Holy Idol [EN]: Chapter 512

◈ 512. Don’t Ask Me

“This fairy tale world isn’t anything special.”

Rembrary said, eating his sixth plate of carrot cake, making Maeng Wooshin want to punch him about six times.

‘That smug bastard!’

Of course, it wouldn’t seem like much to Rembrary.

Since arriving here, all he’s done is sleep in, eat something, take a walk, eat something again, look around the fairy tale village and eat something else, then come back, eat something again, wash up, and sleep.

“Damn it!”

Meanwhile, Maeng Wooshin’s days were harder than reality.

Unlike the original story, Rembrary didn’t torment Maeng Wooshin, but the stepmother kept calling Maeng Wooshin over to do this and that.

It wasn’t like she would break things, lock him up, or use a switch if he didn’t do what she said.

She would just mutter with a shocked expression, “You don’t seem like Cinderella…?”

If the characters realize he’s not the real Cinderella, the Cinderella story can’t proceed.

If the Cinderella story doesn’t proceed, he can’t get out of the dungeon.

Maeng Wooshin had no choice but to do whatever the stepmother told him, with tears in his eyes.

[Chief, ㅠ]

[I’m never following you into a dungeon again, Chief]

[If you’re short on people, just do it yourself]

[ㅜㅜ]

Living the Cinderella life and occasionally texting the Chief to complain, one day.

The long-awaited invitation to the ball finally arrived.

* * *

“Finally!”

Maeng Wooshin ran and snatched the gold-leafed invitation as soon as he saw it.

“Cinderella, what do you think you’re doing? Let go of that!”

The stepmother appeared immediately and snatched the invitation away, but it didn’t matter. The important thing was that the invitation had arrived, not its contents.

Besides, the contents were-

“It says the ball will be held in two days. It starts at six in the evening.”

Rembrary helpfully informed him.

Maeng Wooshin couldn’t help but shout again.

“Finally!”

“An invitation to the ball only two days in advance.”

“Is that what’s important? The fact that it’s happening is what matters!”

Maeng Wooshin cursed quietly and plopped down on the hard bed.

“Finally, I’m getting out of this awful place.”

“It seems easier than other dungeons, though.”

“It would be easy for you since you’ve been playing and eating.”

The events following the arrival of the invitation were also good for Maeng Wooshin.

Because the time to prepare for the ball was so short, the stepmother was busy making custom clothes for Rembrary, leaving her no time to order Maeng Wooshin around.

In the original story, Maeng Wooshin would have been busy preparing his own clothes for the ball during this time, but Maeng Wooshin didn’t do that.

Maeng Wooshin knew that whatever clothes he prepared, the stepmother would ruin them on the day of the ball, so he didn’t bother preparing any.

After all, the fairy godmother would come and make clothes with magic.

“Maeng, are you sure you don’t want to prepare anything?”

“Why bother? It’s more idiotic to watch them get torn apart.”

Two days later, Maeng Wooshin’s prediction came true.

The stepmother was displeased that Maeng Wooshin was dressed slightly neater than usual, claiming he was going to the ball, and immediately poured juice on him.

“You’ll have to go wash up. We’ll go ahead, Cinderella. Come at your leisure.”

The stepmother smiled sweetly, took Rembrary, and left. Maeng Wooshin quickly took off his wet clothes.

“I expected it, but it’s still annoying.”

He put on his usual old clothes and lay down on the sofa. The fairy godmother would appear if he did this.

“……”

* * *

‘Why isn’t she coming?’

Waking up from a nap, Maeng Wooshin checked the time and reflexively cursed.

He jumped up. His eyes went back to the clock.

“Why isn’t she coming?”

This time, the question was spoken out loud.

The ball starts at 6 PM. The current time is 8 PM. He slept for two hours.

But the fairy godmother didn’t come. Not only did she not come, but she didn’t even wake him up.

“Is she okay?”

Maeng Wooshin muttered once and found the answer himself.

She’s not okay.

“Ardor is the fairy godmother? That son of a bitch! He’s deliberately not coming!”

They need to work together to get out, but Ardor was crazy.

He doesn’t know how the mindset of a crazy person works.

Because that bastard only cares about the High Priest and Redrin from head to toe.

“Damn it, he’s definitely trying to screw me over.”

Maeng Wooshin got up from the sofa and paced anxiously around the living room.

‘What should I do?’

Will Ardor come back here when he’s had his fun? What if he doesn’t come at all? Then even Rembrary, who he worships, won’t be able to return?

“Damn it. I should have asked Rembrary to come with me. Ardor, you bastard, you’re supposed to be the fairy godmother, where are you skipping off to?”

* * *

Maeng Wooshin wouldn’t be comforted by knowing this, but the fairy godmother wasn’t skipping off.

The fairy godmother was currently hand-making glass slippers.

It was because the fairy assistant explained that while the dress and pumpkin carriage could be solved with a magic wand, the glass slippers had to be handmade.

He didn’t know why, though.

Anyway, that’s why Mulu had been working on this task since even two days ago.

But there was no way Mulu, who had only ever held a spear in his life, could properly make glass slippers.

“Fairy, Fairy. The toe of the shoe is too blunt!”

Moreover, the fairy assistants were only running their mouths and not providing any real help.

“Try to make it better!”

“Doesn’t it just need to fit the foot?”

“Fairy, Fairy. That’s not a shoe, it’s a flip-flop!”

“Doesn’t it just need to be wearable?”

“Oh my! Fairy! Who would be impressed if Cinderella showed up in slippers?”

After being nagged so much, Mulu finally couldn’t stand it and asked.

“Have you ever been to a ball?”

“No.”

“Then don’t interfere. I have. Cinderella will stand out even if she wears this.”

“She’ll stand out in a weird way!”

“That’s a problem Cinderella needs to overcome with effort.”

“Excuse me?”

“And the Cinderella I know will stand out no matter what.”

Mulu, thinking of Ardor, thought that he would do well and continued to make glass flip-flops.

It was no use even if the fairies shouted, ‘Oh no, what should we do!’ above his head.

“Stop being so noisy. Just keep track of the time.”

* * *

Mulu was working hard, but that effort was not conveyed to Maeng Wooshin.

Maeng Wooshin didn’t even know that the fairy godmother was Mulu.

He was convinced that Ardor was the only one who would pull such a prank on him.

“Damn it. I can’t take it anymore.”

Maeng Wooshin bit his lip, checked the time, and then checked a text message from the Chief.

He had informed him of the situation, and the Chief had actually sent a reply.

[Even if you wear rags, the prince has to choose you, so why don’t you just go?]

“Yeah. I should.”

Maeng Wooshin thought the Chief was right. The prince has no choice anyway.

But if he completely ignored the TPO [Time, Place, Occasion – dress code], he might not even be allowed into the ballroom.

Maeng Wooshin thought for a moment and took out the neatest outfit he could find from his luggage.

It wasn’t a ball gown, but it was better than the clothes Cinderella wore while working at home.

After that, Maeng Wooshin hurriedly went to the village, bought a horse, and rode straight to the palace.

More hours were wasted in the process, but he thought he could get in on time if he wasn’t caught by the guards.

‘Now the key is the glass slippers. Not the pumpkin carriage, but the glass slippers. It would be troublesome if Ardor didn’t give me the glass slippers even if I went. But… damn it. Ardor can’t completely ignore the story either. He’ll bring something similar to glass slippers anyway.’

He was worried that the guards might stop him, but fortunately, he joined the crowd of latecomers to the ball, and no one stopped him.

“He’s so handsome.”

“He’s good-looking.”

“I’ve never seen him before.”

Fortunately, the hastily chosen outfit seemed to work thanks to his celebrity visuals, and he could hear people whispering around him.

Maeng Wooshin felt relieved.

Time was tight, but he wasn’t here to enjoy the ball.

Still, he should be able to meet the prince. Then he would receive the glass slippers, put them on, and run….

“Damn it.”

Maeng Wooshin’s eyes welled up as he felt unfairly treated. Why does it feel like I’m the only one suffering?

Warrion watched the scene through a crystal ball, chatting with the Demon King’s aides in another area.

* * *

Noir: That’s unexpected. Why did you give that human that role? I thought you’d give the High Priest the hardest role.

Warrion: They’re united around the High Priest, so if I gave the High Priest the Cinderella role, they’d escape easily. I need to put the most isolated person from the group there lol [laugh out loud]

Warrion: They’ll never get out this time ㅋㅋ [onomatopoeia for laughter]

Noir: Wow, you’re so smart

Warrion: Thx thx [Thanks, thanks]

Black Dragon: I came up with it lol

Noir: Ah. That explains it.

Warrion: ???? What’s that dragon saying? No

Black Dragon: Pay up lol

Warrion: ??? What are you saying? No, I came up with it

Cloth: Warri Warri

Warrion: Why

Cloth: Warri Warri

Warrion: Ugh, why

Cloth: I’m on your side ^^

Warrion: Thanks ㅠㅠ [crying emoticon]

Cloth: But I think you’re going to lose ^^ I think the High Priest will escape again ^^

Noir: ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋThat’s meanㅋㅋㅋㅋ Why are you backstabbing himㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Warrion: You demon bastards

Black Dragon: Bastards? Does that include me?

Warrion: Yes! Bastards! You demon bastards!

Black Dragon: Okay lol Then I’ll report you for defamation with factual information lol

Noir: Where are you going to report him ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Black Dragon: To Redrin lol

Noir: That crazy demonㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Cloth: Why are you reporting Warri to Redrin ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Noir: He’ll probably die on his way to report him lol

Cloth: The retainer fee is your head…!

Black Dragon: Then I’m a Red Dragon now. Don’t talk to me, you demon bastards lol We’re in different factions lol

Noir: Is he crazy ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

I’m serious, but they’re laughing like it’s a good thing! You bad demon bastards! Warrion felt bad and didn’t want to share the crystal ball screen with the other demons.

But he was the one who asked the other pillar keepers for help, saying that the High Priest had passed through two areas in a row and that they had to stop him this time.

If he got angry at the chat and withdrew the crystal ball video sharing, those disloyal bastards would never help him with anything else.

Warrion gnashed his teeth, stared at the crystal ball, changed the focus, and looked at the other side.

* * *

“Hasn’t she arrived yet?”

“No, no. She hasn’t arrived yet, Your Highness.”

“Sound the fanfare as soon as she arrives. Understood?”

“Yes. Yes.”

Ardor, who was supposed to be Cinderella but had become the prince, firmly believed that the Cinderella role would go to Rembrary.

Because the High Priest is the protagonist of the whole world.

Ardor repeatedly instructed the attendant reading the names of the attendees at the door to ‘Sound the fanfare when Cinderella arrives’ and looked at his watch.

The huge clock, taking up 1/3 of the wall, already pointed to 11:20 PM.

‘Why isn’t she coming?’

Isn’t 12 o’clock the time limit? Ardor anxiously paced below the stairs connected to the ballroom entrance, holding a large bouquet of flowers.

“It seems the prince is waiting for someone.”

“Who could it be?”

By this point, the invited guests had noticed that the prince was openly waiting for someone and were whispering among themselves.

Then.

“Cinderella has arrived!”

The attendant calling out the attendees near the ballroom entrance shouted, and the long-awaited fanfare finally sounded.

Ardor hurriedly looked up. Someone was coming down the stairs.

He couldn’t see her face because of the lighting, but it must be the High Priest.

Ardor couldn’t wait and hurried up the stairs.

The guests stopped dancing and all looked there.

Who is the person the prince is waiting for? They were so curious.

Who is the owner who will embrace that bouquet? How amazing will they be?

And finally, the moment the prince and Cinderella met near the center of the stairs.

Just as people were preparing to be amazed, the prince swung the bouquet he was holding like a weapon at the other person.

“Gasp!”

“Your Highness!”

The people staggered in shock, but the most surprised was Ardor himself.

“Why are you here? Where’s the High Priest!”