Holy Idol [EN]: Chapter 834

◈ 834. The Sword’s Owner

Morso was definitely different from Redryn’s highest priest or Heather, the head of the Florandia Temple.

“I’ll go with you. You said you needed my help.”

When Rembrary looked up with his big eyes like that, it was hard for the Redryn priests to refuse the child’s request.

“No.”

Morso refused firmly without hesitation.

“Why? You said you’d be scared without me.”

Rembrary asked, puzzled.

Morso chuckled inwardly. *That’s* what I said to get you here, you cheeky brat!

But after being stuck in the carriage for days, Morso had gotten a sense of this arrogant apprentice priest.

This child wasn’t the type to become friendly just because you spent a lot of time together.

So, there was no need to force him to go into the dangerous forest.

“It’s already been agreed upon with your highest priest. You’re not going into the forest. Wait here. I’ll bring out Sir Cheru as soon as I find him. Then you can heal him.”

Morso filled his stomach with bean soup, chicken, and brown bread before setting off.

Rembrary was left in the small town with a carriage and a Redryn paladin.

As the group of priests in white robes disappeared completely along the winding forest path, Rembrary dejectedly returned to his room.

“Rembrary, shall we go shopping together later? Let’s go and buy some tasty snacks.”

The Redryn paladin, feeling sorry for him, went up the stairs and asked.

“How about we buy snacks and follow Morso-nim?”

Rembrary only took the snack part of the suggestion and asked back. The paladin burst into laughter.

“I don’t think that would work.”

The paladin was worried that Rembrary would throw a tantrum. But Rembrary didn’t pester the paladin.

The two went to the market as promised an hour later, where they bought crispy fried bread sprinkled with sugar and grape-flavored juice.

When night fell, Rembrary obediently lay down in bed. Only after confirming that the child was asleep did the paladin lie down on the bed across the wall.

About 15 minutes later, Rembrary quietly got up and approached the paladin.

Rembrary placed his hand near the paladin’s forehead and used divine power to make him fall into a deep sleep.

Rembrary removed his hand, returned to his bed, put on the boots he had taken off, and slung a small backpack over his shoulder.

The piece of pork he had deliberately left uneaten in the evening was wrapped in a clean cloth and paper, and the water bottle was refilled with fresh water.

Rembrary wrote ‘I’m going to the forest’ on the notepad on the table and then slipped out of the room.

* * *

The small town near Seosahal had few visitors even before the monsters appeared, and even fewer after. There was only one store in the town that bought and sold animals, so they got all their horses, cows, goats, chickens, and ducks from there.

Yet, there were hardly any customers. The store owner was blankly staring at the sky as usual, brushing the horse’s mane.

*They say monsters are appearing nearby. They hardly ever come to this town. Are they all going the other way?* He was thinking such trivial thoughts.

“I’m here to buy a horse.”

A child’s voice came from across the way. The store owner was startled and looked around.

The store owner could only see the customer who had come to buy a horse after craning his neck to the side. It was really a child.

“You? Did someone send you?”

The store owner asked awkwardly, even though there was no way someone would ask a child to buy a horse in the middle of the night.

“How much is it?”

The child heard the amount and took out coins from his pocket and handed them over. It was clearly more than enough.

Before the store owner could ask, ‘Where are you going to take the horse? How are you going to take it?’ the child hopped onto the horse.

The store owner was surprised and took two steps back. The child skillfully held the reins and stroked the horse’s back.

Even without using a whip, the horse seemed to understand the child’s words and began to walk forward. The sound of the horse’s hooves echoed through the quiet night.

*What is it? A priest? Seems like a young priest?*

The store owner stared blankly at the child and the horse as they moved away, his mouth open.

* * *

Although it was a nearby town, the Seosahal Forest and the town were not completely attached. Rembrary enjoyed the moon and stars as he gracefully made his way through the night.

Upon arriving at the forest, Rembrary watered the horse and entered the forest alone.

After walking about ten steps, the sound of insects chirping began simultaneously from all directions as if they had received a signal.

Rembrary took out a feather, blew on it, and then released it into the air. The feather floated in place for a moment before flying along the path.

*The others left a few hours earlier, but I’ll be able to catch up. I have better stamina and won’t get lost.*

Even though High Priest Iira had experience traveling with Cheru’s group before, it was difficult to memorize a path once traveled in such a deep forest.

Rembrary ran diligently along the path.

How long had he been running? Rembrary stopped running and began to move slowly.

It wasn’t because he was tired. Thanks to healing himself while running, Rembrary wasn’t out of breath or sore.

However, the feather guiding the way was acting a bit strangely, unlike at first.

The feather went forward, spun around, slowly went in another direction, and then spun around again. It seemed confused about who to follow.

“Let’s follow High Priest Iira.”

As Rembrary whispered, the feather finally moved forward again without shaking busily from side to side. However, the speed was still greatly reduced.

About ten minutes later, Rembrary spotted someone and clung to a tree.

The feather also hid behind Rembrary.

*That person?*

Rembrary carefully peeked out again, showing only his forehead and eyes.

The person Rembrary found was the high priest of the Iira Temple.

The one who should be guiding the way was crouching down, his neck buried in his shoulders, and rummaging through the trees and bushes.

*What is he doing?*

Rembrary held onto the tree tightly with both hands and observed the actions of the High Priest Iira. He was holding a small wooden knife like a fork and scraping the bark of the trees.

He wasn’t focusing on one tree, but wandering around and doing it little by little.

In front of the bushes, he wildly rummaged through several strands of grass, cut off a few strands entirely, threw them on the ground, and trampled them into the ground.

It was as if he was trying to hide something.

At that moment, the High Priest Iira, who had been moving busily, suddenly stopped.

The high priest stared blankly into the air and raised his head, as if trying to listen to the silent sound for a moment.

Then, he suddenly turned his body and looked this way.

“!”

Almost at the same time as he turned, Rembrary bent down and quickly left the spot.

The feather flew ahead at a rapid pace, constantly fluttering as if telling him to come this way.

Rembrary walked forward, following the feather without checking behind him. The rustling sound continued to chase after him.

At some point, the feather stopped abruptly. Only then did Rembrary stop and look back. There was no one there.

“Did I shake him off?”

As Rembrary asked softly, the feather spun around in place. Rembrary sighed.

“What do you think he was doing?”

The feather wanted to ask, ‘Can you even understand if I tell you?’ But knowing that Rembrary wouldn’t understand even if he asked, it just stayed still.

* * *

*I think there was a Redryn apprentice priest just now.*

The High Priest Iira looked ahead, panting. The front was all thick green. It was full of bushes, rocks, trees, and vines.

*I must have seen something wrong?*

The High Priest Iira anxiously looked around even more. *Yes, there’s no way a child would be here. Where is this?*

Even if the child had secretly entered the forest, how could he run into him here? The map of this dense forest wasn’t even complete.

But he couldn’t shake off the feeling of unease.

“Where are you?!”

Paladin Kamuel shouted from one side of the bushes. He seemed to be looking for him because he had moved alone, saying he would check the location, and hadn’t returned.

The High Priest Iira turned around and took five steps, but he still felt uneasy and stopped.

He took out several pieces of glass from his bag, put them in his pocket, and returned to the group.

“What took you so long?”

Morso asked bluntly. Unlike High Priest Iira, he was truly a nasty fellow.

“I had some business to take care of.”

The high priest made an excuse to avoid suspicion and pointed ahead.

“We need to go west.”

Morso walked ahead, taking the lead. If there was an advantage to Paladin Kamuel, who had a bad temper, it was that he always took the lead even in dangerous places like this.

The high priest cautiously stepped back and went to the very back of the line.

“You’re very timid.”

Even when Paladin Kamuel teased him, he just smiled.

“I don’t have strong divine power.”

Around the time the Kamuel priests and paladins stopped paying attention to him, the high priest secretly took out the pieces of glass he had put in his pocket.

He walked along, scattering pieces of glass on the road.

Even if that apprentice priest followed them, if he stepped on those pieces, his legs would be sealed in an instant and he wouldn’t be able to move.

* * *

Meanwhile, Rembrary was waiting for the feather’s answer.

But no matter how long he waited, the feather just floated still, so Rembrary came to his own conclusion.

“Okay. Then, feather, let’s not follow that strange priest and go ahead.”

*Good idea.* The feather slowly spun around in place before quickly taking direction and flying away.

Rembrary lifted his long coat and diligently chased after it.

After walking for quite some time, Rembrary heard a whooshing sound, like sugar being poured out all at once.

The strange thing was that the sound didn’t stop. The sound continued to be heard. The direction the feather was heading was the direction the sound was coming from.

Rembrary walked as if running, pushing through the tall grass that came up higher than his knees.

Then, Rembrary stumbled on a tree stump and fell for a moment, feeling his body suddenly lurch forward, and desperately let go of his hand.

However, even though he let go, his body was still tilting forward.

Sand was pouring down like a waterfall in front of him. The feather was shaking above Rembrary’s head.

Rembrary struggled to move his legs and tried to go back.

The feather touched his shoulders and hair from time to time, as if wanting to pull Rembrary, but it was no use.

Rembrary continued to scratch at the sand with his hands, trying to retreat. Finally, something hard was caught in his struggling hand.

Rembrary grabbed it and hurriedly climbed up to a safe area. As he stood next to a large tree, the feather disappeared as if its role was over.

*Redryn-nim [Oh, Divine Redryn, a term of reverence]. I think it’s here.*

Rembrary muttered and looked at his hand. The thing he had unconsciously grabbed was still in his hand.

Rembrary’s eyes widened as he examined the object in detail. It was the hilt of a broken sword. Rembrary knew the owner of this sword.