Holy Idol [EN]: Chapter 432

Even after the performance concluded, silence lingered.

The audience was so captivated by the divine resonance of the voice, which had sweetly filled their ears, that they were momentarily paralyzed.

They simply stood there, blankly staring ahead.

Seeing this, the bandits grew slightly worried, wondering, “Wasn’t it good? Why isn’t anyone reacting?” Just then, the first applause erupted from the audience.

The bandits’ and Duran’s gazes snapped towards the sound.

The city lord, dressed in a flamboyant outfit of mixed blue and red, was clapping enthusiastically with a pleased expression.

“Excellent! Very good!”

The lord, who had been clapping while seated, stood up and clapped again. Only then did the people come to their senses, cheering and clapping along, “Wow! Wow!”

Duran, relieved, smiled brightly, recalling the smiles and praise he received from his bandmates after his successful first performance. He looked at Rembrary.

He wanted to give Rembrary that same feeling: the sense of accomplishment after a successful performance, the pride of receiving applause for the first time, and the trust-filled gazes exchanged with comrades.

However, Rembrary was different from Duran in his rookie days. Rembrary was already calm, even relaxed.

His casual demeanor—one hand behind his back, waving with the other—seemed practiced, as if he had done this many times before.

While worrying that the lord might be displeased, Duran couldn’t help but think Rembrary was a truly strange person.

*Just what is his identity? He came to save us, whom he barely knew. He can’t be a bad person…*

* * *

Contrary to Duran’s worries, the lord was not at all displeased. Rather, he was very pleased and called the group aside even after the celebration ended.

Then, he gathered those he considered his close friends—mostly bandits—below the platform and exclaimed with emotion.

“It must be because it was a stage made with the determination to die! It was so intense! So impressive! Captivating to the eyes, and then such a soft song!”

As the lord marveled, seemingly lost in enjoyment, the sycophants around him chimed in, agreeing with his every word.

Watching that harmonious scene, Rembrary was reminded of his past and muttered.

“Enviable.”

Duran, overhearing that quiet voice, asked softly.

“What is?”

Rembrary raised his hand and mimed rubbing his fingers together, a gesture suggesting flattery or bribery.

“The constantly flattering sycophants.”

“!”

Duran gasped silently and instinctively reached for his instrument.

He almost reflexively struck Rembrary’s mouth, but he barely managed to stop himself and quickly looked around.

Fortunately, everyone was focused on the lord and hadn’t noticed.

Duran, relieved, protested very quietly.

“What did those people do to be called sycophants?”

“I simply used that word because I had no other way to express it. I didn’t mean it in a bad way.”

“It invites misunderstanding! Use another word! Don’t say things like that. How unpleasant would that be?”

“Is there a word to replace it?”

“That’s… um… for example… uh…”

“Mosquitoes?”

“Yes, mosquitoes.”

After telling him to use that word from now on, Duran screamed silently again, *으아아악*.

“Don’t do that either!”

But despite making people horrified, Rembrary was smiling happily.

“You. Now that I see it, you get excited often, just like Jongwoo.”

“Who is Jongwoo…”

“Spectacles.”

“What?”

“Virtuous Spectacles.”

“Is that a nickname? But glasses are very precious, right? Is that person rich?”

“Only in heart.”

“You… you’re positive, but you’re annoyingly positive…”

*Why does it feel so tiring just from having a conversation?* Duran barely resisted the urge to rub his temples, feeling more drained than when he was performing.

At this point, Duran also wanted the lord’s “mosquitoes” or sycophants to stop flattering him and quickly finish their business.

Just then.

“Hey, blonde. The blonde who sang.”

The lord, who had been laughing and chatting, pointed at Rembrary.

Seeing that Rembrary seemed to be lost in thought, Duran nudged him. Rembrary immediately understood and stepped forward.

“Come here. Come a little closer.”

As Rembrary approached, the people around the lord simultaneously exclaimed, “Wow.” The sound was loud enough to reach Duran.

Rembrary didn’t show much reaction, as this was a familiar occurrence.

On the other hand, the lord, who knew Rembrary was handsome even from afar, marveled again at how fantastic he looked up close and said.

“You really sing well. In my life, I’ve never seen a singer who sings as well as you.”

Duran watched the scene with pride, but,

“Is that so.”

As soon as Rembrary replied, Duran screamed silently, rushed forward, grabbed Rembrary’s waist, and quickly pushed him down.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! He’s a foreigner! His pronunciation is accurate, but *only* his pronunciation is accurate! He’s currently speaking in a foreign language! He hasn’t learned honorifics yet! I’m sorry for his rudeness!”

“I know how to use honorifics.”

To the oblivious nuisance, Duran pleaded, “Say you don’t!” but Rembrary smiled again, as if he enjoyed the chaos.

Rembrary was thinking to himself, *He really is like Jongwoo,* but Duran had no way of knowing this.

Fortunately, the lord didn’t seem offended at all.

“Haha! Foreign languages are originally difficult. I can’t speak any foreign languages either!”

“That’s right. That’s right.”

“If a foreigner is at that level, they’ve learned the language well. Yes, singer, what is your name?”

“Rembrary.”

At Rembrary’s answer, the lord’s sycophants whispered, “He’s definitely a foreigner. His name is foreign.”

The lord nodded and asked with a pleased expression.

“How did you end up coming here?”

At this point, Duran felt like his heart was being squeezed.

He was anxious and nervous, as if he hadn’t slept for days, wondering what words would come out of Rembrary’s mouth.

“I came to join the imperial troupe.”

But the words Rembrary uttered were surprisingly considerate of his close friends.

Duran was surprised, relieved, and grateful at those words, and he opened his mouth.

“So write me a recommendation.”

That grateful feeling, however, turned back into a silent scream at the blatant request.

Duran silently despaired, but the lord laughed it off again.

“I should write it! If it’s a troupe with such skill, I should definitely write it!”

Duran was faintly moved by the lord’s genuinely kind demeanor.

Meanwhile, the lord turned to the bandit leader and spoke.

“You said it was your wish to have a stage in front of me. It was a bit small for that, though.”

The bandit leader didn’t want to be noticed, but as a bandit, he was vulnerable to government officials.

“Yes…”

He reluctantly answered in a barely audible voice.

The lord smiled kindly and asked.

“Yes. Was your wish fulfilled?”

“Yes.”

The leader reluctantly answered again.

At those words, the lord nodded greatly and wished him well.

“You fulfilled your wish before you died, so you will find peace.”

The bandit leader twitched his back muscles in anger, but he couldn’t dare to curse in front of the lord as he usually did.

While the leader reluctantly 인사ed [bowed] again, “Yes, thank you.”

The bandit subordinates bit their lips tightly and lowered their gazes to suppress their laughter.

Rembrary watched all this with a pleased expression, thinking that he was indeed amazing.

* * *

After the celebration ended, the lord gave the group guest rooms, telling them to stay for a day while he wrote the recommendation.

The bandit leader grumbled, “What the hell does it take a day to write a recommendation?” but he swallowed his complaints as the chief steward approached to guide them to their rooms.

“Do not make too much of a mess in the rooms.”

The chief steward, who had guided the group to the guest rooms, repeatedly urged them, as if he didn’t want to provide such good rooms to an unknown wandering troupe, and then left.

As soon as the chief steward was gone, Rembrary leisurely looked around the mansion.

But when Rembrary took about two steps.

“Hey, Mr. Rem.”

The bandit leader called out as soon as he confirmed that the chief steward was definitely gone.

“Is Rem your last name?”

“Yes.”

“I’m not a Rem. My surname is longer and more flamboyant.”

“What does it matter? I’m leaving now anyway.”

“Leaving?”

As Rembrary looked at him with a puzzled expression, the bandit leader exaggerated a move he had done on stage and said fiercely.

“Did you think I’d follow you around forever doing *this*! *This*! *This*!”

“Where will you go?”

“Of course, I’ll return to the desert.”

“Yes. Farewell.”

Rembrary, not at all regretful, smiled and waved his hand.

“No, did you think I called you over just to hear your 인사 [farewell]?”

But the bandit leader grabbed Rembrary again as he turned around.

“Then?”

As Rembrary turned around, the bandit leader looked a bit embarrassed and pointed to his neck with his finger.

“You have to undo that strange and wicked spell you put on me. I really… even coughed up blood because of it. You know?”

“You were going to break your oath.”

“Not exactly…”

The bandit leader tried to make excuses, but Rembrary interrupted him.

“The condition has been met, so it has been automatically解除 [released]. You may go.”

“解除 [Released]? I didn’t do anything?”

However, the bandit leader asked again, seemingly disbelieving Rembrary’s words.

“Are you saying this, but I’m suddenly going to cough up blood and die on the way back?”

“There’s no way that could happen. Don’t worry.”

Rembrary told him gently, but the bandit leader still had a disbelieving look on his face.

But since Rembrary didn’t seem like he would do anything more, he turned around, feeling uneasy.

There was no way to do anything by force, and he didn’t want to follow him around asking, ‘Did you really undo the spell?’

“I don’t know. I’m leaving. Let’s not run into each other again. Hey! Follow me!”

As the bandit leader called his subordinates and went ahead, the bandits who had been about to unpack their luggage inside the building came out, bewildered.

“Huh? Leader? Are we leaving?”

“Aren’t we staying until tomorrow?”

“We performed together, shouldn’t we share the rewards?”

The bandits followed, complaining, but the bandit leader coldly retorted.

“You stupid bastards! If even one official here recognizes our faces, we’re in big trouble. Do you want to get caught?”

That was true, and the bandits left in a hurry, leaving only Duran and Rembrary alone in the large building.

As they were suddenly left alone in the noisy courtyard, Duran felt strange and looked at Rembrary.

“It’s nice and quiet.”

But Rembrary didn’t seem to care and was already walking towards the largest room.

Duran stared at his back and quickly followed, hugging his instrument.

“Let’s go together!”

*He’s really a strange person… but could it be because of that song that made the listener feel endlessly cozy that his back looks so reliable?*