No matter what kind of plant it is, it’s still growing. All life is equal. And… that child is my friend. “

“A plant friend? You’re really gloomy, Clarith.”

“Heheh, maybe.”

After sighing in surprise, Rin’s expression suddenly turned serious.

“All life should be equal…huh.”

“Yes. Regardless of whether they are plants or humans.”

“I don’t think that is so. In this world, only the concept of ‘dominance and being dominated’ exists. If everyone were equal, it would be impossible to constitute a society. Helm, politics and culture needs it to function properly. Everyone is equal. Sophistry is what makes it difficult.”

I was surprised that Rin would suddenly speak about such a profound topic. But I quietly replied:

“Perhaps your opinion is the correct one. But I… but I still support equality.”

“You really do think like a saint. Is everyone’s mind-set like Clarith’s after they stay in the convent for too long?”

“Heheh, Rin should be able to understand my idea in the near future.”

“Who knows. I’m not a believer of the Eldoh faction in the first place.”

“Regardless of Eldoh or Levin,  they should essentially be the same.”

“Maybe.”

Rin appears to have finished eating. She set her cutlery down onto the table.

“Put back the utensils yourself.”

“I know. …Hey, Clarith.”

“Yes?”

Rin anxiously asked while clearing up her utensils:

“No matter what kind of person I am… for example, if I were a heinous, wicked person… will you still treat me like you do now?”

Rin’s eyes were very serious.

“Yes, definitely.”

I smiled as I replied.

I was surrounded by the sea, the earth and prayers every day.

Some people may think that this kind of life is boring.

However, in the midst of boredom, even the smallest change may bring about the greatest joy.

Rin is becoming more frank, little by little. Rin, who was gradually growing from a cute girl into a beautiful woman, was beginning to take her work seriously, and is starting to use honorifics on her seniors. A few days ago, she also asked me for culinary advice.

To me, her change was a great surprise. I was happy, as it was like I’ve gotten a cute little sister.

Unconsciously, I was beginning to think less about Michaela.