Holy Idol [EN]: Chapter 839

◈ 839. Ridal Returns

Ridal looked like she was about to cry. She hesitated, then opened the carriage door and climbed inside.

Rembrary, however, wasn’t pleased. Ridal had come back empty-handed, and it was clear she wasn’t returning for good.

Ridal sat in the opposite seat, clasped her hands together, hesitated again, and then finally spoke.

“The biggest reason my family called me back… is because it’s dangerous… but it’s also because of my ability.”

“Your defense ability?”

“That’s right. You said it yourself, that because I have a defense ability, I’ll be helpful to people. My family thinks so too. They believe that because I have a defense ability, I’ll be sent to fight the demons even though I’m young. But if I stay home, I won’t go to dangerous places, and I can protect my family with my ability. They think it’s good for both me and them.”

Ridal’s eyes trembled, and tears began to fall.

“I wasn’t planning to leave completely. I was just going to stay by their side for a few years so my family could feel at ease even if I left again. My parents said that was okay too. But… but… I can’t really go back now.”

“Why?”

“My divine power has disappeared.”

Rembrary understood what the High Priest meant when he said, ‘It’s no use trying to persuade Ridal.’

The High Priest knew that Ridal’s divine power would disappear when she left the temple.

Ridal stared at Rembrary for a moment, then went out of the carriage.

“Goodbye, Priest.”

Ridal waved to Rembrary.

“…”

Rembrary waved back and closed the window.

The carriage started moving immediately, without hesitation.

Rembrary thought in the swaying carriage, ‘Now I won’t be playing cards with that kid anymore.’

At that moment, there was an ear-splitting roar. Rembrary opened the carriage window and stuck his head out.

Before he could ask what was going on, a paladin shouted.

“Rembrary! It’s dangerous! Large monsters are coming down to the village!”

Rembrary opened the carriage door and jumped out. One of the paladins, flustered by the child jumping out as soon as he said it was dangerous, shouted, a vein popping out of his neck.

“Rembrary! Get inside!”

Rembrary didn’t go in. Instead, he stood on tiptoe and looked at the vermilion roof [a traditional East Asian architectural style]. It still looked fine. But would it still be fine later?

“We have to help the villagers.”

Rembrary pleaded with the paladins instead of getting into the carriage.

The paladins exchanged glances. They also wanted to go help the people.

But the High Priest had given them an order:

-You must protect Rembrary above all else, no matter what happens.

They were paladins, and paladins were those who protected the priests who served God.

The paladins steeled their hearts. But while they were steeling their hearts, the child was running towards the village.

“Catch him!”

“Damn it, Rembrary!”

* * *

Rembrary thought that he just needed to get into the village, no matter what. The paladins wouldn’t chase Rembrary in a situation where large monsters were rampaging through the village.

As soon as that thought formed, Rembrary ran straight towards the vermilion house.

Ridal happened to be out in the yard. Ridal’s mother was pulling on Ridal’s arm and shouting.

“Let’s go in, Ridal! Hurry! It’s dangerous! The manual said to stay inside when monsters come!”

Ridal was still standing there, blocking the front of the house as if she were a shield.

At that time, the sound of an animal laughing was heard from afar. The strange sound mixed with footsteps and quickly approached.

Rembrary stopped and looked in the direction of the sound. A monster was rushing towards Ridal.

It was a monster with a human head and the body of a hairless quadruped.

The giant monster’s mouth was so big that its tongue and teeth could be seen inside. The monster’s size was that of two large carriages combined.

Ridal stood in front of the house, staring at the monster as if trying to squeeze out her defense ability.

‘Can I use divine power again? Is there any sign of that?’ Rembrary also started running towards Ridal like a monster.

But the monster rushed straight in and knocked Ridal away in an instant. There was no longer a barrier made of divine power.

Ridal rolled around the yard. At the same time, the monster’s head broke through the door and went inside. Screams erupted from inside the house.

When the distance was close enough, Rembrary emitted a halo.

Ridal staggered as she got up, and when the bright light poured out, she covered her eyes, blinded by the sudden flash.

The monster, which was trying to break down the door and go inside, stopped and began to back away.

Rembrary approached Ridal and asked.

“Are you okay?”

Ridal couldn’t answer and just gasped for breath. The way she was breathing was unusual. It seemed like there was a problem with her bones from when the monster threw her.

Rembrary put his hand on Ridal’s back. As he began to heal her with divine power, Ridal’s breathing gradually calmed down.

When the pain subsided, Ridal grabbed Rembrary’s arm. She seemed to want to ask him to help her family.

But Ridal couldn’t speak and just moved her lips.

However, the monster had already disappeared, avoiding Rembrary’s halo.

“I’m… I’m…”

Ridal’s eyes turned red after confirming that the monster had disappeared.

At that time, Ridal’s family rushed out, pushing open the broken door.

“Let’s go in!”

Ridal’s father, who rushed forward recklessly, picked up Ridal.

Then, he glanced at Rembrary, lifted Ridal up, went inside the house, and slammed the door shut.

However, the door was already broken by the monster, so the inside was clearly visible.

Rembrary saw Ridal saying something to her family.

At those words, her family was either angry or crying.

Screams were heard again from another street. Rembrary ran towards that side.

* * *

Fortunately, the monsters were subdued not long after.

The paladins had been protecting the village before. In addition, thanks to the paladins who came with Rembrary, the damage was minimized.

There were many seriously injured, but they were all eventually healed thanks to Rembrary.

As the situation calmed down, the paladins of the Great Temple prepared to leave again.

“Why don’t you stay a little longer? You must be tired, so stay for a day or two and rest.”

The village leaders came and recommended it, but the paladins all refused.

However, the paladins did not look good, even though they had made great contributions.

“I’m worried. If it’s this bad just because one summoning circle has been completed…”

They immediately defeated the monsters and healed the villagers, but they couldn’t do anything about the destroyed village facilities, houses, and roads.

The villagers had to spend time and money to repair them. If monsters invade again, something really big will happen.

Rembrary got into the carriage, listening to the paladins whispering.

The paladins decided to get water and food from the next village and left daily necessities, except for the minimum luggage, at the village hall.

That’s when the carriage was about to depart.

Rembrary glanced at the vermilion-roofed house for the last time and reached out to close the carriage door. But Ridal was visible through the narrowing gap.

Unexpectedly, Ridal was standing blankly next to a large luggage bag in her yard.

“Wait, where are you going?”

When Rembrary tried to approach after seeing that, one of the paladins was surprised and blocked him.

“Ridal is over there.”

Since Rembrary came here because of the child named Ridal anyway, the paladin let him go right away this time.

Rembrary quickly ran to Ridal and asked.

“Did you pack your bags to go together? Did you change your mind?”

Ridal stood blankly, then looked back in surprise.

“Rembrary.”

“Aren’t you coming with me?”

Rembrary looked at Ridal’s luggage bag. Ridal hid the bag behind her back.

“Aren’t you going together? Why are you hiding it?”

“That’s…”

Ridal hesitated and trailed off. It was different from when she was sad but clearly saying goodbye.

Ridal’s face gradually turned red.

Her family found out for the first time that Ridal’s divine power had disappeared. Her family was greatly shocked that Ridal had stepped forward recklessly even though she had no divine power.

In the end, she fought with her family over the matter, and her parents allowed Ridal to return to the temple.

However, when Ridal actually received permission, she couldn’t bring herself to say that she would return.

In the past, she was a promising talent. But now her divine power has disappeared.

The High Priest warned Ridal, ‘If your divine power disappears after you leave, it will not return even if you come back later.’

Wouldn’t it be too shameless to say that she would return in this state?

As Ridal couldn’t do this or that, Rembrary approached and opened his mouth.

Ridal guessed that Rembrary would say something that would turn her inside out again. Even so, Ridal was prepared to accept whatever Rembrary said.

“Come here.”

However, instead of saying anything special, Rembrary took Ridal’s luggage bag instead.

“It’s heavy. Carry it yourself.”

But he put it down again after walking five steps.

Ridal stared at Rembrary with wide eyes.

“Aren’t you coming?”

Rembrary walked ahead and looked back and asked.

“I have to go.”

Ridal hurriedly picked up her bag and followed behind.

Rembrary turned around and started walking first.

Ridal felt that Rembrary was trustworthy for the first time.

* * *

When Rembrary got off the carriage, the priests passed by with expressions that suggested they thought it was natural.

Except for the fact that Ridal was a bit of a special child, this was not a rare occurrence.

Children’s parents took their children back from the temple for various reasons.

In particular, the number of parents trying to take their children has increased recently as the number of monsters has surged.

However, the number of apprentice priests did not decrease. On the contrary, the number of parents trying to send their children in, thinking that the temple was safe, also increased.

But the only child who came out of the carriage was not Rembrary. Another child got off, groaning and carrying a square bag. It was Ridal.

The priests were surprised and looked at Rembrary. Did he really bring her?

The secretary priest came out to greet Rembrary, who would have returned discouraged, but was surprised and asked.

“You really brought her! How did you persuade her?”

Since Rembrary and Ridal are the only two apprentice priests in the Great Temple, all the priests and staff knew of the two children’s existence.

The priests all gathered at the carriage to welcome her.

“Are you back for good? Or are you just stopping by?”

The secretary priest gestured to the priests who were trying to gather not to come closer and asked the most important question. If she only came for a while, he shouldn’t put pressure on the child.

“I’m… back for good.”

Ridal said firmly and pressed the luggage bag firmly against the ground once.

At her firm attitude that she would not leave now, the secretary priest smiled brightly and patted Rembrary on the shoulder.

“Amazing, isn’t it?”

Ridal asked the secretary priest with an insecure expression.

“Is it okay to come back?”

“Of course!”

The secretary priest smiled warmly.

The priests who saw that were relieved and gathered around. They cheered for Ridal, saying, ‘Welcome back.’

Ridal greeted each person one by one, then whispered with Rembrary and ran to the dormitory side by side.

The secretary priest smiled as he watched their backs.

But as the children were completely out of sight, the secretary priest’s expression slowly faded.

He had never heard of a priest who had returned regaining his divine power. The same was true even for the most amazing high priest.

* * *

A few days later, Rembrary and Ridal had their first individual divine power test.

Among the priests who heard the news, those who had no schedule all gathered in the room where the test was taking place to see the results.

The High Priest and the secretary priest also looked at Rembrary with expectant eyes.

Rembrary stared intently at the water containing the monster’s blood. Everyone held their breath.

The monster’s blood soon turned clear. It even looked as fresh as water freshly drawn from a deep mountain lake.

“I knew it!”

“Isn’t this at the level of a high priest?”

The priests were delighted and approached Rembrary and patted him on the back.

‘Redrin, look at this. Redrin, aren’t you proud of me?’

Rembrary raised his head with a proud look.

However, when Ridal appeared for the next test, everyone suddenly became quiet.

The priests looked nervously back and forth between the newly brought monster blood and Ridal. Has divine power returned to that child?