Holy Idol [EN]: Chapter 334

334. Who is That Sly Fox?

“Have you met him?”

It was when the three of us gathered for a meal to discuss matters concerning Joo Kyung. As soon as we sat down, Jang Tae-ri immediately asked Shin Jo-woon.

Rembrary, holding up the menu, pondered how many dishes he could order before lowering it slightly to look at Shin Jo-woon.

Shin Jo-woon, who was drinking water, asked Jang Tae-ri back,

“Who?”

“Who else? I’m talking about Joo Kyung’s uncle. That’s why we’re here.”

Only then did Shin Jo-woon nod as if remembering, “Ah, him.”

“I’ve met him.”

We were supposed to meet because of that in the first place, so what’s with the ‘Ah’? Jang Tae-ri was a bit suspicious of Shin Jo-woon’s reaction, but not wanting to nitpick from the start, she immediately bombarded him with questions.

“How was it? Did you talk about Joo Kyung? What did he say? Is he going to take the kid? Did you give him Joo Kyung’s contact information?”

Jang Tae-ri rattled off questions. Perhaps because her younger sibling had died around Joo Kyung’s age, she seemed a bit concerned about the child, even though she had never met them.

Shin Jo-woon put down his cup and replied in an indifferent voice.

“He said he’s practically cut off contact and has nothing to do with him.”

“What? Really?”

Jang Tae-ri slammed the table with her fist.

“Did he really say that?”

“He asked how many people would take in a sibling’s child they’ve cut off contact with. Even before the Cataclysm [a major disaster], such people were rare, but in times like these, when it’s hard enough to take care of oneself, would he take in a nephew he’s only seen a few times?”

Of course, it was a lie. Shin Jo-woon did ask Joo Kyung’s uncle if he would take care of Joo Kyung, but the other party was not in a state to answer in such detail. At least the part about the relationship between Joo Kyung’s uncle and Joo Kyung’s father was based on fact.

“Wow.”

“It’s heartless, but it’s not wrong. No matter how they decide, most people are initially troubled when suddenly burdened with their sibling’s child. It would be even more so if that sibling was someone they had cut off contact with.”

Jang Tae-ri rubbed her hands with a wet wipe. Judging by her sulky expression, she had a lot to say but seemed to be holding it back.

Rembrary, flipping through another page of the menu, looked back and forth between Shin Jo-woon and Jang Tae-ri and asked,

“Then what’s the best thing to do? Should I go and talk to him again?”

Shin Jo-woon shook his head indifferently again.

“It’s no use. I went there again, and he had moved in the meantime. It seems like he avoided it because he didn’t want to be bothered.”

Jang Tae-ri frowned even more.

“He must really hate it. He’s willing to move to avoid taking care of Joo Kyung.”

“If it’s that bad, it’ll only backfire if you leave the child with him. In Joo Kyung’s case, we’re trying to find his uncle because he’s having trouble with food and lodging.”

However, instead of criticizing the uncle, Rembrary tilted his head and stared at Shin Jo-woon. Shin Jo-woon asked, “Why?” at the strange look, and Rembrary shook his head.

“No, it’s nothing.”

“?”

“Joo Kyung’s uncle’s story seems similar to the uncle in the drama I watched yesterday.”

At that, Jang Tae-ri stopped wiping her hands and threw a glance at Shin Jo-woon. Shin Jo-woon, could it be…? was the look in her eyes. But Shin Jo-woon replied nonchalantly again.

“Joo Kyung’s family is dramatic. Well, reality is often more dramatic than drama.”

Rembrary and Jang Tae-ri stared at him, but Shin Jo-woon didn’t bat an eye.

“But just in case, don’t show it in front of Joo Kyung. He’ll get hurt.”

Rembrary thought as he pressed the call button for the staff.

‘The anchovy [slang for someone who hides things] has many secrets. But just in case, I should go to that uncle’s house.’

* * *

However, when he returned after the meal, there was someone standing in front of the company entrance who shouldn’t have been there at this hour.

“Isn’t that Ardore?”

Rembrary, who was in the back seat of the car, recognized Ardore and muttered.

“Who’s that?”

Shin Jo-woon, who had driven Rembrary here because he didn’t have a license, turned the steering wheel slowly and asked.

“He’s a believer in our temple.”

At Rembrary’s answer, Shin Jo-woon interpreted the ‘temple’ Rembrary mentioned as ‘religion’ and burst out laughing.

“Does your religion pick clergy based on looks? He’s handsome. Your god could be the CEO of an entertainment agency.”

At the joking remark, Rembrary muttered that it was rude, but he couldn’t completely deny it. Shin Jo-woon asked again.

“Then should I drop you off here instead of going down to the parking lot today?”

“Please do.”

Instead of going down to the underground parking lot, Shin Jo-woon stopped the car in front of the lobby, and Rembrary quickly opened the car door.

Ardore was pacing near the main entrance of the lobby, and when he saw Rembrary getting out of a car and walking towards him, he ran up with a bright smile.

“Rembrary-nim!”

A thrilled voice. His dark circles were darker, his hair was more disheveled, and he looked more tired than when they had last met, but his voice was bright.

‘From afar, they all look like cults. How can he be so happy? Even among cults, is the pig [referring to Ardore] special?’

Shin Jo-woon watched the scene without getting out of the car and snorted. Well, even cults must have standards.

However, the smile on Shin Jo-woon’s face disappeared without a trace the moment the clergyman named Ardore suddenly spat out blood as Rembrary approached. Shin Jo-woon parked the car for a moment and went outside, approaching them.

“What’s wrong? Are you okay? Do you need help?”

“I’m fine. I can take him inside, so you go. Farewell.”

However, Rembrary refused Shin Jo-woon’s help and personally supported the blood-spitting Ardore and took him inside. Shin Jo-woon frowned as he watched them being stopped by the security guard from the parking lot.

‘What’s going on?’

* * *

The security guard was horrified by the blood on Ardore’s mouth and clothes and tried to stop them, but Rembrary somehow managed to get him up to his room with a good view.

“I’m worried that I might be causing the Archpriest trouble.”

While Rembrary was looking for clothes for Ardore to wear, Ardore stood in one place, barely moving, muttering that he was afraid of dirtying the room.

“Trouble?”

“Because my attire is such a mess. But I learned some very urgent and important news, so I had to rush here.”

Your problem isn’t your attire, it’s your personality. Rembrary, who had deliberately sent Ardore far away because his personality didn’t seem helpful for Redlin’s promotion, only muttered the truth inwardly and asked.

“You still haven’t found Moolu?”

“No. Finding Moolu-nim is important, but I felt it was too urgent to deliver the news I learned to the Archpriest first. If I could float emoticons in the air right now, I would have floated about fourteen crying ones, Archpriest.”

Rembrary took out comfortable training clothes and handed them to Ardore, then placed his hand on his head and infused him with divine power.

He hadn’t suffered a fatal wound, but Ardore actually had many large and small wounds all over his body. It couldn’t be helped, as the opponent was a high-ranking demon who used electric abilities to attack.

Moreover, he hadn’t slept all day and had fought with demons, so he was already physically exhausted, but he had come straight here with indomitable willpower.

In this situation, the divine power recovery that Rembrary provided was no different from a cup of water in the desert.

“I feel like I’m going to live now, Archpriest. Thank you.”

Rembrary also handed him an ion drink and asked,

“What news is so urgent that you came here like this?”

“It’s a story related to the Demon King’s fragment.”

He had made various guesses about the urgent matter, but he never expected the Demon King’s story to suddenly come up in this situation. Rembrary took out his cell phone and started texting Daeju, informing him that the otherworldly clergyman who had contacted him before had come here, then was startled and looked up.

“The Demon King’s fragment? Has it appeared?”

“The hand in the photo I sent to the Archpriest.”

“Is that hand the Demon King’s hand?”

“It’s not certain, but it’s highly likely. There was the Demon King’s mark on the palm.”

Rembrary rolled his cell phone in his hand thoughtfully.

“That hand? Did you bring it?”

“Someone presumed to be a high-ranking demon appeared and took it. In the process, I ended up fighting with that high-ranking demon… But as the Archpriest knows, I’m just a low-ranking clergyman. With this weak body, I can’t properly fight a high-ranking demon. Still, thanks to Redlin-nim’s grace, I somehow managed to stay alive and was able to come to the Archpriest like this.”

“That’s fortunate. You must have suffered a lot.”

As Rembrary comforted him, Ardore groaned and pointed to various places on his arms, legs, palms, neck, head, etc.

“I was hit here, here, here, here, and here too. It was so painful and agonizing, Archpriest. It was a truly painful moment. So I endured all that time with the sense of duty to deliver this important news to the Archpriest.”

His voice was utterly pitiful, and the content of his words was truly deserving of sympathy. But…

“Arya.”

“Yes, Archpriest.”

“Your mouth is smiling.”

At Rembrary’s remark, Ardore stammered and made excuses, faltering in his otherwise smooth speech.

“I, I, sometimes smile when I’m in pain.”

“People call that a pervert.”

As Rembrary pointed out again, Ardore blinked and asked happily.

“Is Ar the affectionate name the Archpriest calls me? Is it okay for me to receive such a tremendous nickname from the Archpriest? It’s an honor. I will preserve that name for generations and have ‘Ar’s Tomb’ engraved on my tombstone on the day my soul leaves this body.”

“Don’t do that. It sounds like a cosmetics company name.”

Rembrary said with a strained expression, but Ardore smiled brightly.

“I see. The name the Archpriest gave me has a fragrance. When my descendants see that name engraved on the tombstone, they will honor the Archpriest who gave me such a cosmetics company-like nickname while—”

“They’ll curse you.”

“Curse—”

However, someone suddenly interrupted, not only cutting off the praise for Rembrary but also twisting the direction of the conversation to an impudent place.

Enraged, Ardore glared at the person who had suddenly appeared and interfered at such an odd moment while he was speaking.

It was someone wearing a lion mask. Ardore turned his head while grinding his teeth, and was shocked by the dignified and delicate mask, exclaiming.

“Who is it, Archpriest? Who is this sly and cunning creature who is imitating a furry beast to look good to the Archpriest, knowing that the Archpriest likes furry creatures, Archpriest?”

“Is that important? Continue with the demon story.”