Holy Idol [EN]: Chapter 661

◈ 661. Contemplating Separation

It was the day of the first snowfall.

Rembrary sat on the second-floor balcony, watching Jugyeong and Siyeong make a snowman. Whenever the children stumbled or sneezed, he mixed divine power into his voice and called their names.

“Angel!”

“Healer, call me too!”

The children didn’t know that divine power was mixed in his voice, but they felt refreshed whenever Rembrary called them, so they jumped around excitedly.

“Angel, why don’t you make a snowman with us?”

“Healer, let’s have a snowball fight!”

Rembrary watched them with a pleased expression and then called Ninnin and Woo Yeon-woo, giving them instructions.

“You guys have a snowball fight with the children.”

“Yes, High Priest.”

“What? What are you doing?”

“Am I not refined?”

“…….”

* * *

Woo Yeon-woo claimed he was also refined and went into his room. In the end, Ninnin and Mullu were mobilized for the snowball fight.

Meanwhile, Ardor made warm cocoa and pancakes for the children to eat.

The children, who had played to their hearts’ content, took a bath in warm water and then ran to their rooms with the cocoa and pancakes Ardor had given them.

Only after the children, who had woken up early and played hard, went inside did the others belatedly emerge from their blankets and appear in the dining room.

Ardor took the gathering group to the kitchen and gave them various instructions.

“That. Put that big plate in front of Rembrary-nim. Hey, Ethan. Put that to Rembrary-nim’s right. What are you doing, Kim Jewoo? Put that to Rembrary-nim’s left. No, no, no, no, not that. Put all the food within Rembrary-nim’s reach! The two holy knights, overcome your hunger with mental strength. Fast.”

Rembrary was the only one who didn’t receive orders.

However, the others also ignored about half of Ardor’s orders, so the steps of those going back and forth between the kitchen and the dining room were leisurely.

Fortunately, Ardor herself didn’t check everything while giving instructions because she was watching Rembrary.

When the meal preparation was finished with a commotion, everyone became hungry and gathered around the table.

“Aren’t the children eating breakfast?”

“It seems Ardor is taking care of something separately.”

Ardor occasionally said nonsense, but the atmosphere was good throughout the meal.

Woo Yeon-woo had also somewhat adapted to the atmosphere here, and Kim Jewoo was curious about the other world’s emperor and took good care of him.

However, just as the meal was about to end, Rembrary said something no one expected, and the atmosphere changed.

“I should find a place where the children can be properly raised.”

Everyone stopped eating and froze.

The family members stared at Rembrary with wide eyes. Silence slowly passed.

Ninnin asked after a long time.

“Pardon?”

Rembrary replied again.

“I should find a place where the children can be properly raised.”

Ninnin hurriedly shook her head.

“No, no. I understood what you said.”

“Then?”

“W-Why? Our children are the kindest and smartest in the world!”

Woo Yeon-woo muttered, “What are you talking about? Even I, who haven’t been here long, know their report cards. They both can’t study,” but closed his mouth when Ninnin glared at him.

When Ninnin put down her chopsticks, Woo Yeon-woo immediately changed his words.

“But they’re good at everything except studying.”

Mullu asked cautiously.

“High Priest. Why are you suddenly saying that?”

“The children are too young to choose our religion. Besides, they’re not from our world. Aren’t they Earth children?”

“But… still, you’ve been keeping them with you.”

Mullu stopped there, but it was clear that ‘Why suddenly now?’ was omitted from the end of her sentence.

Rembrary answered calmly.

“You don’t know what will happen in the future.”

“!”

“If something happens, wouldn’t the children be isolated from their world if they were with us?”

The family members exchanged glances with each other, each with their own thoughts.

When everyone was quiet this time, Rembrary continued to explain.

“I’ve thought about it in many ways. After all, it’s better for the children to grow up in a place where they won’t be swept away no matter what we get caught up in.”

Ninnin opposed with tears in her eyes.

“The children can’t grow up without us, High Priest.”

“Of course, we have to keep checking on how the children are doing and help them.”

Kim Jewoo subtly sided with Rembrary, as he seemed to be facing a majority alone.

“In my opinion, what Benefactor is saying is that the primary guardian should be another Earth person living a more ordinary life.”

Rembrary nodded.

“That’s right. Jewoo understands me well because he’s from Earth.”

Woo Yeon-woo clicked his tongue and asked.

“But what do you mean by ‘something that might happen’? Is it because of that Third Cataclysm, that prophecy?”

*Or is it because of the prophecy that you will become a Black Priest?* Woo Yeon-woo omitted the last part.

Rembrary shook his head.

“No. It’s separate from the Third Cataclysm. I think people will become violent even if the pillars collapse and a period of chaos doesn’t come.”

“!”

The atmosphere became heavier. Kim Jewoo fidgeted in the uncomfortable atmosphere and tried to speak positively.

“But Benefactor is the only healer in this world. It’s only a matter of time before everyone is on Benefactor’s side, right? If the children can get through that time well together, it will be resolved.”

“That’s right. But the children continue to grow during that time. It’s different if we have a few months of hardship versus the children having a few months of hardship. It’s even more so if it’s not a few months but a few years.”

However, Rembrary surprisingly had all the answers prepared.

As he said, he seemed to have really thought about everything.

At this point, Kim Jewoo had nothing more to say. It was true that children are greatly influenced by their surroundings when they are young.

Ninnin’s shoulders drooped. She looked noticeably disappointed.

Mullu was also managing her expression well, but she had less strength in her hands than usual.

Rembrary continued to eat alone, looking at the family members’ listless expressions.

He had somewhat anticipated the family members’ backlash. However, Rembrary thought it couldn’t be helped.

Just looking at the front of Redrin headquarters, there were crowds of protesters.

The school teacher openly told Rembrary that it would be better for the children not to come to school for their sake.

Until now, the only target of people’s attacks was Rembrary, so it was enough for only Rembrary not to go to school.

But now, the people around knew not only Rembrary but also the faces of the other family members.

They also knew who was close to Rembrary and who was helping Rembrary.

Even the children he saw at the mart didn’t call large companies like WorldBoom or Aegis the ‘Rembrary Division’?

At this rate, it was only a matter of time before Jugyeong and Siyeong’s faces became known. Rembrary didn’t want the children to be affected by that.

Mullu glanced at Ninnin and said.

“Then I will look for a place where the children can be raised well.”

At that moment, Ninnin muttered with a darkened face.

“There’s no need for that, Commander. High Priest. Hwasaja did mention it before.”

“That mention?”

“The lord of a non-city territory called ‘Rap Doing Grass’ said he wanted to raise our children after hearing about them. He’s someone who lost his twin daughters around Jugyeong and Siyeong’s age during the cataclysm.”

Rembrary asked, delighted by the unexpected information.

“What kind of person is he? The territory name sounds nice. Is the territory far from where we live? What kind of place is it?”

“I haven’t met him in person either. But it’s been a while… I don’t know if he still feels the same way.”

“I’ll have to ask Hwasaja again. If that side is okay, I should take the children and meet that lord in person.”

Ninnin’s eyes welled up with a tearful expression.

Mullu clicked her tongue and looked at Ninnin’s profile.

* * *

The stopped snow started falling again from the evening, and as night fell, the snowflakes became thicker.

Rembrary went out to the balcony and looked at the place where the children had played earlier.

Snow was piling up on the clumsy snowman the children had made, and the snowman was gradually getting bigger.

Rembrary jumped down and went to the snowman. Seen up close, the snowman was even more crude.

“The snowman looks just like our children’s report cards.”

As he was lamenting, he heard a soft laugh from behind.

When he turned around, the Emperor was standing there. When their eyes met, he approached and asked.

“Are you alright?”

“Which way are you talking about?”

“The snowman is a mess even to my eyes. I’m asking about this way.”

The Emperor said ‘this way’ and handed Rembrary one of the coffee cups he had brought.

As he received the coffee cup and wrapped it with both hands, warmth instantly returned to his cold palms.

“Why would I not be?”

The Emperor took a sip of his coffee and said.

“Listening to you earlier, you seemed to have a worse outlook than I thought.”

Rembrary stared intently at the snowman and said honestly.

“In my opinion, Gu Ju-il is likely to become an enemy again. I hope that doesn’t happen.”

The Emperor tilted his head, looking puzzled.

“Why do you think so? That person should be grateful to you.”

“That medicine you gave me, Great King Anchovy.”

“?”

“There might be more of that medicine. I hope there isn’t, but.”

“!”

* * *

“…Done!”

Gu Ju-il, whose hair had become greasy from not washing properly for days, suddenly shouted and lunged onto the sofa.

PD Lee [Production Director Lee] was reviewing data and holding a coffee cup in one hand. When he was about to spill it after being bumped into by Gu Ju-il, who was passing by, he yelled.

“Hey! Watch out!”

But Gu Ju-il was just happily shouting, “It’s all done!”

PD Lee calmed down when he saw that bright expression and asked.

“So, is the documentary all finished?”

Gu Ju-il replied with a muffled voice, his face buried in the sofa.

“I’m planning to watch it a few more times. But it’s mostly done.”

PD Lee clicked his tongue, watching Gu Ju-il writhing in exhaustion.

“You really change your tune well.”

Still, it seemed better to work with a good heart than to work burning with revenge.

Gu Ju-il raised his arms while lying down and laughed.

The second part of the documentary made for Rembrary was now complete. If this is released, it will help to some extent.

There were surprisingly quite a few people who supported Rembrary without showing their faces.

Those who criticized Rembrary said that Rembrary’s fans were waging a public opinion war as if they were a hundred people, but Gu Ju-il didn’t think so. There were actually quite a few people.

And those people who couldn’t speak out would lend their support to Rembrary when the documentary was released.

As he was doing that, a very sweet smell wafted from somewhere.

Gu Ju-il closed his eyes, wanting to sleep for twelve hours, then suddenly raised his upper body.

Looking towards the source of the smell, a junior PD was coming in with a tray containing three glasses of beer.

When their eyes met, the junior PD smiled and offered.

“Drink this and sleep, senior. It’s a new honey beer, and they say it’s really delicious.”