Holy Idol [EN]: Chapter 354

354. You are now… a racer.

‘Doesn’t he have a license?’ The secretary looked at Rembrary, flustered. ‘Or does he? I haven’t heard he has one… but I also haven’t heard he doesn’t.’

‘So, he has one? He must. Someone without a license wouldn’t talk about driving so confidently.’

Thinking that maybe he was being prejudiced, the secretary subtly asked, trying to cover his tracks.

‘You had a license. I assumed you didn’t since I haven’t seen you drive.’

The secretary even laughed to smooth things over, but Rembrary’s response ruined the attempt.

‘I don’t.’

‘!’

‘I need to get one. Does it take long to get one?’

*Without a license, he’s going to drive to save someone right now?*

The secretary wanted to knock some sense into Rembrary. *Is there anyone sane in there?* Though the answer would probably be *no.*

The secretary’s expression began to sour. He couldn’t accept unlicensed driving, nor someone taking it so lightly. His instincts rejected it.

‘The requirements have been relaxed after the Cataclysm [a major disaster], so getting a license itself isn’t difficult. In fact, it’s become too easy.’

‘Then I can get it quickly and go.’

‘But it will take a long time to drive safely to a remote non-city [a rural area outside city limits].’

‘Is that so?’

‘Yes.’

‘Then how long will that long time be?’

‘Well…’

‘Will it be possible before Grand Master dies and decomposes?’

‘!’

‘I hope so.’

Rembrary muttered as if he felt sorry for the soon-to-be-deceased Grand Master.

The secretary flinched and met Rembrary’s gaze. He felt like he would become the bad guy no matter what he said, like he’d become the backstabbing expert who checks the D-day on the calendar and smirks as soon as he hears the news of the Grand Master’s danger.

‘…’

In the end, after hesitating, the secretary cautiously suggested.

‘Wouldn’t it be possible to learn thoroughly in a short period…?’

* * *

*I can ask Tae-ri or Mullet.*

At first, Rembrary was going to ask the two CEOs to teach him how to drive. But before pressing the call button, he changed his mind.

If he said he was going to learn to drive and go to a remote non-city in a day or two, they would both just offer to take him. If they were busy, they would send another driver.

But that’s not possible in this situation. That’s why he’s trying to learn to drive himself.

*Then who should I ask?*

But perhaps because of his narrow and limited social circle, there was no one who came to mind. Just in case, he tried calling Lionheart again, but his phone was still off.

*Woo-shil sunbae [senior colleague] is out. Sagamjae? Sagamjae is… absolutely not. All the Grim Reapers are out. Then Jong-woo?*

While he was pondering, his phone vibrated. Rembrary looked down. Four letters were on the screen: Ardor.

As soon as he tapped the screen, a text full of emoticons appeared.

[Rembrary-nim, it’s Ardor ( ´ ▽ ` )ﾉ I’m coming nearby to change clothes! ヽ(´▽`)ﾉ What are you doing? ᕦ( ᐛ )ᕡ ]

*Where does he learn this stuff?* Rembrary thought, and stopped himself from replying *I am in contemplation.*

Right. Ardor. If it’s Ardor who has adapted so well to this world, he might have gotten a license even though he’s from another world.

Not only that, but Ardor is from the same other world, so even if Rembrary isn’t familiar with the traffic conditions here, he wouldn’t nag him about *why don’t you know this* and would teach him properly, as long as he doesn’t start shooting when there’s traffic.

*Let’s ask Ardor to teach me!*

As soon as he made the decision, Rembrary pressed the call button. Ardor answered the phone in less than a second.

[High Priest-nim! Are you going to let me hear your voice? A pig appeared in my dream today, and it seems like it was trying to connect me with High Priest-nim…]

*Oh dear.*

Rembrary reflexively hung up at the mention of the pig, but realizing this wasn’t the time, he quickly called again.

‘It seems the phone glitched for a moment.’

[Ah. I’m glad it was fixed quickly! I was worried something might have happened and was thinking of going to where Rembrary-nim is.]

‘Come.’

Ardor didn’t immediately understand Rembrary’s curt reply.

[Yes?]

He asked cheerfully.

‘Come.’

Rembrary said again. And after a 5-second count, an unidentified sound came from beyond the phone. It was full of hard-to-understand words, but *of course* and *certainly* were mixed in.

*He’s coming, right?* Rembrary pressed the end call button because his ears were ringing.

* * *

He didn’t know where he was, but Ardor appeared after about an hour and ten minutes. He had come so quickly that his dark circles looked a bit reddish. He was even out of breath from running.

‘Did you run here? Why are you panting so much?’

‘T, the elevator… Didn’t come. The stairs…’

Rembrary waited for Ardor’s lungs to calm down. When his breathing returned to normal, he told him his business.

‘It seems Grand Master is in danger. He texted me to help. And all with typos. He’s not the type to make so many strange typos even if he’s thinking about his image, so he must be in a hurry that he couldn’t even write “help” properly.’

‘Then Rembrary-nim will become the Grand Master now.’

‘…’

‘It’s a pity that Grand Master is in danger.’

‘Anyway, that’s how it is, so I’m thinking of going to save Grand Master, but transportation isn’t easy.’

‘Where did the lion-imitating guy go?’

‘His self-esteem dropped, so he went to cry.’

‘The weak ones are bound to get tired and fall off. If Rembrary-nim wishes, I will wear the lion mask from now on.’

‘Forget it, do you have a license?’

At Rembrary’s words, Ardor’s eyes widened.

‘A license?’

He didn’t seem to expect the topic to come this way at all.

‘Don’t you have one?’

When Rembrary asked again, Ardor quickly replied.

‘I do.’

*He does have one.* He’s really adapted well. Rembrary asked, satisfied with his guess.

‘Are you a good driver?’

Ardor, still dumbfounded, replied, ‘Yes.’

‘Good. Then teach me how to drive. A crash course, so I can get a license in a day or two.’

Then, the moment Rembrary brought up teaching him how to drive, Ardor’s hands trembled, his eyes widened, and he began to mutter.

‘I… I’m going to be in the passenger seat next to Rembrary-nim… teaching Rembrary-nim how to drive… I can’t believe it. What an honor. Oh my.’

But the moment he saw Ardor’s extreme reaction, Rembrary had a new thought. *Come to think of it, is it really necessary to learn to drive?*

‘Or you can just take me.’

*Come to think of it, it might be safer than learning to drive in a short time. After all, he knows that immigrants are coming from another world and that Grand Master is going to save them.*

However, as soon as Rembrary changed his words, Ardor’s eyes were about to roll back again.

‘A, are you saying you don’t want to learn to drive from me? Are you saying that someone like me can’t teach Rembrary-nim anything? Well, if someone can teach Rembrary-nim, it would have to be a racing driver at least…’

‘Teach me.’

When Rembrary cut him off, Ardor’s pupils, which had become strange, returned to normal and he grinned.

‘Yes!’

* * *

Having regained his sanity, Ardor said that he wanted to teach him how to drive and also be the driver, so he would teach Rembrary how to drive just in case, but he would safely take him to his destination.

It seemed like the thought of hurrying to save Grand Master didn’t even exist in Ardor’s head.

Rembrary noticed this fact, but he didn’t bother to change the order and ask him to teach him how to drive after finding Grand Master first.

He was worried because Ardor was getting excited while explaining about the car. He thought that if Ardor became like that while driving, it would be more dangerous than if he was driving himself.

Anyway, the two borrowed a car from Grand Master’s secretary and went to the driving range.

The driving range was a large site near the city, located in a non-city, but it was relatively safe because the mayor sent hunters to manage it.

While Ardor excitedly inspected the car, Rembrary stretched for a while to keep his mind flexible.

After about 15 minutes, Ardor called Rembrary.

‘Rembrary-nim! I think we can start now!’

Rembrary recalled Shin Jo-woon driving leisurely. The way he fastened his seat belt and lightly turned the steering wheel.

He also recalled Shin Jo-woon giving him a thumbs up from the passenger seat while he was driving in that posture.

He would say, ‘How can you drive better than me, who has been driving for so long?’ and that he deserves to eat five cakes because he drives so well.

He would also say that from now on, he should be called a racer instead of a pig.

If he parked the car in front of the bakery and waited, he would rush out and bring the cake. And he would say.

‘Eat the cake, racer.’

Rembrary would ask chicly.

‘All five? Are all five mine?’

‘Of course. Someone who drives like you can eat five cakes alone.’

‘I’ll give you five pieces. I’m more generous than you.’

‘Racer… even his philosophy is different.’

Rembrary smiled, imagining his dignified self leaning against the car, waiting for Mullet to bring the cake.

* * *

Redrin-nim [a deity].

Today, I learned how to drive to save the Grand Master, whom Redrin-nim personally chose. Actually, I’m still learning.

But the reason why I’m suddenly praying in the middle of learning is because after two hours of driving practice, Ardor came up to me and said this.

‘If you pray to Redrin-nim before driving, your survival rate will be higher, Rembrary-nim!’

So, I’m praying during my break.

But do you know what, Redrin-nim? I’m more talented at driving than I thought.

Ardor, who saw me turning the steering wheel here and there, said that he had never seen anyone drive so naturally, and that it must be because Redrin-nim loves me.

But I don’t think so, Redrin-nim. The reason I’m good at driving is because I’m good. I’m sure of it.

Why? Because Redrin-nim doesn’t even know how to start the engine, let alone drive!