The golden light of the late afternoon spilled across the courtyard as Charlotte finished helping with the last of the children's games. She was brushing some dust off her skirt when Noel approached her from behind.
"Oh? Pervert? It's you?"
Noel sighed. "I'm not even going to ask how that nickname stuck."
Charlotte gave him a sunny, innocent smile. "You earned it. What do you want?"
"I need to ask you something," he said, his tone calm but serious. "Is there a confessional room in the church?"
Charlotte blinked. "Of course there is. Why?"
"I was thinking of using it."
She tilted her head slightly, confused. "You mean… to confess?"
Noel nodded once. "Yeah, for what else would it be?"
That took her aback. He didn't seem like the type to believe in penance. But she didn't press further.
"Well, they're usually open around sunset. There's always someone assigned to listen. Just go through the side hallway, take the third door on the left. It's marked with a white cross."
