Holy Idol [EN]: Chapter 709

◈ 709. Rembrary’s Concern

“Can I come with you?”

Before Rembrary could answer, Ardord jumped in and asked first.

The staff member looked at Ardord with a nervous face and refused without even thinking.

“No, you can’t.”

Ardord immediately retorted.

“How can you send only our Rembrary when we don’t even know what dangers lie inside?”

The staff member was rather dumbfounded.

‘Is this guy serious, saying that in front of a monster who didn’t even lift a finger during the preliminaries and knocked out all the surrounding participants and national hunters?’

However, the staff member knew that Ardord wasn’t called a fanatic for nothing, so he calmly explained.

“There’s no danger. And do you really think a few hunters could pose a threat to Rembrary?”

“Then there’s no reason I can’t come along.”

“…….”

Annoying but strangely logical, Ardord’s words made the staff member hesitate for a moment, but he eventually sighed and allowed it.

“Alright. Come along.”

‘Huh? He’s coming along? Me too?’

Hwasa didn’t intend to go, but as the group moved, he ended up going with them.

As Ardord followed the staff member, he whispered slightly to Rembrary.

“Even if our plan is discovered, do not worry, Rembrary-nim [a term of respect]. This Ardord will take responsibility and send all the evidence to the Grim Reaper.”

‘I can hear everything.’ The staff member thought to himself, but since he didn’t know that the Grim Reaper was a death god, he didn’t realize how dangerous Ardord’s words were just now.

Meanwhile, the group returned to the accommodation where the first preliminary round had taken place.

However, the destination was not the accommodation but the staff members’ and judges’ accommodation next to it.

As they went inside, unexpectedly, there was a chair in a large hall, and Hunter Jumin-gi was tied to it.

The other national hunters were surrounding him, and when they heard the sound of the door opening, they all looked this way at the same time.

‘It’s not because of Black Ring.’ Rembrary was relieved and looked at the staff member who had brought him.

“Did you call me because of him?”

“Yes. That person-”

Before the staff member could explain, Rembrary immediately realized the reason.

Unexpectedly, the jellyfish hunter, who had been drooping, stretched out his arms and made a desperate expression when he saw Rembrary.

The change in expression was a bit overwhelming.

Rembrary raised his eyebrows and looked at the staff member, who sighed and explained.

“We caught him, but he still doesn’t seem to be in his right mind. But he only reacts to Rembrary-nim’s name and keeps acting like he’s looking for Rembrary-nim.”

“I must be the most trustworthy.”

“No, I think the side effects have also affected Hunter Jumin-gi.”

As Rembrary approached Jumin-gi, who looked like he could no longer be considered human, he closed his eyes as if relieved and remained still.

Rembrary was amazed but also worried to see that this being, who seemed to have changed species and become closer to a monster, was receiving his divine power and showing an effect similar to that of a human.

‘Is Redrin’s demonization still the same?’

“Rembrary-nim?”

Rembrary, who had been momentarily lost in worry, snapped out of his thoughts and turned his head when he heard someone calling him from the side.

It was a hunter who had been examining Hunter Jumin-gi.

“What is it?”

As Rembrary looked at him, the hunter carefully approached and asked Rembrary.

“If it’s okay with you, could you please tell Jumin-gi that we are not people who will harm him and that he should cooperate with us?”

“Are you sure you won’t harm him?”

“……He was our colleague. He lost his mind because of a demon. Even though he lost his mind, he did commit some acts, so we can’t just let him go free… but we will protect him as much as possible.”

Listening to him, it seemed that the hunter originally knew Jumin-gi.

Rembrary nodded and whispered to Jumin-gi.

“They won’t harm you. Cooperate with your colleagues and don’t attack them.”

Jumin-gi, who had been causing trouble for people for years, nodded obediently.

The national hunters watched the scene with awe in their eyes without even realizing it.

* * *

Rembrary, who had contacted Mo-igi in the evening, made an appointment to meet at 1 p.m. the next day.

But the next day, as Rembrary was getting ready to go out, Jong-woo unexpectedly came with a pizza and shouted with a happy face.

“It’s not exactly what I expected, but you did well!”

“What are you talking about?”

“This first live broadcast of the main competition. You practically swept it.”

Jong-woo then handed over the pizza box with a moved expression.

“Is that so?”

“I’m glad. I thought you would definitely… definitely… do well.”

Hwasa, who was passing by, thought that what Jong-woo wanted to say was the opposite, but instead of interrupting, he received Rembrary’s pizza box and said.

“You have an appointment, right?”

Jong-woo widened his eyes and asked.

“Oh, you have an appointment? I came for a surprise visit. I should have said something before coming.”

“Would you like to come along?”

“Can I come along? Where are you going?”

“Black Ring-”

“No!”

Jong-woo immediately refused. But soon, he calmly thought about it and told him about Black Ring for the sake of image management.

“Ah, it’s not a bad reaction that you did something weird to those people. Anyway, they’re just troublemakers.”

Rembrary was disappointed, but he parted ways with Jong-woo and went to meet Mo-igi soon after.

However, Rembrary, who had heard good news one after another, was smiling gently as usual, but there was a heavy atmosphere somewhere.

Hwasa, who was moving with him to see Rembrary off, didn’t notice this at first.

However, as he walked along the street to find the meeting place, he belatedly noticed it and asked.

“Are you okay?”

“Me?”

“You seem to be subtly heavy?”

“I’ve always been serious.”

“No, not like that…….”

Hwasa stopped talking and tilted his head. Some sensations are difficult to explain specifically, and this was exactly the case.

It was especially difficult to express this subtle sense of incongruity because Rembrary looked no different from usual.

“Anyway, you’re really okay, right?”

“Of course.”

Hwasa thought about talking more, but Rembrary found the meeting place and spoke first.

“That must be it. Then I’ll go meet Mo-igi. Come back here in two hours.”

Rembrary waved his hand at Hwasa as soon as he finished speaking and went into the shaved ice shop.

Hwasa listened to the sound of the bell as the door closed, then crossed his arms and frowned.

“He passed the main competition. He caught Jumin-gi. People keep praising him. Bad words are fading away. It seems like he’ll find Mullu too. Why does he seem subtly depressed?”

* * *

Rembrary went into the store without knowing what Hwasa was thinking alone and looked for Mo-igi.

Mo-igi was sitting in front of a huge milk shaved ice. Then, when Rembrary approached, he quickly got up and smiled brightly.

“It’s Rembrary.”

“Look over there. Over there. Rembrary. Rembrary.”

“He’s so handsome. It’s crazy. He’s amazing in person.”

“Go get an autograph.”

“Ask him to take a picture.”

Rembrary waved his hand at the whispering sounds around him and approached Mo-igi.

Mo-igi watched Rembrary carefully taking care of the people and thought, ‘Isn’t he embarrassed?’ Then, when Rembrary sat opposite him, he said happily.

“Rembrary-nim is really good at everything except driving. It’s so nice to see you taking care of your fans.”

“I’m good at driving too.”

“…….”

Rembrary waved his hand and asked.

“I didn’t ask to see you today to talk about this.”

“I already received a call from another member. You’re looking for Mullu.”

“Where is he?”

“He’s in training.”

Mo-igi, who was speaking confidently, quickly added when Rembrary put his fingertips on his forehead and smiled kindly.

“But Mullu-nim is not the type of talent we want, so we have to return him.”

Mo-igi had already been treated by Rembrary and experienced the side effects, and he had a history of telling all the information he knew in a sincere bet [a situation where someone is compelled to tell the truth].

Those things hadn’t happened that long ago. That’s why he immediately laid down flat [surrendered].

Rembrary also had no intention of using a sincere bet here, where people’s attention was focused, so he immediately put his hand down and praised him warmly.

“That’s a good choice. When you send him back, be sure to cancel the brainwashing you put on him. Do you understand?”

Mo-igi answered sullenly.

“Yes…….”

But soon, Mo-igi looked at Rembrary with shining eyes and said.

“That’s right, Rembrary-nim. I also saw Rembrary-nim on TV. From devising plans to immediately removing problems, you were truly perfect.”

Seeing that he didn’t care even though Rembrary’s main target was the Black Rings, it seemed that the aftereffects of the side effects were still lingering even after a month.

However, Rembrary was not swept away by the praise.

His perfection was natural, so there was no need to be swept away by it just because someone else pointed it out.

Instead, Rembrary asked another question he was going to ask.

“More than that, you. How are you using the power in the place where the demon king is sealed?”

Mo-igi’s eyes widened.

“How did you find out even that?”

But unlike when he was talking about Mullu earlier, Mo-igi didn’t seem to want to talk about that story very much.

When the waiter gave Rembrary a new shaved ice in front of him, Rembrary scooped up the shaved ice and kindly explained to Mo-igi.

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

“Oh, is that so? Thank you.”

“But I’ll find out one way or another.”

“…….”

Mo-igi looked at Rembrary as if he was being too much.

But when Rembrary was only eating shaved ice, Mo-igi finally confessed honestly this time as well.

“My ability is to make colleagues. To be exact, it’s to change the direction of their thoughts as I want. But originally, the success rate wasn’t that high. But the success rate increased after I went to the demon king’s tomb. I don’t know how it happened. I’m just guessing that mental strength weakens around there.”

“When did you discover that?”

“Um… I don’t remember the exact date. It’s been a few years.”

Rembrary frowned.

‘My guess is correct. Even when the demon king was sealed not long ago, the flow was already flowing.’

Mo-igi, seeing that expression, glanced at him and said.

“If I want to cancel my ability, I have to meet Mullu first, no, Mullu-nim. I’ll go to the place where the new recruits are being trained, meet him, cancel my ability, and send him back.”

“Do so. Be careful.”

“About what?”

“Mullu’s spear. He might stab you.”

“!”

Mo-igi looked at Rembrary with a surprised expression, perhaps because it was something he hadn’t thought about, and asked.

“Do you want to come with me?”

* * *

Instead of moving with Mo-igi, Rembrary gave him the instructions ‘Don’t cause accidents by selling my name in the future’ and ‘Take Mullu to the front of Redrin headquarters’ and went out of the shaved ice shop while contacting the Grim Reaper.

Then, Rembrary pressed down on his hat to cover his face and walked down the street, mixing the story he had guessed yesterday with the story he had heard from Mo-igi today.

“Did you see the text I sent you yesterday?”

[You said that there would have been a flow of power around the place where the demon king was sealed even before we felt it.]

“Today, I met a person who was using the power flowing around that area and confirmed it. My guess was correct. He is an Awakened who changes people’s thoughts. He said that for several years, people’s mental strength weakened around that area, making it easier to change their thoughts. The flow that was there at that time has become clearer over time, which means it is getting stronger. If we leave it alone, the range or size may increase.”

The Grim Reaper didn’t say anything for a while, perhaps shocked by the words or lost in thought.

Rembrary walked aimlessly, then stopped for a moment and watched the daily lives of people who were just now returning to normal.

People were passing by with smiles, and there were many cars on the road as well.

At that time, the Grim Reaper, who had been quiet, unexpectedly brought up something.

[I was going to contact you anyway. There’s something I want to tell you.]

“What is it?”

[It’s about the power flowing around the sealed place.]

“Yeah.”

[It has some similarities to Shin Jo-woon’s power, though it’s slight.]

“!”