Holy Idol [EN]: Chapter 126

< 126. His Majesty's Ambition >

On his way back to his quarters, Rembrary carefully examined the path where the court lady had been standing earlier. But the court lady’s ghost was nowhere to be seen.

“Did she go somewhere else…?”

“Pardon? Who are you talking about?”

“Never mind.”

However, Rembrary couldn’t relax even though he couldn’t see the court lady’s ghost.

‘If she’s completely gone from here, there’s no problem, but…’

There hadn’t been any recent reports of staff or extras playing court ladies dying on set, so it seemed likely that the ghost with the flipped face was a court lady ghost from long ago.

Whether it was credible or not, even in this world where most people didn’t believe in ghosts or spirits, there were rumors that ghosts were often seen in broadcasting stations or filming locations. Assuming that the court lady’s ghost was drawn to the filming location environment and confused by the environment similar to the actual palace, it made sense that such an old ghost would be here.

“The sausage effect, huh…” (Referring to how long-held grudges or traumas can linger and manifest in unexpected ways.)

“Pardon?”

“Never mind.”

Rembrary solemnly shook his head and resumed his heavy steps toward his quarters.

* * *

Rembrary had just returned to his quarters, lying down, and was about to fall asleep when there was a soft knock.

‘Who is it?’

Rembrary opened only his eyes while still lying down.

Is it the court lady’s ghost?

He glanced only his eyes to the window. The sound came from that side?

As expected. There’s another soft knock.

Even if it was the court lady’s ghost, there was nothing to be afraid of. Rembrary got up and approached the window, cautiously opening it.

“Ta-da.”

However, the person who knocked on the window was Taeri.

She was resting her chin on the windowsill, smiling.

“Were you surprised?”

She smiled even brighter when their eyes met.

Rembrary watched her and muttered to himself without realizing it.

“Taeri-ssi… you really look alike.”

“Who? You know it’s cliché if you say I look like your first love here, right?”

“A leopard cat.”

“…Just say it’s your first love, you brat.”

When Jang Taeri spoke as if picking a fight with a fierce expression, Rembrary chuckled.

Jang Taeri smiled along and looked around the room.

“This is Yeonwoo-ssi’s room. But it’s the same as my room?”

“Is Taeri-ssi’s room like this too?”

“Yeah. But there’s one more small vase over there. A golden one.”

“Really? Why is that?”

“And there were snacks filled in it. Snacks that didn’t exist in the Joseon era [1392-1897]. What is it? Is one of my vassals a time traveler?”

“…”

At the mention of snacks, Rembrary became serious and showed a sulky expression. Jang Taeri smiled as if she expected it and took out a palm-sized snack bag hidden in her wide sleeves and held it out.

Rembrary quickly received the snack bag and praised Jang Taeri.

“That’s why I like Taeri-ssi.”

“Make sure to say that in front of Jo Woon too.”

“Woo Yeonwoo likes Jang Taeri more than Shin Jo Woon. Anchovy, watch the broadcast.”

“Good job, good job.”

However, as soon as Rembrary excitedly tore open the bag, they heard someone walking over.

The two stopped giggling and turned their heads toward the sound.

There was Rembrary’s head eunuch staff, with his arms crossed and his eyes wide open.

“Your Highness. And Your Highness. What on earth are you doing?”

Rembrary, feeling caught, awkwardly tried to hide the snack bag behind his back, but the head eunuch staff strode forward and held out his hand.

“Give it to me.”

Rembrary shook his head, but it was no use.

“This is Joseon. There’s no such thing as onion cookies in plastic wrappers.”

“There might be. You’re a Joseon eunuch, but you know plastic wrappers and onion cookies.”

When Rembrary retorted, Jang Taeri nodded and helped Rembrary.

“Aren’t you surprised that there are two kings? Isn’t this a plot hole too?”

But it wasn’t much help. As the two joined forces to defend themselves, the head eunuch seemed even more angry.

Just as the head eunuch was about to retort, they heard footsteps again.

Jang Taeri put her hand on her forehead and sighed. My head eunuch also noticed and came after me. If this happens, it’s not 1:2 but 2:2, so I have to go back obediently. I barely came here to hang out, but it’s too bad.

“Huh?”

But the person who appeared was Shin Jo Woon.

He was approaching with a red dragon robe draped over his shoulders, but strangely, he was barefoot.

It was a bit strange.

Moreover, even though Jang Taeri and Rembrary gestured ‘you should run away,’ he just kept walking over, no matter how much they signaled.

The head eunuch wondered if he should get angry because ‘why are all three kings acting as they please,’ then tilted his head wondering ‘are all kings like this?’ and then filled his lungs with air thinking ‘let’s say a word,’ He was ready to unleash a barrage of nagging.

However, Shin Jo Woon came to Rembrary and said, “Your Highness,” in a more distant voice than usual, so the air in the head eunuch’s lungs rushed out in 0.5 seconds.

‘Your Highness? Not pig?’

Rembrary also wondered what was going on and looked at Shin Jo Woon.

And the moment their eyes met. Rembrary realized something was wrong.

But almost at the same time as realizing it, Shin Jo Woon was already leaning his head on Rembrary’s shoulder.

“Grant me your favor.”

The head eunuch’s jaw dropped down like a broken nutcracker.

Jang Taeri also stared at Shin Jo Woon with wide eyes.

Rembrary was a little surprised by Shin Jo Woon, but he was even more surprised by the court lady’s ghost sitting on Shin Jo Woon’s shoulder.

For once, he didn’t call him a pig and acted docile. The court lady’s ghost was stuck to Shin Jo Woon’s shoulder, whispering in his ear.

Then, when she met Rembrary’s eyes, she flinched and stepped back.

When Rembrary pressed Shin Jo Woon’s shoulder with his palm, specifically the ghost’s head, the ghost flattened and hurriedly hid inside the dragon robe.

At that moment. Shin Jo Woon also came to his senses.

But Shin Jo Woon, who had come to his senses, stopped moving for a moment and looked at Rembrary with strange eyes. He seemed surprised by something.

Then, he suddenly frowned and stepped back.

It looked like the memory that had briefly flown away had just returned.

In fact, Shin Jo Woon was aware of what he had done. Still, Shin Jo Woon tried to act as calmly as possible, but…

“Hehe… Hahahaha… Hehehe…”

Jang Taeri was already holding her stomach and laughing.

“Yooour Hiiighness. Grant me your favor.”

When Shin Jo Woon glared at Jang Taeri, Jang Taeri deliberately imitated Shin Jo Woon even more and burst into laughter.

A blue vein became clear on Shin Jo Woon’s forehead.

“Stop it.”

“Yooour Hiiighness. Jo Woon wants to receive your favor.”

“Jang Taeri. I said stop it.”

The more Shin Jo Woon got angry and tried to stop her, the more Jang Taeri held her stomach and burst into laughter.

The head eunuch still couldn’t close his jaw.

“I’m going crazy.”

Shin Jo Woon clicked his tongue and swept his hair back, then noticed Rembrary staring at him intently.

Their eyes met.

Shin Jo Woon was in a difficult situation and wondered how to explain this. He must be thinking, ‘Is that guy crazy?’

However, before Shin Jo Woon could explain, Rembrary suddenly smiled triumphantly and made a random request.

“Apologize to me for your past actions, Anchovy. Then I won’t be able to give you my favor, but I’ll give you my grace.”

He said it thinking that if Shin Jo Woon gave a commendable answer, he would remove the ghost, and if he gave a wicked answer, he wouldn’t remove it.

Shin Jo Woon, who had no way of knowing this inner thought, said as usual, “What are you talking about, Pig?” and Rembrary scoffed and turned away.

“There’s no grace, no favor, no broth. Just boil anchovy broth and drink it alone.”

He thought he had seen earlier that the court lady’s ghost didn’t seem to have any intention of harming Shin Jo Woon, so he was going to leave it until tomorrow morning and then remove it.

* * *

– His Highness was wanting His Highness’s favor!

– His Majesty’s dream is the Queen Consort…

– We didn’t know such deep meaningㅠ

– Pitiable that he came in a hurry in the middle of the nightㅠ Grant him your favorㅠ

– There are two kings, but there’s no room to embrace one Jo Woon!

ㄴ LOLOLOLOL

– CEO Shin LOLOLOL Entertainment LOLOLOL

– I thought he wouldn’t be an ordinary person since he was close with Woo Yeonwoo ;;

ㄴ OMG LOLOLOLOL

– Then what happens? Jang Taeri, who is dating Shin Jo Woon, had an affair with Woo Yeonwoo, but it turns out that Shin Jo Woon gifted Woo Yeonwoo to Jang Taeri, and it turns out that Shin Jo Woon likes Woo Yeonwoo and orchestrated Jang Taeri and Woo Yeonwoo to have an affair?

ㄴ YAK LOLOLOLOL

ㄴ How many centuries did you skip LOLOLOLOL

ㄴ Shin Jo Woon… an amazing person… Did he calculate all of this.

ㄴ All of this is Shin Jo Woon’s big picture!!!!

– My stomach hurts LOLOLOLOL Were we used, Taeri LOLOLOL

– Then Taeri can marry me LOL

ㄴ What sin did Jang Taeri commit ;;

ㄴ Hey, not everything you say is a word

– No, why is everyone laughing? I was so scared. Wasn’t anyone scared? Look at Shin Jo Woon’s eyes. His eyes are different when he asks for favor and later ;;

ㄴ 22222

ㄴ 333333 I was scared too. Besides, didn’t Shin Jo Woon say something to himself in the air before going to Woo Yeonwoo?

ㄴ 4444 Isn’t he possessed by a ghost? ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

* * *

Shin Jo Woon, who came into the room, frowned and said, “Come out?” and the court lady’s ghost, who had gone inside the dragon robe, returned to its original size and crouched in the corner.

When Shin Jo Woon frowned and looked at her, the court lady’s ghost hugged her legs and looked at Shin Jo Woon.

Shin Jo Woon took off the dragon robe and sat on the blanket, asking coldly.

“Didn’t you say that what you wanted was to find a way? Why did the favor suddenly come out there? Didn’t you think about how my position would be?”

The court lady’s ghost stammered and made excuses.

[We are not one person. We are a collection of many people… I am the one who wanted to borrow your body to find a way, and the one who brought up the favor is… me.]

“I’m confused. Speak with numbers.”

[If I’m number 3, the one who brought up the favor is about number 4…]

Shin Jo Woon sighed.

He didn’t have any particular thoughts about demons, monsters, or evil spirits, and he didn’t give his heart to living people either.

But since the opportunity to ‘open his eyes’ was an opportunity, he was a little weak to ghosts with stories of being unjustly killed.

Besides, this was a closed set. If he let the court lady’s ghost wander around at will and an accident happened, the amount of filming he had invested a week in might become unusable, so Shin Jo Woon deliberately stepped up to resolve the ghost’s resentment.

It seemed easy to help since he just needed to find the way.

That’s what it was… Shin Jo Woon pressed his throbbing temples. He didn’t know that a favor seeking court lady would pop out in the middle.

[Sir. Are you very angry?]

“Wouldn’t I be?”

[……]

“Unfortunately, I’m canceling the agreement to help you right now. Wait a week.”

Shin Jo Woon said firmly and closed his eyes.

Ghosts tied together like this couldn’t be saved just by helping one lost court lady. After the filming was over, he had no choice but to take them out and entrust them to someone who specializes in saving them.

However, even after deciding on the treatment of the court lady’s ghost, Shin Jo Woon couldn’t easily relax his expression.

It’s because of Woo Yeonwoo.

In fact, he was surprised when the ghost said nonsense earlier, but Shin Jo Woon was more surprised by the feeling he felt as soon as Woo Yeonwoo touched his shoulder.

It was definitely not a mistake, even the ghost was surprised.

Making a ghost surprised and run away was something that an ordinary person could never do.

Shin Jo Woon narrowed his eyes, fiddling with the piece of camera that had once been installed in the room, as if rolling dice.

‘Was he not an ordinary pig…’

< 126. His Majesty's Ambition > End