Holy Idol [EN]: Chapter 720

◈ 720. Daeju’s Petty Revenge

“It’s already been half a year.”

After the server grilled the meat and left, Jang Tae-ri muttered, gazing at the glistening meat.

Shin Jo-woon paused, reaching for his drink. But he soon replied in an indifferent tone.

“We agreed not to talk about that.”

Jang Tae-ri clicked his tongue. Still?

It had been half a year since Rembrary left, but Shin Jo-woon was still avoiding the topic.

Before leaving, Rembrary had rationally stated he would live better upon returning to his original world.

But now that he had returned, Shin Jo-woon couldn’t accept the farewell and was avoiding the topic altogether, which was worrying.

Bringing up Rembrary’s story from time to time and sharing memories would gradually ease the sense of loss.

They could laugh and reminisce about the time they spent together as a good memory.

If he kept avoiding it like that, he wouldn’t be able to say a proper goodbye. Should he push the issue?

“Are you thinking about nagging me?”

But the quick-witted Shin Jo-woon playfully asked, tapping Jang Tae-ri’s cider cup with his own as if to toast.

“Well, yeah.”

Jang Tae-ri readily nodded and sighed.

“But I won’t. Because you have your own way of dealing with things.”

“Thanks.”

Jang Tae-ri shrugged and started eating. Shin Jo-woon watched him for a moment, then finished the cider he had been about to drink.

After that, the two deliberately brought up only everyday topics.

“Is Hwasa really quitting being a High-End Hunter? He barely got in. What a waste.”

“He says it doesn’t suit him.”

“No, High-End Hunters just have the name, but they don’t do much, right? What’s not to suit him?”

“The association president is trying to increase activities because he doesn’t like hearing that.”

“Ah.”

“Hwasa doesn’t like that, I guess.”

“Aha.”

Jang Tae-ri immediately understood why Hwasa didn’t like the expansion of High-End Hunters’ activities and sighed.

“Seriously, that guy is consistent.”

After sharing such ordinary stories and drinking Sikhye [sweet rice beverage] for dessert, both of them moved to the Redrine Hunter Company.

In fact, now that Rembrary had returned, there was no need for the two to maintain such a close relationship with the Redrine Hunter Company.

Of course, the Redrine Hunter Company played a major role in managing the Otherworlders, and it had decent power in its own right.

But it wasn’t to the extent that Jang Tae-ri and Shin Jo-woon had to visit every two weeks to take care of them.

Yet, they visited frequently, once a week at most and usually every two weeks, because these were the people Rembrary had cared about until the end.

Besides, Daeju was the only one left on Earth who could communicate with Redrine.

If something happened to Rembrary or if there was news from that side, Daeju was the only one who could deliver the message.

So, for Shin Jo-woon and Jang Tae-ri, visiting Daeju was beneficial in every way.

“You’ve arrived.”

Daeju also came down to the front gate himself to greet the two, as usual.

“I was just thinking about visiting to thank you. A few days ago, one of our followers almost caused an accident. It could have been classified as a dangerous level. Thank you for stopping it.”

“I know you’re busy, but shouldn’t you pay more attention? You shouldn’t ruin the reputation that Rembrary worked so hard to build.”

Daeju greeted the two with a smile, but when Shin Jo-woon gave sharp advice in a soft voice, his expression briefly crumbled.

However, Daeju knew that Shin Jo-woon, who usually treated people well, reacted sharply when it came to Rembrary’s reputation, so he didn’t argue.

Daeju also knew that Shin Jo-woon was doing that because he didn’t want the reputation of Redrine, which Rembrary had protected while almost dying, to be damaged.

It still made him feel bad, though.

Jang Tae-ri lightly nudged Shin Jo-woon with his elbow and shook his head, telling him not to do that.

Shin Jo-woon didn’t intend to start a fight with Daeju, so he didn’t bring up the story anymore.

The three of them then moved silently to Daeju’s office.

On the flat coffee table in the office, there were three sturdy clipboards and documents that Daeju had prepared in advance.

Jang Tae-ri and Shin Jo-woon each took one and sat on the sofa, examining the papers clipped to the clipboards and asking questions.

“You said before that the number of unregistered Otherworlders seemed to be decreasing little by little. Is it still the same?”

“That’s what I see. But it’s not a significant decrease enough to draw a conclusion yet, so we need to monitor the situation further. However, the number of those who applied to return to the Otherworld and then canceled their applications is definitely increasing.”

“Is there a reason?”

“They must have gotten used to it here while waiting. If they settle down safely, it’s a good place to live.”

“Even though monsters are still coming over?”

“It’s less than in their world, they say.”

At that explanation, Jang Tae-ri clicked his tongue.

“I wonder what kind of world it is. Looking at Rembrary, it seems like it would be peaceful.”

“It’s definitely a completely different world from here. But I haven’t been there myself.”

Jang Tae-ri looked vaguely at the air for a moment and muttered.

“I hope I can go there someday.”

Then, Jang Tae-ri noticed that Shin Jo-woon was unusually quiet today and glanced at him. What’s wrong with him?

Shin Jo-woon was reluctant to talk about Rembrary, but when he came to the Redrine Hunter Company, he recognized it as work and talked well even about Rembrary as a topic.

But why is he so quiet today?

As he was wondering and watching him, Shin Jo-woon quietly drank his coffee and asked.

“The number of unregistered Otherworlders coming here is decreasing, which means their world is stabilizing, right?”

Jang Tae-ri realized what Shin Jo-woon wanted to ask.

The fact that Otherworlders weren’t coming here meant that their side was stabilizing, and if there was an event that could suddenly stabilize that world, it was only Rembrary’s return.

There was only one Rembrary, but his presence was significant.

He was like that even on unfamiliar Earth, so his presence must have been even greater in his original world, so it would have a sufficient impact.

“That’s probably right.”

Daeju nodded in agreement.

“Communication with Redrine is also stabilizing quickly.”

“Already?”

When Jang Tae-ri asked in surprise, Daeju playfully added.

“Compared to half a year ago.”

It seemed to mean that although it had stabilized, contacting Redrine wasn’t as easy as it had been at first.

Still, Jang Tae-ri and Shin Jo-woon were relieved just by this much.

After discussing work matters a bit more, the two got up from the sofa when there was nothing more to discuss. Daeju, as always, escorted them back to the front gate.

But Daeju, who usually said goodbye and turned around immediately, hesitated today with a strange expression, as if he was about to say something.

“What’s wrong?”

At that meaningful appearance, Jang Tae-ri asked anxiously, wondering if something had happened to the other world or to Rembrary.

But Daeju hesitated as if in thought, then smiled and denied it.

“It’s nothing.”

It’s not nothing, is it? Jang Tae-ri stared intently at Daeju, who had failed to manage his expression.

However, Daeju really didn’t seem to want to explain further and said goodbye before turning around and going inside.

“What’s wrong with him?”

Jang Tae-ri muttered, feeling suspicious of his retreating figure.

But Daeju, who seemed to be going in, came out again and handed over a paper bag.

“What’s this?”

The bag smelled like pizza, but Jang Tae-ri didn’t think Daeju would give him pizza, so he asked.

“It’s pizza.”

But Daeju said it was pizza. Jang Tae-ri was dumbfounded by Daeju’s nonchalant answer and looked at him.

“Why are you giving us pizza?”

“I bought too much.”

Daeju said something ridiculous and went back inside, saying goodbye again.

He waited for a moment, wondering if he would come out again, but Daeju really didn’t come out this time.

“What is it?”

Jang Tae-ri looked at Shin Jo-woon in bewilderment. But Shin Jo-woon had no idea what the identity of this unexpected gift was.

“I don’t know.”

After that, the two talked about what to do with the pizza and decided to go to the house with good school districts that Shin Jo-woon hadn’t disposed of yet to eat it.

No one lived in that house anymore, but Shin Jo-woon and Jang Tae-ri visited it from time to time.

Woo Yeon-woo and Hwasa also visited occasionally because the password was still the same, so the two sometimes ran into them.

But Shin Jo-woon still didn’t change the password.

When he arrived in front of the house today, there were no cars in the parking lot, but he could feel people inside.

“I guess Hwasa is here?”

In these cases, Hwasa was likely to be there.

Besides, Hwasa’s visit wasn’t uncommon, so Jang Tae-ri muttered casually as he got out of the car.

Shin Jo-woon parked next to Jang Tae-ri’s car and walked over, saying indifferently.

“He comes often.”

“That’s good. We can eat pizza with the three of us.”

Jang Tae-ri said that and opened the front door. Shin Jo-woon followed right behind.

As expected, the lights in the kitchen were brightly lit, and people’s voices could be heard, indicating that Hwasa was there.

“Mr. Hwasa?”

Jang Tae-ri called out to Hwasa, with whom he had become a little more communicative over the past half year, in a bright voice as he walked to the kitchen.

“When did you come?”

But what Jang Tae-ri found wasn’t Hwasa. It was Rembrary sitting at the table. Jang Tae-ri screamed without realizing it.

“Ah!”

Shin Jo-woon, who had been near the front door because he had received a call, heard the sound and ran inside.

“What’s wrong?”

But Shin Jo-woon, who had rushed in, froze in front of the kitchen archway.

Rembrary was sitting in a chair at the table, and Ardor was across from him.

“Mr. Rembrary?”

Jang Tae-ri barely called out to Rembrary, and Shin Jo-woon also came to his senses and stared intently at Rembrary.

The person who had left as if they would never see him again was suddenly at home, so both of them felt more bewildered than happy.

Rembrary looked back and forth between Jang Tae-ri and Shin Jo-woon, then asked with the same gentle smile as when he left.

“Is that mine?”

Rembrary’s gaze was directed at the pizza box that Shin Jo-woon was holding.

Jang Tae-ri and Shin Jo-woon realized that Rembrary was the real Rembrary because he skipped the greetings and took care of the food as soon as he arrived.

It wasn’t like they were both seeing the same illusion.

“Mr. Rembrary!”

Belatedly, Jang Tae-ri ran and stood in front of Rembrary. Shin Jo-woon also put the pizza on the table and went to Rembrary, asking.

“What happened?”

Rembrary glanced at the pizza box, which was out of reach even if he stretched out his hand, and muttered, “Well, that’s…”.

He seemed unable to answer because he was distracted by the smell of pizza.

When Shin Jo-woon handed him the pizza box, Rembrary quickly took the box and finally explained properly.

“Didn’t an explosion occur just before the Demon King was sealed?”

Shin Jo-woon and Jang Tae-ri recalled that Rembrary had barely succeeded in sealing the Demon King right after the explosion.

Jang Tae-ri asked in surprise.

“Did something go wrong because of that and you came?”

Jang Tae-ri asked because he remembered Rembrary saying in a nuance before leaving that he would come if there was a problem with Earth or the Demon King’s seal.

Fortunately, Rembrary shook his head while opening the box.

“No.”

“Then how…?”

“When the explosion occurred, a stable passage was created between our world and this world. So we can go back and forth.”

Shin Jo-woon recalled the area that was still off-limits and muttered.

“I haven’t heard that story.”

Earth’s hunters had a system in place to identify the location of the rifts in order to manage the Otherworlders, and then to determine whether the things coming over were monsters or people.

Naturally, Shin Jo-woon, the president of World Boom and a High-End Hunter, also knew about the location of the rifts in Korea and the location of some dangerous rifts abroad.

But he had never heard the story that such a rift had occurred where the Demon King was sealed.

Besides, it was strange that Rembrary said that ‘we can go back and forth’. Isn’t it difficult and dangerous to cross a rift even once?

“The passage is right next to the sealed Demon King.”

“!”

“Besides, that rift is the only naturally occurring rift, so it’s stable enough to go back and forth. If this becomes known, there may be people who try to misuse the Demon King’s power. So the passage will be managed as top secret.”

Rembrary confidently raised his chin.

“But I heard that I’m in a position to know even the secrets!”

Jang Tae-ri and Shin Jo-woon were still dumbfounded.

But what was certain was that Daeju knew about this and deliberately didn’t say anything.

It was clear that he had deliberately sent the two of them with pizza.

However, a happy heart soared before resentment. Jang Tae-ri belatedly had tears in his eyes.

Shin Jo-woon burst out laughing as he watched Rembrary, who was picking up the pizza as soon as the explanation was over, neglecting the greetings.

[End of Part 2] [Bbo]