Holy Idol [EN]: Chapter 892

◈ 892. Rembrary’s Invitation (12)

“I heard it from Moroso.”

The chief priest’s eyes widened. Although they couldn’t reach Kamuel, no one knew exactly where Moroso was either.

“You met Moroso?”

“Yes. Moroso asked me to take care of you until he returns. So, I reluctantly came all the way here.”

The chief priest blankly listened to Rembrary’s words, then teared up.

“Moroso-nim…….”

Rembrary clicked his tongue.

“The followers of Kamuel are so naive. Moroso only asked, and I’m the one who came, yet you’re touched by him?”

“Excuse me?”

The chief priest didn’t immediately grasp what he had heard and asked again.

But at that moment, Rembrary was already staring silently at the statue of Kamuel.

‘I must have misheard.’ The chief priest brushed it off and opened his mouth with difficulty.

“Then, Rembrary-nim, since you already know the situation, I’ll be frank. As you said, our high priests can’t reach Kamuel-nim either. Most of the ordinary priests don’t even know about this situation.”

“So, you wanted to have a little chat.”

“Yes, Rembrary-nim. I’ve heard that you are greatly favored by Redrin-nim and often have conversations with her. Could you perhaps ask Redrin-nim where Kamuel-nim is, and if he is safe?”

“That’s not a difficult task.”

Rembrary readily replied, and the chief priest was inwardly impressed. ‘Indeed, it’s as the rumors say.’

While the chief priest waited, Rembrary half-closed his eyes and called out to Redrin in his mind.

‘Redrin-nim, Redrin-nim. You said you would look into something about Kamuel-nim and let me know. Do you remember?’

[You’re only talking about that guy again.]

Redrin replied immediately.

Rembrary quickly explained the situation and asked again.

‘Redrin-nim, why is Kamuel-nim silent?’

[He found out that the Demon King and Iyar had joined forces, got angry, went to fight Iyar, and got hurt.]

Rembrary suddenly made a surprised expression while praying, and the chief priest, who was watching, became anxious and clasped his hands tightly.

‘Has something serious happened to Kamuel-nim?’

‘Then, did Kamuel-nim lose to Iyar-nim? Kamuel-nim is weak.’

[They’re both similar. Iyar was also injured as much as Kamuel and is now sick.]

Redrin recalled Kamuel, who was blaming Iyar even while injured, and a smile touched her lips.

[Anyway, now that it’s like this, my child, for the time being, it might be difficult for me to contact you as often as I do now. Since I’m the only god who can be active, I’ll be very busy for a while.]

‘You’ll be so busy that it will be difficult to contact me?’

Rembrary didn’t quite understand Redrin’s words and asked again.

Redrin originally had the largest territory and the most followers to look after, but she often talked to Rembrary.

[My child seems disappointed.]

‘Can’t Kamuel-nim work from his sickbed?’

Rembrary asked sincerely, but Redrin burst into laughter and ended the call.

When Rembrary opened his half-closed eyes, the chief priest asked anxiously.

“What did Redrin-nim say? Why has Kamuel-nim suddenly become so quiet?”

“…….”

Rembrary was troubled whether he should tell the truth or not.

He had explained the situation to Redrin, but Redrin hadn’t mentioned whether to keep the story she told him a secret or not.

“Kamuel-nim was beaten by Iyar-nim and is now sick in bed.”

“Excuse me?!”

“Iyar-nim joined hands with the Demon King and harmed people. Kamuel-nim knew this, got angry, and went to fight Iyar-nim.”

The chief priest was horrified and leaned against the wall. He was surprised that Kamuel had fought Iyar and that he was seriously injured.

The fight between the two gods was such a huge story that the chief priest found it difficult to judge whether he should believe Rembrary’s words.

“It seems you find it hard to believe my words.”

When Rembrary noticed this and pointed it out, the chief priest hurriedly denied it.

“No, not at all. I’m just dazed.”

Rembrary put his hands behind his back and smiled as he looked up at the statue of Kamuel. The chief priest felt embarrassed, as if his thoughts had been read by that meaningful expression.

“Let’s go back inside and have a meal.”

Then, as Rembrary turned around and suggested first, the chief priest, still troubled, followed him out.

* * *

After the meal, Rembrary and his party ate snacks and returned to their respective rooms.

Rembrary and Ardor were not interested in the Kamuel Temple, and Jang Tae-ri was too tired, so she didn’t want to look around the temple right now.

As the four novice priests went outside the restaurant to see off the group, the chief priest winked at some of the ordinary priests.

The ordinary priests who received the signal quietly got up. They naturally gathered in a small conference room.

All those who were called out were those who knew about Kamuel not being in contact lately.

“Chief, what did High Priest Rembrary say?”

Jimel told them everything he had heard from Rembrary without adding or subtracting anything. The ordinary priests murmured and looked at each other.

“Kamuel-nim is injured…….”

“Iyar-nim and Kamuel-nim fought?”

“Then, shouldn’t it be difficult to contact Iyar-nim in the Central Continent as well? We should check it out.”

“It will be difficult to check because we haven’t been in contact with the Central Continent Temple. Only high priests can judge whether they can communicate with the gods well, but they won’t try to meet us.”

The priests found it difficult to judge whether Rembrary’s words were true or not.

Since there was no one to ask for help, they asked for help as soon as they knew Rembrary was passing by.

However, High Priest Redrin had also sold High Priest Kamuel to the demons, hadn’t she also joined hands with the demons?

But to say that Rembrary’s words were simply false, it didn’t seem like a lie that Kamuel fought with Iyar and got hurt would particularly benefit Rembrary or the Redrin Temple.

The Iyar Temple suffered no damage from the demons during this incident, and they didn’t try to help other continents when the Demon King began to invade in earnest.

Due to that, the speculation that the Iyar Temple had joined hands with the demons was openly circulating.

Since the relationship between the Iyar Temple and the Kamuel Temple was already bad like this, there was no need for High Priest Redrin to try to create discord between them.

The chief priest sighed heavily.

“Anyway, if High Priest Redrin is right, then we have no choice but to pray that Kamuel-nim recovers quickly.”

* * *

Rembrary thought that the food here was quite delicious, so he thought it would be okay to rest for about two days. However, early the next morning, Jang Tae-ri came to him and said.

“It would be better to leave after breakfast today.”

“Aren’t you going to rest a little more?”

“Just looking around before the meal is enough.”

Even after confirming that there was no poison in the food, Jang Tae-ri still couldn’t shake off the subtle unease [찝찝함 (jjipjjipham) in Korean, a feeling of discomfort or unease].

She didn’t think there was any reason to stay here for two days even though she was uneasy.

“Okay, then.”

Rembrary readily agreed. He had already told the chief priest about Kamuel’s recent situation yesterday and had fulfilled Moroso’s request.

Rembrary didn’t need to stubbornly stay here.

Jang Tae-ri was relieved and smiled comfortably when Rembrary accepted the proposal without asking why.

After that, the group rested more or looked around the temple, then ate breakfast and rested for about an hour more.

In the meantime, the Kamuel Temple provided a sturdier carriage than the one Rembrary had borrowed from the village, and they packed food and drinks to eat and drink while traveling.

“If you need my help again, send someone to the Redrin Temple. We’re going that way.”

Rembrary said generously to the chief priest before leaving.

“Thank you, High Priest.”

The chief priest was sincerely moved and bowed. The Iyar priests had refused the Kamuel Temple’s requests for help several times.

However, High Priest Redrin, whose reputation had recently deteriorated, came out like this, so he felt sincerely grateful.

The group parted in a good atmosphere. Ardor got into the carriage first, and Rembrary got into the carriage last.

The coachman, who had also been well-treated, was excited and vigorously started the carriage.

“The food is delicious.”

Rembrary smiled contentedly and took out the cookies that the chief priest had wrapped in paper and handed him.

Then, Rembrary belatedly realized that the group’s expressions were not good.

“No, isn’t it delicious? It was pretty good?”

Rembrary held out the cookies to the group. But no one’s expression brightened.

After a few minutes, Ardor finally couldn’t stand it and took out a note from his pocket and handed it to Rembrary.

“I found this note in the carriage.”

“A note?”

Rembrary unfolded the note that Ardor had handed him.

―High Priest Redrin, who betrayed Moroso, is XXXXXXXXX.

Rembrary’s eyes widened as he looked at the letter full of curses and asked.

“Did the Kamuel priest write this?”

“I guess so. It was in the carriage prepared by the Kamuel Temple.”

Ardor spoke coldly and gritted his teeth in anger.

Jang Tae-ri looked ahead, worried that Rembrary might be hurt. Fortunately, Rembrary didn’t seem hurt.

“They shouldn’t be doing this now.”

He muttered incomprehensible words, but he certainly didn’t seem hurt.

Jang Tae-ri recalled that Rembrary had always been calm in the face of rapidly changing evaluations when he was an idol or a hunter and was relieved.

“Don’t worry about it, Rembrary-ssi.”

“Why should I care about other temples’ affairs?”

Rembrary returned the note to Ardor and ate the cookies again.

But it wasn’t Shin Jo-woon. He had been frowning and leaning his arm against the window all along, but he couldn’t stand it any longer and knocked on the carriage to call the coachman.

“Wait a moment.”

When the coachman stopped the carriage, Shin Jo-woon opened the door and went out, checked his wristwatch, and said.

“I left something behind, so wait a moment. I’ll be right back.”

As Shin Jo-woon left, Ardor whispered darkly to Rembrary.

“He’s definitely going to the bathroom urgently, High Priest. I’m sure of it.”

Jang Tae-ri shook her head. ‘How can such a person be a priest?’

But unexpectedly, Ardor seemed to be thinking hard, and suddenly he went out of the carriage and said.

“I’ll go check if Shin Jo-woon really went to the bathroom.”

“Are you crazy?”

Jang Tae-ri was horrified and grabbed him, but Ardor was already running somewhere.

“No, is that human really crazy?”

Jang Tae-ri was flustered and looked at his back, then hurriedly went out of the carriage.