Holy Idol [EN]: Chapter 685

Rembrary was surprised to hear about Mooloo’s whereabouts from an unexpected person and asked,

“Mooloo came here? When did he arrive?”

Cloth frowned and retorted, feigning surprise,

“Didn’t you send him?”

“No, I didn’t.”

At Rembrary’s answer, a mischievous smile spread across Cloth’s lips.

“Oh dear, High Priest. Did you misplace a subordinate?”

He seemed to be openly enjoying Rembrary’s potential predicament.

“When did Mooloo arrive? Did he come alone? Was anyone else with him?”

However, when Rembrary didn’t react to his goading, Cloth’s expression turned listless, as if his amusement had deflated.

“Your subordinate is missing, yet you remain so composed, High Priest. Are you truly unconcerned?”

“Is that an observation based on experience?”

“An observation based on experience?”

“You’re currently without a master, aren’t you? Is that why you’re so emotionally volatile?”

“!”

Cloth opened his mouth as if to retort angrily.

But in the end, he remained silent, turned away with a cold smile, and walked off.

“Cloth?”

Rembrary called out, but Cloth didn’t turn back and continued to leave.

As they were left alone, Sagamjae, who had been observing the exchange, clicked his tongue.

“Why do you provoke people when you’re trying to get information from them?”

“I wasn’t provoking him. He’s simply overreacting. He’s not usually like this.”

“…….”

“He must be particularly emotional right now. Anyway, Mooloo came here. At least he’s alive. That’s good enough.”

“Good enough?”

“I’m constantly in the news, aren’t I? He’ll see reports of my return and come to headquarters on his own.”

Sagamjae asked, his voice laced with doubt at Rembrary’s seemingly quick reassurance.

“Aren’t you worried at all?”

“Who do you think he is?”

Rembrary didn’t waver, boasting with a confident smile.

“Our Mooloo is a leader I personally selected.”

“That’s unexpected.”

“What is?”

“I assumed you wouldn’t trust anyone but yourself.”

“More importantly, what about that?”

Rembrary pointed to the swirling flow of power above the area where the Demon King was sealed, steering away from the previous topic.

“If it’s the demons’ doing, we can simply order them to stop. But if even the demons are unaware, isn’t that a problem?”

Sagamjae eyed Rembrary suspiciously but answered dutifully.

“I’ll have to report this to the Great King [the ruler of the underworld in some mythologies].”

“Then, could you let me know what the Great King says later?”

“If there’s no order to keep it a secret.”

“If the Great King orders secrecy, tell him Rembrary respects him.”

Sagamjae stared at Rembrary, mouth agape, then said firmly.

“Does our Great King seem like your personal deity? Such flattery won’t work on him.”

“Still, please relay the message.”

When Rembrary persisted, Sagamjae nodded.

“Okay. It’s not difficult to pass on the message. What about you? Are you planning to investigate this separately?”

“Hmm. I’ll decide after hearing what Lord Yama [another name for the ruler of the underworld] says. It might be something beyond human capabilities.”

“If it’s something you can’t handle? Are you going to try to resolve it alone again?”

“You’re here this time, aren’t you?”

“I don’t know whether to be happy or annoyed.”

Sagamjae shook his head, then took out his cell phone as it rang and muttered.

“I have to go now. I have my own duties to attend to.”

Sagamjae put his cell phone in his pocket and gestured towards the car with his chin.

“Get in. I’ll drive you home.”

“I can drive myself.”

“And it’ll be in the newspaper tomorrow: ‘Healer causes mass casualty event, sending 50 to the hospital.'”

“!”

* * *

After Sagamjae dropped Rembrary off at his house and departed, Rembrary wandered around the house, lost in thought.

‘What exactly was that?’

Did Cloth know something and was feigning ignorance, or was he genuinely unaware?

Rembrary was pacing thoughtfully when he noticed an unfamiliar car pulling into the driveway. Jang Tae-ri parked in the guest parking spot and got out.

“Tae-ri?”

Rembrary was pleased and hurried to greet him.

He had momentarily forgotten that he had arranged a meeting for Shin Jo-un and Jang Tae-ri to reconcile the previous day.

Seeing Jang Tae-ri arrive the very next day, he assumed things had gone well.

“Tae-ri, did you reconcile with Anchovy [a nickname for Shin Jo-un]?”

However, at Rembrary’s cheerful question, Jang Tae-ri’s expression turned complicated.

“I take it you didn’t reconcile.”

Rembrary, quick to pick up on social cues, immediately recognized the expression. But Jang Tae-ri’s expression grew even stranger, and he scratched his head before asking.

“Rembrary, did you perhaps have a fight with Jo-un?”

“No? Why?”

“I’m not sure why you’re under that impression, but I didn’t fight with Jo-un. We simply had a pleasant meal together yesterday.”

“It was pleasant? What did you eat?”

“It was delicious. I’ll take you there sometime. But focus on what I said earlier: I didn’t fight with him.”

Rembrary’s eyes widened. You didn’t fight?

“If you didn’t fight, why is Anchovy acting like that?”

“What’s Anchovy doing?”

“He’s not replying to my messages or answering my calls.”

“Then why did you assume he fought with me?”

“I thought he was avoiding me because he was reminded of you.”

Jang Tae-ri pressed his fingers to his temple and pursed his lips.

“Why?”

Rembrary asked, noticing his frustration, and Jang Tae-ri answered in a subdued tone.

“I’m trying to figure out where to even begin explaining things to you.”

Rembrary, being considerate, was about to wait for Jang Tae-ri to gather his thoughts, but then belatedly realized something and asked, surprised.

“Then is Anchovy angry with me?”

“Probably.”

Rembrary was even more taken aback by Jang Tae-ri’s answer. He couldn’t even imagine what Anchovy could be angry about, yet he was apparently upset.

“Why is he angry?”

“Do you have any idea why?”

“No.”

“Wouldn’t it be similar to the reason I was angry?”

“Tae-ri, are you angry?”

Jang Tae-ri pressed his temple again, his expression becoming serious.

Rembrary also looked at Jang Tae-ri with a serious face, then quickly turned away and smiled.

“Tae-ri, you’re not Anchovy, so you’re not angry, right?”

“…….”

* * *

“Tonight’s dinner features a dish from my hometown, after a long time!”

When Rembrary finished his bath and entered the kitchen, Ardor proudly presented a colorful dish adorned with strawberries and pineapple.

Hwasa might not like Ardor, but he didn’t dislike Ardor’s cooking, so he quickly took a seat and picked up his chopsticks.

Rembrary also sat down and surveyed the lavish meal before him.

Then, once Ardor had finished setting the table and taken his own seat, Rembrary addressed them both.

“If Anchovy were angry with me, what do you think the reason would be?”

“He’s simply full of himself.”

At Ardor’s immediate response, Hwasa frowned and glared at him.

Rembrary noticed the expression and pointedly turned to Hwasa.

“Lion, what do you think is the reason?”

Rembrary knew that Ardor tended to be biased when it came to matters concerning him, so he sought the more rational Hwasa’s opinion in situations like this.

Hwasa glanced at Ardor, then cut a large piece of food and placed it on his plate before responding.

“How would you feel if your friend saved you and then disappeared?”

“I’d be grateful.”

“…….”

“Why?”

Hwasa, having posed the question himself, widened his eyes at the answer and looked at Rembrary before turning to Ardor.

“Is that a common value in your world? It’s not, is it?”

“High Priest is the standard of values. If High Priest is grateful, then he is grateful.”

“That’s not a universal value. That’s why you and those two holy knights were shocked and vanished into thin air.”

“I won’t answer because it’s too difficult to explain.”

Rembrary listened to their conversation, understood Hwasa’s point, and added with a smile.

“Of course, I’d also be sad and worried. Would I only feel gratitude?”

Hwasa was somewhat relieved by the added clarification and asked.

“Wouldn’t you also be angry?”

“Why?”

“Why? It’s obvious, isn’t it?”

“Why?”

“Well… no, it is obvious, isn’t it?”

Hwasa stammered. It was an extremely obvious emotion, yet so obvious that it was difficult to articulate.

“No, isn’t it? You want your close friend to be healthy and safe. But he did something I didn’t want for my sake, so wouldn’t you be angry?”

“Aren’t you overcomplicating things?”

“You’re being too simplistic!”

Rembrary raised his eyebrows at Hwasa, who had raised his voice.

“I understand. So, Anchovy is angry because of that kind of reasoning?”

“Probably.”

He didn’t fully grasp it, but since Hwasa was so insistent, Rembrary decided to agree.

Besides, thinking back, Jang Tae-ri had also mentioned being angry after Rembrary left.

He had said he was angry, but his tone was more worried, so Rembrary hadn’t paid much attention to that part.

Rembrary shook his head.

‘These heretics are so much trouble.’

* * *

After finishing dinner, Rembrary debated whether to go and appease Shin Jo-un or not, but decided to postpone it until tomorrow since it was late.

And the next day, Rembrary decided to visit World Boom in the morning.

He still didn’t understand the reason for Anchovy’s anger, but since Jang Tae-ri and Hwasa both suggested he might be upset, he decided to reach out first, acting as a generous High Priest.

Rembrary admired his own magnanimity and headed to the kitchen.

“Lion, take me to World Boom later.”

“Am I your personal chauffeur? You have a car.”

“I’m skilled at most things, but I sometimes mix up the brake and the accelerator.”

“That’s practically admitting you don’t know how to drive.”

“You don’t have to put it so bluntly; I’m not arrogant.”

“I don’t expect humility, but at least acknowledge reality.”

But as he was coordinating his schedule with Hwasa and eating breakfast, a call came from Daeju.

Daeju rarely called in the morning, so Rembrary was puzzled and answered the phone.

“Why are you calling?”

Unexpectedly, as soon as he answered, Daeju asked in a hurried voice.

“High Priest, do you have any plans today?”

His voice was so loud that Ardor, sitting across from him, gave him a questioning look.

“I was planning to see Anchovy.”

While still puzzled, Rembrary revealed his plans, and Daeju hesitated for a moment before asking.

“If it’s not an urgent matter, could you come here instead?”

“What’s going on?”

Daeju’s voice was more urgent than usual, and he was even asking him to cancel his appointment, so Rembrary grew anxious, wondering what had happened. He recalled the strange flow of power he had sensed above the Demon King’s seal and various alarming possibilities flooded his mind.

“What’s happening? I’ll head over now.”

“It’s about the people you healed the day before yesterday, High Priest. It’s about the side effects.”