You earn your absolution by listening to my story and feeling sorry for me. I earn it by doing the same thing.

[ Sympathy is their real goal, but Nezumi sincerely considers them the same thing. He's well-read enough to know there's a literary difference, but in reality, sympathy was difficult without pity. Maybe Shion managed, but Nezumi fights that realization. ]

Good people feel sorry for each other.