Holy Idol [EN]: Chapter 393

393. The Emperor’s Disappointment

“Is Eunuch Woo here?”

At the voice from outside, Rembrary, feeling only half-present, stopped sweeping and hurried to the door.

A eunuch he didn’t recognize stood there with his hands behind his back.

Rembrary was about to ask, “Eunuch, did you call me?” but remembered Hyegyeol’s advice: “If you don’t know the names of the other eunuchs, just call them ‘Public’,” and asked with a smile.

“Public, did you call for Woo Yeon-woo?”

The man became very angry, insisting he wasn’t a eunuch but a civil official.

“Isn’t that a eunuch’s uniform?”

“Where does this look like a eunuch’s uniform!”

The civil official huffed. When Rembrary tilted his head, the official shook his head and got to the point.

“I heard you lost your memory, so I’ll let it slide. His Majesty has given you a task. Go to the Eunuch Office immediately.”

“Where is the Eunuch Office?”

The ill-tempered civil official didn’t answer and turned away, leaving Rembrary dejectedly asking Hyegyeol, who happened to be passing by.

“It’s where the eunuchs learn palace etiquette.”

Fortunately, Hyegyeol explained and gave him directions, which seemed easy enough to follow.

“I wish I could go with you.”

“It’s okay. I think I know where it is.”

“I’m still a little worried. Why did a civil official deliver such a message instead of another eunuch?”

Hyegyeol remained anxious, but he had other duties and couldn’t accompany him right away.

Rembrary repeatedly assured the anxious Hyegyeol that he would be fine and hurried towards the Eunuch Office.

‘The Eunuch Office is the second building past the shrine.’

* * *

Rembrary deliberately took the road near the shrine to reach the Eunuch Office. As he passed the shrine, he glanced inside.

He wasn’t planning to enter, but it was a place where Lumena’s energy emanated, so he simply took a look.

‘Huh?’

As he passed, he noticed something inside that he hadn’t seen yesterday.

‘That is…….’

He thought he knew what it was, but to be sure, he approached and saw a basket of burdock [a root vegetable often used in traditional medicine]. Moreover, there was a small note behind the burdock.

Rembrary looked around, bent down, and pulled out the note.

Small letters were written on it.

-I’m in danger. I need your help. Quickly raise money and help me.

“Danger…….”

Rembrary stared at the note, put it back behind the burdock, and ran back the way he came.

Shin Jo-woon watched from a tree. As the situation unfolded as he intended, he satisfyingly snapped off a leaf and held it.

“Now he’ll raise money and try to meet his gang. If I just follow him, I can find out his purpose in coming to the palace and his true identity.”

From the start, Shin Jo-woon had deliberately arranged for Rembrary to pass by the shrine by assigning him an errand that took him that way.

He had predicted that Rembrary would definitely look inside or listen if he passed by.

The shadow guard [a personal bodyguard or spy] nearby flattered him as soon as Shin Jo-woon finished speaking.

“Your Majesty is brilliant.”

Shin Jo-woon casually ignored the compliment and pondered whether to assign another eunuch or guard to watch the shrine, or to stay and see who the suspicious eunuch was meeting.

He was curious about what would happen if he left it to the guard, but he didn’t want to waste time staying there.

Before he could decide, the low-ranking eunuch returned. He was awkwardly concealing something long and thin inside his wide sleeves.

‘What is it?’

Instead of leaving, Shin Jo-woon leaned down and focused his vision.

The low-ranking eunuch was already standing in front of the basket, looking down at its contents.

‘Is that money in his arms?’

‘Can that eunuch fill the basket with money?’ As he wondered, the low-ranking eunuch took out a piece of paper and began to write on it with the long, thin object he had brought.

It wasn’t money, but a portable fine brush.

‘Is he deciding on a place to meet?’

After writing, the eunuch put the paper back under the burdock with a gloomy face, hesitated several times, and then left. Shin Jo-woon jumped down from the tree.

‘Too easy.’

Shin Jo-woon, strolling casually, smiled coldly and stood in front of the basket.

“Finally, I’ve caught your tail.”

The shadow guard quickly approached and smiled with satisfaction.

At Shin Jo-woon’s gesture, the shadow guard took out the note from under the burdock and handed it to the emperor.

“Read it.”

But Shin Jo-woon, who had already lost interest, turned away as soon as he gave the order.

He had been curious about the low-ranking eunuch’s identity, especially since he was a master of martial arts, but he lost all interest when it was revealed so easily in just a few days.

Bored again, he moved on. Behind him, the shadow guard recited the note.

“I’m a beggar. Waaah.”

“!”

Shin Jo-woon, nearly tripping over his clothes, hurriedly regained his balance and turned around.

The shadow guard stood awkwardly before kneeling on the ground and shouting.

“Please kill me!”

* * *

‘To dare impersonate a god.’

Rembrary clicked his tongue as he walked along with his hands behind his back.

He almost fell for the burdock trick. He immediately realized the other party wasn’t Lumena when they asked for money.

‘Who on earth would tell such a lie?’

Rembrary shook his head and continued towards the Eunuch Office.

* * *

Late at night.

Rembrary, who had washed his face with ice-cold water, burrowed into the blanket with his cheeks red and asked Hyegyeol, who was organizing the drawers.

“Hyegyeol, do you know what kind of god is enshrined in the shrine?”

Hyegyeol explained while busily moving her hands.

“A benefactor gave us great help when the country was in turmoil a long time ago.”

“Benefactor?”

“Yes. It’s said that the benefactor left behind a sacred object when they left. That benefactor wasn’t human.”

“But why doesn’t anyone go near there?”

“The benefactor saw them build the shrine and said at that time, ‘The inside of the shrine is unstable, so never come near it.'”

“When was that?”

“Well…… a few hundred years ago?”

“And everyone listens so well.”

“It can’t be helped. Actually, strange shadows or sounds are sometimes seen around there. On nights with a full moon, the shadows even come out of the shrine. It’s so scary.”

“Shadow…….”

“So everyone hates going near there. The old eunuch in charge never goes there at night either.”

Rembrary wriggled under the blanket and exclaimed.

“It’s admirable that they haven’t thrown it away and are taking good care of it.”

“The benefactor said, ‘It’s a road I might pass again,’ and told them to leave it as it is because it’s safe if you don’t get close.”

Rembrary was still impressed.

Even if they tell you not to come, curious people usually don’t listen, but they’ve kept the words of a benefactor from hundreds of years ago so well.

There are various reasons, but it was still amazing. And above all…….

‘The method is the same as Lumena’s.’

Rembrary recalled the crack in the village where Si-young was.

Lumena used the building to block the crack at that time as well.

‘It’s strange that strange sounds or shapes are seen. Could it be that Lumena created a small crack while coming here and blocked it with that shrine?’

Unlike Earth, there is no need for so many people to migrate, so there is no need to keep the crack open.

‘It seems possible…… I should go there again at night.’

* * *

“It’s embarrassing, but many people know that Rembrary and I don’t get along. But if I can save someone, I’ll go save them no matter who it is, like in the past when I helped people until my powers disappeared.”

As soon as Woo Yeon-woo opened the car door and stepped out, he smiled calmly at the crowd of microphones and cameras.

Every time the lights flashed, the natural makeup he had received from the salon made his skin look subtly radiant.

He didn’t look tired at all, and there was no official press conference. Woo Yeon-woo seemed to have assessed and resolved everything on the spot.

When he appeared in front of the research center with a calm and confident demeanor and said these words, everyone gathered there thought:

Woo Yeon-woo is indeed Woo Yeon-woo. Amazing.

[Woo Yeon-woo will definitely save Rembrary. Doesn’t mix personal feelings when saving someone……]

As soon as LLL Entertainment received a call from an employee at the scene, they immediately released the breaking news they had prepared, and soon this news spread to people who weren’t even there.

When he appeared voluntarily and in such a wonderful manner, even the people who had been trying to criticize Woo Yeon-woo for entering the research center began to praise him, saying that he was ‘really amazing regardless of likes or dislikes’.

Even when Woo Sung-woo tried to enter the research center with Woo Yeon-woo, no one ridiculed him for bringing a bodyguard because he was scared.

The director of the research center, who had been waiting in front of the building after receiving a call from Woo Yeon-woo, stood with a smile and praised Woo Yeon-woo as if he was truly moved when he approached.

“You are indeed a hero.”

Shin Jo-woon, who was standing next to him, didn’t say anything, but his expression was no different from usual.

For a moment, Woo Yeon-woo and Shin Jo-woon’s eyes met, and then Shin Jo-woon and Woo Sung-woo’s eyes collided.

When Woo Sung-woo glared at Shin Jo-woon, Shin Jo-woon smiled and casually put his hand on Woo Yeon-woo’s shoulder, saying leisurely,

“Don’t worry. I went in and out of here, and it wasn’t dangerous at all.”

Woo Yeon-woo looked at him with eyes that said, ‘What are you up to?’ but Shin Jo-woon just smiled politely, as he had when they were close before, and opened the door with his other hand.

The sight looked very affectionate, and when Shin Jo-woon took Woo Yeon-woo inside, the people watching were all relieved and whispered.

“It’ll be safe with Woo Sung-woo and Shin Jo-woon next to him.”

“That’s right. Shin Jo-woon hasn’t been spending time with Woo Yeon-woo recently, but they used to be on good terms.”

“It looks like they still like each other now?”

“They just don’t hang out ostentatiously, but they must have been close all along.”

Woo Sung-woo stood at the door until the director of the research center and the Lion Lord [likely a nickname or title] entered, making sure he was the last to go in. After hearing the people talking, he thought that Shin Jo-woon was a fox-like guy.

Those words were echoed by Shin Jo-woon as soon as Woo Sung-woo closed the door and came inside, immediately taking his arm off Woo Yeon-woo’s shoulder.

“I thought Woo Sung-woo was a dog, but he’s a fox. Did Woo Sung-woo plan this whole entrance scene?”

When Woo Sung-woo glared sharply at those words, Shin Jo-woon smiled and corrected himself, saying, “Ah.”

“I wonder if foxes are also canids.”

Woo Sung-woo was about to say something, but Woo Yeon-woo grabbed his arm and shook his head.

“Don’t worry about it. Let’s just do what we have to do and go.”

As Woo Sung-woo took care of Woo Yeon-woo and walked ahead, the director of the research center smiled contentedly at the sight.

He couldn’t be in a bad mood with his second, fourth, fifth, and eighth research subjects of interest together.

And the Lion Lord thought this situation was like a fight between a snake, a fox, a raccoon, and a Maltese [a small dog breed].

However, after the five people walked a few steps while immersed in their own thoughts, the lights suddenly started flickering, and a faint light started coming from the hallway inside.

Woo Yeon-woo, Woo Sung-woo, and the Lion Lord were surprised and looked in that direction.

There, with a reddish light behind them, someone stood revealed only in silhouette.