《The Artist Who Paints Dungeon》


 Chapter 1

    Prologue


    Why, seems like I''ve become a haunted portrait.


    I have become a painting.


    Not a memorial portrait, but a real painting.


    And I''ve also landed in the middle of a cabin in the forest.


    ¡°... I guess I''ll just consider this as moving to the countryside.¡±


    Although I ended up being treated as a haunted portrait while being perfectly alive, it''s fun so it''s alright.


    ***


    Seo Gio was an art teacher.1


    To explain why a respectable member of society like him became a haunted portrait, it was because Seo Gio failed to escape the school in time during a fire and ended up trapped in the art room, falling right into his own painting.


    For real.


    ¡°If I''m going to die anyway, I wanted to die at my favourite place.¡±


    That place was exactly the art warehouse. The place where a landscape painting of a cabin in the forest was placed, which eventually turned into a painting showing him.2


    ¡°Living life, I''ve come to have such an experience.¡±


    Gio sat on the bench, taking in the landscape within the painting.


    The weather was mild.


    Birds chirping harmoniously as if singing in a choir. The light and soft spring breeze, gentle as silk.


    Jewel-like sunlight shone through the dense foliage. The perfect temperature and the rich forest scent, as if moistened with dew...


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    It was peaceful.


    ¡°It''s nice.¡±


    It''s been about a week since he regained consciousness in the cabin inside this painting.


    ''The flow of time has been so inconsistent that I''m not sure exactly how long I''ve been here...''


    It''s natural for the tenants to inspect their new home, and so Gio discovered a few minor rules within this painting.


    Firstly, everything he painted in this place became real.


    Seo Gio, who was observing the apple he had painted, put it down with a light touch. The well-ripened apple emitted a pleasant fragrance.


    He felt proud.


    ''I''m freed from food expenses.''


    Indeed, he was proud of himself.


    Haunted portrait or not, this was very welcome news to Seo Gio, who was both a gourmet and a glutton.


    If he painted an apple, it became a real apple. If he paints a bag of salt, it becomes real salt. The same was true for kitchen utensils other than food ingredients, such as pots and spatulas, as well as plants like flowers and trees. R


    ''At this point, there''s one thing that anyone might be curious about.''


    But he can''t paint people.


    He might become the first human to create a human with paint, so he tried painting, but all that came out was a warm corpse, not a living, moving human.


    ¡°It''s a relief that the limits are clear.¡±


    Gio almost got scared. For him who values friendship, peace, and love, the ability to create humanity was nothing but harmful.


    Above all, Seo Gio''s dream was closer to that of a landlord than a creator.


    ''I was relieved to find that I hadn''t gained the ability to harm the cuteness and adorableness of my life.''


    And the second rule.


    Gio''s gaze landed on a frame hanging on a wooden pillar.


    ¡°Is it something like a front door?¡±


    Through the frame, Gio could see the scenery outside this place.


    ¡°It might be hung there to emphasize the importance of communication, so as not to grow old alone.¡±


    It was possible to interact with reality, and he could even step out of the painting if desired. Compared to numerous haunted portraits in ghost stories that Seo Gio knew, this one had a relatively high degree of freedom.


    ''As expected of me.''


    Even as a painting, he doesn''t follow the same path as others.


    Gio was greatly satisfied with his own uniqueness, something unparalleled in human history. It seemed like there couldn''t be another one like this in the world. If there were, it would be fate, which would be even better.


    Anyway, moving on.


    ¡°... There seems to be no need to go into a society reeks of exhaustion and start a new life.¡±


    Why bother leaving this clean zone?


    ¡°In just a few years, many things have changed from what I remembered ....¡±


    At the ripe age of 29, it was a rather bitter thing to mutter, but that was the reality. It had already been about 30 years since the fire accident occurred.


    ''31 years to be exact.''


    Upon learning this, Gio leisurely returned to the world within the painting. This talking potato lacked the confidence to adapt to the new society.


    ¡°It must have been quite a while since my death report was filed, why would I leave this place which might made me be subjected to some kind of biological experiment?¡±


    Obviously, he had no intention of leaving this peaceful home, where he didn''t have to pay for food, rent, or electricity, just to suffer needlessly.


    ¡°I''m a bit worried about the kids from our class... The world has changed so much, I have no idea how everyone is doing.¡±


    Thirty-one years ago, when the fire accident occurred, it seemed as if the Earth had turned upside down.


    ''They called it the ''Great Catastrophe.¡±


    Since that day, the world seemed to have completely changed.


    When he saw an unbelievable sight of a businessman in a suit holding a bow and fighting a monster the size of a house, Gio, who was very frightened, readily accepted his identity as a painting.


    ¡°One can experience such things in life.¡±


    Even if his body dies and dies again a hundred times, his bones turn to dust with no way to restore, and his soul remains intact and well, it''s still better to live the peaceful and comfortable life of a haunted portrait than suffer from monsters in modern society.


    ¡°There are various ways of living in this world, and among them exists the life of a portrait ....¡±


    And to discuss the third report at this point.


    ¡°... Hmm.¡±


    This forest is another ecosystem.


    ¡°Shall I go gathering?¡±


    Gio grabbed a sturdy basket. He planned to fill it with plenty of food.


    ''All I had drawn was a two-story cabin and the forest surrounding it, but as I wandered around, I found plants and geographical features that I had never drawn.''


    It seemed as if it had been created based on Gio''s imagination.


    Rustle.


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    ¡°Making medicine might come in handy someday.¡±


    Thud.


    The basket was set down.


    ''It doesn''t seem like I''ll need it, but I was bored anyway....''


    Thinking that it was a very suitable new activity, he reached out for the Lulupu flowers after washing his hands clean in the spring water.


    With his characteristic blunt and gloomy face, Gio snipped the flower stalk. Despite his downcast expression, his touch when handling the flowers was quite delicate.


    ''It would be fun to take the whole plant with the roots, but this isn''t the kind of plant I usually grow... It''s a water flower, so I don''t even know where the roots start or end. I''d be upset if the population decreased because of a careless attempt, so I need to be careful.''


    The Lulupu he picked must have already fully bloomed, as they did not wither nor drip any water, meaning¡ªGio had harvested the flowers in the right way.


    ¡°The scent is nice.¡±


    Gio carefully placed the flower bud into the basket.


    In the pond, there were about twenty flowers in bloom, but just in case, he only collected three of them. The petals themselves were so large and abundant like those of a lotus that it felt wasteful to pick more.


    ''The stems are quite sturdy, I wonder if there are other ways to use it. It feels like fibre, but somehow it felt as if it might peel off like thread when being torn vertically ....''


    Soon, Gio had gathered all the flowers.


    ¡°This should be enough.¡±


    As for the exact amount, he decided to determine it leisurely by feeling while making the medicine. Then, Gio set the basket filled with flowers back down on the ground.


    And he admired the spring.


    Drip.


    Trickle ....


    The sound of shallow, clear water flowing.


    The pure fragrance emanates from a clean spring.


    The humid air of the forest.


    ¡°... It''s nice.¡±


    This spring, which existed even though he had not painted it, was more beautiful than he could have imagined.


    The tree that stood firm despite being dead shone a brilliant white, resembling the expensive Carrara marble.5


    Between the trees with their intricate veins, through which the sky faintly shone, the transparent spring water flowed, breaking the sunlight like gold.


    ''It looks like pearls being thinly spread out.''


    The sap of the tree had hardened into gems. Whether it secreted sap before dying or not, wide and winding jewel-like formations in the shape of plates with a light blue hue, protruded from all over the tree like shelf mushrooms.


    The transparent, turquoise objects resembled large jewel-made plates. They held the spring water bathed in sunlight and carrying a gentle light.


    Drip...


    The spring water flowed down sequentially along the jewel plates.


    From the highest place, step by step, one by one. It made a clear ringing sound like dawn''s jade marbles as it struck the jewel plates. If one listened closely, it felt just like listening to a butterfly sing.


    The sunlight leaking through the leaves of the forest scattered and shone upon the marble-like trees, making it feel as though one had entered a temple.


    Thus, the spring water that had flowed down pooled around the roots of a dead tree, creating a shallow well.


    The overflowing spring water spread throughout the forest, and butterflies with wings resembling sunlight illuminated the area around it. They were just like fireflies.


    Fireflies that can be seen even during the day.


    ¡°That''s cool.¡±


    The spring, which took the giant tree soaring high into the sky as its base, also looked like a giant pond.


    ''... There''s a saying that good water emits fragrance, but I wonder if it applies to water this clean.''


    The air enveloping this place was rich and sweet, as if one were lying above a flower bed. Perhaps the fragrance from Lulupu petals mixed with the spring water.


    Indeed ...


    ¡°People should return to farming in the countryside.¡±


    Gio liked this place.


    He settled down among the soft, blanket-like moss and slowly took an afternoon nap.


    ***


    ¡°Here it is.¡±


    An art warehouse in a now-forgotten abandoned school.


    Inside the portrait hanging there, a man was quietly closing his eyes.


    ¡°Look at this painting.¡±


    ¡°Wow, how did it not burn and remain like this?¡±


    ¡°It''s in good condition ... I wonder if taking it would count as an achievement?¡±


    ¡°Seems like the piece has a name too.¡±


    ¡°It has a name? It was an item, then.¡±


    Now, the last rule.


    Gio became a painting.


    ¡°It''s called ''Gio''s Portrait.''¡±


    That was a clear fact.


    ¡°It''s sure convenient to travel with someone who has appraisal skills .... but is this really from Earth?¡±


    ¡°Is it possible for an ordinary portrait to still be this clean despite being inside an abandoned school in the mountains like this? There''s no one taking care of it, right?¡±


    ¡°I guess that''s true.¡±


    ¡°It must be an item that came from some dungeon, obviously. There are many other dungeons around here too.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, Collection would love this. They go crazy for this kind of stuff, don''t they?¡±6


    And like that, while Gio was asleep.


    The painting''s entrance was changing on its own.


    1: ?????? (Seo Ji-o), but due to reasons I''ll use Seo ''Gio''.


    2: basically the painting of the forest cabin now has an additional Gio with closed eyes on it.


    3: I don''t know how to write the name for this one, ?????????? ????? was the name of a fruit in one piece (¥µ¥é¥µ¥é¤ÎŒg ¡ª salasala fruit), so idk anymore and just translate the name as ''Salasala Tree''.


    4: it was Gyeongdan actually.


    5: the image for better imagination.


    6: this is the name of a guild, you''ll see it often afterwards.


    t/n: another slice of life novel. I was very tempted to split this chapter, as this chapter is more than twice longer than the ones I usually did (it''s 3.5k+ words and this isn''t even the longest chap I''ve read, it''s mid). but I decided not to split this ch 1 because this ch is what made me interested into this story and I want to drag yall down this hell too (mwahaha).


    I was looking for a fantasy slice of life with slight romance when I stumbled onto this accidentally. well, I don''t think this has romance, still, the story is just sooooo good I can''t help but pick this up (and the MC is actually really cute lmfaooo).


    for me, this series is just up to my plate, after all, it have similarities with both other projects I took (MPBGS with its misunderstood protagonist trope and horror comedy and TSDDBM with the slice-of-life genre).


    anyways, I hope you guys find this series as interesting as I do c:

 Chapter 2

    ¡°Well, then ....¡±


    A well-organized kitchen in a cabin in the forest was filled with warm air.


    ¡°It''s time for dinner.¡±


    Gio was preparing a meal.


    ¡°Not having to work and just eating and sleeping, can life get any happier than this?¡±


    This was the so-called happiness of being unemployed.


    ¡°Only now that I''ve become unemployed can I finally fulfil my role as a pig potato .... I''ll have to sit at the dining table for three hours.¡±


    Seo Gio was a gourmet and a glutton. The life of a teacher, who had to lead a regular, unobtrusive, proper and well-balanced social life, was too harsh for a cultured pig like him.


    ¡°I''ve always wanted to enjoy my favourite menu alone at a time personally convenient for me.¡±


    Seo Gio nodded his head with his characteristic blunt expression.


    ¡°This is exactly the life of returning to the countryside...¡±


    Not sure if this really falls under the category of returning to the countryside, but anyway, it is what it is.


    Contrary to his appearance, which seemed as if he had been carved out of Arctic ice, Seo Gio, who hailed from a mountain village in Gangwon Province, had been waiting for the right moment to return to the countryside ever since he moved to the city.


    ¡°To think that I would achieve my dream of a rural life only after losing my job and becoming a portrait, life really is a hurricane, isn''t it?¡±


    It was unpredictable and even fun. Though of course, an actual hurricane wouldn''t be fun.


    ¡°So, for today, let''s keep it simple....¡±


    With a lantern that wouldn''t go out even in the wind hung above, Gio took out the ingredients.


    Sweet potatoes.


    ¡°....¡±


    Large sweet potatoes.


    Gio blinked twice as if planning the day''s meal and soon came to a conclusion.


    ¡°... Maybe I''ll try making honey sweet potato stir-fry.¡±


    It was a dish he often made when the elders occasionally sent him sweet potatoes, requiring only a bit of honey and salt, sweet potatoes, and butter. Nothing else was needed.


    Fortunately, all these ingredients were in the cabin. Like a tree well that existed even though he hadn''t thought of it at all, the furniture and food ingredients inside the cabin were also piled up together.


    In particular, the food ingredients that always maintained their best condition even after several days, perhaps due to characteristics of the painting world, greatly impressed Seo Gio.


    ¡°Hmm...¡±


    Rattle.


    Gio took out a jar of honey stored in the cypress-scented cupboard.


    ¡°... Are the dairy products in the basement?¡±


    Dairy products like milk, cheese, and butter, as well as basically all food items that required refrigeration, were all gathered in the cabin''s underground storage.


    The storage, blocked on all sides by transparent ice, maintained a cool chill and served as an excellent refrigerator. Although one''s breath could be seen upon entering, perhaps due to him evolving into a haunted portrait, he did not feel the cold.


    ''Just cool enough.''


    Seeing that other ingredients did not freeze either, he wondered why breath would come out in the first place.


    ¡°It''s a phenomenon that completely ignores the laws of physics... but it''s funny, so it''s alright.¡±


    As he descended the stairs toward the underground storage with a small bowl and knife, the door made of cold heavy wood-like metal appeared before him.


    Soon after opening the door, he saw a few small, clumsily arranged jars and a large shelf inside the ice cave.


    ''Last time I checked, there seemed to be a variety of types.''


    He rummaged through the butter displayed on the shelf.


    ¡°I wish there was butter with a milder scent.¡±


    Among ingredients that provide sweetness, honey was particularly strong in flavour. It would have been enough with just sweet potatoes and honey, but if the scent of the butter was too strong, it might be a bit overwhelming.


    Seo Gio found a pale yellow butter among the various kinds and cut it into small pieces.


    ¡°Too much would make it greasy...¡±


    Gio took only as much butter as needed for this dish, wrapped it up neatly, closed the storage door carefully, and went back up to the kitchen.


    Seo Gio''s cooking skills were excellent. Otherwise, he, a gourmet, would not have even thought of cooking for himself.


    ¡°Ah, so fresh.¡±


    Gio skillfully cleaned the sweet potatoes. Then he pondered how to divide them.


    ¡°... Fo


    After blinking twice, he divided the sweet potatoes into long rectangular shapes. They were the right length for sticks.


    ¡°... Since there aren''t that many.¡±


    Gio prepared the seventeen large sweet potatoes.


    The small pieces of sweet potatoes on the iron plate went straight into the wood-fired oven. The preheated wood-fired oven quickly cooked the surface of the sweet potatoes.


    When the strong heat made the surface crispy but the inside was still raw, Gio took them out of the wood-fired oven.


    And those sweet potatoes with the outside cooked and the inside still raw went onto the large wok.


    ¡°Here are the butter and salt.¡±


    He maintained a low heat to prevent the butter from burning and sprinkled a little salt over it. The sweet potatoes, cooked slowly over the gentle fire, were coated with butter and emitted a sweet and savoury scent.


    ¡°And put in ....¡±


    Sizzle¨D


    ¡°... A little honey.¡±


    Gio drizzled the spooned honey gently and quickly flipped the wok. The honey and butter, mixed with the strength as if making fried rice in a Chinese restaurant, settled right on top of the sweet potatoes.


    ¡°....¡±


    It seemed about right.


    ¡°Nice.¡±


    Gio turned off the fire and flipped the pan a few more times. It was to help the butter and honey blend together without being out of place.


    If this process was not done, the butter would separate and drip, and the honey would taste unpleasantly sticky.


    ''It might be delicious, but... .''


    Obviously, when it comes to cooking, one must pay attention to the texture as well. Even with the same taste, the texture alone can make it a completely different dish.


    ¡°... Done.¡±


    ¡°... It''s light and pretty, so if this were sold on Earth, it would have been a huge hit as a trendy camping item ....¡±


    With his blunt face, Gio muttered about worldly greed as he rummaged through the basket. Then he took out ten stems of Vaivamnil, which resembled orchids.


    He also lightly washed them and placed them on a small tray, then hung a pot over the fire in the wood-fired oven and poured water into it. Then, he waited for it to boil.


    ¡°...This should be about right.¡±


    After confirming that the water was bubbling appropriately, Gio added the Vaivamnil. The unique deep and sweet scent of vanilla wafted through the air.


    Splash, splash¡ª!


    ¡°Hmm...¡±


    It would be good if it could be eaten the same way as vegetables, soaking it briefly and then taking it out, but these flowers are not vegetables. Moreover, if not blanched properly, it can remain poisonous.


    ''It takes a total of ten minutes for the poison to disappear.''


    Gio faithfully followed the system''s instructions. He ate the Goby fruits he had set aside earlier while waiting for the poison to drain from the flowers.


    ¡°Is it done?¡±


    After checking the time with the system, Seo Gio stood in front of the pot again ten minutes later.


    He placed the wilted flowers onto the tray with long chopsticks. Despite having been boiled for quite some time, their shape remained intact. He washed the blanched flowers with clean water and left them as they were for a while.


    Gio did not extinguish the weakened fire in the wood-fired oven but only changed the pot on top. The water left after boiling Vaivamnil would still contain poison.


    ¡°I should dry this too.¡±


    Gio carried the tray with the flowers outside again.


    And as he opened the door.


    Whoosh ....


    A gentle spring breeze blew.


    ¡°... It''s refreshing.¡±


    The texture and temperature felt as if lukewarm clouds are gently enveloping his face.


    It was a pleasant breeze.


    ''Soft and cool.''


    Gio blinked his eyes slowly in the hazy wind that strangely heart-fluttering and made him slightly drowsy.


    ''It would be perfect to fall asleep like this.''


    The wind, neither hot nor cold, was as soft as fine Korean paper or silk, tickling the tips of his fingers.


    Gio, having savoured the unexpected small happiness, soon moved his feet.


    ¡°... I hope they dry well.¡±


    Gio, who had placed the Goby fruit and flower trays side by side, returned to the cabin. There were already two trays in front of the cabin, but there were still more to be prepared.


    This time, Gio had caught a transparent flower named Lulupu.


    What should he do with this? As drowsiness crept in, his thoughts were not clear, so after pondering for a while, Gio asked the system for help.


    ¡°Refinement method.¡±


    Refinement Method: Place the petals in warm, edible water and wait until they dissolve and the juice comes out. One must never interfere during the process. The produced juice can be used with various medicinal herbs.


    Available Refinement Method: Excellent Blood Recovery Rice Ball Cake made with Goby Fruit and Lulupu Juice.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    After expressing gratitude to the system, Gio poured water into the newly replaced pot.


    The cold water entered the preheated pot, changing it to a lukewarm temperature. When he placed his hand just above the water, the gentle steam rising seemed quite warm.


    ''If it''s not hot water but warm water, this temperature should be about right.''


    Thinking so, Gio held the flowers he had brought from the spring in his hand.


    The Lulupu flowers, seemingly made of water yet woven like silk and sturdy, emitted a clear and sweet fragrance, like dewdrops made of honey.


    As he carefully placed it into the pot ....


    The galaxy-like sparkle of the flower petals spread throughout the water in the pot.


    ¡°... Surely Lulupu''s sparkle must be due to scattering the light from sunlight or lamps.¡±


    Was it trapping the bright sunlight or the clear light of the lamps within itself? It felt like watching ice made of glitter melting in warm water.


    ¡°... Oh.¡±


    Soon the sparkle subsided, and the water in the pot emitted a clearer fragrance.


    The capitalist thought that it would sell well even if made into perfumes suddenly crossed his mind, but Gio scooped out the contents before the water completely boiled away.


    ''I was almost late.''


    The scooped-out flower water went into a glass bottle he had prepared in advance.


    ¡°It doesn''t look like much at first glance, but this can be used to make medicine.¡±


    The Lulupu juice, though only dissolved in water, emitted a mesmerizing light as if it was a paint crafted by an artist who poured his soul into it. He wondered if it could really be made into medicine.


    Well, there''s nothing that can''t be done if you try. That''s just how life is.


    ¡°Even a perfectly living human can become a haunted portrait, so why couldn''t I make a medicine with a strange colour?¡±


    Having finished all the preparations, Gio went up to the second floor of the cabin. The drowsiness that had been tickling his eyelids for a while now encouraged him to sleep.


    The wooden stairs that touched the soles of his feet felt warm. Despite being clearly made of hardwood, it strangely had a soft texture, and with how comforting the scent wafted from various places, seemed like it was made of good-quality wood.


    The bed in the bedroom he climbed up to felt as soft as if it was made of water.


    ¡°Haa ....¡±


    Thump¡ª


    He dove into the bed.


    His eyes blinked a couple of times as if summarizing the day''s events, before soon quietly closing, like a child being caressed in their parent''s embrace.


    Through the wide-open window, the wind carrying the forest''s fragrance flowed in, and a delicate breeze passed cautiously over his body as if shy. Once across his forehead, once on his fingertips, once on his knees ....


    In the pitch-dark view, the evening cries of birds faintly receded.


    And with the soft singing of grass bugs as a lullaby.


    Gio fell asleep.


    1: he was saying ''delicious'' while chewing so idk how to say it (??????).


    2: sweet potato candy looks like this ig, I think what he meant could stibby stabby mouth because it seems coated with sugar a little like tanghulu? not sure though never eat one.

 Chapter 3

    At a prestigious auction house.


    ¡°Uh...?¡±


    ¡°Why, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°J-just now ... I think this painting moved.¡±


    ¡°How clumsy.¡±


    One of the managers snorted.


    ¡°There¡¯s no way an ordinary portrait would be up for auction here. It must have been an item from some dungeon.¡±


    ¡°Ah...¡±


    ¡°They say it was found in the art warehouse of an abandoned school, but since its origin is unclear, the price will drop significantly. It¡¯s going to be auctioned early in the first part, so prepare in advance.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Despite the boss¡¯s reassuring words, the employee¡¯s expression was not good. He looked at the portrait in front of him with a sense of unease.


    ¡°....¡±


    Just now.


    It seemed like their eyes met.


    ¡°...I hope it¡¯s not a cursed item...¡±


    While the item must have already passed the safety inspection, the world is vast and there are all kinds of items.


    The mystery of its origin and function which even appraisal skills couldn¡¯t clarify must have been the reason why it made it to this auction, but that was exactly why the employee felt a sense of foreboding.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this how horror movies usually start? Something ominous and the people around who are unaware of the danger... It¡¯s perfect.¡±


    He just hoped that he wouldn¡¯t be the first victim to die here.


    ¡°Ouh, how scary.¡±


    That painting, ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait¡¯ silently watched this scene.


    He then closed his eyes.


    ***


    31 years ago.


    The Earth was ruined.


    When this all-too-common introductory phrase became reality, from then on, all science fiction movies disappeared from Earth.


    Suddenly being dragged into another dimension and torn apart by irrational rules or monsters crawling out from the cracks of pitch-black dimensions felt much more real than any movie.


    ¡°Crazy...!¡±


    ¡°Excuse me, are they filming for a movie?¡±


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s a movie, damn it?!¡±


    And as if that was expected, people with supernatural abilities appeared.


    ¡°Uh ... Isn¡¯t this a game window?¡±


    ¡°Wow, I got that too.¡±


    ¡°What did it say? Mine says I¡¯ve awakened as a priest?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have that ... just a list of skills. But if you¡¯re a priest, do you have a religion?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m a Christian. Is it determined this way?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know either...?¡±


    They changed the landscape of Earth.


    ¡°Ah, deal...! What are you doing without adding deal!!¡±1


    ¡°How can I deal when hyung is blocking the front...!¡±


    ¡°Are you kidding me?! Shouldn¡¯t the tank block the front instead of the back?!¡±


    ¡°Wow, this strategy is screwed...¡±


    ¡°Hiyaaaa ...!¡±


    They hunted monsters as if they were playing a game.


    This phenomenon, defined as ¡®awakening,¡¯ manifested randomly in individuals, and no matter how much research was conducted, there was no precise rule or standard for it. The only commonality among those who had awakened was that they had a system window like that in a game.


    Of course, hunting monsters wasn¡¯t as light a task as playing a game.


    ¡°... Hey, at least take care of things he left. Even if there¡¯s no body, we should still hold a funeral.¡±


    ¡°Our team¡¯s dealer is gone .... I¡¯m beat. How old did you say he was?¡±


    ¡°Eighteen years old. He said he wanted to go back to high school.¡±


    ¡°To drag a kid who wanted to study at school out here, the country must be crazy.¡±


    ¡°What can we do? They even make ten-year-olds work if they¡¯re awakened ....¡±


    ¡°Well, an eighteen-year-old dealer is pretty decent.¡±


    ¡°This is fucked up.¡±


    The so-called ¡®Awakeners,¡¯ or ¡®Hunters¡¯ who hunted monsters were few in number, so it was hard for them to escape from ¡®death by overwork¡¯. In the face of global changes during a transitional period, individual lives were treated as mere numbers.


    However, South Korea was a country that quickly suppressed the chaos worldwide, centred around three heroes. They rapidly laid the foundation through a series of tumultuous changes.


    ¡°Honey, can you hear me? Ye-rin has awakened...¡±


    As a result, citizens of well-organized cities began to feel more relaxed.


    ¡°The teachers told me that she had awakened at the kindergarten today.¡±


    [ Huh? Ye-rin? Oh my ... Does she have a profession? What about skill? What rank is it? ]


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Ye-rin says she doesn¡¯t have a profession and her skill is D-rank. Seems like we¡¯ll have to check at the centre for the exact details.¡±


    [ Then let¡¯s not make Ye-rin a hunter. Ask her what she wants to do, and if she doesn¡¯t want to, don¡¯t make her a hunter. ]


    ¡°I was thinking the same. Okay, thanks, I¡¯ll hang up now.¡±


    With established guilds and centres, the system was organized¡ªthe dimension was named ¡®Dungeon¡¯, and there are now distinctions between ¡®Awakener¡¯ who simply have awakened abilities and ¡®Hunter¡¯ who have the profession of hunting monsters.


    ¡°Yeah, just because the child has awakened doesn¡¯t mean she has to become a hunter.¡±


    ¡°Mom, am I going to catch monsters ...? I¡¯m scared ... I don¡¯t want to do that.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. Our Ye-rin doesn¡¯t have to catch monsters.¡±


    From a certain point, Awakeners also began to have different jobs.


    Awakeners, who possess powers qualitatively different from ordinary people, were strictly managed by the country, but within a mere 31 years, after various incidents occurred and with the government changing dozens of times, the treatment towards Awakeners improved.


    For Awakeners below the C-rank, the range of job choices expanded significantly.


    ¡°Wow, that person must be a hunter.¡±


    ¡°Definitely, seeing the guild emblem, they must be a hunter.¡±


    ¡°Amazing ... Who is that? I¡¯ve never seen them before, a newcomer? Have you seen them on TV?¡±


    ¡°The black wings are really cool. So that¡¯s what a real hunter looks like.¡±


    ¡°I heard that flying-type skills are rare....¡±


    ¡°That person has made it in life.¡±


    And with that, envious gazes towards hunters grew even more.


    ¡°I want to become a hunter if I awaken.¡±


    ¡°Eh, I¡¯m not really into dangerous stuff.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s still cool. You can earn a lot of money and be popular.¡±


    In the end, they were treated like celebrities.


    And the peaceful forest scenery that harmonized with him.


    ¡°I wonder who was drawn.¡±


    It was a portrait that made one curious about the painter who drew it and the model who became the subject of the piece.


    ¡°If this is just human skill, it¡¯s amazing. Even if it¡¯s not, it¡¯s the same. It¡¯s as if it really contains a living human being ....¡±


    At that moment.


    The man in front of him.


    The pale portrait opened its eyes and looked at Bi Sa-beol.


    Bi Sa-beol held his breath.


    As if every organ and muscle were captured by something huge, he couldn¡¯t say anything.


    ... What is this?


    ¡®What is this?¡¯


    It was black.


    It was all black.


    Even though the white and black are separated, it was an abyss where the boundary was completely indistinguishable.


    Its centre was so deep that it was unfathomable. It was a shadow. And it was the night sky. And....


    Does it resemble the universe?


    ¡®Dark.¡¯


    Deep.


    Colourful.


    It resembled life where warmth and coldness coexist.


    The veins and ties of fate that spread throughout it.


    When Bi Sa-beol unknowingly touched the black eyes of the man in the painting ...


    The portrait soon.


    ¡°... Oh.¡±


    Closed its eyes.


    ¡°My goodness.¡±


    At that moment, Bi Sa-beol intuitively felt that he had hit an unexpected jackpot.


    ¡°It¡¯s not an ordinary painting, is it?¡±


    He felt very pleased.


    ***


    Meanwhile, the man in the painting, Gio.


    Was scared.


    ¡°Um ...¡±


    He quietly stepped back with a rarely disgusted face and looked at the frame hanging on the tree. It was the frame he called the ¡®front door¡¯.


    Upon confirming that the only entrance was blocked, Gio muttered in frustration.


    ¡°I¡¯m just an ordinary painting.¡±


    He was a little desperate, enough to make excuses despite how no one would hear him.


    ¡®...Is this what they call a threat to life? I thought such things would not happen in this peaceful cabin, but as expected, the world does not always go as one thinks. It¡¯s a truly harsh world.¡¯


    Before he started making medicine in earnest, Gio, who wanted to check the outside world, noticed that his frame was being moved somewhere. Upon checking occasionally, it seems like he had been put up for auction.


    And the last place he arrived was none other than a huge warehouse ...


    ''... Rather, it should be called a gallery or museum.''


    The all-white building and well-maintained interior showed that only carefully selected works were on display. It seemed to be a gallery that received a lot of love from its owner.


    And the more love he poured into it, the more troubled Gio became, having lost his one and only front door.


    ¡°Now every time I go outside, I¡¯ll be committing trespassing. Why did this happen to me, a model student who listens well, goes to bed early and wakes up early? Is it because I didn¡¯t brush my teeth before bed yesterday?¡±6


    Gio had already surprised an employee by trying to take a brief look outside. Although he never died, he didn¡¯t want to be burned at the stake as a haunted portrait.


    ¡°If the portrait is ruined, I don¡¯t know what will happen to this painting world ....¡±


    Indeed, the Earth had undoubtedly become stronger in 31 years. It was too rough and harsh of a world for the timid and weak Seo Gio, a newly born potato from the Gangwon Province, to survive.7


    ''It''s dangerous outside the blanket.''


    Gio once again acknowledged his identity as a portrait and resolved to stay here.


    Yet the very next day after he thought to be more careful than now to survive in this harsh world, staking the honour of a haunted portrait¡ª


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    From beyond the wooden frame, the red-haired man he saw yesterday was loitering around.


    ¡®Oh.¡¯


    Not really, truly, sincerely with any discriminatory or derogatory intent, but objectively seeing without any personal feelings, Gio thought. Those bright reptile-like yellow eyes were creepy.


    For some reason he couldn¡¯t understand, they even sparkled. Why really? But he didn¡¯t want to understand. It was too harsh of a dilemma for Gio, who had stepped out into the yard expecting a refreshing morning.


    ¡°Nice to meet you, sir. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s a good morning, afternoon, or evening, but for us humans, it¡¯s a good morning. Did you sleep well, sir?¡±


    ¡°I think I was very rude yesterday. Would you like to talk to me? What is your name? Since I appraised it as ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait,¡¯ it seems your name is Gio....¡±


    ¡°Sir? Are you listening? Seeing you open and close your eyes, as someone eagerly seeking conversation, it¡¯s quite tempting. You seem to have a great skill in captivating people.¡±


    Damn the heavenly gods and earthly spirits.


    ¡®It¡¯s been thirty-one years since someone talked to me, so something good is bound to happen tomorrow. But even considering that, an utterly unacceptable misfortune has struck.¡¯


    Modern society, this scary child. Gio hoped that the person beyond the frame would maintain a proper distance and pour an appropriate amount of interest.


    ¡®... It¡¯s burdensome....¡¯


    Outcast potato Seo Gio just shrank in front of the man who did not hide his enormous energy.8


    Of course, it was a grateful thing that there was someone who would talk to this loner. It might not feel like thirty-one years, but it had been that long since he had the opportunity to communicate.


    ¡®The fact that the other party seems quite friendly tells me that this is a reasonably good situation.¡¯


    But still...


    ¡°Sir? Are you there? Sir? If it¡¯s because I came empty-handed, I can prepare something you want according to your taste.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, do I need to offer a sacrifice...? What kind of sacrifice is usually received in such cases? The most common case is either a human with many sins, or perhaps a completely innocent human. But the latter is too difficult to find...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve contacted the prison. In today¡¯s world, finding a human with many sins is a piece of cake. I wonder how many would be enough?¡±


    Oh.


    ¡®It¡¯s tough.¡¯


    Even for Gio, the idol of a mountain village, it was an opponent he couldn¡¯t prepare to communicate with.


    1: deal here means to deal damage.


    2: sasaeng fan is a crazy obsessed fan with extreme behaviour and invasion of privacy. if you look at google, the first search result is Jungkook¡¯s BTS sasaeng fan iirc you can think of that¡ª


    3: this dialogue uses ????, while the word could mean reconciliation, I thought it was referencing the one with ºÓº£ hanja so like ¡®thanks for your understanding like the vast sea¡¯? sth along this line ig? correct me if I¡¯m wrong though.


    4: ???????? refers to a Korean tradition called ¡®Doljabi¡¯ where a child is encouraged to grab an item during their first birthday celebration, and the item they choose is said to symbolize their future career or path in life. so basically random gacha skill upon awakening.


    5: ???? ??????? ??? ??????? ??? is a Korean idiom that translates to ¡®like a shrimp¡¯s back getting torn in a whale fight,¡¯ which means getting hurt as an innocent bystander in a conflict between other stronger entities.


    6: actually this one was ?????? (new world/utopia) reference, but I don¡¯t get this, from looking it up, it seems to mean someone who listens to their parents and teachers so well they can be people of the new world? I don¡¯t understand ....


    7: ????????, a potato that is freshly harvested or newly born that year ... smh his way of talking about himself ....


    8: ???? (literally ¡®outsider¡¯), basically an outcast.

 Chapter 4

    Rustle...


    A long and pale hand disturbs the delicately dried light sky-blue flower petals.


    It was Gio.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    He was making medicine.


    ¡°Seems like all have dried up now.¡±


    It has been eleven days since he dried the boiled Vaivamnil flowers on Salasala tree leaves.


    The flowers, dried under the warm breeze and sunlight, hardly emitted any scent. It was a different feeling from the strong fragrance that had emanated when they were first boiled in water to remove the toxins.


    ¡°I wonder if the scent will return if I put them back in water.¡±


    Seo Gio murmured softly as he carefully packed the well-dried flowers into a sterilized glass jar.


    ¡°I wonder if a good hemostatic medicine can be made by brewing tea with this ... But no matter how I look at it, isn¡¯t this just flower tea?¡±


    Gio¡¯s eyes then turned to another tray. It was the tray where the Goby fruits had been left to dry.


    The Goby fruits, which had dried up as much as raisins in just eleven days, had turned a peculiar deep yellow colour.


    ¡°It seems the scent gets stronger the more it dries.¡±


    In terms of the intensity of the scent, the Goby fruits and Vaivamil were complete opposites. The scent of the Goby fruits became stronger as they dried, while the Vaivamil¡¯s scent weakened.


    Gio¡¯s eyes blinked rapidly twice as he calculated the work he had to do in the future.


    ¡°... Seems like there¡¯s still a long way to go before it¡¯s dry enough to be powdered.¡±


    Darn, it¡¯s still moist.


    ¡°You have the qualifications to become my colleague, crispy on the outside, moist on the inside fried potato.¡±


    He coolly gave up on the Goby fruits and only took the Vaivamil into the cabin.


    The system explained that Vaivamnil herbal tea greatly aids in hemostasis and immunity. It didn¡¯t specify the exact temperature or how much to take, though.


    ¡®Maybe I¡¯m supposed to figure it out myself. Seems like this friend called system trusts me too much, I wish it didn¡¯t do that though. I¡¯m just a newly born potato from Gangwon Province ....¡¯


    Though with that in mind, Gio decided to brew the tea as he saw fit. Cool potato Seo Gio also had talent in tea ceremonies.


    Gio, who had placed the jar containing the flowers on the dining table, paused for a moment.


    As if a computer was rebooting, he stood there blankly and then opened his mouth.


    ¡°Seems like I don¡¯t have a tea set.¡±


    Tea set.


    Simply put, teaware.


    ¡°Right?¡±


    To put it more simply, it means a teapot and teacups. Seo Gio, who had a keen interest in gourmet food, was also well-versed in tea sets used for brewing tea.


    There are various types of teaware including a teapot for brewing tea leaves, teacups for pouring the brewed tea, a cooling bowl for cooling the tea, and a tea waste bowl for throwing away the tea leaving only the scent.


    Among them, Gio decided to make only a teapot and teacups.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the studio.¡±


    Fortunately, Gio had the ability to turn paintings into real objects.


    ¡°To think I¡¯d have superpowers at this age... Indeed, no matter how worn out an adult had become due to society, they must have some childlike innocence in their hearts to become a magical girl someday.¡±


    So said the 29-year-old man.


    ¡°I¡¯m a potato, a cool potato.¡±


    Under the beautiful names of friendship, peace, and love, Gio honourably ignored the unusual changes happening in his life.


    ¡®The direction I take is the path itself.¡¯


    Even if it¡¯s a derailed roller coaster.


    Yet perhaps due to consideration of how he lived so thoughtlessly, this world helped Gio in various ways. The structure of the cabin, the furniture, and the household items were the same, and there was even a studio, reflecting Seo Gio¡¯s taste who had painted several works even after becoming a teacher.


    Going to the second floor, Gio headed to the studio that occupied half of the floor.


    ¡°Let


    He sat in front of an easel with a canvas on it. There were various paints and brushes in shapes familiar to Gio.


    ¡°What should I draw?¡±


    Gio had to draw a tea set. It would be filled with Vaivamnil flower tea full of vanilla scent.


    As the saying goes, if it¡¯s the same price, might as well go for the red skirt. Since it doesn¡¯t cost more to draw more elaborately, Gio thought deeply about it.1


    About ten minutes passed like that. After a while, Gio, with the canvas in front of him, finally opened his mouth.


    ¡°... The tea will come out with a pretty colour.¡±


    His characteristic calm and even tone flowed out as if reasoning with his students.


    ¡°White porcelain would be good.¡±


    What makes a good tea set? Gio, who had seriously brewed tea several times before, knew the answer.


    First, it must be pleasing to the eye.


    ¡°As white as a blank canvas.¡±


    Second, it must be comfortable to hold.


    ¡°With a sense of stability...¡±


    Third, it must be in harmony with the tea.


    ¡°It should have a clean colour.¡±


    Gio may not be a great artisan, but he enjoyed his modest world of gourmet food.


    Since he had painstakingly made precious flower tea, he naturally wanted to brew it in an excellent tea set.


    ¡®The time of the world inside the painting flows according to my mood and schedule, so it¡¯s not accurate, but anyway ...¡¯


    It was impressive how much passion and sincerity he showed to a portrait he had only briefly made eye contact with.


    ¡°Is he someone obsessed with ghost stories?¡±


    It¡¯s possible that he was thrilled by an amazing painting that was able to open its eyes on its own. That¡¯s the charm of a haunted portrait.


    But the fact that this man named Bi Sa-beol wasn¡¯t such an idle person pushed Gio into a world of fear and craziness.


    ¡°I heard he¡¯s the chairman of one of the top three conglomerates in South Korea ....¡±


    Chairman, what are you doing instead of working?


    The warehouse where Gio¡¯s Portrait was hung was Bi Sa-beol¡¯s personal gallery, and he had a very strong desire to collect art pieces ... This was known through conversations with other employees who often visited the gallery.


    Maybe because there were so many items, this large gallery wasn¡¯t something Bi Sa-beol could manage alone, so inevitably, there was more than one manager assigned per piece.


    ¡®Although they kept changing for some reason, but there were managers assigned to me too.¡¯


    Thanks to the conversations they shared, he was able to learn a few things about Bi Sa-beol.


    ¡®A man obsessed with collecting.¡¯


    Usually, he was a gentleman with a bit of a playful side and normal sensibilities, but when it came to art, he became a madman who would stop at nothing.


    ¡®Harmful.¡¯


    Nevertheless, Gio did not harbour any bad feelings towards the person named Bi Sa-beol.


    Gio¡¯s gaze landed on the frame hanging on the tree.


    The moment he saw Bi Sa-beol trying to converse again outside, information that only Gio could see popped up on the smooth glass of the frame.


    He blinked twice.


    Safe


    Surprisingly, that frame measured the danger level of the creature lurking beyond the portrait.


    Judging by the reactions of people on the other side, it seemed that only Gio himself could see that sign.


    ¡°Sir? Sir? Do you really have no intention of talking with me?¡±


    ¡°If you tell me what kind of offering you want, I can catch it alive for you. Sir?¡±


    ... So, there was no particular reason why Gio had to leave Bi Sa-beol in that state.


    ¡®But I can already see a future that¡¯s too much to handle just because I started a conversation.¡¯


    It was frankly burdensome. Gio was not a vessel big enough to contain a human called Bi Sa-beol.


    ¡®Newly harvested potatoes from Gangwon Province must be handled carefully so as not to damage them ....¡¯


    Although his tone was quite polite and his actions were refined, no matter what anyone said, a stranger who camps out in front of someone¡¯s front door for fifteen hours is definitely burdensome.


    He didn¡¯t particularly dislike him because he didn¡¯t seem malicious nor seem like a bad person.


    ¡°... I guess I¡¯m just a bit reluctant.¡±


    Just listening one-sidedly was already tiring.


    ¡®I¡¯ll be drained of energy.¡¯


    Gio was just¡ª


    ¡ªWaiting until he deemed it possible to have a conversation.


    ¡®But I can¡¯t keep doing this forever. When that person runs out of energy, let¡¯s try to interact with others.¡¯


    He didn¡¯t want to lose energy for no reason.


    ¡®A scary person.¡¯


    Gio nodded at the fact that he could avoid that scary person.


    ¡°It¡¯s a really nice place to live.¡±


    Gio, having been already outside the portrait several times, knew. What people could see now was only a portrait of Gio himself.


    What mattered was Gio¡¯s own will. When he had the will to interact with the outside, the ¡®Gio¡¯ in the painting opened his eyes. This was a fact he discovered after installing a mirror when he was at the abandoned school.


    ¡®So no matter how much I relax inside, it won¡¯t be seen from the outside.¡¯


    In this place, Gio¡¯s complete freedom was guaranteed. It didn¡¯t matter if the chairman of a large company waited eagerly for his response outside, he could still enjoy a peaceful rest.


    Fortunately, Gio was able to enjoy complete peace after the busy red-haired gentleman, befitting of a conglomerate chairman, disappeared after announcing another challenge.


    In a way, it¡¯s nice to hear him chatter away, so he leaves him be, but ....


    ¡°... I can¡¯t leave my only front door unattended like this.¡±


    He had to reclaim ownership.


    After a moment of thought, his gaze turned towards the outside of the frame, where no presence was felt.


    Eventually, Gio¡¯s mouth opened.


    ¡°Shall I go out?¡±


    His fate of automatically becoming a trespasser just by stepping out of his front door was lamentable, but like all adults in the world, Gio eventually accepted his fate.


    As people live, they might end up trespassing.


    And it was mutual anyway since he was also kidnapped.


    He wondered if there were people who asked for the portrait¡¯s opinion before purchasing them, but in any case, they hung him in the gallery without Gio¡¯s consent.


    Then there would be an infringement of portrait rights.


    ¡°... Tada.¡±


    Gio¡¯s ultimate positive mindset has successfully completed rationalization.


    1: ?????? ???????? ??????????? ??????? is a Korean proverb which translates to ¡°If it¡¯s the same price, might as well go for the red skirt.¡± It implies that if there¡¯s no difference in cost, one might as well choose the more attractive or valuable option.


    t/n: ¡®derailed roller coaster¡¯, I couldn¡¯t help but laugh at that line like seriously, and for those who didn¡¯t realize, between these ¡®eleven¡¯ days, Gio already trespassed or interact with the other employees to gather information, but he never talk to Bi Sa-beol between that time at all.

 Chapter 5

    Suddenly one day, a strange rumor began to circulate.


    ¡°They say there¡¯s a ghost.¡±


    A curator who was just about to head to the basement frowned at his coworker¡¯s words.


    ¡°... Pardon?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a gallery on the fifth basement floor.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes. I know.¡±


    It was impossible not to know.


    ¡°The new piece I¡¯m in charge of is also on the fifth basement floor.¡±


    Collection¡¯s gallery only allowed entry to about 300 curators, including the owner, guild leader Bi Sa-beol, and guests who came to purchase the artworks.


    The gallery had a total of five floors. Each floor housed different types of collected works, and among them, the last fifth floor was home to Bi Sa-beol¡¯s most beloved pieces.


    For reference, Bi Sa-beol¡¯s affection for a piece was proportional to its danger. The fact that the curator this time was in charge of just a piece on the fifth floor meant that.


    ¡°What happened on that 5th floor? It should be a floor that is well-managed due to its high level of risk.¡±


    To that question, the colleague replied.


    ¡°I told you earlier. They say it¡¯s haunted.¡±


    ¡°... I¡¯m not saying that I heard that rumour for the first time. So what I mean is, I¡¯m asking if that rumour originated from some kind of incident or accident.¡±


    The curator, who laughed awkwardly, naturally scratched his neck perhaps out of habit.


    ¡°There have been several ghost disturbances in this gallery before, haven¡¯t there?¡±


    Bi Sa-beol¡¯s gallery, which collected all sorts of bizarre and beautiful works from around the world, had always been prone to accidents.


    Bi Sa-beol didn¡¯t care about the true identity of the items, even if they were essentially monsters, as long as they were considered ¡®art,¡¯ he collected them.


    And so far, most of the ghost disturbances in this gallery had been caused by monsters.


    ¡°What kind of monster is this piece? Judging by the fact that they¡¯re calling it a ghost, it seems close to human form.¡±


    ¡°They said it¡¯s a human.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s even more puzzling. Are you saying that a humanoid monster has entered our gallery?¡±


    In such a situation, if it could be evaluated as ¡®human,¡¯ then naturally, there were humanoid monsters.


    ¡°Why would such a dangerous monster be in a gallery like this instead of a dungeon? Especially if it¡¯s humanoid, it would have high intelligence and strong pride.¡±


    Humanoid monsters were not only rare but typically possessed intelligence beyond that of average humans, and their hatred towards the outside of the dungeons was intense.


    Humanoid monsters, equipped with both intelligence and power, would usually reign over their own dungeon, toying with any hunters that visited.


    ¡°If that were true, why would the guild building be so quiet? It would have rushed out and killed everyone by now...¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s strange. Every situation we can assess is contradictory.¡±


    The coworker continued.


    ¡°We¡¯ve already received 17 complaints.¡±


    ¡°17 times already?¡±


    For curator Yoo Sung-woon, the first time he heard the rumour about the ¡®ghost¡¯ was two weeks ago.


    If there were 17 complaints in just two weeks, it would be difficult to dismiss it as mere rumour.


    ¡°That¡¯s quite frequent. If it¡¯s to that extent, it seems like it wouldn¡¯t have stopped at just rumours.¡±


    ¡°The HR department is controlling the information. As you know, it wouldn¡¯t be good if rumours of a problem in the guild leader¡¯s gallery spread outside.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. If there¡¯s a problem with Collection who handles South Korea¡¯s finances, even the president would have to jump into action immediately.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a joke though, so I can¡¯t laugh. Fortunately, the scale of the incident was small, so it wasn¡¯t difficult to control.¡±


    The HR employee sighed after saying that.


    ¡°But if it¡¯s serious enough for them to file a formal complaint, it means it¡¯s not something to be overlooked.¡±


    ¡°The fact that complaints have been filed even though the curators are not such easygoing hunters ....¡±


    ¡°They must have judged that they couldn¡¯t handle it on their own.¡±


    ¡°This is a bit troublesome.¡±


    Unlike regular curators, curators with hunter licenses were erudite beings. Even if they weren¡¯t very powerful, their ability to appraise and respond to monsters and items was far superior to ordinary hunters.


    Among them, Bi Sa-beol employed some of the world¡¯s most talented individuals. The fact that such talents couldn¡¯t resolve the issue on their own and had filed complaints with the HR department representative in front of him meant the incident was not to be taken lightly.


    ¡°...This is really...¡±


    At this point, curator Yoo Sung-woon seemed to understand why the HR department had called him.


    ¡°What should I do?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to bother you when you¡¯re already busy.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s my duty to respond if an incident occurs.¡±


    He was an employee whose abilities were recognized even among the curators directly employed by Bi Sa-beol. He was already an A-rank hunter and had countless certifications related to alchemy and barriers.


    Yoo Sung-woon was often called upon when additional work arose, so he was used to taking tasks like this.


    ¡°You¡¯re so reliable.¡±


    The HR department coworker continued speaking with his characteristically cold expression.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be grateful if Mr. Yoo Sung-woon could be in charge of administrative management.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate the favourable opinion, but still, that¡¯s a bit...¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon shook his head.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it odd for someone who was an association researcher to take on administrative duties?¡±


    ¡°I remember that you were not just a researcher, but a research team leader.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why. I received enough glares when I left the association. I don¡¯t want to stand out.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s how you feel, I won¡¯t insist any further.¡±


    ¡°Yes, thank you very much.¡±


    Scratching his neck, Yoo Sung-woon asked.


    ¡°Anyway, if there have been seventeen cases, doesn¡¯t that mean the monster has no intention to hide its appearance?¡±


    ¡°If it was a monster that had excellent concealment ability to pass our guild¡¯s inspection and be safely displayed in the gallery, it could have hidden itself as much as it wanted.¡±


    As if waiting for this, the HR employee nodded.


    ¡°I was just about to inform you some information about this ghost.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good news.¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s a strange phenomenon witnessed seventeen times. We can¡¯t be negligent in gathering information.¡±


    ¡°The locations where it¡¯s been sighted are getting closer to the ground the more recent it is.¡±


    ¡°Starting from the first sighting, it wandered around the fifth basement level for a total of seven times, then the next four times on the fourth floor, and the following two times on the third floor. Then the second floor for another two times. And once it was witnessed on the first floor. It came up one floor at a time.¡±


    ¡°...Isn¡¯t that a bit dangerous?¡±


    ¡°But the last sighting, the seventeenth, was set on the 5th basement floor.¡±


    ¡°Ah, it went back?¡±


    ¡°After that, there were no sightings for five days.¡±


    ¡°Then...¡±


    ¡°It seems its exploration has been completed.¡±


    ¡°What a headache.¡±


    Finding a monster that had already hidden in its home was an even more difficult task.


    ¡°Are there any other peculiarities? Like its behaviour. Usually, monsters like this set their own rules and try to force other humans into their rules. Especially if it¡¯s humanoid, it seems even more likely that it would have its personal rules.¡±


    The employee nodded.


    ¡°As you said, there was a peculiarity.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°It gives gifts.¡±


    It doesn¡¯t seem like he had lived that long, but to think that in his lifetime, he had even heard of monsters giving gifts.


    ¡®...The works in the gallery often show such behaviour, but if we consider that, it becomes quite difficult to classify this guy as a simple monster....¡¯


    Yoo Sung-woon asked after organizing his thoughts.


    ¡°...Gifts, you say?¡±


    The employee, empathizing with Yoo Sung-woon¡¯s sceptical voice, made a subtle expression, coughed once, and then returned to his poker face.


    The employee continued the explanation.


    ¡°When you first encounter the ghost, it approaches pretending to be human.¡±


    ¡°Who would believe that...¡±


    ¡°Maybe it really believes it¡¯s human. Anyway, after that, it asks the employee it meets for a conversation. What¡¯s your name. How old are you. What do you do. Where is this place. Why are you here.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°The content is mostly mundane and nothing special. It doesn¡¯t ask for deep personal information, and even if you¡¯re reluctant to reveal your identity, it doesn¡¯t pry further. If you successfully complete the conversation, the ghost gives a gift.¡±


    The HR department employee gestured to flip through the documents. As Yoo Sung-woon flipped through with a nervous expression, he saw photos of the ¡®gifts¡¯ the employees had received.


    ¡°...T


    ¡°Yes, as you can see, it¡¯s food.¡±


    ¡°What kind of domestic monster is this?¡±


    The photo showed snacks like cookies, chocolates, and candies that were easy to take in one bite.


    Considering the neat and modest packaging, no matter how much he thought about it, it was definitely homemade. A homemade snack made by a monster was something that would get criticized for lying too much if it was published in an article.


    ¡°Have you done a component analysis?¡±


    ¡°It was conducted under the guild leader¡¯s orders, and the test results came out a week ago.¡±


    ¡°Like poison or...¡±


    ¡°No, on the contrary, it was medicine. Types like iron supplements, digestive aids, pain relievers, fever reducers, antidiarrheals.¡±


    ¡°The research team couldn¡¯t figure out how on earth ordinary cookies or chocolates could have such medicinal properties. After all, both taste and ingredients were just normal snacks.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon asked while flipping through the documents.


    ¡°Then how did you detect the effects of the ingredients?¡±


    ¡°As you know, with the full support of the guild leader...¡±


    ¡°Did he bring them from prison again? Somehow, that does seem to be the cleanest way.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a place full of useful test subjects.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. But even with the help of prison, wasn¡¯t the research done quickly?¡±


    ¡°I don''t know why, but there happened to be prisoners that the guild leader had prepared.¡±


    In an era where the lives of healthy employees are treated like pebbles, the human rights of criminals are nonexistent.


    The leader of the Collection guild was someone who was very good at utilizing this aspect, and it was roughly guessed that this experiment probably also used such criminals.


    The HR department employee continued.


    ¡°What''s even more surprising is that the gift was just the right medicine for the employee.¡±


    ¡°... Are you saying that it gave snacks with digestive ingredients to employees who felt nauseous, and snacks with fever reducers ingredients to employees who had a fever?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon rubbed his face.


    ¡°If it has an appraisal skill that can be used against living beings, then it must be of a high rank.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a troublesome opponent since it¡¯s showing goodwill towards us.¡±


    ¡°It would be easier to fight a rampaging monster, but we can''t subdue or appease this one.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon let out a long sigh and nodded, seemingly accepting his fate of soon taking on additional work.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it. This is my speciality.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. And there¡¯s one more thing I¡¯d like to tell you...¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about the date when the incident started.¡±


    ¡°This sounds ominous.¡±


    ¡°It started after the guild leader displayed ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait¡¯ in the gallery.¡±


    ¡°


    The HR department employee looked at Yoo Sung-woon¡¯s exclamation with pity.


    It makes sense, because ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait¡¯ was the piece that Yoo Sung-woon had recently been assigned to.


    ¡°... Another night of overtime, I guess.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t help but let out a hollow laugh.


    ¡°Stay strong.¡±


    ¡°I have to.¡±


    He was already tired.

 Chapter 6

    Pure white gallery.


    Pure white lighting.


    Amidst the artworks sparkling under the light, a lone man in black stands out.


    ''... It came out.''


    Yoo Sung-woon, who was lying in wait at the gallery at the request of the HR department employee, watched the ¡®ghost¡® while concealing his presence.


    Whether it was good luck or bad, on that very day he received the request, Yoo Sung-woon encountered the subject of the rumours. Indeed, just as he had previously heard, it was a tall man wrapped in a black cloak.


    ¡®Sound of footsteps ... there¡¯s none.¡¯


    The rumoured ¡®ghost¡® was barefoot.


    ¡®Though no matter how barefoot it is, this level of silence is strange.¡¯


    But it wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t hear anything at all.


    ¡®It seems like the previous curators couldn¡¯t hear because they lacked enhanced hearing skills ....¡¯


    Yoo Sung-woon closed his eyes.


    Rustle, rustle.


    Swish....


    Very.


    It was a very faint noise.


    ¡®...


    He opened his eyes again.


    ¡®...It sounds like plants brushing against each other.¡¯


    It was an odd comparison, but that¡¯s what it seemed like.


    The sound of light vines or dry petals weighing less than 1g, being rolled up and tumbling. This faint yet overly hollow sound was not the kind of noise you¡¯d expect to hear from a man as tall as 188cm.


    ¡°....¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon continued to observe from his hiding spot between the artworks and pillars.


    ¡®... It¡¯s admiring them.¡¯


    The ¡®ghost¡® wandered inside the empty gallery, occasionally stopping in front of artworks protected by glass walls. He spent a particularly long time in front of sculptures and paintings.


    What was surprising was that he was truly just ¡®looking¡¯ around.


    ¡®With so many dangerous items around, touching just one could cause chaos, but fortunately, that didn¡¯t happen. He must be a high-intelligence type of monster, a rare case indeed.¡¯


    That¡¯s not to say he didn¡¯t admire other forms of artwork.


    ¡®I wonder if it was interested in art, killing time ... or looking for an item to use.¡¯


    The behaviour of the ¡®ghost¡® who walked through the gallery with hands clasped behind its back like a noble aristocrat or an educated soldier, had a certain heaviness and precision to his movements.


    It was almost enough to make one think he owned the place, and Yoo Sung-woon found himself unexpectedly recalling a story about a vampire from an old castle.


    ''Vampire Count ... a bit childish, isn¡¯t it?''


    Considering his corpse-like pale skin and the inhuman aura, the comparison seemed to fit quite well.


    As the black cloak continued to circle the gallery for a while ....


    ¡°...Ah.¡±


    He looked straight at the hiding Yoo Sung-woon.


    Their gazes.


    Met with each other.


    Black eyes.


    At that moment, Yoo Sung-woon felt his consciousness fading.


    ¡®...


    What is that?


    ¡®Black.¡¯


    Too black.


    Yet it was bright.


    It seemed warm but was cold, empty yet heavy.


    Despite the clearly long distance, he couldn¡¯t look away to the point he could even see the blood vessels in his eyes.


    No, it might not have been blood vessels. The thin and elegant branches made of gold and silver were so vast that it was almost like a forest. The black centre, where the pupil could not be distinguished, was dark enough to instil a sense of fear.


    It was too immense. So immense that it was too deep for human comprehension. It felt suffocating. He felt anger and awe without any basis.


    Even though he wasn¡¯t constricting his breath, there was a power within it that made his breathing stop on its own.  Not dying, not showing off, just there...


    Existing.


    Two blinks.


    Swish....


    With a faint noise, the cloak moved.


    A little further away.


    More further away.


    And then the presence that had stopped even further away disappeared.


    Yoo Sung-woon moved his feet.


    The place where the presence had been cut off was none other than in front of ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait.¡¯


    ... Was he pretending to be innocent or just timid?


    He closed its distant eyes as if nothing had happened.


    ¡°This is driving me crazy.¡±


    Day 1, completed.


    ***


    Even in a world with supernatural powers, not everything about ¡®ghosts¡® could be explained. The fact that shamans still existed was proof of that.


    Therefore, explaining a moving portrait would be difficult.


    4:29 AM.


    The portrait opened its eyes.


    ¡°...Ah.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon subconsciously let out an exclamation.


    The gloomy-looking man, ¡®Gio,¡¯ opened his mouth and spoke.


    ¡°Good morning.¡±


    ¡°A good morning to you.¡±


    ¡°Morning, you say...¡±


    At those words, Yoo Sung-woon looked at the background of the portrait.


    Ah, indeed.


    ¡°Still, the ¡®ghost¡® Mr. Yoo Sung-woon mentioned seems to be me.¡±


    ¡°... Was there a reason for you to roam around the gallery?¡±


    ¡°I was curious about where I am.¡±


    His voice was very calm and slow. It was a voice that made it hard to imagine that he felt any interest in anything.


    ¡°I was curious because there were rare works on display.¡±


    ¡°I was curious about what kind of place this gallery is, I was curious about the people working here, what kind of lives they lead, what names they had and what tastes they like.¡±


    Although his tone was still dry, the answer was truly monster-like in that it was very interested in human lifestyles.


    ¡®No... it¡¯s not certain, but maybe it¡¯s not a monster.¡¯


    In that case, things would become more complicated.


    ¡°One tends to look for someone to talk to when alone.¡±


    What was intended to be ''Gio''s pitch-black eyes landed on Yoo Sung-woon. It was an artificial gaze movement, as if to let him know, ''I''m watching you.''


    ¡°Even more so to a polite person like you.¡±


    ¡°I guess you like polite people?¡±


    ¡°At least, I decided that the employees managing this gallery would be more suitable as conversation partners than the red-headed boss here.¡±


    ¡°The boss ... Um, are you talking about Bi Sa-beol, the guild leader?


    ¡°He¡¯s a talkative person.¡±


    The portrait¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. It was a very subtle change that was difficult to notice, but the meaning was clear.


    ¡°He talks so much, it¡¯s hard to respond.¡±


    Ah, guild leader.


    ¡®He must have been disliked.¡¯


    That¡¯s why he couldn¡¯t even have a conversation.


    All the curators on the fifth basement floor knew that Bi Sa-beol was very interested in ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait.¡¯ That was why he often talked to ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait,¡¯ and said that it was a very special portrait.


    ¡®But why didn¡¯t that person say anything about this portrait ....¡¯


    Since even though he knew ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait¡¯ could talk and move, he had never actually conversed with ¡®Gio.¡¯


    Because ¡®Gio,¡¯ judging Bi Sa-beol to be rude, deliberately did not respond to his conversation attempts.


    ¡®He got what he deserved.¡¯


    He knew he would end up with a loss living like that. Honestly, that person deserves a bit of a loss, but anyway.


    Yoo Sung-woon bowed his head politely after sorting out his thoughts.


    ¡°I apologize.¡±


    ¡°I apologize on behalf of our guild leader.¡±


    His role was to manage the work here.


    Among those works, there were many which have their own consciousness like ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait¡¯. Especially since it was assumed that ¡®Gio¡¯ was a humanoid monster, there was nothing to gain by upsetting him by breaking his rules.


    ¡®Especially since he seems to be more sensitive to manners.¡¯


    Fortunately, the portrait¡¯s expression was still blunt. He didn¡¯t look pleased, but he wasn¡¯t angry either. He remained gloomy and pale, but only stiff without showing any displeasure.


    As expected, the portrait spoke in a calm voice.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡±


    ¡°Our guild leader is a bit of an odd person.¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t seem like a bad person. So it¡¯s alright.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon keep in mind the additional information.


    ¡®If they¡¯re not evil, he won¡¯t be hostile even if they lack manners.¡¯


    Even thinking about that, he felt suffocated. Because he couldn¡¯t carelessly measure the opponent¡¯s abilities.


    ¡®Does he have an appraisal skill that can judge the good and evil of even guild leader Bi Sa-beol ... It¡¯s a monster that¡¯s hard to handle in many ways. That level of appraisal skill would be hard to find anywhere in the world.¡¯


    No, to begin with, whether a being with such ¡®eyes¡¯ can be defined as a monster is ...


    After a brief silence, the portrait spoke again.


    ¡°Do you have any questions?¡±


    ¡°... Your bluntness surprises me, Gio.¡±


    ¡°I was just being polite.¡±


    ¡°Polite?¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t humans be polite?¡±


    That¡¯s what makes it seem not human-like.


    ¡®Ordinary humans don¡¯t keep their manners that meticulously.¡¯


    Rather, it felt overly thorough, as if a monster with a vague understanding of human life was excessively imitating it awkwardly.


    While Yoo Sung-woon was feeling a bit tired, the portrait shifted to another topic.


    ¡°It was my first time seeing Mr. Yoo Sung-woon. Is that correct?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Guild leader Bi Sa-beol said he no longer had time to manage your portrait, and the previous curators were assigned to other works. So I took over the task.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to thank you for keeping the portrait clean. I wanted to thank the previous people too, but I wasn¡¯t ready until now. I thank you again on their behalf.¡±


    ¡°Managing the work is a duty that those people and I naturally have to do, so there¡¯s no need for thanks. But I¡¯ll let them know that you were grateful.¡±


    But now he was curious.


    ¡°... Can you tell what people outside are doing even when your eyes are closed? Were you continuously observing us from inside the portrait?¡±


    To his question, ¡®Gio¡¯ replied with an inscrutable blunt face.


    ¡°You are in the frame, so I have no choice but to watch.¡±


    ¡°Moving pictures are interesting.¡±


    ¡°... Is that so.¡±


    Somehow.


    It was a bit creepy.


    ¡®The picture is not itself, but the humans outside ... is that what it means?¡¯


    Even Yoo Sung-woon himself couldn¡¯t pinpoint exactly what part was creepy.


    But if what the portrait said was true, then ¡®Gio¡¯ sees everything outside the painting as a picture. Even though to them, the painting is ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait.¡¯


    To that painting, we are .....


    A painting.


    ¡°Is this a sufficient answer?¡±


    ¡°... Yes.¡±


    Indeed, this is a dangerous entity.


    ¡°Perhaps.¡±


    Day 2, complete.

 Chapter 7

    After completing Day 3, Yoo Sung-woon confirmed that the portrait had closed its eyes.


    He went to find the guild leader as soon as it was 9 AM.


    ¡°It¡¯s dangerous.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s dangerous?¡±


    ¡°That portrait is dangerous.¡±


    He reported with a calm face.


    ¡°The portrait¡¯s goodwill towards us humans is irrelevant. There are indeed monsters that rarely show goodwill towards humans, but it¡¯s also true that their goodwill has become a great poison to humans.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying that Gio¡¯s Portrait has the same kind of goodwill as those monsters?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s more dangerous than that.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon reported what he had confirmed.


    ¡°That portrait knows exactly what it¡¯s doing, how it appears, and the impact of its actions. It¡¯s completely different from the monsters that suffocated people by indiscriminately spreading goodwill.¡±


    Above all.


    ¡°It perceives himself as a human.¡±


    So it would try to interact with humans in some way. He doesn¡¯t seem to be reluctant to converse.


    ¡°But at the same time, he didn¡¯t see us as humans.¡±


    ¡°Then?¡±


    ¡°Gio judges us as paintings. That¡¯s how he appreciates us.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon felt Gio¡¯s powerful soul. It was something that any creature with intelligence could naturally feel without any sophisticated analytical equipment or skills.


    It wasn¡¯t just the dignified gait, the heavy atmosphere, or the noble appearance that exuded power. Yoo Sung-woon still couldn¡¯t forget the profoundness he felt when he looked into Gio¡¯s black eyes.


    The appearance of something immensely vast pretending to be a mere human.


    ¡°Yet it calls itself human. Whether it really thinks that way or is trying to be, it seemed genuinely sincere. It wasn¡¯t a lie.¡±


    In such a case, even though it was normally safe, once something happened, it was bound to escalate beyond imagination.


    Because he was fully aware of what he was doing.


    ¡°Moreover, he¡¯s sensitive to good and evil. Yet, we don¡¯t know where its standards come from. Even if we consider it as something ordinary, if ¡®Gio¡¯ concludes that it¡¯s evil .... I can¡¯t even imagine what would happen.¡±


    ¡°You really can''t imagine?¡±


    ¡°Yes, this time... probably not.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon sighed.


    ¡°There is no group to compare, nor is there any data that can be used as a reference. This is my first time dealing with a talking portrait.¡±


    Weapons with consciousness are treated as rarities and are loved by many hunters. But a portrait with consciousness, whose identity is impossible to tell whether it¡¯s a ghost, a monster, or a human¡ª


    Even for him, who has had many unique experiences, this case was difficult.


    ¡°Have you thought about sending it to the Hunter Association for research ....¡±


    ¡°Do you think I would?¡±


    ¡°I knew it. I know, that¡¯s what I thought.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon covered the corner of his mouth as if to stifle a sigh, then controlled his expression before continuing.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll report to you periodically. It¡¯s hard to identify its exact nature in just a day or two.¡±


    ¡°Please do. I plan to try talking to it again soon, but it would be hard if I get ignored again, so please find out what Gio likes.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a very personal request, but I understand. It¡¯s my job, so there¡¯s no need to ask. Isn¡¯t that what I¡¯m supposed to do?¡±


    ¡°I wonder why all of our employees are so chic.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because you¡¯ve only gathered such people.¡±


    That was how Yoo Sung-woon started coming to work at 4:30 every morning.


    ***


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you lonely?¡±


    At Yoo Sung-woon¡¯s question, the portrait blinked twice.


    ¡°I¡¯m not lonely.¡±


    Still a blunt answer.


    Yoo Sung-woon faintly smiled.


    ¡°If it was an inappropriate question, I apologize, but this place is not frequented by people other than the employees who come to manage the artwork.¡±


    ¡°I just guessed ... that perhaps coming out of the portrait to look around sometimes was partly due to such emotions.¡±


    ¡°I like places without people, so it¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°Do you feel uncomfortable having conversations?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it. However...¡±


    The portrait continued.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already spoken so much that I¡¯ve imagined a future where I don¡¯t have to speak all the time.¡±


    ¡°A quiet place where I don¡¯t have to speak too much, don¡¯t have to be involved too much down, and don¡¯t have to care too much .... That¡¯s what I¡¯ve always wanted. This place suits my wish.¡±


    Then Yoo Sung-woon asked.


    ¡°... Were you a human before?¡±


    ¡°I am still a human now.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. So what I meant was ... were you an ordinary human being not living inside the painting? Ordinary people usually aren¡¯t framed.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I was.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    There are two types of humanoid monsters.


    Those who were born as monsters but evolved to take on human forms, and those who were originally humans but became part of the ¡®origin¡¯ at some point and turned into monsters.


    ¡®Is this the latter case?¡¯


    Monsters with memories of being human usually are especially swayed by negative emotions.


    ¡®This one seems... rather peaceful.¡¯


    But it wasn¡¯t a pleasant kind of peace.


    It was like a funeral.


    ''Gio''s Portrait'' looked exactly like someone''s death.


    ¡°Well, then... aren¡¯t you bored?¡±


    ¡°Sometimes I am bored.¡±


    ¡°How do you deal with such boredom? Do you have your own way?¡±


    ¡°I usually eat.¡±


    Ah, this was quite surprising.


    ¡°... Eat?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The portrait answered in its characteristic blunt voice.


    ¡°I enjoy eating.¡±


    He hoped the ingredients weren¡¯t human.


    ¡®... It doesn¡¯t look like a face that would enjoy eating.¡¯


    If one were to think of him as an ordinary human, well, it also didn¡¯t seem like he was obsessed with food.


    ¡®... Rather, he had the impression of not feeling impressed by anything, showing a cold-blooded indifference.¡¯


    He is an eye-catching handsome man. His physique is not thin, but neither is it thick.


    The pale skin, the very dark eyelids, the face that doesn¡¯t move like a marble sculpture. It didn¡¯t look like he would find enjoyment in eating.


    But there was something more surprising.


    ¡°If it¡¯s not too rude to ask...¡±


    The portrait spoke.


    ¡°This is my gift in return.¡±


    As he pushed out the red gem that seemed to contain a heart with his finger,


    Tap, thud.


    It fell onto Yoo Sung-woon¡¯s hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s yours.¡±


    ¡°... This is ....¡±


    He asked.


    ¡°What kind of gem is this?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°But it must have been deep underground to be hot enough.¡±


    ''Gio'' continued the story of the gem.


    ¡°After being in a place hot enough to be the heart of a planet, perhaps it had developed warmth like its friend. Then, after a very long time, it was discovered by human hands ... and would have taken a beautiful form.¡±


    Whose story could this be?


    ¡°... That¡¯s an interesting story.¡±


    ¡°If it sounded that way to you, I¡¯m glad.¡±


    ¡°Haha...¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon let out a hollow laugh subconsciously.


    ¡°What did you use to paint this gem? Obviously your brush clearly had no paint on it...¡±


    ¡°This gem looks real.¡±


    The portrait did not answer.


    Instead, Yoo Sung-woon asked,


    ¡°May I take this with me?¡±


    ¡°You gave me a gift.¡±


    He was referring to that clumsy apple drawing.


    ¡°This gem is my reciprocation.¡±


    The portrait¡¯s words sounded exactly like the devil¡¯s. Even though there was absolutely no reason for it, but the strangeness, haziness, and ecstasy made him think so.


    And unable to bear the sense of unreality, Yoo Sung-woon expressed his honest feelings.


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°And that sounds exactly like an answer given by the devil.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t contain his curiosity. That¡¯s what a researcher was like.


    ¡°Why do you always answer with such simple language? Gio, you, well ... you speak in a very simple and precise manner that could satisfy other people¡¯s wishes.¡±


    ¡°I know this is a rude question. But I have no choice but to ask. Could it be that it was because you lack human emotions? Or did you choose to be that way?¡±


    The portrait looked at Yoo Sung-woon without answering.


    After a while, only after it blinked twice, ¡®Gio¡¯ replied,


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what Mr. Yoo Sung-woon is saying. I haven¡¯t used overly simple grammar, nor have I given answers to satisfy people¡¯s desires or wishes.¡±


    ¡°I have always been like this.¡±


    His voice was still blunt and soft, but it seemed twisted somewhere.


    It was not peaceful. As if a dead person buried in a coffin had been dragged out into the world of the living, it was still quiet and yet somehow strange...


    ¡°I have human emotions, to the point that I don''t know why I need to explain it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I have no emotions, nor is it my choice, whatever it may be. I have always been like this.¡±


    The portrait seemed angry, and occasionally seemed as if he was making excuses for being stabbed in a sore spot, or perhaps it was truly frustrated because he couldn¡¯t understand what the other person was saying.


    Yet maybe all of this was just his misconception, and he felt nothing.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking.¡¯


    Yoo Sung-woon said cautiously,


    ¡°Of course, I know. I know you¡¯re just an ordinary human.¡±


    ¡°You seem to feel loneliness, joy ... and many other emotions. But you have a way of speaking that doesn¡¯t show any emotions or personal desires. As if you had nothing ...¡±


    As if it¡¯s just a kind of service.


    ¡®... I shouldn¡¯t say any more.¡¯


    Yoo Sung-woon felt curious. At the same time he was also impressed. Although he was employed by Bi Sa-beol as a curator, his essence was always ¡®research¡®.


    The portrait opened its mouth again.


    ¡°I am an ordinary human.¡±


    He continues to speak.


    ¡°I wanted to eat an apple, so I asked Mr. Yoo Sung-woon to draw it for me.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°That was my personal wish. Mr. Yoo Sung-woon drew an apple for me, so I gave you a gift in return. We gave each other gifts, and that¡¯s just common courtesy between people.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°I was just being polite.¡±


    ¡°So, I don¡¯t quite understand what you are saying.¡±


    It was impossible to tell whether his words were lies or truth. It was difficult to read his intentions from the voice with a constant pitch.


    ¡°Do you know that your eyes are very black?¡±


    ¡°Quite a bit of people have black eyes.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±


    ¡°Black eyes are common. There¡¯s nothing special about them.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think of me as too special. It would be better not to.¡±


    It was like a giant whale explaining to a human that it is small.


    Did he deny that statement despite knowing it is contradictory?


    ¡®Or does it really not know?¡¯


    ''Gio''s'' blunt face obscured all his inner truth.


    ¡°...I¡¯ll be careful.¡±


    Day 5, completed.


    After that, the portrait did not open its eyes for a while.


    Ah, really.


    ¡°I should fix this habit...¡±


    Did he make him run away?


    ***


    It¡¯s hard to socialize after such a long time.


    ¡°... Should I rest?¡±


    His ultimate positive mindset is activated.


    ¡®Let¡¯s rest.¡¯


    And so, he returned to his countryside life.


    ¡°Ta-da.¡±


    This was the reason why Gio was stuck in the portrait for ten days.

 Chapter 8

    Gio had no thoughts.


    People imagined all sorts of things because of his stiff expression, gloomy atmosphere, and overly polite speech. They thought he might have lost a loved one or have done something dangerous in the past...


    It was a misunderstanding.


    ''What should I eat today.''


    Seo Gio was just a pig potato.


    ¡°... Cheese fondue ....¡±


    A spring breeze blew over the bed. He, who had stretched out like a sleepy cat, got up.


    ¡°Cheese fondue sounds good.¡±


    Today''s meal was fondue.


    When it come to meals, the pig did not hesitate. Gio went down to the ice storage to pick out the cheeses to use for this dish.


    ¡°How should I do it.¡±


    Cheese fondue could be easily made by anyone as long as they had the ingredients. Of course, there would be idiots who would refute it if he said this, but it didn''t matter because Gio was not an idiot.


    However, cheese fondue was not a dish that required complicated techniques, and there were also various recipes for cheese fondue.


    ¡°The base should be Brie cheese.¡±


    Brie cheese was the most common choice among the ingredients used to make cheese fondue.


    ¡°Is this Brie cheese?¡±


    The brie cheese wrapped in white paper had white mould spread surrounding it like silk. It was as if sweet sugar powder had been sprinkled generously on the sticky surface of the rich cheese.


    There was no name written on it, but when he smelled it and cut it in half, it was definitely Brie cheese.


    ¡°It''s mild-tasted and nice.¡±


    Brie cheese is not a strong-smelled cheese. It''s soft and has a subtle mushroom and nutty scent, making it just perfect to use as a fondue cheese. It goes very well with bread or fruit.


    ¡°If I only put this in, it might be a bit bland.¡±


    The downside of brie cheese is that it can feel greasy and burdensome if eaten in a large amount.


    The soft melted brie cheese has a creamy quality that melts smoothly without being chewy, and due to its mild scent and texture, one can easily become tired of it.


    Gio blinked and then muttered to himself.


    ¡°I wish it was a bit saltier.¡±


    He was attracted to cheese that had a strong scent, salty, and pungent. Since Brie cheese is mild ....


    ¡°Parmesan would be appropriate.¡±


    The formal name would be Parmigiano Reggiano.


    ''Parmesan cheese'' is known to Koreans as a seasoning usually sprinkled on pizza. However, this is a degraded version of Parmigiano cheese, and the two are almost nothing alike.


    ¡°It was here.¡±


    Gio found the parmesan cheese that had been divided into smaller pieces.


    ¡°It would be troublesome to cut the whole thing...¡±


    This cheese is a very difficult cheese that requires ageing for more than a year. So it was very hard, but the texture inside was clear. If not cut along the texture, it will shatter into pieces.


    In that sense, the fact that it was pre-divided was very appreciated. Parmesan cheese sold in whole is larger than a tyre and also very expensive, so Gio had never tried dividing it himself.


    ''It''s good that I didn''t have to waste the cheese.''


    Gio put the appropriately sized cut cheese into the basket.


    The scent was already strong.


    ¡°Nice.¡±


    The parmesan cheese, which emits a pungent aroma, has a very diverse taste.


    First of all, it''s very salty. Even if you eat only as much as a fingernail, your tongue tingles and the aroma goes straight to your head, as the flavour is very intense.


    At the same time, it gives the pleasure of the rich sweetness of honey that gently moistens the tongue like a soft peach and then disappears without a trace.


    ''That''s why it''s also delicious to eat raw.''


    Unheated hard cheese retains a much milder aroma. If one is new to cheese, it''s recommended to eat it raw, as there are flavour peaks in the crystals at that state of Parmesan cheese.


    Gio liked that small but crunchy texture.


    ''It also has a nutty aroma.''


    If one puts too much, it may be overwhelming, but if one adds a small amount, it''s suitable for enhancing the flavour of the fondue.


    ¡°And...¡±


    If he were to add one more thing.


    ¡°Gruye?re.¡±


    Gruye?re cheese would be appropriate.


    This cheese is hard like Parmesan cheese, but it''s a bit more flexible than Parmesan, it ages up to a year and is saltier and much sweeter than Brie cheese.


    ''One of the interesting things about it is that it has a subtle walnut aroma.''


    The rich nutty aroma was attractive in many ways. This deep aroma would surely match well with the previously collected cheeses.


    ¡°... I should stop with the cheese.¡±


    Too much would make the scent and taste strange. Gio went up to the kitchen on the first floor.


    ¡°Now...¡±


    Clatter.


    Gio found a thick earthenware bowl in the drawer.


    ¡°It''s well-baked.¡±


    Ciabatta was a bread famous for its fluffiness and chewiness. The surface, lightly dusted with flour, was swept away with butter, giving off a flavour like the roux in soup.


    Thanks to being baked in the wood-fired oven, the outside was very crispy, and the side heavily coated with butter had a crunchy yet soft texture, like croutons in soup.


    ¡°Now then, the cheese ...¡±


    Plop, soak it in.


    Chomp.


    He put it in his mouth.


    It was very good.


    ''This is it.''


    Gio placed a well-baked potato on top of the cheese-covered bread.


    ¡°Ummm ....¡±


    Indeed, the joy of fondue was to eat in combinations.


    The crispy and chewy bread, the cheese with its varied textures, and the fluffy, strongly flavoured potatoes cooked in butter. From texture to taste, the composition was flawless.


    ''I''ll cleanse my palate with a tomato ...''


    Crunch!


    ¡°... Ah, this is also delicious.¡±


    The cherry tomato, which was briefly and intensely heated to prevent the flesh from being overcooked, was still crunchy with a subtly warm juice inside. Its surface had a tender snap, like a well-cooked sausage.


    ¡°It should go well with the cheese.¡±


    After eating it with the cheese, he felt happy with the diverse flavours.


    ¡°Should I try adding croutons this time?¡±


    Gio ate whatever he could grab.


    Crunchy croutons dipped in chewy cheese once, perfectly cooked tender broccoli in cheese that spread like cream once, sweet and fluffy sweet potatoes in salty, savoury cheese once...


    It was quite a lot, enough to fill a large bowl, but Gio quickly finished them all.


    He marvelled at the miracle his stomach had performed. Even though it couldn''t be as good as Noah''s Ark, it seemed like it could be Gio''s Ark.1


    ¡°Have my appetite increased?¡±


    He was definitely a glutton, but he didn''t think he was this much before he entered the painting.


    Gio''s ultimate positive mindset kicked in.


    ''It''s fun anyway, so it''s fine.''


    Ta-da.


    His rationalization was successful.


    Even after eating so much, he didn''t feel full. For Gio, a gourmet and a big eater who truly found joy in eating, this was a welcome occurrence.


    ¡°These days, people are spewing fire from their mouths, compared to them, I''m nothing.¡±


    People can evolve as they live, can''t they?


    ¡°Now I should take some snacks and go out for an afternoon nap ...¡±


    Gio packed a cleanly washed basket with well-dried Goby fruits, Vaivamnil tea leaves, and a glass bottle filled with warm water. The deep golden Goby fruit had shrunk to the size of raisins, becoming a handy snack.


    ''The ones dried outside have completely hardened. Soon, I''ll be able to make Goby fruit medicine.''


    Gio wore a black cape.


    ''I also want to upgrade this later.''


    The cloak he made when he first regained consciousness inside the painting was still usable. It was made to avoid being seen by any dangerous beasts and to prevent his body from brushing against poisonous plants or his clothes from tearing.


    For something hastily sewn together from the fabric in the cabin, it was quite good.


    ''Light, thick, and well-ventilated.''


    Although his body wasn''t sensitive to cold or heat, lying on the bare ground inevitably made his back feel cold. In such a situation, the cloak would make a pretty good blanket. After adjusting his clothes, Gio headed to the spring.


    As he walked slowly, he soon arrived at the spring, which was still beautiful, quiet, and yet filled with the sounds of various creatures bustling about.


    So what to do now?


    Sleep.


    ¡°Nice.¡±


    He was sleepy.


    Chewing on the dried Goby fruit, Gio soon fell asleep without even taking a sip of tea. The cloak, large enough to wrap around his body, turned out to be an excellent blanket as expected.


    Flutter¨D flutter¨D...


    Soon after he fell asleep, butterflies resembling sunlight landed on top of him.


    ¡°Ppik.¡±


    ¡°Purr...¡±


    ¡°Keung.¡±


    Followed by five or six rabbits with round bodies. A long-legged deer. Plump cats resembling civets, and several small and large birds that chirped away.


    And they all gathered together, falling into a deep sleep.


    It was a peaceful nap time.


    1: Noah Ark is the ship from bible that was said to be so huge and carried a whole lot of animal pairs as the world come to an end with flood from what I remember.

 Chapter 10

    Although the portrait closed its eyes due to Yoo Sung-woon''s impatience, the painting''s owner, Bi Sa-beol, did not scold him.


    ¡°After all, it''s a portrait that wouldn''t respond even when I spoke to it. It wouldn''t even look at me.¡±


    ¡°The seventeen employees that had conversed with it so far ran away, unable to withstand the pressure of the portrait. In that sense, Mr. Yoo Sung-woon''s attempt can be seen as significant and successful.¡±


    ¡°But...¡±


    ¡°Although making Gio run away was certainly not a good choice, I scouted you because I was impressed with Mr. Yoo Sung-woon''s curiosity. There''s no need to apologize for that.¡±


    ¡°I will be more careful in the future.¡±


    ¡°That''s all you need to do.¡±


    Fortunately, Bi Sa-beol was someone special to his own people.


    A curator''s duty is to maintain and manage the artworks. This kind of inquisitiveness a researcher might have isn''t appropriate. Nevertheless, it was a blessing to have a boss who defended Yoo Sung-woon like this.


    ¡°Haa ....¡±


    But Yoo Sung-woon was still troubled.


    ''Just because there''s no big problem doesn''t mean the mistake disappears.''


    It had been quite some time since he was employed by Bi Sa-beol as a curator. He thought he had become quite dull over time as he appreciated and managed Bi Sa-beol''s collection, but perhaps it was his nature after all, as he was captivated by the mystery of the dungeon he saw for the first time in a long while.


    Yoo Sung-woon entered his private workroom and bit into a candy. Adults weary from fatigue needed sugar.


    Yes, that''s right.


    ''Gio''s portrait is not an ordinary monster.''


    That was what piqued Yoo Sung-woon''s curiosity.


    ¡°... It could simply be a mutation, but...¡±


    A soft murmur.


    Yoo Sung-woon sat in his chair for a long time, staring into space.


    Soon he opened his mouth.


    ¡°...Should I contact the gardeners?¡±


    Gardeners were a profession secretly operated by associations in various countries.


    In fact, it wasn''t to the level of being ''secretly operated'', as anyone with the aptitude could do it.1


    However, since there were so few candidates with the aptitude, it was more appropriate to say that it was unavoidable for it to not widely publicized.


    ''But as a researcher, it''s awkward to contact them again since I leave under the guise of retirement.''


    Gardeners, a kind of secret researcher and adventurer, were people who had come close to the truth of the dungeons.


    They knew various information not known to the world, but even with the knowledge of a former Gardener, Yoo Sung-woon still couldn''t explain ''Gio''s Portrait.'' It was a type of existence he had never seen before in his life.


    ¡°...Well, it''ll work out somehow.¡±


    Creak...


    Yoo Sung-woon sighed and slumped in his chair.


    ¡°There''s no need to rush, let''s take it slow.¡±


    No matter what humans do, the ''origin'' does not run away.


    ''It''s too big to do so.''


    There was no reason to hastily dig up the secret, nor did he feel like doing so. After all, it was only a few days ago that he made ''Gio'' run away by acting rashly.


    ¡°Let''s reflect, reflect...¡±


    Fortunately, ''Gio''s avoidance did not last long.


    A few days later, Yoo Sung-woon was able to see the portrait with its eyes open.


    ***


    ¡°Good evening.¡±


    ¡°...Hello?¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon smiled awkwardly.


    ¡°It''s a nice evening.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is.¡±


    The forest in Gio''s Portrait was an evening with twinkling stars.


    ¡°It''s evening for us too.¡±


    ¡°Wasn''t it dawn?¡±


    ¡°I came a bit early today. It''s not even midnight yet.¡±


    ¡°It seems definitely earlier than usual, is there a reason?¡±


    ¡°I came to check on the other works I''m in charge of.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°Then I saw you, Gio, was awake.¡±


    ¡°I am always awake.¡±


    ¡°That''s an amazing story.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon, who had been joking around, asked in his characteristic calm voice.


    ¡°What were you doing now?¡±


    His gaze was on the brush held in the hand of the portrait. It was a very strange sight, a painting holding a tool that could paint.


    ''The guild leader''s eyes will roll back if he saw this.''


    Gio answered obediently.


    ¡°I was making a bird.¡±


    ¡°Ah, you were painting a bird.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°May I see it too, if it''s not too rude to ask?¡±


    ¡°If Mr. Yoo Sung-woon wishes, I will show it to you.¡±


    The man with the blunt face put down the brush in his hand, and soon tapped somewhere invisible to Yoo Sung-woon. As his delicate fingers called something in a subtle manner, something extraordinary happened.


    The sound of water rippling was heard, and soon a bird appeared.


    Yoo Sung-woon was surprised.


    Of course, unlike the previous gem, it was definitely flat, like an existence beyond the painting ... but at least it felt as alive as Gio.


    ¡°...Tha


    ¡°It''s my new family.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see.¡±


    He wanted to respond as calmly as possible, but he wasn''t sure if he did well. To be honest, Yoo Sung-woon was a bit excited.


    ¡°It''s a wonderful bird.¡±


    The bird was very small. If compared to species in Korea, perhaps it resembled a bull-headed shrike?


    But its tail feathers were much longer, and merged with its transparent body, its wings were hardly visible. Perhaps they were fused together just like that.


    It was made of very clean water. It resembled the holy water Yoo Sung-woon, a former gardener, occasionally saw in dungeons, or the spring water in remote places where no life existed.


    ¡°Gio, did you just create it?¡±


    He seemed to understand why he said ''made'' rather than ''painted.'' It was definitely a living creature.


    ¡°You were holding a brush.¡±


    ¡°I''m having fun, so I''m making several of them.¡±


    ¡°Several?¡±


    ¡°Right now, it''s about ... probably less than 100.¡±


    ¡°That''s impressive.¡±


    ¡°This place is a painting. As the owner of the painting, the painting drawn by me becomes real. If they desire it, they can come to life and breathe. It can happen.¡±


    ¡°Is this a sufficient answer?¡±


    After a moment of silence, Yoo Sung-woon soon opened his mouth.


    ¡°This bird doesn''t seem like just a painting. It seems alive. Could it come outside like you, Gio?¡±


    ¡°I''m not sure.¡±


    Gio didn''t give a clear answer. It seemed like he himself didn''t know what would happen, or perhaps he wasn''t that keen on sharing. Yoo Sung-woon did not mind much and moved on.


    Still, he cautiously asked.


    ¡°Is there ....¡±


    ¡°... A soul inside?¡±


    Now, 31 years after dungeons appeared, people have acknowledged the existence of ''souls.'' It was an inevitable trend as various skills targeting souls had emerged.


    Despite there is nothing rare about such skills.


    ¡°Did you create a bird with a soul just now?¡±


    ¡°I''m not sure.¡±


    The same answer as before.


    ''I can''t figure out his intentions.''


    The portrait remained blunt.


    It was a face that couldn''t be seen as someone who had just created a life, making it all the more foreign and eerie.


    ''Perhaps it feels even more bizarre because it performs actions that don''t seem human at all, yet it has eyes, nose, and mouth just like a person.''


    There was a sense of disharmony that was different from the monsters or similar beings he usually saw.


    The portrait answered calmly.


    ¡°I don''t know either.¡±


    ¡°If you, the owner, don''t know, then who would?¡±


    ¡°Maybe no one knows.¡±


    His voice was clear.


    ¡°I just drew a painting. And I am a person who entered inside this painting.¡±


    ¡°I can decorate this painting, and the drawing decorating this painting becomes real within this portrait, just like the last time when Mr. Yoo Sung-woon drew an apple for me ....¡±


    ¡°After all, it''s a painting.¡±


    It might sounded like wordplay, but it wasn''t wrong.


    ''A painting within a painting is indeed real.''


    After a moment, Yoo Sung-woon asked again.


    ¡°You created a bird within the painting. You drew a gem for me and gave it to me, and you were able to deliver it to me.¡±


    ¡°That''s correct.¡±


    ¡°Gio, you are definitely a painting, but you''re human at the same time and can also influence reality.¡±


    He asked.


    ¡°If so, can you paint the real life here?¡±


    ¡°Not just coming out of the painting and then going back in like the last time, but can you draw something like destiny, past, or memory? Or perhaps...¡±


    ¡°A real person.¡±


    Gio soon replied.


    ¡°It might be possible, or it might not be.¡±


    ¡°But I don''t want to do that.¡±


    ¡°... Why? Isn''t it lonely or boring inside the painting?¡±


    ¡°I don''t feel lonely here.¡±


    His tone was still blunt.


    ¡°I''m comfortable here. Here, the weather is always nice, the spring breeze blows, and the scent of the forest fills the air, nothing is troublesome or difficult.¡±


    ¡°If I ever get bored, I can just create new friends like now. That''ll be enough.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon was a bit surprised.


    ¡°Are you satisfied with your peaceful painting world?¡±


    The out-of-ordinary beings he had seen so far always coveted things of reality. Regardless of whether they had consciousness or not, their actions were instinctive, like the stem of a plant reaching towards the sunlight.


    ¡°Don''t you have the desire to come out?¡±


    ¡°I''m tired.¡±


    ¡°That ... might be possible, but...¡±


    ¡°I don''t want to go out. This place is my home now.¡±


    He definitely just said, ''now.''


    ''... So there was a time when he didn''t live in this portrait.''


    The portrait claimed to be human and said there were times when he didn''t live inside the portrait, but there was no guarantee that the place he stayed was necessarily Earth.


    ''It could be a dungeon or another dimension. No, considering Gio''s usual remarks and demeanour, the probability for it to be the latter seems more likely.''


    Regardless of Yoo Sung-woon''s thoughts, the portrait continued.


    ¡°I cannot create a living being that threatens me.¡±


    ¡°... A threatening living being?¡±


    ¡°Humans always have the potential to harm other beings. The living beings I can create are only friends who are friendly to me. That''s the rule of this portrait.¡±


    ¡°At first, I didn''t know either, but after trying a few times, I figured it out. Since I am the owner of this portrait, I cannot create a being that can erase me. Therefore, I cannot draw humans.¡±


    The portrait recited.


    ¡°Since a portrait cannot exist without its subject.¡±2


    Having said that, Gio looked at Yoo Sung-woon again.


    ¡°I''m reluctant to create humans.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡±


    ¡°That''s too special of an event.¡±


    ¡°Isn''t it good if it''s special?¡±


    ¡°I''m not special enough for that, so it''s not good.¡±


    ¡°I am content with my speciality just to the extent of being a talking portrait.¡±


    It was certainly so profound that it was hard to believe it was merely a portrait with consciousness.


    ''It''s definitely not an ordinary monster or item.''


    That''s why it had an eerie side.


    ¡°Is this a sufficient answer?¡±


    ¡°For today, yes.¡±


    Neither a monster,


    nor an item.


    If it''s neither a ghost nor a human.


    ¡°I''ll see you next time.¡±


    What on earth could this be?


    1: I want to phrase this better, but I don''t know if this is referencing to ''aptitude skill'' as the author uses the same word, sorry ?( ????? )? as far as I read the gardeners haven''t shown up yet so I''m not sure about gardener stuffs.


    2: ''subject'' here has the same word as ''owner'' in Korean (?????), but in this line, I think using ''subject'' made more sense .... right? (not me questioning my own choices¡ª)

 Chapter 11

    Gio stood in the studio.


    What he was looking at were the numerous drawers that covered the entire surrounding walls.


    What he was thinking about were the paint materials quietly sleeping inside those drawers.


    Soon, Gio moved.


    ¡°... Let''s just go with what I used last time.¡±


    He brought out the materials he had used to make waterfowl in the past.


    But that wasn''t all. Not only gems resembling aquamarine and emerald, but also white and transparent pebbles like marble by the stream,


    A piece of obsidian branch hidden among the forest pretending to be a burnt tree, light green tree bark that seemed so vibrant as if juice would come out when it was pressed...


    Only when he thought it was enough did Gio stopped taking out materials from the drawers.


    ¡°It''s tiresome to put back leftovers, so if it''s not enough, I can take out more later ....¡±


    Clink, clatter.


    He placed the materials on the workbench.


    ¡°... Today''s activity.¡±


    Making his own paint.


    ¡°Nice.¡±


    The basic materials needed to make oil paint are pigments to provide colour, oil to mix them, and a glass plate and muller to blend these ingredients together and make fine paint.1 If one wants to mix them well, a palette knife of the right size is also necessary.


    Among them, what Gio was now trying to make was the pigment that would provide colour.


    ¡°Let''s break it down first.¡±


    It was impossible to make proper paint with just the materials taken out of the drawers. They all had to be made into coloured powder, and it was necessary to crush them first to do so.


    Gio prepared a sharp nail and a hammer. As he gazed intently at the transparent gem, he soon placed the nail on a certain spot and, tap! Hit it.


    Despite not being a strong force, the gem that was hit cracked precisely into two.


    Gio thought.


    ''As expected, I''m a cool potato.''


    This mountain village idol knows exactly where to split just by looking at the mineral.


    ''I should have become a miner.''


    Gio continued with his work.


    Clatter.


    Tap, ta-tap.


    Crack...!


    Clink.


    ¡°... Alright.¡±


    Perhaps because he only identified the weakest points and struck them, the gem quickly split into pieces smaller than Gio''s little fingernail.


    ¡°This should be enough.¡±


    Gio smashed the finely fragmented gems with a hammer, swept the smaller fragments into a ceramic mortar, and forcefully ground them.


    At some point, the grating noise striking his ears had become smooth like rolling glass beads, and all the gems had turned into powder.


    ¡°... What could be the principle behind this ....¡±


    A pigment with a mysterious mixture of blue and light green was completed.


    ¡°It''s troublesome, all the things that made up me are so special that I shouldn''t be caught by a research lab.¡±


    The materials in this studio were all unique.


    Normally, grinding a gem would only produce stone powder. Most gems are transparent and have beautiful colours thanks to their molecular structure, but grinding them would make their transparency disappear.


    But the gems here were different.


    ''Even after grinding, their colour and transparency remain intact.''


    Despite going through the process of an amateur like Gio, the fact that its original colour remains intact truly shows the benefit of excellent materials. When grouped together, the finely grounded gems shine with unique refreshing transparency.


    Gio silently turned all the materials into pigment and slowly mixed them with the prepared oil.


    Even though he had ground it into pigment, the raw stone powder mixed with the oil did not float. Normally, you would have to prepare oil that matched the characteristics of the pigment, but the wax in his studio showed excellent viscosity and blending capability.


    ¡°... Mix in the scent ....¡±


    Moving beyond simply producing colour, Gio also added a matching scent. Interestingly, the oil scented with flowers or fruits blended well with the pigment.


    ¡°Grind it, then put it in .....¡±


    Gently smoothen the pigment and scented oil on top of the glass plate.


    So that it felt like silk brushing against his hand.


    Very finely.


    ***


    The waterfowls Gio made were more playful than expected.


    ¡°Kids.¡±


    Rustle.


    ¡°The back of Dad''s neck feels cold.¡±


    They were wriggling inside Gio''s collar, making a nest.


    Inside the collar of the shirt, inside the slightly open sleeves, pants, jackets¡ªwherever there was space, waterfowls were squeezed in.


    ''Isn''t that uncomfortable?''


    Yet to compare them to small water balloons¡ªthe sight of them distorting their original shape and settling inside the clothes hardly seemed like balloons or birds.


    Gio looked at the ceiling for a moment as they maintained a minimal round shape despite distorting.


    He''ll let it slide because it''s funny.


    ¡°... Maybe it''s because I''m their parent, but they seem to like being squeezed nearby. Or maybe they like hiding.¡±


    Waterfowls had the habit of flocking together. Otherwise, they preferred to gather in one place.


    When it gets dark at night, he wishes he could see the insides clearly. He wish he could see all the way inside the deep lake.


    Thus it will be a bright yet subtle light, like the glow bracelet he cherished when he was young, watched alone under a thick blanket inside a dark room.


    ¡°... It would be nice if the colour changes depending on your mood.¡±


    Swish.


    ¡°On a good day, it would be golden, on a bad day, it would be red, on a sad or gloomy day, it would be blue ... on an ordinary peaceful day, it would be green.¡±


    Swish, swiiiish.


    ¡°Since you don''t have vocal cords, you can''t cry.¡±


    Since one can''t hear, let''s make them visible.


    ¡°That way, I can also communicate with you guys.¡±


    Although Gio was the creator of the waterfowls, he couldn''t control them at will.


    Since he didn''t know what the waterfowls were thinking, with how their appearance was blurry and how it was quiet without vocal cords, he wouldn''t know where they were if he didn''t listen carefully.


    ''It wasn''t for no reason that I almost ate it. Such a disaster must not happen again.''


    If it weren''t for their playful and talkative nature, Gio would definitely not have been able to find them.


    That would be a bit sad.


    ¡°I''ll come out to play when it''s night. We can talk then.¡±


    Flick.


    ¡°If it shines like that in the dark evening, I''ll be able to see it even if I''m in the cabin. Yes, that''ll do. I''ll be watching you from the veranda, so you can tell me what you want to say then.¡±


    Flick, flick.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Gio moved the brush again.


    ¡°Let''s do that.¡±


    The lake he painted was embracing the night.


    ¡°...I like it.¡±


    The lake had more than just one colour.


    Waterfowls like to flock together, but the treasures they put inside their bodies are all different. Their personalities are different. What they say, think, and do are all bound to be different.


    ''So, the whining and bragging they whisper every night will all be different.''


    Thus he placed each of their group of light one by one with a brush.


    ¡°It looks just like pointillism.¡±2


    Up close, he would be able to tell who among them is struggling and in pain, and who is joyful and happy.


    From afar, he could tell what they all wanted to tell him, and when he should come to comfort and talk to them.


    ¡°Nice.¡±


    It looked like a flower garden blooming on the water''s surface. Perhaps because it was painted with homemade paint, there was an inexplicable freshness even though it was obviously water.


    ¡°I like it.¡±


    Or maybe due to fireflies or forest butterflies that roam around resembling sunlight and moonlight.


    It could have perhaps resembled the twinkle of transparent lights reflected in a glass window.


    When Gio finished painting all their emotions, the lake was tinged with gold.


    ¡°... Seems good.¡±


    The pleasure of bringing something from imagination to reality was indescribable.


    This lake will be located a bit far from the cabin, clearly away from the spring, with the trees right on the edge of the lake will still maintaining their greenness.


    ¡°During the day, it will be blue.¡±


    When scooping up the water, it will appear as clear as if it contained the sky, while inside is a chilly blue like the sea, with the shimmering surface looking almost white when touched by sunlight.


    There, many waterfowls hiding and moving around might occasionally pop their heads out and play when they''re bored.


    ¡°At night, you''ll scatter sparkles ...¡±


    Sparkle like water made of mist.


    ¡°... As you please.¡±


    Like a newborn baby laughing at the slightest breeze, you will all shine brightly.


    Imagining that made him feel really good.


    Tuk.


    As soon as he tapped the canvas, the painting disappeared.


    Whether it was just his imagination, a watery scent drifted from afar. It was a subtle fragrance that made him want to lie down on the moss and fall asleep right away.


    ''A scent from water that has nothing, it feels similar to the white tree spring water.''


    The birds on his shoulder flutter as they smell the scent, and the birds sitting on the canvas flap their wings.


    Flap-flap-flap!


    Flutter, flutter!


    Swooooooosh¨D


    Rustle, rustle!


    Splash...!


    Numerous birds that had been hanging on the lamp flew out through the open window.


    Like migratory birds returning to their homeland, their lively flap of wings is refreshing, as if a breeze from the seaside has passed by...


    As expected, he liked it.


    And so did the waterfowls.


    1: glass plate and muller:


    2: pointillism (painting with dots)

 Chapter 12

    ¡°It''s completely hardened.¡±


    Gio picked up the Goby fruit that had been dried in the cabin''s yard.


    ¡°...And it''s not even yellow...¡±


    The glossy shimmering metallic lustre gave off a colour truly reminiscent of gold.


    The size, weight, and shape were all just like an ugly piece of placer gold.


    ¡°Since when did I start walking the path of an alchemist?¡±


    It was amazing how the plump, juicy red fruit had transformed like this.


    ¡°Doesn''t the colour look similar to sunlight?¡±


    The fruit, hardened enough to be grounded into powder, didn''t look like food. But knowing that this could be made into medicine, Gio tilted his head and placed all the dried fruits into a glass jar.


    Gio went back inside the cabin and sought the system''s help for the first time in a while.


    ¡°Looking for a knowledgeable friend to teach me how to make Blood Recovery Rice Ball Cakes.¡±


    Refinement method: Make a dough by grinding the dried fruit thoroughly into powder and mixing it with Lulupu juice, shape the dough into rice ball cakes and dry them in a dark place for over a week to create a medicine beneficial for bleeding and recovery.


    ¡°Right, here''s that knowledgeable friend. It was a well-founded self-confidence.¡±


    Today''s activity.


    Making Blood Recovery Rice Ball Cakes good for recovering blood loss.


    ¡°Ta-da.¡±


    It was a lot of fun to waste time doing productive tasks.


    For Gio, who liked making and growing things, these things were never a hassle.


    ''Making rice ball cakes in a cosy cabin with sunlight streaming in.''


    It was exactly to his taste. Gio headed to the studio with the ingredients.


    ¡°Though I won''t be painting, there''s no better place to work.¡±


    As the studio was so spacious, enough for him to use the workbench efficiently as long as he avoided the paint. Gio placed all the ingredients on the workbench that had been cleaned in advance.


    After washing his hands, Gio hesitated.


    ¡°...Should I start by grinding it into powder like when I made pigments? Is this the narrow-mindedness of an art teacher who has only handled art materials? Though it''s called ''dried fruit,'' it''s almost as hard as a mineral....¡± R?


    Caught in a moderate panic, Gio unconsciously fiddled with the dried fruit. Surprisingly, peace came to his body and mind.


    ¡°It''s warm.¡±


    The forest, clear day after day, always had plenty of sunlight.  As one could feel from its cosy hues, the well-dried Goby fruit also carried the warmth of the sunlight.


    It wasn''t just the skin that felt warm, there was a subtle heat that permeated down to his veins within.


    ¡°This is the power of sun-dried fruit... Amazing.¡±


    His heart, receiving that energy, began to beat leisurely and vividly, much like during a drowsy afternoon nap. It was a gentle sensation as if he was rolling around on a blanket full of the smell of sunlight.


    Bang-!!


    Gio struck it with a hammer.


    ¡°It''s harder than I thought.¡±


    Bang, crack!


    ¡°Next time, I shouldn''t dry it whole like this...¡±


    Crack...


    ¡°Maybe I should grind it before drying.¡±


    Crunch, thud.


    ¡°But then it would be hard to trap all the juice like this.¡±


    With a dull sound, the fruit, which was hard as a mineral, shattered.


    This should be enough.


    ''Let''s put it in a bowl and grind it.''


    Gio nodded his head.


    Gio had made pigments using all sorts of hard things such as gems and shells. Naturally, the bowls would get scratched or broken, thus Gio prepared for such cases by making several bowls in advance.


    Among them, Gio brought an exceptionally clean glass bowl and began grinding the fruit.


    Grind, grind.


    ¡°No, just what kind of hardness ....¡±


    Even though he had crushed them finely, the sound made him wonder, ''Is this right?'' No matter how he thought about it, it seemed true that Gio had awakened as an alchemist.


    ''Should I make a millstone later?''


    Given this insane hardness, it might have been dried for too long.


    ¡°Maybe I was too complacent, thinking forest materials wouldn''t spoil.¡±


    One of the characteristics of this forest was that all ingredients and crops neither dried out nor spoiled.


    The same applied to cooking. A world where food never moulds¡ªit seemed like every chef''s dream come true.


    However, this fruit made it clear that the condition was not infinitely maintained. The long-neglected Goby fruit hadn''t spoiled but continued to dry and became excessively hard.


    Is that why it has a warm atmosphere?


    ''...I need to think more about this. I have to actually try it myself to know what results will come from sticking to a particular method.¡±


    The dried fruit had a warm atmosphere not felt in ordinary fruits. Remembering how it was a normally dried fruit until a week ago, it certainly seemed to have its special characteristics.


    Anyway, it was funny and nice. Now Gio could say that he had tried refining gold somewhere.


    ¡°This should be enough.¡±


    Rustle...


    A slightly moist powder.


    ¡°It looks just like snow.¡±


    Among them, it looks like snow that sticks together well.


    Obviously, it was certainly dried as hard as possible, yet where was this subtle moisture coming from?


    In reality, there was no moisture at all, but Gio might have been mistaken due to the oddly dense and fluffy feeling.


    ¡°...Hmm.¡±


    Tasting the powder, he felt a warmth spreading through his body and sweetness spreading across his tongue.


    Gio blinked his eyes twice.


    ¡°...It would be delicious to put it together for baking.¡±


    In the past, when sugar was scarce, common people used to make powder from chestnuts they found along the roads as a substitute for expensive sugar or strong-flavoured honey.


    That savoury and subtle sweetness paired well with various dishes, so it was even used to make crepes.


    ¡°There''s nothing I can''t do.¡±


    ¡°Cooo.¡±


    It talked, and above all.


    ¡°...It''s warm.¡±


    He felt the warmth.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Coocoo.¡±


    ¡°This is absurd and amusing, but I have no idea what kind of trick this is. Life really is a continuous stream of content.¡±


    ¡°Coo.¡±


    ¡°Does drinking Lulupu juice cause animals to evolve? But nothing changed when I took a sip? Is this discrimination?¡±


    Perhaps it was a possible change due to waterfowl being a species created by Gio''s hands, since by common sense, it was impossible for a creature made entirely of water to make such coocooing sounds as if it had vocal cords.


    ¡°I don''t think it''s good to grow up all of a sudden. This isn''t a harmful change for your body, is it?¡±


    ¡°Coooooo.¡±


    ¡°Then it''s a relief, but....¡±


    Gio, who had been pondering about life is an egg, soon accepted this entire situation positively.3


    ''It''s funny so it''s alright.''4


    Yes. In fact, Gio had no thoughts. He successfully concluded all his worries.


    ¡°A talking, flying water is truly amazing.¡±


    ¡°Cooco?¡±


    ¡°Your body colour seems a bit different too...¡±


    The once transparent body had turned light yellow, like water mixed with gold powder.


    The waterfowl that drank Lulupu juice was the one that often carried gems, and its shiny body was now filled with yellow and transparent gems, matching Lulupu''s unique shimmer, reminiscent of sunlight and moonlight.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    This colour, as visible as a yellow road sign, would be noticeable even if one passed by on a KTX train.


    A creature full of vibrant and gentle colours. This would certainly set it apart from the others.


    ¡°If it stands out to this extent, I can give it a name.¡±


    ¡°Coococoo?¡±


    ¡°Do you like that? I''m glad.¡±


    Soon, Gio spoke.


    ¡°Golde...¡±


    ¡°The moment I said it, I thought it wasn''t right. This dad sometimes makes slip of the tongue.¡±


    Gio had never seen water look so serious before.5


    Though he was its parent in his own way, there were things one should and shouldn''t say to a child. The naming sense of ''Golden'' definitely fell into the category of things he shouldn''t do.6


    The Seo family had never been talented at naming things throughout generations. He tried to put more effort into thinking and seriously racked his brain.


    ¡°Then Honey .... how about that.¡±


    ¡°Coocoo?¡±


    ¡°Because it''s a sweet colour.¡±


    The bird, imbued with warm golden light, not only resembled sunlight or moonlight, but also flowing honey with a rich fragrance.


    Gio said as he stroked the golden bird, which had become slightly squishy yet firm.


    ¡°That''s it the best for my naming sense.¡±


    ¡°Coococoo.¡±


    ¡°You''re so merciful that you don''t hate it.¡±


    Honestly, he thought it would dislike being named Honey.


    ''Maybe it doesn''t understand the meaning of honey.''


    For a moment, he thought that way, but since it liked the name anyway, what could he do?


    Gio watched as Honey wriggled back into the glass bottle.


    ¡°How cute.¡±


    Watching it was healing.


    ¡°A cat crammed in a box...¡±


    ¡°Cwooooo.¡±


    ¡°When your body is squished, your sounds are squished too? That''s even cuter.¡±


    ¡°Cyoocoo.¡±


    ¡°This is the epitome of cuteness.¡±


    Holding the glass bottle with Honey stuffed inside, Gio noted that the oddly warm glass bottle was just at the right size like a hot pack.


    ''It even smells sweet.''


    It felt like watching a crackling campfire, making his mind go blank.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    As he quietly gazed at the warm, sweet-smelling, and beautiful glass bottle, a drowsiness and languidness similar to that of attending a class after lunch on a spring afternoon came over him.


    Eating and sleeping are the duties of a pig. And Honey seemed to feel the same way.


    Gio put the glass bottle inside his outerwear without covering the mouth of the bottle.


    ¡°I''ll take that as a yes.¡±


    ¡°Coo.¡±


    And soon¡ªthe two of them fell asleep, sprawled out like laundry left to dry.


    1: sujebi (hand-pulled dough soup or Korean-style pasta soup) is a Korean traditional soup consisting of dough flakes roughly torn by hand, with various vegetables.


    2: ?????? (kkeultteok) is a Korean steamed rice cake that translates to ¡°honey cake¡±. It''s similar in shape to songpyeon but smaller, and is usually bite-sized and shaped into balls. Kkultteok is chewy and traditionally served with honey-infused syrup, but it can also be stuffed with Korean syrup. It''s often eaten as a dessert or sweet snack and can be found at specialized shops.


    3: I believe this is referencing the pun [boiled egg/life is an egg]. basically a word pun since ?????? could mean ''boiled''/''life is''.


    4: at this point, you must have realized that this was sth Gio spoke often. so I actually went back and forth to decide the word to use since ch 1. my first choice was actually ''it''s amusing so it''s alright'' but I landed upon a goofy MC fanart with his pets and I thought using ''It''s funny so it''s alright'' show up his personality more lmao so there ya go ?( ????? )? but just so you know, if that line arises, it could also mean ''It''s amusing so it''s alright'' / ''It''s interesting so it''s alright''.


    5: this isn''t a typo for those wondering.


    6: ?????? was used. It actually means ''Gold Piece'' but using it on the translation feels weird to me, so I use ''Golden'', very different meaning but better flow ... right? sorry tho TT


    * regarding point 6, I never said this but I actually did the same with ''Collection'' too, which in the raws actually means ''Dealer'' (an organization that collects things and sells them) but it won''t go well with Bi Sa-beol''s ''Collector'' title, and the words are almost the same with only one character difference, so I was sceptical to use ''Dealer''. In the end I decided to go with ''Collection'' instead, thinking of ''Collection House''.


    t/n: had such a hard time deciding Honey''s noises, honestly still not sure if using ''coocoo'' is the correct one and honestly coocoo is so inflexible. It''s hard to use variations with that.


    sorry for the late update guys TT

 Chapter 13

    Gio spoke as soon as he woke up.


    ¡°...Fruit tea....¡±


    He wanted warm and sweet fruit tea.


    ¡°Let''s make syrup.¡±1


    That''s how today''s activity was decided.


    Making syrup wasn''t that difficult. It was enough with tools sterilized with love, fruits grown with affection, and an equal amount of sugar.


    ''Ahh, it seems like I need a lot of sugar, enough to think I would get diabetes.''


    And most fruits could be turned into syrup. It was fine to use more than one type of fruit as long as it went well together.


    ¡°......¡±


    The first fruit Gio chose was the Goby fruit.


    ¡°But this might be too sweet.¡±


    To successfully make fruit syrup, which is essentially sugar water imbued with the flavour of the fruit, the necessary flavours are, first, sourness, and second, bitterness.


    Sugar alone would already be sweet enough to make the tongue tingle, and adding sweet fruit to it would turn it into no different from canned fruit. Gio learned this fact after trying to make syrup with fully ripened, super-sweet tangerines.


    ¡°It does have its own taste, though.¡±


    However, what Gio wanted now was a fruit tea with a bitter taste, accented by sourness with sweetness as the base.


    It wasn''t a particularly difficult combination.


    ¡°I''ll need some sour and bitter fruit to go with the Goby fruit.¡±


    The combinations often made in real life were mainly strawberry and lemon.


    Strawberries aren''t completely devoid of sourness, but they are generally soft and sweet. On the other hand, lemons, with their sour flesh and bitter peels, added depth to the one-dimensional sweetness of strawberries.


    It was similar this time.


    ¡°Although Goby fruit has some sourness, it is generally sweet.¡±


    And since the sweetness would be so intense because of that, it seemed best paired with fruits that were sour like lemons or astringent like yuzu. Such fruit syrup with a variety of flavours was particularly satisfying when enjoyed as a warm tea.


    ¡°Honey.¡±


    ¡°Coooo.¡±


    ¡°Let''s go.¡±


    Gio, with a golden waterfowl on his shoulder, bravely embarked on an adventure.


    He told Honey, who had moved into the basket before he knew it.


    ¡°I could just paint and create something like lemon or yuzu, but all the foods made that way end up tasting mediocre ... so it''s better to harvest directly like this.¡±


    ¡°Cococoo?¡±


    ¡°It''s for my better satisfaction, and it''s good for the fruit syrup I''ll be making in the future. I''d rather use unique fruits from this forest than weaker-flavored ones if possible.¡±


    Gio could paint and create food to eat. However, strangely, the foods and ingredients produced this way were all somewhat bland.


    They were okay to snack on when he was just a little peckish, but he didn''t want to use them in any serious cooking. In honour of his grandmother, who was a prominent figure in the village, Gio vowed to create a fantasy-like fruit syrup.


    ¡°Thinking about it, farming doesn''t seem like a bad choice either.¡±


    ¡°Coo.¡±


    ¡°From what I''ve seen as a newly harvested potato from the Gangwon province, the soil here is very suitable for farming. It''s always mild spring weather here, but that doesn''t mean there''s no wind, and though it has never rained, the soil is always moist, and there are streams everywhere. It''s a good environment for watering.¡±


    ¡°Chooo...¡±


    ¡°There are no seeds or seedlings, but we can get help from Mr. Yoo Sung-woon with that part. If I want to receive something from beyond the painting, I''ll have to give something in return, but I can certainly afford that...¡±


    Human life with guaranteed unlimited activities had such an onion-like charm. Even if it didn''t seem like it, once you peel it, something would always come out.


    ¡°Nice.¡±


    Excellent. Such freedom was indeed the greatest joy of being unemployed.


    ¡°It would be difficult for crops grown by my hands, filled with the spirit of the Gangwon province mountains, to taste bad, right?¡±


    ¡°Coooooo.¡±


    ¡°I really feel like I''m living a countryside life, like I''ve returned to farming. I should have lived such a peaceful and warm life long ago ....¡±


    For Gio, born in a remote mountain village in Gangwon province, it might have felt like a homecoming.


    ¡°I''ve always enjoyed helping out with various tasks since I was young. Thanks to the wide range of activities the elders had set up, I had tried beekeeping, dug up wild ginseng, and even encountered wild boars...¡±


    ¡°Choo?¡±


    ¡°I''m not talking about poaching. We literally just ran into each other, and no one got hurt or killed, we parted ways peacefully. I think we met thanks to the person who was wandering around the mountain, collecting mushrooms and ginseng.¡±


    There was no one who didn''t have a vegetable garden, and some even raised chickens, ducks, or quails on a small scale. He recalled the joy of making cheese from fresh milk obtained from an acquaintance''s ranch across the street or simply mixing it with honey.


    Gio was someone who had tried almost everything a person could do with the land.


    ¡°There''s no way someone like me wouldn''t be able to farm.¡±


    Then, tap, tap.


    Cling...!


    ¡°Done.¡±


    The obsidian branch easily fell off with a clear sound.


    Branches that were still alive couldn''t be detached so easily. They were excessively hard, and due to the sticky sap intertwined inside, they didn''t break easily.


    ''Such hard obsidian is also inconvenient when making paint.''


    It was difficult to turn living branches with sticky sap into clean powder. Unless the goal wasn''t to make sharp knives or arrowheads or extract sap, it was best to only pick out as many dead branches as possible.


    ¡°That would be better for the tree too.¡±


    Although the obsidian tree has a glassy texture, it is definitely alive. Since this tree produces flowers that serve as excellent medicinal herbs, removing the dead branches would also be much more beneficial for the tree.


    Gio split the long branches into pieces, careful to not shatter the weakened dead branches. The obsidian pieces imbued with the chilly energy of the stars in the night sky, all ended up in Honey''s belly inside the basket.


    ¡°Are you going to take care of it?¡±


    ¡°Cooooooo!¡±


    ¡°Alright, let''s do that.¡±


    It seemed as though Honey was collecting an independence fund in advance, or perhaps it was just the bird''s penchant for shiny stones, yet it looked like an embodiment of greed, which didn''t match its clear and pure face.


    ''Can''t resist shiny stones, did you?''


    If it commits a crime, it will at least not be blamed. Gio looked up at the Starflower Tree again.


    The pitch-black tree stood, reflecting the sunlight clearly like a mirror.


    The chilling black obsidian, which was so chilling that it seemed like it could only be seen on a snowy mountain, blended well with the vibrant spring environment where flowers and grass bloomed vividly, perhaps because it was alive. Occasionally, a forest butterfly, an embodiment of light, would alight on it.


    Gio, who had been admiring the sharp and hard tree for a while, moved his feet again.


    ¡°... I need to find some fruits.¡±


    ¡°Choo.¡±


    ¡°I hope there are some good fruits.¡±


    Fortunately, it didn''t take long for Gio to find a fruit that he liked.


    Drought Jar


    A tangerine fruit with light brown peel and cracked skin-like field in a drought. It won''t rot for nearly a year even after harvest, making it a preservation food during drought seasons. It is sour and bitter when eaten raw, but eating it over a fire or leaving it under the hot sun for 3 days makes it sweet like honey. Rich in nutrients, canned goods or soup made from these can serve as an excellent nutritional supplement, capable of saving even those on the brink of starvation.


    Refinement Method: Process the Drought Jar into an edible form to consume it.


    ¡°It''s a nutritional supplement.¡±


    That part is also very interesting.


    ¡°...  Sour and bitter?¡±


    Gio was drawn to this point more than anything else.


    ''Since there''s no mention of it being poisonous, it seems safe eating it raw, but I wonder how sour and bitter it is that there''s even a separate way to eat it sweetly.''


    He bravely plucked the fruit.


    About the size of a Korean tangerine with a bit of tougher skin, but otherwise, it was similar in shape. Except for the dark yellow pulp inside like honey, it resembled a tangerine in all respects.


    Chomp, Gio, smelling the sour scent, chewed one fruit without hesitation.


    Gulp.


    Gio decisively swallowed the fruit.


    ¡°Coo, cooo... Cocoo...¡±


    ¡°Well.¡±


    In response to Honey''s nervous reaction, Gio nodded with his characteristic blunt face. His facial muscles, which had long since degenerated, did not succumb to the hardship and ordeal that occurred on his tongue.


    ¡°It''s sour and bitter.¡±


    It was a taste that made him understand why the refinement method was simply ''process into an edible form to consume''.


    ''Even the historical poisons probably tasted sweeter than this.''


    It was a shockingly intense sensation, enough to make his head spin.


    Barely holding onto his fading sense of clarity, he realized that the texture was firmer and less juicy than a tangerine. However, compared to the astonishing taste, these details were hardly significant. He took deep breaths for a while.


    Why did he not dislike it? Gio felt more confident.


    ¡°At this level, it wouldn''t be overshadowed by the sweetness of the Goby fruit.¡±


    Honey, who was in the basket, wriggled out with disgust. The taste seemed too shocking for the sweet Honey to handle.


    1: it wasn''t normal syrup as in the picture (or at least in my area ''syrup'' wasn''t sth like that), it was actually ''cheong''. cheong (???; œ[) is a name for various sweetened foods in the form of syrups, marmalades, and fruit preserves. in Korean cuisine, cheong is used as a tea base, as a honey-or-sugar-substitute in cooking, as a condiment, and also as an alternative medicine to treat the common cold and other minor illnesses (from Wikipedia).


    also ????? ?????. drought jar/drought complex/drought area, all seems like a very weird fruit name tbh.

 Chapter 14

    Fruit syrup is really easy to make.


    ¡°It''s a bit of a hassle to prepare, but all you need is mix the pulp and sugar in equal parts and let it sit, then it becomes fruit syrup.¡±


    Gio brought a cleanly sterilized glass jar filled with friendship, peace, love, and affection.


    It was so large that it was more of a pot than a jar, but Gio, who took after his grandmother, a prominent figure in the village, won''t spare on any ingredients when cooking. It had to be this big.


    ¡°Okay, let''s see.¡±


    He washed the full Goby fruit, and the Drought Jar, which had a sour and bitter aroma thoroughly in water. The pulp of the Goby fruit was as soft as tender jelly and juicy, whereas the Drought Jug was like an unripe tangerine, with less juice and firmer pulp.


    Since the skin of Goby fruit was so thin it could melt away, so he simply cut it into quarters without any additional processing, while the Drought Jar was peeled off all the white and translucent skin, leaving only the flesh.


    ¡°And....¡±


    Just pour it in.


    ''It would be better if the juicy Goby fruits are on top.''


    At the bottom of the glass jar, he laid a layer of Drought Jar, then lightly sprinkled it with sugar. Then he added a layer of Goby fruit and poured a generous amount of sugar to form a layer. Once the sugar layer is solidly formed, repeat once again.


    Gio pressed down firmly to ensure no air pockets formed between the pieces of fruit.


    ¡°Because I don''t want it to spoil.¡±


    While food in this forest didn''t spoil or mold, this process was necessary for the pulp to mix well and allow the sugar water to penetrate. Gio filled the glass jar without any gaps.


    ¡°All done.¡±


    Once sealed like this, it would be ready after being stored in a cool, shaded place for a few days.


    ¡°I hope it ripens quickly, but it will probably take some time.¡±


    ¡°Coo coo coo.¡±


    ¡°You can''t eat it yet. If you take it out and eat it now, it''s just fruit covered in sugar. Later, when the fruit becomes musher and the fragrance infuses into the sugar water, you can drink  it as tea.¡±


    ¡°Coo.¡±


    ¡°Cooking is sometimes about the art of waiting.¡±


    Honey grumbled and expressed dissatisfaction, but there was nothing that could be done. It took some time for the fruit syrup to fully ripen.


    ¡°It won''t take too long. Since the weather is warm, the sugar will quickly melt. The juice will come out smoothly too.¡±


    ¡°Cooo.¡±


    ¡°Don''t stick to the floor, you''ll get dust on you. Geez, at this rate, you''ll end up cleaning our house''s entire floors. You''ll turn from a Honeybird to a Dustbird.¡±


    Having just returned from a successful fruit syrup adventure, it was late, and he was hungry. It was time to seek a meal rather than waiting for the fruit syrup that won''t ripen anytime soon.


    ¡°Hmm...¡±


    Let''s keep it really simple.


    ¡°Let''s make rice balls.¡±


    ¡°Coo?¡±


    ¡°Can you eat rice, too?¡±


    ¡°Coooooooorrrr.¡±


    ¡°I wonder where the food goes and how it gets digested in that transparent body...¡±


    Indeed, Honey was full of the qualities of a pig. Gio, the father of this round pig bird, nodded with pride.


    ¡°Cooorrrr!!¡±


    ¡°Alright, I get it. Let''s go.¡±


    This time, the rice balls Gio was going to make were literally just the food.


    Freshly cooked rice with a little salt and sesame oil.


    ¡°I''m glad I cooked the rice in advance.¡±


    Though there was a wood-fired oven in the cabin, there was no electric rice cooker. It was a world without electricity in the first place, so it couldn''t be helped. However, Gio had previously drawn a huge cauldron due to that reason and placed it in the kitchen behind the cabin.


    When he lifted the heavy iron lid, white steam billowed out.


    ¡°Nice.¡±


    As he nodded, the steam that had been drifting around suddenly vanished without a trace.


    At that moment, he noticed Honey beside him.


    He wasn''t sure if it was just his imagination, but for some reason, Honey seemed to have grown a bit bigger.


    ¡°Cooococo.¡±


    ¡°... Could it be that you''re eating all the steam rising from the rice, now?¡±


    ¡°Coo.¡±


    ¡°Your body smells like freshly cooked rice. It smells really good, but if I sleep next to you, I''ll be too hungry to fall asleep.¡±


    ¡°Cooong.¡±


    ¡°I''ve seen people use steam on their faces for skin care, but I''ve never seen anyone actually eat the steam itself before...¡±


    So this must be what they meant by, ''Give it to your stomach, not your skin''?1


    ¡°That''s novel.¡±


    The unique sweet scent of Lulupu''s juice and the savoury smell of freshly cooked rice mingled. I couldn''t even define what kind of scent it was.


    Feeling a bit unsettled, Gio started to scoop out some of the rice. No matter how surprising it was, living beings had to eat.


    ¡°Let''s make porridge with the rice that''s scorched in the bottom.2 It''s a very comforting food, good to eat anytime. I''ve never heard of anyone feeling sick after eating it.¡±


    ¡°Cooor.¡±


    ¡°First, let''s make the rice balls, then later, having the scorched rice (nurungji) porridge3 when groggy in the morning will feel refreshing.¡±


    Returning to the kitchen, Gio lightly sprinkled the fluffy rice with salt and sesame oil. There was no need to worry about this or that since the cabin cupboard had provided all the basic ingredients.


    ''What will happen if I use up all of this?''


    It would be fun if it will be refilled automatically to when he first checked the cabin, and even if not, he could always paint new ones, so it was fine either way. However, so far, it didn''t seem to be refilled on its own.


    Gio gently stirred the hot rice with chopsticks and seasoned it.


    ¡°Actually, this alone is tasty.¡±


    The freshly cooked rice had a unique smooth and savory taste, which was delicately enhanced by the rich scent of sesame oil, and the rice balls that lightly seasoned with salt was incredibly warm when eaten right after it was made.


    ¡°It''s a good meal when you have to eat but don''t want to make something fancy.¡±


    ¡°Cooooorrr.¡±


    ¡°If you can eat it, go ahead. I''m not sure how you eat it, though... Was the steam from the pot earlier not enough? Your body seems to  be bigger, but are you not full yet?¡±


    His task involved observing, analyzing, maintaining, and managing unknown objects or phenomena. With Yoo Sung-woon''s vast knowledge, ''Gio''s Portrait'' was probably the first time he paid so much attention to.


    Fortunately, ''Gio''s Portrait'' was a relatively amiable entity toward humans. It responded to questions and reciprocated favours, which could be considered quite gentlemanly.


    ¡°Looks like I''ve roughly organized it?¡±


    Thanks to that, the analysis wasn''t that difficult.


    [ Values politeness ]


    [ Enjoys giving gifts ]


    [ No change in facial expression (perhaps because it''s a portrait?) ]


    [ Well-informed about humans and respects them ]


    ''... This part is definitely unique.''


    While he hadn''t fully grasped Gio''s identity yet, caution was warranted. There was a reason why humanoid monsters were set as the highest threats regardless of their attitudes.


    ''Because they knew very little about humans.''


    Eleven years ago, a humanoid monster friendly to Earthlings was sighted for the first time. Based on this, associations in various countries sought ways to interact with residents beyond the dimensional gate.


    However, a situation where the envoy bodies who had crossed the gates in the name of friendship returned as ''healthily deformed'' happened.


    ''The humanoid monster that time expressed it as its favour...''


    From the perspective of the humanoid monster, the envoys'' bodies had many inefficient parts, so their legs were extended into four and their mouth was divided into six parts.


    It was a favour, but at the same time, it was a disaster for humans. That''s when the saying ¡°Monsters are monsters for a reason¡± came into being.


    ¡°Even thinking about it again, it''s terrifying.¡±


    Since that incident, humanoid monsters have also become targets of subjugation without exception.


    No matter how friendly they were to humans, it was impossible to know how and when their terrible true natures might be revealed.


    ''So I want to be wary of this portrait as well, but there are too many suspicious aspects to do so. Gio knows too much about humans to be considered a regular humanoid monster. He doesn''t unconditionally hate all Earth creatures.''


    He wasn''t extremely friendly to humans, nor he was overtly hostile.


    Somewhat cynical, yet simultaneously polite and considerate, ''Gio''s Portrait'' seemed just like a severely blunt ordinary human being.


    Tuk.


    Yoo Sung-woon tapped his notebook with a pen.


    ¡°That part is even harder to understand.¡±


    Gio didn''t seem like a monster.


    ''Unless one is a curator or a gardener, they might say it''s a monster, still ....''


    He wasn''t certain either.


    ¡°Well, it could really be a monster.¡±


    It could have been an item with consciousness, it could have been just a cursed portrait, or it could have been an illusion at a high level unimaginable to him.


    ''It''s only been about thirty years since dungeons appeared, so we can''t know everything.''


    Therefore, Yoo Sung-woon''s best course of action right now is to analyze and respond to this portrait.


    ¡°Hmm...¡±


    First of all, there was something he was curious about.


    The portrait''s eyes seemed distant, as if they weren''t human, and its appearance¡ªwith its otherworldly beauty, gave off a strange sense of unreality with its pale yet stimulating colours.


    ''Like AI, its business-like tone and unchanging facial expression also add to that oppressive feeling.''


    But.


    ¡°Anyway you look at it, Gio is a gentleman.¡±


    As evidenced by the rules summarized above, Gio has never been a threatening or violent opponent based on his behaviour so far. Shown from his deep understanding of humans, he definitely cared and respected them.


    ''Unlike the ignorant humanoid monsters before, he seems to think from the perspective of humans.''


    This showed a depth of understanding not seen in other monsters.


    ''And he bases his kindness and consideration on that.''


    Didn''t he even give gifts?


    Yoo Sung-woon contemplated for a while before writing a new sentence in his notebook.


    [ Prefers a kind or polite person (1:1 rule?) ]


    ''... Not certainly, but.''


    If one looks at the people to whom Gio has given gifts so far, all of them are people who he owed or treated him favourably.


    As it is a portrait that can distinguish between good and evil in humans, he thought he might prefer a kind and polite person.


    ''Well, anyway.''


    That wasn''t the important part.


    ¡°...The problem is why the other employees reacted with such alarm and fled...¡±


    All the employees here were meticulously recruited or transferred by Bi Sa-beol one by one. Bi Sa-beol''s tendency to collect was not only limited to objects, but also people, and such Bi Sa-beol who have strong attachment for his employees definitely wouldn''t choose foolish or incompetent people.


    Thus, no matter how low the employees'' rank, would Bi Sa-beol casually selected employees, especially for those to manage his beloved gallery? They were all strong and capable individuals.


    ¡°And yet, they felt frightened and pressured upon encountering Gio.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon had never directly encountered Gio.


    The last time he went outside, all Yoo Sung-woon did was follow him and keep watch. Therefore, what those who had directly encountered Gio felt... he couldn''t figure it out.


    He could only vaguely guess.


    If merely existing could put pressure on humans, it indicated the immense quality of that soul.


    ''... Thinking about it that way, shouldn''t we be grateful that he is quietly sleeping inside the portrait?''


    Yoo Sung-woon sighed deeply with a troubled expression on his face.


    ¡°This guy Bi Sa-beol, what on earth did he bring here ....¡±


    Are you finally planning to destroy the Earth?


    It was the kind of day that made him want to smoke, despite how he had quit five years ago.


    1: ????? ????? ?????? ??????????? is a famous cosmetic ad line, ''Do not eat and give it to your skin'' (https://youtu.be/NBb-abkg3N8?si=gzGXhTwWVZ51V6C0). now in this line, Gio reverses it ???? ????? ??????? ???????????, so I wrote it as ''Give it to your stomach, not your skin.''


    2: nurungji.


    3: nurungji porridge.

 Chapter 15

    ¡°I concluded it was a resolution issue.¡±


    ¡°...Resolution?¡±


    Unexpectedly, the portrait easily answered Yoo Sung-woon''s question.


    ¡°When I go outside, it''s like the painting becomes reality.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°In that case, wouldn''t there be a difference in the realm that humans perceive?¡±


    Gio, who had opened his eyes for the first time in a long while, nonchalantly continued.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure since I''ve never looked into a mirror outside the painting, but most of the employees here find me distant, as if facing the unknown, even though they see and talk to me directly. The fear intensifies even after we finish introducing each other and exchanging information ...¡±


    ¡°Do you think there''s a problem in the perception process?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Quite a good analogy.


    ''To express the level of the soul like this, if he were a teacher, it would suit him well.''


    Unaware that Gio was speaking a sincere guess without a shred of lie, Yoo Sung-woon thought it was simply the most plausible analogy the portrait could offer.


    Resolution was something he could make sense of.


    ''Come to think of it, Gio has been exchanging introductions with everyone he meets for the first time.''


    At this sudden thought, Yoo Sung-woon asked.


    ¡°Do you put importance in exchanging introductions?¡±


    ¡°By exchanging names, you can increase intimacy. I thought that would be the case as well.¡±


    ¡°Ah...¡±


    What do you mean, it was to increase the level of intimacy? Yoo Sung-woon asked back with a slightly perplexed face.


    ¡°Did you purposely introduce yourself to make people feel more intimate?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s human courtesy, too. If you want to know the other person, you should have introduced yourself first.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    He didn''t seem to realize that this might be even scarier.


    ''...For a being whose soul is so immense that it causes perception issues just by being in front of you to ask for your name, it''s really hard to feel intimacy from that.''


    For spiritual beings, a true name is always a bargaining chip. Unless one is from a rural area or elderly, people would know the danger of exchanging true names. r?


    ''Moreover, Gio, who is entirely black, might even seem like a grim reaper, making people more cautious.''


    Of course, this is a rule that applies among humans. In fact, introducing oneself is a useful technique when extracting information from others. Just sharing a name can build a bit of trust.


    In that sense, it¡¯s something he felt every time.


    ''...Does Gio really consider himself a human?¡¯


    It was something to be careful of.


    ''If Gio''s current natural respect and consideration for humans came from such a misconception, as much as possible, it''s best to maintain his belief that he''s human.''


    Otherwise, there''s no telling what kind of catastrophe might occur.


    ¡°Hmm... That''s right.¡±


    If he thought of himself as human, it was easier to ask him about various things.


    ¡°Then, how old are you?¡±


    ¡°I''m 29 years old.¡±


    But this was a bit unexpected.


    ¡°...29 years old?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s young.¡±


    ¡°I often hear that I look older, but it''s a reaction that hurts.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, it¡¯s not like that....¡±


    It was funny even for Yoo Sung-woon who asked, assuming the portrait had an age, but he didn''t expect the portrait, which looked so distant that he couldn''t even meet its gaze, was not even thirty years old.


    ''Is this another one of his misconceptions?''


    If Gio perceived himself as an ordinary 29-year-old human, it was a statement that could easily come out, despite how long this portrait had actually existed.


    Yoo Sung-woon awkwardly laughed.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were younger than me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m curious about Mr. Yoo Sung-woon¡¯s age. Can you tell me?¡±


    ¡°I''m 33 years old.¡±


    ¡°I thought you were in your twenties.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a very nice thing to say.¡±


    ¡°You look young.¡±


    The portrait spoke in its characteristically blunt tone.


    ¡°Then it''s okay for you to speak comfortably.¡±


    ¡°Oh... can I do that?¡±


    ¡°I don''t remember ever asking you to use formal language.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    He had been using formal language deliberately, thinking the portrait valued manners, but it didn''t seem to mind that. Maybe it valued polite actions over flashy words.


    ''Anyway, it doesn''t seem to dislike me.''


    He wouldn''t be asked to speak informally if he were unpleasant or unlikable.


    ¡°Then I''ll speak more comfortably.¡±


    ¡°As you wish.¡±


    ¡°It feels awkward trying to switch to informal speech after using formal speech all this time.¡±


    ¡°Despite that, you''re speaking quite naturally.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that''s because... I''m originally more used to informal speech...¡±


    Though he got used to hierarchical life as a curator or researcher, he was a wanderer in his past life as a gardener.


    Though he didn''t completely ignore etiquette and manners like a rascal, he honestly found informal speech more comfortable.


    ¡°More than that, who said you look old?¡±


    It might be disillusioning for the monster who seems to favour kindness, but it wasn''t a big deal in the human world.


    ¡°Outside the city, people are already dying. There isn¡¯t enough manpower to protect them, and monsters keep appearing ... The rural areas, lacking proper infrastructure, are almost like nature itself.¡±


    ¡°The civilization level difference between cities and rural areas are almost a century apart, though there are people who prefer the countryside because they don''t have to deal with all sorts of hardships or oppression.¡±


    The portrait spoke bluntly.


    ¡°It''s tiring.¡±


    ¡°Did I talk too much?¡±


    ¡°I meant that it''s nice inside the painting.¡±


    ¡°I agree with that.¡±


    Though he didn''t know what the inside of the painting was like, it seemed much more peaceful than living in this dirty and harsh world.


    Soon after, the portrait asked.


    ¡°So Mr. Yoo Sung-woon has been working as a curator all along?¡±


    ¡°Ah... that¡¯s, no. I¡¯ve only been employed for a few years.¡±


    ¡°If you don''t mind, could you tell me what you did before?¡±


    Could he tell even this?


    After a moment of contemplation, Yoo Sung-woon soon confessed.


    ¡°I used to be a researcher.¡±


    ¡°That''s an unexpected answer.¡±


    ¡°And before that, I was a gardener. I¡¯m actually still a gardener now.¡±


    ¡°A gardener who manages a garden full of plants and flowers?¡±


    ¡°No, we manage the origin.¡±


    In this world, there was the origin.


    ¡°Not sure how much you know, but there are things called dungeons on Earth. It¡¯s a den of monsters made up of various themes....¡±


    ¡°Even though each is clearly on a different dimension, sometimes the same plants are found in separate dungeons. We call those ''children of the origin.''¡±


    Plants of the same type are found in both dungeons filled with fire and cave dungeons.


    Such occurrences happen even though the dungeons have no direct connection, and some researchers believe it''s possible because it was a plant derived from the origin.


    ¡°Can you explain about the origin?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know the details either.¡±


    But the origin was such an existence. The most fundamental concept at the bottom of all dimensions.


    ¡°If we think of it as a tree, the dungeons are the fruit and the monsters inside are the seeds, while the origin is the root of the tree.¡±


    ¡°In other words, we suspect that the power of the origin might be what creates dungeons.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for telling me such a fascinating story.¡±


    ¡°I find it fascinating, too.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon laughed casually and continued.


    ¡°The gardener analyzes, manages, and shares incidents that occur from the origin. It''s similar to researchers who analyze the names and powers of new monsters that appear. It''s also similar to geographical hunters who traverse dungeons and create new maps.¡±


    ¡°It seems unrelated, why are you called gardeners?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, well.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon blinked his blue eyes. It soon took on a slightly brighter colour.


    ¡°Some consider the origin as one garden.¡±


    ¡°... In reality, it¡¯s also managed as a ''garden.''¡±


    The portrait asked.


    ¡°A garden.¡±


    ¡°Yes, a garden.¡±


    ¡°Is it different from the origin?¡±


    ¡°It could be said as a part of the origin.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon answered faithfully.


    ¡°If you call a person the origin, the garden we talk about refers to parts like their blood vessels, nails, heart, or eyes.¡±


    ¡°It''s vast and numerous. A very small number of gardeners with high aptitude are assigned one of those gardens each, but it''s quite a challenging task....¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon laughed as if sighing.


    ¡°Many die. It''s a profession where it''s hard to be at ease no matter what.¡±


    ¡°Is it something that someone has to do?¡±


    ¡°In the first place, once chosen by the origin, you must do the work, neglecting it sharply raises the difficulty level of many dungeons.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s scary.¡±


    ¡°... Even if you say it''s scary, I can''t tell... .¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon scratched his ear, feeling as if he¡¯d heard something unbelievable, and continued.


    ¡°I¡¯m still a gardener. Becoming a gardener isn¡¯t something one can choose on their own, so even though I¡¯m currently working as a curator, I can¡¯t throw away my qualifications as a gardener.¡±


    ¡°Is it hard?¡±


    ¡°A little?¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°But it¡¯s worth it.¡±


    When he closed his eyes, he could see the vast snowy mountain. He could see the glaciers. Its grandeur captivates people.


    ¡°Having my own garden is pretty cool.¡±


    Soon, the portrait responded.


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°I feel the same way.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    That¡¯s how the conversation ended that day.


    Though he wasn¡¯t sure how the portrait felt about it, but at least for the gardener, it was quite an enjoyable time.

 Chapter 16

    ¡°Oh my.¡±


    An exclamation that came out while suppressing a smile, as if pretending to be polite.


    Bi Sa-beol asked.


    ¡°Did he stay hidden because he thought people would be scared?¡±


    ¡°I didn''t say it exactly like that, but to summarize, that''s not wrong either.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon nodded.


    ¡°It seemed like he understood that problems could arise if someone with a high soul level as himself encountered a defenceless person. Still, it seems strange that he insists on being an ordinary human ....¡±


    With that, Bi Sa-beol narrowed his eyes like a snake and spoke.


    ¡°We can''t completely rule out the possibility that he might be a humanoid monster in the form of a portrait, but he can''t be seen just as a simple monster either. He doesn''t hate humans at all.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°If even Curator Yoo Sung-woon is unsure about his nature, then he''s probably related to the origin, but judging by the fact that you haven''t submitted an official report yet, it seems like he''s a type of existence you''ve never seen before.¡±


    ¡°Yes, for now.¡±


    There were few origins existences that Yoo Sung-woon, a gardener, did not know.


    ''Dungeon monsters are also born from the veins of the origin, but they''re on a different level of complexity compared to the children of the origin. If Gio is a type of child of the origin that I''ve never seen before, the story will become much more complicated.''


    The so-called ''children of the origin'' could be found in all dungeons. They could not be solved by simple subjugation like ordinary monsters.


    Thus, extensive knowledge and skills to deal with them are necessary, and Yoo Sung-woon was a veteran who had been working as a gardener since he was eleven years old.


    ''Gio''s Portrait'', an existence unknown even to such a Yoo Sung-woon, was clearly something to be wary of.


    ¡°Anyway, even if he''s a ''child of the origin'', it''s certain that he''s an unusual existence.¡±


    If there''s something common between monsters and children of the origin, it is that they don''t understand how fragile Earthlings are.


    Even if they knew, monsters hated humans, while children of the origin were indifferent to humans.


    Either way, they were bound to be harmful to humans.


    ¡°It''s rare for them to be this friendly to humans.¡±


    ¡°It''s certainly something the association would want.¡±


    ¡°I asked you last time, but are you going to hand him over?¡±


    ¡°I have no intention of doing so.¡±


    Bi Sa-beol had a strong sense of possessiveness and never left something that was his in others'' hands, even for a brief inspection. Unless it was a clear and clean transaction, he wouldn''t do such a half-hearted thing. R


    ¡°Curator Yoo Sung-woon seems to be taking care of it well. Is there any reason to hand it over to the association''s research lab?¡±


    ¡°If Gio is a child of the origin, he might harm people without any sense of guilt. He might claim he was just following his own rules, but... it could be a great catastrophe for humans.¡±


    An investigation was necessary.


    ¡°At this level, all I can understand are stories from the portrait. I can''t tell exactly what skills he uses, how high his soul level is, or what role he holds within the origin.¡±


    ¡°I''m not someone who seeks such things.¡±


    ¡°Do you remember the things I asked you to do when I hired Mr. Yoo Sung-woon?¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon sighed as he answered.


    ¡°To analyze, maintain, and manage gallery works.¡±


    ¡°That''s right.¡±


    ¡°But I''m no longer the head of the association''s research team. There''s no place that can analyze ''Gio''s Portrait'' as well as it can.¡±


    ¡°What a disheartening thing to say. As curator Yoo Sung-woon knows, I''m not interested in weapons.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that''s right.¡±


    ¡°I want art.¡±


    Bi Sa-beol smiled, narrowing his eyes. The natural arrogance of someone used to look down on others since birth was evident.


    ¡°That''s why I established this guild, this company. I have no pride whatsoever as a hunter, let alone an artist.¡±


    ¡°No collector cares about which evil spirits Van Gogh''s self-portrait repels or what good dreams it brings. No one is interested in those functions. They only wonder about the story contained within the painting and want to preserve that story with their own hands.¡±


    ¡°It could become very dangerous. It is the only existence that escapes the guild leader''s appraisal skill, and even if he respects and considers humans, his rank is too high. He might not feel divine, but he''s probably of a level that priests serve. Even if the portrait is cautious, humans can''t be at ease.¡±


    ¡°Have you seen those eyes?¡±


    That was abrupt.


    ¡°...Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Have you seen those eyes, Mr. Yoo Sung-woon?¡±


    ¡°...Are you talking about the eyes of the portrait?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it seems you haven''t seen them.¡±


    ¡°No, I have, but.¡±


    ¡°Then tell me.¡±


    Bi Sa-beol gestured gracefully with his hand. Even the gesture urging for an answer carried the elegance of someone important.


    ¡°What were they like?¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon didn''t ponder long.


    ¡°... It was distant.¡±


    Fear.


    Awe and disgust, anger and sorrow, joy and delight, despair, loneliness, and dizziness.


    A colossal presence that couldn''t be fully grasped in a single moment....


    ¡°...I don''t know how to describe it well. I also have an appraisal skill, but I couldn''t objectively grasp it because its rank was so clear even without using skills.¡±


    It was so distant that it couldn''t be expressed with a boring word such as ''universe''. It felt like he was directly touching something visible yet unseen.


    ¡°They were clearly black but also appeared white. They were so dark they felt bright, and while it seemed the pupils and irises were indistinguishable, when I looked inside ... I could see intricate paths.¡±


    There was rainwater within. There were streams, brooks, and water veins.


    It was as intricate as the roots of a tree and as delicate as human blood vessels. It was also so vast and expansive, so colourful that humans couldn''t fully comprehend it.


    It felt like glimpsing something humans shouldn''t be seeing. Something so immense resided within those narrow pupils.


    ¡°It reminded me of the saying that eyes are the window of the soul.¡±


    ¡°A decent impression. Not bad.¡±


    ¡°Seeing you say that, seems like my impression is unsatisfactory.¡±


    ¡°It can''t be helped.¡±


    Bi Sa-beol laughed as if appreciating the mistake of a very immature child.


    Yoo Sung-woon suddenly recalled his actual age. He was old enough to teach Yoo Sung-woon.


    ¡°I told you to look at his eyes, but you just observed the artwork. ¡°Before our respective professions and tastes, we are humans capable of conversation.¡±


    ¡°If Gio has consciousness, it means he also has eyes that can communicate with humans.¡±


    He asked again.


    ¡°Have you ever seen his eyes?¡±


    ¡°...In the sense of what you have just said, no.¡±


    ¡°Have Mr. Yoo Sung-woon ever thought about what emotions Gio feels and how he looks at you, other than his soul level and paths in his eyes?¡±


    ¡°No, I haven''t.¡±


    Who could think that in front of such a colossal presence?


    How could something as small and insignificant as him dare to?


    ¡°...That kind of thing ... was only something someone like Guild Leader Bi Sa-beol could do.¡±


    ¡°A gardener shouldn''t be so narrow-minded. Think bigger, broader.¡±


    ¡°Aren''t you expecting too much from a mere gardener?¡±


    ¡°Gio is a good person.¡±


    ¡°He is very kind.¡±


    Bi Sa-beol continued, as if teaching a child.


    ¡°Even though he dislikes inconveniences, he doesn''t hate. How kind must someone be to not resent what makes them uncomfortable? He is full of compassion, maintaining politeness and respecting others without imposing.¡±


    ¡°That''s a generous assessment.¡±


    ¡°And he''s afraid of hurting someone.¡±


    It was an unexpected story.


    ¡°...Gio? At most, it would be like a human stepping on an ant.¡±


    ¡°That''s right.¡±


    ¡°It''s not the feeling of disgust at the insects bursting in front of him, but fear of harming it?¡±


    ¡°I''m the one who should be grateful.¡±


    ¡°What are you grateful for?¡±


    ¡°There aren''t many places selling fish-shaped bun these days. It''s becoming harder to find recently.¡±


    ¡°Aahh....¡±


    As it seemed like it would take some time for new fish-shaped buns to come out, Yoo Sung-woon continued the conversation. The young man, seemingly bored, responded softly despite his blunt tone.


    ¡°It''s hard to do business. Even if I tried to sell fish-shaped buns outside the city, no one would buy them, so I come in from time to time to sell them.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you come all the way here from outside the city?¡±


    ¡°Who among the city people would do this kind of business?¡±


    The young man shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°Most people either work office jobs or are hunters.¡±


    ¡°Even so, it must be quite a long way. It must be tiring, impressive.¡±


    ¡°Some people help out because they find fish-shaped buns nostalgic, so it''s still doable. My younger sibling is also working as a hunter nearby....¡±


    ¡°Ah, would it be a little expensive to find a house around here?¡±


    ¡°It''s hard to afford city rent, and becoming a city resident isn''t something just anyone can do.¡±


    ¡°Aren''t short-term permits easily granted? I heard that the hurdle for that has been lowered.¡±


    ¡°I do have a permit, but sometimes I can''t finish work before the terminal''s closing time... so I just don''t get a room. It takes time and money, and there''s no benefit to it.¡±


    The young man who flipped the fish-shaped bun mould said.


    ¡°In addition, I have a 10-year-old younger sibling at home, so I have to go back.¡±


    ¡°Oh, then definitely ... you have to go back. If you leave him alone and a monster appears in the village, it will be a disaster. Having an older brother around is more reassuring.¡±


    ¡°My younger sister also works as a porter, so she earns money here, but she goes home every three days and then leaves the following week. Right now, my younger sister is at our parents'' house, so I''m the one working.¡±


    ¡°That''s amazing.¡±


    ¡°It''s good because it sells well around here.¡±


    ¡°Is that so....¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon tilted his head and asked.


    ¡°So how long can you keep coming?¡±


    ¡°It''s still winter ... so probably until early spring. When it gets warmer, I''ll look for another job.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like you''ll be here for a while. I''ll see you often.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    The young man took the fish-shaped buns out of the machine. Steam rose from the freshly made fish-shaped buns. It smelled delicious.


    ¡°Eat it while it''s warm.¡±


    ¡°Oh, thank you.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon headed back to the company with the fish-shaped buns.


    To be precise, in front of ''Gio''s Portrait'' inside Bi Sa-beol''s gallery.


    ¡°Gio, are you awake?¡±


    ¡°Gio?¡±


    Fortunately, Gio soon opened his eyes.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°There was a fish-shaped bun vendor in front of the station, so I bought one.¡±


    ¡°It doesn''t seem to be one.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right. It''s not just one. I thought you might like it, so I brought about ten.¡±


    The portrait, which blinked twice, soon nodded.


    ¡°Thank you. It''s been a while since I''ve had fish-shaped buns.¡±


    ¡°Do you know fish-shaped buns?¡±


    ¡°I didn''t know if there would still be any fish-shaped buns left.¡±


    ¡°...Really?¡±


    As expected, Gio seemed to be a being with experience living in Korea.


    ''Or maybe a being from a similar dimension... Even if he didn''t live there, he might have only received the memories.''


    When Yoo Sung-woon extended the bag containing the fish-shaped buns, it quickly seeped into the painting.


    ¡°Oh... it literally became part of the painting.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for the gift.¡±


    ¡°It''s nothing special. I hope it suits your taste.¡±


    ¡°I like this kind of street food.¡±


    ¡°That''s a relief.¡±


    He had been worried because of the cold expression that seemed impenetrable.


    ''His demeanour seems quite noble.''


    Gio seemed like a heavenly aristocrat who had never touched the water with his hands or like an AI civil servant created for the busy modern society.


    He was worried for a moment whether Gio, with his sharp and heavy atmosphere that could be felt just by looking at his expression, would like street food. He wondered if he might despise it and ask, ''How dare you give me this as food?''


    ¡°Next time, if there''s something like egg bread or takoyaki, should I buy you one too?¡±


    ¡°...Gio?¡±


    After a moment of silence, Gio soon took something out of his arms.


    It was a neatly tied white bag.


    ¡°...What''s that?¡±


    ¡°It''s tea leaves.¡±


    ¡°Tea?¡±


    ¡°There were flowers with good scent, so I tried drying them.¡±


    ¡°It''s a thank you.¡±


    As he extended his hand¡ª


    ¡ªOutside the painting, Gio''s hand popped out along with a tea bag.


    ¡°...This is different.¡±


    ¡°Please accept it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, um, thank you.¡±


    Rustle.


    A pleasant aroma wafted from the paper bag placed on his hand.


    ''It smells like cream.''


    It was a scent that could come from sweet custard or milk cream.


    It felt a little strange.


    ''...Would it be rude from the perspective of origin with rules if I tell him that he doesn''t need to reciprocate like this every time? It feels awkward since it feels like I''m being treated so generously compared to what I always give.''


    Yoo Sung-woon put the bag inside his coat and said.


    ¡°Thank you, I''ll have to drink tea after a long time.¡±


    ¡°I hope it suits your taste.¡±


    ¡°First of all, it smells very nice. I''ll drink it gratefully.¡±


    ¡°And I have a favour to ask.¡±


    ¡°Huh? A favour?¡±


    Gio asked.


    ¡°May I ask for seeds?¡±


    ¡°...What kind of seeds?¡±


    ¡°Anything that can be grown in a field.¡±


    What on earth is he doing in there?


    ''A field.''


    Suddenly, Yoo Sung-woon became curious about the scenery inside the portrait.


    1: ????? ?? ??????? ??????/????? ????? (the liver comes out of the stomach / to have a swollen liver): to be overbold and foolhardy, ignoring apparent hardship.

 Chapter 17

    Forest Butterfly Flower Tea


    Rank: ¨C


    Tea made by drying flowers grown from the corpses of forest butterflies inhabiting the veins of fate. It has a light blue colour and a soft creamy scent. Processed directly by Gio, the owner of the forest, it can even be consumed by the human body. The moment it is consumed, blood vessels regenerate, making it excellent for severe injuries, and it restructures cells to provide constant immunity from minor diseases.


    Duration: 6 months


    Yoo Sung-woon, who had completed the appraisal, brushed his face with tightly pressed lips.


    ¡°...Gio, this guy....¡±


    What on earth did he give him?


    ¡°This isn''t tea you can exchange for ten fish-shaped buns.¡±


    ***


    As he had always thought, ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait¡¯ was an absurd existence.


    ''I still don¡¯t know its true nature.''


    Whether it''s a monster, an item, or as Bi Sa-beol and Yoo Sung-woon speculated, a child of the origin.


    ''But it has a human form... and it knows quite a lot about humans and society.''


    Still, whatever its true identity, the fact that it personally bends to the rules of such humans is close to a miracle.


    Perhaps there might never be another existence like this in the world. At least not in this small dimension called Earth.


    ¡®It means guild leader Bi Sa-beol, known for his keen eye, didn''t pour that much money for nothing.''


    And what that ''Gio¡¯s Portrait'' asked for was....


    ¡°Is this enough?¡±


    It was seeds.


    Crop seeds.


    ¡°I gathered them as much as I could.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon showed the seed bags in his arms with an awkward smile.


    The next day after receiving the tea leaves, he gathered them in a few hours early in the morning. Tomatoes, corn, potatoes, sweet potatoes, lettuce, cabbage, cucumbers, peas, pumpkins, red peppers, carrots, radishes, watermelons, eggplants, and more....


    ¡°I wanted to get you better seeds, but there aren¡¯t many shops selling such seeds around here. I barely scraped them together from a shabby store tucked inside an alley, hope you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°Of course I like it. Seeing the amount you brought, I understand how hard you worked in such a short time. You look apologetic considering how much you brought.¡±


    ¡°It''s because the balance feels off when I receive such precious tea but only give seeds in return....¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon said, handing over the seed bags over the frame.


    ¡°Even if the seeds aren''t that cheap, the tea you gave me was too much.¡±


    Gio, who was checking the seeds, asked.


    ¡°Aren''t seeds very cheap?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh, right. Normally, one bag of seeds you''re holding costs about the same as most decent meals ... so on average, I don¡¯t think they are that cheap.¡±


    ¡°...Did you ask for seeds thinking they were cheap?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Though the portrait remained blunt and emotionless, looking into those black eyes, he felt that Gio was sorry. Indeed, as Bi Sa-beol had said, he was a kind fellow.


    Gio blinked twice, perhaps in thought or it was just a meaningless habit, and spoke.


    ¡°I apologize. I did not think it would be so expensive.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you''re apologizing for. It can''t compare to the tea you gave me.¡±


    Gio¡¯s simple and pure goodwill towards humans was evidently quite overwhelming. Yoo Sung-woon awkwardly laughed and waved his hand.


    ¡°Since you made it yourself, the value of its sincerity cannot be measured, and with all these various effects... To be honest, it was such a precious gift that I wondered if I could even drink it.¡±


    Even at first glance, the tea Gio gave was highly valuable. After all, didn''t the haunted portrait say that it was made by itself?


    ''Whether Gio¡¯s true identity is a humanoid monster or child of the origin, the fact that it is unusual remains unchanged.¡¯


    Moreover, with effects that seem capable of even reviving the dead....


    ¡°... I¡¯m truly grateful for your kindness, however...¡±


    After a moment of hesitation, Yoo Sung-woon soon continued.


    ¡°...I¡¯m a little worried. Although I plan to enjoy the tea you gave me to relax, please don''t give such precious gifts to others.¡±


    ¡°Most humans don''t know how to accept goodwill as it is. They aren¡¯t as generous as you think.¡±


    First, there was a high probability that his goodwill would be perceived as fear. Unless one was exceptionally greedy or indifferent to everything, it was hard to simply be grateful for such an excessive gift.


    ''Surely someone would perceive it as a threat and either get angry or panic, but even if a greedy person received such a gift, problems would arise.''


    Though it felt regrettable, from Yoo Sung-woon¡¯s point of view, Gio seemed to give tea more for him to enjoy rather than for treating ailments.


    Accustomed to the rules of the origin, Yoo Sung-woon had no intention of selling or using the tea in a way that might upset Gio.


    ¡°It would be unpleasant if the tea leaves you gave unknowingly be put up for auction, right?¡±


    ¡°Auction? I didn''t think such a trivial tea would hold such significance.¡±


    He acted as if saying, ¡®humans behave incomprehensibly, like attaching value to meaningless things¡¯.


    ¡°I guess it does seem that way.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon laughed awkwardly.


    ''...Claiming to be human but showing such blatant incomprehension.''


    But for Gio, who doesn''t think deeply, it was an unavoidable judgment.


    His system clearly described it at the level of a fatigue recovery drink, and Gio had no reason to doubt it. At best, it was worth about the same as a vitamin supplement, so Yoo Sung-woon¡¯s words seemed fussy.


    In response to Gio¡¯s indifferent reaction, Yoo Sung-woon couldn¡¯t help but think, ''Indeed, there¡¯s a slightly different aspect from human common sense.'' Just like how a gold nugget is no different from a mere stone to most monsters.


    ¡°Well, I mean....¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon continued.


    ¡°You may have given it as a gift simply for its value as tea, but from the perspective of ordinary humans, it''s not just that. It would be better to refrain from giving gifts that would attract the eyes of greedy people.¡±


    Surely, Gio, the owner, must have been aware of the effects of ''Forest Butterfly Flower Tea'', but from the beginning, he said, ¡®I made it into tea because it has a good scent¡¯, so he probably had no interest in its uses beyond tea.


    Such indifference was certainly like that of any other beings of the origin.


    ''Monsters and children of the origin alike often fail to understand human greed. No matter how well Gio knows human physiology, showing such carefreeness that is clearly inhuman... certainly leaves no room for excuses.¡¯


    An insignificant stone to monsters can be a valuable resource for humans.


    Beings born from veins of the origin didn''t understand such facts well. There were also many times they often described humans as making a fuss.


    ¡°...Well, right, if you call it making a fuss, I have no retort....¡±


    It was just about preventing potential accidents.


    ¡°I will invite you someday.¡±


    ¡°I guess it''s not possible now?¡±


    ¡°The house is dirty, so it''s not possible now.¡±


    ¡°Is that so.¡±


    Considering Gio¡¯s personality, the statement ¡®the house is dirty¡¯ is highly likely to be a lie, but anyway, he can¡¯t enter without the homeowner¡¯s permission. Naturally, Yoo Sung-woon had that much sense.


    ¡°Then enjoy your farming time.¡±


    ¡°Can I see you again tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that... Is it because of the return gift?¡±


    ¡°Now that I¡¯ve received so much, I have to reciprocate.¡±


    ¡°It''s nothing much, really.¡±


    ¡°Moreover, Mr. Yoo Sung-woon gave me good advice.¡±


    ¡°...Is that so?¡±


    Refusing further would only provoke him.


    ''Existences of origin have their own rules.''


    The monsters in dungeons created under the influence of the origin have consistent habits and behaviours, and there were separate methods for interactions or attacks. In the case of ¡®children¡¯ closer to the origin, if they were strong, then their rules were at least as strong, or even stronger.


    ''He''s already judged to be a child of the origin. He would have high pride in his own rules, and even if not, physiologically, violating that would be impossible... I can¡¯t refuse from my side.¡¯


    The origin is nature itself. Just as a mere human cannot prevent a disaster, to coexist with nature, humans must learn humility and adjust to it.


    ¡°Hmm....¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon awkwardly laughed.


    ¡°Please make it something not too extravagant.¡±


    ¡°Tea leaves weren''t extravagant either.¡±


    ¡°I guess so...?¡±


    For a child of origin, identifying items valuable to humans would be difficult. After a brief thought, Yoo Sung-woon spoke with difficulty.


    ¡°... Then something delicious?¡±


    ¡°Are you asking for cooking?¡±


    ¡°Just snacks you gave to the employees you met before would be fine. You said you gave them things like chocolate, cookies, and jelly.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. They were all kind, so I gave them gifts.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Judging from what he said, it certainly seemed that Gio gave gifts to ''kind people.''


    Perhaps he judged all acts, such as being polite, facilitating conversation, and giving him gifts, as ''kind''.


    ¡°I think snacks like that would be fine.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±


    ¡°Oh, and by the way.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon passed on what he had heard from the guild leader Bi Sa-beol.


    ¡°He said it''s okay for you to come out.¡±


    ¡°You used to come out of the portrait often. Since the employees were scared, you mostly appeared at dawn. I''ve been the only one you could talk to.¡±


    ¡°There was no need to come out.¡±


    ¡°But you might feel stuffy, so the guild leader Bi Sa-beol said that if you want, you can come out and look around the company building. Here, an access card.¡±


    ¡°I''ve never been employed by the Collection Guild. Besides you, Mr. Yoo Sung-woon, I don''t know anyone else, so is it okay for an outsider like me to wander around?¡±


    ¡°Important places are off-limits, but I¡¯ve made it so that you can go to areas accessible to general employees. If you come out later and run into other employees, you can show this card, it should smooth things over somewhat.¡±


    Though it would only be a rough excuse.


    ''Because of the high level of his soul.''


    Still, for future treatment, having was more convenient than not having. Members of the Collection Guild were quick-witted, so they would be cautious on their own.


    The portrait looked at the white necklace card handed over by Yoo Sung-woon.


    ¡°Well, you seem to have ways to move around even without it, but it would be more comfortable for you to have formal access, right?¡±


    ¡°If possible, I wish you could come out in a time like now when there are no people, but .... you can come out during the day if you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°That''s a sufficient answer.¡±


    ¡°Oh... and don''t hurt other people.¡±


    ¡°What should I do if I''m attacked first?¡±


    ¡°Then that can¡¯t be helped.¡±


    If a foolish human deliberately stepped on an angry tiger¡¯s tail and got eaten, that would be a natural death.


    ¡°I''m on neither side.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon aimed to help the origin and humans coexist as much as possible, not unconditionally take the side of humans. A gardener always had to remain neutral.


    ¡°You attack too.¡±


    ¡°I can''t do that, so I''ll try to run away.¡±


    ¡°I''d appreciate it if you do so.¡±


    So, this was a sign of trust that humans could show.


    And as it has always been, he just hoped ''Gio''s Portrait'' with its 1:1 rule, would reciprocate appropriately.


    ***


    A month later.


    A ghost story began to circulate around Collection.


    ¡°It was a black cloak.¡±


    There were no deaths.


    Bi Sa-beol''s gamble succeeded.


    t/n: access card get ??


    guild map unlocked ??


    city map


    we are one step closer to our potato gaining freedom to roam around the city ???? ? ? ? )? (not really)

 Chapter 18

    If there is a most important place in the Collection building, it is Bi Sa-beol¡¯s gallery.


    Since only dangerous and sensitive items are gathered, accidents frequently occur. On top of that, there are those who target such rare artworks. Therefore, to prevent any human casualties, the security guards patrol inside the building even at the latest hours.


    That day was just another ordinary day patrolling the building at dawn.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Pure white walls.


    Pure white lighting.


    A pitch-black man standing alone in a long, clean corridor.


    He was draped in a black cloak from head to toe.


    His face was not visible.


    One could only tell that he was wearing a black suit through the open front.


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°Excuse me, but please identify yourself.¡±


    There are a total of eight members in the dawn patrol team, and the floors from 1 to 10 are their responsibility. No other guard is assigned on the same floor.


    Therefore, that black cloak must be an employee who stopped by the guild for a while because he had something to do at dawn, or an unknown outsider.


    But something felt strange.


    ¡°...Please identify yourself.¡±


    Really, something was strange.


    Yet he couldn¡¯t explain exactly what was strange.


    An eerie chill ran down his spine.


    ¡®...What is this?¡¯


    The guild¡¯s building is always brightly lit for the patrolling guards or overtime employees. The corridors are cleaned frequently, so it was spotless, and the pure white marble walls are elegant and beautiful, as per the guild leader Bi Sa-beol¡¯s taste.


    So there was nothing to be afraid of. There is no shadow anywhere under bright lights like daylight, but that particularly pitch-black being that stands out....


    ¡°...Who are you?¡±


    ¡ªFelt as if it shouldn¡¯t exist.


    ¡°If you¡¯re an outsider, please show me your pass.¡±


    ¡°What brings you here at this hour? We haven¡¯t been informed of any other guests coming from the first floor. Unauthorized intrusion into the guild is considered a serious crime and...¡± ?


    ¡°...In the trial, it may be disadvantageously applied ... you may experience inconvenience in appointing a lawyer, and may be suppressed by force without a separate process, so please note this point and answer the questions... I ask of you.¡±


    Isn¡¯t it strange? The initial tiny oddity gradually grows bigger.


    The longer he observed, the more visible he looked, the greater the sense of incongruity, and soon, the guard realized.


    ¡®Why?¡¯


    Why did he think that shouldn¡¯t exist?


    ¡®No, why in the first place?¡¯


    Why did he think that was ¡®that¡¯ while looking at a human-shaped being?


    The thought that something was wrong wouldn¡¯t leave his mind, and the confusion clung all over his body, making his consciousness disoriented.


    An eerie sense of alienation crept up his spine and slowly tickled his heart. It was a very slow and natural pace, like breathing in sleep.


    Under the hood of the pitch-black cloak. As if nothing should be there under the pitch-black cloth, a voice flowed out.


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    ¡°My name is Seo Gio.¡±


    A clear voice that seemed to be etched to his brain, and a distinct pronunciation that was impossible to misunderstand. Without even being able to resist, he thought it was a good voice.


    It politely asked,


    ¡°What is your name?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m curious about your name.¡±


    He couldn''t answer that good voice.


    ¡°Would you like to talk to me?¡±


    Because he could tell.


    ¡°... I.¡±


    This is not a human being.


    ¡°


    It was neither a monster, an item, nor an illusion.


    ¡®...What should I do?¡¯


    His breathing became heavy as if he had never had a way to breathe.


    The Collection guild had numerous incidents and accidents, and he was an experienced guard, but he had never encountered such a being until now. A huge inhuman thing wore human skin while mimicking humans.


    If only the imitation had been clumsy, it would have been better. Like bizarrely moving ball-jointed dolls he had seen before, or a monster with a significantly low level of comprehension babbling nonsense due to imitation.


    ¡°Sir.¡±


    ¡°What is your name?¡±


    But that.


    It was perfect.


    ¡°My name is Seo Gio.¡±


    It looked like a perfect human being.


    Even so, paradoxically,


    He knew it could never be human.


    ¡®What nonsense is this...¡¯


    He was so sure that the other party was not human, even though they looked completely human. Without any evidence, he defined the other party as neither a human, a monster, an item, nor an illusion.


    So, what on earth is that?


    ¡°Can¡¯t you hear me?¡±


    ¡°...Why are you asking my name?¡±


    ¡°The basic courtesy in a conversation is introducing oneself.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just being polite.¡±


    Polite?


    Exactly what human politeness it was imitating wasn¡¯t known.


    ¡°


    ¡°It¡¯s Park Na-gil.¡±


    He spat out his name like he was possessed, but he didn¡¯t feel his soul being taken away. However, the black cloak seemed to be satisfied.


    That was the most chilling part, but he didn¡¯t even have the energy to show it. His breath was caught in his throat.


    ¡°Nice to meet you. I am Seo Gio.¡±


    Does that being know it just introduced itself as ¡®Seo Gio¡¯ several times?


    ¡®As if emphasizing that it is a human like us...¡¯


    Soon after, the black cloak pulled out and showed an unexpected item.


    ¡°I have an access card.¡±


    The guard moved his feet.


    Following the corridor where the black cloak had moved, he headed to where the sound had stopped. It didn''t take long for him to reach the ¡®place where the sound had stopped.¡¯


    A portrait he had never seen before was hanging in the corridor.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    It was a painting of a man with a serene face as if he were asleep, set against the background of a forest with a peaceful cabin.


    But his insides churned.


    He fled with slow steps.


    With exactly the same speed as usual.


    ¡ªHe didn''t have the courage to touch it. If he had to fulfil his duty as a guard, he would have reported and handled the unidentified work, but he couldn''t even think of that. As if he was bewitched, the guard simply left the spot.


    And the next day, the portrait was gone from the same place.


    ***


    ¡°Have you heard?¡±


    Collection guild was originally a place with a lot of ghost stories.


    It was all because of the guild leader Bi Sa-beol, who had a habit of collecting and picking up so many strange things, causing various incidents and accidents.


    As a result, employees who have worked at Collection for over two years were not surprised by such ghost stories.


    ¡°Black cloak?¡±


    ¡°Yes, there''s a rumour going around these days.¡±


    ¡°It''s probably one of the guild leader¡¯s works causing trouble again.¡±


    ¡°That''s what I thought too.¡±


    It is a world where most ghost stories can be explained by monsters or items.


    In an era where fellow humans were scarier than ghost stories, rumours about ¡®black cloak¡¯ were just a topic of conversation to pass the time.


    ¡°I heard he''s really handsome, I''d like to see him.¡±


    ¡°But they say you can''t see his face well because of the cloak?¡±


    ¡°For a work brought by the guild leader, he sure is shy.¡±


    ¡°At least he''s not causing trouble. No one''s been hurt, right?¡±


    However, as time passed, such a light atmosphere gradually became heavier.


    ¡°They say that the witness this time also took a vacation.¡±


    ¡°...Is it that scary....¡±


    ¡°I heard he was originally going to resign, but the guild leader coaxed him into just taking a vacation.¡±


    ¡°If even the guild leader had to step in, isn''t the situation more serious than we thought?¡±


    Usually, this kind of ¡®ghost stories¡¯ were mostly resolved within a week.


    After all, the identity of these kinds of ghost stories was usually due to monsters or items that popped out from Bi Sa-beol''s artworks or mental skills triggered by them. It would be strange if it wasn''t resolved within a guild swarming with hunters.


    But now, that ¡®strange thing¡¯ was happening.


    ¡°No, why isn¡¯t this monster being suppressed like this?¡± What are the curators doing?¡±


    ¡°There''s talk that they couldn''t handle this monster either.¡±


    ¡°Then we should just throw it outside the guild....¡±


    ¡°...I said something stupid.¡±


    Collection Guild operated a special gallery that could never be replaced by any other place.


    Dangerous items gathered from all over the world are regulated enough to require direct intervention from the government. Where in the world could they throw away things Collection cannot handle? Another disaster was sure to occur.


    Until now, all incidents and accidents had stopped at the level of ¡®ghost stories¡¯ before becoming such catastrophes.


    ¡°But being unable to suppress it to this extent...¡±


    ¡°There were also rumours that it wasn''t being suppressed in the first place.¡±


    ¡°Why is that? Wouldn''t it be better to destroy or seal it?¡±


    ¡°They know they won''t succeed anyway, so they''re trying not to provoke it....¡±


    ¡°Does it even get upset? That means it has that level of intelligence... does it also have a consciousness?¡±


    ¡°The most credible rumour is that it''s a humanoid monster, so it probably has a consciousness.¡±


    ¡°Wow, this is driving me crazy. To do so much and then bring in a humanoid monster.¡±


    ¡°How many years ago was the last humanoid monster seen?¡±


    Bi Sa-beol had never once neglected a ¡®ghost story¡¯ like this before. He was someone who knew well how much efficiency increased when the employees felt secure.


    Yet, such a situation had arisen.


    ¡°Did anyone get hurt?¡±


    ¡°Not really....¡±


    And as this situation continued.


    ¡°...Then there¡¯s no problem, right?¡±


    The employees began to understand on their own.


    ¡°There were no injuries, no deaths. Then why on earth is it a ghost story?¡±


    ¡°Essentially, ghost stories are strange tales ... if it''s really just a rumour, then it makes sense.¡±


    ¡°Was it just a rumour? Since there are witnesses, it seems to exist, but it''s really strange.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying.¡±


    This is the ¡®Collection¡¯ guild. Every guild employee was a collection gathered by Bi Sa-beol himself.


    The realistic and cynical employees who matched his taste gradually calmed down on their own.


    ¡°Hey, seems like it was a lie after all.¡±


    ¡°There was someone who saw it, though?¡±


    ¡°Then it must have been an illusion skill or something.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Anyway, it''s not dangerous, right?¡±


    ¡°Maybe the guild leader secretly brought in a new employee.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we don''t know all the employees. Didn''t something similar happen before?¡±


    ¡°It was just a quiet employee, but there was a rumour he was a ghost. Considering that, it seems like a possible story.¡±


    ¡°For things like this, it¡¯d be nice to give notice in advance, right?¡±


    ¡°The guild leader has a very unique personality, right? Let''s all understand.¡±


    ¡°That''s true. When will the new employee be introduced this time....¡±


    The guild leader Bi Sa-beol was someone who cared deeply for his employees. If it''s a ¡®ghost story¡¯ that such a person would leave alone, it was certain it wasn''t that dangerous of an existence.


    Whether it existed or not, regardless of what its identity is, the employees trusted Bi Sa-beol.


    Bi Sa-beol himself knew that too.


    ¡°...Did you anticipate this?¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Collection regained its peace.


    Even though nothing had been resolved.

 Chapter 19

    ¡°That was dangerous.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon said with a sigh.


    ¡°Although I agreed to it, seeing the employees gossiping about the ''ghost story'' made my heart flutter. It could have easily led to an internal strife.¡±


    ¡°Our guild members aren''t so narrow-minded that they would cause internal strife over a mere ghost story. Curator Yoo Sung-woon seems to have little faith in his colleagues?¡±


    ¡°It was too much of a gamble, trust and self-confidence. This was not a matter to be reassured simply based on trust among colleagues.¡±


    Though things had turned out well, it didn''t change the fact that it was a dangerous gamble.


    ¡°It''s like we completely let loose an existence of origin whose identity we haven''t even properly grasped....¡±


    They still didn''t know what Gio''s identity was. Really, somehow it still was. No matter how much Yoo Sung-woon searched through books, he couldn''t find anything similar.


    If they left it to the association for investigation, they might get an answer, but the probability was uncertain, and Bi Sa-beol wouldn''t allow that in the first place.


    ''He''s someone who puts so much care into what is his.''


    What was certain, however, was that the ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait¡¯ was clearly a being strongly influenced by the origin.


    Gardeners and some humans who knew their existence called such monsters, items, skills or phenomena ¡®beings of the origin.¡¯ It was a vague term used because they were hard to define specifically.


    Although it¡¯s a bit embarrassing to admit as a professional in this era, ''Gio''s Portrait'' was exactly such a case.


    ¡°We almost released a catastrophe.¡±


    ¡°Well, Curator Yoo Sung-woon, what do you think Gio''s true identity is?¡±


    ¡°Are you changing the subject....¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an ordinary question.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon shrugged.


    ¡°I don''t know. Just like it''s always been.¡±


    Gio was different from the usual beings of the origin.


    ¡°First of all, it¡¯s highly likely that it¡¯s not a monster.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, they are hostile to civilization outside the dungeon.¡±


    ¡°Their hostility is instinctual. Like how humans freak out or want to kill a cockroach on sight, it''s a reflex. It''s not something that the monsters themselves can control.....¡±


    ¡°Even if they could, with that level of patience and judgment, they''d already be beyond the level of ¡®monsters.¡¯¡±


    ¡°For that reason, I judged it unlikely to be a monster.¡±


    Gio''s goodwill comes from his affection for the species itself, so while it may sometimes feel indifferent or even merciless, that doesn''t mean it isn''t genuine.


    So it couldn''t be a monster.


    ¡°It''s showing a completely different pattern from monsters.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon nodded.


    ¡°Of course, there are monsters that are friendly to humans, but strictly speaking, it¡¯s more of a love-hate relationship than affection. If the deformity incident eleven years ago had been out of pure goodwill, they would have observed the humans¡¯ terror and helped to settle things.¡±


    ¡°But didn''t they say that they enjoyed it?¡±


    ¡°Some of them have no intention of understanding humans, and perhaps they just found the humans¡¯ reactions amusing. Though regarding this, since the incident was hastily resolved and left unsolved ... I can''t say anything for certain.¡±


    ¡°That''s not what''s important right now, so let''s move on.¡±


    ¡°Um, and....¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon rolled his dark blue eyes and continued.


    ¡°It¡¯s not an item either.¡±


    ¡°But there are items with consciousness.¡±


    ¡°The consciousness imbued in items is clearly created by humans. It has limits.¡±


    He added.


    ¡°You can¡¯t determine it with how human-like they can think... it¡¯s about their essence.¡±


    ¡°Essence?¡±


    ¡°Gio created life, even if it was only in the portrait.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon tilted his head after thinking for a moment.


    ¡°Perhaps the life created that way can come out of the painting. Although I haven¡¯t asked Gio for an answer, seeing as he himself can come out freely and can easily smuggle objects out of the painting, the possibility is high.¡±


    ¡°What if Gio draws a monster and it comes out?¡±


    ¡°That seems possible. Even if it doesn¡¯t work, the fact that Gio himself can come out freely is already confirmed. Even if it was just an item instead of a monster, or if Gio were to bring out a contract creature he had subjugated with his soul, those alone would already be impossible to handle.¡±


    ¡°And mere items can¡¯t do that?¡±


    ¡°All items are created by humans. No matter how much we set aside our biases, only a highly intelligent monster could create them. Creating life is impossible for either humans or monsters, and the fact that its soul¡¯s level is incomparable to that of humans has already been testified by numerous witnesses. It¡¯s not an item.¡±


    ¡°Aha.¡±


    Bi Sa-beol chuckled, as if finding it amusing. It was a really immature expression for his age.


    ¡°Then what about a type of skill? As for skills, it was proven long ago that souls can be handled. Although there is only one, there exists a user of a resurrection skill that can even bring the dead back to life.¡±


    ¡°That too is just manipulating an existing soul, not creating a new one. Even if a skill capable of creating souls exists somewhere in the world ... from the start, skills are intangible energy that can only be handled by intellectual beings.¡±


    ¡°You are saying Gio, who has form and consciousness, can¡¯t be a remnant of a skill, right? But what if he¡¯s just a kind of awakener who gained a skill that can turn himself into a portrait?¡±


    Bi Sa-beol said, waving his finger.


    ¡°Gio also called himself a 29-year-old young man and said he once lived in human society. If so, he could simply be an undiscovered type of awakened person.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon shook his head.


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible.¡±


    ¡°Why? Mr. Yoo Sung-woon, who was the head of the association¡¯s research team, did you see something?¡±


    ¡°As one would see it, the guild leader would likely see it better than me ... I just know a bit, that''s all.¡±


    ¡°Then what do you know?¡±


    ¡°Do you know why people with supernatural abilities are called ¡®Awakeners¡¯ in the first place?¡±


    ¡°Hmm....¡±


    Bi Sa-beol shrugged.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a field I¡¯m very interested in.¡±


    ¡°Seems like it¡¯ll damage your high self-esteem if you simply say you don¡¯t know.¡±


    The order is that from the womb called the origin, ''dungeons'' and ''the children of the origin'' are born, and monsters are formed from those ¡®dungeons¡¯. Usually, this is the flow that follows.


    ¡°If it¡¯s a humanoid monster or something similar, they would first create their own dungeons and then establish new rules or create monsters there, but such cases are rare....¡±


    The terms uncle and nephew aren''t so wrong.


    ¡°There is also a talk that from the beginning, dungeons itself is one of the children of the origin.¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that so?¡±


    ¡°This part still requires more research. I can¡¯t say for certain. Anyway....¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon looked at Bi Sa-beol.


    ¡°So, was it okay?¡±


    ¡°We decided to let such an unknown existence roam freely.¡±


    In response, Bi Sa-beol shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°... Didn''t we already discuss the answer to that earlier?¡±


    How on earth do you intend to not let that uncontrollable, unknown existence be free?


    ¡°It''s not a monster, not an item, not an Awakener. But it''s too strange to be called a child of the origin.¡±


    ¡°It creates life, has a high level of soul, and there''s nothing it can''t do. It does everything by itself. As for coming out of the portrait, it would be understandable if there were any limitations or conditions, but he does that freely and easily.¡±


    ¡°...That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°How do you plan to stop it? Is it even possible? We can''t handle even the gods we''ve gotten friendly with, so how do you plan to stop ''Gio''s Portrait'' whose identity is even more unknown?¡±


    Bi Sa-beol laughed and waved his hand.


    ¡°Ah, maybe if we took a human he cares about hostage, it might be possible.¡±


    ¡°Are you insane?¡±


    ¡°Naturally, I expected that kind of response. It¡¯s not to the taste of good-hearted people like us from the perspective of humanity, and from the start, we don¡¯t even know how effective this method would be. With Gio''s abilities, he could easily rescue any hostage ... and that would only provoke his anger.¡±


    ¡°Do you understand?¡±


    He smiled pleasantly.


    ¡°We can¡¯t stop it.¡±


    ¡°...I know.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the difference with trying to stop a tidal wave with a very small child as a meat shield? If we can''t stop it anyway, we should at least avoid making it angry.¡±


    He smiled thinly. It was a smile that seemed to be comforting a child who was upset, with also a somewhat elderly gaze.


    ¡°And as much as possible, it would be better to win his favour.¡±


    In the greatest fortune amidst misfortune, ''Gio''s Portrait'' is very gentlemanly, values politeness, and is also fair.


    If he receives something as a favour from someone, he¡¯ll return it with the same favour but with an even greater value. Perhaps that is Gio¡¯s ¡®rule¡¯.


    ¡°This incident was a kind of vaccination. A preliminary warning for coexisting with entities we can never handle. Fortunately, I know my employees very well, and they showed the indifference that matched my expectations.¡±


    ¡°... The numerous ghost stories that have occurred in the guild so far must have played a part. They must have thought that there''s no need to tremble over a ghost story now when nothing had happened so far.¡±


    ¡°That''s exactly it.¡±


    ¡°This is ''Collection¡¯.¡±


    A place managed by Bi Sa-beol, filled only with employees chosen by Bi Sa-beol, and brimming with works loved by Bi Sa-beol.


    That was South Korea¡¯s third-largest guild ¡®Collection¡¯.


    ¡°Remember, Mr. Yoo Sung-woon. ''Gio''s Portrait'' is not something we can control.¡±


    Thinking of fighting it was foolish.


    ¡°It''s a natural disaster, and fortunately, it communicates with us and bears goodwill. That''s a truly incredible fortune, an unbelievable miracle beyond words.¡±


    ¡°Don''t foolishly waste this miracle thinking the fate of the earth is in your hands. We must be cautious, must be bold, and must always be kind.¡±


    ¡°...Did you buy Gio knowing this would happen? Since once he''s out of the auction house, he''ll be revealed to the world, did you preemptively prepare for the potential disaster that might occur in the process?¡±


    ¡°I see quite a lot.¡±


    ¡°I didn''t think it was an ordinary piece.¡±


    Following that, Bi Sa-beol smiled with a childish and playful expression. Dressed like a gentleman, it seemed out of place, yet instead he actually seemed lively.


    He said,


    ¡°Because it was the only work I couldn''t read.¡±


    He was right.


    ¡°...I trust you, guild leader.¡±


    ¡°It would be difficult if you trust me too much.¡±


    ¡°To be exact, I trust your judgment.¡±


    He trusted those eyes.


    Since it was a successful gamble in the end, Yoo Sung-woon decided to hold back his words.


    ¡°Even so, I still feel uneasy because I''m just a mere human.¡±


    ¡°How could you not, when you''re holding a talking disaster?¡±


    ¡°It''s like the feeling .... just before a horror movie starts.¡±


    Ah, right.


    It¡¯s like that.


    ¡°...Maybe because it''s so huge in front of me....¡±


    What can be done about a heart that shrunk in front of a giant?


    Humans are inherently such small beings.


    ***


    On the other hand, Gio, who had subconsciously merged with the origin and evolved into a haunted portrait on that day which was supposed to be Earth¡¯s last, which was something truly unbelievable, beyond shocking, and utterly impossible, a miracle among miracles¡ª


    ¡°This is the taste.¡±


    ¡ªWas farming.


    That means he had no thoughts.

 Chapter 20

    ¡°Nice.¡±


    As always, this activity has been quite successful.


    ¡°People need to sweat.¡±


    ¡°Coo?¡±


    ¡°Those who don¡¯t work, don¡¯t eat.¡±


    ¡°Coo coo coo...?¡±


    The sweet-colored waterfowl, Honey''s body trembled. At its cry sounded like it was asking, ''Then what about me who doesn''t work?'', Gio firmly shook his head.


    ¡°What are you worried about when you look so cute?¡±


    ¡°Coo.¡±


    ¡°You''re already doing your part by being cute, so don''t worry about weird things.¡±


    Even though Gio lived thoughtlessly, he wasn''t an irresponsible author enough not to take responsibility for a creature he created with paint. As the son of Gio, a gourmet and glutton, Honey would never have to starve.


    ¡°Do you understand?¡±


    Honey was convinced and sprawled out comfortably¡ª


    ¡°But get out of there.¡±


    ¡°Coor.¡±


    ¡ªIn Gio''s basket, no less.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to take out the seeds.¡±


    ¡°Coooong.¡±


    ¡°Whom did you take after to be so stubborn?¡±


    ¡°Coo?¡±


    ¡°Me? You unfilial child.¡±


    Gio bent down and rummaged through the basket. Honey''s body, which had only a slight viscosity and was transparent water itself, wasn''t much of a problem, but the seeds were all mixed up because it played with them.


    ¡°This....¡±


    ¡°... Seems like eggplant seeds.¡±


    Fortunately, Seo Gio, coming from a mountain village in Gangwon province, could identify the seed types just by looking at them. It wasn''t because it was something everyone from Gangwon province could do, but because Gio himself was sincere about farming.


    Gio, who enjoyed farming from a young age, stood up with the eggplant seeds and placed them in holes he had dug in advance.


    ¡°Is it time to plant potatoes now?¡±


    ¡°Cooo?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    There was a brief communication error, but soon Gio realized what Honey was curious about.


    ¡°Dad didn''t mean to plant dad.¡±


    ¡°Cooon?¡±


    ¡°Potato is a nickname. It''s like a second name.¡±


    There was an anecdote where his mother, who loved potatoes, saw the fetal ultrasound photo and said, ¡®It looks like a potato,¡¯ and so she named the fetus ¡®Potato.¡¯ Then, when the grandmother saw the newborn Geo, she nodded her head and said, ¡®She only ate potatoes, and now she¡¯s given birth to a potato.¡¯


    ¡°All the adults called me a potato, so I thought I was a potato until I was four years old.¡±


    Maybe that''s why he grew up so healthy and harmless.


    ¡°Well, that''s enough.¡±


    ¡°Cooorr.¡±


    ¡°You should grow up healthy, too.¡±


    The Seo family had respected the free will of new life for generations.


    After a few days, Gio finally succeeded in planting all the seeds Yoo Sung-woon had given him. From potatoes and sweet potatoes to corn, which are famous famine relief crops, it seemed impossible to starve to death now.


    ¡°Well, it would be harder to starve to death with this body.¡±


    ¡°Cooorr..¡±


    ¡°Even if dad is starving, dad won''t eat you, Honey.¡±


    The crops were planted in the garden behind the cabin.


    ¡°Actually, at this point, it''s awkward to call it a garden.¡±


    Although it had only grown a bit, it was still nevertheless a garden. Since it wasn''t as large and vast as the fields of those who farm for a living, Gio had his own justification. Anyway, it was indeed a vegetable garden.


    Gio was a great adult who could compromise with reality.


    ¡°Then let''s go back.¡±


    ¡°Coocoo.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll need to try the syrup I made.¡±


    It was time for the fruit syrup he had made earlier to ripen.


    ¡°Since sweet and sour goby fruit mixed with sour and bitter drought jars, the combination is excellent.¡±


    What was worrying was whether the quantity of both balanced well, but it didn''t bother him much. With his extensive solo living experience, at some point Gio had developed his grandmother''s touch in cooking.


    ¡°Even though I only used rough estimates and visual measures, there''s no way I would get the combination of what I''ll eat wrong.¡±


    As if to match that confidence, the glass jar already emitted a pleasant aroma.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Gio entered the kitchen and blinked as he looked at the cupboard where the fruit syrup was stored.


    ¡°Since I''ve sweated after a long time, should I drink it as a cold tea?¡±


    ¡°Cooor?¡±


    ¡°I sweated in my mind.¡±


    Honey pointed out that Gio''s body doesn''t actually produce waste such as sweat, but anyway, didn''t he work? Humans who work should drink cool and refreshing tea to boost their work efficiency.


    ¡°Then I''ll have to get some ice from the storage.¡±


    Pigs don''t hesitate in front of food. Without even bothering to wipe off his nonexistent sweat, Gio immediately headed down to the storage.


    The ice storage filled with all sorts of food ingredients naturally had ice. In every corner of the storage room, which almost looked like a cave and was so vast that it was impossible to tell where the ice ended, shattered ice could be seen.


    ¡°Is it a bit cold?¡±


    As he opened the heavy door and entered the storage, Honey stiffened.


    ¡°Co, coooo.¡±


    ¡°If it''s too cold, you can stay out... oh.¡±


    ¡°... Are you frozen?¡±


    Seeing Honey turned into transparent ice, Gio showed a slight, intense reaction despite his expressionless face.


    Ice Pearl


    A pearl in the form of ice that naturally occurred in the ice storage beneath Gio''s cabin. A transparent pearl with a faint, mother-of-pearl-like lustre, and is edible. Melts at high temperatures like actual ice, with no scent or taste.


    Refinement Method: when melted and consumed, it shows great effectiveness in stabilizing mental disorders such as depression and mania.


    ¡°Let¡¯s take this.¡±


    Regardless of its effects, it supposedly tastes like actual ice, doesn''t it?


    ¡°Cutting and taking that huge ice bamboo shoot would be a hassle.¡±


    ¡°Coocoo.¡±


    The ice bird Honey flew and swallowed one of the round ice pearls. Gio couldn''t help but admire its swift action.


    ¡°Are you eating it? Like a pig?¡±


    ¡°Cooooooooo!!¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s a misunderstanding. If it sounded like I was saying something, it was a huge misunderstanding. Dad likes pigs.¡±


    Having spent most of his life growing up under his grandmother''s care, Gio shared some of her tastes, one of which was not being able to leave skinny people alone.


    In that sense, it was actually a happy thing if Honey, who could be called his child, became plump.


    ¡°Kids should eat a lot and grow up quickly.¡±


    Turn into a pig, zap.


    ¡°Then let''s go up now.¡±


    ¡°Coococoo....¡±


    ¡°I actually quite like it, pig.¡±


    ¡°Cooooooo!!!¡±


    ¡°Kids are supposed to be chubby to grow up well later.¡±


    Soothing Honey, Gio came up from the ice storage and headed straight to the kitchen.


    A good scent was already emanating from the fruit syrup he had taken out from the cupboard in advance, and he was already looking forward to how delicious it would be.


    He took out a clean glass and scooped two spoons of the fruit syrup into it.


    ¡°It really smells nice.¡±


    The more the goby fruit was dried, the stronger its scent became, but even without drying, going through a kind of ripening process seemed to also further amplify its aroma.


    The goby fruit, moistly soaked in sugar and infused with its aroma, produced a uniquely refreshing sweet scent.


    ¡°Even the drought jar seems to have a citrus aroma, maybe because it is a fruit within the citrus family....¡±


    Should he say it has the bitter and sour scent unique to lemon peels?


    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡±


    The fruit syrup in the glass itself had artistic value.


    Having absorbed the sugar entirely and generously released its juice, the fruit syrup shone with a glossy sheen.


    The pulp of the goby fruit had turned into a soft, jelly-like form, and the drought jar, which had its thin membranes peeled off one by one, hardened slightly and spread out enough for its grains to be visible.


    ¡°Now, adding the ice pearls here....¡±


    ¡°Coocoocook.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the pearl you had earlier. Put it back.¡±


    ¡°Coo?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t refuse.¡±


    Before he knew it, Honey, who had turned back into water, was about to perform the bizarre act of vomiting up the ice pearl he had just swallowed, but was stopped by his father¡¯s authority.  It wasn¡¯t like it was penguin milk or anything, so he didn¡¯t expect it to go that far.


    ¡°Now, gently stir it and....¡±


    Clink, clink.


    The glass and ice pearls made a clear sound as they collided.


    ¡°¡ªThe fruit tea is complete.¡±


    ¡°Coook.¡±


    ¡°Are you a chicken?¡±


    ¡°Cooo.¡±


    ¡°I can''t tell what you are.¡±


    The finished fruit tea was so beautiful that he wanted to paint it. The scarlet tea shining through the glass was very transparent despite its deep colour.


    Whether it was due to the effect of the ice pearls, the sparkling blue light he had seen in the storage kept shining and disappearing like shooting stars, and in between, pieces of full-moon and crescent-shaped pulp could be seen.


    Taking a sip as it was....


    He felt a heavenly flavour.


    ¡°...Delicious.¡±


    It was a flavour and savoury taste that he had never tasted before.


    The scarlet tea water was smooth and cool, with a sweetness that felt too strong initially, but a gentle bitterness followed soon to politely settle it down.


    The intense sourness of the drought jar, when mixed with the goby fruit and sugar, felt like the cute whining of a child.


    ''I like the texture of the pulp too.''


    The goby fruit, stripped of all its juice by the sugar, felt like jelly. It was similar to konjac jelly in a way, but much more soft and pliable.


    It had a soft yet strangely elastic texture, like a grape with all its skin peeled off.


    The drought jar had a popping flavour, just like the pulp of grapefruit or orange. It seemed like it had lost its juice to the sugar, similar to the goby fruit, but it felt slightly more firm.


    However, it wasn¡¯t an unpleasant hardness. The grains that spread gently in the mouth delivered a pleasant texture.


    ''The taste and aroma are all mixed together, making it hard to distinguish, but ...''


    The tea liquid, which shows a flavour like soup, is by no means one-dimensional. The fruit pieces add pleasure to the texture that could otherwise be monotonous.  And there is a strange transformation that softly melts on the tongue.


    That small change probably came from the lights trapped in the ice pearls.


    ¡°...Popping candy?¡±


    It wasn''t particularly bursting or popping like fireworks, but the blue light dots scattered between the tea liquid added a subtle savoury flavour. There was a tongue-pleasing sensation that couldn¡¯t be described as simply sweet or salty.


    It was a fruit tea that made one¡¯s mouth water for no reason.


    ¡°Cooooo?¡±


    ¡°It''s perfect for a gift.¡±


    Thinking it was plenty, he thought of packing up a little.


    ¡°I should give it to Mr. Yoo Sung-woon.¡±


    The desire to share one''s own cooking is a grandmother¡¯s instinct.


    And having grown up up hearing from his life mentor, his grandmother, to ''live generously,'' Gio wanted to fatten up Yoo Sung-woon.

 Chapter 21

    ¡°Gio.¡±


    4:29 AM.


    Yoo Sung-woon called the portrait.


    ¡°Gio, are you awake?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m awake.¡±


    ¡°That''s great.¡±


    Although he called knowing he usually woke up around this time.


    ''Even if there are days when he skips, the time we can communicate is usually between 4 and 5 AM .... I¡¯ll have to watch the situation more, but it''s better to think of this too as a rule.''


    This ''Gio''s Portrait'' is friendly to humans, but no being of origin shows mercy to a human who breaks their rules. Even if it looks gentlemanly enough to seem almost human, one has to be careful.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to talk to you.¡±


    ¡°Do you have any business with me?¡±


    ¡°I heard you¡¯ve been wandering around the company building lately. There are a lot of rumours.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m curious about what kind of rumours it is.¡±


    ¡°I''m not sure if you''ll like it... but they call you ''Black Cloak.''¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon continued with his characteristic easygoing smile.


    ¡°I heard there''s a rumour that ''the Black Cloak gives gifts to good people.''¡±


    They were guild members personally recruited one by one by the sharp-eyed Bi Sa-beol. Regardless of their combat abilities, their thinking skills weren''t bad.


    They have figured out ''Black Cloak''s'' rules in their own way.


    ¡°It seems you gave gifts to other people again this time?¡±


    ¡°I did not give them to everyone.¡±


    ¡°I know, you gave them to those who were particularly polite or kind, right?¡±


    There was a commonality among those who received gifts from Gio.


    ''Either too weak, or too strong.''


    He could guess it to some extent.


    The very weak people trembled in fear at the sight of him, so Gio probably gave them gifts as an apology, and the strong ones communicated relatively well in front of Gio''s presence, so Gio would¡¯ve probably judged them as ''polite.''


    Gifts of apology or gratitude. It was a result that fit the 1:1 rule.


    ''On the contrary, those who were neither received no gifts.''


    Those who were moderately strong enough not to shed tears with runny noses but not tough enough to communicate properly in front of a great presence did not receive gifts.


    ¡°Hmm...¡±


    To prevent possible accidents in advance, he thought an explanation was necessary for this part.


    ''Since Gio is imitating a human, he''s not so rough that communication is impossible.''


    Well, how could one define a being of origin as gentlemanly?


    ''This much should be okay.''


    Yoo Sung-woon opened his mouth after mentally preparing himself.


    ¡°If someone among our employees doesn''t answer you properly, runs away, or avoids answering... it doesn''t mean they''re bad people. They''re just a bit scared.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn''t anyone be afraid if a big, unidentified person wearing a black cloak suddenly appeared in the corridor at dawn when no one was supposed to be there?¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon deliberately described Gio as if he were an ordinary person.


    Since Gio thought of himself as an ordinary human, there seemed to be no good in revealing his soul''s level or his true nature.


    ¡°Of course, it may feel rude to you. But I¡¯m saying that those people didn''t intend to be rude to you on purpose; they might have just found it a bit overwhelming because they were timid.¡±


    Soon, a calm voice was heard.


    ¡°I understand what you mean.¡±


    ¡°Really? Then thank you.¡±


    As a curator and gardener, Yoo Sung-woon couldn''t help but worry.


    ''It''s natural for a rabbit to shrink in front of a wolf, but if that''s judged as rude and evil, things can get pretty difficult. If not careful, innocent people might end up dying.''


    To a being of origin, human standards are meaningless. In particular, since ''Gio''s Portrait'' is sensitive to good and evil and manners, the problem was that Gio''s standards might differ significantly from those of humans.


    Someone not particularly wrong or even good from a human perspective could be a severe evil from the perspective of a being of origin like Gio.


    It was terrifying considering how Gio had expressed his dislike for rude and evil people multiple times.


    ''When I found out that there were people who didn''t receive gifts, it really sent shivers down my spine.''


    Doesn¡¯t that mean Gio was ''distinguishing'' humans?


    ¡°You, right. You said that Bi Sa-beol, the guild leader, wasn''t a bad person, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that''s correct.¡±


    ¡°All employees in this company were handpicked by that person. Not just through job postings and select them through large-scale interviews, but they were carefully scouted one by one.¡±


    ¡°That must have taken a lot of time and effort, it¡¯s amazing.¡±


    ¡°I wanted to say that even though our guild employees aren''t necessarily kind, they''re competent and good people.¡±


    In a world like this, it''s hard to find someone who hasn''t committed any crime, but at least those handpicked by Bi Sa-beol were not evil enough to be called villains.


    ¡°Even if they don''t have particularly good personalities, they''re just ordinary people.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°...Would it be too presumptuous to hope that you don''t view them negatively?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see....¡±


    Anyone can tell that it''s not fruit syrup.


    ¡®...Is that really fruit syrup?¡¯


    Although fruits and sugar were expensive ingredients and not commonly eaten, Yoo Sung-woon was a capable hunter. With his considerable income, there was no way he had not tried the fruit syrup that even second-class citizens could buy.


    ¡®But it¡¯s ... very different from the fruit syrup I know.¡¯


    It had the colour of twilight. Should it be called scarlet, which is close to orange?


    The transparent and clean liquid shimmered like the surface of a gem, and inside it, reminiscent of the evening glow, was a deep colour so vivid that it was almost dazzling.


    ¡®Something similar to fruit is settled inside, but....¡¯


    The colour was so enchanting that it didn¡¯t seem like it could be eaten.


    ¡°This is ice that goes well with it.¡±


    ¡°...It looks just like pearls.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s called ice pearls. Mr. Yoo Sung-woon seems to have the insight to get the name right on the first try.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes. Insight....¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s ice that doesn¡¯t melt unless it¡¯s at a high temperature, so if you want to consume it, I recommend melting it in hot tea.¡±


    Wow.


    He can feel it.


    ¡®I don¡¯t think I can handle this.¡¯


    The first time he received tea leaves from Gio and asked him to ¡®refrain a little,¡¯ he got cookies in exchange for the seeds. That too was not ordinary. The immense fatigue recovery effect made it impossible to eat them all at once, resulting in the current situation.


    ¡®But this time, there¡¯s a lot more.¡¯


    Gio seemed to enjoy cooking and seemed to be quite generous. It seemed that this entity of origin didn¡¯t know how small a human stomach was.


    ¡°Please take it.¡±


    ¡°...Isn¡¯t this too much?¡±


    ¡°Please eat a lot. It would be good if Mr. Yoo Sung-woon gained more weight than now.¡±


    ¡°As for me, I¡¯m on the sturdy side.¡±


    Although he had never seen his body directly, judging from the outline of the cloak, Yoo Sung-woon had more muscle mass than Gio.


    But to tell him to gain more weight here? Yoo Sung-woon found it hard to understand.


    ¡®...Wait a minute, does he mean ¡®flesh¡¯ when he said weight?¡¯


    Was Gio a monster that ate humans?


    ¡°I¡¯m not tasty.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a funny joke.¡±


    ¡°I meant it.¡±


    Fortunately, it didn¡¯t seem like he had the mindset of a cookie house witch fattening humans up before eating them.


    ¡®It¡¯s not for humans to judge what kind of aesthetic tastes an entity of origin has.¡¯


    Perhaps Gio liked the look of slightly chubbier humans.


    Despite having such a perfectly balanced body himself, it was a bit odd that he preferred to see plump people. It was hard to understand what kind of background story this entity of origin had.


    ¡®...Come to think of it, all the gifts he¡¯s given are food, and he said he enjoys cooking or eating when he¡¯s bored. He seems to really like food in various ways. He also likes seeing people with a bit more weight... and he has an unusually large hand... and he likes giving gifts....¡¯


    This guy, is he a grandmother?


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±


    ¡°Ah, sorry. I was just thinking about something else for a moment.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Fortunately, Gio didn¡¯t ask further.


    ¡°This is a gift in response to your kindness, so I do not require anything in return. More than anything, the newly combined fruit syrup seemed to have ripened deliciously, so I wanted to share it with all of you.¡±


    ¡°Hmm... I see.¡±


    While nodding calmly, Yoo Sung-woon thought to himself.


    ¡®...Does he know he¡¯s bound by some rules?¡¯


    Gio''s words just now seemed to imply that ¡®If I''m going to give you a gift, I must receive something.¡¯ Perhaps that one-to-one rule wasn''t something Gio himself had created.


    ''Or maybe he had created it but had forgotten.''


    At that level, if only the memory of a 29-year-old young man exists, it was a plausible hypothesis.


    ¡°...I¡¯ll take it since you¡¯re giving it to me....¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon used his appraisal skills while looking at the fruit syrup.


    Honey of the Water Vein


    Rank: ¨C


    Fruit syrup made with Goby fruit and drought jar that grew on the water veins of fate. It has a scarlet hue and a characteristic sweet and sour flavour with a deeply savoury taste. Processed directly by Gio, the owner of the forest, it can even be consumed by the human body. Drinking it after diluting it in water can restore human physical abilities to their limit. It is particularly excellent for malnutrition.


    If the ice pearls that naturally grow in the glacier beneath Gio''s cabin are added, it¡¯ll have an excellent effect in restoring physical and mental functions.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it smell good?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really good at cooking.¡±


    It would be okay if it was a little less good.

 Chapter 22

    Yoo Sung-woon asked the guild leader for help.


    ¡°Help.¡±


    ¡°Oh, what¡¯s this about.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here to share.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just a punching bag, aren¡¯t I?¡±


    As soon as it hit 9 AM, Yoo Sung-woon went to Bi Sa-beol holding a large glass jar in his hand. Bi Sa-beol, who was visited out of the blue, was also immediately attracted by the large jar.


    ¡°You have a unique taste, Curator Yoo Sung-woon. This is a rare item.¡±


    ¡°Ah, you already know, don¡¯t poke me and help me out.¡±


    ¡°Should I?¡±


    Bi Sa-beol immediately recognized that the jar contained fruit syrup, as the sweet scent leaked out even though it was sealed. And he also knew that it must have been given by Gio.


    ¡°Have you appraised it?¡±


    ¡°I did it as soon as I received it from Gio.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the rank?¡±


    ¡°Still unknown.¡±


    ¡°Oh dear.¡±


    Clink.


    Bi Sa-beol looked at the fruit syrup placed on the table.


    ¡°Do you see something?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s very good for the body.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like it¡¯s just very good, but I get it.¡±


    ¡°Didn''t you say you couldn''t finish the cookies last time?¡±


    ¡°If I eat too much, I can¡¯t sleep. Even if we¡¯re cogs in a capitalist society, slaves are still humans and need to sleep.¡±


    ¡°If you give it to the employees who work overtime or the guards who stay at dawn, your reputation will be really great.¡±


    ¡°Then the portrait might be taken away by the association. No matter how tight-lipped they are, we never know where information might leak.¡±


    ¡°I know, I¡¯m holding back.¡±


    Bi Sa-beol chuckled softly.


    ¡°Moreover, you shouldn¡¯t treat Gio as an item dispenser.¡±


    ¡°That part....¡±


    Thinking over Bi Sa-beol¡¯s words, Yoo Sung-woon soon nodded in satisfaction.


    ¡°I''m glad you''re being careful.¡±


    ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait¡¯ was still an entity whose exact identity could not be confirmed.


    While not being overly scared, yet staying alert and being as conscious as possible of it would be the way to extend humans¡¯ lifespan.


    ¡°Putting aside the effect, it looks so sacred that it would be well-received even if it was donated to the temple.¡±


    ¡°Yes, well, it said that it¡¯s particularly good for malnutrition. Though since I¡¯m not in such a state, I can¡¯t really feel the extent.¡±


    ¡°Regarding nutrition, the Temple of the Sun will especially love it. With this much, even the poor on the brink of becoming mummies could be saved.¡±


    ¡°To be welcomed by the Temple of the Sun, it surely is an item that gives off a warm vibe. Is it really that effective?¡±


    ¡°Since it¡¯s a concentrated liquid, even taking just a spoonful will greatly help the dungeon exploration team.¡±


    Exploration teams are hunters dispatched not to attack dungeons but to locate missing people or understand the structure of the dungeons. As it was impossible to leave in a short period of time, a lot of food was consumed.


    The problem is that due to the dungeon environment, they can¡¯t take too much, so they usually bring bland nutritional foods or potions that don¡¯t taste good.


    ¡°This seems to be tasty, it¡¯s a concentrated liquid, so a small amount is enough, and since it¡¯s consumed as fruit tea, it¡¯s easy to consume like potions.¡±


    ¡°If it becomes known to the public, the government will impose regulations, making it too burdensome to enjoy privately.¡±


    ¡°As expected.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really unfortunate, but from a universal human perspective, we¡¯ll have to enjoy it privately.¡±


    Bi Sa-beol laughed like an immature young man.


    ¡°We can¡¯t sell it, can we?¡±


    ¡°Oh, absolutely not.¡±


    It¡¯s a gift given graciously by a being of the origin. If it were known to be circulating in auctions without permission to sell, the hatred and resentment Yoo Sung-woon would have to bear would be unbearable.


    That was the ¡®rule.¡¯


    ¡°Every time I think about it, the government¡¯s vigilance against the origin is too low.¡±


    It¡¯s been 31 years since the Great Catastrophe. It¡¯s not a short time, but it¡¯s not that long either.


    Unlike dungeons, where abnormalities can be easily detectable, the government¡¯s understanding of the origin, which is indifferent to humans, is remarkably low.


    ¡°This president is quite attentive, and there are people who know about the origin... but still, nothing is practically reflected in society.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon sighed in frustration.


    ¡°It would be nice if safety prevention education were conducted not only for dungeons but also for the origin. I feel a lot of pity when I see the deceased¡¯s family and the person who died without knowing the cause because of children of the origin. There are also limits to what gardeners can handle.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not something that¡¯s been properly identified yet, and for now, the most threatening thing on the surface is dungeons, isn¡¯t it? It''s inevitable to worry more about dungeons that cause trouble frequently than the origin that doesn''t cause any trouble when left alone. Manpower is also lacking.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just like nibbling on the watermelon rind.¡±


    ¡°The fact that there are few people who can detect the origin also plays a part.¡±


    Unlike dungeons that even a dog or cow can perceive, and the monsters that make their homes there, the so-called ''children of the source'' are difficult for most people to detect.


    So far, various theories have emerged, but the most supported one is that it is ¡®an area that cannot be perceived by human physical abilities.¡¯ Therefore, only a few humans who have evolved or mutated as the Earth¡¯s environment changes can see the ¡®children of the origin.¡¯


    ¡°I heard that even if one has the aptitude, they couldn¡¯t see all children of the origin.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a kind of talent, too. Just as hearing ability differs from person to person, some with the aptitude can see certain children, while some cannot.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s always fascinating to hear about that story.¡±


    ¡°There is also a hypothesis that the fewer people with aptitude that can see certain children, the closer they are to the origin. There might even be some children out there that I can''t see.¡±


    ¡°The fact that there is danger right next to us that no one can see is certainly a chilling story.¡±


    ¡°If you can¡¯t see or sense it, you can¡¯t even touch it in the first place, and if you don¡¯t touch it, it won''t get angry...¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon sighed.


    ¡°Although I complained about it out of anxiety, honestly, it wouldn¡¯t be much of a problem even if citizens didn¡¯t know about the origin yet. They¡¯re indifferent to humans.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say last time that there are exceptions?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course, there are exceptions... but they are not as aggressive as monsters, so the damage will be less.¡±


    Its scarcity is also one of the reasons why the children of the origin are still unknown until now.


    ¡°Well, anyway.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°We have to eat this.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a rich concentrate and there¡¯s a lot of it, so it¡¯s not like we can just eat it by ourselves.¡±


    ¡°... Are you thinking of calling another scapegoat?¡±


    ¡°I guess we should call the HR team.¡±


    The HR team, like the secretary team, is composed of the most discreet people among the guild members. This is because they have to take care of everything from the overall guild members and carry out the secret orders of the guild leader, Bi Sa-beol.


    ¡°Ordinarily, one can''t be so calm.¡±


    ¡°That''s true.¡±


    ¡°Isn''t it strange that he has the power to commit mass murder and cause natural disasters at any moment, yet remains unfazed?¡±


    Though they kept repeating the same point, it was simply because he hadn¡¯t thought that far. For Gio, the trials and tribulations in life were nothing more than the menu for three meals a day.


    In the first place, Gio judged his transcendent ability to be something like ''the power to create food from paintings.'' He never even considered that this power could be a threat to humanity.


    Gio was a great man who could say, ''Why would I do such a thing when I can make baked sweet potatoes with this?''


    ¡°I don''t think humans are such great beings.¡±


    Indeed, he was that great. Gio''s pure-brain way of thinking, which never took in anything evil, had the knack for only absorbing the ¡®information¡¯ part of ¡®serious information¡¯.


    Gio wasn''t very curious about anything beyond the fact that he evolved into a portrait and could make ends meet by living like this. He was in fact, living quite carelessly.


    Of course, from the perspective of ordinary people, it was an unimaginable backstory, so they remained serious.


    ¡°He doesn''t know quite a lot of information that humans should know.¡±


    ¡°If that''s the case, then there would be quite a gap between his memories and reality in many ways...¡±


    ¡°And yet, Gio insists he is human?¡±


    ¡°He may be aware of reality but is deliberately denying it.¡±


    It was just that he wasn''t fully adapted to the current world after 31 years. Like how a 90-year-old might fumble with a kiosk.


    But Yoo Sung-woon had already drawn his own conclusion.


    ¡°In that case, it would be a suggestion at the level of self-brainwashing, so either way¡ªit''s not good for us to be the ones asking about Gio''s identity first.¡±


    ¡°As expected, it¡¯s interesting.¡±


    Bi Sa-beol looked at Yoo Sung-woon as if he was envious. He spoke in a subtle tone like a child wanting to eat more ice cream from the freezer.


    ¡°I''d like to have a conversation with him too....¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°Please arrange it.¡±


    ¡°That''s a bit too much.¡±


    ¡°Ah, why?¡±


    ¡°Gio doesn¡¯t like it.¡±


    ¡°He doesn''t hate me, does he?¡±


    ¡°It stresses him out.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon firmly shook his head.


    ¡°The guild leader entrusted Gio to me. I have a duty to protect Gio''s condition. As long as he thinks of himself as human, Gio needs sufficient care.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying I''m a human who''s not suited for his care?¡±


    ¡°Would you be?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, Curator Yoo Sung-woon, never utters nonsense.¡±


    In the end, he didn''t even refute.


    ''Thank goodness he still has a shred of conscience.''


    Yoo Sung-woon smiled bitterly.


    ¡°The point is still the same as before, we need to know more about Gio. We still don''t know his true identity, his exact way of thinking, or if there are any other rules.¡±


    ¡°Since he''s someone I brought in, please treat him well. All I hope for is that ''Gio''s portrait'' is satisfied with my gallery''s service.¡±


    Bi Sa-beol nodded.


    ¡°Please keep making him continue to think of himself as human.¡±


    ¡°Though it''s a heavy burden, I will try my best for the sake of humanity''s peace.¡±


    That¡¯s why Yoo Sung-woon had an idea.


    ¡°...I''m thinking of taking Gio around outside the company soon.¡±


    The portrait where Gio stayed was too alien to be called a place where a human lived.


    Gio doesn''t seem to want to break away from his human image, simply saying he was ¡®staying in the portrait''... but if he stays in there long enough, he will eventually realize his true nature.


    ¡°The fact that Gio mistakenly thinks he is human is a great fortune for us. If possible, we need to maintain that delusion as long as possible. To do so, Gio needs to be among humans.¡±


    ¡°To hide a tree, go to the forest?¡±


    ¡°...Isn''t it a little different? Anyway, if a human-like environment is created, the delusion will last longer. With that in mind, I''m thinking of showing Gio around the city.¡±


    ¡°What''s the risk?¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon avoided his gaze.


    ¡°...We must be careful.¡±


    ¡°Will that work?¡±


    ¡°What else can we do? It''s better to try something than wait for Gio to realize his true essence and explode.¡±


    ¡°It is an incredibly bold choice, I can hardly believe it was made by Curator Yoo Sung-woon. But of course, I support it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m also aware that it''s a risky gamble. I just judged that it was necessary.¡±


    Since Yoo Sung-woon hadn''t properly seen it yet, he didn''t know, but wasn''t it a portrait that could make people faint just by making eye contact?


    ¡°Gio is very considerate of humans. He is gentlemanly and polite. There have been no fatalities among the employees he has encountered so far... In reality, there are few hunters who gave off as much pressure as Gio.¡±


    ¡°If it''s suddenly revealed to the media that an S-rank has appeared, it''ll be troublesome. Nowadays, like celebrities and idols, the pride among countries about their hunters has intensified, so once rumours spread, it¡¯ll spread like wildfire.¡±


    ¡°That might actually be better. Pretending he''s a hunter would make it easier to camouflage him since it would fit Gio into human standards.¡±


    ¡°The risk level of a child of the origin depends on the size of the story they hold. If Gio''s ''story'' is reduced to a human level, the safety increases.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon sighed.


    ¡°...That''s if Gio agrees.¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know, don¡¯t ask me. My head is already about to explode.¡±


    ¡°That''s why I gave you extra pay.¡±


    ¡°Damn capitalist society.¡±


    After pondering for a while, Yoo Sung-woon spoke.


    ¡°Could you tell the employees to not be too scared of Gio?¡±


    ¡°Would that work? Have your brain melted in caffeine? Has it become canned and unable to function?¡±


    ¡°Why are you being so harsh? I was just asking for some rules to be made at least.¡±


    He looked awkward.


    ¡°Every person he encounters gets severely stiff, which makes Gio feel uncomfortable. He judged them to be rude.¡±


    ¡°There are limits to telling Gio not to be offended, so we on the human side should do our best to be ¡®polite¡¯ to him.¡±


    Bi Sa-beol nodded.


    ¡°If it''s just regulating his actions, it can be done somehow.¡±


    ¡°Is it possible?¡±


    ¡°There''s nothing I can''t do.¡±


    This is Collection. Since it''s the country of the Collector, there was nothing he couldn''t do.


    This was the power that the guild leader of modern society could enjoy.

 Chapter 23

    Meanwhile, Gio was deep in a very mundane dilemma. A truly mundane dilemma.


    Since coming to this world, he hadn''t drawn a landscape painting even once.


    ''No, it wasn''t never.''


    Come to think of it, there was a time when he created a lake for Honey and his fellow waterfowl, but that was all. Strictly speaking, that was just adding another accessory to this world, not a proper landscape painting.


    Then, a question arose.


    ¡°Fruits, buildings, animals....¡±


    He could paint them all.


    ¡°Then, what about landscapes?¡±


    What would happen to the world I paint?


    While still holding onto his doubts, Gio continued to paint.


    For now, about three pieces.


    ***


    ''Breathing Sea''


    Searching...


    .......


    ....


    .......


    This dimension exists


    Entry possible


    .......


    Suitable person confirmed


    Synchronization possible


    ''Animal Kingdom''


    Searching....


    .......


    ....


    .......


    This dimension exists


    Entry possible


    .......


    Suitable person confirmed


    Synchronization possible


    ''Void City''


    .......


    ....


    .......


    This dimension does not exist.


    Would you like to register?


    ***


    You have 3 unchecked notifications.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    Please check the new notifications.


    Gio felt it.


    ''A premonition of enjoyment.''


    After finishing farming, new content appeared with ghostly timing.


    Nightwork is a sacred act that symbolizes the free spirit and the companion of an artist. Gio, who painted all night, completed a total of three landscape paintings. r


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Seeing that there were three notifications, he had a rough idea. He felt good as if he had received a Christmas present wrongly delivered on Chuseok.


    ¡°Good adults are always rewarded eventually.¡±


    ¡°Coong?¡±


    ¡°Where is there a person as good as dad in the world?¡±


    ¡°Cooooo...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s indeed absurd to trust the relationship between a father and son. How lamentable.¡±


    Gio, with a solemn face, skillfully babbled nonsense as he checked the system notifications.


    And then asked.


    ¡°Where can I find help?¡±


    Yes. He couldn''t interpret it.


    ¡®I know it¡¯s related to the three paintings I finished yesterday.¡¯


    Gio painted the sea landscape first, a wilderness landscape the second, and lastly a city landscape where no one was there.


    ''Breathing Sea, Animal Kingdom, Void City... I''ve never named them like this before.''


    It seems perhaps the system must have given them on its own.


    ¡°The system seems to have known my naming skills and snatched away the opportunity to name my works ... But even so, what does ¡®this dimension exists¡¯ mean?¡±


    Directly speaking, it sounded like there was a real dimension consistent with the landscapes Gio painted.


    ¡°To have the ability to discover a dimension, I wonder how it is possible as a human.¡±


    Though of course, for the newly evolved New Gio as a portrait, this could have been possible. With humans evolving into paintings, human standards could be temporarily left beside the Andromeda.


    ¡°Tada.¡±


    After completing his stunning rationalization, Gio continued his above Sherlock Holmes deduction.


    ¡°Since they said entry is possible... It seems that there are real dimensions among the paintings I made, and I might be able to enter it directly.¡±


    This large-scale update was unexpected. In the first place, human life did not seem to have such diligent management, but it could be said to be a very encouraging change.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice.¡±


    A fresh soul of Gangwon Province that doesn''t walk the same path as others. Gio accepted and cheered for the unique challenge that he was going to take on his own, even though he hadn''t even thought about it.


    ¡°But there¡¯s something I still don¡¯t understand....¡±


    He couldn''t understand the words ''suitable'' and ''synchronization.''


    ¡°I wonder what is suitable, and what synchronization?¡±


    ¡°Coo?¡±


    It¡¯s cute, but one shouldn¡¯t be fooled. That didn''t mean ''Really?'' but ''How should I know?''


    ¡°Right.¡±


    Gio nodded.


    Judging by that impure gaze, it seems like puberty has arrived, but seeing how he still responds consistently to his dad''s words, he could see just how diligent of a son Honey is.


    There may be bad paints in the world, but there were no bad paintings. Honey was like that.


    ''What a remarkable thing.''


    Gio, who was checking the system window, soon discovered a new list.


    List of Suitable Person


    Anyone could see that it was the right answer.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see.¡±


    Breathing Sea_Giovanni


    Synchronization Rate 0%


    Animal Kingdom_Argio


    Synchronization Rate 0%


    ''Giovanni'' who said so, soon let out a sigh.


    ¡°No... there were many.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°My world was submerged and destroyed by seawater.¡±


    Ah, all of a sudden?


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the fact that Mr. Giovanni¡¯s homeland was destroyed too deep of a topic for someone meeting for the first time ....¡±


    ¡°Listen.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll listen.¡±


    ¡°Now, the only thing left in that world would be the mermaids hiding under the sea. Our planet has shrunk and become regularized like a game board.¡±


    ¡°Like a game board?¡±


    ¡°I believe it turned into... what they call a dungeon.¡±


    ¡°Do you know about dungeons?¡±


    ¡°It was a concept that didn''t exist in our world originally, so I didn''t know about it until I died.¡±


    Judging from the way he spoke, it seemed like ''Giovanni'' was already dead.


    ¡°But I found out the moment you called me, Sir Seo Gio.¡±


    ¡°We are the same ''Gio''.¡±


    He spoke while still wearing a gentle smile.


    ¡°But it is by no means we are the same person.¡±


    ¡°Can I consider you as me in a parallel world?¡±


    ¡°No, that''s not true. We are just completely different individuals who miraculously share many things in common.¡±


    ¡°Similar faces, similar voices, similar skills... but our souls are by no means the same colour.¡±


    Gio thought for a while and asked.


    ¡°Do you like drawing? After all you''ve said, I''m really curious if your tastes are similar to mine.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s one of my secret hobbies. I really enjoyed drawing seas that resembled mermaids.¡±


    ¡°Seas that resembled mermaids...¡±


    They even shared the same taste in drawing. That alone made Gio recognize that they were the same ''Gio''.


    ¡°I want to see it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll see it soon.¡±


    A voice filled with gentle confidence. Gio couldn''t help but feel a question arise from that soft yet resolute tone.


    ¡°I know I''m taking your soul and body. Aren''t you afraid or resentful? I''m just robbing you of everything for the sake of exploring a new dimension.¡±


    ¡°This isn''t robbery. In the first place, I already died, my soul had returned to the Sun¡¯a side, and my body had become earth and was buried in the ground... well, it didn''t exactly become earth or get buried either since even the land must have been flooded by seawater now.¡±


    ¡°Isn''t this sound like one of those dark jokes where old people say ''I''ll die soon, so no need to buy anything expensive¡¯? You may not mind, but I do. You seem to have forgotten that we''re meeting each other for the first time.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha....¡±


    Giovanni, who laughed as if he had just told a hilarious joke despite it wasn''t funny at all, soon continued.


    ¡°My soul will be one with Sir Gio¡¯s. You might call it a sort of resurrection or reincarnation. I''ll merge into you, spend more time, build memories, and live within the origin that way.¡±


    ¡°... The origin?¡±


    ¡°It''s probably still a strange concept to you.¡±


    He gave a gentle smile.


    ¡°But you are already living there.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying that the place where I reside is called the ''origin''? I''ve recently heard about it from a new acquaintance.¡±


    ¡°Actually, even that was probably the name given by people on Earth. No one knows what it''s truly called, or what rules and form it has. As a humble soul, I merely respond to the call and respond to you.¡±


    Soon after, Giovanni opened his mouth, looking somewhat apologetic.


    ¡°If possible, please take care of the Sun God. To be precise, the Sun God from the world I was in.¡±


    ¡°I can''t believe such a request to take care of a god came from a mere humble soul. You''re making quite the joke again, though it''s not very funny.¡±


    ¡°I thought the same when I was alive, but without the origin, even gods are forgotten when they have no followers. The Sun won''t cease to exist, but as his son, I can''t help but be concerned.¡±


    ¡°How can I take care of God? I¡¯m just an ordinary human being.¡±


    ¡°Just remember him, talk to him from time to time, or borrow his strength. As a priest of the Sun, I swear on my honourable soul that it won''t be too much of a burden for you.¡±


    Gio nodded.


    ¡®He said God, but to summarize, does it feel like visiting elderly people who live alone?¡¯


    Gio, who had been an art teacher, often volunteered since his university days. Some of those he encountered were elderly people with unfortunate stories, growing old alone.


    Thinking about it this way, Gio was a career person. His confidence which had been shrinking at the mention of god returned.


    ¡°I¡¯m good at that.¡±


    ¡°Haha, that¡¯s a relief. I ask this of you then.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything else you want?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it burdensome just to ask you to take care of God?¡±


    ¡°It was burdensome just before, but not now.¡±


    In the super-duper ageing society of the remote mountain village in Gangwon province, Gio was the only child. At the very least, he was confident in entertaining the elderly.


    Feeling such confidence, ¡®Giovanni¡¯ hesitated and opened his mouth.


    ¡°


    ¡°Aria?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my student¡¯s name.¡±


    ¡°The story has become quite long.¡±


    His tone was still gentle, but now it carried a hint of sadness.


    ¡°Please give her an end.¡±


    At that moment.


    Gio returned to the cabin bed.


    ¡°Cooo....¡±


    Breathing Sea_''Giovanni''


    ¡°It''s okay.¡±


    Giovanni''s Quest


    ¡°Dad is okay.¡±


    Communication with the Sun God (0/1)


    Ending for the Little Mermaid (0/1)


    ¡°Really....¡±


    Synchronization Rate 1%


    ¡°It''s okay.¡±


    ¡°There''s no problem.¡±


    It was a strange feeling.


    With cold running through his entire body, pain cutting through his bones, and even sadness far greater than that, Giovanni cried without even knowing why.


    He couldn¡¯t remember anything.


    He cried like that until the moon set and new sunlight came....


    ¡°... I don¡¯t regret it.¡±


    With swollen eyes, he smiled.


    He was happy.


    t/n: Giovanni uses ?????????, while Gio uses ??. I keep ????????? as ¡®Sir¡¯ and ?? as ¡®Mr¡¯ mostly since I started this series.


    Senior 007 means James Bond if anyone doesn¡¯t know and needs to search it first to know (like me).


    you know when I first read this chapter, I kinda let out a speechless scream, like daaaaaaamn¡ªI love love LOVE how I literally can¡¯t predict what will happen in this story, and it went in an amazing direction too aahh!!!


    I never like westernizing names unless it was a European setting or something similar, so this series is probably the only one I chose to use ¡®Seo Gio¡¯ instead of ¡®Seo Jio¡¯ because of this chapter. the foreshadowing of this series is crazy huhuhu I live for it. there are so many details in this chapter it was so damn good AGHH.

 Chapter 24

    ¡ºNew Employee Notice¡»


    Recently, there has been an unpleasant disturbance within the guild related to a ghost story. Since the internal confusion has yet to settle, we are notifying everyone so that all employees may be aware and avoid causing further disruption.


    ......


    ¡°What should I write?¡±


    Bi Sa-beol sat in front of the monitor, pondering for a long time.


    ¡°... Let''s make it fun.¡±


    He soon moved his hands.


    The name of the man in the black cloak is Gio.


    Gio is a member of the early morning shift. Do not ask about his identity.


    ....


    ***


    ¡°Gio.¡±


    As usual, Yoo Sung-woon called out to Gio inside the portrait.


    ¡°Are you awake?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am awake.¡±


    ¡°Then I have a proposal I''d like to make.¡±


    Even while maintaining a composed demeanour, Yoo Sung-woon observed the other party closely. He was about to make an offer to a being of origin. He had to understand the weight of it.


    ''And I know it all too well.''


    Originally, beings that lived within the origin didn''t communicate well with humans. Something as simple as sneezing from afar could be perceived as a terrible insult, and laughing during a conversation might bring them sadness.


    Beings of origin had their own set of rules. Their rules, from a human''s perspective, were extremely irrational and unpredictable, so one must never treat them from a human¡¯s perspective.


    ¡°By any chance, do you not want to come outside? I¡¯m saying this on the premise that if you want to....¡±


    Continuously observing and analysing was the only means to survive.


    ¡°You seem to be unaware much of the outside world. Like the incident with the seeds last time.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, Mr. Yoo Sung-woon. I don''t know much.¡±


    ¡°That''s why I was asking if you''d like to take a tour. I''ll cover all the necessary items and expenses, and of course, I''ll be there to guide you.¡±


    ¡°You will guide me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, all you need to do is come with your body.¡±


    Although it was carried out with Bi Sa-beol¡¯s permission, smuggling an entity of origin whose nature was still unclear outside was a bold gamble even for Yoo Sung-woon who was known for his audacity.


    ''...Still, there''s no need to worry too much. Worst comes to worst, I''ll just say he''s a new hunter from outside the city.''


    As long as Gio maintained his gentlemanly attitude, there wouldn''t be a significant problem.


    Of course, not knowing Gio''s true nature meant that he might interact with something in reality regardless of his intentions. But that didn''t matter. If something was bound to happen anyway, it was better to know in advance.


    ''Even if there''s a little damage.''


    As Yoo Sung-woon waited for a response, the gloomy, noble-looking portrait soon opened its mouth.


    ¡°A tour, huh.¡±


    Although he thought he had gotten used to it, a shiver still ran down his spine. The portrait¡¯s tone remained disturbingly blunt.


    ¡°Very well.¡±


    ¡°... Really?¡±


    ¡°When would be a good time?¡±


    The answer came quicker than expected.


    ''I thought he might attack me, saying I was trying to pull him outside.''


    Gio was a portrait. From his perspective, trying to bring a painting into reality might be considered an insult.


    But thankfully, it seemed Gio didn''t care about such things.


    ''Maybe because he''s come out a few times before on his own .... In that case, it was a good thing that I had taken measures beforehand so that Gio could move freely.''


    Pausing his thoughts, Yoo Sung-woon replied.


    ¡°Let''s make it Tuesday morning, two days from now.¡±


    ¡°Will you be able to call me then? The flow of time here and outside seems to flow a little differently, so I''ll need your help.¡±


    ¡°That''s no problem. I''ll call you in two days, so you can take your time and get ready then...¡±


    After thinking for a moment, Yoo Sung-woon took out a small timer.


    ¡°I''ll leave this on the floor here, so you can check it like this. I''ll set it to ring three times at 8 AM in two days. It''ll be easier for you to keep track of time this way, right?¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°No need to thank me.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon inwardly sighed in relief.


    ''...He readily accepted the offer. As expected, Gio is more communicative than other beings from the origin. Of course, since he''s not human, there are moments of misunderstandings .... but it''s safe for the most part.''


    The portrait seemed to think the conversation was over and closed its eyes.


    Yoo Sung-woon also didn''t hold on to Gio any longer.


    After all, they''d be spending all day together in two days, so there was no point in exhausting each other now. Moreover, Yoo Sung-woon had a lot to prepare for the tour with Gio.


    ''I should probably book one of those hotels exclusively for trainers. I don''t intend to treat Gio as some sort of contracted beast, but those kinds of hotels are well-prepared for any emergencies.''


    Given the risks, careful preparation without making Gio feel uncomfortable was necessary.


    ¡°...But then again, when was it ever not like this.¡±


    Bi Sa-beol''s stance was firm.


    He wanted to observe how ''Gio''s Portrait'' interacted among humans. Even if there were some casualties, as long as it wasn''t a massacre of more than fifty people, he would cover it up.


    ''It''s a wise decision.''


    Gio could come out of the portrait at any time he wanted, with no restrictions or conditions. If something was going to happen anyway, it would be better for Yoo Sung-woon, the curator and gardener, to observe by his side.


    But this world, where human life was treated like an insects, never ceased to feel tiresome.


    ''...Even if these aren''t people from outside the city, but those from within, guild leader Bi Sa-beol said he could handle it. As long as the casualties are less than fifty people, it''s fine, and even if it happens, it would be okay as long as it doesn''t reach the media.''


    Of course, it would be much better if they finished the tour without anyone dying.


    ¡°I''ll just have to trust in Gio''s gentlemanly demeanour in this part.¡±


    Personally, he hoped Honey would get plump.


    If he had become plump...


    ¡°...Coo... rrrrr... rrrrr....¡±


    ¡°There''s no need to be so angry, is there?¡±


    ¡°Coooorrrrrrr....¡±


    It seemed he didn''t like that.


    ''What a pity.''


    A plump bird is the epitome of cuteness, but it seemed the self-disciplined waterfowl didn¡¯t seem to think that way.


    ''Judging by the way he adorns himself with gems, he¡¯s quite the picky one.''


    Anyway, that was what Gio was concerned about. He needed to make himself look more harmless.


    ¡°I want to look so harmless enough that I could pass for an ordinary passerby, but at this point, I''m already a harmless talking potato, so I don¡¯t know what more to do. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve reached the limit of harmlessness.¡±


    When he was alive¡ªthough he had never really died¡ªback when he worked as a teacher, Gio often heard people say he had a ¡®scary look¡¯, but it was never to the point where it would make someone cry in fear.


    ¡°Since aside from my talent for growing healthy wherever I was placed, back then I was practically a corpse.¡±


    But now, Gio was being treated like an urban legend, similar to the ¡®Red Mask¡¯. Though no one directly told him so, he got the rough idea by judging by how everyone he met looked terrified.


    ¡°Seeing how everyone struggled with their perception of me, it''s definitely... a resolution issue.¡±


    ¡°Coooor.¡±


    ¡°I think there must be some kind of problem because I''ve transitioned from a painting into reality. But I''m not an engineer, so....¡±


    And Gio had already received a solution for that issue from the system.


    tip.


    Resolution Solution


    Please apply ''Gio''


    ¡°This must be referring to the suitable person.¡±


    Perhaps because ¡®Giovanni¡¯, who was synchronizing with him, was still treated as a human rather than a portrait.


    When he activated Giovanni''s personality, he noticed his body felt slightly heavier. Unlike before, he needed to use the bathroom, got hungry, and required a certain amount of regular sleep.


    ¡°So, if I go outside as Giovanni, people won''t be scared.¡±


    Feeling Honey''s lukewarm gaze, Gio nodded.


    ¡°It''s called having a split personality.¡±


    He needed to be harmless for now.


    Gio acknowledged his excessiveness under Honey who kept staring at him.


    ¡°... Well, I admit, even I think split personality is a bit far-fetched.¡±


    ¡°Coo.¡±


    ¡°If I may offer an excuse, I honestly didn''t mean to cover it up like that.¡±


    It was a tour kindly suggested by Yoo Sung-woon. A trip that he would enjoy with his help, and they would be going around together, so he didn''t want to cause unnecessary inconvenience.


    ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t necessarily have to act as ¡®Giovanni¡¯, as long as the synchronization is in progress, there¡¯s room to adjust. Even if I act as I normally do, people might not be as frightened.¡±


    ¡°Coo?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I still need to be careful. If I''m careless, the resolution issue might resurface again, even during synchronization. But this alone is a significant gain.¡±


    This was something he confirmed with the help of the dawn patrol guards within the guild.


    ¡°I''ve been making various attempts so Mr. Yoo Sung-woon wouldn¡¯t find himself in such a troublesome situation.¡±


    For example, a situation where his companion unexpectedly develops a split personality.


    ¡°...Well, anyway....¡±


    Gio who had been lying sprawled on the bed, got up.


    ¡°...Now, it''s time to take care of our elder¡¯s meal. Honey, let''s go.¡±


    ¡°Cooorrrrrr!¡±


    Honey nodded vigorously in agreement, and the small bird fluttered, landing on Gio''s shoulder.


    Gio picked up the 77 colourful sandwiches he had prepared in advance and moved to the studio. The place where his footsteps stopped was in front of the landscape painting titled ¡®Breathing Sea¡¯, a landscape painting of the sea.


    Now, it was time to open this tightly shut door.


    ¡°Do you want to build a snowman....¡±


    ¡°Coo.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    Copyrights are important, after all.


    Recalling ¡®Winter Kingdom¡¯, the home of his heart during his childhood innocence, Gio composed himself. Waking up to find that 31 years had passed, it wasn''t impossible that Korea had turned into a country of lawsuits afterwards.


    Clearing his throat while uttering nonsense, Gio soon prepared to eat with his family.


    A brief moment of silence.


    His jet-black hair gradually became lighter.


    As his water-coloured eyes blinked twice.


    Giovanni was there in his place.


    ¡°...May I enter?¡±


    The door opened.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, this priest is very late.¡±


    ¡°Please understand.¡±


    In a world submerged in the sea.


    ¡°Since the weather is nice, my body has become sluggish.¡±


    The sun was barely breathing.


    Red Mask or ¡®Woman With the Red Mask¡¯ is a variation of kuchisake-onna (slit-mouthed woman), just the Korean version.


    ??????????? is Frozen¡¯s Korean name. a direct translation would be ????? (Winter) ?????? (Kingdom).

 Chapter 25

    8 AM.


    Looking at the black cloak revealed in front of the frame, Yoo Sung-woon blinked his mint-colored eyes.


    Hmm.


    ''It feels a bit different.''


    It wasn''t just a feeling. The pitch-black figure standing in front of the portrait didn''t exude the same eerie atmosphere as before.


    As if it had turned from a monster into a human.


    ¡°Gio.¡±


    ¡°Are you here?¡±


    ¡°Did I come too late?¡±


    ¡°No, I arrived early.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon responded indifferently, thinking to himself.


    ''...Even his voice sounds different than usual.''


    Unlike before, when his speech was strangely orderly to the point of feeling unsettling, today''s Gio didn''t feel odd despite how he thought ''He''s a bit overly polite''. It gave off the vibe of a person with an innocent nature.


    ''Perhaps there''s a level difference when he''s inside the portrait versus outside....''


    But that raised questions, as the testimonies from previous witnesses conflicted with this.


    Yoo Sung-woon rolled his eyes for a moment before smiling and asking.


    ¡°Are you in a good mood, by any chance?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am.¡±


    ¡°Hmm... Your atmosphere seems lighter than usual.¡±


    ¡°I''ve always been light.¡±


    ¡°Let''s say that''s the case.¡±


    He''s definitely different from usual.


    ''I don''t feel that overwhelming pressure either.''


    Even though Yoo Sung-woon only saw his back, he knew how terrifying Gio could be outside the portrait.


    That suffocating feeling and dizziness weren''t sensations easily experienced despite him having no malice or killing intent.


    ''Even so in a world full of various creatures, monsters and humans.''


    It was said that the sensation became even more intense when you faced Gio head-on, but it was really strange. The current Gio simply felt like an ordinary human.


    Perhaps sensing his doubt, Gio spoke first.


    ¡°I made some adjustments.¡±


    ¡°Adjustments?¡±


    ¡°I adjusted the resolution so that others wouldn''t be startled when they saw me. Judging by Mr. Yoo Sung-woon''s reaction, it seems my attempt wasn''t bad.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see. No wonder.¡±


    He seemed quite human.


    Yoo Sung-woon nodded nonchalantly, but his inner thoughts weren''t as calm.


    ''Does that mean... he can adjust the level of his soul?''


    In the past, Gio''s level was so twisted that it couldn''t be expressed within human standards, but now it seemed to be around the level of an A-rank hunter.


    The thought of being able to adjust the level of one''s soul at will felt like a truly nasty joke.


    ¡°...You''re not straining yourself, are you?¡±


    If he forcibly lowered his level, the fatigue would be immense.


    ''It''s basically like cursing yourself.''


    He had softened his words, asking if there was no strain, but adjusting his level like this would cause more pain than fatigue.


    In response to Yoo Sung-woon''s question, Gio looked down at his hand before shaking his head.


    ¡°It''s okay.¡±


    ¡°That''s a relief, but....¡±


    How can someone be so nonchalant after doing something so insane? Yoo Sung-woon quietly felt a chill.


    ''This is way too calm for someone who just self-harmed. If you want to pretend to be normal, be more thorough.''


    Even a 10-year-old would understand the gravity of the current situation. In ordinary terms, it was like cutting off all your limbs and gouging out both of your eyes.


    ''It''s no different from tying a leash around the neck of someone crawling around with just their torso and putting weights on them...''


    Of course, Gio had no idea.


    ''I''m hungry.''


    After all, he was someone who¡ªat least in his perception¡ªhad been living in an ordinary human state until recently.


    His body that didn''t feel thirst, didn''t need sleep, and neither hungered nor felt full was certainly convenient... but he didn''t feel any aversion to his current state either.


    He had lived this way originally, so there was no reason to feel discomfort. Rather, he was used to it.


    ¡°So where should we go now?¡±


    ¡°...Oh, right.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon answered while trying to keep a calm expression. It would be rude to keep showing concern to the fellow who came out to have a good time. When dealing with a being of origin, even he had to be careful of such small reactions.


    ¡°It''s morning, so I thought we could grab some breakfast.¡±


    ¡°What kind of place?¡±


    ¡°The one I''m recommending is a restaurant that serves set meals.¡±1


    Gio had once expressed himself in the Korean way as ''Seo Gio''. Whether that was truly based on Korean customs or not was uncertain, but since Gio seemed to know Korea well in many ways, he opted for a set meal for breakfast.


    Just in case, he added an explanation.


    ¡°It''s an all-in-one meal that comes with side dishes, rice, and soup. You can also order fish or pork.¡±


    ¡°It''s not too spicy overall, but since it''s breakfast, I found a restaurant that would be easy on the stomach.¡±


    ¡°That sounds good.¡±


    Although Gio could eat just about anything, he had grown up under his grandmother who always served set meals, so he liked such comforting food. It made both his body and mind feel at ease.


    Yoo Sung-woon nodded.


    ¡°Glad to hear it. Shall we go?¡±


    Gio followed behind him.


    ''...I can hear footsteps.''


    He seemed to have been barefoot before, but now Gio was wearing shoes. However, what surprised Yoo Sung-woon more was hearing the sound of footsteps carrying the weight of a person.


    ''Has he really lowered himself to a human level? I still can''t believe it.''


    Starting from the sheer possibility of how that could happen, to why he would do such a terrible thing, his feelings were conflicted.


    ''Maybe he did this deliberately to be considerate of other humans...''


    Before Yoo Sung-woon could even feel embarrassed about thinking of excuses for any occured damage, a strange sense of guilt crept in. It was hard to handle such a ridiculous kindness, as if it involved cutting off parts of his own limbs and soul.


    And the fact that he gave such out-of-the-ordinary kindness so casually made him feel even less human-like.


    ¡°He attempted to recruit someone who came to kill him? That''s bold. He seems to be very tolerant.¡±


    ¡°His preferences are so unique that if you see someone unfamiliar in the guild, there''s a high chance they''re the guild leader''s guest. There have been more than a few times where he invited someone to the guild to try to recruit them.¡±


    There''s a limit to how many times he can sugarcoat things.


    Not realizing that such sugarcoating only made him seem even less human, Gio quietly resigned himself to the seemingly endless eccentricities of Bi Sa-beol.


    ''With the limited strength granted by Heavens and Earth, such overwhelming presence is beyond what I can handle.''


    He didn''t seem like a bad person, but the unpredictability made him the type of person he absolutely didn''t want to talk to.


    ''If we somehow become close, he''ll probably drag me out of my corner and throw me into the middle of some trendy extroverts'' social gathering, offering me up as the party''s sacrifice ....''


    It was horrifying.


    ¡°Now we''ll need to take the overground train. Are you okay with that?¡±


    ¡°...Overground train?¡±


    Not the subway?


    Thanks to lowering his level, Yoo Sung-woon could now better understand Gio''s confusion and quickly explained.


    ¡°Hmm, it''s a train that runs above ground. Like the bus, it has a set route, but it''s a bit faster and runs on a fairly higher altitude.¡±


    Saying this, Yoo Sung-woon pointed his finger towards the sky.


    ¡°See over there?¡±


    A rail that cut through tall buildings or passed between them. The entire rail wasn''t visible¡ªonly parts of it could be seen.


    It seemed like special measures were taken for the city''s view, as some sections had been made transparent. This triggered Gio''s sci-fi sensibilities.


    ¡°It''s quite high.¡±


    ¡°It runs at about the height of the 60th floor of a building.¡±


    Gio nodded inwardly.


    ''They say even mountains and rivers change in 10 years, but the world has definitely changed in 30 years.''


    Maybe it''s because it''s the metropolitan area that such feelings are stronger, but even taking that into account, the buildings and infrastructure have advanced significantly. Now Gio truly felt that he had become an ancestor.


    Most buildings were basically over 30 floors high, and the overground trains running between them looked exactly like roller coasters.


    ''Although the rail lines and speed won''t be as intense as that....''


    Gio felt a sense of romanticism towards the futuristic design.


    ¡°Gio, this way.¡±


    People''s fashion had also changed considerably from before. Some wore armour, others had large swords strapped to their backs, and some even had wings or tails.


    They say trends come and go, but it seemed like some ecological disturbance had intervened along the way. With his cloak on, Gio seemed relatively ordinary compared to the overly unique styles of everyone around him.


    There were even people exchanging gems and weapons here and there. While gems were one thing, seeing people nonchalantly handling fierce weapons with sharp edges...


    Ouh.


    Gio realized that he was shrinking inward, like a slice of pork belly grilled on high heat.


    ''Here I was, worried that I might seem harmful as a haunted portrait, but now that worry feels silly.''


    Contrary to his thoughts, some quick-witted people were stealing glances at Gio.


    ''That''s some heavy presence.... Is he a hunter? Judging by his disciplined movements, maybe a knight... or a priest?''


    ''He''s probably at least A-rank. He seems unfamiliar, so it''s highly likely that he''s an unofficial hunter.''


    ''He''s dressed entirely in black. Maybe he has a skill that involves colour, or perhaps it''s all part of a set item....''


    Yoo Sung-woon was also aware of some of the people''s gazes.


    ''Please, just don''t talk to him.''


    It was as expected, but thanks to Gio''s help, they were receiving less attention than they otherwise might have.


    He fervently prayed that no one would approach and cause any sort of trouble by talking to Gio, who had only just stepped into human society.


    ¡°This is the entrance to the overground train.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon tried to distract Gio so that he wouldn''t meet other people''s gazes.


    ¡°See here? If you tap your card here, you can pay the fare.¡±


    ¡°You pay the fare in front of the elevator?¡±


    With his hands clasped behind his back as a habit, Gio observed the entrance to the overground train with interest.


    It looked like an elevator one would find at a subway station or some overpass. The elevator, which was tall and protruding rather than hidden within a building, connected directly to the overground train line.


    ''Is there no station separately?''


    Seeing the bare, exposed rails without a building, it seemed like there likely weren''t any stations, though he did notice some small, bus stop-like areas dotted along the route. It seemed like they were really using systems like buses.


    ¡°I''ll give you my card. If you want to buy anything, use this. There''s no spending limit.¡±


    Gio was startled.


    ''I''ve lost count of how many times I''ve been startled today.''


    It was dangerous outside the blankets.


    ''Why are you giving me a card with no limit?''


    Terrified, he decided to call him hyung from now on, hyung-nim.


    Of course, as a selective introvert, Gio would never actually call Yoo Sung-woon ''hyung'' after only meeting him a few months ago. Gio still remained polite as he used his card to board the overground train''s elevator.


    ¡°What''s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I have something I''m curious about.¡±


    Gio asked.


    ¡°I don''t understand why there''s only one elevator when its speed is not very fast. Wouldn''t there be delays when there are a lot of people?¡±


    ¡°Ah...¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon awkwardly smiled.


    ¡°I think it''s because not many people use it anyway, so they only installed one.¡±


    ¡°It seems like a useful means of transportation. Why don''t many people use it?¡±


    How could they leave such an interesting new technology just sitting unused?


    ¡°It''s not for any grand reason.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon explained the reality.


    ¡°Because it''s expensive.¡±


    Aha.


    ¡°Of course, that makes sense.¡±


    Gio, who was quite familiar with capitalist societies, understood.


    ''But that thing is still alive?''


    Longevity, indeed?


    1?????? / °×ïˆ (baekban) is the set meals described here. the dictionaries wrote it ''meal with a bowl of rice, soup, and side dishes''. but it wasn''t sth like mcd set meals either, it''s usually homemade and like the image below.


    trendy extroverts'' social gathering is actually ????? gathering, it''s basically the opposite of outcast (????) in chapter 3. basically those trendy, socially active, popular people, so I thought to phrase it that way.


    hyung means older brother.

 Chapter 26

    The stop of the overground train they arrived at was quite high up.


    ¡°Why, is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been at such a high place.¡±


    ¡°Well, that makes sense.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon nodded.


    ¡®A portrait wouldn¡¯t usually have a reason to come up this high.¡¯


    But since he said, ¡®It¡¯s been a while¡¯, it seemed like he had come out of the portrait and gone up on his own before.


    ¡®Or maybe he has memories of climbing mountains or cliffs as a human.¡¯


    Since he could move on his own, there could be various cases. Perhaps he even moved while still in his portrait form.


    Unaware of Yoo Sung-woon¡¯s thoughts, Gio was looking around the overground train stop.


    ¡®...I didn¡¯t realize it from below, but it¡¯s covered with a transparent barrier. It seems to prevent accidents from falling or blocking the strong wind at high places, but what¡¯s the exact material? It looks much more transparent and sturdy than glass or plastic.¡¯


    Gio had a great interest in growing and creating things. Such new materials, like something out of a sci-fi movie, made him unable to hold back his questions.


    ¡°What is this wall made of?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Wall?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s blocked by a transparent wall so clear you wouldn¡¯t notice unless you touched it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not exactly an expert in this area either, but... it¡¯s probably made of intangible crystal.¡±


    ¡°Intangible crystal?¡±


    ¡°I heard it¡¯s an ingredient extracted from one of the frequently appearing monsters.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon didn¡¯t know the exact name of the monster. Unless it was a particularly threatening or unique monster, there was no point in remembering it.


    ¡°I heard most of the transparent windows installed in the city use this material.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon gave him a serious look.


    ¡°Don¡¯t take it. It¡¯s public property.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Your reaction doesn¡¯t seem like someone who knows.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°...If you really want it, I¡¯ll get it for you later, so hold on for now.¡±


    Although intangible crystals were used in various industries, their price wasn¡¯t expensive compared to their versatility. This was because the monsters from which the crystal could be extracted weren¡¯t rare, and the amount of crystals that could be extracted from each was also large.


    ¡°What would you even use something like this for?¡±


    ¡°It seemed like an interesting material, so I wanted to observe and make use of it.¡±


    ¡°Your curiosity is truly remarkable...¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon smiled with a strange feeling. Showing interest in human-made rules or objects was a typical trait of beings of the origin.


    As they were chatting away, the overground train soon arrived.


    ¡°It''s just the two of us in this car.¡±


    As Yoo Sung-woon said, there were only two of them in the car marked ¡®No. 6.¡¯


    Gio quietly thought.


    ¡®People really don''t ride it.¡¯


    It felt a bit regrettable.


    ¡®Such an amazing new technology, yet people can''t ride it because it''s too expensive.¡¯


    Even when he tapped the card at the elevator entrance on the first floor, there was only a green light indicating allowed entry, and no specific amount spent was displayed. So he didn¡¯t know the exact fare for the overground train, but it felt oddly bitter.


    ¡®It feels like the gap between rich and poor has worsened over the past 31 years, or is it just me?¡¯


    Gio asked.


    ¡°Is it usually this empty?¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s not it.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon shook his head.


    ¡°Normally, it¡¯s more crowded than this. There would be at least 10 people per car, but I don¡¯t see anyone today. Maybe it''s because it''s in the middle of working hours .... but I¡¯m not sure since it¡¯s been a while since I rode it at this time either.¡±


    Wait a minute.


    Something felt off.


    ¡°Is it working hours?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it''s 8:38 right now.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon continued after checking his wristwatch.


    ¡°Although it slightly varies from company to company, the average start time is 7 AM.¡±


    ¡°Gio?¡±


    ¡°Work starts at 7 AM?¡±


    ¡°For most people, yes.¡±


    Is this place devoid of human rights?


    ¡®In my memory, the typical start time for office workers was definitely 9 AM.¡¯


    Looking at the still-open door, Gio asked again.


    ¡°Is there a reason for such distinctions?¡±


    ¡°Well, one reason is probably the huge difference in infrastructure between urban and rural areas.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon, perhaps determined to play his role as a guide, answered kindly.


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about various facilities and benefits within the area, though there¡¯s a significant cultural and administrative gap between cities and the countryside. People in the countryside tend to make a living by farming while city residents purchase the food delivered from there...¡±


    ¡°You could say the gap is almost a century wide. If you go to the countryside, it''s hard to even find a two-story building, let alone an overground train. Hardly anyone owns a car. There''s usually at least one village train running .... but that might be the reason why they don''t bother buying cars.¡±


    Since there¡¯s already a means of transportation, there¡¯s no need to spend money on a private car. Yoo Sung-woon muttered quietly and continued.


    ¡°Well...  the biggest difference is the defence line.¡±


    ¡°What does the defence line mean?¡±


    ¡°In reality, the city outskirts are protected by a large wall like a fortress wall. Secondly, there are specialized public officials responsible for managing the city¡¯s internal security, and most importantly, there are already many hunters in the city ... so even if an incident occurs, it will be dealt with quickly.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon scratched the back of his neck.


    ¡°In short, it''s a survival benefit. Most fourth-class citizens would rather live as poor people than risk their lives outside the city. Many people want to enter the city for the same reason, but... not everyone can live here. After all, resources and space are limited, right?¡±


    ¡°So that''s why they divide people into classes?¡±


    ¡°Only second-class citizens and above can live in the city. Third-class citizens can visit or find jobs in the city, but if they try to live here without permission, they''re treated harshly.¡±


    ¡°In what way does it get harsh?¡±


    ¡°How should I put this? Well, first of all, their ID is revoked, so they can''t find jobs... It¡¯s not as bad as fifth-class, but they''re treated less than humans. People who blindly settle in the city, not wanting to die in the countryside to monsters, become fourth-class citizens¡ªthe poor.¡±


    In summary, is this a dystopia?


    ¡®Listening to something that sounds like it came out of a movie makes it feel even less real.¡¯


    It was a world hard for Gio, who loved friendship, love, and peace, to accept. It felt like everything had gotten twisted compared to 31 years ago when human affection could still be felt.


    Though Gio tried to maintain a poker face despite shrinking internally, Yoo Sung-woon, who wanted Gio to fully understand human society, continued his explanation.


    ¡°In the first place, dungeons can pop up anywhere, and even if it''s not necessary from the dungeons, many monsters have already settled on Earth. In cities, these monsters are managed well, but in the countryside, there''s a lack of manpower and equipment, so if you''re not careful, you can end up dead.¡±


    ¡°That sounds scary.¡±


    ¡°That''s why people living in countryside villages are told not to go outside after 5 PM. Or, in many cases, the village is run by hunters below C-rank. No matter how weak they are, Awakeners are much more reliable than ordinary people.¡±


    Around that time, the overground train doors finally closed.


    ¡°It¡¯s finally moving.¡±


    ¡°No one else got on.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not lunchtime yet....¡±


    ¡°It is morning, though.¡±


    ¡°What kind of office worker has time for breakfast?¡±


    It was a tone of voice that implied that eating breakfast wasn¡¯t normal. It seemed that the phrase ¡®three meals a day¡¯ had long disappeared from the current world.


    ''Yet here we are, running around to eat three meals right now.''


    As he listened to the horrific realities of modern society with one ear and let it out the other, Gio slowly appreciated the overground train that resembled the structure of the subway he knew. The most impressive thing was the transparent walls and ceiling.


    ¡°Are these walls and ceilings also made using intangible crystals?¡±


    ¡°Probably. Its durability and transparency are incomparable to Earth¡¯s traditional materials, so it can withstand monster attacks to some extent.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°Apparently, in the past, they used to make windows like this out of glass and plastic... It¡¯s surprising they used such weak materials.¡±


    Just like that, Gio suddenly fell to the status of an ancestor. From being the young blood of the education world to becoming an ancestor in an instant¡ªthe exponential fall made him dizzy.


    ¡°Is glass or plastic not used anymore?¡±


    ¡°We still use them, but glass... is mostly used for decorations, right? It''s much easier to shape than intangible crystals, and you can mix colours too. Even though it can be made artificially, it''s still considered a type of gem, so it''s a bit expensive.¡±


    ¡°What about plastic?¡±


    ¡°Plastic? It¡¯s hardly used anymore? It can¡¯t be recycled and doesn''t decompose well.¡±


    Caring for the Earth? It seems Earthlings have made some progress over the last 31 years. Gio had thought they were busy evolving into a dystopia, but it wasn''t all bad.


    ''The Earth''s lifespan might have increased a bit.''


    Gio turned his gaze back to the overground train.


    The backrest of the seats was covered in soft fabric and leather, almost like a sofa, but the windows and ceiling above the shoulders were so clean they seemed nonexistent.


    The shining walls of the buildings beyond and the clear blue sky gave him a strange thrill.


    ''A gentlemanly roller coaster...''


    There was no sense of speed or bumps, but this ridiculously high-altitude train stimulated Gio''s romanticism. It felt like a scene straight out of a sci-fi movie.


    ¡°Ah, Gio. We''re getting off soon.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°The reserved restaurant and hotel are near this stop.¡±


    ¡°I''m looking forward to it.¡±


    ¡°You can look forward to it, I''ve reserved all the good places.¡±


    As he listened to Yoo Sung-woon''s words with interest, Gio suddenly had a faint realization.


    ''Earth is no longer a place where harmless beings like me can live.''


    For the weak Gio, who didn''t even have the Taekwondo white belt that everyone else had, he didn''t have the strength to overcome this terrifying world. He would have to stay inside the portrait for life, ensuring his personal safety


    If Yoo Sung-woon had heard this, he probably would''ve trembled in disbelief.

 Chapter 27

    The restaurant Yoo Sung-woon led him to have all the employees wearing hanbok.


    ¡°We have a reservation for two under Yoo Sung-woon.¡±


    ¡°Customer Yoo Sung-woon, confirmed. Please take off your shoes, and we will guide you inside.¡±


    Gio, standing a step back, looked at the restaurant as Yoo Sung-woon received the employee''s service without hesitation.


    The restaurant he led him to was a hanok1 with a strong, antique atmosphere, as if drawn in ink. The pillars had curves that highlighted the natural beauty of the woods, the subtle, bitter scent of cypress, and the high ceiling provided a comfortable atmosphere.


    What he saw was not a noisy crowd of customers, but a quiet and neatly arranged wooden corridor. Each room visible between the corridors stood out for its particularly strong sense of individualism.


    Is this... a set-meal restaurant?


    ''The definition of a set meal restaurant I know must have changed in 31 years.''


    Where did my noisy yet cosy set meal restaurant, where I used to sit on the wooden bench cross-legged and tear apart and eat yellow corvina, go?


    ¡°Gio, let''s go in.¡±


    ¡°Are we eating here?¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon spoke as if making an excuse, as if unsure exactly what he was concerned about.


    ¡°Just ignore the presence of people. Even so, the presence and noise are pretty well blocked at this level.¡±


    ¡°If it''s too inconvenient, should we move to another restaurant? There''s even a place where we can have an entire building to ourselves.¡±


    Is this man serious?


    ''Does he really think of me as a walking nuclear power plant?''


    He wondered just how sensitive he perceives himself to be.


    ¡°It''s not inconvenient.¡±


    ¡°Really? That''s a relief.¡±


    ¡°Is it divided into rooms?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but the rooms aren''t that small, so you should be able to eat comfortably.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Gio wasn''t the type of person to refuse a free meal unless it was really bad.


    ''Anyway, it looks delicious, so it''s fine.''


    Though feeling somewhat complicated about how much the world seemed to have changed in the last 31 years, Gio cast aside his worries and followed behind Yoo Sung-woon, led by his hungry stomach.


    ¡°If you''ve finished selecting the menu, please press the bell.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Have a pleasant time.¡±


    The employee, dressed in a hanbok with soft tones like petals, quietly left the room. As the sound of footsteps faded, Gio, who had been waiting for a moment, asked.


    ¡°Is this a set meal restaurant?¡±


    ¡°...Ah, yes.¡±


    Although not very noticeable, Yoo Sung-woon''s response carried a hint of realization.


    Gio''s question was merely intended to ask, ''Is this flashy place really a set meal restaurant?'' But it seemed Yoo Sung-woon had interpreted it as, ''So what exactly is a set meal restaurant?''


    ¡°A set meal is a meal where you eat rice with soup and side dishes.¡±


    Due to his pride as a teacher, Gio felt a sudden urge to argue, but he decided it wasn''t a misunderstanding that would clear up by arguing, so he kept silent and listened to the explanation. He prided himself on this mature decision.


    ¡°Rice is always the same, but the soup changes daily. Today .... I think it''s seaweed soup.¡±


    After saying that much, Yoo Sung-woon asked with a questioning look.


    ¡°Do you eat seaweed?¡±


    ¡°There is no food I can''t eat or dislike.¡±


    ¡°That''s good to hear.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon opened the menu that had been placed at the edge of the table.


    ¡°The basic side dishes are all the same. What we need to choose is the main dish. It''s usually divided between meat and fish, but what do you feel like?¡±


    ¡°I feel like eating meat right now.¡±


    Gio, who had a soft heart, couldn''t hunt animals in the forest. Not only did he not know how to hunt in the first place, but even if he did hunt those round, cute little creatures, the yield would definitely be low anyway.


    While Gio wasn''t picky and was happy no matter what he ate, since he was already out, he wanted to eat meat.


    ''I should eat it while I can.''


    Yoo Sung-woon nodded.


    ¡°Then let''s go with Gwangyang Bulgogi.¡±


    He pressed the number buttons on the edge of the table. It seemed to be a system where you enter the menu number, and the kitchen directly prepares it after receiving the order.


    After pressing the red bell button one last time, Yoo Sung-woon looked back at Gio.


    ¡°Of all the set meal restaurants I''ve been to, I think this one is the best. They don''t even use monster meat.¡±


    ¡°Do they usually use monster meat?¡±


    ¡°It''s fairly common, right? But coming to a restaurant to eat monster meat seems a bit much.¡±


    Somehow, it seemed like ''restaurant'' was being placed on a higher pedestal than Gio was familiar with. As an ancestor who''d been in hibernation for 31 years, Gio pondered how to ask without sounding odd.


    ¡°Why, do you have something you want to ask?¡±


    ¡°... Are restaurants a different place compared to other facilities?¡±


    ¡°Well, if they don''t want their heads chopped off, they better be.¡±


    ¡°After several heads rolled, only the competent ones are left.¡±


    Gio flinched. Why was this hyung talking like this before eating meat?


    ''...Then again, hunters are like living war machines. I guess politicians wouldn''t be untouchable either.''


    Gio quickly accepted this and joined in stirring the meat.


    ¡°Is it ready to eat?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I think it''s done.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the meal.¡±


    ¡°Hope it suits your taste.¡±


    ¡°I think it will.¡±


    There are three main types of Korean bulgogi.


    First, Seoul-style. Second, Gwangyang-style. Third, Eonyang-style. Of all of them, Gio''s favourite was this Gwangyang-style bulgogi.


    The bulgogi marinated in broth and sauce that commonly known is Seoul-style bulgogi, but unlike the hot pot-like Seoul-style, Gwangyang-style is grilled dry on the grate. Each house does it slightly differently, but in most cases, the meat isn''t marinated in seasoning for long.


    ''That''s why the meat''s flavour stands out more.''


    The beef, beaten thin and spread out several times to make it tender, is grilled on a grate until the outside is crispy and the inside remains moist, and the juicy Gwangyang-style bulgogi is complete.


    A piece of bulgogi from the grill was picked up.


    Without sauce or rice, Gio put the whole piece of bulgogi directly into his mouth.


    ¡°How is it? Tasty?¡±


    ¡°It''s very delicious.¡±


    Given that he was in a private room, he didn''t do more. If he were alone, he would have given it a standing ovation for how excellent it was.


    ¡°They must use good quality meat. The flavour of the beef isn''t gamey, and it''s rich. The texture is also very good. Judging by how much it was tenderized yet didn''t tear at this thickness, the chef''s skills must be impressive.¡±


    ¡°You... talk a lot when you''re eating something delicious, huh.¡±


    ¡°My apologies.¡±


    It was just so delicious he couldn''t stop.


    ¡°But it''s really delicious.¡±


    ¡°I can see that.¡±


    ¡°It''s a flavour I want to try making.¡±


    The charred exterior, grilled to a crisp on the charcoal, had a bitter taste characteristic of burnt meat for a moment, but it harmonized with the sweetness of the slightly charred meat.


    The right amount of fat embedded in the meat gave it a rich flavour-like stock, and it alone was enough to reveal the quality of the meat.


    ¡°The seasoning is also just right.¡±


    The deep sweetness soaked into the meat probably came from pears. Did they use grated pears to tenderize the meat? There was also subtle bitterness, likely from some kind of alcohol, which added a refined depth to the flavour.


    ¡°It pairs well with garlic. The aroma is just right, not overwhelming.¡±


    The sharp scent of garlic nestled deep into the meat, pricking the inside of his tongue, but after being grilled on the charcoal, its harshness melted smoothly. The sesame oil must have been high quality as well, as its fresh aroma lingered.


    ¡°Hmm? What is it?¡±


    ¡°It seems like the soy sauce was homemade.¡±


    ¡°Are you a gourmet? How did you figure that out?¡±


    ¡°Am I right?¡±


    ¡°Well... I did hear it from the owner here.¡±


    Gio nodded.


    ¡°I was wondering since the pepper flavour was particularly strong.¡±


    ¡°You really do have a sensitive palate. No wonder you love eating.¡±


    ¡°Even the dipping sauce... is delicious.¡±


    The ingredients seemed similar to the bulgogi''s seasoning, but this curious sweet and sour flavour. The deep flavour of plum was blended naturally into the sauce, enhancing the taste.


    ''It''s not plum syrup...''


    It must have been vinegar made of plums.


    Dipping the meat lightly into the brown sauce with bits of garlic showing, and pairing it with the steaming, fluffy white rice...


    ¡°Is it good?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    As expected, rice was delicious when you eat a whole mouthful.


    1: Hanok (Korean traditional house):


    Seoul-style bulgogi:


    Gwangyang-style bulgogi:


    Eonyang-style bulgogi.


    btw plum syrup that was stated here is plum cheong.

 Chapter 28

    After finishing his meal, Yoo Sung-woon led Gio to Cheonggyecheon.


    But as expected, it was quite different from the Cheonggyecheon in Seoul that Gio remembered.


    ¡°Here, this is Cheonggyecheon.¡±


    ¡°It''s a very natural scene.¡±


    ¡°Isn''t it?¡±


    ¡°Even though it''s winter, flowers are blooming.¡±


    What is this craziness?


    ''Has Earth finally started breaking down after putting up with humans for too long?''


    Fortunately, Yoo Sung-woon added an explanation.


    ¡°I don''t know what you''re thinking, but they''ve taken special measures to make it like a greenhouse.¡±


    ¡°What kind of measures?¡±


    ¡°There''s a department in the city that manages urban landscaping. They make sure to leave a certain amount of plants when constructing the city.¡±


    ¡°So, they make it a greenhouse even in winter?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, look. The air is really mild, right?¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon pointed at Cheonggyecheon, waving his hand in the air.


    ¡°It''s handled with magic, so anyone can enter except for criminal fifth-class citizens or threatening monsters. It blocks the cold winter air and only lets sunlight through, like a real greenhouse system.¡±


    ¡°Wasn''t it pretty warm in front of our company, too? Places near companies that make a lot of money or public places where people gather often have this kind of spell. In the case of companies, the owner installs it privately, and in the case of public places, the government funds it....¡±


    As Gio was processing Yoo Sung-woon''s words, he asked.


    ¡°When you say threatening monsters... does that mean non-threatening monsters can enter?¡±


    ¡°Ah...¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon pondered for a moment before nodding.


    ¡°Well, they kind of have to. Even monsters are now part of Earth''s ecosystem, contributing to the natural cycle. We can''t just exclude them.¡±


    From those words, Gio realized that monsters were treated like stray cats or chicken pigeons.


    ¡°It seems monsters aren''t only seen when dungeons break open.¡±


    ¡°Hm? Oh, no matter what, humans aren''t that capable.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon continued explaining.


    ¡°When I was young, there were a lot of arguments that all monsters should be eradicated. But even if there are many hunters, it''s not enough to protect all of humanity, and even if there''s an extremely strong hunter, it would be inhumane for them to chase down and handle every monster.¡± R


    He shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°Besides, how would we handle it if such a strong hunter causes a terrorist act out of stress? Even if it''s not a strong hunter, the same applies. Hunters are people too, how could they only work?¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°They say that most of the native monsters that have settled on Earth now are because they weren''t dealt with in the early days of the Great Catastrophe.¡±


    ¡°In the beginning?¡±


    ¡°Back then, hunters were much weaker than now, the system was loose, and there weren''t many people with tracking skills, so it was inevitable.¡±


    ¡°Then the monsters that were left behind because they weren''t killed back then ....¡±


    ¡°Have become part of Earth.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon said, nodding toward the river with a clear flowing stream.


    ¡°Like that one over there.¡±


    Flap¡ª


    In the middle of the river, a round bird was grooming its feathers.


    ¡°That one''s also a monster.¡±


    Indeed, it was a bird Gio didn''t know.


    But the system knew.


    Cotton Bird


    Named by Koreans for its resemblance to cotton. Its wings, body, head, and neck are indistinguishable, forming a round shape, but its actual physique is similar to an ordinary bird except for the puffed-up feathers. If you boil the egg of a Cotton Bird and pull threads from it, you can make bandages.


    A silkworm cocoon?


    ''It almost looks like a ball.''


    Anyway, Gio understood.


    ¡°The Cotton Bird isn''t threatening.¡±


    ¡°...Do you know that bird?¡±


    ¡°I just found out.¡±


    According to the system, it was almost like a bird-shaped silkworm cocoon, but watching the slightly larger cotton balls grooming their feathers in the river brought a sense of peace.


    After observing Gio, Yoo Sung-woon soon spoke again.


    ¡°...Um, yeah, those kinds of creatures. They''re numerous and have small body sizes, but it''s been judged that they don''t cause significant harm to humans or the ecosystem, so most of them have settled as native monsters on Earth.¡±


    ¡°They''re cute.¡±


    ¡°They don''t look cute at all, but you like things like that?¡±


    ¡°If it''s small and round, it looks remarkably harmless, so I like it.¡±


    ¡°No wonder your waterfowl is so round too...¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon laughed helplessly.


    ¡°Even so, the current native monsters have already been integrated into the ecosystem, so we leave them alone, but all the recent invasive species are being dealt with. To begin with, monsters have a strong hatred toward Earthlings.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Usually, that''s how it is. Even if they don''t have hostility, they can still pose a significant threat to humans. The native monsters that remain have already passed safety inspections by the association and are managed by the government.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon pointed at the Cotton Bird again.


    ¡°Those creatures have probably adapted to living on Earth for so long, so their hostility toward humans has mellowed down to the level of regular wild animals. They were said to be monsters dangerous enough to eat human flesh during the early days of the Great Catastrophe, but now they''re as harmless as pigeons.¡±


    ¡°Aha.¡±


    ¡°Since they''re monsters, it''s illegal to touch them or keep them personally, but... coexisting with them is possible. Dungeons and Earth are inextricably linked, so they''ve probably concluded that this approach is better than outright rejection.¡±


    Coexisting with monsters? It seemed Earthlings had grown considerably tough since he last saw them.


    ¡°That''s the end of the explanation. Do you want to walk around for a bit? The water quality is thoroughly managed, so it won''t cause any harm. The monsters and animals here are all harmless, too.¡±


    ¡°...Earlier, for sure....¡±


    Back at Cheonggyecheon.


    ¡°...That wasn''t ''Gio.''¡±


    Something had changed.


    Whether he was aware of himself being in Korea, Gio would usually introduce himself as ''Seo Gio.'' Even though Yoo Sung-woon had pointed that out, he had defined himself as ''Gio'' in Cheonggyecheon.


    ''So what exactly changed?''


    Yoo Sung-woon still remembered the black cloak at Cheonggyecheon.


    It began from the moment Gio''s bare feet touched the stream''s water. An inexplicable sense of discomfort appeared, something oddly rippled, and Gio''s eyes¡ªwhich had been plain black the whole time¡ªtransformed into the colour of the sea.


    When Yoo Sung-woon spoke to him after realizing the change, Gio, who had smiled slowly, seemed as if his entire personality had changed.


    ''What colour was his hair...? Was it silver? Or platinum blonde? I couldn''t see clearly because of the hood.''


    Slowly here and there, he began to get dyed, and soon his body transformed to the point where his feet were indistinguishable from the water. His form remained the same, but those were clearly not human feet¡ªthey belonged to the water.


    When a minnow naturally climbed up his transparent ankle, Yoo Sung-woon couldn''t help but call out to Gio.


    That was.


    Not human.


    It didn''t seem alive, but he could tell that it wasn''t dead either. It wasn''t breathing, but it had life.


    What had been a human he could talk to and touch a few minutes ago had transformed into something more... akin to nature, and was certainly not something that could be handled with a clear mind.


    ¡°...


    How foolish.


    ''Did I lower my guard just because his aura seemed weaker?''


    A being of the origin could never become human. Especially for someone like Gio, who couldn''t even be defined as a monster.


    ''No matter how similar he made it to appear humans like us, it can never be the same.''


    However, Gio was too human and kind to be wary of.


    ¡°I need to get a grip.¡±


    At this rate, he''ll going to lose his status as a gardener.


    ¡°...Still, well, it went much smoother than I expected.¡±


    He exhaled for no reason.


    Yoo Sung-woon threw the bag of basic supplies onto the bed and sat down next to it. Then he reviewed everything from the start of the day until just now.


    There were no problems.


    ''...Though a few things felt awkward, perhaps it''s because he has human memories. Gio is skilled in the rules of human society. He''s at a level incomparable to other monsters.''


    Most monsters, no matter how intelligent, wouldn''t understand why they had to give something to receive something in return.


    ''Actually, that''s normal. When a human observes an anthill, do they spare the ants any consideration before digging it up?''


    It was the same logic. From the monster''s perspective, it made sense to simply take whatever food or items that were openly available.


    If it didn''t exist, they wouldn''t notice, but if it existed, there was no reason not to take it. That was their natural everyday life and rule.


    So, from Gio''s perspective, Yoo Sung-woon''s act of paying for food must have been incomprehensible.


    ¡°But since it went smoothly, it seems like he''s trying to imitate humans in his own way ....¡±


    Strictly speaking though, there were still many immature aspects.


    ¡°He''s clearly curious about a lot of things.¡±


    Things humans would either already know or just pick up on intuitively. Gio asked Yoo Sung-woon about each and every one of them.


    What is this, what is that, can I have this, how was that made....


    ¡°Though it''s hard to call Gio a monster, he''s definitely similar to humanoid monsters in this regard.¡±


    They were always curious about human objects and rules.


    ¡°...Hmm, another reason was probably his lightness compared to that of a human.¡±


    Though he had lowered his aura to almost human levels, it didn''t seem like his body had completely transformed into that of a human. On the way to the hotel, Gio had almost been blown away by the wind.


    ''Even if he only floated for just a moment, it made no sense for someone of his height and build.''


    Originally, Gio had always been so light that one couldn''t hear his footsteps. Today, perhaps thanks to his shoes and clothes, he seemed a little heavier¡ªbut even then, he was still too light to be considered human.


    Even though it was indeed a bit windy, recalling how Gio was nearly blown away by the wind for a moment....


    Honestly, it was a little eerie.


    ¡°...He really isn''t human.¡±


    Gio wasn''t human.


    ''His usual lightness, and also that at Cheonggyecheon.''


    Humans couldn''t be that light.


    The weight of the clothes worn, the weight of one''s internal organs and bones, and the weight of blood circulating inside. If one were human, they wouldn''t be as soundless as a leaf falling softly, like Gio.


    And tiny minnows couldn''t have climbed up his body, either.


    The sight of his pale skin slowly turned into transparent water as his feet touched the stream.


    The scene of fish and air bubbles slipping through him was such a mystical and bizarre moment that it was hard to process with his mind.


    ¡°But he''s not even a monster....¡±


    Nature imitates humans.


    That seems like a more accurate description.


    ¡°...Scary.¡±


    Though beings of the origin were considered as nature with consciousness, for some reason¡ªsomething about Gio felt different, evoking a baseless sense of fear.


    It felt like he was receiving kindness from a being that shouldn''t exist.


    ***


    Meanwhile, Gio.


    ¡°It''s the 45th floor.¡±


    ¡°Coo coo!¡±


    He was enjoying the top floor of the five-star hotel with Honey he had secretly smuggled in.


    Indeed, he had no thoughts.

 Chapter 29

    They move to the dinner place by boat.


    ¡°This is the boat we''ll be taking.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Romantic youth Gio''s heart raced.


    ''To travel by waterway to the restaurant....''


    It felt just like being in Venice.


    ¡°With both roads and waterways around, it''s quite an unusual sight.¡±


    ¡°Is it? Well, I heard there were almost no waterways in Korea before the Great Catastrophe.¡±


    ¡°Why were they made?¡±


    Thud.


    Gio asked as he boarded the water taxi following Yoo Sung-woon.


    ¡°You''d need a large amount of water to create a waterway.¡±


    ¡°It wasn''t intentional. It wasn''t that they brought water in to make waterways, but rather there was just too much water, so they made the waterways to control it.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying there was that much water?¡±


    ¡°The water level was significantly high compared to the height of the land.¡±


    It was so high that it would have been unbearable if they hadn''t made the waterways. Just how far this hellish Korea could go?


    Yoo Sung-woon continued his explanation.


    ¡°Most of the areas are still unexplored by humans, but there are so many dungeons that appeared under the sea, and monsters that came out of them. I heard that the water level rose because the physical volume inside the sea increased.¡±


    ¡°If it''s that much, it must be hard for only one or two monsters to cause that.¡±


    Just how many, and how big, must the monsters that settled on Earth be for it to be unbearable without creating waterways?


    Yoo Sung-woon, understanding Gio''s question, spoke up.


    ¡°There are many underwater monsters large enough to easily surpass the size of a building.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°And it''s not just one monster, there are various kinds with many of them, so naturally, the water level would have risen compared to before the Great Catastrophe. Actually, I heard that our country wasn''t originally a place where the seawater rose this much....¡±


    ¡°How do they manage the seawater that has risen in the countryside?¡±


    ¡°I''ve heard they''ve dug waterways enough that it doesn''t significantly harm farming or daily life too much. They made various paths to prevent the salt from the seawater from seeping into the land, but since they don''t have as much capital as the cities... farming near the waterways would be difficult, I suppose.¡±


    ¡°So, the areas where the seawater flows in excessively have been focusing on fishing instead of farming from the beginning. Some fishes from famous areas are even imported to the cities.¡±


    Despite the situation, it seems like everyone has found ways to survive.


    ''Human adaptability is truly incredible.''


    In any case, Gio was intimidated.


    ''I should stay tucked away in the portrait.''


    Earth had become a world where it was nearly impossible to survive with just romance, passion, and hope, without any practical power.


    In such a tough world, how strong must one become to live while paying monthly rent on time? It was clear that this was a level Gio couldn¡¯t even dream of.


    ¡°I believe you mentioned that the restaurant itself is floating on water.¡±


    ¡°Well, it''s more like a restaurant built on a small island than floating, really....¡±


    ¡°I heard it''s located within the Han River.¡±


    As he sat in the taxi seat, Gio asked.


    ¡°Was there always an island there?¡±


    He knew that there were small islands like Nodeul Island 31 years ago. But Yoo Sung-woon said that the restaurant was sitting alone without any other structures nearby, so he wondered how such a location came to be.


    Yoo Sung-woon easily answered.


    ¡°That''s because it used to be the site of a fixed dungeon.¡±


    ¡°...A fixed dungeon?¡±


    ¡°...Oh, do you not know much about dungeons?¡±


    Judging from his confused face, he must have assumed that Gio would naturally know about it. But unfortunately, reality wasn''t like that.


    In the blink of an eye, Gio had become an ancestor from 31 years ago, unable to keep up with the changing times and thus left behind.


    ''How did I, who once instilled social values in Korea¡¯s children, end up like this?''


    Kids, I miss being your teacher.


    Thankfully, Yoo Sung-woon soon returned to his usual calm expression and began explaining.


    ¡°Dungeons are usually divided into fixed and mobile types. As the name suggests, fixed dungeons stay in one place, while mobile dungeons move according to their own rules. Fixed dungeons can even create terrain that originally wasn¡¯t there.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean the restaurant we''re heading to now was built on such created terrain?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that''s the theme of the restaurant in the first place. The dungeon that was originally there was related to cooking, and because it was moved by the food of an ordinary chef who wasn''t even a hunter but got involved by chance .... it was cleared.¡±


    ¡°Aha.¡±


    The story was incredibly touching.


    ¡°A grand restaurant was left behind at the location where the dungeon was cleared, and the chef who participated in the conquest at that time was said to have inherited and run the restaurant ever since. He''s already 92 years old, but he''s still active on-site.¡±


    ¡°92 years old?¡±


    ¡°Quite long-lived for a human, right?¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon laughed once and continued speaking.


    ¡°Since he was awakened as a chef after clearing a dungeon, he probably isn¡¯t as affected by age. There would be support from skills or items, too. If you see him in person, he likely looks to be in his 50s.¡±


    ¡°He often participates in national-level raids and takes care of the team''s meals, so seems like his combat skills must not be bad either. I haven''t seen it myself, but I heard his main weapon is a nail-studded baseball bat.¡±


    ¡°A baseball bat....¡±


    ¡°Surprising, right? I thought he''d use a kitchen knife. But he said in an interview, how could he use the knives he cooks with to slice monsters? I guess chefs really have a different mindset.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Gio felt like he understood that mindset, but in any case, he was still intimidated. Humanity had become stronger.


    ¡°Do Awakeners age more slowly?¡±


    ¡°As far as I know, most of them do. At least, if they''re C-rank hunters or higher.¡±


    ¡°So, C-rank is the standard for a good hunter....¡±


    ¡°The general reality or perception itself is along those lines.


    It was truly a frightening world.


    ''Everything Grandma said was right. Always live humbly and politely.''


    ¡®He definitely said ¡®here too.¡±


    Gio seemed to have some kind of connection with mermaids.


    ¡°Hmm...¡±


    After a moment of thought, Yoo Sung-woon slowly nodded.


    ¡°Sometimes, creatures like that do emerge. Even if they''re not necessarily monsters... there are entities that take on such forms.¡±


    ¡°In a world where worshipping statues, legends, or myths can bring real monsters into existence, mermaid-related creatures do appear from time to time in different parts of the Earth.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°There''s a famous fairy tale by a very old author called ¡®The Little Mermaid.''¡±


    The Little Mermaid.


    The familiar words made Gio fall into thoughts once again. He was thinking about ¡®Giovanni''s request.


    ¡®Come to think of it, there was a quest related to The Little Mermaid.¡¯


    But for now, he decided to leave it aside.


    ¡°It seems like we''re almost there. It''s a fancy restaurant.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you''re right.¡±


    ¡°I''m looking forward to it since the building is more impressive than I expected.¡±


    They say you shouldn''t worry while at the dining table.


    ***


    A luxurious restaurant that seemed to be made of ivory and marble was blended together.


    It was beautifully decorated like a castle, yet its structure¡ªwith several rooms, stairs, and lobbies mixed together¡ªwas inefficient, as if not built by humans.


    Yet, ironically, this oddity only served to solidify the restaurant''s concept.


    White, pink, light green, sky blue.


    The soft pastel tones, scattered like patchwork on an ivory-coloured canvas, gave off a dreamlike quality that made people feel dazed.


    It was breathtakingly beautiful.


    ¡°There''s something I didn''t get a chance to ask earlier...¡±


    Meanwhile, Yoo Sung-woon and Gio''s party had taken their seats at a cream-coloured table.


    Gio, now seated, asked a question.


    ¡°This place was said to have been made from the remnants of a fixed dungeon, right?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Yes, that''s correct.¡±


    ¡°Then, do fixed dungeons always leave behind terrain or buildings like this after being cleared? And is that how this dungeon left behind this land and restaurant?¡±


    ¡°Ah... yeah, something like that.¡±


    Perhaps thinking it would be good to clear up any lingering questions before the main meal arrived, Yoo Sung-woon explained with his characteristic easygoing smile.


    ¡°Dungeons come in various types, whether fixed or mobile ones. Usually, they are categorized into virtual dungeons, villa dungeons, or entry dungeons.¡±


    ¡°There are three kinds?¡±


    ¡°Actually, there are more than that, but these three are the most commonly known dungeons.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon folded his fingers as he continued his explanation.


    ¡°In the case of virtual dungeons, there are no clear boundaries. The dungeon randomly traps individuals meeting certain conditions, and the game takes place in a virtual world. For example, ten men in their thirties who visit a convenience store exactly at 9 p.m. might be pulled into a game, where the game board resembles the convenience store.¡±


    ¡°That sounds incredibly unfair.¡±


    ¡°Exactly, and that''s why virtual dungeons are such a headache for hunters. How many of those ten men in their thirties would actually be suitable hunters for clearing the dungeon? Virtual dungeons are quite rare, but they''re hard to avoid and cause a lot of damage, making them a real concern for modern people.¡±


    A world where this could be considered a ¡®concern for modern people¡¯ seems to be a bit unsettling.


    Yoo Sung-woon, unaware that Gio had become completely terrified thanks to his stiff facial muscles, continued his explanation calmly.


    ¡°Next, we have villa dungeons. This is when some random terrain and rules suddenly appear on Earth.¡±


    ¡°Is this restaurant an example of that?¡±


    ¡°You''ve got it. Just like you said, this restaurant building was created as part of a villa dungeon. One day, out of nowhere, a restaurant suddenly appeared in the middle of the Han River.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon rolled his eyes as if recalling the memory.


    ¡°As far as I know, this restaurant wasn¡¯t just a restaurant built on top of a new terrain. It¡¯s an excessively long restaurant with a basement deep enough to reach all the way to the riverbed, but since only the restaurant is visible above the water, it''s known as the ¡®water-floating restaurant.''¡±


    He nodded as he continued.


    ¡°In this way, villa dungeons mean that mansions from other dimensions suddenly get built on Earth. Since the area has already been replaced with such terrain, there''s no way to restore it. So even after a villa dungeon has been cleared, it usually remains in place, with only its rules gone. How to handle and utilize it is left up to the people of Earth.¡±


    ¡°And the last one is the entry dungeon. This one is similar to a game. I''m not sure what kind of games you know, but...¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon shook his last finger as he spoke.


    ¡°Unlike virtual dungeons with no physical boundaries or villa dungeons with existing but vague boundaries, entry dungeons are different. It¡¯s a case where a gate appears, and once you enter, you can begin clearing a dimension from another world.¡±


    ¡°Aha...¡±


    It indeed looked like those dimensional portals often seen in games. A game where entering a gate takes you to another map. Gio completely understood now.


    As always, Yoo Sung-woon kindly and casually continued his explanation.


    ¡°However, examples of utilizing dungeon remnants as a restaurant like this one are pretty rare.¡±


    ¡°It''s unique and seems like a good idea, so I''m surprised it''s not done more often. Why is that?¡±


    ¡°Humans are fearful creatures.¡±


    Hyung, are you going to keep treating me like a haunted portrait?


    ¡°There could be problems with letting regular people in, and there aren¡¯t many people brave enough to live there or make use of the dungeon¡¯s remnants. Above all, these remaining remnants tend to be picky about people... so most of the time, it was preferred to demolish them.¡±


    ¡°Picky about people?¡±


    ¡°Like, if someone it doesn''t like comes in, it¡¯ll make them feel chills?¡±


    ¡°That sounds like a haunted house.¡±


    Said the haunted portrait.


    Yes, Gio did actually acknowledge his own identity.


    ¡®After all, normal people don''t usually build a cabin and live a healing life inside a portrait.¡¯


    Gio, who didn¡¯t intend to strongly assert himself as human anyway, made a subtle excuse.


    ¡°...I don''t give people chills.¡±


    ¡°Sure, sure, Gio is a human. Right?¡±


    ¡°That''s right.¡±


    He was so grateful that he ¡®yes, yes¡¯ him like a 4-year-old cousin that it almost brought him to tears.

 Chapter 30

    ''I''ve been to French restaurants a few times before....''


    Gio looked around the interior of the restaurant again.


    ''They really nailed the concept here.''


    Gio, who is more romantic than fearful, wasn''t fazed even by the words, ''This is a restaurant that was made from a dungeon where dozens of people died.''


    ''Why should I be scared when the food is good?''


    To Gio, even the air in this restaurant, ''Histoire,'' felt sweet.


    ¡°Do you like this place?¡±


    ¡°The atmosphere is nice.¡±


    There was fun in appreciating it.


    It was confusing yet clean, dreamlike yet neat. The cool but gentle feel of the colours was likely due to the designer''s ability to blend white and pastel tones appropriately.


    It was a bizarre yet fantastic design, as if it embodied someone''s beautiful dream.


    ''There''s a high probability that this building wasn''t designed by a human ...''


    The complex and beautiful building, like a dream brought to life, and the sweet air that made your mouth water as if an illusion was being materialized, made him feel excited as if he was at an amusement park for a unique ride that he had never experienced in his life.


    Even on Earth, originally there had been something called immersive dining. It referred to restaurants where you could watch performances in theatres designed with a single concept and enjoy a meal immersed in that theme. You could say it''s a participatory play where you could enjoy a meal.


    ''And here, this restaurant called a dungeon, has a story connected to an actual dimension, unlike the pure, fictional plays that could be considered lies, it''s a real story, and it was even said that the chef here was the protagonist of that story.''


    The restaurant was quite tall, but its centre was open, so you could see the ceiling even from the first floor.


    But that didn''t mean the centre was completely open in a circular shape. There were stairs connected in layers and a round lobby without any railings, where the guests could also dine.


    People dining in the aerial lobby were seated in such a visually pleasing position as if they had been chosen as the main characters of this play.


    Gio and Yoo Sung-woon sat on the seats at the edge of the fifth floor.


    ¡°Hmm...¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon asked with a curious expression.


    ¡°Did you actually want to sit in the lobby? It''s a popular spot since it''s where the dungeon''s story took place.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Ah, you answered quickly. You kept looking at the aerial lobby, so I thought you might prefer that spot.¡±


    ¡°I liked the building''s structure, so I was just admiring it. It''s a pleasure to look at.¡±


    Though he didn''t reject it outright out of courtesy, he absolutely did not want to dine in the aerial lobby.


    ''Having all that attention focused on me would be too intense of an experience for someone with a soft heart like me.''


    If you think of it as immersive dining, that spot could also be part of the play, but he didn''t want to eat in such a space where he could be stared at by unfamiliar strangers. Gio covered up his shyness. r


    ¡°I was just admiring it.¡±


    ¡°Well, that''s a relief.¡±


    At Gio''s clean yet firm tone, Yoo Sung-woon inwardly sighed in relief.


    ''...I can''t have Gio exposed in such a public spot like that.''


    Though Gio was still wearing his hood as he wished, that didn''t mean he could hide his physique or the atmosphere around him.


    No matter how much he tried to lower his status by imitating humans, where would his true essence go?


    ''About 19 people are watching... 11 of them are hunters. 4 seems to be on guard, preparing for any unexpected situations. 1 is C-rank, 2 are B-rank, and 1 is A-rank.''


    Histoire was a unique restaurant that utilized remnants of a past dungeon, so most ordinary people who hadn''t awakened avoided coming. The hurdle was too high for them to casually come just to enjoy a meal.


    The price was one thing, but more than that, the fact that it was a place where many people had died in the past made it a no-go for most.


    ''Many people said they''d have nightmares if they ate in a place like this.''


    For hunters, witnessing people dying was a daily occurrence, so over 70% of the customers at Histoire were hunters.


    However, even among them, the reactions varied.


    ''Because the influence of the remnants still remains.''


    Histoire''s building could cause anything from hallucinations and auditory illusions to, in extreme cases, schizophrenia symptoms.


    Though it wasn''t easy to get to that point unless someone caused a disturbance in the restaurant, many customers couldn''t handle the subtle pressure that the building itself emanated.


    Gio, this guy.


    ''If you''re going to imitate humans, at least do it properly.''


    By showing such calm enjoyment of the restaurant, he naturally drew the attention of the other guests. In a space that became increasingly bizarre the more you looked, he blatantly showed that he wasn''t human.


    ''...Moreover....''


    Even without such eerie behaviour, Gio had an air of nobility around him.


    ''Maybe he fits so well in this French restaurant because he looks like real nobility.''


    Should he call it elegance, or perhaps intimidation? He wasn''t even trying, but even though he was trying to lower himself, every gesture that came out exuded a certain dignity.


    ''I didn''t notice it much when we were only talking through the portrait, but now that he''s out here, he definitely has an elegant atmosphere. He even has a neat vibe like those priests in the temple.''


    Does he really think that the word ''ordinary person'' fits him when he has this kind of atmosphere?


    ''There aren''t many people like this even among humans...''


    Even though Gio had a deep respect and understanding of humans, he still had gaps here and there. Judging from his lack of attention to detail showed that he wasn''t human after all.


    Of course, Gio wasn''t thinking about anything.


    ''It''s been a long time since I''ve been to a restaurant like this.''


    As Giovanni, that was what he thought for a moment.


    In fact, all the elegance, poise, and priestly demeanour he had shown up until now came from ''Giovanni,'' who had been a noble, a doctor, and a priest. He simply wasn''t aware of the habits and atmosphere that naturally came out.


    ¡°I think so, too.¡±


    The process of saute?ing white, firm onions until they turned a deep caramel colour. That process was the key to making onion soup. If the onions were burnt or undercooked, you''d end up drinking bland onion water instead of tasting its savoury flavour.


    But this soup, which had extracted every bit of sweetness, savoriness, and richness of the onions, was worthy of being called a healing dish. With ordinary effort and time, one wouldn''t be able to bring out all the flavours of the onion to this extent.


    ''Kidnapping.''


    Let''s kidnap the chef.


    ¡°This is a cheese flower salad with Amura pure?e.¡±


    Upon hearing the new dish and the unfamiliar term, Gio naturally turned to look at Yoo Sung-woon.


    It was a beautiful salad with a pale yellow sauce drizzled on top, cheese shaped like flowers scattered around, surrounded by neatly trimmed flower petals.


    An explanation was needed.


    ¡°Ah... are you curious about the ingredients?¡±


    ¡°If it''s alright, may I ask what Amura is?¡±


    ¡°It''s one of the representative fruits successfully cultivated after being brought from a dungeon. Do you know avocado?¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°It''s a fruit with soft flesh similar to that, but with a strong nutty aroma like that of nuts. The fruit contains a massive amount of oil, and that oil doesn''t burn easily at most temperatures, so I hear it''s often used in Chinese cuisine.¡±


    ¡°Then the flesh itself...¡±


    ¡°That''s right. This is the first time I''ve seen a place that uses Amura as a pure?e. Last season, there was a fruit salad. Histoire changes its menu every four months, so it''s always fun to visit.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    The fruit called Amura had a pale yellow colour, even lighter than a chick.


    ''...It has a nuttiness similar to that of peanuts or walnuts.''


    But it didn''t immediately remind him of nuts. Strictly speaking, it was more like the subtle sweetness and nuttiness you get from chewing rice for a long time.


    Then, in the end, a rich sweetness like honey, and the tanginess unique to fruits hit¡ªadding variation to the flavour.


    ''It''s definitely rich in oil. It almost feels like marbling in beef...''


    This sweet oiliness, somewhat reminiscent of bone broth, paired perfectly with the refreshingly spread petals. Gio''s eyes naturally fell on the cheeseflower, which resembled the shape of a korean rosebay.


    When he slightly split the cheeseflower, he could see that it was a ''flower'' grown naturally like this from the beginning.


    ¡°... Cheese flower...¡±


    ¡°Are you interested? Should I get you some seedlings later?¡±


    ¡°Please do.¡±


    ¡°Alright. I''ll buy it for you on the way back after the tour.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    A flower that grows into cheese¡ªwhat an exciting story to gather up all the childhood innocence anyone ever had. It seemed like something straight out of a fairytale he had read as a child.


    ''Considering how much effort it takes for humans to make cheese, this is an incredibly charming flower.''


    What even is cheese in the first place? Wasn''t it a symbol of effort, where you boil and boil the sweet milk, roll and roll it until one finally got a small quantity after all that work?


    And now, this processed product was naturally growing as a flower¡ªhow could that not be surprising? The petals were thin and beautiful like a work of art.


    ''What''s the mechanism behind this? The taste itself seems similar to Te?te de Moine cheese...''


    The semi-hard cheese maintained its shape but crumbled softly when touched, with the softness and nuttiness typical of milk, but with a strong, nutty aroma and a pungent, spicy flavour.


    The cheese flower had a slightly stronger spiciness on the tip of the tongue, but it wasn''t unpleasant. It was just enough to refresh the oily taste of the Amura pure?e and the characteristic richness of the cheese.


    ''This combination is a work of art. Could the chef be a living cultural treasure?''


    Above all, the cheeseflower, being twice as sweet and nuttier than Te?te de Moine, also carried a hint of honey. It was like the delicate sweetness you get when you flip over a korean rosebay flower and sip the nectar.


    That sweetness matched the salad so well, it was almost frightening. Gio was excited at the thought of planting this flower back at the cabin.


    ¡°You look really happy.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    What an obvious thing to say.


    ¡°Humans are happiest when they eat.¡±


    ¡°Uh... really?¡±


    ¡°Well, I am, at least.¡±


    It had been that way since he ate the potatoes his grandmother roasted in the wood-fired oven. He couldn''t escape from this extremely primal pleasure.


    The rest of the meal course was just as fantastic. There was gratin with a rich truffle aroma, french fries lightly topped with cheese, slow-cooked beef brisket infused with the aroma of wood, and garlic that was made into crispy chips.


    For something known to be oily like French cuisine, the harmony was exquisite, making it a course that didn''t get tiring.


    ¡°How was it overall?¡±


    ¡°It wasn''t just good, it was excellent.¡±


    ¡°I''m glad you enjoyed it...¡±


    If you''re going to mimic humans, why don''t you at least pretend to care about your surroundings?


    ''Humans are more social creatures than you think...''


    Yoo Sung-woon, who had to bear the brunt of ''what the hell is that'' gazes directed at Gio, smiled bitterly.


    korean rosebay (pink azalea):


    from what I look around, seems like most azalea is poisonous, only this pink azalea is edible.


    Te?te de Moine cheese (the only thing I know is that this cheese is expensive):

 Chapter 31

    ¡°Then shall we head to Gyeongbokgung Palace now?¡±


    Gyeongbokgung Palace is it.


    ''I''ve taken my class there a few times for field trips. The kids hated it because they thought it was boring, but...''


    As Gio recalled the bustling past, he asked.


    ¡°You mentioned there''s a night market?¡±


    ¡°That''s right, there''s no better place to feel the atmosphere of Korea.¡±


    ¡°It sounds fun.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to try wearing a hanbok too?¡±


    ¡°Hanbok....¡±


    His not-so-distant memories came flooding back.


    It was a place he wouldn''t have visited unless it was for the school trip, but it was still fun to dress the kids up in hanbok and take pictures at Gyeongbokgung Palace.


    ''Especially the last class I was in charge of, they put on a live performance of palace fights.''


    Gio was lost in his memories. The bloody battle between the queen and the eunuch was the best.


    Thanks to being in charge of such lively and cute students, Gio had many fond memories of Gyeongbokgung Palace. Although he had never worn a hanbok before because he always had to lead the group, he didn''t dislike the idea of wearing one.


    ¡°That sounds good.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon secretly let out a sigh of relief at Gio''s response.


    ''I was worried that since his essence is a portrait, he might be uncomfortable changing outfits.''


    Fortunately, Gio seemed to be the type who wasn''t particularly opposed to trying out various experiences.


    ¡°Great, I know a good place.¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about a hanbok rental shop?¡±


    ¡°It''s not a crowded place, so we can take our time.¡±


    ¡°I''m looking forward to it.¡±


    ¡°Then shall we take the overground train now? It should be arriving at the spot soon.¡±


    ¡°Is there a set time for arrival?¡±


    ¡°It''s not a very frequent means of transportation....¡±


    As Yoo Sung-woon led Gio toward the stop, he was lost in a strange thought.


    ''Since he introduced himself as Gio, I assumed he was imitating Korean culture, but the culture he''s mimicking doesn''t seem to be Korean?''


    The table manners Gio had shown at the restaurant didn''t quite match those of Korea.


    Looking back, Gio''s words suggested he knew a lot about Korea, yet his manners leaned more toward Western customs no matter where he observed, which was quite peculiar.


    ¡°...Hmm.¡±


    But now, it didn''t really matter.


    ¡°How was the restaurant?¡±


    ¡°It was delicious.¡±


    ¡°That''s a response that makes the guide proud.¡±


    When his level had been so high, it was hard to tell what expression Gio was making, but now he could tell that Gio was enjoying the situation in his own way.


    ''Thanks to that, the guide is going smoothly.''


    Yoo Sung-woon continued his thoughts.


    ''Since he''s behaving quite human, unless other hunters don''t pick a fight, there shouldn''t be any problems. Guild leader Bi Sa-beol said before, Gio is the type who avoids conflict whenever possible....''


    Gio spoke up his admiration.


    ¡°The overground train passes right through the buildings.¡±


    ¡°Doesn''t it make commuting to work easier? It''s convenient when it drops you off directly inside the building.¡±


    ¡°That''s true.¡±


    ¡°In two more stops, there''s a stop that goes through a department store too.¡±


    ¡°Is there no issue with the noise?¡±


    ¡°They''ve done soundproofing. I''m not sure exactly what the magic department used, but....¡±


    Judging from the way he enjoyed every single thing he was guided through, Gio seemed to like this world of humans.


    ''A man nearly 190 cm tall acting like this would have come off as childish, but....''


    Strangely, the angle of his neck as he turned his head or the way his fingers lightly brushed the window didn''t make him seem immature at all.


    He was clearly enjoying himself, but instead of the pure amazement of a child, it felt more like the detached observation of a bystander.


    ''Is it because of the heavy atmosphere?''


    Instead of laughing from an equal footing, it was more like he was observing from above with his hands behind his back....


    ¡°Are we getting off soon?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon led Gio off at the Gyeongbokgung Palace stop. Pointing below the stop, he said:


    ¡°This is Gyeongbokgung Palace.¡±


    One of the advantages of the overground train was that it gave a clear view of the city.


    Lanterns floated gently at a not-too-high altitude swaying softly as if they were alive, and below them lay Gyeongbokgung Palace and the Hanok Village.


    Since the area was lit by fire rather than electricity to light the night, the entire scene was bathed in a warm glow.


    People who stopped by after work or came for sightseeing bought food from the night market stalls lined up inside and outside of Gyeongbokgung Palace. The hanboks worn according to their different roles, fluttered in the winter breeze.


    After waiting for Gio to take in the entire view, Yoo Sung-woon opened his mouth again.


    ¡°If you''re in Seoul, you have to visit Gyeongbokgung Palace. It''s a world-renowned tourist attraction.¡±


    ¡°What? Is it too crowded for your liking?¡±


    ¡°No, I just didn''t expect the atmosphere to be this nice.¡±


    ¡°I''m glad you don''t dislike it. Then we should enjoy it, too¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon took the direct elevator down and led Gio to Hanok Village. People wandered around every narrow alley, some in hanbok, some not.


    The hanboks for rent in winter were all lined with warm materials, that was probably why despite it being midwinter, the outfits didn''t look too bulky.


    ¡°Come here, let''s change clothes first.¡±


    ¡°Are we going to the Hanbok rental place?¡±


    ¡°That''s right. To enjoy it properly, we need to get everything ready.¡±


    Though it was easy to get lost for beginners in Gyeongbokgung Palace''s Hanok Village, finding the rental shop wasn''t difficult since Yoo Sung-woon had visited several times before. Such tourist attraction filled with so many ''stories'' often gave Yoo Sung-woon work to do.


    ''...They seem a bit excited today. It doesn''t look like they''ll cause any trouble, but they''re unusually lively....''


    He saw ''stories'' pretending to clear snow off the hanok''s roof, or imitating scholars or noblewomen, all while dressed in hanbok.


    Yoo Sung-woon glanced away after confirming the figures wearing wooden masks. They usually wouldn''t attack first, but the ones in Gyeongbokgung Palace weren''t the kind you''d want to lock eyes with for too long.


    After a moment of thought, the boss called over another person with daenggi in her hair.


    ¡°Ms. Hong-yeon, could you bring over the water tank?¡±


    ¡°Yes, boss.¡±


    The woman called Hong-yeon soon brought over a large glass case. Inside, several lanterns made of hanji5 were submerged in light and moving as if they were alive. The boss scooped out two small fish among them.


    The tiny flickering figures looked almost like real fish.


    ¡°How about goldfish? They''re small and subtle, so they''re not hard to carry around.¡±


    ¡°That sounds good.¡±


    Gio was in a state of cultural shock.


    ''The lanterns are alive?''


    When Yoo Sung-woon mentioned ''lanterns'', Gio had thought of hand-held sky lanterns or hanging lanterns.


    However, the goldfish lanterns that Yoo Sung-woon purchased floated gently through the air, and soon one of them settled beside Gio''s face.


    Even staring directly at the flicking tails of the lantern didn''t hurt his eyes.


    ¡°Then, enjoy yourselves.¡±


    The boss waved them off.


    As they left the courtyard where silk was hung here and there, they stepped back into the bustling village street again. Yoo Sung-woon called out to Gio, who was looking around the village with interest.


    ¡°How''s it? Not uncomfortable, right?¡±


    ¡°Very comfortable.¡±


    ¡°If you want to look around the village before we head into Gyeongbokgung Palace, that''s fine.¡±


    ¡°The village?¡±


    ¡°The village market closes earlier than Gyeongbokgung Palace. If we wander the night market too long, the village lights will probably already be dark when we come out.¡±


    ¡°Then, may I look around the village for a bit?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon led Gio, who seemed unfamiliar with the surroundings, into a fan shop.


    As Gio stood blankly outside the shop, he blinked twice at a group of figures loitering nearby, all wearing crude wooden masks. Their movements weren''t stiff, but they acted uniformly, like pre-programmed machines.


    They didn''t look like humans. As Gio tilted his head as he couldn''t figure out who they were, Yoo Sung-woon spoke to the boss.


    ¡°Boss, can I see some fans?¡±


    ¡°Oh my, look at these handsome scholars. What kind would you like to see?¡±


    ¡°Something sturdy would be good....¡±


    ¡°Then this one is the best.¡±


    Gio soon turned his attention away from the masked group hanging around, and curiously observed the village market.


    ''All the shopkeepers are wearing hanbok.''


    Traditional hanbok, or modernized hanbok. Or some merchants wore modern clothes underneath, with only a durumagi6 draped over on the outside. They mainly interacted with tourists walking around in hanbok, playing along with them.


    Soon, Yoo Sung-woon presented Gio with a black fan.


    ¡°Here, take it. A scholar''s outfit isn''t complete without a fan.¡±


    ¡°...Is a fan an essential item for a scholar?¡±


    ¡°It can be, or not. It''s just a meaningless souvenir.¡±


    ¡°Souvenirs from tourist spots are special.¡±


    The fan, made of black bamboo and fabric, looked quite high-class. Gio wondered if carrying a completely black fan would make him look too much like the Grim Reaper, but since he liked black, he accepted it obediently.


    ¡°Most shops in Gyeongbokgung Palace''s Village sell souvenirs or food ingredients. They sell whole chunks of meat or agricultural and marine products they grew themselves. It''s much fresher than the goods distributed from the countryside, so many people prefer shopping here.¡±


    Gio nodded.


    ¡°The atmosphere is really nice.¡±


    ¡°Right?¡±


    After wandering around the village for a while, they eventually entered the Gyeongbokgung Palace.


    ¡°Wait, we need to exchange money.¡±


    ¡°Money?¡±


    ¡°The boss gave you a coin pouch, right? That''s a basic service provided for storing traditional coins. Inside Gyeongbokgung Palace you can only use traditional coins, so it''s better to exchange enough beforehand.¡±


    ¡°What to do with the leftover traditional coins?¡±


    ¡°You can either keep them as souvenirs or exchange them back at the exchange counter.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon soon returned with the coin pouch bulging with traditional coins7.


    ¡°They say the traditional coins are made lighter on purpose, but they''re still a bit heavy.¡±


    ¡°Don''t people find this method inconvenient?¡±


    ¡°Well? If you look for them, there might be some, but most come here to enjoy the experience. The merchants in Gyeongbokgung Palace also prefer getting paid in traditional coins because they receive more than the listed price.¡±


    ¡°How can they get more?¡±


    ¡°The government support the merchants.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon smiled faintly.


    ¡°That way, people will use traditional coins more actively.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°Here, take it. This is your identity card.¡±


    A card too?


    Traditional coins made sense since they''d be used as currency, but what''s the use of an identity card? Gio looked at Yoo Sung-woon, who shrugged.


    ¡°Free pass.¡±


    ¡°Aha.¡±


    That was really nice.


    t/n: ¡°Guiding a guest again¡°, the guiding here is ????? (reception). I don''t know how to make this sentence work with that word.


    I personally thought it''ll be easier to imagine with the images, but if I ruined the immersion with the images in the middle, please let me know and I''ll move the images all down to the bottom.


    1: dapho (I believe the one implied here is short-sleeved so you can imagine without the red inner one):


    2: dopo (it''s said to be outerwear but I think in this case it was positioned inside the dapho):


    3: norigae ornaments:


    4: daenggi:


    5: hanji paper for making the goldfish paper lanterns:


    6: durumagi:


    7: I wonder if I should just use brass coins instead of traditional coins for this tbh.


    anyway regarding the hanbok parts, feel free to correct me if I''m wrong!

 Chapter 32.1

    Gio sniffed the food from the night market.


    ¡°Do you have any questions?¡±


    ¡°No, you eat well.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that''s right.¡±


    Gio was a big eater.


    ¡°Aren''t you full?¡±


    ¡°I usually eat a lot, so it''s fine.¡±


    ¡°I think it''s impressive.¡±


    ¡°If the food wasn''t good, I would''ve stopped in moderation, but everything tasted delicious.¡±


    ¡°Well, it has to taste good for people to come.¡±


    While that was a valid point, if all restaurants and food were delicious, no business would ever fail.


    ''Anyway, in 31 years, this tourist spot has become pretty solid. When I visited with our class children, wasn''t it almost like walking through history? It was quite a task trying to cheer up the bored kids.''


    Gio casually lifted the veil and chewed on rice cake coated with grain syrup, grilled over charcoal. This was the true Korean tanghulu.


    ''Gyeongbokgung Palace used to be just a typical cultural heritage... it had such a boring feeling.''


    It was a place filled with many memories, but what made those memories wasn''t the Gyeongbokgung Palace itself, but the communication with the students who wandered around trying to find their self-identity wearing hanbok.


    ''Seeing the tears coming up for no reason makes me wonder what happened to that idol trainee who used to say he must have been a king of Joseon in his past life. I''m curious if everyone is doing well.''


    If it weren''t for the students who faithfully stuck to their nonsense like true high schoolers who couldn''t live with their right minds, Gio wouldn''t have enjoyed Gyeongbokgung Palace so much.


    The hanok was beautiful and old-fashioned, but there were few students who protested when they had to come here, especially in the summer.


    ''But today''s Gyeongbokgung Palace has become more practical. There''s definitely a lot more to enjoy.''


    People wearing hanbok enjoyed role-playing, and they often swapped the lanterns they bought with others. Everyone looked happy.


    If there was one thing to be curious about.


    ''What is that?''


    He saw something transparent like a shadow, wandering around wearing a hanbok.


    ''It was like that at the fan shop too, and in the alleys of the Hanok Village... those similar things are wandering around.''


    There could be exceptions, but all the ones Gio saw were wearing masks.


    There was a group of shadowy figures resembling sadangpae1 on tightropes, swaying with lanterns attached to their backs, a bunch of children with daenggi hair hopping around among the people, and a group of civil officials going in and out of restricted areas inside the palace....


    ¡°...Mr. Yoo Sung-woon.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°What do you call that?¡±


    ¡°What... ah.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon spoke as if it was something Gio should naturally know.


    ¡°They''re fairy tales, living stories. It''s probably your first time seeing them in a place like this, right?¡±


    ¡°They usually prefer places without people, so seeing them in such a bustling tourist spot is rare. Still, they are one of the proper children of the origin.¡±


    This was something he had heard before.


    ¡°I suppose I am too.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I guess so.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon''s expression was slightly awkward, even though he tried to hide it. It was probably because he thought of him as something other than human.


    ''Anyway, Mr. Yoo Sung-woon would understand that whether I''m human or not, I''m a harmless being who can''t even kill an ant, so it doesn''t matter whether I''m human or not.''


    Fearing he might be dragged out of his portrait, Gio didn''t bother correcting him and instead took in the view of Gyeongbokgung Palace again.


    ''Earth and humanity have become stronger.''


    Certainly, he would be eliminated. Gio, who only knew how to eat, sleep, and draw, had no confidence that he could survive in this harsh world.


    ¡°How many people can see the beings of the origin?¡±


    ¡°Are you asking for a percentage of the human population? Well, not many.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    The more special you are, the more you tend to get stabbed. Gio once again vowed to dedicate his life in the portrait.


    Sitting absentmindedly on the bench, Gio soon noticed a small commotion.


    ¡°I can hear the sound of fighting.¡±


    ¡°That''s rare, in a tourist spot like this.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon, who had been leaning back in his chair, leaned forward.


    ¡°The guards will probably catch them soon, but....¡±


    Sure enough, guards wearing a thick hanbok were grabbing the shouting man. A middle-aged man was making a scene, trying to charge at a rather handsome man dressed in a scholar''s robe.


    The scholar, who had probably been grabbed by the collar, was fixing his shirt with a troubled expression.


    The young man clearly had a kind-looking face, but...


    Let''s create a picture frame to check the safety (0/1)


    Reward: Seal


    Gio had a hunch.


    ¡°Gio?¡±


    A picture frame.


    Gio raised his hands, forming a camera shape with his fingers, and brought them to his eyes.


    Dang


    Five stars.


    ''Very dangerous?''


    It seemed like the guards had mistakenly grabbed the wrong person to take out.


    Would you like to check the record?


    Yes/No


    Does he really need to do that?


    1: Sadangpae: troupes of street performers that were formed vastly in 17~18th century Korea.

 Chapter 32.2

    The young man wearing the scholar¡¯s uniform and Gio¡¯s gazes met.


    ''Was I staring too much?''


    Although Yoo Sung-woon seemed to find Gio''s sudden action strange, he didn''t say anything.


    The scholar looked Gio up and down as if sizing him up, nodded slightly, and then walked away. He had the expression as if he thought he had picked a fight with him.


    ¡°Coo.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you scared me.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon was startled by the sudden appearance of Honey.


    ¡°...Huh? Waterfowl? Wait, Gio, this... the one you showed me last time....¡±


    ¡°It''s Honey.¡±


    ¡°You could bring a few of them out?¡±


    ¡°I haven''t tried with other birds, so I''m not sure.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I see, uh... got it.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon had a somewhat resigned expression.


    ¡°It''s about time the Earth falls apart.¡±


    ¡°It seems to be holding up well, I don''t know why you''re suddenly saying something so random.¡±


    ¡°It was definitely a sandcastle that would crumble with a light push....¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon, who had been smiling with a resigned face, soon returned to his usual expression and asked.


    ¡°So, what about that person? Is it bothering you?¡±


    ¡°He seemed dangerous.¡±


    ¡°...Really?¡±


    ¡°He didn''t seem to like me.¡±


    A scary person.


    ¡°I didn''t want to start a fight.¡±


    He had forgotten for a moment that when you make eye contact for more than 3 seconds, it boils down to either ''Is that guy into me?'' or ''Does that guy want to fight me?''


    ¡®I should have politely and kindly spoken within 3 seconds, but their impressive background made me miss the timing to act friendly. It''s clear that the intuition of Seo Gio, once called the Poke?mon Trainer of the 21st century, has dulled.¡¯


    This was the so-called battle if eye contact is made. Whether in a good or bad way.


    ''That guy just now seems to have taken it in the bad way.''


    In this tough era where businesspeople in suits fight off monsters, what was he thinking, provoking a fight with a five-star danger guy?


    ''No, isn''t it a problem if the danger level of a random passerby is this high?''


    Gio, feeling frustrated by this mad hellish Korea, spoke sincerely.


    ¡°I¡¯m scared.¡±


    ¡°Even if you say you¡¯re scared, it¡¯s hard to take that seriously... Are you being sarcastic?¡±


    ¡°I think it''s best if we return to the hotel.¡±


    ¡°If that''s what you want.¡±


    Gio gently tucked Honey, who was trying to peek out from his scarf, back in and left Gyeongbokgung Palace. Honey seemed pleased with the shiny fish lanterns, as he had already tucked one into his belly.


    And then, when he woke up at 3:32 AM after passing out in the hotel bed.


    Gio confirmed that Honey was gone.


    ¡°Please.¡±


    Can''t you leave me in peace now?


    He might just start crying.


    ***


    In a dark, desolate alley in the slums.


    ¡°... So what on earth was that guy earlier?¡±


    The man, now rid of his scholar''s robe, roughly ran his hand through his hair.


    ''I had a strange feeling.''


    It was a man dressed in a pitch-black hanbok. He was so heavily bundled up that his face was obscured.


    He seemed about 190 cm tall, but guessing the person''s identity from just their gender and height was difficult.


    ¡°Something feels off.¡±


    His hand.


    Was gone.


    Inside the bird''s transparent body, his hand was visible. The squirming fish swam around his severed hand.


    And soon, the two slowly melted away.


    ¡°...Ah.¡±


    ¡°Coo.¡±


    ¡°Fuck.¡±


    The man wasn''t incompetent.


    ¡°Cooor?¡±


    ¡°This... this damn....¡±


    ¡°Ccoooooorrr?¡±


    ¡°...This is ridiculous.¡±


    ¡°Cocooor.¡±


    As a priest of the Sun, a rank that couldn¡¯t be taken lightly, he had the right to be arrogant.


    However, from a common-sense perspective, all of this was a situation where things that shouldn¡¯t exist piled up and realized like a disaster rather than a miracle. It wasn''t a difficulty that a single person could handle.


    The once-tiny bird¡¯s body began to swell in an abnormal way.


    ¡°Fuck, fuck, fuck.¡±


    ¡°Cooorr?¡±


    Feathers shimmered with a light that was hard to tell if it was the moon or the sun.


    Strong claws and long legs resembling hooks.


    And a massive beak.


    ¡°No...!¡±


    Gulp¡ª


    There was the sound of water flowing.


    ¡°Ugh, gag...!¡±


    Then the sound of swirling was heard.


    ¡°


    Soon,


    There was silence.


    The man was nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°Coor.¡±


    Only a tiny bird, fluttering leisurely, remained.


    ***


    ¡°Honey.¡±


    Gio likes things that are small and harmless.


    But the children of origin are skilled at shaping their appearances.


    ¡°Where have you been?¡±


    ¡°Coor.¡±


    ¡°You''re cute, so it''s fine.¡±


    Then.


    What exactly is their essence?


    ¡°There''s some fish-shaped buns over there.¡±


    ¡°Coo!!¡±


    ¡°You''re my son after all.¡±


    ¡°Cooool?¡±


    ¡°You''ve got a taste for the good stuff.¡±


    ¡ªEven the children of origin themselves didn¡¯t know that.

 Chapter 33.1

    He had been seeing strange things since he was a child.


    ¡°What? A person?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, over there. Can''t you see?¡±


    ¡°...What are you talking about, it''s just an empty lot.¡±


    ¡°Did you see a monster or something?¡±


    ¡°It''s not a monster....¡±


    Sometimes, it would take a shape similar to a human.


    ¡°...Sorry, I think I was mistaken.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you''re okay, oppa?¡±


    ¡°Maybe I''m still half-asleep.¡±


    Like squirrels or stray cats, its long tail would trail through the bushes, or it would stand still like a tree, emitting a strange scent, or sometimes it would float up high in the sky as if it were a cloud....


    He knew that it was fundamentally different from the plants and animals he knew. Sometimes it was very similar, but other times it was grotesquely sloppy.


    ¡°Maybe you''ve been pushing yourself too hard lately. How about taking a break?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still manageable.¡±


    Like most wild animals, they didn''t acknowledge his presence.


    ¡°I should work while I still can.¡±


    So, Cha Eun-hyuk also pretended not to see them on purpose.


    ''Can anyone else see them?''


    He thought hard about what they were.


    ''...Are they ghosts? But if they were ghosts, they''d look more like regular people. These definitely have animal forms. Although sometimes they only mimic parts like ears or tails. Then are they hallucinations? But they leave actual traces, so I can''t just call them hallucinations. So, are they monsters? But monsters don''t usually ignore people like that.''


    They would sometimes dance. They sang songs, appreciated flowers, or floated on the water. Cha Eun-hyuk instinctively knew that as long as he didn''t disturb them, they wouldn''t harm him.


    But very occasionally, dangerous ones would appear.


    ¡°They say a fire broke out at that house.¡±


    ¡°No wonder, the lady in that house has been so forgetful lately....¡±


    ¡°They say the whole family burned to death in that house.¡±


    The villagers blamed the fire on the housewife who had dementia. That might have been true, but Cha Eun-hyuk knew the real issue was something else.


    Something with a ¡®bundle¡¯ had been following that housewife around.


    ''Ah, I see.''


    It was clear that it must have killed the lady.


    He didn''t know exactly what it did. But from that point on, Cha Eun-hyuk realized that among those creatures, there could be some dangerous ones.


    Even though they didn''t seem to have any malice, their mere existence could be a threat to humans.


    ''So, they are a type of monster after all.''


    Cha Eun-hyuk came to that conclusion.


    ¡°Oppa, are you still planning to sell fish-shaped buns?¡±


    ¡°It sells pretty well, doesn''t it?¡±


    He pretended to stay calm since he didn¡¯t want to provoke it, but cold sweat was running down his back.


    Cha Eun-hyuk had guessed that these things were a kind of monster. Compared to the visible ones, they were more docile.


    But sometimes, they would casually destroy a person without any malice, and that was terrifying.


    ''...It''s still staring at the fish-shaped buns....''


    Maybe if he gives it one, it''ll go away.


    It was then.


    ¡°How much for a bag?¡±


    Did it just speak?


    ''A monster?''


    He didn''t show it, but he was shocked.


    He had often seen these creatures take human forms. They would mimic human lives, but their actions were hollow, and none of them had ever spoken.


    ''And it''s asking how much?''


    Is it really mimicking humans to this extent?


    ¡°Ah....¡±


    But he couldn''t just ignore the question.


    ¡°Five thousand won for ten.¡±


    ¡°Do you only accept cash?¡±


    ¡°Cash is preferred.¡±


    The man in the black cloak, who had been standing with his hands behind his back, reached into the hood of his cloak. Cha Eun-hyuk wondered what he was doing, but soon a gem sparkling with a transparent light appeared in his hand.


    Even Cha Eun-hyuk, a man from the countryside, could tell that this beautifully crafted gem was far more valuable than ten fish-shaped buns.


    ¡°Will this do?¡±


    Just as he was about to think it was quite a convincing human imitation, it pulled this stunt, and he felt a sudden rush of frustration.


    ''Who pays for fish-shaped buns with a gem?''


    Cha Eun-hyuk felt a chill down his spine.


    Attempting barter, not knowing the conventional value of the desired item¡ªno matter how much the other party tries to imitate humans, all of it only creates a sense of discomfort.


    ''And yet, it seems so human, which makes it even more unsettling.''


    He barely managed to reply.


    ¡°...That''s too much.¡±


    ¡°I have nothing else.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have a card....¡±


    ¡°Does a card work?¡±


    ¡°Uh... yes.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    He didn''t think he would do it, but he really handed over a card.

 Chapter 33.2

    ¡°...I was just wrapping things up, so I''ll have to make a new batch. Is that alright with you?¡±


    ¡°It''s fine.¡±


    ¡°It might take a while.¡±


    Cha Eun-hyuk, who quickly resigned himself, started making the fish-shaped buns.


    ''This is a disaster.''


    Because business was unusually good today, he hadn''t made it to the terminal until the last train had already left.


    He didn''t have to worry about getting arrested since he had permission beforehand, so he thought he''d spend the night sleeping outdoors, but then a new customer showed up.


    That too, is a strange, unknown monster customer.


    Clatter.


    His hand trembled slightly as he closed the fish-shaped bun mould.


    ''...It''s not going to kill me out of nowhere, right?''


    Like most monsters, this one seemed to have its own set of rules.


    Only opening its eyes when the sun was up, only sticking by the side of a blind person, only stepping on white stones.


    Many rules were as harmless as a child''s prank, but there were also rules that threatened human lives.


    ''But it''s the first time I''ve met one that can talk, so I can''t be sure.''


    It was the first time he''d encountered something that could imitate a human so well.


    There was sense of incompatibility here and there, but aside from the strangely chilly atmosphere, its words and actions were incredibly similar to those of a human.


    ''It even has a card.''


    Suddenly, Cha Eun-hyuk realized.


    ''...If it didn''t steal it, someone else must have lent it to him.''


    In that case, doesn''t that mean there''s someone looking after this thing?


    ¡°...Is there anyone else with you?¡±


    ¡°There was, but not anymore.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s probably asleep by now.¡±


    For a moment, he thought it meant it had killed him.


    ''This is the first time I''ve ever felt so resentful at someone I don''t even know.''


    In a world where you couldn''t even walk a dog without a leash, no matter how much this thing looked like a human, how could someone just let such a dangerous creature roam free? r?


    No, wait a second.


    ''The fact that it was given a card means someone thought it was capable of using it.''


    There''s no way a monster that''s invisible to others could use a card.


    So, was the being in front of him not a monster, but a human?


    ¡°...In


    Cha Eun-hyuk cautiously began to speak.


    ¡°Is this your first time?¡±


    ¡°It''s not my first time. But I am here for sightseeing.¡±


    ¡°Oh, sightseeing. Have you visited Gyeongbokgung Palace?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it was fun because there were various foods to eat.¡±


    The conversation was cut off somewhere, but he gathered enough information.


    ''So, other people can see him too?''


    Does that mean he''s just an ordinary person with an unusually chilling atmosphere?


    Or maybe he''s one of those humanoid monsters that are supposed to be mentioned in textbooks....


    ¡°Coo.¡±


    Cha Eun-hyuk flinched.


    ¡°Wow....¡±


    Cha Eun-hyuk wiped his face with both hands.


    ¡°That was terrifying.¡±


    He still didn''t know what the black cloak was.


    If other people could see him, then is he human? But his essence was too overwhelming and sinister for that. So, is he like the beings he usually sees? But communication was far too smooth in comparison. A humanoid monster? There aren''t any dungeons nearby.


    If it¡¯s none of those, maybe he''s a type of monster he doesn''t know about.


    And either way, it was terrifying.


    ''Can a person really survive after meeting a humanoid monster?''


    It was when he thought so.


    ¡°Coo?¡±


    He heard that earlier.


    ¡°Coo....¡±


    ¡°Coo, coo, coo-coo-coo-coo-coo.¡±


    ¡°Coo.¡±


    When he lifted his head, he saw a large beak. He could see rows of teeth beyond his Adam¡¯s apple. He could see a pitch-black tongue.


    ¡°Coo.¡±


    A metal-like hard beak half swallowed Cha Eun-hyuk¡¯s head.


    Tuk, tuk.


    It made a few biting motions, then spat him out.


    ¡°Coo.¡±


    ¡°...What, what....¡±


    ¡°Coo.¡±


    When his vision cleared again, ''Honey'' had returned to the small form he had seen earlier.


    But now, it looked like an unbearably sickening display of false modesty.


    ¡°What the hell.¡±


    The bird flew away.


    ¡°What was that, really....¡±


    He has no idea, but one thing''s for sure¡ªhe almost died just now.


    The honey-coloured bird seemed to be saying this.


    ''This much is okay.''


    It said.


    It felt like it was saying, ¡®You''ve passed.¡¯


    Goosebumps run down his spine.


    ¡°...I need to move to a new spot tomorrow....¡±


    He hoped he would never see them again.


    ***


    The next day, at 2 PM.


    ¡°Do you sell fish-shaped buns?¡±


    Cha Eun-hyuk found himself face-to-face with the ghostly black cloak again.


    ¡°I''ll take ten, please.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    What kind of world is this small?

 Chapter 34

    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon looked at the face of the young man and showed a friendly expression.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who was selling in front of the Collection building last time?¡±


    ¡°Ah... that¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°I haven''t seen you around lately, you must have moved to a new spot.¡±


    ¡°If I stay in one spot for too long, I risk getting caught in a crackdown.¡±


    Street food like fish-shaped buns weren¡¯t typically subjected to intense crackdowns. But without a city resident ID, it wasn''t possible for him to stay in the city.


    Moreover, if any complaints came in, they would soon be encouraged to vacate, so Cha Eun-hyuk made it a habit to frequently change his location. It was wise for Cha Eun-hyuk to be cautious when things went smoothly if he intended to do business.


    ¡°Though, no complaints have come in lately.¡±


    ¡°It''s a pity because if you stayed in one place, word-of-mouth would spread better.¡±


    ¡°It can''t be helped, it''s not an officially permitted business.¡±


    ¡°Well, they usually don''t grant permits for fish-shaped buns carts.¡±


    ¡°Still, I''ve gotten permission to stay for a few days.¡±


    In general, without a city resident ID, staying for over ten days would incur a fine.


    But how strictly can rules be applied in the world of people? With certain applications, one could stay in the city for about a week, even if not staying at an accommodation.


    ¡°...And, umm, more than that....¡±


    Cha Eun-hyuk''s gaze drifted to Yoo Sung-woon''s side, landing on the black cloak.


    ¡°...Hmm?¡±


    ¡°...No, it''s just....¡±


    That guy isn''t human.


    ''...What, does this person not know the exact identity of the black cloak either?¡¯


    The male figure with his face covered in a black hood, staring intently at the fish-shaped buns. It was definitely the same black cloak he''d seen at dawn, though now his aura was less intimidating, and the customer''s reaction was a little too nonchalant.


    ''Was he really just a human...? They say there are hunters who can''t fully control their aura, maybe he''s just one of those types....''


    While thinking this, Cha Eun-hyuk noticed something within the depths of the hood¡ªa bird with a honey-like colour.


    ¡°Uh, is there a problem?¡±


    ¡°...I was just curious....¡±


    Cha Eun-hyuk tried to roughly gloss over it because he didn¡¯t want to be in trouble, but soon hesitated and asked.


    ¡°...Is the person next to you a trainer?¡±


    Logically speaking, it was most likely that he was a trainer.


    ¡°He¡¯s walking around with a monster.¡±


    ¡°...Yes, he''s a trainer. He had permission to have it out here, so don''t worry.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see.¡±


    Anyway, hearing he had permission eased his mind.


    ''Now, even if someone dies, it won''t be my fault for ignoring it.''


    The true identity of the black cloak was still unclear, but no, hadn''t that white-haired hunter himself said he had permission?


    ''And he did say he''s a trainer.''


    That was enough, he didn''t want to delve deeper. With family members to take responsibility for, it was natural that he didn¡¯t want to draw attention from ¡®something¡¯ that seemed like it could kill him with just a little involvement.


    But the black cloak didn''t seem to think the same way.


    ¡°Thank you for this early morning.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Early morning?¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon turned to look at Gio in surprise.


    ¡°You went out this early morning?¡±


    Cha Eun-hyuk sensed his stomach tighten again at Yoo Sung-woon''s alarmed reaction. It seemed that the black cloak''s solo wandering at dawn had been unexpected for the white-haired customer as well.


    ''Which means... he''s not supposed to be wandering on his own....''


    For a first-class citizen, visibly affiliated with a prominent guild, to be this vigilant¡ªjust how dangerous could this existence be.


    ¡°Yes, I went out looking for Honey because he disappeared.¡±


    ¡°I told you to tell me if you want to go out.¡±


    ¡°I found him right away.¡±


    ¡°That''s not the problem ....¡±


    The white-haired customer seemed about to say more but calmed down shortly after.


    ¡°... Fine, I can¡¯t do anything about natural disasters.¡±


    ¡°I''m not a natural disaster.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps the typhoon thinks so too.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon felt warmhearted. How could he lack self-awareness to this extent?


    Taking a deep breath, Yoo Sung-woon asked the young man selling fish-shaped buns.


    ¡°Did anything happen at dawn?¡±


    ¡°...He bought some fish-shaped buns.¡±


    ¡°Anything else...?¡±


    Cha Eun-hyuk hesitated before answering.


    ¡°That bird....¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes.¡±


    ¡°It went after chewing my head twice.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon was speechless.


    ¡°...What?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I mean, it didn''t really chew me, just nibbled like a cat playing around ....¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon turned back to Gio, at a loss for words.


    Without realizing it, Cha Eun-hyuk glanced over at the black cloak.


    ¡°...I didn¡¯t know you were a believer. Usually, trainers don''t follow any deity....¡±


    He had organized his thoughts in his own way.


    ''He must be a hunter of such high rank that he could be mistaken for a monster.''


    When the black cloak brushed his forehead and infused him with energy, he felt the same warmth he''d felt at the Temple of the Sun. If he could perform purification rituals on his own, doesn''t it seem like might be a very devout believer?


    ''He said he was a trainer, so he wouldn¡¯t be a priest.''


    An awakener can only hold one profession. Since the white-haired customer clearly said he was a trainer, he couldn''t be a priest, which was a bit of a pity. With that level of talent, he would have made a good priest.


    A person who could wield such a warm aura couldn''t be bad. Above all, he had never heard of a monster wielding divine power.


    ''I must have been so startled since I¡¯m seeing a hunter of such a high rank for the first time. Priests generally don''t tend to control their energy, and it''s said that their energy itself is very different from that of humans....¡¯


    Cha Eun-hyuk figured he must have been intimidated by the divine energy.


    Being highly sensitive to others¡¯ energies and having no prior experience seeing high-ranking hunters or typical priests, Cha Eun-hyuk drew that conclusion. It was relief born of ignorance.


    ¡°The youngest member of my family has awakened as a priest and will be having an initiation ceremony this time.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so they got a profession. And as a priest, no less¡ªthat''s impressive.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m worried though, about what he¡¯d do for a living if the deity don¡¯t choose him.¡±


    ¡°If he awakened as a priest, his divine affinity would naturally stand out, so temple office work would also be possible.¡±


    ¡°That would be great.¡±


    Perhaps it was because he thought it was all just a misunderstanding, but Cha Eun-hyuk relaxed a bit and smiled.


    ¡°They say it''ll be quite grand this time, so it should be interesting if you come and watch.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like a must-see. Thanks for the tip, it''s hard to know the schedule of the initiation ceremony without insider knowledge....¡±


    ¡°For me, the more people at my younger brother¡¯s initiation ceremony, the better.¡±


    Just as ants scattered all over are easier to spot when they cluster together, the more people gather, the easier it is to receive the deity''s gaze. The more they are exposed, the higher the chance of receiving divine grace.


    ¡°Enjoy your meal.¡±


    ¡°See you at the initiation ceremony.¡±


    ¡°Yes, thank you.¡±


    When they had walked a bit further away, Yoo Sung-woon asked Gio.


    ¡°Last night, nothing really happened, right?¡±


    ¡°As you heard, there¡¯s the accident with Honey.¡±


    ¡°Any other accidents?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    From within the hood, a small crying sound was heard.


    ¡°Coooo.¡±


    ¡°He claims he¡¯s innocent.¡±


    ¡°Yes... I see.¡±


    He wasn''t sure if the ¡®innocence¡¯ claimed by an existence of origin would match that of a human.


    ''Especially since Gio is sensitive to good and evil and manners, it makes me concerned.''


    Honey was Gio¡¯s creation, his son. So Gio''s disposition must have influenced him a lot, thus hearing that he flew around on his own while Gio closed his eyes made his heart skip a beat.


    ''He could have been flying around, killing people he considered evil.''


    Though since there hadn''t been any commotion, he hoped nothing serious had happened.


    ¡°And, um, regarding the gem....¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I was wondering if you could change it to another kind of gift.¡±


    No matter how apologetic he was, giving a gem outright was bizarre by human standards.


    ¡°Normal people don''t readily exchange goods of that kind.¡±


    ¡°...They don¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°I''m not sure what you were thinking, but it¡¯s probably not that.¡±


    Gio was taken aback.


    ''Are you saying in this macho-like world that seems straight out of hell, they don''t even have that kind of toughness?''


    Where company employees catch monsters, flowers made of cheese bloom from the ground, overground trains fly through the sky, and there''s a lively spring stream in winter¡ªyet, giving and receiving payment with gems is considered strange?


    ¡°I thought it would be fine since I''ve seen people adorned with gems all over their body like crows.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just a personal taste. Or it could enhance their own ability, or perhaps it''s an artefact that serves as a type of armour.¡±


    ¡°I understand what you''re saying.¡±


    Realizing he''d gotten too far, Gio decided to reflect.


    ''Perhaps because of the synchronization, I might have thinking too much like Giovanni.''


    In Giovanni''s world, payment with goods was indeed common. He did remind himself to keep his balance as he was gradually regaining Giovanni''s memories these days.


    So maybe he''d spent too much time in his cabin, making his sense as modern people dull. His reactions in specific situations were evidence of that, too....


    ¡°...Ah.¡±


    ¡°Why, is there a problem? Or did you think of a place you''d like to go?¡±


    ¡°What is a trainer and what is a priest?¡±


    ¡°...That... uh...


    Yoo Sung-woon looked determined.


    ¡°Now that it has come to this, I¡¯ll have no choice but to say you¡¯re a hunter.¡±


    ¡°So I''m a hunter now?¡±


    ¡°And while we''re at it, I''ll explain the hunter system and ranks. Do you know anything about it?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°I thought so.¡±


    Having lost his consciousness for 31 years and been trapped in a painting, Gio felt a little guilty.

 Chapter 35.1

    ¡°The main factors that determine a hunter''s rank are three things.¡±


    Coming into a small, enclosed Chinese restaurant, Yoo Sung-woon explained to Gio.


    ¡°Profession, aptitude skill, and level.¡±


    ¡°The hunter''s rank I''ve been talking over and over again is assigned by comprehensively evaluating these three factors.¡±


    ¡°Is rank evaluated by people, like an administrative exam?¡±


    ¡°No, it''s assessed by the ''system'' that''s presumed to have the help of the origin. That''s why, there are cases where an Awakener that seems incompetent to humans can manifest as A-rank.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon laughed softly.


    ¡°There was a time when people tampered with their ranks, back when there wasn''t a system in place and people lacked basic knowledge about hunters. But since ranks aren''t something that can be assigned by humans, those who tampered with them were quickly found out...¡±


    ¡°They must have been criticized.¡±


    ¡°It didn''t end with just criticism. Back then, Hunters were seen as powerful figures you couldn''t mess with lightly. In a time when brute strength was closer than the law, people with supernatural abilities who could take down monsters were highly respected.¡±


    These were people who deceived their rank to receive respect on their own, even in tough times.


    ¡°There was no way their ending would have been good.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon returned to the main point.


    ¡°Ranks are usually indicated by letters.¡±


    ¡°Is there a particular reason?¡±


    ¡°Maybe because it would have been cumbersome to unify each country. One would think numbers would be far more consistent globally, but separate from that, it was confirmed that the first Awakener appeared in the United States....¡±


    ¡°So it was adjusted to suit American¡¯s point of view.¡±


    ¡°That doesn''t mean the whole system is in English, though. Anyway, the lowest rank is F, then it goes up to D, C, B, A, with the highest rank being S.¡±


    As he said that, Yoo Sung-woon rolled his eyes for a moment.


    ¡°...Mm, but scholars currently believe this isn''t everything. In the case of F-rank, they''re just a bit tougher than the average person, so what''s the point of going lower? But it¡¯s only been 31 years since the Great Catastrophe happened.¡±


    ¡°So it''s too early to make a conclusion?¡±


    ¡°Exactly, there''s even a rumour that Korea¡¯s association president is hiding a higher rank.¡±


    Even Yoo Sung-woon, who had been the association''s research team leader, didn''t know the full truth.


    ¡°It''s surprisingly not that rare for a Hunter to be S-rank. That might be why there are rumours of a hidden higher rank. Anyone can see that this S-rank is vastly superior to that S-rank, yet they''re categorized the same.¡±


    These ranks also influence public perception.


    ¡°For instance, there''s a law that S-rank hunters must be publicly recognized.¡±


    Especially for priests, this tendency is strong.


    ¡°A trainer can tame as many as they want, but a priest can''t. A priest has to endure and wait until the god they serve takes notice and bestows grace. The initiative doesn''t lie with them.¡±


    ¡°But didn¡¯t you say that a priest who doesn¡¯t serve God can¡¯t fully function?¡±


    ¡°That''s the inconvenient aspect of the profession. But since they''re wielding the power of an extraterrestrial deity on Earth, I think it¡¯s actually a blessing for humanity to have this inconvenient aspect. Otherwise, it could turn into a catastrophe.¡±


    Of course, those who awakened as priests would likely be frustrated.


    ¡°Still, once awakened as a priest, they gain a high level of affinity for the divine. While they can''t wield the power of the deity directly, they can use divine energy as a follower of the god.¡±


    ¡°Divine energy is it.¡±


    ¡°The fish-shaped bun young man earlier mistook you for a ''devout trainer,'' didn''t he? The only profession that can openly roam with monsters is trainer, but anyone devout enough can use divine energy, not just priests. That''s why he was mistaken.¡±


    ¡°So it''s not necessarily just about the profession.¡±


    ¡°Correct, it''s not the only way to evaluate a Hunter. In the first place, while professions can be innately manifested upon awakening, as it can also be acquired through effort later, it''s flexible.¡±


    The other professions also had their own unique rules.


    ¡°Just with a profession, the Awakener can exert influence over the rules of the world. Simply put, a priest gains high divine affinity, and a trainer gains affinity with non-human entities.¡±


    ¡°Is it all about affinity?¡±


    ¡°That''s because, unlike skills, awakening a profession doesn''t suddenly grant you abilities you didn''t have before. Instead, you gain a level of potential ability impossible for an ordinary person. Wouldn''t it be more appropriate to call this affinity?¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon moved on to the next topic.


    ¡°But that¡¯s not the case with aptitude skills.¡±


    ¡°In what way is it not?¡±


    ¡°This is a basic element acquired upon awakening, and it doesn''t increase even with additional individual effort. Of course, the more you use and understand it, the more your proficiency will naturally increase....¡±


    But there are no awakeners without an aptitude skill, nor are there any with more than one.


    ¡°At least until now? We don''t know what exceptions may appear in the future, but even with possible exceptions, this regularity is fairly universal among awakeners.¡±


    An aptitude skill was somewhat like a doljabi. Although the awakener had no choice in the matter, it often provided a rough outline of what kind of life they might lead.


    ¡°With just that skill, you can roughly tell the Awakener¡¯s disposition and abilities.¡±


    ¡°Can it tell the future as well?¡±


    ¡°Wouldn''t it be roughly similar? Once an aptitude skill manifests, they''ll have to live with it for life. Naturally, it''s bound to affect the Awakener¡¯s life.¡±


    Most newly awakened individuals first study this aptitude skill. Professions are something one may be lucky enough to have, but aptitude skills become an inseparable part of their destiny.

 Chapter 35.2

    ¡°There are a lot of people who cry because their aptitude doesn''t suit them.¡±


    When awakened, but unfortunately granted trash collection, imagine how absurd such a skill would be.


    ¡°Right?¡±


    ¡°...Does such a skill actually exist?¡±


    ¡°It truly exists, and in some cases, it''s even an aptitude skill. I heard that the person is now working as a city sanitation officer, but I don''t know the full details.¡±


    ¡°Still, they¡¯ve made good use of their aptitude skill.¡±


    ¡°They''re a positive fellow.¡±


    For reference, skills are divided into ¡®aptitude skills¡¯ acquired at awakening, and ¡®general skills¡¯ acquired through post-awakening efforts. While there isn''t a big difference in the skills themselves...


    ¡°Of course, aptitude skills are generally valued higher.¡±


    ¡°If the content is the same, why is one valued more?¡±


    ¡°Aptitude skills serve as a criterion for evaluating a person''s soul and potential, so it''s unavoidable.¡±


    For example, let''s say there are Hunters 1 and 2, and they both have the same skill, Skill A. Even though they have the same A skill, for Hunter 1, it''s an inherent aptitude skill, while Hunter 2 learned it later as a general skill.


    ¡°So, they''re starting from different points from the beginning.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°More importantly, aptitude skills don''t have levels. From the moment they manifest, they can be used at the highest mastery level. But in reality, proficiency typically increases the more a skill is used. So even for the same skill, there''s bound to be a significant difference based on who uses it.¡±


    And here''s where human pettiness comes into play.


    ''It''s like a form of hierarchy....''


    Maybe the idea of innate skill stirs something in people''s hearts. Those who are awakened with rare or highly useful aptitude skills often become conceited, and people tend to look up to them.


    ''I don''t really want to share this part.''


    Though he felt somewhat aristocratic and imposing, he didn''t want to taint Gio, who had an innocent side much like a child who still believed in Santa Claus.


    For the sake of humanity''s peace, it was better for Gio to know a bit less about human ugliness.


    ¡°General skills can be learned by going and applying at the centre. Even Awakeners without a profession or good aptitude skills can raise their rank through post-awakening efforts.¡±


    ¡°That''s flexible.¡±


    ¡°And as I''ve been mentioning bit by bit, the visible indicator used to evaluate the proficiency of all this is called a ''level.''¡±


    The level evaluates profession, skills, and physical abilities.


    ¡°The lowest level is 1, and the highest level is 10. Sometimes I wonder why they didn''t use letters .... but since levels can even go to decimal points, I guess precise indicators were necessary.¡±


    ¡°Is it displayed up to the decimal points?¡±


    ¡°Well, like 2.8, 4.9, that sort of thing....¡±


    ¡°Is it the same for Mr. Yoo Sung-woon too?¡±


    ¡°Uh....¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon hesitated momentarily before adding,


    ¡°Rank details are fine, but for your information¡ªpeople usually don''t ask each other specific details about their system.¡±


    ¡°That''s romantic.¡±


    ¡°So you like things like this.¡±


    He really was an innocent guy in some ways.


    ¡°Did Mr. Yoo Sung-woon mean the same thing?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I told you my system as a gesture of goodwill and trust.¡±


    And the fact that the other person wasn¡¯t human also played a big factor, making it easier to share openly. Perhaps since he was someone ignorant of human culture, he wasn¡¯t bothered by whatever was revealed to them.


    If anything, dealing with humans would be even more uncomfortable.


    ¡°If you have more questions, I can get you a book. There are textbooks used at the Awakener Training Center They even have ones for beginners who''ve just awakened, so let me know if you need one.¡±


    ¡°Thanks to Mr. Yoo Sung-woon''s good explanations, I think it¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°If you say so... hmm.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon asked,


    ¡°Are you planning to return to the portrait soon?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Gio nodded as if it were the most natural thing.


    ¡°Outside, there are lots of people, lots of fun toys, plenty to see and feel....¡±


    ¡°But this doesn''t seem like my place.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon understood what he meant.


    ''It''s amazing that he was able to maintain that form for so long.''


    An ordinary awakener wouldn''t even last a second.


    Gio''s status was beyond comparison to that of humans. At the very least, within the painting, he was a being who enjoyed god-like authority. Yet he suppressed his own grandeur, cut off his limbs, and wandered through the chaotic human world with weights attached to his torso.


    It was utterly terrifying.


    ¡°Of course, I enjoyed it.¡±


    ¡°I''m glad to hear that. By the way, are you planning to attend the initiation ceremony that the fish-shaped bun guy mentioned?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I''d like to see it.¡±


    ¡°When the time comes, I''ll let you know. For now, just rest in the portrait.¡±


    And with that, Gio returned to the portrait.


    ***


    Back in the cabin, Gio slept the entire day.


    ¡°It''s dangerous outside the blanket.¡±


    ¡°Coooong.¡±


    Completely drained, Gio needed some time to himself.

 Chapter 36

    Gio didn''t hate having fun, but the energy allotted to him was quite limited.


    ¡°...Honey, if Dad collapses like this, you should at least nag him.¡±


    ¡°...Coo


    ¡°If both of us are sprawled out, there''s no hope.¡±


    The busy, busy modern society Gio had returned to drained every ounce of his stamina.


    ''Getting drained by a vampire probably wouldn''t be this exhausting.''


    He never thought it was a peaceful and gentle country to begin with. But after 31 years, South Korea had become ¡®Hell Joseon¡¯, and frail Gio couldn''t help but be intimidated.


    Lying on the bed like a 29-year-old rag, Gio idly fiddled with Honey, who had spread out like a liquid monster.


    ¡°As far as I know... I should still be synchronizing with Giovanni.¡±


    ¡°Cooor?¡±


    ¡°I feel it much less inside here than I do outside.¡±


    ¡°Cooorrr?¡±


    ¡°The synchronization speed has also slowed down.¡±


    Synchronization rate: 14.8%


    ¡°When I dipped my feet in Cheonggyecheon, it filled about 6%.¡±


    ¡°Coor.¡±


    ¡°When I went to the restaurant using the waterway, I gained about 4% more....¡±


    The common factor was those actions related to water.


    ¡°Is it because he has many connections to water?¡±


    It was Giovanni¡¯s story.


    Anyway, the synchronization speed was much faster in the real world than when he stayed still inside the painting.


    ¡°It must be the characteristics of the world inside the portrait.¡±


    ¡°Cooooo....¡±


    During synchronization, it felt like going back to his old lifestyle patterns. He got hungry at the right times, had to sleep after working hard, and his body which felt unusually light, would become heavy .... ?


    However, after returning from his tour in Seoul, he realized that sensations like those had dulled a bit within the portrait.


    ¡°Even though I''m synchronizing, it might be because, I''m treated as a painting rather than a human inside the portrait. Here, even the emotions I felt are treated as ''paintings.''¡±


    When Gio was the main subject, even intangible things seemed to be judged as ''paintings.''


    Just like when he felt gratitude toward Yoo Sung-woon in the past and randomly gifted him fruit syrup, the 1:1 system didn''t seem to have any issues.


    Will he return to being a ¡®portrait¡¯ after synchronization ends?


    ¡°What kind of person is an individual who''s nothing more than a portrait unless they synchronize with someone else?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s downright impressive.¡±


    ¡°Cooor....¡±


    ¡°There''s probably no other portrait like me anywhere in the world. I''ll take pride in that.¡±


    Today, Gio''s self-esteem soared sky-high.


    ¡°I¡¯m truly amazing.¡±


    Gio''s humanity wasn''t swayed by the identity of being a mere haunted portrait. His sense of self was too strong to let such trivial matters doubt his own identity.


    ¡°Let''s eat.¡±


    ¡°Coooo.¡±


    As always, the conversation eventually shifted to food. They were practically pigs.


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    It was only after 29 hours and 36 minutes had passed that Gio finally lifted himself from the bed.


    Honey, still sprawled out, showed no intention of doing the same. He was clearly a spoiled young master who knew very well that Gio would take care of him.


    ¡°Do you even know how annoying and cute you are when you act like that?¡±


    ¡°Coo.¡±


    ¡°You think being cute is everything? That¡¯s right. That''s all there is to the world.¡±


    ¡°Cooooooooorrrr.¡±


    ¡°You''ve already fulfilled your purpose just by being cute.¡±


    In Gio¡¯s thought, there was no feeling more capable of bringing peace to humanity than cuteness.


    ¡°I''ll handle today''s dinner.¡±


    As usual.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, should we check how much the garden has grown?¡±


    ¡°Coocoocoo....¡±


    ¡°You''re too lazy even to fly there? Your laziness has reached the sky. Stay put, and I''ll load you into the basket.¡±


    ¡°Cooooooong...!¡±


    ¡°Where are you trying to send me alone? Hmph, nope. Not happening. You¡¯re coming with me, dad feels lonely.¡±


    Gio swept the jelly-like liquid monster into the basket. Honey grumbled but slid into it, and Gio left the cabin, carrying the basket with a satisfied expression.


    And then he witnessed Mother Nature.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    Where had his modest garden gone? Was this the Amazon?


    ¡°Where on earth did my precious little garden go?¡±


    ¡°Coo, coong....¡±


    ¡°My garden wasn''t like this.¡±


    At most, he expected to see some tiny sprouts, but instead of cute seedlings, the cherry tomatoes had grown to about three meters tall.


    ¡°No, can you even call a 3-meter cherry tomato a ''cherry'' tomato?¡±


    No.


    ¡°Is it even a tomato in the first place?¡±


    The tomatoes he knew weren''t supposed to be the size of small watermelons?


    Having grown every kind of crop at least once before, Gio was utterly baffled by the results he''d never seen before. It hadn''t been that long since he''d left the garden unattended, and he was certain he''d planted ordinary seeds and seedlings. So how did the garden turn into a monster patch instead of a vegetable one?


    ¡°What about the lettuce....¡±


    ¡°It''s the incarnation of Cthulhu.¡±


    ¡°Coorr?¡±


    ¡°An invasive species has entered.¡±


    As his only means to protect himself was the ability to paint potatoes, it was clear that Gio wouldn''t endure.


    ¡°Coooor, coooooooor.¡±


    ¡°Honey?¡±


    ¡°Coo coo coo Coooo, coo.¡±


    Watching Honey, who seemed desperate to convey something, Gio who was examining the situation closely realized.


    ¡°


    ¡°Cooo!¡±


    ¡°There''s a hole in its forehead.¡±


    And on a nearby sweet potato vine, he noticed blood stains.


    ¡°Coooo?¡±


    ¡°Are you saying the sweet potato vine moved on its own, pierced the forehead of the invasive species from beyond the dimensional gate I created, and killed it instantly?¡±


    ¡°Coo.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Gio pondered.


    ''Which should I be more afraid of?''


    The violent invasive species entering from an unknown dimension


    VS


    The sweet potato that moves on its own and can pierce through even solid skulls in an instant


    ¡°Goodness, Gods of Heaven and Earth.¡±


    Both were scary. As of today, Gio was frightened for the third time.


    ¡°Honey, can a fragile being like me survive in this wild?¡±


    ¡°Don''t give me that look. Dad''s serious. I think I''m too weak to survive in this grand nature.¡±


    ¡°Coong.¡±


    ¡°Where else would you find someone as pitiful and helpless as your dad?¡±


    After long communication, Gio was assured that all living things in the monster field would be friendly to him, just as all flora and fauna in the forest had been friendly to Gio, his cultivated crops were similar.


    There wasn''t any concrete evidence, but....


    ¡°Well, that''s okay.¡±


    Gio''s ultimate positive mindset pulled him out of his ridiculous fears.


    And more than anything, he was just about to prepare a meal.


    ¡°There''s meat.¡±


    ¡°Cooor.¡±


    ¡°Meat....¡±


    Come to think of it, the refinement method mentioned ''processed meat.''


    ¡°...Nice.¡±


    And that¡¯s how today''s menu was decided.


    For reference, Gio did know how to butcher.


    ***


    Clack, clack....


    Thud.


    ¡°...How strange.¡±


    In a quiet alley of a slum.


    A woman with dark blue hair resembling the calmly rippling deep sea muttered.


    ¡°The traces end here.¡±


    She had been very worried since her beloved human collaborator¡¯s energy had suddenly vanished, but what the hell was this?


    ¡°There are no signs of a fight.¡±


    She had carefully selected someone appropriate and placed them under the sun.


    He was a guy with decent infiltration skills and combat abilities, yet considering there were no signs of an escape, let alone combat, it was hard to accept.


    Still, it didn''t deny what had already happened.


    ¡°He got caught.¡±


    By whom, she didn''t know.


    ¡°That requires further investigation.¡±


    Humming a tune, the woman spoke almost like singing.


    ¡°It seems even the temple is troubled, it hasn''t been made public in the media, and even though it''s an incident that occurred in the slum, no one knows the details. How absurd is this situation....¡±


    She understood the temple''s stance.


    ¡°So much cautiousness for those who have always liked hiding things tightly. Truly insidious.¡±


    However, with an upcoming event, it could have indeed been troublesome for them.


    ¡°I was trying to ruin the Sun Festival, you see.¡±


    ¡°But the person who was supposed to ruin it is gone.¡±


    The woman turned to the child.


    ¡°Iser, the only galaxy by my side.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°You''ll have to handle this.¡±


    ¡°I won''t disappoint you.¡±


    ¡°Don''t push yourself too hard.¡±


    The woman revealed her shark-like teeth as she laughed.


    ¡°This is all for fun, after all.¡±


    Her dress which resembled the sea fluttered.


    And soon, only the child with blue-green hair remained at the scene.


    The child was showing a benevolent smile.

 Chapter 37

    The reason for learning how to butcher was simple.


    ¡°I had a brother1 I knew in Majang-dong.¡±


    ¡°Coo?¡±


    ¡°After having drinks with him a few times, I picked up some of his skills.¡±


    Though he had never actually dismantled fully intact animals before.


    He used to say that handling knives shouldn''t be entrusted to just anyone, so in case he ever needed to buy some, he had once taught him how to cut large cuts of raw meat into parts at home. But that''s all.


    The point was, he had never really butchered anything properly before.


    ¡°But even if I haven''t done it myself, I know how it''s done.¡±


    Gio had excellent learning abilities.


    ¡°Judging that the body wasn''t cold, it hasn''t been dead long, has it? It''s like a warm stone.¡±


    ¡°Cooo?¡±


    ¡°I need to drain the blood. It''ll be harder to drain its blood if too much time passes after its death.¡±


    The blood flowing from its forehead seemed to have soaked deeply into the ground, yet Gio felt quite uneasy about the deer''s unusually soft body. It seemed like this world, where food didn''t spoil or decay easily, was influencing it.


    Yes, it was ''food''.


    ¡°...A deer that''s already dead counts as edible, right?¡±


    Even Gio himself was attempting butchery now.


    ''Anyway, it''s much easier to work with if the body hasn''t stiffened.''


    Dragging the deer as big as a house, Gio managed to hang it on a Salasala tree at just an appropriate height. He then pierced its neck to let the blood flow out.


    ¡°Honey.¡±


    ¡°Coo?¡±


    ¡°It seems clear, Dad must''ve evolved.¡±


    ¡°Coo.¡±


    ¡°I thought I only evolved into a portrait, but I didn''t expect to become stronger as well.¡±


    Lifting and hanging a deer larger than himself on the tree with ease¡ªit was hard to tell if this was because the laws of physics in this painting world were lax, or if Gio himself had grown stronger.


    ¡°Alright, while the blood drains, let''s get the innards out.¡±


    ¡°Cooorrrrrrrrr.¡±


    ¡°...Honey, don''t drink the blood from below. That''s dirty.¡±


    The sight of a tiny bird drinking the trickling blood was horrifying.


    ¡°Dad''s spooked.¡±


    ¡°Coo.¡±


    ¡°I''m not lying.¡±


    The trust between father and child was abysmally low.


    But it was funny, so it''s alright.


    ''I should take the innards out before anything spoils.''


    Even though it doesn''t seem it''ll spoil easily considering the rules of this painting world, he recalled how the Goby fruit left under the sun had hardened to the point of becoming almost like a mineral.


    It was best to do what could be done since you never knew what problem might show up.


    ¡°The leather is thick.¡±


    There was also a considerable amount of fat under the skin.


    ¡°The system said this deer came from the rainforest but isn''t rainforests usually humid? I don''t get why it has such thick fur and so much fat.¡±


    ¡°Coo.¡±


    ¡°Stop drinking the blood, Honey. Dad said it''s creepy.¡±


    ¡°Coocoocoo...¡±


    ¡°Being cute won''t let you off the hook.¡±


    He wasn''t keen on keeping a blood-scented bird company.


    ¡°Coo.¡±


    Honey ''coocoo''ed as if complaining as he suddenly spat something out.


    ¡°Coooorrrrr.¡±


    ¡°A gem...?¡±


    It was a sparkling gem that was Honey''s favourite, yet considering how Honey, previously reddish, returned to its usual colour after vomiting up the crimson gem, it didn''t seem like a mere coincidence.


    ¡°Did you turn the blood into a gem?¡±


    ¡°Coo.¡±


    ¡°As expected of my son, truly extraordinary.¡±


    Gio decided to stop worrying about it.


    ¡°Can Dad use that for painting later?¡±


    ¡°Coooorrrrr!¡±


    ¡°Thanks for letting me, drink all you want¡ªI won''t say anything.¡±


    ¡°Cooo!¡±


    ¡°You really had a plan, didn''t you.¡±


    Drinking the blood of a hunted animal might not be that strange after all. As a human, Gio would have thought, ''What the hell with that?'' But Honey is a bird, isn''t he? It was natural for animals to have such instincts.


    ''As long as you can revert to your original state, it''s fine.''


    Even if he was his child born from paint, suppressing an animal''s instincts wasn''t a parent''s job. Drinking deer blood wouldn''t kill him, after all.


    ¡°Let''s cut open the belly now, but be careful not to spill the innards.¡±


    ¡°Coo.¡±


    ¡°Alright, let''s see....¡±


    Gio focused his nerves on his fingertips, feeling along the deer''s belly.


    Even if the ingredients appeared similar, their taste and aroma had subtle differences compared to those on Earth.


    ¡°To be honest, it''s a bit of a shame that the heart turned out to be a gem. The heart of a freshly hunted animal is a pretty good cooking ingredient, so I was considering grilling it, but... in this state, it might be tricky to eat.¡±


    ¡°Coooorrrrrrr.¡±


    ¡°Right, even if it''s not for me, you can eat it. Dad will cook it for you.¡±


    Since it wouldn''t have tasted good in this state anyway.


    ¡°...By the way, there''s quite a bit more than I expected....¡±


    He removed the tenderloin, deeply buried inside the back. Then he dismantled the legs and stripped off the tough meat.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    This part seems like it needs to be simmered slowly. At least the upper leg meat seemed to be tender enough to eat.


    After removing the ribs, tenderloin, and everything else...


    ¡°Ta-da.¡±


    ¡°A mountain of meat has been made.¡±


    ¡°Coo.¡±


    ¡°Doesn''t it seem like a lot?¡±


    ¡°Coor.¡±


    ¡°As expected.¡±


    The system''s advice to make sun-dried processed meat was clearly for a reason. With this much quantity of meat, most of it would need to be salted or dried for storage.


    ¡°It won''t spoil if I put it in the ice storage... but I might as well make what I can.¡±


    For now, jerky and sausage came to mind.


    ¡°Should I start with the jerky first?¡±


    Sausage would take much longer to make.


    ¡°Let''s drain the blood first.¡±


    ¡°Cooooorr?¡±


    ¡°Even though it was hung upside down to drain the blood, not all of it would have come out. It wasn''t hung for that long either, so to fully get rid of the gamey smell, we''ll need to soak it in water to draw out the remaining blood.¡±


    Gio soon returned from the cabin, carrying a large basin.


    ¡°Honey, put the meat in.¡±


    ¡°Coorrr!¡±


    With the tasty jewel heart as leverage, Honey proved to be an excellent worker.


    The two placed the meat for jerky into a large basin and poured plenty of water from the stream gently flowing around the cabin over it. The streams scattered throughout the forest were always a useful resource.


    ¡°If I were doing this on Earth, I''d probably add some rice wine here....¡±


    But the only alcohol available was wine, and since the meat hardly had any gamey smell, it wasn''t an issue.


    ¡°While the blood drains, I should prepare the seasoning.¡±


    ¡°Cooor?¡±


    ¡°The crops in the garden have all grown, isn''t this the perfect time to use them?¡±


    After washing his hands stained with the deer''s blood, Gio picked a few crops from the monster field and soon returned to the cabin. Thankfully, the monster field didn''t seem to mind Gio taking some of its crops.


    ¡°It must recognize who its dad is. All that sunlight and water I gave it paid off.¡±


    Then standing in the kitchen, Gio pulled out several powders off the shelves.


    ¡°And let''s use some syrup too.¡±


    He fetched the Goby fruit syrup he''d stashed away in the corner of the kitchen. It was what he''d set aside before giving the rest to Yoo Sung-woon.


    ¡°Adding syrup like this enhances the sweetness.¡±


    ¡°Coocoocoo....¡±


    ¡°It might sound strange, but it''s surprisingly tasty.¡±


    The sweet-and-savoury combination was a timeless truth everywhere.


    Gio checked the ingredients.


    ¡°Fresh onions. With this much meat, let''s use about ten... garlic and ginger powder are already here. I''ll add some sugar too. A little Goby fruit syrup should also do the trick....¡±


    Making jerky wasn''t complicated.


    Finely chop the cleaned onions until they form a porridge-like paste, then mix in various spicy and pungent powders to neutralize the gamey smell. Add a touch of syrup for sweetness and a bit of sugar to eliminate any dull taste, and the marinade jerky is complete.


    ¡°The blood should be drained by now.¡±


    By the time he plated the marinade and washed the cutting board and knife, quite a bit of time had passed.


    As he looked at the darkening sky through the tree leaves, Gio stepped out of the cabin. At night, Honey, who glowed faintly like moonlight, helped him navigate the darkness.


    ¡°Ah... this looks about right.¡±


    ¡°Coorrrr?¡±


    ¡°This is dirty, it''s just bloody water. I''ll give you something else later.¡±


    Gio placed the soaked meat on a colander and went back to the kitchen.


    ¡°I should finish this quickly and get some sleep too.¡±


    The rest was simple.


    Shake off the excess moisture from the meat, and when it feels appropriately dry, knead the pre-made marinade thoroughly into it. After ensuring the seasoning seeped deeply into the meat, Gio washed his hands clean.


    ¡°It''s done....¡±


    ¡°...Honey, why are you so obsessed with the innards?¡±


    Even if it was his son, he couldn''t comprehend such tastes.


    In the end, the deer''s innards were happily shared and eaten by Honey and his waterfowl friends. The golden waterfowl lake held an air of something mysterious and eerie as bloodstained innards floated around.


    ¡°Ah, except for this.¡±


    ¡°Coo.¡±


    ¡°We''re going to make sausages.¡±


    hyung-nim, older brother (friend).

 Chapter 38

    When Gio fell asleep after successfully finishing the making jerky activity,


    the world outside the frame was still in the middle of working hours.


    ¡°So, you called me for this.¡±


    ¡°Come on, let''s have a chat. Why the scary face?¡±


    ¡°If you think I''m only responsible for ''Gio''s Portrait,'' you''re gravely mistaken....¡±


    ¡°I''ll give you incentives.¡±


    ¡°Damn capitalist society.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon had been summoned by the guild leader.


    ¡°Didn''t I already tell you I''d finish compiling the full report soon?¡±


    ¡°How can I wait until then?¡±


    ¡°Why can''t you just wait for this?¡±


    ¡°You know me.¡±


    ¡°No, I don''t.¡±


    ¡°You have to talk with the person face-to-face.¡±


    ¡°This is an excessive insult for our highly advanced modern society.¡±


    ¡°The world these days is too cold. Our employees are even more so.¡±


    ¡°I don''t know what kind of warmth you expect in this miserable world, and I don''t know why you''re demanding it from me either.¡±


    ¡°Everyone''s so cold-hearted.¡±


    ¡°Talking nonsense, even though it''s your personal taste.¡±


    Bi Sa-beol smiled brightly as he poured some fruit juice for Yoo Sung-woon, who was looking very tired.


    ¡°Why don''t you drink this to regain your energy?¡±


    ¡°Poison, perhaps?¡±


    ¡°Oh, come now. How could a gift from our esteemed portrait be poison?¡±


    ¡°Just give me poison instead. At least I can lie down after consuming it....¡±


    Though ''Gio''s Portrait'' was considered gentle, it was a being of origin and, simply put, a monster. Dealing with such a rare humanoid monster alone was overwhelming, yet that wasn¡¯t the only task assigned to Yoo Sung-woon.


    ¡°I''ve also been called out again because the sea has been unusually noisy lately.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon was handling external requests as well.


    ¡°I''ve observed that the movements of the children of the origin are quite peculiar. I''ll submit a report on this matter soon, likely by tomorrow or the day after....¡±


    ¡°That can be reported later. It''s not my request anyway.¡±


    ¡°I knew it.¡±


    ¡°Now, can you tell me about Gio?¡±


    ¡°I knew it would come to this.¡±


    For reference, Bi Sa-beol still hadn''t managed to have a conversation with Gio.


    ¡°With such burdensome behaviour, isn''t it natural that Gio avoids talking with you?¡±


    ¡°No, what did I even do?¡±


    ¡°There are many employees who claim to have seen the black cloak, but the guild leader himself hasn''t even spoken to him once. This is practically dereliction of duty.¡±


    ¡°I''ve tried to talk to him, you know?¡±


    ¡°I meant you should try changing your approach a bit.¡±


    It was an issue related to Gio''s characteristics.


    ¡°Gio hates rude people, doesn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°He doesn''t hate them.¡±


    ¡°That''s true, but....¡±


    There were two things that ''Gio''s Portrait'' disliked:


    Rudeness and malice.


    ''...But even though he dislikes rude people, he doesn''t view them too negatively.''


    Just as some people love dogs, some people love cats, yet some dislike reptiles,


    Gio disliked rude people in a similar sense. He didn''t dismiss their existence outright, but he didn''t enjoy associating with them.


    ¡°In that indifferent aspect, he does resemble the children of the origin.¡±


    ¡°That''s likely the case. Even if he claims to be human, he can''t be entirely the same. Perhaps he''s trying hard to ignore the fact that he isn''t human....¡±


    In reality, Gio simply didn''t think about it at all.


    ¡°Well, it doesn''t seem like he has that indifference toward criminals.¡±


    While he could think, ¡®It could happen¡¯, when dealing with rudeness, Gio exhibited clear disgust when faced with malice. Although he hadn''t directly encountered a criminal, his usual demeanour made it evident.


    ¡°In any case, we must remain cautious. You should be careful too, Guild Leader.¡±


    ¡°I''ll try to restrain myself.¡±


    ¡°You''re just saying that again. Anyway, back to the matter at hand....¡±


    The reason Bi Sa-beol had called Yoo Sung-woon was obvious.


    ¡°Are you curious about Gio''s behaviour during his Seoul tour?¡±


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m curious. A being of unknown origin wandered through human society and to think it even returned without causing any major incidents?


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    Of course, there was one unsettling fact.


    ¡°One of the Priests of the Sun went missing, didn''t he?¡±


    ¡°Well, from what I''ve checked, his record wasn''t exactly clean either.¡±


    ¡°That explains why they''re keeping it quiet internally as well.¡±


    ¡°With the initiation ceremony coming up, they likely don''t want to publicize it further.¡±


    ¡°... Seems like Gio had a hand regarding the disappearance case.¡±


    A hunter capable of being a curator requires more than ordinary observation and memory skills. Yoo Sung-woon still remembered encountering a man in traditional scholar attire at Gyeongbokgung Palace, and the missing priest this time turned out to be the same person.


    ¡°That day, Gio formed a hand gesture resembling a camera and looked at the man.¡±


    ¡°A camera? Considering it¡¯s Gio¡¯s Portrait, wouldn''t a frame be more fitting?¡±


    ¡°That''s possible. In any case, after making eye contact with the man, he suggested we leave Gyeongbokgung Palace, but he didn''t seem particularly pleased.¡±


    Gio felt like a being that was the embodiment of a funeral.


    Besides that, that profoundness.


    ¡°It''s impossible to call him human.¡±


    ¡°But does this personality shift really warrant discussion?¡±


    ¡°It''s confirmed that it certainly has an influence.¡±


    Gio, after lowering his status, truly seemed like an ordinary person


    ¡°A somewhat blunt and polite individual.¡±


    But the usual Gio was different.


    ¡°He''s a bit more arrogant.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°No, the word arrogant feels a bit strange... How should I put it....¡±


    It was difficult to describe.


    ¡°...As if he were someone of great importance....¡±


    Gio looked down on humans.


    Like someone with a hobby of raising insects, admiring a hardworking ant carrying loads¡ªor even finding it cute.


    ¡°In fact, Gio gave gifts to people several times. While there was an element of reward, it distinctly carried the form of a grant. Despite referring to himself as a 29-year-old ordinary human, he evaluated and praised employees much older than himself.¡±


    At this, Bi Sa-beol asked,


    ¡°But the Gio with a lowered status was different?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he genuinely looked like a normal young man back then.¡±


    The ''Gio'' that Yoo Sung-woon confirmed was a 29-year-old well-mannered and quiet person.


    ¡°Well .... except for being a bit overly curious or trying to settle bills with gems....¡±


    ¡°He''s not truly human, so such peculiarities are inevitable. Still, it''s fascinating that he behaved convincingly as an ordinary young man.¡±


    ¡°He mentioned making some adjustments, so that''s probably the reason.¡±


    There were also some concerns.


    ¡°Normally, one wouldn¡¯t think of trying anything due to his high status, but seeing him look like an ordinary 29-year-old young man, I worry he might fall for some strange scam.¡±


    ¡°...Would it go that far? Still, there¡¯s his appraisal skills....¡±


    ¡°When he became a human, not only does his personality become gentler, but his abilities seem to be restricted as well. Even the appraisal skill required deliberate gestures, like framing his hands.¡±


    And there was one more thing.


    ¡°The longer he stayed outside, the weaker he became.¡±


    Though it was just because he was drained of energy after being exposed to modern society for the first time in a long while, Yoo Sung-woon, who paid great attention to Gio¡¯s every state, couldn''t help but interpret it more deeply.


    ¡°I''m worried someone might mess with him.¡±


    ¡°That would certainly be an issue.¡±


    ¡°Right?¡±


    ¡°Gio too, but well....¡±


    Bi Sa-beol stroked his chin.


    ¡°Even with his status lowered, his essence doesn''t change.¡±


    Imagine compressing one of two large metal pieces into very much smaller ones.


    Once that happens, surely one side will be bigger, and one side smaller, but the weight would still be the same.  Rather, since it become smaller, it could be easier to wound humans.


    A similar example would be a bomb. Even if processed into a small, cute shape, it would still explode when lit. If anything, the more compressed it is, the more intense the explosion might be.


    ¡°Without precise analysis, this is merely speculation, but... since Gio thinks of himself as human, digging at that essence might cause a far greater backlash. There''s no need to cause such a catastrophe.¡±


    ¡°I think so too.¡±


    ¡°It''s not like the entire nation agreed to commit collective suicide, right?¡±


    Therefore, when Gio was in his ''human'' state, he seemed to require definitive protection.


    ¡°We should issue a hunter''s license.¡±


    ¡°That alone would definitely reduce the trouble.¡±


    In this world, hunters were a type of power figure and celebrity. Showing a hunter''s license in conflicts often resolved the situation, as the association strictly prohibited fights between hunters.


    ¡°And one more thing.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon continued.


    ¡°This is also about his personality.¡±


    ¡°What other issues could there be at this point?¡±


    ¡°When Gio is human, he can be defined as a 29-year-old young man called ''Seo Gio.'' Right?¡±


    However, Yoo Sung-woon clearly witnessed it.


    ¡°When Gio dipped his feet into Cheonggyecheon stream....¡±


    ¡°And when he boarded the water taxi.¡±


    A change had occurred in Gio.


    ¡°He gazed at the water as if he were a different person.¡±


    That gaze did not belong to the blunt and quiet 29-year-old young man Gio.


    Rather, he seemed to look more experienced, his emotions seemed clearer, and while there was a clear sense of distance, it was not cold¡ªit was gentle, like that of a beloved exemplary student. There was even a light and cheerful part on his faintly carved smile, like a refreshing sea breeze.


    In many ways, it differed from the previous ''Seo Gio'' or the ''Portrait.''


    ¡°Even his appearance changed. His hair turned paler, and his eyes reflected a water-like hue.¡±


    ¡°Oh, doesn¡¯t that sound quite similar to you, Curator Yoo Sung-woon?¡±


    ¡°It felt a bit... different from me. We¡¯re indeed in a similar category, but....¡±


    The colour was much warmer.


    Like the summer sun, or the surface of the ocean.


    It wasn''t certain.


    ¡°I''ll look into it further.¡±


    ¡°Let''s do that.¡±


    There was too little known about Gio.

 Chapter 39

    The last piece of jerky was hung out in the yard.


    Gio clapped his hands.


    ¡°It''s like a field of meat that wasn''t found anywhere.¡±


    ¡°Cooool.¡±


    ¡°This dad agrees¡ªit''s a beautiful sight.¡±


    However, that didn''t mean every piece of meat was turned into jerky. Trusting the forest that kept ingredients from spoiling, he also stored some raw meat in the ice storage. And then...


    ¡°The rest of the meat should either be made into sausages or preserved.¡±


    The system stated that ''sun-dried processed meat'' had specific effects. So for now he marinated the sliced meat in seasoning and hung them up like dried food. However, he deliberately used only the tender parts to make it easier to eat later.


    It was time to deal with the leftover meat from making the jerky.


    ¡°I deliberately separated the intestines and stomach to remove the unpleasant smell, so we can start using them now.¡±


    Not all the deer''s innards were given to the waterfowl. The long, rope-like intestines and the stomach, which was clearly full of traces from eating a lot, were left out.


    He removed all the smelly parts and soaked them in a blend of apple, lemon, and onion juice, which should take care of any unpleasant odours.


    ¡°As far as I know, we still have plenty of meat left.¡±


    ¡°Coooor.¡±


    ¡°I''m still inexperienced in butchering... so there''s a lot of chopped-up meat, which seems suitable for making sausages.¡±


    It wouldn''t be bad to use them in a stew, but to maximize the effectiveness of the tree-horned deer''s meat, the system suggested preparing it as ''sun-dried processed meat''.


    Rather than drying each piece of chopped-up meat one by one, bundling them into sausages and hanging them up seemed more efficient. It''s also one of the great ways to store leftover meat.


    ¡°Let''s save the remaining bones and meat for making soup later.¡±


    ¡°Coooooor!¡±


    It might be a good idea to prepare bone broth in advance.


    ¡°Now the important question is how to season it.¡±


    Honey seemed pleased.


    ¡°Coor.¡±


    ¡°Pig?¡±


    ¡°Cooor.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Was it finally acknowledging its identity?


    ¡°While we''re at it, I''d like to try some new spices....¡±


    Even a brief glance showed that the forest surrounding the cabin was vast.


    Gio''s routes were always the same, so there were surely plenty of places and fruits he had yet to discover.


    ¡°Shall we go on an adventure for the first time in a while?¡±


    ¡°Coocoocoo.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I''ll take you with me.¡±


    Recalling how it had devoured deer innards in a combative manner, he felt a sense of security.


    ''While the forest animals might be friendly to me, there''s no guarantee that creatures from other dimensions will be. It''s scary, so I absolutely have to bring Honey along.''


    That''s right¡ªGio was scared.


    ¡°No matter how much I think about it, invasive species were nerve-wracking.¡±


    ¡°Coo ...?¡±


    ¡°If a deer with metallic antlers and hooves rampages, I''m confident I''d die in 10 seconds.¡±


    ¡°Coocoo....¡±


    ¡°Please protect your fragile dad.¡±


    So, where should he go to look for some spices?


    ¡°Once I start moving, won''t something I want to do come to mind?¡±


    Having come to a clear conclusion, Gio pulled out his cloak and put it on. He wore it whenever he thought he''d go a bit far, yet the cloak remained perfectly clean.


    ''I really should upgrade this later too.''


    He had thought about it over 50 times already, but never got around to it.


    ¡°Cooor....¡±


    ¡°I''ll do it someday.¡±


    As usual, Gio, who brought a basket, set his priority.


    ¡°I''d like to find new spices or sauces. There must be unique ingredients only found in this fantasy world¡ªsomething like Lulupu or Goby fruit....¡±


    For example, things like pepper, salt, sugar, etc.


    ¡°There is a limit to continuously relying on the cabin.¡±


    The hut''s cupboards and storage are fully stocked with basic ingredients and spices. However, it''s unclear how long they''ll last or if they''ll automatically restock like before when used up.


    ¡°It''s better to prepare in advance than to deal with the hassle of painting it one by one later.¡±


    ¡°Coooo.¡±


    ¡°Especially salt¡ªit''s essential for living....¡±


    The water in the waterfowl''s lake was salty, so evaporating it might yield salt.


    ''I haven''t tried it yet, but it shouldn''t be impossible.''


    Gio muttered to himself.


    ¡°It''d be nice if a cow or chicken just appeared out of nowhere.¡±


    He was even hoping for livestock.


    ¡°Then we could always get milk and eggs.¡±


    ¡°Coooorrrr?¡±


    ¡°Aren''t you... male?¡±


    He had assumed it was male, despite having no evidence to back it up. Could it perhaps lay eggs?


    ¡°Not a son but a daughter?¡±


    ¡°Coong.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that wasn''t it?¡±


    Although the meat butchered this time didn''t carry any gamey smell, other spices were needed to enhance the savoury flavour. Making sausages with just salt, pepper, and meat would be too dull.


    ¡°A proper sausage needs to have deep flavour and aroma.¡±


    Fortunately, he had already discovered ''Milky Way Mary,'' which served as both chilli and pepper.


    ¡°But it''s still not enough.¡±


    The fun part of making sausages was how the taste and aroma varied drastically depending on what herbs and spices were added to the mix.


    Using only Milky Way Mary, which was presumed to have a mixed scent of chilli and pepper, might produce decent sausages, but ....


    ¡°Let''s keep going.¡±


    ¡°Cooorrrrrr.¡±


    ¡°If any dangerous animals appear, let me know.¡±


    As Honey''s dad, Gio instinctively knew that this round waterfowl was far from weak. Though small and precious, Honey played the role of a reliable bodyguard.


    Walking through the forest, Gio continued talking.


    ¡°There are key conditions for making a delicious cured meat.¡±


    First, adjust the amount of salt to match the storage period and climate.


    ¡°In a forest like this, where the ingredients don''t rot, it might sound unnecessary...¡±


    ¡°Coor?¡±


    ¡°But too much salt in the cured meat makes it difficult to use in cooking despite lasting longer, whereas too little salt results in improper curing, causing the meat to spoil.¡±


    ¡°Coongcoongcoong...¡±


    ¡°Yes, it''s troublesome.¡±


    And that''s the funny thing. The intricate recipes of the world held an irresistible charm that always stirred Gio''s sense of challenge.


    ¡°The temperature of this forest is moderately mild, and as long as the curing is done well, there''s no worry about the meat spoiling, which I think is great. I don''t particularly like overly salty jerky or sausages anyway.¡±


    ¡°Coooorr...¡±


    ¡°If it''s too salty, you can''t eat much. You''ll get full too quickly.¡±


    ¡°Coo.¡±


    ¡°I knew you''d agree with me.¡±


    The duo reaffirmed their mutual trust.


    ¡°And second, drying it according to its intended use.¡±


    ¡°Coong?¡±


    The reaction seemed to ask, ''Cured meat has specific uses?''


    ¡°Sausages aren''t all the same.¡±


    Having his son by his side, not needing to talk to himself, was truly a source of happiness. This is why people need friends.


    ¡°Normally, the longer you dry the meat, the tougher it gets, so there are many types.¡±


    ¡°Cooor...¡±


    ¡°Sure, you''d eat anything, but try thinking about it from a human perspective.¡±


    In the world, there were more types of cooking methods than the number of people.


    ¡°There are sausages eaten fresh, and sausages cooked after being completely hardened.¡±


    The former was usually eaten boiled or grilled, while the latter was either boiled like fresh sausages or steamed.


    ¡°Fresh sausages overflow with juices when barely heated, but fully dried sausages don''t. Since no one wants to chew on hard sausages, maybe they''re trying to somehow replenish the lack of moisture inside... isn''t that the case?¡±


    And third.


    ¡°This one''s the most important¡ªflavour and aroma.¡±


    ¡°Coorrrrrrrrr.¡±


    Honey agreed enthusiastically.


    ¡°You''re such a foodie.¡±


    Truthfully, he believed 99.9% criteria for a good sausage depended on this.


    ¡°This dad hates tasteless food.¡±


    ¡°Coong.¡±


    Once again, Honey expressed intense agreement.


    ¡°So, if I''m making it anyway, I want to do it well this time too.¡±


    The ingredients and their forms varied slightly depending on the type of sausage being made.


    ¡°There are endless ways to make sausages. If you want light-flavoured meat, add a little salt and just enough spices to neutralize any gamey smell. If you need something stimulating as a side dish, add spices that are pungent and tingly on your tongue.¡±


    ¡°Coong...¡±


    ¡°If you want to experience more diverse flavours, you can add vegetables, not just spices. Of course, if it''s vegetables with too much moisture, it can be a bit challenging ... In my experience, it''ll be good if you salt them and remove moisture completely before adding them, since it''ll prevent water or mould from forming inside the sausage.¡±


    Gio rolled his eyes as he imagined the sausages he would make.


    ¡°I''m starting to crave something spicy, so if there are spices or vegetables that can heat up the tongue, I''d like to find and take them. When making such sausages, adding ingredients with a slight bitterness makes the flavour richer. Of course, adding too much could result in a bizarre dish...¡±


    But Gio''s self-esteem was excessively high to feel anxious about such things.


    ¡°I, with the spirit of a top-tier artist, would never make such a mistake. Just trust me.¡±


    ¡°Cooor?¡±


    ¡°... Are you worried that you might not like spicy food? Well, it might indeed be too spicy for birds.¡±


    Gio nodded.


    ¡°Then we should also make a mild-flavoured sausage. For such sausages, it''s the same¡ªif you want a richer flavour, we can add ingredients that produce a neutral and soft aroma. Mild-scented herbs would be good.¡±


    ¡°But still, I want to eat something spicy. How about trying to make a spicy one and one completely salty sausage? It would be nice if there were ingredients that complement well with spices like Milky Way Mary or ginger.¡±


    Seeing Honey''s questioning look that seemed to say, ''Can you really pull this off?'' Gio confidently nodded.


    ¡°There''s nothing this dad can''t do.¡±


    For delicious food, what wouldn''t he do? Gio was filled with confidence.


    Just then, he spotted something interesting.


    Crying Hem


    Unrefined Crying Hem has a dark teal hue and produces a spicy taste and aroma. Washing it in a solution of water, sugar and Salasala tree sap removes its toxicity.


    ¡°That''s an excellent description.¡±

 Chapter 40

    ''Spicy taste and aroma.''


    It was exactly what Gio had been looking for.


    Of course, there was more explanation about the Crying Hem.


    ...A herb growing like a concave bell. When dried in sunlight for over a month, it turns pink, and its leaves become plump. The refined pink Crying Hem produces an intensely sweet taste enough to tear your tongue apart. When pickled with the juice of these leaves, Lulupu petals greatly aid in optic nerve recovery.


    Refinement Method: Dry the Crying Hem under the sun for over a month. The optimal time is when they turn deep pink and the leaves thicken to about 3 cm. Extract the juice from the leaves that have become swollen due to absorbing moisture from the air. This itself makes an excellent pain reliever, and if you put Lulupu petals in it and store it in a cool place, you can create a medicine for optic nerve recovery within three days.


    But it was too long.


    He just skimmed through it.


    ''I''m looking for spices, not medicinal herbs.''


    The only part that caught his eye was the ''spicy taste and aroma'' part. Whatever optic nerve recovery benefits it had, the goal here was to enjoy some tasty sausage, not to find a remedy.


    ¡°Does it look like morning glory?¡±


    While not identical, its fluttering lace-like leaves and vines clinging to trees were quite similar in form. However, its leaves were much larger than Morning Glory''s....


    ¡°It''s almost as big as my hand.¡±


    ¡°Coorrrr?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it''s pretty big.¡±


    Despite Gio''s hands not being particularly small, the size of Crying Hem was slightly larger than his palm.


    ¡°And the vine being a deep white colour is also unusual.¡±


    The leaves of Crying Hem displayed a green gradient that darkened towards the tips. Its vine connected to the leaves was opaque white, which seemed like it would stand out prominently at night.


    ¡°Anyway....¡±


    He harvested some peppers.


    ''I''ll try making chilli powder with this.''


    He was very pleased.


    ¡°Let''s check how it is.¡±


    He plucked and tore a Crying Hem before sniffing it. The pungent and spicy aroma was exceptional.


    Although not exactly the same as Earth''s peppers, it was close enough and had a uniquely soft scent that seemed like it would pair well with the nutty flavour of the meat. Though the complex aroma was almost dizzying. R?A?


    ''It''s like a mix of chilli, Sichuan pepper, and... a faint hint of star anise? It also has a subtle sweetness similar to pandan leaves .... Since the meat already has a walnut or hazelnut-like aroma, if I use this right, I might just whip up sausage with the taste of dandan noodles1.''


    As Gio thought this far, he muttered.


    ¡°But....¡±


    There was a problem.


    ¡°This seems like it would be overwhelming if used too much.¡±


    As someone who eats everything, he had no issue with strong chilli aromas. However, the flavour of Sichuan pepper, star anise, and pandan leaves might be a bit too potent.


    The numbing spiciness of Sichuan pepper and the mushy sweetness of pandan leaves could be overlooked, but the star anise....


    ¡°This is a bit too strong.¡±


    ¡°Coorrrrrr...¡±


    And tearing a small piece and tasting it confirmed his thoughts.


    ¡°Yeah, it''s too strong.¡±


    The aroma was so intense it seemed to pierce through his nose into his brain.


    ¡°An assassination?¡±


    Technically, it was closer to suicide, but the scent was that extraordinarily sharp.


    Star anise is typically used to mask the gamey smell of pork. Its unique trait is its pungent yet somewhat bittersweet aroma.


    The problem was that its ''sweetness,'' when combined with the subtle sweetness of pandan leaves, gave an overwhelming heaviness.


    ¡°I shouldn''t use too much of this.¡±


    The earlier description mentioned that, with the right process, this plant could become intensely sweet, and noticing traces of peculiar sweetness in its scent, he vaguely understood. If handled correctly, it could indeed become very sweet.


    ¡°But it''s not bad.¡±


    ¡°Coor...¡±


    ¡°Don''t worry, Honey. I''m not going to make you eat it raw.¡±


    After all, it was all going into the sausage anyway.


    At that moment, he suddenly had a thought.


    ¡°...Are all the ingredients I''m using medicinal herbs?¡±


    ¡°Coo.¡±


    ¡°What kind of sausage am I even trying to make?¡±


    Anyway, if there were too many, he''ll wrap the rest for Yoo Sung-woon.


    ***


    After a long adventure.


    Gio returned to his cabin and proudly declared:


    ¡°I did it.¡±


    He had found ginger.


    ¡°It''s quite different from the ginger I know, but the flavour and aroma are similar enough to call it ginger.¡±


    ¡°Coo coo.¡±


    ¡°Sir, am I not speaking right now?¡±2


    Gio washed his hands.


    ¡°I wonder how the intestines I soaked before have become.¡±


    Gio approached the basin where he had soaked the deer''s intestines.


    Modern sausages typically use collagen casings. This would have made production much easier, but since this place was completely isolated in the middle of the forest, far from the modern world, Gio had no choice but to stick to the traditional methods.


    ¡°No matter how much I searched, I couldn''t find casings in the cabin.¡±


    ¡°Cooo?¡±


    ¡°Painting casings is a bit difficult.¡±


    Casings made of paint seemed like it would tear easily, which felt unsettling. He also thought it would be a hassle to draw the thin, transparent casings one by one.


    Honey, staring at the intestines, let out a low cry, as if to say it were different from what it knew.


    ¡°It''s been prepared, so it will be slightly different from what you know. All the fat or foreign substances that completely filled the inside have been removed, leaving only the skin, so the shape has also changed a bit from how it was.¡±


    There was no bad smell in the intestines pickled in the sour fruit.


    ¡°Maybe it''s because the meat didn''t have any musty smell to begin with.¡±


    After checking the intestines were cleaned and deodorized, Gio lifted the basin containing the intestines. Now, he planned to go down to the kitchen and start chopping the meat.


    ¡°When making sausages, it''s best to use tough and strongly flavoured parts. Depending on preferences, deciding how tough the meat should be and which parts to mix is one of the pleasures of cooking.¡±


    ¡°Corrrrrrrrrr...¡±


    ¡°Since we can''t eat it now, why don''t you just step back and see?¡±


    He immediately minced the meat.


    ¡°At this rate, the piglet will snatch it all away.¡±


    He needed to make the sausages quickly.


    ¡°It should be fine to do a little more in this part.¡±


    ¡°Coong?¡±


    ¡°That''ll improve the texture.¡±


    How the meat is minced also greatly affects the sausage''s texture.


    If cut coarsely, it would be hard for the pieces to cling together but result in a thick, chewy, and lumpy texture. If minced finely, it will have a soft texture that slowly melts in the mouth.


    ¡°Mixing them appropriately works even better.¡±


    On Earth, the uniformity of ground meat size was crucial due to drying issues, but this place was a painting brimming with the wonders of nature. Thanks to this, Gio could design sausages with unique textures.


    Slightly coarsely cut pieces, or completely minced.


    ''The texture will be good if done this way, and it will also improve the appearance as it will fill the gap with the casing .''


    After completely mincing the meat, Gio brought the ingredients to mix with the ground meat.


    Milky Way Mary'' to add the aroma of pepper and chilli, ''Crying Hem'' to provide an intense and stimulating taste and aroma, and ''Arum'' of the ginger family, which is definitely spicy like chilli and pungent.


    He smoothly removed off-odours and added a sophisticated flavour with ''Raven Walnut,'' along with the sweet and tangy vinegar from ''Candytrap Tree'' that adds variation to the taste ....


    How exciting.


    ¡°Nice.¡±


    He couldn''t contain his excitement.


    ¡°Who else could have such an experience?¡±


    Mysterious ingredients found deep in a quiet forest devoid of human presence. The experience of cooking with ingredients holding flavors one couldn''t have imagined, while breathing in the refreshing phytoncides.


    That day, Gio made approximately 10kg of sausages.


    In his enthusiasm, he got a bit carried away.


    ¡°I admit my mistake.¡±


    He nodded.


    ¡°There''s nothing to worry about, it''s okay.¡±


    ¡°Coong.¡±


    ¡°We have Mr. Yoo Sung-woon.¡±


    ¡°Cooorr.¡±


    They both agreed on how to deal with the excessive stock.


    ***


    ¡°Gio, are you here?¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon went to give Gio some fish-shaped buns after a long while.


    ¡°I saw the student we met last time selling fish-shaped buns, so I bought a bag.¡±


    ¡°I see. Thank you for your kindness.¡±


    ¡°It''s nothing big, so just take them. If you really feel you must return the favour, keep it simple with some food like before.¡±


    ¡°I happen to have just the right dish.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really? Perfect timing, I was getting hungry.¡±


    How much time had passed?


    He exited the gallery, holding a paper bag full of sausages.


    ¡°... This isn''t appropriate at all.¡±


    Though it was a completely different situation, he couldn''t help but feel a bit cheated.

 Chapter 41.1

    Forest Intestines


    Rank: ¨C


    Sausage made from the meat of the Treehorn Deer, herbs, and fruits that grow naturally along the veins of fate. Processed directly by Gio, the owner of the forest, it can even be consumed by the human body. This sausage, providing a deep sense of fullness, is excellent for healing certain injuries and restoring immunity.


    ¡°Help.¡±


    ¡°Ah, you startled me.¡±


    ¡°Please help me.¡±


    ¡°Could you stop coming to me every time you receive a troublesome gift, Curator Yoo Sung-woon?¡±


    ¡°This time, it''s something I received personally, so I can''t even share it with others.¡±


    At the sudden appearance of Yoo Sung-woon, Bi Sa-beol cheerfully responded.


    ¡°Then couldn''t you have asked if you could share it?¡±


    ¡°Is that really the only way?¡±


    ¡°Have you tried this gift yet?¡±


    ¡°I had about three at home before coming here.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon nodded.


    ¡°It was delicious.¡±


    ¡°Oh, now that you say that, I suddenly feel tempted too.¡±


    ¡°Wait until I come back after asking Gio about it.¡±


    ¡°If you''re not going to let me eat it, why did you bring it to me?¡±


    ¡°Because if others see it, it¡¯ll obviously put me in an awkward position.¡±


    ¡°Ah, so it''s for safekeeping ....¡±


    Bi Sa-beol chuckled bitterly.


    ¡°Our employees really are too cynical after all.¡±


    ¡°Aren''t they all people you gathered yourself?¡±


    ¡°Still, who uses their guild leader as a safe? No one treats me with enough respect.¡±


    ¡°Who created this atmosphere, and now you''re complaining?¡±


    ¡°So, what does it do?¡±


    ¡°You''re changing the subject.¡±


    After a brief thought, Yoo Sung-woon scratched the back of his neck.


    ¡°It¡¯s supposed to be excellent for healing injuries and restoring immunity, so I haven''t seen its effects since I don¡¯t have such injuries yet. However....¡± r??


    ¡°However?¡±


    ¡°I do feel like my vision is becoming a bit clearer.¡±


    ¡°Clearer vision?¡±


    Even in this world, medical technology related to eyesight is still underdeveloped. Worn-out optic nerves became harder to recover over time. In that sense, the effect Yoo Sung-woon mentioned sounded quite intriguing.


    ¡°Is its effect certain?¡±


    ¡°As far as I can tell, yes. If others try it as well, we''ll have a comparison group and can analyze the effects in more detail.¡±


    ¡°Then we first need to get Gio''s permission. Why didn''t you ask when you received the gift? Gio doesn''t seem like someone who would outright refuse.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn''t make assumptions about an entity of origin''s behaviour like that, and besides, at that time I was mentally drained after pulling an all-nighter. I just saw fish-shaped buns and went to give them, not expecting to receive such a gift.¡±


    ¡°If you''re that tired, why not eat the cookies you got last time?¡±


    ¡°I finished them long ago.¡±


    Once again, Yoo Sung-woon had become a slave to caffeine.


    ¡°The fruit syrup I received before ... it doesn''t exactly look like one, but anyway, what do the other employees think about the fruit syrup?¡±


    ¡°The response was very positive. But they also seemed confused. After all, the main benefit of honey of the water veins is ''restore human physical abilities to their limit¡¯ ....¡±


    ¡°Even if they haven¡¯t read the description, it''s only natural to be suspicious since they must have felt it in their body.¡±


    Bi Sa-beol smiled as he asked,


    ¡°Would you like a cup of fruit tea before you go?¡±


    ¡°...Please.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon, who was on the verge of collapse from overwork, needed recovery.


    Drinking the fruit tea that had a rich soup-like flavour, he let out a small sigh. It was truly delicious, but the thought of consuming something so extraordinary just to recover from fatigue brought a sense of uneasiness.


    ¡°If we took it into the dungeon, it would be incredibly helpful. It seemed like it could significantly affect mortality rates.¡±


    ¡°That''s true.¡±


    ¡°But actually bringing it in would cause quite a stir.¡±


    ¡°That''s also true.¡±


    ¡°...An existence of origin being overly benevolent is a problem too.¡±


    It was a new realization.


    ¡°So, didn''t the employees suspect anything? They must have felt something was off?¡±


    ¡°Everyone was curious about the source of the fruit syrup but didn''t ask me again. I said it was something I bought at an auction, but they still found it hard to believe.¡±


    ¡°So what did you say?¡±


    ¡°What could I say? Since no one asked more, I didn''t explain. Our employees really dislike getting involved in complicated matters.¡±


    ¡°No one likes to take extra work.¡±


    ¡°Seriously, everyone''s so cold-hearted.¡±


    As Bi Sa-beol drank his share of fruit tea, he remarked,


    ¡°Still, it seemed like only a few people guessed it to be an ¡®artwork¡¯s piece''.¡±


    An ¡®artwork¡¯s piece¡¯ was a term used within Collection to refer to objects, blessings, or curses given to a curator by an artwork locked in Bi Sa-beol''s private gallery.


    Bi Sa-beol nodded.


    ¡°That''s why I hired curators to manage things in my stead while I''m busy appreciating the artworks.¡±


    It was an outrageously irresponsible remark, but not entirely incorrect, so Yoo Sung-woon sighed.


    ¡°If even a gardener like me is siding with humans to this extent, it means it¡¯s really serious.¡±


    ¡°I thought I was restraining myself to some extent, but if Mr. Yoo Sung-woon says so, perhaps I''ve gone too far.¡±


    Bi Sa-beol''s eyes curved sharply.


    ¡°But aren''t you curious?¡±


    Those were the eyes of someone with no intention of hiding their greed.


    ¡°I''m curious about what kind of being my artwork is. I''m curious about how much of an upright young man Gio is, if he can kill a person, and if so, how much and in what way he would kill them.¡±


    ¡°Gio is a painter. He''s also a portrait. He has a personality that avoids conflict. He perceives himself as a 29-year-old young man. How will he blend among people? How will he react to unpleasant experiences? I''m curious about how he will change when he realizes he''s an artwork.¡±


    ¡°To be honest, I don''t care how the world turns out because of Gio. It would be infuriating if my artworks were damaged because of foolish people, but I''m not scared of my artworks fighting, getting hurt and burning each other.¡±


    That was Bi Sa-beol''s honest greed.


    ¡°Have you ever heard that the higher the rank, the further one strays from humanity?¡±


    ¡°...It''s a well-known story. Tales of how inhuman S-rank hunters are are always popular.¡±


    ¡°With such insignificant physical abilities, it''s very embarrassing to assert this, but I hope you understand that I too am S-rank.¡±


    He was close to being inhuman.


    ¡°If this world were beautiful and serene enough for me to cherish, it would''ve been nice, don''t you agree?¡±


    Hearing such absurd words directly, Yoo Sung-woon''s face twisted with fatigue.


    ¡°...Ordinary people don''t even consider the possibility of mass slaughter, regardless of whether the world is beautiful or radiant, guild leader....¡±


    ¡°That''s because their perspective of the world is too narrow. To put it more bluntly, even if the world comes to an end because of my artworks, it''s simply because it was something that was bound to happen anyway.¡±


    ¡°The association president should have heard this. In the association where regulations on dangerous-grade items are strict, isn''t Bi Sa-beol''s gallery the only one they trust and rely on?¡±


    ¡°You must have known this, but that person doesn''t particularly trust me either. It''s just that the association president lacks the time and resources to manage everything, and as the number of dangerous artworks increases, I''m merely the only lesser evil left to take charge.¡±


    Due to bearing half of the work of the government and the association, Bi Sa-beol gained the gallery''s autonomy.


    ¡°So, it¡¯s not like the association president really trusts me. That person just needed a space and manpower which could consistently provide minimal management.¡±


    ¡°...Despite that distrust, the association hasn''t taken your artworks away. From my experience as a researcher there, it''s clear the association was definitely after the guild leader¡¯s gallery....¡±


    ¡°That''s why life is all about timing. If I had opened this gallery just ten years later, would the association have been so accommodating?¡±


    Bi Sa-beol''s face brightened as if he had heard an amusing joke.


    ¡°Bi Sa-beol''s gallery is very famous in the world today. It''s far more performative, provocative, and visible to the public than the association that quietly researches, analyzes, and controls.¡±


    ¡°What''s more, what I manage is a gallery. Customers can visit, and they can even purchase artwork. The association cannot suppress this gallery with its long history, supported by loyal clients.¡±


    Bi Sa-beol''s face dramatically expressed sorrow.


    ¡°Oh, truly... When I think of the artworks trapped within the association, tears blur my vision. How harshly are they being treated, barely surviving?¡±


    ¡°


    ¡°Moreover, thinking of the humiliation and pain my precious and delicate artworks will suffer at the association''s research lab, I absolutely cannot hand them over. Artworks contain souls, you know.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes....¡±


    From Yoo Sung-woon''s perspective, who was once the association''s research team leader, it was truly outrageous, but since he works under him and enjoys the conveniences provided, he decided to let it pass for now.


    ¡°So you have no intention of holding back?¡±


    ¡°I''m already holding back plenty, so I don''t know what more you expect me to restrain.¡±


    ¡°This is a Demon King''s Castle.¡±


    When an incident occurs, the resulting catastrophe would be unimaginable.


    ¡°When something goes wrong, it''ll go really wrong. You know that, right?¡±


    ¡°Well, that''s why I also provide curators with hazard pay, don''t I?¡±


    ¡°It wasn''t a question of whether you knew that. Korea might be wiped off the map.¡±


    ¡°That sounds truly frightening. Before that happens, I trust our curators will handle things well.¡±


    ¡°What an irresponsible director. I hope you at least realize this is your own gallery.¡±


    Bi Sa-beol''s gallery was more provocative and open than the association''s research lab, but it was less secure.


    ''If these dangerous and sensitive artworks are to be managed safely... stronger control would be necessary.''


    This place was operated with minimal control despite the overwhelming quantity. It was the complete opposite of the association''s research lab.


    Bi Sa-beol loved his artworks and managed them with love. One of the basic requirements for curators here was to ''form a strong bond with the artworks.''


    Indeed, the current Earth was being maintained too precariously.


    ''Even though it''s an inevitable situation, given that the entire system collapsed and was rebuilt....''


    Everything depended solely on the mercy of a few powerful individuals on Earth.


    ''If even one of them went astray, it would be utter chaos. Fortunately, such a disaster hasn''t occurred yet.''


    It felt like it was barely holding on.


    ¡°...I¡¯ll try to work more diligently. That includes matters related to Gio.¡±


    ¡°In that sense, don''t you think you should help Gio make new friends? He would be lonely on his own.


    ¡°Are you not even trying to disguise it with some grand cause anymore? It''s clear you let everything I just said go in one ear and out the other.¡±


    At this point, it seemed fated that Gio was auctioned off to Bi Sa-beol rather than the association president.


    Well, yeah.


    Yoo Sung-woon himself, who welcomed Bi Sa-beol¡¯s artwork-friendly opinion despite having the perspective of a gardener, was also a very amusing person.


    He nodded.


    ¡°I''ll ask him.¡±


    He was planning to go and have a conversation with Gio this early morning anyway.


    Asking at least one question at that time should probably be okay.

 Chapter 41.2

    At that moment, Gio.


    ¡°I made a few.¡±


    ¡°Coong?¡±


    A few?


    ¡°Well, it''s a bit much, isn''t it.¡±


    ¡°Coong?¡±


    A bit?


    ¡°Yeah, Dad was being overly enthusiastic. I got so excited I couldn''t control myself.¡±


    ¡°Coooorr.¡±


    ¡°I''ll reflect on it.¡±


    He handed about 5kg of sausages to Yoo Sung-woon, but even then, another 5kg of sausages remained.


    ¡°Since they''ve been dried in the sunlight once, they shouldn''t rot if we keep them in the ice storage....¡±


    ¡°Coorrr?¡±


    ¡°As I said earlier, part of it was because I got too excited, and also wanted to give them some gifts because I''ve been neglecting the waterfowl''s nests. It''s about sharing with everyone, not just eating it all by ourselves.¡±


    ¡°Cooorrrooorooorr.¡±


    ¡°I knew you''d like it.¡±


    The grilled sausages, piled high, were so abundant that they looked just like a small hill.


    Even so, it was still smaller compared to all the waterfowl living in this forest combined, but what does it matter? The fact that the amount is excessively large remained unchanged.


    However, Gio was resolute.


    ¡°Try this first. I thought you might not like spicy food, so I made this one mild.¡±


    He was thrilled. He would''ve enjoyed it even if the sausages were made with ordinary ingredients. But isn''t this food made with fantasy ingredients?


    ¡°This one is a sausage made with Arum, Raven Walnut, and vinegar. I also ground a bit of Milky Way Mary into it. Honestly, it''s a little too mild for my taste... but I thought you''d like it.¡±


    ¡°Coorrrr.¡±


    ¡°That doesn''t mean I won''t eat it.¡±


    Gio had set up a table outside his cabin for the first time in a while and finished preparing the meal.


    On the table were freshly cooked white rice from a cauldron, all were placed abundantly¡ªdetoxified Vaivamnil which was seasoned like vegetables, and warm, homemade sausages full of juices grilled in the wood-fired oven as if fried. r?


    ¡°I''ll bring the grilled sausages to the waterfowl''s nest later. For now, we''ve set the table to taste it ourselves, so let''s eat slowly and visit the nest afterwards. Don''t you agree, son?¡±


    ¡°Coorrrr.¡±


    ¡°As expected, you really are my son.¡±


    Without cutting the long sausage, Seo Gio put one in his mouth and subtly nodded in agreement.


    ''...Someone who likes stimulating flavours like me might find it a bit bland. Honestly, it''s a little plain, but the seasoning is just right, so it''s good for eating with rice.''


    The sausages, perhaps due to having been briefly dried in the sun and had been grilled once, had a very crispy exterior.


    Even so, the meticulously prepared casing by hand using intestines had a nutty and chewy texture, yet was soft enough not to resist the teeth. The texture was a harmony of crispiness, chewiness, and softness.


    ¡°Hmm....¡±


    Crunch!


    ¡°Ah, it''s hot.¡±


    Juices overflowed from the contents inside.


    A subtle wood aroma seeped into the roof of his mouth. The sausage, freshly grilled in the wood-fired oven where firewood blazed fiercely, was warm enough to feel hot, and the sweet yet slightly sticky meat juices, tightly enclosed within the casing, soaked his mouth.


    ¡°It''s not that Dad made it wrong, but our tastes are just a bit different.¡±


    This level of spiciness was truly delicious.


    The flavor-savvy Seo Gio also enjoyed chicken feet. When he usually eats spicy chicken feet, he''d dip them in sesame oil sauce or pair them with a sweet drink if it became too overwhelming.


    Then, he could enjoy the dish with a calm and refined demeanour, almost like an intellectual. The sausages he made this time followed the same principle.


    ''The flavour and aroma were generally spicy and tangy, but Crying Hem already carried a subtle underlying sweetness. Plus, Raven Walnut added the characteristic soft sweetness of nuts. Not to mention the naturally produced vinegar from the Candytrap Tree, which was said to bore extremely sweet fruits....''


    When the spices felt overwhelming, the mild aromas suppressed them. If the spiciness was too intense, the slightly abundant deer fat soothed the tongue like silk.


    If the fat felt greasy, the vinegar''s sourness will assert its presence, calming the queasiness.


    Overall, the balance was excellent.


    ''Arum plays a significant role in binding the overwhelming complexity of flavours and aromas into one harmony. It''s effect is far better than what I expected.''


    Even as he chewed, Gio was already thinking of new recipes.


    ¡°When making something with a mix of various ingredients, adding Arum really elevates the quality of the dish.¡±


    ¡°Coong...?¡±


    ¡°I''ll make it less spicy next time. You seem to have some aversion to the spicy aroma.¡±


    Arum managed to bind the distinct, scattered personalities of the spices together. Its effectiveness was so impressive that, despite the complexity of flavours, the dish never felt overwhelming.


    ''Plus, I paid special attention to the texture of this sausage.''


    Gio nodded.


    ¡°It has a bit of a chewiness to it, doesn''t it?¡±


    ¡°Cooorrr.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it''s delicious, isn''t it? Changing the size of the meat grains definitely made the texture more diverse. I''ll have to think more about how to adjust the texture next time I make it.¡±


    ¡°Coocoo....¡±


    ¡°I always think this, but I really like how mould doesn''t grow in this forest.¡±


    Without that, this entire process would have been impossible.


    ''I used real intestines which retain high moisture content for casing.... It''s a miracle they didn''t spoil during the process.''


    If the meat grains were uneven, air pockets would form inside the casing, increasing the likelihood of mould. At least, that''s been the case with all the sausages Gio has made so far.


    ''Such weak-willed creatures.''


    If you''re true pork, shouldn''t you be able to withstand a little mould with determination?


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Anyway, thanks to that, even the texture of this sausage was outstanding.


    The meat, already mashed to a soft, porridge-like consistency, pleased the tongue by touching a corner of the mouth even before chewing. Meanwhile, the uneven meat chunks gave a pleasant bounce as they were chewed by the teeth.


    ''The meat juices were flowing, and the texture of the intestine casing was better than I had expected.''


    Since the intestines were so plump, it felt just like chewing on thin gopchang4.


    The pre-cleaned intestines had no unpleasant odour, and they offered a perfect combination of chewiness and savoury flavour typical of innards.


    Additionally, the sausages were grilled in the wood-fired oven, making the outer casing as crispy as a cracker while the inside remained sticky. There was also a faint bitterness unique to nuts.


    Gio muttered.


    ¡°This is nice.¡±


    He wished he could live like this his whole life.


    Peacefully.

 Chapter 42

    After finishing a fantastic meal, Gio threw sausages to the waterfowl and returned to the cabin to rest. Perhaps because he had eaten so much, he didn''t feel hungry even when dinner came.


    ¡°Scorched rice....¡±


    ¡°Coorr?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t eat right now, but let¡¯s cook scorched rice tomorrow. It¡¯ll be delicious.¡±


    ¡°Cooooorororrr.¡±


    Lying on the bed, Seo Gio poked Honey who was lying next to him.


    ¡°Coong.¡±


    ¡°Coocoocoong.¡±


    ¡°So soft.¡±


    ¡°Coong!!!¡±


    Honey protested vehemently, but it only made him even cuter.


    ¡°This harmless little guy.¡±


    He thought that if it grew just a little bigger, he might even use it as a pillow.


    ''Would it be possible to create something that feels similar?''


    Feeling bad about using a living waterfowl as a pillow, he considered making a soft pillow that wasn¡¯t alive.


    Lost in such thoughts, Gio blinked.


    He couldn''t sleep at all.


    ¡°Phew....¡±


    There were times like this occasionally.


    ¡°Is this the fate of an artist?¡±


    ¡°...Coong?¡±


    Honey reacted as if to say, ''Stop talking nonsense and just sleep,'' but it wasn''t that simple.


    Rubbing his face a few times against the softness of the blanket stuffed full of feathers, Gio soon got up from his spot.


    ¡°Honey, Dad''s leaving.¡±


    ¡°Coor.¡±


    ¡°You heartless guy.¡±


    Leaving the tired Honey behind, he headed to his studio full of all kinds of materials.


    His severe insomnia was triggered by a sudden interest in something.


    ¡°...I''m curious about the view outside the company.¡±


    By pinpointing a location and imagining it as precisely as possible, Gio could visualize the scenery of that place.


    At first, he thought it was just his imagination. After all, even if he imagined what the third floor of the ¡®Collection¡¯ company might look like, it shouldn''t match the actual view. ?


    However, as he continued to imagine it and gradually completed the painting, he realized something.


    ''The landscape of the location I imagined is relatively accurate.''


    He suspected it might be one of the benefits he gained after becoming a portrait.


    ¡°The outside....¡±


    Gio murmured.


    ¡°It''s probably a dark dawn.¡±


    It wasn''t a place he had never seen before, and painting a place he had already seen once wasn''t difficult. Gio began to move his brush as he recalled the view he had seen while standing against a wall in an alley.


    Soon, a picture frame appeared in a certain alleyway in Seoul.


    ***


    ¡°Haaah....¡±


    In the early morning streets, a woman ruffled her hair.


    ¡°Where else should I cling to next?¡±


    The woman with short black hair, Cha Ara, couldn¡¯t hold back her sigh.


    ''As expected, there is no place that welcomes F-ranks.''


    Even as an Awakener, F-ranks were treated as nothing more than porters.


    Cha Ara''s rank was F. Her main skill was ''Body Reinforcement.'' She couldn''t afford to learn any other skills, and it was no surprise that she didn''t have a profession. She had the typical porter¡¯s status.


    Today, after being dismissed from her original team, she sat aimlessly on a bench.


    ¡°...Well, who would hire a porter with an injured leg?¡±


    It was due to a leg injury she sustained in the dungeon she visited that afternoon.


    With plenty of other F-ranks who wanted to be porters, there was no reason to hire someone who limped.


    ''I liked that the team was relatively composed of decent people.''


    Though they weren''t particularly kind, it was a team consisting of people who didn''t meddle in each other''s business. Even though they treated Cha Ara as invisible due to her being an F-rank porter, the team members themselves were generally indifferent to one another.


    Such indifference was hard to find and was one of the virtues of modern people.


    ¡°Though that''s also why I got fired so easily.¡±


    Having no more usefully, Cha Ara was told they could no longer hire her and was kicked out.


    It was a relief that at least they settled her payment before kicking her out. Cha Ara stared at the balance on her account displayed on her phone for a long time.


    Altogether, it amounted to about 500,000 won.


    It wasn''t enough to pay the rent and buy a priest''s robe for her youngest sibling.


    At that crude remark,


    the portrait, buried in the shadows, opened its eyes.


    The mouth of the portrait, no longer obscured by the darkness, moved smoothly.


    ¡°My apologies.¡±


    It spoke in an aristocratic tone.


    When Cha Ara blinked at the overwhelming sense of unease.


    The picture frame was nowhere to be seen.


    What, woah, what.


    ''What was that?''


    It was only then that Cha Ara realized she had collapsed to the ground.


    ¡°...D-d


    Someone save me.


    Her hand, resting on the snow-covered ground, trembled. Cha Ara knew¡ªand the world knew¡ªthat it wasn''t simply because of the cold.


    Though it was nonsense, deep down, she felt like I wouldn¡¯t be able to keep her composure if she didn''t at least ramble such nonsense.


    ¡°Crazy....¡±


    Cha Ara realized something without even intending to.


    ''I almost died.''


    Though the situation hadn''t been truly that dangerous, Cha Ara knew that the bizarre portrait she had just encountered was an extremely dangerous existence.


    Had it been even slightly less polite, enough not to feel the need to say, ¡®My apologies¡¯, who might say for sure if Cha Ara couldn''t have ended up as a corpse?


    ¡°...What, what was that. Seriously, what was that. What did I just see.¡±


    Cha Ara, who was gathering her strength to escape this place, felt something cold and hard brush her hand while fumbling around.


    At the small and hard texture, Cha Ara, whose skin crawled all the way to the top of her head, couldn''t even scream¡ªher mouth gaped and closed wordlessly.


    As she groped around with her hand again, uncontrollably shaking, a cold small object soon entered her hand.


    With her heart sinking, she inspected it .....


    ¡°...A g, gem?¡±


    It was a black and transparent-coloured gem.


    ¡°...What is this...¡±


    She also instinctively knew one thing.


    Cha Ara knew that this was a gift from the portrait she had just encountered.


    Before they died, her parents had always told her that good deeds would be rewarded.


    This entire situation felt like a chilling fairy tale.


    ***


    Meanwhile, another person was just as unsettled.


    ¡°Stalking is a bad thing.¡±


    Gio couldn''t regain his composure at his own rudeness.


    Painting the alley at dawn had been fine. However, after finishing the painting, he saw a woman moving inside the frame and briefly worried whether she might be in danger at such a late hour.


    As a result, Gio¡¯s gaze kept following her even without himself realizing ....


    ¡°And ended up stalking her.¡±


    He had observed the other person without her consent.


    ¡°She must have been surprised.¡±


    He would simply quietly observe the buildings inside Collection or move between frames normally, so he didn''t realize. However, through this opportunity, Gio came to know for certain.


    ''If I fix my gaze on something that moves, the frame in the real world moves along with them.''


    That was how the moving portrait incident that followed Cha Ara came about.


    ¡°I hope my apology was conveyed well...¡±


    Because he had just been absentmindedly watching the bob-haired woman, he saw her giving her scarf to a poor person and the sight of her being terrified at seeing his frame. Only when the woman turned pale and froze, collapsing with a thud did Gio finally come to his senses.


    He felt admiration toward the woman who still seemed to be about a high school student¡¯s age, worried about whether she was okay being alone at this late hour, and guilty for having startled her with his rudeness.


    This deep emotion was recognized as an item of trade, and Gio gave a gem to Cha Ara as a gift.


    No, wait a moment.


    ¡°Did I scare her even more?¡±


    Overwhelmed by his own rudeness and being out of it, he couldn''t think straight.


    But if he suddenly gave a gift to a high schooler already terrified by a living, moving portrait without saying a word, who would pick it up saying, ''Wow, it''s a gem?''


    ¡°Ah....¡±


    He should have just given her something like cookies.


    ''Of all times,  I didn''t have any baked cookies on hand, so I ended up drawing her a gem instead without realizing it.¡¯


    If he had given her some trivial snack, it might have been less frightening. Gio faintly saw the back of the bob-haired student running away in panic through the frame.


    ¡°My apologies...¡±


    At that moment, Gio realized something.


    Does my personality change sometimes?


    It was the moment he became truly aware of himself as the ¡®Black Cloak¡¯.

 Chapter 43

    In the morning, back to bed.


    ¡°Coorr?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Gio was lost in shallow thoughts.


    It wasn''t the first time he learned that his personality could change.


    ¡°There''s also Giovanni''s case.¡±


    But now that he thought about it belatedly, Gio seemed to sometimes deviate from his usual personality. Mainly when interacting with people outside in his ''portrait'' state.


    ¡°Come to think of it, praising employees or giving gifts out of the blue isn''t exactly a normal reaction either.¡±


    ¡°Cooor?¡±


    ¡°There were people older than me too, but for me, a healthy young man from the country of etiquette in the East1, to act that way¡ªhonestly, it''s not exactly normal considering my current state.¡±


    The problem was that Gio himself didn''t feel any sense of discomfort about such changes.


    ¡°At the time, I just thought it was natural.¡±


    It seemed certain that the identity of being a ''portrait'' was indeed changing him.


    ¡°Oh God of Heaven and Earth.¡±


    ¡°Coongcoong...¡±


    ¡°When I stayed inside the portrait, I felt the same as usual so I didn''t notice anything strange.¡±


    ¡°Cooor?¡±


    ¡°No, it''s fine.¡±


    Whether his personality changed or whatever else changed, Gio wasn''t one to falter by just this level of mystery.


    ¡°But I should be careful not to act rudely towards others.¡±


    At this rate, it seemed he might soon find it natural to pat the head of a stranger he''d never met before.


    ¡°I can''t do such an unsightly thing no matter what I become.¡±


    The act of patting someone''s head was only possible in fiction or when parents did it to their children. Even between lovers, such a bold touch was discouraged, so Gio felt the need to be careful with his behaviour.


    ¡°Of course, I''ve never had a lover.¡±


    ¡°How dare you look at your heavenly father that way.¡±


    I''m allowed to not have a girlfriend, you know.


    ¡°Anyway, personality changes aren''t that unfamiliar of a situation. Even when I went on the tour in Seoul, there were times when my awareness as Giovanni grew stronger... I think it''s quite similar to the topic I''m thinking about right now.¡±


    However, it didn''t feel like the ''personality'' itself was literally changing.


    ¡°If it was that extreme, I would have noticed long ago.¡±


    If he had to describe it, it was closer to the feeling of recalling forgotten memories.


    ¡°It''s not quite ''Seo Gio'', but it is me, that kind of feeling...¡±


    ¡°... Cooorrr?¡±


    ¡°It''s not a dual personality. That''s a misunderstanding.¡±


    Just as in his past life he lived as the priest Giovanni with his trademark benevolent smile, but in this life he lived as Seo Gio who was often asked ''Do you not know how to smile?''. It was similar to belatedly recalling his past life and having forgotten habits pop up here and there.


    ¡°I didn''t expect there would be problems due to my identity as a portrait as well.¡±


    Gio muttered.


    ¡°I think it''s a similar issue to resolution. When trying to act human-like with a portrait''s body, errors seem to occur somewhere. My speech becomes stiffer, and my actions and thoughts become strange...¡±


    It seemed he would need to be careful.


    ¡°Let''s try to be more self-aware from now on.¡±


    ¡°Coong.¡±


    ¡°You think it''s bothersome? Honey, you should work on your social skills.¡±


    Seeing Honey grumbling, Gio placed the round waterfowl on his hand and rolled it around. Honey, rolling around like a plump water pouch, didn''t seem to mind too much.


    ¡°Are you having fun?¡±


    ¡°Cooorrrrrr.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Gio, who had been momentarily surprised by the personality change, was able to settle his mind at that carefree sight.


    ¡°Anyway, it''s fun so it''s alright.¡±


    What could be stranger than not finding this ever-changing life entertaining?


    ¡°Then shall we eat now?¡±


    ¡°Cooorrr?¡±


    Though Honey expressed doubt, Gio got up from his seat without minding.


    ¡°Even if not right now, it''s good to prepare soup or side dishes in advance. We already have bones from the dismembered deer, so if we clean them up and make bone broth, we can store it in the ice storage and use it whenever needed.¡±


    Bone broth can be a hearty meal on its own. Gio nodded.


    ¡°Whenever I had indigestion, my grandmother told me to drink bone broth with a bit of green onion and salt.¡±


    ¡°I don''t know for sure, but I''ve heard that boiling bone broth too many times is actually bad for the body... I''m not sure how to handle the Treehorn Deer''s legs.¡±


    Treehorn Deer Bone


    The prepared bones from the legs of Treehorn deer. They are greasy due to being full of bone marrow, but bones boiled for over three days will completely dissolve into the broth and become a tonic. Characterized by a strong meaty flavour to the point it could feel nutty or salty.


    Refinement method: After thorough cleaning, boiling over low heat for three days causes the marrow and bones to fully dissolve, becoming a tonic. The medicine made this way can be used immediately, and when used on humans, all bone abnormalities will be healed. The degree of recovery varies depending on the amount consumed and the individual constitution.


    Gio nodded.


    ¡°There was no need to worry.¡±


    What kind of realistic concerns was he having in this fantasy world?


    ¡°It said the marrow and bones will dissolve on their own, so we just need to filter out the impurities occasionally while waiting. Let''s stop worrying about those self-sufficient fellows and start thinking about our lunch now.¡±


    ¡°Coorrrrr.¡±


    ¡°Then something good would be...¡±


    After pondering for a moment, Gio soon made up his mind.


    ¡°The day has finally come.¡±


    ¡°Coorr?¡±


    ¡°It''s time to go fishing.¡±


    After eating a large amount of meat, didn''t his tired stomach need to be refreshed with some fish?


    ¡°That''s proper manners for my tongue and stomach.¡±


    And Seo Gio was a true gourmand who learned the term Engel coefficient (the proportion of food spending in household expenses) at the age of five. He still remembered his grandma''s warm voice, who laughed warmly while saying, ''We have a pig potato at home.''


    Like that, Gio thought about eating fish. There were many ways.


    ¡°Although the stream is narrow, it''s quite deep and I''ve seen large and small fishes here and there when passing by. Especially since the waterfowl''s nests are connected to the stream or spring so that various creatures can move around... just going to the nests should be enough to find good fishes.¡±


    At Gio''s words, Honey, who had been tilting its head, soon came close to his ear and poked his cheek. It didn''t hurt at all, as the beak was so small and harmless to the point where it was unclear why it even existed.


    ¡°What''s the matter, Honey?¡±


    ¡°Corrrrrrrr.¡±


    ¡°...Ah.¡±


    Come to think of it, Gio had another source of fishery.


    ¡°There was the ''Breathing Sea.''¡±


    The ''Breathing Sea,'' one of the dimensional gates Gio had previously created, was literally a world submerged in the sea. The last time he saw it, it was clearly overflowing with all kinds of creatures.


    Gio accepted Honey''s advice.


    ¡°You''re smart.¡±


    ¡°Coor.¡±


    Honey puffed up proudly. It was extremely cute.


    ¡°No matter how cute you act, the only one you can conquer is your dad.¡±


    ¡°Coocoocoong.¡±


    ¡°Do you think acting cute elsewhere will get you someone who can treat you as well as I do? Where in the world would you find such a capable butler like me? You should just stick close to your dad.¡±


    Today, too, they were a happy family.


    Gio went straight to the second floor, specifically to the storage where completed works were collected. That was because the frame that allowed him to travel to ''Breathing Sea'' was hanging there.


    Gio, standing in front of the frame filled with blue light, seeped in slowly as if melting.


    And soon after.


    He was underwater.


    ¡°It''s been a while, Father.¡±


    Giovanni had entered the ''Breathing Sea.''


    ¡°It hasn''t been that long, has it?¡±


    ¡°  ¡±


    ¡°I just went out to see the outside world for a while.¡±


    The one conversing with Gio was none other than the Sun God of the destroyed world, the lonely old man whom ''Giovanni'' had previously requested him.


    He asked Gio what had brought him here today.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    And Gio was confident anytime, anywhere.


    ¡°I came to do some fishing.¡±


    Hand over the fish.


    ¡°If it goes well, I''ll share it with you.¡±


    ¡°  ¡±


    ¡°I knew you''d like it.¡±


    The Sun God was pleased.


    As expected, it was clear that only pigs had gathered at that place.

 Chapter 44

    The so-called ¡®Breathing Sea¡¯ was literally a world submerged in water.


    There was no one else besides Gio. The water was filled up to such a high level that even the sun seemed trapped under it, and traces of human civilization like brick houses and fences were also submerged as he was.


    Among all this, Gio was sitting at the edge of a cliff.


    ¡°Being completely underwater, I have no idea how to fish.¡±


    ¡°Cooooorr.¡±


    ¡°Honey, stop drinking the seawater. Your body is getting too big and scaring away the fish.¡±


    Many aquatic creatures could be seen everywhere.


    A creature with a body that looked like an extremely large hermit crab making ticktockticktock noises while moving clumsily, crossing a red roof with its companions. Meanwhile, a snake with a gentle impression that appeared to be a water snake kept popping out from within the sand with a pop sound and hiding repeatedly.


    Besides these, large whale pods were floating high in the watery sky, colourful seahorses dancing in pairs as if singing, fish hiding among seaweed growing between bricks...


    ¡°Maybe I just don¡¯t have a talent for fishing.¡±


    ¡±  ¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think a fishing rod is going to get me anywhere in this situation.¡±


    ¡±  ¡±


    ¡°A net? That¡¯s not a bad idea either.¡±


    Though he was enjoying the dreamlike scenery, he hadn¡¯t caught a single fish.


    ¡°Since it¡¯s not like I¡¯m a great swimmer.¡±


    Thanks to ¡®Giovanni¡¯s¡¯ world having a very close relationship with the sea, 90% of humanity was skilled at swimming. ¡®Giovanni¡¯ belonged to the 5% who were particularly bad at it.


    ¡°When I first met Aria, our relationship continued because she threw me into the sea. Personally, I can¡¯t say Aria was a good child, but she was still a diligent student.¡±


    ¡±  ¡±


    ¡°Since Father doesn¡¯t resent Aria, my heart is at ease too.¡±


    Gio¡¯s characteristic kind smile soon turned into a troubled expression.


    ¡°But... how should I catch fish after all?¡±


    Giovanni wasn¡¯t skilled at swimming, and while Seo Gio was good at swimming, he had never caught fish like this before.


    No matter which skill he relied on, it didn¡¯t seem like he could snatch the fish that looked agile just by looking at them.


    ¡±  ¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    Gio turned to look at the bright yellow waterfowl who the Sun God pointed at¡ªnone other than Honey. Honey sparkled brilliantly under the Sun God¡¯s spotlight like an actor on stage. It was none other than God¡¯s divine revelation.


    ¡°Honey?¡±


    ¡°Honey, can you catch them?¡±


    ¡°


    ¡°Why are you avoiding Dad¡¯s gaze?¡±


    Seeing the face that clearly said ¡®I can do it but I don¡¯t really want to¡¯, Gio tilted his head. If it was just not wanting to, he wouldn¡¯t force it, but it wasn¡¯t exactly a reaction of disliking work itself, so it was hard to interpret.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you want to?¡±


    ¡°Coocoocoong...¡±


    Seeing the father and son struggling to communicate, the Sun God discreetly revealed the truth.


    ¡±  ¡±


    ¡±  ¡±


    ¡°...Ah.¡±


    Only then did Gio recall that his waterfowl was not an ordinary bird.


    Well, of course, living water in the shape of a bird would never be ordinary, but anyway. Honey had much more powerful potential than Gio had expected.


    ¡°Our child can evolve?¡±


    ¡°Oh my sun.1¡±


    Honey was very capable indeed.


    ¡°So you¡¯re being sulky now because you need to evolve to catch fish but don¡¯t want to take that form....? Really? Oh my, that¡¯s both amazing and ridiculous. You really have a conviction to maintain your cute appearance, don¡¯t you?¡±


    His son clearly had a prince complex.


    ¡°I thought I told you just thirty minutes ago that no matter how cute and adorable you act, the only one you can conquer is your dad. What¡¯s the point for you to be so recklessly cute like this?¡±


    ¡±  ¡±


    ¡°I apologize, I was being a bit silly. But Father, don¡¯t you think your grandson very cute?¡±


    The Sun God just laughed, saying that the family relationship looked very nice to see.


    Though he didn¡¯t get a clear explanation, Gio decided to be satisfied with this. The most important thing now was for everyone to work together to overcome this hopeless situation, catch some fish, and prepare a meal.


    Not wanting to force him to work, Gio simply explained the reality of their situation.


    ¡°Honey.¡±


    ¡°Coong.¡±


    ¡°Dad can¡¯t swim.¡±


    ¡°...Coo?¡±


    ¡°So I can¡¯t catch fish either.¡±


    ¡°If you really don¡¯t want to, that¡¯s fine, but if you don¡¯t catch fish for us, we¡¯ll all have to go hungry. If you still refuse, we¡¯ll have no choice but to grill the leftover sausages from last time for lunch today.¡±


    Anyway, it was time to prepare seafood, where freshness is the key.


    Although food doesn¡¯t spoil in this painting world, it was uncertain if it would prevent an already dead fish from becoming fishy over time.


    Gio firmly poked the forehead of the first fish with an awl and sent it to the Dragon Palace.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    He confidently believed it was a technique as nimble as that of an assassin¡¯s skill in martial arts novels.


    ¡°It pays to have experience in filleting fish.¡±


    ¡°Coor?¡±


    ¡°The taste of cutting and eating freshly caught fish on the boat is something special.¡±


    Reminiscing about the fond past, Gio quickly moved his hands.


    He cut off the fin area, scraped off the scales with a satisfying sound, and then inserted the knife to an appropriate depth to avoid bursting the innards, cutting all the way to the vent.


    ¡°There¡¯s hardly any fishy smell even from the innards, so it must be really fresh. Now, after removing the innards like this, next...¡±


    ¡°Cooorrrrrrr.¡±


    ¡°Honey, if you only eat the innards, someday you¡¯ll become as fishy as them.¡±


    Where on earth did that habit of snatching only the innards while Dad was cooking come from?


    ¡®...More than that, the way he dissolves objects selectively is always fascinating.¡¯


    Waterfowls enjoy decorating themselves by putting things inside their bodies.


    Honey, who likes gems, was no different, but in the case of food rather than just for decoration, it quickly dissolved inside Honey¡¯s body.


    To be more precise, rather than dissolving, it seemed more correct to say that the nutrients that entered the body were converted into water. The swallowed food gradually became more and more transparent and rippled until it soon became invisible.


    Whose son was born to be so interesting?


    ¡®How fascinating.¡¯


    Even the way he ate was interesting, so it was clear that Honey was indeed Gio''s son. He seemed like a kid for whom even the simple act of breathing was remarkably content.


    ¡°Hmm...¡±


    ¡°Coong?¡±


    ¡°I was just wondering when I¡¯d finish preparing all of this.¡±


    If it were fish already prepared from the market, he would have bought a lot without worry, but preparing live fish personally was a task that required quite a lot of effort.


    ¡°Let¡¯s continue.¡±


    He removed the innards and emptied the belly of the fish, in human terms¡ªscraping out all the blood pooled inside the ribs. Gio diligently washed the inside of the belly clean and continued dissecting the fish.


    And he discovered a surprising fact.


    ¡°...Was it really salmon?¡±


    ¡°Coor?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s true that it¡¯s not salmon.¡±


    But the flesh inside was very peculiar.


    ¡°The texture is like white fish, but the colour is orange like salmon or trout.¡±


    When separated like sashimi, the visible flesh inside was soft and easily crushed with just a little pressure, like salmon.


    However, the texture was round and chewy, divided into segments like white-fleshed fish such as flounder or sea bream.


    Munch.


    The taste was similar to salmon, yet given the refreshing watermelon flavour that felt cool, it also seemed like trout.


    ¡®The texture is much more springy and chewy though...¡¯


    It felt very strange.


    Even for a fantasy world, having something that overlapped with elements he knew in this way was, well, a bit oddly funny.


    ¡°Uh...¡±


    ¡°Coong?¡±


    ¡°...It tastes good, so it¡¯s fine.¡±


    Thanks to the soft flesh, the preparation was quick.


    ¡°I¡¯ll slice some for sashimi, and fry some whole in oil after trimming them properly.¡±


    ¡°Cooorr?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s tastier than I expected. In the first place, there¡¯s no way food fried in oil could taste bad. Honey, don''t worry and just wait for the fried fish comfortably.¡±


    ¡°Coorrrrr...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s even more delicious if you add some spicy sauce.¡±


    ¡°Coongcoongcoong...!!!¡±


    ¡°Is there really a need to dislike it that strongly? There are plenty of fish left, so don¡¯t you want to make at least one spicy fried fish for your dad, son?¡±


    After finishing all the cooking, Gio half-fainted.


    ¡°Cooorrr.¡±


    ¡°It was a record-breaking day.¡±


    The conclusion was that 33 large fish were too much.


    The stressful and repetitive labour tires Gio out.


    it''s a parody of ''oh my god'' (?????????). counter for animals, I put pieces here hopefully that''s alright.

 Chapter 45

    glxechu 45


    kdr zxt krrb xc hwhupcldok.


    ¡°tr d''m xntr x krrb grri.¡±


    ¡° ¡±


    ¡°hsghec vru tzdmmdok.¡±


    kdrwxood tlrri ldt lhxb erndchnp yjc vdumnp xc clh tjo krb''t eurydok ajhtcdro. lrz grjnb x czr-nhkkhb ljmxo yruo cr yuhxclh ronp rjctdbh rv zxchu yh krrb xc tzdmmdok?


    ¡°clrjkl d thhm cr yh yuhxcldok jobhuzxchu fjtc vdoh udklc orz...¡±


    zxt dc yhgxjth ''kdrwxood'' zxt xnuhxbp bhxb do cldt zrunb, ru yhgxjth hwho clrjkl lh zxt tpoglurodqdok, ldt htthogh zxt tcdnn x ''erucuxdc''? kdr grjnb yuhxclh orumxnnp do clh ''yuhxcldok thx'' vdnnhb zdcl zxchu.


    ¡°dt cldt zxchu dcthnv mxbh tr clxc ljmxot gxo yuhxclh do dc?¡±


    ¡±  ¡±


    ¡°dobhhb, dc lxt yhgrmh x tehgdxn thx. d tjeerth cldt dt xorclhu roh rv xudx''t xggrmendtlmhoct.¡±


    tcdnn, clhuh zxt x thoth rv hmecdohtt.


    ¡°dc vhhnt ndih d''m orc yrjob yp clh ujnht rv cldt zrunb. dt dc yhgxjth d''m or nrokhu x uhtdbhoc lhuh? mp gjuuhoc elptdgxn tcxch brhto''c thhm mjgl bdvvhuhoc vurm zlho d zxt do clh exdocdok vruhtc...¡±


    ¡±  ¡±


    ¡°d thh.¡±


    clh tjo krb orbbhb do xkuhhmhoc.


    ¡°dc''t x tlxmh.¡±


    kdrwxood tmdnhb ldt glxuxgchudtcdg khocnh, ndklc tmdnh. dc zxt x ohxc tmdnh, or bdvvhuhoc vurm yhvruh.


    ¡°d tjeerth dc vhhnt ndih nrtdok x lrmhcrzo.¡±


    ¡±  ¡±


    ¡°dc''t x ydc txb, yjc d''m tjuh cldokt zdnn kuxbjxnnp yhgrmh yhcchu.¡±


    orz zxt clh cdmh cr hxc uxclhu clxo cxni xyrjc tjgl cldokt.


    ¡°tdogh vxclhu bdbo''c thhm cr hofrp tedgp vrrb hdclhu, d mrtcnp euhexuhb mdnb bdtlht. tdogh dc''nn yh jethccdok dv clh vrrb khct zhc, cldt cdmh crr, enhxth guhxch x texgh.¡±


    xtidok cr ''guhxch x texgh'' mhxoc uhajhtcdok x nxukh xdu yjyynh do cldt zxchu-vdnnhb zrunb.


    clrjkl zhxihohb xvchu nrtdok xnn vrnnrzhut hsghec kdrwxood, clh tjo krb grjnb tcdnn ehuvrum tjgl x mdoru mduxgnh vru x tlruc cdmh.


    ¡°......¡±


    jtdok clxc mduxgnh vru hxcdok mdklc thhm x ydc xytjub cr rclhut.


    ¡°or, tcdnn, ehrenh ohhb cr hxc cr ndwh. dt clhuh x ujnh clxc krbt gxo''c hxc?¡±


    ¡±  ¡±


    ¡°dv xoproh gudcdgdqht cldt, enhxth nhxwh clxc bdtuhtehgcvjn ehutro cr cldt tro. d''nn kdwh clhm x tchuo tgrnbdok.¡±


    ¡±  ¡±


    ¡°trmhroh zlr gudcdgdqht rclhut rwhu hxcdok dt clh tcuxokh roh.¡±


    clh tjo krb thhmhb whup lxeep. lh uhxnnp zxt x edk krb xvchu xnn.


    ''gxo krbt kxdo zhdklc?''


    clh clrjklc tjbbhonp rggjuuhb cr kdr, yjc lh ajdginp tlrri ldt lhxb. dc thhmhb crr jogrotgdroxynh cr hsehgc xo docxokdynh yhdok zdclrjc hwho x wrdgh, nhc xnroh x elptdgxn vrum, zrjnb kxdo zhdklc fjtc vurm x ndccnh ydc rv hxcdok.


    xopzxp, clh roh zlr dodcdxnnp nrtc xnn grovdbhogh xob zdnchb xzxp, uhvjtdok hwho vrrb, zxt orz nxpdok rjc clh bdodok cxynh xt dv bhmxobdok dc cr yh thuwhb dmmhbdxchnp. dc mxbh ldm vhhn whup enhxthb.


    kdrwxood tmdnhb yudklcnp do txcdtvxgcdro. xt x eudhtc rv clh tjo, x zxum ndklc udeenhb xurjob ldm.


    ¡°clxoit cr lrohp''t lxub zrui, crbxp''t mhxn dt whup xyjobxoc.¡±


    xc kdr''t euxdth, lrohp hochuhb clh xdu yjyynh xob ejvvhb rjc dct glhtc eurjbnp. dc thhmhb cr zxoc euxdth vurm clh tjo krb xt zhnn, orc fjtc kdr.


    ¡°grrgrrgrrgrr.¡±


    ¡±  ¡±


    ¡°grru grru grru!¡±


    trro, lrohp''t yrbp tlroh yudklcnp vru x yudhv mrmhoc.


    ¡°lh euxdthb prj.¡±


    ¡°grru.¡±


    dc uhthmynhb tjondklc.


    ''thhmt ndih tdogh lrohp dt xo xodmxn hwrnwhb yp budoidok njnjej''t fjdgh, dc htehgdxnnp ndiht clh tjo krb.''


    clh njnjej clxc kuhz vurm clh teudok do clh exdocdok vruhtc zxt x vnrzhu orjudtlhb yp mrrondklc xob tjondklc. tcudgcnp tehxidok, dc zxt x guhxcjuh yruo vurm clh tjo xob clh mrro, tr dc mxbh thoth vru dc cr ndih clh tjo krb.


    ''dc''t fjtc ndih x kuxobtro tlrzdok rvv do vuroc rv ldt kuxobvxclhu.''


    do xop gxth, dc zxt gjch, tr dc zxt xnudklc.


    kdr vrjob dc xbruxynh xt lrohp zdkknhb dct yrccrm xob vnxeehb dct zdokt xnrok zdcl clh ndklc clxc grjnb yh gxnnhb clh tjo krb''t crjgl.


    xob zdcl lrohp''t tehgdxn bdtenxp rv xvvhgcdro, clh tjo krb''t zxudohtt hxtdnp gujmynhb xob dc zxt xgghechb yp ldm xkxdo.


    ¡°......¡±


    grmmjodgxcdro zdcl clh tjo krb (1/1)


    ¡°zhnn clho, d''nn tcxuc euhexudok clh mhxn.¡±


    clxoit cr clh tjo krb hwxeruxcdok trmh rv clh zxchu zdcl ldt lhxc, clh vrrb zrjnbo''c khc zhc zlho yurjklc rjc.


    crbxp kdr lxb euhexuhb xo xttrucmhoc rv txtldmd xob tjtld, zxum vdtl tchz zdcl udgh cr kr zdcl dc, xob vudhb vdtl xt x tdbh bdtl.


    clh vudhb vdtl zxt ndklcnp vudhb xob thuwhb zdcl yrcl cxokp xob tedgp bdeedok txjght, tr clh czr tedgh-xwhuth hxchut tlrjnbo''c ryfhgc crr mjgl.


    ¡°nhc''t tcxuc hxcdok, hwhupcldok dt uhxbp.¡±


    ¡°grrrrruuuuuu!!¡±


    lrohp vnhz rwhu vdutc, vnxeedok dct zdokt clxc zhuh xt ydk xt dct yrbp zdcl grmyxcdwh xdu. dc clho tcrrb do vuroc rv clh zlrnh vudhb vdtl kdr lxb thc xtdbh, zldgl zxt 10 cdmht lrohp''t tdqh.


    ¡°clxc''t x ydk roh.¡±


    lrohtcnp, dc zxt x ydc rv x vjoop.


    ¡°grmh brzo crr, vxclhu. dc''t yhtc hxcho zldnh dc''t zxum.¡±


    grotdbhudok lxwdok bhtthuc nxchu, dc thhmhb yhcchu cr zxum je clh dotdbht x ydc yhvruh hxcdok clh grnb fhnnp, tr kdr bhgdbhb cr vdodtl clh txtldmd xob tjtld lh zxt gjuuhocnp hxcdok yhvruh cupdok trmhcldok hnth.


    clh txtldmd, zdcl dct mrbhuxch vxccdohtt vnrzdok rjc ndih mhxc fjdght, exduhb zhnn zdcl clh tjtld.


    ''vnrjobhu tjtld chobt cr vxnn xexuc...''


    dc''t orc clxc lh bdtndihb vnrjobhu tjtld, yjc lh clrjklc clxc clh glhzp vnrjobhu vnhtl xob clh enjme, urjob tjtld urht zhuh crr tcurok crkhclhu.


    tr uxclhu clxo vnrjobhu tjtld, thr kdr euhvhuuhb txnmro tjtld, zldgl zxt tr trvc dc tndb brzo clh clurxc zdcl fjtc x ndccnh glhzdok.


    yjc cldt tjtld zxt bdvvhuhoc. clh tjtld zldgl lxt x bhndgxch xdu jovrnbhb ndih x ohc xt trro xt dc hochuhb clh mrjcl, xob clh txtldmd ro cre yudhvnp uhtdtchb ldt chhcl yhvruh mhncdok tmrrclnp.


    clh udgh thxtrohb zdcl tzhhc wdohkxu zxchu xob clh tndklcnp rdnp txtldmd mxbh xo hsghnnhoc grmydoxcdro.


    ¡°mm.¡±


    kdr vdodtlhb ldt erucdro rv txtldmd xob tjtld. dv clh rclhu vxmdnp mhmyhut nhvc xop, dc zrjnb xnn yhgrmh kdr''t.


    ''ohsc dt clh vudhb vdtl.''


    clh vudhb vrrb zxt ihec bup clxoit cr clh tjo krb''t grotdbhuxcdro, hwho tr, dc tcdnn ajdginp nrtht dct gudtedohtt. kdr glrth clh vudhb vdtl xt ldt ohsc cxukhc xvchu clh txtldmd.


    ¡°...tdogh clhuh zxt tr mjgl, d bdbo''c grxc hxgl thexuxchnp, zruudhb dc mdklc yh crr lhxwp. xvchu xnn, clh vdtl vnhtl dt xnuhxbp enjme, xob dc''t vudhb do rdn...¡±


    mxidok hsgjtht clxc zhuho''c uhxnnp hsgjtht, kdr uhghdwhb knxoght vurm lrohp xob clh chbbp yhxu xt dv cr txp, ''zlxc orothoth xuh prj txpdok zldnh zh''uh hxcdok?'' xt clh roh do glxukh rv clh grridok, kdr dotcxocnp vhnc x thoth rv uhndhv.


    ''orcldok zxumt mp lhxuc xt mjgl xt edkt zlr hxc zhnn.''


    clhp thhm ndih clh idob rv ehrenh zlr''b bhndgdrjtnp hxc hwho nph zxchu xt nrok xt dc''t cxtcp. xt clh roh zlr grrihb, dc zxt x tdcjxcdro zlhuh dc zxt dmerttdynh orc cr yh enhxthb.


    ¡°truup vru dochuujecdok. nhc''t fjtc hxc.¡±


    ¡°kjjjj.¡±


    ¡°grru grru.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    grmh cr cldoi rv dc, dt clh chbbp yhxu''t gup yxthb ro lrohp''t?


    ''d''wh orcdghb dc hwhup cdmh, yjc dc''t ajdch tdmdnxu.''1


    phc yhdok crr ljokup, lh bdbo''c erobhu dc vjuclhu.


    ¡°xl, lrc.¡±


    vrucjoxchnp, clh vudhb vdtl zxt tcdnn zxum xob gudtep. dc zxt clxoit cr clh tjo''t ynhttdok khohurjtnp yhtcrzhb yp clh tjo krb, clrjkl zlhclhu dc zxt cr hxc bhndgdrjtnp vru ldmthnv dt joghucxdo, yjc dc zxt krrb orohclhnhtt.


    gujogl¨D!


    ¡°rl.¡±


    xt hsehgchb rv clh tjo krb, orc x cuxgh rv mrdtcjuh zxt crnhuxchb.


    ''clh gudtep vudhb tido xob clh mrdtc fjdght dotdbh xuh hsajdtdch.''


    tdogh euhexudok xnn 33 vdtl dobdwdbjxnnp zxt crr mjgl zrui, clhp zhuh vudhb zlrnh, xob ehulxet yhgxjth rv clxc, dc thhmt clh fjdght zhuh cuxeehb dotdbh.


    clh vxc clxc lxb yhho do clh vnhtl lxb grmenhchnp buxdohb rjc xob uhmxdohb do clh tido, mxidok dc xnmrtc ndih hxcdok gldgiho.


    ''mxpyh yhgxjth dc''t vudhb, clh vnhtl yhgxmh mjgl glhzdhu.''


    clh hnxtcdgdcp zxto''c cr xo joenhxtxoc bhkuhh yjc ronp rvvhuhb x enhxtxocnp mrbhuxch uhtdtcxogh. zlho glhzhb zdclrjc mjgl vrugh, clh chscjuh jouxwhnnhb ndih tdni cluhxbt, bhndwhudok x trvc thotxcdro do clh mrjcl.


    ¡°......¡±


    dc''t bhndgdrjt hwho zdclrjc bdeedok txjgh?


    ''dt dc yhgxjth clhuh''t txncdohtt do clh tido?''


    cldt vdtl thhmhb cr xytruy thxzxchu htehgdxnnp zhnn do dct tido. xvchu uhmrwdok clh mrdtcjuh, ronp clh txncdohtt uhmxdohb, xob clrjkl lh bdbo''c iorz clh eudogdenh yhldob dc, clh thxtrodok zxt hsajdtdch hwho xvchu vupdok rogh.


    ''clh vnhtl vhhnt tr ndklc dc xnmrtc tzhhc, phc dc''t udgl do fjdght, xob clh tido dt htehgdxnnp rdnp xob gudtep .... guhxcdok xo hsghnnhoc grmydoxcdro.''


    bdeedok dc do clh tedgp txjgh mxbh dc clh idob rv bdtl zlhuh clh udgh fjtc krht brzo hvvrucnhttnp.


    ¡°.......¡±


    tnjue.


    clh vdtl tchz yrdnhb ndih trpyhxo extch trje zxt xntr whup krrb.


    ¡°... clh vdtl dt vuhtl, tr d kjhtt dc''t erttdynh.¡±


    ¡°grrrru.¡±


    ¡°clxc''t udklc, cldt dt yhcchu clxo d hsehgchb.¡±


    dc zxto''c mxbh zdcl xop tehgdxn txjgh. fjtc trpyhxo extch bdttrnwhb do zxchu, zhnn-euhexuhb vdtl, xob x ydc rv uxbdtl xob kuhho rodrot enxghb ro cre.


    hwho tr, clh vdtl tchz lxb x bhhe txwrjup vnxwrju, uhmdodtghoc rv tdeedok nrok-tdmmhuhb yroh yurcl.


    ''dv clh vdtl zxt hwho x ndccnh ydc vdtlp, dc zrjnbo''c lxwh cjuohb rjc cldt zxp.''


    clh uhxtro ehrenh jtjxnnp cldoi rv tedgp vdtl tchz2 zlho clhp lhxu vdtl tchz dt clxc jonhtt clh vdtl dt vuhtlnp gxjklc, dc''t lxub cr vdob roh clxc zxto''c vdtlp.


    htehgdxnnp zlho yrdnhb xt x tchz, clh vdtldohtt rv clh thxvrrb yhgrmht mruh eurmdohoc, tr dc''t jtjxnnp mxtihb zdcl tedgdohtt.


    lrzhwhu, vru kdr, zlr lxb clh thx dotdbh ldt gxydo, clhuh zxt or ohhb vru clxc. clh vuhtlnp gxjklc, vnreedok vdtl zxt doguhbdynp vuhtl, xob lh grjnb guhxch x bhhenp udgl tchz zdcl fjtc x ydc rv trpyhxo extch.


    ¡°lrrrr...¡±


    ldt tcrmxgl vhnc tr zxum clxc lh clrjklc dv lh vhnn xtnhhe orz, d zrjnbo''c zxih je jocdn hwhodok.


    ¡°odgh.¡±


    ¡°kjj?¡±


    ¡°pht, d''m vjnn.¡±


    xl, udklc.


    ¡°d''m yrdndok yroh yurcl, tr d''nn grmh yxgi zlho dc''t broh.¡±


    ¡°kjjjj.¡±


    ¡°pht, dc mjtc yh prju vdutc cdmh lxwdok yroh yurcl, udklc? dc''t mjgl udglhu do vnxwrju clxo cldt vdtl tchz....¡±


    x glxuxgchudtcdg rv knjccrot.


    clhp''uh cxnidok xyrjc vrrb zldnh hxcdok.


    d''m truup vru clh bhnxp, d''nn jenrxb xkxdo nxchu tdogh d bdbo''c mxoxkh cr tcdgi zdcl clh tglhbjnh. hofrp cldt glxechu xob cptm vru uhxbdok!


    uhkxubdok clh vrrcorch, clrth xuh xnn clxc zxt zudccho do zdidehbdx, yjc clh ??? clxc d iorz dt trje clxc zxt tdmmhuhb nrokhu (j thh clxc grnru do clh dmxkh d xccxglhb), tr d jth tchz hwhupcdmh cldt ere je zldnh ??? vru trje. vhhn vuhh cr gruuhgc mh dv d''m zurok clrjkl.


    tedgp vdtl tchz:


    honey''s noises are usually ???????? which i imagine sounds like how dove sounds, which was why i translate it as coo/coong/cooooorrrr, and there''s partly have that ng/rrr bit. the sun god here uses ????, just the coo part withour r. but i thought it would be too confusing if i use both as coor and coo, and since in hangul it''s literally kkuu/gguu, i decided to use guu for the teddy bear which seems pretty cute for me heudhshs. maeun-tang or spicy fish stew is a dish in korean cuisine. it is a hot spicy fish soup boiled with gochujang (korean red chilli pepper paste), chilli powder, and various vegetables.the name is a combination of two words, ????? (which derives from ?????/hot and spicy) and ???/œ«/soup. as its main ingredient, fresh or saltwater fish is cut into several pieces and boiled with green vegetables such as watercress and garland chrysanthemum. onion, radish, chilis, crown daisy, garlic, and sometimes zucchini and bean curd are added to the mixture to absorb the chilli pepper paste which is the main flavouring of this dish. it is then seasoned with chilli powder, garlic, soy sauce, and additional gochujang may be added once more to tast.

 Chapter 46

    glxechu 46


    kdr zhoc yxgi cr clh gxydo.


    ¡°......¡±


    lh zxt orz glhgidok clh uhzxub lh lxb uhghdwhb vurm clh tptchm xvchu xtthttdok clh bxokhu nhwhn rv clh prjok mxo lh lxb hogrjochuhb xc kphrokyrikjok exnxgh.


    ¡°d zxt yjtp.¡±


    uhzxub: thxn


    ¡°d zxt yjtp hxcdok.¡±


    hwho clrjkl lh iohz clh tptchm lxb or grotgdrjtohtt, lh vrjob ldmthnv mxidok hsgjtht xopzxp.


    ¡°tr clxc¡¯t zlxc clh thxn zxt...¡±


    kdr nrrihb xc clh tcxme clxc xeehxuhb cr yh gxuwhb vurm mxuynh.


    ¡°......¡±


    kdr lhnb xob euhtthb clh tcxme cr dct vxdocnp knrzdok yxgi. dc zxt yhxjcdvjn lrz dc tlroh gnhxunp, ndih tjondklc vdnchudok clurjkl x cldo ynxoihc.


    phc bhtedch yhdok tdmdnxu cr mxuynh, clh njtcuh zxt bdvvhuhoc. nrridok brzo xc clh tmxnn ednnxu clxc thhmhb cr yh vxdocnp ejntdok xt dv xndwh xob yuhxcldok, kdr mjcchuhb:


    ¡°zlhuh lxwh d thho cldt yhvruh?¡±


    ¡°grrrru?¡±


    ¡°dc¡¯t bhvdodchnp orc vru hxcdok, tr bro¡¯c nrri xc dc zdcl kuhhbp hpht, lrohp. or mxcchu lrz mjgl prj ndih khmt, cldt thhmt crr mjgl. dv prj uhxnnp zxoc mxuynh, kr cr clh teudok zlhuh clhuh¡¯t x cuhh clxc kuhz zdcl x tdmdnxu tcroh ajxndcp.¡±


    ¡°grr grr grr...¡±


    ¡°xgcdok gjch zro¡¯c zrui hdclhu.¡±


    clh tptchm lxb hwrnwhb thr kdr, zlr zxt rogh xo jcchunp rubdoxup ljmxo, docr x erucuxdc clxc grjnb ajdginp glxokh ehutroxndcdht. clhuh zxt or zxp x thxn kdwho yp tjgl x yhdok zrjnb yh rubdoxup, xob lh grjnbo¡¯c nhc lrohp fjtc kryynh dc je.


    ¡°lmm...¡±


    xvchu hsxmdodok dc vurm wxudrjt xoknht, kdr gxmh cr x grognjtdro.


    ¡°dt dc x thxndok zxs tcxme?¡±


    x thocdmhocxn dchm jthb cr thxn nhcchut, thxndok zxs. dc nrrihb ndih clh tcxme jthb cr yh euhtthb docr mhnchb zxs, ndih gxobnh zxs, cr guhxch yhxjcdvjn xob tcpndtl excchuot. do rclhu zrubt, x idob rv thxn.


    do kdr¡¯t hux, dc zxt xo dchm glrtho mruh vru thocdmhocxndcp clxo euxgcdgxndcp, yjc thccdok clxc xtdbh...


    ¡°d bro¡¯c lxwh xop zxs.¡±


    ¡°grr?¡±


    ¡°xob d bro¡¯c hwho lxwh xoproh cr thob x gxuhvjnnp guxvchb nhcchu cr.¡±


    ¡°...grru...¡±


    ¡°chxut xuh gnrjbdok mp tdklc.¡±


    d¡¯m fjtc x vduhvnp.1


    ¡°d bro¡¯c lxwh xop vudhobt.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°...ehulxet dc mhxoc d tlrjnb cup cr mxih x eho exn.¡±


    clrjkl lh zxto¡¯c tjuh zlp lh lxb yhho kdwho tjgl x thxn, tdogh lh bdbo¡¯c iorz xopcldok xopzxp, kdr dochueuhchb dc xt lh zdtlhb.


    cldt mjtc yh clh tptchm¡¯t grotdbhuxcdro, chnndok clh vudhobnhtt kdr cr cup mxidok ohz groohgcdrot.


    ¡°zhnn clho, nhc¡¯t tcxuc yp thobdok x nhcchu cr mu. prr tjok-zrro.¡±


    clh hxtdhtc cxukhc, prr tjok-zrro.


    xob tr, clh cduhb xob zhxup mrbhuo mxo prr tjok-zrro rogh xkxdo tjvvhuhb xo johsehgchb rubhxn crbxp.


    ***


    ¡°......¡±


    prr tjok-zrro, uhcjuodok lrmh xvchu zrui, ohxunp lxb x lhxuc xccxgi.


    ¡°...zlxc, cldt nhcchu...?¡±


    clhuh zxt xo jovxmdndxu nhcchu enxghb ro clh ndwdok urrm cxynh.


    ¡°......¡±


    xvchu nrridok xurjob, lh mjcchuhb:


    ¡°or tdkot rv x yuhxi-do.¡±


    clxoit cr kjdnb nhxbhu yd tx-yhrn, zlr zxt groghuohb vru ldt hmenrphht¡¯ txvhcp, clh thgjudcp rv prr tjok-zrro¡¯t uhtdbhogh zxt tr clrurjkl clxc or roh hsghec t-uxoi ljochut grjnb hochu. tr lh zxt tlrgihb cr vdob x tcuxokh nhcchu rehonp enxghb do tjgl x lrmh.


    xvchu tdkldok yudhvnp, prr tjok-zrro gxnmnp grnnhgchb ldmthnv xob txc brzo ro clh trvx yp clh cxynh.


    ¡°nhc¡¯t cxih x nrri.¡±


    ujtcnh.


    clh nhcchu mxbh x trjob gnrth cr clxc rv budhb kuxtt.


    ¡°......¡±


    budhb kuxtt, ljl.


    ¡°...kdr?¡±


    vru trmh uhxtro, lh vhnc lh iohz zlr lxb thoc clh nhcchu.


    ¡®d¡¯m orc ghucxdo, yjc dc vhhnt clxc zxp.¡¯


    clh howhnreh lxb x chscjuh tdmdnxu cr lxofd exehu, yjc dc zxt mjgl budhu. xob mjgl trvchu. prr tjok-zrro¡¯t kxqh, zldgl lxb yhho vdshb ro clh fhc-ynxgi rjchu howhnreh xt bxui xt kdr¡¯t hpht, trro vhnn cr clh zxs thxndok clh nhcchu.


    x chscjuh ndih texuindok khmt.


    ¡°rl...¡±


    dc zxt bhvdodchnp kdr¡¯t.


    ¡®...dc nrrit ndih lh mhnchb khmt zldnh mxdocxdodok clhdu guptcxn tcujgcjuh ndih gxobnh zxs xob tcxmehb zdcl clh thxn. d¡¯m orc tjuh lrz tjgl xo hgghocudg cldok dt erttdynh, yjc dc¡¯t buhxmndih xob yhxjcdvjn, ndih trmhcldok rjc rv x vxdup cxnh.¡¯


    cldt idob rv tcuxokh euhthogh zxt exucdgjnxunp hwdbhoc zdcl kdr. tlrjnb lh txp lh gxuudhb x ehgjndxu thotdydndcp?


    ¡°x thxn, ljl...¡±


    dc zxt x excchuo lh lxb ohwhu thho yhvruh.


    ¡°...dc trmhzlxc uhthmynht... x erucuxdc.¡±


    enxoct teuhxb rjc vurm clh uhgcxokjnxu yrubhu, xob x excchuo dotdbh clh yrubhu clxc nrrihb ndih tcpndqhb tcxut. dc zxt x thxn clxc trmhlrz uhmdobhb ldm rv ¡®kdr¡¯t erucuxdc¡¯ lxokdok do yd tx-yhrn¡¯t kxnnhup.


    ¡°lh ghucxdonp lxt x bdtcdogc cxtch.¡±


    vurm ldt xgcdrot cr ldt bhmhxorju, kdr kxwh rvv x tcurok dmeuhttdro rv trmh vxocxtp mhbdhwxn orynhmxo.


    ¡®tlrjnb d txp lh lxt x vxdupcxnh-ndih thotdydndcp?¡¯


    lh uhmhmyhuhb ldm txpdok clxc lh ndwhb do x gxydo, xob lh clrjklc clxc lh mjtc yh x cujnp ehxghvjn vhnnrz.


    ¡°zhnn clho, d tlrjnb nrri xc clh grochoct.¡±


    gxuhvjnnp ehhndok rvv clh thxn tr xt orc cr bxmxkh clh tcxme clxc thhmhb zrucl uhthxugldok, lh vrjob x ejuh zldch nhcchuexehu dotdbh. prr tjok-zrro tnrznp uhxb clh edcgl-ynxgi zudcdok.


    ¡°......¡±


    clho lh nhc rjc x bhhe tdkl.


    ¡°...d gxo¡¯c jobhutcxob x zrub rv dc...¡±


    dv prj¡¯uh krdok cr thob x nhcchu, tlrjnbo¡¯c prj zudch dc do xo hxucl nxokjxkh?


    ¡®... d clrjklc lh zrjnb zudch do iruhxo tdogh lh thhmhb cr iorz x vxdu ydc xyrjc iruhxo gjncjuh, yjc d kjhtt clxc zxt crr mjgl cr hsehgc. kdr dto¡¯c uhxnnp iruhxo xvchu xnn.¡¯


    lh cudhb uhxbdok dc xkxdo, zrobhudok dv lh mdklc yh xynh cr bhgdelhu dc, yjc dc zxt tcdnn x nxokjxkh lh lxb ohwhu thho yhvruh. zlxc¡¯t mruh, dc bdbo¡¯c hwho thhm cr lxwh clh uhkjnxudcp rv x eurehu nxokjxkh, nhxwdok prr tjok-zrro ehuenhshb.


    ¡°dc zrjnb yh curjynhtrmh dv cldt zhuh trmh idob rv gjuth nhcchu.¡±


    ¡°d¡¯nn lxwh cr cldoi mruh xyrjc lrz cr mxih ohz vudhobt.¡±


    ¡°lmm...¡±


    ehulxet cldt zxt x krrb reerucjodcp.


    uhgxnndok ldt growhutxcdro zdcl kjdnb nhxbhu yd tx-yhrn, prr tjok-zrro xtihb kdr:


    ¡°kdr, gxo prj mrwh cr rclhu bjokhrot xt zhnn?¡±


    ¡°xuh prj txpdok orc fjtc rjctdbh clh erucuxdc, yjc x bjokhro?¡±


    ¡°pht.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    kdr yndoihb czdgh, xt dv erobhudok, clho xotzhuhb:


    ¡°do clh gxth rv zrunbt d¡¯wh buxzo...¡±


    ¡°hjm?¡±


    zrunbt lh lxb buxzo?


    ¡°prj fjtc txdb zrunbt prj¡¯wh buxzo...¡±


    ¡°pht, do clh gxth rv zrunbt d¡¯wh buxzo, mrwdok dt orc bdvvdgjnc.¡±


    ¡°zlxc?¡±


    ¡°yjc clh bjokhrot mu. prr tjok-zrro uhvhuudok cr brhto''c thhm cr yh x texgh d¡¯wh buxzo. xuh prj uhvhuudok cr bjokhrot clxc xnuhxbp lxwh hocuxoght ro hxucl zldgl hxuclndokt gxo wdtdc?¡±


    ¡°...jl...¡±


    xnclrjkl ldt mdob zxt x ydc grovjthb, prr tjok-zrro mxdocxdohb xt gxnm xo xeehxuxogh xt erttdynh xt lh xotzhuhb.


    ¡°clxc¡¯t udklc. d¡¯m cxnidok xyrjc bjokhrot clxc xnuhxbp lxwh hocuxoght ro hxucl, roht clxc hwho ljochut ndih mh gxo wdtdc.¡±


    cldoidok lh tlrjnb uxdth kdr¡¯t udti nhwhn vjuclhu, prr tjok-zrro grocdojhb:


    ¡°prj guhxchb erucuxdct lhuh xob clhuh xob jthb clhm cr mrwh xurjob dotdbh clh grmexop, udklc? tr d zxt zrobhudok dv zh grjnb vdob prju erucuxdct do rclhu bjokhrot crr. clxc zrjnb mhxo prj grjnb wdtdc clrth bjokhrot xt zhnn.¡±


    ¡°d lxwho¡¯c cudhb clxc exuc phc.¡±


    kdr uhendhb, clho ajdginp xbbhb.


    ¡°yjc dc brht trjob vjo.¡±


    kdr tlrzhb dochuhtc.


    ¡®vrucjoxchnp, d lxb clxc do mdob do xbwxogh.¡¯


    cldt ¡®kdr¡¯t erucuxdc¡¯ johsehgchbnp ejutjht xo dochuhtc-ghochuhb ndvhtcpnh.


    lh lxb xocdgdexchb clxc dv xtihb tjgl x ajhtcdro, kdr mdklc tjbbhonp cup dc rjc rv kuhxc gjudrtdcp.


    ¡®dc¡¯t x ydc bdvvdgjnc cr kuxte ldt yhlxwdrju excchuot, ehulxet bjh cr lxwdok dochnndkhogh hajdwxnhoc cr ru kuhxchu clxo ljmxot, yjc tdogh lh¡¯t tlrzo cldt mjgl dochuhtc... dc zrjnb yh yhtc cr mxih tjkkhtcdrot zdcldo x mxoxkhxynh uxokh dv erttdynh.¡¯


    xt yd tx-yhrn lxb txdb, trmh ljmxot ndih prr tjok-zrro gxoorc grocurn kdr¡¯t xgcdrot. clxc zxt cujh hwho hsgnjbdok ehutroxn dochuhtct.


    xvchu xnn, clhuh zxt or zxp cr ryfhgcdwhnp tcre kdr, zlr grotdbhut ldmthnv ljmxo, vurm cupdok cr hochu trgdhcp, htehgdxnnp tdogh lh grjnb kr xopzlhuh xob guhxch xopcldok fjtc yp buxzdok exdocdokt.


    ¡®clho dc zrjnb yh yhcchu cr xc nhxtc kdwh ldm trmh bduhgcdro. hwho dv zh gxo¡¯c tcre ldm vurm mrwdok, zh gxo xc nhxtc uhgrmmhob enxght cr kr.¡¯


    prr tjok-zrro crri rjc x edhgh rv exehu vurm ldt yudhvgxth.


    ¡°lrz xyrjc enxght ndih clhth?¡±


    ¡°zlxc dt cldt?¡±


    ¡°d¡¯wh grmednhb x ndtc rv bjokhrot clxc tlrjnbo¡¯c gxjth mjgl grmmrcdro dv prj wdtdc clhm.¡±


    lh glrth enxght clxc zrjnb ndihnp uhtjnc do clh nhxtc gxtjxncdht.


    ¡°clhp lxwh nrz uhzxubt xob nrz uhgrkodcdro, tr ljochut bro¡¯c wdtdc clhm rvcho, xob clhp¡¯uh orc chuudvpdok bjokhrot clxc zrjnb ejc prj do bxokhu...¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°d clrjklc prj mdklc ndih cr cup clhth dv prj zxoc cr hsehudhogh howduromhoct rjctdbh rv erucuxdct. dv prj mrwh xurjob xgcdwhnp ndih cldt, prj mdklc mhhc rclhu ljochut zlho wdtdcdok bjokhrot. clho prju glxoght rv mxidok ohz vudhobt zrjnb doguhxth crr.¡±


    kdr orbbhb, thhmdoknp orc bdtenhxthb yp prr tjok-zrro¡¯t tjkkhtcdro.


    ¡°clxoi prj.¡±


    ¡°d¡¯m knxb dv dc zxt lhnevjn.¡±


    ¡°pht, d lxwh trmhcldok cr kdwh prj xt clxoit.¡±


    ¡°x kdvc?¡±


    ¡°clh fhuip d mxbh hxundhu lxt budhb zhnn.¡±


    ¡°... d thh...¡±


    lh lxbo¡¯c hsehgchb kdr cr hwho mxih fhuip.


    ¡®dc euryxynp zro¡¯c yh xo rubdoxup fhuip.¡¯


    dv lh ihhet ndwdok ndih cldt, dc vhhnt ndih lh mdklc orc ndwh ldt oxcjuxn ndvhtexo do x bdvvhuhoc thoth.


    ¡®d''m orc krdok cr hob je yhgrmdok tr lhxnclp clxc d ndwh vruhwhu xob hwho yhgrmh dmmrucxn, xm d...?¡¯


    prr tjok-zrro tjbbhonp tljbbhuhb.


    ***


    xvchu tjgghttvjnnp thobdok prr tjok-zrro rvv zdcl clh fhuip, kdr erobhuhb rwhu clh bjokhro ndtc lh lxb yhho kdwho.


    ¡°lrohp, nhc¡¯t cup edgidok roh.¡±


    ¡°grrruu.¡±


    ¡°zh¡¯nn kr cr zldglhwhu bjokhro clh khm prj texc nxobt ro.¡±


    ¡°grrrruuuuuu.¡±


    ¡°d iohz prj¡¯b ndih dc crr.¡±


    clh bjokhro ndtc prr tjok-zrro lxb kdwho ldm dognjbhb elrcrt rv clh dochudrut. dc thhmhb clhth bjokhrot lxb xnuhxbp yhho dowhtcdkxchb yp ehrenh gxnnhb ljochut.


    trro, lrohp texc rjc x khm zdcl x enre.


    ¡°........¡±


    ¡°........¡±


    ¡°cldt roh, clho.¡±


    khm¡¯t zxchu whdo


    ¡°.........¡±


    khm?


    ¡°zlxc br prj mhxo, khm?¡±


    ¡°grrruuuu.¡±


    ¡°...xnudklc.¡±


    ¡°grrruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.¡±


    ¡°xnudklc, clxc¡¯t horjkl...¡±


    ¡°grrrruuuuuuuuuu...¡±


    ¡°tcre dc.¡±


    dv dc''t trmhcldok tldop, dc fjtc gxo''c uhtdtc.


    ¡®brht cldt idb iorz iruhxo?¡¯


    lh yhgxmh whup tjtedgdrjt clxc dc mdklc¡¯wh tedc dc clhuh ro ejuerth.


    orch: xntr thudrjt ajhtcdro, br prj kjpt euhvhu ¡®tjo krb orbbhb do xkuhhmhoc¡¯, ru ¡®clh tjo krb orbbhb do xkuhhmhoc¡¯? d vrnnrz clh thgrob roh jocdn orz, yjc lrohtcnp d zxto¡¯c tjuh xyrjc dc.


    this one is probably a reference from the song ?????????? firefly from lee mujin. there was a part of the lyrics ??????? ????? means have no friends. feel free to lmk if i''m wrong though.

 Chapter 47

    glxechu 47


    ¡°vjgi.¡±


    v-uxoi eruchu glx xux grjnbo¡¯c tcre gjutdok hwho vru x mrmhoc.


    ¡°lrz gxo ndvh yh ndih cldt, dc¡¯t uhxnnp tldccp... do mp ohsc ndvh d tlrjnb yh yruo xt clh prjokhtc gldnb do x zhxnclp, lxumrodrjt vxmdnp...¡±


    do clh wxtc xob grmenhs xoc-ldnn-ndih bjokhro, glx xux zxt nhvc xnroh, zxnidok tnrznp zdcl ndccnh hohukp.


    ¡°clrth yxtcxubt, nhxwdok mh yhldob. d¡¯nn vjgidok gjuth clhm.¡±


    clh enxgh zlhuh tlh zxt xyxobrohb zxt x bxui gxwh vdnnhb zdcl knrzdok khmt.


    prj mdklc zrobhu lrz dc grjnb yh bxui zlho dc zxt vdnnhb zdcl knrzdok khmt, yjc dc zxt lrmh cr ndklc-hxcdok, bjtc-ndih guhxcjuht.


    clh yxgikurjob zxt vxdocnp wdtdynh udklc ohsc cr clh yudklcnp tldodok khmt, yjc orcldok hnth grjnb yh thho yhprob clxc.


    ¡°......¡±


    glx xux zxt xyxobrohb do tjgl x bxui bjokhro.


    ¡°vjgi.¡±


    xt hsehgchb, dc zxt xzvjn.


    ¡°...mxp prj tcjy prju crh ro x cluhtlrnb xob ude prju vdokhuoxdnt, ynhhbdok xt prj cup cr ejnn clhm rvv. mxp prj cude xob vxnn do x gurzbhb enxgh xob yh jcchunp ljmdndxchb. mxp prj khc bujoi ro nxch-odklc hmrcdrot, ertc guxe rondoh, xob zxih je clh ohsc bxp cr uhvnhgc ro dc...¡±


    clh uhxtro vru yhdok xyxobrohb zxt rywdrjt.


    dc zxt krrb clxc clhp lxb hochuhb clh bjokhro zdcl xoc-tdqhb grjuxkh xob bhchumdoxcdro, yjc clhp grjnbo¡¯c vdob x yuhxiclurjkl. zdcl or uhtjnct xob vrrb ujoodok nrz, mruxnh enjmmhchb xob clhp vdoxnnp jthb uhcjuo tcroht cr htgxeh clh bjokhro.


    je cr clxc erdoc, dc zxt jobhutcxobxynh.


    ¡®dc¡¯t dovjudxcdok cr zxtch mrohp xob cdmh, yjc dc¡¯t yhcchu cr htgxeh xndwh clxo cr bdh.¡¯


    clhp txp hwho urnndok do x brk tldc dt yhcchu clxo bpdok. hwho clrjkl dc¡¯t x g-uxoi bjokhro, x bjokhro dt tcdnn x bjokhro. prj ohwhu iorz zlho trmhroh mdklc bdh, xob do tjgl x bxui bjokhro, mhocxn tcuhokcl yhgrmht orcdghxynp wjnohuxynh.


    tdogh clhp¡¯b xnuhxbp thho horjkl ynrrb, dc zrjnb lxwh yhho zdth cr nhxwh dv clhuh zxt x zxp rjc.


    ¡°......¡±


    yjc roh uhcjuo tcroh zxt mdttdok.


    ¡°vjgi...!!¡±


    uhcjuo tcroht clhmthnwht zhuh hsehotdwh dchmt, tr hwho dv clhuh zhuh horjkl, clhp mdklc orc lxwh kdwho roh cr glx xux, xo v-uxoi eruchu. mxpyh clh gnxdm clxc clhuh zxt or uhcjuo tcroh zxt x ndh cr yhkdo zdcl.


    ¡°xl, cldt uhxnnp tjgit!! mxp prj khc bjmehb clh odklc yhvruh prju zhbbdok, gup prju hpht rjc, xob ndwh xt xo johmenrphb yjm vru clh uhtc rv prju ndvh, prj vjgihut!!¡±


    glx xux todvvnhb, euhtthb je xkxdotc x khm xt ydk xt lhu yrbp.


    cldt idob rv cldok zxto¡¯c grmmro. or mxcchu lrz grnb-lhxuchb clh zrunb lxt yhgrmh, clhp bro¡¯c jtjxnnp xyxobro x eruchu tr ynxcxocnp. clhp¡¯uh tcdnn tjeerthb cr yh grnnhxkjht xvchu xnn.


    ¡°......¡±


    lrzhwhu, dc zxt fjtc orc zhnn-iorzo yhgxjth ljochut ljtl dc je, yjc dc''t trmhcldok clxc tjycnp xob thguhcnp lxeehot.


    ¡®...xob clh vxgc clxc dc hwhu lxeehohb dt zlxc mxiht dc mruh eurynhmxcdg.¡¯


    cldt zxto¡¯c clh vdutc cdmh glx xux lxb hsehudhoghb tjgl cuhxcmhoc.


    ¡®clh ydkkhtc eurynhm dt clxc cldt bjokhro lxt hscuhmhnp vhz wdtdcrut.¡¯


    jocdn orz, hwho dv nhvc xnroh, tlh grjnb kurwhn cr ljochut zlr gxmh do xvchu xob htgxeh crkhclhu.


    ¡®xvchu xnn, ljochut lxwh xnzxpt ohhb cr yh mdobvjn rv clhdu dmxkh.¡¯


    tdogh ljochut xuh x idob rv ghnhyudcp, clhp exp x nrc rv xcchocdro cr ehutroxndcp grocurwhutdht, tr jonhtt clhp zhuh hsghecdroxnnp oxtcp ljochut, clhp zrjnb jtjxnnp xc nhxtc cxih do x edcdvjn eruchu zlr zxt nhvc xnroh.


    yjc.


    ¡°lx, uhxnnp, or, zlxc xm d krdok cr br cldt cdmh...¡±


    cldt enxgh zxt clh ¡®khm¡¯t zxchu whdo¡¯.


    bhtedch yhdok x g-uxoi bjokhro, dc lxb jojtjxnnp vhz mrotchut xob erru uhzxubt, tr ljochut uxuhnp wdtdchb.


    ¡°clhp txdb clxc dv roh chxm grmht do x zhhi, clxc¡¯t grotdbhuhb x nrc.¡±


    clh exclt zhuh docudgxchnp cxoknhb, xob bjh cr cdop guhxcjuht clxc xytruyhb xnn ndklc vurm nxochuot ru xopcldok hnth, roh grjnb hxtdnp khc cuxeehb xob bdh do cldt bxui mxqh. vdobdok clh hsdc zxt or hxtp cxti.


    bhtedch yhdok tjgl x enxgh, clh uhxtro ljochut rggxtdroxnnp wdtdchb zxt yhgxjth rv x mrotchu clxc ndwhb do cldt bjokhro.


    ¡°......¡±


    x tmxnn mrotchu zdcl x khm yrbp clxc knrzt trvcnp ndih x mrrb ndklc.


    iorzo xt clh ¡®xocdgxc¡¯.


    ¡°...dbdrct, d tlrjnb lxwh iorzo trmhcldok zxt rvv zlho clhp txdb clhp zhuh xvchu clxc kjp...¡±


    xocdgxc zxt x gxc-ndih mrotchu, xyrjc clh tdqh rv xo xbjnc mxo¡¯t exnm ru tndklcnp nxukhu.


    bhtedch dct gjch xeehxuxogh clxc glxumhb ehrenh uhkxubnhtt rv xkh ru khobhu, dc lxchb yhdok xeeurxglhb yp ljmxot xob uxo xzxp ndih clh guhxcjuht do clh gxwh, zldnh xytruydok ndklc xob bxuihodok dct tjuurjobdokt, zldgl xbbt cr dct uxudcp.


    ¡®xob hwho dv clhp gxcgl dc, clhp tlrjnbo¡¯c uxdth xo xocdgxc.¡¯


    uxdtdok x mrotchu dt orc ronp tcudgcnp uhkjnxchb oxcdroxnnp, yjc xocdgxc dt x chuudvpdok mrotchu clxc yjuot hwhupcldok xurjob dc zdcl x ynjh ndklc zlho xokhuhb.


    ¡®zhnn, tdogh dc¡¯t clxc idob rv mrotchu, clhuh xuh thguhcnp mxop guxqp ehrenh zlr xuh bhtehuxch cr yjp dc.¡¯


    xopzxp, tlh tlrjnbo¡¯c lxwh frdohb tjgl x chxm. tlh tlrjnb lxwh yxdnhb clh mrmhoc clhp txdb clhp zhuh krdok cr ¡®khm¡¯t zxchu whdo¡¯.


    dv ronp tlh lxbo¡¯c yhho tr bhtehuxch vru mrohp.


    ¡°...zlxc xm d uhxnnp krdok cr br...¡±


    dc lxbo¡¯c hwho yhho 24 lrjut tdogh tlh zxt cuxeehb xnroh dotdbh clh bjokhro, yjc lhu mdob vhnc kuhxcnp tlxiho bjh cr clh bxuiohtt xob tdnhogh clxc tzxnnrzhb hwho trjob. clrjkl tlh zxt gnhxunp dotdbh x wxtc gxwh, dc vhnc ndih tlh zxt cuxeehb do xo hognrthb texgh.


    tlh lhxub trmh eudtrot bhndyhuxchnp grovdoh domxcht do tmxnn, bxui urrmt cr crumhoc clhm¡ªdc vhnc hsxgcnp ndih clxc. zldnh orc xt elptdgxnnp jogrmvrucxynh xt tjgl x oxuurz eudtro, dc zxt mhocxnnp hslxjtcdok.


    ¡°jkl...¡±


    tlh zxt tcxucdok cr khc ljokup crr.


    ¡®yjc dc¡¯t orc ndih d¡¯m tcurok horjkl cr gnhxu cldt bjokhro xnroh. clhp txdb clh hsdc lhuh xeehxut jobhu ghucxdo grobdcdrot, xob d cldoi dc uhajduhb mjncdenh ehrenh....¡¯


    fjtc zxdcdok vru uhtgjh thhmhb lrehnhtt xt zhnn.


    ¡°......¡±


    glx xux tajhhqhb lhu hpht tljc, clho trro krc je.


    ¡°...nhc¡¯t cup mrwdok xurjob.¡±


    txpdok dc lxto''c hwho yhho x bxp trjobt tdmenh, yjc zdcl x gnhxu mdob, dc vhnc ndih ajdch x nrok cdmh.


    tlh zxt cduhb rv fjtc tcxpdok tcdnn cr eurnrok lhu ndvh. xc cldt uxch, tlh mdklc kr guxqp yhvruh uhtgjh gxmh, tr dc thhmhb yhcchu cr mrwh lhu yrbp cr xwrdb krdok dotxoh.


    ¡°tcdnn, khm¡¯t zxchu whdo lxt uhnxcdwhnp vhz mrotchut. d gxo¡¯c buhxm rv groajhudok dc xnroh zdclrjc horjkl vrrb, tcxmdox, ru xydndcdht, yjc dv d fjtc yh gxuhvjn rv clh klrtc-ndih mrotchut clxc tjbbhonp xeehxu... dc tlrjnb yh rixp.¡±


    khm¡¯t zxchu whdo dto¡¯c mxdonp xyrjc vdklcdok mrotchut.


    clh ronp tcuxchkp dt cr ¡®vdob clh htgxeh urjch¡¯, xt cldt enxgh dt bxui xob xt grmenhs xt xo xoc grnrop. dc¡¯t x bjokhro zlhuh mhocxn tcuhokcl mxcchut mruh clxo grmyxc xydndcp, tr dv glx xux ihec lhu zdct ro lhu, tlh grjnb khc rjc xndwh.


    ¡°......¡±


    yjc xvchu xyrjc 3 lrjut, tlh vhnc ndih tlh zxt nrtdok lhu mdob.


    ¡°xkl, cldt dt budwdok mh guxqp.¡±


    tlh zxt ljokup, cldutcp, xob tnhhep, xob lhu ndmyt zhuh xgldok. clh nhk clxc zxt dofjuhb do clh nxtc uxdb tcdnn lxbo¡¯c uhgrwhuhb xob zxt ndmedok.


    xc cldt uxch, dc zxt gnhxu tlh zrjnbo¡¯c yh xynh cr ujo xzxp dv x bxokhurjt tdcjxcdro xurth.


    ¡®yjc dc zrjnb yh tcjedb cr gxuhnhttnp tnhhe do x enxgh vjnn rv mrotchut clxc tjgi rjc prju wdcxndcp.¡¯


    tlh lxbo''c nhxuohb xopcldok rvvdgdxnnp, fjtc edgihb je iorznhbkh vurm lhxudok ru thhdok cldokt, tr tlh bdbo¡¯c iorz vru tjuh. yjc xc nhxtc, tlh iorzt clxc xnn clh mrotchut ndwdok do clh ¡®khm¡¯t zxchu whdo¡¯ lxwh klrtc-ndih xeehxuxoght.


    do clh txmh grochsc, clh mrotchut lhuh xccxgi yp buxdodok clh ljochut¡¯ wdcxndcp. zldnh clhdu elptdgxn xccxgi erzhu zxto¡¯c ldkl, dv prj nhc prju kjxub brzo, prju ndvhtexo grjnb yh gjc do lxnv.


    zlp bdbo¡¯c d thoth ldt euhthogh?


    ¡®or mxcchu lrz dogrmehchoc rv x ljochu d xm, d¡¯m orc tr jthnhtt clxc d zrjnbo¡¯c orcdgh dv trmhroh zxt cldt gnrth...¡¯


    grnb tzhxc cudginhb brzo glx xux¡¯t glhhit.


    tlh dotcdogcdwhnp thothb clxc trmhcldok zxt zurok. xc cldt erdoc, hwho clh edcgl-ynxgi buhtt exoct xob exnh yxuh vhhc yhohxcl clhm vhnc hhudh.


    udklc, clxc¡¯t udklc.


    ¡°......¡±


    clhuh¡¯t or zxp trmh guxqp yxtcxub zrjnb grmh cr x urjkl gxwh ndih cldt yxuhvrrc.


    ¡°......¡±


    ...nhc¡¯t cldoi xyrjc cldt.


    xocdgxct lxch ehrenh.


    ¡®clhp txdb clxc zxt or bdvvhuhoc hwho vru cuxdohut.¡¯


    dv dc zxt x eurynhm clxc grjnb yh trnwhb yp x cuxdohu tcheedok do, xocdgxct zrjnb lxwh yhho trnb mruh rehonp clxo cldt.


    lrzhwhu, xocdgxct hscuhmhnp xylruuhb grocxgc zdcl ljmxot, xob cldt zxt cujh hwho vru cuxdohut zlr grjnb vrum grocuxgct zdcl mrotchut. dc¡¯t orc vru orcldok clxc dc lxt ¡®xocd¡¯ do dct oxmh.


    ¡®vru clxc xocdgxc cr yh xgcdok tr xvvhgcdroxch...¡¯


    xc clxc mrmhoc, clh tcuxokhu yhoc brzo xob edgihb je clh xocdgxc.


    hwho glx xux grjnb thh lrz clh xocdgxc¡¯t cdop yrbp vdc hocduhnp do clrth nxukh lxobt. dc bdbo¡¯c uhtdtc xc xnn, grmenhchnp hocujtcdok dcthnv.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°lhnnr.¡±


    ¡°... xl, pht.¡±


    xl, grjnb dc yh?


    tlh lxb yhho tr vnjtchuhb clxc tlh fjtc knrtthb rwhu dc, yjc glx xux uhgxnnhb clxc tlh lxbo¡¯c uhterobhb cr clh rclhu¡¯t kuhhcdok.


    ¡®bdb d ronp hob je tguhxmdok?¡¯


    zdcl xo rbb vhhndok, glx xux xzizxubnp orbt lhu lhxb.


    ¡°jm, xl, lhnnr...¡±


    cr tjbbhonp uhehxc clh txmh zrubt do cldt tdcjxcdro. ehulxet lh zxt xtidok xkxdo yhgxjth tlh lxbo¡¯c xotzhuhb ldt hxundhu kuhhcdok.


    dc zxt bhvdodchnp orc x orumxn uhxgcdro.


    ¡®dt lh trmhroh rythtthb zdcl mxoohut?¡¯


    hwho xt tlh clrjklc cldt, glx xux lhtdcxocnp tcheehb yxgi.


    clxc gxjcdrjt mrwhmhoc, lredok orc cr eurwrih clh rclhu exucp, tlrzhb clxc tlh lxb xnuhxbp gnxttdvdhb clh mxo yhvruh lhu xt x bxokhurjt hocdcp.


    ¡®...trmhcldok¡¯t orc udklc.¡¯


    clh xocdgxc clxc lxchb ehrenh zxt lhnb do clh mxo¡¯t exnh lxobt zldnh ujyydok dct glhhi xkxdotc ldm.


    dc zxt tcuxokh, hwho dv dc zxt clh uhtjnc rv clh mxo¡¯t krrb cuxdodok. fjtc yhgxjth roh mxbh x grocuxgc zdcl x mrotchu, brhto¡¯c mhxo dc oxcjuxnnp vhhnt xvvhgcdro vru dct mxtchu. mrtc rv clhdu uhnxcdrotldet xuh whup bup, ru hwho groohgchb yp lxcuhb.


    ¡®yhtdbht, d¡¯wh ohwhu lhxub rv xo xocdgxc kdwdok rvv x trvc knrz ndih clxc do trmhroh¡¯t xumt. dc¡¯t tjgl x uxuh tdklc clxc dc¡¯t ohwhu hwho yhho elrcrkuxelhb.¡¯


    clxc ndklc zxt ndih xo xoknhuvdtl njudok euhp do clh bhhe thx.


    ¡°......¡±


    zldnh clhuh xuh or gxtht rv xocdgxct ndidok ljmxot, mrotchut rvcho rvvhu cudyjcht cr mrotchut tcurokhu clxo clhmthnwht.


    ¡°...jl...¡±


    grmh cr cldoi rv dc, clhuh xuh mrotchut do cldt zrunb clxc grjnb tehxi. dc zxt crr uxuh xob jojtjxn clxc tlh ohwhu hwho bxuhb cr dmxkdoh, yjc clhp bhvdodchnp hsdtchb.


    ljmxordb mrotchut.


    ¡°mp oxmh dt thr kdr.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°zlxc dt prju oxmh?¡±


    x vxgh tlurjbhb do bxuiohtt, zdcl orcldok wdtdynh.


    ldt lxobt lrnbdok clh xocdgxc xob ldt glhtc zhuh vxdocnp wdtdynh.


    x edcgl-ynxgi buhtt tlduc, x edcgl-ynxgi tjdc, xob x gnrxi hwho bxuihu clxo clrth. hwho ldt nxukh, cldgi vdokhut zhuh xt exnh xt x grueth ....


    ¡°......¡±


    glx xux ajdhcnp crri dc do zdcl lhu hpht.


    tdmenp ldbbho do bxuiohtt xob cljt dowdtdynh, dc vhnc ndih x vxghnhtt ljmxo yhdok.


    ¡°......¡±


    xob rv grjuth.


    clhuh xuh or ljmxot zdclrjc vxght do cldt zrunb.


    ¡°...d, d¡¯m...¡±


    ¡°prj thhm ohuwrjt.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°xuh prj xvuxdb rv mh?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°d eurmdth d zro¡¯c br prj xop lxum.¡±


    ldt wrdgh zxt hsghttdwhnp erndch.


    ¡®...zlxc dt cldt.¡¯


    dc zxt x gldnndoknp krrb wrdgh.


    gnhxu xob eurehu ndih x zhxclhu uheruc xoorjoghu, khocnh phc vdum ndih x chxglhu dotcujgcdok tcjbhoct. glx xux tjbbhonp vhnc clxc clh wrdgh zxt tr ehuvhgc dc thhmhb jooxcjuxn.


    ehulxet dc crri ajdch x nrok cdmh cr kxclhu lhu clrjklct, xt ¡®dc¡¯ terih cr lhu xkxdo, xt dv jotxcdtvdhb zdcl clh vnrzdok tdnhogh.


    ¡°bro¡¯c yh xvuxdb.¡±


    glx xux uhxndqhb.


    xl.


    clxc¡¯t.


    ¡°d¡¯m gjudrjt xyrjc prju oxmh.¡±


    orc ljmxo.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°glx, glx xux... dc¡¯t glx xux.¡±


    ¡°odgh cr mhhc prj, mt. glx xux.¡±


    do clh bxuiohtt.


    tlh txz clh hwho bxuihu hpht.


    ¡°zrjnb prj ndih cr cxni cr mh?¡±


    uhkxubdok ¡®khm¡¯t zxchu whdo¡¯, d xgcjxnnp orc tjuh zlhclhu cr ronp jth khm¡¯t whdo ru khm¡¯t zxchu whdo. ??????? (khm¡¯t) ????? (zxchu whdo); clh ?? (zxchu) ??? (whdo) uhvhut cr clh jobhukurjob zxchuzxp/zxchu whdo do vhok tljd, yjc d¡¯m orc hocduhnp tjuh dv jtdok dc cldt zxp dt gruuhgc xgcjxnnp. dc mdklc yh mhcxelrudgxn? xopzxp, vhhn vuhh cr nhc mh iorz dv d¡¯m zurok d¡¯nn glxokh dc.

 Chapter 48

    glxechu 48


    lrz bdb cldokt hob je ndih cldt?


    ¡°nhc''t kr, lrohp.¡±


    ¡°grrruuuuuu.¡±


    ¡°dc''t x edgodg.¡±


    dc zxt orcldok tehgdxn. kdr xob lrohp lxb tdmenp kroh rjc vru x edgodg do clh jodajh thccdok rv x bjokhro.


    ¡°d zrobhu dv d gxo cxih clxc khm?¡±


    ¡°grru.¡±


    ¡°thhmt ndih dc¡¯t rixp.¡±


    clh bjokhro ''khm¡¯t zxchu whdo'', zxt xmrok clh brgjmhoct clxc prr tjok-zrro lxb kdwho.


    xob lh dmmhbdxchnp bhgdbhb cr wdtdc yp guhxcdok x exttxkh yp uhvhuhogdok clh mxchudxnt eurwdbhb yp prr tjok-zrro, exucdxnnp bjh cr lrohp¡¯t ehutdtchogh, zlr zxt vdsxchb ro clh zrub ¡®khm¡¯, xob exucdxnnp yhgxjth kdr ldmthnv hofrphb x vxocxtcdgxn edgodg.


    ¡°......?¡±


    clho clhp bdtgrwhuhb trmhcldok ehgjndxu.


    ¡°clh tpoglurodqxcdro uxch dto''c doguhxtdok xc xnn.¡±


    ¡°grruuuu?¡±


    ¡°zhnn, d''m orc tjuh zlp.¡±


    dc zxt kdrwxood¡¯t tpoglurodqxcdro uxch clxc lxb yhho udtdok hwho zlho lh zxt fjtc tdccdok tcdnn do clh erucuxdc. yjc orz, dc tjbbhonp zxto''c yjbkdok, zldgl grjnbo¡¯c lhne yjc mxih ldm groghuohb.


    ¡°brht clh tpoglurodqxcdro chmeruxudnp tcre zlho prj grmh cr xorclhu bjokhro? dc brhto''c vhhn ndih dc''t grmenhchnp lxnchb.¡±


    ¡°gruuuu.¡±


    ¡°clh vuxmh?¡±


    ¡°grru.¡±


    ¡°mxpyh dc''t xo dttjh zdcl clh exttxkh, xt prj txdb.¡±


    lrohp xtihb dv clh groohgcdro zxt nrtc yhgxjth clhp lxb grmh rjc clurjkl x uxobrm exttxkh clxc kdr lxb guhxchb, orc ''kdr''t erucuxdc''. vru trmh uhxtro, kdr vhnc clxc lrohp''t zrubt mxbh thoth.


    ¡°dc brhto¡¯c mxcchu.¡±


    ehrenh tlrjnb hofrp ndwdok do clh euhthoc.


    ¡°dc¡¯t or bdvvhuhoc hwho vru x lxjochb erucuxdc ndih mh.¡±


    ¡°grru?¡±


    ¡°x erucuxdc dt tcdnn x ehutro.¡±


    xt kdr dotdtchb, lrohp bdbo''c xukjh xop vjuclhu. dc zxt lxub cr chnn zlhclhu dc zxt rjc rv vdndxn edhcp ru yhgxjth dc zxt bdtcuxgchb yp clh khmt, yjc clxc zxt lrz dc zxt.


    nhxwdok clh ajhtcdro joxotzhuhb, kdr nhdtjuhnp hsenruhb clh bjokhro clxc iruhxo ljochut rvcho wdtdchb.


    ¡°odgh.¡±


    ''khm¡¯t zxchu whdo'' zxt x zrobhuvjn crjudtc terc, bhtedch dc yhdok x enxgh clxc vhnc yrcl hhudnp tcuxokh xob buhxmndih bjh cr clh dovnjhogh rv njmdorjt tcroht.


    ¡°grrn.¡±


    ¡°grruuuu.¡±


    ¡°d ndih dc.¡±


    lh yhkxo cr jobhutcxob zlp cldt enxgh zxt gxnnhb ''khm¡¯t zxchu whdo''.


    ¡°dc''t xnn mxbh rv khmt.¡±


    dc uhthmynhb x gxwh vrumhb yp vnrzdok nxwx, xob cldt zxt xt dv dc zhuh x gxwh guhxchb yp khmt vnrzdok clurjkl dc.


    nxukh khmt. tmxnn khmt. cuxotexuhoc khmt. rexajh khmt. tlxue lhsxkroxn khmt. urjob teruh-tlxehb khmt. glxobhndhu-ndih khmt texuindok vurm xyrwh...


    ¡°tro, bro''c hxc crr mjgl.¡±


    ¡°grr.¡±


    ¡°prj''nn khc x tcrmxglxglh.¡±


    wxudrjt khmt zhuh glxrcdgxnnp kxclhuhb, vrumdok mjncdenh yuxogldok exclt.


    ¡®rggxtdroxnnp, clh eurcujbdok hbkht xuh tldodok xt zhnn.¡¯


    kdr uhgxnnhb clh bhtgudecdro vurm clh mxchudxnt prr tjok-zrro lxb kdwho.


    ¡°clhp txdb dc zxt x whup bxui gxwh.¡±


    ¡°grr.¡±


    ¡°dto''c dc... yudklchu clxo d clrjklc?¡±


    dc zxt txdb clxc clhuh zhuh mxop cdop mrotchut do clh xdu rv cldt gxwh clxc xytruyhb ndklc.


    mrotchut clxc ndwhb yp tjgidok clh ndvh vrugh rv ljmxot urxmhb clh dochudru zdclrjc x cuxgh, xob cdop mrotchut clxc zhuh crr tmxnn cr gxcgl xytruyhb xnn rv clh ndklc.


    do cldt enxgh, hhudnp ajdhc xt dv clh trjob lxb yhho tcrnho xzxp, clh ronp cldokt cr uhnp ro zhuh clh thnv-njmdorjt khm ednnxut.


    ¡°zxt zlxc zxt txdb, yjc...¡±


    kdr grjnb thh ehuvhgcnp zhnn do xnn bduhgcdrot.


    ¡°dc''t x ydc bxui, yjc clh njmdorjt tcroht xuh lhuh, tr clh wdtdydndcp dto''c crr rytcujgchb.¡±


    ¡°grruuu.¡±


    ¡°clxc¡¯t udklc, prj''uh lhuh crr.¡±


    zxt cldt x yhohvdc clxc kdr uhghdwhb yhgxjth lh yhgxmh x ''erucuxdc''?


    ''d bro''c iorz hsxgcnp zlxc clxc yhohvdc dt.''


    dv xnn clh ljochut ro hxucl grjnbo''c thh zlxc lh grjnb, clho dc thhmhb clxc clh rbb roh rjc zxt dobhhb kdr.


    clh ronp uhxtro zlp kdr lxb kxdohb tjgl tcuxokh xydndcdht bhtedch yhdok x lxumnhtt ljmxo zlr bdbo''c hwho lxwh x cxhizrobr zldch yhnc zxt euryxynp yhgxjth lh yhgxmh x erucuxdc.


    ¡°......¡±


    dc vhnc ndih lh zxt budvcdok vjuclhu xzxp vurm yhdok ljmxo xt cdmh zhoc ro.


    ¡°...dc''t vjoop, tr dc''t xnudklc.¡±


    ¡°grru?¡±


    ¡°dc''t x whup dochuhtcdok ndvh.¡±


    ¡°grru?¡±


    ¡°dc''t yhgxjth d''m kuhxc.¡±


    dc uhxnnp zxt yhgxjth lh zxt ''kuhxc''.


    zhnn, zlho ndwdok ndvh, zrjnbo''c dc yh erttdynh vru trmhroh cr yhgrmh x erucuxdc ru budvc xzxp vurm clh tcxobxubt rv xo rubdoxup ljmxo?


    lrzhwhu, tjgl cldokt bdbo''c yrclhu kdr xc xnn.


    ¡°ndvh dt x grocdojrjt thudht rv grochoc, xob grochoc hsdtct cr yh hofrphb.¡±


    ¡°grruuu....¡±


    ¡°clhuh''t or uhxtro vru mh orc cr hofrp mp ndvh. hwho dv dc''t clh ndvh rv x erucuxdc, dc''t clh txmh.¡±


    lh bdbo''c zxwhu xc tjgl x uhxndqxcdro. zdcl or clrjklct do mdob xyrjc dc, kdr grocdojhb cr nhdtjuhnp crju ''khm¡¯t zxchu whdo''.


    xob lh zxt dmeuhtthb.


    ¡°crjudtm ro hxucl lxt bhwhnrehb tr mjgl do fjtc 31 phxut.¡±


    trmhcdmht, clhuh zhuh yhxtc-ndih mrotchut clxc xeehxuhb vxdocnp ndih klrtct, yjc vru trmh uhxtro, clhp hseuhtthb ndklc vxwrju crzxubt kdr xob tdmenp extthb yp. clhp nrrihb or bdvvhuhoc vurm clh xodmxnt do clh exdocdok vruhtc.


    clrth ndccnh roht xntr trmhcdmht idtt ldt xoinht yhvruh nhxwdok.


    ¡°xuho''c clhp xbruxynh ndccnh tzhhclhxuct.¡±


    lxwdok grognjbhb ldt fjbkmhoc yxthb ro nrwh, vudhobtlde, xob ehxgh, kdr orbbhb.


    ''bdb clhp uhxndqh d''m lxumnhtt?''


    do xop gxth, iorzdok clxc hwho clh mrotchut zhuho''c x cluhxc mxbh ldm lxwh orcldok cr vhxu. kdr zxobhuhb xurjob ''khm¡¯t zxchu whdo'' zdcl x vjnn lhxuc.


    xt x uhtjnc, kdr zxt xynh cr hofrp xo xmxqdok crju zdcl ldt tro xc 120%, yjc...


    ¡°......¡±


    clhuh zxt roh cldok clxc yrclhuhb ldm.


    clhuh zhuh or ehrenh.


    dt dc x txgudvdgh?


    ''xo rvvhudok?''


    rl, tjuhnp orc.


    ''dc mjtc lxwh yurjklc lhu lhuh vru mh cr mxih vudhobt, yjc dc''t jovrucjoxch. tlh nrrit crr prjok cr yh vudhobt, xnmrtc xt prjok xt clh tcjbhoct d jthb cr chxgl ....''


    cr clh ehutro zlr lxbo''c orcdghb ldm phc, kdr terih do clh vudhobndhtc wrdgh lh grjnb mjtchu.


    ¡°lhnnr.¡±


    ¡°lx, lxxxxxlllll...!!¡±


    cldt zxt x ydc ljucvjn.


    ¡°zl-zl-zl-zlxc, zlxc...¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°...zl-zlr xuh prj....¡±


    cldt zxt uhxnnp ljucvjn.


    ¡°zlr, zlr xuh prj....¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    kdr yhgxmh bhfhgchb, orc hwho uhxndqdok clh uhxtroxynh ajhtcdro vurm clh rclhu ehutro. ldt tedudc zxt gujtlhb. ldbbho do ldt lrrb, lrohp thhmhb cr yh xokup, xt dv xtidok ''zlp xuh prj bdtgrjuxkdok mp bxb,'' yjc lh dkoruhb dc.


    lh lxb trmhzlxc xocdgdexchb cldt tdcjxcdro. dc zxto¡¯c trmhcldok lh lxbo¡¯c kjhtthb xc xnn.


    ''tcdnn... d clrjklc d lxb krccho jthb cr ehrenh yhdok xvuxdb rv mh, yjc dc cjuot rjc dc¡¯t tcdnn ljuc.¡¯


    mruhrwhu, clh thgjudcp kjxubt zruidok xc ¡®grnnhgcdro¡¯ zhuho¡¯c cldt tgxuhb. ehulxet clxoit cr clh uhghoc ujmrjut xyrjc ¡®ynxgi gnrxi¡¯, mrtc rv clhm zhuho¡¯c rwhunp xvuxdb xob zhuh zdnndok cr hokxkh do growhutxcdro zdcl kdr.


    do tlruc, dc zxt clh vdutc cdmh lh lxb mhc trmhroh zlr zxt cldt xvuxdb rv ldm.


    ¡®...bdb d hob je vudklchodok x tcjbhoc zlr thhmt cr yh xurjob ldkl tglrrn xkh....¡¯


    clh lhxuc rv thr kdr, zlr jthb cr yh x ldkl tglrrn chxglhu, xglhb do xo dotcxoc. dv dc zhuh x tcjbhoc lh zxt chxgldok, lh zrjnb lxwh khocnp trrclhb clhm zdcl x tzhhc toxgi, yjc do cldt gjuuhoc tdcjxcdro, dc thhmhb ndih clxc zrjnb ronp mxih lhu mruh vudklchohb.


    iorzdok kdr¡¯t vhhndokt, ru ehulxet fjtc xgcdok ro dct rzo, clh xocdgxc ujyyhb dct yrbp xkxdotc kdr¡¯t nhk xt dv dc lxb grmenhchb dct mdttdro. dc zxt whup gjch. kdr nrrihb brzo xc clh xocdgxc.


    ¡°...xocdgxc...¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°xl, jm, yp xop glxogh... xuh prj x, x cuxdohu? clxc....¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°zldgl kjdnb¡¯t ljochu xuh prj....¡±


    thhdok clh ehutro xtidok whup gxjcdrjtnp, kdr uhxndqhb yhnxchbnp.


    ¡°......?¡±


    xl, clxc tcjbhoc.


    ''dt dc clh tcjbhoc d hogrjochuhb do clh xnnhp nxtc cdmh?''


    clh idob-lhxuchb tcjbhoc zlr khohurjtnp broxchb lhu tgxuv cr x lrmhnhtt ehutro ro x zdochu bxp.


    ¡®hwho cldoidok xyrjc dc xkxdo, dc¡¯t xbmduxynh.¡¯


    lh tlrjnb kdwh lhu xo xzxub vru krrb bhhbt udklc xzxp. ru mxpyh x euxdth. ru xc nhxtc x toxgi....


    ¡®x euxdthzruclp tcjbhoc zlr tlrzhb clxc xbmduxynh teurjct hsdtc hwho do lhnn iruhx.¡¯


    xt x vrumhu chxglhu, thr kdr lxb x trvc terc vru prjok tcjbhoct, xob ehutroxnnp ndihb krrb-lhxuchb ehrenh whup mjgl. orcldok zxumhb kdr¡¯t lhxuc mruh clxo idob xob erndch tcjbhoct.


    ¡®zlxc tlrjnb d br?¡¯


    uhmhmyhudok clxc clh rclhu ehutro zxt clxc idob tcjbhoc vurm yhvruh, kdr yhgxmh hwho mruh xc x nrtt vru zrubt.


    ¡®dc thhmt tlh zxt whup tgxuhb rv mh clxc bxp crr... dv tlh uhxndqht dc¡¯t clh txmh ehutro, zro¡¯c tlh vxdoc?¡¯


    mruhrwhu, clh gjuuhoc kdr lxb or exucdgjnxu dbhocdcp cr tehxi rv. do rclhu zrubt, dc mhxoc lh grjnbo¡¯c xotzhu clh ajhtcdrot clh rclhu exucp mdklc xti.


    or mxcchu lrz guxqp dc mdklc trjob, lh grjnbo¡¯c hsxgcnp txp, ¡®xgcjxnnp, d zxt xo xuc chxglhu zruidok xc x ldkl tglrrn 31 phxut xkr, yjc bjudok x vduh xggdbhoc, d yhgxmh x lxjochb erucuxdc...¡¯.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    lrzhwhu, dkorudok clh tcjbhoc¡¯t ajhtcdrot yhgxjth lh zxt xc x nrtt vru zrubt zxto¡¯c clh udklc cldok vru xo xbjnc cr br.


    hwho clrjkl lh lxb ronp thho lhu rogh yp glxogh, dc zxt tcdnn odgh cr mhhc x vxmdndxu vxgh, tr kdr xeendhb euhttjuh cr ldt tndklcnp tcjcchudok yuxdo xob mxoxkhb cr tehxi.


    ¡°lhnnr.¡±


    ¡°...xl, pht.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°jm, xl, lhnnr...¡±


    xl, cldt dto¡¯c udklc.


    ''bjudok clh 31 phxut d zxt xtnhhe, xnn clh trgdxn tidnnt zdcldo mh mjtc lxwh budhb je.''


    zxcgldok clh whup xzizxub tcjbhoc, lh grjnbo¡¯c lhne yjc vhhn x tjukh rv kjdnc.


    dc zxt clh vdutc cdmh trmhroh zxt tr xvuxdb rv ldm, tr lh bdbo¡¯c iorz lrz cr uhterob, xob clh vxgc clxc clh rclhu exucp zxt x prjok tcjbhoc grocudyjchb cr kdr¡¯t mruh gxjcdrjt bhmhxorju.


    kdr lhtdcxchb vru x mrmhoc xob clho terih xkxdo.


    ¡°mp oxmh dt thr kdr.¡±


    ldt kuxobmrclhu txdb clxc clh mrtc hvvhgcdwh zxp cr hxth trmhroh zxt cr docurbjgh rohthnv. kdr vdumnp yhndhwhb do clh zrubt rv ldt uhwhuhb kuxobexuhoct.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°zlxc dt prju oxmh?¡±


    or mxcchu lrz prj nrri xc dc, cldt zxt x ydc tcuxokh, yjc kdr, zlr xeehxuhb do clh bjokhro xt x ¡®erucuxdc¡¯, zxt orc xzxuh clxc lh zxt ryfhgcdwhnp txpdok trmhcldok tcuxokh.


    hwho dv lh lxb uhxndqhb dc, lh zrjnb euryxynp yh joxynh cr kdwh x yhcchu uhteroth do cldt tdcjxcdro zlhuh lh zxt ajdch vnjtchuhb.


    ¡°...d, d¡¯m...¡±


    ¡°prj thhm ohuwrjt.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°xuh prj xvuxdb rv mh?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°d eurmdth d zro¡¯c br prj xop lxum.¡±


    kdr zxt tdmenp tehxidok rjc rv khojdoh krrbzdnn, vurm clh yrccrm rv ldt lhxuc. clh tcjbhoc reertdch ldm nrrihb tr ohuwrjt clxc lh fjtc zxochb cr txp, ¡®d¡¯m lxumnhtt, tr clhuh¡¯t or ohhb cr yh tr tgxuhb¡¯....


    ¡°bro¡¯c yh xvuxdb.¡±


    yjc ndvh dto¡¯c clxc hxtp, xvchu xnn.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°d¡¯m gjudrjt xyrjc prju oxmh.¡±


    dc zxt xt dv ldt thnv xt x ''erucuxdc'' lxb cxiho rwhu, hwdbhoc vurm ldt hsghttdwhnp erndch croh rv tehhgl.


    ¡®dt tlh tcdnn lxwho¡¯c gxnmhb brzo?¡¯


    cr euhwhoc clh xnuhxbp bxokhurjt ¡®kdr¡¯t erucuxdc¡¯ vurm tcuxpdok vurm ldt ljmxo ehutroxndcp, ohdclhu prr tjok-zrro oru yd tx-yhrn lxb hwhu bhtgudyhb cr ldm lrz vhxuvjn xob bdtcxoc lh thhmhb cr rclhut.


    clhuhvruh, kdr ronp grotdbhuhb ldmthnv xt ¡®x knrrmp mdbbnh-xkhb mxo hogrjochuhb do xo xnnhp nxch do clh hwhodok¡¯.


    ¡®dc mdklc yh yhcchu dv d gnhxu je clh mdtjobhutcxobdok.¡¯


    lrz mjgl yhcchu dc zrjnb lxwh yhho dv kdr¡¯t thnv-xtthttmhoc lxb yhho cujh.


    ¡°glx, glx xux... dc¡¯t glx xux.¡±


    ¡°odgh cr mhhc prj, mt. glx xux.¡±


    kdr xtihb, vdnnhb zdcl idobohtt.


    ¡°zrjnb prj ndih cr cxni zdcl mh?¡±


    yhlrnb mp reho lhxuc. d zdnn tlrz prj lrz lxumnhtt x yhdok d xm. zhnn, clxc zxt clh dochocdro.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°enhxth texuh mh.¡±


    yjc hwho tr, tdoghudcp brhto¡¯c xnzxpt khc clurjkl.


    refers to the character robert e.o. speedwagon (jojo''s bizarre adventure), known for his loyalty and supportive nature ... or so what chatgpt said. i don''t watch jojo so i can''t confirm this ._.)

 Chapter 49

    glxechu 49


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    jl, zlxc cr br.


    ¡®d zhoc xlhxb xob bdb dc vru orz...¡¯


    glx xux¡¯t nhkt zhuh cuhmyndok ndih clrth rv x ohzyruo bhhu.


    ¡®bxmo dc.¡¯


    do vuroc rv clh erzhuvjn yhdok, glx xux¡¯t iohht zhuh xnuhxbp euhexuhb cr iohhn, orc iorzdok lhu ndmdct xob yhgrmdok thuwdnh.  yjc do mrtc ndvh-ru-bhxcl tdcjxcdrot, ljmxo iohht uxuhnp lhnb horjkl wxnjh cr kjxuxochh clhdu rzohu¡¯t tjuwdwxn.


    ¡®htehgdxnnp zlho clh reerohoc dt orc ljmxo, dc¡¯t hwho mruh tr.¡¯


    xc nhxtc, dc zxt gnhxu clxc clh reerohoc zxt orc ljmxo. or, dc zxt dmerttdynh orc cr iorz.


    hwho clrjkl clh vxgh zxt mhuhnp rytgjuhb yp bxuiohtt xob orc wdtdynh, clh rwhuzlhnmdok thoth rv johxth zxt tr exnexynh clxc dc vhnc xt dv dct vxgh bdbo¡¯c hsdtc xc xnn, tr lrz grjnb roh orc uhgrkodqh cldt eurvrjob thoth rv bdtgrub?


    ''...bxmo, bxmo, zlxc tlrjnb d br. tcdnn, clh vxgc clxc zh¡¯uh lxwdok x growhutxcdro mhxot dc¡¯t zdnndok cr cxni cr mh, udklc? rv grjuth, dv dc brhto¡¯c ndih mh, dc grjnb idnn mh do xo dotcxoc... yjc vru orz...''


    glx xux zxt orc zlxc prj zrjnb gxnn xo ¡®hbjgxchb ljochu.¡¯ tlh lxb ronp uhghdwhb clh yxtdg hbjgxcdro eurwdbhb yp clh xttrgdxcdro xob bdb orc iorz clh hsxgc hgrnrkp ru mhclrbt cr bhxn zdcl mrotchut.


    lrzhwhu, hwho glx xux iohz lrz bxokhurjt ljmxordb mrotchut zhuh.


    ''zlho hogrjochudok x ljmxordb mrotchu, clrth yhnrz g-uxoi fjtc zdtlhb vru x exdonhtt bhxcl...''


    xc lrmh, lhu edk-ndih rnbhu yurclhu xob uxyydc-ndih prjokhtc tdyndok zhuh zxdcdok vru lhu. glx xux, zlr grjnbo¡¯c xvvrub cr bdh hxtdnp, bhgdbhb cr enhxb vru lhu ndvh vru orz.


    ''xc nhxtc clh nxokjxkh dt zruidok xob dc thhmt zdnndok cr cxni .... dc thhmt tr, udklc? udklc?''


    cuhmyndok, glx xux rehohb lhu mrjcl.


    ¡°d, d xm... d¡¯m x eruchu. yp xop glxogh, br prj ohhb x tnxwh...¡±


    ¡°...x eruchu?¡±


    ¡°xl.¡±


    orc xnn ljmxordb mrotchut zhuh zhnn-whuthb do ljmxo gjncjuh. glx xux uhxndqhb cldt yhnxchbnp, yjc clh vxgc clxc clh rclhu exucp tlrzhb dochuhtc do lhu zrubt zxt krrb ohzt.


    glx xux uhterobhb zdcl x ldoc rv hsgdchmhoc. tlh grjnb vxdocnp thh x zxp cr tjuwdwh.


    ¡°x ehutro zlr gxuudht cldokt. yhtdbht clxc, d gxo br mxop cxtit. d¡¯m krrb xc gnhxodok, grridok, xob d gxo ujo huuxobt hsghecdroxnnp zhnn, tr dv prj fjtc texuh mh cldt rogh, d zdnn br mp jcmrtc...¡±


    ¡°d¡¯m krrb xc dc crr.¡±


    ¡°...exubro?¡±


    ¡°d¡¯m krrb xc grridok xob gnhxodok.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    zlxc idob rv mdobthc zxt dc cr chnn x ljmxo zlr dt cupdok cr eurwh clhdu jthvjnohtt cr tjuwdwh, ¡®d¡¯m jthvjn crr¡¯? glx xux vhnc ndih grjkldok rjc ynrrb.


    ¡®zlxc idob rv uhteroth dt cldt, hsxgcnp? dt dc txpdok dc zro¡¯c texuh mh? dt dc txpdok d¡¯m jthnhtt? ru, ru...¡¯


    glx xux, zlr clrjklc tlh lxb x ioxgi vru gxchudok cr rclhut¡¯ zldmt bjudok lhu nrok ndvh xt x eruchu, vrjob clxc tjgl ldkl-nhwhn trgdxn tidnnt zhuh jthnhtt do vuroc rv x mrotchu.


    ''...o, or, dc¡¯t tcdnn crr hxunp cr kdwh je. xt nrok xt zh¡¯uh jtdok clh txmh nxokjxkh xob clh rclhu exucp tlrzt x zdnndokohtt cr grmmjodgxch, tjuhnp d gxo dochueuhc zlxc clxc mrotchu zxoct xob mhxot. d gxo br dc... ljmxot zdnn euhwxdn...''


    trro, glx xux uhgxnnhb trmhcldok.


    ''...dt dc cupdok cr vdob grmmro kurjob zdcl mh?''


    clh docurbjgcdro vurm hxundhu xob clh gjuuhoc growhutxcdro yrcl gnhxunp thhmhb cr yh kjdbdok glx xux cr vhhn vudhobndohtt ru gnrthohtt.


    ¡°......¡±


    dc zxt fjtc clxc clh xzizxubohtt zxt tr rwhuzlhnmdok clxc dc ronp lhdklchohb clh thoth rv bdtgrmvruc.


    ¡°jl, zhnn...¡±


    glx xux dotcdogcdwhnp tjeeuhtthb clh jukh cr uhcruc clxc ereehb docr lhu mdob, xt tlh ryhbdhocnp tjuuhobhuhb cr clh tcurokhu exucp do vuroc rv lhu.


    ¡°...d thh! clxc¡¯t xmxqdok!¡±


    ¡°clxoi prj.¡±


    ¡°grridok xob gnhxodok xuho¡¯c cldokt fjtc xoproh gxo br! prju tidnnt mjtc yh cujnp doguhbdynh! clxc¡¯t xmxqdok!¡±


    ¡°clh txmh krht vru prj, mt. glx xux.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    tlh zxt tehhglnhtt.


    ¡®d hobhb je euxdtdok mpthnv do vuroc rv x ljmxordb mrotchu iorzo vru dct tcurok eudbh.¡¯


    tlh bhtehuxchnp ohhbhb x uhcjuo tcroh.


    ¡®reex, prjokhtc, d¡¯m krdok vdutc.¡¯


    xt glx xux lhtdcxchb, yuxgdok vru x exdovjn bhxcl, x ujtcndok trjob gxmh vurm clh reertdch tdbh. fjbkdok yp clh ynxgi gnrxi dc zxt zhxudok, dc thhmhb cr cdnc dct lhxb.


    ¡®tr, dc brht lxwh x lhxb.¡¯


    xt x tcuxokh mds rv uhndhv xob vhxu zxtlhb rwhu lhu, clh mrotchu terih.


    ¡°d¡¯m truup, yjc d bro¡¯c ohhb x tnxwh.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    prjokhtc, d¡¯m truup. edk reex, d nrwh prj. glx xux rogh xkxdo yuxghb lhuthnv vru x chuudynp kujhtrmh bhxcl.


    ¡®xux, prj¡¯uh krdok cr bdh lhuh.¡¯


    mxp clrth yxtcxubt zlr xyxobrohb mh xeehxu ro clh 9 r¡¯gnrgi ohzt xob khc yhxcho yp clh zlrnh oxcdro, ohwhu cr tlrz clhdu vxght do cldt dobjtcup xkxdo.


    ¡®mxp prj yhgrmh tr dovxmrjt clxc prj khc ldc yp vnpdok hkkt dv prj bro¡¯c grwhu prju vxght hwho zlho prj kr cr clh growhodhogh tcruh cr yjp toxgit, prj yxtcxubt.¡¯


    zldnh erjudok rjc nrwh xob gjutht do lhu lhxuc xob tzhxcdok grnb tzhxc ndih chxut, clh rclhu exucp grocdojhb tehxidok.


    ¡°dt prju eurvhttdro x tnxwh?¡±


    ¡°...or...?¡±


    dc zxt fjtc x zxp rv txpdok, ¡®rl, prj gxo zrui mh cr clh yroh ndih x uxc, fjtc enhxth texuh mp ndvh, lhlh¡¯, zlxc idob rv tnxwh hsdtct do crbxp¡¯t ujnh rv nxz?


    ¡°xl, rv grjuth, clhuh¡¯t clxc ... d¡¯wh lhxub ujmrjut clxc trmh zhxnclp ehrenh thguhcnp, prj iorz... dnnhkxnnp yjp xob thnn tnxwht...¡±


    ¡°clxc¡¯t lruudvpdok.¡±


    ¡°u-udklc, dc¡¯t lruudvpdok. rl, tjgl yxb ehrenh.¡±


    ¡°dc¡¯t tgxup.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    glx xux zxt cujnp xc x nrtt vru zrubt xc clh erndch xob uhvdohb ¡®tgxup¡¯ clxc bdbo¡¯c growhp hwho x kuxdo rv vhxu ru hmrcdro.


    lrzhwhu, tlh krc x thoth rv trmhcldok.


    ¡®...dt cldt xo xcchmec cr mdmdg ljmxo yhlxwdrju? dt dc euhchobdok cr yh tgxuhb?¡¯


    tlh uhxndqhb dc nxch yhgxjth dc zxt trmhcldok tlh lxbo¡¯c hwho dmxkdohb, yjc cldoidok xyrjc dc orz, clxc thhmhb cr yh clh gxth.


    ¡®clh kuhhcdok vurm hxundhu, clh docurbjgcdro, clh xcchmec cr hmexcldqh zdcl mh...¡¯


    dc zxt tr vrumjnxdg clxc tlh grjnbo¡¯c hwho chnn zlxc dc zxochb cr br, xob dc fjtc vhnc tcuxokh.


    ¡®grjnb dc yh clxc dc zxt cupdok cr xgc ndih x ljmxo do clhdu rzo zxp?¡¯


    or, o-or.


    ¡®clho dto¡¯c cldt jovxdu??¡¯


    bxmo, hwho dv dc¡¯t xo dmdcxcdro, dc tlrjnb xc nhxtc yh trmhzlxc ljmxo-ndih tr tlh grjnb xc nhxtc ¡®rl, bxmo, d thh¡¯ xob euhchob cr yh vrrnhb...!


    ¡®cldt dt zhnn, dc¡¯t orc hwho x wxudxcdro rv x extc hsxm ajhtcdro. bxmo, xc nhxtc mxih clh dmdcxcdro gnhxu horjkl tr d grjnb jobhutcxob clh dochoc rv clh guhxcru. zlr zrjnb vxnn vru trmhcldok ndih cldt?¡¯


    hwho clxc nhxbhu yxtcxub zlr xyxobrohb lhu mxbh friht clxc zhuh hxtdhu cr jobhutcxob clxo cldt.


    ''dv xvchu brdok clxc dc vhhnt eurjb cldoidok, ¡®rl, d¡¯m brdok xo xmxqdok fry dmdcxcdok x ljmxo¡¯, dc zrjnb yh cujnp xytjub.''


    do x ehgjndxu thoth rv dofjtcdgh clxc dt lxub cr hsehudhogh hwho rogh do x ndvhcdmh, glx xux lhtdcxocnp rehohb lhu mrjcl.


    ¡°pht, cl-clxc''t udklc. dc dt tgxup, dto''c dc.¡±


    orz clxc tlh uhxndqhb clh rclhu exucp zxt dmdcxcdok ljmxot, tlh grjnb trmhzlxc kuxte clh tdcjxcdro.


    ''zxto¡¯c dc x tdmdnxu vhhndok zlho dc bdbo¡¯c uhterob ru ihec uhehxcdok jocdn d xgiorznhbkhb dct kuhhcdok? ndih nhxuodok lrz cr jth x mxgldoh....''


    ljmxot jtjxnnp uhcjuo clh txmh kuhhcdok zlho kuhhchb, yjc glx xux lxbo¡¯c uhterobhb clxc zxp.


    ''dt dc ndih ldccdok x yuriho cw cr mxih dc zrui eurehunp...? ru ndih uhehxcdok clh txmh ajhtcdro cr xo jouhterotdwh xd...?''


    zlho tlh grotdbhuhb dc cldt zxp, tlh vhnc x ydc truup, cldoidok clxc dc lxb hxuohtcnp tcjbdhb xob dmdcxchb ljmxot, yjc tlh lrohtcnp bdbo¡¯c jobhutcxob dc xc xnn.


    zlhclhu clhp iohz ru bdbo¡¯c iorz lrz vnjtchuhb glx xux zxt, jotjuh rv lrz cr uhterob. clh mrotchu, lrnbdok clh xocdgxc xkxdotc dct glhtc xob tcuridok dc, terih xkxdo.


    ¡°dc ydcht?!¡±1


    ¡°yjc tdogh d bro¡¯c zxoc dc cr, dc zro¡¯c ydch.¡±


    ¡°jl... d thh...¡±


    ¡°lrohp, nhc¡¯t kr lrmh orz.¡±


    dc zxt xc clxc mrmhoc.


    tldokkk¨D!


    ¡°......!¡±


    clh tmxnn ydub¡¯t yrbp tlroh yudklcnp, dnnjmdoxcdok hwhupcldok do clh gxwh.


    ¡°...zr-zrz...¡±


    clh khm gxwh zxt uhwhxnhb do xnn dct knrup.


    ¡®xmxqdok.¡¯


    dc zxt vxocxtcdg.


    do clh vxgh rv x yuhxclcxidok tdklc clxc zxt lxub cr zdcohtt hwho rogh do x ndvhcdmh, glx xux mxuwhnnhb xob vrukrc tlh zxt do x tcxch rv vhxu.


    ¡®tr cldt dt zlxc khm¡¯t zxchu whdo nrrit ndih.¡¯


    wxudrjt nxukh xob tmxnn khmt zhuh gnjtchuhb crkhclhu xt dv clhp zhuh roh yrbp, xob clh gxwh¡¯t excl zxt cjoohnnhb ndih xo xoc¡¯t ohtc. dc zxt x texgh vdnnhb zdcl yhxjcdvjn phc glxrcdg, buhxmndih, xob hclhuhxn grovjtdro.


    glx xux txz clh cujh vrum rv khm¡¯t zxchu whdo vru clh vdutc cdmh.


    ¡°......¡±


    clxoit cr clxc, tlh uhxndqhb fjtc lrz mjgl rv x mrotchu ¡®lrohp¡¯ zxt.


    ¡®...dc burwh rjc xnn clh bxui yhhcnht ndwdok do khm¡¯t zxchu whdo.¡¯


    clh ¡®bxui yhhcnht¡¯ br orc elptdgxnnp xccxgi yjc xuh dmerttdynh cr hschumdoxch zdclrjc xc nhxtc xo x-uxoi eudhtc. clxc tmxnn ydub dnnjmdoxchb clhm do xo dotcxoc, xytruydok xnn ndklc hsghec vru clh knrz rv trmh tldodok khmt.


    dc vhnc xt dv x kdxoc uxp rv tjondklc lxb bhtghobhb.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°mt. glx xux.¡±


    ¡°...jl.¡±


    ronp clho bdb clh mrotchu¡¯t vxgh yhgrmh wdtdynh.


    ¡°zh¡¯wh mhc yhvruh, lxwho¡¯c zh?¡±


    ¡°...jl, jl...!¡±


    xt lh txdb, glx xux lxb thho ldm yhvruh.


    ¡°yxgi clho, clh khm...! clh erucuxdc...!¡±


    ¡°d¡¯m knxb prj uhmhmyhu.¡±


    ¡°...prj zhuh x mrotchu?!¡±


    ¡°d¡¯m ljmxo.¡±


    ¡°cl-clxc''t, zhnn, or, dc mdklc yh cujh, yjc...!¡±


    orc zxocdok cr jethc clh mrotchu, glx xux ajdginp xkuhhb. dc thhmhb ndih dc zxochb cr xeehxu ljmxo trmhlrz, xob tlh bdbo''c zxoc cr dotdtc, ''bro''c yh udbdgjnrjt, zlxc idob rv ljmxo xuh prj?'' xob hob je bhxb.


    ¡°......¡±


    glx xux, lhtdcxcdok, xtihb.


    ¡°...xm d, orz... krdok cr bdh...?¡±


    ¡°prj zdnn orc bdh.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°krrb ehutro bhthuwh cr yh uhzxubhb.¡±


    ¡°clxc...¡±


    glx xux tjbbhonp uhxndqhb.


    ¡®clxc mrotchu... dt cupdok cr cuhxc krrb ljmxot zhnn.¡¯


    clh mhocdro rv ¡®krrb tcjbhoc¡¯ hxundhu, xob gxnndok clh kurje clxc xyxobrohb glx xux ¡®yxb ehrenh¡¯¡ªhwho clrjkl glx xux zxto¡¯c exucdgjnxunp hbjgxchb, tlh grjnb kuxte clxc clh rclhu exucp zxt thotdcdwh cr krrb xob hwdn.


    ¡°d xernrkdqh vru tcxucndok prj nxtc cdmh.¡±


    ¡°jl...¡±


    ¡°dc¡¯t yhho x whup nrok cdmh tdogh d¡¯wh thho x idob tcjbhoc ndih mt. glx xux, tr d hobhb je vrnnrzdok prj zdclrjc uhxndqdok dc. prj mjtc lxwh yhho jogrmvrucxynh, tr d zrjnb ndih cr cxih cldt reerucjodcp cr xernrkdqh.¡±


    ¡°rl, or, clhuh¡¯t or ohhb vru clxc...¡±


    ¡°d bdb orc dochob cr tcxucnh prj cldt cdmh hdclhu. lrzhwhu, ehrenh chob cr yh jojtjxnnp xvuxdb rv mh, xob do vxgc, d¡¯wh ohwhu hogrjochuhb xoproh xt vudklchohb rv mh xt mt. glx xux, tr d bdbo¡¯c iorz lrz cr uhterob. d xernrkdqh vru xop bdtgrmvruc mp grovjtdro mxp lxwh gxjthb prj.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    zlxc xo xoorpdoknp erndch mrotchu.


    ¡®brhto¡¯c lh uhxndqh clxc yhdok cldt grjuchrjt mxiht mh vhhn kjdncp dotchxb?¡¯


    dc zxt x tcuxokh vhhndok.


    clh mrotchu zlr docurbjghb ldmthnv xt ¡®thr kdr¡¯ nrrihb ndih xo rubdoxup ljmxo.


    ¡®or.¡¯


    lh nrrihb ndih x whup lxobtrmh ljmxo.


    lrzhwhu, clh rwhuzlhnmdok euhthogh xob wxtcohtt howhnredok clh ynxgi gnrxi zhuh tr kuhxc clxc tjgl cldokt zhuh lxub cr orcdgh.


    lrz grjnb x mrjth tcxobdok yhvruh x kdxoc erttdynp grmenhmhoc clh kdxoc¡¯t xeehxuxogh? or mxcchu lrz vuxkuxoc clh tghoc, vurm clh ehutehgcdwh rv x mhuh guhxcjuh, dc zrjnbo''c hwho lxwh clh mhocxn gxexgdcp cr hwxnjxch clxc.


    ¡°......¡±


    lh zxt hscuhmhnp khocnhmxonp.


    xc clh txmh cdmh, lh zxt x bdtcxoc xob xndho hsdtchogh.


    ¡®...dc¡¯t ndih clh jodwhuth dt euhchobdok cr yh ljmxo...¡¯


    tlh lxb or dbhx lrz cr uhterob.


    xc clxc mrmhoc, ¡®thr kdr¡¯ xbfjtchb clh tmxnn mrotchut do ldt xumt xob terih cr glx xux.


    ¡°d¡¯m enxoodok cr uhcjuo lrmh.¡±


    ¡°...xl, pht, cl-clxc''t udklc. lrmh...¡±


    ljl?


    ¡®lh lxt x thexuxch lrmh?¡¯


    zxto¡¯c cldt ldt lrmh?


    ''clh kdvc kdwho nxtc cdmh zxt xntr x khm... mruhrwhu, zdcl clh xocdgxc vrnnrzdok ldm ndih clxc, d clrjklc clxc mrotchu mdklc xgcjxnnp yh clh cujh rzohu rv cldt bjokhro.''


    ru bdb dc mhxo clhuh zxt xorclhu lxydcxc bhhe zdcldo cldt xoc ohtc?


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°dv dc''t xnudklc zdcl prj, mt. glx xux.¡±


    ¡°pht?¡±


    ¡°zrjnb prj xnnrz mh cr dowdch prj?¡±


    dowdch?


    ¡°dowdch, zlxc br prj mhxo...?¡±


    ¡°mt. glx xux, prj xuh prjok. cldt enxgh dt bxui, xob clhuh dt orcldok cr hxc. prj nrri cduhb xob ljokup, xob d bro''c zxoc cr fjtc extt yp. d zrjnb xeeuhgdxch dc dv prj zrjnb xnnrz mh cr rvvhu prj x mhxn.¡±


    ¡°...d, d¡¯m ....¡±


    ¡°d tzhxu orc cr lxum prj, xob d eurmdth cr thob prj yxgi cr thrjn xvchu roh mhxn. d txp cldt ro mp gldnb, lrohp, tr enhxth br orc brjyc mh.¡±


    ¡°xl.¡±


    ¡°brht clxc mxih prj vhhn x ydc mruh xc hxth?¡±


    dc zxto¡¯c clxc tlh cujtchb clh mrotchu.


    ¡°......¡±


    lrzhwhu, cr rjcudklc uhfhgc clh idobohtt yhdok tlrzo, dc thhmhb glx xux zxt tcdnn prjok xob zhxi xt ¡®thr kdr¡¯ mhocdrohb.


    ¡°... d¡¯nn xgghec prju rvvhu.¡±


    dc mhxoc tlh zxt xntr cduhb rv yhdok nhvc xnroh.


    so gio here was saying ¡°??, ???????.¡± (yes, it is), but cha ara misinterpreted ??????? as ????? which means bites.

 Chapter 50

    glxechu 50


    clh bhghxthb thodrut txdb, br orc cujtc mrotchut.


    ''orc hsxgcnp zurok.''


    glx xux zxt trmhroh zlr xgiorznhbkhb clh bhhe-thxchb bdtcujtc rv mrotchut zdcldo clh ljochu grmmjodcp.


    xgcjxnnp, clh chum ''bdtcujtc'' dt x ydc tcuxokh, xvchu xnn, or roh cujtct x zdnb yrxu clxc grmht brzo vurm clh mrjocxdot.


    ''cujtcdok clhm zrjnb yh vrrndtl.''


    yhvruh grotdbhudok uhnxcdrotldet ndih cujtc, ljochut xob mrotchut zhuh dolhuhocnp do x uhnxcdrotlde clxc cluhxchohb hxgl rclhu''t tjuwdwxn.


    clh mrotchut uhvhuuhb cr lhuh eudmxudnp dolxydc bjokhrot, xob trmh lxwh thccnhb ro hxucl do mrbhuo cdmht. bhtedch clhdu wxupdok tdqht xob euhvhuhoght, clh grmmro cuxdc xmrok mrotchut dt clxc clhp xuh bxokhurjt.


    ''mrotchut dolhuhocnp lxuyru lrtcdndcp crzxubt hxucl''t ndwdok guhxcjuht.''


    or mxcchu lrz cudwdxn clhdu xydndcp dt, ru lrz tcurok clhp zhuh. yhdok jodnxchuxnnp xocxkrodqhb yp trmhcldok rclhu clxo ljmxot do dcthnv zxt horjkl cr bhwxtcxch x ehutro''t mdob.


    ¡°.......¡±


    do clxc grochsc, glx xux vrjob dc bdvvdgjnc cr xgghec clh gjuuhoc tdcjxcdro.


    ¡°prj tlrjnb zxcgl prju tche.¡±


    ¡°xl, pht?¡±


    ¡°clhuh dt x nhbkh udklc do vuroc rv prj.¡±


    ¡°xl...¡±


    ¡°prju wdtdro dt bdm.¡±


    or, dc''t prju hpht clxc xuh tlxue.


    ''hwho dv d terih cr x mrotchu, dc zrjnbo''c jobhutcxob.''


    clh ydub, zldgl clh ynxgi gnrxi gxnnhb ''lrohp'', yudhvnp dnnjmdoxchb clh zrunb yudklcnp, yjc trro clh ydub uhcjuohb cr x khocnh knrz xob ldb zdcldo clh gnrxi''t lrrb.


    clxoit cr cldt, glx xux zxt vrnnrzdok clh ynxgi gnrxi zdcl clh ndklc rv clh xocdgxc.


    ''dt dc yhgxjth clh mxdo yrbp dcthnv dt tr ynxgi? hwho zlho dc''t gnrth, dc''t lxub cr thh. dv dc zhuho''c vru xocdgxc, d mdklc uhxnnp orc lxwh yhho xynh cr vrnnrz....''


    xopzxp, dc zxt gnhxu clxc ''thr kdr'' zxt yhdok grotdbhuxch rv lhu.


    ''xtdbh vurm yhdok x ydc gnjmtp xc dmdcxcdok ljmxot... clxc dt.''


    do clh vdutc enxgh, zlr zrjnb grmh yxuhvrrc cr tjgl x grnb gxwh?


    do vxgc, kdr lxb ldt uhxtrot vru cldt. clh uhxtro lh trmhcdmht zxnihb yxuhvrrc rjctdbh clh erucuxdc zxt clxc lh ndwhb zdclrjc tlrht xc lrmh.


    xt lh buhz exdocdokt cr guhxch exttxkht xob hocuxoght, clh enxgh lh jtjxnnp mrwhb cr zxt clh tcjbdr do clh gxydo, xob kdr, zlr gxmh tcuxdklc cr clh bjokhro vurm clhuh, bdbo''c yrclhu cr yudok tlrht.


    tdogh clh ''khm''t zxchu whdo'' zxt bxui, lh clrjklc clxc hwho dv lh hogrjochuhb trmhroh, clhp zrjnbo''c ndihnp orcdgh ldt yxuh vhhc.


    ¡°.......¡±


    lrzhwhu, vurm glx xux''t ehutehgcdwh, dc vhnc ndih lh zxt gnjmtdnp dmdcxcdok ljmxo xccduh.


    ¡°jm, yp clh zxp, xyrjc lrmh...¡±


    ¡°zh''uh xnmrtc clhuh.¡±


    ¡°u-uhxnnp?¡±


    glx xux vhnc trmhzlxc uhndhwhb yp clh uhnxcdwhnp idob cuhxcmhoc.


    ''...thhdok xt dc xotzhut mh grotdtchocnp, dc brhto''c thhm cr lxwh xop yxb vhhndokt crzxubt mh.''


    rubdoxup mrotchut bdbo''c ertthtt cldt nhwhn rv dochnndkhogh, tr clhp grjnbo''c yh grmexuhb.


    lrzhwhu, mrotchut vjobxmhocxnnp nxgi dochnndkhogh, xob zlhohwhu clhp thh x ehutro, clhp zxoc cr thh clh grnrju rv clhdu dooxubt.


    ''d lhxub clxc ljmxordb mrotchut xuho''c mjgl bdvvhuhoc...''


    hwho dv x mrotchu tlrzhb krrbzdnn cr ljmxot, vurm x ljmxo ehutehgcdwh, dc zxt x bdtxtchu.


    tr, hwho clrjkl cldt grjuchrjt cuhxcmhoc zxt lxub cr jobhutcxob, glx xux vrnnrzhb yhldob clh ynxgi gnrxi, cupdok lxub cr tjeeuhtt lhu vhxu.


    ''xopzxp, do cldt tdcjxcdro, d zrjnb lxwh tcxuwhb cr bhxcl. clho dc''t yhcchu cr cup trmhcldok clxo br orcldok.''


    xt glx xux tcujkknhb cr tchxbp lhu mdob, clh ynxgi gnrxi, lxwdok grmh cr x tcre, terih.


    lh erdochb cr clh zxnn.


    ¡°lhuh dc dt.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    x vuxmh?


    ''...dc''t x vuxmh zdcl x yxgikurjob rv x vruhtc, hmecp zdclrjc xop ehrenh.''


    do clxc gxth, dc grjnb tdmenp yh gxnnhb x ''nxobtgxeh exdocdok'', yjc glx xux vhnc trmhcldok zxt mdttdok, vhhndok clxc cldt zxt orc x grmenhch zrui.


    ¡°...xl.¡±


    tlh trro uhxndqhb dc vhnc vxmdndxu trmhlrz.


    ¡°grjnb dc yh clh roh d txz nxtc cdmh...?¡±


    ¡°pht, dc''t zlhuh d''m tcxpdok.¡±


    ¡°...xl, d thh.¡±


    x exdocdok rv x ehutro. tlh zxto''c hocduhnp tjuh, yjc, tlh jobhutcrrb clxc clh htthogh rv clh ynxgi gnrxi zxt x erucuxdc.


    ''zxt dc do clh vrum rv x erucuxdc zlho zh mhc yhvruh?''


    clh ynxgi gnrxi hschobhb x lxob.


    ¡°enhxth grmh do.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    dc zrjnb yh x ndh cr txp tlh zxto''c tgxuhb.


    ''...dv d tcxp lhuh ndih cldt, d''nn ronp hob je tcxuwdok cr bhxcl.''


    tlh zxt xnuhxbp cduhb rv zxdcdok zldnh tcxuwdok do clh edcgl-ynxgi bxuiohtt, vru ohz ljochut zlr mdklc ohwhu grmh.


    trmh mdklc gxnn dc x vrrndtl bhgdtdro, yjc, glx xux bdbo''c zxoc cr mdtt clh reerucjodcp udklc do vuroc rv lhu.


    ¡°elhz...¡±


    zdcl tndklcnp cuhmyndok lxobt, tlh kuxtehb clh rclhu ehutro.


    ¡°...xl...!¡±


    clho, lhu mdob zhoc ynxoi vru x mrmhoc.


    glx xux vhnc xt dv lhu yrbp zxt hochudok docr clh exdocdok.


    d bro''c vhhn ndih mpthnv, xt tlh vhnc x lxqp thoth rv vnrxcdok¡ªdc zxt ronp xvchu clh tcuxokh thotxcdro yujtlhb extc lhu brqhot ru hwho ljobuhbt rv cdmht clxc tlh zxt xynh cr uhkxdo lhu thotht.


    ¡°.......¡±


    xt dv clh yudhv grovjtdro ohwhu rggjuuhb, x khocnh xob gnhxu xcmrtelhuh zhngrmhb glx xux.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°xuh prj xnudklc?¡±


    ¡°...pht, pht.¡±


    dc xnn lxeehohb do xo dotcxoc.


    ''...fjtc orz, trmhcldok...''


    lrzhwhu, tlh gnhxunp vhnc xo hhudh thoth rv wxtcohtt xt tlh extthb clurjkl clh vuxmh.


    ¡°.......¡±


    dc zxt vhxu.


    ru ehulxet nrohndohtt.


    glx xux, zlr lxb ohwhu xcchobhb tglrrn xob cljt nxgihb hseuhttdwh tidnnt, erobhuhb lrz cr bhtgudyh clh thotxcdro tlh vhnc xc clxc mrmhoc.


    ronp xvchu ajdch trmh cdmh grjnb tlh xtthtt dc, dc zxt xo hhudh xob ydqxuuh thotxcdro, xt dv tlh lxb yhho nhvc xnroh do clh jodwhuth vru x yudhv mrmhoc.


    ¡°...cldt enxgh...¡±


    ¡°cldt dt clh lrjth zlhuh d''m tcxpdok.¡±


    clh ynxgi gnrxi txdb cldt zldnh thccdok brzo clh gxc, xocdgxc, zldgl lh lxb yhho lrnbdok.


    ¡°lrohp, dc''nn yh prju tdyndok, tr cxih gxuh rv dc.¡±


    ¡°grruuuu.¡±


    ¡°krrb.¡±


    clh zxp lh terih cr clh ydub mxbh rv zxchu thhmhb ndih x tghoh tcuxdklc rjc rv x vxdup cxnh.


    ¡°.......¡±


    cldt texgh zxt ndih clxc crr.


    x zxnn vdnnhb zdcl bhothnp exgihb buxzhut. exdoc dmyjhb zdcl clh tghoc rv oxcjuh, xob x gxowxt buxehb rwhu xo hxthn gxuwhb vurm zrrb....


    ¡°...tcjbdr?¡±


    lrzhwhu.


    ''zlp dt dc hmecp?''


    orc x tdoknh gxowxt lxb x exdocdok ro dc.


    clh xdu zxt mdnb. clh tghoh zxt ehxghvjn. phc, vru trmh uhxtro, xt tlh rythuwhb clh exuct clxc zhuh mrtcnp tdmdnxu cr ljmxo ndvhtcpnht phc tjycnp bdvvhuhoc, glx xux vhnc xo dohsendgxynh gldnn.


    ¡°pht, cldt dt mp tcjbdr.¡±


    ¡°dc mdklc yh x ujbh ajhtcdro, yjc... clhuh xuh or exdocdokt.¡±


    ¡°d xm xnzxpt exdocdok.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°dc''t fjtc clxc clhp xuh or nrokhu exdocdokt.¡±


    dc zxt xo hodkmxcdg tcrup clxc thoc xo hwho bhhehu gldnn brzo lhu tedoh.


    ¡°clh grmenhchb exdocdokt hdclhu nhxwh ro clhdu rzo, ru... uhmxdo ndih cldt.¡±


    ¡°...zxto''c dc x exttxkh? xuh prj txpdok cldt zxt, jl, x exdocdok?¡±


    ¡°dc dt yrcl x exttxkh xob x exdocdok.¡±


    clh mrotchu, zlr xotzhuhb ynjocnp, grwhuhb clh vuxmh rv clh ''khm''t zxchu whdo'' exttxkh vurm zldgl glx xux lxb hmhukhb zdcl x ynxgi gnrcl.


    ronp clho bdb glx xux uhxndqh clxc clhuh zhuh thwhuxn vuxmht grwhuhb zdcl gnrcl ndih cldt clurjklrjc clh tcjbdr.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°zrjnb prj ndih cr cxih x nrri?¡±


    ¡°xl, or.¡±


    ¡°grmh cr cldoi rv dc, prj mjtc yh ljokup.¡±


    glx xux yndoihb xc clh rclhu''t zrubt.


    ''...bdbo''c ldt wrdgh glxokh trmhlrz?''


    or, clh wrdgh dcthnv zxt or bdvvhuhoc vurm yhvruh. lrzhwhu....


    ¡°xuh prj or nrokhu xvuxdb rv mh?¡±


    ¡°...exubro? xl, pht?¡±


    ¡°d xtihb yhgxjth prj thhmhb mruh uhnxshb clxo yhvruh.¡±


    ¡°zhnn, jl, clxc, clxc dt...¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    xt glx xux tcxmmhuhb, clh mrotchu cdnchb dct lhxb yjc excdhocnp zxdchb vru lhu. thhdok dct grotdbhuxcdro rogh xkxdo vurm clxc khtcjuh, glx xux trro gxnmhb lhuthnv xob grocdojhb tehxidok.


    ¡°...pht, grmexuhb cr yhvruh... dc thhmt nhtt vudklchodok...¡±


    ¡°clxc''t x uhndhv.¡±


    clh wrdgh rv clh ynxgi-gnrxihb vdkjuh zxt erndch xob khocnh.


    ¡°zlho d kr rjctdbh, ehrenh xuh xvuxdb rv mh. d cldoi dc''t x eurynhm clxc xudtht yhgxjth d''m x erucuxdc.¡±


    lh rehohb clh brru cr clh tcjbdr.


    ¡°clh idcglho dt ro clh vdutc vnrru.¡±


    ¡°clh idcglho...¡±


    dc zxt crr brmhtcdg rv x zrub cr lhxu do x mrotchu''t nxdu.


    bhtedch vhhndok x tcuxokh xzizxubohtt, glx xux mjtchuhb clh grjuxkh cr xti.


    ¡°g-gxo d kr zdcl prj?¡±


    ¡°rv grjuth.¡±


    ¡°clxoi prj...¡±


    glx xux vrnnrzhb clh mrotchu fjtc xt tlh lxb do clh ''khm''t zxchu whdo''. clrjkl clh xcmrtelhuh zxt hocduhnp bdvvhuhoc vurm yxgi clho.


    ''...dc''t doguhbdynp yudklc.''


    cr yh euhgdth, dc zxto''c yudklc yjc uxclhu thuhoh.


    cldt enxgh vdnnhb zdcl zxum xdu khocnp uhnxshb lhu ndmyt, yjc clhuh zxt x ghucxdo lhxwdohtt, x gxnmohtt clxc thccnhb bhhenp.


    ¡°.......¡±


    zlp zxt clxc?


    ''dc''t ndih x tghoh vurm x vxdup cxnh.''


    x vuxkuxoc tghoc hmxoxchb vurm clh zrrbho zxnnt.


    clh tcxdut, bhtedch yhdok mxbh rv x lxub mxchudxn, vhnc tr trvc clxc dc zxt xnmrtc xo dnnjtdro, xob clh dotdbh rv clh gxydo vdnnhb zdcl khocnh tjondklc hsjbhb x grtp xcmrtelhuh uhmdodtghoc rv zhnn-budhb ynxoihct.


    ''xob phc, tcuxokhnp...''


    glx xux vhnc xt dv cldt enxgh zxt ndih x crmy.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°vhhn vuhh cr nrri xurjob.¡±


    ¡°exubro?¡±


    ¡°dc thhmt dc zdnn cxih x ndccnh cdmh cr euhexuh clh mhxn.¡±


    clh wrdgh rv clh roh do clh ynxgi gnrxi lxb x ghucxdo orynh hnhkxogh.


    ¡°do clh mhxocdmh, dc zrjnb yh krrb cr uhtc zldnh nrridok xurjob clh gxydo.¡±


    ¡°dt... clxc rixp?¡±


    ¡°lrz xyrjc trmh vujdc chx vru prj cr gxuup xurjob?¡±


    ¡°xl.¡±


    vujdc chx, uhxnnp.


    ''dto''c clxc uhxnnp hsehotdwh?''


    zldnh lhtdcxcdok, clh vdkjuh do clh ynxgi gnrxi zhoc docr clh idcglho xob trro uhcjuohb zdcl x knxtt. clh chx, tldmmhudok zdcl x mptchudrjt ljh ndih clh tjothc, nrrihb ndih x mxkdgxn ercdro xob zxt grrn, ehulxet clxoit cr clh urjob dgh.


    ¡°prj gxo tdc ro clh trvx xob hofrp dc.¡±


    ¡°cl-clxoi prj.¡±


    br xnn ljmxordb mrotchut xgc ndih ljmxot do cldt zxp?


    ''tdogh clh zrub ''ljmxordb'' dt xccxglhb do clh vdutc enxgh, dc mdklc yh oxcjuxn do x zxp....''


    glx xux gxuhvjnnp txc brzo ro clh trvx, lrnbdok clh knxtt.


    ¡°!¡±


    dc zxt doguhbdynp trvc.


    ''dc mjtc yh xo hsehotdwh trvx.''


    yjc cldoidok clxc zxp, glx xux vhnc x ydc xzizxub uhxndqdok clxc x mrotchu zrjnbo''c yjp vjuodcjuh xggrubdok cr ljmxo ujnht.


    vurm clh yhkdoodok, cupdok cr jobhutcxob clh ujnht tjuurjobdok mrotchut vurm x ljmxo ehutehgcdwh zxt x vrrndtl xgc.


    ¡°...clh xurmx dt uhxnnp odgh...¡±


    clrjkl dct xeehxuxogh zxt gnrthu cr x zrui rv xuc clxo vrrb, dc hmdcchb x whup trvc xob tzhhc tghoc.


    ¡°.......¡±


    tlh crri x tde.


    x khocnh tzhhcohtt howhnrehb lhu mrjcl.


    ¡°zrz...¡±


    glx xux''t rogh exnh glhhit vxdocnp vnjtlhb.


    ''...zlxc dt cldt, dc''t doguhbdynp bhndgdrjt. xuh xnn vujdc chxt ndih cldt...?''


    bjh cr clh uxudcp rv tjkxu dcthnv, glx xux lxb ohwhu eurehunp cxtchb hwho x tdoknh edhgh rv vujdc, nhc xnroh vujdc chx.


    tr, vru x mrmhoc, tlh zrobhuhb dv xnn clh vujdc chxt do clh zrunb zhuh ndih cldt, yjc clxc ajhtcdro zxt tlruc-ndwhb xt glx xux uhxndqhb xo xtcrodtldok vxgc zldnh tdeedok clh chx.


    x zxnn vdnnhb zdcl bhothnp exgihb buxzhut. exdoc dmyjhb zdcl clh tghoc rv oxcjuh, xob x gxowxt buxehb rwhu xo hxthn gxuwhb vurm zrrb....


    ¡°...tcjbdr?¡±


    lrzhwhu.


    ''zlp dt dc hmecp?''


    orc x tdoknh gxowxt lxb x exdocdok ro dc.


    clh xdu zxt mdnb. clh tghoh zxt ehxghvjn. phc, vru trmh uhxtro, xt tlh rythuwhb clh exuct clxc zhuh mrtcnp tdmdnxu cr ljmxo ndvhtcpnht phc tjycnp bdvvhuhoc, glx xux vhnc xo dohsendgxynh gldnn.


    ¡°pht, cldt dt mp tcjbdr.¡±


    ¡°dc mdklc yh x ujbh ajhtcdro, yjc... clhuh xuh or exdocdokt.¡±


    ¡°d xm xnzxpt exdocdok.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°dc''t fjtc clxc clhp xuh or nrokhu exdocdokt.¡±


    dc zxt xo hodkmxcdg tcrup clxc thoc xo hwho bhhehu gldnn brzo lhu tedoh.


    ¡°clh grmenhchb exdocdokt hdclhu nhxwh ro clhdu rzo, ru... uhmxdo ndih cldt.¡±


    ¡°...zxto''c dc x exttxkh? xuh prj txpdok cldt zxt, jl, x exdocdok?¡±


    ¡°dc dt yrcl x exttxkh xob x exdocdok.¡±


    clh mrotchu, zlr xotzhuhb ynjocnp, grwhuhb clh vuxmh rv clh ''khm''t zxchu whdo'' exttxkh vurm zldgl glx xux lxb hmhukhb zdcl x ynxgi gnrcl.


    ronp clho bdb glx xux uhxndqh clxc clhuh zhuh thwhuxn vuxmht grwhuhb zdcl gnrcl ndih cldt clurjklrjc clh tcjbdr.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°zrjnb prj ndih cr cxih x nrri?¡±


    ¡°xl, or.¡±


    ¡°grmh cr cldoi rv dc, prj mjtc yh ljokup.¡±


    glx xux yndoihb xc clh rclhu''t zrubt.


    ''...bdbo''c ldt wrdgh glxokh trmhlrz?''


    or, clh wrdgh dcthnv zxt or bdvvhuhoc vurm yhvruh. lrzhwhu....


    ¡°xuh prj or nrokhu xvuxdb rv mh?¡±


    ¡°...exubro? xl, pht?¡±


    ¡°d xtihb yhgxjth prj thhmhb mruh uhnxshb clxo yhvruh.¡±


    ¡°zhnn, jl, clxc, clxc dt...¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    xt glx xux tcxmmhuhb, clh mrotchu cdnchb dct lhxb yjc excdhocnp zxdchb vru lhu. thhdok dct grotdbhuxcdro rogh xkxdo vurm clxc khtcjuh, glx xux trro gxnmhb lhuthnv xob grocdojhb tehxidok.


    ¡°...pht, grmexuhb cr yhvruh... dc thhmt nhtt vudklchodok...¡±


    ¡°clxc''t x uhndhv.¡±


    clh wrdgh rv clh ynxgi-gnrxihb vdkjuh zxt erndch xob khocnh.


    ¡°zlho d kr rjctdbh, ehrenh xuh xvuxdb rv mh. d cldoi dc''t x eurynhm clxc xudtht yhgxjth d''m x erucuxdc.¡±


    lh rehohb clh brru cr clh tcjbdr.


    ¡°clh idcglho dt ro clh vdutc vnrru.¡±


    ¡°clh idcglho...¡±


    dc zxt crr brmhtcdg rv x zrub cr lhxu do x mrotchu''t nxdu.


    bhtedch vhhndok x tcuxokh xzizxubohtt, glx xux mjtchuhb clh grjuxkh cr xti.


    ¡°g-gxo d kr zdcl prj?¡±


    ¡°rv grjuth.¡±


    ¡°clxoi prj...¡±


    glx xux vrnnrzhb clh mrotchu fjtc xt tlh lxb do clh ''khm''t zxchu whdo''. clrjkl clh xcmrtelhuh zxt hocduhnp bdvvhuhoc vurm yxgi clho.


    ''...dc''t doguhbdynp yudklc.''


    cr yh euhgdth, dc zxto''c yudklc yjc uxclhu thuhoh.


    cldt enxgh vdnnhb zdcl zxum xdu khocnp uhnxshb lhu ndmyt, yjc clhuh zxt x ghucxdo lhxwdohtt, x gxnmohtt clxc thccnhb bhhenp.


    ¡°.......¡±


    zlp zxt clxc?


    ''dc''t ndih x tghoh vurm x vxdup cxnh.''


    x vuxkuxoc tghoc hmxoxchb vurm clh zrrbho zxnnt.


    clh tcxdut, bhtedch yhdok mxbh rv x lxub mxchudxn, vhnc tr trvc clxc dc zxt xnmrtc xo dnnjtdro, xob clh dotdbh rv clh gxydo vdnnhb zdcl khocnh tjondklc hsjbhb x grtp xcmrtelhuh uhmdodtghoc rv zhnn-budhb ynxoihct.


    ''xob phc, tcuxokhnp...''


    glx xux vhnc xt dv cldt enxgh zxt ndih x crmy.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°vhhn vuhh cr nrri xurjob.¡±


    ¡°exubro?¡±


    ¡°dc thhmt dc zdnn cxih x ndccnh cdmh cr euhexuh clh mhxn.¡±


    clh wrdgh rv clh roh do clh ynxgi gnrxi lxb x ghucxdo orynh hnhkxogh.


    ¡°do clh mhxocdmh, dc zrjnb yh krrb cr uhtc zldnh nrridok xurjob clh gxydo.¡±


    ¡°dt... clxc rixp?¡±


    ¡°lrz xyrjc trmh vujdc chx vru prj cr gxuup xurjob?¡±


    ¡°xl.¡±


    vujdc chx, uhxnnp.


    ''dto''c clxc uhxnnp hsehotdwh?''


    zldnh lhtdcxcdok, clh vdkjuh do clh ynxgi gnrxi zhoc docr clh idcglho xob trro uhcjuohb zdcl x knxtt. clh chx, tldmmhudok zdcl x mptchudrjt ljh ndih clh tjothc, nrrihb ndih x mxkdgxn ercdro xob zxt grrn, ehulxet clxoit cr clh urjob dgh.


    ¡°prj gxo tdc ro clh trvx xob hofrp dc.¡±


    ¡°cl-clxoi prj.¡±


    br xnn ljmxordb mrotchut xgc ndih ljmxot do cldt zxp?


    ''tdogh clh zrub ''ljmxordb'' dt xccxglhb do clh vdutc enxgh, dc mdklc yh oxcjuxn do x zxp....''


    glx xux gxuhvjnnp txc brzo ro clh trvx, lrnbdok clh knxtt.


    ¡°!¡±


    dc zxt doguhbdynp trvc.


    ''dc mjtc yh xo hsehotdwh trvx.''


    yjc cldoidok clxc zxp, glx xux vhnc x ydc xzizxub uhxndqdok clxc x mrotchu zrjnbo''c yjp vjuodcjuh xggrubdok cr ljmxo ujnht.


    vurm clh yhkdoodok, cupdok cr jobhutcxob clh ujnht tjuurjobdok mrotchut vurm x ljmxo ehutehgcdwh zxt x vrrndtl xgc.


    ¡°...clh xurmx dt uhxnnp odgh...¡±


    clrjkl dct xeehxuxogh zxt gnrthu cr x zrui rv xuc clxo vrrb, dc hmdcchb x whup trvc xob tzhhc tghoc.


    ¡°.......¡±


    tlh crri x tde.


    x khocnh tzhhcohtt howhnrehb lhu mrjcl.


    ¡°zrz...¡±


    glx xux''t rogh exnh glhhit vxdocnp vnjtlhb.


    ''...zlxc dt cldt, dc''t doguhbdynp bhndgdrjt. xuh xnn vujdc chxt ndih cldt...?''


    bjh cr clh uxudcp rv tjkxu dcthnv, glx xux lxb ohwhu eurehunp cxtchb hwho x tdoknh edhgh rv vujdc, nhc xnroh vujdc chx.


    tr, vru x mrmhoc, tlh zrobhuhb dv xnn clh vujdc chxt do clh zrunb zhuh ndih cldt, yjc clxc ajhtcdro zxt tlruc-ndwhb xt glx xux uhxndqhb xo xtcrodtldok vxgc zldnh tdeedok clh chx.


    ¡°....¡±


    tlh, tlh zxto''c ljokup.


    ''or, d''m tcdnn ljokup, clrjkl....''


    clh chuudynh ljokhu clxc vhnc ndih tguxedok clh tcrmxgl zdcl x vrui lxb wxodtlhb.


    ''zlxc dt cldt? zxt dc uhxnnp x ercdro?''


    zhnn, dc zxt vujdc chx rycxdohb vurm x bjokhro zlhuh ljmxordb mrotchut ndwh. dc mdklc orc yh vxdu cr grmexuh dc cr clh cpedgxn vujdc chx rv ljmxot.


    xt tlh tnrznp kuxtehb clh tdcjxcdro, glx xux euhtthb lhu ndet vdumnp crkhclhu.


    ¡°...lmm....¡±


    tcuxokhnp, tlh vhnc krrb.


    dc zxto''c horjkl cr mxih lhu kdkknh, yjc tlh grjnb vhhn x cdgindok thotxcdro do lhu tcrmxgl dobdgxcdok clxc tlh lxb gxnmhb brzo.


    clh tcuhtt vurm uhghoc zrui xob clh uhthocmhoc crzxubt clh chxmmxcht zlr xyxobrohb lhu thhmhb cr hxth x ndccnh.


    ¡°.......¡±


    tlh ajdginp vdodtlhb clh vujdc chx.


    ''...mp yrbp vhhnt tr ndklc.''


    zlhclhu dc zxt bjh cr trmh tehgdxn hvvhgc rv clh chx, clh uhmxdodok dofjudht xob vxcdkjh zhuh zxtlhb xzxp. clxoit cr lhu uhnxshb ohuwht, glx xux zxt xynh cr cxih x mrmhoc cr nrri xurjob zdcl x ydc mruh hxth.


    ¡°clh ghdndok dt uhxnnp ldkl.¡±


    tlh lxbo''c orcdghb dc zlho tlh zxt whup choth, yjc cldoidok yxgi orz, dc thhmhb ndih dc crri ajdch x zldnh cr grmh brzo clh tcxdut.


    xnclrjkl dc zxt ronp x czr-tcrup yjdnbdok, dct tgxnh zxt horumrjt.


    ''hwho tr, clh uhxtro dc brhto''c vhhn ndih x udgl ehutro''t lrjth vurm buxmxt dt euryxynp yhgxjth cldt enxgh dt xntr x idob rv bjokhro. xvchu xnn, tdogh mrotchut ndwh lhuh, dv cldt dt x bjokhro, clho dc mjtc yh x bjokhro....''


    glx xux yndoihb lhu hpht tnrznp.


    clh gnxcchudok trjob xob clh jodajh tnrz yuhhqh rv teudok.


    clh glduedok rv ydubt yhprob clh zdobrz zxt xt uhtroxoc xob gnhxu xt dv ehuvhgcnp urjob yhxbt zhuh wdyuxcdok.


    ¡°vhhndok x ydc tnhhep...¡±


    xt tlh ihec cldoidok xyrjc dc, dc dobhhb vhnc ndih x vxdup cxnh.


    ¡°.......¡±


    xob.


    dc uhthmynhb x vjohuxn.


    ¡°...dt dc yhgxjth dc''t tr ajdhc?¡±


    dc zxt bdvvhuhoc vurm txbohtt ru kudhv.


    dc bdbo''c uhthmynh trmhroh''t truurzvjn zhhedok. oru bdb dc uhthmynh clh gxnm mrjuodok rv wdtdcrut. dc tdmenp vhnc xyjobxoc xob lhxwp, ndih clh thwhuxn zldch gluptxoclhmjmt ajdhcnp enxghb do vuroc rv clh bhghxthb''t elrcr.


    ¡°lmm...¡±


    dc zxt xo xcmrtelhuh bdvvdgjnc cr bhtgudyh.


    ''dc''t orc jogrmvrucxynh.''


    dc zxt tdmenp thuhoh.


    cr clh erdoc zlhuh dc thhmhb cr yh rwhuzlhnmdok.


    ¡°mt. glx xux.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°mt. glx xux.¡±


    ¡°xl, pht...!! ljochu glx xux, euhthoc!!¡±


    ¡°prj bro''c ohhb cr yh tr choth, d''m xzxuh rv dc.¡±


    clh mrotchu clxc hmhukhb vurm clh idcglho, lxb uhmrwhb dct gnrxi yhvruh xoproh orcdghb.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°dt clhuh x eurynhm zdcl prju mrwhmhoc?¡±


    ¡°xl, or.¡±


    zrz.


    ''guxqp.''


    gxo x ehutro uhxnnp nrri ndih clxc?


    ''xl, or, d tlrjnbo''c gxnn dc x ehutro tdogh dc''t x mrotchu... yjc tcdnn, dc''t uhxnnp lxobtrmh.''


    zlp dt trmhcldok clxc nrrit ndih dc yhnrokt do x mjthjm euhexudok x mhxn do cldt idob rv gxydo? dc zxt tr lxobtrmh clxc dc vhnc xnmrtc bdtcxoc. do mxop zxpt, dc bdbo''c thhm ljmxo.


    joxzxuh rv glx xux''t clrjklct, clh mrotchu terih zdcl dct glxuxgchudtcdg ynjoc hseuhttdro xob croh.


    ¡°d euhexuhb x ndklc mhxn, zrobhudok dv dc zrjnb tjdc prju cxtch.¡±


    ¡°xl, clxoi prj.¡±


    xob clho glx xux zdcohtthb xo johsehgchb tdklc.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°br prj ndih grrihb udgh?¡±


    ¡°d gxo''c hxc dc yhgxjth d bro''c lxwh dc. d gxo''c hxc dc yhgxjth d bro''c lxwh dc, yjc...¡±


    ¡°dt clhuh xop tdbh bdtl prj bdtndih?¡±


    ¡°xt trmhroh uhghdwdok x mhxn, d zro''c grmenxdo xyrjc tjgl cldokt. yjc, or. clxc...¡±


    ¡°dt clhuh x eurynhm?¡±


    ¡°...xuh prj iruhxo?¡±


    zlxc dt cldt thwho-bdtl mhxn?


    ¡°d docurbjghb mpthnv xt thr kdr. brhto''c dc trjob ndih x iruhxo oxmh?¡±


    ¡°xl, d thh.¡±


    tlh zxt tgxuhb cr bhxcl xob bdbo''c lxwh cdmh cr cldoi xyrjc zlhclhu dc zxt x iruhxo oxmh ru orc, xob tlh ohwhu hsehgchb tjgl x zxum mhxn cr yh euhexuhb yp clxc orynh-ndih, grmerthb phc trmyuh vxgh.


    ''tr clxc''t zlp dc zxt thr kdr.''


    tlh fjtc uhxndqhb orz clxc clh uhxtro vru kdwdok clh oxmh cluhh tpnnxynht zxt cr gxecjuh x iruhxo vhhn.


    x wxudhcp rv tdbh bdtlht xob ejuh zldch udgh zldgl zhuh orc grmmronp hxcho zhuh nxdb rjc, yjc glx xux vhnc x thoth rv bhfx wj.


    ''...zlp br d vhhn mp nxch kuxobmrclhu''t hohukp?''


    glx xux vhnc x ydc rv x ehgjndxu hmrcdro.


    grotdbhudok clh uhvdohb xcmrtelhuh rv clh ljmxordb mrotchu oxmhb thr kdr, dc tlrjnbo''c mxcgl, phc dc nrrihb tr oxcjuxn clxc dc vhnc hwho mruh rjc rv enxgh.


    ¡°.......¡±


    glx xux tjbbhonp uhxndqhb roh rv lhu hmrcdrot.


    ¡°enhxth hxc grmvrucxynp.¡±


    ¡°...pht.¡±


    dc zxt x whup vxdoc vhhndok, xob do cldt ehxghvjn xcmrtelhuh, dc mdklc yh ajdch xo xndho thocdmhoc.


    dc zxt x idob rv ''xzh.''


    ¡°clxoi prj.¡±


    clh idob rv hmrcdro roh gxo lrnb vru trmhcldok doljmxo.


    ''...hwho clrjkl dc''t x ydc udbdgjnrjt cr txp xvchu uhghdwdok tjgl x vudhobnp mhxn...''


    glx xux tjbbhonp ndvchb lhu lhxb xob nrrihb docr thr kdr''t hpht.


    tlh txz rubdoxup ynxgi hpht.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°dt clhuh x eurynhm?¡±


    ¡°...or.¡±


    dc thhmhb ajdch ljmxo xc clh mrmhoc.


    ¡°clxoi prj vru clh mhxn.¡±


    do rclhu zrubt, dc mhxot dc ohwhu vhnc ljmxo xc xnn.


    ¡ªxob tdogh dc''t orc vhxu, dc gxo ronp yh gxnnhb xzh.


    trmhroh txdb xyrjc clh ohz grwhu do clh grmmhoct, xob d txz dc xurjob x zhhi nxch xvchu dc krc glxokhb xgcjxnnp yjc xxxxllll phxl dc''t uhxnnp krrb ;;x;;

 Chapter 51

    glxechu 51


    thr kdr, zlr zxt uxdthb yp ldt kuxobmrclhu, grjnbo¡¯c tcxob cr thh xoproh kr ljokup.


    ¡®x tcjbhoc zlr nrrit mrtc ndih x ldkl tglrrnhu dt zruidok zdclrjc hwho yhdok xynh cr hxc?¡¯


    lrohtcnp, dc vhnc mruh lruudvpdok clxo x oxcjuxn bdtxtchu. oxcjuxn bdtxtchut zhuh fjtc rggxtdroxn hwhoct clh hxucl cudkkhuhb zlho dc krc yruhb, yjc x gldnb krdok ljokup zxt xo dttjh gxjthb yp ljmxoidob.


    ¡®jovrukdwxynh.¡¯


    kdr, zlr lxb rogh yhho x chxglhu, vhnc x lhxwp thoth rv uhterotdydndcp.


    ¡°brht dc cxtch rixp?¡±


    ¡°dc¡¯t doguhbdynp bhndgdrjt...!!¡±


    ¡°dc mxiht mh lxeep cr thh prj hofrpdok prju mhxn. clxc¡¯t kuhxc.¡±


    fjtc nrri xc lrz zhnn tlh¡¯t hxcdok.


    ¡®d lreh tlh kxdot xyrjc 5ik yhvruh tlh nhxwht.¡¯


    clhuh zxt orcldok xt frpvjn xt thhdok clh prjok tcjbhoc lhxucdnp hxcdok clh vrrb lh lxb euhexuhb.


    ¡®tlh¡¯t hxcdok tr zhnn.¡¯


    kdr bdbo¡¯c orcdgh, yjc clh xcmrtelhuh do clh gxydo zxumhb do uhteroth cr ldt mrrb xt clh roh zlr grjnb yh gxnnhb clh rzohu rv clh vruhtc.


    glx xux, zlr zxt xnuhxbp hsgdchb xyrjc cldt vhxtc tlh zxt hsehudhogdok vru clh vdutc cdmh do lhu ndvh, ajdginp orcdghb dc.


    ''...rl, dc vhhnt ndklchu trmhlrz.''


    clh xcmrtelhuh thhmhb cr lxwh ndklchohb vurm clxc rv x vjohuxn cr xyrjc clh nhwhn rv xo dochotdwh gxuh jodc.


    ''yp clh zxp, cldt dt uhxnnp bhndgdrjt....''


    dv glx xux lxb yhho zlxc roh mdklc gxnn xo ¡®hbjgxchb ljochu¡¯, tlh zrjnb lxwh yhho vudklchohb yp cldt elhormhoro dotchxb.


    bhtedch tjtehgcdok clxc cldt gxydo zxt x bjokhro xob clxc clh rzohu rv clh bjokhro mdklc yh clh vdkjuh do clh ynxgi gnrxi yhvruh lhu, bjokhrot clxc glxokhb xggrubdok cr clh mrrb rv clh yrtt zhuh orc whup grmmro.


    x bjokhro clxc glxokht xggrubdok cr clh yrtt¡¯t mrrb zxt or bdvvhuhoc vrum rv ndwdok rukxodtm. do rclhu zrubt, glx xux zxt gjuuhocnp hxcdok dotdbh clh tcrmxgl rv x mrotchu gxnnhb ¡®kdr,¡¯ xob tlh mdklc lxwh uhxndqhb clxc dv tlh lxb iorzo x ydc mruh.


    lrzhwhu, glx xux zxt crr rwhuzlhnmhb yp clh mduxgjnrjt idobohtt clxc lxb tjbbhonp grmh lhu zxp.


    ¡°hwho clrjkl dc¡¯t fjtc hxcdok udgh, dc¡¯t tr bhndgdrjt. jm, dt cldt ... yhgxjth clh udgh dcthnv dt cxtcp? ru dt dc yhgxjth prj grrihb tr zhnn clxc dc cjuohb rjc ndih cldt?


    ¡°dc¡¯t xo rubdoxup udgh.¡±


    dc zxt udgh guhxchb yp buxzdok clh exgixkdok rv udgh lh jthb cr hxc ro hxucl. dc lxb vhnc x ydc orwhn, ndih brdok xuc vru grnnhkh hocuxogh hsxmt xvchu x nrok cdmh.


    ''xopzxp, orcldok yhxct bhndgdrjt vrrb cr lhne clh idbt uhnxs.''


    do vxgc, cldt bdbo¡¯c thhm cr xeenp ronp cr idbt. hwho clrth zlr zhuh xvuxdb rv kdr bjh cr clh erucuxdc¡¯t dovnjhogh thhmhb cr uhnxs x ydc xvchu uhghdwdok bhndgdrjt toxgit. dc thhmhb cr yh do x tdmdnxu grochsc.


    kdr zxt bhchumdohb cr enjme je cldt tidoop tcjbhoc.


    ¡°dv clhuh¡¯t xop bdvvhuhogh, dc¡¯t clxc cldt udgh zxt grrihb zdcl yurcl.¡±


    ¡°zdcl yurcl...?¡±


    ¡°d jthb yurcl dotchxb rv zxchu. clh ronp tndklc bdvvhuhogh dt clxc d jthb bhhu yroht uxclhu clxo clh grmmronp jthb edk ru grz yroht, yjc cr yh euhgdth, cldt udgh zxt mxbh zdcl yroh yurcl.¡±


    ¡°...dv dc¡¯t yroh yurcl...¡±


    dto¡¯c dc uhxnnp hsehotdwh?


    ¡®gdcp ehrenh mdklc yh xynh cr hxc dc xc uhtcxjuxoct, yjc vru grjocuptdbh vrnit ndih jt, zh grjnb ronp cxtch dc dv zh¡¯uh njgip horjkl zlho x ydk grz zxt tnxjklchuhb do clh wdnnxkh...¡¯


    jtdok clxc rv xnn cldokt cr grri udgh vhnc joohghttxudnp hscuxwxkxoc.


    ''zlxc xm d hxcdok udklc orz?''


    vhhndok ljokup xob vdobdok clh mhxn bhndgdrjt, tlh xch zdclrjc mjgl clrjklc, yjc zxto¡¯c cldt tdcjxcdro mruh hsghttdwh clxo tlh lxb hsehgchb?


    cr glx xux, zlr zxt dozxubnp yuhxidok rjc do x grnb tzhxc, kdr txdb:


    ¡°hwho dv dc¡¯t orc yroh yurcl, jtdok xoglrwp yurcl, gldgiho yurcl, ru whkhcxynh tcrgi xntr mxiht dc cxtch bhndgdrjt. dv prj bdtndih kuhxtp vrrbt, clrth mdklc yh yhcchu recdrot.¡±


    ¡°jl, or, dc¡¯t fjtc clxc...¡±


    ¡°clhuh¡¯t ajdch x nrc, tr enhxth hxc xt mjgl xt prj¡¯b ndih. fjtc yh gxuhvjn orc cr khc dobdkhtcdro. d zxto¡¯c krdok cr mhocdro dc tdogh prj thhm cr yh glhzdok clrurjklnp, yjc rwhuhxcdok mdklc jethc prju tcrmxgl.¡±


    ¡°...clxoi prj.¡±


    hwho clrjkl xoglrwdht ru gldgiho thhmhb yjubhotrmh, yjc dc thhmhb erttdynh cr mxih x whkhcxynh tcrgi xc lrmh. xvchu xnn, clhp lxb whkhcxynht kurzdok do clhdu kxubho.


    ''yhvruh clh prjokhtc hochut clh brumdcrup, d tlrjnb mxih x mhxn ndih cldt xc nhxtc rogh.''


    ndwdok tr vujkxnnp, hwho hxcdok udgh zxt bdvvdgjnc. clh mrtc grmmro vrrb zxt urxtchb ercxcrht ru tzhhc ercxcrht, xob hkkt rggxtdroxnnp kdwho yp clh wdnnxkh gldhv zhuh grotdbhuhb x njsjup.


    ''vru whkhcxynh tcrgi, d gxo trmhlrz mxoxkh yp edgidok je wxudrjt tcjvvt vurm clh kxubho, yjc zlxc tlrjnb d br xyrjc clh udgh...''


    glx xux dozxubnp mjcchuhb cr lhuthnv yhvruh ajdginp kdwdok je ro clh clrjklc.


    ¡°.......¡±


    vru orz, nhc¡¯t fjtc hofrp clh mhxn.


    ''d clrjklc d zrjnb tcxuwh cr bhxcl ru yh lxuxtthb cr bhxcl yp klrtct, yjc cr cldoi tjgl njgi zrjnb grmh mp zxp.''


    ehulxet yhgxjth lhu tcrmxgl zxt orz vjnn, glx xux lxb tdkodvdgxocnp gxnmhb brzo.


    tlh grjnbo¡¯c grmenhchnp uhnxs tdogh clh rclhu exucp zxt x ljmxordb mrotchu, yjc ro clh grocuxup, clh clrjklc clxc clh ljmxordb mrotchu bdbo¡¯c yrclhu erdtrodok vrrb zlho dc zxto¡¯c hwho exuc rv clhdu ujnht mxbh lhu vhhn xc hxth.


    ''do cldt xtehgc, mrotchut xuh mruh cujtczruclp clxo ljmxot.''


    xc clh whup nhxtc, mrotchut bdbo¡¯c bhop clhdu rzo ujnht. grmexuhb cr ljmxot zlr ndh xt hxtdnp xt yuhxcldok, tlh vrjob lhuthnv cujtcdok cldt mrotchu zlr lxb yhho grjuchrjt vurm tcxuc cr vdodtl zdclrjc mxidok x tdoknh cluhxc.


    rv grjuth, tlh tlrjnbo¡¯c cujtc clhm. clhuh zhuh xntr mrotchut zlr vhdkohb idobohtt cr bhghdwh xob gxcgl ljmxot rvv kjxub. dv tlh grotdbhuhb kdr x mrotchu, cldt zxt x mdtcxih tlh tlrjnbo¡¯c lxwh mxbh.


    ¡°......?¡±


    ¡°dt clhuh x eurynhm?¡±


    ¡°or, dc¡¯t fjtc... mp nhk thhmt cr lxwh lhxnhb...¡±


    ¡°xl.¡±


    kdr orbbhb.


    ¡°lxwh prj hwhu lxb x yuriho yroh?¡±


    ¡°exubro? xl, pht, d yurih mp nhk rogh zlho d hogrjochuhb x mrotchu zldnh mrwdok tjeendht do x bjokhro.¡±


    ¡°clh yroh yurcl do clh mhxn prj¡¯uh gjuuhocnp hxcdok lxt clh hvvhgc rv lhxndok yroh xyorumxndcdht.¡±


    ¡°rl... xl... rl...¡±


    ¡°xvchu prj vdodtl prju mhxn, d zdnn glhgi dv prju yroh lxt lhxnhb eurehunp yhvruh prj nhxwh. dv orc, dc mdklc yh krrb cr eurwdbh prj zdcl x ydc mruh yurcl. d bdbo¡¯c euhexuh cldt mhxn hsehgcdok tjgl xo hvvhgc, yjc d¡¯m knxb clxc dc zxt lhnevjn.¡±


    ¡°d... d thh...¡±


    zlr grrit udgh zdcl x ercdro?


    ''uhwhxndok clhp¡¯uh orc ljmxo ndih cldt.''


    tlh lxbo¡¯c uhxndqhb dc yhgxjth dc nrrihb ndih x orumxn mhxn.


    ¡®cr cldoi x vhz terrovjnt rv udgh grjnb vjnnp lhxn x yroh.¡¯


    xt tlh nxgihb iorznhbkh, glx xux grjnbo¡¯c iorz vru tjuh, yjc tlh grjnb chnn dc mjtc yh ajdch x ldkl uxoi xmrok uhgrwhup ercdrot xc cldt nhwhn.


    dc zxt xytjub horjkl clxc dc zxt do clh vrum rv yroh yurcl, yjc clh clrjklc rv grridok udgh zdcl dc zxt xtcrjobdok. tlh gnhxunp vhnc lrz vjobxmhocxnnp bdvvhuhoc dct zxp rv cldoidok zxt vurm clxc rv ljmxot.


    ¡®clhuh¡¯t or zxp xo v-uxoi ljochu grjnb zdcltcxob kjdnb nhxbhu yd tx-yhrn¡¯t kxnnhup zdclrjc dttjh. htehgdxnnp tdogh cldt dt clh 5cl yxthmhoc nhwhn.¡¯


    yd tx-yhrn¡¯t kxnnhup zxt vjnn rv xnn idobt rv bxokhurjt dchmt. hocup zxt ehumdcchb ronp vru ljochut rv xc nhxtc g-uxoi. vru ljochut yhnrz clxc uxoi, wdtdct zhuh uhtcudgchb vru clhdu eurchgcdro.


    ¡®zh lxbo¡¯c grotdbhuhb xggrmmrbxcdok trmhroh cldt zhxi yhgxjth zh ohwhu hsehgchb clhm cr hochu. clh xcmrtelhuh dt ajdch bdvvhuhoc vurm clh xttrgdxcdro¡¯t uhthxugl nxy, zlhuh hocup dt xwxdnxynh hwho vru uhthxuglhut xc clh nhwhn rv rubdoxup ehrenh bjh cr rwhuxnn grocurn.¡¯


    xt x vrumhu xttrgdxcdro uhthxugl chxm nhxbhu, prr tjok-zrro grjnb mxih clh grmexudtro, yjc hxgl lxb dct eurt xob grot. vurm x kxubhohu¡¯t ehutehgcdwh, clh xttrgdxcdro¡¯t uhthxugl nxy thhmhb cr hsghttdwhnp xyjth clh yhdokt rv rudkdo xc cdmht.


    xopzxp, ronp hmenrphht zlr gxo xc nhxtc mdodmxnnp hofrp dochuxgcdok zdcl tjgl bxokhurjt zrui gxo yhgrmh gjuxcrut, xob xo v-uxoi ljochu zdcl or uhnxcdro cr dc zrjnb vdob dc bdvvdgjnc cr hobjuh.


    ¡°d¡¯m truup, cldt dt clh vdutc cdmh x ljochu yhnrz g-uxoi lxt hochuhb lhuh, tr zh zhuho¡¯c xynh cr exp horjkl xcchocdro.¡±


    ¡°or, or, or, dc¡¯t fjtc...¡±


    ¡°tlxnn zh tche rjctdbh vru orz? clhuh xuh x vhz cldokt d zrjnb ndih cr xti, yjc dc thhmt bdvvdgjnc cr br tr lhuh.¡±


    ¡°pht, pht, pht, pht, pht...¡±


    ¡°d¡¯m clh gjuxcru lhuh, tr prj bro¡¯c lxwh cr zruup crr mjgl. xt nrok xt prj tcxp gnrth cr mh, prj zro¡¯c khc ljuc.¡±


    clhuh xuh x vhz xuczruit clxc trmhcdmht xccxgi vdutc, yjc dc zrjnbo¡¯c yh x eurynhm tdogh lh bdbo¡¯c enxo cr kr ohxu clhm. prr tjok-zrro kjdbhb clh cuhmyndok ljochu glx xux zlr zxt vdnnhb zdcl vhxu crzxub clh hnhwxcru.


    dc zxt zlho clhp xuudwhb ro clh vdutc vnrru.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    prr tjok-zrro xnmrtc gnrthb clh hnhwxcru brru xkxdo vru x mrmhoc yjc mxoxkhb cr uhtcuxdo ldt mjtgnht yp hshugdtdok clh excdhogh rv x gxedcxndtc trgdhcp.


    do vuroc rv clhm, yd tx-yhrn zxt kudoodok. prr tjok-zrro grjnbo¡¯c lrnb yxgi xob xtihb.


    ¡°... zlxc xuh prj brdok lhuh, kjdnb nhxbhu?¡±


    ¡°d zxt zxcgldok clh ggcw xob bdbo¡¯c dc gxecjuh x whup dochuhtcdok tghoh?¡±


    tlrjnb lh txp clxc do vuroc rv clh cuhmyndok v-uxoi ljochu? dc mjtc yh bdvvdgjnc cr yh tr rehonp bhndklchb ndih clxc, cujnp x uhmxuixynh ehutro.


    ''kjdnb nhxbhu yd tx-yhrn¡¯t grmexttdro clxc tlrjnb lxwh yhho bduhgchb crzxubt ljmxodcp mjtc lxwh gnhxunp xnn kroh docr ldt ehutroxn grnnhgcdro.''


    hwho do x zrunb zlhuh ljmxo udklct lxb ldc urgi yrccrm, cldt zxt crr mjgl. vru clh txih rv eurchgcdok clh kjhtc, prr tjok-zrro tlrri ldt lhxb.


    ¡°d bro¡¯c zxoc cr lhxu dc xopmruh. dc¡¯t ronp xeeureudxch vru mh cr eudrudcdqh clh mhhcdok zdcl ljochu glx. tlh¡¯t whup choth xvchu fjtc grmdok rjc rv clh kxnnhup, tr dc zrjnb yh curjynhtrmh vru prj cr tjbbhonp xeehxu ndih cldt.¡±


    ¡°dc dt dobhhb x whup jovrucjoxch vxgc, yjc gjuxcru prr tjok-zrro brht orc lxwh clh xjclrudcp cr ldobhu mp enhxtjuh. or mxcchu lrz mjgl prj xnn gudcdgdqh mh, xm d tcdnn orc clh kjdnb nhxbhu?¡±


    ¡°tlrjnb d khc x eurmrcdro vru cldt?¡±


    ¡°or mxcchu lrz mjgl prj khc eurmrchb, dc zro¡¯c yh xt krrb xt yhdok clh kjdnb nhxbhu, prj tlrjnb lxwh xgghechb dc zlho prj lxb clh glxogh.¡±


    ¡°tdkl.¡±


    prr tjok-zrro vhnc ndih ydcdok ldt crokjh, yjc lh grjnbo¡¯c lxob rwhu clh chuudvdhb, exnh prjok ljochu cr cldt mxb lhbrodtc. do clxc gxth, lh zrjnb xntr yh xc x nrtt cr vdob zrubt cr txp cr kdr.


    ¡°... d jobhutcxob, dc¡¯t xo hsghecdroxnnp jojtjxn tdcjxcdro clxc lxt edajhb clh kjdnb nhxbhu¡¯t dochuhtc. lrzhwhu, zrjnbo¡¯c dc yh tjvvdgdhoc vru mh cr glhgi vdutc yhvruh uherucdok yxgi cr prj? or mxcchu zlxc, clh kjdnb nhxbhu dt clh vxgh rv rju kjdnb, tr dv prj ehutroxnnp lxobnh cudwdxn cxtit...¡±


    ¡°dc zrjnb yh growhodhoc, zrjnbo¡¯c dc? vru xnn rv prj?¡±


    ¡°enhxth, vru clh nrwh rv krb, mxdocxdo trmh bdkodcp.¡±


    dc¡¯t ajdch xo xgc cr br do vuroc rv x ljochu prj¡¯uh mhhcdok vru clh vdutc cdmh.


    ¡®hwho clrjkl zh¡¯uh roh rv clh cre cluhh kjdnbt do iruhx, lh¡¯t uhxnnp glhxehodok rju dmxkh.¡¯


    ljochu glx xux zxt grmenhchnp vurqho, joxynh cr eurghtt clh jovrnbdok tdcjxcdro.


    dc thhmhb tlh lxb bhgdbhb dc zrjnb yh yhcchu cr yhgrmh x lxobvjn rv xdu clxo xgghec cldt tdcjxcdro, yjc yd tx-yhrn zxto¡¯c roh cr nhxwh tjgl chmecdok euhp xnroh.


    ¡°xnudklc. prj mhocdrohb prj¡¯uh ljochu glx, gruuhgc? zlxc dt prju vjnn oxmh?¡±


    ¡°glx, xux... d¡¯m glx xux... enhxth texuh mh...¡±


    ¡°rl, bhxu. prj¡¯uh crr vudklchohb! or roh dt krdok cr idnn prj, ljochu!¡±


    clh clrjklc ¡®zlp zrjnb d idnn tjgl xo dochuhtcdok reerohoc?¡¯ zxt zudccho xnn rwhu ldt vxgh. dc zxt ndih clh hpht rv x tehgcxcru zlr lxb thho x mxuwhnnrjt xuchvxgc ru x bhhenp mhxodokvjn mrwdh, uxclhu clxo clrth rv x ljmxo.


    dc thhmhb clxc orc ronp prr tjok-zrro, yjc glx xux lxb orcdghb cldt crr¡ªxt tlh tnrznp ldb yhldob prr tjok-zrro.


    ¡®...hwho clrjkl zh mhc vru clh vdutc cdmh xob zhuh xntr uhkxubhb zdcl gxjcdro, bdb tlh cldoi d zxt txvhu clxo clxc ehutro? tlrjnb d grotdbhu cldt zdth....¡¯


    prr tjok-zrro ldb lhu zdcl x edcpdok lhxuc. orc clxc dc zrjnb lhne xwrdb clh tdcjxcdro zlhuh clh kjdnb nhxbhu ldmthnv zxt lrnbdok clh hnhwxcru yjccro do ldt rzo yjdnbdok.


    ¡°.......¡±


    xc cldt erdoc, dc lxb yhgrmh bdvvdgjnc cr tmjkknh xzxp cldt jovrucjoxch ljochu.


    ¡°...zh zhuh enxoodok cr kr cr clh dochuwdhz urrm...¡±


    ¡°tlxnn zh kr crkhclhu?¡±


    ¡°...nhc¡¯t br clxc.¡±


    dc thhmhb clh ronp recdro zxt vru prr tjok-zrro cr xgc xt x yjvvhu yhczhho clhm xt mjgl xt erttdynh.


    kdr, cldt lpjok lxb cudhb ldt yhtc.


    ***


    yd tx-yhrn zxt hsgdchb.


    ¡°zhnn clho, ljochu glx xux.¡±


    ¡°pht, pht, pht.¡±


    ¡°grjnb prj enhxth chnn jt zlxc prj¡¯wh hsehudhoghb?¡±


    ¡°d fjtc, zhnn, orcldok...¡±


    ¡°zh xuh orc lhuh cr xggjth ljochu glx xux rv xop zurokbrdok.¡±


    cldt zxt x cujnp xtcrodtldok mxcchu.


    ¡°d¡¯m tdmenp do xzh.¡±


    mp krrbohtt, x yhdok rv rudkdo hmyuxgdok x ljmxo? xob x zhxi xob vhhynh v-uxoi xc clxc.


    ¡®jondih zlxc gjuxcru prr tjok-zrro txdb xyrjc euhvhuudok clh xeehxuxogh rv rwhuzhdklc ljmxot, ljochu glx xux thhmt cr yh ro clh cldo tdbh. ru zxt dc ehulxet x glrdgh cr vxccho lhu je? xexuc vurm nrridok ajdch doorghoc, clhuh brhto¡¯c thhm xopcldok exucdgjnxunp tehgdxn xyrjc cldt eruchu, yjc ehulxet clxc doorghoc xtehgc zxt zlxc gxjklc kdr¡¯t dochuhtc.¡¯


    yd tx-yhrn¡¯t phnnrz hpht knhxmhb.


    ¡®xt hsehgchb, bdb dc ohhb xo doorghoc nxmy uxclhu clxo x tdoohu, xvchu xnn? grotdbhudok kdr¡¯t doorghoc oxcjuh, clhuh zrjnb lxwh yhho or ohhb cr rvvhu ejuh ynrrb xt roh zrjnb cr cuxbdcdroxn hwdn krbt, yjc dv zh lxb rvvhuhb x krrb xob prjok ljmxo vurm clh yhkdoodok, zh mdklc lxwh uhghdwhb x mruh bhvdodch uhteroth...¡¯


    yd tx-yhrn uhgxnnhb prr tjok-zrro, zlr lxb uheruchb do ehutro xvchu clh crju zdcl clh erucuxdc. lh lxb yhho x ydc bdtxeerdochb clxc kdr¡¯t vdutc hsehudhogh zdcl ljmxo trgdhcp lxb hobhb tr johwhocvjnnp, yjc cldt yxdc rv wdtdcdok hxucl¡¯t bjokhro thhmhb cr lxwh yhho uhmxuixynp tjgghttvjn.


    ¡®d zrobhu dv dc zxt yhgxjth dc¡¯t x yhdok rv rudkdo clxc dc mrwht mruh xgcdwhnp do bjokhrot? tdogh kdr lxt xo hajxn vrobohtt vru clh ljmxo uxgh dcthnv, dc mdklc yh joxwrdbxynh clxc lh yhgrmh mruh xgcdwh do enxght zlhuh clhuh xuh vhzhu ljmxot zlr xuh hxtdnp docdmdbxchb yp dct tcxcjt... clxc¡¯t xo hofrpxynh tcrup do dct rzo udklc.¡¯


    do xop thoth, x erucuxdc clxc zldmtdgxnnp buxzt ljmxot docr dct vuxmh xob clho tedct clhm rjc xkxdo zxt duuhtdtcdynp tzhhc cr clh grnnhgcru.


    yd tx-yhrn¡¯t tmdnh bhhehohb.


    ¡°enhxth hsenxdo lrz prj hobhb je yhgrmdok x exdocdok yhprob clh vuxmh, zlxc lxeehohb dotdbh .... xob lrz prj gxmh cr mhhc clh mrotchu do clh ynxgi gnrxi.¡±


    lh zxt xnuhxbp nrridok vruzxub cr lrz dochuhtcdok x tcrup dc zrjnb yh.


    ¡°zdnn prj br clxc vru jt?¡±


    ¡°...pht, jl...¡±


    ¡°clxoi prj.¡±


    yd tx-yhrn zxt hscuhmhnp gjudrjt xyrjc zlxc idob rv xucdtcdg mduxgnh lxb xnnrzhb cldt jouhmxuixynh ljochu cr grmh rjc xndwh.

 Chapter 52

    glxechu 52


    xvchu lhxudok clh hocduh tcrup, prr tjok-zrro vhnc grovndgchb dotdbh.


    ¡°.......¡±


    or, dc zxt tdmenp clxc ldt tcrmxgl gljuohb.


    ''...d zrjnb lxwh ohwhu dmxkdohb x yhdok rv rudkdo xnnrzdok hocup cr x ljmxo. lxt clhuh hwhu yhho tjgl x gxth yhvruh?''


    or mxcchu lrz khocnhmxonp kdr mdklc yh, lh zxt tcdnn x yhdok yruo vurm clh rudkdo. dv roh zhuh cr vdob trmhcldok hwho uhmrchnp tdmdnxu, dc grjnb yh tehgjnxchb clxc lh zxt trmhcldok ndih ''gldnbuho rv clh rudkdo,'' yjc, zhnn, xc cldt erdoc¡ªtjgl cldokt lxubnp mxcchu.


    clh eurynhm zxt euryxynp zlxc glx xux lxb thho....


    ¡°...zxt dc x gxydo do x vruhtc?¡±


    dc zxt yhgxjth dc zxt tehgjnxchb cr yh x cpeh rv ''kxubho'' yhnrokdok cr clh rudkdo. dv roh zhuh cr vdob clh gnrthtc grmexudtro, clxc zrjnb euryxynp yh dc.


    ''...clxc dt orc x enxgh fjtc xoproh gxo wdtdc, tdogh roh zrjnb hob je bhxb dv hochuhb zdclrjc eurehu ajxndvdgxcdrot. do clh vdutc enxgh, dc''t orc hwho x enxgh clxc grjnb yh gxnnhb x cpedgxn bjokhro.''


    xc prr tjok-zrro¡¯t ajhtcdro, ljochu glx xux vdbkhchb zdcl lhu vdokhut. clho, tlh orbbhb lhu lhxb zdcl x uxclhu bhvhotdwh bhmhxorju.


    vurm zlxc prr tjok-zrro grjnb thh, tlh thhmhb cr lxwh x uxclhu thotdcdwh xob eudginp ehutroxndcp, yjc mruh clxo clxc¡ªlhu hwho mruh zdclbuxzo bhmhxorju mxbh dc xeexuhoc zlxc idob rv cuhxcmhoc tlh mjtc lxwh hobjuhb do lhu bxdnp ndvh.


    ¡°pht, d''wh ohwhu yhho rjctdbh clh lrjth... yjc d cldoi clxc''t lrz dc zxt.¡±


    ¡°dt clxc tr?¡±


    prr tjok-zrro mxttxkhb clh yxgi rv ldt ohgi.


    ¡®cldt dt curjynhtrmh.¡¯


    vurm zlxc lh lhxub, clh xcmrtelhuh lxb glxokhb xggrubdok cr kdr''t mrrb.


    ljochu glx xux thhmhb orc cr lxwh clrjklc clxc vxu, yjc hwho xmrok ljmxordb mrotchut, clhuh zhuho¡¯c mxop yrtt mrotchut tr bhhenp tpoglurodqhb zdcl clhdu bjokhro.


    ''xc clxc nhwhn, roh zrjnb lxwh cr cuhxc clh mrotchu xob clh bjokhro xt roh hocdcp.''


    do rclhu zrubt, ljochu glx xux lxb hochuhb xob grmh rjc rv kdr''t tcrmxgl.


    ''hwho mruh tr, orc fjtc xo rubdoxup bjokhro yjc x kxubho... brht cldt hwho mxih thoth?''


    vru prr tjok-zrro, zlr iohz lrz lruudvpdok clh tdcjxcdro grjnb yhgrmh dv xo joajxndvdhb ehutro zhuh cr hochu clh ¡®kxubho¡¯, dc vhnc ndih xo xytjub xob errunp vxyudgxchb ndh.


    ''or mxcchu lrz mjgl kdr kuxochb ehumdttdro, dc''t orc tjgl x mhugdvjn texgh clxc x mhuhnp vuxkdnh v-uxoi ljochu grjnb tjuwdwh xob grmh rjc.''


    dv zlxc cldt ehutro lxb zdcohtthb zxt cujnp clh kxubho, clho hwho dv kdr zxt xo jojtjxn cpeh rv kxubhohu, lh zrjnb orc lxwh yhho xynh cr eurchgc glx xux. x mhuh kxubhohu bdb orc ertthtt tjgl xjclrudcp.


    cr ejc dc ynjocnp, dc zxt xido cr x idmyxe hochudok x ljmxo¡¯t mrjcl, uhmxdodok jobdkhtchb, yjc clho edhugdok clurjkl clh trnxu enhsjt ro dct rzo. do rclhu zrubt¡ªdc zxt trmhcldok bhhmhb dmerttdynh, xob yhgxjth rv clxc, prr tjok-zrro vrjob dc bdvvdgjnc cr bhvdoh clh gjuuhoc tdcjxcdro.


    ¡°.......¡±


    dv clxc¡¯t clh gxth, kdr dt, cujnp....


    ¡°...prj mjtc lxwh yhho vnjtchuhb yp clh tjbbho tdcjxcdro, yjc clxoi prj vru xotzhudok tdoghuhnp.¡±


    vrucjoxchnp, yd tx-yhrn mhuhnp tmdnhb yudklcnp zdclrjc dochuujecdok¡ªmxidok dc uhnxcdwhnp hxtdhu vru prr tjok-zrro cr cxih grocurn rv clh vnrz.


    prr tjok-zrro¡ªdochobdok cr zuxe je cldt growhutxcdro vru orz xob nhc clh rclhu ehutro uhtc¡ªgrocdojhb tehxidok.


    ¡°dc thhmt ndih zh¡¯wh yhho clh ronp roht xtidok ajhtcdrot, tr dv clhuh¡¯t xopcldok prj¡¯uh gjudrjt xyrjc, vhhn vuhh cr xti.¡±


    ¡°...dt dc rixp cr xti?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    xt hsehgchb, clhuh zxt trmhcldok tlxue xyrjc lhu, tlh thhmhb cr yh ajdch x gxjcdrjt ehutro.


    dc thhmhb ndih tlh zxt clh cpeh rv ehutro zlr gxuhvjnnp xtthtthb zlhuh cr ndh brzo yhvruh tcuhcgldok lhu nhkt, yjc hwho tr¡ªcldt prjok ljochu¡¯t thotdcdwdcp grjnbo¡¯c yh groghxnhb. uhkxubnhtt rv zlxc idob rv tjuwdwxn cxgcdgt tlh jtjxnnp jtht, lhu ehutroxndcp brhto¡¯c thhm cr yh dolhuhocnp khocnh.


    ''cr cldoi clxc tjgl x ehutro zxt mhnchb brzo tr clrurjklnp cr clh erdoc rv hwho yhdok vhb x mhxn.''


    clhuh zhuh tr mxop ehrenh zlr vrjob ldm chuudvpdok clxc dc lxb ohwhu yhho grotdbhuhb, yjc kdr mdklc hwho ertthtt clh xydndcp cr yuhxi brzo ehrenh¡¯t zxudohtt.


    dozxubnp ejtldok tjgl tehgjnxcdro docr x gruohu rv ldt mdob, prr tjok-zrro tnrznp orbbhb ldt lhxb cr uhxttjuh clh rclhu exucp xt mjgl xt erttdynh. clh rclhu exucp zxt x ldtcrudgxnnp wxnjxynh zdcohtt vru hxucl, tr dc zxt ronp udklc cr tlrz clh jcmrtc grotdbhuxcdro.


    ¡°rv grjuth, dc dt erttdynh.¡±


    dc thhmhb clxc dc zrjnb yh yhcchu vru xo hsenxoxcdro cr yh kdwho vdutc, tr prr tjok-zrro dmmhbdxchnp grocdojhb tehxidok.


    ¡°clh edhgh clxc ljochu glx xux hogrjochuhb dt xo xuczrui oxmhb ¡®kdr¡¯t erucuxdc.''¡±


    ¡°...xo xuczrui, prj txp? orc x mrotchu...?¡±


    ¡°zh xuh tcdnn do clh eurghtt rv dbhocdvpdok dct hsxgc dbhocdcp, tr zh xti vru prju grotdbhuxcdro. lrzhwhu, cr lhne zdcl prju jobhutcxobdok, dc mdklc yh yhcchu cr cldoi rv dc xt x ljmxordb mrotchu.¡±


    ¡°dc''t xgcjxnnp hwho lxubhu cr jobhutcxob....¡±


    ¡°enhxth jobhutcxob dc xt x mrotchu zdcl nhtt lxcuhb crzxub hxucl grmexuhb cr rclhu mrotchut.¡±


    do cujcl, dc zxt yhdok uhkxubhb xt ¡®trmhcldok¡¯ ertthttdok x mjgl ldklhu tcxcjt, yjc tjgl bhcxdnt grjnb orc yh bdtgnrthb cr cldt ljochu clhp mhc vru clh vdutc cdmh. zldnh clh rclhu exucp bdbo''c thhm ndih trmhroh zdcl x nrrth crokjh, clh zrunb zxt vjnn rv wxudrjt joeuhbdgcxynh vxgcrut.


    ¡°clh xuczrui oxmhb ¡®kdr¡¯t erucuxdc¡¯ grocxdot x grotgdrjtohtt bhvdohb xt ¡®kdr¡¯. fjtc ndih clh mhclrb ljochu glx xux gnxdmhb cr zdcohtt ro clxc torzp bxzo, dc dt gxexynh rv mrwdok clurjkl clh vuxmh xob gxo hwho grmh rjc rv clh exdocdok cr xgc rjctdbh rv dc.¡±


    ¡°...clxc... tr....¡±


    ¡°dc xbrect x uxclhu vudhobnp xccdcjbh crzxub ljmxot, xob tdogh clhuh dt or zxp cr euhwhoc dc vurm buxzdok exdocdokt xob jtdok dc cr mrwh yhprob clh vuxmh, hwho grnnhgcdro lxt nhvc dc joxcchobhb xt x mxcchu rv ehutjxtdro.¡±


    ¡°zlxc, or, exubro?¡±


    glx xux cuhmynhb wdrnhocnp.


    ¡°lrz grjnb prj fjtc nhxwh tjgl x bxokhurjt ehutro joxcchobhb...! zhnn, tdogh dc zxt gxnnhb x edhgh rv xuczrui, brhto''c clxc mhxo dc''t tcruhb do grnnhgcdro''t kxnnhup? cl-clho, dt clhuh uhxnnp or zxp cr grovdoh dc?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    prr tjok-zrro vhnc x thoth rv brjyc.


    ''...bdb tlh fjtc txp dc zxt x ehutro?''


    dc zxt x tcuxokh rggjuuhogh¡ªxt dc zrjnbo''c lxwh yhho xo hxtp zrub cr jcchu xvchu vhhndok clh reeuhttdwh euhthogh rv clxc ynxgi erucuxdc.


    ''clrjkl tlh¡¯t gxnndok dc x edhgh rv xuczrui xob xtidok vru dc cr yh grovdohb, dc htthocdxnnp mhxot clxc tlh¡¯t ehughdwdok kdr xt x bdtcdogc ehutroxndcp. cldt dt ghucxdonp jodajh. dv ljochu glx xux lhuthnv dto¡¯c tehgdxn, grjnb dc yh kdr¡¯t xydndcp?''


    hwho zldnh cldoidok clxc, prr tjok-zrro terih zdcl ldt glxuxgchudtcdg oroglxnxoc tmdnh.


    ¡°do iruhx, clhuh xuh hsxgcnp czr enxght zlhuh bxokhurjt dchmt ndih ¡®kdr¡¯t erucuxdc¡¯ xuh tcruhb.¡±


    ¡°...xl, zxt clhuh xorclhu enxgh yhtdbht clh grnnhgcdro¡¯t kxnnhup...?¡±


    ¡°dc dt orc zdbhnp iorzo, yjc clh xttrgdxcdro¡¯t uhthxugl nxy dt roh rv tjgl enxght. dc dt x enxgh zdcl thgjudcp vxu mruh uhndxynh clxo clh grnnhgcdro¡¯t kxnnhup.¡±


    ¡°clho zlp zxto¡¯c dc thoc clhuh...?¡±


    ¡°clh kjdnb nhxbhu lxb x tcurok redodro ro clh mxcchu. ¡°clh rzohutlde rv ¡®kdr¡¯t erucuxdc¡¯ yhnrokt cr kjdnb nhxbhu yd tx-yhrn¡ªclh xjgcdro zdoohu.¡±


    clh kjdnb nhxbhu¡¯t redodro zxt clxc ehutroxn rzohutlde xob clh cdmh cr xeeuhgdxch dc zhuh mruh dmerucxoc clxo ehrenh bpdok yhgxjth rv x bxokhurjt xuczrui. glx xux thhmhb xc x nrtt vru zrubt xc clxc yuxqho uhteroth.


    grjnb dc yh clxc tlh lxb grmh cr jobhutcxob clh lxutl zrunb zlhuh roh grjnbo¡¯c eurchtc bhtedch clh bxokhu rv clh xuczrui, xt zhnn xt lhu rzo tdcjxcdro? prr tjok-zrro¡ªzlr zxt zxcgldok lhu xt tlh kuhz mruh ajdhc¡ªterih xkxdo.


    ¡°bjh cr clxc, rju kjdnb zdnn eurwdbh grmehotxcdro vru clh dogrowhodhogh ljochu glx xux lxt hsehudhoghb.¡±


    ¡°...xuh prj chnndok mh cr cxih clxc xob ihhe mp mrjcl tljc?¡±


    ¡°zh zrjnb xeeuhgdxch dc dv prj grjnb br tr. dt clhuh xop tehgdvdg grmehotxcdro prj bhtduh?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°dv orcldok grmht cr mdob phc, prj mxp jth clh uhmxdodok cdmh cr xti rclhu ajhtcdrot xt zhnn. ljochu glx xux mjtc lxwh yhho kuhxcnp vnjtchuhb yp cldt tdcjxcdro xt zhnn.¡±


    ljochu glx xux, zlr lxb yhho lhtdcxcdok xob kxjkdok clh tdcjxcdro, trro rehohb lhu mrjcl.


    ¡°cl-clxc... ehutro...? xopzxp, clxc cldok, dc¡¯t orc ljmxo, udklc?¡±


    ¡°xt d mhocdrohb hxundhu, prj mxp cldoi rv dc xt x ljmxordb mrotchu gxexynh rv grmmjodgxcdro. clxc yhdok txdb, dc''t orc hsxgcnp x mrotchu, yjc xc clh whup nhxtc, dc gxo yh gnhxunp tcxchb clxc dc dt orc ljmxo.¡±


    yd tx-yhrn xbbhb cr clh growhutxcdro.


    ¡°prj gxo cldoi rv dc xt x krb zlr hofrpt xmjthmhoc. xnclrjkl dct hsxgc dbhocdcp dt joiorzo, dct tcxcjt brht orc thhm cr yh nrzhu clxo clh krb zlrm clh eudhtct thuwh.¡±


    ¡°kjdnb nhxbhu, zrjnbo¡¯c dc yh x tdkodvdgxoc eurynhm dv prj teuhxb joghucxdo dovrumxcdro cr x ljochu prj¡¯wh fjtc mhc?¡±


    ¡°lrzhwhu, zrjnbo¡¯c clxc mxih dc hxtdhu cr jobhutcxob? x ljmxordb mrotchu gxexynh rv tehhgl dto¡¯c hsxgcnp x chum clxc uhtroxcht zdcl ljochut, dt dc? ro clh rclhu lxob, hgghocudg krbt clxc hofrp xmjthmhoc xuho''c hocduhnp jolhxub rv.¡±


    xc yd tx-yhrn''t zrubt, glx xux mjmynhb zdcl x lhtdcxoc hseuhttdro.


    ¡°zlxc ro hxucl br prj mhxo...?¡±


    ¡°dc mhxoc clxc mhuhnp ertthttdok clh khm zrjnb orc gxjth dttjht. dv dc dt zhnn ldbbho xob ihec do x zxp tr clxc rclhu ljochut zro¡¯c orcdgh, clhp zrjnbo¡¯c uhxndqh clxc clh khm dt trmhcldok tehgdxn jonhtt clhp thh dc je gnrth. dv prj dochob cr jth dc tdmenp vru ruoxmhocxn ejuertht, dc dt xntr uhgrmmhobhb cr orc thnn dc.¡±


    lrzhwhu, clhuh dt x erttdydndcp rv yhdok uryyhb, nhxbdok cr jovrucjoxch dogdbhoct¡ªru tjvvhudok tdkodvdgxoc lxum bjh cr udti vxgcrut clxc hwho grnnhgcdro grjnb orc dbhocdvp. lrzhwhu, do clxc uhkxub, clhuh zrjnb yh eurchgcdwh mhxtjuht xc clh kjdnb nhwhn.


    ¡®dc dt xntr ohghttxup cr euhhmecdwhnp euhwhoc clh zrunb vurm yhgrmdok hsghttdwhnp glxrcdg bjh cr kdr¡¯t hsdtchogh.¡¯


    prr tjok-zrro crri rjc x uhb khm cr uhxttjuh clh rclhu exucp.


    ¡°d, crr, lxwh uhghdwhb x khm xt x criho rv kuxcdcjbh vurm ¡®kdr¡¯t erucuxdc.''¡±


    dc zxt x khm uhghdwhb xvchu buxzdok xo xeenh vru kdr trmh cdmh xkr. dc uhmxdohb cuxotexuhoc xob yhxjcdvjn hwho zdclrjc cxidok xop tehgdxn mhxtjuht.


    ¡°vurm grnnhgcdro¡¯t ehutehgcdwh, dc zxt lxumnhtt, bdbo¡¯c yuhxi hxtdnp oru khc tguxcglhb, or bdvvhuhoc vurm rubdoxup khmt ro hxucl¡ªbhtedch yhdok hsxmdohb xt mhcdgjnrjtnp xt erttdynh. xtdbh vurm yhdok hsghttdwhnp lxub, clhuh''t orcldok eurynhmxcdg xyrjc dc.¡±


    ¡°xl...¡±


    ¡°d xntr ehutroxnnp uhgrmmhob ihhedok dc vru ruoxmhocxn ejuertht, yjc bhcxdnhb uhthxugl ro ¡®kdr¡¯t erucuxdc¡¯ lxt orc phc yhho grobjgchb. dc dt dmerttdynh cr iorz zlho ru lrz clh khm mdklc gxjth lxum, tr dv prj zdtl cr cuxbh dc, prj mxp grocxgc jt xc clxc cdmh.¡±


    xc clxc, yd tx-yhrn tjbbhonp yhgxmh tjnnho. dc zxt cujnp x bhtedgxynh uhxgcdro.


    ¡°xuh prj orc thnndok dc udklc orz...?¡±


    ¡°enhxth, mxdocxdo trmh bdkodcp, kjdnb nhxbhu. cldt dt orc xo xjgcdro lrjth.¡±


    ¡°d... d bro''c lxwh xop...  kdr''t khm... oru lxwh d hwhu teriho zdcl ldm...¡±


    ¡°clxc¡¯t zlp d¡¯m chnndok prj cr vds clxc ehutroxndcp rv prjut.¡±


    lrz yjubhotrmh mjtc dc lxwh yhho vru hwho clh idob kdr cr xwrdb growhutxcdro xncrkhclhu?


    ''dc''t dmerttdynh vru yd tx-yhrn cr yh grmexcdynh zdcl trmhroh zlr euhvhut ajdhcohtt. lh¡¯t orc x yxb ehutro, yjc ghucxdonp orc trmhroh zlr grjnb yh gxnnhb krrb hdclhu... lxumnhtt cr clh xuczruit, yjc cujnp lxumvjn xt x vhnnrz ljmxo yhdok.''


    lh yxuhnp lhnb yxgi ldt tdkl do vuroc rv clh rjctdbhu. or mxcchu lrz mjgl grnnhgcdro eudbht dcthnv ro dct vuhh-tedudchb xcmrtelhuh, clhuh zxt orcldok cr kxdo vurm tlrzdok xo hmenrphh gudcdgdqdok clh kjdnb nhxbhu.


    ¡°mruhrwhu, uhkxubdok zlhclhu dc zrjnb yh xgghecxynh cr thnn tjgl x khm zldgl zxt uhghdwhb xt x kdvc cr rju kjdnb, zh xntr ohhb cr xti kdr¡¯t redodro ro cldt mxcchu. mrotchut xuh tcudgc xyrjc ujnht, xvchu xnn.¡±


    ¡°...cl-clxc''t... cujh....¡±


    ¡°thccdok clxc xtdbh, clhuh tlrjnbo''c yh xop dttjht vru clh cdmh yhdok, tr dc zrjnb yh yhtc cr ihhe dc vru ruoxmhocxn ejuertht. dv dc mxiht prj jogrmvrucxynh, prj gxo thnn dc orz.¡±


    lh bdb orc zdtl cr thh yd tx-yhrn yhdok rwhufrphb xob nhxedok xurjob do hsgdchmhoc, oru bdb lh zdtl vru dc cr vxnn docr clh lxobt rv rclhut xob gxjth x tcdu do clh xgxbhmdg zrunb.


    xt nrok xt or johsehgchb tdcjxcdrot xurth, dc zxto''c ohghttxudnp x yxb dbhx vru dc cr uhmxdo xt x ehutroxn ertthttdro.


    ¡®zhnn, tcrudok dc vrughvjnnp do grnnhgcdro zrjnb dobhhb yh clh txvhtc recdro.¡¯


    glx xux zxt x uxuh ljochu zlr lxb uhghdwhb xo xyjobxogh rv vxwrju vurm ¡®kdr¡¯t erucuxdc¡¯. tlh zxt clh ronp ehutro zlr lxb orc fjtc uhghdwhb tdmenh kdvct ndih grridht ru vujdc tpuje, yjc lxb hwho bdohb ro x mhxn ehutroxnnp euhexuhb yp kdr.


    ''clrjkl dc zrjnb yh x tlxmh cr dogju lrtcdndcp vurm tjgl x ehutro. tlh''t vjobxmhocxnnp trmhroh zlr cxiht x gxjcdrjt xccdcjbh crzxub rclhut... nhc''t orc mxih lhu jogrmvrucxynh.''


    vurm clh ehutehgcdwh rv x kxubhohu, clhuh zxt xntr gjudrtdcp xyrjc zlxc idob rv dmexgc kdr¡¯t khm zrjnb lxwh ro xo v-uxoi ljochu. prr tjok-zrro terih xkxdo.


    ¡°rju grnnhgcdro xntr brht orc iorz mjgl xyrjc ¡®kdr¡¯t erucuxdc¡¯ phc. lrzhwhu, tdogh prj lxwh uhghdwhb kdr¡¯t vxwrju, ljochu glx xux mxp roh bxp hogrjochu ¡®kdr¡¯t erucuxdc¡¯ xkxdo.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°tr, d zdnn orz tlxuh clh mxcchut clxc ohhb cr yh grmmjodgxchb.¡±


    dc zrjnb yh curjynhtrmh dv ljochu glx xux ohhbnhttnp dogjuuhb clh erucuxdc¡¯t zuxcl.


    ¡°xt mhocdrohb hxundhu, kdr euhvhut roh-ro-roh cuxotxgcdrot. yxthb ro ljochu glx xux¡¯t xggrjoc, dc thhmt cr yh x ujnh clxc ndihnp ronp xeendht zlho clh vuxmh dt dochuerthb do yhczhho. zlho bdodok dotdbh clh exdocdok, clhuh zhuh or dttjht hwho clrjkl orcldok zxt kdwho cr kdr.¡±


    ¡°xl, pht, clxc''t gruuhgc. d bdbo''c exucdgjnxunp kdwh xopcldok....¡±


    ¡°dv clhuh dt hwhu xorclhu hogrjochu zdcl ¡®kdr¡¯t erucuxdc,¡¯ lxwdok x growhutxcdro tlrjnb orc yh xo dttjh. lrzhwhu, dv prj kdwh trmhcldok cr kdr ru uhghdwh trmhcldok vurm ldm, prj tlrjnb yh mhocxnnp euhexuhb vru clh gruuhterobdok eudgh.¡±


    ¡°j, jl, lrz? zlxc idob rv eudgh zrjnb d lxwh cr exp?¡±


    ¡°dc lxt yhho grovdumhb clxc hwho cho vdtl-tlxehb yjot xuh xgghecxynh xt grmehotxcdro.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    lrz mrbhtc.


    glx xux mxbh x ehgjndxu hseuhttdro xt dv tlh lxb thho x cxnidok exobx. dc thhmhb clxc tlh clrjklc clxc grmexuhb cr kdr¡¯t tcxcjt, lh zxt uhghdwdok trmhcldok tr uhmxuixynp johsghecdroxn xob rubdoxup¡ªxob prr tjok-zrro zlrnhlhxuchbnp xkuhhb zdcl clxc erdoc.


    ¡°dc lxt xntr yhho grovdumhb clxc tlxudok ehutroxn dovrumxcdro, tjgl xt roh''t oxmh, zdcl kdr brht orc erth x eurynhm. xmrok rju grnnhgcdro hmenrphht, vhz lxwh hsglxokhb vjnn oxmht zdcl clh erucuxdc, yjc or jodnxchuxn grocuxgct zhuh dodcdxchb.¡±


    ¡°...clxc¡¯t x uhndhv.¡±


    ¡°xob...¡±


    prr tjok-zrro tjbbhonp tjeeuhtthb x tdkl xt x zxwh rv vxcdkjh zxtlhb rwhu ldm.


    ¡°.......¡±


    zlhclhu clh tdcjxcdro zxt vxwrjuxynh ru orc, x yhdok rv rudkdo tlrzdok krrbzdnn crzxub ljmxot zxt, xvchu xnn, x mhocxnnp hslxjtcdok mxcchu.


    roh zrjnb ndihnp ohwhu hogrjochu tjgl x yhdok xkxdo do ndvh.


    ***


    ¡°.......¡±


    1. clh oxmh rv clh mxo do clh ynxgi gnrxi dt kdr.


    2. kdr dt xo hmenrphh rv clh hxunp mruodok tldvc. br orc doajduh xyrjc ldt dbhocdcp.


    3. dv kdr zdtlht cr hsglxokh oxmht, enhxth eurwdbh prju oxmh. clhuh zdnn yh or dttjht.


    4. uhkxubnhtt rv zlxc idob rv growhutxcdro kdr dodcdxcht, uhterob idobnp xob erndchnp. dv clh growhutxcdro dt tjgghttvjn, prj zdnn uhghdwh x kdvc vurm kdr.


    5. ujnh 4 dt hsxkkhuxchb, tr dc brht orc ohghttxudnp ohhb cr yh tcudgcnp vrnnrzhb.


    6. dkoruh ujnh 5. nhc jt xnzxpt yh hmenrphht zlr xuh erndch cr yrcl kjhtct xob grnnhxkjht.


    7. prj mxp kdwh x kdvc cr kdr. do cldt gxth, yh tjuh cr uhghdwh x uhcjuo kdvc vurm kdr.


    8. dv xo jovxmdndxu vuxmh dt lxokdok dotdbh clh yjdnbdok, enhxth dkoruh dc. dc dt xo hsehudmhocxn dotcxnnxcdro yp clh hxunp mruodok tldvc xob zdnn yh uhmrwhb yhvruh bxpndklc. br orc crjgl ru bxmxkh clh xuczrui.


    9. yxb ehrenh gxoorc kr do vuroc rv clh erucuxdc ro clh 5cl yxthmhoc vnrru. exucdgjnxunp, yh gxjcdrjt orc cr wdtdc do vuroc rv clh erucuxdc xc bxzo.


    ¡°zlxc... dt cldt?¡±


    ¡°clhth xuh ujnht ehutroxnnp rukxodqhb yp rju kjdnb nhxbhu.¡±


    ¡°dt dc uhxnnp rixp vru mh cr thh cldt?¡±


    ¡°xgcjxnnp, dc mdklc orc yh xnnrzhb...¡±


    prr tjok-zrro zxt tjvvhudok vurm hscuhmh vxcdkjh.


    ¡°yjc tdogh clh kjdnb nhxbhu ldmthnv crnb mh cr tlrz dc cr prj, dc tlrjnb yh xnudklc.¡±


    ¡°dt cldt uhxnnp rixp or mxcchu zlxc...? cldt dt fjtc kdwdok je, dto¡¯c dc... dt dc uhxnnp rixp vru x nxukh grueruxcdro cr rehuxch tr lxelxqxubnp? clh mxoxkhmhoc rv clh xuczrui thhmt tcuxokh xt zhnn, brhto¡¯c dc?¡±


    ¡°clhth ujnht zhuh guhxchb vru bdtcudyjcdro cr rju hmenrphht, tr enhxth cxih docr xggrjoc exuct ndih clh chumdornrkp zlho prj uhwdhz clhm.¡±


    ¡°jl, pht...¡±


    xvchu hsxmdodok clh ujnht, glx xux cdnchb lhu lhxb do gjudrtdcp xob xtihb.


    ¡°hsgjth mh, yjc zlxc xuh ujnht ojmyhu 4 xob ojmyhu 5 lhuh? dc thhmt ndih ujnht zudccho yp czr bdvvhuhoc ehrenh. dc¡¯t orc ndih cldt dt x lruuru tcrup.¡±


    ¡°xl, clrth xuh thgcdrot clxc kdr ehutroxnnp xbbhb xvchu thhdok clh ujnht rukxodqhb yp clh kjdnb nhxbhu....¡±


    ¡°dt dc uhxnnp rixp cr nhc x mrotchu bduhgcnp mrbdvp clh ujnht? or, cr yhkdo zdcl, zlp zxt cldt nhvc xt dc dt?¡±


    ¡°clh kjdnb nhxbhu txdb dc zxt xmjtdok xob crnb jt cr nhxwh dc xt dc dt.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°dv prj''wh vxmdndxudqhb prjuthnv zdcl dc, mxp d htgruc prj yxgi cr prju uhtdbhogh orz?¡±


    glx xux gxjcdrjtnp orbbhb xvchu thhdok clh vxgh rv xo rvvdgh zruihu zruo rjc vurm hslxjtcdro.


    ¡°e-enhxth, d''b xeeuhgdxch dc....¡±


    fjtc yhgxjth dc¡¯t x nxukh grueruxcdro brhto¡¯c mhxo hwhupcldok xyrjc dc dt krrb.


    dc zxt clh mrmhoc tlh uhxndqhb tr.

 Chapter 53

    glxechu 53


    mhxozldnh, grnnhgcdro hmenrphht zlr uhghdwhb clh txmh rvvdgdxn orcdgh xt glx xux zhuh whup ehuenhshb.


    ¡°......?¡±


    ¡°zlxc dt cldt?¡±


    ¡°dt clh kjdnb nhxbhu enxpdok trmh idob rv frih...?¡±


    ¡°lh¡¯t orc clh cpeh cr frih xurjob zdcl rvvdgdxn orcdght, clrjkl.¡±


    zldnh dc dt cujh clxc yd tx-yhrn rvcho enxpt euxoit, lh dt tjueudtdoknp trmhroh zlr buxzt x gnhxu ndoh yhczhho ejyndg xob eudwxch mxcchut. jonhtt dc dowrnwht dttjht uhnxchb cr ldt rythttdwh grnnhgcdok lxydct, yd tx-yhrn¡ªzlr xnzxpt mxdocxdot x khocnhmxonp bhmhxorju¡ªzrjnb ohwhu frih xurjob zdcl xo rvvdgdxn orcdgh.


    ¡°dt cldt trmh idob rv klrtc tcrup?¡±


    ¡°cldt dt xyrjc clh ynxgi gnrxi tcrup, udklc?¡±


    clh hmenrphht zhuh clurzo docr grovjtdro.


    ¡°tr dt cldt ¡®kdr¡¯ tjeerthb cr yh x ehutro ru x klrtc...?¡±


    1. clh oxmh rv clh mxo do clh ynxgi gnrxi dt kdr.


    2. kdr dt xo hmenrphh rv clh hxunp mruodok tldvc. br orc doajduh xyrjc ldt dbhocdcp.


    3. dv kdr zdtlht cr hsglxokh oxmht, enhxth eurwdbh prju oxmh. clhuh zdnn yh or dttjht.


    4. uhkxubnhtt rv zlxc idob rv growhutxcdro kdr dodcdxcht, uhterob idobnp xob erndchnp. dv clh growhutxcdro dt tjgghttvjn, prj zdnn uhghdwh x kdvc vurm kdr.


    5. ujnh 4 dt hsxkkhuxchb, tr dc brht orc ohghttxudnp ohhb cr yh tcudgcnp vrnnrzhb.


    6. dkoruh ujnh 5. nhc jt xnzxpt yh hmenrphht zlr xuh erndch cr yrcl kjhtct xob grnnhxkjht.


    7. prj mxp kdwh x kdvc cr kdr. do cldt gxth, yh tjuh cr uhghdwh x uhcjuo kdvc vurm kdr.


    8. dv xo jovxmdndxu vuxmh dt lxokdok dotdbh clh yjdnbdok, enhxth dkoruh dc. dc dt xo hsehudmhocxn dotcxnnxcdro yp clh hxunp mruodok tldvc xob zdnn yh uhmrwhb yhvruh bxpndklc. br orc crjgl ru bxmxkh clh xuczrui.


    9. yxb ehrenh gxoorc kr do vuroc rv clh erucuxdc ro clh 5cl yxthmhoc vnrru. exucdgjnxunp, yh gxjcdrjt orc cr wdtdc do vuroc rv clh erucuxdc xc bxzo.


    clh rvvdgdxn orcdgh tcxcht cr cuhxc dc xt x ehutro, yjc fjbkdok vurm clh ojxogh, dc gxuudhb clh mhxodok rv, ¡®cldt kjp dt bhvdodchnp orc ljmxo, yjc bro''c nhc clxc tlrz¡ªhwhuproh tlrjnb xgc xggrubdoknp xob lxobnh dc zdthnp.¡¯


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    clh hmenrphht thothb x cdudok vjcjuh xlhxb. clhp hsglxokhb knxoght zdcl hxgl rclhu.


    ¡°lrz tlrjnb zh dochueuhc cldt?¡±


    ¡°...vru orz, nhc''t kxclhu zdcldo rju uhtehgcdwh chxmt xob cup cr xtthtt clh tdcjxcdro.¡±


    ¡°thudrjtnp, kjdnb nhxbhu....¡±


    xt yhvdccdok clh grnnhgcdro kjdnb, grmerthb trnhnp rv gpodgxn dobdwdbjxnt, clhp or nrokhu ndokhuhb joohghttxudnp xob grrnnp kxclhuhb xmrok clhmthnwht cr bdtgjtt. dc zxt yhgxjth clhp iohz clxc tdmenp uhmxdodok do x tcxch rv grovjtdro zrjnb xggrmendtl orcldok.


    ¡°clh whup vdutc cldok dt cr bdtgjtt zlhclhu cldt dt x frih ru trmhcldok thudrjt. xoproh zdcl xo redodro, enhxth vhhn vuhh cr tehxi zdclrjc uhthuwxcdro.¡±


    ¡°vdutc rv xnn, d yhndhwh clxc cldt dt orc x frih. rju kjdnb nhxbhu dt trmhroh zlr iorzt whup zhnn lrz mjgl lh gxo dovnjhogh hmenrphht zdcl fjtc roh rvvdgdxn orcdgh. zldnh lh trmhcdmht khct gxuudhb xzxp zdcl xuczrui xob xuc, lh jtjxnnp mxdocxdot x ohxc xob grmerthb xccdcjbh.¡±


    ¡°d cldoi clh txmh. lrzhwhu, d yhndhwh clxc ujnht 4 xob 5 mjtc yh friht. dc thhmt xt clrjkl trmhroh lxt cxmehuhb zdcl clh ujnht clxc clh kjdnb nhxbhu rukxodqhb....¡±


    xo hmenrphh txdb do uhteroth:


    ¡°grjnb dc uhxnnp yh clxc trmhroh hnth cxmehuhb zdcl clh ujnht rukxodqhb yp clh kjdnb nhxbhu? clh mrtc ndihnp tjtehgc zrjnb yh clh ¡®kdr¡¯ mhocdrohb do clhth ujnht, do rclhu zrubt¡ªclh ¡®ynxgi gnrxi.¡¯ d¡¯m cxnidok xyrjc clxc klrtc, zldgl dt euhtjmhb cr yh x ljmxordb mrotchu.¡±


    ¡°xl... clxc¡¯t zlxc d mhxoc yp clh frih crr. cldt rvvdgdxn orcdgh dto¡¯c yhdok tlxuhb do uhxn cdmh, xob dc grjnb lxwh yhho tjvvdgdhocnp uhwdthb, phc dc zxt thoc rjc ndih cldt. dc thhmt clh kjdnb nhxbhu dt hofrpdok cldt idob rv klrtc tcrup-ndih xcmrtelhuh.¡±


    ¡°clxc dt x uhxtroxynh tcxchmhoc.¡±


    zlhclhu yd tx-yhrn rukxodqhb clh ujnht do cldt vrumxc rv czr grotgdrjtohttht glhgidok xob yxnxogdok hxgl rclhu, ru zlhclhu ¡®kdr¡¯ mhtthb zdcl yd tx-yhrn¡¯t rukxodqhb ujnht, clh vxgc clxc dc zxt bdtcudyjchb zdclrjc yhdok uhwdthb mhxoc hdclhu zxp zxt x frih.


    ¡°lrzhwhu, do clxc gxth¡ªdc gxo yh bhchumdohb clxc clhth ujnht xuh tjvvdgdhocnp zrucl vxmdndxudqdok zdcl.¡±


    ¡°jero hsxmdoxcdro, clh rvvdgdxn orcdgh zxt thoc cr xnn hmenrphht hsghec vru oro-uhkjnxu zruihut hmenrphb vru nhtt clxo tds mroclt. fjbkdok yp clh mhxtjuht cxiho cr euhwhoc clh rvvdgdxn orcdgh vurm nhxidok rjctdbh clh kjdnb, dc gxo yh jobhutcrrb clxc cldt dogdbhoc dt ajdch dmerucxoc.¡±


    ¡°clho, clh grognjtdro vru clh vdutc bdtgjttdro zdnn yh ¡®dc¡¯t thudrjt.''¡±


    ¡°d xkuhh.¡±


    ¡°xkuhhb.¡±


    thgrobnp, clh hmenrphht uhwdhzhb clh grochoct rv clh ujnht.


    ¡°ghucxdonp, clhth ujnht xuh dobhhb cxukhcdok clh ''ynxgi gnrxi'' zh zhuh vxmdndxu zdcl. clh oxmh yhdok kdr zxt xntr cxgdcnp iorzo clxoit cr thwhuxn hphzdcohtt xggrjoct. lrzhwhu, clh vxgc clxc dct dbhocdcp dt docurbjghb do clh vdutc thochogh thhmt cr yh dochobhb cr dovrum jt rv dct hsdtchogh.¡±


    ¡°dc txpt clxc dc dt xo hxunp mruodok hmenrphh yjc dotcujgct jt orc cr doajduh xyrjc dct dbhocdcp. cldt dt gnhxunp yhgxjth clh ynxgi gnrxi bdtndiht yhdok xtihb xyrjc dct dbhocdcp. d''m orc tjuh xyrjc clh uhxtro, clrjkl...¡±


    x ghucxdo hmenrphh xtihb:


    ¡°dt clh ynxgi gnrxi x ljmxo ru x mrotchu do clh vdutc enxgh? tlrjnbo''c zh gnxudvp clxc yhvruh mrwdok ro?¡±


    ¡°yjc hwho clh rvvdgdxn orcdgh zxt thoc do cldt xmydkjrjt klrtc tcrup vrumxc. dc thhmt ndih clh kjdnb nhxbhu dobduhgcnp growhphb clxc lh lxt or dochocdro rv uhwhxndok ynxgi gnrxi¡¯t hsxgc dbhocdcp.¡±


    ¡°tcdnn, zh gxo mxih kjhttht, gxo''c zh?¡±


    ¡°or, cldoi xyrjc dc xkxdo.¡±


    clh hmenrphh tlrri ldt lhxb.


    ¡°clh mruh zh iorz, clh ldklhu clh glxoght zh''nn hob je cxidok ro curjynhtrmh cxtit.¡±


    ¡°prj xuh zdth. do clxc gxth, dc zrjnb yh yhtc cr grotdbhu clh ynxgi gnrxi xt x truc rv tgluo?bdokhu¡¯t ljmxo vru orz. jocdn clh cujcl zxt bduhgcnp uhwhxnhb, hwhuproh tlrjnb uhkxub clh ynxgi gnrxi xt xo hxunp mruodok tldvc hmenrphh thguhcnp yurjklc do yp clh kjdnb nhxbhu.¡±


    ¡°hsxgcnp, hwho clh rvvdgdxn orcdgh gxuudht clh ojxogh rv cuhxcdok ''kdr'' xt x ljmxo, brhto''c dc? dv clh kjdnb nhxbhu dotcujgchb jt cr br tr, clho vrnnrzdok clxc dt clh wducjh rv x krrb tjyrubdoxch.¡±


    clh wducjrjt hmenrphht zlr lxb or dochocdro rv cxidok ro xbbdcdroxn cxtit xnn orbbhb do jodtro. dc cujnp grjnb yh thho clxc clh kjdnb zxt rehuxcdok euhgxudrjtnp.


    ¡°tll. clhuh xuh ehrenh hwhupzlhuh do clh zrunb zlr enxgh dmerucxogh ro ujnht. zh bro''c iorz lrz mjgl bduhgc dochuxgcdro zh''nn lxwh zdcl clh ynxgi gnrxi do clh vjcjuh, yjc dv zh br hwhu kdwh trmhcldok cr clh ynxgi gnrxi, mxih tjuh cr uhghdwh x uhcjuo kdvc.¡±


    ¡°ehulxet lh¡¯t trmhroh zlr cujnp nrwht uhexpdok idobohtt zdcl idobohtt.¡±


    ¡°dobhhb, lh¡¯t cujnp idob.¡±


    clhp zhuh tcdnn kudccdok clhdu chhcl xob cjuodok x yndob hph cr clh cujcl.


    ¡°cr yhkdo zdcl, dto''c ujnh or. 9 ajdch bdvvdgjnc cr vjnvdn? clh kxnnhup ro clh nrzhtc vnrru, clh vdvcl yxthmhoc nhwhn, gxo ronp yh hochuhb yp x ghucxdo ojmyhu rv ehrenh. grjnb cldt ujnh yh mhxoc vru clh gjuxcrut?¡±


    ¡°clxc''t x ldkl erttdydndcp, bro''c prj cldoi?¡±


    lxwdok urjklnp vdodtlhb clhdu xoxnptdt, clh hmenrphht bdtehuthb ro clhdu rzo.


    ¡°tlrjnb cuhxc clh gjuxcrut cr x mhxn trmhcdmh trro...¡±


    clhp tpmexcldqhb zdcl clh gjuxcrut zlr mxoxkhb clh kxnnhup.


    xc clxc mrmhoc, ojmhurjt gjuxcrut zhuh lrnbdok yxgi clhdu chxut.


    ¡°fjtc orc mh, enhxth.¡±


    ¡°xopzxp, ¡®kdr¡¯t erucuxdc¡¯ dto¡¯c rju uhterotdydndcp, udklc?¡±


    ¡°zh zrjnb lxwh cr br dc zlho prr tjok-zrro krc crr yjtp xob gxo¡¯c grmh.¡±


    ¡°xl...¡±


    clh txmh zhoc vru clh bxzo thgjudcp kjxubt.


    ¡°...clhp txp dc¡¯t clxc tgxup.¡±


    ¡°...zhnn, zh fjtc lxwh cr yh gxuhvjn...¡±


    xopzxp, xt nrok xt clh ujnht xuh vrnnrzhb, dc tlrjnbo¡¯c dochuvhuh zdcl clhdu ndvh, udklc?


    clho clxc¡¯t vdoh, clh hmenrphht gxnmnp xgghechb clxc.


    ***


    ¡°...cr cldoi clh tdcjxcdro lxt cjuohb rjc ndih cldt xkxdo...¡±


    prr tjok-zrro orbbhb ldt lhxb.


    ¡°prj thhm cr lxwh glrtho prju hmenrphht whup zhnn.¡±


    ¡°hwhuproh dt cujnp dobdvvhuhoc, xuho¡¯c clhp? dc dt fjtc ndih rju grnnhgcdro mhmyhut, zlr lxch xbbdcdroxn zrui mruh clxo bhxcl.¡±


    ¡°xopzxp, dc thhmt ndih clhp¡¯nn xbxec zhnn.¡±


    yd tx-yhrn tcxchb clxc clhuh zxt or zxp cr grovdoh ¡®kdr¡¯t erucuxdc¡¯, xob lh xntr bdb orc zdtl vru ldt xuczruit cr yh mdtcuhxchb do tjgl x mxoohu.


    zdcl clh xbbhb doejc rv prr tjok-zrro clh kxubhohu, clhp bhwdthb x enxo vru clh ¡®ynxgi gnrxi¡¯ cr ynhob xeeureudxchnp docr clh ljmxo zrunb.


    cldt grjnb yh grotdbhuhb x cpeh rv wxggdoxcdro. yd tx-yhrn nxjklhb, tcxcdok clxc dc zxto''c x bhgdtdro clxc zrjnb uhtjnc do x nrtt ro x exo-ljmxo tgxnh. ldt xccdcjbh rv ¡®zlxc brht dc mxcchu dv x vhz ehrenh bdh¡¯ zxt dobhhb tlxmhnhtt, yhvdccdok rv xo t-uxoi.


    ¡°xob uhkxubdok clxc ljochu glx xux zh txz nxtc cdmh.¡±


    ¡°rl, dt clhuh x eurynhm zdcl clxc ehutro?¡±


    ¡°zhnn, clxc dt...¡±


    prr tjok-zrro tguxcglhb ldt ohgi.


    ¡°trro, kdr zdnn ndihnp mhhc zdcl lhu vxmdnp.¡±


    ¡°mp krrbohtt.¡±


    yd tx-yhrn''t vxgh yudklchohb je.


    ¡°dt kdr krdok rjc xkxdo?¡±


    ¡°xt d mhocdrohb do clh euhwdrjt uheruc, dc thhmt ndih kdr zdnn yh rythuwdok clh tjo uhndkdro¡¯t dodcdxcdro ghuhmrop.¡±


    ¡°tdogh dc''t x erucuxdc clxc brhto''c exucdgjnxunp hofrp ordtp hwhoct, d clrjklc dc mdklc glxokh dct mdob.¡±


    ¡°d zxt xntr groghuohb uhkxubdok clxc exuc, tr d xtihb xkxdo, yjc thhmt ndih clhuh xuh tcdnn clrjklct rv krdok rjc.¡±


    ¡°clh vdutc rjcdok thhmhb cr lxwh kroh whup tmrrclnp, yjc dc dt joghucxdo zlhclhu clh thgrob roh zdnn yh clh txmh.¡±


    ¡°tcudgcnp tehxidok, dto''c cldt clh cldub rjcdok? kdr lxt xnuhxbp mhc ljochu glx xux xc ''khm''t zxchu whdo.''¡±


    ¡°tcudgcnp tehxidok, cldt zrjnb yh clh erucuxdc¡¯t rvvdgdxn ljmxo dmdcxcdro. dc''t ajdch xo hofrpxynh mxcchu.¡±


    ¡°...hofrpxynh...¡±


    ¡°uhghocnp, clh thx lxt yhho cjuyjnhoc. clhuh thhmt cr yh x glxokh do kdr''t ehutroxndcp xt zhnn... lmm.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    prr tjok-zrro yhgxmh johxtp.


    ¡°...lhxudok prj tehxi ndih cldt, dc thhmt x ydc tcuxokh. yp xop glxogh, lxwh prj thho trmhcldok? ndih clh vjcjuh, ehulxet?¡±


    ¡°mp tidnn dt xeeuxdtxn. enhxth uhvuxdo vurm mxidok tcuxokh vxnth tcxchmhoct, gjuxcru prr tjok-zrro.¡±


    yd tx-yhrn nxjklhb.


    ¡°yjc dc thhmt ndih dc zrjnb yh vjo.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    prr tjok-zrro kudcchb ldt chhcl.


    vru yd tx-yhrn, zlr zxt vxmrjt vru lxwdok tlxue hpht, cr txp, ''dc thhmt ndih dc zrjnb yh vjo¡¯ cujnp trjob ndih clh tlruchodok rv roh''t ndvhtexo.

 Chapter 54

    Meanwhile, in the peaceful cabin.


    Gio was examining his new family member.


    ¡°ls this little one fully grown?¡±


    ¡°Pyaarrr.¡±


    ¡°How cute.¡±


    It was a cuteness that brought peace to the mind.


    As it flopped down and waved its four paws, Gio gently grasped Anticat''s two front paws. Earth cats usually hate having their paws held, but Anticat didn''t seem to mind much.


    Like playing with a newborn baby, he lightly held the front paws and waved them around a few times.


    ¡°Purrrr...¡±


    ¡°Doesn''t seem to dislike it.¡±


    ¡°Meow.¡±


    ¡°A cat is still a cat.¡±


    ¡°Mmmeung.¡±


    ¡°lt''s extremely cold.¡±


    Anticat''s body was cool, like touching a stalactite in a remote cave.


    ¡°Honey, you''re the complete opposite.¡±


    ¡°Coo r?¡±


    ¡°You''re warm.¡±


    Perhaps because it evolved from Lulupu juice that grew under sunlight and moonlight, Honey''s tiny body was exceptionally warm. It seemed to have gotten even warmer recently thanks to receiving abundant affection from the Sun God.


    ¡°lt seems like it''ll be hard to stick with Honey when it''s this cold...¡±


    Though he wasn''t sure if there was any scientific basis, doesn''t one sometimes think that if they grab naturally cold-blooded creatures like fish or frogs with human hands, it might burn them?


    ¡°Tell me if it''s uncomfortable for me to touch you, little one.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°You''re eerily quiet. Good girl, good girl. Very clever.¡±


    It doesn''t seem to be uncomfortable.


    ¡°Looks like you understand what I''m saying too.¡±


    That was quite remarkable.


    ''The way it sparkles like a gem... it''s like some kind of identity.''


    Anticat''s body was like that of a few months-old kitten. Its physique contained a dense sparkle, like a well-cut diamond.


    Perhaps because of that, unlike the completely transparent Honey, it appeared opaque.


    ¡°lmpressive.¡±


    ¡°M i ew. - ¡±


    ¡°You can even glow on your own, how clever.¡±


    Honey stared intently at Gio from the side.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°...Of course, you''re clever too, Honey.¡±


    ¡°Coong.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you''re so cute.¡±


    ¡°Corr.¡±


    Raising kids sure is tough.


    ¡°By the way, what does our youngest eat to grow?¡±


    From what he''d roughly confirmed, it seemed to live by sucking life force-and seemed like they were treated as a kind of ghost on Earth, but if ghosts were this cute, it might not be so bad to have life force sucked once in a while. RA?????O?BE?s?


    ¡°l might need to make a cat tower soon...1 do have quite a knack for making hide-and-seek tunnels.¡±


    ¡°Pyaa rr.¡±


    ¡°There are plenty of tall, rugged trees around here that would be good for climbing, but Anticat will need its own territory inside the house too. If it takes after cats, it''ll be just as sensitive about its territory.¡±


    ¡°Miaw.¡±


    ¡°Since the youngest used to live in ''Gem''s Water Vein'', it might be fun to make a similar environment. I could make a hide-and-seek house like a dark ant tunnel, and put some gems inside... that might work well.¡±


    Now it was time to give it a name.


    ¡°Spa rkl e...¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°...Deja vu?¡±


    It was a similar reaction to when he first thought of the word ''Golden'' for Honey''s name. A response that seemed to ask ''Are you serious, human?''


    Gio tried to be a bit more creative.


    ¡°......¡±


    After a moment of silence, he muttered softly.


    ¡°Da na?¡±


    Among Korean names, it has the meaning of''someone who always goes ahead'', but that''s not actually why he thought of the name ''Dana''.


    ¡°1¡±


    And shortening it further to ''daa'' or ''dai'' seemed too unconscionable.


    ¡°So I modified it a bit to Dana, what do you think?¡±


    ¡°M mu ng. - ¡±


    ¡°I''m glad you like it.¡±


    He passed the test.


    ¡°Phew.¡±


    Gio dedicated this honour to name-givers around the world. Naming truly was no easy task.


    ¡°Now let''s go prepare dinner.¡±


    ¡°Coooorrrrr.¡±


    ¡°We have rice left over from when Student Cha Ara was here, so let''s eat that.¡±


    ¡°Corr.¡±


    ¡°Meang.¡±


    Dana, who had shown little interest in food before, seemed to have had some realization after tasting the bone broth. It was quite amusing to see it following Honey around and meddling with the meal preparations.


    ¡°As expected, nothing works as well as delicious food for kids....¡±


    Gio scraped out the rice cooked with bone broth.


    After scooping out all the fluffy rice grains, he neatly scraped off the nurungji left at the bottom. Thanks to the oil from the bone broth used to cook the rice, it came off very cleanly.


    ¡°Who wants nurungji?¡±


    When Gio asked, rolling the nurungji into balls to make a simple snack, both creatures responded.


    ¡°Corrrrr. Corrrrrrr.¡±


    ¡°Mang, myaak, aak... Meungmangmangmang.¡±


    ¡°...Let''s split it.¡±


    Though there were plenty of murmurs, could there be a choice as timelessly wise as solomon''s? Gio neatly split the nurungji rice ball in half. At that point, the two companion creatures finally stopped muttering.


    Taking advantage of their distraction with the nurungji rice ball, Gio finished preparing the meal.


    ¡°For the bone broth rice, I should try making one grilled rice ball.¡±


    Even if he said this, it didn''t mean he would truly grill just one.


    ¡°For side dishes, grilled eggplant with soybean paste... and maybe simmer a soup?¡±


    Gio headed to the backyard he called his vegetable garden but considered a monster field.


    The pea plant vines still seemed to have a firm consciousness.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Enough to greet him.


    ¡°...This is getting ridiculous.¡±


    Rustle.


    ¡°Yes, nice to meet you. Lovely weather, isn''t it?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Thank you for guarding the garden again today.¡±


    Having received Gio''s greeting, the vines calmly settle back down.


    ''... Though pretending to be normal pea vines at this point doesn''t make it look normal anymore.''


    But Gio decided to respect the pea plant vine''s privacy. He naturally overlooked the fact that ordinary bean stems couldn''t move.


    Anyway, Gio picked four eggplants and assorted vegetables from the garden. After washing them thoroughly, he sliced the eggplants to a moderate thickness and salted them, peeled a radish and chopped it into chunks, and shelled and washed the peas.


    ¡°...Still, adding jerky seems a bit much.¡±


    Gio brought out some sausages.


    ¡°Honey, you don''t like spicy stuff, right?¡±


    ¡°Coorrrrrrrrrr.¡±


    ¡°Thought so.¡±


    It was a mildly seasoned sausage.


    ¡°Aeng?¡±


    ¡°Well, we''ll test your spicy tolerance another time. Since I''m only making one soup, adding spicy sausage would mean Honey can''t eat it.¡±


    ¡°Meuk.¡±


    ¡°I''II grill some spicy sausage for you later.¡±


    Though it might be an unfamiliar combination to Koreans, adding sausage to soup and boiling it together can be surprisingly tasty. Of course, using pink sausages or ham like spam where you can''t even see the shape of the meat particles might be a bit awkward...


    ¡°Shall we peel it now then?¡±


    Gio prepared the sausages.


    By slightly cutting off the end of the casing membrane and gently pushing it out with the back of the knife, the meat bits filling the sausage came out intact.


    During this time, the spices had infused properly, giving off a deep aroma, and Gio sliced the inner flesh and casing membrane into appropriate sizes.


    ¡°Now, just need to throw everything in.¡±


    He added a bit of water to the concentrated bone broth, then placed radish, peas, and the prepared sausages on top.


    The peas grown in the monster field were plump but smaller compared to others, and the sausages were already sufficient to eat raw, so they would be ready to eat once the radish was cooked.


    ¡°And next....¡±


    He lightly grilled the rice balls and made a sauce with ingredients like fruit syrup, soybean paste, and soy sauce. After coating the eggplants with the sauce and placing them in the wood-fired oven, by the time the soup was roughly finished, the rest of the dishes had also finished cooking.


    ¡°Let''s eat.¡±


    ¡°Corrrrrrr.¡±


    ¡°Aeeoook, mmngmangmangmangmang....¡±


    Gio had never heard Dana cry this long before. It was heartwarming to see her love meal times so much. Kids were the cutest when eating.


    ¡°Dad will go offer tribute to the Sun God and come back, so go ahead and start eating first.¡±


    ¡°Meeaang.¡±


    ¡°Corr.¡±


    Gio headed straight to the 2nd-floor artwork storage room. Several landscape paintings hung there. Gio walked directly to the ''Breathing Sea''.


    As expected, the Sun God was extremely pleased, and ...


    ¡°.......¡±


    Gave a gift.


    ¡°...What is this? A certificate?¡±


    ¡°¡±


    ¡°Then shouldn''t I not receive it? It wasn''t originally mine to begin with.¡±


    ¡°¡±


    ¡°...Yes, I understand.¡±


    Though unsure what it was, it didn''t seem harmful, so Gio decided to gratefully accept it.

 Chapter 55

    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Hm? What''s wrong?¡±


    ¡°...Oppa, you bastard...¡±


    ¡°H m?¡±


    ¡°What is that.¡±


    At Cha Ara''s question, her older brother, Cha Eun-hyuk, tilted his head.


    ¡°...A gem?¡±


    ¡°No, even I can tell it''s a gem just by looking. How did you get it?¡±


    ¡°Ah, that...¡±


    ¡°Oppa.¡±


    It seemed he was preparing to make an excuse, but drawn-out explanations were not Cha Ara''s style.


    ¡°Look at this.¡±


    ¡°...lt''s a gem.¡±


    ¡°I got this as a gift from a humanoid monster.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    The eldest, Cha Eun-hyuk, silently pressed his hand to his forehead, while the youngest, Cha Yi-sol, dropped his spoon.


    Cha Eun-hyuk, releasing a deep sigh, spoke.


    ¡°...I''m sorry for trying to brush it off with a lie, let''s talk things through honestly step by step.¡±


    This happened two days before the youngest''s initiation ceremony.


    ***


    ¡°Ah, So....¡±


    Cha Eun-hyuk, the eldest son of the Cha family, nodded his head.


    ¡°Oh, so that insurance money or whatever you kept going on about was that?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it''s money the Collection Guild gave as a sort of damage compensation.¡±


    ¡°Thanks to that, we can buy the youngest''s priest robes, but why are you telling us this now?¡±


    ¡°No, because I fucking didn''t plan to tell you....¡±


    ¡°Do you think we''re that untrustworthy?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? You''re all just ordinary people who''d bruise if I poked you.¡±


    Cha Ara grumbled with her habitually sharp tone. She wasn''t particularly angry or upset, but acting like an overly cautious wildcat was simply Cha Ara''s nature-a habit she herself was unaware of. RaNo¦Â§¦?S?


    Though since the other party was family, Cha Ara continued speaking with a slightly softened expression.


    ¡°Originally, I had no intention of telling you. The youngest has manifested his profession, but he''s still a non-combatant... not a field worker but an office worker... the kind who doesn''t know when he might be chosen. And you''re a complete civilian.¡±


    ¡°That''s true.¡±


    ¡°The Collection Guild also seemed to want to avoid disclosing it as much as possible. Even though I blabbered thoughtlessly like this, it actually felt like a really important secret.¡±


    ¡°But for something like that, isn''t it strange that they didn''t make you sign a non-disclosure agreement?¡±


    ¡°That''s what''s a bit strange. They''d prefer if we didn''t disclose it, but since it''s something that will eventually spread anyway, if your mouth really itches-go ahead and try talking... that kind of vibe? Turns out big companies are more slipshod than I imagined.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about.¡±


    Cha Eun-hyuk pressed firmly on his throbbing temples.


    ¡°So in the midst of that, you told me because you saw that I have that... that gem?¡±


    ¡°They said there''s only one gem in the world with that crystal structure. So what else could it mean? You''ve already encountered that monster, right? If that''s the case, I thought there was no point in hiding it anymore, so I told you.¡±


    ¡°The youngest is listening too.¡±


    ¡°Then should we leave this kid out? Hey, why are you making him feel left out?¡±


    ¡°No, that''s not what I meant....¡±


    Cha Eun-hyuk, who was trying to say something, instead nodded his head.


    ¡°Yi-sol.¡±


    ¡°Yes, hyung.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn''t talk about things like this anywhere else, understand?¡±


    ¡°I''m good at that.¡±


    ¡°1, but anyway, I''m proud of you. Still, if things go wrong even so slightly, your hyung and nuna might taken by some big guild in Seoul and end up living as test subjects, you know?¡±


    ¡°Then I definitely won''t tell anyone!¡±


    ¡°How cool.¡±


    Watching the youngest brat cheerfully giving a thumbs up and the older brother brat praising him, Cha Ara briefly reflected on her life. What karma did she accumulate in her past lives to end up gathering such shitty idiots?


    ''I have to protect them.''


    Unaware that every family member saw each other as someone to protect, Cha Ara mumbled while pushing around her rice.


    ¡°Ugh, this isn''t the taste....¡±


    ¡°You said you got dragged off by a monster and feasted on a seven-course banquet, but all it did was make you pickier. Look at my younger sibling here-no complaints, eats whatever''s given. How admirable.¡±


    ¡°This is so fucking unfair. When have I ever been picky? And he''s my younger sibling too, okay? Why aren''t I admirable? I rolled around here and there to bring back the insurance money!¡±


    ¡°lt may have helped with the household expenses, but you should have realized that my sense of guilt grewjust as much. I''d rather starve than live off your insurance money.¡±


    ¡°You damn pushover, are you trying to starve the youngest? Think money will rain from the sky if you live so naively? What''s next-Grandpa''s ghost handing us lottery numbers from the afterlife?¡±


    ¡°Who do you think you are, acting all high and mighty.¡±


    The Cha family had been pushovers for generations. None of them were in a position to claim superiority.


    Cha Eun-hyuk and Cha Ara were worried that their youngest Cha Yi-sol might get scammed somewhere, but Cha Ara herself was only slightly better, and Cha Eun-hyuk was only a bit better than that. It was like measuring acorns'' height.


    ¡°Didn''t you give away the scarf the youngest knitted for you to a complete stranger last time?¡±


    ¡°Ah, fuck, was I supposed to just watch when she looked like she was freezing to death?! Are you a fucking psychopath?!¡±


    ¡°Then why didn''t you huddle together like penguins without spending money, Hunter Cha Ara-nim! That would have been much more economical!¡±


    But if the opponent was neither a believer nor a human, then what on earth was that energy at that time?


    ¡°The energy of a god....¡±


    There''s no way a mere monster could possess it, right?


    ¡°.......¡±


    The more he thought about it, the more Cha Eun-hyuk felt it wasn''t a matter for him to ponder.


    ¡°...First of all, it''s certain that it''s not just a simple monster. Even Collection only confirmed that it''s definitely not human.¡±


    A monster capable of wielding the energy of a god could no longer be called a monster.


    ''If I had to choose the most plausible explanation, it would be those creatures I usually see.''


    While he knew a lot about monsters or humans within common sense, he knew little about those ''creatures.'' Perhaps there were creatures among them that could use god''s energy.


    ''Though I''ve never seen one before.''


    A creature with such a gentlemanly attitude. Even if it wasn''t that kind of creature and was a humanoid monster, it was still a remarkably benevolent being-as he had personally picked up his lost and abandoned younger sibling, fed her, and sent her home.


    ''But thinking this way, he could be a being superior even to Earth''s gods. The black cloak I saw that day carried the energy of a god, but gods couldn''t possess the black cloak''s energy...''


    His train of thought stopped abruptly at that point. He didn''t want to lose his energy for no reason.


    ¡°...There''s nothing more to find out about its identity no matter how much I agonize over it.¡±


    Instead, Cha Eun-hyuk turned his mind to the future ahead.


    ¡°Cha Ara mentioned she even visited that person''s dungeon.¡±


    Though Cha Ara openly treated the black cloak as a monster, for some reason, Cha Eun-hyuk kept referring to him as a ''person''. Even Cha Eun-hyuk himself hadn''t realized this.


    ¡°Does that mean we might encounter him again someday?¡±


    For now, Cha Eun-hyuk had also invited him to the initiation ceremony. Since the youngest''s initiation ceremony had been decided, the probability of meeting again was high.


    ''Since he seemed quite interested, it''s unlikely he wouldn''t come.''


    Now, the misunderstanding that he was a Sun God''s believer had vanished-but regardless, he was someone who wielded divine power close to the sun. They would undoubtedly encounter each other at the initiation ceremony.


    ¡°...I just hope I didn''t invite too dangerous of a being....¡±


    And so, after a sleepless night spent only worrying, the next morning.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Cha Eun-hyuk momentarily felt dizzy.


    ¡°...Hello.¡±


    ¡°Yes, hello.¡±


    The entire Cha family, who had come to Seoul together for the first time in their lives, encountered none other than Gio.


    That is, the strange man wrapped in the pitch-black cloak.


    ¡°lt''s been a while.¡±


    It was a calm greeting.


    ''I knew the possibility was high, but I didn''t expect we''d meet again this quickly.''


    The black cloak they encountered again still exuded that eerie aura. It wasn''t for nothing that Cha Eun-hyuk had thought ''this isn''t human'' at their first meeting.


    Meanwhile, the white-haired man beside the black cloak also greeted them.


    ¡°Nice to see you again. It seems the whole family has come up together?¡±


    ¡°What, Mr. Yoo Sung-woon and oppa knew each other?¡±


    ¡°We''ve met occasionally while buying fish-shaped buns.¡±


    ¡°Ah, fish-shaped buns....¡±


    Cha Ara, who had nodded, soon glanced at the black-cloaked man with a subtle gaze.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°ls there a problem?¡±


    ¡°...I''II buy you fish-shaped buns later too.¡±


    Cha Eun-hyuk finally thought the flower pig of his family had gone crazy. To openly give fish-shaped buns as a gift to such an intimidating opponent-of course, the black cloak had personally bought fish-shaped buns from Cha Eun-hyuk before, but that was likely part of a social experience....


    However, surprisingly, the black cloak meekly accepted it.


    ¡°l don''t quite understand the reason, but thank you.¡±


    ¡°Well... okay.¡±


    Does he like fish-shaped buns?


    ''...lt''s more humble than I expected...?''


    With that kind of atmosphere?


    ''It feels like he''s about to send a sinner to the gallows for judgment.''


    The black cloak was a being shrouded in a noticeable aura. Perhaps due to his pitch-black cloak, he resembled a malevolent spirit or a grim reaper.


    So much so that he resembled a ghost more than a human, somehow ominous, chilling, hollow-at times appearing as exquisitely crafted as an ornament yet simultaneously giving off a strange eerieness.


    It wasn''t just Cha Eun-hyuk who felt that way.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Looking around, he noticed the gazes of people commuting to work were occasionally fixed toward the black cloak.


    ¡°Don''t worry too much about it.¡±


    ¡°...Ah, yes.¡±


    ¡°He''s always had that kind of atmosphere.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    At Yoo Sung-woon''s words, Cha Eun-hyuk felt a strange sense of unease.


    ''It''s the youngest''s initiation ceremony.''


    Would this end well...?

 Chapter 56

    The initiation ceremony consists of three stages in total.


    ¡°The first is preliminary briefing, the second is preparatory training, and the third is main ceremony.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°...That''s what I understand.¡±


    Sizzle-


    While flipping the pork belly, Yoo Sung-woon asked.


    ¡°ls that right?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, that''s correct.¡±


    Cha Eun-hyuk-the prospective priest''s guardian who had been momentarily distracted by the meat-nodded his head.


    Under Yoo Sung-woon''s leadership, who decided they needed a place to talk after meeting at the station, they were seated in a pork belly restaurant. The enclosed room was quite quiet and cosy.


    ¡°What we''ll hear today is the preliminary briefing. It''s said to cover the characteristics of the priest profession, the training we''ll receive moving forward, and what kind of priest one can become.¡±


    ¡°Then, the preparatory training would be where the prospective priests receive a separate training before the main ceremony?¡±


    ¡°lt would be difficult to conduct the main ceremony right away with young children who know nothing, after all. They''ll learn things like the etiquette to follow during the main ceremony and the roles they''ll need to play...1 believe that''s how it is.¡±


    Cha Eun-hyuk looked at his younger sibling, Cha Yi-sol, and asked.


    ¡°You said that right after the preliminary briefing, they enter the temporary dormitory and learn the main ceremony etiquette, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they said it takes about a day.¡±


    After saying that, Cha Yi-sol turned to look at Yoo Sung-woon and Seo Gio with a bright smile.


    ¡°...Sir.¡±


    ¡°Ahaha, if it''s uncomfortable, you don''t have to force yourself to use formal speech.¡±


    ¡°I''m good at using formal speech.¡±


    ¡°ls that so? That''s impressive.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon laughed while playing along.


    ¡°So, the entire event takes two days in total?¡±


    ¡°No. The preliminary briefing and preparatory training take one day, and the main ceremony takes two days, so I heard the total is three days.¡±


    ¡°The main ceremony takes two days? Since it''s not my field, I didn''t know, but it''s quite long.¡±


    ¡°lt''s likely because to receive god''s gaze, the main ceremony must be as lengthy as possible to gain an advantage.¡±


    ¡°Then that makes sense. Come to think of it, most well-known denominations generally have long initiation ceremonies.¡±


    Gio, who had been quiet until then, asked.


    ¡°ls god''s gaze absolutely necessary?¡±


    ¡°...Well, the thing is, priests who aren''t chosen by God cannot perform significant duties.¡±


    Cha Ara, who had been cautiously observing due to the unusual situation of eating pork belly with Gio, who may or may not be a monster, continued speaking. ?¦Á??O?¦ÂE?S


    ¡°Just because you become a priest doesn''t mean you''ll always have the chance to receive god''s gaze. The biggest opportunity is said to be during the initiation ceremony when you''re first recognized as a priest, and the rest is... what was it again?¡±


    ¡°Either way, during events-or if you gain an opportunity in a dungeon or prove your capabilities as a priest, the probability of receiving god''s gaze increases, right?¡±


    ¡°That''s what he said.¡±


    While the older sister and older brother were exchanging conversation, Cha Yi-sol-with his fluffy, puppy-like hair-stuffed a large amount of meat into his mouth.


    ¡°This is tasty.¡±


    ¡°Eat a lot.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon smiled as if finding him cute. Countryside residents probably don''t get many chances to eat at restaurants, hence why he''s eating so deliciously, but even considering that, Cha Yi-sol was eating quite heartily.


    ''lt makes everyone watching feel good.''


    Perhaps Gio felt the same way, as he kept placing the meat in front of Cha Yi-sol.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You eat well.¡±


    ¡°I eat well.¡±


    ¡°That''s admirable.¡±


    ¡°Hehe.¡±


    The three adults who knew Gio''s identity watched the scene with a peculiar feeling. Especially the two Chas.


    ''Aigoo, Yi-sol....''


    ''What should we do about this friendliness...''


    They had clearly discussed the ''Black Cloak'' over dinner before coming to Seoul, but seeing this, it seemed their younger sibling hadn''t realized that the ''Seo Gio'' before his eyes and ''Black Cloak'' were the same person.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    As the Black Cloak openly took care of Cha Yi-sol, Cha Ara, Cha Eun-hyuk, and Yoo Sung-woon exchanged glances.


    ''Does he usually like kids?


    ''I don''t know either.''


    Yoo Sung-woon shook his head, but upon reflection, Gio had also been fixated on feeding Cha Ara when they first met. He had always gifted food to Yoo Sung-woon and others as well.


    Considering all that, it seemed he simply had a strong interest in filling people''s stomachs.


    ¡°Hmm....¡±


    Well, what''s good is good.


    ¡°Gio, what do you want to do?¡±


    ¡°Are you asking about the initiation ceremony?¡±


    ¡°lt seems to be taking longer than expected. Are you okay with that?¡±


    Gio showed signs of struggling when he was outside the frame.


    ''He''s suppressing his status to the level of an ordinary human-how could it not be hard?


    Even now, Gio was maintaining the level of an A-rank hunter while suppressing his usual status. It would probably take a toll on something like his soul or essence, and he wasn''t sure if he could endure it for three days.


    ¡°I''m worried it might be difficult.¡±


    ¡°That much is okay.¡±


    ¡°Then, that''s a relief.¡±


    In contrast to Cha Eun-hyuk and Cha Ara who seemed to understand what was going on from their conversation, Cha Yi-sol, who had been busily picking up and eating meat asked with a puzzled expression.


    ¡°Hyung, can''t you stay outside for long?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°ls your body weak?¡±


    While Cha Eun-hyuk and Cha Ara were silently horrified, Yoo Sung-woon was only slightly surprised and decided to observe the situation. He was curious how Gio would respond to the young human''s question.


    Still, they didn''t panic and fled in terror. After all, the ''gods'' of this era were little better than dragons amusing themselves in medieval fantasy games. Eccentric gods who disguised themselves as humans or monsters to dabble in earthly life frequently made headlines, after all.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Unlike the two Chas who had somehow accepted this situation, Yoo Sung-woon had his own complicated feelings.


    ''...I knew Gio was a being closely related to the origin, but even so, for him to have divine power...''


    Yoo Sung-woon inwardly swallowed a sigh.


    ''It''s a bit strange. Simply having a high status doesn''t mean one can possess divinity.''


    Could this problem was also related to Gio''s personality?


    ''I still don''t know what kind of being he is.''


    Yoo Sung-woon scratched his neck.


    It had long been clear that Gio was clumsy at imitating humans. Given that Cha Ara-who''d been dragged to Gio''s dungeon himself-and even Cha Eun-hyuk seemed to have roughly figured it out, was there any point in trying to hide it further?


    ¡°.......¡±


    As if sensing the awkward atmosphere that had formed in an instant, the black cloak also seemed to become visibly uncomfortable.


    ''Don''tfeel awkward.''


    If even you act like that, the atmosphere will worsen.


    After hesitating, Gio spoke.


    ¡°...I also have a god I serve.¡±


    ¡°Now you say that?¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, I was just saying.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon, who had dealt with capricious and stubborn children of the origin, smoothly smiled and played along with Gio. He did not want to anger an unidentified being whose identity was still unknown.


    ¡°So, what God?¡±


    ¡°The Sun God.¡±


    ¡°Right, that is the most common god...¡±


    Even on Earth, the sun religion was a religion that had appeared in various parts of the world. Just in this small country alone, there were over 50 temples of the sun. To the point where many assumed it was a religion that had existed since even before the Great Catastrophe.


    And because of that, it was just the perfect setup for bullshiting by saying, ''Hey, I''m a sun god follower''.


    ¡°Ah, so that''s why it felt warm.¡±


    Only Cha Yi-sol fell for Gio''s words.


    ¡°l like the Sun God too.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Why are you thanking him?


    ''Does he really have no intention of hiding his true identity?


    Cha Eun-hyuk nearly choked. For the first time in his life, he was eating at a restaurant but couldn''t taste the food.


    In fact, the reason Gio''s expression of gratitude was because he was thinking of the elderly person resting in the inner room of his cabin.


    ''Father would be pleased.''


    As a son, it was only natural to feel grateful towards Cha Yi-sol who had said he liked the Sun God, especially when he had been feeling sorry for the teddy bear that had become gloomy due to the lack of believers.


    ¡°May I introduce you to a Sun God I know?¡±


    ¡°Wait a moment, Gio.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon put on the brakes.


    ¡°We should give Cha Yi-sol a chance to catch the eye of other gods as well.¡±


    ¡°But I was just going to introduce him....¡±


    ¡°Why are you making that introduction in the first place?¡±


    ¡°lsn''t it good to have more friends?¡±


    ¡°Can a god and Cha Yi-sol become friends?¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Oh....¡±


    Gio had intended to introduce the lonely, ageing teddy bear, but to the adults unaware of the circumstances, his gesture came off as tantamount to declaring, Tm practically the Sun God, and I want to befriend you.''


    ''He really has no prejudices whatsoever.''


    This was definitely not a conversation to be had in a pork belly restaurant.


    ¡°...Gio, you really have a big heart.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°AIright, let''s eat.¡±


    It seemed they should quickly show him the initiation ceremony and send him back into the frame.


    ***


    ¡°.......¡±


    Bi Sa-beol blinked at the text message from Yoo Sung-woon.


    ¡°...The Sun God, huh.¡±


    He hadn''t particularly considered that possibility.


    ''From the beginning, there was no sense of divinity in Gio''s Portrait. It must be accurate to say that it''s not something that could be felt unless he shows it himself.''


    Moreover, it was still too unstable to definitively label Gio''s identity as a ''god.''


    ¡°That can''t be all.¡±


    His divinity was merely one of the many characteristics Gio possesses.


    It remained a perplexing entity. Sometimes, it bore the traits of a monster, at times it had ambiguous aspects akin to children of the origin, and-if Yoo Sung-woon''s words were true-he was also a being possessing divine status.


    ¡°At the same time, he resembles humans.¡±


    At times he becomes a monster. At times he becomes a human. Then, at times, he could also become a god. As if everything in the world were his derivatives.


    ''...But, if we consider it that way....''


    In other words, it would mean that Gio could be referred to as the ''origin'' of everything in the world.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Origin, huh.


    ¡°...Hmm.¡±


    Is there a possibility that it is another personality?


    If Gio stirred up a bit more trouble, he would be able to figure it out for certain, but it''s a pity that his own kindness was holding him back.

 Chapter 57

    ¡°-Oh, look, an initiation ceremony.¡±


    ¡°Should we watch for a bit?¡±


    ¡°Perfect, I was getting cold anyway.¡±


    ¡°Which religion¡¯s event is it?¡±


    ¡°Looks like the Sun Religion....¡±


    ¡°lf it¡¯s the Sun Religion, it¡¯s worth watching.¡±


    For any religion¡¯s initiation ceremony, even non-members weren¡¯t barred from spectating. After all, the more participants the ceremony had, the higher the chance of attracting a god¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Thanks to that, we managed to get seats too.¡±


    ¡°There are more people than I expected.¡±


    ¡°lt¡¯s difficult to earn a god¡¯s gaze with just one or two attendees.¡±


    Of course, there might be cases like Gio.


    ¡®Not all gods are like you, though.¡¯


    Even if Gio¡¯s identity hadn¡¯t been fully confirmed yet, it was certain by now that he was the vessel of some divine entity. Additional factors had muddied the waters, but there was no reason to deny the facts.


    The Cha family had already moved to the event organizers¡¯ area. After glancing around the scene, Yoo Sung-woon, offered Gio a seat. It was a table moderately distanced from the murmuring crowd.


    ¡°Shall we sit here?¡±


    ¡°Sounds good.¡±


    Whether being too close to humans was troublesome or perhaps burdensome-seemingly pleased, Gio gladly took the seat Yoo Sung-woon had offered.


    Thanks to that, it was easier to have a conversation.


    ¡®...Most here aren¡¯t hunters but civilians, so they probably won¡¯t be able to hear our conversation here.¡¯


    Yoo Sung-woon, who had moistened his throat with water from the table, spoke up.


    ¡°Can you handle divinity?¡±


    ¡°By divinity, do you mean the authority of a god...?¡±


    ¡°Similar, or perhaps... you could say it¡¯s like a certification.¡±


    ¡°Ah, so it is a certificate after all.¡±


    ¡°After all...?¡±


    Though briefly puzzled, Yoo Sung-woon soon added.


    ¡°That¡¯s not a strange way to put it. You could see it as a god¡¯s certification.¡±


    Divinity differed from what was commonly referred to as divine power.


    Divine power was the force that humans chosen by a god wielded with their aid, while divinity was the divine status itself possessed by a god and the authority derived from it. They were entirely different in rank.


    ¡°......¡±


    Gio, who seemed to have recalled something, spoke.


    ¡°lf you¡¯re referring to the certificate, then yes, l¡¯ve received it.¡±


    ¡°...You received it?¡±


    ¡°Because I was the only follower.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon instinctively realized.


    ¡®...ls this related to the golden-hair, blue-eyed Gio I saw in Cheonggyecheon Stream before?¡¯


    He had guessed that when Gio¡¯s personality underwent significant changes, his appearance would also transform. The image of how Gio¡¯s hair had turned platinum blonde like fallen leaves that had changed colour as he dipped his feet into the water still vividly came to mind.


    ¡®But since he was so closely associated with water, I thought he might be something like the sea god, rivers, or ponds....¡¯


    It was unexpectedly intriguing that the sun came up out of nowhere. If Bi Sa-beol had been here, he would probably have felt the same. What kind of story lay behind this?


    ¡°Receiving a god¡¯s certification, that¡¯s amazing. lt¡¯s not something that happens often.¡±


    Though he expressed admiration as if it wasn¡¯t a big deal, to Yoo Sung-woon¡¯s knowledge-it was something that never happened at all. No god would ever bestow their rank upon a mere human.


    ¡®Why would anyone deliberately commit an act that would bring suffering to both gods and humans?-


    ¡¯


    However, Gio¡¯s voice remained blunt and businesslike.


    ¡°He said he didn¡¯t want to be alone anymore.¡±


    ¡°...The previous Sun God?¡±


    ¡°As the sole follower, I interacted with him, shared meals, conversed... As we spent more time together, he seemed to develop a fear of being alone as before.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Then he gave me the certificate. He said he wanted to share what he saw and heard, and that it was half a gift. Although it¡¯s called a certificate, it doesn¡¯t seem to be something with a physical form.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon pursed his lips.


    ¡®This ... should I say the previous Sun God was too weak, or that Gio is extraordinary...?¡¯


    It was probably the latter.


    Usually, gods wouldn¡¯t feel loneliness even when alone since they are unique beings, but perhaps during their interactions, Gio made the god feel such emotions.


    That would mean Gio was indeed extraordinary.


    ¡®Besides, if he had been an ordinary human, such a burden would never have been passed to him in the first place.¡¯


    Thinking along the same lines, it would make more sense to say that Gio was a being with a status close to a god¡¯S from the very beginning, which made the Sun God recognize Gio as an equal, feel loneliness and ultimately give away his divine status as a gift.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Yet, this only makes Gio¡¯s true identity even more incomprehensible.


    If the Sun God deemed him equal, didn¡¯t that mean he was simply another type of god? At the very least, it implied he was a being of high enough status to contain divinity.


    How should that be defined?


    ¡®What the hell are you?¡¯


    The deeper he dug, the more mysteries surfaced. He desperately wished someone would just give him a straightforward answer.


    ?k''k''k


    The preliminary briefing proceeded swiftly.


    ¡°lt didn¡¯t take as long as I expected.¡±


    ¡°Is their schedule that tight?¡±


    ¡°That could be the case, they¡¯ll need time to educate the prospective priests.¡±


    Simple hierarchy. The definition of a priest. How such priests should behave, what virtues were required...


    After a brief explanation about those who serve the god, the discussion shifted to matters related to the initiation ceremony. The content would mainly focus on the education and benefits that prospective priests would receive.


    ¡°After you¡¯ve all spoken with your families, prospective priests should follow me. Those prospective priests without guardians may come to me in advance.¡±


    As the dark blonde priest spoke, several children hesitantly approached him. The priest-whose bold features looked like he had come out of a fantasy movie-began guiding the children. His distinct Western facial features and curly hair left a strong impression.


    Though such Western features were common in today¡¯s Korea, his aura felt uniquely solemn-perhaps due to his role as a priest. Gio¡¯s gaze, which had been examining the head priest, fell on the children below him.


    ¡°lt seems those children didn¡¯t have family accompanying them.¡±


    ¡°Well... while family is the most common form of human organization, in this day and age, there are more humans who aren¡¯t part of such blood-related groups.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon nodded as if he knew what Gio was curious about.


    Gio, whose knowledge of humans was somewhat vague, probably understand that ¡®humans form family communities¡¯but there are always exceptions.


    ¡°Do you see how most of those children look unusually unkempt?¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re likely Carnation children who awakened as priests.¡±


    ¡°What are Carnation children?¡±


    ¡°You could say they¡¯re orphans who actively seek out guardians.¡±


    On the outskirts of the city, there were fourth-class citizens-the poor-and a significant number of intentionally abandoned children. There was even a saying that it was the dumping ground for discarded humans, so to speak.


    ¡°Among them, Carnation children are those who promote themselves on the streets to find guardians willing to take them in.¡±


    ¡°They promote themselves?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Children who want someone to take them in carry flowers. Children in slightly better circumstances carry real carnations. If not, they fold flowers from tissues or paper... As long as they have the form, the meaning will be conveyed.¡±


    The so-called ¡®Carnation children¡¯ culture was created right after the Great Catastrophe, during the peak period when orphans were rapidly increasing.


    ¡°The Great Catastrophe happened in spring. After that, Parents¡¯ Day came around-a day when children would give carnations to their parents. So, children made carnations to honour their deceased parents, but there was no one left to give them to.¡±


    Adults who felt sorry for this situation began taking in children holding paper carnations one by one.


    Seeing this, clever orphans who originally had no intention to make carnations started folding them and stood on the streets holding them, which marked the beginning of¡®Carnation children.¡¯


    ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t know much about it either. It happened about a generation or two before me...¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, it started from there-and even now, orphans who wish to be adopted still prepare carnations in that way. Whether folding them from tissues or coloured paper, plucking flowers blooming on the streets or working hard to earn money to buy a single carnation... it all means, ¡®Please take me in.¡¯ ¡±


    ¡°lt doesn¡¯t seem like they go through proper adoption procedures. lsn¡¯t there a risk of being abandoned again?¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t there be? lt¡¯s one of the social issues even covered in elementary school textbooks. They say that right after the ¡®Carnation children¡¯ culture began, there were so many kids getting abandoned that it caused an uproar. There¡¯s no way things have improved now.¡±


    No one seriously considers adopting Carnation children.


    ¡°Not even the Carnation children themselves think so. Right after the Great Catastrophe, people might have adopted them out of pity and tried to treat them like family, but now it¡¯s more like... hiring free labour? That kind of feeling.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    He didn¡¯t know why he keep hearing such shocking news every time he visit this damn hometown.


    ¡®The world has become so much scarier.¡¯


    It felt like one could have their eyes gouged and nose sliced open if one wasn¡¯t careful. Literally.


    ¡°But couldn¡¯t those children just be ordinary orphans instead of Carnation children?¡±


    ¡°Even if they¡¯ve awakened as priests, usually temples only take responsibility for Carnation children.¡±


    ¡°Whyisthat?¡±


    ¡°Because they¡¯re good labour?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Where have children¡¯s rights gone?


    ¡°...Don¡¯t look at me like that. Judging me with your eyes like that is intimidating, you know. To begin with, fourth-class citizens-neglected without proper poverty relief policies-are even rarely hired by regular companies. Unless it¡¯s some back alley production labour, maybe.¡±


    ¡°Is it difficult for fourth-class citizens to get formal jobs?¡±


    ¡°From the beginning, fourth-class citizens have been labelled as ¡®pests who recklessly flock into the city without the ability to contribute, just planting their butts here.¡¯ Not everyone¡¯s like that, but most lack the will to work anyway.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Even if you hire them at fair wages, their efficiency is low, and the public perception is bad-so unless you want to be cursed out by customers, no one¡¯s willing to take them in. Fourth-class citizens are perceived that poorly. lt¡¯s because they¡¯re seen as receiving the city¡¯s protection without putting in proper efforts.¡±


    Companies that hire fourth-class citizens are viewed negatively by the public. Why give opportunities to these vermin who, like bedbugs, laze around doing nothing but trying to leech off the city¡¯s benefits?


    ¡°Similarly, even if a child from the slums manifests as a priest, temples don¡¯t necessarily accept them. The chances of being chosen by a god are low, and they don¡¯t have the capacity to endure the public¡¯s disdain while consistently caring for children from the slums... That¡¯s the general idea, I suppose.¡±


    ¡°The calculation is quite precise.¡±


    ¡°Carnation children, unlike other fourth-class citizens, have their willingness to work confirmed through ¡®Carnation,¡¯ and since they¡¯re still young, the public¡¯s perception isn¡¯t entirely negative. Unless they¡¯ve already been chosen by a god, if a mere awakened orphan is in a place like this, they¡¯re likely a Carnation child.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Gio made up his mind.


    ¡®I¡¯II just watch the initiation ceremony and then jump back into the frame.¡¯


    This harsh world. It was unbearable-terrifying enough to bring tears.


    It wasn¡¯t that he lacked sympathy, but Gio who was just an adult who had grown older-he wasn¡¯t prepared to single-handedly overturn such a social atmosphere.


    Wishing for the world to grow warmer, Gio glanced around. Though his intention was to distract himself, surprisingly-his heart quickly settled.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°What is it? Do you feel a connection because it¡¯s the same Sun God lineage?¡±


    ¡°I was just thinking it feels good because it¡¯s warm.¡±


    He didn¡¯t know why, but he felt welcomed.


    ¡°Especially that god statue....¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°......?¡±


    He¡¯d clearly locked eyes with the goddess statue.


    Gio blinked twice.


    ¡®What was that, an urban legend?¡¯


    His judgment was swift.


    ¡®Still, nothing happened.¡¯


    He decided to dismiss it as a trick of the eye.


    ¡°The statue is impressive.¡±


    ¡°There seemed to be a blank moment just now, but I¡¯II let it slide. I don¡¯t want to meddle in gods¡¯ affairs with this mere human body.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t that Yoo Sung-woon understood Gio¡¯s discomfort, but as a mere human, he gritted his teeth and avoided the miracle thrust before him. After all, he too was a member of the Collection guild.


    Yoo Sung-woon had clearly seen it too-the blatant gaze poured forth when Gio praised the temple¡¯s ambience and the goddess statue¡¯s beauty. He had never felt such a direct divine gaze before.


    ¡®Please, let such miracles happen when l¡¯m not around.¡¯


    He didn¡¯t want to get involved in the slightest.


    ¡°Our dear Cha family seems to be having a conversation too. How about we join in?¡±


    ¡°Sounds good.¡±


    Thus, the two pretended not to notice the divine gaze with all their might, but the priest who served her could not do the same.


    There was a priest staring wide-eyed at the two approaching the Cha family.


    ¡®We¡¯re screwed.¡¯


    Yoo Sung-woon found himself thinking that subconsciously.


    The priest, with his deep golden hair, was clearly the high-ranking priest overseeing the event. Given his appearance here, he must have been among those serving closely under the bishop.


    In other words, he was someone who couldn¡¯t possibly be unaware of where the sun god¡¯s gaze was directed.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    An odd tension hung in the air.


    ¡°.......¡±


    With an expression as if he¡¯d noticed something, the blonde priest gave a faint nod. Perhaps due to his striking features, it made the gesture seem peculiarly sacred.


    Yoo Sung-woon realized the meaning behind that nod.


    ¡®He caught on.¡¯


    It seemed he had realized that Gio possessed divinity.


    ¡°Gio.¡±


    ¡°Yes, please continue. l¡¯m listening.¡±


    ¡°Maybe we should go back now?¡±


    ¡°lf there¡¯s a problem that could be solved by doing so, then okay.¡±


    ¡°Probably not...?¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon wanted to leave work.

 Chapter 58

    As he looked at the figure draped in the pitch-black cloak, the blonde priest, Kang Seo-dam, thought to himself.


    ¡®I never expected a god to appear at an event I was unintentionally pushed into overseeing.¡¯


    This event wasn¡¯t his responsibility to begin with.


    After the priest originally set to preside over it went missing, Kang Seo-dam had taken charge. Yet, he could never have imagined encountering a god in such an unexpected guise at this event.


    ¡®But for an occasion attended by a god in person, it¡¯s remarkably quiet.¡¯


    The Sun Goddess he served was like that, and so was this god who disguised himself as a human¡ªmingling among the crowd to enjoy the festivities. Yet, despite such an extraordinary situation, there was not a single hint of chaos.


    ¡®...Well, the goddess didn¡¯t descend, so it¡¯s understandable people didn¡¯t notice. But for a god who openly took human form to remain this quiet is astonishing.¡¯


    This god must have a profound understanding of humans.


    ¡°......¡±


    Then again, gods who enjoyed festivities were mostly human-friendly.


    ¡®Unlike the Temple of the Sun, the atmosphere here is chilly and desolate¡ªcould he be a god related to death or disease? Given the cool energy, he might even be a deity associated with the deep sea.¡¯


    Gio had received a ¡®certification¡¯ from the Sun God, but that was merely one of the elements that made Gio. Fundamentally, Gio exuded a gloomy aura reminiscent of a funeral.


    Unless he confirmed it up close or made contact, Kang Seo-dam had no way of knowing which kind of divinity he possessed. Making rough guesses, he glanced around his surroundings.


    ¡°...Hmm....¡±


    Pretending to know a god who enjoying the festivities would only provoke his displeasure.


    ¡®There¡¯s no sign he intends to unleash a calamitous miracle. Given how he¡¯s actively interacting with other humans, he likely has no intention of ruining this event. Let¡¯s just let this pass quietly.¡¯


    Perhaps he was a lesser-known god or one who values quality over quantity and had come to this event personally to find his followers. Though rare worldwide, he had heard such incidents occur covertly within religious circles.


    ¡°...This batch is quite fortunate.¡±


    The god in the black cloak might choose someone directly, and even if not, the Sun Goddess had already set her gaze here. The interest of other gods would likely increase too, raising the chances for the prospective priests to be chosen.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Suddenly, Kang Seo-dam realized the black cloak was staring intently at him.


    For a moment, his mind went blank.


    ¡°.......¡±


    The moment he recognized his situation, Kang Seo-dam promptly lowered his gaze without defiance.


    ¡®Nothing is as foolish as trying to directly withstand a god¡¯s gaze.¡¯


    Though uncertain whether out of consideration for other humans or to elevate the quality of his enjoyment, the black cloak had suppressed his status to an almost human level, rendering his divinity barely perceptible. Yet this did not diminish his unfathomable essence.


    A god was still a god, and Kang Seo-dam was a priest particularly sensitive to detecting the rank and divinity of beings. If someone like him were to directly meet a god¡¯s gaze, he might lose consciousness.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Perhaps the black cloak knew that too, for he withdrew his gaze.


    ¡®...Was he showing his consideration?¡¯


    It was truly fortunate that he was a god who understood humans were fragile beings.


    Most gods, oblivious to this and delighting in their games, harmed humans without malice.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Kang Seo-dam quietly swallowed a sigh of relief and checked the time.


    ¡°...In one minute, prospective priests should finish their farewells to their families and gather before me. I will guide you to the dormitory where you will learn the main ceremony etiquette.¡±


    God or not, Kang Seo-dam himself only needed to fulfil his duties as a priest.


    ***


    ¡°I guess I have to go now.¡±


    At Cha Yi-sol¡¯s words, Cha Ara solemnly nodded.


    ¡°Right. If it¡¯s too hard, just run out.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you ever say anything proper?¡±


    ¡°Ugh, why? He can live farming like the village chief.¡±


    ¡°Why are you encouraging him to give up before he even starts? Are you trying to break the kid¡¯s spirit?¡±


    ¡°Just, it¡¯s better to focus on what you¡¯re good at than cling to what you can¡¯t do.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    Cha Eun-hyuk nodded in agreement.


    ¡°If you really feel it¡¯s not for you, you can just leave.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I will! But I¡¯m going to work hard and become a super strong priest to be the head of the Cha family someday!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the head.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll become the pillar of this family!¡±


    ¡°The pillar is also me.¡±


    ¡°See you tomorrow!¡±


    With an innocent and pure smile, Cha Yi-sol turned his attention to the other guests.


    ¡°I¡¯m going now.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll do well, Cha Yi-sol, so don¡¯t worry too much.¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    Having extracted praise and encouragement from the white-haired hunter, Cha Yi-sol glanced at the black cloak with sparkling eyes.


    ¡°Hyung!¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do well, right?¡±


    ¡°I think so too.¡±


    ¡°Hehe.¡±


    Cha Yi-sol managed to get encouragement from the black cloak as well.


    ¡°If I¡¯m chosen by the Sun God, will I have a scent like yours?¡±


    ¡°Do I have a scent?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but you smell like blankets dried in the sun.¡±


    To describe it more precisely, it was akin to a ¡®sun-dried blanket freshly tucked into a closet¡¯. His scent evoked the feeling of building a dark cave with blankets that had been aired out in the yard and hiding snugly inside.


    It was dark, warm, and cosy.


    ¡°.......¡±


    After staring at the black cloak for a while, Cha Yi-sol suddenly made a bold request.


    ¡°Give me a hug, just once!¡±


    ¡°Yi-sol, please.¡±


    This insanely energetic brat.


    Cha Eun-hyuk was appalled by his younger sibling¡¯s disastrous friendliness, but Gio didn¡¯t pay it much mind.


    ¡°If that¡¯s what you want, I can give you a hug.¡±


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    ¡°Come here.¡±


    The black cloak spread his arms.


    ¡®So cool¡¯.


    Perhaps because the light was coming from above, the inside of the cloak was filled entirely with black shadows. The black cloak, as dark as the night sky and as cosy as the inside of a closet, welcomed Cha Yi-sol as he skipped over and threw himself into his embrace.


    And surprisingly, his body temperature was cool. Given the gentle warmth he exuded, he expected him to be warm¡ªthis was unexpected.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I held a child about the size of Student Cha Yi-sol.¡±


    The soft, measured voice falling from above sounded almost like a lullaby.


    ¡°That child was also as small as you, Student Cha Yi-sol.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not small.¡±


    ¡°You are smaller than me. Of course, Student Cha Yi-sol will soon grow into a splendid adult.¡±


    ¡°Hehe....¡±


    ¡°May the sun shine upon you.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Cha Yi-sol raised his head and gazed at the face beneath the black cloak that only he could see.


    Gentle eyes resembling the sea entered Cha Yi-sol¡¯s view.


    ¡°...Wow.¡±


    Those eyes were,


    extremely large,


    and comforting.


    ¡°... Hyung, you¡¯re really handsome!¡±


    ¡°I hear that often.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s awesome.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    The face beneath the cloak, invisible to everyone else, smiled with a gentle radiance.


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Ah....¡±


    Cha Yi-sol let out a sigh of regret.


    Parting with him was regrettable, but what was truly heartbreaking was the sight of his platinum hair and blue eyes darkening as if a lightbulb had flickered out.


    He had looked so cool just moments ago.


    ¡®Doesn¡¯t that colour suit Gio hyung much better?¡¯


    But Cha Yi-sol didn¡¯t press further.


    ¡°Then I¡¯m really going now!¡±


    The other prospective priests had already gathered in front of the actual priest. The blonde priest was saying something while checking the number, names, and faces of the gathered children.


    As he drew closer, he could hear the blond priest¡¯s words.


    ¡°Cha Yi-sol?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°Cha Yi-sol, you will be partners with Eun-ha from now on.¡±


    ¡°Partners?¡±


    ¡°A detailed explanation will follow once all students have gathered. For now, please pair up with Eun-ha and line up. The student over there with blue hair is the Eun-ha I mentioned.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Cha Yi-sol approached the child the priest had pointed out.


    The friend introduced as ¡®Eun-ha¡¯ by the priest had blue hair tinged with a warm turquoise hue. When Cha Yi-sol moved closer, the boy smiled softly, his expression kind and gentle.


    ¡°You¡¯re Cha Yi-sol, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re Eun-ha? They said we¡¯re partners.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s because there¡¯s a rule for priests to work in pairs of two.¡±


    ¡°So two people form a team?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Eun-ha¡¯s pearl-coloured eyes curved. It was a benevolent smile reminiscent of priests.


    ¡°Partners might change after the main ceremony, but they say many who meet during the initiation ceremony stay paired until the end. We might remain partners for a long time... so let¡¯s work well together.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s totally awesome.¡±


    ¡°You think so?¡±


    As he said that, Eun-ha let out a small smile, and Cha Yi-sol felt a sense of de?ja? vu from that smile.


    ¡®Huh, he looks like Gio hyung.¡¯


    Cha Yi-sol instinctively sensed the difference between ¡®Seo Gio¡¯ and ¡®Giovanni¡¯.


    The change in Gio¡¯s hair or eye colour wasn¡¯t merely a superficial matter¡ªhe had realized it signified a fundamental change in his personality and nature.


    And Eun-ha¡¯s smile bore an uncanny resemblance to ¡®Giovanni¡¯s¡¯.


    ¡®Why?¡¯


    Of course, Cha Yi-sol didn¡¯t know the platinum-haired, blue-eyed Gio¡¯s name was ¡®Giovanni¡¯, but he at least understood it was strikingly similar to Eun-ha¡¯s.


    ¡°You have a really cool smile!¡±


    Cha Yi-sol concluded simply.


    ¡°A hyung I know smiles like you.¡±


    ¡°...Smiles like me?¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡±


    ¡°People like that aren¡¯t exactly common.¡±


    Eun-ha rolled his eyes to the side and seemingly muttered to himself.


    ¡°How strange.¡±


    ¡°...Yeah....¡±


    Cha Yi-sol felt something was off.


    ¡®He¡¯s smiling, but it feels like he isn¡¯t.¡¯


    Eun-ha¡¯s smile was strikingly similar to ¡®Giovanni¡¯s¡¯, but unlike Gio, whose warmth could be felt even without seeing him, it carried an inexplicable chill. It had the coldness of a snake or a riverside pebble he had touched before.


    Unaware of Cha Yi-sol¡¯s thoughts, Eun-ha asked with his faint smile still in place.


    ¡°Is the ¡®hyung you know¡¯ that person over there?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Yeah.¡±


    Eun-ha was referring to Gio.


    ¡°It¡¯s Gio.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Blinking silently, Eun-ha asked again.


    ¡°Gio?¡±


    ¡°His last name is Seo. Seo Gio.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see.¡±


    Glancing at the black cloak whose face was completely hidden, Eun-ha remarked.


    ¡°He has a unique aura.¡±


    ¡°Right? He¡¯s super warm, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°Is he someone chosen by the Sun God? Or...¡±


    ¡°He said he¡¯s a follower of the Sun God.¡±


    ¡°A follower.¡±


    Eun-ha muttered in a faint voice.


    ¡°That¡¯s not the extent of it.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°He seems like a very devout person.¡±


    ¡°Super warm, right?¡±


    ¡°He is.¡±


    Yet also cold, as if not quite human.


    Hearing the small mutter, Cha Yi-sol opened his eyes wide, unable to interpret Eun-ha¡¯s words, but Eun-ha did not speak further about Gio. Instead, he asked about his family.


    ¡°Then, those black-haired people next to the black cloak... are they your family?¡±


    ¡°Yep. They look like me, right?¡±


    ¡°You do look very similar. I can tell you¡¯re family at a glance.¡±


    Eun-ha smiled faintly.


    ¡°I also resemble my older sister very much.¡±


    ¡°Really? Then she must be super pretty.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s someone as beautiful as a princess, I¡¯d say.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh... really?¡±


    Do people normally describe their older sisters as ¡®someone as beautiful as a princess¡¯?


    ¡®Seems like a really educated person.¡¯


    Having picked up Cha Ara¡¯s habit of speech, Cha Yi-sol concluded that Eun-ha was indeed an ¡®educated person¡¯. Something about his smile and even his tone of speech¡ªcalm and measured, like Gio hyung¡ªmade him seem incredibly refined.


    And he liked that.


    ¡°Let¡¯s be friends!¡±


    ¡°...Shall we?¡±


    ¡°We can take it slow.¡±


    Since this friend seems to have trouble trusting people, I should be considerate.


    ¡°I¡¯ll wait.¡±


    Cha Yi-sol was a perceptive child.


    ***


    The little mermaid always wanted to know about humans.


    On the water¡¯s surface where sunlight rippled like a net¡ªwhat kind of life did they lead there?


    Why did they, who couldn¡¯t even breathe underwater, sometimes throw themselves into the sea? Why did they rot away like that?


    What thoughts did they have, what did they eat, and in what way did they laugh, cry, and rage?


    The mermaid swam upward.


    Continued upward, until.


    She saw the prince.


    ¡°.......¡±


    It¡¯s warm.


    The warmth spreading across the water¡¯s surface symbolized sunlight.


    Platinum hair, filled with the net-like rays she had gazed up at from the deep sea, flowed in waves like the tide, shimmering like silver on the water¡¯s surface. Despite bearing the color of the sea, the warm light-filled blue eyes exuded a sense of warmth.


    The mermaid princess who ruled the sea was curious about humans.


    Curious about the limits of humans.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Would that human, who resembled sunlight, still be warm even in the depths of the sea?


    So she took his hand, and just like that...


    ¡°.......¡±


    Splash.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Into the sea.


    ¡°...Ah....¡±


    It seemed like she had fallen.


    Eyes filled with pearls hazily blinked.


    Her blurred focus soon sharpened, and her red lips curved into a languid smile. Before she knew it, she had already awakened from her sleep.


    ¡°My, my.¡±


    The beautiful princess clad in a loose doctor¡¯s coat, spoke.


    ¡°I had a pleasant dream.¡±


    Isn¡¯t that right, Giovanni?


    Sprawled on the water¡¯s surface, the little mermaid smiled.

 Chapter 59

    ¡°Was he a foreigner?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon asked in response to Gio¡¯s words.


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    On their way back after finishing the first initiation ceremony and parting with the Cha family. Yoo Sung-woon tilted his head at Gio¡¯s sudden muttering. He couldn¡¯t grasp exactly what Gio was asking.


    ¡°What do you mean by foreigner?¡±


    ¡°The blonde priest we saw earlier at the initiation ceremony briefing...¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s what you meant.¡±


    Gio was strangely old-fashioned. He had outdated common sense like a grandfather, and it seemed he was worried that he might have unknowingly committed racial discrimination.


    Despite always being polite and gentlemanly in every way, he still worries about the strangest things.


    ¡°He¡¯s probably Korean too, right? You might just be confused because his appearance differs from the traditional Korean looks?¡±


    ¡°So he was Korean. With blonde hair, blue eyes, and a bone structure slightly different from the Koreans I know, I thought he might be a Westerner. Was that assumption perhaps rude?¡±


    ¡°It is a rather old-fashioned mindset.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be more careful.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been trapped in the frame all this time, so it can¡¯t be helped that there are things you don¡¯t know.¡±


    Moreover, from the perspective of a being of origin, distinguishing human nationalities might have been challenging. Just as a human without expertise would struggle to differentiate every species among countless ants.


    ¡®Above all, beings of origin tend to take human rules they¡¯ve learned at face value...¡¯


    Beings of origin struggle to understand human exceptions.


    Some couldn¡¯t comprehend why humans skipped even one of their three daily meals, while others failed to understand why hair was absent in some people when it should naturally exist.


    ¡®They would insist: ¡®Shouldn¡¯t humans naturally be like this?¡¯¡¯


    Ironically, it was impressive that Gio had distinguished them enough to label him as ¡®Westerner¡¯. In this case, however, his half-baked knowledge might have backfired...


    ¡°Of course, traditional Koreans generally have black hair and black or brown eyes. Their bone structure is also slightly different. But in this day and age, determining nationality based on hair colour or bone structure is... not exactly straightforward.¡±


    To help beings of origin understand humans, it was best to explain the flow originating from its source. Yoo Sung-woon began another story from the past.


    ¡°You seem to know about the Great Catastrophe. Well, during that time, the Earth was turned upside down. Although it wasn¡¯t my generation, so I don¡¯t know exactly how it felt, it must have been far more chaotic than now. Literally like an apocalypse, I imagine?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°...Do you know what an apocalypse is...?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°Oh, impressive.¡±


    It was likely one of the memories from the personality of the human named ¡®Seo Gio¡¯.


    ¡°Back then, the concept of national borders grew faint¡ªor to be precise, it became faint. People began migrating everywhere to escape the disasters plaguing their own countries, and as a result, the entire Earth started mixing races like a giant salad bowl.¡±


    Because of this, the existence of ¡®pure-blooded Koreans¡¯ has now become rare.


    ¡°If we¡¯re talking about pure-blooded Koreans, in our country you might only find them very rarely in remote countryside areas with minimal interaction with other regions. Some old-fashioned elders even feel extreme aversion to the idea of their children mixing bloodlines with foreigners....¡±


    ¡°Such people exist everywhere, I suppose.¡±


    ¡°There will always be people who abhor change. So, it¡¯s difficult to determine someone¡¯s nationality simply by their appearance. Still, given that the blonde priest you mentioned is even presiding over an event like this, he¡¯s probably Korean.¡±


    ¡°Do they not entrust events to foreign priests?¡±


    ¡°No, rather than that... to be in charge of such a major event, he likely holds a high position in Seoul¡¯s Sun God Temple. Then he must be living in Korea¡ªwouldn¡¯t it be harder to think of someone like that being a foreigner?¡±


    ¡°Aha.¡±


    He understood.


    ¡®So racial distinctions have essentially disappeared.¡¯


    No matter where their blood originated, no matter their appearance¡ªultimately, if they hold Korean nationality, they¡¯re Korean. Even before the Great Catastrophe, that was an obvious fact, but the atmosphere then and now differed slightly.


    ¡®It¡¯s like nationality is treated as lightly as a driver¡¯s license¡ªjust another trivial certificate.¡¯


    Yoo Sung-woon had argued that the priest¡¯s ethnicity must be Korean simply because he commuted to work here. It wasn¡¯t about where or to whom one was born¡ªif someone was registered as Korean, they were judged as Korean.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Truly a unified Earth.


    ¡®...It seems good.¡¯


    This felt somewhat ideal.


    ¡®Though a bit unfamiliar.¡¯


    Gio was still distinguishing between his homeland and foreigners. He wondered if he might not even be able to order food at a hamburger restaurant now.


    To Seo Gio, the living ancestor, this world was advancing too rapidly.


    ¡°I suppose issues like racial discrimination wouldn¡¯t occur anymore.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the kind of conflict you¡¯d only read about in textbooks now.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon shrugged.


    ¡°Though I¡¯ve said all this, I can¡¯t say it¡¯s entirely gone.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say there¡¯s no distinction between nationalities?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that kind of problem....¡±


    He glanced around, then continued after confirming no one was listening.


    ¡°There¡¯s class discrimination, you know.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    ¡°Though it may sound like an excuse... I don¡¯t have strong opinions on it, but first or second-class citizens seem particularly haughty. Especially first-class hunters find interacting with third-class or lower citizens unpleasant....¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    When he first heard citizens were classified by class, it did feel ominous. Had the caste system truly been revived?


    ¡°...Is this like the difference between nobles and commoners?¡±


    ¡°Ah, is that easier to understand? I suppose you could say it¡¯s a similar perspective.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised the classification and treatment seem clearer than I thought.¡±


    ¡°Well, anyway.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon gave a small smile.


    ¡°So if you start categorizing ethnicity based on appearances, you¡¯ll be labelled a crazy old man, so watch out. I understand where you¡¯re coming from, but others might perceive it as absurd discrimination.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for letting me know.¡±


    ¡°I wonder if there are any real pure-blooded Koreans left these days. Take me, for instance¡ªI¡¯m not purebred either....¡±


    The wording felt a bit awkward, but Gio decided to let it slide and asked another question he had been wondering about.


    ¡°Is the diversity in hair and eye colours also because of mixed ethnicity? I know pure genes don¡¯t naturally result in blue hair, but I thought I¡¯d ask just in case....¡±


    ¡°Ah, in my case, it¡¯s just the influence of awakening.¡±


    When he mentioned ¡®awakening¡¯, it was probably related to how he became a hunter.


    ¡°Does awakening alter your colour?¡±


    ¡°Not all cases are like that, but if there¡¯s a particularly compatible attribute, the colour tends to change accordingly. Something like blue hair you mentioned isn¡¯t a colour that can occur naturally, so it must indeed be the influence of awakening.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°Attributes aren¡¯t something the system clearly displays like rank or profession¡ªthey¡¯re more like something you roughly define as you understand your own abilities. To add, the attribute I possess is ¡®Frost.¡¯¡±


    Only then did he notice Yoo Sung-woon¡¯s snow-white hair and glacier-cold blue eyes. The colour was similar to those of ¡®Giovanni¡¯s,¡¯ but the hues distinctly carried a cold aura, unlike his.


    ¡°I used to have brown hair and brown eyes, but they changed like this after I awakened.¡±


    ¡°...I see....¡±


    And here he thought hair dyeing was just trendy these days.


    ¡®Was I being too open-minded?¡¯


    To be honest, even after becoming a haunted portrait and seeing unusually flashy hair or eye colours, he didn¡¯t pay much attention. This was because Gio was an open-minded person who respected human diversity.


    ¡®The world turned upside down once, and fashion changed incomprehensibly, so I thought dyeing wasn¡¯t impossible...¡¯


    Or maybe he just vaguely accepted it as some kind of evolution without giving it much thought. Even to himself, he was quite a careless person.


    ¡°I can change colours too.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Suddenly? You were originally black. Wasn¡¯t that your identity?¡±


    ¡°The idea that colour can define a person¡¯s identity sounds intriguing, but I am not black. I merely mentioned it since Mr. Yoo Sung-woon said your colour changed.¡±


    ¡°No... Actually, your black is a bit... um... to be considered that of a native Korean, it¡¯s ....¡±


    Too pitch black, isn¡¯t it?


    ¡®Like an abyss or obsidian.¡¯


    It was hard to describe Gio¡¯s colour as merely simple. That blackness, as though embodying death or silence, often left people¡¯s minds disoriented.


    ¡®Even now, with his status lowered to that of a human, making direct eye contact still feels slightly burdensome.¡¯


    Perhaps puzzled by Yoo Sung-woon¡¯s reaction, Gio asked again.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it just ordinary black?¡±


    ¡°...If that¡¯s what you think, then sure.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon returned to the earlier topic.


    ¡°So, you can change colours too?¡±


    ¡°If I focus a little, I can change it. With this, could I call myself a modern person?¡±


    ¡°A 29-year-old talking like some outdated old man who can¡¯t keep up with the times... Wait, could it be? Platinum blond and blue eyes?¡±


    ¡°So you knew.¡±


    ¡°You changed to that colour before, back at Cheonggyecheon stream and when you took the water taxi, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Could it be that I¡¯ve evolved into a chameleon, unlike others?¡±


    ¡°Rather than that....¡±


    He suspected it might be a personality change.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°What were you going to say?¡±


    ¡°...Just that it¡¯s fascinating.¡±


    By now, Yoo Sung-woon had pieced together his understanding of Gio.


    ¡®Gio likely... has countless personalities.¡¯


    Centred around the personality named ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait¡¯ by the origin, numerous other personalities branched out like branches around it.


    Typically, he acted as the personality called ¡®Gio¡¯, but when specific situations arose, corresponding personalities seemed to take over.


    ¡®He¡¯s truly difficult to deal with. Though the guild leader and I hastily sent him into society due to our greed... If a personality hostile to humans emerges, things could spiral into chaos.¡¯


    Even if that happened, Bi Sa-beol would likely preach his hard-to-sympathize-with tastes, claiming that ¡®dying while appreciating an artwork is part of art¡¯¡ªbut unlike him with his irrational collecting obsession or a gardener like Yoo Sung-woon, it would be nothing short of a catastrophe for ordinary people.


    ¡®I¡¯m at least aware that much.¡¯


    Though his conscience had been smoothed out through various experiences, there still remained a baseline he wouldn¡¯t cross. After briefly pondering how to handle Gio, Yoo Sung-woon spoke up.


    ¡°By any chance, you know...¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Perhaps this wasn¡¯t the place to touch this topic.


    ¡°Can you tell me more about yourself? Not here, but once we¡¯re back at the hotel.¡±


    ¡°I believe I¡¯ve already shared much about myself up to this point.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to delve deeper into certain matters. Once we return to the hotel, I¡¯d like to hear you out¡ªif you¡¯re comfortable answering, that is. It¡¯s part of my responsibilities as a curator, after all.¡±


    ¡°I will do that.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, I truly appreciate that.¡±


    Perhaps thinking this topic wouldn¡¯t resurface before reaching the hotel, Gio abruptly brought up an unrelated story.


    ¡°I¡¯m worried about the cat I left at home.¡±


    ¡°... Cat? You keep a cat at home?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s called an Anticat. I first met it recently at the Gem¡¯s Water Vein.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°But since the teddy bear is watching over it, it should be fine.¡±


    ¡°...Since earlier, I¡¯m not sure how to respond to this....¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon asked with a subtly puzzled expression.


    ¡°Anticat... well, I¡¯ll let it slide since it¡¯s you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you mean.¡±


    ¡°But what do you mean by the teddy bear ¡®watching over¡¯ the Anticat?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s exactly as I said, the teddy bear is watching over Dana.¡±


    ¡°Did you make it?¡±


    ¡°An elder entered a doll that had been abandoned in the sea.¡±


    ¡°And who is this elder who decided to enter a teddy bear of all things?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the Sun God I serve.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    After a brief silence, Yoo Sung-woon decided not to ask any more questions.


    ¡°Hmm, I see.¡±


    He was already confused enough.


    ***


    A soft, stubby hand.


    A doll covered in fur similar to Giovanni¡¯s colour slowly stroked the back of the kitten that had curled up into a round shape in its lap with its hand.


    Perhaps finding the lap comfortable, the gem cat¡¯s body spread out comfortably.


    ¡°.......¡±


    The teddy bear continuously caressed that small gem brimming with dead spirits.


    Patting, stroking, and occasionally covering it to share warmth. Though now it had no divinity, leaving only a trace of the sun, it could still perform a miracle enough to warm this cold body.


    After all, they were simply holding each other tightly.


    ¡°.......¡±


    With its fixed smile, the teddy bear gazed into the frame depicting the blue sea. It exuded a calm vitality¡ªas though a living entity had been deliberately painted into it.


    His child had called this the ¡®Breathing Sea¡¯.


    ¡°.......¡±


    And surely, this must be connected to the world of mermaids.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Gio would meet the mermaids.


    The teddy bear earnestly wished that Giovanni would once again embrace the mermaid princess.


    ¡°.......¡±


    For that, even its own divinity was not too precious to sacrifice.


    Since without such grandeur, this place... was sufficiently bright and warm.

 Chapter 60

    ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯ve been curious about for a while.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon asked upon arriving at the hotel.


    ¡°Are your personalities split?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re asking if my personalities are divided?¡±


    ¡°Well, how should I put it? Like multiple personalities.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Sitting on the edge of the bed deep in thought, Gio tilted his head.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    ¡°...Is that so?¡±


    ¡°However, I do know that I often change.¡±


    Gio flipped back and removed the black hood that had been fully covering his face. As usual, Honey¡ªwho had been hiding inside¡ªplop, tumbled out and landed on the bed. Gio picked up Honey with his hands.


    Immediately after, Gio¡¯s ¡®color¡¯ changed.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Platinum-blond hair close to silver, and emerald-colored eyes reminiscent of a famous resort¡¯s sea.


    ¡°...Ah...¡±


    Even his previously gloomy and calm expression now brimmed with vitality.


    It was the expression of someone exceedingly gentle and mature. His confident, beaming smile even carried a hint of seasoned playfulness.


    ¡°...So, has your personality changed?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t consider this a change in personality.¡±


    Gio¡¯s tone of speech still carried a formal demeanour. However, unlike the previous emotionless delivery that seemed to spit out mechanically inputted words, his current voice now held a calm cadence.


    ¡°Even now, I am still ¡®Gio,¡¯ you see.¡±


    Nevertheless, black cloak¡¯s words were true.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon asked.


    ¡°...How many such ¡®Gios¡¯ are there?¡±


    ¡°As far as I know, there are three for now.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    He could be certain.


    ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait is at the centre, and numerous personalities coexist within it.¡¯


    To understand how that was possible, it seemed like he needed to hear more.


    ¡°The current Gio... should I simply call you Gio?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I was called that before as well.¡±


    ¡°If you were ¡®called that,¡¯ does that mean you have a different real name?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not quite an alias or a real name.¡±


    Gio, dyed in faded colours, looked every bit the polite and noble aristocrat¡ªyet his faint smile revealed a lighthearted cheerfulness. It was a stark contrast to ¡®Seo Gio¡¯ who carried a presence heavier than a thousand-catty weight.


    ¡°Once, in this appearance, I went by the name ¡®Giovanni.¡¯¡±


    One might say he seemed affectionate and gentle at heart, while outwardly appearing as a healthy, vigorous young man. Wherever he went, he seemed the type to be adored by elders and make many friends.


    ¡°People calling me ¡®Gio¡¯ was merely a nickname. Hence, there¡¯s nothing strange about Mr. Yoo Sung-woon calling me Gio.¡±


    ¡°...So you¡¯re a different person from ¡®Seo Gio¡¯?¡±


    ¡°A very similar, yet completely different person. Though now we are one, that was how it was before.¡±


    ¡°...I see....¡±


    Therefore, the probability that a person named ¡®Seo Gio¡¯ actually existed on this Earth increases.


    ¡®I need to discuss this part with the guild leader. Since he seemed to be investigating something, he might have some information even now.¡¯


    As Yoo Sung-woon pondered over the guild leader¡¯s inexplicably gloomy behaviour, he soon arrived at a conjecture.


    ¡®Is Gio¡¯s Portrait... repeating death and resurrection?¡¯


    It had already been revealed through dungeons and beings of origin that this world contained dimensions beyond Earth.


    Then, the ¡®Giovanni¡¯ before his eyes now could have been another type of ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait¡¯ that once lived in a different dimension.


    ¡®If that¡¯s the case, it also explains why the portrait¡¯s personality centred on the name Gio. After completing one lifetime, it might return to its portrait state¡ªslowly restoring its past personality....¡¯


    Gio had clearly stated, ¡®As far as I know, there are three for now¡¯. This meant more personalities could exist¡ªand that Gio himself was aware of that possibility.


    If Yoo Sung-woon¡¯s current speculation was correct, how long would this portrait¡¯s personality restoration continue? Would it ever end? What if a personality hostile to humanity were to be restored...?


    ¡°.......¡±


    No, this was still mere conjecture.


    ¡®...But I now understand that there¡¯s Gio¡¯s Portrait at the centre, and around it are numerous personalities named Gio. That alone is a reason enough to be prepared.¡¯


    Yoo Sung-woon rolled his eyes.


    ¡®If this portrait¡¯s situation could be considered a kind of cycle of past lives, then despite its numerous personalities, its way of thinking¡ªdefining itself simply as Gio¡ªcan be explained.¡¯


    After organizing his thoughts briefly, Yoo Sung-woon asked.


    ¡°...Then, are there any points I should be cautious about? Even if the person called Seo Gio likes sweet potatoes, Giovanni might dislike them. I¡¯d appreciate it if you could tell me such things to keep in mind.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe there are major points to be cautious about.¡±


    ¡°But, uh, how do I put this. If we establish some kind of rules, I can be more polite... Let¡¯s make things comfortable for each other in advance.¡±


    ¡°Hmm....¡±


    Despite the personality change, his sensitivity to manners and good and evil remained intact¡ªand fortunately, Yoo Sung-woon¡¯s words got through. The pale but gentle-coloured young man answered after a brief contemplation.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to leave patients alone when I see them.¡±


    ¡°...Oh?¡±


    Come to think of it, he had checked on Cha Eun-hyuk¡¯s condition before when he was bitten by Honey.


    ¡°Did you say you were a doctor? No, a priest?¡±


    ¡°Both are correct. As a priest, I also worked as a doctor. From there, I went further¡ªbuilding a hospital in a rural village and travelling around to treat people.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impressive.¡±


    ¡°Truthfully, even if you ask me to list rules now, nothing comes to mind.¡±


    The young man smiled awkwardly and continued.


    ¡°I suppose it¡¯s something like, I would prefer it if you didn¡¯t insult the Sun God in front of me, that sort of thing?¡±


    ¡°Speaking ill of others is rude. I¡¯ll be careful to ensure such a thing doesn¡¯t happen.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, and...¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Seeming to recall something, Giovanni spoke again.


    ¡°I might be a bit sensitive about mermaids.¡±


    ¡°...Mermaids?¡±


    Come to think of it, even during Gio¡¯s first tour, he had unusually brought up the topic of ¡®mermaids¡¯. Making a reasonable deduction, Yoo Sung-woon asked.


    ¡°When you were Giovanni, did you live with mermaids?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It was a world where two races, humans and mermaids, coexisted.¡±


    ¡°In what sense are you sensitive about them?¡±


    ¡°In various ways ....¡±


    Gio shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°I was killed by being eaten by a mermaid.¡±


    Just around the time one might consider it a sensitive topic, Gio continued speaking in his usual composed voice.


    ¡°But that wasn¡¯t because the child wanted it.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Back then, humans and mermaids were embroiled in severe conflict, and my students and I were captured and subjected to unreasonable punishments for the crime of forming bonds.¡±


    ¡°...So you¡¯re saying that mermaid child ate you?¡±


    ¡°That child must have been hungry.¡±


    He added with a composed smile.


    ¡°I was already on the verge of death at that time anyway.¡±


    ¡°...I didn¡¯t expect to hear about your death like this....¡±


    ¡°Was the story too sudden?¡±


    ¡°A bit, yes.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember it very well either.¡±


    As the words left his lips, all colour drained from him in an instant, and Gio reverted back to his shadow-like blackness. This was the ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait¡¯ Yoo Sung-woon knew well¡ªthe person who was also ¡®Seo Gio¡¯.


    Now coldly settled into an expression devoid of even a hint of a smile, Gio continued.


    ¡°I¡¯m still in the process of remembering.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re gradually recovering the memories of your personalities over time like that?¡±


    ¡°There are times when I often get confused. Whether I liked the sea or disliked swimming. Such trivial details sometimes clash between ¡®Gio¡¯s, you see.¡±


    ¡°It sounds like a real headache... Is it really okay...?¡±


    ¡°The process isn¡¯t as chaotic as you imagine.¡±


    Gio¡¯s voice was heavy, yet calm.


    ¡°It¡¯s closer to recalling forgotten childhood memories.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a relief then.¡±


    Suddenly, Yoo Sung-woon felt he understood where the heavy silence emanating from Gio originated.


    ¡®...This portrait was forged from countless deaths beyond what I could imagine.¡¯


    No wonder it felt so heavy and quiet.


    For death is such a thing.


    ***


    ¡°.......¡±


    His consciousness.


    Emerges to the water surface.


    ¡°...Ah....¡±


    Sunlight came into view.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Excuse me, are you alright?¡±


    A youthful voice was heard.


    ¡°Can you breathe?¡±


    ¡°...Cough, cough.¡±


    ¡°Thank goodness, you¡¯re awake.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    When he opened his eyes, he saw pure white pupils.


    The pearl-coloured eyes with a mysterious hue were something only mermaids could possess.


    ¡°...A mermaid?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have no intention of harming you.¡±


    ¡°Why am I here....¡±


    Only then did he come to his senses.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    He had gone out to the sea, then was caught by a mermaid and dragged into the water.


    ¡°Did you save me?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes.¡±


    The mermaid, who appeared to be male, spoke with an apologetic look on his young face.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it was my older sister who dragged you into the sea.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of mermaids eating humans... Wasn¡¯t that just a superstition?¡±


    ¡°It is a superstition. She didn¡¯t take you to eat you. But my older sister is very curious about humans, so she probably pulled you in to observe or analyze you more closely.¡±


    ¡°I thought I was going to die, but thanks to you I survived. Thank you for your kindness.¡±


    The young mermaid seemed to have expected him to get angry, but he wasn¡¯t particularly upset. Not only did the mermaid who dragged him underwater have no ill intent, but he also recalled that she was very young.


    Even if humans and mermaids were said to have a terrible relationship, he harboured no ill feelings toward mermaids. Especially since mermaids possessed thought processes and emotional systems different from humans, it wouldn¡¯t be strange if they abruptly dragged a human into the sea.


    ¡°Hmm....¡±


    Looking around, it was the same beach where he had initially been strolling.


    ¡°So you brought me all the way back here.¡±


    ¡°Since my older sister inconvenienced you, ensuring your basic safety is the least I could do.¡±


    ¡°I fully understand how fortunate I am to have met such a kind mermaid.¡±


    He almost died after all.


    ¡°However, there¡¯s a village nearby. You seem quite young even for a mermaid¡ªif you linger here too long, the villagers might attack.¡±


    ¡°Ah, there¡¯s a village here?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Recently, three families lost members to mermaids, leaving them highly agitated. If they spot a young mermaid like you, their resentment might drive them to harm you... While I appreciate your kindness, it¡¯s best for you to leave quickly.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for sharing the information I need to protect myself.¡±


    The young mermaid seemed delighted, perhaps this was his first interaction with humans.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad that the first human I¡¯ve conversed with is such a kind person. Do you live in this village?¡±


    ¡°I was just looking around, considering whether to settle down here. I¡¯m a priest who left the temple to establish a hospital, but I suppose mermaids don¡¯t particularly like followers of the Sun God, right?¡±


    ¡°My older sister and I don¡¯t mind such things.¡±


    Mermaids worshipped the Deep Sea God, while humans worshipped the Sun God.


    Given their differing ways of thinking, dietary habits, and everything else¡ªtraits that easily sparked both large and small conflicts between humans and mermaids¡ªsuch a peaceful conversation was nothing short of a miracle.


    And perhaps, the young mermaid didn¡¯t want to let go of that small miracle.


    ¡°My name is Iser. May I visit you occasionally? If it¡¯s alright, I¡¯ll bring my older sister to formally apologize.¡±


    ¡°Iser... In the sea language, it means Milky Way, right? It¡¯s a nice name.¡±


    The weak should be protected and treated with kindness. Even if the one in question was a mermaid rather than a human, the sun¡¯s warmth had the power to reach anywhere.


    ¡°My name is Giovanni.¡±


    And so, Giovanni built a bond with the young mermaids.


    It was a blissful time.


    ***


    ¡°.......¡±


    Lying on the hotel bed, Giovanni blinked.


    ¡°...Ah....¡±


    He was crying.


    This, too, must be a lingering attachment.


    ***


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Coo.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Coor.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Coongcoongcoong....¡±


    ¡°Ha.¡±


    Only when he heard his son¡¯s disgruntled cries did Gio finally snap back to reality.


    ¡°The synchronization rate has risen significantly.¡±


    The last he remembered, it was around 31%¡ªyet in just a day, it had surged to 59%. After confirming Giovanni¡¯s synchronization rate which now had nearly doubled, Gio pieced together the situation.


    ¡°Was it because of the dream?¡±


    No, more likely¡ª


    ¡°That child I saw at the event venue ....¡±


    The one with blue hair.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Coorr?¡±


    ¡°Dad¡¯s not sleeping.¡±


    ¡°Coo.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    Although it has become a hazy memory like a dream, for some reason, the child at the event venue looked strikingly similar to the one he saw in his dream.


    Perhaps their matching hair colour had triggered Giovanni¡¯s memories.


    ¡®Could it possibly be that child I saw in the dream?¡¯


    Thinking this, Gio soon shook his head.


    ¡°Unlikely.¡±


    Even if calculated generously, it was a story of dimensions worlds apart¡ªone that would require crossing twenty-five neighbourhoods just to meet. A child who should be in Giovanni¡¯s dimension couldn¡¯t possibly be in Seo Gio¡¯s.


    ¡°Even if it were true, claiming to know someone as Giovanni with only 33.3% purity would be downright shameless.¡±


    It¡¯d be like being a stingy boss who pads salaries with gift coupons instead of a proper paycheck.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Well, anyway.


    Gio just decided to go to bed.


    ¡°Lie down, Honey.¡±


    ¡°Coo.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re warm.¡±


    No matter what past or future loomed, Gio¡ªwith his nerves of steel¡ªpaid it no mind.


    Though it might¡¯ve been wise to worry a little.

 Chapter 61

    Long ago, there were two mermaids who called each other family.


    The older sister wanted to analyze the limits of humans, and the younger sibling wanted to learn about human culture.


    Among them, the younger brother Iser, wished for a world where humans and mermaids could harmoniously live together. In this era rife with fear and contempt between the two races, it was a truly fantastical wish to hope for. The mermaid knew this as well.


    ¡°A world where the sky and sea merge¡ªthat¡¯s a truly magnificent wish.¡±


    The one who spoke those words was the first human Iser had ever met.


    Long, wavy blond hair resembling ocean waves. A blue gaze brimming with wisdom. The man, who introduced himself as a priest and a doctor and always favoured wearing white clothes, said:


    ¡°It¡¯s a story that makes me feel good just hearing about it.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    He was born with a colour that mermaids couldn¡¯t help but be drawn to.


    The mermaid revered the human in white.


    ¡°...Humans are endearing yet fickle creatures. Is it still too much to hope for such a day to come?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t say it will be easy. Humans and mermaids are different in many ways.¡±


    He gave realistic advice.


    ¡°Even humans fail to understand and hate each other, let alone the conflicts between humans and mermaids¡ªhow much worse could it be?¡±


    Then he added kindly.


    ¡°But if more people come to share your thoughts, Iser1, such a day will surely come.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Ultimately, it¡¯s a matter of perception. I believe the emotion called hatred can be overcome by understanding each other.¡±


    ¡°...Your words have brought me great joy.¡±


    It was a story as fleeting as a dream.


    ¡°I adore the sun. I think it¡¯s as splendid as humans, each living their brief lives with their own beautiful colours.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard mermaids serve the sea god. Yet here you are, Iser, saying you adore the sun.¡±


    ¡°True, of course, I serve the Deep Sea God... but sunlight is warm and gentle. It holds a different majesty from the deep sea.¡±


    ¡°I understand what you mean. It feels wonderful to occasionally sleep under the sunlight.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s difficult to do in the sea.¡±


    Iser longed for the land.


    ¡°Therefore, I want to witness the lives of humans with my eyes even more.¡±


    ¡°As a son of the Sun, I affirm your courage, Iser.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for not denying the descendants of the deep sea.¡±


    With the help of a human named Giovanni, the mermaid siblings lived disguised as humans¡ªthe sister pursued her dream of becoming a doctor, and the younger brother nurtured his dream of becoming a priest.


    ¡°Even while serving the Deep Sea God, you wish to become Priest of the Sun?¡±


    ¡°Since I¡¯m not an apostle of the deep sea, I¡¯m not forsaking my duty. Above all, wouldn¡¯t unification come faster if I served both gods?¡±


    ¡°A simple thought, yet a good one. May the Sun recognize your heart as family and grant you divine power.¡±


    Giovanni was the only one who did not condemn Iser¡¯s futile dream.


    He was kind and warm-hearted. With a bit of a playful side, he would sometimes toss lighthearted remarks to Iser and his sister¡ªand as both a priest and a doctor, he was skilled enough to save countless people by working through the night.


    Though he occasionally rambled nonsense or grew shamelessly brazen to the point of absurdity...


    ¡°I want to become like Gio.¡±


    ¡°Then shouldn¡¯t you study medicine diligently as well?¡±


    ¡°Th-that¡¯s not what I meant. I don¡¯t want to see blood.¡±


    Giovanni was a person worthy of respect.


    Even in an era full of conflict and condemnation, he alone always remained peaceful, cheerful and gentle.


    ¡°There is blood that flows in peace and mercy too, Iser.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    In a time when everything was changing, only Giovanni always remained in place.


    ¡°Teacher, will you always be here?¡±


    ¡°That cannot be.¡±


    The only thing the siblings worried about was Giovanni¡¯s lifespan.


    ¡°Since I am human, I will die much sooner than you mermaids.¡±


    ¡°I already know that well.¡±


    ¡°Therefore, I cannot clearly say I will remain by your side forever.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°But I promise that everything else will remain the same. This human called ¡®me¡¯ won¡¯t change by being swept up in this era¡¯s conflicts and suffering.¡±


    ¡°...Can you do that even though you¡¯re human, not a mermaid?¡±


    ¡°Even if I die someday, I¡¯m certain I¡¯ll always remain unchanged when you remember me.¡±


    Though parting with him would be a sorrowful event, even with just this brief conversation¡ªIser was able to find comfort.


    ¡°Can you promise that even if your body returns to the earth, you will remain the same person as now?¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, Iser. Since you are my precious student, how could I go against your expectations?¡±


    ¡°Thank you for quelling my foolish worries. Seeing humans constantly leaving and changing must have pained my heart.¡±


    ¡°I understand your feelings. Even I, as a fellow human, often feel bitter about the flow of the world.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s truly a relief that I¡¯m not the only one like that. That I¡¯m not alone...¡±


    He hoped Giovanni wouldn¡¯t easily corrupted or crumble like other humans.


    However, Iser soon came to regret it.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Run away.¡±


    Why did I make such a promise?


    Perhaps if he had made a selfish choice like other humans, it might have led to a better situation.


    ¡°G-Giovanni....¡±


    ¡°Never come back here again, do you understand? This place is no longer home or school.¡±


    ¡°Gio, wait a moment.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think about saving me. You are young, and there¡¯s no reason for you to suffer from the current flow of times.¡±


    ¡°...Teacher....¡±


    ¡°Promise me.¡±


    If you had become selfish.


    ¡°There¡¯s someone here who hid the mermaids! The traitor is here!!¡±


    If only you had succumbed to the terror of a future where pain and death were predetermined...


    ¡°Here it is, set fire here! Burn them all along with those dreadful mermaids!!¡±


    ¡°Drag out that traitor right now!! How terrible of him to raise mermaids...!¡±


    ¡°Why on earth did you hide the mermaids, you who have saved countless humans until now!¡±


    If you had abandoned us, fled or betrayed us... How much lighter this wicked heart would have felt.


    ¡°They have not committed sins deserving of your anger. They are just children.¡±


    ¡°You must be insane, calling creatures like mermaids children. He is a traitor to humanity!!¡±


    ¡°If that label could end this village¡¯s nightmare, then you may call me that.¡±


    ¡°This hypocrite...! Pretending to do good deeds with that kind face while raising mermaids behind the scenes!!¡±


    ¡°I pray for this painful bond to reach a peaceful end someday.¡±


    Giovanni remained noble until the end.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Even when I was trapped in that cramped aquarium forged by human cruelty.


    Even when I couldn¡¯t withstand the starvation so severe it felt like my organs were melting until I sank my sharp fangs into that decaying, festering flesh.


    You were still kind.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Why is it so cold?


    ***


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    A human child asked him.


    ¡ªAnd only after that innocent face came into view did the mermaid realise that he had woken up from a vile dream.


    ¡°Your expression looked really bad.¡±


    ¡°...It seems I had a nightmare.¡±


    ¡°Really? Should I tell the priest?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that big of a problem.¡±


    He refused the kindness with a smile.


    ¡®I don¡¯t want to receive help from humans right after having such a dream.¡¯


    Why had he suddenly dreamed of Giovanni?


    ¡®Is it because I¡¯m in the Sun God¡¯s embrace...? Or because of that human named Seo Gio I saw yesterday?¡¯


    The mermaid rolled his pearl-coloured eyes and recalled the figure he had seen at the event. The man shrouded entirely in a black cloak undeniably carried a noticeable aura.


    The surroundings were eerily silent around him as if all life had perished. Mana withered as if cowering before the emperor¡¯s wrath, and the air itself seemed to shrink away, flowing in stifled breaths.


    He was likely a hunter so formidable that he could no longer be considered human.


    ¡®Of all things, for his name to be Gio...¡¯


    No¡ªperhaps it wasn¡¯t about the name at all.


    ¡°.......¡±


    It was unpleasant.


    To be reminded of his noble teacher¡¯s image in such a fickle and selfish human.


    Now, he despised it more than his current behaviour¡ªpretending to be human and participating in his sister¡¯s massacre....


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Eun-ha, does your head hurt?¡±


    ¡°...A little.¡±


    Stop pretending to be kind.


    ¡°But it¡¯ll get better soon.¡±


    Just act horribly, I beg you.


    ¡®There¡¯s no reason for me to show mercy to humans at this point.¡¯


    No matter what, Iser loathed humans.


    He hated selfish humans for reminding him of the horrific nightmare from that day, and he despised selfless humans for daring to mimic his teacher as if they were anything worthy.


    The mermaid¡¯s wrath was not something a mere lifetime could erase.


    ¡®In the end, they¡¯re just vulgar creatures that squirm like mere insects in the face of pain and death.¡¯


    The mere fact that they had spoken to him¡ªa mermaid¡ªwas revolting enough.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Yet he smiled.


    It was the greatest act of kindness this wretched mermaid could muster.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, did I wake you up?¡±


    ¡°No? It¡¯s not that, I¡¯m just not used to the bedding...¡±


    ¡°Then, for now, we can just sleep together.¡±


    ¡°Eum, thank you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡±


    Even as he grew disgusted by himself¡ªblindly despising an entire race, complicit in his sister¡¯s massacre¡ªhe couldn¡¯t stop.


    Iser curled his lips while watching the human child lying comfortably beside him.


    ¡°.......¡±


    As much as my teacher.


    ¡®Just exactly that much.¡¯


    I wish everyone would die horribly.


    Me too, and all of you too.


    ***


    The day of the main ceremony.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    The priests¡¯ procession began.


    ¡°Is that what I think it is?¡±


    ¡°Yep, it¡¯s the priests¡¯ procession.¡±


    ¡°Seeing they¡¯re all so young, it must be an initiation ceremony....¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about time for the Sun God religion to hold their initiation ceremony.¡±


    ¡°Wow, look how cute the kids are.¡±


    8 PM. As the event was held around the time most office workers were leaving work, there were many onlookers. To receive god¡¯s gaze, initiation ceremonies were typically held in the late afternoon.


    ¡°Even though they¡¯re young, their sacredness is extraordinary¡ªperhaps because they¡¯re priests.¡±


    ¡°Just watching them makes me feel purified. Is it because it¡¯s the sun religion? It¡¯s also warm.¡±


    ¡°Should we call others over? You never know¡ªsomeone might be chosen today.¡±


    Though the concept of gods had become more familiar since the Great Catastrophe, their divine majesty remained. People were excited at the possibility of witnessing the miracle of one of these young priests being embraced by god.


    Even without such calculated intentions, the priests¡¯ procession was enough to draw people¡¯s attention. The swaying censers tinkled like bells, and the sun symbols held in the hands of the prospective priests, befitting the Sun God religion.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s warm....¡±


    ¡°As expected of the Sun God Religion.¡±


    On such a bitterly cold winter day, the sun¡¯s gentle yet majestic procession evoked a unique sense of emotion.


    ¡°...Wow....¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    It was the same for Yoo Sung-woon and Gio¡¯s group as well.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t get a sense of it since I rarely seen initiation ceremonies... So this is what it feels like.¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you seen it often?¡±


    ¡°Initiation ceremonies aren¡¯t held all the time... You have to consider dates and such.¡±


    Among religions with weak influence, there were even some that held events maybe once every ten years.


    ¡°Preparing a lavish initiation ceremony like the one we¡¯re seeing now requires significant capital. Religions without money or influence can¡¯t hold grand initiation ceremonies like this. They just do some prayers at their temple and that¡¯s about it.¡±


    Hence, such events were indeed quite a spectacle. For citizens living in the city, it was a rather special event.


    ¡°They¡¯re starting to head into the temple. Since we¡¯ve already reserved seats, let¡¯s go in early.¡±


    Yoo Sung-woon looked back at Gio.


    ¡°If more time passes, too many onlookers will crowd in and it¡¯ll be hard to find our seats.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it difficult with too many people? You didn¡¯t seem to enjoy the commotion the last time you came out.¡±


    Even though the past tour had ended safely, Yoo Sung-woon still knew little about ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait¡¯.


    It was unclear which random detail might trigger an aggressive reaction.


    ¡®The guild leader would not only dismiss casualties casually but even delight in having a spectacle to observe... But that¡¯s all the more reason for me to be concerned.¡¯


    Bi Sa-beol was only kind toward his own collections, and objectively couldn¡¯t be called a good person, but even Yoo Sung-woon himself¡ªwho thought this way¨Conly felt bitter about people dying and left it at that.


    Around then, the artwork spoke.


    ¡°I am a bit tired, but not enough for you to worry.¡±


    ¡°...I see, that¡¯s good then.¡±


    As expected of an artwork with great patience.


    ¡®Still, I should be cautious.¡¯


    As the procession gradually entered the temple and the crowd began to settle, the priest standing at the very front placed the incense he was holding onto the altar and halted the prospective priests¡¯ steps.


    Like a choir conductor, he gestured to the young priests, organizing them.


    ¡°...Goddess who illuminates heaven and earth with gentle light, please bestow fire upon this place where your servants gather today. These young priests are like sprouts grown under your light....¡±


    The priest who recited the prayer announcing the initiation ceremony, Kang Seo-dam, soon concluded.


    ¡°Receive the small light.¡±


    ¡°Receive the small light.¡±


    After finishing the sun religion¡¯s prayer, Kang Seo-dam bowed his head to the altar, then turned around and bowed once more to the prospective priests holding their sun symbols that stood in their respective positions.


    Confirming that the prospective priests had bowed in return, Kang Seo-dam spoke.


    ¡°This is the Temple of the Sun, but the sun is not forced upon the prospective priests. You will learn how to face the gods and become their servants with the help of the Sun Goddess. May you gain another parent through today¡¯s initiation ceremony.¡±


    Ding¡ª


    Having rung the silver bell, Kang Seo-dam continued his speech.


    ¡°Before cultivating the mind and body to serve new parents, the prospective priests will have time to express gratitude to their worldly connections. Until the closing event begins, prospective priests may greet their families.¡±


    The initiation ceremony was divided into Part 1 and Part 2, with a sort of rest period in between allowing them to spend time with family. Not all religions did this, but the sun religion¡¯s initiation ceremony was like that.


    Thanks to prior training, all prospective priests moved to their assigned positions.


    ¡°Mom, Mom...!!¡±


    ¡°Oppa, I¡¯m a priest now!¡±


    ¡°This outfit is cool, right!¡±


    Some scurried off to spend time with their families, while others moved to the waiting room to rest.


    ¡°.......¡±


    He, too, was about to move to rest.


    ¡°......?¡±


    But Kang Seo-dam¡¯s eyes caught the sight of a prospective priest who for some reason was lingering without going anywhere.


    ¡®...That must be the child called Eun-ha.¡¯


    He was a memorable child with blue hair reminiscent of the sea. Perhaps related to his colour, even his divine power carried a strong, cool energy.


    ¡®I was told that as a Carnation child, he has no family to converse with¡ªso why is he standing there motionless?¡¯


    He couldn¡¯t afford to neglect even a single priest under his care. Kang Seo-dam glanced around.


    ¡®Who is he looking at?¡¯


    Following the child¡¯s gaze, he saw a black-haired prospective priest being embraced by his family.


    ¡®That child....¡¯


    His name seemed to be Cha Yi-sol.


    ¡°...Ah.¡±


    The black cloak was also among them.


    ¡®That¡¯s the person I saw last time.¡¯


    Kang Seo-dam recalled how he¡¯d acted unlike a God, simply observing the event before cleanly departing.


    ¡®The initiation ceremony itself is quite long. If he showed up again today, as expected¡ªwas it to select new followers?¡¯


    With this doubt in mind, he observed and realized Eun-ha¡¯s gaze was fixed on the black cloak.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Perhaps he wanted to slip into that group.


    ¡®Well, that side is particularly bustling. As a Carnation child, it¡¯s no wonder he might feel envious.¡¯


    Fortunately, before long, Cha Yi-sol took Eun-ha along. Being quick-witted, he smoothly introduced his partner to his family.


    Kang Seo-dam observed carefully, wary that such consideration might wound his pride¡ªbut Eun-ha being led along didn¡¯t seem displeased.


    ¡°...It should be fine now.¡±


    The black cloak seemed like a god with a high understanding of humans, so there shouldn¡¯t be any major issues.


    Only then did Kang Seo-dam finally move to rest.


    note: I actually haven¡¯t read up to Aria¡¯s backstory, so I¡¯m leaning towards Iser more with this chapter ( ; w ; )


    regarding chapter 60, the author blatantly uses ????????? (emerald). in previous chapters, ??????? and ??? also used to describe Giovanni¡¯s eyes, both can also mean blue/green. Giovanni¡¯s eyes should be cyan blue, so I won¡¯t translate it as green-coloured words such as emerald unless explicitly stated. rather than Giovanni¡¯s eyes, I actually feel more confused and interested in Yoo Sung-woon¡¯s eye colour. it was implied that his eye colour could change (I remember his eye colour once described as navy blue/??????), so I was waiting for an explanation about it > <)


    also, I change the recent chapters believer -> follower. sorry about this ( ; ¨C ; )

 Chapter 62

    This situation was unexpected.


    ¡°This is Eunha! My partner.¡±


    ¡°The priests basically work in pairs, but I already have a partner.¡±


    ¡°Now Eunha and I are on the same team!¡±


    Seeing Chaisol bragging about his partner to his family, Geo blinked his eyes covered by his hood.


    ¡®Looking at it this way, they definitely look alike.¡¯


    Chaisol must have been flustered because he suddenly brought her here, but he smiled skillfully. There was definitely a difference in that experience, but the blue hair that strangely had a turquoise tint reminded Giovanni of his memories.


    ¡®I think Isser¡¯s name also meant Milky Way.¡¯


    Since dreams are dreams, I don¡¯t know much since I woke up, but the long blue hair reminded me of Isser, the mermaid in my dream.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Hey, these guys....¡±


    Because of Geo¡¯s gaze, Eunha opened her mouth, wanting to introduce him to Chaisol.


    Chaisol made an ¡°Oh no,¡± expression, then smiled brightly and explained.


    ¡°You can tell just by looking at my brother and sister, right? And they¡¯re not family, but this is the Geo hyung I told you about last time!¡±


    Chaisol urged him to answer.


    ¡°He¡¯s so handsome!¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh, yeah....¡±


    Geo was embarrassed by his bold appearance. How could he know he was handsome when he was covered by a hood?


    ¡®That guy probably doesn¡¯t have clairvoyance skills.¡¯


    Geo, who had been embarrassed by being openly complimented on his looks by a child, couldn¡¯t hold back his awkwardness and greeted him.


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Sergio.¡±


    ¡°...My name is Eunha.¡±


    Eunha added briefly, smiling maturely in a way that felt unfamiliar for some reason.


    ¡°Yes, nice to meet you.¡±


    Hmm.


    Gio thought absentmindedly.


    ¡®I guess it was my mistake.¡¯


    It might be a hasty judgment, but the Isser that Giovanni remembered was a student who tried to be polite and courteous, but was also somewhat foolish and teasing.


    ¡®He was awkward in many ways, so his speech ~N§àv§Ölight~ was much stiffer.¡¯


    First of all, he was a friend who was quite distant from the words ¡®maturity¡¯ or ¡®experience.¡¯ Compared to that young student who was like a fresh ray of sunshine, the child in front of him had a somewhat cold aura.


    ¡®It must be a great fate that I met a child who looked so much like Isser so soon after I started to assimilate as Giovanni.¡¯


    Furthermore, the last time he thought of Isser was in his late teens or early twenties, so it felt even more like they weren¡¯t the same person.


    ¡°It¡¯s fate that we¡¯ve come together like this, so how about having a meal together?¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon nodded at Geo¡¯s suggestion.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good. Even if it¡¯s Eun-ha, the Cha family won¡¯t be shying away from us now, right?¡±


    ¡°Ha, but I think that would be too much of a nuisance....¡±


    ¡°Chae-sol, you won¡¯t be able to go outside for a while once you enter the dorm anyway. Rather than two dark men like me and Geo eating together, it would be much better if we were a little more crowded.¡±


    As expected, you¡¯re my older brother.


    ¡®I should learn from that experience.¡¯


    The way you naturally lead others in the way you want them to, but without being rude, was really admirable. Isn¡¯t that the epitome of a socially adept adult?


    Of course, if Yoo Seong-woon had known Geo¡¯s thoughts, he would have been scared to death.


    ¡°Is there anything Eun-ha can¡¯t eat?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t eat meat.¡±


    ¡°Oh, vegetarian? Well, if you look around, there are a lot of vegans among the priests.¡±


    ¡°As long as it¡¯s not meat, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯re not the type to be picky? Then I think it would be better to go with seafood.¡±


    While saying that, Yoo Seong-woon discreetly looked at the child named ¡®Eun-ha.¡¯


    ¡®... I feel a little uncomfortable for some reason.¡¯


    Yoo Seong-woon hid his faint suspicion behind his indifferent expression.


    Yoo Seong-woon, who often encountered the children of the origin, was particularly sensitive to the energy of non-humans. If he felt that strangeness now, he could definitely judge that it was a problem.


    ¡®It doesn¡¯t seem to be the children of the origin, so if that¡¯s the case, then he must be closer to a monster. He must be a dangerous guy after all.¡¯


    However, since he was a prospective priest, Yoo Seong-woon could have mistaken the strangeness of the god.


    ¡®... There are cases like that. Especially if it¡¯s someone who receives a lot of attention or love from God, it can easily make you feel uncomfortable even if it¡¯s not your problem.¡¯


    Because he was particularly cautious about the other person¡¯s young appearance, Yoo Seong-woon decided to swallow his guard. He might be suspicious of the poor child.


    ¡®If it comes down to it, it would be nice if I could at least take Geo with me. Since the behavioral patterns and rules haven¡¯t been figured out yet... If possible, I don¡¯t want to give them too much stimulation.¡¯


    As long as it wasn¡¯t harmful to the work I was in charge of, I couldn¡¯t care less whether the child in front of me was a monster or not. It was a world where monsters killing humans and humans killing humans were commonplace.


    Here, humans were just props. The fact that only about 30 people died didn¡¯t even make it to the news.


    ¡®But I hope nothing happens. If it gets noisy, it¡¯ll just increase my overtime work.¡¯


    Yoo Seong-woon continued speaking nonchalantly, as if he hadn¡¯t even thought about anything else for a moment.


    ¡°Does anyone here dislike seafood?¡±


    ¡°...I don¡¯t know because I haven¡¯t tried it....¡±


    ¡°Then you can try it this time.¡±


    Cha Ara showed a trembling reaction, but Yoo Seong-woon, who had already expected it, brushed it off lightly. It wasn¡¯t a comment made out of inferiority or jealousy, but rather a response that said, ¡®I don¡¯t know anything, so why are you asking?¡¯


    ¡°I know a good hairtail restaurant.¡±


    ¡°Huh? A hairtail restaurant?¡±


    ¡°Even if there are a lot of people, the room itself is big enough, so how about going there? I can guarantee the taste.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the problem, but, uh, isn¡¯t a hairtail restaurant really expensive...?¡±


    When Cha Ara looked strangely anxious, her older brother, Cha Eun-hyeok, showed a similar reaction.


    ¡°Is it okay for us, third-class citizens, to go to a restaurant like that?¡±


    ¡°......?¡±


    Jio, who had been listening to the story without thinking, was quietly embarrassed.


    ¡®... What did I just hear?


    3rd class citizens can¡¯t eat saury?


    ¡®Even though the caste system has been revived, how can it be this scary to discriminate so viciously based on what people eat?¡¯


    Geo, who is serious about eating, became very sad. He was very bitter about his hometown being transformed.


    ¡®If something as big as a disaster had happened, I would have fled to Gangwon-do, so I would have been a 3rd class citizen too. If I had lived on Earth paying rent, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to eat even a single piece of saury.¡¯


    Geo, who was accustomed to a democratic society, was inwardly terrified, but in this day and age, a saury restaurant in the city was a very high-class restaurant. It was the perfect place for 3rd class citizens who were secretly discriminated against in the city to get glares from.


    ¡°I understand what you¡¯re worried about, but....¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon shrugged his shoulders, noticing her feelings.


    ¡°It¡¯s all rooms anyway, and there won¡¯t be many people at this time. If you guys are worried, I¡¯ll look for somewhere else, but since we¡¯re spending money, let¡¯s all eat something delicious together.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon looked back at Eun-ha.


    ¡°Eun-ha, is the hairtail okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it if you bought me anything.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for saying that.¡±


    Even Eun-ha, who was presumed to be a carnation eye, agreed, so Cha A-ra and Cha Eun-hyuk also agreed without thinking.


    ¡°Is this okay...?¡±


    ¡°A hairtail restaurant?¡±


    The Cha family followed Yoo Seong-woon with faces that seemed to have been fooled for some reason.


    Geo, who was trying to move with the friendly siblings, noticed Eun-ha who seemed strangely distant.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    It¡¯s annoying when you act like that.


    ¡°Eun-ha, student.¡±


    Aside from the fact that the child resembled his former student Isser, Geo, who was a teacher in his own right, didn¡¯t like the sight of the child keeping his distance as if it wasn¡¯t his place.


    Fortunately, Isser, who had a dry face, answered Geo¡¯s call with liveliness. He seemed a little flustered.


    ¡°Oh, yes.¡±


    ¡°Shall we go together?¡±


    When Giovanni held out one hand, Eunha, who hesitated for a moment, took it.


    ¡®... Is it colder than I thought?¡¯


    The small hand was quite cool for a child who would boil over with fever just by breathing.


    ¡°Your body temperature is low.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s because of the anemia.¡±


    The child smiled skillfully. It was a gentle and affectionate smile that naturally came to mind when you think of the word priest.


    It might be a little strange to use the word ¡®affection¡¯ for a child like this, but Geo somehow felt familiar with that smile.


    ¡®This student doesn¡¯t suit me.¡¯


    Where have I seen that smile?


    While Geo was quietly recalling his memories, the child pretended to be calm and spoke, perhaps anxious that there was no answer.


    ¡°Are your cold hands uncomfortable?¡±


    If it sounded like a question expecting something, would it be strange? Geo answered without thinking.


    ¡°It¡¯s cool, so it¡¯s good.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying that even though it¡¯s winter.¡±


    ¡°Because you have a high fever.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Eunha, who had been silent for a while for some reason, spoke.


    ¡°Geo¡¯s hands are cold too?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Why....¡±


    ¡°I forgot for a moment.¡±


    ¡°What did you forget?¡±


    ¡°I forgot that I was cold.¡±


    I had been having a dream called ¡®Giovanni¡¯s Theater of Life¡¯ over and over again, so I was so out of it that, to be honest, I completely forgot.


    Even my body temperature.


    ¡®When I was Giovanni, I was a priest of the sun, so I had a lot of body heat.¡¯


    Sergio and the portrait didn¡¯t have particularly high body temperatures.


    ¡®Maybe it sounded strange.¡¯


    These days, the assimilation rate has increased rapidly, so my words have become slurred.


    Contemplating what to say next, I looked back at the child... .


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°......?¡±


    I could see that his small face was frozen.


    ¡°Student Eunha?¡±


    ¡°I was a little cold... and I was thinking about something else.¡±


    ¡°Then, would you let go of my hand?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Eunha muttered.


    ¡°...If I keep holding on, it might get warmer.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you don¡¯t hate me.¡±


    The atmosphere was cold for some reason, but Geo felt that he was a kind and affectionate child by nature.


    ¡®These children need to be fed to their full capacity and gain weight.¡¯


    The grandmother who was the village¡¯s big shot and Sergio, who inherited your firm belief, thought.


    ¡®Become a pig, yikes... .¡¯


    Sergio was the type who could only increase his life satisfaction by fattening up skinny men, women, and children.


    They had such a conversation.


    ¡°Isser¡¯s hands are cold.¡±


    ¡°Maybe... because he¡¯s a mermaid.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s natural for their body temperatures to differ since they¡¯re different races.¡±


    ¡°Does the cold hand bother you?¡±


    Humans despised the cold hands of mermaids, saying they belonged to underwater monsters.


    Giovanni was also a human, and Isser was a mermaid. Giovanni, who was always warm under the protection of the sun, might have felt uncomfortable with Isser¡¯s damp and cool hands.


    However, Giovanni laughed as if it was nonsense. He dismissed Isser¡¯s worries as if nothing happened.


    ¡°It¡¯s actually nice because it¡¯s cool.¡±


    ¡°...It¡¯s winter now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a person with a high fever, so it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s good.¡±


    Even if you have a high fever, who would like to be cold in the winter?


    No matter how much I thought about it, it was a lie to be considerate of the young mermaid, but still... .


    ¡°...Your hands are warm, teacher.¡±


    I held onto the hand filled with that warmth for no reason.


    ¡°Is this high body temperature due to the sun god¡¯s blessing?¡±


    ¡°That could be true. I was born on a summer day when the sun¡¯s blessings were the most abundant.¡±


    ¡°Your hands shouldn¡¯t get cold because of me.¡±


    I grabbed onto it greedily, but I always felt sorry because I felt like I was taking away that warmth.


    ¡°...I...¡±


    Sometimes, Isser felt like he was taking away something that belonged to Giovanni.


    If I, a mermaid, hadn¡¯t insisted on fate, Giovanni wouldn¡¯t have had to deal with people so anxiously, and he wouldn¡¯t have been trapped in this small town with his great skills.


    ¡°.......¡±


    So when he felt sorry for taking away even this little bit of warmth, Geo said.


    ¡°I will always have enough warmth to give to you, Isser.¡±


    ¡°...Isn¡¯t that too harsh for you, a creature of the sun?¡±


    ¡°I meant that you don¡¯t have to feel sorry for just holding hands. Isser, you are often too timid. You can be more confident.¡±


    ¡°But I am a mermaid, sir. The more I learn, the more I doubt whether humans and mermaids can become one.¡±


    ¡°And yet, aren¡¯t we still talking in the same place?¡±


    He was always warm.


    ¡°Unless I become a corpse, you can always hold my hand.¡±


    ¡°...Shouldn¡¯t you hold the hand of a corpse?¡±


    ¡°You have to let the dead go. Then I can go to the sun.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s nature and the order of things.¡±


    The foolish mermaid didn¡¯t know, but your words that were so warm were actually wrong.


    Even your hands that were full of warmth became so cold after being suffocated by the seawater. You must have been unable to return to the sun even after death.


    Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t have been so cold. Your corpse couldn¡¯t have been so cold.


    ¡°...I feel sad already....¡±


    And yet.


    In the end, that¡¯s how it happened.


    ¡®... Why does it remind me of that person so much?¡¯


    Iser thought as he looked at the black cloak sitting next to him.


    ¡®In that case, why is the sun¡¯s energy so strong?¡¯


    It became even clearer when he looked closer.


    This person was not simply a strong human, but he possessed the divinity of the sun. A great qualification that only a god can possess.


    ¡®He seems to have a high level of understanding of humans, so perhaps he inherited his divinity while still human.¡¯


    If so, Isser would hate this black cloak.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Do you have no appetite?¡±


    With that endearing name, Geo, and with the warmth of my benefactor... Why the god of the sun?


    ¡®Is this the work of the sun god?¡¯


    During the long, miserable days, Isser learned a lot about humans, gods, and the world.


    ¡®Perhaps the sun god of Earth, who was wary of mermaids and the deep sea, did this.¡¯


    He committed the atrocity of passing on the energy of the sun to a human who looked exactly like that person.


    ¡®... It¡¯s still horrible.¡¯


    Whether they were gods or humans, the creators of the sun always made me sick.


    ¡°...Just, this is my first time at a restaurant like this....¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°You can take your time.¡±


    The black cloak¡¯s voice was calm and affectionate.


    ¡®How strange.¡¯


    At some moments, it seemed as if it was a quiet corpse, but when it looked back at me, it gave me its kindness with a soft rhythm.


    ¡®I wonder what your exact identity is.¡¯


    Even if it was a god or a human, it was an act that did not befit that cruel race.


    ¡°...Thank you.¡±


    Even as he greeted her, Isser felt a hypocritical anxiety. It was a small anxiety that faintly tickled the tips of his feet.


    ¡®Sister, you will soon call the sea.¡¯


    Even that hot sun loses its vitality when it sinks into the sea. Isser had already confirmed this several times, so this person would probably be the same without exception.


    Could this hand become even colder than it is now?


    ¡°.......¡±


    That seemed a bit sad.


    It was a feeling I hadn¡¯t felt in quite some time.


    When they returned to the temple, the blue-haired Eunha grabbed Geo.


    ¡°Mr. Geo.¡±


    ¡°Yes, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    The hesitant child asked.


    ¡°...Do you like the ocean?¡±


    ¡°I like water.¡±


    ¡°Are you good at swimming?¡±


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not very good at it.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    The child, who had been silent as if he was thinking of something or lost in thought, soon opened his mouth.


    ¡°I hope it won¡¯t be too cold.¡±


    ¡°I heard that this winter is particularly cold.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your concern.¡±


    Geo realized that the child was not worried about him, but about himself. Rather than worrying about him as a person, he seemed to be worried that something he didn¡¯t like would happen.


    He was a child who had a twisted side because his thoughts were too deep.


    ¡®If he does that, his life will be tiring. It¡¯s really unfortunate. Just because he¡¯s mature doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s good.¡¯


    For Geo, who could cleanly erase a month¡¯s worth of worries with just one sweet potato, it was an unimaginable ordeal.


    ¡°It looks like the main meal will start soon.¡±


    ¡°...That¡¯s right, I¡¯ll go now.¡±


    The child added as if saying goodbye.


    ¡°It was fun.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, that¡¯s good.¡±


    Geo realized that it was a lie.


    ¡®...This is truly hell, Republic of Korea...¡¯


    The children were no pushovers either.


    ¡®It¡¯s a tough world for a sloppy guy like me who knows how to eat well to survive.¡¯


    Today, too, it was a haunted portrait that was trying hard to keep him from getting scared.

 Chapter 63

    I tried hard.


    Iser was strong-willed and selfless enough to hate the existence of humans overnight. He tried to approach humans several times.


    That wasn¡¯t an excuse to say that I did my best. Yes, I don¡¯t want to be proud of that... .


    ¡°.......¡±


    It was really okay.


    ¡°Are you hurt anywhere?¡±


    ¡°Huh, hwaaak...! This, it¡¯s a mermaid...!!¡±


    It was sad to be despised and hated even after saving a life, but I could endure it.


    ¡°I can heal you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie, how can you believe a mermaid¡¯s words?¡±


    ¡°But....¡±


    ¡°If you touch me, I¡¯ll kill you.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    It was okay that my heart, which had tried its best to be considerate, was trampled upon so easily.


    ¡°Mermaid? Isn¡¯t that a monster?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°They say he eats people. Wow, that¡¯s horrible.¡±


    It was bearable that he was being criticized for his very existence, not for the sins I committed.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Isser.¡±


    My sister called me.


    ¡°Giovanni has been brought to trial.¡±


    ¡°...He¡¯s a famous priest of the sun, so it¡¯s okay, right? We¡¯re allies.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll be sentenced to death for being a traitor. You heard that, a traitor to humanity.¡±


    ¡°But, sir...you¡¯ve saved many people.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a huge stretch. When have humans ever cared about such things?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Didn¡¯t anyone defend him?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s being criticized for hiding a mermaid. It¡¯s no different from what we saw that day.¡±


    ¡°Why no one....¡±


    ¡°Humans are such interesting creatures. You don¡¯t know how capricious they are.¡±


    ¡°...Why....¡±


    ¡°Whenever you praised Geo¡¯s character and abilities and called him the son of God, now that his light has been divided into the sea, you are making a fuss, calling him a disgrace to humanity.¡±


    He was the only person who affirmed the sea. He was a noble being who waited with me for the day when the sky and the sea would become one, saying that mermaids and humans are no different.


    I know how much great mercy my teacher bestowed, how much love and affection he poured out. He was a person who truly cared for his patients and respected his friends.


    ¡°...That¡¯s ridiculous....¡±


    All of that was denied.


    ¡®And to the same humans.¡¯


    That was too hard even for a patient mermaid. She couldn¡¯t bear it, it wasn¡¯t okay, she couldn¡¯t bear it.


    We even mourned and sorted out his natural death for several years, so how can you kill him yourself? How can you act so horribly?


    ¡°.......¡±


    Isn''t that person''s suffering sad?


    "I''m going to try an experiment."


    "......."


    "Do you still like humans? Do you think they are capricious but lovable creatures?"


    "...No...."


    "Then do you trust them? Do you believe that they will return favors, that you can trust them with your back?"


    "...I don''t think so."


    "If that''s all sorted out, let''s go back to the sea with me."


    The sister whispered sweetly.


    "As you know, we can''t influence people with a single look or a single touch like Giovanni. The cold hands of a mermaid would only make a creature of the sun shiver."


    That was right.


    "And that''s why suffering can be reduced."


    "Suffering...."


    That was right.


    "My brother, Isser."


    "...Yes, Sister."


    "Will you come with me?"


    So Isser decided to endure it just one more time.


    ¡°No.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t for the humans.


    ¡°I¡¯ll find another way.¡±


    It was for Giovanni, who loved everything in the world to the end.


    ¡°Humans and mermaids have already started a war, so it¡¯s too late to take the easy way out. It¡¯ll be a war that¡¯s more vulgar and cruel than you can imagine.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s your choice, I must respect it. Do your best until you have no regrets, Isser.¡±


    ¡°...Thank you.¡±


    It¡¯s a sad fact, but Giovanni was not the type of person who dreamed of revenge for being betrayed by humans.


    ¡®So to harass humans and gain notoriety for my benefactor would be to betray him twice.¡¯


    I didn¡¯t want to vent my anger on that noble person in a vulgar way like humans.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Isser endured dozens and hundreds of times after that.


    He saved an innocent child during the war. The mermaids did not understand their eccentric compatriots, but simply ignored them, and the humans instead attacked Isser with ridiculous accusations.


    ¡°One.¡±


    He pulled a pregnant woman who had fallen into the sea to land. However, the pregnant woman struggled to avoid the mermaid¡¯s cold hands and drowned, and the humans screamed that the mermaids were now eating pregnant women.


    ¡°Two.¡±


    He pretended not to see the soldier who was struggling without being worth attacking. He did not want to see blood, but the soldier came to him a month later and attacked and cursed him. In the end, Isser had to see blood.


    ¡°Three...¡±


    The human he had barely become close with was thinking of death or betrayal, and whatever Isser did was considered unclean, and his notoriety grew. The humans poisoned the sea. The child died. He treated the wound. His side was stabbed by a knife... .


    ¡°.......¡±


    And then one day, when he counted.


    ¡°...one thousand six hundred and forty-three.¡±


    It was already over a thousand.


    ¡°...Ah, uh....¡±


    On the last day of counting, Isser ate his mentor.


    ¡°...Heuheu, heuheu....¡±


    His whole body ached.


    ¡°Heuheu, ahhhh...! Aah...!!¡±


    He was hungry.


    His stomach was so hungry.


    ¡°Ah ... .¡¯


    Geo watched the procession of priests at the temple, fully enjoying the pounding of his heart.


    The second part of the event was much more splendid than the first. If the first part emphasized the solemnity typical of religious people, the second part of the event really felt like an ¡®event¡¯.


    Lights twinkled here and there, and the priests¡¯ white clothes fluttered. There was so much to see that it was dizzying.


    ¡°How is it, is it worth seeing?¡±


    ¡°I really like it.¡±


    ¡°Thank goodness.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon smiled his characteristically light smile.


    ¡°I was wondering if you were okay because the event was long.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m definitely a little tired, but....¡±


    Now that he was back at the cabin, he was going to stay home for a week.


    Since he had been getting tired from the moment he left the house, Geo¡¯s stamina had long since run out.


    ¡°Still, it¡¯s an event worth seeing.¡±


    ¡°Is it the influence of the god you are supporting?¡±


    It was a question asking if I liked the Sun Cult¡¯s events because I worshipped the Sun God.


    ¡°That could be true.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t as comfortable as my house, but I felt comfortable at my friend¡¯s house.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Geo?¡±


    ¡°...I thought about my old friends for a moment.¡±


    Are these guys still alive after 31 years?


    ¡®I wonder how the kids are doing.¡¯


    I used to think about it sometimes, but now that I¡¯ve been out for this long, I¡¯m reminded of the people I knew 31 years ago.


    ¡®The elders in the mountain villages of Gangwon Province are already old, so I don¡¯t have high expectations.¡¯


    Still, I thought I might be able to get a general idea of ??how the students I was teaching were doing.


    ¡°.......¡±


    But what if I get caught and taken to the lab...?


    ¡®Usually in movies, a moment of carelessness due to memories sends the person¡¯s life into a precipice, so how can I guarantee that I won¡¯t end up like that?¡¯


    Judging from Yoo Seong-woon¡¯s occasional reactions, it was clear that his evolution from a human to a possessed portrait was a huge deal, even in this hellish Republic of Korea.


    Jio decided to just shut up and go for it again.


    ¡®If it¡¯s meant to be, we¡¯ll meet even if we don¡¯t mean to.¡¯


    He was thinking about such dreams and hopes.


    ¡°Ah... I guess we¡¯re wrapping things up.¡±


    ¡°It was pretty long.¡±


    ¡°This kind of initiation ceremony is also ¡ô N§àv§Öl?g?t ¡ô (Only on N§àv§Öl?g?t) an event that shows the power of the sect.¡±


    Especially since the Taeyang Cult boasts a large sect in Seoul, it would have to show off this much extravagance.


    ¡®There was also an unpleasant disappearance incident recently.¡¯


    Thinking like that, Yoo Seong-woon glanced in Geo¡¯s direction.


    ¡®... No matter how much I think about it, it seems like this incident is related to this guy... .¡¯


    Jio really didn¡¯t seem to have any feelings.


    ¡®Jio really doesn¡¯t know anything, or he knows but doesn¡¯t feel much. Either way, if it¡¯s Jio¡¯s unique personality, there are aspects that make sense, which makes it even more confusing.¡¯


    That was when I was watching the event that was ending.


    ¡°.......¡±


    A momentary intuition.


    ¡®... What is it?¡¯


    It¡¯s cool.


    ¡®It¡¯s not a glacier.¡¯


    Because he¡¯s a gardener, he knows the nature of energy.


    He smelled the pressure of nature that distorts the human body, and the pungent scent that resembled blood coming from it.


    ¡®Then this is... .¡¯


    A cold, damp, dark oppressive feeling.


    ¡®The sea?¡¯


    Yoo Seong-un immediately realized that it was the energy of the sea.


    Isn¡¯t that a feeling that can never be felt naturally? Yoo Seong-un instinctively looked for the culprit.


    ¡°Ah....¡±


    When his eyes met with the blue-haired ¡®Galaxy¡¯, Yoo Seong-un felt a sense of despair.


    ¡°This.¡±


    Gulp¨D...!!!


    ¡°Did I let my guard down too much?¡±


    A piercing blue energy surged forward.


    That energy was not like the swirling fog. It had the ferocity of wanting to take life as quickly as possible, and the brutality of its sharp claws arousing human fear.


    He immediately grasped the situation.


    ¡°This is a virtual dungeon.¡±


    With Yoo Seong-un¡¯s quick judgment, the entire temple was dyed blue.


    ¡°¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¨D...!!!!!¡±


    A loud noise, as if the marble pillars were being scratched by giant claws, rang out, making his ears hurt.


    The whole world was chaotic and chaotic, like glass shards exploding, scratching at the eardrums, and waves of pure white foam greedily devoured people.


    ¡°.......¡±


    The meteor cloud, which always had an indifferent expression, distorted its face.


    ¡®... I can¡¯t predict the damage, but at least there¡¯s something for sure.¡¯


    Today is another day of overtime.


    ¡°Whew....¡±


    Crunch-!!


    ¡°I¡¯m already tired.¡±


    The meteor cloud that created the ice spear he planted it on the ground.


    ¡®You shouldn¡¯t be pushed far away.¡¯


    As an experienced hunter, Yoo Seong-un supported his body with the spear he planted on the ground after making his judgment.


    Yoo Seong-un looked back at the portrait in the strong cold and waves.


    ¡°Geo, be careful...!¡±


    And there.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    There was a huge ¡®eye.¡¯


    Yoo Seong-un felt a terrible silence as if time had stopped.


    What is that?


    Is it an eye?


    ¡°.......¡±


    It resembled nature, but he couldn¡¯t tell if it was the sun or the sea.


    He saw a vision of fragments of light that were split into pieces and sparkling, sparkling chaotically as if they were being born, and reflecting deep waves of unknown depth. Yoo Seong-un couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the portrait swept away by the waves for even a moment.


    There, inside it, was the sea. It was a pure white sea distorted by light. The sea spoke.


    ¡ºWhere the sun does not reach... .¡»


    The voice was like nature.


    ¡ºI have come to the deep sea.¡»


    Why did it sound like a divine judgment?


    I did not recognize it even though I took it in with my eyes. I thought I could hear the sound of sunlight shining down. I heard the sound of warmth. The waves mixed with it and soon hid their teeth and shrank.


    It was only after that that Yoo Seong-un came to his senses enough to notice anything.


    ¡°.......¡±


    The sound was heard again, and time passed, breaking free from the silence.


    The strong noise that had hurt his ears and the tinnitus like the stubbornness of the dead disappeared, and the waves that had been as ferocious as monsters in the abyss died again and became calm... .


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    The scenery of the world changed.


    ¡°Ah....¡±


    A bloody, eerie chill. Yoo Seong-un looked around.


    He could see people.


    ¡°...W, where is this...?¡±


    ¡°Dungeon? What the hell, is this a dungeon?¡±


    ¡°Who, is there a hunter?!¡±


    This place where people who had just come to their senses were making a fuss was definitely a dungeon.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Yoo Seong-un took in the dark blue space like a shadow.


    The vast pupil was so wide that the ceiling was invisible, and water scales that came from somewhere were eerily reflected. Yoo Seong-un¡¯s gaze soon reached the blue water pillars erected here and there in the pupil.


    He sighed involuntarily.


    ¡°...Oh my....¡±


    There were a bunch of chimeras that looked like aquatic creatures stuck there.


    ¡°This is a problem.¡±


    It felt ominous from the moment he entered, and the difficulty of the dungeon seemed quite high.


    ¡®For a typical virtual dungeon, there are more people dragged in than usual.¡¯


    Yoo Seong-woon barely managed to hold onto his spirit of returning to his home and calmly assessed his situation.


    The so-called ¡®virtual dungeon¡¯ forcibly drags people who meet certain conditions to another dimension to play a game. Judging by the number of participants and the bizarreness of the game, one could tell the dungeon owner¡¯s capabilities.


    ¡®And if you just count the number of ordinary people gathered in this dungeon, it¡¯s close to 20... There could be people dragged in from other places too, so it¡¯s excessive in many ways. You can see how much the owner of this dungeon has prepared.¡¯


    And Yoo Seong-woon, as an A-class hunter belonging to one of the top three guilds in South Korea, the Collector¡¯s Guild, was responsible for protecting these people and completing the strategy.


    ¡°.......¡±


    With these ragtag citizens.


    ¡®As expected, he¡¯s an A-class Hunter.¡¯


    Eunha and Isser were inwardly impressed by Yoo Seong-un¡¯s cool-headed attitude as he tried to grasp and organize the situation in an instant.


    According to Earth¡¯s standards, B-class Hunters and above gradually began to deviate from the standards of ordinary humans in their way of thinking. It goes without saying that it was even worse for A-class Hunters, who were of a higher rank.


    ¡®I heard he wasn¡¯t a very famous public figure.¡¯


    It really wasn¡¯t something to be ignored.


    ¡®But....¡¯


    What could a mere Hunter do in this situation?


    ¡®With all this luggage, at best, he¡¯d die with the citizens or choose to run away to save his own life. Such foolish beings are humans.¡¯


    In the shadows of the pupils, far from the commotion, Isser looked at the humans who were causing a commotion in fear.


    ¡°S-save me! I don¡¯t want to die here...!!¡±


    ¡°Where is this place? Where is this place? Hey, where is this place....¡±


    ¡°Gyaaaaaaah...!! There¡¯s a monster! There¡¯s a monster!!¡±


    My ears were tired.


    ¡®... You don¡¯t know how to do anything but scream. You¡¯re really an idiot.¡¯


    The gurgling noise brought back a familiar unpleasantness that I felt dozens of times a day. It was a faded hatred toward humans.


    ¡°.......¡±


    In this situation, Isser¡¯s role was only to open the door.


    ¡®... Even if my predecessor hadn¡¯t suddenly disappeared, I wouldn¡¯t have had to step in.¡¯


    It took quite a bit of skill to open the deep sea door in the Sun Temple, let alone anywhere else.


    ¡®Because of that, I had already recruited and trained one of the humans.¡¯


    For some reason, things got messed up when he was killed by a mysterious strong man.


    The execution date was just around the corner. At that moment, Isser was the only one who could open the door... .


    ¡®There¡¯s nothing I like.¡¯


    Even after mixing in with humans for a moment, neither my body nor my mind were in good shape.


    ¡®This is a race that I shouldn¡¯t interact with for long. I feel like that incompetence is being transferred to me.¡¯


    I wanted to finish this as soon as possible and fall into the silent sea.


    ¡°Hunter, you¡¯re a hunter! How are you going to take responsibility for this!!¡±


    ¡°What... What does this have to do with me, stop talking nonsense like responsibility!!¡±


    ¡°The priests? What the hell, where did all the priests go!!¡±


    ¡°Yes, the prospective priests too... They¡¯re priests, right? Huh? They¡¯re priests?¡±


    ¡°Someone help me, what¡¯s going on!!¡±


    How could I care about something that was so shallow and crazy?


    ¡°.......¡±


    This place was located in the latter half of the path that the humans of Earth called ¡®dungeons.¡¯


    ¡®... It¡¯s too far to go back to the entrance, and the situation is not good for finding the exit, so everyone will probably die here. It will happen even if I don¡¯t do anything.¡¯


    As I was thinking about finishing the job like that, a man wearing a black cloak suddenly came to mind.


    It was the sun god named Geo.


    ¡°...Hoo....¡±


    In a situation where all the humans were scattered to random locations, I felt stupid for unconsciously chasing the man¡¯s location.


    Why would I do something so stupid when I was going to kill them all anyway?


    ¡®Okay, let¡¯s get rid of them quickly.¡¯


    If there were any individuals left intact, they would be honored as my sister¡¯s test subjects.


    It might not be a bad idea to ask for ownership of one of them.


    ¡°...Okay.¡±


    I took a step forward from the shadows.


    That¡¯s when I was about to do my job as a ¡®monster¡¯, holding the staff in my hand.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Ah.


    ¡®... A sign?¡¯


    Isser looked back.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Before he knew it, Black Cloak was standing right behind him.


    ¡°......!¡±


    That¡¯s ridiculous.


    ¡®I confirmed that this guy isn¡¯t here?¡¯


    No matter how divine the opponent was, this situation was unexpected for a mermaid who could even kill a god.


    ¡®Was I too careless?¡¯


    Isser stepped back. Perhaps because he was in the body of a child, he felt strangely intimidated by Black Cloak.


    Since this large body was moving, it was right for someone among the humans to react, but no one turned their gaze toward Black Cloak or Isser.


    ¡®Why?¡¯


    Isser bared his sharp teeth at that indescribable sense of discomfort. It was a fang that had also eaten the body of his mentor.


    ¡°What the heck are you...!¡±


    ¡°Isser.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ... What?


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Ah, Isser....¡±


    Her name was called.


    ¡°.......¡±


    It was a soft call, like a corpse.


    Isser stopped.


    ¡®... My name was called.¡¯


    Like a fish in ice water, he froze and couldn¡¯t move.


    A man as tall as a thick wall bent down and stroked the child¡¯s cheek, and in an instant, the small body was swallowed by a shadow.


    A pitch-black cloak came down like a curtain, completely covering Isser like a waterfall.


    ¡®How....¡¯


    That¡¯s why the young mermaid could see the face of the one looking down at her.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it cold?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Were you in a lot of pain?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°You must have been lonely and scared....¡±


    A person who resembled sunlight spilling over the sea.


    ¡°.......¡±


    That warm platinum hair, and eyes like brilliant waves.


    Those distant blue eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Crying.


    ¡°...Ah....¡±


    Giovanni.


    My mentor, who had met the most miserable death in the world, was now a corpse and crying in front of me.


    Gio lost consciousness.

 Chapter 64

    ¡°Sister.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my foolish younger sister.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my foolish younger sister is here. Is your research going well?¡±


    ¡°Not bad.¡±


    My sister raised her head as she wrote something fluently with a quill made of carved emerald, then put it down.


    Her black, swaying hair, resembling the deep sea, flowed like waves. She smiled like the fierce deep sea.


    ¡°Of all the dimensions I know, the human race is the most diverse. The technology that utilizes the brain varies greatly from individual to individual, and the range is wide, from appearance to emotions.¡±


    ¡°You really like humans, Sister.¡±


    ¡°What are the limits of humans? I thought it would be the end, but in another dimension, a crazy individual that surpasses those limits appears... I can¡¯t stop my research.¡±


    ¡°Then, isn¡¯t there no limit to the human race?¡±


    ¡°There are humans who have become gods in some dimension. But that doesn¡¯t mean that gods are the final point of humans, so isn¡¯t it important to collect samples in one way or another?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s definitely true.¡±


    Isser¡¯s sister wanted to know everything about humans. She even personally created creatures of the sun with the cold hands of a mermaid.


    Of course, that was more often than not when they went beyond human form. She hated humans too, which made it difficult to create a complete form.


    ¡°But it¡¯s strange.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s only one person who can¡¯t be recreated....¡±


    Isser knew.


    His sister was a genius who could make the impossible possible, but only one person. Giovanni, she couldn¡¯t revive him or create a clone.


    Isser thought that she herself was rejecting him.


    ¡°.......¡±


    The created Giovanni could no longer be called their benefactor.


    ¡°...The name of this dimension seems to be called Earth. To be exact, it seems to be the name of a planet.¡±


    Isser smiled calmly as always.


    It was a benevolent smile, very similar to the human named Giovanni, who sometimes aroused both longing and discomfort in the two siblings.


    ¡°Will there be a role for me this time?¡±


    ¡°If things go well, there probably won¡¯t be. I¡¯ll make a separate role for the Earth seed to open the door, so you don¡¯t have to worry too much.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t worried.¡±


    He smiled slightly.


    ¡°If I had, I would have worried about you.¡±


    ¡°I am too.¡±


    His sister, wearing a strange doctor¡¯s gown over her dark blue dress, glared at him.


    ¡°Where do you think humanity ends?¡±


    ¡°How could I know something that even you don¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°Sometimes I get out of breath. It¡¯s because I¡¯ve been running too hard.¡±


    ¡°Even if you say that, you will never rest.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t help but be curious, but still....¡±


    Her red lips twitched.


    ¡°Someday, I will be able to stop.¡±


    She had wanted to see the limits of humanity since she was very young.


    Now, it seemed like there was a purpose to it.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that so?¡±


    If you know the limits of humanity.


    Inside, there will definitely be Giovanni, who was the most noble of all humans... .


    ¡°...Yes.¡±


    We were silently missing him.


    ¡°I think so too.¡±


    We asked the world to see our deceased mentor, but when we finally saw him again, he would not be called Giovanni.


    That was why the siblings never brought up his name. They knew that making him their goal was a terrible contradiction.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Even so, they were greedy.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Good morning.¡±


    Just like when the sun was trapped in the deep sea, like that.


    * * *


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Hey, wait....¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t come any closer.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Geo is part of my party.¡±


    ¡°I told you not to come.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t communicate.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon smiled awkwardly. He didn¡¯t know how to react to this difficult situation.


    ¡®She¡¯s not like a mother bird protecting her young.¡¯


    Eun-ha, who was about the size of an elementary school student, was hugging Geo, who had fallen, tightly for some reason.


    ¡®No matter how hard she tried with that small body, there was no way she could cover everything.¡¯


    She looked really desperate.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon also quickly finished assessing the situation.


    ¡®... Judging by that guy¡¯s overreaction, it¡¯s probably related to one of Geo¡¯s personalities.¡¯


    As a side story to the central ¡®Portrait of Geo¡¯, it was already expected that his personalities would exist in numerous dimensions.


    Considering that, this guy who was revealing his teeth while wrapping Geo around him seemed to be a humanoid monster from another dimension.


    ¡®Judging by the shape of his teeth, he¡¯s definitely not human. So that means that some personality of Geo and this monster in front of me are acquainted...¡¯


    I don¡¯t know if I should call this lucky or unlucky.


    ¡®He looks like the owner of this dungeon, but he¡¯s not attacking at all, so maybe that¡¯s lucky.¡¯


    Yoo Seong-un looked at Eun-ha, who was hugging Geo who had fallen, with a trembling gaze.


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to have any intention of explaining this situation. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but it¡¯s unpleasant. Please don¡¯t talk to me, a lowly human.¡±


    ¡°Yes, this is the right reaction for a monster. Thanks to this, I feel like I¡¯m coming back to reality.¡±


    Monsters are basically monsters that hate humans, so Geo, who always responded to humans in a gentlemanly manner, found it rather strange.


    ¡®Eunha¡¯s current appearance, which is responding to my words in a certain way, is quite moderate.¡¯


    In this embarrassing situation where he was caught in a virtual dungeon, there seemed to be a way out.


    Yoo Seong-woon felt hopeful.


    ¡°Anyway, Eunha¡¯s name must be an alias. What should I call him?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not an alias.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s your real name?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s borrowed from the form of Earth and created it based on the meaning of my name...¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an alias.¡±


    The contradictory reaction of Geo, who answered faithfully every time despite revealing this, was very interesting.


    ¡®It doesn¡¯t seem to be because he has a low level of hatred toward humans. Then, is it because of Geo that you¡¯re answering?¡¯


    Yoo Seong-woon, who was once the research team leader of the association, scanned the other person without any discomfort. Feeling this kind of interest in situations where the lives of others, including his own, were at risk was a chronic habit of Yoo Seong-woon, a gardener.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know what kind of relationship Geo and this monster had...¡¯


    Since this guy also had eyes, he knew that Yoo Seong-woon and Geo had acted together on Earth.


    ¡®They were close enough that even an unsuspecting passerby wouldn¡¯t find it strange.¡¯


    It seemed like he was being patient with that in mind.


    ¡®In that case, it means that this monster is trying to figure out Geo¡¯s feelings.¡¯


    In a word, it meant that Geo was higher in rank than this monster.


    ¡°...Ah, I¡¯m tired.¡±


    I really wanted to get off work.


    ¡®Time has passed and people are gradually calming down, but the atmosphere is still uneasy, as if they know that they were dragged into the dungeon. Many of the people I saw at the event are not visible... .¡¯


    Yoo Seong-woon looked around and asked.


    ¡°Did you drag everyone from the event here?¡±


    There was no way he would pretend not to know now.


    ¡°For a human, he also made some monster-like noises.¡±


    Eun-ha was clearly showing off that he was the owner of this place, perhaps because he was planning to reveal his identity right after the incident.


    ¡°The others seem to be confused by the sudden dragging and don¡¯t even think about checking this side.¡±


    At least, he couldn¡¯t fool Yoo Seong-woon, who was an A-class hunter.


    The owner of this virtual dungeon and the main culprit who had dragged everyone from the event here was the blue-haired kid in front of him.


    ¡°The condition was everyone inside the Temple of the Sun?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°...Ugh....¡±


    Are monsters really monsters?


    ¡®It¡¯s so damn tough.¡¯


    It was a murderous intent that made me wonder how he could have acted like such a sweet kid on Earth.


    The bloodshot eyes, as white as pearls, were red, and just meeting his gaze made Yoo Seong-un¡¯s mind tired.


    He felt awkward.


    ¡®I don¡¯t want to provoke the temper of a guy who¡¯s the owner of such a scary dungeon...¡¯


    Unfortunately, the only hunters in this room were Yoo Seong-un, who was an A-class, a man, a C-class, and a woman who was slightly below C. If Yoo Seong-un, an all-rounder, were to somehow cover for him, there was nothing he couldn¡¯t do...


    ¡®No, I can¡¯t.¡¯


    This was all going to kill him.


    ¡®I could probably run away by myself, but I can¡¯t do that to Geo.¡¯


    It was natural to worry about Geo¡¯s safety. Yoo Seong-un wasn¡¯t the type of person to worry about the safety of this unconscious portrait.


    He just didn¡¯t want to see the screams of Bisabul who lost one of his works, didn¡¯t want to lose Geo, the special material related to the source, and lastly, he was worried that ¡®Geo¡¯s Portrait¡¯, which was left unattended by Yoo Seong-un, would cause some kind of absurd disaster.


    ¡®I can¡¯t just leave the existence of an unmeasurable and extraordinary source in this crazy dungeon and run away. It¡¯s like setting up a bomb.¡¯


    The only fortunate thing was that the monster¡¯s murderous intent had noticeably eased after seeing Geo¡¯s face.


    ¡®The pressure unique to dungeons seems to have eased a little...¡¯


    He had to find a way out of this dungeon, but he couldn¡¯t upset the owner who had finally found stability.


    ¡°.......¡±


    It was difficult to expect the monster¡¯s cooperation, so Yoo Seong-un used Geo as a weapon and spoke a little more indirectly.


    ¡°...You seem to know Geo, do you know? Geo hates evil and rude beings.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how you and Geo know each other, but Geo is like that now. If Geo had that kind of personality in the past, then maybe you weren¡¯t that... evil or rude back then.¡±


    ¡°But you are evil and rude now.¡±


    The monster continued with a blank expression that made anyone who saw it feel creepy.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he would approve of me now. I¡¯m not arrogant like you guys.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right. Geo was like that back then too. I see, but since it has come to this, don''t you think you should try to be a little kinder to humans?"


    "... ... ."


    The monster that answered silently raised its head and faced Yoo Seong-un.


    He saw the [N O V E L I G H T] monster¡¯s eyes that resembled pearls somewhere. The eyes had vertically slit pupils, as if to indicate that it was a predator, and they were also distorted like diamonds hit by sunlight.


    ¡®Oh, this.¡¯


    I guess it was a hunter¡¯s intuition.


    Yoo Seong-un instinctively knew what that meant.


    ¡®He¡¯s thinking about whether to kill them.¡¯


    He was clearly thinking about killing everyone before Geo wakes up, so...he was thinking about how to deal with the situation after the accident.


    ¡®That¡¯s unusual.¡¯


    It was like that a while ago, but now its pearl-colored eyes were shining even more vividly. They were similar to the eyes of a beast that sparkle in the evening.


    Perhaps when monsters get angry or harbor murderous intent, their eyes have a habit of shining like water scales.


    ¡®...If that happens, this one too.¡¯


    I can¡¯t just die quietly.


    ¡®No matter how many times I die, I¡¯ll just take care of Geo here. That¡¯s it.¡¯


    It was when Yoo Seong-woon gathered cold air in his hands, foreseeing how many people would die here in the future.


    ¡°...Ugh....¡±


    ¡°! Geo.¡±


    ¡°! Teacher!¡±


    Teacher?


    ¡°Ah, that....¡±


    Eun-ha was flustered as if she was flustered even after I spoke. Her expression showed that she belatedly realized that she was not in a position to call Geo ¡®Teacher¡¯ in any way.


    ¡®What is this sloppiness?¡¯


    Yoo Seong-woon felt like his trust, which had never been there before, was hitting rock bottom at the sight of his face, which was completely different from the venomous face just now, but looked sincere.


    ¡°G, Geo-ssi.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Are you okay? You just lost consciousness....¡±


    This monster is being coy?


    ¡®... Humanoid monsters are basically coy toward humans, but that¡¯s part of a strategy to catch and kill their prey by making them let their guard down... .¡¯


    Looking at the face of the child who seemed like a devout priest, Yoo Seong-un felt his already absent energy drain away. Suddenly, his murderous intent was relieved and he felt a surge of excitement.


    Geo staggered as if he had a headache and looked around.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°......?¡±


    Although it was hard to see because of the hood, Geo¡¯s current status was definitely ¡®Sergio¡¯ judging by the black hair that was peeking out. He seemed to be wondering where he was and why he had fallen.


    Eun-ha must have noticed it too, because he asked Geo with the child¡¯s face.


    ¡°Mr. Geo, this is a dungeon. Do you remember what happened before you fell?¡±


    ¡°...Before I fell....¡±


    Surprisingly, Geo nodded.


    ¡°I spoke to student Eunha.¡±


    ¡°Ah....¡±


    Eunha seemed a little disappointed, but also relieved.


    Yoo Seong-woon also roughly figured out the situation.


    ¡®... I think he¡¯s confused about his personality.¡¯


    Geo remembered the fact that he spoke to Eunha, but he called her ¡®student.¡¯


    This was Sergio¡¯s way, so he probably remembered, but his personality wasn¡¯t the ¡®Geo¡¯ that Eunha knew.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Geo sat there for a long time, holding his head in his hands. Yoo Seong-woon asked with concern, in an extremely exceptional situation for a being whose essence was a portrait.


    ¡°... Do you have a headache?¡±


    ¡°... Yes.¡±


    Geo answered in a rare, murky tone.


    ¡°My body and mind are both dizzy.¡±


    At those words, Yoo Seong-woon recalled the situation when he had just been dragged into the dungeon.


    ¡®... At that moment, Geo had the high status that he had seen in the portrait.¡¯


    Did the restricted status get released during the process of moving from dimension to dimension?


    ¡®It¡¯s restricted again now?¡¯


    Since he hadn¡¯t even figured out his true identity yet, it was natural that it would be difficult to accurately interpret Geo¡¯s condition, but Yoo Seong-woon was certain of one thing.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Yoo Seong-un and Eun-ha¡¯s gazes crossed.


    ¡®... This brat, or the dungeon environment seems to be affecting Geo¡¯s personality... .¡¯


    To be honest, it wasn¡¯t a very pleasant story for Yoo Seong-un.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know what kind of relationship Geo and Eun-ha had in the past.¡¯


    With this vicious dungeon full of humanoid monsters, how could he welcome the change in Geo¡¯s personality, which was already a disaster in itself?


    ¡®If he¡¯s not careful, people might break Geo¡¯s rules that have become sensitive and get attacked, or even if that¡¯s not the case, Geo, who favors his old relationship, might side with Eun-ha, who is a monster. Either way, it would be a very disadvantageous situation for the humans.¡¯


    Eun-ha must have had similar thoughts.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°What the hell?¡±


    Galaxy used her small body to burrow into Geo¡¯s arms. It was clear that she knew Geo was weak to young creatures and was trying to take advantage of that.


    ¡°Galaxy, aren¡¯t you going to fall? I thought you were a decent guy so I didn¡¯t see you that way, but this is really no joke.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never had to pull the back of my neck like this while fighting guys like you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so immature.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going crazy.¡±


    Anyway, one thing was certain.


    ¡®The longer I stay here, the closer I keep this brat... Geo¡¯s personality will change.¡¯


    I had a goal.


    I had to escape with Geo¡¯s time bomb as soon as possible.

 Chapter 65

    Isser was proud of himself for not being stupid.


    ¡®... Of course, compared to my sister, I am like an infinitely small microorganism, but I can¡¯t be stupid after learning so much from great geniuses. My reason is strong enough, so I can be proud of it.¡¯


    Perhaps because he spent so much time with his cold-blooded sister, her coolness and dryness were transferred to Isser as well. It means that he has become a person who can prioritize reason over emotion.


    So it had been a long time since he had been in a situation like this.


    ¡°... I¡¯m sorry, I was out of my mind for a moment.¡±


    ¡°No, Geo-ssi must have been flustered by the sudden situation.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your consideration.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Reason and emotion were fiercely fighting inside Isser.


    Even in this short moment of answering, he repeated similar concerns dozens of times.


    ¡®... I can feel the energy of the sun god very strongly from this man. Then, didn¡¯t the Sun God, who knew of Nana¡¯s existence, shape our only weakness into human form and pass on the sun¡¯s divinity? It¡¯s ridiculous that I met my dead mentor so suddenly. It¡¯s too coincidental.¡¯


    However,


    ¡®This face, the presence, the mannerisms, the voice, and all the senses I felt point to my dead mentor. And how did the Sun God revive my mentor, which even my sister, who locked him in the sea, couldn¡¯t do? This person in front of me is the teacher who reincarnated through a natural process.¡¯


    Both seemed plausible, which made me even more confused.


    ¡®If there¡¯s one thing that¡¯s certain, it¡¯s that there¡¯s no one closer to Giovanni than this person.¡¯


    Even if the being in front of me was the incarnation of the Sun God who imitated my mentor, or the reincarnation of my mentor who hadn¡¯t yet established his own personality.


    It was clear that this was someone Isser couldn¡¯t miss.


    ¡°I was momentarily dazed when the waves came in. I apologize for showing you such an ugly appearance due to the confusion.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°My head still hurts, but can you tell me where exactly this place is?¡±


    ¡°That....¡±


    He seemed to know that this was a dungeon, but he didn¡¯t seem to know what kind of place it symbolized.


    ¡®I guess that¡¯s fortunate.¡¯


    Isser felt relieved once again, feeling that his mentor was not perfect.


    ¡°.......¡±


    It was fortunate for both Isser and Giovanni that he could not recall the terrible things he had experienced here.


    ¡®... It¡¯s clear that the teacher¡¯s personality is not perfect.¡¯


    However, the longer he stayed here, the more certain Geo¡¯s memories might become.


    When he recalled the reaction he had shown as soon as he arrived at the Deep Sea Research Center, after having no reaction at the Temple of the Sun... .


    ¡°As the Milky Way said earlier, this is a virtual dungeon, Geo.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°...I don¡¯t know for sure since it hasn¡¯t been that long since I figured out the situation, but I think it¡¯s a dungeon related to the sea.¡±


    Yoo Seong-un glanced at Isser and continued.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how many people from the Temple of the Sun were dragged in, but the number of people I can confirm right now is quite a lot, and they¡¯re scattered, so it¡¯s hard to grasp the exact situation.¡±


    ¡°Where are the reserve priests?¡±


    ¡°First of all, they¡¯re not visible in this pupil. Since it exploded during the final event of the initiation ceremony, it seems like the virtual dungeon was intentional, so there¡¯s no way the reserve priests weren¡¯t dragged in.¡±


    ¡°Then we should gather people first. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s easy to say....¡±


    I don¡¯t know how it looks to Geo, but uniting the people who are now terrified and scattered was not an easy task.


    Fortunately, the dungeon owner¡¯s temper had softened, so the threat had eased a bit.


    ¡®The chimeras that seemed like they would jump out and attack people at any moment were now lying down quietly, and if we did it right, we could probably get out of the dungeon with minimal casualties... Is that possible?¡¯


    That was when.


    ¡°-Honey.¡±


    ¡°Kk?¡±


    Something small and yellow popped out from Geo¡¯s hood.


    ¡°Kurururur!¡±


    It was Honey, a young bird from the new country who went to bed early and woke up early.


    Honey flew into the middle of the shadows that had a cold light and soon shone brightly.


    ¡°...Oh.¡±


    Almost... small, like the sun.


    ¡°Are you going crazy??¡±


    Yoo Seong-un was dumbfounded.


    ¡®You were with Honey again this time? Why can¡¯t I sense the energy of the sun god from a monster as small as Honey? Why? Is this right?¡¯


    Whether he was bewildered or not, the people who were wandering and terrified calmed down one by one in the warm light.


    At least the lights came on in the dark and eerie lab.


    ¡°Wait a minute, what is this light...?¡±


    ¡°Is that a bird?¡±


    ¡°Hey, let¡¯s all gather over there for now.¡±


    The people who were scattered in the vast pupils instinctively followed the comforting light and gathered under Honey. A few were already sniffling with relieved faces.


    Seeing that, Geo turned to Yoo Seong-un.


    ¡°That¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Yoo Seong-un seemed to hear a voice saying, ¡®How is it, easy, right?¡¯


    ¡°...You did well....¡±


    ¡°Yes, I did well.¡±


    ¡°Wow, you¡¯re capable.¡±


    Then, let¡¯s not let anyone find out that you¡¯re a portrait.


    ¡®If your identity is found out in this already chaotic situation, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to handle it.¡¯


    Even Bisabal, who had become an S-class with just one emotion skill, couldn¡¯t completely figure out his identity, ¡®Geo¡¯s Portrait.¡¯ He could be a human, a monster, a child of the Origin, or even a god.


    ¡®If that fluidity is found out by the people now, enemies could suddenly gather here.¡¯


    There were people who were excitedly shouting that even a worthless C-class Hunter should take responsibility for this situation. In the midst of all that, if they saw something that wasn¡¯t human, or even something that had divine power, there was no telling how much chaos they would cause.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Yoo Seong-un, who had been staring intently at the unexpectedly gentle light, soon called out to Geo.


    ¡°Geo.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m listening.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you in advance, but you were supposed to receive an A-class Hunter license soon.¡±


    ¡°Am I a Hunter?¡±


    ¡°That would be better for your activities on Earth, right? I think the Guild Master wanted to make things convenient for you.¡±


    So.


    ¡°Since you were going to receive a Hunter license anyway, when introducing you to people, explain that you¡¯re an unofficial A-class Hunter belonging to the Collector¡¯s Guild, ¡®Sergio.¡¯¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°Your job is a trainer. You also take Honey with you, so that would be convenient for you to get along with other people.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your consideration.¡±


    ¡°With something like this.¡±


    So there was a small wish that you would please act like a human.


    ¡®I¡¯m aware that it¡¯s too much to expect.¡¯


    Since the existence of the source changes depending on the size of the ¡®story,¡¯ Yoo Seong-un wanted to put Geo into the category of humans if possible. He himself was imitating a human.


    But recently, Yoo Seong-un felt that Geo had no intention of imitating a human. Regardless of his true feelings, Geo could never act like a complete human.


    ¡®That¡¯s why I was thinking of separating Geo as a human and Geo as a mystery.¡¯


    This was part of that work.


    ¡®... Geo¡¯s unique heavy atmosphere is still there, but I¡¯ve lowered his level to that of an A-class hunter, so unless you¡¯re quite sensitive, you won¡¯t be able to confirm Geo¡¯s sense of discomfort.¡¯


    Of course, it¡¯s just that he¡¯s not certain, but anyone can feel a strange sense of incongruity, but that ¡®not being certain¡¯ part is important. If it¡¯s to that extent, he can be said to be part of his power or skill.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Yoo Seong-un and Eun-ha¡¯s eyes met.


    ¡°...Anyway, now that it¡¯s come to this, are you going to keep acting like a coward?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    ¡°This is turning out pretty funny. It¡¯s completely different from what I thought....¡±


    Watching Geo approach the crowd of people who were gathered together, Yoo Seong-woon asked in a voice that the crowd couldn¡¯t hear.


    ¡°I guess you¡¯re not thinking about going out and slaughtering people, right?¡±


    ¡°I just don¡¯t want to get blood on my hands. That¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°I really appreciate that. I know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to look like a bad kid to Geo, right?¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon whistled.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡±


    The monsters¡¯ behaviors changed depending on Eunha¡¯s emotional state, and the atmosphere inside the dungeon was also controlled. This was an integrated dungeon that came to life according to the owner¡¯s state of mind.


    It was obvious that the difficulty of this dungeon would be lowered to match Eunha¡¯s psychology of not wanting to be a ¡®bad kid¡¯ to Geo.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll keep my identity a secret as long as you cooperate.¡±


    ¡°Humans have a terrible habit of urging orders. You¡¯d better not act so arrogantly, Meteor Hunter.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re scared.¡±


    Honestly, I was really scared.


    ¡°Is it okay to live easily?¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to die in a place like this.


    ¡®If I die, the garden management will also be disrupted.¡¯


    Meteor was in charge of the ¡®garden¡¯ that could be called the bloodline of the origin, roughly the size of the aorta. Even if he found a successor, he would be busy training for a while, so he didn¡¯t have the luxury of dying right away.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Isser glanced at Meteor, then turned his stagnant pearl-colored gaze to look at the man in the black cloak.


    His eyes soon filled with dreams.


    ¡®... Really... .¡¯


    It¡¯s the same.


    ¡®Nothing different.¡¯


    Even though the color was different, the benevolent figure that embraced and soothed the sun¡¯s creatures with warm energy was definitely Giovanni¡¯s.


    No matter how suspicious it was, it couldn¡¯t be denied.


    ¡°It¡¯s such a sacred sight that I feel bad about watching it for free. Doesn¡¯t that make him look like a saint?¡±


    ¡°...I have no reaction to your worthless words, but he was actually called a saint.¡±


    Even so, he had to die so cruelly. In a cold tank, his windpipe was torn off by the teeth of his student he was teaching...


    ¡®...Humans are truly disgusting creatures.¡¯


    Iser was always drawn to my lips as he saw Giorno showing mercy while embracing the lowly monkeys.


    He felt the faint smile falter.


    He still did not know if the author was truly his benefactor. However, the sight of such a being showing mercy to humans made Isser feel uncomfortable.


    ¡®Why am I seeing this sight?¡¯


    Suspicion of sudden good fortune. Longing and pain for recurring memories and nightmares. Anxiety to separate the black cloak from those disgusting insects. Desperation.


    The mermaid, searching for a way to define this emotion, muttered to herself.


    ¡®I wish they were all dead.¡¯


    That was the moment she thought that.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Galaxy student.¡±


    ¡°...Yes.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be alone, come here.¡±


    The large, now cold hand reached out to Isser.


    ¡°You look lonely.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    I couldn¡¯t answer him when he said I looked lonely.


    As expected, Geo¡¯s hand that I held silently was cold. Compared to the warm hands of my teacher in those long-lost memories, it was as cold as a corpse.


    But it was still affectionate.


    ¡°...It¡¯s cold and dark, and scary. This space is very barren.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re honest, Eunha. Then I¡¯ll stay with you.¡±


    ¡°Would you do that?¡±


    That¡¯s a lie.


    ¡°I feel reassured.¡±


    Even if you were children of the deep sea, I would stay by your side. You told me that before.


    ¡®... Saying that now only makes me feel sick. Now that everything has become cold... .¡¯


    Nothing can be undone.


    I wanted to complain without knowing it, but the strong grip of the large hand that grabbed my hand gradually calmed my turbulent feelings.


    As if it were a habit I had forgotten, I waited, and soon a voice came, calm and warm like the spring breeze of a quiet evening.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Giovanni was not the right person to receive the resentment of something as cold as me.


    ¡°...I don¡¯t think you¡¯re okay.¡±


    ¡°...What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m scared.¡±


    I wanted to kill all the bug-like humans here. I still did. But I couldn¡¯t reveal my feelings.


    Whether this person who held my hand was a copy of my teacher or his reincarnation, I knew that I had to hold on to him in the end.


    ¡®...What should I do?¡¯


    A deep sense of murder and anxiety came to me at the same time.


    ¡®I have to save this person.¡¯


    So I have to have him... .


    Meanwhile, Geo.


    ¡®The world has really developed a lot.¡¯


    He had no thoughts.


    ¡°This is my first time experiencing a virtual dungeon, and it¡¯s really new.¡±


    ¡°Haha, Mr. Geo is really bold in this situation.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it new?¡±


    ¡°Usually, I¡¯m more scared than excited.¡±


    ¡°I see. I understand.¡±


    When he opened and closed his eyes, he felt like he had flown into a haunted house, and Geo was very interested.


    ¡°Can this also be considered part of an adventure?¡±


    It was a cozy adventure among people bustling around, so Geo, who had been alone a lot recently, was quite welcome.


    ¡°It¡¯s a little tiring, but....¡±


    As soon as the huge program called the Taeyanggyo initiation ceremony ended, the new content called the virtual dungeon walked into Geo¡¯s arms on its own.


    ¡®Good.¡¯


    No matter how much I thought about it, the current situation was far from that kind of ¡®cozy adventure¡¯ or ¡®new content,¡¯ but Geo¡¯s ultimate positive mind did not waver in the face of a mere threat to his life.


    ¡®It¡¯s not like I¡¯m on the verge of death, so to be honest, it feels like I¡¯m on a well-made movie set. I feel like I¡¯m not very tense, but I guess I should be.¡¯


    They say there¡¯s a way to escape, but isn¡¯t this just a well-conceived escape room?


    ¡®Ttaran.¡¯


    Geo, who came to a clear conclusion on his own without anyone¡¯s consent, was a little excited by the commotion among people he had felt for the first time in a long time.


    He actively ? N§àv§ÖIight ? (Read more on our source) responded to people who asked him questions or started conversations to show his friendliness.


    ¡°So Sergio is a hunter from the Collector¡¯s Guild?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I didn¡¯t know there was such a tall hunter in the Collector¡¯s Guild....¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon chimed in.


    ¡°There are many hunters like me who don¡¯t show their faces on the media. After all, the collectors are mainly collecting and managing the guild leader¡¯s collections rather than clearing dungeons, so there are many hunters like Geo who don¡¯t show their faces.¡±


    ¡°Why, you¡¯re so handsome...? If you show your face on TV once, wouldn¡¯t you have a fan club? It¡¯s a sin, a sin, not to show your face to the world while working as a hunter.¡±


    ¡°Haha....¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon tried to laugh.


    ¡°...Geo is hiding his face.¡±


    Geo felt very wronged by those words, but Yoo Seong-woon thought that he didn¡¯t say anything wrong. It was a natural judgment, considering the ¡®Portrait of Geo¡¯ where he avoided meeting people.


    While worrying that Geo might make a mistake because he wasn¡¯t human, Yoo Seong-woon closely observed the reactions of the people whispering from afar.


    ¡°As expected, the Hunters of the three major guilds are different. This is my first time seeing a trainer....¡±


    ¡°But isn¡¯t it a little scary? If I make a mistake, I think they¡¯ll look at me with contempt.¡±


    ¡°His actions and steps are noble. Is he perhaps a royal? Then there must be a reason he hides his face.¡±


    ¡°Judging by his power, he seems to be a follower of the sun god.... He¡¯s a trainer, so he can¡¯t be a priest.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s kind, but for some reason, it¡¯s hard to talk to him. Is it because he¡¯s too handsome?¡±


    These were roughly the reactions I expected.


    ¡®... I was worried about how Geo would be perceived by civilians, but the reactions were more friendly and favorable than I thought. I think I can easily cover up if I go out and do this.¡¯


    In that case, it would be time to officially acknowledge the existence of the Hunter named Geo, but both Yoo Seong-un and Bisabal had already expected it to some extent.


    ¡®That level of status can¡¯t be hidden by locking it up in a gallery, and even if it could be hidden somehow... that¡¯s different from the collector¡¯s motto.¡¯


    Furthermore, the conclusion was that it would be impossible to lump the ¡®story¡¯ of this portrait into the category of humans.


    Since he couldn¡¯t hide it, whether Geo wanted it or not, people would eventually feel the distant level of ¡®Geo¡¯s Portrait¡¯.


    In that case, it would be better to distinguish between Geo as a human and Geo as a monster.


    ¡®Geo, who treats himself like a human, will try to get along with other people somehow. If we have to keep Geo as a human anyway, we should separate out the more dangerous stories in advance.¡¯


    That¡¯s why the unofficial hunter status of ¡®Sergio¡¯ was the collector¡¯s status.


    ¡®With this status, the part of Geo that imitates humans... we can significantly lower the risk of that story. It would be a much safer choice than revealing Geo¡¯s entire portrait to the world.¡¯


    This sudden dungeon exploration only brought Geo¡¯s social life a little forward. It was just a difference in timing, so there was no need to panic.


    Yoo Seong-woon thought to himself as he organized it.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Everyone seems to be calm.


    ¡®This is definitely not a normal situation, but should I consider this to be Geo¡¯s power?¡¯


    Just like the previous Cha Ara Hunter incident, Geo had a strange ability to tease people. He couldn¡¯t even hide his eerie presence.


    I don¡¯t know if it was the aftereffects of the presence or his own ability...


    ¡°Geo, I think we should move to check if there are any Cha family members or other survivors.¡±


    People became anxious again at Yoo Seong-woon¡¯s words and started to murmur.


    ¡°Seo, Sergio Hunter shouldn¡¯t be here?¡±


    ¡°There are already three other hunters, including Mr. Yoo Seong-un.¡±


    ¡°While we¡¯re here... you guys are going to raid the dungeons and come back....¡±


    ¡°Do we really have to move as well?¡±


    ¡°What if we all die? Someone has to stay.¡±


    These were expected reactions, but the fact that Eunha¡¯s smile, which seemed to hate humans, was gradually getting darker was a danger sign no matter how you looked at it.


    ¡®We¡¯ll all die like this.¡¯


    Just as Yoo Seong-un sighed and tried to comfort the people, Geo stepped forward.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave Honey here.¡±


    ¡°Huh? But Sergio Hunter¡¯s summons are too small....¡±


    ¡°Honey is stronger than me.¡±


    ¡°No, don¡¯t joke.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true.¡±


    Geo waved his hand as if he was innocent.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon, so don¡¯t worry too much. I¡¯ll help you.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°With such strong will, everyone will be able to return safely.¡±


    In fact, it was nothing special, but people started to sniffle again. It seemed like Geo¡¯s words had comforted and reassured them, but Yoo Seong-woon was a little taken aback.


    ¡®You wouldn¡¯t have listened if I told you. Why aren¡¯t there people grumbling and saying it¡¯s empty words?¡¯


    In the meantime, Geo came over and said.


    ¡°Let¡¯s move now.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon felt strange because it seemed like he was trying to run away before he could hold on any longer.


    He didn¡¯t know if what he had just said was sweet talk or sincere consolation, but Geo¡¯s clear distinction between public and private seemed to give him a strange impression.


    ¡®You can easily sway people¡¯s hearts with just a few words.¡¯


    This is real talent.


    ¡°You... would be good at something like an idol. You know, acting, or something like that, celebrities.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s too much, but I think you have enough qualities.¡±


    ¡°I think so too.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for accepting my joke. How could someone as timid as me become a celebrity?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    If you can control and sway the crowd with your words and face, shouldn¡¯t you really become a celebrity or start a cult?


    ¡®... I need to wake up too.¡¯


    Yoo Seong-woon felt even more responsible for the dizzying talent Geo¡¯s new personality displayed.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°...Wo, noona....¡±


    ¡°Shh.¡±


    Cha Ara covered Chae Sol¡¯s mouth and warned her, and Cha Eun-hyuk nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Be quiet.¡±


    Now was the time to even hold back your breathing.


    Cha Eun-hyuk glanced at his two younger siblings hiding behind him, then turned his head forward to look around.


    In the vibrating situation, I naturally broke out in a cold sweat.


    ¡°Stomach, stomach, I¡¯m hungry... I¡¯m hungry... Stomach, stomach....¡±


    ¡°Kuaaaaah...!! Aah, aaaah!! Sa, save me...!!¡±


    ¡°Stomach, stomach, stomach....¡±


    The sight of people eating each other¡¯s flesh. It was clear that there was an infected monster here.


    Fortunately, Cha Eun-hyeok and his younger siblings were able to hide under the desk safely before the situation got worse.


    Even so, they were trapped without being able to escape, but Cha Eun-hyeok pushed his younger siblings, who were frozen in fear, even further into the corner.


    ¡°.......¡±


    There were prospective priests hiding here and there, exchanging glances.


    ¡°...Hoo....¡±


    Perhaps because of their small size, the only ones who survived in this room were young priests.


    The only adults left were Cha Eun-hyeok and Cha Ara.


    ¡®It¡¯s like a dog.¡¯


    I don¡¯t know if I can survive.

 Chapter 66

    It was only natural that the Cha family¡¯s situation had become like this.


    ¡®Why is it a virtual dungeon where I have no choice in participating?¡¯


    Cha Eun-hyuk¡¯s expression, which had been hiding under the desk while guarding his two younger siblings, distorted with disillusionment with the world.


    ¡®I¡¯m the only adult left, and I¡¯m not a hunter, and it¡¯s obvious that Cha Ara, this piglet, won¡¯t be of any help. But I can¡¯t ask the remaining reserve priests to save me...¡¯


    I don¡¯t know what the conditions were, but the virtual dungeon forcibly drags in anyone who meets the conditions.


    In situations like this where there are no proper hunters, it was common for all participants to be wiped out.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Cha Eun-hyuk and Cha Ara, who were sweating profusely, exchanged glances in silence. Cha Eun-hyuk nodded.


    ¡®You¡¯re the only hunter here.¡¯


    ¡®Oh, that¡¯s it.¡¯


    ¡®That¡¯s it.¡¯


    But there was nothing he could do. They call them ¡®reserve¡¯ priests for nothing. The young priests here were not just hunters, they were no different from civilians. The only hunter in this area was Cha Ara.


    Cha Eunhyuk, who confirmed that there were no monsters nearby, whispered in a faint voice that couldn¡¯t be heard from far away.


    ¡°Hey, F-class porter.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead and talk.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there a way to deal with this? That¡¯s what hunters learn....¡±


    ¡°I think this is the best time.¡±


    The center recommends not to gather in one place when the situation is very bad. That way, if something happens, you won¡¯t be easily wiped out, and if you spread out, your survival rate will increase.


    ¡°...That¡¯s not just a bait tactic....¡±


    ¡°Anyway, objectively, it¡¯s the method with the highest survival rate.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but.¡±


    It was really creepy.


    ¡®You¡¯re telling me to scatter and pray that other people will get caught besides me.¡¯


    The Cha family, who had a thick blood of fools, didn¡¯t like this method of dealing with it, but they didn¡¯t move rashly. They had no ability, and the only way to save people was to be the bait themselves.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Cha Ara, who realized once again how desperate the situation was, hid the youngest behind her back even deeper.


    ¡°Hey, Chae Sol. Go in further. Further.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nowhere else to go....¡±


    ¡°How can you joke about being small? Just get crushed.¡±


    ¡°Ugh....¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make a sound.¡±


    The place they were hiding was under the stainless steel desks that were installed regularly throughout the school. Perhaps because there were quite a few of them, the priests who were still alive seemed to be hiding under the desks like them.


    Even if he hid like that, he didn¡¯t know how long he would be able to avoid being caught by the monsters that roamed freely everywhere... .


    ¡®At least Chae Sol would be safe while Nana Oppa was causing a scene.¡¯


    The youngest, who was so small that he had nothing to eat, would die instantly if he got bitten once.


    It was selfish, but I couldn¡¯t help but wish that my younger sibling would live longer than the others.


    ¡°Noona....¡±


    ¡°Oh, stop acting cute, for real.¡±


    ¡°Wow, no, that¡¯s not being cute, I¡¯m being wronged.¡±


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    Cha Eun Hyuk, who was sitting on the outermost part of the desk, looked at his younger siblings¡¯ grumbling as if it was absurd.


    ¡®Have you ever seen such a lack of tension?¡¯


    In fact, he already knew that it wasn¡¯t that they weren¡¯t nervous, but that they were so nervous that they were pretending to be okay. Cha Eun Hyuk looked around with a stiff face and a cold sweat.


    A monster was approaching with a sloshing sound.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Stomach, stomach, stomach, stomach... I¡¯m hungry... stomach....¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Did a ghost come over because he couldn¡¯t eat?


    ¡®So this is why we have to set up a ancestral rite table. If we die here, it¡¯s because the world has become so harsh that it won¡¯t even set up a ancestral rite table...¡¯


    It was nonsense, but anyway, Cha Eun-hyeok pressed his younger siblings back, taking the wisdom of his ancestors to heart.


    The youngest, who was already curled up at the end, had nowhere else to go, but Cha Ara, or maybe it wasn¡¯t him, could hear a rustling sound from being suppressed. It was amazing that he barely made a sound, perhaps because he heard the monster approaching.


    ¡°Stomach? Stomach. Stomach. Stomach, stomach, I¡¯m hungry. Stomach....¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    The monster, whose form he hadn¡¯t even seen yet, was approaching him. Thanks to that, Cha Eun-hyeok was able to see the wet legs of the monster without any desire.


    ¡®Is it time for me to fall?¡¯


    At least I¡¯ll save our flower pig and the youngest. Please remember me, the cheapest and most delicious bungeoppang in Korea.


    That¡¯s when I made up my mind.


    ¡°¨DYou rascals!!!¡±


    Hwaaaaaaaah!!!


    The monsters were burned and turned to ash one by one.


    ¡°Huh, huh...?¡±


    It was so instantaneous that it almost felt unrealistic.


    Instead of the sloshing sound, the sound of ash falling was heard, and the eerieness of the pupil was forcibly consumed by the heat of the fire.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    The Cha family looked back at the entrance to the pupil that they hadn¡¯t even noticed in panic.


    ¡°Rascals...??¡±


    ¡°Rascals....¡±


    ¡°Oh, wait a minute.¡±


    Cha Eun-hyuk realized belatedly who the owner of the loud ¡®Baddies¡¯ was.


    ¡°...Priest Kang Seo-dam?¡±


    Kang Seo-dam, a priest with long, wavy blond hair and pale green eyes that stood out, was grumbling with a disheveled appearance.


    Kang Seo-dam¡¯s eyes met Cha Eun-hyuk¡¯s, who was quietly sweating, and his face, whose veins were bulging, met because he was so angry. It felt like they had come across something taboo that should not be seen.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Kang Seo-dam, who had turned from the face of an evil spirit to that of a priest, asked in a clean tone.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°No, I just said a baddie....¡±


    ¡°What else would you call a baddie if you didn¡¯t call a baddie a baddie?¡±


    ¡°Wow.¡±


    ¡°You must have been scared, but I apologize for suddenly hearing my swear words.¡±


    If I hadn¡¯t heard that distinctly accented ¡®Burrows¡¯, I would have been purely moved, but Kang Seo-dam continued to speak calmly with such kindness.


    ¡°I was also dragged into a virtual dungeon out of nowhere and was out of my mind, but I feel good that there seem to be many survivors left.¡±


    Kang Seo-dam, whose clean priestly robes had become tattered as if he had been through a lot, looked around.


    Cha Eun-hyeok also looked around his pupils only then, but there were no monsters left, no matter what Kang Seo-dam had done just now.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Kang Seo-dam quietly made the sign of the cross with his characteristically cold expressionless face.


    ¡°The goddess took care of you.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    You must have taken care of you.


    ¡®I guess there¡¯s no one in their right mind among the hunters, except for our piglet.¡¯


    A priest who could officiate an initiation ceremony had to be at least a B-class hunter. Judging from the skill of burning and killing all the monsters in the pupil in an instant, he was probably an A-class or quasi-S-class, so Cha Eun-hyeok felt a little relieved.


    I have no other strengths besides being physically strong, so I was relieved that I found a strong person who I could entrust my siblings with even if I died.


    ¡®... Thank goodness.¡¯


    Cha Eun-hyeok let out a long breath and wiped his face. Now he could breathe a little easier.


    ¡°P, Priest....¡±


    ¡°Hwaaaaang....¡±


    ¡°Priest Kang Seo-dam...!¡±


    Only then did the reserve priests who had been hiding everywhere crawl out.


    ¡°Yes, Priest Kang Seo-dam is here. If there are any surviving brothers, please gather around me.¡±


    As if he was used to the tearful clinging of the survivors, Priest Kang Seo-dam skillfully sorted out the situation.


    He looked back at Cha Eun-hyeok and Cha Ara and added a word.


    ¡°The same goes for the guardians of Priest Cha So-il who are there.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes....¡±


    All the survivors of the dungeon gathered in front of Priest Kang Seo-dam, drawn by the steady voice that was hard to find in the dungeon, but there weren¡¯t many of them.


    Most of them were bitten to death by monsters, or they ate each other afterwards.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Priest Kang Seo-dam opened his mouth, frowning as if holding back a heavy sigh.


    ¡°I apologize for causing this to happen at the event I hosted.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no. It was an accident....¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s also my role to prevent accidents in advance. I will arrange for official compensation as soon as the situation is resolved.¡±


    The priest bowed his head in apology and continued speaking.


    ¡°I will set up a protective shield, so the survivors can go inside and rest. I will collect the remains of the others.¡±


    ¡°...I will help you too.¡±


    Cha Ara raised her hand at Cha Eun-hyeok¡¯s words.


    ¡°Oh, then I too....¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s true, I will only accept Hunter Cha Ara¡¯s help.¡±


    Priest Kang Seo-dam looked back at Cha Eun-hyeok. After thinking for a moment, he opened his mouth.


    ¡°I appreciate your kind heart, Guardian Cha Eun-hyeok, but this is something that should not be left to civilians, and above all, the only adult left is Cha Eun-hyeok.¡±


    ¡°Ah....¡±


    ¡°Please console the younger brothers so that they do not become more afraid. I will repay you for extending a helping hand even in difficult situations in the name of the sun.¡±


    Cha Ara asked as she approached the corpses that had been transformed into monsters and turned to ashes by the sun¡¯s light.


    ¡°B-but you know all our names...? Is that how it is?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an event I¡¯m hosting, so I can¡¯t neglect my responsibility. I remember the names of all the people who officially participated after I put their names on the list.¡±


    ¡°Wow....¡±


    After meeting only the crappy hunters for a while, this person with such a sense of responsibility was unfamiliar.


    ¡®If I had only met these hunters, I wouldn¡¯t have been abandoned in that damn cave, damn it.¡¯


    Cha Ara continued to talk while collecting the light corpse that seemed to have come out of the crematorium with a sense of relief.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen you since you were dragged into the dungeon, where have you been?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, I¡¯m not saying that you didn¡¯t come sooner....¡±


    Damn, talk.


    ¡®Think about what you¡¯re saying.¡¯


    Cha Ara, who had been cursing her intelligence, continued to speak while stuttering.


    ¡°This pupil itself is quite large, and many people were dragged in, so we thought this was all the people who were dragged in.¡±


    ¡°...I was dropped alone in a different pupil than this one.¡±


    Priest Kang Seo Dam answered while making the sign of the cross over the corpse that had been reduced to ashes and blessing it with peace.


    ¡°There were a lot of monsters, their skills were considerable, and the escape gimmick was complicated, so it took a while.¡±


    ¡°Alone in a place like that...?¡±


    ¡°If I think about it that way, it seems like the people who gathered for the initiation ceremony were randomly scattered.¡±


    ¡°...Huh? Oh, in that case....¡±


    ¡°It didn¡¯t seem like there was no standard at all.¡±


    He said he had fought multiple monsters, and Priest Kang Seo-dam continued to speak while wiping the blood flowing from his forehead.


    ¡°In my case, the most threatening force in the dungeon, I was dropped alone in a place where monsters were swarming. On the other hand, all the reserve priests are gathered in this dungeon.¡±


    ¡°All? Did you already confirm that in the meantime?¡±


    ¡°Since they are my brothers, I remembered their faces.¡±


    ¡°...Huh? No, but from what I remember....¡±


    ¡°Yes, I understand what you¡¯re wondering about.¡±


    Kang Seo-dam swung his long wand as tall as him and blessed the entire dungeon. The corpse that had been in the form of ashes soon transformed into a complete human form.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Kang Seo-dam, who had performed a small miracle with the power of the sun, soon opened his mouth.


    ¡°...I can¡¯t see the Milky Way brothers.¡±


    In this place where all the prospective priests had gathered, the boy was the only one who couldn¡¯t be found.


    ¡°Since we didn¡¯t find the prospective priest¡¯s body here, I think he must be somewhere else.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll find out why he fell alone later. Hunter Cha Ara, do you still have some energy left? You don¡¯t seem to be injured by the naked eye, but is there anything wrong?¡±


    ¡°Ah, no, there isn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s move. I came here because this was the closest crater to where I fell, but there must be survivors somewhere else. There weren¡¯t many hunters attending this event, so if we don¡¯t respond in time, it will be dangerous.¡±


    ¡°The other kids and my brother....¡±


    Kang Seo-dam nodded after checking the survivors on the shield side at Cha Ara¡¯s words.


    ¡°We can¡¯t leave them here, so we¡¯ll have to go together. It¡¯s hard to maintain them if they¡¯re far apart, and there¡¯s also a time limit. It would be nice if there was a more skilled priest, but I¡¯m not a barrier specialist.¡±


    ¡°It certainly doesn¡¯t seem like you¡¯re a protection specialist....¡±


    The expression on the face of Kang Seo-dam, who reduced all the monsters to ashes with a single swing of his wand, was like that of a demon crawling out of hell. If he had specialized in protection or healing, it would have sounded strange.


    Kang Seo-dam nodded without saying anything else.


    ¡°In the case of the corpses, since we¡¯ve already collected them and given them a blessing, they won¡¯t be torn apart or rotted away any further.¡±


    ¡°Then what do we do now...?¡±


    ¡°Fortunately, I have subspace skills. I¡¯ll store them here, so I think there won¡¯t be any major problems with the collection afterwards.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes.¡±


    ¡°If we delay any longer, something may happen, so please help the reserve priests move.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I understand.¡±


    ¡°Hoo...¡±


    Kang Seodam wiped his blood-stained face and looked around.


    ¡®... Could this be the black god I saw at the initiation ceremony?¡¯


    The man wearing a black cloak pulled down low. He definitely felt divine, and even if he wasn¡¯t a monster in the dungeon, he could open a dungeon at will if he was a god.


    If that¡¯s the case, then his authority must be quite strong even for an evil god, but the aura he felt was close to death, so he had doubts for a moment.


    ¡®... No, but he was a being that the goddess had given him such a favorable gaze. A god who seemed to have a high level of understanding of humans and was gentle in building relationships wouldn¡¯t have committed such a massacre out of nowhere.¡¯


    Rather, the one who was suspicious was Eunha, the blue-haired reserve priest.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Even though I felt the cold air, I just thought, ¡®Is this a child trying to serve a god who holds cold air?¡¯ But given the situation, I couldn¡¯t help but be suspicious.


    ¡®The coldness I felt from the Galaxy Army and the coldness filled with the energy of this deep sea are quite similar. If I can tell at a glance, then the Galaxy Army didn¡¯t intend to hide its identity until after the incident.¡¯


    Either they were planning to kill everyone here anyway, or they were planning to stop by Earth once and leave.


    ¡®In this case, it seems like both. It¡¯s a very dangerous dungeon...¡¯


    I looked around, worried about what would happen next.


    ¡°......?¡±


    The air changed.


    ¡®... It¡¯s positive.¡¯


    Unlike the previous air that seemed to be desperate to kill anyone, a strangely warm air subtly swept through the entire dungeon.


    ¡°Wait a minute.¡±


    Kang Seo-dam left the survivors to Cha A-ra and came out into the hallway.


    Not long after I started looking around, something appeared beyond the corridor that resembled a temple that seemed to be submerged in the deep sea.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    A man wearing a pitch-black cloak took off his hood.


    ¡®... Ah.¡¯


    In the thick shadows where it felt like there was nothing, platinum blonde hair resembling sunlight was revealed.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Brother Kang Seo-dam.¡±


    It was ¡®Sergio,¡¯ a god who was presumed to be friendly to humans.


    ¡°I was wandering around the temple, which was wider than I imagined, and I am glad to meet the child of the sun.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Do you know where the other survivors are? You seem injured, but I can help you.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Brother Kang Seo-dam?¡±


    ¡°Excuse me.¡±


    I wondered what kind of god it was, but I found out like this.


    ¡®So there was a reason the goddess ? N§àv§Öl?g?t ? (Official version) gave us her gaze. Were we from the same lineage? .¡¯


    Gang Seo-dam, who was relieved by the familiar sunlight, thought, even though it didn¡¯t seem to be of the same type as the strangely calm atmosphere.


    ¡®It was an ambiguous situation to ask for help, but it seems that you performed some kind of miracle before I could even ask.¡¯


    Sergio must have played a big role in the dungeon becoming calm.


    In fact, it¡¯s a bit awkward to call it a miracle, but it wasn¡¯t a wrong guess.


    A painter who draws dungeons

 Chapter 67

    "The entire atmosphere of the dungeon changing is not something that can happen easily.


    ¡®That can only happen if there¡¯s a change in the dungeon master¡¯s condition, and most masters who can assimilate a dungeon as part of themselves are probably monsters stronger than average....¡¯


    With this thought, Kang Seo-Dam looked at ¡®Sergio¡¯ in front of him.


    ¡°May I ask you a question?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course. What are you curious about?¡±


    ¡°...Are you currently a hunter?¡±


    This was a question asking if he could cooperate because he was currently imitating a human.


    ¡®...I hope it doesn''t sound too rude.¡¯


    Kang Seo-Dam still couldn¡¯t meet Gio''s eyes, only looking at his lips. The perfectly gentle curve of his lips held an almost alien tenderness as they calmly parted.


    ¡°By the way, I realize I¡¯ve failed to introduce myself. I¡¯m Sergio, a hunter from the Collector¡¯s Guild.¡±


    ¡°...I see.¡±


    Now that he thought about it, the white-haired hunter who had stuck with him during the initiation ceremony had surely been from the Collector''s side. It was rare to meet an underground-type hunter, not a public one, and their impression had been strong.


    ¡®So, this means he¡¯s receiving help from the Collector''s Guild right now. It¡¯s rare for a god to go to such lengths to infiltrate human society.¡¯


    Even if a being had become a god from a human, acquiring divinity meant abandoning humanity. In many ways, for such a god to adapt to humans and their society, it wasn¡¯t unusual to receive help from capable groups like this.


    ¡®If it¡¯s the Collector, then... It¡¯s a guild with a gallery of a collector named Bisa Beul. They¡¯re a group that pours affection rather than control over mysteries and oddities, making them perfect for aiding a god''s playful endeavors.¡¯


    Internally, he was relieved.


    ¡®In that case, the conversation should be easier. If they¡¯ve managed to establish a proper human identity with the help of a human group, they probably won¡¯t dismiss humans so easily. That means they likely have an open heart toward humans...¡¯


    Still not looking him in the eyes, Kang Seo-Dam asked cautiously.


    ¡°Are you a priest, by any chance?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am... um.¡±


    The man in the black cloak, who had seemed about to affirm this, paused for a moment. Then, he smiled faintly and continued speaking.


    ¡°If you¡¯re asking about my occupation as a hunter, I¡¯m not a priest, but a beast tamer.¡±


    ¡°How should I understand your divine power?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just power granted to me as a child of the sun. It¡¯s not anything grand.¡±


    ¡°Ah, so you¡¯re not a priest, but a follower. Thank you for clarifying.¡±


    Sergio, the hunter from the Collector¡¯s Guild. Platinum hair and blue eyes. His profession was beast tamer.


    From the pressure he felt, it didn¡¯t seem too foreign. His rank was likely between A and B, and the reason he could handle divine power was that he was a devout follower of the sun god....


    ¡°......¡±


    He remembered.


    ¡®...Based on the pressure, it seems more like something hidden than something cut off. His way of playing with gods seems very aggressive. It¡¯s possible he¡¯s cursed.¡¯


    Of course, there was no need for a mere human like Kang Seo-Dam to analyze and ponder over a god''s affairs. He was just asking carefully to do his part.


    ¡°Would you be able to assist in finding other survivors?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly why I came here.¡±


    ¡°Ah... thank you.¡±


    Isn¡¯t this god truly benevolent toward humans? Given the deathly energy surrounding them, he couldn¡¯t rule out the possibility of being a dark god, but he couldn''t pass up the help from such a politely behaving deity.


    ¡®Exactly what god he is, I don¡¯t know, but he seems to care a lot for humans. Since he¡¯s using a Korean name, it¡¯s probably not his true name... I¡¯ll have to pray for his divine being later.¡¯


    For now, he decided to ask about that later. From the god''s perspective, it might just be an amusing thought, but the situation among humans was quite urgent.


    ¡°Did you see any other survivors while you were on your way here?¡±


    ¡°There were quite a few people where I was. A contract-bound hunter, whom I consider like a son, is watching over them, so you don¡¯t need to worry about them. I came here to check if there are survivors elsewhere, outside of my current location.¡±


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s the same situation for me. I fell alone into a dungeon full of monsters, and there were no other survivors there. The dungeon I just came from had more people, but...¡±


    ¡°Were there any casualties?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Surprisingly, there was sadness in his tone. Kang Seo-Dam quietly hid his agitation.


    ¡®Is there a god who mourns the death of mere humans? This is a very rare case.¡¯


    After all, gods were beings like that. They were part of nature and fate. Even if such gods had feelings about human death, it would be more out of curiosity, like a broken toy.


    But this ¡®Sergio¡¯ seemed to truly mourn the death of people. As if treating it as the death of a friend, on equal footing.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Did you bless them?¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯ve done what little I could to help.¡±


    ¡°Would it be too rude if I looked at them once more?¡±


    ¡°If you do, the souls of the dead will be able to return to the sun¡¯s side with lighter hearts.¡±


    A god personally blessing death. While it might sound strange, given that the monsters had killed them, it could only be described as a miraculous blessing.


    ¡°Please guide me.¡±


    ¡°Then follow me this way....¡±


    Leading ¡®Sergio,¡¯ Kang Seo-Dam felt somewhat reassured. Not all gods were trustworthy, but a god who put effort into mimicking mourning was trustworthy enough.


    ¡®The goddess has also shown a favorable gaze, so as a servant, I should not doubt. I must empty my thoughts and follow the god¡¯s will. That is what a priest should do.¡¯


    Kang Seo-Dam decided to go along with the name ¡®Sergio.¡¯


    Thus, it was the historical moment when the mysterious human identity of the ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ was created.


    ¡°I was thinking, you know.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon stared blankly at the campfire.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°I never thought I¡¯d be dragged into a virtual dungeon at the sun temple of all places, forced to film a brutal survival documentary where blood splatters and tears flow.¡±


    Hearing this, Kang Seo-Dam nodded sympathetically.


    ¡°When I first fell into the dungeon, I had the same thought.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°It seemed like a cold dungeon where the light of the sun couldn¡¯t reach, so I might have prepared myself to die and take responsibility for the situation.¡±


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s cool. Just because you awakened as a priest doesn¡¯t mean everyone would be as cool as you, Priest Kang Seo-Dam.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just doing my best with what I need to do.¡±


    ¡°Doing your best, huh...¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon nodded.


    ¡°So, now you¡¯re gutting fish?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Yes, Kang Seo-Dam was gutting fish right now.


    ¡°...I couldn¡¯t leave it for him to do himself.¡±


    ¡°Gio likes doing stuff like that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s disrespectful.¡±


    ¡°No, really....¡±


    A campsite had unexpectedly been set up here. Along with a simple tent and campfire, the mood was peaceful, with fish being gutted by the gathered people.


    ¡®Gio, please.¡¯


    If Gio was a very gentlemanly god, there might be help in this virtual dungeon, but he hadn¡¯t expected it to turn into this level of comfort.


    ¡®It probably seems like a fun outing or game for you, but this isn¡¯t how ordinary humans feel about it... How are we supposed to enjoy this situation if you go full throttle?¡¯


    At least, the fact that Gio had created such a peaceful atmosphere and almost no one seemed to question the situation was fortunate.


    Only Yoo Seong-Woon seemed nervously worried that Gio¡¯s true nature might be discovered.


    ¡®Most of the survivors are civilians with unclear dungeon or monster experience, so that probably contributed to the situation.¡¯"


    Yoo Seong-Woon muttered.


    ¡°Is this really okay for a dungeon?¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, why don¡¯t you go out and hunt some monsters?¡±


    ¡°Eunha, you¡¯re really harsh.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the dungeon master, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Are you okay with this?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Honestly, you think this whole thing is a bit weird, don¡¯t you?¡±


    With a smile that looked like it was drawn, Eunha oddly avoided eye contact, as if something was bothering him. From the monster¡¯s perspective, it must have been a really absurd situation.


    ¡®Seems like Gio¡¯s trying to avoid being labeled a bad guy, but still, the situation is absurd. How did things get so peaceful?¡¯


    At least for now, the only people who knew Eunha¡¯s true identity were Yoo Seong-Woon and probably Kang Seo-Dam, the higher-ranked priest. Other survivors just saw Eunha as another potential priest.


    Gio approached.


    ¡°Are you done gutting the fish?¡±


    ¡°Almost done.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re tired, I could help...¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I can handle gutting the fish just fine.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking about that, but okay, understood.¡±


    He smiled refreshingly, looking like ¡®Giovanni.¡¯


    ¡°Since you¡¯re offering, I have no reason to refuse free labor!¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    With that dignified face, he nonchalantly spoke of ¡®free labor.¡¯


    ¡®Eunha¡¯s looking at him with that longing expression.¡¯


    Giovanni, was this his usual image?


    ¡®He still looks like a pious and noble priest, but... somehow, I get the feeling he¡¯s a bit... shameless? A little too reckless, maybe...¡¯


    Yet, his noble bearing never seemed to fade.


    ¡°Gio.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Yoo Seong-Woon?¡±


    ¡°Should I just sit here?¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s necessary for you to check if any monsters are approaching.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but...¡±


    Once again, this place had become a campsite. The dungeon master was avoiding being the ¡®bad guy,¡¯ so which bold monster would dare approach?


    ¡°Don¡¯t you need to check if any other survivors are left?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve searched together, but no one else was visible.¡±


    Eunha answered naturally. His words felt like, ¡°There are no other survivors here, so stop poking around.¡± A chill ran through Yoo Seong-Woon.


    ¡®Eunha¡¯s probably worried I¡¯ll discover something about him or Gio as I investigate the dungeon. After all, dungeons are constructed based on the master¡¯s past and mindset... I wonder if he¡¯s worried about what I might uncover about them.¡¯


    Despite this, Gio was enjoying his ¡®Giovanni¡¯ persona 120%, having a blast in the situation.


    ¡®As expected, as a humanoid monster, Gio¡¯s emotions are rich. He thinks a lot.¡¯


    Gio patted Eunha on the head.


    ¡°You really are brave, Eunha.¡±


    ¡°Ah, well...¡±


    ¡°I was worried, but I¡¯m relieved to see you¡¯re fine.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon thought inwardly.


    ¡®This is a landmine.¡¯


    He didn¡¯t know the full situation, but the reactions were clear. Gio was dancing a tap dance over Eunha¡¯s landmine, completely oblivious to what he was doing.


    ¡®Well... considering the humans¡¯ safety, it¡¯s probably better if he gets distracted by this.¡¯


    Yoo Seong-Woon looked around.


    ¡°......¡±


    The people seemed quite calm.


    ¡®Though many people have died due to the dungeon¡¯s opening, surviving in a dungeon that exploded from the temple is almost miraculous. Plus, the survivors don¡¯t look too bad.¡¯


    Even though there were naturally some uneasy faces, as soon as Gio spoke a few words, everyone settled down. In this cold dungeon, Gio¡¯s presence was a great comfort.


    ¡°Even so...¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon asked Gio, who had been constantly moving without rest.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you working too hard? Won¡¯t you get tired?¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your concern.¡±


    ¡°Did you say your head was hurting earlier? Is it better now?¡±


    Although Yoo Seong-Woon knew Gio wasn¡¯t the type to be a simple pawn, he couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy seeing him act so benevolent.


    What if Gio got tired and disappointed with humans, and a disaster happened?


    Fortunately, Gio¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t too bad. Giovanni answered with a picture-perfect, serene smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m taking it step by step, so it¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°Oh... step by step...¡±


    That¡¯s not good.


    ¡®...If Giovanni¡¯s personality is established here, things could get complicated. I¡¯m not sure how close Gio and Giovanni are, but it doesn¡¯t seem like they were just on friendly terms. Once Gio regains his memories, he might side with Eunha...¡¯


    For now, Yoo Seong-Woon had no choice but to rely on Gio¡¯s goodwill.


    ¡°Still, take it easy. I know you want to be kind to everyone, but sometimes people take kindness as a right. No, actually, it happens often.¡±


    Surprisingly, Gio nodded readily.


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Ah, really?¡±


    ¡°But the sun shines on everything, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Ah...¡±


    ¡°If the sun does, then I should too.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    It sounded like he was truly a devout priest.


    ¡®...If I hear him say, ¡°I¡¯m just doing this because it¡¯s my job,¡± is it my misunderstanding?¡¯


    Yoo Seong-Woon worried that Gio might go too far in believing or caring for humans and end up making a big mistake when betrayed.


    But seeing him act this way, he didn¡¯t think that kind of worry was necessary.


    ¡®What should I say about this?¡¯


    Ah.


    ¡®He¡¯s like a service worker.¡¯


    The ¡ï Novelight ¡ï perfect example of a capitalist smile.


    ¡®In this situation, Gio can¡¯t really gain any material benefit, but somehow, it feels like watching a skilled public servant handle things...¡¯


    He had a vague feeling.


    ¡®Giovanni¡¯s not just a purely good priest.¡¯


    It felt oddly reassuring knowing Gio didn¡¯t trust humans too much, but still showed them kindness. If clueless idiots made trouble, he wouldn¡¯t lash out immediately.


    But before that happens, Yoo Seong-Woon would have to cut it off first.


    ¡°By the way, you caught fish? I don¡¯t know what happened, but where did you catch them? Was there a pond here in this barren place?¡±


    ¡°There was a deep water hole near the edge of the third pupil. The water quality was better than Earth, and the fish living there didn¡¯t seem to be poisonous...¡±


    ¡°You decided to eat them?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t we all hungry?¡±


    ¡°Forget the hunger, but most people don¡¯t think about calmly grilling fish in a dungeon like this.¡±


    ¡°I guess I wasn¡¯t hungry enough yet.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so decisive. It¡¯s not wrong, but still.¡±


    Worrying a little, it seemed Gio Giovanni¡¯s persona was actually a decent guy after all.


    ¡®Gio said it¡¯s not his personality that changes, but his character...¡¯


    It was just too peaceful, and it was hard to believe.


    If Yoo Seong-Woon felt this way, how absurd must it be for the dungeon master...

 Chapter 68

    The moment she was born, she was recognized by the sea.


    A mermaid who had been the successor of the deep sea since birth, Aria was always curious about the underside of the sun, where she had neither the duty nor the authority to rule. And there she met a human.


    ¡°Now, Aria. Look at this cross-section. Human skin has layers.¡±


    ¡°Is it different from a mermaid¡¯s skin?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a little different. A mermaid¡¯s skin can survive in the deep sea....¡±


    He was her teacher.


    ¡°What are you drawing now?¡±


    ¡°Aria, I was drawing you.¡±


    ¡°This is a picture of the sea.¡±


    ¡°The sea is the mermaid.¡±


    He was her friend.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to understand humans, but it¡¯s not bad to empathize with them either.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a difference.¡±


    ¡°Just empathizing with them can accomplish more than understanding.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    They were her family.


    Giovanni was the only one who was equal to Aria, or even higher. He was different from Isser, her younger brother who had to be protected and cared for.


    Aria could have interesting conversations with Giovanni. No matter what Aria did, Giovanni could handle her.


    The existence of perfectly meshing gears.


    ¡°Aria.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t hurt humans.¡±


    She thought so.


    ¡°Why should I?¡±


    ¡°Because I don¡¯t want that.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s selfish.¡±


    ¡°Aria, that ignorant priest always said.¡±


    ¡°A relationship is about being considerate and adapting.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you remember.¡±


    Aria thought of Giovanni and herself as cogs that would never break apart, but Giovanni didn¡¯t think that way. He always talked about hatred.


    ¡°I am human, and Aria is a mermaid. We have different ways of thinking and expressing ourselves, but we have been able to become so close. Up until now, Aria has made many concessions to me and received a corresponding price in return.¡±


    ¡°So do the same this time?¡±


    ¡°If you really don¡¯t like it, fighting and winning is also an option. I prefer resolving our differences through conversation rather than fighting, but Aria might like a clearer approach.¡±


    ¡°Geo, I don¡¯t want to fight you. So I¡¯ll make concessions.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really nice that we can have different opinions but not hate each other. Then, let¡¯s put Aria¡¯s favorite clams on the table tonight.¡±


    It was cheerful.


    ¡°Is this the human way? It¡¯s quite troublesome.¡±


    ¡°Not all humans are like this. I always say that humans are much more colorful and capricious than mermaids. If you want to interact with other humans later....¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to interact with such shallow people.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    It was fun to be with him.


    That was something rare even among my kind.


    ¡°I wish you were a mermaid.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, when I die, I will return to the sun. That¡¯s what I want.¡±


    ¡°Well, humans get cold easily. It would be warmer near the sun than in the deep sea. I admit it.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for understanding.¡±


    Then, Geo.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    When I finally let you go out of my kindness, you should have returned to the sun.


    ¡°...Who, sister....¡±


    ¡°What happened to Giovanni?¡±


    I barely managed to save my brother who was taken to the temple while helping humans, and I destroyed all the temples on the ground, but for some reason, I couldn¡¯t find even a single piece of Giovanni¡¯s bone.


    Almost a year later, my brother came to his senses and answered without crying.


    ¡°I ate it.¡±


    The younger brother was laughing.


    ¡°I ate it because I was hungry. The humans put some kind of drug in that small tank....¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°...The remaining body of that person probably rotted and dissolved in the water. I ate most of it.¡±


    ¡°Aha.¡±


    Maybe because I had been thinking about the worst that I could imagine, I wasn¡¯t that surprised.


    ¡®Geo always worried that I would be hurt after he died, but he wasn¡¯t as shaken up as I thought.¡¯


    He was quite calm.


    ¡°I see.¡±


    However, he couldn¡¯t stop himself from searching for the last traces of Geo, even the water in which he had rotted. He continued to search for Geo¡¯s body, killing every human he could see.


    And he was able to find Geo in the residence of the Pope, who was most loved by the sun.


    ¡°.......¡±


    He became water.


    ¡°...It smells bad.¡±


    It was like looking at sea water.


    ¡°Should I clean it up, Princess?¡±


    ¡°Okay, just leave it like this.¡±


    ¡°But....¡±


    ¡°If we just leave it like that, it¡¯ll flow into the sea.¡±


    How long and with what did they keep the corpse? When they opened the large coffin used as a torture device, his corpse, which had melted like seaweed juice, flowed out.


    There was no trace of a human form.


    ¡°.......¡±


    No, it wasn¡¯t even a living thing.


    ¡°But it¡¯s far from here to the sea.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    All they had to do was drag the sea up to the surface.


    ¡°So....¡±


    Deep enough for the sun to sink.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Just looking at the corpse that had become water.


    ¡°.......¡±


    When they were left alone, Aria whispered.


    ¡°...I thought that when you die, it would be natural death due to the limitations of the species.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Humans have shorter life spans than mermaids. They age faster and change easily. So if we were to eventually part ways... I thought it would be because your value had become blurred.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Your noble character would become blurred by greed, your weak body would wither away from illness, or you would overcome all those trials and die completely and return to the sun. That was the only parting I imagined. I understood and accepted that part.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Why did you have to die like this? It was definitely not because your own value had become blurred, but because you were beaten by the hands of demons who had eyes but couldn¡¯t see... You were not in the sun, but spread out in the deep sea.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°How can you hate someone so easily? Humans are truly worthy of study.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you hate humans?¡±


    The mermaid hated humans.


    My vagueness about our separation came from your mortality, so I didn¡¯t know that the ending of this story would be so funny and miserable.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be cold there?¡±


    You should have gone to the sun, you idiot.


    ¡°No one won.¡±


    You died trying to protect the mermaid, but you shivered in the cold.


    Your value shouldn¡¯t have been destroyed by such a stupid racial conflict.


    You shouldn¡¯t have been unable to go to the sun like this, and at best, you should have become a part of the sea.


    ¡°.......¡±


    The younger sibling, the only mermaid who defended humans, kept his mouth shut.


    ¡°Ah....¡±


    Giovanni, the only human who held the mermaid, lost his mouth.


    ¡°...That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Now there¡¯s no one who can stop me.¡±


    It was such a shame.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    Can¡¯t you feel my sincerity?


    ¡°...Mr. Geo is good at cooking too.¡±


    Sergio smiled at Isser¡¯s words that he had difficulty saying.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you said that.¡±


    ¡°Are you particularly good at seafood dishes?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re good at everything in general.¡±


    ¡°Where did you learn this recipe?¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know, just....¡±


    His eyes caught sight of platinum hair that was almost silver.


    ¡°I wanted to try it like this.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    His blue eyes, resembling the surface of the water where sunlight scatters, are visible.


    ¡°It was just roasted over a campfire, but it was so delicious that I asked.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, feel free to ask me anytime.¡±


    ¡°Sharing what you know is a happy thing, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°...Is there a mind-reading skill among Eunha¡¯s students?¡±


    ¡°I had a feeling you¡¯d say that.¡±


    Giovanni always said that.


    ¡®As expected, a little...¡¯


    No, a lot.


    ¡®It¡¯s too similar.¡¯


    That¡¯s why even the suspicion I created myself, saying ¡®another person who looks quite similar¡¯, didn¡¯t work.


    ¡®I can¡¯t keep acting like this.¡¯


    I was fully aware that I was doing stupid things. When a human named Yoo Seong-un looked at me like ¡®are you really okay with this?¡¯, I felt so pathetic that I couldn¡¯t even call him arrogant.


    ¡°Where is your hometown, Geo?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you know, but it was a really rural area.¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s the countryside....¡±


    ¡°Sometimes I farmed and stuff.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    He was also strangely easygoing for a priest of noble birth.


    ¡®Ah, this won¡¯t work...¡¯


    He lost the will to talk.


    ¡®... Judging from the fact that the atmosphere of the entire dungeon has become lighter, I¡¯m sure my sister is flustered too. If even my sister is flustered, I can¡¯t be okay. This wasn¡¯t supposed to drag on like this... It¡¯s better to leave Earth quickly...¡¯


    It was going to be a way to regain his former calm reason.


    ¡°.......¡±


    But.


    Is that okay?


    ¡®... Is it really right for us to leave this dimension alone and leave alone?¡¯


    Although he had traveled to countless dimensions, there was no one he could tell at a glance, ¡®Ah, this person is Giovanni.¡¯ But no matter how much I thought about it, this person seemed to be Giovanni¡¯s reincarnation.


    ¡®But why is there divinity? It must have been some kind of sun god from some dimension doing something, no, but... If he was the level of the sun god, he wouldn¡¯t care what happened to humans.¡¯


    The situation was confusing, but there was one thing for sure.


    ¡°...What are you going to do next?¡±


    I had to get these people out quickly.


    ¡®Looking at the situation, it¡¯s hard to keep Gi-oh alone. I¡¯ll just send them all away, and after discussing it with my older sister and organizing my thoughts, it won¡¯t be too late to come up with a new plan.¡¯


    Yoo Seong-un answered that question.


    ¡°First, we have to find a way out.¡±


    ¡°A way out....¡±


    ¡°Usually, in cases like this, there are three ways to do it.¡±


    Yoo Seong-un, who had filled his stomach with fish, continued speaking.


    ¡°The most orthodox way is to succeed in the conquest. However, we do not have many hunters, and above all, there are many civilians who will die if we take our eyes off them for a moment. It is a difficult conquest even without someone to guard them. There¡¯s no way we can solve this with this number of people.¡±


    ¡°Then what¡¯s the other way?¡±


    ¡°If there¡¯s an item that can help us exit the dungeon, like a return stone, that would be fine, but that¡¯s not a very wise choice either. After looking around, it seems like this isn¡¯t a dungeon where low-grade items would work... and even if they did, how many items would there be? Only a few of us would be able to escape.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°The last way, of course...¡±


    Yoo Seong-un¡¯s gaze fell on Eunha, Isser, who was still smiling colorlessly.


    ¡°... ... .¡±


    ¡°... ... .¡±


    The momentary gaze dispersed, Yoo Seong-un continued.


    ¡°The dungeon owner himself opens the door.¡±


    Isser clicked his tongue inwardly.


    ¡®Did you read my mind?¡¯


    No, it might have been too obvious an ending even before his thoughts were read.


    For both the mermaids and the humans, Giovanni¡¯s presence was extremely unexpected. It seemed like he meant that since both sides were confused, they should reorganize and fight again.


    The C-class hunter who had been quietly listening to Yoo Seong-woon asked anxiously.


    ¡°T-That could be it? If something happened at the Temple of the Sun, then the dungeon owner must have planned it too... And the number of ? N§àv§Öl?g?§ä ? (Continue reading) people captured is quite large. He must be a strong owner.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not impossible at all.¡±


    Kang Seo-dam replied in the gentle tone characteristic of a priest.


    ¡°There¡¯s a saying that dungeons are like theater stages. The higher the dungeon level, the more closely it is intertwined with its owner, and the raiders can look into the dungeon owner¡¯s story in more detail.¡±


    ¡°Uh... why is that...?¡±


    ¡°In short, if you just follow the story, there are times when the door will open with luck. The stories of civilians who escaped the dungeon because they were moved by the dedication of the raider who learned the story of the dungeon are not just empty boasts.¡±


    ¡°Oh my, I thought that was a flyer....¡±


    ¡°It actually happens often. Especially when the owner is intelligent enough to be close to a humanoid monster, the possibility of such an escape increases. In a dungeon of this scale, the owner must be close to a humanoid.¡±


    At that point, Yoo Seong-un intervened.


    ¡°A similar phenomenon is already occurring. There were quite a few victims right after they were dragged into the dungeon, but look now. We¡¯re having a meal by a campfire, and there are no monsters attacking us.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s definitely strangely stable for a dungeon that has so many raiders. It probably means that the owner who caused this incident has changed his mind. I feel like he¡¯s being very lenient.¡±


    ¡°Thinking about it, considering our situation, the third case is the one with the highest probability of success. If we just rub it well, maybe the door will open.¡±


    ¡°I have similar expectations.¡±


    Oh, right.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Isser decided to just keep his mouth shut.


    ¡®What bad luck.¡¯


    The conversation between the two of them, pretending not to know my identity, was very advanced.


    ¡®Yoo Seong-un has already talked directly with me, but I don¡¯t think Master Kang Seo-dam knows my identity. I¡¯ve shown the aura of the deep sea before because I didn¡¯t want to hide it... I can¡¯t come here and pretend to be a normal young human.¡¯


    Isser looked back at Geo.


    ¡°I hope it goes well either way. The fish here is delicious, but....¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°I really want to go home.¡±


    Isser then asked.


    ¡°What kind of place is Geo¡¯s house?¡±


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s just an ordinary cabin.¡±


    ¡°A cabin.¡±


    ¡°A cabin in a forest with few people.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Isn¡¯t this a house that suits you so well?


    ¡®... To hear such things... .¡¯


    I can¡¯t just keep them.


    Isser decided to release the humans caught in the net.


    ¡°.......¡±


    They¡¯ll just catch them again anyway.


    Isser knew the greed of humans toward mermaids.


    The people who were dragged into the virtual dungeon of an unspecified rank returned alive.


    The number of survivors reached 80% of the total, and everyone unanimously praised it as a miracle.


    ¡°If this is a miracle, then it must be a miracle.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    ¡°Geo, just stay where you are.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    ¡°Yeah... That¡¯s what you¡¯re saying now.¡±


    Yoo Seong-un was thrilled by the effectiveness of ¡®Portrait of Geo¡¯.


    Painter who draws dungeons

 Chapter 69

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a miracle?¡±


    Bisabal smiled brightly and greeted Yoo Seong-woon.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Oh, oh, don¡¯t go out again and come right back in. You shouldn¡¯t do that to people¡¯s faces.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I really don¡¯t want to go in....¡±


    ¡°I believe you know that I¡¯m the one paying your salary. Don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°You already came to the door, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°If you know, why don¡¯t you come in right away, Curator Yoo Seong-woon? The guild leader is waiting.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon eventually entered the office and muttered as he sat on the employee sofa.


    ¡°I really need to save up money and resign.¡±


    ¡°Did you really think that would be possible?¡±


    ¡°If there¡¯s a good reason, shouldn¡¯t you accept my resignation?¡±


    ¡°Remember that I might accidentally forget to accept my resignation letter because I¡¯m so angry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a deep-rooted evil....¡±


    ¡°How can you say such naive things when there has never been corruption in the Republic of Korea?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I really hate that.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon roughly wiped his tired face with both hands, let out a deep sigh that seemed to vomit out his soul, and then slowly raised his head. His eyes were as red as a panda¡¯s.


    ¡°So what are you curious about? I gave you a full report in writing just yesterday, so what on earth are you curious about that you called this poor employee over?¡±


    Bisabal said curtly.


    ¡°According to the report, it seems that Geo has not caused any casualties.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately?¡±


    ¡°I accidentally got serious. I was curious about how the portrait worked.¡±


    ¡°What do you want me to react to? Should I just clap?¡±


    ¡°So let¡¯s skip this part for a moment, and I have a question about Geo¡¯s portrait.¡±


    ¡°I knew that would happen, so tell me.¡±


    ¡°The part about the dungeon and monsters changing was really interesting, but who exactly is Giovanni?¡±


    ¡°That....¡±


    I certainly couldn¡¯t report this part in writing.


    ¡°As you know, the part about ¡®Portrait of Geo¡¯ is confidential even within our guild, so I didn¡¯t include it in the report to prevent any possible leaks. Did it feel rude?¡±


    ¡°Who is Giovanni?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what you were like.¡±


    ¡°Giovanni....¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you, so please wait a moment. I also need to gather my thoughts.¡±


    Yu Seong-un, scratching the back of his neck, continued speaking.


    ¡°...I believe it¡¯s one of the ¡®Geos¡¯ from another dimension. I was able to confirm this by getting some information while wandering around the virtual dungeon I was dragged to this time, the ¡®Temple of the Deep Sea.¡¯¡±


    When Yu Seong-un went around to check if there were any survivors who had fallen elsewhere, he wasn¡¯t just looking for people. If you found a new dungeon, basic research was a natural skill for a hunter.


    ¡°As a result, I was able to find traces of a person called ¡®Giovanni¡¯. He was probably in his early 30s, a priest and doctor who served the sun god, with blond hair and blue eyes... He matched one of the appearances of Geo that I reported before.¡±


    ¡°Then Geo must have a big connection with the source. It would be qualitatively different from the existence of general sources or monsters.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m judging that to be the case. After being reincarnated into another ¡®Gio¡¯ in another dimension, he would end his life as a human, then return to the portrait to reorganize... After all the maintenance was done, he would be reincarnated again, I think, for now.¡±


    It could have been something that happened simultaneously without being restricted by that kind of time order. It would have been a process that took place between dimensions.


    That¡¯s why ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait¡¯ was not a human, a monster, an item, or even a child of the source who was the most veiled.


    But that doesn¡¯t mean you can just express it as a god.


    ¡°¡®Portrait of Geo¡¯ can be anything.¡±


    Like a painter who can express everything with paint and sculpture.


    ¡°And that kind of thing, well... how should I put it....¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s a hasty judgment, but wouldn¡¯t the word ¡®origin¡¯ be the most fitting?¡±


    ¡°...That could be true.¡±


    If Geo wasn¡¯t closely connected to the ¡®origin¡¯, which is called the greatest secret in the world, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to maintain his current vast status.


    ¡°But I guess it¡¯s fortunate that he didn¡¯t give up his humanity, even though it was a little bit left. I don¡¯t know if I should say that he had great willpower, or if I should see this as one of the origin¡¯s systems....¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon swept his chin and asked.


    ¡°Is there anything else you¡¯re curious about?¡±


    ¡°Oh, is it over already?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not like a parent who recites fairy tales. If you¡¯re bored, find someone else to talk to. Even though I look like this, I¡¯m busy dealing with the aftermath of this virtual dungeon.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Bisabal let out his signature thin laugh.


    ¡°You must be busy creating Geo¡¯s identity, right? You¡¯re creating an A-class hunter out of thin air.¡±


    ¡°Even if you belong to a guild with a lot of unofficial hunters, there are more than enough things to explain. We¡¯ll have to convince the association somehow.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of persuading the association, so just focus on the basics. They must know about the ¡®Portrait of Geo¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for relieving me of the burden. Thanks to you, I¡¯ll be able to sleep in my bed for the first time in a while tonight.¡±


    Geo was active in the dungeon named ¡®Deep Sea Temple,¡¯ the center of this incident. The only person who noticed the divinity was Priest Kang Seodam, but it was not like he could hide his power.


    ¡°At that point, I can¡¯t say that he doesn¡¯t exist....¡±


    ¡°There are so many witnesses, so what can I do? If I had killed them all from the beginning, it would have been much easier to handle.¡±


    ¡°Are you telling me to become a Red Hunter? To be demoted to a 5th-grade citizen? So suddenly?¡±


    ¡°No, I was thinking of Geo. If that were the case, wouldn¡¯t I have been able to appreciate Geo¡¯s attack methods?¡±


    ¡°For now, I¡¯ll pretend I didn¡¯t hear that. Geo seems to think of the guild leader as a relatively good person. Please take care of his image.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I do best. It¡¯s one of the weapons that helped me establish the 3rd guild with this weak body.¡±


    ¡°But there are definitely many witnesses. Because the atmosphere was so harmonious, the survivors¡¯ eyewitness accounts are spreading much more actively....¡±


    The survivors were receiving great comfort in the dungeon, and thanks for the ¡®Sergio Hunter¡¯ kept coming in to the collection guild.


    In this situation, it was impossible to say that there was no such person as ¡®Sergio¡¯.


    ¡°That¡¯s why the staff members are a little unsettled. The official document that the guild leader sent clearly had an employee named ¡®Geo¡¯ written on it, so I wonder if it¡¯s the same person....¡±


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s the same person, right? I don¡¯t remember bringing such insensitive employees.¡±


    ¡°Everyone is guessing. No one is pretending to know because it seems like things will get complicated, but at least the ¡®Geo¡¯ in the official document and the ¡®Sergio¡¯ of this uproar are the same person.¡±


    ¡°You know everything, but no one talks to me?¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t want to give you extra work.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon let out a long sigh.


    ¡°Just like me.¡±


    ¡°They pay you.¡±


    ¡°Fucking capitalist society.¡±


    In a world where you can buy a lifespan if you pay money, there was no such thing as labor rights. Yoo Seong-woon rubbed the back of his neck, which was stiff from fatigue, and said.


    ¡°But since you already said in the official document that you were an employee, some people thought, ¡®Then you must really be an employee,¡¯ and let it slide. Most people thought that the guild leader was trying to hire a monster, not a human....¡±


    ¡°While we¡¯re on the subject, should we try it next time?¡±


    ¡°When you come out like this, isn¡¯t the distrust among the employees deepening? It¡¯s not like people are calling you a ¡®crazy guy who only looks at his work¡¯ for no reason. Please take care of your reputation as the guild leader.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say this, but there¡¯s nothing like that. You¡¯re such an interesting person, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°You should be there at that age, but why aren¡¯t you? Why aren¡¯t you there, really?¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon wiped his face again and continued.


    ¡°Anyway, Geo will be officially posted on the collection website soon. Since he is already known to be blond and blue-eyed, Geo will have to move as ¡®Giovanni¡¯ if he wants to be active without wearing his cape, but I think Geo will understand that much.¡±


    Geo didn¡¯t seem to have any particular aversion to his personality changing. He nodded his head because he thought that was the essence of the origin, but he was willing to accept it since it wasn¡¯t a big burden for him.


    ¡°In short, Geo will now be able to... function properly in human society.¡±


    ¡°Can we go to the amusement park together?¡±


    ¡°... ¡®Portrait of Geo¡¯ hates noisy and crowded places, so I would appreciate it if you would refrain from doing so. He is still incredibly gentlemanly toward humans, but that doesn¡¯t mean he doesn¡¯t hate rude and mean people.¡±


    ¡°Of course I know. That¡¯s why I was thinking of renting it out.¡±


    ¡°Please, let your lover do that....¡±


    ¡°A lover? Who would go to an amusement park with an old man like me?¡±


    ¡°Then why did you think Geo would go? It doesn¡¯t make sense right now.¡±


    I know it¡¯s just nonsense to see the reaction of Yoo Seong-un, one of my collections, but it was hard to just listen to those words. I was already tired, and my energy was drained.


    ¡°Anyway, if you don¡¯t have any more questions, I¡¯ll go now. I have to give Geo the Hunter ID I made this time, and I also have a lot of things to tell him about, like textbooks and such....¡±


    ¡°Oh, wait a minute.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s something wrong with the sea.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Yoo Seong-un touched his forehead.


    ¡°Beach, by the way... Are you talking about the strange phenomenon I went /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ to investigate before? Right now? Right now, when you¡¯re about to stand up after spouting off a bunch of nonsense?¡±


    Visabal nodded coolly.


    ¡°I forgot the poem.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie, it¡¯ll make me sick.¡±


    However, Bisabal would not stop this kind of prank, even if it was just to enjoy and appreciate Yoo Seong-woon¡¯s own reactions. It was an eternal truth, but it was still easier to give up.


    Yoo Seong-woon wisely gave up and sat down on the sofa again.


    ¡°So what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s probably no official announcement yet, but if there¡¯s one thing that¡¯s the best among the three major guilds in Korea, it¡¯s the ability to quickly gather information.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes.¡±


    ¡°I asked about the hot information that the association just confirmed.¡±


    ¡°So what is it?¡±


    ¡°I observed a new dungeon in the sea.¡±


    ¡°... In the sea, a new dungeon... .¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon turned pale.


    ¡°... At this time?¡±


    ¡°At this time.¡±


    Bisabal grinned.


    ¡°Do you remember something?¡±


    ¡°No way... Is this a place related to the ¡®Deep Sea Temple¡¯?¡±


    ¡°It seems to be the same dungeon.¡±


    Bisabal agreed.


    ¡°A few brave hunters from the association came to check the inside, and they said that the deeper you go, the more similar the environment becomes to the temple.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just like what I saw in the ¡®Deep Sea Temple¡¯. Was there another dungeon connected to it?¡±


    I sighed.


    ¡°If there¡¯s even an abnormality in the sea, then is it really a villa dungeon? Is there a... temple?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just a normal entrance dungeon.¡±


    ¡°It must be so big.¡±


    One of the characteristics of the entry dungeon is that its scope is unlimited. Among the entry dungeons confirmed so far, the largest one inside is as large as a country. It is also as large as Russia.


    That is why the entry dungeon is the most stable, but it is also known as a dungeon that is more cumbersome and troublesome to conquer. This is especially true when it is expected to be extremely large like this one.


    ¡°The ¡®deep sea temple¡¯ that I confirmed seemed to be a mixture of a temple and a research center. The hunters¡¯ reports that you mentioned stopped at the temple shape, so the place we saw was probably much deeper... deep underground.¡±


    If that is true, then this guy, Eunha, didn¡¯t he just throw people there to die?


    ¡®It is common sense that the survival rate decreases as you go deeper into the dungeon.¡¯


    Anyway, I could never get used to the monster¡¯s hatred and malice.


    ¡°Oh, the Eunha that I reported to you about....¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t find it after your survival. It probably remained in the dungeon or changed its form. It is highly likely that it changed its form to resemble a human child in order to take on the appearance of a prospective priest during the initiation ceremony.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Perhaps it was because it decided that it would be difficult to pretend to be human now, as ¡®Eunha¡¯ disappeared.


    Bisabal asked.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t Geo show any other confusion about that part? It seemed like he cared for her in some way.¡±


    ¡°... ... .¡±


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be shocking if the cause of this incident was actually Eunha.¡±


    ¡°That part... seemed okay.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Bisabal tilted his head and showed interest.


    ¡°It seems like you knew, right?¡±


    ¡°... We don¡¯t know how far you¡¯ve organized your personality, so we can¡¯t say anything, but judging from the fact that you didn¡¯t show any particular shock or surprise after that... .¡±


    ¡°Did Geo know what Eunha was from the beginning?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the only way to interpret it?¡±


    No, I didn¡¯t know.


    Geo in the dungeon just didn¡¯t think about anything, and Geo who came out and found out about Eunha¡¯s identity didn¡¯t show his confusion because of his stiff facial muscles.


    The certainty that Isser and Eunha in ¡®Giovanni¡¯s¡¯ memories were the same person came after escaping the dungeon.


    ¡°Since this is a dungeon where humanoid monsters rule, I would like to know a little more about ¡®Giovanni¡¯, who could be called the key to peace. Is that possible?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡±


    ¡°Oh, and....¡±


    ¡°What else?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Bisabal looked at Yoo Seong-un as if he felt sorry.


    ¡°According to the hunters belonging to the association, they witnessed ¡®Gi¡¯s Portrait¡¯ in the sea dungeon I just mentioned.¡±


    ¡°... Yes?¡±


    ¡°To be exact, it wasn¡¯t ¡®Sergio¡¯ but the figure of ¡®Black Cloak¡¯. The hunters belonging to the association managed to escape with the help of a tall man wearing a black cloak over his head... .¡±


    ¡°Oh please... .¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon grabbed his head.


    ¡°Please, I¡¯m surprised that I can handle it... .¡±


    ¡°Oh my, how pitiful.¡±


    ¡°Eww... .¡±


    He could see the future of working overtime.


    Of course, Geo didn¡¯t do this because he wanted to have fun.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know there would be other people in the dungeon I went to see my mermaid students¡¯ faces.¡±


    ¡°Kurururuk.¡±


    ¡°Even if he¡¯s a versatile dad who can even bake sweet potatoes with paint, he can¡¯t predict all futures.¡±


    Geo thought of the sturdy hunters he had encountered in the places he had visited, thinking, ¡°Of course, there would be no one in that dungeon by now.¡±


    They looked quite scared.


    ¡°Just like when the employees of the Collector¡¯s Guild encountered me at dawn.¡±


    ¡°Kung.¡±


    ¡°They seem like very smart elites, but those healthy employees are scared....¡±


    ¡°Kung-kung.¡±


    ¡°...Scared....¡±


    ¡°Kung-kung-kung.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    To be clear, Geo knew how to grasp reality.


    He also found out that there was a ghost story called the ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ in the Collector¡¯s Guild. It was partly due to the prank of the guild leader, Bisabal, but it was also largely due to the employees who believed it seriously and were terrified.


    ¡°...Ah.¡±


    A black cloak standing alone in the hallway of a company where everyone had left work, and a black cloak suddenly appearing in a dungeon where there should be no people and showing them the way to survive.


    Geo felt a sense of deja vu at the incredible synchronization. Only then did Geo regain his sense of reality and said, ¡°Oh no.¡±


    ¡°...Did I have an accident?¡±


    ¡°Kur.¡±


    ¡°God of Heaven and Earth.¡±


    That¡¯s how it happened.


    A painter drawing dungeons

 Chapter 70

    "......"


    Yoo Seong-Woon asked the priest Kang Seo-Dam, who sat across from him, a favor.


    "If possible, I would like you to treat ''The Black Cloak'' and ''Seojio'' as separate individuals."


    "Separate individuals, you say."


    "By doing so, separating the ''story'' will cause fewer problems in terms of coexisting."


    "I understand what you mean."


    Kang Seo-Dam nodded.


    "The hunter I saw in the ''Temple of the Deep Sea'' must be the ''Seojio'' you mentioned."


    "That''s right, and the male with the black cloak that the association¡¯s hunters encountered is an entirely unknown entity. I¡¯m sure you¡¯d know that it¡¯s the same person, but..."


    "If it''s the will of the gods, I will accept it. The goddess herself has expressed the desire for fellowship with him, so if keeping quiet is necessary, it should be no problem."


    He readily accepted Seong-Woon''s request. It wasn¡¯t just because it was the will of the goddess.


    "I wasn¡¯t planning to claim I saw a god in the ''Temple of the Deep Sea.'' It didn¡¯t seem like the being wanted to reveal its true identity, and if I said that a god appeared at the ceremony I presided over, I would¡¯ve been tormented for a while. For my own sake, I¡¯ll refrain from speaking of it."


    Though it had been quite some time since his escape from the ''Temple of the Deep Sea,'' Kang Seo-Dam had not properly reported Seojio to the church.


    As a priest, he would not have acted alone without the goddess'' will, but it was a decision that would have been impossible without flexibility from the priest himself. Seong-Woon understood this and had attempted such contact.


    Seong-Woon sighed in apparent relief.


    "I¡¯m really grateful that you¡¯re saying this. Staff members within the same guild can be kept in line by the guild leader¡¯s authority, but I was worried about how you, being a member of the church, might handle keeping quiet."


    "Keeping quiet? That''s a rather extreme way of putting it. But I do acknowledge that the matter of ''The Black Cloak'' requires caution. The person I met back then didn¡¯t feel like a typical god."


    Not every god could mimic human behavior and enjoy games.


    "Could it be that this person is a type of evil god? I understand that among the beings capable of adjusting themselves to human proportions to enjoy such games, there are quite a few evil gods. If so, this separation could be seen as a major gamble."


    "We¡¯re still investigating."


    "This time, too, calling it a ''beloved work''... The collector handled it carelessly. I still can¡¯t understand the guild members¡¯ attitude of being relieved just because the guild leader finds it charming and safe."


    "Even so, we can¡¯t send Gio to the association¡¯s research facility."


    "It¡¯s true that unethical acts happen easily in the association¡¯s research facilities, but thinking of humanity¡¯s safety, it seems like the better option. Of course, that¡¯s assuming he¡¯s an evil god. Given that he seems to value peace and mercy, the likelihood of him being that kind of entity is low, so once again, I swear to the sun that I will keep quiet about this matter."


    However, the fact that Seojio was not safe for humanity remained unchanged. The vast powers of certain gods, even without malice, had wiped out entire civilizations or created countless hellish realities.


    "Moreover, a humanoid monster, entering its dungeon like it¡¯s at home and saving people..."


    That level of authority clearly surpassed that of a regular god. Not all gods were omnipotent in every aspect.


    Fundamentally, gods were beings of will, closer to intangible fate or nature, and could neither enjoy human-like games nor enter dungeons with ease.


    This required immense willpower, expertise, and considerable [N O V E L I G H T] power.


    "From the perspective of someone who has received much mercy, it may seem extremely ungrateful, but the fact that ''Seojio'' is a dangerous entity does not change."


    Kang Seo-Dam looked at Seong-Woon.


    "He¡¯s a being that even the best collector couldn¡¯t comprehend."


    "It may seem frustrating to the church and the association, but we¡¯re also putting effort into understanding him."


    "Is there any chance that he might become an enemy of humanity? I recall the aura I felt being dangerously close to death."


    "Well, if he gets angry, it could lead to a disaster. He might unintentionally harm humanity. Who knows, the Earth could even be destroyed."


    "That would be troublesome."


    The Earth was barely hanging on, surviving thanks to the mercy of a few powerful beings.


    "...Just to reiterate, I have no intention of interfering with Seojio¡¯s games. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t report it to the church either, as you, Hunter Seong-Woon, are well aware."


    "I know well. That¡¯s exactly why I came to see you. I understand that you don¡¯t plan on revealing his true identity, but given the situation, I just wanted to hear a definitive answer."


    In order to create a world where they could coexist with this terrifying portrait, and hoping for more opportunities to appreciate it, Bisa Beul hoped that Seojio and ''The Black Cloak'' would be successfully separated. Seong-Woon felt the same.


    "The blonde, blue-eyed Seojio¡¯s appearance was already revealed in the ''Temple of the Deep Sea,'' so his existence can¡¯t be denied, but this time, the association has only officially identified ''The Black Cloak.''"


    "I understand why that decision was made. No mere human could stop such a powerful god¡¯s game. It¡¯s clear that only innocent victims will come out of this."


    "We reached a similar conclusion. It¡¯s a rather irresponsible neglect, but the collector values coexistence over control. It¡¯s the guiding principle of our guild."


    After all, the incidents caused by "Gio¡¯s portrait" couldn¡¯t be stopped by humans. So, they decided that the guild would officially manage only Giovanni¡¯s side, while secretly negotiating with Gio, trying to reduce the conflict between humans and the entity.


    "We¡¯re not just sitting back either. If we pay attention, we can at least reduce the agitation among people."


    "How do you intend to reduce the agitation?"


    "By turning ''The Black Cloak'' into an urban legend. Make it a normal story that people can casually enjoy."


    "......"


    Kang Seo-Dam¡¯s expression subtly shifted. It seemed like he tried to hide his irritation, discomfort, and disbelief with a polite mask.


    "...I don¡¯t think that will work. If things go wrong, ''The Black Cloak'' might become a symbol of terror, and that could turn him into a much stronger disaster."


    "For now, the collector is okay with it. Our staff treats ''The Black Cloak'' like an urban legend, following the rules that suit that approach."


    "I believe that¡¯s due to the collector guild¡¯s nature. For the city, for Korea, or even globally, it¡¯s hard to imagine it being easy."


    "Still, it¡¯s better than doing nothing."


    "...Sigh..."


    Perhaps he thought it wasn¡¯t his place to speak further on the matter or maybe he couldn¡¯t continue discussing the same topic. Kang Seo-Dam, with a tired expression and furrowed brows, soon asked another question.


    "...By the way, is it acceptable to call a god so familiarly? ''That guy,'' ''Gio''...?"


    Kang Seo-Dam appeared slightly taken aback.


    "To treat such a huge being, which is mimicking human skin, in that manner."


    "Gio wants that."


    "......"


    "I suppose from a priest''s standpoint, it might feel awkward."


    "...It can¡¯t be helped."


    Regardless of the religion, there were three rules expected of priests who served a god.


    "First, don¡¯t look into the eyes of a god. Second, don¡¯t call the god¡¯s name. Third, don¡¯t test the god..."


    "I¡¯m sure you know them well, Hunter Seong-Woon."


    "Those are famous rules."


    "It means don¡¯t try to understand the essence of the god. Priests always try to maintain a certain distance when dealing with gods. Treating them too familiarly could infringe on their essence, so we try to prevent that in advance."


    "......"


    "Faith in the current era is definitely used as a tool. Because of that, human attitudes towards gods have become more intimate, and their images have become much more worldly. But still, those with divine power are, without a doubt, intangible disasters."


    Though gods were classified as traditional gods or evil gods, the absolute criteria for these distinctions were vague. Evil gods were considered to be those divine beings who posed harm to humanity.


    But how could nature and fate be divided into good and evil? Even if humans, with their limited existence, tried to categorize them, it would only lead to troublesome results.


    "Whether they have the will to do so or not, a god can always become a disaster for humanity."


    Priests had to understand this better than any human.


    "If they forget this, they¡¯re not worthy of being a priest."


    "That¡¯s quite profound."


    "I wanted to remind you, Hunter Seong-Woon. I¡¯ve seen countless people who burst under the weight of destiny after calling the god¡¯s true name. To be under the god¡¯s gaze means that."


    "I know that well."


    Seong-Woon might have known it even better.


    "I¡¯m a bit of an expert in this regard."


    From the perspective of a gardener, the gods of the current generation were considered ''children of the origin.''


    They were closely connected to the origin, and in any dimension, they were intangible, silent disasters. Beings of will, living stories. All of these conditions matched the ''children of the origin.''


    ¡®But I can¡¯t share that part with the priest.¡¯


    If he were to speak of it, he would likely be called blasphemous.


    After all, the existence of gardeners and their related knowledge was dangerous, uncontrollable information known and handled only by a select few, so Seong-Woon couldn¡¯t talk freely about Gio to maintain his own dignity.


    "Anyway, don¡¯t be too surprised when Gio starts operating in society. By then, Gio will be quite flexible and friendly, so there won¡¯t be any accidents. His identity will be solidified."


    "......"


    "He¡¯ll be introduced as a devout worshiper who can manipulate divine power, so I hope you¡¯ll play along. His essential energy might differ a little, but primarily, Gio leans towards the Sun God faction."


    "Please don¡¯t speak like that. It sounds uncomfortable."


    "This is my way of speaking. What can I do?"


    "Sigh..."


    "Oh, by the way."


    Seong-Woon blinked and asked.


    "Has the association made the information about ''The Black Cloak'' official?"


    One of the association¡¯s tasks was to establish rules about entities that hunters should be cautious about. Seong-Woon thought that ''The Black Cloak'' was now significant enough to be officially recorded.


    "They need to open the door first, so it¡¯ll be easier for us to fabricate an urban legend."


    "Now that the newly discovered dungeon entrance has been named, the official information about ''The Black Cloak'' will probably be organized soon."


    "As expected from a Sun Priest, your information is fast. What¡¯s the name of that dungeon?"


    "It¡¯s not that different from the one we visited."


    Kang Seo-Dam continued.


    "They¡¯re calling it ''The Deep Sea Kingdom.''"


    "What...?"


    Seong-Woon nodded.


    "Intuitive, and fitting."


    It was a name that suited the place well.

 Chapter 71

    Going back a bit, after Geo left the ¡®Temple of the Deep Sea¡¯ and returned to the cabin.


    ¡°Unlike what I remember 30 years ago, I knew that the current Earth was quite a dangerous place....¡±


    ¡°Gurur....¡±


    ¡°I never thought that a terrorist attack, not a terrorist attack, would occur during that large religious event. This is the first terrorist incident I¡¯ve ever experienced in my life.¡±


    Geo was calming himself down.


    ¡°What a scary world. At the young age of 29, I almost lost my family.¡±


    He wouldn¡¯t be able to die easily since he had experienced a miracle beyond the miracle of merging with the Source in a mere human body, but since he really didn¡¯t know anything about it, he let it slide.


    It was surprising that the Galaxy student he met at the initiation ceremony and the Isser in Giovanni¡¯s memories were the same person, but he was even said to have led this terrorist incident.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Giovanni became very upset.


    ¡°He wasn¡¯t like that originally, so why did he become like that?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°...If we really have to find the cause, it must be my fault, right?¡±


    ¡°Kuru.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Sun.¡±


    Yes, honestly, dying like that was a bit too much. Giovanni also knew his guilt.


    ¡°Iser especially thought of me as a father. He was such a kind and honest friend, so the incident back then must have been even more shocking. It¡¯s scary when good kids decide to go astray....¡±


    He groaned.


    ¡°I should at least give him some food.¡±


    And these Gioras never thought deeply. They were two guys whose basic creed was ¡®what can I do?¡¯ combined.


    He was a good person, but he knew how to make objective judgments that were cold and cold. He didn¡¯t blame himself or regret things that weren¡¯t his fault. This terrorist incident was no different.


    It seemed like the disciple was shocked by his master¡¯s death and went astray, but that didn¡¯t mean it was the dead master Giovanni¡¯s fault. There was no reason to be nervous when there was someone else who had caused the accident.


    ¡°This teacher knows everything. It¡¯s because he was hungry and sensitive.¡±


    ¡°Kk...?¡±


    ¡°People have to be full to be able to look after others.¡±


    Geo was quite far from feeling guilty and summarized the state of his disciple, the mermaid Isser.


    ¡°Most incidents and accidents that occur as crimes committed by humans are caused by the mental health of the people who caused the accidents. Most people wouldn¡¯t commit such acts if they were living a stable life.¡±


    If Isser, who originally couldn¡¯t even handle fish, let alone people, had maintained a happy and healthy mind, would this have happened?


    Geo, who had returned to black hair, asked.


    ¡°Honey, you should remember this well. There are few people who are healthy and have a full stomach who get irritated. It means that people become gentle even if you just fill their stomachs.¡±


    ¡°Kkungkung?¡±


    ¡°People who get irritated even after that are really weird, so just ignore them. If you repay the favor with enmity after giving them food, then either the person who gave you the food killed their parents or the person who ate the food is weird.¡±


    ¡°Kkung.¡±


    ¡°Then, now is the most important time to figure out how I should deal with it. How should this incompetent teacher react to the student who ate me? It¡¯s really annoying that he grew up to be a terrorist, so I could just live my whole life without seeing him....¡±


    Of course, Geo couldn¡¯t do that.


    ¡°I¡¯ve fed those kids so much, I can¡¯t just ignore him after seeing him once.¡±


    He doesn¡¯t care if it¡¯s not something he¡¯s responsible for. This recent initiation ceremony terrorist incident was certainly not his fault, but Giovanni was definitely responsible for his former disciple, Isser, growing up like that.


    ¡°It was the best we could do at the time, but if he hadn¡¯t been eaten alive, Isser wouldn¡¯t have become so twisted.¡±


    ¡°Kururuk.¡±


    Honey nodded. His face said, ¡®That seems to be right,¡¯ so Giovanni had nothing more to say.


    ¡°...Anyway, so....¡±


    As a human, an adult, and a teacher, he tried to figure out how to meet the mermaid siblings again.


    ¡°I remember the ¡®Breathing Sea¡¯ and Isser¡¯s dungeon having a similar atmosphere.¡±


    However, even so, it seemed difficult to find the ¡®Deep Sea Temple¡¯ through the ¡®Breathing Sea.¡¯ Who would do something so reckless knowing where and what could be in that vast world? The two might really be connected.


    Geo nodded.


    ¡°Fortunately, I have the ability to visit other people¡¯s dungeons at will.¡±


    ¡°Gururuk?¡±


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s try drawing a picture.¡±


    Didn¡¯t you already experience it once with ¡®Jewel¡¯s Vein¡¯? At that time, you failed to achieve your goal of a desirable social life, but thanks to that, you were able to save a ? N§àv§Öl?g?§ä ? (Continue reading) young student named Cha Ara.


    ¡°This is a pretty useful ability.¡±


    If Yoo Seong-un had heard of it, he would have said, ¡®It¡¯s probably not that useful,¡¯ and made a small tackle, but Geo was a reclusive loner.


    ¡°You can also make sweet potatoes.... It¡¯s really delicious if you put butter and salt on sweet potatoes and sprinkle honey on them.¡±


    ¡°Gururururuk!!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s similar to honey-sweet potato stir-fry, but it¡¯s a little more moist and soft. Oh, if you add a little whipped cream on top, it¡¯s really fantastic....¡±


    There was no way a lonely young man stuck in a cabin with no internet would know such common sense. To him, his drawing ability was no different from the food truck that filled his stomach.


    Geo went to find his father.


    ¡°Father.¡±


    ¡°Kkuu.¡±


    At some point, a teddy bear version of the sun god began to live in the cabin.


    ¡°You were playing with Danawa.¡±


    ¡°Kkuu....¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it.¡±


    Last time, the jewel cat, Anticat Dana, who I brought from ¡®Jewel¡¯s Vein¡¯, was cold. So I wondered if she would fit in well with the teddy bear that was filled with the warmth of the sun, but she seemed very compatible.


    ¡°It¡¯s just that I wanted to meet Isser again.¡±


    ¡°Kkuu.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for cheering me on. I¡¯m thinking about drawing a picture to make a passage, but I think it¡¯ll take a lot of time....¡±


    ¡°Kkuu.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your consideration. I put the snacks in the storage, so eat as you please.¡±


    Even during this trip to Seoul, I said, ¡®Hehe, I¡¯ll just watch the event and come back home right away,¡¯ but I spent so much time at the temple.


    In case something similar happened this time, Geo made all the preparations diligently so that the cabin could be peaceful without him.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Sitting in the studio, Geo blinked his eyes twice. He muttered.


    ¡°...Now that I think about it, that temple, maybe....¡±


    The ¡®deep sea temple¡¯ that Geo had seen seemed familiar for some reason.


    ¡°Is it where I died?¡±


    ¡°Kuruk.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember that part in detail.¡±


    94.5% assimilation rate


    ¡°.......¡±


    Still, he remembered exactly what the dungeon looked like.


    ¡°Let¡¯s draw it.¡±


    Geo started drawing the ¡®deep sea temple¡¯.


    The pure white pillars and high ceilings that held the sacredness, and the laboratory that was not dissimilar.


    The countless monsters roaming around and the air rippling with water scales... .


    ¡°.......¡±


    Geo was absorbed in the painting.


    A warehouse where the completed work was covered with black cloth.


    ¡°.......¡±


    The sun god, who was sitting in the middle of the warehouse holding Anticat Dana in his arms, raised his head and looked around at one side that was emitting a cold light.


    ¡°...Kuu.¡±


    ¡°??¡±


    ¡°Kuku....¡±


    The ¡®breathing sea¡¯ that could be called the home of the sun god was resonating.


    ¡°Ku.¡±


    May that story come to an end.


    The sun, submerged in the sea, prayed earnestly.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Geo, wearing a black cloak pulled down low, was in the ¡®temple of the deep sea.¡¯


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    This is it.


    ¡°I felt this way when I went to the ¡®Jewel¡¯s Vein¡¯, but it¡¯s a really convenient means of transportation.¡±


    ¡°Kururuk.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s take a look around.¡±


    Because the place itself was so large, he didn¡¯t think of going straight to Isser. Strictly speaking, it was trespassing, so Geo decided to look around a little more carefully.


    He had just come here from painting in the studio, so his feet were still bare, but it wasn¡¯t that cold. The shallow seawater on the floor made a pleasant splashing sound.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Giovanni felt a sense of guilt for having become a ruffian who entered his student¡¯s house without permission.


    ¡°Should I buy another cell phone?¡±


    ¡°Kung....¡±


    ¡°Yeah, the signal won¡¯t work.¡±


    It was inevitable due to the nature of portraits, but Geo had no choice but to adapt to trespassing, as was the case with the work he did at the collector¡¯s guild¡¯s gallery.


    ¡®No one would expect a living person to jump out of a portrait and enter a house.¡¯


    Gio humbly accepted his fate of continuing to surprise countless people. It was a bit funny, so it was okay.


    ¡°It¡¯s not much different from the last time I saw it.¡±


    ¡°Kururuk.¡±


    Fortunately or unfortunately, finding the way wasn¡¯t that difficult.


    ¡°Somehow... it feels familiar.¡±


    It was thanks to Giovanni¡¯s memory.


    ¡°Because it was where I worked.¡±


    ¡°Kkuk?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. It was where I worked. I remember.¡±


    Giovanni nodded.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t completely stuck here, but I was trained here. Only after I was properly recognized as a priest can I go to another region and do my own activities, but until then, I had to train at a temple like this.¡±


    ¡°Kurur.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my memory isn¡¯t perfect, but I haven¡¯t forgotten the path itself. I¡¯ve spent time here with other people before, and things have come to mind...¡±


    Gio looked around as he walked along the path.


    ¡°But it still feels unfamiliar.¡±


    There was no research facility like this in the temple he remembered.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Feeling the difference in time, Giovanni¡¯s temper softened.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the exit.¡±


    ¡°Knock knock.¡±


    Geo found the stairs of the temple and climbed up.


    Then, he met a person.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°......?¡±


    Why are you coming out of there?


    ¡°.......¡±


    Returning, the Association¡¯s Hunter Jeong Da-un continued.


    ¡°...Does that sound a little strange?¡±


    ¡°To be honest, yes, I don¡¯t quite understand.¡±


    The researcher nodded.


    ¡°However, I understand what Hunter Jeong Da-un wanted to say. You clearly knew with your reasoning that the other person was not human, but you instinctively felt that the other person was human, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Then, isn¡¯t there a possibility that it was brainwashing of that kind?¡±


    Among monsters, especially humanoid monsters, there were many with mental skills.


    ¡°Even if they¡¯re not humanoid monsters, there are many monsters that try to impersonate humans. If they covered themselves with a cloak to hide their true identity and used mental skills to make themselves look like humans, it would make more sense.¡±


    ¡°...That probably wasn¡¯t the case.¡±


    The Hunter shook his head as he recalled his memories.


    ¡°It was a dungeon that appeared in the sea right after the ¡®Deep Sea Temple¡¯, which was judged to be a very dangerous dungeon. At the time, he didn¡¯t know that the two dungeons were connected, but he guessed that there would be at least some connection when he tried to enter.¡±


    ¡°That means that he thoroughly prepared before entering.¡±


    ¡°Yes, among the things we prepared, there was an item to deal with brainwashing. As you¡¯ve probably already heard, that item is an A-class item that nullifies mental skills for up to 10 people. Of course, you could say that the ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ used a skill higher than A-class, but....¡±


    The Hunter hesitated for a moment before continuing.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure, the item didn¡¯t react to ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ in the first place.¡±


    ¡°Not even a little bit?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that it simply failed to defend, it¡¯s that it didn¡¯t apply at all. ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ never used a mental skill against us even once.¡±


    ¡°And yet, you¡¯re saying that the Jeongdaun Hunter felt the opponent as a human. And that was against an opponent who was so alienated that he felt a sense of alienation.¡±


    ¡°It was almost a feeling close to certainty. To the point where I thought it was impossible for me to deny it myself.¡±


    That was really ridiculous.


    ¡°For some reason, I felt relieved, as if I was lying in a cozy bed, and at the same time, I was surprised and goosebumped at my own appearance. I felt a little bit of reliance... Sorry, I can¡¯t describe it in detail.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    The researcher, who had offered simple consolation, continued his question.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go back to the topic we had earlier. Instead of focusing on the identity of the ¡®Black Cloak¡¯, describe its behavior. How did you first encounter it?¡±


    ¡°...First, it was after we entered the third stage, the ¡®Deep Sea Temple¡¯. Since it was a virtual dungeon where people were eaten once, I could definitely see traces of other people. Of course, in the end, there was no one who could be called human....¡±


    The Hunter spoke as if he was still dizzy.


    ¡°While wandering around the temple, we encountered a humanoid monster.¡±


    ¡°The report says ¡®Mermaid Yser¡¯, but do you think it¡¯s the same entity as the ¡®Galaxy¡¯ that the Sun Cult¡¯s priest Kang Seo Dam reported?¡±


    ¡°I guess that¡¯s inevitable. Oh, of course, the entity we encountered was not a child, but an adult. It was the first time we encountered a humanoid monster, so we were all nervous.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s the first humanoid monster that¡¯s been officially sighted in a long time.¡±


    The hunter nodded as if he was grateful for understanding and continued.


    ¡°He introduced himself as a mermaid, and his name was Isser. He had pearl-colored eyes and bright blue hair, just like Priest Kang Seodam described. Based on the photo of the ¡®Galaxy¡¯ he reported, it seemed to be the same individual.¡±


    The tired-looking hunter folded his arms and leaned back in his chair.


    ¡°As you probably know about the story of the dungeon....¡±


    ¡°The report described it as ¡®a monster born from the tragedy of losing a dear human being.¡¯¡±


    ¡°As with all monsters, it had a great hatred for humans. However, its human-like skills were so excellent that at first we thought it was a priest who had not been able to escape.¡±


    The priest¡¯s characteristically affectionate smile as he approached him clearly made him look more human.


    ¡°But we didn¡¯t continue the impersonation. We were confused for a moment, but we quickly realized that the opponent was a monster, and it seemed that Mermaid Isser didn¡¯t intend to act for too long either... The battle began.¡±


    ¡°And you said that you escaped safely. Right?¡±


    ¡°For some reason, the opponent reacted strangely. Our team at the time thought that there must have been some kind of problem in the dungeon. They made the other monsters in the dungeon fight us and then went somewhere.¡±


    ¡°But the reason....¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The hunter nodded as if he thought you were right.


    ¡°The reason Isser escaped was probably because of the ¡®Black Cloak¡¯... We knew about it the moment we saw its existence.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask again, but how did you meet him?¡±


    ¡°...He asked us for our identities.¡±


    He still remembered it vividly.


    ¡°He asked us what our names were.¡±


    The eeriness at that time was beyond description, Hunter added.


    As expected, Geo was saying something that would make him feel wronged, saying, "I can''t even give my full name."


    The Painter Who Draws Dungeons

 Chapter 72

    Of course, the public name system was a popular and convenient way to communicate.


    ¡°But, that... what should I say... you know that feeling when something that isn¡¯t human at all is imitating a human?¡±


    ¡°Monsters often try to imitate humans in order to lure them out. In the case of the Jangsanbeom, a monster that has yet to be subdued, they imitate human voices. There are monsters overseas that wear human skins or learn human language.¡±


    The Hunter shook his head at the researcher¡¯s words.


    ¡°It didn¡¯t feel that awkward. As I said earlier, you said that you were convinced that it was human even though it was obvious that it wasn¡¯t human at all.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what you said.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s somewhat similar to that.¡±


    The Hunter explained awkwardly, looking like he was wondering how to say this.


    ¡°Obviously, ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ wasn¡¯t human. But there was nothing superfluous about acting like a human. In the case of the monster you just gave as an example, that short story may seem perfect, but... it doesn¡¯t seem like a perfect human, right?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°On the other hand, ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ didn¡¯t have that sense of incongruity. It felt awkward, but it was definitely a perfect human. That¡¯s....¡±


    ¡°A perfect human?¡±


    The researcher stared straight at Hunter.


    ¡°Humans can¡¯t be perfect.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the problem.¡±


    Hunter nodded.


    ¡°It was too perfect.¡±


    The behavior of ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ that I saw that day was definitely human, so it didn¡¯t feel awkward, but it felt quite awkward.


    ¡°It was as if he wasn¡¯t human when he was born, but he became human afterward....¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not a specific description.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s called Hunter¡¯s intuition. Should I say it¡¯s strong? Even though there¡¯s no clear evidence, I thought, wow, this is really strange. I can¡¯t just ignore this... I think I had that kind of intuition.¡±


    Hunter laughed in vain.


    ¡°Actually, if you call it ¡®intuition¡¯, it¡¯s obvious that it¡¯s not human.¡±


    Regardless of gender or age, if you threw it in front of him, he¡¯d think, ¡®Oh, that¡¯s not human,¡¯ so it shouldn¡¯t be defined as a vague sense called intuition.


    It was extremely polite. The voice that permeated my ears as if teaching someone seemed to whisper through my brain, not my mouth, and the voice was so quiet that it was embarrassing to even call it a ¡®sound.¡¯ He was like a peaceful tomb.


    ¡°It¡¯s just, um, what I meant was that the feeling I had was that contradictory and ambiguous. It¡¯s too hard to explain in detail. If you witness the ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ in person, you¡¯ll probably know what I¡¯m talking about.¡±


    ¡°Hmm....¡±


    The researcher asked incredulously.


    ¡°You¡¯re surprisingly friendly to ¡®Black Cloak¡¯?¡±


    ¡°...Yes? Me? Did I do it?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to realize it, but what you just said didn¡¯t sound like ¡®You should try it too¡¯, but more like ¡®I want to introduce it to you too¡¯. Did I misunderstand?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    After hesitating for a while, the Hunter finally opened his mouth.


    ¡°...I think it¡¯s probably friendly.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not criticizing you, it¡¯s a genuine question, so don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m just curious as to how you could be so friendly to someone who is clearly a target of fear.¡±


    ¡°Ah... It¡¯s so hard....¡±


    The Hunter sighed and continued.


    ¡°...I wonder if saying this is a sufficient answer, but I think it was because the other person was very kind to us.¡±


    ¡°Monsters, to humans?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t it say it in the report?¡±


    ¡°I understand how you acted, but that alone doesn¡¯t make sense. Can you explain?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    The hunter who had been thinking nodded.


    ¡°It would be better to talk about when we first met.¡±


    She recalled what happened in the ¡®Deep Sea Country¡¯.


    That black, large cloak.


    ¡°Team Leader.¡±


    It was when they ran away from the humanoid monster ¡®Iser¡¯ and the monsters he brought with him.


    ¡°There are no other monsters around.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? Any traps?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing like that. We all checked together, so it¡¯s certain.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a little strange....¡±


    The team leader, Jeong Da-woon, knew that the situation was strange.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like the dungeon owner doesn¡¯t know where we are, so it doesn¡¯t make sense that there are no monsters around here. This can¡¯t be a safe zone.¡±


    ¡°You can tell just by looking at it....¡±


    Safe zones are literally ¡®safe areas¡¯ that exist in some dungeons. Sometimes, when there are multiple owners of a dungeon, monsters avoid the area to avoid conflict with the other entities, and this area is created.


    ¡®There are exceptions where there are safe zones that are just there even though it¡¯s not a problem of territory disputes, but you can¡¯t say that it¡¯s that kind of atmosphere.¡¯


    In addition, there was objective evidence.


    ¡°There are too many traces of monsters passing through to call it a safe zone.¡±


    ¡°In a place where there were originally a lot of monsters, they suddenly disappeared?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t a good sign.


    ¡°Then it must have been a stronger monster that invaded...?¡±


    If you think about it that way, the reaction of ¡®Iser¡¯ that we just confronted was also strange.


    ¡°He seemed confused because something was wrong with the dungeon.¡±


    ¡°Yes, if you think about the fact that the air in the entire dungeon shook, then there must have been a problem. This dungeon seems to be closely connected to its owner.¡±


    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t just another monster, but a humanoid monster, then it would have to have been a much stronger monster to be aggro. But if that¡¯s the case....¡±


    ¡°...We wouldn¡¯t be safe either.¡±


    ¡°Oh, this is really screwed.¡±


    They had been running around so frantically that they didn¡¯t even realize this place was dangerous.


    ¡°You came into the tiger¡¯s den on your own.¡±


    The place where a monster strong enough to shake the humanoid monster ¡®Iser¡¯ had barged in seemed to be where they were.


    ¡°No matter how bad it was, it must have been nearby.¡±


    ¡°...Because they were so out of their minds....¡±


    ¡°Yeah, if they hadn¡¯t come here anyway, they would have died.¡±


    They had to come here, even though they didn¡¯t think something was strange on their way here. With their bodies in such dire condition, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to defeat the other monsters around them and successfully attack them.


    ¡°...Huh....¡±


    Jeong Da-woon tried to laugh.


    ¡°Well, maybe they¡¯re monsters that can communicate.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    Even though they knew that the chances of that happening were slim, the hunters snickered among themselves. They had realized long ago that they could die here, and that was because they had prepared themselves mentally in advance.


    ¡°Who knows? If you beg me, I¡¯ll let you live.¡±


    The hunters took a break while joking like that.


    ¡°Hey, take a break. It¡¯ll be war again once we get out of here anyway.¡±


    ¡°Yeah... If we don¡¯t rest now, when else will we rest?¡±


    ¡°Ahhh, Dari... Does anyone have any potions?¡±


    Thanks to that, they were able to regroup, but as time passed, their anxiety grew.


    ¡°...Why aren¡¯t the monsters coming here?¡±


    ¡°...How strong must a monster be to refuse a table full of food....¡±


    The most frequent attacks by monsters were when the hunters were semi-forcibly reorganizing. Hunters who were almost at their limit and had weakened armor were a good snack for the monsters.


    ¡°And yet they didn¡¯t come this far?¡±


    Even the humanoid monsters that were confronting them panicked and fled. It was hard to understand what was happening in this dungeon.


    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t just sit here.¡±


    ¡°But if we move rashly, we could upset both monsters at the same time.¡±


    ¡°But if we just stay here, that¡¯s a problem in itself.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, but....¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°...Ah.¡±


    The gaze of the gentle hunter who had been trying to calm his teammates fell on something.


    ¡°Team Leader? Why....¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    In the hunters¡¯ sight, something very black came into view.


    ¡°A, human?¡±


    ¡°Are you a survivor?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s....¡±


    It was a man wearing a black cloak.


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a portrait.¡±


    ¡°...Uh....¡±


    ¡°What are your names?¡±


    ¡°Uh, uh....¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m curious about your names.¡±


    That was their first meeting with the black cloak.


    ¡°Would you like to talk to me?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    The researcher shrugged.


    ¡°Just from what you said, I don¡¯t feel any favorability?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. It¡¯s scary to have something that isn¡¯t human ask for a human¡¯s name in the first place. It was the same for me and my teammates.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°But maybe I was a little relieved that it seemed like we could talk.¡±


    In contrast to ¡®Iser¡¯, whose will to tear humans apart was as vivid as a color, ¡®Black Cloak¡¯, who approached silently and asked for conversation, did not seem to have even the slightest hostility.


    ¡°If you were to ask if I was afraid of that existence itself, it was absolutely not....¡±


    Nevertheless, I was relieved.


    ¡°...I should say it felt like I was receiving favor from something of a very... high rank.¡±


    ¡°...If you say something of a very high rank, are you referring to a god? If so, it would be difficult to say it was a monster. Although it is rare, there are gods who visit dungeons in a form that humans can recognize, so please take note and answer accordingly.¡±


    ¡°No, I also know what a god is. They are fates with a will or people close to nature. However, from my perspective as a believer of the sun, I would say that it was absolutely not a god. I felt divinity, but it wasn¡¯t.¡±


    It might have been a higher being.


    ¡°I felt the energy of the sun on him. It was really warm. But it was cold like a corpse. I definitely felt the energy of death. But it wasn¡¯t rough, and it was all just a shell... No, no, that... More than that, it was just....¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°...For the ¡®Black Cloak¡¯, rank and authority seemed of no use. We sometimes call gods fate and nature with will, but he didn¡¯t even seem to have will. He thought and moved... but could you call that will?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°He just seemed to exist.¡±


    He had no intention of saving anyone, no intention of harming anyone. He didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of being clean, or of being greedy. But he was clearly thinking and able to communicate.


    There was.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°...I don¡¯t even know how to explain this.¡±


    Birth and death. Living and nonliving things. The very act of trying to find ¡®will¡¯ in the way they think and act feels impure, a sense of great intensity and presence. It¡¯s impossible to explain from a human perspective, but it¡¯s a sense so vivid that it¡¯s terribly clear.


    ¡°And that, that eye....¡±


    Oh, that.


    ¡°...That....¡±


    ¡°...What could it have been?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    She answered after a while.


    ¡°It seemed like it could be anything.¡±


    I don¡¯t know how much that small eye contained, how vast and vast it was.


    It couldn¡¯t be expressed with the boring word ¡®universe.¡¯ Between that endless black and blue space, the stars, nature, fate, move as if they have will, but then become quiet like a mere inanimate object.


    How could a human express that? It couldn¡¯t be done. That¡¯s why it couldn¡¯t be done.


    ¡°At least I can¡¯t.¡±


    An area that shouldn¡¯t be seen by humans.


    ¡°It seemed to be itself.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°So you can¡¯t call it... God, right?¡±


    It was more like a structure.


    ¡°...Or a system? Or... No, I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°...I see.¡±


    The researcher nodded.


    ¡°But in the end, you were able to survive thanks to his kindness.¡±


    ¡°Yes. He didn¡¯t seem to know that we were afraid, but he was still quite gentlemanly. I understand that it would have been difficult to perceive human emotions from the perspective of something that wasn¡¯t human.¡±


    ¡°The ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ introduced himself as a portrait....¡±


    ¡°That seemed to be the most fitting introduction.¡±


    A portrait that is a person but not a person, that could be real or a delusion, and that contains someone¡¯s death or life. The introduction of ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ was very appropriate.


    ¡°Um, and....¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°We used that method too.¡±


    They were revived through the painting.


    ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ asked the hunters who had calmed down a little.


    ¡°Then you want to leave, right? Don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°T-That¡¯s of course....¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡±


    He brought a picture frame from somewhere and showed it to the hunters.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Do you know this place?¡±


    It was a landscape painting that seemed to depict an alley deep in the city. It probably looked like a slum, but there was no hunter here who knew the complex structure of the slums that were intertwined like an ant hole.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Do you know this place?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no. Sorry.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t help but answer when he asked twice with the same tone, perhaps because he didn¡¯t like it when they didn¡¯t answer on time. Jeong Da-woon looked at them, saying, ¡°Do you know?¡± but they shook their heads.


    They were anxious. They had to solve this mysterious riddle to survive. No, even if that wasn¡¯t the case, Jeong Da-woon wanted to live up to the expectations of the being in front of him. He wanted to catch his eye.


    ¡°.......¡±


    And that¡¯s why he couldn¡¯t lie. Jeong Da-woon shook his head in awe and fear that made it impossible to imagine doing something like that.


    ¡°...I¡¯m sorry, we... don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be sorry.¡±


    It was a stable voice that didn¡¯t convey any emotion, but didn¡¯t feel cold either. ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ swept the top of the frame with his pale, long hand.


    Then the landscape /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ changed.


    ¡°Do you know this place?¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    He definitely knew this painting.


    ¡°Yes, yes, I know. That... Collector¡¯s Guild Station... Ji-sang-cheol, yes, Ji-sang-cheol Station.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Haa....¡±


    Jeong Da-woon was greatly relieved.


    Although his hands were visible, the other person, who was only a shadow covered by a black cloak, did not seem to have a real body.


    ¡°T-then... will you let us go?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be scared.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Yes, I will help you.¡±


    The black cloak, which seemed to symbolize a funeral, stroked the picture, resembling a grim reaper.


    ¡°Can I draw you?¡±


    The ¡®black cloak¡¯ melted the hunters into paint and drew them into the landscape painting.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°...Uh....¡±


    ¡°...That¡¯s ridiculous....¡±


    When he opened his eyes, they were at the subway station.


    They had come back from nowhere.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Is this enough of an answer?¡±


    ¡°...Yes, for now.¡±


    The researcher nodded.


    ¡°I will report to the association.¡±


    It was the moment when ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ was officially registered in the world.


    A painter who draws dungeons

 Chapter 73

    ¡°It was a miracle.¡±


    The researcher nodded at the woman¡¯s voice, which sounded like a machine.


    ¡°Yes, it is a miracle.¡±


    ¡°Do you think the being that Team Leader Jeong Da-woon witnessed was a monster?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to ask the gardeners for their opinions, but no, it¡¯s not a monster.¡±


    The researcher shrugged.


    ¡°A monster... basically has to have a hatred for humans.¡±


    They don¡¯t call them monsters or monsters for nothing. Humans called other-dimensional beings that hated humans endlessly monsters with fear and contempt.


    ¡°This case is completely different. We examined the hunters who returned alive, but we couldn¡¯t find anything abnormal anywhere. If ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ had been a monster, we wouldn¡¯t have let them go alive in the first place, and we would have brainwashed them to get them out.¡±


    ¡°But I think it would be better to just say that they were monsters.¡±


    ¡°Yes. The ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ seemed too interested in human society to be a god. It¡¯s possible that he¡¯s an evil god... Whether he¡¯s a real god or whatever his true identity is, since he¡¯s shown the power to directly influence humans, it would be wiser to explain to the hunters that he¡¯s a monster.¡±


    ¡°That way, we can make them wary.¡±


    Gods and monsters have become quite familiar entities in modern times, but their perceptions differ greatly.


    In the case of gods, there would be people who would consider it an honor to see their form even once, but monsters would be wary and try to keep their distance.


    ¡°If it backfires, the very existence of a ¡®human-friendly monster¡¯ might appeal to the romantic feelings of the citizens, but for that to happen... there would have to be a lot of favorable cases and exposure. And the probability of that happening is low.¡±


    It seems like a mystery that¡¯s quite closely related to the source, but the closer the source is to humans, the more ignorant and reserved they are toward them. It wouldn¡¯t be easy to show up on this small planet.


    ¡°Of course, the ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ could actually create many cases of kindness, and so it could be talked about by the citizens. However, it would be difficult for the citizens to simply accept the kindness of such a being. The ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ would not be able to become a friendly image to the people.¡±


    ¡°We should also keep in mind the possibility that the ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ is well-mannered and has a high level of understanding of humans. However, the story of declaring it as a monster is valid. Since the existence of the source is close to a natural disaster, we should at least instill a sense of caution.¡±


    ¡°In fact, there is no difference between a god and a monster in terms of threats to humans, but I think that¡¯s why the image is important. If we tell people that it is not a god but a monster, even if the ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ shows hostility toward humans in the future, the survival rate will increase.¡±


    The researcher continued, gently rubbing his chin.


    ¡°However, even if someone witnessed it, they wouldn¡¯t believe it even if you said it was a monster. Even the Jeongdaun Hunter said it was a monster, but his reaction was almost like someone who had received the hand of God.¡±


    ¡°Did you see any signs of admiration?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t say it¡¯s that much yet, but if we don¡¯t come up with any countermeasures for the ¡®Black Cloak¡¯, I think a religion could really be created. Especially in this day and age, superstitions like this can easily become popular.¡±


    ¡°It would be good to firmly establish the perception that the ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ is a monster. I would appreciate it if you could work with the information processing team to proceed with this part. I will create a project under my name, so please notify me.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your consideration.¡±


    The woman nodded.


    ¡°This incident was a great miracle, so I understand Team Leader Jeongdaun¡¯s reaction.¡±


    ¡°...That... is definitely true.¡±


    The researcher hesitated for a moment, then quickly agreed.


    ¡°Whether the ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ was a monster, a god, or the Source, it¡¯s hard to believe that he saved many humans without paying a price. In either case, there are no guys who are kind to humans.¡±


    Monsters hated humans. Gods treated humans as toys, and the Source was indifferent to humans.


    The fact that they could communicate was amazing in itself, but it was ridiculous to receive help.


    ¡°... I think this is the problem. People still have the illusion that monsters are kind to humans. The existence of the profession called trainer is fanning that illusion.¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped because there¡¯s a lack of formal education. This is something that needs to be addressed gradually as we expand public education, but it¡¯s not something that can be solved right away.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but....¡±


    Among the Hunter professions, trainers could make contracts with monsters and borrow their power. Because of that, there were fools who dreamed of the absurd dream of being able to tame monsters as their own pets.


    ¡®Time is the best medicine.¡¯


    It¡¯s only been 31 years. South Korea shed as much blood as possible and grew as quickly as possible, but its civic consciousness did not grow accordingly.


    Since it was enough time for a generation to be born after the great disaster, many people did not know about the horror and cruelty of monsters, but on the other hand, public education was not easily established, making it difficult to inform people about the dangers of monsters.


    ¡°Rather, people in the provinces are more thorough in that regard.¡±


    ¡°Residents in the provinces have to be on guard because they do not have the same protective walls as the city. You never know when a monster might come down to the village and slaughter people, or when you might climb a mountain and end up in a dungeon.¡±


    ¡°There is nothing more certain than learning through your own body.¡±


    But since we can¡¯t just throw all the city¡¯s citizens into the dungeon and let them experience the monsters, it was a headache for the association staff. No matter where we went, there were a lot of idiots who couldn¡¯t figure out the topic.


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll take this into consideration and try to create an atmosphere where people won¡¯t easily approach ¡®Black Cloak¡¯.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°I think this is really ridiculous, but... if ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ is truly a being who does favors for humans, there will be people who have delusions that are not true.¡±


    There¡¯s a reason why they say that you should do favors when you do them favors, but there have been many cases where innocent monsters who were quietly living were offended and suffered extensively.


    ¡®If a monster does favors, there will be idiots who think they are the chosen people because of it. Like they are special and deserve this favor... It¡¯s just that these guys cause accidents and natural disasters.¡¯


    Not all monsters want to kill humans. There were definitely monsters that hated humans, but because of that, they lived in hiding.


    However, it was only half a year ago that half of the countries overseas were divided because of a hunter who took such monsters lightly and messed with them.


    Sitting still doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re weak, but it¡¯s really a stupid judgment.


    ¡°Should I assume the worst and upload the information?¡±


    ¡°Yes, please.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll report back later.¡±


    The researcher bowed his head in respect to the eternal symbol that supports the world.


    ¡°Chairman.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    The chairman smiled brightly.


    It was a mechanical smile that showed no emotion at all.


    Identification Number


    0S-328-D


    Response Level


    S(-)


    Entity Type


    Humanoid


    Entity Name


    Black Cloak(-)


    Powers


    Painter(-)


    A humanoid entity first discovered by the 183rd Search Team 3 of the Korean Hunter Association.


    It is a male figure covered with a thick black cloak. The face cannot be seen. Inside the cloak, he wears a black shirt and suit. It is estimated to be about 185~9cm tall and in its late 20s to early 30s.


    It was given the temporary name ''Black Cloak'' due to its external characteristics, but it seems that the entity name needs to be adjusted after additional information is acquired.


    As for a special feature, the first discoverer, Jeong Da-un, testified that there was a light noise when walking (the sound of dry plants hitting each other). In the case of Kang Eon-seo, a team member with an enhanced /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ sense of smell, he testified that he smelled the scent of the forest, so it can be suspected that it is a plant-type monster. More information is needed about the type of entity.


    Initial Sighting Situation


    He helped the first discoverer and the Hunter Association''s search team leader, Jeong Da-un, and his team. If he does not hear an answer to a question during a conversation, the entity does not move on to the next situation and repeats the same question exactly the same. Its intelligence is evaluated to be much higher than that of a human.


    As it has been identified, the power of the ''Black Cloak'' is ''Painter'', which allows it to create a frame in the air or turn humans into paint and use that material to draw a ''picture''. The first discovery team is complaining of some mental distress.


    Although he rescued the first discovery team out of the ''Deep Sea Country'' as a favor, he showed ignorance of the mental limitations of humans by turning the team into paint. It seems that additional information will be acquired in the future and a response level adjustment will be necessary.


    Based on the testimony of the first discoverer, Jeong Da-woon, it has been confirmed that the ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ showed a friendly attitude towards humans. However, since the rule of the ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ is understood to be ¡®to respond obediently¡¯, there is a high possibility that it will show hostility if the emotion of the subject changes negatively. Special care is required when responding.


    In addition, the possibility that it was a high-ranking member of the dimension is being reviewed based on the internal clothing of the cloak, voice, and behavior. Since information from various aspects is insufficient, the continuous attack on the ¡®Deep Sea Country¡¯ has been approved, and related requests will be accepted.


    All comments (1,352)


    ¨C Attack type confirmation required


    ¨C Confirmation of language used required


    ¨C Reconfirm response level required


    ¨C Please reconfirm response level


    ¨C Please confirm habitat


    ¨C Recording is required during interaction... .


    ¨C Accurate response... .


    ...


    ¡°Oh my.¡±


    Yoo Seong-un, who was checking the monitor floating in the air, cleared his throat.


    ¡°This is up.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s....¡±


    Yoo Seong-un, leaning against the wall right next to ¡®Geo¡¯s Portrait,¡¯ continued speaking while looking at the screen.


    ¡°Your information has been posted on the KHNA homepage.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s KHNA, then it must be the Hunter¡¯s Association..¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s one of the things you mainly do. We organize monsters that pop up here and there and need countermeasures or that are threatening on their own and post them on the homepage.¡±


    As he said that, Yoo Seong-woon smiled awkwardly and looked back at the portrait.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re a monster.¡±


    Although he¡¯d let his guard down recently while hanging out with them, that didn¡¯t mean that Geo, the source being, was any less dangerous.


    In particular, Yoo Seong-woon clearly remembered the way he sometimes became natural in human form.


    ¡®It wouldn¡¯t be nice to hear someone who thinks they¡¯re human beings call themselves monsters.¡¯


    Yoo Seong-woon added.


    ¡°But there¡¯s nothing we can do about it from the people¡¯s perspective. Normal people don¡¯t live inside portraits like you, right? If that were possible, at least they wouldn¡¯t be human, well, something like that...¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a sufficient answer.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fortunate.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon, who had been skimming through the contents of ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ posted on the homepage, opened his mouth again.


    ¡°Judging from the description that the face is unrecognizable, it seems that the face definitely didn¡¯t sell.¡±


    ¡°Thank goodness.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon asked after thinking for a moment.


    ¡°Geo, can you change the face in the portrait?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t understand the question properly.¡±


    ¡°The portrait you¡¯re in right now shows your face as is. As I said before, in order for you to live well together without being threatened by people, it¡¯s necessary to separate the identities of ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ and ¡®Sergio.¡¯¡±


    The existence of the source changes its risk level fluidly depending on the ¡®story¡¯. That¡¯s why Yoo Seong-un created an environment where ¡®Portrait of Geo¡¯ could act as a human, but Geo often acted as if he wasn¡¯t human to anyone.


    ¡®It¡¯s so suspicious that you wonder if he really intends to imitate a human.¡¯


    Because of that, Yoo Seong-un had to distinguish between ¡®Sergio¡¯, who people saw as a human, and ¡®Black Cloak¡¯, who they saw as an unidentified ghost story. ¡®Portrait of Geo¡¯ sometimes acts like a human and sometimes not, so this separation was possible.


    If we separated it like this, we could reduce the risk level of some of ¡®Portrait of Geo¡¯. And for that to happen, the appearance of ¡®Portrait of Geo¡¯ had to remain unknown to the world.


    ¡°Since ¡®Portrait of Geo¡¯ shows your face as it is, even if you go around as blond, blue-eyed Giovanni outside... everyone will eventually realize that Black Cloak and Sergio are the same being.¡±


    Even if the color of the hair or eyes, or the personality, changed, the face itself did not change. The pale-faced ¡®Geo¡¯ had the same appearance no matter who Geo was.


    Since it was covered by a bulky cloak, the exact body structure may have changed a little, but at least the face.


    ¡°And you also move through portraits, right? If your portrait were hung in a public place, and a black cloak was seen nearby, and the fact that the face was the same as that of the Hunter ¡®Sergio¡¯ of the Collector¡¯s Guild became known, it would be very difficult.¡±


    ¡°I think that¡¯s a reasonable opinion.¡±


    The portrait, which was silent for a moment as if it was thinking, soon changed.


    He raised his hand and stretched it out... .


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°...Uh....¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you see the face at this point?¡±


    Geo¡¯s face drawn on the portrait was covered by ink as black as ink, making it invisible.


    ¡°...The face is not visible, but....¡±


    I felt a little upset.


    ¡°...This is a portrait of your face, is this okay?¡±


    ¡°Yoo Seong-woon said that my face is showing.¡±


    ¡°I thought I could just wear a cloak.¡±


    It felt like someone had painted over a masterpiece that was one of a kind in the world.


    ¡®If I were like this, the leader of the Bisabal Guild would go completely crazy...¡¯


    Since he was someone who sometimes got distracted when it came to art and artwork, it felt a little creepy.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon looked at the portrait covered in black paint with a pitiful gaze. The paint was applied by drawing strokes with a large hand, but Geo¡¯s black hair and lower face were still visible.


    Even that was slowly being covered by the paint dripping down.


    ¡°...So you can see the front?¡±


    ¡°I can see it well from my side.¡±


    ¡°Will it stay like this even if the portrait is placed somewhere else?¡±


    ¡°It will stay like this unless I wipe it off.¡±


    ¡°Then there is definitely no chance of my face being revealed.¡±


    ¡°The staff here know my face.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s okay.¡±


    The staff of the Collector¡¯s Guild were particularly tight-lipped. There was no risk of information about the ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ leaking out.


    ¡®That¡¯s how much Geo¡¯s story will be confined inside this Collector¡¯s office and grow bigger. If things continue this way, there is a high probability that Sergio¡¯s story will not be minimized even inside the Collector¡¯s office or in front of our staff.¡¯


    In the Collector¡¯s building where people who already knew the identity of the ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ resided, even if this portrait walked around in the form of ¡®Sergio¡¯, the sense of discomfort would not be covered up.


    But that alone was enough.


    ¡°Those people never leak information to the outside.¡±


    ¡°Do you have any basis for that?¡±


    ¡°They only gather people who really hate getting involved in big things....¡±


    ¡°They won¡¯t spread it, even for their own reputation.¡±


    ¡°Besides, if I tell you that, wouldn¡¯t the leader of the Bisabal Guild know? If they find out that you¡¯ve been talking nonsense, you could be dragged to some lab, but no one would open their mouths.¡±


    One of the characteristics of the Collector¡¯s Guild is that the relationship between the staff members is very close, perhaps because Bisabal has been scouting each and every one of their jobs. They¡¯re all reclusive evasive types.


    ¡°There¡¯s absolutely no chance of information spreading here.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon smiled bitterly.


    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t gotten involved right away, I would have just clenched my teeth and pretended not to know, but what about the leaks....¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°Even if someone outside demands a leak with a promise of compensation, the guild is already taking good care of it, so there¡¯s no one in this guild who would take that risk and seek profit. In a similar vein, threats wouldn¡¯t work either.¡±


    One of the biggest characteristics of the Collector''s Guild was that everything from the building to the staff was Bisabal''s collection.


    Bisabal took special care of his staff''s welfare, but because of that, no one was stupid enough to mess with his ''collection''.


    What are you going to do?


    "So I''ll tell you again, everyone will really grit their teeth and pretend not to know. They''ll really go crazy."


    They are people who just want to finish their work and go home and rest. They have a strong sense of responsibility, but they also hate being bothered, so you can rest assured in this regard.


    "But...."


    "Is there a problem?"


    "...It''s nothing."


    "Yes, go ahead."


    "You''ve gotten scarier."


    "......."


    "Because of the paint...."


    Geo finally responded after a long time.


    "Ah."


    He looked unusually pitiful.


    The painter who draws dungeons

 Chapter 74

    That didn¡¯t mean Geo wiped off the paint again.


    ¡°Even without the paint, everyone was already scared.¡±


    ¡°I guess that¡¯s... that¡¯s what it is.¡±


    ¡°More than anything, I don¡¯t want to reveal my face.¡±


    It was scary to have my identity exposed. Sergio, who was timid and incapable of fighting back, didn¡¯t want his face to be sold.


    ¡®It¡¯s already problematic because it¡¯s a portrait that¡¯s possessed.¡¯


    Sergio was proud of living his life uprightly, but since he had become a portrait that was possessed, he had to be on top of everything.


    Selling with his face covered was completely different from selling with his face and name revealed.


    ¡°Wow, we¡¯re on the same page.¡±


    That¡¯s why Yoo Seong-woon felt relieved.


    ¡®You could get annoyed, asking if you have to think about the circumstances of humans, but seeing this makes me think Geo is definitely gentle. Even if it is a consideration that comes from forcing yourself into human standards, it is exceptional.¡¯


    It is truly a miracle-like mystery. As a gardener, Yoo Seong-woon felt an unbearable sense of gratitude and affection. All the gardeners in the world would envy him for the source of such worthwhile care.


    ¡®Well, anyway...¡¯


    Since they have obtained his consent, the scope of what the guild can do has expanded.


    ¡°The auction house you were in before will have records of your face, but Nana, the guild leader, will take care of that part.¡±


    ¡°Yes, thank you.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean we can do anything about the memories of the customers who were there... but it¡¯s better than not doing anything.¡±


    ¡°Please.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡±


    And so he left the gallery.


    Yoo Seong-woon, who had started working to erase the information about the ¡®Portrait of Geo¡¯ that had been up for auction, blinked when faced with an unexpected situation.


    ¡°......?¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon, who was looking at the monitor, went up to the guild leader¡¯s office.


    ¡°Guild leader.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I was just about to call you.¡±


    ¡°...Was the guild leader checking it out?¡±


    ¡°Was Yoo Seong-woon also erasing the records regarding ¡®Geo¡¯s Portrait¡¯?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my job. I didn¡¯t know the guild leader was also involved, but anyway, it¡¯s understandable since he was checking it out.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon said, handing over a thin document that he was hastily organizing.


    ¡°Geo¡¯s face has been erased.¡±


    The records remaining in the auction house were changed.


    They were painted black, making the portraits invisible.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if it was just the information online that was changed, so I went and checked it out myself, but it wasn¡¯t just those records that were changed. Even the records documented on paper and the memories of the customers who participated that day are unclear.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Bisabal¡¯s face was rarely expressionless. He rolled his sharp golden eyes that resembled reptiles.


    ¡°What did Geo do?¡±


    ¡°...I asked if he could cover his face in the portrait, but after thinking about it for a moment, he covered the entire screen with black paint. He also said that the portrait would remain like this unless he wiped it off.¡±


    ¡°This ? N§àv§Ölight ? (Exclusive on N§àv§Ölight) could also be one of the characteristics of a portrait.¡±


    ¡°If you say it¡¯s a characteristic of a portrait...?¡±


    ¡°A portrait is a drawing of a person, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Among the documents that Yoo Seong-woon brought was a printed image of ¡®Geo¡¯s Portrait.¡¯ As expected, it was covered with paint that was as thin as ink, so the face could not be seen.


    ¡°Then, can¡¯t we call the original portrait drawn with paint, but the photograph of the portrait, a portrait? What about the paper it was printed on?¡±


    ¡°...Since he didn¡¯t draw it himself, can¡¯t we say no?¡±


    ¡°Or you could say that¡¯s right. After all, it¡¯s a ¡®painting¡¯ of a ¡®person¡¯.¡±


    A painting is ¡®a representation of the shape or image of an object on a flat surface using lines or colors.¡¯


    ¡°So, whether it¡¯s an image printed like this, a portrait, or anything else, it could all be called a painting.¡±


    ¡°If you think about it in a very broad sense, that¡¯s not wrong, but....¡±


    ¡°At least Geo seems to think so.¡±


    Bisabal narrowed his eyes and smiled.


    ¡°It¡¯s a truly amazing portrait that you can have such a direct influence on the entire world just by thinking about it.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°...Ah, as expected....¡±


    Bisabal mumbled quietly, his smile disappearing.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I say art is good.¡±


    A great disaster struck, the world changed, and absurd abilities emerged, expanding the scope of ¡®art.¡¯ If there was one field in the world that was the most interesting and colorful, it would be art, Bisabal dared to say.


    ¡°It¡¯s definitely a shame that his face is covered. I should go see his face later, but it¡¯s still such a shame. But when I think of this as one of Geo¡¯s performance arts, my heart is filled with emotion.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying such perverted things with such a serious face....¡±


    ¡°You must be serious because you¡¯re serious. Oh my, the performance art that a portraitist does is something that you can¡¯t expect from other artifacts. It¡¯s hard to even consider this a piece of art.¡±


    ¡°There aren¡¯t many objects that have a sense of self in the first place.¡±


    ¡°I have a good feeling about the new year.¡±


    Winter will soon pass and spring will come.


    ¡°I feel like something is coming....¡±


    It seemed like really interesting things were going to happen.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the result?¡±


    ¡°Well....¡±


    The hair, wavy like waves, flowed down.


    ¡°The test isn¡¯t going well.¡±


    The mermaid, Aria, said, adjusting her large doctor¡¯s gown.


    ¡°We¡¯re trying various experiments using the hair samples left behind by the human named Sergio, but the results are inconsistent. Because they keep changing and moving, the test itself is difficult, and... they¡¯re not fixed.¡±


    Isser said to him.


    ¡°It¡¯s definitely not human.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s not human.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s not human.¡±


    There were times when it clearly had human cells. It could literally be anything.


    ¡°That¡¯s interesting.¡±


    Despite her expression of interest, Aria¡¯s face was as inorganic as a mineral. Even though she always had her usual smile.


    ¡°Why, there¡¯s even a trace of Giovanni among them.¡±


    ¡°...So is that really the teacher?¡±


    ¡°At least there must be a big connection.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t just a simple physical examination of cells. They had established themselves as the masters of this place by going through multiple dimensions.


    Aria¡¯s abilities as a doctor and researcher had long since surpassed their limits.


    ¡®But this is the first time the results have been this unclear.¡¯


    Aria said to her younger brother.


    ¡°Isser, my younger brother. I need your help.¡±


    ¡°Please speak.¡±


    ¡°Bring him back here. I need to talk to the teacher.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Aria smiled slightly at the sight of her younger brother, Isser, remaining silent.


    ¡°Of course, I know how difficult this request is.¡±


    It was only a few days ago that the ¡®Black Cloak¡¯, presumed to be Giovanni, had visited their dimension and had snatched humans away.


    It would be hard to keep him, who was so quiet that it was hard to catch his presence, and who disappeared in an instant like a ghost.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been avoiding him from here. I couldn¡¯t talk to Giovanni without being sure.¡±


    There were too many uncertainties to confront him right away without any preparation.


    But now, they were sure. It was the only human teacher in their lives. It was Giovanni. However, for some reason, he had changed a lot, become bigger, and become too strong to be stolen.


    They couldn¡¯t catch him rashly.


    ¡°Even the other person doesn¡¯t seem to remember much of this place. You said you couldn¡¯t remember this temple.¡±


    ¡°I think he remembered some of it, but maybe...¡±


    ¡°Then it would be hard to appeal to his feelings. Well, he was originally a cold-hearted person.¡±


    Aria muttered.


    ¡°He¡¯s not even human anymore.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s definitely... I feel a little, should I say, strange....¡±


    It was Aria and Isser who had been learning about human emotions and their way of thinking because they didn¡¯t understand them. Now, it felt strange to think that Giovanni, my dear teacher, had lost everything.


    It was almost a sense of deprivation. The most precious memories of the mermaid¡¯s life, resurrected from death and flowed in a form we didn¡¯t know about... .


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Still, please.¡±


    The two siblings never lost their smiles.


    They had never failed to smile for hundreds, thousands, or even more years.


    ¡°Bring that person to me somehow.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°And hold him.¡±


    ¡°...Yes.¡±


    ¡°I believe he¡¯ll do well.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry.¡±


    The hunter wearing a black cloak, ¡®Sergio¡¯, showed a particularly caring and considerate attitude toward children.


    ¡°There are many ways.¡±


    Isser thought of a child who had been speaking to him in a friendly manner.


    Was it Chaisol?


    The new entry dungeon, ¡®Deep Sea Country¡¯, was officially opened.


    ¡°Deep Sea Country? It has ¡®country¡¯ in its name?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s a name officially designated by the Constitutional Court, then it has ¡®country¡¯ in it....¡±


    ¡°Damn, it¡¯s going to be so big.¡±


    The entry dungeon was originally considered the most difficult of the dungeons, and if the Hunter Association had used a clear word like ¡®country¡¯, it would mean that the map was considerably large among the entry dungeons.


    ¡°But this is, man... very....¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s connected to the virtual dungeon that was said to have exploded in the Sun Temple last time? Are you crazy?¡±


    ¡°It seems that even the Constitutional Court staff couldn¡¯t explore it properly.¡±


    ¡°They somehow managed to avoid death and disappearance. They were the first official entry team.¡±


    Of course, the difficulty was set quite high at S-class.


    ¡°But no one died. Is it not that dangerous?¡±


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re just asking for one piece of information. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    The purpose of opening up the ¡®Deep Sea Country¡¯ this time was not for conquest, but for exploration.


    ¡°Do you have a list of key players?¡±


    ¡°Oh, there are two. They even have names.¡±


    ¡°Wow... Are these humanoid monsters?¡±


    ¡°Hasn¡¯t it been almost a few years? They deserve to be called S-class.¡±


    ¡°So what kind of monsters are there?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see...¡±


    The Hunter Association requested a total of two names.


    ¡°Mermaid Yser, and...¡±


    ¡°¡®Black Cloak?¡¯¡±


    The freelance hunter tilted his head.


    ¡°Since there¡¯s only a nickname and no name, is this an appeal to pay more attention to this side?¡±


    If the Hunter Association determines that it won¡¯t be able to finish it quickly within the Association, they open the entrance to the identified dungeon after a certain period of time. In that case, they call it the ¡®Exploration Season¡¯ and offer a bounty for information about the dungeon.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to relax a bit.¡±


    ¡°No, even so, it¡¯s a bit too much to come out when you¡¯re an S-class.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the exploration season after all. If you want to do a raid, an S-class would have to come out, but we can do something like asking for information.¡±


    ¡°Well, the bounty offered by the Association is pretty good.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be about these monsters, right?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a newly opened dungeon, so maybe not.¡±


    Even if the association didn¡¯t offer a bounty, in the case of newly opened dungeons, they would sometimes give monetary rewards depending on the importance of the information.


    If you got caught by a dangerous monster, you¡¯d probably lose your head in an instant, but it was worth a try.


    ¡°Besides, who hasn¡¯t bought this dungeon yet?¡±


    ¡°Honestly, who would buy an S-class... unless it was one of the three major guilds.¡±


    ¡°Besides, there¡¯s no strategy information for this dungeon yet, so it¡¯s risky in many ways.¡±


    ¡°You never know what resources might be inside.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, if no one¡¯s bought it, you don¡¯t have to pay to enter.¡±


    If there were some useful resources in the dungeon, or if it was judged to be for the self-development of the affiliated hunters, the guild with money would purchase the ownership of the dungeon.


    Such dungeons required a fee every time they entered.


    ¡°Compared to that, this dungeon is....¡±


    ¡°Damn, don¡¯t let your guard down. Do you know whose dog¡¯s name is S-class?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know that? Don¡¯t worry, kid.¡±


    Not all hunters were members of a guild. So dungeons where the Hunter Association offered bounties like this became a major source of income for freelance hunters.


    ¡°Wow, there¡¯s already a waiting list....¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you go there without it?¡±


    ¡°They say there¡¯s an entrance in the deep sea, but how are you going to get there?¡±


    ¡°Swimming would be a bit much.¡±


    ¡°Never mind, it doesn¡¯t cost money to wait.¡±


    Even if the Hunter had powers beyond that of a human, it was difficult to find the entrance, which was located deep enough to be called the ¡®deep sea¡¯, with only his bare body. Since he had to ride a submarine prepared by the association, the line quickly grew long.


    And soon after, strange rumors began to spread.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re going to the ¡®Deep Sea Country¡¯?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still the exploration season. The bounty hasn¡¯t even been paid yet, so go and earn some money.¡±


    ¡°They say it¡¯s dangerous there... Then you have to remember this.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°No, really. They said that¡¯s the only way to survive.¡±


    The Hunters whispered.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to die, go to the portrait and beg.¡±


    ¡°What...? Portrait?¡±


    ¡°Black Cloak likes kind and polite humans.¡±


    ¡ºBlack Cloak Gives Gifts to Good People¡»


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°You understand? Be sure to remember.¡±


    It was the moment when the name of ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ spread among the hunters.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m done for.¡±


    The association, which had been trying to instill a sense of caution against the existence of ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ by declaring him a monster, was having a hard time.


    This was because the image of ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ that had spread throughout the world was quite favorable.


    ¡°Romantics are coming out again.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m already tired....¡±


    The association staff members were already thinking of hunters who would believe in the one monster that was friendly to humans and cause all sorts of creative damage.


    A painter who draws dungeons

 Chapter 75

    I was wandering around.


    ¡°Damn, where the hell am I....¡±


    It wasn¡¯t called ¡®country¡¯ for nothing, the ¡®Deep Sea Country¡¯ was incredibly wide for an entry dungeon.


    It wasn¡¯t like the monsters were weak. I was able to somehow get through stages 1 and 2, but once I entered stage 3, where the shape of the temple began to appear, it was hard to even breathe.


    ¡°The map, the map... the map....¡±


    Unfortunately, this was a new dungeon where even the basic structure hadn¡¯t been figured out.


    ¡°.......¡±


    All of the hunter¡¯s companions who were wandering around were dead.


    ¡°...What should I do....¡±


    What should I do? What should I do? I have no choice but to die.


    The hunter sat down on the ground, mocking himself. The water scales on the ceiling of his pupils, rippling coldly, felt like the shadow of a monster, and it couldn¡¯t have been more eerie.


    ¡°...I told you to come here for nothing.¡±


    All sorts of thoughts came to mind when he was left alone.


    In fact, it wasn¡¯t him who had strongly requested that we come here, but it was the team leader, but he couldn¡¯t help but feel guilty when his colleagues were all dead and he was left alone. The man tried to swallow his tears and moved his feet.


    ¡°Fuck, is this a temple or a cave... The path is complicated....¡±


    They all looked similar, but he had never found the same path before.


    It was true that he was moving, but it felt like he was heading deeper, not to the exit. However, if he stopped and hid somewhere, there were dangerous monsters and traps everywhere.


    ¡°Shit....¡±


    He held back his tears, grumbling for no reason.


    ¡®I have to survive to apply for recovery.¡¯


    When a guild-affiliated hunter died in a dungeon, most of the time the guild would come to help recover the remains, but that wasn¡¯t the case for freelance hunters or civilians.


    If a freelance hunter wanted to collect the remains of a colleague, he had to prove his identity and apply to the Hunter Association.


    ¡®I, I don¡¯t have the ability to collect...¡¯


    The only reason he was still alive was because of the man¡¯s stealth skill.


    ¡°I have to survive first, yeah, and get paid... whatever...¡±


    He was trying to calm his mind while thinking about the benefits of escaping.


    ¡°.......¡±


    A portrait caught the man¡¯s eye.


    ¡°......?¡±


    It was a portrait stained with black paint, so the face couldn¡¯t be seen.


    It was creepy.


    ¡°... What is this?¡±


    If it had been just any other object, he would have guessed it was one of the decorations in the dungeon, but this portrait was so out of place in the background of the temple, where the same pictures had been repeated until now.


    The portrait, whose eyes were covered and completely invisible, somehow caught his attention.


    ¡°.......¡±


    He passed it by.


    ¡®It could be a dangerous item. A monster in the form of a portrait... .¡¯


    The portrait itself had a creepy, heavy atmosphere. Unlike the pure white stone of the temple or the pupil, it was framed in wood.


    It seemed to be covered in gold, but it had a warm warmth that contrasted with the dungeon, and because of that warmth, I didn¡¯t want to approach it even more. The sense of discomfort was too great.


    ¡°.......¡±


    But when I came to my senses and looked around, the frame was there again.


    ¡°...It wasn¡¯t here, it wasn¡¯t here....¡±


    It wasn¡¯t once or twice.


    ¡°It was in the hallway earlier.¡±


    I could still feel the gaze.


    It felt as if the portrait was following me.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Maybe that was right.


    His hands and feet were shaking, his breathing was ragged, but even so, a ray of hope rose in the Hunter¡¯s mind, who was pushed to his limit. He knew that it was a strange flow, but he couldn¡¯t help it.


    It was a phenomenon that no one could call a positive situation, but he thought about it stubbornly. It seemed like he just wanted to believe it.


    ¡®Maybe... is it some kind of key item for escaping?¡¯


    In dungeons where the story was important, one item like this could be effective and help with the strategy. Even so, it wouldn¡¯t increase his chances of surviving, but the Hunter, whose thinking ability had been reduced, approached the portrait.


    ¡°It would have been nice if I had an emotion skill... This is...¡±


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Hesitating.


    The Hunter stepped back.


    ¡°...Uh, uh...?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a portrait.¡±


    ¡°Uh...?¡±


    ¡°What is your name?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m curious about your name.¡±


    The lower lip, not covered in black paint, asked again.


    ¡°Would you like to talk to me?¡±


    ¡°...now....¡±


    What is this?


    ¡®A portrait speaks? A portrait?¡¯


    Even in a world where supernatural powers are part of everyday life, a portrait that speaks was not something you could see very often. At least, the Hunter who was currently trapped in the ¡®Deep Sea Country¡¯ had never seen a portrait like this before.


    ¡°Who, who....¡±


    ¡°I am a portrait.¡±


    Same voice, same line.


    ¡°.......¡±


    It gave me goosebumps.


    The voice that sounded so perfect that it was actually vicious was incredibly sweet and soft. It was as if the devil would speak to him like this, but the Hunter barely managed to come to his senses and answered.


    ¡°Park Yoon-shin... is....¡±


    He was not unaware of the danger of revealing his true name, but he was too absent-minded to think about such things. All he could think about was that he had to obey the being in front of him.


    I felt fear and mercy.


    ¡°Yes, that, Park Yoon-shin. Park Yoon-shin....¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Mr. Park Yoon-shin.¡±


    ¡°...You are... a portrait?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The pale lower body spoke again.


    ¡°I am a portrait.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Only then did the hunter realize that no monsters were approaching him.


    ¡®... Things are going strangely...¡¯


    He felt as if he was possessed by something.


    The portrait, which was just a painting, was giving off a heavy atmosphere that was so bizarre that it was almost uncanny. It was qualitatively different from the atmosphere of the temple. It felt like being invited to the Pope¡¯s funeral. That was a strange feeling.


    ¡°.......¡±


    It was around the time he was dazed.


    ¡°Excuse me.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes?¡±


    The black paint began to pop out as if it was wrapping something.


    As the Hunter stepped back in shock, a human figure wearing a pitch-black cloak appeared right in front of the portrait. The portrait was hanging in the middle of the wall, so even though the figure fell down, there was no sound of footsteps on the floor.


    ¡°Ah....¡±


    Just a rustling sound.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Mr. Park Yoon-shin.¡±


    Footsteps were heard.


    They really sounded like a human.


    ¡°.......¡±


    No, why do I think it¡¯s a human when the footsteps sound like that?


    ¡®Am I crazy? Did I get hit by a brainwashing skill?¡¯


    While he was confused, the Hunter remembered something.


    ¡°Ah, ah, ah...!¡±


    A black cloak.


    ¡°That, black, black cloak... cloak.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m wearing a black cloak.¡±


    ¡°...black cloak....¡±


    It was definitely a monster that the association had put a bounty on for information.


    ¡®... This is a monster?¡¯


    A sudden doubt came to mind.


    ¡®This is...?¡¯


    The hunter hesitated and looked at the black cloak again.


    It was wearing a pitch-black cloak like a grim reaper. When the cloak¡¯s shoulder area was slightly removed, the body inside was revealed, wearing a pitch-black suit and shirt, but it was strangely dark.


    ¡°.......¡±


    There must have been a shape, so when the cloak was on, it would show a round head like that.


    ¡®... The hand... It¡¯s pale, but you can see the skin. That means there¡¯s a human body inside... .¡¯


    Despite that, it didn¡¯t seem like there would be a face inside.


    ¡®No, just.¡¯


    It seemed like there was nothing at all.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Mr. Park Yoon-shin.¡±


    ¡°...Hey, yes, I....¡±


    If this thing calls my name three times, will I die?


    ¡®They say that if the Grim Reaper calls your name three times, you die.¡¯


    It didn¡¯t seem like the Black Cloak and the Grim Reaper were the same being, but it was true that there was an atmosphere that was extremely close to death.


    The Hunter lowered his head, confused by the awe he felt as if he was standing before something he couldn¡¯t dare look at.


    ¡°I, I¡¯m sorry for waking you up. I just....¡±


    ¡°You are a good person.¡±


    It was a kind of declaration, as if bestowing something. At first glance, it sounded sacred, like a prophecy from a god.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°So I will help you.¡±


    The Black Cloak held out something.


    ¡°...This, this....¡±


    It was a round bead that seemed to be made of gold. It was quite heavy, and it gave off a strong, brain-boggling scent.


    ¡°What is this...?¡±


    ¡°It is an apology for startling you, and a gift for you who suffered.¡±


    ¡°A gift...?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s yours.¡±


    ¡°...That....¡±


    ¡°Eat it.¡±


    Eat it?


    ¡®This?¡¯


    It didn¡¯t look like it was edible at all. Nevertheless, the desire to put it in his mouth and make it his own surged. It was such a beautiful bead.


    I want to eat it.


    ¡°.......¡±


    The hunter put the bead in his mouth, entranced by its scent.


    ¡®Ah.¡¯


    An ecstatic sweetness gently swept over his entire body.


    The sensation of each and every cell calming down was vivid. He even felt joy at the sensation, as if it were a spring breeze on a fading afternoon.


    The freshness, as if the juice-filled fruit had been fully condensed, went very well with the gentle golden bead.


    ¡°...Uh, uh?¡±


    ¡°Has the bleeding stopped?¡±


    ¡°This, this... Yes, this, how. Why.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    The black cloak looked down at the hunter with an inorganic gaze, like a researcher who had expected a set value to come out. He cringed in a sense of discomfort that was definitely not human, but at the same time, he felt embarrassed for some reason.


    He was glad that he had shown the value he had expected. It was a feeling that he himself did not realize and could not understand.


    ¡°Do you want to go out?¡±


    ¡°... Go out?¡±


    His bowed head rose on its own.


    ¡°Can I... go out?¡±


    ¡°I can send you out.¡±


    ¡°Ah....¡±


    Only then did he recall the information posted on the association¡¯s homepage.


    ¡®The first discoverer also said that he escaped the deep sea country with the help of the black cloak.¡¯


    It was when he suddenly looked up at the part where his face should be with hope.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Their eyes met.


    Eyes?


    Yes, they were eyes. I could see the pupils and irises.


    But they were not spheres. Is it flat? No, it might be three-dimensional. But I saw a line. I saw that flowing line. It wasn''t one. It was many, intertwined like the roots of a tree, but at the same time it looked like one.


    What color is it? Gold? No, it¡¯s dark. It was so dark that it looked bright. Then black? But it¡¯s closer to silver. Where on earth did the story about silver come from? It¡¯s so dark. It¡¯s so bright. What on earth am I looking at right now?


    ¡®Is it okay for me to see it in the first place?¡¯


    I was so dazed that I couldn¡¯t even feel fear because of the dizziness.


    ¡°Mr. Park Yoon-shin.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to ask you a question.¡±


    ¡°...Question...?¡±


    Oh, right, I have something to ask you.


    ¡°Yes, yes yes. Yes... Of course.¡±


    ¡°Can I draw you?¡±


    ¡°...Draw me...?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t remember much after that.


    My mind became incomparably dizzy compared to when I first saw the black cloak. I lost the awareness that I was a living being.


    My whole body melted, but there was no fear, and I felt a sense of comfort, as if I were lying in the middle of a forest with a spring breeze blowing.


    And when I came to, I was in the middle of the city.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Only then did I realize that this was a miracle.


    ¡°...That¡¯s it....¡±


    Park Yoon-shin continued speaking in front of the researcher.


    ¡°This is something I experienced.¡±


    ¡°They make people into paint and paint pictures with it.¡±


    ¡°At the time, I didn¡¯t really think it was strange.¡±


    Park Yoon-shin spoke in a bewildered voice.


    ¡°The fact that you can talk to monsters in the first place... is a very rare thing, and I know that, but I wasn¡¯t really surprised by that. It just felt like a wise and intelligent being who knew everything about the world, including me....¡±


    The researcher asked.


    ¡°Do you feel a desire to admire him?¡±


    ¡°...A little bit. That person showed me a miracle.¡±


    ¡°It was a miracle that turned people into paint. There was no pain.¡±


    ¡°After I came to my senses... I was very confused.¡±


    A human with a normal self became paint and a painting, and then returned to being a human again. The aftereffects were bound to be small, as he was forced to perceive the perspective of an inanimate object that he could never have imagined.


    ¡°...But I don¡¯t feel bad about the black cloak....¡±


    It was just scary, distant, and wonderful.


    ¡°It was so, so beautiful....¡±


    Even though it was a life that could not be said to have been lived close to art, he could tell that this was art and a work of art.


    The vast presence that felt sacred and noble, and its geometric and splendid structure, were enough to make his heart beat.


    ¡°The black cloak is definitely friendly to humans. No, it was closer to mercy than kindness. He showed mercy. ? N§àv§Öl?g?§ä ? (Continue reading) He didn¡¯t receive anything in return.¡±


    ¡°Yes, thank you for agreeing to the interview.¡±


    The researcher nodded.


    ¡°It was very helpful that you gave me information about the Black Cloak. You can receive your reward at the Association Lobby Counter right away. If you have any further information or inquiries, please contact the counter at any time.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Hunter Park Yoon-shin.¡±


    ¡°Is that person a monster?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    The researcher asked.


    ¡°Hunter Park Yoon-shin refers to it as a ¡®person¡¯.¡±


    That was the end of the conversation.


    Painter who draws dungeons

 Chapter 76

    "So, here''s the thing,"


    Leaning against the gallery wall, Yoo Seong-Woon asked Gio.


    "Is it because you''re a painter that you turn people into paint?"


    "...."


    "If it''s a difficult question, you don''t have to answer it."


    As a former research team leader for the Hunter Association, Yoo Seong-Woon had deep connections with them. This also meant he could access a lot of information, including recent rumors about Gio being spotted in ''The Country of the Deep Sea.''


    "I''ve never heard you call yourself a painter, so I just got curious."


    Witnesses had referred to ''The Black Cloak'' as both a portrait and a painter.


    "Turning living beings into paint is fascinating too."


    "That was not as grand as you might think."


    As usual, Gio responded in a mechanical, subdued voice.


    "To answer your previous question, I am just an ordinary person with a hobby of painting. I am not qualified to be called a painter."


    "Well, in the end, being a painter means someone who paints, right? Although, technically, it refers to someone whose profession is painting... isn''t that close enough?"


    "If you wish to think that way, I don''t mind."


    Unlike when Gio stepped outside of the portrait and mimicked human behavior, the voice of the Gio within the portrait was strangely businesslike. It had a mechanical tone, void of any emotion. Gio continued.


    "The reason I turned those people into paint was simply because I could draw them beyond the frame. However, when I considered drawing already existing life forms with regular paint, it seemed closer to creation rather than just movement, so I had no choice but to turn them into paint."


    "...Well, that..."


    Yoo Seong-Woon recalled the conversation he''d had before with ''Gio''s Portrait.''


    "In your view, the painting is not about you, but about us, right?"


    "I am not forgetting that you are not ordinary paintings or paint, but living beings with self-awareness. After thinking about ways to help them, I chose this method. Did it help?"


    "Thanks to you, the survival rate has definitely gone up."


    Separated by the frame, Gio and the humans would see each other as mere paintings from their respective worlds. It seemed that as both a painter and a portrait, Gio could influence them through the painting.


    "Just... well..."


    Yoo Seong-Woon hesitated slightly before continuing.


    "Everyone''s scared, that''s all."


    "Are they scared?"


    "You''re not exactly... approachable."


    "That''s true."


    "Being turned into paint alive isn''t something that happens every day."


    It wasn''t just ''uncommon''; it was the sort of thing that one might never experience in their life. The Hunters were grateful for ''The Black Cloak''s'' mysterious favor, but they also feared him.


    "Anyway, as long as you''re not treating us as mere paint, that''s fine."


    "I didn''t think of it that way."


    "Yeah, you just wanted to help in your own way."


    Which, honestly, was what made it seem so inhuman.


    "From the human perspective, the benevolence of an entity like Gio doesn''t necessarily feel like benevolence," he thought.


    If anything, it was a pure way of thinking.


    It was like a young child, who doesn''t understand the biology of a dog, feeding chocolate to a cute puppy. Though the child might think they were sharing a sweet treat, the dog would end up poisoned.


    "Maybe it''s because he''s a portrait himself, but Gio doesn''t hesitate at all about turning people into paint. The only good thing is that people have realized it¡¯s meant to be a kindness..."


    Maybe that¡¯s why some Hunters even revere him.


    "...Uh..."


    After a brief pause, Yoo Seong-Woon spoke again.


    "Are you still going to ''The Country of the Deep Sea'' lately?"


    "I visited, hoping to meet Iser, but I only encountered humans, not mermaids."


    "Ah, I see."


    It seemed like Iser, that clever mermaid, was avoiding Gio. It was unclear whether she needed time to gather her thoughts or if she was planning something else.


    "Anyway... thanks for helping those people."


    "No need to thank me. I rather feel like I surprised them, and I want to apologize. Was my behavior rude?"


    "It wasn''t rude, nothing like that. It''s just that... there are a lot of people scared."


    Although it was more than just ''a little,'' the fact that Gio had spared the humans was unchanged. The Hunters seemed to understand that it was a kindness.


    "If ''The Black Cloak'' becomes too familiar to the Hunters, there might be issues, but for now, it doesn¡¯t seem like anything major is going to happen."


    Yoo Seong-Woon wanted to distinguish ''Sergio,'' the friendly and kind Hunter, from the mysterious legend of ''The Black Cloak,'' but it seemed Gio had no intention of doing so. From a greedy human perspective, that was a bit of a dilemma.


    Did Gio want to interact closely with others, even in the form of ''The Black Cloak''?


    "I¡¯ll clarify beforehand. I¡¯m not saying you shouldn¡¯t help people. It¡¯s just that... it¡¯s probably better if they¡¯re a little scared than dead, right? I''m concerned about what you know, so I came to check. Please don¡¯t take it the wrong way."


    "I¡¯m not offended."


    "That¡¯s a relief. But..."


    Yoo Seong-Woon trailed off, hesitating.


    "I have a question."


    The reason he visited the gallery today wasn¡¯t just to deliver the latest rumors about ''The Black Cloak.''


    "Can I ask you something?"


    "I will answer any question I can."


    "Then... how do you adjust your level?"


    This question stemmed from the many rumors circulating and the testimonies of a few witnesses, like Seong-Woon and the Chara family. The ''Black Cloak'' and ''Gio'' as a human were not seen as the same entity by others, as the disparity between the two was immense.


    The portrait painted in black paint and with eyes that couldn''t be seen seemed to ask back.


    "What do you mean by that?"


    "Ah..."


    Then again, Gio probably didn¡¯t realize how high his own ''level'' was.


    "Since he thinks of himself as an ordinary human, it was my mistake to bring up the word ''level.'' After all, he once explained the fear people had of him as just a resolution issue..."


    After thinking it over briefly, Yoo Seong-Woon spoke again.


    "Of course, the rumors about ''The Black Cloak'' and ''Gio'' being the same person... there are times when they act or speak so differently that it¡¯s hard to see them as the same entity."


    "This is the problem."


    "When you¡¯re ¡®Sergio,¡¯ you probably wouldn¡¯t think of turning people into paint."


    That was the issue.


    "You¡¯re still the same Gio, but your way of thinking seems to change based on your ''level.''"


    "..."


    "Did I misunderstand? If that was a rude judgment, I apologize."


    After a moment, the portrait responded.


    "Yoo Seong-Woon''s words seem to be correct. I sometimes change my thoughts and tone."


    "Ah."


    "I try my best to live correctly and politely, but, to borrow your words, when I am ''The Black Cloak,'' I tend to make arrogant and rude judgments."


    It seemed like the portrait was aware of this.


    "But I never intend to harm anyone. You needn¡¯t worry about me causing any harm."


    "I understand what you mean."


    Yoo Seong-Woon nodded.


    "Indeed, the thoughts of humans and those of the source can never be the same."


    Even the same entity could have different ways of thinking depending on its ''level.''


    "Gio said it was arrogant and rude, but for him, it probably seemed like a perfectly natural behavior. Considering the ''level'' of the entity that is Gio¡¯s portrait, it doesn¡¯t seem strange."


    It was only natural for a human to look down on an ant.


    "To attempt to lower his gaze and meet humans halfway is impressive. Perhaps it¡¯s possible because Gio understands humans so well."


    Of course, even if Gio tried, he could never be fully human. Still, the fact that he was chastising himself for being ''arrogant and rude'' seemed meaningful.


    "...."


    A chill ran down his spine.


    "Do you have any more questions?"


    "Huh? No, just..."


    Every time he realized Gio was not human, it sent a shiver down his spine.


    "...I just think you¡¯re really amazing."


    Yoo Seong-Woon still didn¡¯t know what exactly Gio was.


    Except for the fact that he was a portrait.


    "Schhhh..."


    "Hm?"


    "Schhhhh..."


    "Mmm."


    Gio was inhaling Dana''s stomach, and Honey was peeking over.


    "Cluck?"


    "I think I¡¯m going to live."


    "Quack?"


    "Healing has occurred."


    There truly was no better hobby in life than sucking on a cat¡¯s stomach.


    "Of course, Dana¡¯s not soft or warm..."


    "Chrrr."


    "But it doesn¡¯t change the fact that it¡¯s a cat. Thank you for stepping on me, master."


    The two cotton-soft paws pushing his face away were too adorable.


    The sight made the Sun God, in the form of a teddy bear, look a bit troubled, but neither Gio, Honey, nor Dana seemed to be affected.


    In the warm family meeting, Gio asked seriously.


    "So, how do I get Iser to see my face?"


    The topic was Iser¡¯s defection.


    "She refuses to come see me for some reason. I¡¯m sure she knows I¡¯m here, so what¡¯s going on?"


    "Cluck..."


    The bear looked at him as if to say ''You don¡¯t know that?'' and Gio nodded.


    "I know. It¡¯s like how a dog hides from its owner after misbehaving. Humans have this bad instinct of avoiding punishment when they feel they¡¯ve done something wrong."


    "Cluck..."


    The Sun God was contemplating whether it was acceptable to call Iser a human or if it was even right to compare her avoidance to a dog or a child. It didn¡¯t seem like Iser was avoiding him because she feared being scolded.


    Although she clearly had the form of ''Giovanni,'' there was an unsettling sense of strangeness and an unexplainable high ''level.'' Adding to that was the repulsion of the Sun God¡¯s holiness, making Iser an entity the mermaids struggled to approach.


    But Gio was a resolute young man. He was steadfast.


    "I used to draw maps on the blanket when I was a child, then secretly did hand-washing at night, trying not to let my grandmother catch me. Even though it¡¯s a natural physiological occurrence for children, I still didn¡¯t want to admit it because of guilt and embarrassment."


    "Cluck...?"


    "But in the end, I got caught. A child can¡¯t hand-wash very well by themselves. The cloth gets soaked, and it doesn¡¯t dry overnight. So no matter how much Iser tries to avoid me, she won¡¯t be able to escape."


    "Cluck...?"


    The teddy bear looked doubtful, as if questioning whether that was the right analogy. Gio sighed lightly.


    "It¡¯s true that Iser has chosen a much crueler path, but..."


    "Cluck cluck, cluck."


    "I remember Iser as a young student. It doesn¡¯t feel real now that she¡¯s a terrorist or anything like that."


    Even though Gio felt a sense of fear about being involved in the terrorist incident, beyond that, Giovanni still remembered his young disciple. It didn¡¯t feel real.


    When he heard someone say, "Your little and precious student is now attacking religious facilities after your death," his response was nothing more than "Oh? Really?"


    "But that¡¯s why we must capture Iser... no, we must meet her."


    "Cluck?"


    Honey gave a skeptical look, as if to say, ''Didn¡¯t you just say you¡¯d capture her?'' Gio ignored it, and Dana lazily yawned.


    "How do I get Iser to come meet me? I can¡¯t stop thinking about it."


    "Cluck..."


    "¡®The Country of the Deep Sea¡¯ is not a big supermarket. I can¡¯t play the lost child broadcast, and Iser, being an adult, can¡¯t really be called a lost child. She knows where the exit is, yet refuses to come... this cute mermaid..."


    It seemed like she had become a coward, not even wanting to show her face. Gio blinked twice. He then continued.


    "I¡¯ll tell you # N§àv§Ölight # in advance, I do have a plan."


    "Cluck?"


    "If I make a big ruckus in ¡®The Country of the Deep Sea,¡¯ I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll get to see her face."


    "Cluck cluck?"


    "At least I¡¯ll have the upper hand. If it works out, I¡¯ll... let me explain my plan."


    After hearing Gio¡¯s story, the bird tilted its head as if to question whether that would really work, the cat flipped over on its back, uninterested, and the teddy bear wore a skeptical expression.


    Gio looked at the Sun God.


    "What¡¯s wrong?"


    "Cluck..."


    The teddy bear seemed to nod thoughtfully at Gio''s calm demeanor, thinking ''Well, if Gio thinks it¡¯s fine, then it must be.''


    "Cluck cluck cluck."


    "Thank you for your support."


    It was truly a warm family meeting.


    The painter who paints dungeons.

 Chapter 77

    Geo said while eating rice cooked with vegetables from the garden and grilled fish.


    ¡°Ghost story?¡±


    ¡°Gulp.¡±


    ¡°Not bad.¡±


    Honey worried Geo about the ghost story of the ¡®Black Cloak,¡¯ but Geo was happy about it. It was partly because of his originally calm personality, but it wasn¡¯t the only reason.


    ¡°If you think of me as a ghost story, you¡¯ll probably be less worried about being attacked.¡±


    That was the reason Geo tolerated the collector¡¯s nonsense.


    ¡°I realized after going back to Earth a few times, no matter how much the Earth has turned upside down and the environment has been reorganized worldwide, a haunted portrait is still a rare thing. It¡¯s not a joke, it¡¯s not strange if you¡¯re seriously dragged to a laboratory and tortured.¡±


    He thought of himself as a ¡®slightly special case of the Awakened.¡¯


    Unlike regular hunters who access the source through the system, he was directly connected to the source, so it wasn¡¯t completely wrong, but the problem was that the world wouldn¡¯t see him that way.


    ¡°I felt that in the 31 years that South Korea hadn¡¯t seen, it had gotten even closer to hell. A boneless chicken like me wouldn¡¯t last even a day and fall into the abyss.¡±


    ¡°Crunch?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m not chicken, but that¡¯s not what Dad meant. The problem is that a weakling like me would soon be dragged to a lab full of crazy scientists and experimented on.¡±


    In that sense, the ¡®Black Cloak Ghost Story¡¯ wasn¡¯t bad.


    ¡°At least it wouldn¡¯t look easy. There¡¯s a lot of room for imagination.¡±


    Not only did the Black Cloak seem to have a much higher fighting ability than the main character, Geo, but his name was also cool. There was something about nicknames like this that satisfied a man¡¯s romanticism.


    ¡°First of all, if you call it a ghost story, it¡¯s something that can be observed but not studied... It feels like an intangible smoke. I don¡¯t know what it would be like in this harsh world, but I think the probability of being attacked by a dog or cow would be lower.¡±


    ¡°Kuk, kuk....¡±


    ¡°As expected, Mr. Yoo Seong-woon. You recognized my weakness and suggested this path, so you¡¯re truly an all-rounder. You¡¯re the type of person I should emulate. I should become closer to you by giving you food and snacks. And then someday I¡¯ll kidnap you.¡±


    Jio, who said something that would make Yoo Seong-woon faint if he heard it, continued talking while spreading the fish meat that wasn¡¯t freshly made castella and giving it to Dana.


    ¡°That¡¯s why the ghost story about the black cloak is actually welcome. Should I call it a bluff for survival?¡±


    He didn¡¯t necessarily introduce himself as ¡®a portrait¡¯ to the hunters he met in the ¡®Deep Sea Country.¡¯


    ¡°At first, I couldn¡¯t introduce myself by my real name, so I used a portrait instead, but it worked well.¡±


    ¡°Kurur....¡±


    ¡°To survive in this strange world, I¡¯ll have to contribute to these ghost stories.¡±


    ¡°Kk?¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll have to think a little more about how to contribute....¡±


    It would be good if it was a ghost story that lived up to the reputation of a haunted portrait.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t ghost portraits often hung in schools?¡±


    ¡°...? Kk...?¡±


    ¡°Well, you probably don¡¯t know much about Earth¡¯s culture. Or maybe because I was a teacher, I can only think about school.¡±


    ¡°Kk, kukukuk.¡±


    ¡°Oh, do you have any advice?¡±


    The teddy bear nodded. The world he originally came from didn¡¯t have active public education, so there weren¡¯t many ghost stories related to schools, but there were a few stories about ghost stories related to mansions.


    ¡°A mansion....¡±


    Geo listened with interest and nodded.


    ¡°Surely, materials like portraits hanging in abandoned mansions are popular as ghost stories. I understand what you¡¯re saying.¡±


    ¡°Kuuu.¡±


    ¡°Yes, each piece of information like this will help me be reborn as a great ghost story in the future. The ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ that is known to the world right now is lacking in many ways to be called a ghost story, but...¡±


    Geo nodded.


    ¡°If we keep trying without giving up, someday it will become a great ghost story that will instill fear in people.¡±


    ¡°Kuu...?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s how we can make a living, Father. People these {N?o?v?e?l?i?g?h?t} days are so scary that without this kind of bluff, it¡¯s hard to survive in that gap.¡±


    It didn¡¯t seem like something Geo, who was a harmless portrait, should say, but the Sun God said he understood and moved on. He knew that he wasn¡¯t a great person who would really harm humans, even though he only said things like that.


    Anyway, Geo vowed to solidify the concept as a ghost story.


    ¡°It¡¯s fortunate that the first time I met him was the leader of the Bisabal guild.¡±


    Even just seeing his mouth that spoke like a machine gun made me feel so daunted that I still refused to talk, but Bisabal was a good person.


    The fact that he treated Geo, a portrait possessed by a ghost, as a person proved his noble character.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Honey.¡±


    ¡°Kung.¡±


    Honey thought, ¡®That might be a matter of taste rather than character,¡¯ but she didn¡¯t say it out loud. She knew that Bisabal was not a harmless person, but he was a person who was extremely devoted to works of art.


    At least Bisabal had become extremely harmless to his collection. That much was true.


    ¡°Kururu, kukkung.¡±


    ¡°You wanted to eat fish too. Should I spread it?¡±


    ¡°Kurururur.¡±


    ¡°A cute guy.¡±


    Geo said, cutting off a piece of thick flesh that was steaming.


    ¡°Anyway, I plan to carry out the plan I mentioned soon. I¡¯m tired of wandering around the ¡®Deep Sea Country¡¯ without any harvest and creating pathetic ghost stories.¡±


    ¡°Muuuung.¡±


    ¡°Can you eat thorns? Here, here. Eat carefully.¡±


    Geo continued, giving Dana a fish bone.


    ¡°Do you have someone to accompany you?¡±


    ¡°Kururuk.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the only one, Honey. Do you know how much Dad loves you?¡±


    ¡°Kkuk.¡±


    Honey had no intention of leaving Geo, who was soft and tender inside, alone to the world.


    ¡°Honey...!¡±


    ¡°Kurur.¡±


    Geo, moved by the warm heart of his hand-born son, covered his mouth and showed the depth of his emotions, and the sun god decided to eat the fish in silence. Dana was already not interested.


    As I keep saying, they were a good family anyway.


    * * *


    And it wasn¡¯t just Geo who planned something for their meeting.


    Coincidentally, the mermaids had also prepared their own way.


    ¡°Hey, Flower Pig.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s the youngest?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t he in the garden?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t see him.¡±


    ¡°Are you crazy?¡±


    Chae Sol was kidnapped.


    ¡°No, he didn¡¯t even get to rest....¡±


    Normally, the prospective priests who had finished their initiation ceremony would have had to enter the dormitory temple, but due to the recent ¡®Temple of the Deep Sea¡¯ incident, they had a short break. In short, they were kidnapped while at home.


    ¡°Is it important to rest now?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    This news was immediately relayed to Yoo Seong Woon, who was in the office of the Collector¡¯s Guild.


    ¡°Huh? Kidnapped?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Why...? Who? Where, how...?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know the intention either....¡±


    Cha Eun-hyeok, the eldest son of the Cha family, offered a bungeoppang as a bribe.


    ¡°There was seawater sprinkled on the garden.¡±


    ¡°If you say that, anyone can tell that the culprit is a mermaid. No, but what is this bungeoppang?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to give me any more bungeoppang. Stop it, it¡¯s overflowing.¡±


    ¡°Please give it to Geo-ssi too.¡±


    ¡°Uh....¡±


    ¡°I received the official document from Cha Ara and looked at it together.¡±


    Cha Eun-hyeok continued with a blank expression.


    ¡°I heard that Sergio has a 1:1 rule. If he receives a favor from a human, he responds with favor, and if he receives a rude response, he responds with rudeness.¡±


    ¡°...So....¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon asked seriously.


    ¡°You offer a bungeoppang and ask him to save your little brother?¡±


    ¡°...I think there¡¯s a higher chance of Isul-i coming back alive than not offering anything... In reality, even if Sergio doesn¡¯t step forward, I think it would be better for me to do this.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s almost like offering a sacrifice to a god. And it¡¯s a bungeoppang.¡±


    ¡°I have nothing to say.¡±


    ¡°No, Geo really likes bungeoppang. Sometimes, he gives me something a bit scary as a gift....¡±


    In today¡¯s world where religion has become popular, there were many people who went to shrines and offered small sacrifices. Even if nothing actually came back, they felt better doing so.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit strange to say this, but Geo isn¡¯t a proper god. He¡¯s just something with the characteristics of a god. Unlike traditional gods who sometimes show mercy when it comes to their followers, there¡¯s a high chance that he won¡¯t live up to your expectations.¡±


    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t matter. I brought it as a gift.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you anyway....¡±


    Yes, Geo had rules.


    ¡®I wonder if I¡¯ll be hired as a bungeoppang.¡¯


    Geo knew that he was bound by rules when he thought about his reaction one day. Even so, he tried to find a ¡®price¡¯ from Yoo Seong-un when he made and shared food.


    Cha Eun-hyeok said.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if it wasn¡¯t for Sergio¡¯s help or the help of Black Cloak. But if the seawater we found really is the trace of a mermaid belonging to the ¡®Deep Sea Country¡¯....¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this an interesting story even from the perspective of a large guild like a collector?¡±


    Cha Eun-hyeok desperately tried to persuade Yoo Seong-un with his characteristically blunt face.


    ¡°Until now, no monster from the ¡®Deep Sea Country¡¯ has ever come out of the entrance. It could be some kind of omen, and I think we can find out more information through this. So....¡±


    ¡°Calm down, Mr. Cha Eun-hyeok.¡±


    Yoo Seong-un consoled the young man.


    ¡°Even if you didn¡¯t say that, I was planning on going to rescue Chae Sol-kun. The ¡®Deep Sea Country¡¯ is a dungeon that I have a lot of connections to, and Black Cloak seems to be interested in it too... I was planning on visiting it soon.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°I guess you can think of it as going a little earlier.¡±


    ¡°...Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Okay, then....¡±


    Yoo Seong-un trailed off and turned to Cha Ara, who was pale and exhausted.


    ¡°Cha Ara, will you come with me, Hunter?¡±


    ¡°...Um, um... Can I come with you? I¡¯m only an F-rank....¡±


    ¡°I can take you if you just write a contract stating that you are prepared to die.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but please.¡±


    If you weren¡¯t going to use them as meat shields, bringing an F-class hunter to a B-class or higher dungeon would be a huge burden to other hunters. In effect, they would become personnel to protect F-class hunters.


    So this was Yoo Seong-woon¡¯s consideration. Even though Cha A-ra knew that she wouldn¡¯t be of much use anyway, she still asked him to accompany her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a matter of family, so I understand how you feel. You don¡¯t have to feel sorry.¡±


    Fortunately, the Collector¡¯s Guild had a lot of freedom for its members, so no one said anything if Yoo Seong-woon left for a while.


    It was just that Yoo Seong-woon had more days to work overtime. And for the sake of Geo and the peace of Earth, Yoo Seong-woon tolerated it.


    ¡°I want to go too, but it¡¯s probably too much, right??¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about when your physical abilities are at the F-class level? Please stay.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame.¡±


    The only thing that was different was the meaning of the Bisabael, but the support itself was plentiful.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°...? Why is Priest Kang Seodam here?¡±


    ¡°The head of the guild of collectors asked for help from our temple.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re providing more support than I thought.¡±


    ¡°Even if it wasn¡¯t a request, I should have stepped forward. Brother Chaisol is my student whom I have to take responsibility for.¡±


    Kang Seodam said with a tired face.


    ¡°Even if he¡¯s not taking formal classes yet due to the accident, that fact remains unchanged.¡±


    ¡°Wow, he¡¯s trustworthy.¡±


    ¡°More than that....¡±


    Kang Seodam looked at ¡®Sergio¡¯ gathered in front of the port.


    ¡°...Sergio Hunter... is going with you?¡±


    ¡°Because I have a connection with Student Chaisol. Didn¡¯t many people at the ¡®Deep Sea Temple¡¯ receive help mentally thanks to the energetic Student Chaisol? This is my gratitude for relieving my burden as a doctor and a believer.¡±


    ¡°Aha....¡±


    ¡°The guardians of Chaisol also gave us bungeoppang.¡±


    ¡°Bungeoppang.¡±


    Kang Seodam also received an official document from the Collector¡¯s Guild regarding ¡®Black Cloak.¡¯ He also knew that his rule was simply ¡®1:1,¡¯ so he was able to quickly accept Geo¡¯s participation this time with the word ¡®compensation.¡¯


    However, he was also worried.


    ¡®Could this part be exploited by humans?¡¯


    It may sound nice, but if we¡¯re not careful, many humans could end up forcing a price on ¡®Black Cloak.¡¯


    ¡®If that person gets angry... then...¡¯


    Kang Seodam, who was worried about the future disaster, nodded.


    ¡°I understand. Thank you for accompanying me.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me. I¡¯m just doing what I can.¡±


    ¡°I see. Where is that yellow bird I saw last time?¡±


    ¡°Here it is.¡±


    Just like in the previous ¡®Temple of the Deep Sea¡¯, Honey¡¯s face peeked out from under Geo¡¯s hood, which was covered in a black cloak. Honey looked closely at Kang Seo-dam, who felt the strong energy of the sun.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°......?¡±


    Just as Kang Seo-dam was about to express his doubts, Yoo Seong-woon, who had noticed something, stopped Honey.


    ¡°No, Honey, you¡¯re not eating.¡±


    ¡°...Are you eating?¡±


    Geo shook his head.


    ¡°I¡¯m not eating.¡±


    ¡°But Yoo Seong-woon just now....¡±


    ¡°The meal I made for you would be more delicious, so why would you eat someone who hasn¡¯t even been seasoned?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Honey is a gourmet, so she doesn¡¯t eat just anything.¡±


    Kuru.


    A voice of affirmation could be heard from inside the hood.


    ¡°... ¡°I see.¡±


    He didn¡¯t feel particularly reassured.


    ¡®You were looking at me with such sparkling eyes.¡¯


    Kang Seo-dam felt even creepier as he remembered Honey¡¯s greedy gaze.


    ¡°... ... .¡±


    ¡°Then shall we go?¡±


    ¡°... Yes.¡±


    With Yoo Seong-woon, who was an A-class, as the head, Kang Seo-dam, Cha A-ra, and Sergio formed a team to rescue Chae Sol.


    Actually, this portrait didn¡¯t need anyone¡¯s help....


    ¡®... Helping Geo with his social life....¡¯


    Yoo Seong-woon thought it was a bit funny.


    ¡°... ... .¡±


    That¡¯s right, sarcasm.


    A painter who draws dungeons

 Chapter 78

    There was a reason why Yoo Seong-un was always by Geo¡¯s side.


    ¡®When you come to your senses, you¡¯re just saying and doing weird things.¡¯


    It would have been better if he was a poorly imitating monster. Because no matter how he acted, you could tell he was a monster. However, ¡®Portrait of Geo¡¯ was strangely good at imitating humans.


    ¡®That¡¯s why he confuses people even more.¡¯


    Even though his head clearly doesn¡¯t seem human, his heart is convinced that he is, and that sense of dissonance makes him feel creepy. That was different from the fear he felt from monsters or the children of the origin.


    ¡®It¡¯s like a ghost story.¡¯


    Yoo Seong-un¡¯s role was to help Geo fit in well with humans.


    ¡°What the heck.¡±


    Cheol-beok.


    Yoo Seong-un stepped on the soft floor.


    ¡°This is like jelly.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s definitely true.¡±


    Kang Seo-dam, who entered the dungeon after that, nodded.


    ¡°It looks like slime with low viscosity, but it supports the weight well for something like that.¡±


    ¡°If you scoop it up with your hand, it¡¯s just seawater.¡±


    Yoo Seong-un shook off the water he had in his hand and looked at Geo and Cha Ara who entered together.


    ¡°Oh, you came in?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes yes... yes.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so nervous. There are three A-class hunters here, so how can you not protect one Cha Ara hunter?¡±


    ¡°Three....¡±


    ¡°Three, right?¡±


    ¡°Oh... That, that¡¯s right.¡±


    Cha Ara, who had been treated with some kind of scorn, quickly accepted Yoo Seong-un¡¯s words. As she did so, she glanced at Geo who was looking around the dungeon, probably remembering the rule that ¡®you can¡¯t point out that he¡¯s not human in front of Geo.¡¯


    ¡®Well, Hunter Cha-ara also received the official document.¡¯


    The official document also included several recommendations such as ¡®Do not doubt Geo¡¯s identity.¡¯ It seemed that Cha-ara also judged that there was no need to go against Geo¡¯s wishes.


    ¡®By the way... .¡¯


    If my prediction is correct, this dungeon must be like home to ¡®Giovanni.¡¯


    ¡°...Geo, are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my first time entering a dungeon officially, so I¡¯m worried.¡±


    ¡°I was a little nervous, but I¡¯m not as nervous as I thought I would be.¡±


    The platinum-haired Geo, with his black hood pulled back, smiled his characteristically kind smile.


    ¡°The scent of the sea is quite pleasant.¡±


    ¡°Come to think of it, you liked the sea, right?¡±


    As he said that, Yoo Seong-woon looked down.


    ¡°.......¡±


    He saw a country completely submerged in the sea.


    ¡°... Going down here would be a lot of work, but Geo, can you swim?¡±


    ¡°To be honest, I can¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°Why are you so confident?¡±


    Since the name itself is ¡®Deep Sea Country¡¯, the hunters who visit here are basically guys who can swim. It¡¯s rare for a hunter to not be able to swim.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think of this....¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon looked at the other two with a troubled face.


    ¡°What about Hunter Cha-ara or Priest Kang Seo-dam?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh, it¡¯s possible... but it¡¯s an F-class....¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s possible without difficulty.¡±


    ¡°Oh my.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon looked at Geo again.


    ¡°Then Nana or Priest Kang Seo-dam should help Geo, right?¡±


    ¡°No?¡±


    ¡°Oh...?¡±


    ¡°There are plenty of ways to get there without swimming.¡±


    ¡°Why do you think there are so many??¡±


    ¡°I learned good techniques from the elders of our house.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    No, wait a minute.


    ¡°...Your elders?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°That, that elder, that¡¯s it. That....¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of you comfortably.¡±


    ¡°What on earth??¡±


    Without answering Yoo Seong-woon¡¯s question, Geo placed his hand on the floor.


    At that moment.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¨DKururururuk!!


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s done.¡±


    With a loud noise, a path appeared inside the sea.


    ¡°Now we can walk.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s walk.¡±


    The hunters, including Yoo Seong-woon, looked at the tunnel in the sea with blank expressions.


    ¡°Uh....¡±


    A staircase was kindly built into the space that was hollowed out like a long straw. The path led to quite a deep place, and with the Hunter¡¯s good eyesight, he could see that it reached the ¡®Temple of the Deep Sea¡¯.


    Yoo Seong-un, who was proud of being the human who received Geo¡¯s greatest affection, asked.


    ¡°How did you do this?¡±


    ¡°Since seawater is water, wouldn¡¯t it evaporate if you heated it up?¡±


    ¡°So you evaporated it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, convenient, right?¡±


    ¡°Because you don¡¯t want to swim?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to, it¡¯s that I can¡¯t. It¡¯s not a matter of my taste.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I changed the dungeon....¡±


    You changed the shape of the sea because you can¡¯t swim. Yoo Seong-un looked back at Kang Seo-dam, the child of the sun.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Please, Geo.


    ¡®What hunter in the world remodels a dungeon because he won¡¯t swim?¡¯


    In the first place, the fact that he could remodel a dungeon was already beyond the realm of a hunter. That hunter had no reason to come to the dungeon. The existence of the dungeon and the significance of the hunter¡¯s visit disappeared.


    ¡®The richest man in South Korea, the leader of the Bisabae Guild, makes his part-timers collect waste paper and earns 5,000 won for his own pocket money.¡¯


    If this is going to happen, then why does the identity of ¡®Sergio¡¯ exist? Does he really have no intention of imitating humans? Is this a warning to not do something so ridiculous? Yoo Seong-woon was in a deep swamp.


    ¡®Fortunately, Priest Kang Seo-dam and Hunter Cha A-ra are doing their best to avoid eye contact and pretend not to know...¡¯


    He confirmed the two¡¯s willingness to cooperate, as if they were going to keep everything that happened today a secret, and looked at Geo again.


    ¡°Geo, everyone here is trustworthy, so I¡¯ll tell you honestly.¡±


    ¡°Please speak comfortably.¡±


    ¡°This is a bit too much for a human domain.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m an ordinary human....¡±


    ¡°Oh, I know, I know. Everyone knows very well, so you don¡¯t have to worry about that. Just....¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon took a deep breath.


    ¡°Other people might be afraid of you or misunderstand you, so I hope you don¡¯t show off your abilities too much in front of people other than us. Do you understand what I mean?¡±


    ¡°I understand, thank you for your consideration.¡±


    ¡°Okay....¡±


    Cha A-ra looked at Yoo Seong-woon desperately trying to calmly persuade him, as if she felt sorry for him. And Yoo Seong-woon thought that his own situation was a bit miserable.


    ¡®I¡¯m teaching social skills to a being whose identity is unknown in a mere human body.¡¯


    ¡®Sergio¡¯s status outside of the collection was lowered to a human level, so this was about all he could do, no, in fact, he was still so burdened that he felt like his whole body was going to explode.


    ¡®It¡¯s fortunate that Geo thinks he¡¯s human...¡¯


    I guess the plan to separate ¡®Sergio¡¯ and ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ was successful. It wasn¡¯t a bad situation.


    ¡®It¡¯s definitely less stressful than when he was inside the building, so yeah, this much.¡¯


    In case of a difference, he could compare himself to S-class hunters. At that point, it was close to a human disaster. The problem was that Geo wasn¡¯t even human, and this was something Yoo Seong-woon had to work on.


    ¡°Usually, hunters can¡¯t just change other people¡¯s dungeons like this.¡±


    ¡°I see, that must be inconvenient.¡±


    ¡°...That¡¯s right....¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry because I¡¯m here.¡±


    And Geo didn¡¯t think anything of it. He didn¡¯t do anything unethical just because he changed the dungeon a little.


    No one died, no one got hurt, no one got hurt. Geo¡¯s ultimate positive mind didn¡¯t yield to the limitations of a mere human.


    Limitations are meant to be overcome. Giovanni overcame his limitations of not being able to swim with the power of the sun. He was proud of his remarkable growth.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go now.¡±


    If this solidifies my concept, then it¡¯s a welcome thing.


    ¡®Ttaran.¡¯


    Anyway, good things are good.


    * * *


    Giovanni died.


    ¡°.......¡±


    If you were to ask if he was in his right mind after that, he wasn¡¯t.


    The parting that Isser was preparing was a little warmer. In Geo¡¯s hands that had grown old, wrinkles would appear around his eyes, his back that had been straight like a statue would bend, and his strong body would become infinitely thinner.


    Geo would die while watching countless people thank him for his life. Slowly, his breathing would become shallow, his eyelids that had always been affectionately bent closed, and his heart that had been beating slowly would calmly settle down... .


    ¡°...Where was the teacher¡¯s body?¡±


    ¡°In your stomach.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°And, in the sea.¡±


    Nothing was accomplished.


    ¡°...How old were you, sir?¡±


    ¡°I was born and lived a little over 30 years.¡±


    ¡°How long is that?¡±


    ¡°Humans can live over 100 years if they are well-managed and in a good environment.¡±


    ¡°What if they are not well-managed and in a normal environment?¡±


    ¡°If they were not constantly abused, they would normally live to be around 80 years old.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t even live half of my life.¡±


    He was too young.


    ¡°It was only 30 years.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it was only 30 years.¡±


    ¡°I thought it was longer than that.¡±


    I was devastated.


    ¡°100 years, 200 years. It¡¯s too crazy to say that all that happened in 30 years at most... There were so many things....¡±


    Giovanni saved people all his life.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t anyone defend you, sir? He really saved so many lives. He saved those who were dying and those who were cursed. Those who were saved by you... Didn¡¯t you definitely say thank you then? They even shed tears of joy at your touch.¡±


    His sister agreed.


    ¡°Yes, Geo was such a kind person. He saved many humans and mermaids.¡±


    ¡°But when he died, no one was left by his side.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t the kind of person who deserved to die like that.


    ¡°You should have died a little older, lying in a warm bed, with so many people around you. Shouldn¡¯t you? You were someone who lived so devotedly for others. A person like that deserves to be warmer, in the sunlight....¡±


    ¡°The death you imagined was something that only happened in fairy tales.¡±


    ¡°...It didn¡¯t have to be a fairy tale.... What I was talking about wasn¡¯t something that happened in a fairy tale, but it was something that could happen at any time. That¡¯s... that¡¯s all. I didn¡¯t hope for a miracle. I didn¡¯t hope for humans to live as long as mermaids, and I didn¡¯t want the dead to come back to life. I didn¡¯t even want to.¡±


    What¡¯s so great about that?


    ¡°Humans die anyway. No matter how good an environment they grow up in or how well they are managed, their lifespan is so short that they die quickly. If they lived such a short life without resting and shedding blood and sweat, shouldn¡¯t they have enjoyed such benefits?¡±


    ¡°So did you receive such benefits?¡±


    ¡°... ... .¡±


    No.


    ¡°... No... .¡±


    She respected the teacher, the man named Giovanni.


    Gio was a priest and a ? N§àv§ÖIight ? (Original source) doctor. Isser learned his character as a priest from him, and Aria learned his skills as a doctor from him.


    Both treated humans well because they learned from Gio.


    ¡°No. In the end, it was just... .¡±


    But no human knew how to be grateful.


    ¡°... In the end, they are a group that throws away even the affection of Gio, who is also a human, in an instant.¡±


    ¡°Humans are truly fickle. ¡°They are different from mermaids in many ways.¡±


    Mermaids live for over a thousand years. Perhaps because they were born to live that long, mermaids are indifferent to the stimuli that come their way, are not sensitive to emotions, and do not change easily.


    And that is why mermaids, when they receive a stimulus, an emotion, or a change, hold onto it for a very long time.


    ¡°... Ah... .¡±


    Isser already knew that ¡®that¡¯ would be Giovanni.


    ¡°Please, why... why, if this happens... this is not right... .¡±


    ¡°... ... .¡±


    ¡°This is not right, Aria... .¡±


    That is why she wanted him to die a very sweet and gentle death.


    ¡°Why on earth do I have to carry this memory with me for the rest of my life... ?¡±


    I knew that every moment of that short life of that person who resembled the sunlight, that person who was as soft as a warm blanket, was ultimately something I had to embrace.


    So I was relieved. At least, I thought that someone as wonderful and great as Giovanni was someone that a mermaid should embrace.


    ¡°Aria, I ate him.¡±


    The mermaid ate the human.


    ¡°Why? I was hungry. Those shallow humans locked me and him in a small tank...! Geo couldn¡¯t die! Giovanni was rotting in pain and cold, and I was hungry! I ate him!!¡±


    The children of the sun laughed at that.


    ¡°In the end, even if a mermaid imitates a human, they are still mermaids, monsters that eat people...!!¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°...Are we monsters?¡±


    The only sister answered.


    ¡°We are all monsters.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Except for you, sir... everyone was a monster.¡±


    ¡°...I see.¡±


    Geo was human.


    That was for sure.


    ¡°...I miss you, sir....¡±


    ¡°Me too.¡±


    For a very long time, Isser couldn¡¯t open his mouth. If he opened his mouth, it seemed like Giovanni, whom he had swallowed, would spill out.


    His guts that he had chewed and swallowed would escape, his eyes would shed tears, and his mouth would scream or pour out resentment toward the mermaid.


    And now that Isser had opened his mouth, what he was holding in his heart was Giovanni.


    ¡°Sister.¡±


    ¡°...To be honest, I think I hate you.¡±


    ¡°It seems like this is the first time I¡¯ve seen you hate someone.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know if this feeling is certain.¡±


    ¡°I will gladly accept it. Even that is a change that you have made.¡±


    ¡°I will cover the sun with the sea.¡±


    Her words were mad, but Isser knew that it would soon come true.


    ¡°If the whole world is covered by the sea, then Geo can remain in the sea.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°And mermaids... are part of the sea, after all. Just like the pictures of mermaids that person always drew....¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°...you know.¡±


    Aria was wearing a pure white gown.


    ¡°...I don¡¯t know what I want either, Isser....¡±


    It was Giovanni¡¯s.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    A long time had passed since then.


    A very, very long time... .


    * * *


    ¡°Did you have another nightmare?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Round black eyes.


    ¡°...Priest Chaisol.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a priest yet.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not human.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°... Well... .¡±


    Why not?


    ¡°What if I was human?¡±


    We had a future.


    ¡°...I have such fantasies.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still human now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a mermaid, as I said when I brought you here.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re human?¡±


    ¡°... ... .¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the difference between a human and a mermaid? I don¡¯t really get it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s... .¡±


    There were countless differences, but since it was the day I met the teacher, my mouth was particularly tight.


    ¡°...That¡¯s what it is.¡±


    What on earth could the difference be?


    How big of a difference.


    A painter who draws dungeons

 Chapter 79

    For reference, the kidnapped Chai Sol was not particularly concerned.


    "The galaxy eyes are so cool."


    He had no thoughts.


    It wasn¡¯t just a coincidence that he and Gio got along well.


    "They keep flashing."


    "Hah..."


    "It¡¯s like a dragon!"


    "Well, technically, it¡¯s a reptile."


    "No, it¡¯s much cooler!"


    "Dragons are still a kind of reptile."


    "Wait, really...??"


    Chai Sol asked with a serious face.


    "Then, does Eunha also hibernate when it gets cold...?"


    "I don''t hibernate. Technically, I''m a fish."


    "But there¡¯s no fish."


    "What do you mean by that...?"


    "It¡¯s not a fish, right?"


    "Ah..."


    It seemed like Chai Sol was struggling # N§àv§Ölight # to find the traits of a mermaid in Iser¡¯s appearance.


    "...Then, did my eyes look like human eyes?"


    "Isn¡¯t a mermaid supposed to have those legs... you know, fish legs...?"


    "......"


    "You don¡¯t have legs."


    "...But I do have them..."


    Children really are curious about everything.


    "I can explain that part."


    "Oh, sister."


    "Taking care of children isn¡¯t easy, huh?"


    "I can''t say it¡¯s not."


    The current Iser was no longer the "Eunha" Chai Sol remembered. Despite her now obvious adult form, Iser¡¯s overly familiar behavior was quite disorienting.


    She was treating him gently, yet the situation was still one of kidnapping. But Chai Sol wasn¡¯t frightened; he had a strong belief that his brother and sister would come to find him.


    Even though he knew this was a kidnapping, he felt like he was at an amusement park, excited instead of scared.


    "By the way..."


    Iser¡¯s words seemed to catch Aria¡¯s attention too.


    "It seems you¡¯re not afraid of mermaids, are you?"


    "...? Should I be?"


    "Humans from Earth tremble in fear when they meet a mermaid in person."


    After the ''Great Disaster'' event on Earth, mermaids had been spotted dozens, if not hundreds of times. Naturally, since they were also monsters that attacked humans, most Earthlings feared them.


    "And yet, you''ve been kidnapped by us."


    "Ah... I know."


    "Then, could you tell me why you''re still smiling like this?"


    "Well, you didn''t hit me, did you...?"


    "Oh."


    Aria tilted her head.


    "You could hit me, though?"


    "...Are you going to hit me? Then I''ll run away."


    "Oh, how unfortunate. It¡¯s a bit late to run away now, though."


    "You¡¯re not going to hit me, right?"


    "There¡¯s nothing more foolish than abusing a precious hostage. But even if we don''t harm you, how could you believe us?"


    "Isn¡¯t it up to you to decide whether you will or not...?"


    "......"


    For a moment, Aria was lost for words, then turned to her younger brother.


    "A tough opponent."


    "A tough one, indeed."


    "Seems like someone Gio would like."


    "I think he just feels protective because it¡¯s a child."


    "Could be, since he¡¯s someone who cared for something small and weak."


    Aria raised her head.


    "Here they come."


    The sound of the sea stirring could be heard.


    "......"


    "To have such a good reaction, even though Gio cares for children, this is pretty quick."


    "...It probably means they were getting ready as well."


    "At least we weren¡¯t the only ones preparing. Whatever the result, it won¡¯t be unfair."


    "Since we were not the only ones paying attention."


    Suddenly, Iser thought it had been a long time since the word "heart" had come from her sister¡¯s mouth. With a smile on her lips, Iser looked at her sister, then extended her hand to Chai Sol.


    She was no mermaid afraid of extending her hand to a human. With Giovanni as her teacher, she could easily be an ideal priestess.


    "Shall we go, Priest Chai Sol?"


    "We''re not priests yet..."


    "I am."


    Just disgusted by it.


    "Is your hand cold?"


    "It¡¯s really cold... can I put a hot pack on it?"


    "...No. It¡¯ll dry my skin."


    "Then, won''t you get frostbite?"


    "Mermaids, whose body temperature is lower than humans'', don¡¯t get that."


    After a brief moment, they were ready to meet Gio.


    And they didn¡¯t intend to fight.


    "......"


    "Another nightmare?"


    "I¡¯m not having any."


    That would be preferable.


    "Nice to meet you!"


    Gio had died, but even in death, he was Gio.


    "Are there any mermaid friends blessed by the ocean here?"


    "My goodness, who do we have here."


    As Aria gracefully walked down the temple entrance stairs, a gorgeous mermaid dress waved like the sea.


    "The uninvited new Sun God, Mr. Black Cloak, I presume?"


    "Black Cloak? Now it¡¯s Sergio. Be careful not to make that mistake later."


    "Alright, Gio."


    "Actually, it¡¯s Giovanni."


    "...Could be."


    Aria responded with a smile, then looked around at the humans with bewildered expressions.


    "Looks like a bunch of humans rushed in to save the child."


    "...Are you Eunha¡¯s family, Miss Mermaid?"


    "That¡¯s right. I¡¯m Iser¡¯s older sister, Aria, the true owner of this dungeon."


    "Oh..."


    Yoo Seong-Woon looked at Gio.


    "Seems like we should suggest raising the dungeon¡¯s level once we return."


    "Why? I think it¡¯s already quite high..."


    "There are two dungeon owners now. This doesn¡¯t happen often."


    While still maintaining a smile, Yoo Seong-Woon sighed deeply and looked back at Aria.


    "Since the true dungeon owner came out so calmly, does that mean you have no intention of fighting us? Is it safe to assume that?"


    "I¡¯m glad we can communicate well."


    Aria smiled slightly. She was a monster who knew how to play the polite game.


    "I apologize for bringing my younger brother without permission, Hunter Chara."


    "Ah..."


    "I only used you as a tool to call them, so don¡¯t worry about any injuries. Go check on my brother."


    "Uh, uh... um..."


    "You seem scared to go alone, weak Hunter. How about the other two accompany you? That¡¯s the polite thing to do for a lady."


    Yoo Seong-Woon shrugged.


    "I¡¯m not a gentleman, though."


    What he had to do was take care of the origin and supervise the gallery¡¯s artworks. Yoo Seong-Woon glanced at Kang Seo-Dam and Chara.


    "I¡¯ll stay with Gio, so Priest and Hunter Chara, you should secure Chai Sol first. Since Iser isn¡¯t visible, she¡¯s likely with him."


    "The chance of combat is low."


    "Chai Sol was probably bait to draw Gio in. The situation isn¡¯t emotionally tense, so I believe Chai Sol is truly unharmed. How about we move before we provoke the mermaids?"


    "That makes sense."


    Kang Seo-Dam led the extremely nervous Chara into the temple. Once they were out of sight, Aria looked at Gio.


    "......"


    Her blood-red lips opened heavily.


    "She looks so much like him."


    "Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s him?"


    "Mr. Sergio, what do you think?"


    "Actually, it might not be."


    "That¡¯s why I feel like the Gio I know is the one."


    Aria narrowed her eyes.


    "That person always kept the possibility open."


    "Was he?"


    "He even kept it open for his death."


    "I feel ashamed."


    "......"


    Aria, who had been looking down at Gio and Yoo Seong-Woon from the stairs, turned her body.


    "Come on in, gentlemen."


    "......"


    "Enjoy the mermaid¡¯s invitation."


    Yoo Seong-Woon muttered softly.


    "...If it weren¡¯t for being with you, Gio, I¡¯d think this was the beginning of a battle."


    Aria¡¯s voice was strange and chilling, even though she was smiling softly.


    It was because her hatred and contempt for humans were so clearly present.


    Aria led Gio and Yoo Seong-Woon to the banquet hall.


    "Wow, a seafood party."


    Yoo Seong-Woon was speechless.


    "Is this okay for a mermaid?"


    "Humans are so narrow-minded. Just because they''re from land, doesn¡¯t mean they don¡¯t eat fish."


    "I get it, but imagine the mood of humans being served a seafood banquet by a mermaid from the deep sea... It¡¯s terrifying. There''s no meat on this table, and now I can¡¯t help but think about what kind of message that sends."


    "Well, we¡¯re not serving humans on the table, so what¡¯s the problem?"


    "It¡¯s still scary..."


    Aria''s tone had changed to something much more comfortable.


    ¡®Maybe it¡¯s because it feels like home here... or maybe...¡¯


    Yoo Seong-Woon glanced at Gio.


    ¡®...Is it just that he feels comfortable having a meal with this guy?¡¯


    It could be both.


    Gio, however, wasn¡¯t paying attention to their conversation and found his seat. It seemed like he was quite used to it. Yoo Seong-Woon, on the other hand, felt like the banquet hall was too luxurious for a temple.


    "This place sure has a lot of stuff for a temple."


    "This Sun Cult doesn¡¯t value simplicity."


    "Uh... huh?"


    Yoo Seong-Woon looked at Gio again.


    "Do you also know where this place is?"


    "It¡¯s the place where I was trained, so I have to know."


    "Trained...?"


    "As a priest, I learned many things. It was like a training school for young priests."


    "I see."


    It seemed that no matter the world, the way priests were raised was similar.


    Noticing Aria watching him silently as he processed the explanation, Yoo Seong-Woon swallowed a sigh and sat next to Gio. Aria naturally sat opposite him, not at the seat of honor.


    "...? Aren¡¯t you the master here? Why aren¡¯t you sitting in the seat of honor?"


    "The master of that seat wasn¡¯t me, but the Pope."


    Aria¡¯s eyes widened.


    "I ate him."


    Gio blinked in surprise and looked at Aria.


    "Didn¡¯t get a stomach ache, did you?"


    "No... Wait, is that really important right now?"


    "That man was packed with saturated fat..."


    "Is that really important?"


    It seemed like saying "A monster ate a person" left nothing else to say. Aria seemed to think the same.


    "You don¡¯t seem very remorseful."


    "I went through a lot because of that guy, so why would I speak kindly?"


    "With that noble face, you were pretty sharp-tongued."


    Her lips, smiling mischievously, made her blue hair sway.


    "I guess you are my teacher after all."


    "It could be, or maybe not."


    "Would you like me to tell you, then?"


    Aria smiled.


    "Teacher."


    "......"


    "Mermaid¡¯s human teacher. The embodiment of a saint, Giovanni the Priest. Savior and betrayer of humanity."


    "You''ve made it sound pretty grand without me even knowing."


    Gio smiled back at her.


    Yoo Seong-Woon suddenly realized how similar the smiles of Giovanni, Aria, and Iser were. They were all smiling, but there was a heaviness rather than joy...


    As they spoke, Gio continued.


    "So, what will you call me, Aria?"


    "Anything¡¯s fine."


    Snap


    When Aria snapped her fingers, the temple was filled with seawater.


    "......"


    He could still breathe fine.


    "Welcome back to your sea."


    Her hair, resembling the deep sea, scattered like coral.


    Aria¡¯s dress, like a slow wave, moved like fins. Her pearlescent eyes gleamed, and the tiara atop her head shone mysteriously.


    The seafood on the banquet table, now submerged in seawater, raised their dead heads and opened their mouths, welcoming both guests and invaders alike.


    "...Yeah, that¡¯s right..."


    The sea god was present in that room.


    "......"


    "Gio."


    Eyes that could never be human held the saint, the most human-like of them all.


    "Let¡¯s talk."


    "Sounds good."


    "If I don¡¯t like it, I¡¯ll eat all the humans."


    For thousands of years, the mermaid princess had been enraged.


    "Even you."


    Only toward ¡®humans¡¯.


    The painter who paints dungeons.

 Chapter 80

    Geo saw the mermaid princess who had grown strong and beautiful.


    ¡°.......¡±


    The strangely colored hair like the deep sea, the eyes that resembled pearls like the legend, and even the dress that resembled waves symbolized the sea... but the white gown of the doctor with a large chest over it stood out.


    Back then, we often played pranks like that. It was nothing special.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°...Yes, I am human too.¡±


    That¡¯s why Giovanni was sure.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk.¡±


    In the end, a human had to win in this situation.


    The ending to the mermaid princess (0/1)


    She was sure of that.


    Aria didn¡¯t resent Giovanni.


    He was the only human Aria could think of. He was the most genuine human among all the humans, and at the same time, he was kind and affectionate like someone out of a fairy tale. Rare things deserve to be loved.


    ¡°I respect you, Giovanni.¡±


    But too much time had passed.


    ¡°There was too much to cover up with the shallow word of respect.¡±


    ¡°For me, when I came to my senses, it was the young mermaids who caused trouble.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re not young anymore, unfortunately.¡±


    Aria loved Giovanni, but she hated humans. She despised and despised them.


    ¡°I learned so much from you. Human emotions, human life, human judgment...¡±


    ¡°The human anatomy was also something I taught you.¡±


    ¡°That helped me a lot. Especially after you died.¡±


    ¡°Do you resent me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s more like love and stubbornness. That¡¯s a little different from resentment.¡±


    ¡°Mermaids are such creatures.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t they a foolish race that lives their whole lives with memories from the past?¡±


    To such a mermaid, the existence of Giovanni was too cruel.


    ¡°Since your death, I have encountered countless humans. Some were sacrificial, some were selfish, some even drove their children into the abyss, and some gave their lives for others whose faces they did not even know.¡±


    ¡°Such diversity is what shows the potential of humanity.¡±


    ¡°I agree. That is why I could not give up this life. I have analyzed, researched, and studied countless humans, believing that it would end someday.¡±


    ¡°It must have been a very long time.¡±


    ¡°I have been hoping for this day to come for quite some time. I have continued to vent my anger without meaning, and have sunken the countless dimensions of the sun...¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°And now, I think the ending has come to me.¡±


    That was the ending of the name Giovanni.


    ¡°The fairy tale of the Little Mermaid on Earth ends with the mermaid turning into bubbles and disappearing. Is the ending you draw, Giovanni, like this?¡±


    ¡°It is up to every child to imagine. Even if the mermaid in the fairy tale turns to bubbles and is forgotten by everyone, there must be a child in his head who is enjoying a happy life with the prince.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but there are no more children here. The only ones left here are the princess who has shed blood red to see the limits of humanity and her loyal subordinates.¡±


    ¡°Then what kind of ending does the mermaid princess want?¡±


    ¡°Human suffering. Human despair. Human annihilation. I didn¡¯t know I would meet you on Earth, where I came to sink one more sun... but for now.¡±


    ¡°Did you eat humans, princess?¡±


    ¡°The seas of all dimensions have already eaten countless humans. Even at this moment, the seas are taking away the lives of greedy humans and are probably eating innocent humans as well.¡±


    I could see Giovanni¡¯s noble face. It was the face of a saint who was called the savior of humanity and the son of the one and only God.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the sea cruel to humans, as you said?¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s beautiful. Just like I, who can¡¯t even swim, built a house by the sea and lived half my life there.¡±


    ¡°Do you still think the sea and mermaids are the same?¡±


    ¡°Do you want to hear that I¡¯m beautiful?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t say no. I wanted to show you how I¡¯ve grown, my teacher.¡±


    But this isn¡¯t what you wanted.


    ¡°How do you feel when you see the mermaid you raised with your own hands growing up like this?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Her blue eyes were filled with sorrow.


    ¡°...It¡¯s sad.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you again, and I feel sorry for you.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯re a mermaid.¡±


    Who was that sorrow directed at?


    ¡°I¡¯m a human.¡±


    ¡°...Giovanni, you always talk about the differences and limitations between humans and mermaids.¡±


    With a smile that seemed like he would sing only fairy tales his whole life, Giovanni always talked about the misery of reality.


    ¡°This is where the main story begins.¡±


    Aria looked at the white-haired hunter sitting in his seat with a tense face, then looked at Giovanni, who was still smiling gently.


    ¡°I...¡±


    It was a smile she had tried to create all her life but could not. It was a smile that her younger brother had imitated but had stopped at just an imitation. It was a smile that she had tried to have once again but could not even try to create... .


    So it was a smile that she had eventually given up on.


    ¡°...For thousands of years, I have studied humans endlessly and tried to figure out their limitations. However, I confess my lack of ability, I could not define it as a clear goal. I just wandered around not knowing what to do.¡±


    Giovanni said.


    ¡°And it is your role to show me which way to go.¡±


    ¡°Giovanni, I am at a crossroads. You must help me.¡±


    What will you choose?


    ¡°This foolish stubborn mermaid can spend the rest of her immortal life simply hating, despising, and loathing humans, or... yes, she can disappear like a fairy tale here on Earth, becoming a bubble.¡±


    The death of a human or the death of a mermaid.


    ¡°Well, sir.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°What should I do?¡±


    Aria respected the human named Giovanni. She loved his name.


    She felt a sense of mystery in the fact that he was human, and she worshipped his endless wisdom and gushing affection. If there was a human who could bring sunlight to the sea, it was Giovanni.


    ¡°You wanted the land and the sea to become one, didn¡¯t you, sir?¡±


    Aria placed the sea in the sky and devoured the sun.


    ¡°Even if our choices were the same, the results would have been different, right?¡±


    Giovanni would have created a warm fairy tale that smelled of sunshine, not a cold and bloody reality like this.


    However, Giovanni was betrayed by humans and eaten by a mermaid. Aria saw that kind face full of warmth.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Now give me the end.¡±


    You became the sun for that.


    Yoo Seong-un tried to hold his breath as he watched the situation unfold.


    ¡®... It¡¯s going a little strangely.¡¯


    When Chae So-ri was first kidnapped and this number of people came to the ¡®Deep Sea Country,¡¯ he thought there would be a big battle. Of course, it was natural for a battle to break out when a hunter entered a dungeon.


    However, this mermaid named Aria really seemed to want to talk. This place was created solely for the sake of a war of words.


    ¡®That too... ¡®He¡¯s forcing Geo to choose between being a human and a mermaid.¡¯


    He felt sincerity.


    ¡®What is Geo planning to do if he chooses a human...? Is he going to torment humans because he finds them annoying? Or is he really going to die?¡¯


    Depending on what ¡®path¡¯ Geo would show her from now on, Aria would either torment humans for the rest of her life or die here.


    ¡®That¡¯s how all monsters are...¡¯


    Aria¡¯s hatred for humans also seemed incredibly strong.


    ¡®It seems like she¡¯s going to end her previous life of studying and researching humans. Of course, it¡¯s been thousands of years, so it¡¯s time to make a decision, but does it make sense to hand that choice over to Geo? It¡¯s not something else, it¡¯s deciding the fate of humans and mermaids.¡¯


    What a selfish symbol.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon looked back at Geo.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    He was still smiling, looking at the mermaid named Aria.


    ¡®... I wonder what choice he will make.¡¯


    First of all, it is true that the existence called ¡®Portrait of Geo¡¯ is extremely friendly to humans.


    However, just as I had worried when I first came to the ¡®Temple of the Deep Sea,¡¯ Giovanni, who had a deep connection with these mermaids, could have chosen them.


    ¡®Even now, he can¡¯t be called human. Even if he chooses a mermaid who has become a monster instead of a human, since monsters can be defined as being on the same side... I don¡¯t know what Geo will choose.¡¯


    Besides, that was more reasonable. Objectively, it was much less damaging.


    ¡®If he chooses a human, Aria, the mermaid he was close with, will die immediately, but if he chooses a mermaid, he can¡¯t suddenly kill all the humans in all dimensions. If Geo chooses mermaids right away, it would be objectively more beneficial to spend time with them, defending humans a little.¡¯


    Aria clearly said, ¡®You are human after all,¡¯ and acted as if she would eat Geo if she got offended... but Geo had his own class, so he wouldn¡¯t be easily defeated.


    If we were to be that picky, the few humans in this dungeon would die, but wouldn¡¯t the many humans and the mermaids he loved live? Knowing that Giovanni was not always kind and had a shameless side, he was more worried.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon kept his mouth shut because it wasn¡¯t a place he could step forward.


    ¡®... In [N O V E L I G H T] the end, it¡¯s Geo¡¯s choice.¡¯


    It was after waiting for some time.


    ¡°Whew....¡±


    Geo laughed.


    ¡°To be honest, I thought it was a little funny.¡±


    ¡°...What?¡±


    ¡°They say families resemble each other, so I guess that¡¯s how we are.¡±


    Unlike the blunt, dark-haired Geo, Giovanni with his bright colors naturally matched even his light smile that felt a bit playful.


    The mermaid named Aria had a cold expressionless face, but her eyes seemed to be captivated by that smile.


    ¡°.......¡±


    As if she couldn¡¯t help but think of a time she really missed... .


    Geo curled his lips as if he was embarrassed, as if he was troubled, and yet as if he found it funny.


    ¡°I was worried too. There was a way to get to the ¡®Deep Sea Country¡¯ without taking a submarine, but no matter how much I wandered around and waited, I couldn¡¯t find even a single strand of Iserna¡¯s hair. There was no.¡±


    This portrait must have visited the ¡®Deep Sea Country¡¯ to meet the mermaids.


    ¡°Maybe he was avoiding me?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t say no, I was so scared that I would be punished by the new sun god.¡±


    ¡°The sun god... .¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have intended to hide it, would you? With such a passionate divinity.¡±


    ¡°I embraced it by accident, but honestly, I don¡¯t know what I should do.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it to kill me? It¡¯s amazing that there are things you don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m human, too.¡±


    ¡°... ... .¡±


    ¡°We always reach our limits.¡±


    Geo smiled his signature straight smile.


    ¡°So just like you kidnapped Brother Chaisol and called me in, I also tried to find a way to call our dear mermaid friends together. I wanted them to talk to me without running away.¡±


    ¡°So what method did you come up with?¡±


    ¡°Compared to what you¡¯ve prepared, it¡¯s a very simple plan. Should I say it¡¯s rough? I¡¯m embarrassed that I can¡¯t show you something great, Master....¡±


    ¨DKwajijijijijijik...!!!


    ¡°Now.¡±


    With a ferocious roar that didn¡¯t match the brilliant light that hurt your eyes, a spear of light appeared.


    He spread both hands.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Look.¡±


    There were more than ten of them in total.


    The blades of the spears, embracing the heat of the sun, were pointed at Geo.


    ¡°This is how humans communicate.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Before long, the seawater in the temple had dried up, and only the terrible heat filled the desert.


    ¡°...Human communication, what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°The good cannot always be rewarded.¡±


    ¡°...I know that.¡±


    ¡°Then I should have known better.¡±


    Geo continued to speak as if he was teaching.


    ¡°There is no guarantee that kindness will be returned in return for doing it, and notorious villains cannot always be punished and melt the wounded hearts of their victims. The world is not a fairy tale, and reality is created by overlapping moments.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Because humans are always changing. They can grow and deteriorate. It is foolish to expect all the endings of these capricious creatures who cannot stay still for even a moment to always be the same. If you are smart, you must know this well.¡±


    The banquet hall was engulfed in a suffocating heat.


    ¡°But that is why humans created countless rules. They learn how to face each other and how to talk.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°And they decided that a terrifying murderer who has killed an incalculable number of people can be punished.¡±


    ¡°...You are going to punish me now? You are not even human, but you are talking about human rules....¡±


    ¡°Aria.¡±


    Her face, like the sunlight, is warm.


    ¡°Humans are diverse. They have no limits, and so are you. They say that humans are those who can never stay still and change.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°You weren¡¯t like that? You haven¡¯t changed at all? We¡¯ve grown and degenerated, so we¡¯ve only deluded ourselves into thinking that we were the same as thousands of years ago....¡±


    ¡°...I.¡±


    ¡°We can talk.¡±


    The voice was firm.


    ¡°If you receive the punishment you deserve.¡±


    Like a teacher teaching a young student.


    ¡°...What kind of punishment is this? I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°We use pretty deadly methods to get what we want. This time, I¡¯ll ask.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°As if I have no reason to stop your hatred toward humans, Aria.¡±


    The teacher who was leading the students asked.


    ¡°Is there a reason why I shouldn¡¯t take ¡®Giovanni¡¯ away from you?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Geo chose humans.


    And if what he said is true, humans and mermaids are no different, so he didn¡¯t give up anything and chose nothing.


    The mermaid¡¯s face crumbled at the greedy adult¡¯s fatal declaration.


    ¡°Will you choose humans, including me and you?¡±


    ¡°...Ah....¡±


    ¡°Whether you choose the mermaid¡¯s anger is up to you.¡±


    Then what was revealed was not the sea, but the less mature student.


    The painter who draws dungeons

 Chapter 81

    One day, the little mermaid said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll eat you.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Giovanni laughed awkwardly.


    ¡°...Is that what you say to someone who has been to the market?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll eat you.¡±


    ¡°I guess you didn¡¯t like that I left Aria alone to go to the market.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t like that.¡±


    ¡°You were the one who said you would stay home alone because you were so absorbed in a book, Aria.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll eat you...¡±


    ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s go together next time.¡±


    Isser, who was constantly checking Giovanni¡¯s back, wondering if his sister was angry, patted Giovanni and handed the bag of groceries to the child. It wasn¡¯t that heavy.


    ¡°Can you take it to the kitchen?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes, I will.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for always helping me, Isser.¡±


    Giovanni, who was watching Isser go to the kitchen, sat down next to Aria.


    ¡°Looking at it this way, it doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯s very angry.¡±


    ¡°Do humans express this as being angry?¡±


    ¡°As expected, mermaids are insensitive to emotions. Is it because they live among sea creatures that they rarely communicate with?¡±


    ¡°Sea creatures do communicate. It¡¯s just that stupid humans don¡¯t notice.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? However, it¡¯s probably different from creatures on land.¡±


    Her blue eyes widened.


    ¡°What you¡¯re feeling right now, Aria, is probably anger.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite unfamiliar to hear stories of mermaids being angry.¡±


    ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen a mermaid get angry. Mermaids always had a blank expression when they fought against humans.¡±


    ¡°That must be the case.¡±


    Even when humans killed the mermaid¡¯s baby, the mermaid didn¡¯t get angry. They just punished with expressionless, cold faces, and people said that they were monsters who didn¡¯t care if their children died.


    ¡°Come to think of it, there was another fight between humans and mermaids in the next town. Did you see it, teacher?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see it, but the mermaids I¡¯ve seen in my life have never shown any emotion.¡±


    He laughed.


    ¡°As you know, Aria, the conflict between humans and mermaids has been going on for so long that we don¡¯t even know who started it first.¡±


    They didn¡¯t even know who started the conflict. The humans simply saw mermaids as creepy sea monsters, and the mermaids saw humans as stupid, threatening beasts.


    The conflict was escalating. Now the mermaids were drowning innocent humans in the sea and killing them, and the humans were killing innocent mermaids in the square.


    They were shouting at each other as they watched.


    ¡°Everyone says this. We should kill mermaids. We should kill humans.... How could anyone but the devil create such a terrible situation?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°I have seen the conflict between mermaids and humans with my own eyes. I have traveled here and there as a son of the sun, and I have encountered many mermaids along the way.¡±


    ¡°So you are proud of your knowledge of mermaids?¡±


    ¡°It may have been an inappropriate confidence to show in front of a mermaid. However, I am also not used to seeing Aria angry.¡±


    ¡°I may be seeing you more often in the future.¡±


    ¡°Oh my....¡±


    Giovanni carefully stroked his dark blue hair.


    ¡°As far as I know, the idea that mermaids eat humans is just a superstition spread in some regions, so why did you say you would eat me?¡±


    ¡°Because everyone listened obediently when I said that.¡±


    ¡°So that is the result of learning, I understand.¡±


    Giovanni understood the mermaid¡¯s learning. The mermaids¡¯ indifference, which made them not even feel the need to choose the means and methods because they could only achieve the desired results, further fueled the fears of humans.


    However, Giovanni hoped that this mermaid who was curious about humans would become a more friendly and social adult, so he hoped that this would not end as a simple result of learning. Giovanni continued.


    ¡°Then it must be a joke.¡±


    ¡°A joke?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not really going to eat me, are you?¡±


    ¡°Mermaids don¡¯t eat humans, they give them stomachaches.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s just call it a joke.¡±


    He didn¡¯t want to put too much weight on the mermaid¡¯s cruel learning. Up until now, humans and mermaids had been giving too much meaning to the other¡¯s ¡®incomprehensible actions¡¯, which had led to such deep conflicts.


    He simply gave advice. It was a very light piece of advice that I could give as a teacher and a friend.


    ¡°It would certainly be convenient to scare people into obeying orders. But if you just scare them, a lot of people will try to run away from Aria.¡±


    ¡°Is that a bad thing?¡±


    ¡°At least it wouldn¡¯t be a good thing for Aria, who wants to learn about humans. Humans are not creatures that only show colorful reactions when they are afraid. Rather, they show much more reactions when they are happy and joyful.¡±


    Giovanni hoped that this mermaid would not be left alone in the future. So he hoped that the sea and the sun would become one, just like her sister had hoped.


    Mermaids live for a very long time and remain in one memory. Maybe this young mermaid who liked her current daily life could grow up to be a mermaid who helps humans someday. It would be the beginning of peace.


    It was impossible to know if that would really happen, and he didn¡¯t want to force it. However, there was a clear wish that this mermaid, who had to live her entire life embracing her short life, would become more gentle.


    ¡°If you keep playing this trick, there will be no one left by Aria¡¯s side.¡±


    The arrogant mermaid asked.


    ¡°My brother?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°And, what about you?¡±


    ¡°...We will probably always remain by your side.¡±


    ¡°Whenever?¡±


    ¡°Unless I die.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡±


    The mermaid complained.


    ¡°Human lifespans are too short. The sun that created you was stupid.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it because lifespans are short that there are more colorful aspects?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Isn¡¯t it natural that we can learn more because our lifespans are long?¡±


    ¡°You will slowly understand if you spend time with them.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Desperation.¡±


    Giovanni knew the limits of humanity. Also, I knew the infinite possibilities that came from there.


    ¡°Because we are creatures with short breaths, it is humans who work harder than ever. Lazy humans are easily eliminated, the situation gets worse easily, and humans cannot welcome such situations.¡±


    ¡°They are acting out because they are more desperate?¡±


    ¡°Maybe so. Is there a point we can think about here? What is it? Aria, think about it.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    The mermaid princess, who was thinking with her small head, asked.


    ¡°Then, when mermaids are desperate, do they become colorful like you?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Mermaids are just more familiar with water and live a little longer than humans. They are not that different.¡±


    ¡°A lot of things seem different.¡±


    ¡°If humans were given gills to breathe underwater and live a life closer to eternity, people would call them mermaids.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying that we are the same?¡±


    ¡°No one is wrong. We are just different. If there is one thing I felt while spending time with you, it is that in the end, Aria, you are just like me.¡±


    Giovanni had no doubt about that fact.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t mermaids also creatures that create precious things?¡±


    ¡°What does that have to do with future diversity?¡±


    ¡°Because any living thing evolves to protect what is precious to them.¡±


    ¡°Any living thing?¡±


    ¡°Even quadrupeds that don¡¯t speak, and even fish that are often eaten by us, use all sorts of tricks and grow strong to protect their young.¡±


    ¡°That is an instinct to maintain the species.¡±


    ¡°You could say that innate instincts are also precious.¡±


    The mermaid didn¡¯t seem to understand.


    ¡°Then is human greed the same?¡±


    ¡°If protecting that greed is precious to you, then yes, it is.¡±


    Everyone becomes diverse because they have something precious to themselves. Just because humans have shorter lives than mermaids, they try harder to achieve their goals.


    ¡°So mermaids will be the same.¡±


    ¡°...Then what is the difference between humans and mermaids?¡±


    ¡°Actually, they are no different.¡±


    They just don¡¯t understand each other.


    ¡°So, we don¡¯t need anything great. If only there were more people who understood each other¡¯s differences....¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°If there were more people who spoke of understanding and compromise, this long conflict would eventually end.¡±


    The mermaid complained with a blank expression.


    ¡°That¡¯s strange.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what it sounds like.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like it.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll eat you.¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t do that, but you¡¯re so mean....¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll eat you.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I understand.¡±


    But there was something she absolutely had to remember.


    ¡°Aria, if you¡¯re going to scare someone into eating you, you must know this.¡±


    ¡°What is that?¡±


    ¡°Whatever Aria¡¯s purpose was, humans will react differently, and Aria must take responsibility for that reaction. A creature that doesn¡¯t take responsibility cannot learn anything.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Responsibility.


    ¡°...yes.¡±


    The mermaid obediently agreed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take responsibility.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll eat you.¡±


    ¡°Oh my... What else did you not like?¡±


    So, it was a joke.


    ¡°I¡¯ll put it on my table.¡±


    ¡°This priest is tasteless.¡±


    A very light joke.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    The mermaid blinked, seeing the dazzling light.


    It¡¯s the sun.


    ¡°...I....¡±


    Why am I agitated? The moment my heart wavered, it was true. I had waited for so long that I absolutely did not want to lose.


    But the light was hot enough to dry up even the vast ocean. It was the sharp heat that once dried up the tails of mermaids on the sea.


    My stomach lurched. Even in the deep, dark depths of the ocean, even on the surface of the water tossed by a typhoon, I felt seasick.


    ¡°...I don¡¯t quite understand.¡±


    ¡°What do you not understand?¡±


    ¡°Well, this is....¡±


    Desperation? If so, what is it? The mermaid immediately found something to say.


    ¡°Why do you think I would want you not to die?¡±


    ¡°Aria, because you didn¡¯t create me.¡±


    Giovanni¡¯s voice was no different from thousands of years ago.


    ¡°I saw the laboratory. You tried to create and combine countless lives. I taught you how to dissect and organize living things, so it was obvious that you could tell.¡±


    Aria suddenly thought that it was too strange. It was a voice she had chewed on and remembered for countless years, but it was strange because she knew why it had been absent.


    You ran away to the sun. Or melted into the cold sea. How could someone who had returned to nature come back alive and speak to me in the same way?


    ¡°Even some succeeded, and some intentionally ruined it.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°I suspected that it was to give me a life that didn¡¯t feel like living.¡±


    The priest of the sun, who seemed to have been stuffed in his most beautiful days, asked.


    ¡°But why didn¡¯t I do that? Why didn¡¯t I revive him?¡±


    ¡°...No matter how hard I tried, I couldn¡¯t succeed. Since he was dead, not even a corpse, there wasn¡¯t enough material to study.¡±


    ¡°That must be because he respected me.¡±


    ¡°If you had died in a more normal form, the result would have been different. It was just something beyond my ability, not something I had intended.¡±


    ¡°If emotions are also abilities, then they wouldn¡¯t be false either. I know that mermaids feel emotions too.¡±


    Giovanni was convinced.


    ¡°You love me, Aria.¡±


    ¡°Why would you do that?¡±


    ¡°Your voice is weak.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    It was a meaningful reunion with an old friend.


    I didn¡¯t intend to proceed in such a stupid way, but now that I had decided that the end was near, I wasn¡¯t as sarcastic as I thought.


    I hadn¡¯t been this stupid for hundreds or thousands of years. I had killed, tormented, and toyed with so many humans... .


    ¡°.......¡±


    But I couldn¡¯t say anything because I had only seen one face that I missed. The only thing that had changed was Giovanni, your presence.


    Only then did I remember that you were not only my friend but also my teacher. An adult I could never defeat, my milestone.


    ¡®That¡¯s right. That¡¯s right, that¡¯s what happened.¡¯


    Surprisingly, Aria had never defeated him. She realized something she had forgotten for a while.


    She opened her mouth with difficulty.


    ¡°In the first place... Giovanni, who holds divinity, would you die like this? This must be just a trick to embarrass me.¡±


    ¡°If this is a lie, I can die a thousand times in front of you, and if this is true, ¡®Giovanni¡¯ disappears from this place. He is nothing more than a human.¡±


    ¡°...That¡¯s true too.¡±


    I found myself laughing at myself for not thinking that such a counterattack would come back. Unlike Aria, who couldn¡¯t even touch the fingertips of my teacher whom I met by an absurd miracle, Giovanni could ruin himself at will.


    ¡®If he had cherished his own body and life, he would have lived longer than that.¡¯


    However, Giovanni was a human who could do anything he wanted. Aria had not been able to defeat her teacher for a very long time.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Now that she had come this far, Aria could not lie that she didn¡¯t love Giovanni. Of course, no matter what kind of confidence he had, Giovanni was certain of the mermaids¡¯ love, and unfortunately, it was true.


    ¡°Ah....¡±


    From that moment on, the outcome was already decided. Aria knew that too, and that was why she placed her end entirely in Giovanni¡¯s hands. Even so, the teacher chose to torture himself rather than swing the leash.


    Because he knew that would be more effective in punishing Aria. It was clear.


    ¡°Why must you be so cruel?¡±


    The reflexive question was answered as it was.


    ¡°Why were you so cruel?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°To me, and to the countless people I¡¯ve met.¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯m angry.¡±


    ¡°So you have to take responsibility.¡±


    I know.


    ¡°I know.¡±


    He told me to take responsibility.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been telling me that for a very long time. Be prepared to take responsibility for everything I do.¡±


    No matter how much time has passed, there¡¯s no way I could have forgotten your teachings.


    But she didn¡¯t take responsibility for anything. It was because I didn¡¯t want to take responsibility for the death and suffering of a mere human being. If I was going to measure the weight of my anger, I wouldn¡¯t have even started.


    ¡°If I take responsibility for what I¡¯ve done, wouldn¡¯t that mean there¡¯s no point in venting my anger?¡±


    Oh, I hate humans. I hate them. Even this feeling of anger was so precious to Aria that she couldn¡¯t bear to let it go. My resentment and disgust were as heavy as the feeling of loving you. It was truly precious.


    So it was natural that I wouldn¡¯t take responsibility either. If I were to take responsibility, if I were to atone, I would have to conclude that this feeling was wrong. I didn¡¯t want this terribly precious memory to be tarnished and dulled.


    ¡°No one told me to take responsibility.¡±


    ¡°Quite a few people probably wanted me to take responsibility.¡±


    ¡°I guess so, the countless people who died and were hurt by my hands.¡±


    This horrible sea monster would have met the most miserable death in the world, and would have wanted to atone for his sins by continuing days more horrible than death.


    ¡°But isn¡¯t that a funny story? How can you expect human emotions from a monster like me?¡±


    She looked at the white-haired hunter with an indifferent expression for a moment. Was it Yoo Seong-un? Aria asked him.


    ¡°Do you hunters want the monsters living in the dungeon to be judged by the law? Or do you want them to apologize or feel sad?¡±


    ¡°...Monsters are just targets for subjugation. We don¡¯t expend that kind of emotion. We don¡¯t have enough resources to put monsters who aren¡¯t criminals on the stand.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Most humans eliminate monsters without emotion because it¡¯s their mission. I also kill humans because I hate them.¡±


    Aria looked at Geo.


    ¡°Why should I be responsible for this? Giovanni, you taught me to be human... But now I¡¯m just a monster.¡±


    ¡°When you say that, this priest¡¯s heart really hurts. I taught a man who loved the sea, but in fact he was a monster.¡±


    Giovanni said.


    ¡°You know that this is all a venting of anger.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    I know.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to justify my actions with your death.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why you, too... were so merciful. You wouldn¡¯t have wanted something like this.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°It just wasn¡¯t appropriate to use it as an excuse.¡±


    He asked to confirm.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you still resent them?¡±


    ¡°I resent them and hate them.¡±


    ¡°Then why are you pushing me?¡±


    ¡°Because I don¡¯t resent them enough to take responsibility for their deaths.¡±


    He said that he resented them, but he didn¡¯t want them to die. This was the answer Giovanni could give because he thought that if he influenced someone in some way, he had to take responsibility for all their reactions.


    He said.


    ¡°Choose.¡±


    ¡°What on earth?¡±


    ¡°Are you a human or a mermaid?¡±


    ¡°...What...¡±


    It was a difficult question to understand.


    The sharp light of the sun was visible. It was ready to pierce Giovanni at any moment.


    ¡°Taking a hostage, how clever.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m using myself, so wouldn¡¯t the responsibility be light?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    There was nothing more cost-effective than consuming oneself. Aria knew that too. That¡¯s why she had used herself to instill fear in countless humans.


    It wasn¡¯t the first time she had seen a human make this choice. There had been countless humans who had traded with themselves, and they were just... not Giovanni.


    That¡¯s why she tormented him.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Of course, she didn¡¯t regret it. Aria knew from the beginning that her and her brother¡¯s actions were nothing more than venting anger based on favoritism and injustice.


    She only vaguely wished that one day their master would come back alive and scold them and punish them so much that they would end their long lives. Only Giovanni could do that. If not him, it would mean nothing to these mermaids.


    ¡®... But in the end, this is how it turned out. How could things not have changed so much?¡¯


    He rarely let his disciples sway him. The scolding from his teacher, whom he had truly reunited with, took a form quite different from what he had imagined, leaving him speechless.


    ¡°To be honest....¡±


    ¡°You can be honest.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say.¡±


    ¡°Oh, how pitiful.¡±


    ¡°He was so full of confidence.¡±


    He was disillusioned.


    Until Giovanni was forced to choose, I was sure that the ¡®end¡¯ was right in front of me.


    ¡°...I¡¯m not sure what to do now.¡±


    Kwad-duk-!!


    A spear fell.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Blood flowed down Giovanni¡¯s shoulder.


    Was it because he was his disciple, or was it just because Aria was smart? She instantly understood the meaning of that action.


    It meant that it wasn¡¯t the right answer.


    ¡°What should I do?¡±


    Kwad-duk-!!


    A second spear fell.


    ¡°Should I apologize for my rudeness...?¡±


    Kwad-duk-!!


    It was the third spear.


    ¡°Don¡¯t die.¡±


    ¡°You were wrong.¡±


    Boom!!


    ¡°Don¡¯t die in front of me.¡±


    ¡°You were wrong.¡±


    Kwad-duk-... !!


    ¡°I....¡±


    ¡°Do you think you will respect me now?¡±


    ¡°...Are you angry, Giovanni?¡±


    ¡°Did you expect me not to be angry?¡±


    His voice was still gentle and soft, but Aria realized that he was very angry.


    No, rather.


    ¡°Did you expect me not to be disappointed?¡±


    He seemed disappointed.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°...It¡¯s quite eerie.¡±


    With just a few gestures, Giovanni was covered in blood. There were many holes and many cuts. His body was weak, unworthy of the honor of the new sun god.


    That was why he was scared. He could not live in the face of the sun¡¯s fire.


    There was this awful smell of ripening. It was the stench that told the mermaid that her old friend was turning into a mere piece of meat.


    ¡°...Was it like this back then?¡±


    Seeing her injured face like this, in the sunlight of all things, she remembered that day.


    ¡°You were tortured, you know.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Did it hurt ? N§àv§ÖIight ? (Original source) as much as it hurts now?¡±


    ¡°It hurts more now.¡±


    ¡°Then stop it. You¡¯re not wise.¡±


    ¡°Emotionally changed humans are not wise to begin with.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s....¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not like that, Aria.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why you did such cruel things.¡±


    Aria couldn¡¯t help but laugh, as it was so funny and speechless.


    ¡°...Why me....¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°You still see me as a human....¡±


    But she was crying.


    ¡°How could that be?¡±


    On the floor, on the hem of her dress, the pearls fell.


    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you changed at all?¡±


    We have changed like this.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this a deception toward the humans who died because of me, because of my brother? How can you be so affectionate?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see you as humans because I¡¯m affectionate. I treat you like that because that¡¯s the truth.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really funny. It¡¯s funny. No one sees us as humans. So you¡¯re still affectionate.¡±


    She didn¡¯t look particularly sad because the pearls were falling from her eyes, still as pale as wax, without turning red. They seemed like mere decoration.


    ¡°I¡¯m not human, Giovanni.¡±


    Aria found that a little unpleasant. She didn¡¯t like it. She wanted to eat everything to be comfortable.


    ¡°But I could be human.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s natural for monsters to eat and torment humans.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just an excuse to say that being called a monster is natural for one to commit monstrous evil.¡±


    Giovanni still had a smiling face, and his voice was soft. The smile that remained intact despite being damaged and messy felt eerie, like a stuffed painting.


    It was like looking at a portrait that didn¡¯t change its expression even when burned. The bloody body that contained something that could be alive or dead continued to speak.


    ¡°You could have stopped eating humans, you could have stopped tormenting them.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°You could have stopped being called a monster, Aria. You could have.¡±


    Unaccustomed to fear and anxiety, the mermaid didn¡¯t know exactly what she was feeling. She had never felt this way even when her teacher, who had been the only meaning in her long life, died.


    She simply asked. She looked unexpectedly stupid because the other person was the only meaning in Aria¡¯s life.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be angry with me.¡±


    ¡°Aria is my student.¡±


    ¡°...still?¡±


    ¡°Still.¡±


    If you¡¯re so angry because I¡¯m still your student.


    ¡°...then isn¡¯t that too cruel?¡±


    I know, it¡¯s not right for someone who prides themselves on being a monster to say such things. Those who died by her hands would laugh and despise her. But if they had followed the right path, they wouldn¡¯t have thought of becoming a monster in the first place.


    Aria repeated to herself because her own heart was precious to her. You know, I¡¯ve missed you for so long that I can¡¯t even count.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so hurt in front of me, you can¡¯t do that.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re a monster, this is okay.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    The mermaid had to admit it in the end.


    ¡°...I¡¯m still your student.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a monster, can I get scolded in a different way?¡±


    ¡°Of course. This is a human conversation.¡±


    Giovanni said in a gentle and firm voice, like a teacher.


    ¡°I have always treated you as human beings. As beings like me.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°I know you are mermaids and I know the difference, but that doesn¡¯t mean you are monsters.¡±


    I thought this was the perfect moment to end the story, since it was so long, but it seemed like Giovanni had no intention of ending it here.


    ¡°Why isn¡¯t killing me the perfect ending?¡±


    ¡°Because that is also an evasion of responsibility. It is cowardly.¡±


    ¡°I will never consider my sins as sins for the rest of my life.¡±


    ¡°But as long as you are by my side, you will consider sins as sins.¡±


    ¡°It is a great honor to be able to remain by my old friend¡¯s side.¡±


    I asked, feeling amused.


    ¡°Do you think that would be a sufficient punishment? To give back someone precious to me?¡±


    ¡°First, I will not be the subject of your punishment, and second, I will not return anything to you.¡±


    ¡°But if you do not punish me, why do you keep me alive? If you do not return anything, how can you stay by my side?¡±


    ¡°My existence will be your punishment. Since I like good things, you will be interested in good things, and someday you will be moved.¡±


    ¡°That will never be hell to me. If the people I have killed and tormented find out, they will shed tears of blood. That is no punishment....¡±


    ¡°I tell you once again, I will not be the subject of your punishment. I have no responsibility or obligation to do so. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    He continued.


    ¡°However, as time passes, someday you will see yourselves as humans, not monsters.¡±


    ¡°That is ridiculous.¡±


    ¡°When that day comes, you will go to hell on your own without anyone having to step forward. You will punish yourself.¡±


    ¡°How do you know that?¡±


    ¡°I raised you. I taught you. I protected you. I know how good you were when you were by my side.¡±


    Giovanni said calmly, as if discussing the obvious story of the hot sun.


    ¡°You are so curious and smart. You have the will to improve and are not afraid to try new things.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the kind of people I know. So stay by my side. You have to take responsibility for what happened.¡±


    Aria surrendered in a banquet hall that was a mess with the blood of the noble priest and the fire of the sun.


    ¡°...Then that¡¯s enough.¡±


    She admitted defeat.


    She had no regrets about the long, meaningless venting, but it was too long. Still, her hatred and anger were endless, so she couldn¡¯t stop, and she didn¡¯t want to.


    So if possible, Giovanni, she wanted you to come back and give the mermaid¡¯s story an ending. Only you could end the mermaid¡¯s life. Only you were qualified to finish this crazy fairy tale.


    ¡°I wanted to win, but I lost.¡±


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s because I¡¯m a teacher in this country.¡±


    ¡°So give me time.¡±


    ¡°Time.¡±


    ¡°I need time to think about how I¡¯ll stay by your side.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the same way.¡±


    At that moment, the few remaining spears of light disappeared. Aria looked into the air with a face filled with regret.


    ¡°...I should have killed the monster.¡±


    ¡°I keep saying that, but that¡¯s not my job. Why are you asking me to punish you?¡±


    ¡°Are you going to call me a coward?¡±


    ¡°Yes, don¡¯t be a coward. I¡¯m telling you not to stay in the time I died, but to behave like an adult.¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do if I keep killing people?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s none of my business either. I never encouraged you to kill, nor did I stop you.¡±


    ¡°Then how can you call this the end? Nothing has ended.¡±


    ¡°But now that I¡¯m here, nothing will end, but that doesn¡¯t mean nothing will change, right?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t deny it.¡±


    ¡°Personally, I think this isn¡¯t such a bad ending. Do you know that?¡±


    Giovanni laughed.


    ¡°In Earth¡¯s fairy tales, mermaid princesses sometimes turn into bubbles and disappear, but sometimes they become human and live happily ever after with the prince.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my prince. I thought of you like that from the moment I saw you. So will you live happily ever after with me?¡±


    ¡°If you want to, then do so. The ending of anger can be reconciliation, forgiveness, or destruction. It depends on how much responsibility you take.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not going to be a story about you, sir. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re being affectionate or indifferent.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no. I¡¯m sorry to say this, but I¡¯ve done enough. I just wanted to cut ties and pretend not to know anything, but you kept hitting me with all sorts of things, so I came to see you.¡±


    ¡°Be kind.¡±


    ¡°So... let¡¯s think about the rest slowly. It¡¯s up to you to decide what kind of story we¡¯ll make from now on.¡±


    Geo concluded.


    ¡°We have a lot of time.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Right?¡±


    The Little Mermaid¡¯s Ending (1/1)


    100.0% Assimilation Rate


    Acquire Batlan Giovanni


    Link: ¡®Deep Sea Country¡¯ and ¡®Breathing Sea¡¯


    Palette Residents: Aria, Isser


    Link Successfully Completed


    Achievement: Law of Equivalent Exchange


    Achievement: Painter in a Painting


    Achievement: Painting in a Painting


    Achievement: Human in a Frame


    Achievement: ... .


    ... ... .


    .


    .


    .


    Completed the tutorial

 Chapter 82

    Identification Number:


    0S-761-SS


    Response Level:


    SS


    Entity Type:


    Humanoid_Mermaid (Female Form)


    Entity Name:


    Aria


    Abilities:


    Kingdom of the Deep


    The 175th exploration team under the authority of the Collectors¡¯ Guild first discovered this humanoid entity.


    Unlike the bloodline entity "Mermaid Iser," Aria''s hair is so long it touches the ground, and it is dark navy. Over a blue dress, she wears a white coat that appears to be a doctor''s or researcher''s coat, though it is too large for her, suggesting a connection to the "Kingdom of the Deep" story.


    The entity revealed herself to be a mermaid and introduced herself as "Aria." No deception was detected, as per the report. Her entity name is confirmed as "Mermaid Aria."


    A peculiar trait was observed where both her eyes and hair change color depending on her physical and emotional state. The entity has made several statements equating herself with the sea, which suggests that not only the "Kingdom of the Deep," where she is the master, but also the sea of any arbitrary dimension could be influenced by her.


    First Encounter:


    It was inferred that Aria came outside the dungeon to abduct a preparatory priest (of the Sun Church) in order to observe human reactions. The exploration team, authorized by the Collectors¡¯ Guild, observed her at the entrance of the "Temple of the Deep." She did not display any aggressive tendencies and requested to converse but was reported to have a strong aversion to humans.


    It has been determined that "Aria" is the master of the "Kingdom of the Deep," while "Iser" is a false master created to deceive humans. Both entities have repeatedly engaged in acts of physical and mental torture, transforming humans into monsters out of hatred for them.


    It is believed that she set a target that she finds attractive in the dimension of Earth. Until that target is achieved, it is expected that her active attacks against humans will cease. It is necessary to be extremely cautious not to provoke her or cause disturbances, such as visiting the dungeon and causing a commotion.


    Due to the humanoid nature of the entity, the response level has been set to SS.


    The Guild''s Collectors have not yet found a method of dealing with her. They have requested the basic response strategy be "avoidance." Accordingly, the Hunter Association plans to extend the exploration period indefinitely, advising all hunters to exercise caution.


    Comments (1,043 Total):


    "Has an S-rank Hunter not attempted to take her on?""Please clarify the exact duration of the exploration season.""Recheck the response level.""Need confirmation of attack type..."


    ...


    ...


    In the end, the "Kingdom of the Deep" remained unconquered.


    ¡°Are you telling me that even with three A-rank hunters, it couldn¡¯t be conquered?¡±


    ¡°I heard the Collectors purchased the ''Kingdom of the Deep.'' Is that true?¡±


    ¡°Can you confirm the monster information from this exploration?¡±


    ¡°What resources does the Collector want from the ''Kingdom of the Deep''?¡±


    One of the exploration team members, Yoo Seong-Woon, had to face the reporters.


    ¡°Yes, the conquest failed. And yes, the Collectors did purchase the S-rank dungeon ''Kingdom of the Deep,'' and the monster information we reported to the association is confirmed.¡±


    ¡°Then what about the resources...¡±


    ¡°For further inquiries, please contact the Collectors'' administration team directly.¡±


    ¡°No, hold on...¡±


    ¡°Hold on or not, please don¡¯t block my way.¡±


    The reporters tried to catch Yoo Seong-Woon, but after nearly a week of working around the clock for the dungeon exploration, his exhausted ears barely heard them. His dark circles were almost touching his chin.


    Yoo Seong-Woon was a very busy man.


    ¡°I¡¯ll say it again¡ªplease contact the administration team directly.¡±


    For the reporters, Yoo Seong-Woon was probably the easiest person to approach.


    The top priest of the Sun Church, Kang Seo-Dam, was based in Seoul, but it was difficult to get a chance to ask questions. As for Chara, the Hunter Association and the Collectors¡¯ Guild had been protecting her identity.


    ¡®But approaching another hunter like Seo Ji-O would have been pointless¡ªhe wouldn¡¯t have been anywhere to be found.¡¯


    That¡¯s because the ¡°Seo Ji-O¡± they were looking for was sleeping inside Bisa Beul¡¯s gallery.


    ¡®So, they¡¯re naturally targeting someone like me, who¡¯s commuting to work.¡¯


    Though understandable, it was exhausting. He had to report to the guild and association, check the state of the sea, hide Gio¡¯s information, and still had to delay his work as a curator for a whole week.


    ¡°Hunter Yoo Seong-Woon!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not here.¡±


    ¡°But he¡¯s right there!¡±


    ¡°I told you, I¡¯m not here.¡±


    Though the reporters were all awakeneds, none of them could compare to Yoo Seong-Woon, an A-rank hunter. Yoo Seong-Woon smoothly slipped away and escaped to the guild lobby.


    A staff member from the administration team was waiting for him.


    ¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡±


    ¡°If you were watching, you could have dealt with them.¡±


    ¡°If we deal with reporters like that, the guild¡¯s reputation would be damaged.¡±


    ¡°True, the guild image is important...¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t really respond unless they get too aggressive.¡±


    ¡°Since I handled it well, it¡¯s fine for now.¡±


    The staff member nodded.


    ¡°If the attention increases too much, we¡¯ll take action.¡±


    ¡°For now, I¡¯ll stay in the guild. Is the break room empty?¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t had any new recruits recently, so the dorms should have some vacancies. I¡¯ll find you an empty room.¡±


    ¡°Anyway...¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon sighed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t get why everyone¡¯s so obsessed with the ¡®Kingdom of the Deep.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because it¡¯s the first humanoid monster dungeon to officially appear in Korea in a while?¡±


    ¡°Actually, humanoid monsters have appeared many times unofficially. But they¡¯ve always been kept secret.¡±


    ¡°And the dungeon was purchased by the Collectors.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    As Yoo Seong-Woon was pondering, he asked, ¡°Has it been attracting a lot of attention?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an S-rank dungeon, and it hasn¡¯t even been properly documented, so people must be curious about what the Collectors know.¡±


    ¡°People might be suspicious about whether they¡¯re monopolizing any special resources. There have been cases of that before. Are ants starting to gather now?¡±


    ¡°The stock price is going up.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s not the kind of thing they¡¯re expecting.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t about special resources. The dungeon had been bought because it was linked too closely to the ¡°Black Cloak¡± to be left in the wild. It would be good for the Black Cloak too.


    The staff member shrugged.


    ¡°If it gets conquered, it could be turned into a tourist attraction.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s definitely a great selling point that it¡¯s a sea that resonates even within the dungeon.¡±


    ¡°So in the end...¡±


    The staff member glanced at Yoo Seong-Woon and then asked.


    ¡°What connection did the ''Kingdom of the Deep'' and the ''Black Cloak'' have?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Based on what we know, the monsters from the ''Kingdom of the Deep'' don¡¯t really seem to fit with the Black Cloak. The sea blue dungeon doesn¡¯t match the Black Cloak at all.¡±


    ¡°...Sometimes, monsters appear from completely different dungeons.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t uncommon to see monsters or creatures identical to others from completely different dungeons. Gardeners called them ¡°children of the origin,¡± but hunters just considered them unusual monsters.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to look into that part.¡±


    ¡°You must be busy.¡±


    ¡°Would you like to take over?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a curator.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon clicked his tongue and headed for the elevator.


    ¡°Then please take care of it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, go check on the artwork¡¯s condition.¡±


    ¡°Right, I haven¡¯t checked it in a while.¡±


    Once he finished the urgent matters, Yoo Seong-Woon went straight to Bisa Beul¡¯s gallery.


    He swiped the staff card at the elevator, pressing the button for the basement 5th floor. Thanks to the Collectors¡¯ building, known for its lavish facilities, it wasn¡¯t long before he reached the deep floors.


    ¡°Hmm...¡±


    The Bisa Beul gallery, which he hadn¡¯t visited in a while, still carried a heavy air.


    ¡®It¡¯s suffocating in here.¡¯


    Even an A-rank hunter like Yoo Seong-Woon couldn¡¯t find the space refreshing. It was eerie, maybe even oppressive.


    A strange atmosphere filled the gallery, which chilled his bones like muscle pain and scratched at the deepest human instincts.


    ¡®Especially the artwork on the 5th basement floor¡ªmost of those works are unfriendly.¡¯


    Yoo Seong-Woon stood in front of a portrait.


    ¡°....¡±


    His face was obscured by thick black paint, making it hard to tell if his eyes were open or closed.


    ¡®...Even his face is sometimes hard to remember.¡¯


    He had seen ¡°Seo Ji-O Hunter¡± just a week ago, but even though he didn¡¯t have bad memory, he couldn¡¯t recall his face. All that remained in his mind was the black paint in front of him.


    ¡®Is this the influence of the portrait obscuring the face?¡¯


    With that thought, Yoo Seong-Woon called out to the portrait.


    ¡°Gio, are you here?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Oh...¡±


    The response was quick.


    ¡°It¡¯s not dawn, so this is rare.¡±


    The current time was 3 PM.


    It was unusual for "Gio''s Portrait," who always insisted on being awake at 4 AM, to be awake at this time. Yoo Seong-Woon felt relieved, worried that perhaps Gio might be disregarding the rules.


    ¡®If there hadn¡¯t been a quick answer, I would¡¯ve just left and come back at dawn.¡¯


    Of course, it was still a bit odd.


    ¡®Wasn¡¯t it a rule to talk only at 4 AM? But Gio has often appeared around that time... it¡¯s mysterious.¡¯


    Anyway, now that Gio was awake, it seemed like a good opportunity to have a conversation.


    ¡°Have you been awake this whole time?¡±


    ¡°I heard you coming, so I¡¯ve been waiting.¡±


    ¡°You can hear that?¡±


    ¡°I can detect when someone approaches the frame.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impressive.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since we last spoke.¡±


    The portrait, in its usual blunt tone, asked:


    ¡°Have you been well?¡±


    It had already been a week since Yoo Seong-Woon visited the "Kingdom of the Deep" to rescue the young priest Chaisol. Gio, who existed as a painting rather than a living entity, seemed to recall that fact.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been worried since you didn¡¯t show up.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry. Normally, if I¡¯m not around, it just means I¡¯m overworking somewhere.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like something to worry about.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just being dramatic.¡±


    Though Yoo Seong-Woon had left the management to another curator, he couldn¡¯t let his guard down. He had to check on Gio¡¯s condition and make sure the valuable portrait was in good shape.


    He asked:


    ¡°How about you, Gio?¡±


    ¡°Please clarify your question.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to ask directly, but... about the # N§àv§Ölight # mermaid siblings...¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re still not leaving the sea, but they seem to be doing well.¡±


    He had heard that the mermaid siblings hadn¡¯t shown their faces after hiding in the "Kingdom of the Deep." Gio explained that they probably felt awkward after being scolded.


    ¡°......¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon paused for a moment.


    ¡°You call it scolding.¡±


    ¡°Was it too harsh?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t say it wasn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°It was the natural thing to do for Giovanni.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s expected for a teacher to scold their student, but... it¡¯s not like that...¡±


    Would regular teachers scold their students like that, Gio?


    ¡®I thought Giovanni¡¯s personality became strange after he died and became a portrait, but maybe it was just that Giovanni was already a bit odd as a human.¡¯


    The eerie indifference often caught Yoo Seong-Woon off guard.


    ¡®After all, the one who suffered the most in that situation was Gio himself, but he seems completely unaffected by it. His indifference is unsettling. I can tell for sure he has no intention of imitating a human.¡¯


    Yoo Seong-Woon remembered the unforgettable image of Giovanni, whose body was scorched so hot that even the sea water evaporated, but still smiling that eerie smile.

 Chapter 83

    The highest floor of the collection, Bisabal¡¯s office.


    ¡°It¡¯s a dangerous nature.¡±


    ¡°Tempered?¡±


    ¡°You could say that.¡±


    Bisabal, who heard Yoo Seong-un¡¯s report, asked while rubbing his chin.


    ¡°He took himself hostage and threatened the mermaids?¡±


    ¡°...That¡¯s how it¡¯ll be in short.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re hot.¡±


    Bisabal¡¯s smile as he murmured that seemed somewhat bitter.


    ¡°My collection is about to walk into the fires of hell on its own.¡±


    ¡°That fires of hell were the light of the sun. Please refrain from talking about friction with the Sun Cult.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re not talking in front of them. That¡¯s enough.¡±


    ¡°I knew where the word would leak out. And it could be heard as blasphemy....¡±


    ¡°Anyway, the word ¡®religiously crazy¡¯ doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that how it is for priests?¡±


    ¡°Our Mr. Giovanni shouldn¡¯t have grown that much....¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s grown up, that Mr. Giovanni. He¡¯s so big that he¡¯s dead.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t kill my lovely artwork without permission, Curator Yoo Seong-un.¡±


    The sullen Bisabal soon smiled slightly, as if he was quite pleased with this unusual conversation.


    ¡°You could say that he has no regrets about his own destruction and suffering. Even the gods are very sensitive to destruction, so it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that humans have lost their most traditional way to deal with disasters.¡±


    ¡°In the first place, we shouldn¡¯t have created a situation where we could fight the ¡®Portrait of Geo.¡¯ If the situation worsens to the point where we have to find a way to subdue Geo, it won¡¯t be a disaster that can be ended with a few sacrifices, like it is with evil gods.¡±


    ¡°If he was an ordinary god, it would have been a little easier to prepare for. Well, Geo is not a traditional god, but something with the characteristics of a god, so thinking like this won¡¯t give you an answer.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but Geo also has human characteristics. It¡¯s also something to think about that he didn¡¯t get swayed by emotions even though he clearly had a human personality. We need to keep thinking about how to subdue him.¡±


    Bisabal asked him.


    ¡°Since he wasn¡¯t killed or punished, wouldn¡¯t it be okay to think of it as a treatment that took old feelings into consideration?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a separate issue from what the result was. I observed Geo from the side, but my eyes weren¡¯t buried in the past.¡±


    Giovanni seemed to have made that choice because he thought it was a natural process and the right thing to do. He seemed to truly believe that tormenting him would be the greatest punishment for the mermaid.


    ¡°Geo seemed to have taken the most appropriate responsibility he could. He gave meaning to the mermaids who were dull because they were monsters by giving them Giovanni, and he made them suffer endlessly.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s punishment.¡±


    ¡°As long as Giovanni is by his side, the mermaids will have to take responsibility for everything they did. I think Geo himself wanted that and attempted to do that.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon said, recalling Giovanni at the time.


    ¡°He was very firm. If what he said is true, those mermaids must have been the ones Giovanni raised like his children when he was human. I wonder if he was angry or something....¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°It was quite creepy how he kept smiling even when he was bleeding and had broken limbs. It was really no different from a portrait. Even when the mermaid named Aria cried and begged, he continued to do his work.¡±


    ¡°The story about the mermaid crying is quite interesting, but what about the threat?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not to say that it was a way for Geo to suffer along with her, but yes, well, maybe. No matter how you say it indirectly, it¡¯s hard to change the essence.¡±


    It¡¯s hard to say that it wasn¡¯t a threat.


    ¡°But the unique thing is that he took himself hostage.¡±


    ¡°If that incident didn¡¯t work out properly and Giovanni ended up dying, did it really seem like his personality would have died?¡±


    ¡°He said that himself. He said that Giovanni¡¯s personality could die, and if not, he would die in front of her dozens or hundreds of times.¡±


    ¡°Either way, it¡¯s creepy.¡±


    ¡°That mermaid certainly thought the same thing. Maybe it was because she said it with a gentle smile, but it sounded even scarier. Even to me, Giovanni¡¯s words didn¡¯t sound like mere bluff....¡±


    ¡°It must have been a decent punishment for the mermaids.¡±


    Bisabal shrugged.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean they won¡¯t harass humans anymore.¡±


    ¡°But as long as Geo is by their side, I guess nothing big will happen....¡±


    ¡°The only thing we should focus on is that there won¡¯t be any ¡®big things¡¯.¡±


    If it weren¡¯t for the level of mass murder, Geo wouldn¡¯t have said anything about the mermaids¡¯ cruelty.


    ¡®Portrait of Geo¡¯ is a gentlemanly being of the origin who likes good and polite things, but he himself was not good.


    ¡°He is not a hero. He may have been a hero at one time, and he may have ¡®Geo¡¯ with such qualities, but at least ¡®Portrait of Geo¡¯ is nature and destiny.¡±


    Bisabal continued with a smile.


    ¡°As the gardener, Yoo Seong-woon, would know better, it is one of the characteristics of beings close to the origin. Unless it is due to special malice, for Geo, life and death are not much different from the blooming and falling of flowers as a human being.¡±


    The pitch-black portrait pretended not to be interested, and judged the death and suffering of myself, my surroundings, and the outside world as a state and information. It did not have any sympathy for things that were being ruined and collapsed outside of its hands.


    Of course, ¡®Geo¡¯s Portrait¡¯ loved humans equally, but saying that it loved everything was like saying that it loved nothing in the first place.


    In a way, it was cruel and indifferent. He let things flow unless they became interesting.


    ¡°As proof, the entrance to the ¡®Deep Sea Kingdom¡¯ is not closed yet. If the mermaids truly reflected on their past and wanted to respect humans, they would have closed the entrance and closed the dungeon so that no more humans would get hurt.¡±


    However, even after a week, there was no sign of that. The mermaids, as monsters, could not put aside their hatred for humans, and Geo did not unconditionally support humans either.


    ¡°If either of the two had come true, the dungeon would have been closed.¡±


    ¡°The existence of the source is not something that humans can control. They are nature.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why we ended up having to buy them. We didn¡¯t know who else would die because of the mermaids¡¯ anger.¡±


    Bisabal smiled happily.


    ¡°Of course, there was also the concept of giving it to our Sergio Hunter!¡±


    ¡°...I think the media will take care of it, but is the spending okay...?¡±


    ¡°This collector Bisabal bought a dungeon, so it¡¯s not a big deal.¡±


    ¡°In today¡¯s capitalist society, you seem really trustworthy.¡±


    ¡°I used to be a trustworthy guild leader.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just that Geo can¡¯t be said to be completely on the side of humans.¡±


    Bisabal smiled at Yoo Seong-un.


    ¡°Just like gardeners like Yoo Seong-un.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon shrugged his shoulders at the word ¡®gardener¡¯ that came up after a long time.


    ¡°The origin that has been revealed so far is closer to a system than a personality. He is fair to all personalities in the universe, such as humans, monsters, and the children of the origin. Then, the gardener who manages the pulse of the origin must also have a fair perspective.¡±


    The sense of balance that does not take anyone¡¯s side was the most important virtue of a gardener. They were the milestones that maintained the minimum balance and the bystanders who lived in the garden.


    ¡°In that sense, sometimes I feel like Geo is similar to a gardener.¡±


    ¡°What part did you feel that way about?¡±


    ¡°Cha Ara Hunter was the first human to visit the inside of ¡®Geo¡¯s Portrait¡¯. The hut that he described seemed similar to the garden we manage.¡±


    ¡°Then Geo could possibly be a gardener who was eaten by the origin.¡±


    ¡°How could a gardener who was eaten by the origin maintain his ego....¡±


    Yoo Seong-un made a tired expression while ruffling his pure white hair. His sky-blue eyes narrowed.


    ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous.¡±


    Even if a gardener is eaten by a garden, can he maintain his ego? That was impossible. A gardener who became the property of a garden could no longer be called an intelligent life form.


    ¡°But when I think about it this way, Geo certainly wouldn¡¯t take sides between humans and monsters. Considering that, we can see that Geo doesn¡¯t just want to punish the mermaids.¡±


    He only solved the problem in front of him. He only took on the responsibility that Giovanni should have taken on, and he put the minimum amount of control on the mermaids who had the ability and thoughts to threaten humanity.


    That was all. As Bisabal said, Geo wasn¡¯t a passionate being who would do something uninteresting even at the risk of loss.


    ¡°Geo loves good and polite beings. That¡¯s what makes the portrait interesting.¡±


    ¡°The mermaids probably weren¡¯t particularly good. Even though Geo hates evil, he showed such mercy. It could be a kind of favoritism, as Yoo Seong-woon reported.¡±


    ¡°Saving people must have been something he did with a light heart. I can give you a rough estimate.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon looked into the air as if he was assessing something and swept his title.


    ¡°I like everything to proceed simply and peacefully. This is the basic attitude of ¡®Portrait of Geo¡¯ toward the world, with two exceptions.¡±


    ¡°The first is a past relationship, and the second is an object of interest.¡±


    ¡°The object of interest would be a good and polite being. ¡®Portrait of Geo¡¯ basically seems to follow these three directions as its rules, but....¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too early to tell. At most, it¡¯s just the second ¡®Geo¡¯ that has appeared.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I guess I was lucky this time. In the case of ¡®Giovanni¡¯, he was a gentle and compassionate priest. ¡®Gio¡¯, who had a hostile orientation toward humanity, we should also consider the possibility of them coming out.¡±


    ¡°Since ¡®Portrait of Geo¡¯ values ??peace and has a strong will to communicate, I don¡¯t think there will be a big problem.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m saying that the being of origin shouldn¡¯t be treated like a person. Anyway, what I want to say is, um... .¡±


    He seemed to be clearing up the troublemaker who was encouraging overtime work, but then he opened his mouth.


    ¡°We need to find a way for us to coexist with mermaids in the future.¡±


    ¡°... ... .¡±


    ¡°Guild Master, I think you need to come up with a plan.¡±


    This old guild master really hated doing things that weren¡¯t related to his collection. Bisabal slumped in his chair and spoke bitterly.


    ¡°... What if we just close the dungeon entrance for life? No one will come in.¡±


    ¡°Would that work? What you bought, guild master, was the right to enter the dungeon, not the dungeon itself. Above all... .¡±


    ¡°There might be some resources inside, but if you don¡¯t let anyone in, at least the Hunter Association won¡¯t sit still.¡±


    ¡°Why would someone who knows so well do that?¡±


    ¡°Haa....¡±


    Bisabal, who had been buried deep in his chair, raised his upper body up.


    ¡°...Even if there are no resources inside, no one will believe it, right?¡±


    ¡°There are already news stories going around that the Collector is trying to monopolize special resources in the ¡®Deep Sea Country¡¯, so even if you say something like that now, it will only seem like a deception.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Bisabal smiled lightly.


    ¡°Then what can I do? I¡¯ll just leave them to find a place to die.¡±


    ¡°Oh, would you do that?¡±


    ¡°I plan to set the toll soon. I will respect the brave people who crawl inside in search of the special resources that the Collector has found. It won¡¯t be my fault if they die inside, right?¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll make sure to keep that in mind.¡±


    Since there was a fight with Geo, the mermaids in the ¡®Deep Sea Nation¡¯ wouldn¡¯t necessarily go outside the dungeon to do anything, but they wouldn¡¯t leave the humans who came inside the dungeon alone either.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think Geo will be able to help that easily anymore. The reason Geo had been frequenting the Deep Sea Nation was to talk to the mermaids, but since he¡¯s already achieved his goal... he won¡¯t go that far to help the hunters anymore.¡±


    ¡°The ¡®Portrait of Geo¡¯ we saw wasn¡¯t that selfless and devoted, was it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s just that he¡¯s considerably more friendly and gentlemanly than other beings of the same origin.¡±


    There are probably fools who crawl into S-class dungeons just because they believe in the existence of the ¡®Black Cloak,¡¯ but it¡¯s time for them to get a taste of the spicy flavor.


    ¡°This is the right direction.¡±


    Yoo Seong-un nodded.


    ¡°The current Hunters treat ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ like a convenient vending machine. Hunters who feel sorry for them didn¡¯t really get any help from Geo in the first place....¡±


    ¡°Anyway, there¡¯s no way that such an easy image would help Geo.¡±


    ¡°Yes, so it¡¯s time for them to realize that ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ is a natural disaster that they can¡¯t control. If they die in the ¡®Deep Sea Country¡¯ without even seeing ¡®Black Cloak¡¯, they¡¯ll realize reality.¡±


    There were still many fools in the world who thought they could compromise with monsters, or in other words, the existence of the source, and use them. They were clearly not resources, but disasters.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell Geo about this. Maybe Geo, who enjoys drawing and rescuing humans, will step forward to save more Hunters, but since he¡¯s not an active portrait, I think the odds are low.¡±


    Bisabal said to him.


    ¡°I can talk too.¡±


    ¡°No matter how well you talk, Geo himself refuses, so what are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°If this keeps up, you might end up laying down in front of the portrait.¡±


    ¡°Then Geo will get angry....¡±


    ¡°Tsk.¡±


    Bisabal clicked his tongue and quickly changed the subject.


    ¡°By the way, how is the prospective priest who was kidnapped back then?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re only asking now. I heard he¡¯s finally moving into the dormitory next Monday.¡±


    ¡°The Sun Church wouldn¡¯t have been in such chaos. If things had gone as planned, we would have been accepting and raising students a long time ago, but we ended up being preyed on by mermaids and our schedule was ruined.¡±


    ¡°It seems like Priest Kang Seodam is really stressed out because of that. You know? It was on the news this time....¡±


    ¡°But now that things will go according to schedule, the Sun Church¡¯s situation will get a little better.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon nodded.


    ¡°The prospective priest you mentioned, Chae-sol, didn¡¯t seem to have any major psychological problems.¡±


    ¡°Is that ripe fruit-like cynicism the talent of a collector that I haven¡¯t brought yet?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s already a priest of the Sun Church, so why would he join a private guild that isn¡¯t a church? Above all, he¡¯s far from the kind of cynicism you¡¯re thinking of. Just a little bit...¡±


    ¡°A little bit?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s really nervous.¡±


    He knew he was kidnapped, but he calmly observed the mermaid¡¯s ecology.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like he didn¡¯t know because of his childish innocence, he¡¯s just quick-witted but has a strong spirit that doesn¡¯t get easily hurt.¡±


    ¡°Does he have the qualities of a fool? Or is he a trait of a tyrant? Either way, I don¡¯t /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ like it. I heard that Geo likes him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already made generous compensation for the damages. Even if you act normal, the victim is still the victim.¡±


    And then it happened.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°Did you get a text?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s... Cha Eun-hyeok.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the older brother of the prospective priest we were talking about earlier, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon was speechless for a moment after checking the text.


    ¡°... ... .¡±


    ¡°Is there a problem?¡±


    ¡°... Geo is there.¡±


    ¡°... Where?¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon answered Bisabul¡¯s question with difficulty.


    ¡°Cha I-sol¡¯s house.¡±


    ¡°... ... .¡±


    Originally, he had thought he would miss work, but Yoo Seong-woon felt the familiar scent of working overtime.


    Why are you there again?


    ¡°T, this is... .¡±


    Cha Ara asked hesitantly.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°You have to trust me.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s that, big sister.¡±


    Chae Sol answered honestly to her big sister¡¯s reaction of not being able to believe even after seeing the reality.


    ¡°I drew a picture and Geo hyung appeared....¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Really, I drew a picture and Geo hyung appeared?¡±


    ¡°No, what....¡±


    Cha Ara, who didn¡¯t know what to do with the absurdity, soon turned to the black cloak with a subtle expression.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you.¡±


    ¡°...Ah, yes....¡±


    Is today the day I die?


    Although he didn¡¯t seem hostile, he was a dirty and scary black cloak anyway.


    A painter who draws dungeons

 Chapter 84

    Before the incident.


    After experiencing a series of events that others would never experience, such as a terrorist incident or a kidnapping incident, the Cha family in a rural area finally regained peace.


    ¡°Flower pig.¡±


    Cha Eun-hyeok saw his younger sister, Cha A-ra, entering the kitchen.


    ¡°What¡¯s with the meat?¡±


    ¡°Oh, this.¡±


    ¡°Why is there so much?¡±


    There were various ingredients that we rarely saw on a regular basis, as if they were planning to cook. Thin meat that would never be caught by hunting, round, ripe pears in the middle of winter... .


    ¡°Crazy, there¡¯s even kiwi.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to make bulgogi with this.¡±


    ¡°Where did the money come from?¡±


    ¡°I got the reward from a collector.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Cha Eun-hyeok looked at his younger sister with a subtle look at Cha A-ra¡¯s words.


    ¡°...Was there something they had to compensate for...? Wasn¡¯t it a situation where we should have given them the money?¡±


    ¡°Um....¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything more to it than saving my family from dying in the middle of monsters.¡±


    ¡°Uh....¡±


    ¡°So this is what they mean when they ask for a bundle after saving someone from drowning? They even extort money from big companies, so society has really taken a hit.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t extort it, they just gave it to me.¡±


    Cha Ara stuttered as she listened to her brother¡¯s reasonable question.


    ¡°No, well, I didn¡¯t really understand it either... Anyway, the black cloak and the mermaid princess have a deep connection, and the black cloak is under the responsibility of the collector... So... I feel like there¡¯s a connection....¡±


    ¡°......?¡±


    Cha Eunhyuk¡¯s face crumpled.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Anyway, since you worked hard, they told me to eat something delicious and rest. They said they were sorry.¡±


    ¡°Is it a scam? Were you scammed? I knew you¡¯d do this someday.¡±


    ¡°No, no. How great are you to be yelling at me?¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s better than you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense, you sucker.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll lose my sense of alertness just because I get cursed at like that? No, my younger sister who has no sense of safety.¡±


    Cha Eun-hyeok grabbed Cha A-ra¡¯s shoulders with both hands and spoke seriously.


    ¡°People in this world only think about preying on suckers like us.¡±


    ¡°But I gave you money. Money is innocent, and if you give it to me, you should use it.¡±


    ¡°No, you should give it back. What are you trying to do with this as an excuse? Why on earth did you give it to me?¡±


    ¡°Bounty...? No...?¡±


    Cha Eun-hyeok smiled kindly at his younger sister¡¯s innocent words.


    ¡°Piggy, piggy. You became a hunter and got hit in the back of the head like that, but you still fall for the word ¡®bounty¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Huh...?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who decided to give us the reward, but all the employees there are probably 1st or 2nd class citizens, so why would they think that?¡±


    ¡°Oh my....¡±


    ¡°No city¡¯s people show mercy to 3rd class citizens without a reason. Let¡¯s sort out the situation step by step. Who exactly gave it to you?¡±


    ¡°Yoo, Yoo Seong-woon Hunter....¡±


    ¡°Yoo Seong-woon Hunter.¡±


    Cha Eun-hyeok nodded.


    ¡°Then this isn¡¯t a reward, it¡¯s more like a condolence gift.¡±


    ¡°Are we going to die? Did you spend too much? Maybe you shouldn¡¯t have bought the kiwi?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the issue.¡±


    He seemed to know why Yoo Seong-woon gave him the money.


    ¡°We are one of the few people who know the true nature of the ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ that has been trending on the internet these days. And how many people in this world would want to use and study the ¡®Black Cloak¡¯? So how valuable is this ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ information?¡±


    ¡°Uh... uh....¡±


    ¡°That value wouldn¡¯t be equal to the internal organs of a third-class citizen like us. The reason why Yoo Seong-woon gave us this money was more like condolences for learning the true nature of the terrifying ¡®Black Cloak¡¯.¡±


    ¡°So we¡¯re going to die?¡±


    ¡°If we just keep our mouths shut, we might not die, or we might just die....¡±


    Cha A-ra¡¯s face turned sad.


    ¡°Then what should we do?¡±


    ¡°What should we do? We should enjoy the money we received and keep our mouths shut.¡±


    ¡°Will it work if we keep our mouths shut?¡±


    ¡°If we¡¯re unlucky, information might leak out from Priest Kang Seo-dam or the collector.¡±


    ¡°Then die?¡±


    ¡°Life must be very tiring.¡±


    In the worst case scenario, he could have been dragged somewhere and forced to reveal information about the ¡®Black Cloak¡¯. He could have died in the process, but Cha Eun-hyeok accepted the current situation rather calmly.


    ¡°Anyway, it doesn¡¯t seem like Hunter Yoo Seong-woon gave you the money with bad intentions.¡±


    ¡°Really...? I¡¯m starting to feel uneasy.¡±


    ¡°From what I¡¯ve seen, it seems like he realized that our future with the ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ wouldn¡¯t be smooth, and he really gave me the money to cheer me up, so I guess it¡¯s okay for you to keep cooking like this.¡±


    ¡°Uh... no, but....¡±


    ¡°The fact that Chae Sol was kidnapped must have been included in the compensation. It¡¯s true that you and the youngest suffered, so just use what you received.¡±


    Cha Ara frowned.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you to relax or not.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll worry about it, so you just keep cooking without thinking.¡±


    As long as Cha Eun-hyeok, who was not without wisdom in life, was alive, it was okay for his two younger siblings to be a little stupid. This money wasn¡¯t malicious either, so there was no need to be overly anxious right away.


    Judging from the personality of Yoo Seong-woon Hunter that we learned through conversation and the actions of the big business collectors, there must have been a separate escort team assigned to them.


    Since he had been kidnapped once, it might have been for protection, but it might have been more accurate to say that they were surveillance personnel for information control.


    Anyway, it didn¡¯t matter.


    ¡°You like cooking, right?¡±


    ¡°Well... that¡¯s true, but...¡±


    ¡°If you finally got some money, you can spend this much, right?¡±


    Of course, you could save up this money to fix up the house or pay for the youngest¡¯s dormitory. You could help Cha Eun-hyeok with his bungeoppang business, and you could buy equipment to keep Cha A-ra from dying.


    But if you only spend money on things that are absolutely necessary, then that¡¯s how people live.


    ¡°We already earned the money we needed. Plus, we were lucky enough to have some spare cash, so what¡¯s the point of telling us to spend it on essential things?¡±


    ¡°Ugh....¡±


    ¡°If we don¡¯t relieve stress like this, when will we ever relieve it again?¡±


    People needed to have these big and small pleasures in life. Cha Eun-hyeok knew that if he simply lived to eat and live, he would eventually consume his physical health and mind and die.


    ¡°So how much compensation did you get?¡±


    ¡°Oh, right.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right? Are you living a crazy life, Piglet?¡±


    ¡°I, I was just coming back from Seoul, so I was out of my mind....¡±


    Cha Ara spread her fingers.


    ¡°Thousand.¡±


    ¡°...Thousand? Thousand without any negotiation, that¡¯s pretty high, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°I just came back from Seoul to do some shopping, so.¡±


    ¡°Tonight¡¯s going to be a bountiful evening.¡±


    ¡°Hehe, right?¡±


    ¡°Please show off your skills.¡±


    Cha Eunhyuk looked at one side of the room where the cold wind was blowing in a little.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go stay with the youngest.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to join us?¡±


    ¡°Not only do you not like cooking, but what if the youngest gets kidnapped again?¡±


    ¡°...Ser, could that happen again?¡±


    ¡°From what I¡¯ve seen, our youngest¡¯s life is not ordinary.¡±


    This was a gut feeling that Cha Eunhyuk could feel because he saw strange monsters differently from others.


    ¡°I think he¡¯ll have a much harder life than us. I¡¯m anxious. My heart is pounding.¡±


    ¡°What the hell, what are you cursing? He¡¯s going to be a second-class citizen soon, so if he ends up living a harder life than us, third-class natives, isn¡¯t that a problem?¡±


    ¡°No matter how much I think about it, he won¡¯t have a normal life at least. That brat Chae Sol keeps getting involved in strange things... and his personality is like that.¡±


    It seemed that the fact that he was so fearless also played a part. He was unnecessarily cheerful and sociable.


    ¡°If he¡¯s a fool and fearless, what¡¯s that? He¡¯s twisting his own fate.¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that okay? Did we raise him wrong?¡±


    ¡°What can we do, he¡¯s already that big. But if he enters the Taeyang Church, he¡¯ll learn a lot and be protected. He¡¯ll have the honor of the church, so he¡¯ll be careful.¡±


    ¡°Sigh....¡±


    Cha Ara waved her hand.


    ¡°I feel even less reassured after hearing that. I was going to feed him something delicious before he went to the dormitory, but you should go next to the youngest and talk to him about this and that.¡±


    ¡°What can you do?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t live like a fool....¡±


    ¡°Will that work? We¡¯re the ones who got screwed over.¡±


    Even as he said that, Cha Eunhyuk went straight to the youngest, Chae Sol. The last time he was kidnapped, he was anxious about leaving the youngest alone.


    ¡°Youngest.¡±


    ¡°Hyeung, what is your older sister doing?¡±


    ¡°I heard she¡¯s making bulgogi.¡±


    ¡°Wow, bulgogi! Isn¡¯t that expensive?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s expensive. The ingredients are crazy. Just pray that your older sister doesn¡¯t ruin dinner.¡±


    ¡°Should I pray to the sun god first?¡±


    ¡°No, we¡¯re not even that close yet, so what...¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Cha Eunhyuk sat down next to the youngest, who was holding a pencil and looking happy. He had no idea what he was drawing. Cha Eunhyuk loved his younger brother, but he couldn¡¯t love his drawing skills either.


    ¡°When you go into the dorm, you¡¯ll eat more delicious food than this.¡±


    ¡°Should I bring it out?? Do you want to eat it together??¡±


    ¡°I heard that you can¡¯t come out well until you become a priest.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll come out secretly.¡±


    ¡°...After you finish your graduation, buy me a meal, I¡¯ll wait.¡±


    Cha Eun-hyuk postponed his promise to the future, thinking that if it was Chae Sol, he could really sneak out of the dorm and walk all the way to this remote countryside. Cha Eun-hyuk¡¯s gaze, which was stroking his younger brother¡¯s hair, turned downwards a little.


    ¡°Were you drawing?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°What were you drawing?¡±


    Something black, stained on the back of the paper, caught his attention.


    ¡°Black cloak!¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Cha Eun-hyuk fell silent.


    ¡°...What?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Black cloak!¡±


    ¡°You... What... Do you know what that is?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a good ghost that gives gifts to good people?¡±


    ¡°What is that, um, uh.¡±


    ¡°I was embarrassed to pray to the sun god, so I drew a black cloak first!¡±


    ¡°What the hell does that have to do with anything, anyway. After all, a black cloak is a monster....¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that it?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Cha Eun-hyeok broke down.


    ¡°Who told you about Black Cloak?¡±


    ¡°Inseo.¡±


    ¡°Inseo... the village chief¡¯s daughter?¡±


    ¡°Everyone in our neighborhood knows Black Cloak.¡±


    ¡°Why on earth...?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s cool.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    Cha Eun-hyeok, who knew the true identity of the black cloak, took a deep breath for a moment.


    ¡°... I don¡¯t know much about it, but is the black cloak really famous these days?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°What exactly is the black cloak? Do you know?¡±


    ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t know either... .¡±


    Chae-sol continued, drawing a black lump with a blunt pencil.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it like Santa?¡±


    ¡°... The grandfather who gives presents to children who don¡¯t cry?¡±


    ¡°He said he likes good people and really likes it when you talk to him. He said that if you¡¯re polite, the black cloak will give you presents.¡±


    ¡°Oh... .¡±


    Cha Eun-hyeok was wondering what to say to this.


    ¡°... ... .¡±


    ¡°... Huh?¡±


    The two Chas¡¯ gazes fell on the ¡®black cloak¡¯ in the paper.


    ¡°... Didn¡¯t it move just now?¡±


    The black mass drawn with the child¡¯s clumsy skills was wriggling.


    ¡°... ... .¡±


    Cha Eunhyuk broke out in a cold sweat.


    A secret portrait that even the huge guild called the Collector¡¯s Guild had not yet figured out.


    And sometimes, such unrealistic and dreamy beings, including the gods called fate with will, had their own summoning rituals.


    ¡®... This really....¡¯


    Didn¡¯t Chae Sol, who had awakened as a priest, draw a black cloak instead of the sun god? Chae Sol smiled brightly, not knowing how fast his brother was burning with fear.


    ¡°Wow, I think the black cloak is here!¡±


    ¡°Wait, wait, Isola. Please wait... This isn¡¯t right.¡±


    ¡°Be my friend!¡±


    ¡°Please!¡±


    Cha Eunhyuk grabbed his younger brother and ? N§àv§ÖIight ? (Original source) begged, but it was already too late.


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    In the picture.


    The clumsy picture moved, and it took shape.


    ¡°Black cloak...!¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°...Black... cloak...?¡±


    He was wearing a pitch-black cloak.


    The deep shadows that were hidden by the hood pulled down deeply and made it impossible to see his face at all were so dark that it was incongruous.


    The black shirt and suit visible inside the cloak did not have any light, but his long, well-proportioned body was recognizable.


    ¡°...Brother Geo?¡±


    That was the ¡®Sergio¡¯ that Chaisol knew.


    ¡°Brother Geo?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am Sergio.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it really is Brother Geo.¡±


    The blunt tone and strangely heavy air, as if it had been translated. It was no different from Sergio Hunter, the God of the Sun who had eaten with Chaisol.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask me to be your friend?¡±


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t something I did to you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s sad. Don¡¯t you want to be friends with me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re my brother, right...?¡±


    Cha Eun-hyuk, who was watching the situation, touched his forehead.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Mr. Cha Eun-hyuk.¡±


    ¡°...Yes, it¡¯s really nice to meet you. It¡¯s nice to meet you, but....¡±


    Cha Eun-hyuk hesitated and asked.


    ¡°Is this how you usually get called out?¡±


    ¡°Student Cha I-sol called me.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Cha Eun-hyuk suddenly remembered the compensation money Cha Ara had received.


    ¡®... Was this something he had prepared for?¡¯


    Cha Eun-hyuk, who had learned the summoning method of the Black Cloak without even intending to, naturally took out his phone.


    This information was too dangerous to keep to themselves. His fingers naturally searched for Hunter Yoo Seong-woon¡¯s direct number.


    ¡®Please save me.¡¯


    Perhaps Yoo Seong-woon had given him the money for this.


    ¡°Excuse me, but I¡¯ll go outside for a bit.¡±


    ¡°You can do whatever you want.¡±


    ¡°... In the meantime... my younger sister Cha Ara will take care of you. It¡¯ll only take a moment.¡±


    ¡°I apologize for the sudden visit. Please make yourself at home.¡±


    ¡°Yes, thank you.¡±


    That¡¯s how Cha Eun-hyuk came to ask Yoo Seong-woon for help.


    Not long after, Yoo Seong-woon arrived at the Cha family¡¯s house.


    ¡°Where is Geo?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s talking to the youngest.¡±


    ¡°Who didn¡¯t die?¡±


    ¡°Why on earth... are you... asking that question...?¡±


    ¡°Oh, just in case.¡±


    ¡°...Yeah, yeah....¡±


    It was a fucking tiring day.


    The Painter Who Draws Dungeons

 Chapter 85

    While Kang Seo-Dam was reviewing the curriculum for the incoming priest candidates, he received a phone call.


    "Yes, Yoo Seong-Woon Hunter."


    "Is there anyone among the gods who can be summoned by drawing a picture?"


    "I don¡¯t really understand what you¡¯re suddenly saying, but since I¡¯m busy, I¡¯ll answer for now: yes, it¡¯s possible. The symbols or characters commonly used in rituals are essentially drawings, after all."


    "It wasn¡¯t exactly a very professional drawing."


    "How unprofessional was it?"


    "Was it something a child drew?"


    "Even so, it''s not impossible. Even if it¡¯s rough, if the intent is clear, it can still work."


    Kang Seo-Dam placed his phone between his shoulder and chin and continued writing a document.


    "The most important thing is the intent behind the ritual, what the subject wanted to achieve through it. If the person conducting the ritual has a strong and clear will, and if the subject receiving the ritual is open enough to accept such a flawed ritual, then it¡¯s very much possible."


    "Why would that work?"


    "Typically, this is the case with evil gods... However, for summoning rituals like this, it¡¯s often possible even if the goal isn¡¯t to summon a god. There are always mysterious beings with their own summoning rituals. If the being is very accepting, simply calling its name might be enough to catch its attention."


    "Why though?"


    "From the perspective of a mere human, it¡¯s difficult to understand, but beings close to gods know where they are being called and seen. No matter where in the world the faithful are praying, a god can answer their calls."


    Kang Seo-Dam rolled his eyes as he checked the document.


    "Even if they¡¯re not exactly gods, beings of lower rank may spread their own summoning rituals here and there. After all, the best way to elevate their rank and strengthen their divinity is through the faith of their followers."


    "Well, what if they¡¯re already a significantly powerful being? They might not even need faith, and they may not even want to rise in rank anymore."


    "I¡¯ve been trying to ignore it, but is this about that being? The pitch-black one? The cloaked one? The one who evaporated the dungeon''s seawater to create stairs and then handled it with just a gesture? That one?"


    "Finally, you¡¯ve acknowledged it."


    "It¡¯s a disaster after all."


    The existence known as ¡®god,¡¯ called ¡®nature¡¯ or ¡®fate,¡¯ is said to know clearly what they are meant for and what they wish to accomplish. They know what they are to humans.


    But ¡®the Black Cloak¡¯ is different.


    "If someone accumulates faith unconsciously, they won¡¯t learn how to handle their rank. The fact that their summoning ritual is so simple that even a child drawing it would suffice shows just how easy it is."


    "That¡¯s right."


    "Then I guess all we can do is pray that they never get angry. At least when they¡¯re not angry, they¡¯ll be able to control themselves and show consideration for fragile humans. Then, there should be no problem. After all, they really like humans..."


    "What happens if they get angry?"


    "As you, Yoo Seong-Woon Hunter, know, it only leads to ruin. Only those who have eaten meat know how to eat it, and only those who have been angry know how to express it well. If a god doesn¡¯t know how to express anger safely without causing harm and just lets their emotions run wild, it will truly be a disaster."


    After a brief pause, Kang Seo-Dam asked again.


    "Usually, gods have a clear sense of their purpose. Unless they inherited their divinity from an existing god, the one who created a summoning ritual must be the god corresponding to that ritual. The reason summoning rituals and sacrificial rites were created in the first place was to elevate the rank of those gods."


    "But the subject we¡¯re talking about isn¡¯t like that."


    "If someone inherited divinity from an existing god, then they would have also received the corresponding ritual. Is the being you¡¯re talking about, Yoo Seong-Woon Hunter, one of those mysterious beings?"


    "I can¡¯t say it doesn¡¯t have that characteristic, but it¡¯s not completely the same. It¡¯s qualitatively a different existence from a god."


    "......"


    After a brief moment, Kang Seo-Dam continued.


    "Very rarely, there are beings that, because they simply fit a certain rule, naturally rise in rank according to the ? N§àv§ÖIight ? (Original source) laws of nature. To put it simply, the act of breathing by humans might itself be an act that increases the faith of some mysterious being."


    "I¡¯m sorry, but I still don¡¯t really get what that means."


    "To simplify, there are beings who just get stronger simply by existing. As time passes, their history deepens naturally, just like the laws of nature."


    Kang Seo-Dam¡¯s fingers resumed typing.


    "In our Sun God Church, we don¡¯t refer to such beings as gods."


    "What do you call them then?"


    "Just nature. It¡¯s a rule, a fate."


    "Other gods also have will..."


    "Yes, they are nature and fate, but in a different context."


    The reason is simple.


    "As you, Yoo Seong-Woon Hunter, said, they have will and goals. But the mysterious beings I¡¯m talking about don¡¯t. They didn¡¯t aim to be gods, they didn¡¯t even know they were ¡®gods,¡¯ they just exist, flow, and grow stronger."


    "It¡¯s a disaster."


    "From the human perspective, even an earthquake caused by tectonic shifts can feel like a disaster. They simply exist. They may have self-awareness, preferences, and they may have recognized humans or not."


    "...Hmm..."


    A little later, Yoo Seong-Woon asked.


    "You must have observed such mysterious beings in the Sun God Church, so you can say this, right? Something so powerful that it can¡¯t even be called a god?"


    "It¡¯s confidential. Just as the collector has some secrets, so do I."


    "I understand for now. Would it be alright if I brought a gift next time and visited you, Priest?"


    "Please don¡¯t come, I¡¯m busy."


    "I¡¯ll send it by courier."


    The call ended.


    "......"


    Well, even if it was said this way...


    "...I don¡¯t think it will become a great disaster if it¡¯s that being."


    Kang Seo-Dam definitely felt divinity from the Black Cloak. Judging by the energy he felt and the situations, it seemed that the being inherited power from a past god. If that¡¯s the case, it meant there was someone to teach how to behave as a god.


    Even if there were no parental gods, there was still the Sun God on this Earth. His goddess had been very favorable to the Black Cloak, so she might have given some help.


    "In the end, it¡¯s not something I should worry about. Tch, in the middle of everything."


    Muttering softly, Kang Seo-Dam quietly continued checking the curriculum.


    Lately, late-night shifts had become quite familiar.


    And here was another Hunter continuing his late-night work.


    "Yeah, Gio."


    "Nice to meet you."


    "You¡¯re really active."


    Naturally, it was Yoo Seong-Woon.


    "So, our Cha I-Sol summoned Gio after all?"


    Cha I-Sol, having grasped the situation, voluntarily confessed.


    "Sorry for making you work overtime."


    "If you apologize like that, what am I supposed to be, Cha I-Sol?"


    In truth, it wasn¡¯t such a huge problem.


    "Well, anyway, I usually talk with Gio around 4 a.m., so..."


    "Were you tired?"


    At that, the Black Cloak, Gio, made a gesture as if touching his chin. It seemed like he was imitating human surprise, but since his face was hidden, it felt as if there was no emotion at all, which made Yoo Seong-Woon slightly uncomfortable.


    "I¡¯m sorry for the inconvenience. I thought you liked that time since you came often. If you want, we can reschedule the conversation."


    "No, anyway, even if we move the conversation schedule, it doesn¡¯t change the time I¡¯ll go to bed. It¡¯s just the order of things I need to do at that time."


    "Sorry."


    "Same here..."


    Anyway, it was 7:41 PM now.


    "Did everyone have dinner?"


    "Well, I was in the middle of preparing bulgogi..."


    "That¡¯s how this turned out."


    Though Cha Ah-Ra was an F-rank Hunter, how much experience could she really have? Her face showed that she didn¡¯t even understand why this happened, so Yoo Seong-Woon turned his gaze toward Gio.


    "Before we have a real conversation, Gio."


    "Go ahead."


    "I just want to ease the atmosphere a bit."


    Bluntly speaking, it was a request to "lower the rank," but if he said that, Gio, who considered himself a human, would feel offended.


    Having gained more vigilance through his conversation with Priest Kang Seo-Dam, Yoo Seong-Woon wasn¡¯t planning to do that. He had no intention of treating a god without self-awareness as one.


    But this also seemed to be a perplexing question, and Gio revealed his confusion.


    "I don¡¯t understand what that means."


    "You¡¯re really scary right now, not like a human."


    "I understand."


    Soon after, Gio took off his hood.


    "......"


    "Will this work?"


    Out came Giovanni, with his bright platinum blonde hair and signature gentle smile.


    "My experience says that doing this usually lightens the atmosphere..."


    "That¡¯s right."


    "Is it the color of the cloak that¡¯s the problem?"


    "That might be it."


    Yoo Seong-Woon secretly breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡®...I¡¯m just glad there¡¯s a way to lower his rank like this. I¡¯m lucky that Gio doesn¡¯t mind lowering his rank. If he were a normal god or the child of an origin god, he would have been offended and torn me apart by now...¡¯


    Having a Black Cloak like this, who was so human-friendly, was truly a huge stroke of luck.


    "I¡¯m going to try to explain this phenomenon, is that alright?"


    "Do as you wish."


    "Thanks for understanding."


    Yoo Seong-Woon finally began speaking.


    "I think Cha I-Sol summoned Gio."


    "...I had a feeling, but how is that even possible?"


    "Cha Eun-Hyeok¡¯s concern was valid, and I too didn¡¯t fully understand it, but when I asked Priest Kang Seo-Dam, who has more experience in this aspect, he said it¡¯s something that could happen from time to time."


    Of course, the references to rank and divinity were omitted out of consideration for Gio.


    "It¡¯s extremely rare, but there are mysterious beings that have summoning rituals even if they didn¡¯t intend to. In Gio¡¯s case, the condition for the ritual would have been ¡®draw Gio.¡¯"


    Yoo Seong-Woon turned to look at Gio.


    "From the beginning, Gio, why did you come here? What made you come to know?"


    "I realized that I was drawn. I naturally came to know that it was the Cha I-Sol brothers who drew me. During that time, when they said they wanted to be friends with me..."


    "Did you appear like this?"


    "I¡¯ve been curious about how you¡¯ve been lately. I didn¡¯t even get to say goodbye before leaving the dungeon, and I was worried about the Cha I-Sol brothers. It worked out well, didn¡¯t it? Didn¡¯t you get kidnapped?"


    Giovanni, with his gentle smile, asked.


    "How have the Cha I-Sol brothers been? Are they okay?"


    "Wait, the Black Cloak was Gio...?"


    "Ah."


    Giovanni looked back at Yoo Seong-Woon.


    "......"


    "...If you see me like that, there¡¯s no answer, Black Cloak."


    "I just wanted to protect the child¡¯s innocence in this harsh world."


    "Rather than the fact that Santa isn¡¯t real, I think the innocence will still be preserved."


    Cha I-Sol was shocked.


    "Santa isn¡¯t real?"


    "You two must have really treasured him. I¡¯m sorry for breaking the innocence first."


    "When I meet Santa, I was going to give him a massage...!"


    "Oh, how kind."


    "If you retire, would you mind living at our place?"


    "Such a strong sense of self."


    Anyway, as expected, Cha I-Sol wasn¡¯t too shocked that Gio was the Black Cloak.


    "So why did it happen like that? Does Gio really give gifts to good people?"


    "If they need it, I try to be as considerate and respectful as I can."


    "Why?"


    "I have the time and ability for it, and the people who receive my favor will want those gifts, so there¡¯s no reason not to give them."


    "Wow..."


    Cha Eun-Hyeok thought to himself.


    ¡®With such naivety, I wonder where he¡¯ll end up being sold to.¡¯


    As the eldest son, he had no choice but to stay alert.


    "So, did we do something wrong..."


    "Huh? No, no."


    Yoo Seong-Woon turned to look at Cha I-Sol.


    "Cha I-Sol, you just drew the Black Cloak because it looked cool, right?"


    "Yeah, it¡¯s really famous these days."


    "Really?"


    The collector who made the rumor famous had nothing to say.


    "As long as this ritual wasn¡¯t widely known, it doesn¡¯t matter. Gio, if someone draws you, do you automatically know or get summoned?"


    "I can tell, but summoning... I think it¡¯s just my choice."


    "If that¡¯s the case, it really doesn¡¯t matter. This was such an absurd situation, and there are so many ways it could be misused, so I rushed here."


    Cha I-Sol bowed his head again.


    "Sorry for causing trouble."


    "Don¡¯t worry about it. Apologizing that much makes me feel embarrassed."


    "But..."


    "It¡¯s really fine. Gio probably just wanted to see Cha I-Sol anyway. Though nothing serious happened, you were kidnapped by monsters, so everyone was worried."


    "I¡¯m fine."


    "You seem pretty impressive with such a good mindset. I wonder how big you¡¯ll become with that mindset already... but anyway, everything is fine, and there¡¯s no problem."


    Yoo Seong-Woon was just bewildered.


    "...I hope you don¡¯t spread this summoning method around."


    It would tire a lot of people out.


    And Yoo Seong-Woon would definitely be among them.

 Chapter 86

    The Cha family, who had somehow managed to meet again, unexpectedly seemed peaceful despite being kidnapped by mermaids, even though they hadn¡¯t intended to.


    ¡°If you get scared because of something like that, you can¡¯t [N O V E L I G H T] be a hunter....¡±


    Cha Ara was an F-class, so she thought people were scarier than monsters. Compared to the dog-like people she had met so far, the mermaids were extremely polite.


    ¡°I had fun too. Can you call me next time you see Eunha? I want to be friends with the tall Eunha. I was supposed to be friends with her, but she gave me my partner and then took it away.¡±


    Cha Eunhyuk¡¯s thick nerves are already a famous story.


    ¡°...Yeah, well, after raising these guys....¡±


    Cha Eunhyuk¡¯s indifference when he saw monsters that others couldn¡¯t see was also unusual.


    If his siblings had suffered mental and physical damage due to this incident, Cha Eunhyuk wouldn¡¯t have been this calm. However, since neither of them seemed to have any major problems, there was no need to step forward and waste his energy.


    Yoo Seong-woon accepted the Cha family¡¯s reaction quite normally.


    ¡°That kind of indifference is also an important virtue of modern people.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°The Cha family will survive for a long time. They have good vitality.¡±


    It¡¯s not that they have good vitality, but they seem to have good survival skills. Today, Geo was deeply terrified by the terrifying scene in his home country.


    ¡®These days, it seems that modern people have a virtue of not being scared even when they are kidnapped.¡¯


    Even if there was no direct damage, it was clearly a kidnapping case.


    ¡®What on earth do hunters see and how do they live that they don¡¯t get scared when their beloved younger siblings are kidnapped, and how do they live in modern times that the victimized child calls them friends, and the guardian of the two just says that it¡¯s okay and moves on?¡¯


    31 years ago, there wouldn¡¯t have been such a fuss. I don¡¯t know, but Geo would have been easily grabbed by the collar, and it would have been featured on the news.


    But Geo''s collar was stiff, not to mention intact, and Yoo Seong-woon said that the news hadn''t even come up.


    ''This is a really scary world.''


    I felt like I wanted to feed them five or six meals a day to live bravely in this world, but anyway, the Cha family is all safe.


    To be honest, I really wanted bulgogi, but I thought it would be rude to barge into a cozy family meal without prior notice, so I returned to the portrait in good conscience. Geo praised his own uniqueness.


    "......."


    Taran.


    "Is something omitted?"


    "Muuung."


    "Da-na is cute, so that''s fine."


    The cute Da-na gave him the possibility of an omission.


    "Tsuh-eup."


    "Mang."


    Geo sucked Da-na''s belly. At first, Dana expressed her pure doubts, saying, ¡°Is this crazy?¡± but she soon got used to Geo¡¯s antics and seemed to understand, ¡°Dad is crazy.¡±


    Not long after, Dana was released from Geo and headed straight to the teddy bear.


    ¡°You two are still on good terms.¡±


    ¡°Kuu....¡±


    ¡°You feel like granddaughters.¡±


    ¡°Ku.¡±


    ¡°Yes, father, that¡¯s true.¡±


    A grandfather, a father, and two sons and daughters made up the family tree.


    ¡°Hmm....¡±


    If two mermaid friends were added to this, they would perfectly fill the role of neighbors.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Even though she had told them how to get there, the mermaids still had no intention of visiting Geo¡¯s cabin.


    ¡°We¡¯re next door, kids.¡±


    When did they get excited when they saw the teacher? No, why didn¡¯t they come when they were so close?


    ¡°If they¡¯re neighbors, shouldn¡¯t they come over and visit us on the first day of moving in?¡±


    The warehouse where Geo¡¯s ¡°Breathing Sea¡± was stored was quiet today as well. Geo looked at the wooden stairs where no one came down and looked back at the teddy bear.


    ¡°Do Aria and Isser still need time to think?¡±


    ¡°Kuk-kuk-kuk.¡±


    ¡°It seems like quite some time has passed, but they don¡¯t seem to be thinking about coming over to our house. Since ¡°Breathing Sea¡± and ¡°Deep Sea Country¡± are connected, it should definitely be easy to visit....¡±


    The system told me that the tutorial or something was over. Geo¡¯s ¡°Breathing Sea¡± and the mermaid dungeon ¡°Deep Sea Country¡± were connected, and when I checked, Geo¡¯s drawing was hanging in the temple.


    Even then, I couldn¡¯t see the mermaids.


    ¡°Seeing that makes me suspect that they¡¯re not coming because they¡¯re afraid of getting scolded.¡±


    Geo''s perception of the mermaid siblings was that of a child who didn''t want to get scolded and didn''t come home.


    "You''ve been acting all sullen since I last saw you."


    "Kuruk?"


    Honey briefly wondered, ''Was that really just sullen?'', but soon stopped thinking about it because mealtime was approaching.


    Honey poked Geo''s forehead gently to appeal to her hunger.


    "Kung kung kung...."


    "Are you hungry?"


    "Kuk."


    "Then you should eat."


    Sergio, who inherited his grandmother''s Gangwon-do mountain village spirit, had never seen his baby starve.


    "Hmm."


    Geo looked back at the teddy bear after thinking for a moment.


    "Father, do you like clams?"


    "Ku...?"


    "Well, I guess you''ve never had them."


    "Ku."


    What kind of a big-hearted priest would offer clams as a sacrifice? At that time, clams were not such a precious food ingredient.


    ¡®... There were clams that were sold as famous local specialties, but were they really valuable and rare enough to be offered on the altar?¡¯


    In the first place, the sun god had no appetite before meeting Geo. Even if he ruled over a world where the sun and the sea were close, the probability of him ever tasting clams was zero.


    ¡°Not even giving me a taste of those delicious clams? Isn¡¯t that blasphemy and heresy?¡±


    ¡°...Kkuu....¡±


    ¡°This son cannot tolerate such immorality. I should have offered him the delicacies of the sea a long time ago, but I regret it so much. If you just wait a little, I will treat you to grilled clams and tomato stew, the pride of the Edelland region.¡±


    ¡°Kku.¡±


    ¡°Calm down, I wasn¡¯t excited in the first place.¡±


    Geo packed his bags and headed to the ¡®Breathing Sea¡¯.


    ¡°I still vividly remember where Edlan Village was. And even if I don¡¯t go to that area, the clams I¡¯m looking for are definitely here and there. Just wait a little bit and I¡¯ll dig them up for you.¡±


    Honey followed Geo. Honey, the creature he created, always wanted to be by his parents¡¯ side and remain in a form that suited his taste.


    ¡°Kururururuk.¡±


    ¡°Will you help me?¡±


    ¡°Kur.¡±


    And Geo liked kindness and manners. Honey could help her creator in any way she wanted. Anything that didn¡¯t ruin his cute and lovely appearance.


    And so the clam-hunting expedition was formed.


    A good pig knows how to eat anything delicious, but at the same time, he had to know how to enjoy gourmet food.


    ¡°In that sense, I can be called a true pig.¡±


    ¡°Kuruk.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you too. A pig without stubbornness isn¡¯t a true pig.¡±


    Geo managed to find the Edlan village where he had lived in this ruined world. It was thanks to Honey, who had grown large, carrying Geo and flying.


    ¡°Is this the heart of a hunter who conquers a dungeon?¡±


    It was a little different, but it was fun anyway, so I liked it. I was very proud.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been here.¡±


    ¡°Kuk?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no. Can¡¯t I just say it¡¯s been a while?¡±


    ¡°Kuruk....¡±


    ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter since we¡¯re both me.¡±


    Geo¡¯s hair had already turned platinum blonde.


    ¡°I told you it¡¯s a really sentimental countryside.¡±


    There was no sign of people.


    The beach was shallow and long, and if you go a little further, there was green grass growing. The small houses visible inside revealed white bricks and orange roofs, in keeping with the old tradition of Edelland Village.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Seaweed was growing and fluttering on the corroded windows of the houses that were now submerged in water and no one lived there.


    ¡°...It¡¯s amazing that the village still exists despite the deep sea. If this had happened on Earth, the houses and everything would have been destroyed and ruined.¡±


    ¡°Gurrrrrrr?¡±


    ¡°It feels strange that the space that was real to me has become like a fairy tale. Now, instead of people living in this village, fish and jellyfish are living there.¡±


    It was an eerie and beautiful sight.


    ¡°The light is also dim.¡±


    The teddy bear in Geo¡¯s cabin was, strictly speaking, like the soul of the sun god. The light of its empty body, or perhaps its remains, became even weaker, dimly illuminating the sea.


    ¡°It¡¯s darker than before, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Kururuk.¡±


    ¡°It feels like night has come.¡±


    ¡°Kurur.¡±


    ¡°The stars are out there.¡±


    When he looked up, he saw something twinkling and swaying in the sky, but in the deep sea.


    ¡°It¡¯s like the Milky Way.¡±


    It was a school of jellyfish that emit their own light.


    They had small, round bodies and moved very slowly, forming long lines like rivers.


    Thanks to the halo of light that seemed like it would pour down, which was only found in the middle of a desert where there was no light, he could see ahead even in this dark deep sea.


    The ecstatic emptiness was truly beautiful.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t see them when the sea was bright because my father was there, but there were jellyfish like that. Now that it¡¯s dark, I can see things like this....¡±


    ¡°Kururuk.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Giovanni thought.


    ¡°It would sell well if it was turned into a tourist industry.¡±


    Yes, this priest has not been emotional for a long time. Even after seeing his destroyed hometown, all he can say is business items.


    ¡°Mr. Yoo Seong-woon said that he bought all the tickets to the ¡®Deep Sea Country¡¯ from the collectors. If only the monster problem could be solved, wouldn¡¯t it be quite popular as a tourist attraction? Isn¡¯t the fact that it¡¯s inside the sea where you can breathe amazing?¡±


    ¡°Kung....¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s try adjusting the brightness. If we change the themes for day and night like that, there will be more to see, and since I inherited my qualification as the sun god from my father, I think I can adjust it to that extent... Isn¡¯t it a really good business item?¡±


    Geo¡¯s hair had turned black again.


    ¡°Let¡¯s think about all this when we¡¯re full.¡±


    ¡°Gurrrrrrrrrrrrr.¡±


    Honey agreed enthusiastically.


    ¡°Gurrrrrrrrrrrrr.¡±


    ¡°Gurrrrrrrrr?¡±


    ¡°Where are the clams here?¡±


    Geo looked around.


    It was.


    ¡°It¡¯s definitely all submerged now, so I wonder if it¡¯ll still be there, but judging from the fact that the beach and the village are still in good shape, it seems like it¡¯s okay there.¡±


    ¡°Kk?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s another place where you can dig clams. It¡¯s an underground cave on the eastern side of the village, and I don¡¯t know exactly how it works, but... there¡¯s mud.¡±


    There were a lot of clams there.


    ¡°Clams can live in a variety of places. Some are hidden in the sand, some are hidden in the mud, and some even live in fresh water, not the ocean. The types vary considerably depending on where they live....¡±


    Geo walked toward the underground cave he remembered.


    ¡°By the way, there are no clams on the beach in Edlen Village. It might be because it¡¯s not that wide. So the Edlen people usually caught fish in the sea and sold clams in the cave.¡±


    The cave wasn¡¯t that far away.


    ¡°This is the entrance.¡±


    After lightly brushing away the seaweed that had grown like a bush, a rough rock staircase that seemed to have been carved out of solid rock appeared. It was a dark entrance, but thanks to Honey glowing with warm light, there was no need for a separate light.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go down.¡±


    ¡°Gulp.¡±


    ¡°But....¡±


    Jio looked at Honey.


    ¡°If you want to go down, you should shrink your body size.¡±


    ¡°Kk?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve grown too big.¡±


    Because she brought Jio here and had taken in all the seawater, Honey had swollen bigger than Jio.


    ¡°He¡¯s cute even in this state, but it¡¯ll be hard to dig clams together. As you can see, the entrance to the pupil isn¡¯t that wide, so it¡¯d be better to adjust it, son.¡±


    ¡°Gulp....¡±


    Honey shrank back in understanding. Geo, who couldn¡¯t swim, almost floated away because of the water pressure from the receding seawater. Honey¡¯s father was relatively light even in the water.


    The path leading down to the underground was neither very wide nor very narrow. The path was long enough for an adult male to pass through with some room to spare.


    ¡°See the holes in the wall here? They used to put lights in there to light the way. Oh, I see it. I didn¡¯t know the remains of the lights were still there.¡±


    ¡°Crunch, crunch.¡±


    ¡°...Is a piece of mossy glass a prop that suits your taste? Well, the sharp edges have become blunt over time, so a round piece of glass like this shouldn¡¯t be dangerous.¡±


    Geo, who was watching Honey stealthily pick up a piece of glass, had already arrived at the underground cavern.


    ¡°.......¡±


    The endlessly high ceiling, and the seawater that rose to the very tip.


    ¡°...That¡¯s not it.¡±


    He stuck his tongue out.


    ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s not salty.¡±


    ¡°Kung-kung?¡±


    ¡°Freshwater.¡±


    Geo nodded.


    ¡°This is close to a spring where freshwater flows out.¡±


    People along the coast always had difficulty obtaining water, but this was not the case in Edelland Village. This was because they could use the endless freshwater that gushed out from this wide cavity.


    ¡°Perhaps the seawater was purified by some process and filled the cavity as drinkable water. It was the pride of this village because it was clean water without limestone.¡±


    Geo stepped on the bottom of the cavity.


    ¡°This is mud.¡±


    The freshwater in this cavity, which had high and low tides, came and went like seawater, creating this pure white mud. The clams hidden in between were delicious and high quality, and became a specialty of Edlan Village.


    ¡°And I often brought mermaids here too....¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°...We enjoyed a lively clam hunt together.¡±


    Gio, who still had black hair, took in the child in the center of his pupil.


    ¡°Aria.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    It was still Sergio¡¯s form, but soon Giovanni¡¯s smile faintly appeared on his face and disappeared.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡±


    A mermaid in the form of a child.


    It was a long time ago, a time Giovanni remembered.


    A painter drawing dungeons

 Chapter 87

    ¡°I¡¯m imitating like this.¡±


    Aria continued with her childish, bright, and slightly faded voice.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you even imitating?¡±


    ¡°Just because I have black hair, I¡¯m not Gio?¡±


    ¡°Well....¡±


    Aria looked at the other person.


    He wasn¡¯t wearing the golden priest¡¯s robes that symbolized the sun, nor was he wearing a white cape that represented the priests of light, but a man wearing a black cloak.


    Unlike what she remembered, he had jet-black hair and a gloomy face without a single smile.


    He was so creepy that he couldn¡¯t be human.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Even so, she couldn¡¯t say that he wasn¡¯t ¡®Giovanni.¡¯


    ¡°...I still don¡¯t quite understand.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    ¡°Is this what reincarnation is?¡±


    How strange.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯ve never seen such cases before, but they seem different. They don¡¯t seem to have simply been deified by the sun god.¡±


    How should I explain the Geo in front of me?


    ¡°The Earthlings say that when they see you, they call you ¡®Black Cloak¡¯?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the name you received.¡±


    ¡°Is that your current identity?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just one of my names.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Giovanni.¡±


    The young mermaid moved her bare feet toward him.


    ¡°You were originally... a portrait?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m human.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    After a long time, Aria answered.


    ¡°...That could be true.¡±


    Even Aria, who was rich in knowledge, couldn¡¯t properly define the Black Cloak in front of her. He looked like a painting, felt like a god, or seemed truly human.


    ¡°How did you come to this town?¡±


    ¡°I came to dig for clams.¡±


    ¡°Well, yes, you liked to eat so much, I understand.¡±


    ¡°I also remember that Aria liked my cooking.¡±


    ¡°Then will you invite me to your dinner?¡±


    ¡°If you help me dig for clams.¡±


    ¡°...Anyway, you¡¯re a worthless human being...¡±


    Aria dragged her white gown that was too big for her and walked around the mud. The gown, which had been magically treated, didn¡¯t get dirty easily.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    She had often spent time like this before.


    ¡°It reminds me of the old days.¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°Just, this and that... trivial things.¡±


    Giovanni often brought mermaids who were curious about humans to places like this. Or even places like the beach where fishermen gathered, the market bustling with people trying to buy things, or the bank where you could deposit money.


    As I dug through with my bare feet, the pure white mud, different from that of Earth, slowly turned over.


    ¡°What are you going to eat?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to try grilled clams and Edlan stew.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re making something delicious. Are you thinking of putting clams in the stew too?¡±


    ¡°That would be fine too. Since there¡¯s meat, you can put that in too.¡±


    ¡°Hmm....¡±


    Geo was a great cook.


    ¡°Now that you mention it, you must have been a noble, so why did you enjoy cooking so much?¡±


    ¡°When you were young, you didn¡¯t even ask, so {N?o?v?e?l?i?g?h?t} what changed your mind?¡±


    ¡°I thought it was wise back then. Human lives are so short and complicated, I thought if I poked you without thinking, blood would come out.¡±


    ¡°Now?¡±


    ¡°I know now that you¡¯re not the type of person who would bleed if you stabbed me.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Geo with his pitch-black eyes approached and folded Aria¡¯s sleeve. The gown, which fit the body of an adult male, had to be folded several times to reveal her hand. It was the hand of a small, delicate child.


    ¡°The reason I enjoyed cooking even though I was a noble was simply because I wanted to eat delicious food.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not a great reason. But I can eat delicious food whenever I have someone else do it for me.¡±


    ¡°I wanted to see for myself what ingredients were used and what kind of food was made.¡±


    Geo lightly swung the honey on his shoulder, and it flew to just below the ceiling of his pupil, brightly illuminating the underground. The originally white mud was much clearer, almost dazzling.


    ¡°I wanted to develop myself further.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a very natural answer for you.¡±


    ¡°Where is Isser?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s hiding in the temple.¡±


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you coming with me?¡±


    ¡°We need someone to guard the house.¡±


    ¡°Who would turn that ominous house into a house....¡±


    ¡°Like a black cloak.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Geo felt a little wronged. Geo raised one eyebrow and asked.


    ¡°Are you scared of me, Aria?¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you be scared?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°The dark and gloomy atmosphere is even oppressive.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been oppressive.¡±


    ¡°I guess I am now.¡±


    ¡°I feel wronged.¡±


    ¡°Well, on top of that....¡±


    Aria said, looking up with her shrunken body.


    ¡°...I couldn¡¯t easily go see you because I was worried about what kind of face I should make.¡±


    ¡°Well, we started fighting as soon as we met.¡±


    She didn¡¯t have time to feel the emotion of reunion or anything.


    ¡°From my perspective, it was similar to the feeling that my nephews, whom I raised like my own children, had committed mass murder in Korea while I was traveling abroad for several years, and even kidnapped a child.¡±


    ¡°If we¡¯re going to be that specific, it was similar to my beloved teacher who I thought was dead being reincarnated into a black lump of a monster that wasn¡¯t even human. He even had the divinity of the annoying sun god, so I wondered who was trying to make us mad.¡±


    Gio nodded at those words.


    ¡°I guess I was more shocked.¡±


    ¡°I missed that shamelessness.¡±


    The mermaid chuckled.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you angry?¡±


    ¡°Should I be angry?¡±


    ¡°At least what we¡¯ve done so far, Giovanni, wasn¡¯t something you liked.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s necessary to be angry and take responsibility for the changes in the children I raised, who are already dead.¡±


    ¡°This is quite cruel....¡±


    ¡°At that banquet, I took out all my anger.¡±


    With his jet-black hair and numb eyes, Geo continued.


    ¡°Giovanni, who died a long time ago, has no duty or right to question the rest.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    The mermaid then said.


    ¡°Then that¡¯s fine.¡±


    Aria was no longer curious.


    ¡°Because you said we had a lot of time.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it.¡±


    More than anything, Geo didn¡¯t think too deeply. Geo wasn¡¯t the type to be scared because his beloved mermaid disciples had grown into crazy mermaids.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a good habit to think when there¡¯s food right in front of you.¡±


    ¡°I guess that¡¯s because you¡¯re weird, Geo. Why do you like food so much?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you like food so much?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t live just by eating.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t live without eating.¡±


    ¡°...Okay, if you¡¯re happy, that¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°You give up easier than I thought.¡±


    It was unexpected.


    ¡°You used to try so hard to win.¡±


    ¡°Now that you¡¯re an adult.¡±


    ¡°For that, I think you cried at dinner.¡±


    ¡°...Do you remember who made you cry?¡±


    ¡°Do you remember who made you angry?¡±


    ¡°...Oh....¡±


    ¡°I won again this time.¡±


    ¡°...You¡¯re so shameless....¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my charm.¡±


    Geo looked at the mermaid who had shrunk so much that he had to bend down for a long time to meet her gaze.


    ¡°Can you dig clams with that body?¡±


    ¡°I used to come digging often when I was this small, so what are you talking about now?¡±


    ¡°I was asking if you didn¡¯t feel awkward about your body getting smaller.¡±


    ¡°That level of imitation is easy now.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    After a while, he asked.


    ¡°Those clothes are mine, right?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    The mermaid answered immediately.


    ¡°This doctor¡¯s gown?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s mine now.¡±


    ¡°I was planning on giving it to you, so it¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    After quite a while, the mermaid asked calmly.


    ¡°Did you?¡±


    ¡°Did you think I stole it?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°I guess you did, since there¡¯s no answer.¡±


    That was true. Aria couldn¡¯t deny Geo¡¯s words.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were going to give it to me.¡±


    ¡°I was going to give the doctor¡¯s gown to you, Aria, and my priest¡¯s robe to Isser.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, your priest¡¯s robe was torn. By the authors of the Sun Church.¡±


    ¡°I thought so. Fortunately, the doctor¡¯s robe went to my master.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really unexpected.¡±


    Aria continued to laugh.


    ¡°Because we, the mermaids, ruined your life as a human.¡±


    ¡°All the tragedies back then were more like the humans ruining themselves.¡±


    Giovanni could have easily refused to help the mermaids. The humans could have had a huge emotional fight with the mermaids, with no right answer. There was a time when humans and mermaids could have lived together in this world.


    ¡°Aria, you never took anything from me.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think so?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all I gave you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still so affectionate.¡±


    ¡°Did you wish it hadn¡¯t been like that?¡±


    ¡°Maybe so.¡±


    ¡°But unfortunately....¡±


    Geo was Geo after all.


    ¡°I don¡¯t change easily.¡±


    It could have been because I¡¯m the type of person who doesn¡¯t think deeply.


    ¡°In that sense, should I go dig for clams again?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re good at breaking emotions.¡±


    ¡°I have to prepare dinner before it gets too late....¡±


    ¡°Huh.¡±


    The mermaid grumbled as she fixed her gown, which kept falling down even though Geo had folded up her sleeves.


    ¡°I thought you came to talk to me, but you¡¯re just a glutton.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good to do both.¡±


    ¡°You really just go with the flow, Giovanni.¡±


    ¡°I guess you still don¡¯t know that life is the most enjoyable when you live it roughly.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    After a while, the mermaid asked.


    ¡°...Are you happy now?¡±


    The answer wasn¡¯t difficult.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always been like that.¡±


    ¡°...Why?¡±


    ¡°Because I always did my best.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°So now, clam....¡±


    ¡°Oh, please.¡±


    Although she was annoyed, Aria faithfully participated in the clam expedition.


    ¡°We¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°Kuu....¡±


    The teddy bear saw the four creatures carrying a basketful of clams.


    ¡°Ku?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Aria and Isser caught them too....¡±


    ¡°Ku.¡±


    ¡°I brought them.¡±


    After not hearing from them for a while because they were digging clams, Isser also came to Edlan Village to find out what was going on.


    And he found his sister, crouching down and digging for clams, wearing a dress. Geo realized for the first time that her already pale face could turn so pale. That¡¯s how Isser was forced to join the clam digging team.


    Isser looked at the sun god wearing a teddy bear mask with a subtle expression.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Kuuu.¡±


    ¡°...You¡¯ve gotten much cuter since I last saw you....¡±


    ¡°Kuku.¡±


    ¡°Are you laughing?¡±


    Seriously?


    ¡®What am I looking at?¡¯


    Isser, who was holding a bowl of clams in his arms, was already confused.


    The sight of Aria, of all people, digging for clams with her hands covered in mud was confusing, and Isser¡¯s own situation, where he was naturally dragged along and ended up digging clams together and dragged to the hut, was also confusing.


    ¡°Why is the sun god here...? I felt that the sun¡¯s presence had disappeared, but this is.¡±


    ¡°But he¡¯s your grandfather, so don¡¯t be like that. It¡¯s not good to show discomfort to an elderly person who is just sitting there quietly.¡±


    ¡°No, no, ah.¡±


    Isser was speechless, but the situation wasn¡¯t much different for his sister Aria.


    ¡°Teddy bear?¡±


    ¡°Ku.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Kukukuku....¡±


    ¡°Are you laughing?¡±


    In the midst of the calm chaos, Honey walked along the floor and approached the teddy bear. Then she spat out all kinds of shells, big and small.


    ¡°Kuk.¡±


    ¡°Kuu.¡±


    ¡°Kururur!¡±


    ¡°Kukuku....¡±


    The teddy bear laughed and clapped its hands like an old man watching his grandson¡¯s tricks. When Honey proudly stuck out her chest, Dana, who was watching, stood next to her and took the same pose. The sun god was very happy.


    ¡°Stunning things.¡±


    Geo also liked it.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Geo called the mermaids who were speechless.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go clean the clams, kids.¡±


    ¡°...Are you a father?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m already a father of two. It¡¯s a bit too much.¡±


    ¡°Then, uncle.¡±


    ¡°So, should I give my nephew some pocket money?¡±


    ¡°Is it fun?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fun.¡±


    ¡°Oh....¡±


    With that exclamation like water, Aria became a stone of oblivion, and Isser, who had almost dropped the clam basket without realizing it, fixed it and turned his gaze to Geo.


    ¡°Teacher.¡±


    ¡°Yes, please tell me.¡±


    ¡°Do you have any plans to destroy the Earth...?¡±


    ¡°Why are you suddenly asking such a terrible question?¡±


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s the members.¡±


    ¡°......?¡±


    Geo looked around.


    ¡°.......¡±


    He couldn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°There¡¯s only one teddy bear, one bird, and one cat. What¡¯s wrong with this cute and harmless composition?¡±


    ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s how you treat it... I understand.¡±


    ¡°It seems like you couldn¡¯t do it.¡±


    The family was quite noisy even before they cleaned the clams.


    The Painter Who Painted Dungeon

 Chapter 89

    "Sunlight conch, black tray clam, and club snail."


    These three were the signature specialties of Edron Village.


    "The club snail requires desalting..."


    "If you eat it as is, you''ll end up chewing mud."


    "That''s right. Iser, could you help?"


    "Yes, of course."


    Iser skillfully picked up the basket filled with only the club snails and began the desalting process. It had been quite a while since he had done this, so he fumbled a little, but his hands quickly found their rhythm, and the work continued smoothly.


    "Even on Earth, we do similar work."


    "Ah... is that so?"


    "There''s a bit of a difference, though."


    These signature specialties required desalting in Edron Village''s fresh water, otherwise, the clams wouldn''t expel the mud. The method differed slightly from Earth''s desalting technique, where salt was added to the water to maintain its salinity, as clams would simply wilt with water from other regions.


    Iser nodded as if surprised.


    "Even though it''s not water from that region, it expels the mud."


    "That''s right. As long as the salinity is adjusted, it seems to do it willingly."


    "Perhaps the clams here have a weaker sense of self than those from Edron."


    "Let''s not give a sense of self to clams that are about to be eaten."


    The large basin filled with club snails was soon covered with a black cloth.


    "Now, we just need to leave them until the stew is ready."


    The club snail, a pride of Edron Village, was famous for its quick desalting process.


    Due to its body being more like flesh than internal organs, the mud it had swallowed didn''t take long to expel. They only had to wait for at least 30 minutes, or at most an hour, for the process to complete.


    "It would be better to change the water midway..."


    "I¡¯ll take care of that. Would once every ten minutes work?"


    "Mm, yes, that should be fine. Thank you."


    Though changing the water every ten minutes might be a little excessive, there was no harm in being thorough.


    ¡®Nothing angers me more than when sand gets stuck in my teeth while eating.¡¯


    Wasn''t Gio a self-proclaimed food connoisseur and glutton? He was a firm believer in preparing food with no distractions, insisting that any meal that caused discomfort was unworthy of being called a dish.


    "Now, for the stew..."


    Simply put, the stew was a Western-style soup.


    "You just put anything in and see what happens."


    "I know the recipe, but..."


    "So, did you make it yourself?"


    "......"


    "Listen quietly to my lesson."


    Sometimes people asked about the difference between stew and soup. The main difference was that the protagonist of stew was its solid ingredients, while the protagonist of soup was the liquid itself. In short, stew was a dish where liquid was added to cook the ingredients.


    "Would you like to follow me?"


    "Eh? Where to...?"


    "To the garden."


    So, Iser followed Gio to his garden.


    "Tada."


    "...A garden?"


    "Yes, what''s wrong?"


    "Well, a garden..."


    "It''s a garden."


    "...Alright."


    Iser nodded in understanding.


    "You never seem to do anything normally when it comes to farming."


    "What did you say?"


    "You''re the smiling tyrant of the sea village, after all..."


    "Tyrant?"


    "I didn¡¯t say anything. What did you hear?"


    "Now you even know how to talk back. How impressive."


    Iser was finally convinced.


    "Look, there''s a cherry tomato in there..."


    "All I see is a pumpkin trying to mimic a tomato."


    "Your eyesight must have gotten worse. Don¡¯t be complacent just because you¡¯re a mermaid. Get your glasses adjusted."


    "I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s a problem with my eyesight."


    Unable to hold back, Iser asked.


    "Why exactly is this a garden?"


    "It¡¯s small and quaint, so it¡¯s a garden."


    "The size of the crops {N?o?v?e?l?i?g?h?t} makes it look small, but none of them are quaint."


    "I¡¯d appreciate it if you could be careful with your words, as our Elizabeth the 32nd might be hurt by them."


    "Who is Elizabeth the 32nd..."


    Crrr¡ª.


    At Gio''s words, a tomato leaf the size of a pumpkin rustled, almost as if it was making a fist, causing Iser to lose his smile.


    "...You¡¯re going to eat this?"


    Realizing the gravity of the situation, he became as serious as when he was watching his sister¡¯s research process.


    "This?"


    "The kids may be a bit too individualistic, but they¡¯re all self-sacrificing and good children."


    "They won''t get stuck in their throats and choke while eating, I suppose."


    "They¡¯re not that rebellious. They¡¯re actually very tame."


    "That..."


    Iser nodded.


    "I understand."


    "Did you get it?"


    "Maybe..."


    "Then follow me."


    "If I die, the sea would be the best place."


    "Stop saying strange things."


    As Gio spoke, he greeted the crops in his garden, which had become familiar through their conversations, and approached his target. The tomatoes, glowing with a vibrant red, looked ripe, but their stems were still firmly attached.


    "I¡¯ll bring the cherry tomatoes aboard the basket~"


    At Gio''s words, some tomatoes, hanging on their stems, wobbled slightly, expressing their intention. Gio held the basket beneath them, and soon, a small watermelon-sized tomato landed in it with a thud.


    "......"


    "Wow, done. That was easy, huh?"


    "...Yes."


    In no time, Gio had harvested a whole basket of tomatoes.


    "Personally, I like tomato stew the best. It might be because it¡¯s what I always ate in Edron Village, but it¡¯s much gentler on the stomach than cream stew."


    "Ah... right, you always liked it because it didn¡¯t upset your stomach even when you ate a lot."


    Iser, with a smile reminiscent of Giovanni, continued.


    "You also said it was the best food to cook in bulk and eat for a long time."


    "You remember all that?"


    "How could I forget about you, teacher?"


    "I didn¡¯t realize I was such an easy person to read, but I¡¯ll improve."


    "Please don¡¯t... How much more are you planning to improve here..."


    "No one can stop me."


    "Please, let me stop you."


    "Even when I was just a normal priest, you couldn¡¯t stop me."


    "Teacher."


    "Now, it¡¯s only going to get worse."


    Even though he was a teacher, Gio didn¡¯t want to become a human who was slower to develop than his mermaid students. He was a bold adult who didn¡¯t set limits for himself.


    "Tomato stew is especially good with bacon or ham, which have a bit of a strong flavor. It also pairs well with hard, dried meat that¡¯s hard to eat raw, and since you can add a variety of vegetables, it¡¯s easy to season as well..."


    Gio briefly looked at the tomatoes in the basket under the sunlight.


    "Definitely different from Earth or Edron Village¡¯s tomatoes."


    "...I¡¯m asking again, but are those tomatoes? They look very different from the ones I know from Edron or Earth..."


    "I planted seeds from Earth, so they should be tomatoes."


    The cherry tomatoes grown by Gio¡ªor perhaps grown by themselves¡ªwere slightly different from Earth¡¯s. They were large, about the size of a small watermelon, and shaped like small plum tomatoes, translucent enough for light to pass through. Their flavor was a balance of freshness and sweetness.


    "I don¡¯t really like sweet stews."


    "Neither do I."


    "But we¡¯ll have to make do with what we have, so I¡¯ll resolve it with other ingredients."


    "Ah, maybe adding more salt?"


    "We already have sausages that are salty and full of flavor. For now, we¡¯ll use that, and... hmm, what else could we add..."


    Gio blurted out the thought that had suddenly come to mind.


    "It¡¯d be fun to make bacon."


    "Your homemade bacon is excellent."


    Iser nodded.


    "The village people used to flock around, expecting a piece each."


    "That¡¯s me. The genius priest of the sun who can do anything."


    "Even after receiving the grace of such a person, all we¡¯ve learned is how to do wicked things..."


    "Calm down while eating tomatoes."


    Perhaps because of the healthy self-awareness of the cherry tomatoes earlier, Iser hesitated a bit, but soon took a bite of the flesh.


    "Wow..."


    "Tastes good, right?"


    "I¡¯ve never had such delicious tomatoes before."


    "I¡¯m quite good at farming."


    The tomato had a firm, slightly jelly-like texture, and its flesh crumbled in a way typical of tomatoes, but it also had a refreshing citrus-like tang, balanced by a subtle sweetness that followed.


    "It¡¯s actually soft and slime-like when touched."


    "It¡¯s not exactly slime, is it?"


    "The texture is interesting."


    Iser, who had briefly been disgusted, seemed to truly like the tomato. After all, after so many years of seeing strange things, it would be hard for him to actually dislike a moving tomato.


    "So, what else should we harvest? I think it''s strange to call this place a garden and use the word ''harvest,'' but anyhow..."


    "I¡¯m planning to add a variety of things."


    As expected, stew was about mixing everything together.


    "Carrots are a very safe choice. Their mild sweetness and faintly bitter taste go really well with tomatoes."


    "How about potatoes? I really liked the stew you made with potatoes in it, where the starch from the potatoes made it a bit thick. I still remember it."


    "Then let¡¯s add potatoes. The starch that naturally comes out of the ingredients isn¡¯t too sticky or slippery, but it has a sweet flavor like broth, so it¡¯s excellent."


    "When it¡¯s cooked tenderly, the potatoes absorb the tomato stew broth and break apart smoothly. It¡¯s best to add potatoes, teacher."


    With the basket of tomatoes in hand, Iser smiled faintly.


    "Cabbage wouldn¡¯t be a bad choice either. When cabbage is cooked in hot broth, it¡¯s crunchy yet soft, and the texture is really good."


    "Really good, right? When the warm cabbage juice fills your mouth, it¡¯s absolutely heavenly in the winter. If you cook it until it¡¯s completely soft and squish it with your tongue, that¡¯s fun too..."


    "......"


    In this everyday, simple conversation, Iser couldn¡¯t help but recall memories of the past.


    "...It feels like we¡¯ve come to the market."


    "I think it¡¯s quite similar."


    "I see..."


    He wondered if he was dreaming.


    It was empty and frightening.


    The Artist Who Paints Dungeon.

 Chapter 90

    When the harvest was all done.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go clean it now.¡±


    ¡°Teacher, this is a bit...¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have time.¡±


    Geo and Isser headed to the stream with the harvested crops.


    ¡°It¡¯s convenient that there¡¯s a stream right in front of the house, right?¡±


    ¡°Oh, fresh water... right?¡±


    ¡°There can¡¯t be sea water in the middle of a forest like this.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but I feel like common sense doesn¡¯t work here.¡±


    ¡°This is common sense.¡±


    They washed the crops covered in dirt.


    A basket of tomatoes, which would be the main ingredient, as well as six onions, potatoes, and sweet potatoes with firm seeds, a head of cabbage, ten peas, a small pumpkin, and three carrots.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    The large seeds gathered together to form a small hill.


    ¡°...Was it a bit much?¡±


    ¡°I was going to tell you that this wasn¡¯t quite right.¡±


    ¡°I enjoyed it too.¡±


    ¡°That... That¡¯s right.¡±


    Because he had been thinking about the past, Yser realized after a long time that something was wrong with the situation.


    And when he realized it, the hill was already being completed. It was too late to regret.


    Yser laughed awkwardly.


    ¡°If this continues, three large pots will be enough.¡±


    ¡°Even if I joke, it¡¯ll only be one pot at most.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°...It seems like it¡¯ll increase a bit as you make it....¡±


    Since Geoda enjoyed cooking by roughly throwing in various ingredients based on feeling rather than measuring the exact amount of ingredients, the amount often increased absurdly during the cooking process.


    Aria would say, ¡®The stew is multiplying¡¯ while watching it.


    ¡°...Hmm....¡±


    Geo was confident.


    ¡°Once you make it, you can eat it over and over again or share it with your neighbors.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but where is your neighbor? Beyond this forest?¡±


    ¡°Isser¡¯s ¡®Deep Sea Temple¡¯ can also be considered my neighbor.¡±


    ¡°Your neighbors are really wide. I¡¯m amazed at your inclusiveness.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t see it now, but sometimes you¡¯ll have neighbors if you go in front of the picture frame.¡±


    ¡°Oh, like that....¡±


    Isser nodded and froze for a moment.


    ¡°...You shared it with humans?¡±


    ¡°No?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t say no, but with those weak humans who melt in seawater?¡±


    ¡°What could be the problem?¡±


    ¡°That is....¡±


    Isser hesitated and said.


    ¡°...I think humans deserve such a gift.¡±


    ¡°Do humans not deserve to share my cooking?¡±


    ¡°It may sound strange to say that, but isn¡¯t it so?¡±


    ¡°You said that people shouldn¡¯t discriminate against each other based on what they eat, Isser.¡±


    ¡°...Of course, that¡¯s true, but...¡±


    Isser bit his lips as he spoke.


    ¡®...There¡¯s no way that food made by a god could be an ordinary gift to humans.¡¯


    Isser still didn¡¯t know exactly what kind of being Geo was. However, he was the second sun god who inherited the divinity of the sun god, and even aside from that trait, he was a being of a distant class whose foundation seemed to be ¡®portrait.¡¯


    ¡®Can such a being cook ordinary food?¡¯


    Most people would call such things holy relics.


    Especially if it wasn¡¯t an ordinary object that could be simply admired or touched, but food that could be consumed... Humans used to call it the selection of the gods. It was creating saints and saintesses.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Isser?¡±


    ¡°...Well, it¡¯s in the form of tomato stew, so it¡¯s hard to say.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s stew, what else is there?¡±


    ¡°No, anyway, it¡¯s food. What you said is true.¡±


    Since his days as a human, Giovanni has often done things that go beyond common sense and limitations. It wouldn¡¯t be so strange if he were to spread tomato stew, which was almost like a sacred relic, on Earthlings now.


    ¡°But I still feel jealous. It¡¯s twisted for humans to receive such favor from you, teacher.¡±


    ¡°Is it really twisted for me to share a dish?¡±


    Giovanni shrugged.


    ¡°This kind of thing happened often when I lived in Edlan Village.¡±


    ¡°The wicked people who ate that delicious dish and ended up betraying me....¡±


    ¡°Eat another tomato.¡±


    As a mermaid who couldn¡¯t help but be a big eater due to her physical structure, Isser didn¡¯t refuse the food Geo gave her. It was a really delicious tomato.


    ¡°But I think the quantity will increase.¡±


    ¡°If there¡¯s anything left after sharing, shouldn¡¯t you guys take care of it?¡±


    ¡°Why... why should we take care of it, that?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Geo looked at Isser carefully.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°...Over there....¡±


    ¡°As expected, you¡¯re too skinny.¡±


    ¡°Teacher, most mermaids are like this.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re so skinny, I don¡¯t like it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not so skinny.¡±


    Giovanni had never seen a person starving before, but for some reason, his big hands seemed to have grown even bigger since he hadn¡¯t seen them before. Isser thought of Giovanni smiling faintly, saying, ¡°I wish everyone would turn into pigs.¡±


    ¡®How can people not change this much? No, it seems to have gotten worse... .¡¯


    With that Isser, Geo started his next task.


    ¡°Now we have to cut it. Isser, if it¡¯s okay, would you please check the condition of the club or the trumpet?¡±


    ¡°...Oh, yes. I¡¯ll change the water once and then go to the kitchen.¡±


    ¡°Please come slowly.¡±


    Geo carried a mountain of vegetables and entered the hut.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Oh, Aria. Have you been resting well?¡±


    ¡°...What on earth are you planning to make? Are you planning to donate stew for the poor?¡±


    ¡°No, we¡¯re going to eat it.¡±


    ¡°Geo, I always tell you that we are a species that cannot become pigs. Mermaids¡¯ bodies don¡¯t change easily. Even my research is difficult.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be so bound by your own limitations.¡±


    Geo, who had encouraged his former student who had suddenly returned to adulthood, placed all the vegetables on the kitchen table. The amount of ingredients was so much that the rumbling sound, not a thud, echoed throughout the cabin.


    Dana, who was being pampered by the teddy bear, jumped up onto the table.


    ¡°Ryujonjon?¡±


    ¡°Are you going to eat it now? It¡¯s not cooked yet, so I wonder if it¡¯ll be okay.¡±


    ¡°Ryujonjonjonjonjonjjeom?¡±


    ¡°Oh, wait a minute.¡±


    ¡°Muung.¡±


    Dana ran away with a sweet potato in her mouth.


    ¡°...Your sense of purpose is clear, my daughter. You¡¯ll become a great hunter when you grow up.¡±


    Soon after, Honey flew over and sat on her shoulder.


    ¡°Gurururuk?¡±


    ¡°Are you here to steal the ingredients too?¡±


    ¡°Kung.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s better to eat something cooked.¡±


    Geo nodded once and started preparing the ingredients.


    ¡°First, I think it would be good to fry the onions.¡±


    The method of making stew varied from household to household. Some houses fry the meat for the stew first, while others start with the onions to add flavor.


    Some places also simmer the tomatoes first to give it a rich flavor, but Geo preferred to fry the onions in butter first.


    ¡°That way, the flavor of the onions really comes out.¡±


    ¡°Crunch?¡±


    ¡°Meat? If you fry the meat [N O V E L I G H T] first, the broth will stick to the bottom of the pot and the broth will taste even better, but I thought it would be similar if you put it in after it¡¯s been charred in another pan anyway... I put the onions first.¡±


    Especially in the case of stainless steel pots, there were times when the bottom burned first, even though it wasn¡¯t in a satisfactory condition. Geo, who wasn¡¯t a professional cook, often made mistakes.


    ¡°The combination of onions and butter is definitely the most stable.¡±


    The same goes for tomatoes.


    ¡°Even if you don¡¯t simmer the tomatoes first, the moisture evaporates while boiling, and since you¡¯ll be putting the tomatoes in after the onions, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s much of a difference.¡±


    ¡°Kururuk, gururuk.¡±


    ¡°Ah, of course, if you want the flavor of roasted tomatoes, it would be more reasonable to put that in first. But if you make tomato paste in advance, you can always put it in later.¡±


    ¡°Kururuk?¡±


    ¡°...I don¡¯t have any paste made right now.¡±


    Tomato paste, simply put, was a sauce with a very strong tomato flavor. It was like making a thick and thick paste to suit the taste of a typical household and diluting it later.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Geo nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯ve made a lot.¡±


    ¡°Kuk.¡±


    ¡°When you make things like paste, you feel like your heart¡¯s storage is full.¡±


    Pickles and sauces were a blessing in disguise. If you make them well once, you¡¯ll have plenty for a year.


    It¡¯s okay to cut the onions small to just add flavor, but it¡¯s also good to cut them a little bigger to help with the texture. The onions that were well-cooked in the stew had a fun, soft, crumbly texture.


    Jeo cut the onions into appropriate sizes and melted the butter in a large pot.


    ¡°The more butter you put in, the better.¡±


    ¡°Kk?¡±


    ¡°Should I call it a pig¡¯s genitals?¡±


    The rule of stew is that the more butter you put in, the more meat you put in, the tastier it becomes. Even people who like it because it¡¯s healthy say that it tastes better when you put in bad things.


    ¡°And put all the onions in....¡±


    Isser, who came back after changing the water, asked.


    ¡°Are you thinking of making onion soup?¡±


    ¡°Onion soup is good, but tomato stew is the main character today.¡±


    ¡°Aha....¡±


    ¡°Stir it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Geo left the pot to Isser and told him to stir the onions so they don¡¯t burn and turn a nice brown color, and continued preparing the ingredients. Next, of course, was the tomato.


    ¡®It¡¯s definitely more squishy than Earth¡¯s tomatoes.¡¯


    It felt like a jelly with elasticity, or maybe pudding. When I pressed the blade hard, it felt like cutting a large jelly, and then slowly and steadily split, which made me anticipate its sticky texture.


    ¡°The chopped tomatoes are going in.¡±


    ¡°I think the pot is already overflowing.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s add one more, pot.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll eventually multiply to three....¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll end it at two.¡±


    ¡°Please.¡±


    Isser didn¡¯t say anything else and just added another pot.


    ¡°I trust you.¡±


    ¡°I will repay your trust.¡±


    ¡°I hope it doesn¡¯t overflow.¡±


    When Geo made a short sign of the sun and prayed, the teddy bear that was playing with Danah in the living room flinched. Naturally ignoring the sight, Geo continued to work.


    He peeled the potatoes and cut them into bite-sized pieces. He cut half of the sweet potatoes he had pulled out into long sticks and washed the other half well and placed them on a colander.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to roast these sweet potatoes over a campfire later, okay?¡±


    ¡°Kururururururur.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re such a great pig, you¡¯re worthy of being my son.¡±


    Geo nodded with a noble smile worthy of the highest priest and continued to work.


    After peeling the cabbage, he peeled off the outermost leaves and used the core. Turn the cabbage over and stab the root with a knife in a circular motion from the center, and the core will come out.


    ¡°If you roughly cut the cabbage with the core out into quarters, the size will be fine.¡±


    Then peas.


    ¡°Sweet potatoes and peas are not commonly used on Earth, but Edlan stew is characterized by a variety of vegetables. The tomatoes used this time are especially sweet, so it would be okay to add soft ingredients like these.¡±


    When you add beans to the stew, the taste of the broth and the chewy texture is good. Above all, peas are a crop that gives off a refreshing sweetness and rich savory flavor when cooked.


    Sergio especially liked peas among beans.


    ¡°And pumpkins.¡±


    ¡°Crunch.¡±


    ¡°This one is different from the ones on Earth.¡±


    The pumpkins he harvested were old pumpkins with low saturation and a yellowish color commonly known on Earth, but they were as small as sweet pumpkins. They might not be very sweet, but they would add the unique soft flavor and texture of pumpkin.


    ¡°If you wander around this forest, you might find a beehive.¡±


    ¡°What are you going to make, sir?¡±


    ¡°The pumpkin from the garden isn¡¯t that sweet, but it¡¯s soft and savory. If you steam it well and put honey and butter on top, it¡¯ll be very delicious.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good, butter on honey....¡±


    ¡°If you sprinkle a little salt, the flavor will be much deeper.¡±


    After answering Isser, Geo started to prepare the pumpkin.


    He dug out the seeds and peeled the pumpkin, and cut it into appropriately sized pieces. It might be an unfamiliar combination to Earthlings, but surprisingly, the pumpkin soaked in tomato-based broth tasted quite good.


    ¡°I peeled and cut the carrots too....¡±


    He finished preparing the vegetables.


    ¡°Next, clams and sausages.¡±


    ¡°The clubs and trumpets were still spitting out some mud.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really?¡±


    ¡°But I think I¡¯ll be able to finish the sunburn in about 20 minutes.¡±


    ¡°Then shall we start by cleaning the sausages and other shellfish?¡±


    Geo brought the ham and sausages that had been made from the previous deer meat from the warehouse.


    Some of the parts that had been salted and aged in whole pieces had become excellent hams, and the sausages that were often grilled had the same deep flavor as before.


    ¡°First, we should remove the hard parts....¡±


    After cutting off the outer skin of the ham that had hardened hard, he cut off only the red, hardened flesh from the salting into small cubes. For the sausages, he decided to use the minced meat inside with the tough intestine casing removed.


    ¡°...But it¡¯s a shame to throw away the skin because it¡¯s so much work.¡±


    ¡°Kuruk gururururururu.¡±


    ¡°The more you chew, the more delicious the tripe becomes....¡±


    In the end, he decided to cut the skin into an appropriate amount and put it in the stew. It was a little tough because it was dried out, but it would quickly regain its chewiness after boiling it in the hot stew. This shell was particularly resilient.


    ¡°How is the stew going?¡±


    ¡°It seems like it will take some time for the vegetables to cook.¡±


    The stew, made by boiling various vegetables and the groundwater of Edlan Village, had a well-cooked texture. Geo nodded, thinking it would take another hour.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s put the trimmed meat in one pot.¡±


    ¡°I think we need to keep watching the stew so that the bottom doesn¡¯t burn, but should we put the meat in as is?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll fry it, so keep watching the pot.¡±


    After quickly frying the salted meats to bring out the right amount of flavor, Geo put them all in one pot. After boiling them for over an hour, they would have a soft texture.


    And he spent the remaining time preparing the clams.


    ¡°Sun-sun clams and black clams are the most delicious when grilled... Just scrape out the flesh of a few, and leave the rest as is....¡±


    Black clams in particular were easily cooked even on low heat, so they had to be careful about controlling the heat. Geo called Aria, who was standing near the kitchen watching him cook, and asked for help.


    ¡°Aria, can you help me prepare the grill?¡±


    ¡°...Can I just prepare the campfire like before?¡±


    ¡°I would appreciate it if you could also build a wall so that I can hang the wire mesh.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t be difficult.¡±


    Aria walked out of the cabin with the teddy bear by her side.


    ¡°...? Why is my father...?¡±


    I don¡¯t know why the sun god was dragged away, but I ignored it for now because I thought something funny would happen.


    Geo brought in a club or trumpet clam that had been completely dried, washed it once, and split open the shell, which was similar to a clam, to take out the flesh.


    The flesh was large and mushy, like a long scallop.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Kk?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    This is it.


    ¡°It¡¯s delicious even when eaten raw.¡±


    Geo cut off the tough, chewy part with a knife, then sliced ??the flesh into 1cm thick pieces. When he put the light yellow flesh, which was neither too thin nor too thick, in his mouth... .


    ¡®This is romance and paradise.¡¯


    The sweet and chewy taste that melted in his mouth was no joke.


    ¡°Ah....¡±


    Can¡¯t I just eat this raw?


    A piece of sweet raw fish in clean Cheongju. It was an irresistible temptation for Giovanni, a man in his 30s who was reported dead.


    A painter who draws dungeons

 Chapter 91

    Light a bonfire.


    ¡°Is this the right way to do it...?¡±


    He placed charcoal in the middle.


    ¡°It¡¯s not the charcoal we used when we lived in Edlan, but it smells good.¡±


    He built a wall on the side to set up a device to roast clams.


    It was made of moderately flat stones, so it was bumpy and didn¡¯t look very stable. Aria muttered softly, lost in a strange sentiment.


    ¡°It might have been better if there were bricks....¡±


    The mermaid, recalling her childhood memories and comparing it to the current bonfire, looked down at her hands covered in black charcoal.


    ¡°.......¡±


    After a while, Aria muttered.


    ¡°...It¡¯s different from back then.¡±


    It was so hard to prepare a bonfire with that small body.


    ¡°It reminded me of the old days, I¡¯ve always done that, but it¡¯s a very unfamiliar experience to feel this peaceful.¡±


    Suddenly, Aria was struck by the delusion that she was dreaming.


    A cold-blooded sage. The embodiment of the sea. The judge of all sea creatures. The master of the world and game board called the deep sea could never create such a small and insignificant bonfire again.


    Repeating the most peaceful actions of my life with these bloody hands... .


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel real.¡±


    She never imagined that this would be possible. There was no reason for it to be.


    ¡°It does seem strange.¡±


    In fact, all of this might have been the creation of a mermaid who had not been able to shake off her old habits and fell into a deep sleep. She had such dreams sometimes, so it wasn¡¯t all that strange.


    Aria, who was looking at the flickering fire, muttered.


    ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter....¡±


    She didn¡¯t try to tell what was true and what was false in the current situation. It was an unusual behavior for Aria, who had always faced reality without placing value on vain things.


    However, if it was a dream like this, the delusion was worth enjoying as a delusion.


    ¡°Geo.¡±


    Aria headed to the kitchen of the cabin, dragging the hem of her dress that didn¡¯t really fit in here.


    ¡°The place to grill the clams is ready. I just need to put the wire mesh on top.¡±


    ¡°The preparation is all done. The stew is almost done.¡±


    ¡°Then are you planning to eat outside?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a bonfire and the weather is nice. Wouldn¡¯t that be much more enjoyable?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    There were many times like this.


    They went to the bustling market, picked out the ingredients that appealed to them the most that day, and Geo cooked the food that the mermaids liked. He was the only adult and cook in that small house.


    Aria and Isser would look up at their tall teacher next to them, learning human wisdom or chatting about trivial things. The atmosphere was disorganized.


    At such times, their teacher would ask for help.


    ¡°Would you help Aria? I¡¯m short on hands....¡±


    ¡°Give me the clams.¡±


    Aria continued, receiving a tray full of cleaned clams from Geo.


    ¡°This is my job.¡±


    Grilling clams was always Aria¡¯s job.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be grilling them well, so don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s reassuring to have Aria here.¡±


    ¡°...Is that so?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll look forward to some delicious grilled clams.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Aria opened her mouth slightly and went outside again.


    At that time, Aria was weak and physically unstable, but she was more greedy than that. He had been insisting on me to play the role because the cooking that Geo did felt like the essence of wisdom that humans can show.


    ¡®At that time, I tried hard to get the role of lighting the campfire from the teacher. Even if I helped with the cooking, he would rarely give me anything that would be dangerous...¡¯


    I felt angry because I thought he didn¡¯t trust my ability. Giovanni tried to take on all the dangerous tasks, big and small. It seemed like evidence of distrust.


    In the end, I realized after he died. The teacher didn¡¯t want his young mermaid disciples to get hurt because they were too precious. That was a separate issue from trust.


    ¡°.......¡±


    The young mermaid, who didn¡¯t know that, ended up getting the role of lighting the campfire.


    ¡°That¡¯s funny.¡±


    I felt like I was floating, disconnected from reality, because I still had that kind of role left. It was an unfamiliar feeling.


    Although I never abandoned myself, I thought I would never take on this role again even after death... .


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Kuu?¡±


    ¡°...I told you not to act friendly, gentleman.¡±


    ¡°Kukuku.¡±


    ¡°Are you indifferent?¡±


    A teddy bear sitting by a campfire and clapping its hands is truly insignificant.


    It was a question with a tone of indifference that carried no particular emotion, but Aria¡¯s feelings as she looked at the old, dull-colored doll were different.


    ¡°Are you really indifferent?¡±


    Aria covered the sun with the sea.


    ¡°I put in a lot of effort. You hated the sun so much that you drowned all your children in the sea. I couldn¡¯t even bring myself to touch Geo, who had melted away like water....¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Yes, I didn¡¯t have the courage. I felt anger for the first time in my life, and I was not in my right mind, so I was just cautious because I could have destroyed his remains in some way.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°You were the one who lost your warmth in the rage of a mermaid who couldn¡¯t even live on land, and you lost all your children... It¡¯s so absurd and funny to see you so peaceful now.¡±


    Everything was like that.


    ¡°Why is it so peaceful?¡±


    This forest, Geo, the owner of this place, and even the small creatures and giant beings that he kept by his side as if playing house, were helplessly peaceful.


    Aria looked down at the fluffy doll that contained the gigantic figure.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you resent me?¡±


    ¡°Kkuu.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why the gods are so disgusting.¡±


    You shouldn¡¯t expect emotions and communication from them.


    The priest¡¯s offering to the god was almost the only way humans could communicate with the god. To that extent, they could not talk to the god, could not face him, could not understand each other, and could not share emotions.


    That¡¯s why they would not hold grudges against mere mermaids.


    ¡°They are empty, even more so than monsters like me.¡±


    How difficult were these writers to get along with, talking about mercy and love on such a topic.


    ¡°Troubling the sun isn¡¯t something that just anyone can do, so why can¡¯t they show some rewarding reactions? Feeling sad, resentful, annoyed... there are many reactions you can have.¡±


    ¡°Kuk-kuk-kuk....¡±


    ¡°Are you laughing?¡±


    She was annoyed.


    ¡°.......¡±


    It was quite different from her younger brother¡¯s, which even felt noble, but Aria muttered with a gentlemanly smile.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t resent you either.¡±


    It was true.


    The clever mermaid clearly knew who was at fault. The fools blinded by greed and honor caused the accident, and the siblings and Giovanni were just unlucky enough to get caught up in it.


    So if they were angry, the only target would be the easily corrupted and betraying nature of humans.


    ¡°That world was too horrible.¡±


    No human could see eternity. Even I, ? N§àv§Öl?§Ôht ? (Don¡¯t copy, read here) who had turned into anger, hated it.


    ¡°It was so bearable that the sky had to be covered by the sea to the end...¡±


    That¡¯s why it was like that.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Yes, father.¡±


    Even as a mermaid, it was a fact that I learned much later.


    ¡°The god of the sun and the god of the deep were one body, right? In the end, you were also my father.¡±


    ¡°Kuu-ku.¡±


    ¡°No, since they are divided beings, I guess I should call you uncle. What do you want me to call you?¡±


    ¡°Ku-ku.¡±


    ¡°Uncle? Oh my gosh, that¡¯s creepy. That was just a thought.¡±


    It was a dirty peaceful word.


    ¡°I¡¯m out of my mind at this point.¡±


    It was a rare occurrence.


    Having lived her whole life with a clear mind, there were only two times when she became confused.


    The first was when Geo took Aria¡¯s side instead of being human, and the second was when she confirmed Geo¡¯s body, which was unrecognizable.


    And in this dreamlike situation, Aria was once again confused.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m supposed to be there....¡±


    She laughed involuntarily.


    ¡°.......¡±


    The soft spring breeze was gentle.


    ¡°...Tickling.¡±


    ¡°Aria, are you ready?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    This was the belly of their kind teacher.


    That fact seemed a little distant.


    ¡°How is it?¡±


    ¡°Is it cooked well?¡±


    Geo continued after looking at the stew.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit bland for my taste.¡±


    ¡°The teacher liked spicy food....¡±


    ¡°I just eat it without any problems, but it¡¯s embarrassing to say I like it.¡±


    It had a bland side, perhaps because it was much sweeter than the tomatoes he usually used.


    Geo took out the Milky Way Mary that had been dried in the cupboard and sprinkled it on top of the stew that he had ground finely.


    ¡°It¡¯s just right.¡±


    It was moderately spicy and moderately stimulating. It was sweet as if it was savory, and the saltiness from the aged ham was also felt, and the luxurious bitterness was added thanks to the vegetables that came out of the carrots and other vegetables.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Crunch.


    Crackle, crackle.


    Pashuk... .


    ¡°I guess you like it.¡±


    Maybe because the Milky Way Mary was shining, or maybe because it was also a fruit. A few water birds that flew out of the nest snatched a few Milky Way Mary eggs.


    Geo turned a blind eye to his friends¡¯ petty embezzlement.


    ¡®They¡¯re cute, so that¡¯s fine.¡¯


    As long as they didn¡¯t steal from other houses, that was all that mattered. Geo patted the water birds who were greeting him and opened his mouth.


    ¡°I was a little anxious because it had been a while since I had cooked it, but the stew turned out to be quite satisfactory.¡±


    ¡°Have you ever cooked it separately before? You enjoy cooking, sir.¡±


    ¡°Since you¡¯re dead, you don¡¯t really...?¡±


    It was quite recently that ¡®Giovanni¡¯ had been placed over Sergio.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°I made a slip of the tongue, Isser. Please calm down.¡±


    ¡°No, I was the one....¡±


    ¡°Calm down.¡±


    There was a bit of a commotion, but anyway, the stew was really satisfying.


    ¡°I like the one with clams, and the one with meat. I think Isser likes the one with seafood more?¡±


    ¡°...Now I don¡¯t really have an appetite, so it¡¯s hard to say, but yes. If I had to pick, I think I¡¯m much more used to the one with seafood.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have an appetite."


    ¡°I heard you eat tomatoes the size of pumpkins.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s... .¡±


    Isser, who had nothing to say, thought seriously for a moment before answering shamelessly.


    ¡°The tomatoes were delicious.¡±


    ¡°I grew them.¡±


    ¡°As expected, you are a teacher.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Whatever the general taste of mermaids, Geo liked the meat a little better.


    ¡®It was definitely hard to get meat when I lived in the village.¡¯


    Because it was a seaside village located on the coast, meat was much more expensive than seafood.


    Even though he was a noble, he was the youngest who didn¡¯t receive support, and even though he had enough to buy medical equipment or donate everything, he couldn¡¯t live lavishly, so he was quite happy about this meat.


    The contents of the sausage with the casing removed were cooked in the stew and the texture became appropriately soft, but if he boiled it for a longer time at a low temperature, the meat would be much softer.


    ¡°I guess dried meat doesn¡¯t go soft easily because it¡¯s dried meat.¡±


    ¡°I like this as is, but....¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯m ready for dinner.¡±


    Geo, with Isser¡¯s help, carried two large pots out into the yard. The atmosphere was lively thanks to the wooden chairs and table that he had prepared from somewhere.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The stew pot settled down next to the campfire.


    ¡°Here you go.¡±


    ¡°Kuruk.¡±


    ¡°Honey, don¡¯t even think about getting in the pot.¡±


    ¡°Kungkungkung...¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll drink the water.¡±


    Geo scooped up the stew with Honey, who had fallen into the pot, and placed it in a bowl near the campfire. Honey began to absorb the stew while still in the bowl. It was so thick that it was hard to tell what was stew and what was honey.


    ¡°Dana, don¡¯t steal my brother¡¯s stew, let¡¯s eat something new.¡±


    ¡°Ryujon ... Dana, who had been rummaging around the bowl with melted honey, walked briskly to Geo¡¯s call and sat down in front of his bowl. The stew was slowly decreasing in quantity, as if the two animals were eating it well.


    ¡°If you want to add more flavor, I¡¯ll put some pepper here, so add as you wish.¡±


    Aria tilted her head as she placed the finely ground Milky Way Mary on the table.


    ¡°Pepper?¡±


    ¡°Yes, pepper.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it completely different?¡±


    ¡°The taste is similar.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s edible, right?¡±


    ¡°Would you recommend something I wouldn¡¯t eat?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Aria?¡±


    After a brief silence, Aria nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯m not the type to joke around with food, but....¡±


    ¡°Why are you taking such obvious things so seriously?¡±


    ¡°Sometimes, you can¡¯t predict your actions.¡±


    And it wasn¡¯t because of Geo¡¯s plump charm that I was wondering.


    ¡®It doesn¡¯t look like food.¡¯


    It¡¯s not that it looks inedible, but it gave off the vibe that it would be used as a precious medicine rather than a food that would be used for small purposes.


    In some dimension, people call this kind of thing an elixir.


    ¡°...You¡¯re really good at finding things like this.¡±


    ¡°There are a lot of them in the forest.¡±


    ¡°Oh, a lot?¡±


    ¡°Is there a problem?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Aria looked around and shook her head.


    ¡°No, what¡¯s the problem?¡±


    It was a world filled with precious things that would make the eyes of humans, who were not generous by nature and were extremely greedy, turn their backs on it. If anyone were allowed to enter this place, there would definitely be problems.


    However, even if humans had no limits to evolution, they would not be able to crawl into this terrifying dimension with only shallow greed.


    ¡®You wouldn¡¯t be able to approach this dimension unless you had greed that bordered on belief. Just imagining humans targeting your treasure makes me sick... but it¡¯s unlikely to happen.¡¯


    Aria accepted the stew her mentor gave her, predicting the possibility that Giovanni would be persecuted by humans again.


    The wooden bowl was really warm. Warmth spread to the tips of her fingers that held the bowl, and a faint ticklishness sprouted like a bud.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Is seafood stew okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I like this better than meat.¡±


    A scent that stimulated my appetite.


    I didn¡¯t think I was that hungry, but when I smelled the stimulating scent of tomato stew, I felt empty inside. I wanted to fill this empty inside with the stew in front of me.


    It had been a really long time since I felt like eating something. My complicated brain slowly began to unravel.


    ¡®... Strangely, I don¡¯t dislike Geo¡¯s cooking even though it has a strong scent. Now, even my taste has faded, but why is that...?¡¯


    The sound of the dishes clanking, soaked in a soft warmth that warmed my fingertips. That peaceful and simple murmur tickled my heart strangely and cautiously.


    ¡®Is it because I¡¯m back home?¡¯


    Strictly speaking, this place, which is not a deep sea, was not my hometown, but I felt a strange sense of nostalgia and sentimentality because of Giovanni. It was a feeling that was hard to define.


    It felt like I was a step away from the place I belonged to, and that I was spending time with him. Even though it was time, it felt empty and I missed it. Even in that deep, dark sea, the feeling I hadn¡¯t felt was truly unfamiliar.


    ¡®... This person probably wouldn¡¯t have forgiven us. On that subject, how can he be so affectionate? Giovanni... was already such a strange author, if only because he had acquired divinity and become twisted.¡¯


    I felt a tingling sensation from the unfamiliar sensation, so much so that I had to clench and unclench my fists a few times.


    ¡°.......¡±


    It shouldn¡¯t be this comfortable.


    I felt so helpless that I couldn¡¯t escape this comfortable atmosphere.


    A painter drawing dungeons

 Chapter 92

    Gio had no thoughts.


    ¡°Hmm...¡±


    As he took a bite of the stew, the warmth spread throughout his body.


    ¡®This is it.¡¯


    Gio nodded.


    Thinking about anything other than the meal at the table was an insult to the food and practically a declaration of war against pigs. Most importantly, in a situation where such an outstanding meal was being had, it was impossible to think about anything else.


    ¡®It¡¯s a great food when your body is cold or weak.¡¯


    Even though he was a priest of the sun, always surrounded by warmth, it didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t catch a cold or feel unwell. During those times, Giovanni would cook a stew like this.


    The charm of a warm food like stew became even more captivating, especially when one was sick.


    ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡±


    ¡°Coo.¡±


    Of course, it¡¯s tasty even when you¡¯re healthy.


    ¡®This is why I eat stew.¡¯


    The natural acidity of the tomato brings out a deeper flavor when it¡¯s warmed. It has a complex aroma like the sticky, sweet broth from long-simmered chicken feet, and the fleshy texture that softens on the tongue gives a refined sweetness.


    ¡°It goes well with carrots too.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the good point of Edlen stew, isn¡¯t it? No matter what you add, it always fits.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a characteristic of tomato stew as well.¡±


    The distinctive slightly bitter and sharp aroma of the carrot subtly blended into the stew.


    It wasn¡¯t overpowering enough to create any discomfort, but as it harmonized with the other ingredients, the carrot, soaked in the broth, brought out a unique texture.


    ¡°And... I think it was a good idea to add potatoes.¡±


    You couldn¡¯t forget potatoes when soaking up the broth.


    ¡°Iser recommended it, right?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve always added it to our stew...¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, it brings back old memories.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s cooked perfectly.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s thanks to Iser¡¯s stirring. You can tell the heat spread evenly.¡±


    In addition to the deep red flavor of the tomatoes, the potatoes, soaking up the juices of the vegetables, became so soft that they could be crushed with just the gums.


    The texture of the potato, which broke down into tiny pieces, added weight to the stew¡¯s lightness, perfectly complementing the sourness and sweetness.


    ¡®Perhaps because the other ingredients have strong personalities, adding something more neutral like this really deepens the flavor of the stew. And there¡¯s no ingredient that fits as well as potatoes for that.¡¯


    Moreover, potatoes weren¡¯t just playing the role of a mere canvas.


    ¡°You can even taste the flavor of the ingredients just from the broth.¡±


    The starch flowing from the potatoes served as a stepping stone, gently blending the vegetable juices and sublimating them into a smoother, more unified broth.


    Gio smiled faintly as he looked at Iser.


    ¡°There must¡¯ve been many ingredients to stir, so your arm must¡¯ve hurt.¡±


    ¡°Ah... That¡¯s embarrassing. I¡¯m past the age where my arms should hurt over something like this.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? In my eyes, you still look so young, so this is a big issue.¡±


    The cabbage that was subtly mixed in was also quite good.


    ¡°The cabbage is cooked really well.¡±


    ¡°Coo.¡±


    ¡°Yes, this kind of cabbage is my favorite too.¡±


    The cabbage, soaked in the tomato-based broth, was stained with the color of the broth. As it was chewed, it gave a peculiar bounce, then quickly crumbled, releasing a delicate, fresh juice. The warm broth that spread throughout the mouth was different from the stew¡¯s.


    ¡°Oh, right.¡±


    Gio glanced at the fire where the clams were cooking.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s about time to eat the clams.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got the qualities of a pig, don¡¯t {N?o?v?e?l?i?g?h?t} you? Just wait a little longer.¡±


    After gently patting Dana¡¯s small round head, her cat-like triangular ears flopped back before returning. It was so cute that she lay her ears down even before he touched her.


    ¡®I should cherish and serve her for life.¡¯


    The sensation of the small, precious skull in his hand made him feel full even without eating. His heart warmed and was fortified like a rich bone broth. This was how one raised their life satisfaction.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see...¡±


    Most of the clams were fully cooked, so Gio placed them on a tray and brought it to the table. The clamshells clinked against each other.


    The ocean-scented aroma of the clams, flavored by the charcoal, mixed with the subtle spring breeze of the forest, creating a pleasant fragrance.


    ¡°They seem done.¡±


    ¡°Shall you open them for us?¡±


    ¡°No, they¡¯re all grown now. We should open them ourselves.¡±


    ¡°The ones you opened for us were more delicious, though. That¡¯s a bit disappointing.¡±


    ¡°Disappointing, huh... Ah, it¡¯s hot.¡±


    ¡°Eh??¡±


    Iser was taken aback.


    ¡°Is it hot?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it is hot.¡±


    Ariana, naturally scolding her younger sibling, looked at Gio with disbelief.


    ¡°What a tantrum from the sun god.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s natural that the freshly grilled clams are hot. I didn¡¯t mean to, really.¡±


    ¡°Even after being deified, you can¡¯t shake off human tendencies...?¡±


    ¡°Maybe. Why are you asking me? It¡¯s best to get rid of your prejudice.¡±


    ¡°Prejudice? It¡¯s absurd. I¡¯m reacting because this doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±


    ¡°People should always live with an open mind.¡±


    ¡°Does living with an open mind really solve everything?¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have such narrow thoughts.¡±


    Gio, who had broadened his student¡¯s world, smiled with his usual noble and, to some, shameless expression as he began to open the clams. The clams, cooked just right, proudly showcased their white flesh and exuded the sweet, nutty fragrance typical of shellfish.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice being the second sun god.¡±


    ¡°...Opening clams with bare hands?¡±


    ¡°I used to always feel bad about having to cool them down, so this is really great.¡±


    ¡°Is that really the proper use of divine power?¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    In an unexpected display of sacrilege, Gio and the teddy bear were having fun, while the mermaids seemed utterly dumbfounded. Their stomachs were still far from full, and there was plenty of room for more clams.


    The teddy bear eagerly awaited the clam meat with a delighted expression. Gio, with steam rising from the freshly grilled shellfish, handed the clam meat, filled with rich juice like fresh sea urchin roe, to the teddy bear.


    ¡°Here you go, Father.¡±


    ¡°Coo.¡±


    ¡°How does it taste?¡±


    ¡°Coo-coo-coo-coo...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re enjoying the clam¡¯s taste.¡±


    The teddy bear clapped its soft paws. Gio felt proud, and the mermaids looked utterly bewildered. Honey quietly snuck back to the stew pot, and Dana ate all her portion of the stew before lying flat on her back.


    ¡®A peaceful mess.¡¯


    This was the true summary of life. It was satisfying and fulfilling. After all, he could do anything.


    Gio picked up a fresh black clam. It had a shape similar to an abalone, but its shell was much darker and smoother, and the flesh inside, grilled over charcoal, was white and tender.


    ¡®Compared to this, abalones are closer to yellow.¡¯


    The black clam had an intensely sharp contrast between the black shell and the white flesh that could make your eyes hurt if you stared at it for too long. The flesh was distinctly whiter than that of an abalone.


    It also had a perfectly round edge, with no unevenness¡ªanother difference. But the taste and texture definitely reminded him of abalone.


    ¡°...¡±


    Chew.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    The crazy chewiness hit Gio¡¯s brain.


    ¡®It¡¯s nice to eat this after a long time.¡¯


    The insane umami triggered his salivary glands. It was truly like natural dashi stock.


    The clam¡¯s flesh, brimming with vitality, had a pleasant bounce, and the nutty taste that deepened with each chew was reminiscent of roasted nuts.


    ¡®Maybe it¡¯s because it wasn¡¯t grilled for too long, but it¡¯s so tender...¡¯


    The texture was so soft, it almost felt like silk. The flesh, once squeezed with teeth, effortlessly split and gave great pleasure in chewing.


    The juice flowing from the clam felt like the clam soup one would drink on a winter day.


    ¡°...¡±


    The clam meat wasn¡¯t small, so it filled his mouth. Gio didn¡¯t open his mouth until a while later.


    ¡°It¡¯s so delicious.¡±


    ¡°...It seems so.¡±


    ¡°This is life.¡±


    ¡°I see your appetite has grown while I wasn¡¯t looking.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re all gone now.¡±


    ¡°Haha...¡±


    Iser smiled gently, a smile resembling Giovanni¡¯s calm one.


    ¡°I don¡¯t really need to eat it, so I don¡¯t tend to.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t exactly just that.


    Iser had eaten Gio when he was still alive. Perhaps because of that muscle still twitching in his mouth, he hadn¡¯t put anything in his mouth since then, unless necessary.


    ¡°Still...¡±


    ¡°This is delicious, right?¡±


    ¡°...Yes, it¡¯s delicious.¡±


    For the first time in a long while, it felt like he was truly eating ¡®food.¡¯


    ¡°I feel good.¡±


    It almost felt like becoming a person again.


    ¡°Sunshells... Are you going to use the shells, teacher?¡±


    ¡°I plan to grind them and make paint later.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Giovanni used shells like these to paint, particularly liking to paint the sea. His paintings always smelled of the sea.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to collect them then.¡±


    ¡°Please do.¡±


    Whether Iser was lost in contemplation or not, Gio now picked up another clam.


    The clam had a round area, similar to a large scallop, and its shell was already cracked open halfway, revealing the flesh inside.


    ¡°...¡±


    The shell was perfectly smooth, and Gio¡¯s bite sank into the meat.


    ¡°...It¡¯s really tender, well-done.¡±


    ¡°I grilled it.¡±


    ¡°Excellent, Ariana. You really do have a talent for cooking.¡±


    While clams tend to get tough when overcooked, the Mungdoon or the ¡®hammer shell,¡¯ when prepared with the right temperature and time, provided the perfect tenderness.


    The delicate texture melted in the mouth, even softer than sashimi from scallops.


    ¡®To think I could feel this texture in a warm grilled clam.¡¯


    For Giovanni, this texture was easy to enjoy, but for Sergio, an Earthling, it was a strange and exciting sensation. Thinking back, the clams Giovanni loved the most were also Mungdoon shells.


    ¡°It¡¯d be delicious if it were buttered...¡±


    ¡°We never made that kind of dish in Edlen village.¡±


    Ariana chuckled softly.


    ¡°Butter wasn¡¯t such a precious ingredient there.¡±


    ¡°Rather, it was something people avoided.¡±


    Making butter was a hassle, and it had a strong association with milk residue. Additionally, it was hard to raise cows in a coastal village, so there weren¡¯t many dishes using dairy products.


    ¡°But it would really taste great if we buttered them.¡±


    ¡°...We can try it next time.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good.¡±


    The sun shells were a bit uncomfortable to eat with the shell still attached. You had to use a special skewer to twist and pull out the flesh, but the texture was very similar to the sea shells on Earth.


    However, the sweetness was extraordinary.


    ¡°...¡±


    The sweetness that deeply permeated the flesh and the bitter, herb-like fragrance gave it an oddly medicinal, warming effect. It was said that eating sun shells helped cure a cold.


    ¡®...It makes sense that they¡¯d be used in medicine...¡¯


    Perhaps because it was a sun god¡¯s shell, it felt as if the seafood had received a bit of a blessing. With the spicy whelk salad, the sweet-salty taste would be perfect.


    ¡°Mermaids didn¡¯t like spicy food, but how about now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve come too far for that to matter now. There¡¯s nothing in the way of my eating anymore.¡±


    Iser, who had been cutting up the Mungdoon shell¡¯s flesh, continued.


    ¡°So I think I can eat anything now. A lot of my preferences have faded, and I¡¯m not really the mermaid I was from that sea anymore...¡±


    ¡°So you can eat a bit of spicy food now?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t specifically sought it out, but yes. Are you planning on making something a little spicy next time?¡±


    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be that spicy...¡±


    ¡°Thinking about the experimental dishes you used to make, I¡¯m not so sure.¡±


    Saying that, Iser smiled.


    ¡°Will you let me taste it before we eat?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be happy to offer such mercy. If you help me prepare the meal a little.¡±


    ¡°That sounds great.¡±


    Iser murmured.


    ¡°...Really great.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t shake off a strange feeling and, like his sister, began to wonder.


    Why was it so peaceful?

 Chapter 93

    How miserable it is to have to live your whole life with memories of a time.


    That was the fate of the mermaid. It was like a disease that you were born with. The most intense emotions engraved on your soul left a terrible mark that could not be changed no matter what the situation was.


    For Isser, that mark was the human named Giovanni.


    ¡°Good night.¡±


    ¡°...Teacher too...¡±


    It was peaceful here.


    ¡°Have a peaceful night.¡±


    It was creepy and comfortable.


    It was an absurd feeling. It was ? N§àv§ÖIight ? (Read more on our source) not a feeling that the mermaid, Isser, could allow.


    Even the softly blowing spring breeze and the gentle roar of the forest were so attractive that they could not shake it off. Isser got a bedroom in Giovanni¡¯s cabin.


    ¡°.......¡±


    The floor his bare feet were walking on was made of wood.


    The floor, walls, and ceiling of the shiny hut gave off a faint, bitter scent.


    The large windows on the terrace were wide open, letting in plenty of forest air, and the bed, which was neither too big nor too small, felt soft and warm.


    ¡°.......¡±


    When I lay down on that feeling.


    ¡°...This is....¡±


    Isser said, unable to bear it.


    ¡°Does this make sense?¡±


    In this peace, Isser felt a terrible emptiness and loss.


    ¡°Where am I now...?¡±


    In the mermaid¡¯s memory, Giovanni was dead. He died horribly.


    What did Isser think as he looked at the rotten skin and the withered stems flowing out between the empty eye sockets, with wounds that made it hard to believe that the descendants of the warm-hearted sun had done it?


    ¡®... Even though I was under the influence of drugs, that doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t remember that time.¡¯


    On the contrary, the situation at that time was so vivid. No one would know what I was thinking when I had to eat him.


    Our peace met its end at that time. The dead should not return, so what on earth is this comfortable space? Where am I feeling peaceful now?


    ¡°...It¡¯s scary....¡±


    The once full ship seemed to have become empty.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Instead, it would be filled with rotten flesh.


    ¡°...It¡¯s rumbling.¡±


    I didn¡¯t feel well.


    I felt seasick. I felt my brain shaking.


    The clear and quiet voices of the forest, as if my vision was blurred, gradually became louder. The mermaid¡¯s memories were fixed on Giovanni¡¯s death and the destruction of the sun, so this comfort could not have been uncomfortable.


    Iser became more accustomed to blood and screams.


    ¡°Ah....¡±


    That was Isser''s fate.


    "......."


    The mermaid lived in a sea of ??blood.


    Now that I''ve given her such an absurd gift, she''s become a worthless adult who feels fear.


    "......."


    The mermaid spoke after a long time.


    "...I think I''m going to have a bad dream."


    I didn''t know that the place I live is a nightmare.


    Lying here like a corpse, I finally realize that it''s hell.


    "......."


    Geo got up from his bed with a strange feeling.


    "...um...."


    A feeling of being drawn to a walk.


    ''Should I go out?''


    Geo was a person who didn''t think deeply about the source of his desires.


    He left Honey, who was sleeping, and left the room. He stepped down the soft wooden stairs to the living room, and for some reason, he could see a teddy bear lying on the living room sofa and Dana, the cat, next to it.


    The two looked up at Geo, emitting a faint light that seemed like it would go out soon.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to go for a walk.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Dana, shall we go together?¡±


    Dana, who had been looking at the black-haired Geo, soon stood next to him. She could not hear his footsteps, as if he were a ghost. The teddy bear did not stop the two from leaving the cabin, but simply watched them.


    Wearing the black cloak he always wore, Geo walked along the road without thinking much about it. He went barefoot, but the soft grass that rustled around didn¡¯t hurt.


    No matter where he stepped, the feeling was good. That¡¯s why he seemed to be walking around without wearing shoes even more. The joy of walking was great.


    ¡°The forest is quiet.¡±


    The forest at this time always maintained a strange silence, as if it was asleep.


    ¡°Dana, do you like the forest?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°How are the trees? What¡¯s the scent of the flowers?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°The weather is really nice.¡±


    Sabak, sabak...


    The sound of the soft grass swaying.


    ¡°The moon is shining brightly.¡±


    There is a sun and a moon here.


    But it was definitely different from those on Earth or other planets. They boasted a transparent jewel-like color, and they didn¡¯t shine so brightly that it seemed distant when held in the eye.


    It was like looking at a brightly drawn picture...


    ¡°Look.¡±


    Above their heads, a jewel moon with a cold light like ice was floating.


    ¡°It looks like you.¡±


    ¡°Meow.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a different cry than usual.¡±


    It was a cry that sounded like it was imitating a cat.


    ¡°You are a cat, but....¡±


    I tried to say something, but I didn¡¯t want to think any further, so I looked away. It looked like the cold moon floating in the night sky.


    ¡°It¡¯s shining.¡±


    ¡°Meow.¡±


    ¡°Thanks to you, it¡¯s not dark.¡±


    The round moon was large, and the Milky Way was hanging over this sky like a school of jellyfish seen in the deep sea. They maintained their stillness with a dull sparkle that did not feel even the slightest life.


    The moon shined. The Milky Way formed a curtain. A cold cat stood at her feet, and the forest that should have been dark was secretly brightened, and the only shadow here was Geo himself. That was the only blackness here.


    ¡°It smells like trees too...¡±


    The steps soon stopped in front of a splendid spring.


    ¡°There is the scent of the sea in it.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Aria.¡±


    I saw my student dipping her pale bare feet in the stagnant spring water.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you sleep?¡±


    Looking at the black cloak in the shadows where her face was completely invisible, the mermaid smiled her usual, experienced smile.


    ¡°How can I sleep in a place like this?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you like the bed?¡±


    ¡°Everything about it was so good it almost gave me the creeps.¡±


    ¡°But you don¡¯t run away.¡±


    ¡°I hope you¡¯ll accept us someday.¡±


    Pearl eyes dipped into the black cloak.


    ¡°If I take responsibility, will you forgive me? Will you love me again like you did then?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need my forgiveness. It¡¯s not my place to resent and hate you.¡±


    ¡°...We have plenty of time.¡±


    Aria¡¯s voice was as clear and soft as ever.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know it would feel so terrifying.¡±


    She asked Geo.


    ¡°Do you know what this spring is?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t try to find out because I didn¡¯t have a reason to know.¡±


    ¡°Do you know what this forest means to you?¡±


    The mermaid continued to ask.


    ¡°Why did you end up in this situation, why did you come back to life in a strange form that was neither a resurrection nor anything else, what is the intention and context of the world flowing like this....¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not curious.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a teacher-like answer.¡±


    The mermaid¡¯s voice had parts that were smooth like pearls.


    ¡°Compassionate and indifferent.¡±


    That¡¯s why there were also rough parts.


    ¡°Are you aware that this is your stomach?¡±


    ¡°This is a picture I drew.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem that different.¡±


    ¡°If you say it¡¯s a part of me, then maybe.¡±


    It was because Geo created this place, and at the same time, he was a portrait.


    ¡°I knew that this forest reflected my thoughts.¡±


    ¡°But can you still be called human?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been free from being human.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve always been human.¡±


    It was obvious, without any need to think about it.


    ¡°It seems like a good night for conversation. Is there anything you would like to ask the teacher?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Aria looked into the pitch-black cloak at the voice that suddenly changed its tone.


    ¡°...I can¡¯t see your face....¡±


    She couldn¡¯t see anything inside the cloak.


    ¡°Do you exist?¡±


    ¡°I have never disappeared, Aria.¡±


    ¡°What do you look like now?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know because I don¡¯t look in the mirror.¡±


    ¡°But I can¡¯t see you either.¡±


    Then.


    ¡°How can I prove that you exist?¡±


    How can I tell if there is a human, a sun god, a painting, or life or death in that pitch-black shadow?


    If it is a shadow whose appearance is unknown until someone defines it.


    ¡°I have a question, teacher.¡±


    ¡°I promise to give you the best answer I can.¡±


    ¡°How can I be sure that you won¡¯t disappear?¡±


    ¡°Nothing is eternal. The living and the dead are constantly changing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true that I didn¡¯t see the limits of humanity. The humans I know have constantly become stronger, evolved, and become gods or nature.¡±


    But.


    ¡°They are different.¡±


    A pitch-black sheet of paper that can become anything.


    ¡°...If I feel fear and loss there, would you understand?¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s natural to feel distant as much as I have changed.¡±


    ¡°Distant? That¡¯s not what I meant to say. It¡¯s completely different.¡±


    As long as he was ¡®Giovanni,¡¯ I had no intention of distancing myself.


    ¡°Why would I want to distance myself from you? I¡¯ve already spent so many years looking at the empty sea, not the graveyard, and feeling the emptiness. Now that I know that this isn¡¯t some incredible nightmare or miracle that came all of a sudden, I don¡¯t feel any awkward distance.¡±


    So what Aria was feeling right now was.


    ¡°I....¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°...Teacher.¡±


    It was close to misery or desperation.


    ¡°Why are you always at the center of fate?¡±


    It was terrible.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it have been better if you were just a passerby, an insignificant person? Born in an ordinary family, living an ordinary life, and dying an ordinary death. Where else would someone be more deserving of that position than Teacher? Why aren¡¯t you included among the tens of thousands of people I¡¯ve seen, and even more...?¡±


    I know when I see this forest. No.


    ¡°I know just by looking at you.¡±


    If I didn¡¯t know even after looking at those eyes, it was no different from not being able to see the world.


    ¡°It didn¡¯t matter if Teacher died. It was an expected situation. I would have been satisfied even if it wasn¡¯t a very peaceful and peaceful death.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°If only you had been a little bit more ordinary, everyone in the world would have been ordinary enough to just let it go.¡±


    "Cotton, how nice it would have been if you had just died like that.¡±


    A voice flowed out from the dark shadows beneath the pitch-black hood.


    ¡°You wanted me to be happy.¡±


    It was definitely Giovanni¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Is it because you¡¯re so special that you can¡¯t handle it?¡±


    ¡°I want to think it¡¯s just excessive self-consciousness, but it definitely seems that way.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a really cute tantrum?¡±


    ¡°... ... .¡±


    How many voices could flow out from that shadow?


    ¡°... Unfortunately, it¡¯s not that cute of a situation... .¡±


    It would have been much better if you could have laughed it off.


    ¡°... Since when did it become a portrait?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡±


    ¡°What do you think of yourself?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Giovanni.¡±


    ¡°Your happiness isn¡¯t important anymore.¡±


    Giovanni did not die an unfortunate death.


    ¡°I know that is the death you like.¡±


    So what was important was the fear and loss of those around him, the mermaids, and Aria.


    No matter what moment comes, Gio will make the happiest choice for himself.


    ¡°You will live the life you like. No matter what happens to those around you in the future, you will do the best you can at that time. Don¡¯t you think that is too idealistic and terrible?¡±


    ¡°Aria seems to think it is terrible.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is terrible. Because she knows that it is the best and the ideal. You can¡¯t admire that kind of appearance and then tell her to fix it now. She has already lived too much in it....¡±


    What is the essence of this portrait?


    Its name is ¡®Portrait of Geo.¡¯ It is a person and a painting at the same time. It is a painting, but it is also a painter. It is the master of destiny who drew my life and the great nature that will embrace more destiny.


    Was it because it was a portrait from the beginning that it kept repeating the name ¡®Geo¡¯? Or was it because it was Geo that it became a portrait at some point and embraced countless ¡®Geos¡¯?


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Aria finally made a definition, wondering why she was so anxious.


    In the distant past, in the future, and even at this very moment... .


    ¡°...Teacher, you will be special all your life.¡±


    This person could not be ordinary. Not once, not once.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    What should I look at now and criticize for being cruel?


    ¡°...Teacher, do you trust humans?¡±


    ¡°There is happiness that can only be obtained by trusting.¡±


    ¡°I have no intention of giving up.¡±


    ¡°Just like Aria didn¡¯t give up her anger.¡±


    ¡°Okay, then....¡±


    Aria smiled with a face that had never been so weak before.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of my own share.¡±


    How much of the shadows beneath that pitch-black cloak could I possibly have?


    I prayed that I wouldn¡¯t have to be washed away into the sea again.


    The Painter Who Paints Dungeon

 Chapter 94

    It seems like there was some deep conversation last night.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Taran.


    Geo¡¯s ultimate positive mind was not caught up in such a place.


    ¡®I guess Aria is going through puberty.¡¯


    It was also a time when he had all sorts of worries.


    ¡®I should respect her.¡¯


    It was not that he didn¡¯t know that Aria was worried about Geo¡¯s identity and the environment around him.


    However, it wasn¡¯t a serious problem for Geo, and he just hoped that Aria could get used to Geo¡¯s situation.


    However, Geo was bound to have worries too.


    ¡°...Um....¡±


    ¡°Teacher, what¡¯s the problem?¡±


    ¡°I think I made a dungeon.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Aria, who hadn¡¯t returned home yet even though the sun had risen, spoke politely as if she were a gentleman, expressing sincere admiration.


    ¡°You do have a desire for revenge against the ones who caused your pain and death, my human teacher.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no such thing.¡±


    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for the purpose of tormenting humans, why did you create the dungeon?¡±


    ¡°I drew it because I wanted to.¡±


    ¡°Aha.¡±


    Aria nodded.


    ¡°If you¡¯re a teacher, you can do that.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of being you think I am.¡±


    ¡°There is something like that.¡±


    In many ways, Geo was an unpredictable being. Even Aria.


    Then, he could have created the dungeon with fragments of hatred and resentment toward humans, subconsciously, or he could have just thoughtlessly and lived a hobby without any worries or concerns and the dungeon would suddenly appear.


    Aria looked at the frame Geo was looking at.


    ¡°Are you talking about this picture?¡±


    ¡°I drew it a long time ago, but no matter how much I think about it....¡±


    ¡°It looks like a dungeon, right?¡±


    Aria, who was looking at the picture of the city filled with colorless colors, asked.


    ¡°What¡¯s the name?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Geo answered.


    ¡°The City of the Void.¡±


    The system clearly said that.


    ¡°It¡¯s not the name I gave it.¡±


    ¡°Then I guess the structure gave it to me.¡±


    ¡°What is the structure?¡±


    ¡°Ah... On Earth, they call it the Source.¡±


    ¡°The Source.¡±


    It was a name I had heard from Yoo Seong-un once.


    Contrary to his self-proclaimed gardener, Yoo Seong-un did not reveal much about the related knowledge, but he did know a little about the Source.


    ¡®The Great Bread of Systems...¡¯


    He had understood it as the mother of all systems and the manager of all fates.


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°What do you want to do with this, sir?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to do anything.¡±


    Geo felt a little wronged.


    ¡°I just wanted to draw.¡±


    What artist would draw a picture for practicality?


    ¡°A picture on a canvas is for admiration, not to be chewed, torn, tasted, or enjoyed.¡±


    For example, you don¡¯t draw a picture to beat up people. Even if it has monetary value or additional elements and can be traded here and there, a picture basically exists to be appreciated.


    Aria, who was silent for a moment at Geo¡¯s words, asked.


    ¡°Are you trying to say that you created a dungeon without intention?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit much, but....¡±


    A dungeon couldn¡¯t be created without intention.


    It¡¯s about creating a world, a law, that¡¯s nothing else. No matter how diverse the ways in which a dungeon is formed are, it couldn¡¯t be created without the will of the dungeon owner.


    ¡®But I just wanted to draw this, so I created it.¡¯


    The swaying gray city came into view.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Soon, Aria smiled her characteristically languid smile. A perfect and beautiful smile that would capture the hearts of many women if she were to enter society right away.


    ¡°Well, that could be possible.¡±


    ¡°Right?¡±


    ¡°Then, then.¡±


    Wasn¡¯t Aria already giving up on completely understanding Geo?


    ¡®I thought he was not ordinary even when he was human, but I didn¡¯t know his true nature was like this.¡¯


    If Geo was of such a high and indecipherable class, he could have created the world with just one stroke of the brush. It was only natural for a painter to create a world called a painting.


    ¡°So what exactly were you worried about?¡±


    ¡°I wondered if I could just leave it like this.¡±


    ¡°Hmm....¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to throw away the painting.¡±


    ¡°Why are you throwing this away, it¡¯s such a waste.¡±


    A dungeon is a dungeon after all, and it is a world that cannot help but draw something in.


    ¡®If we leave it like this, Earthlings will probably get eaten.¡¯


    Even if Geo didn¡¯t intend to do that, what could he do? When a human steps on a bug while walking down the street, do you think he intended to do that? Even if Geo had drawn the world as a hobby without meaning, someone would eventually be dragged into the dungeon.


    ¡®But I don¡¯t think it¡¯s necessary to tell you this now...¡¯


    This picture was also a world Geo had drawn.


    ¡®That means that such a world would never do something that would displease its master and parent.¡¯


    Time would tell us what kind of laws and tastes this had.


    ¡°...I think we¡¯ll be able to figure out something if we leave it alone.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a dungeon that was built not long ago.¡±


    Aria scanned the gray picture up and down.


    ¡°There aren¡¯t any children that the teacher created separately, right?¡±


    He was referring to the monsters in the dungeon.


    ¡°A dungeon that was born not long ago doesn¡¯t work actively. If the teacher directly encourages it, it might be fine, but if you leave it alone, its growth will be slow, so don¡¯t worry too much.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Teacher?¡±


    ¡°...Am I the parent?¡±


    Geo¡¯s heart sank.


    ¡°Is this picture alive?¡±


    ¡°...Is it okay to look at it that way?¡±


    Aria explained lightly.


    ¡°Not all dungeons are like that, but the more closely connected a dungeon is to its owner, the stronger its tendency to be a living creature becomes. It has its own ego and grows....¡±


    ¡°Is the ¡®City of Void¡¯ that closely connected to me?¡±


    ¡°Depending on the owner¡¯s abilities, its appearance as a living creature becomes clear, and from what I¡¯ve seen, this is enough of a situation.¡±


    ¡°This ? N§àv§ÖIight ? (Read more on our source) can¡¯t be happening.¡±


    They became shameless parents who gave birth to their children without thinking and didn¡¯t even know they had children.


    ¡°I¡¯m trash.¡±


    ¡°I understand what you¡¯re thinking, but calm down, it¡¯s not like that.¡±


    If you look at it broadly, it¡¯s a living thing, but strictly speaking, it¡¯s hard to say that a dungeon is a real living thing.


    ¡°If we compare it to Earth, it¡¯s like artificial intelligence. If you look closely at the vast nature, its detailed flow and structure are visible, and when you look at it from afar, that emotionless system looks like a living thing.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t actually alive.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so shocked.¡±


    ¡°I understand, but it still hurts a little bit.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s amazing that you can still hurt a little bit even at that point.¡±


    Now, Geo was an ambiguous person to call him a complete human. The fact that he maintained this unique sensitivity was a miracle that even Aria had a hard time explaining.


    ¡°Hmm....¡±


    Aria, who had been examining the picture a little more, continued.


    ¡°...It¡¯s definitely a dungeon that was created not long ago, so there are many immature parts.¡±


    ¡°How did you raise Aria¡¯s dungeon?¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s not like a child... Well, I guess I should say I raised it, but it¡¯s more like I just made devices here and there.¡±


    ¡°You make devices?¡±


    ¡°You make a game board.¡±


    Since Aria had observed many dungeons up until then, she was able to explain a little.


    ¡°In the case of my dungeon, it just grew naturally as I stayed there. The environment was created according to my imagination, and as I studied it, monsters appeared, and at some point, foreign substances came in, and as I looked for a way to deal with them, various traps were set up...¡±


    They grew together over a long period of time. To Aria, her dungeon was closer to a close friend than a child.


    ¡°I¡¯ve even seen dungeon owners who set up the board with a plan.¡±


    ¡°If you decide to make a plan, what is it for?¡±


    ¡°He was someone who focused on how to express his hatred for humans most systematically.¡±


    Aria nodded.


    ¡°The most important thing in managing a dungeon is the owner¡¯s sense of purpose and his image. When the owner is clear about what he wants from the dungeon, things will grow more naturally.¡±


    Of course, this dungeon was an exception.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if your dungeon is the same as other guys¡¯ dungeons. This kind of world is basically filled with strong emotions toward something, and the owner of the dungeon naturally has a purpose....¡±


    ¡°I have no idea.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the problem, then I guess it¡¯s a problem.¡±


    It was different from other dungeons in many ways.


    ¡°Probably, if the teacher didn¡¯t intend it, this dungeon would be different from other dungeons. There might be no rules, there might not be monsters, and the situations would be different.¡±


    ¡°Is that a problem?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if it would be a problem, but it¡¯s clear that it¡¯s entirely up to the teacher how to utilize it. If you created the world, it can¡¯t be otherwise.¡±


    There is no structure that goes against the Creator¡¯s will.


    ¡°The Honey that the teacher created is the same.¡±


    ¡°Oh, is it the same case?¡±


    ¡°Come to think of it, on Earth, they say that these things are the children of the Origin....¡±


    ¡°Honey is the child of Geo.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Suddenly, Aria realized.


    ¡°...Then the teacher must be the Origin.¡±


    This person could be the Origin.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that so?¡±


    A pitch-black piece of paper that could become anything.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then I really don¡¯t have to worry about food anymore.¡±


    ¡°...I really don¡¯t feel nervous....¡±


    ¡°More than anything, it¡¯s a great fortune to be free from the shackles of taxes.¡±


    ¡°Is that really all you have to say?¡±


    So I felt a little relieved.


    ¡°You really haven¡¯t changed.¡±


    Maybe it¡¯s because you¡¯ve already changed so much and can change so much that it seems like you¡¯re staying the same.


    Aria slowly tilted her head, feeling an ominous sense of comfort.


    ¡°So how do you plan on using this?¡±


    ¡°A resort?¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it okay?¡±


    ¡°...Well, I guess that¡¯s what the teacher wants."


    ¡°Gi Hae.¡±


    I thought that the most intense and vivid emotions were anger and hatred.


    That¡¯s why so many monsters with deep hatred for humans were able to create this world, and because they were the owners of it, they created a world that suited their tastes.


    ¡®So if it wasn¡¯t a world created from those emotions.¡¯


    No matter how it was used, it was Geo¡¯s mind.


    ¡°... ... .¡±


    However, this thought occurred to him.


    ¡°If you created a normal world that wasn¡¯t even a game board, could you call it human?¡±


    Geo answered with his characteristically blunt face.


    ¡°That can happen in life. Aria has such a narrow-minded way of thinking... .¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I knew you¡¯d say that. I¡¯m an idiot for asking even though I knew it.¡±


    It was so consistent that it gave me goosebumps.


    Geo visited the ¡®City of Emptiness¡¯ for the first time.


    ¡°... ... .¡±


    ¡°Indeed, this is the world you created, teacher.¡±


    ¡°...Isn¡¯t Isser busy?¡±


    With his disciple Isser, who had grown up so much in the blink of an eye.


    ¡°Is it okay for the dungeon master to be absent like this?¡±


    ¡°In fact, I¡¯m the second master, so whether I¡¯m there or not, it doesn¡¯t really matter.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Well, the master of the house might not be home, of course.


    In the first place, Geo, the master of the ¡®Empty City¡¯, was visiting for the first time, and Geo¡¯s narrow-minded idea that the dungeon master should be busy might have been his.


    ¡°.......¡±


    However, he felt a little strange.


    ¡°...Is this the worrying heart of parents whose children are of marriageable age are stuck at their parents¡¯ house...?¡±


    ¡°Where is the marriageable age of a mermaid?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m feeling restless. I¡¯m sure he wanted me to visit the house often, but I feel complicated because I feel like I¡¯m stuck here too much.¡±


    ¡°When did you come to catch me because my neighbors never come to visit me...?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    Still, I was a little worried.


    ¡°The dungeon is a place that also doubles as a home, so you wouldn¡¯t leave it empty all the time, right?¡±


    ¡°We also thought that it would be a bit problematic if both of us were to be absent....¡±


    Isser nodded.


    ¡°We decided to take turns coming to your house.¡±


    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t feel pressured to visit your parents¡¯ house.¡±


    ¡°I come because I like it, so you don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡±


    Isser smiled bitterly as he said that.


    ¡°I¡¯m a little scared that the place you¡¯re at might suddenly disappear.¡±


    ¡°Even though the door is still open.¡±


    But Geo didn¡¯t talk any longer. Aren¡¯t they students who were still raised with much affection, regardless of the annoying things?


    ¡®More than anything, the longer you stay at my house, the more peaceful Isser¡¯s heart will be and the peace of humanity will be preserved.¡¯


    There was no reason to dislike the fact that they visited my house often.


    ¡°As long as it doesn¡¯t interfere with your lives, I don¡¯t mind either.¡±


    ¡°Oh, then I¡¯ll see you often.¡±


    ¡°It would be better if you brought some clams when you come.¡±


    ¡°Clams... How about fish?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine too. Since I live in the forest, I¡¯m drawn to seafood.¡±


    Geo nodded and turned his head to look at the gray world.


    ¡°So.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°How about the impression?¡±


    Isser, who had his eyes on the empty city, slowly opened his mouth.


    ¡°...There¡¯s nothing.¡±


    It was indeed an empty city, worthy of its name.


    A Painter Who Draws Dungeon

 Chapter 95

    There were three paintings that Gio had previously created.


    "One was called ''The Breathing Sea.''"


    Isser nodded as if he understood.


    "That space must be connected to ''The Kingdom of the Deep Sea.''"


    "It''s also a framed door."


    "I wonder if it''s too active to be called a door..."


    At present, in the ''Deep Sea Temple,'' one could find a landscape painting titled ''The Breathing Sea.''


    While a visitor might not immediately recognize the flowing landscape painting, as the second owner of the dungeon, Isser could certainly feel its presence.


    "Anyway, that was one of the dungeons you painted, wasn¡¯t it?"


    "Yes, was it inconvenient for you? The connection was something I hadn¡¯t anticipated either."


    "It doesn''t seem to be much of a problem."


    Visitors, like moths to a flame, continued to challenge ''The Kingdom of the Deep Sea,'' but they were of such an insignificant level that they posed no real threat.


    They, as outsiders, would likely be too distracted to notice the existence of the door, so there was really no problem at all.


    "More than anything, there¡¯s no sense of incongruity."


    "Perhaps it''s because, unconsciously, I drew it recalling the neighborhood we once lived in."


    "Are you referring to Edlen Village? It certainly does have a similar atmosphere."


    It was indeed Sergio who had drawn the painting, but even with that in mind, ''The Breathing Sea'' bore an uncanny resemblance to the atmosphere of the village where Giovanni had lived.


    It was possible that Giovanni¡¯s spirit had somehow possessed Gio''s body while he was painting, though it wasn¡¯t certain.


    Since becoming a portrait, Gio¡¯s life had completely departed from ordinary logic, and attempting to interpret it would be fruitless, as Gio was never particularly diligent in his human life.


    To reiterate, Gio wasn¡¯t thinking about any of this.


    "I wouldn¡¯t say it¡¯s exactly the same. I just wanted to paint a picture, and by chance, a dimension matching that image existed."


    Giovanni¡¯s world had perished, and under Aria¡¯s guidance, ''The Kingdom of the Deep Sea'' became a dungeon.


    Gio had simply drawn a place that coincidentally matched the scenery of ''The Breathing Sea,'' a location that was large enough to be called a ''kingdom.''


    "Anyway, ''The Kingdom of the Deep Sea'' and ''The Breathing Sea'' are not entirely separate spaces."


    "Perhaps that¡¯s why, even though it¡¯s newly created, it doesn¡¯t feel out of place."


    Isser murmured, continuing the conversation.


    "I felt reassured knowing that there was now a place where I could always visit you."


    "I¡¯m sorry for unintentionally messing with the interior, but I¡¯m glad it doesn¡¯t bother you too much."


    "Interior?"


    "It¡¯s an English word; you might not know it."


    "The words from Earth are generally translatable, so I understand."


    The word seemed rather modest for the scale of what was being done.


    "Anyway, ''The Breathing Sea'' is being used in this way now."


    The ''Breathing Sea,'' where the Sun God had been trapped, had gained a new family, and just the fact that they could freely bring seafood made its existence meaningful. The rich fish there tasted amazing, no matter how they were prepared.


    "Next are the remaining two paintings: ''The Animal Kingdom'' and ''The City of the Void.''"


    They were works that had been created some time ago.


    "Among them, ''The Animal Kingdom'' is occasionally linked to the forest where I live, and sometimes the creatures from there cross over."


    "Creatures? Not monsters? There are indeed ordinary beasts that take monster forms, though..."


    "They were definitely not monsters. They were like the shells you can find in ''The Kingdom of the Deep Sea.''"


    "Then, it¡¯s likely that after the existing world was created, the dungeon was layered on top of it."


    "I expect that¡¯s the case."


    And in order to visit such places, another ''Gio'' would need to be involved. The synchronization process would start again, but Isser hesitated to visit yet, as it would likely leave him mentally exhausted.


    "In contrast to those two dungeons, ''The City of the Void'' feels like a world I created from scratch, so it¡¯s hard to ignore. I can¡¯t just leave it abandoned after creating it. I¡¯ve been thinking about {N?o?v?e?l?i?g?h?t} whether it¡¯s acceptable for a parent to neglect their child."


    It was completely different from ''The Breathing Sea,'' which had already been explored, or ''The Animal Kingdom,'' which had yet to be visited. It was too much of a strange, non-childlike creation for Isser to even know how to approach it.


    "As you can see, it¡¯s completely empty..."


    "...That¡¯s true."


    Isser couldn¡¯t help but agree.


    "It¡¯s very empty."


    Despite the dense urban forest, it was eerily vacant to the point of leaving one numb.


    ¡®Is this the nature of a dungeon?¡¯


    For someone like his sister, a powerful being, it would have felt a little empty, but for a human to enter, unless they were exceptionally strong, they wouldn¡¯t be able to endure it.


    ¡®...Dungeons strongly reflect the owner¡¯s mindset, don¡¯t they?¡¯


    This was where Isser made a significant misunderstanding.


    ¡®This must mean that the teacher¡¯s mindset is in this state.¡¯


    That wasn¡¯t exactly the case.


    While a dungeon generally reflects its owner¡¯s mindset, the dungeons drawn by Gio were more like ''paintings'' than shared fates. Gio may have become immersed in a feeling or fantasy while painting, but his actual mindset wasn¡¯t reflected.


    However, Isser had never heard of such a case, and having shared so many experiences with his sister, he couldn¡¯t help but pay close attention to Gio¡¯s condition.


    "Is there not a single monster here?"


    "I don¡¯t sense any."


    "Not even a small creature..."


    "This painting depicts a city, not creatures."


    "I see."


    Since the dungeon¡¯s owner must also be something with self-awareness, it was hard to believe that there would be no creatures inside. Even dungeons where undead creatures were the masters typically had monsters related to them.


    ¡®...But this place is way too empty.¡¯


    Isser stared at the world filled only with monochrome shades.


    The tall buildings were sharp and clear, all in gray. Even though the entire body of the buildings was made of transparent glass, everything was so colorless that even the glass appeared that way. The sky was covered by thick fog, with only faint light filtering through.


    There were both angular buildings, devoid of life, and the curved structures typical of busy cities, but despite the variety of shapes, nothing could be felt.


    "..."


    It was a space that was vulnerable to humans, but that didn¡¯t bother Isser.


    However, he couldn¡¯t help but worry about Gio, the owner of this world.


    "...Do you like this space, teacher?"


    "It¡¯s like my child, so it¡¯s hard not to like it."


    "I see. Understood."


    Gio having such a mindset was something that needed to be taken into consideration.


    ¡®Even though he still sees himself as human, he¡¯s managed to attain that level. I suppose that¡¯s somewhat understandable.¡¯


    Even if gods themselves created a dungeon, it would still feel fuller than this, but Gio wasn¡¯t even close to being a god, so there had to be exceptions.


    ¡®Whether he consciously or unconsciously created this, according to my sister, he¡¯s in a portrait state, so... it makes sense that such absurd emptiness could be born from him.¡¯


    It worried him.


    "..."


    "Isser?"


    "...This might sound a little strange, but..."


    Isser hesitated before asking.


    "Are you happy right now?"


    Perhaps predictably, the answer came immediately.


    "Of course."


    "Really?"


    "Because I never make choices that wouldn¡¯t lead to happiness."


    "...I see."


    Then, even on the day you died. That choice was also for your happiness.


    ¡®It was something I had already suspected, but it¡¯s still a heavy blow.¡¯


    Isser, who had lost his words, forced himself to speak.


    "...So, why did you visit this dungeon?"


    "Because I didn¡¯t want to be a negligent parent who creates something and ignores it."


    "No one else would treat a dungeon like you do."


    "Aria said that a dungeon is a community of fate with its owner, so isn¡¯t it a family?"


    "You see family in that way... a community of fate."


    Isser mumbled, then asked.


    "Then, how about creating some monsters?"


    "Oh, increase the family?"


    "...It¡¯s somewhat similar."


    Dungeons were typically created to kill humans.


    Fueled by the intense emotions of hatred for a certain race, that¡¯s what typically gave birth to dungeons. But Gio was different from the norm, so there wasn¡¯t any hostility or murderous intent felt in this dungeon.


    "What kind of world you create here is up to you, but if you want to take care of something, increasing the population would be a good start. After all, when a god creates a world, the first thing they take care of is the people..."


    Isser¡¯s words caused Gio to tilt his head.


    "I¡¯m a bit of a problem to be called a god, don¡¯t you think?"


    "...You may not be a traditional god, but, well, if I were to compare it..."


    It seemed that Gio was underestimating himself.


    ¡®Really, nothing has changed.¡¯


    But Isser had no intention of correcting that misunderstanding.


    The more indifferent Gio was to his unusual traits, the further his limits would recede, and eventually, he would spend even more time with his mermaids.


    ¡®Although that would only extend his belief that he¡¯s human...¡¯


    That didn¡¯t matter much.


    ¡®It¡¯s not wrong, though.¡¯


    According to his sister, his teacher was a blank canvas. What it could become, no one knew.


    "Have you thought about how to use this space?"


    "I still need to think a bit more..."


    "Yes."


    "It would be nice to increase the family, definitely."


    Creating family members was nothing special for Gio.


    "But this time, the family members will live separately from us."


    "Cluck?"


    "I want them to be children who won¡¯t feel lonely even when they¡¯re alone."


    The waterfowl Gio had drawn before were creatures that lived in groups.


    When looking at the bustling waterfowl lake, it was clear that ¡®this is collective living,¡¯ and Honey didn¡¯t like being apart from his family.


    "So this time, I¡¯d prefer one with strong independence."


    But he didn¡¯t want to just draw anything.


    "As an artist, I have my pride..."


    "Cluck?"


    "Though I wouldn¡¯t call myself a great artist, ''The City of the Void'' is one of my creations."


    "Cluck."


    "I¡¯d like to have residents that match it."


    But as for the type of resident who would match ''The City of the Void.''


    "..."


    After sitting quietly and thinking, Gio finally spoke.


    "...Invisible person?"


    An invisible office worker.


    "That fits."


    "Cluck?"


    "Doesn''t it?"


    For Gio, a true country person, a city was like that.


    The air was polluted, people were swarming. They all looked alike, and they would rush around in subways and streets. Their inorganic faces showed no emotion.


    "When I first came to the city, it was even somewhat terrifying."


    It was a living, breathing horror movie. For someone like Gio, who had a delicate sensitivity despite appearances, it was just too bleak.


    Now, he could think of it as ''Ah, the cogs of society, tired and heading home,'' but during his younger years, he couldn''t. He even felt actual fear.


    "But even then, I can¡¯t draw people..."


    "Cluck?"


    "What do you think of your father, son? Your father can¡¯t make people."


    Even so, Gio had no particular wish to be that special. Even if he could, he certainly wouldn¡¯t do it. Since he couldn¡¯t, there was no need to dwell on it.


    "In that sense, an invisible person."


    More precisely, a well-dressed invisible person.


    "If it¡¯s just clothes wandering around..."


    "Cluck."


    "Yes, that certainly can¡¯t be called human."


    It was closer to a mannequin.


    "..."


    Just like the people he had first seen in the city.

 Chapter 96

    At some point, the ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ disappeared.


    ¡°Hey, you said there was that...! You said there was a Black Cloak!¡±


    ¡°Fuck, look for the frame! Where is the frame?!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not visible to begin with...! So, if you look for it, it¡¯s definitely...!¡±


    ¡°Eeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!¡±


    The hunters who visited the ¡®Deep Sea Country¡¯ solely believing in the ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ that was supposed to help humans died without warning.


    As resentment poured in toward the association that had suddenly disappeared and the information about the Black Cloak and his association, an official statement was released.


    ¡°The association never wrote anywhere in their public information that you should rely on the ¡®Black Cloak¡¯.¡±


    On the contrary, they emphasized.


    ¡°Even if they show unexpected appearances, they are ultimately monsters. The association has clearly maintained the position that you should be careful, and has never once said that the ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ is a safe or helpful monster.¡±


    The rumor was distorted in the first place.


    ¡°What monster in the world would help humans?¡±


    ¡°However, ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ has helped humans escape dungeons on several occasions.¡±


    ¡°However, ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ has classified and limited the humans it will help. It means that it cannot be a monster that only helps humans.¡±


    The association staff member spoke with a straight face, without any emotion, as if it was completely incredulous.


    ¡°Many hunters seem to have forgotten that ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ is a monster.¡±


    It was a sarcastic remark mocking the absurd judgment of the hunters.


    The hunters could no longer protest when the association responded like this. The association had considerable authority, and they were right.


    ¡°No, but still....¡±


    ¡°Black Cloak helps humans?¡±


    There were still many people who ¡ã? N o v e l i g h t ?¡ã were dissatisfied.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you seen the official document? The association¡¯s words were not wrong.¡±


    ¡°The association kept telling us to keep an eye out for Black Cloak.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t those who went to S-class dungeons because of groundless rumors stupid?¡±


    The situation soon calmed down.


    ¡°If only it weren¡¯t for those rumors....¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? It¡¯s the fault of those idiots who tried to conquer without even reading the official document.¡±


    ¡°Ugh....¡±


    It was because the conclusion was that ¡®the hunters who tried to use monsters as they pleased from the beginning were stupid.¡¯


    ¡°Don¡¯t you learn to be wary of monsters when you get your hunter ID?¡±


    ¡°Monsters aren¡¯t vending machine drinks.... What on earth were you thinking when you went into a dungeon trusting a single monster?¡±


    ¡°The hunters of the past weren¡¯t like that, but I can definitely feel that the current generation¡¯s standards have dropped significantly.¡±


    ¡°How can a hunter who doesn¡¯t even know how scary monsters are called a hunter?¡±


    ¡°Even these idiots are acting like hunters. This is the end of the world.¡±


    If they had been relying on the characteristics of the monsters and considering the chance help, the criticism wouldn¡¯t have been this harsh.


    However, didn¡¯t the problem arise because the hunters who jumped into the dungeon, which was rated as S-class, were the only ones who believed in the mercy of the ¡®Black Cloak¡¯?


    Even the hunters who had been seriously considering the ¡®Deep Sea Country¡¯ since long ago showed a negative attitude.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense to rely only on monsters to conquer the dungeon.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you taking the conquer too lightly? Even though the exploration season was long.¡±


    ¡°They say the collector bought the entry ticket, so the attention was focused, but this is a bit...¡±


    The atmosphere seemed to be ending like that.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon was watching.


    ¡®... It¡¯s almost sorted out.¡¯


    It wasn¡¯t a bad flow.


    ¡®The situation was flowing a little strangely. ¡®I guess it¡¯s fortunate that it ended like this.¡¯


    While watching the hunters and the ordinary citizens talking about this situation, Yoo Seong-woon took out a piece of candy from his chest. He was running around here and there to see how the aftermath of ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ would end, so he was really short on sugar.


    ¡°Haa....¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°So what?¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon asked when he felt someone¡¯s presence on the bench behind him.


    ¡°I think I have some business to attend to.¡±


    ¡°You look tired.¡±


    ¡°If you work overtime for over a week and don¡¯t get tired, you¡¯re not human.¡±


    ¡°I agree.¡±


    The association employee nodded, looking like an ordinary citizen in his black padding.


    He sat behind the bench Yoo Seong-woon was sitting on, and looked at the park that was taking on the appearance of spring despite it being winter due to the government¡¯s measures.


    ¡°I don¡¯t intend to take up too much of the time of the busy Yoo Seong-un Hunter. I have a few questions for you. Would you be able to answer them?¡±


    ¡°Um... I would appreciate it if you could finish within 15 minutes. After that, I have to take the train to check the ocean conditions.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your cooperation.¡±


    The questions from the association staff continued naturally.


    ¡°It seems like the collector knows about the recent ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ incident.¡±


    ¡°There are many things to worry about, but what is the basis for your statement?¡±


    ¡°The collector seems to be the source of the interesting horror story that ¡®Black Cloak gives gifts to good people.¡¯¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Yoo Seong-un answered calmly.


    ¡°There were quite a few people among our staff who encountered Black Cloak.¡±


    ¡°Then I think we should revise the information on the website. Could you testify as the first witness?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask when I have time. Surely he won¡¯t force me to come, right?¡±


    ¡°No way. I just felt that the information about the Black Cloak needed to be corrected.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, our staff and the Black Cloak have encountered each other a few times, so I know his rules. He really hates rude and bad people.¡±


    Even though he was saying this, Yoo Seong-woon had no intention of telling him the exact circumstances of the ¡®Black Cloak.¡¯


    If he were to openly reveal the fact that the guy was the ¡®Portrait of Geo¡¯ that even the Association Chairman coveted, there was a high possibility that the Association, which had approached him for research purposes, would publicly annoy him.


    ¡®Geo wouldn¡¯t want that, either.¡¯


    He didn¡¯t like things to be noisy, since he lived in a peaceful cabin.


    ¡°And maybe we should call it a ¡®gift.¡¯ They say that the Black Cloak gives gifts to good people, but it¡¯s not something material, it¡¯s more like a favor....¡±


    ¡°Can we say that he has a rule to show favor to polite and good people?¡±


    ¡°Yes, well. I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t report it in advance. But you don¡¯t have the right to order your employees to report on monsters they encounter by chance.¡±


    The employee asked.


    ¡°Is it a monster?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m asking the gardener, Mr. Yoo Seong-woon.¡±


    ¡°...Then, I guess I should say no.¡±


    ¡°I see. Don¡¯t you plan on returning to the Association Research Institute?¡±


    ¡°It seems like it was the Association Chairman¡¯s order, but please tell him that I have no intention of doing so.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    The employee returned to the original topic.


    ¡°Can I understand that you didn¡¯t intentionally spread the rumor about the Black Cloak?¡±


    ¡°It was half intentional, but....¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon mixed in some facts.


    ¡°Aside from that, I had absolutely no intention of causing chaos like this.¡±


    ¡°Then what was your purpose in spreading the rumor?¡±


    ¡°Black Cloak hates rude and bad people, so he didn¡¯t want to make a big fuss by doing stupid things in front of them.¡±


    ¡°The collector wanted to emphasize the ¡®good person¡¯ part, but the hunters were fooled by the ¡®gift¡¯ part.¡±


    ¡°Even the collector didn¡¯t know that the hunters would be so stupid.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Even so, the collector didn¡¯t expect that the ¡®Portrait of Geo¡¯ would be completely hidden.


    ¡®... Since the association didn¡¯t call them directly and only checked like this, it means that they already knew to some extent, but they don¡¯t plan on digging too deep.¡¯


    The association president was a famous hunter who was estimated to be hiding something of an S-class or higher. Since such a person saw the ¡®Portrait of Geo¡¯ and coveted it himself, he might have guessed in advance that this ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ had a big connection to it.


    ¡®There was also a big commonality in the first place, which was the portrait.¡¯


    It was already a known fact that the black cloak was seen in the form of a portrait. At this point, I knew everything, but I couldn¡¯t help but think that he was asking formally.


    So the purpose of this blind conversation was only two.


    ¡®With this rumor and the chaotic situation as a starting point, is the collector intending to exploit the black cloak? If not, is he thinking of handing Geo¡¯s portrait over to the association for research...?¡¯


    Well, he denied both of them.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon opened his mouth.


    ¡°Is there anything else you want to ask?¡±


    ¡°Have you figured out the identity of the black cloak, Gardener Yoo Seong-woon?¡±


    ¡°...No.¡±


    That would have been great.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°...I see.¡±


    ¡°So I ask that the association pay special attention.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying that we need to raise the response level?¡±


    ¡°That might be better.¡±


    It was a source that even Yoo Seong-un couldn¡¯t figure out. Even if the Black Cloak didn¡¯t have any ill intentions, there was a high chance that it would be a disaster for humans in some way, so from the perspective of the weak humans, it would be better to be on high alert for survival.


    ¡°If there¡¯s anything we know about this side, I¡¯ll pass it on to you.¡±


    ¡°...Please take care of it.¡±


    The staff member naturally moved away as if they had never talked to him before.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Feeling the movement moving away, Yoo Seong-un closed his eyes.


    ¡®It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve received the association¡¯s attention like this.¡¯


    Still, the response wasn¡¯t awkward, as the park didn¡¯t look much different than before. No one was even pretending not to notice and focusing on him.


    ¡®I guess I didn¡¯t act awkward.¡¯


    As I quietly closed my eyes, I heard the people gathered in the park with the gentle air talking.


    ¡°So what was the Black Cloak...?¡±


    They were also confused.


    ¡°You said from the beginning that it was a monster that didn¡¯t fit in with the ¡®Deep Sea Kingdom¡¯.¡±


    ¡°I heard that sometimes monsters from other dungeons come over, was that the case?¡±


    ¡°There might be a separate dungeon for the Black Cloak.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s a humanoid monster. Is there a case where a boss monster goes over a dungeon?¡±


    ¡°I heard that sometimes you can see it outside the dungeon....¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous. Then it¡¯s a monster that wanders around freely without a designated area."


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°That was bad. It¡¯s definitely a rumor.¡±


    Yoo Seong-un soon opened his eyes to the voices that sounded like the flapping of a small bird¡¯s wings.


    It was all about the story of the black cloak.


    ¡°... This is what it¡¯s going to be like.¡±


    It was a planned chaos.


    ¡®Still, this is a good measure.¡¯


    Geo was a being who could go anywhere. He could be anything because he was a painting, and he could create anything because he was a painter.


    There was no way to stop such ¡®Portrait of Geo¡¯, so what the collector chose for the stability of the country was ultimately information control.


    ¡®If this is how people can slowly get used to the existence of the black cloak...¡¯


    It was clear that it would cause less confusion than showing ¡®Portrait of Geo¡¯ in the forefront.


    The ghost stories that the collector spread, and the fact that he gave Geo a hunter¡¯s ID as a human, were all in that context. Trying to classify and control the ¡®story¡¯ of the origin.


    ¡°... ... .¡±


    Nevertheless, Geo¡¯s identity was still a mystery.


    ¡®What kind of being could possibly do such things?¡¯


    Not even a god could do such bold acts continuously.


    ¡°Not a god, not a human, and definitely not a monster....¡±


    And yet, a being that could be all of those things.


    ¡°How should I define this?¡±


    It¡¯s so contradictory.


    Even Yoo Seong-un, who had set foot in the garden since he was very young, could not properly explain the being. It was because the standards were completely different from the original beings he had seen and studied until now.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Yoo Seong-un sighed and got up from his seat.


    ¡°I have to work.¡±


    It felt like losing his eyesight and groping his way with his hands.


    A strange eerieness quietly crept up the back of his neck toward the being that was still unknown despite having seen and heard so much.


    A painter drawing dungeons

 Chapter 97

    It was late at night.


    ¡°.......¡±


    I tried on all the clothes I could find, but there was no way a poor 4th class citizen could properly wear even one set of clothes.


    The 18-year-old woman, who had just become an adult, stroked her scarf that seemed to be made of animal fur.


    ¡°Haa....¡±


    Pure white breath spread out.


    ¡°...But it¡¯s not too cold.¡±


    Christmas was just around the corner. It had barely snowed recently.


    Could it be that spring was gradually approaching? Thanks to the temperature rising each day, the number of poor people dying from the cold had decreased.


    The woman almost died like that too, but thanks to the scarf someone gave her, she was able to survive the winter.


    ¡®Spring will come soon.¡¯


    It¡¯s still very cold.


    ¡®Still, if we just wait a little longer...¡¯


    From the perspective of a 4th class citizen, the situation where the woman was staying was not too bad. First of all, it was a city, so it was safe from the threat of monsters, and especially, the people in this neighborhood were kind, so I could sometimes receive help.


    ¡®Now that spring has come, I won¡¯t have to worry about freezing to death, and since food will grow, whether it¡¯s weeds or something else, I can somehow survive. If I¡¯m lucky, I might even get a meal that the city provides... .¡¯


    Growling.


    I was hungry.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Should I eat snow?


    Winter was really harsh for the poor. Unlike other seasons when they could even find the roots of plants, there was nothing to eat, and it was even cold.


    The only consolation was that the snow was everywhere, so they could at least get drinking water.


    ¡®If my body was really cold, it would have been hard to eat... .¡¯


    I was lucky this winter, so I was able to maintain my body temperature in various ways.


    ¡°...Is it because of the scarf?¡±


    After receiving a scarf from a stranger, small fortunes came to me.


    The woman raked up clean snow that no one had stepped on and put it in her mouth. Since it was snow on the ground, she occasionally chewed on dirt, but it was still good. Fortunately, the woman was quite resistant to the cold.


    ¡°.......¡±


    As she went a little further into the alley to find a place where the wind was not blowing, she saw other poor people.


    ¡°Did you hear that?¡±


    ¡°What did you hear? It¡¯s freezing to death....¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s the black cloak.¡±


    The black cloak?


    ¡®... Now that I think about it, even the city people talk about that.¡¯


    Usually, poor people hide in the alley to avoid the contemptuous gazes of city people, but the woman often hid outside the alley because she liked the clean and neat atmosphere.


    The story of the poor people that I just heard was a name that people who were walking in the park also mentioned.


    ¡®The black cloak was also a monster, right? Did they talk about that?¡¯


    It was an unfamiliar name to the poor who were bound to lack information, but it was interesting because they had heard it once or twice. The woman carefully sat down in the alley and listened to the conversation of the poor.


    ¡°Why the black cloak all of a sudden? You said it was a monster.¡±


    ¡°But from what I¡¯ve heard... it grants wishes and stuff.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous. Where are the monsters that are beneficial to humans?¡±


    ¡°But there are also harmless monsters that live in places like parks... there could be beneficial monsters too. Right?¡±


    ¡°So why did you bring that up?¡±


    ¡°I was thinking of looking for the black cloak.¡±


    The other poor man snorted.


    ¡°Arthur, I¡¯m going to get eaten in one bite by the monster.¡±


    ¡°I said it¡¯s a type of monster that doesn¡¯t eat people....¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll just tear it apart. How can a monster leave people alone?¡±


    ¡°I-Is that so...?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been noisy lately.¡±


    The poor man continued, not even noticing the woman¡¯s ear.


    ¡°Hunters died in droves because they believed that it was the Black Cloak or the Red Cloak?¡±


    ¡°Huh? That happened?¡±


    ¡°I heard that. There was an S-class dungeon that opened, and I heard that a guy called the Black Cloak often appeared there. He would even save people in danger....¡±


    ¡°Then, isn¡¯t it a monster that is beneficial to humans?¡±


    ¡°They suddenly disappeared. And then, somewhere else, someone else who saw the Black Cloak showed up in another alley.¡±


    ¡°The monster that was in the dungeon suddenly appeared in the alley...? Does that make sense?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous.¡±


    The poor clicked his tongue.


    ¡°It must be a rumor made up by a city dweller or a 4th-class maggot like us. If not, then it¡¯s a dangerous monster that can pop out anywhere.¡±


    Monsters basically had a set range of movement. The poor didn¡¯t receive any special education, so they didn¡¯t know much, but they at least knew that monsters had set rules.


    But Black Cloak is a monster that doesn¡¯t even follow those rules.


    ¡°It may have saved the hunters a few times. But when you suddenly disappear, don¡¯t you get the feeling? That¡¯s just an evil monster that doesn¡¯t care about human life. Or was it a ploy to trap the hunters?¡±


    ¡°But you said you¡¯d grant my wish....¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. Even the gods only choose the believers who help them and show mercy. If it were a traditional god, they would show favor without any price... but this is a monster.¡±


    The poor shrank, telling him not to have hopes that wouldn¡¯t come true. The cold wind whipped the alley, and the poor shivered and huddled together with those they knew.


    ¡°Ugh, it¡¯s cold. Don¡¯t say anything weird and just try to stick together.¡±


    ¡°Ah... I was going to ask Black Cloak for a set of clothes when I met him.¡±


    ¡°You keep talking nonsense.¡±


    It was a common sight in winter to see poor people huddled together like penguins. The larger the group, the more powerful the group was, but the woman didn¡¯t even have friends like that left.


    Her only poor friend had died during the winter.


    ¡°.......¡±


    If that guy had been alive, it would have been warmer than it is now.


    ¡°Ugh....¡±


    The woman curled up, holding onto her scarf a little tighter in the chilly winter wind.


    It seemed like it would be nice to make new friends when spring came. It was hard to move around in the winter, but as time passed, she would make new friends.


    ¡®... Black Cloak.¡¯


    That was the guy.


    ¡®I wondered what it was because people were gossiping about it these days.¡¯


    I heard that it was a humanoid monster that had appeared for the first time in several years. I also vaguely heard the absurd story that Black Cloak would give gifts if you did good deeds.


    ¡®I don¡¯t believe it, though.¡¯


    The poor man was right earlier. There are no monsters that are beneficial to humans. The woman who fled to Seoul after losing her village, family, and friends to monsters knew this very well.


    Monsters were an object of fear to many.


    ¡°.......¡±


    The skinny woman quietly slipped out of the alley and walked into another alley close to the brightly lit city.


    There was no other reason. If she was lucky, she might find some leftover food from the city people.


    Just sitting still wouldn¡¯t solve this terrible hunger. Even if her body got tired the more she moved, if she didn¡¯t act, she would most likely starve to death.


    After wandering around for a bit, the woman ran into a poor man.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°...Uh....¡±


    He was much smaller than her, so he looked at least 18 years younger.


    ¡®Is this a child born here?¡¯


    If it was this young, it would usually be a child born between people in the slums, but there was no guardian anywhere. No matter how unkind the slums were, it was rare for such a young slum dweller to be left alone.


    ¡®But it¡¯s a bit much to pretend to know...¡¯


    After being demoted to a 4th-class citizen, the woman who had continued to live an individualistic life did not want to pretend to know the child.


    The woman knew very well that pretending to know the child during such a difficult time would only result in more mouths to feed.


    People in the city may be dirty and lowly, but what made her the woman she was now was something she had scraped together to survive. If she had given it away so easily, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to last even a single season.


    ¡°.......¡±


    But.


    ¡°...um....¡±


    At least this scarf wasn¡¯t something she had scraped together.


    ¡°T-want to use this?¡±


    ¡°......?¡±


    ¡°Use this. This....¡±


    It was a stroke of luck.


    ¡°You.¡±


    It had been a long time since she had spoken to someone, so she couldn¡¯t speak properly, but the meaning itself was clearly conveyed. The young resident glared at her with wary eyes, but she must have been cold, so she took the scarf.


    Her neck was a little sore, but it was okay. The woman was good at enduring the cold, and she wouldn¡¯t have died without a scarf. She didn¡¯t regret it, because it was a fleeting stroke of luck that wasn¡¯t her original purpose.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    The young resident didn¡¯t seem to understand the situation, so she held onto the scarf tightly without answering, and the woman who saw that blushed in an inexplicable embarrassment and hurriedly left the place.


    She couldn¡¯t speak at all because she had tried to talk to someone after a long time. The woman who had come a long way away soon felt proud and thought to herself.


    ¡®You did well, though.¡¯


    Her parents had taught her to share when she had extra money. Those people were gone now, but she felt quite good after doing good deeds according to her parents¡¯ instructions.


    ¡®When I meet Mom and Dad later....¡¯


    I might get complimented, right?


    That was when she raised the corners of her mouth with that thought.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    A pitch-black frame caught the woman¡¯s eyes.


    The frame, which looked like it was carved from gold wood, was neatly and luxuriously carved.


    Inside it was a painting of a green tree with calm colors, but when she wondered where she had felt it was ¡®black¡¯, she saw its true nature.


    ¡°.......¡±


    A portrait of a man wearing a pitch-black suit, his face hidden by soft, dark paint like ink.


    A black portrait.


    ¡°...Huh?¡±


    She instinctively knew that it was a ¡®black cloak.¡¯


    ¡°Uh, uh... uh....¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°M, monster....¡±


    Her breath caught in her throat.


    ¡®It¡¯s a monster.¡¯


    The monster that had taken everything from her was right in front of her.


    My breath was suffocated as if I had been hit by a bullet. My heart was pounding loudly as if it was struggling right before it died, and the blood flowing along with it made my whole body tremble.


    There are many organs that move like this.


    Why is my brain not working? As I hesitated in the face of the gloomy and heavy disaster, the bright red lips in the frame opened.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for startling you.¡±


    What should I say about this?


    It was an extremely polite voice that I, a poor and coward, had never heard before.


    ¡°I apologize.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    I was creeped out by that kind voice.


    There was no emotion in the voice of the black cloak.


    It was just as quiet as if it were a funeral, and it was so quiet that it couldn¡¯t even be called a ¡®voice¡¯, and it was as clean and clear as a machine¡¯s voice.


    In that kind of voice, in that kind of voice, in that kind of speech without any emotion. This strange and beautiful cloak was imitating kindness in the shadow of the hood.


    ¡®... Uh, what should I do?¡¯


    My feet were frozen and I couldn¡¯t move.


    ¡®I¡¯m scared... .¡¯


    The woman was a natural coward, and was originally afraid of monsters, and even more so after the village was destroyed. It was natural for her whole body to tremble when she encountered a humanoid monster that she had only heard of.


    She hid alone in the chaos because she didn¡¯t want to die. That¡¯s how she came to the city alive. She had been living like a beggar in this huge city.


    ¡°Ah, ahh....¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°...Oh, don¡¯t come, don¡¯t come... don¡¯t come....¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Ugh, shoo....¡±


    She was so sad.


    ¡°I, I did something good today....¡±


    Even if she had bad luck, it wasn¡¯t so bad.


    She suddenly remembered all the good things people had said about the black cloak, but it was really just a fleeting moment. Even so, for a woman who knew what monsters were, this situation of encountering the black cloak was truly terrifying.


    ¡®How am I going to die?¡¯


    Will I be swallowed by a large mouth like my parents were that day? Or will I be pierced by countless teeth? Or will I be trampled to death, or, or, or... .


    As she continued to cry sadly, Black Cloak asked.


    ¡°Did you do something good?¡±


    ¡°Ugh, hueuh....¡±


    ¡°I think you must have been very surprised by the scary situation.¡±


    ¡°...Cough....¡±


    ¡°I promise not to hurt you.¡±


    She thought as she cried that her voice had a strange resonance, yet was full of mercy.


    No, in fact, her crying had stopped at some point. The woman herself did not realize it.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Here.¡±


    Black Cloak reached out and handed her something.


    A normal woman would never have accepted something given by a monster.


    She must have been too surprised to say a word or too busy crying, but as if possessed by something, her heartbeat slowed down and she listened to the steady voice.


    She unconsciously reached out and received something.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Cookies.¡±


    Rustling.


    A delicious smell emanated from the thin envelope made of Korean paper.


    ¡°I apologize again for surprising you.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°I affirm your good deeds.¡±


    Black Cloak bowed with his hand on his chest, like a gentleman in a fairy tale or a nobleman in a faded movie.


    Black Cloak¡¯s soft voice followed his short and slow greeting.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    What?


    ¡°.......¡±


    When she raised her head, ? N§àv§Öl¦Éght ? (Read the full story) the picture frame was nowhere to be seen.


    Only freshly baked cookies remained.


    ¡°...Uh...?¡±


    It was the day that the name of ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ spread among the poor.


    * * *


    The portrait, which had yet to make a new friend, cried bitterly.


    ¡°I still haven¡¯t found anyone to be my pen pal....¡±


    ¡°Oh, if that¡¯s true, can I catch one for you?¡±


    ¡°How dare you try to take away this teacher¡¯s joy?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ... If that¡¯s what you¡¯re saying, then it must be so.


    Isser nodded seriously with a benevolent smile on his face.


    The Painter Who Draws Dungeons

 Chapter 98

    While constantly checking the situation on Earth through the frame, Gio continued searching for a potential new human "friend."


    Eventually, Iser asked.


    "Why do you not simply pass by the humans you check on often, but instead speak to them or share gifts?"


    Gio answered in a calm yet confident voice.


    "Had they not seen me, they wouldn''t know. But they did. If our eyes meet, it¡¯s a battle, and without speaking, there¡¯s no way to challenge them."


    "So, if eyes meet, it¡¯s a challenge. It seems Earthlings have more aggressive tendencies than I thought. Are there specific rules for this?"


    "The longer you make eye contact, the more likely it is to be interpreted as either temptation or a duel."


    "How truly surprising. When I disguised myself as a child on Earth before, I was so rushed that I couldn¡¯t study properly, but I see there¡¯s such a culture here."


    "Maybe that¡¯s why even you can¡¯t just let someone you¡¯ve made eye contact with pass by."


    Although Gio had expected that the people he met would be surprised, could there not be a perfect companion for him? And that, he thought, could only be discovered by speaking to them.


    After all, finding someone who wouldn¡¯t be frightened by the name "Black Cloak" and would greet him with an active greeting seemed almost impossible. But a mountain youth from Gangwon-do, who had never been in a relationship due to his belief in the importance of ¡°serendipitous love,¡± carried an unusual romantic notion.


    "If I waste time like this, eventually, I¡¯ll be able to find a new connection."


    "Ah, yes."


    "And by talking like this, won¡¯t I eventually want to give them a gift?"


    "Aha..."


    "It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t have anything, or that I¡¯m short on time, or that I¡¯ll get complaints from parents for giving gifts."


    Everything fit perfectly, so there was truly no reason not to give them. No one could stop Gio, who was crazy to share joy, love, peace, affection, and happiness.


    "Isn¡¯t it admirable, though?"


    "Does that mean you give gifts to everything you find admirable?"


    "This is the heart of a teacher."


    "The child you just mentioned wasn¡¯t your disciple, though... I see. Understood."


    "Don¡¯t suddenly jump to conclusions like you¡¯re going to kill someone. Being hasty at your age is just creepy."


    "Yes, Teacher."


    "Does one need to be a disciple to give a gift?"


    For those who did something cute, a sweet reward was always necessary. It was a thought typical of Seo Gio, who used to carry snacks for his students even when he was a high school teacher.


    "Plus, right now, what I have in abundance is time."


    Gio wasn¡¯t impatient.


    "Here we have Honey, Dana, Father, and even Iser and Aria, don¡¯t we?"


    "......"


    "Your face, which seems to be very satisfied but pretending otherwise, is suspicious. Don¡¯t you mind that I¡¯m looking for a human to be my friend?"


    "No, I don¡¯t."


    "I see. But no matter how admirable Iser is as a disciple, she can¡¯t stop me from making pen pal friends."


    Yoo Seong-Woon, overwhelmed by the modern human''s overwork, was too busy to exchange letters. Gio needed a new friend.


    "Even though I live inside a frame, I feel so disconnected from the world."


    Gio¡¯s thoughts likened his current position to that of a grandfather living alone in a remote village.


    In just 31 years, he was treated like an ancestor, and even when trying to learn about the modern world, he found it impossible to connect with young people.


    "That¡¯s why I have to go out and make friends."


    "Shouldn¡¯t we let the uncultured, shallow humans come to us?"


    "Stop trying to lock me in this small hut, Iser."


    "It¡¯s not particularly small."


    "To contain my being, it¡¯s far too small."


    "......"


    Iser nodded with a kind smile.


    "So, how long do you plan on enjoying this search for friends?"


    "I suppose I¡¯ll do it whenever I¡¯m bored."


    "...And after you find that ''friend''...?"


    "I¡¯ll keep going. Who would settle for just one friend?"


    "Ah, are you planning on sticking them to your nose?"


    "That was meant to imply that one alone would be insufficient."


    The more friends, the better.


    "How boring would it be not to spend this long time with a friend?"


    "We, your faithful disciples, will be by your side."


    "Iser needs to develop independence. How long will you stay protecting this foolish teacher?"


    After being cooped up in his house for thousands of years, the child had become strange. Perhaps if he went out and made friends, even visit karaoke once, he would have no more wishes.


    ¡®Iser¡¯s too shy, though. I doubt she¡¯d enjoy such active hobbies.¡¯


    Gio nodded.


    "Still, I¡¯ll keep looking for friends."


    "From an objective standpoint, if you continue appearing like this, the recognition of ''Black Cloak'' will certainly rise on Earth."


    "Iser is right. They say ''Black Cloak'' is known as a monster, so confusion will arise no matter what. I¡¯m aware that I¡¯m doing something troublesome."


    "...The confusion of humans doesn¡¯t matter, but I fear that you may attract negative attention. Their nature is selfish and fickle. They can¡¯t be trusted."


    "There could be such people. There are so many humans on Earth, after all, it could happen. But imagining such an unfortunate future is unnecessary as I already have many good friends. I believe you all will protect me."


    Above all, Gio planned to create an image where ''Black Cloak'' wouldn¡¯t be easily targeted.


    ¡®Walking around openly, or letting people misunderstand that I¡¯m a scary person without explaining myself, that¡¯s why.¡¯


    While small incidents related to Gio might occur from time to time...


    "I¡¯m not a person of deep thought."


    Anyway, as long as it¡¯s fun, that¡¯s all that matters.


    Hunter Association Meeting Room.


    "With that, we will conclude this discussion."


    "Yes, Chairman."


    "And next..."


    The Chairman, with a composed smile, continued.


    "This is about ''Black Cloak.''"


    The Chairman''s lips softly parted.


    "This is the first time this topic has been brought up as an official matter, so I¡¯m looking forward to seeing what will be discussed."


    "......"


    "The reason this topic was raised is for the stability of the city, so we should hear the general atmosphere of the city regarding this issue. Team Leader Seo."


    "Yes, Chairman."


    The information-processing team leader, who collects and organizes city data, spoke.


    "Currently, a number of citizens have witnessed Black Cloak. We have secured testimony from 26 witnesses so far: 9 Class 1 citizens, 11 Class 2 citizens, 2 Class 3 citizens, and 4 Class 4 citizens."


    The 5th-class citizens, who were not even recognized as humans, were excluded. Even if they had interacted with Black Cloak, the association had no means of confirming it. They were all criminals living in hiding.


    "The common testimony is that Black Cloak either treated them politely, or, even if unrelated, showed kindness when they performed good deeds."


    "Kindness, you mean the snacks that were previously reported?"


    "Yes, the snacks confirmed so far include cookies, candies, and chocolates. They appear to be homemade, but the ingredients are almost identical to Earth¡¯s food..."


    "Even though they taste like regular snacks, the effects are different."


    "Yes, that¡¯s correct. Based on the recipient, they had effects like vitamins, iron supplements, or painkillers."


    "Any side effects?"


    "If someone other than the recipient consumes it, the effect is reduced by half. No other side effects have been detected."


    Another staff member was allowed to ask.


    "Where were most of the sightings?"


    "The only common sighting location is the poor districts of the boundary zone, but even then, they were not found in exactly the same place."


    "It sounds like there are no limitations on spatial movement. It seems like the source has a different structure, so has it been found overseas?"


    "Since the opening of ''The Country of the Deep Sea,'' which is where Black Cloak was first spotted, we¡¯ve been coordinating with associations from other countries to gather information, but there have been no reports yet."


    "Could it be that overseas associations haven¡¯t shared information?"


    "According to the Korean association branch, no sightings of Black Cloak have been reported overseas. However, considering the nature of Black Cloak, it¡¯s possible that it was seen abroad but simply not reported."


    Another staff member asked.


    "The most important thing is whether Black Cloak poses a threat to the safety of the citizens. You¡¯ve gathered 26 testimonies, but were there any cases where people were attacked by Black Cloak?"


    "There was testimony from someone other than the witness."


    The information-processing team leader displayed information on the monitor in front of each team leader.


    "25 citizens were all given gifts by Black Cloak, and the interaction ended there. However, as you can see, there was one case with a Class 3 citizen who encountered Black Cloak in the ''Gemstone Veins'' dungeon, and the situation was notably different."


    The ''Gemstone Veins'' dungeon wasn¡¯t well-known, but it was favored among black hunters looking to illegally sell monsters.


    It was a habitat for the popular "Anti-Cat" species, which was why the dungeon was frequented.


    "These details were reported by the witness, Hunter Lee Seon-Hoo, F-rank, porter position. He wasn¡¯t attacked by Black Cloak."


    "So, what about the person who was attacked ? N§àv§Öl?§Ôht ? (Don¡¯t copy, read here) by Black Cloak?"


    "The victim of the attack was Hunter Park Eun-Gyeom, B-rank, team leader. The witness said that Hunter Park Eun-Gyeom tried to leave him in the dungeon."


    "These kinds of incidents never get old..."


    Raiding a dungeon was an activity that consumed considerable resources. Especially when it came to porters, who weren¡¯t helpful in combat, and could easily be abandoned if they were rendered unable to carry anything.


    Because they didn¡¯t help, the number of people who had to be fed kept growing.


    "This never used to happen before."


    "Things are quite different from our time."


    "People don¡¯t see each other as teammates..."


    The older members, showing signs of weariness, allowed the information-processing team leader to continue.


    "''Gemstone Veins'' is a dungeon that other hunters rarely visit. Seeing that the witness judged that Park Hunter would die if left behind, he begged him to stay, but in the process of removing him, Park Eun-Gyeom used violence."


    And.


    "It is believed that Black Cloak witnessed this scene."


    The witness almost worshipped Black Cloak.


    "The Black Cloak in the testimony was in the form of a frame. Due to the nature of the ''Gemstone Veins'' dungeon, visibility is poor, and neither of them noticed the frame at first, but when the missing Park Eun-Gyeom used violence, Black Cloak intervened and exerted influence."


    "Hold on."


    An elder, closer to an old man, asked.


    "Missing? They weren¡¯t found injured or dead, just completely missing?"


    "Yes, the witness testified that Hunter Park Eun-Gyeom was dragged into the frame."


    "Entering a frame... That¡¯s something new. How was he dragged in? Did Black Cloak grab him by the collar?"


    "The witness didn¡¯t directly observe Black Cloak¡¯s appearance. They only said that...¡±


    The information-processing team leader unconsciously frowned slightly. He had to report ambiguous information that didn¡¯t quite match his role.


    "A number of transparent hands emerged from the frame and abducted the missing person."


    "...Transparent hands?"


    The tone of voice carried curiosity.


    "How do they know they were transparent and that they were hands? If he was an F-rank porter, it must¡¯ve been difficult for him to make out such a shape."


    "It seems the witness was describing what they felt. They also had trouble expressing it logically. However, they were certain that the figure was wearing a suit."


    "A suit... even though the hands were transparent, they were wearing a suit. Does that mean he saw a transparent human?"


    At that moment, the Chairman spoke.


    "It¡¯s not impossible. The hunter era has just begun 32 years ago, and we should not assume we know everything. We¡¯ll accept the possibility and categorize it as a monster."


    "Yes, Chairman."


    "Yes, Chairman."


    With quick agreement, the Chairman turned back to the information-processing team leader.


    "Was Black Cloak not seen during this process?"


    "Yes, but based on the frame''s characteristics and the strong testimony of the witness, we judged that this incident is related to Black Cloak."


    "Any more reports?"


    "All reports on Black Cloak¡¯s actions have been completed. No exceptions beyond the Park Eun-Gyeom Hunter incident have been identified. Please refer to the full report for more details."


    "I see. Good work."


    The Chairman nodded.


    "Feel free to offer any free opinions."


    At that, one of the staff members in the meeting room spoke.


    "So, we should discuss how to define Black Cloak."


    "It does seem to show irregular characteristics in many ways."


    The elder took the suggestion and continued.


    "On this matter, I¡¯d like to hear the opinion of Kang Woo-Ri, the gardener and head of the Seoul branch research team."


    "...Before this meeting, I tried to draw conclusions and researched in various ways, but unfortunately, I haven¡¯t been able to define it yet."


    "...That means it¡¯s not something simple..."


    "Correct. It¡¯s an inherently contradictory being, which makes it impossible to categorize."


    The research team leader displayed the information on the monitors in front of all participants.


    "This is a table summarizing gods, monsters, and children of origins. As you can see, Black Cloak could belong to any of these categories, but it also might not belong to any."


    It was too impure to be a god, it had no hatred toward humans to be a monster, and it showed too much interest in humans to be a child of origins.


    Yet, it contained all those traits.


    "One thing we can be certain of is that Black Cloak belongs to the origins. It has its own rules."


    "If it has its own rules... Is it that?"


    "Yes, it affirms the good and denies the bad."


    "The standard for good and bad is something it defines itself."


    "That¡¯s what it looks like, but nothing¡¯s certain yet. However, judging by the current circumstances, it doesn¡¯t seem too different from our human standards."


    Nevertheless, its violence could be considered characteristic of an origin being. It had witnessed violence and then abducted the perpetrator.


    This proved that even if Black Cloak was kind to humans, it had no interest in the rules humans created. Its actions carried high risk, especially as the status of the missing person remained unknown.


    "One thing to note here is that Black Cloak¡¯s actions don¡¯t seem to symbolize punishment."


    "Giving rewards to the good and denying the bad¡ªif that¡¯s not punishment, what is it?"


    "It seems more like personal preference. Unlike other humanoid monsters, it doesn¡¯t show authoritarianism or a sense of superiority. It¡¯s just the way it is."


    The Chairman added.


    "It certainly has characteristics closer to those of an origin being."


    "Yes, that¡¯s right."


    If Black Cloak had the meaning of "punishment" and had dealt with evil, it would have shown itself. However, in the case of Park Eun-Gyeom Hunter, Black Cloak remained in the form of a frame, not revealing itself.


    It was as if it had just removed something unpleasant from its sight.


    "Thus far, no clear intent has been shown by Black Cloak. We can only assume that it has a rule of affirming good and denying evil based on the direction of its actions."


    In reality, the situation was somewhat different.


    Gio had no idea that a frame like the ''City of Emptiness'' was freely wandering around, or that someone had been dragged into his own frame.


    It was more like the ''City of Emptiness,'' which had its own consciousness, removing something that its parent would dislike.


    It was similar to when Honey, the first modern human, swallowed the evil-hearted man she saw at Gyeongbokgung.


    Gio¡¯s children always wanted to see only the good, and always hoped for happiness.


    "......"


    "......"


    Of course, for those who didn¡¯t know these circumstances, everything seemed like it was Black Cloak¡¯s intention.


    Even though a person had gone missing, there was no malice in Black Cloak, and some staff members in the association felt a chill and caution.


    "...It has no restrictions on movement."


    Given that it had been sighted even in the dungeon, Black Cloak could indeed go anywhere.


    "It takes a strong interest in human life."


    "......"


    "It gives blessings to the good, and despair to the evil."


    The smiling staff member continued lightly.


    "It¡¯s like an Easter egg in a game."


    If life and dungeon raiding could be compared to a game.


    Easter eggs were hidden contents placed by creators as a playful secret in various media.


    Being "hidden by the creator" meant that it might or might not relate to the content of the game, and whether you find it is purely by chance¡ªit doesn¡¯t impact the progress of the game.


    "Doesn¡¯t it seem like a rare and fun event that pops up occasionally?"


    "Given the missing person, it¡¯s hard to call it a ¡®fun event.¡¯"


    "It seems like it¡¯s just trash, but if everyone lived kindly, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem."


    "Creating good people and punishing the evil is the role of the association and the government, so we shouldn¡¯t rely on an unknown being of origins."


    "Yes, I will be more cautious. I acknowledge my careless remarks."


    "And here, the next question arises..."


    One of the elders continued.


    "What happened to the hunter who was dragged into the frame?"


    That would reveal the true danger of Black Cloak.

 Chapter 99

    It was a world where even human life was treated as a resource. Even if an evil seed that was muddying the waters of society was taken away by something that was neither a monster nor anything, no one truly cared about the missing person.


    They were just curious.


    ¡°Is he dead now?¡±


    ¡°When did the information processing team confirm the time of his disappearance?¡±


    ¡°It was around 4 PM on the 22nd.¡±


    ¡°Today is the 24th. It¡¯s been about two days... I think it could be considered dead.¡±


    ¡°Then how he was killed would also be a topic of interest.¡±


    ¡°They may not have killed him, but used him as a toy.¡±


    ¡°Since he was evaluated as having considerable intelligence, that¡¯s a possibility.¡±


    Since they had not yet determined the exact identity of the ¡®Black Cloak,¡¯ the association staff had no choice but to compare him to a humanoid monster and make assumptions about him.


    And when they think about how humanoid monsters treat humans who break their rules, they naturally come up with wild guesses.


    ¡°If they just killed him cleanly, I think we can reconsider the meaning of ¡®punishment¡¯. Doesn¡¯t that mean there¡¯s no supervisor?¡±


    ¡°It could have been intended as ¡®cleanup¡¯ rather than ¡®punishment.¡¯ It¡¯s natural to want to get rid of people who break my rules, so I can¡¯t say there¡¯s no supervisor.¡±


    ¡°We need to know the results for sure so we can adjust the response level of the ¡®black cloak¡¯.... There was also advice from the former research team leader, Hunter Yoo Seong-woon.¡±


    The black cloak wasn¡¯t that important when he met a polite and kind person and showed them kindness. For the association, which had to consider all sorts of dangerous variables, the important thing was how this monster or whatever could harm humans.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there a way to find out the missing person¡¯s location?¡±


    ¡°According to the witness¡¯s testimony, he didn¡¯t have a separate location tracking device.¡±


    ¡°Well, even if he had such an item, it¡¯s possible it would have worked.¡±


    ¡°Still, it¡¯s not enough to simply declare him missing and close the case.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there a way to summon ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ separately?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to find any information on that part yet.¡±


    The association president opened his mouth amid the organized commotion.


    ¡°Let¡¯s try to get the cooperation of the three major guilds.¡±


    ¡°...All three major guilds?¡±


    ¡°Yes, please contact the leaders of each guild.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Only the executives gathered here knew that ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ had another name, ¡®Portrait of Geo.¡¯ The person who bought it at the auction was none other than the collector, Bisabal. He was the head of the collector¡¯s guild.


    So asking for cooperation from the three major guilds here was no different from asking Bisabal to directly ask about the results related to the disappearance of Hunter Park Eun-gyeom.


    Bisabal or ¡®Portrait of Geo¡¯ might be offended by such a direct and explicit request, but... .


    ¡°The collector will be more than happy to help if you show no intention of touching the artwork. I don¡¯t know how ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ will react, but the curators of the collection will directly manage and understand the situation, so if things really get dangerous, they will refrain from doing so.¡±


    Above all, judging from the direction the collection was moving, the curator currently in charge of ¡®Portrait of Geo¡¯ was most likely Gardener Yoo Seong-un.


    He was a very serious person when it came to dealing with the existence of the source, so there was no harm in trying either way.


    ¡°We¡¯ll wrap up this agenda here.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Chairman.¡±


    ¡°Then the next agenda is....¡±


    The association was always busy.


    So getting help from friends was often necessary.


    Meanwhile, the peaceful cabin in the portrait.


    ¡°Today¡¯s content is.¡±


    Geo declared.


    ¡°It has been decided to be Gambas.¡±


    ¡°Gurururur.¡±


    Honey cried out in joy.


    ¡°Kuruk, kuk, gururururur.¡±


    ¡°Calm down, son. Gambas won¡¯t fly like you when you rush them.¡±


    The name of ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ has spread widely in the world, especially in Korea, but the details were not Geo¡¯s business.


    The ultimate positive mind who accepted the life of a portrait because he didn¡¯t want to pay rent was just thinking about his meal peacefully today.


    ¡°I said gambas, but... hmm.¡±


    Sergio, a great gourmet and big eater, had the biggest content in his life to decide what to eat.


    Geo, who lives in a dream cabin with abundant time, energy, and capital, devoted his mind and body to preparing meals.


    ¡°Gambas al Ajillo is the original official name, right?¡±


    ¡°Kur?¡±


    ¡°Gambas is shrimp, Ajillo is garlic.¡±


    ¡°Kurur...?¡±


    ¡°Yes, if you translate it directly, it¡¯s shrimp and garlic stir-fry.¡±


    In fact, he said, ¡®I¡¯m going to make gambas,¡¯ but what Geo was going to make today was completely different from the original.


    ¡°There¡¯s no shrimp in the first place.¡±


    The only thing they had in common was that they would use bitter olive oil and garlic. However, since the method of making them would be quite similar, Geo decided not to change his words.


    ¡°Honey, you know that club I saw last time? If you go to the warehouse, there¡¯s a club I cleaned.¡±


    ¡°Crunch.¡±


    ¡°Go down with Dana and take as much as you want, including Dana and Grandpa¡¯s. If there¡¯s anything you want in the warehouse, take it out together.¡±


    ¡°Crunch.¡±


    Honey nodded vigorously and flew over to land on Dana¡¯s head.


    Dana, who was lying on the floor, which was slightly warm as the spring breeze blew, flailed her front paws like a cat that had spilled.


    ¡°Crunch.¡±


    ¡°...Muaaaaang....¡±


    Jooooooooook¨D.


    Dana got up from her seat and stretched out her legs in an arched manner, moving her feet quickly.


    Jio nodded at the sight of the two children disappearing, carrying a small basket made to fit Dana¡¯s body in their mouths.


    ¡°We¡¯re getting along well.¡±


    ¡°Kuu?¡±


    The sun god asked if Dana could go to the freezing cold ice storage, but Jio shook his head.


    ¡°Dana is not the family I drew, so she might be affected by this forest, but she was so cold and strictly speaking, she wasn¡¯t a normal creature, so there was no problem going to the ice storage. Dana wouldn¡¯t get sick because of the cold, unless she went to another dangerous place.¡±


    Jio thought to himself as he calmed the elders of the household.


    ¡®You¡¯re particularly concerned about Dana.¡¯


    Jio understood that feeling. Honey would come to get the attention and affection she deserved today, but Dana would often not know where the child was if she was left alone.


    ¡®She doesn¡¯t cry unless it¡¯s time to eat...¡¯


    She seemed to be worried about the sun god a lot because she would disappear when she didn¡¯t really want to eat.


    She survived well in that barren ¡®vein of jewels¡¯, so I didn¡¯t think anything bad would happen, but anyway, I could respect her enough because her grandfather said so.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll....¡±


    Seafood becomes tough if heated for too long. The clubs and trumpets that Honey and Dana would bring were going to be added at the very end, so Geo could just do the rest.


    ¡°Honey and Dad don¡¯t like spicy food that much, so I¡¯ll put in just the right amount of spices.¡±


    ¡°Kuu, ku.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll adjust it so that you can enjoy the flavor, so don¡¯t worry too much.¡±


    ¡°Ku....¡±


    ¡°Spicy food certainly wasn¡¯t that common in Giovanni¡¯s world. It might feel unfamiliar.¡±


    Gio poured olive oil generously into a shallow, wide square pen.


    ¡°But spicy food was very developed in the town of Edlan.¡±


    ¡°Kuu?¡±


    ¡°I also thought it was unusual. Usually, in coastal towns where you can often find fresh seafood, spicy spices aren¡¯t used much....¡±


    In principle, spices are used to make the flavor richer, but they are also used to cover up the unpleasant smell of ingredients.


    It was also common on Earth to use strong, stimulating pepper powder to mask the gamey smell of meat or seafood.


    ¡°It was a hot and humid climate. The annual temperature difference was also large. Since it was an environment where ingredients would spoil easily, they extended the preservation period by using spicy food... or maybe they were trying to achieve a sterilizing effect.¡±


    Above all, the specialty of Edelun Village was seafood such as clubs and trumpets, but there was a region among the neighboring villages that specialized in spices.


    Since it was easy to obtain such spices, it may have been a good environment for the development of spicy foods in various ways.


    ¡°Among the representative dishes of Edelun Village, there was spicy fried fish. It was a menu that was often sold at taverns, and if you asked, you could add dry bread and dip it in red oil.¡±


    ¡°Kuuu...?¡±


    ¡°It was spicy, but it went especially well with bread thanks to the unique flavor of tomatoes and the rich oil of the fish. The fish used there was particularly oily and plump, and the oil that flowed out of it was truly ecstatic.¡±


    ¡°Kuu....¡±


    ¡°Now that I think about it, it would have been nice if we could have added pasta noodles.¡±


    Recalling that memory, I decided that the gambas I was making this time would also be served with bread and noodles.


    ¡°I have ciabatta and baguette that I made last time, and I think it would be good to lightly bake them both in the oven. Which do you like better, olive ciabatta or cheese ciabatta? I also have a baguette baked with dried tomatoes.¡±


    ¡°Kuk-kuk-kuk....¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re wise. I¡¯ll follow my father¡¯s advice and give them all a little bit. Dana may not know, but Honey is a big eater like me, so she¡¯ll be able to enjoy it without any leftovers. It¡¯s a good thing I baked the bread in advance.¡±


    Knowing that Geo was very interested in cooking, Yoo Seong-woon often gave him ingredients as gifts.


    It included unique flour and vegetables that could only be purchased in the current world, and Geo happily owed Yoo Seong-woon a favor.


    ¡®I should treat him like an older brother.¡¯


    He was full of the composure of an adult, capable, and had a gentle personality, so he was friendly. In order to survive in this hellish Republic of Korea, Geo decided to faithfully cling to Yoo Seong-woon today as well.


    ¡°Ah, it would be delicious to eat cream cheese and smoked salmon on top of a baguette....¡±


    Even if it wasn¡¯t salmon, thinly sliced ??sausage or ham would also be a great combination. Geo brought the dried fish from the ¡®Breathing Sea¡¯ that was drying in the yard and sliced ??it thinly and widely.


    ¡°Good, it¡¯s dried well.¡±


    ¡°Kuk-kuk.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave the preparation to my father.¡±


    He sliced ??the garlic that he had previously prepared into not too thin pieces and poured it onto the pen that had not yet heated up.


    The teddy bear, who was slicing a baguette with sun-dried tomatoes sprinkled on it, turned to Geo at the sound of something pouring out.


    ¡°Kku?¡±


    ¡°Huh? There¡¯s nothing wrong.¡±


    ¡°... Kku?¡±


    ¡°This much garlic should be normal.¡±


    ¡°... ... .¡±


    The teddy bear soon gave up and started slicing the baguette. Thanks to the doll having fingers, it seemed that he could cut it with a knife, if only barely. Geo continued cooking the gambas with relief.


    ¡®You have to put the garlic in at a low temperature so that the oil can release its flavor.¡¯


    One thing to be careful of is that if you leave the garlic in the olive oil for too long, it will burn.


    However, the garlic grown in this forest cabin was particularly hard and had large grains, so even if you leave {N?o?v?e?l?i?g?h?t} it in long enough to bring out its flavor, it wouldn¡¯t suddenly burn out.


    ¡°And....¡±


    Geo took out the dried Milky Way Mary.


    ¡°Where was the pestle?¡±


    ¡°Kuuu.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. Thank you for letting me know.¡±


    Thanks to the sun god¡¯s instructions, I was able to take out the pestle that had been shoved in the cupboard. The Milky Way Mary, which had been dried in the sun, was black and transparent and shiny, but its grains were too hard to break with my hands.


    Crack, crack.


    ¡°.......¡±


    A spicy and pungent scent rose.


    ¡®It¡¯s similar to pepper, after all.¡¯


    Should I say it was pepper with a hint of chili pepper scent?


    ¡®It won¡¯t be spicy even if I put in a lot, so let¡¯s put in a little more.¡¯


    The scent of pepper is highly volatile, so if you leave it for too long, the scent won¡¯t come out well. However, Milky Way Mary didn¡¯t have that, and its strong scent lasted a long time, so it would be fine to put it in olive oil by now.


    ¡°I put in some pepper too....¡±


    Next came the weeping.


    ¡°I¡¯ll just put a little bit of this in.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°If the spicy scent is too weak, it¡¯ll be too oily and you won¡¯t be able to eat a lot.¡±


    ¡°...Kkuu... .¡±


    ¡°Trust this son.¡±


    When cooking with a lot of oil like this, dried spices were better. This was because when moisture enters the heated oil, an eco-friendly and high-performance bomb is completed.


    ¡®And I dried the ul-eum-ja-ri ??in advance for this day that will come someday.¡¯


    If ul-eum-ja-ri ??is dried in the sun for more than a month, it turns pink and has a very sweet taste. However, when I dried it gently on a slightly heated pen in the house, not in the sun, like roasting a rat, its spicy scent became stronger.


    ¡®The color is still blue-green, so it feels noticeably different from red pepper powder...¡¯


    Still, the scent was similar.


    ¡®The sweet smell that made the scent overly complicated has also disappeared a lot.¡¯


    The ul-eum-ja-ri ??that was completely dried by fire was as fluffy as a thin blue-green Korean paper, and the ends were crinkled like lace. When I put in the ul-eum-ja-ri ??cut into appropriate sizes, the spicy scent that had been quiet even when the Milky Way Mary was added was clear. It started to come out.


    ¡°This is it.¡±


    ¡°Kku.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Geo, who had clenched his fist without realizing it, lowered his arm.


    ¡°...It won¡¯t be very spicy.¡±


    Oh really.


    He pretended to be a court lady just in case, because of the suspicious gaze that didn¡¯t go away, but it wasn¡¯t that spicy after all.


    Even Sergio, who didn¡¯t have a great tolerance for spicy food, thought that if it was this good, even a teddy bear with a mild appearance wouldn¡¯t have a big problem tasting it.


    ¡°Really.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°If a father doesn¡¯t trust his son, who will trust me?¡±


    ¡°Kku.¡±


    ¡°Abusing trust? This is the kind of trust that is meant to be used in times like this.¡±


    Unfortunately, the suspicion of the spicy kid wasn¡¯t something that could be easily dispelled.


    The adults who had wasted their time continued a strange standoff until Honey and Dana arrived.

 Chapter 100

    Koreans say garlic isn''t a spice.


    "I said it''s a vegetable?"


    "Kung, kkung, kkung...."


    "Honey, why would you hate it so much?"


    Honey always makes a ''kung'' sound when expressing her disapproval, and when she kung, her already round body would roll up and down. She was like a soft, bouncy ball rolling around.


    But Geo felt wronged.


    "Garlic isn''t spicy when cooked."


    "Kung."


    "You''ll know when you eat it, it''s just a potato. It''s just a well-mashed, moist potato."


    "Kung, kkung...."


    "The flavor has all gone into the oil. Dad is really upset."


    Even though she had made rice, two of her family members were distrustful of Geo.


    ¡°Dad said he tried it.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t Honey who responded, but the teddy bear.


    ¡°Kkuu....¡±


    ¡°...Of course, Koreans are strong against spicy food, but Dad, that¡¯s a prejudice. Not all Koreans are strong against spicy food. I was average.¡±


    He didn¡¯t say anything, but since God is a god, the sun god knew that there was a Korean among the ¡®Geo¡¯. And because of the popular belief that Koreans are particularly strong against spicy food, this confrontation had occurred.


    ¡°Why do we have to face such a harsh ordeal in front of this warm and delicious table...?¡±


    As always, Geo¡¯s cooking was amazing.


    The soft and moist club or pal, thrown at the right time, boasted a milky white color, and the olive oil with the soul of garlic harmonized with the Milky Way Mary and the weeping hem.


    Also, the sun god gave off his warmth and cut it, and the bread that Geo had baked in the oven once was emitting a rich aroma.


    ¡°Add to that the smoked fish fillet that was gently dried in the gentle spring breeze, and what a simple and perfect table this is. Especially, how delicious would it be if this fish fillet was soft and chewy and placed on a crispy baguette, with a drop or two of gambas oil, and topped with well-fermented capers?¡±


    The pig¡¯s sincerity in appealing to his appetite got through, and Honey and the Bear doll hesitated. Geo didn¡¯t miss the opportunity and had Honey and the Bear doll sit on their respective tables.


    ¡°Let¡¯s eat first. No matter how much you hate spicy food, you shouldn¡¯t be doing this in front of a hot table. That¡¯s an insult to the ingredients and an insult to me, the chef.¡±


    ¡°Gulp....¡±


    ¡°Kkuu....¡±


    ¡°Danado has already gone and sat down, so why are you all hesitating like this? Honey, I didn¡¯t raise you to be so weak. Didn¡¯t you say, Father, that you wanted to experience human culture?¡±


    That¡¯s how Geo managed to convince the two.


    ¡°You thought well. Yes, you may feel aversion to spicy food, but if you avoid it without even trying it, your range of experiences will inevitably be limited.¡±


    ¡°Kuuu.¡±


    ¡°Of course, it is said that spicy food is closer to pain than taste, but I don¡¯t deny that, but I hope you understand that even that is a part of the gastronomic experience. The texture of the mouth is also a part of the meal.¡±


    Soggy dumplings or hard pudding were like things you didn¡¯t want to eat. Food had a texture that went best with it, and there was a taste and flavor that went well with that form. Geo couldn¡¯t leave these spicy lovers alone.


    ¡°No, more than that.¡±


    Geo once again complained about his injustice.


    ¡°I told you it¡¯s not spicy?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Dana, you don¡¯t trust this father either.¡±


    Anyway, the meal went on. Both Honey and Sunshin secretly showed their dislike, but they had no intention of not eating at all from the beginning. There was a delicious smell wafting around, so how could they avoid it?


    Geo, a timid spicy person, made a salmon baguette for his son.


    ¡°Put ripe broccoli and garlic on the baguette... Crush the tomatoes so that they release their juices... Put smoked fish on top... Put cheese flowers on top, and voila.¡±


    The Geo-Pyo salmon baguette was complete.


    ¡°It was a good thing I grew cheese flowers.¡±


    This cheese flower that I first encountered at the restaurant I visited with Yoo Seong-un. I was able to get the seeds because it was a plant that grew in a dungeon somewhere.


    As expected, it evolved from azalea to morning glory, perhaps influenced by the forest, but its deep flavor and fragrance were the same.


    ¡°If you eat it with cheese like this, it¡¯ll be much less spicy.¡±


    ¡°Kung....¡±


    Dab.


    The baguette melted in Honey¡¯s body.


    ¡°...Kur.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡±


    ¡°Kururururur.¡±


    ¡°Thank goodness.¡±


    The first impression of the food you eat determines your subsequent culinary journey. I didn¡¯t want to give my child a bad memory of the ¡®spicy food¡¯ he was trying for the first time since he was born.


    ¡°It¡¯s moderately spicy, so it¡¯s okay?¡±


    ¡°Kuruk guruk.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you have to try anything to know.¡±


    Geo also made and ate the baguette in the same way as before.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    He acknowledged it as the name of a self-proclaimed wild gourmet.


    ¡°It¡¯s good.¡±


    ¡°Kuruk.¡±


    It was delicious.


    ¡®I think it could have been a little spicier than this.¡¯


    Jeo knew that although he avoided the level of spiciness that would cause a traffic accident, if it was just enough to hit his shoulder, it could be a moderate stimulus.


    Smoked fish, cheese flowers, and broccoli were all mild, so they felt a little bland.


    ¡®But this is pretty good.¡¯


    The unique spicy and savory flavor of Milky Way Mary hit the roof of my mouth, but it wasn¡¯t so spicy that my tongue would have been tingled, so I could pass it up with a pleasant scent. Honey seemed to have given it a passing grade on this point.


    ¡®The broccoli was also cooked just right. If it had been cooked for too long, it would have been soggy and had a strange texture... The tomatoes, which were particularly plump, were softly crushed thanks to the heating.¡¯


    It seemed that the broccoli, garlic, and tomatoes were all slightly spicy because they were soaked in spicy oil.


    But at that time, the cheese flower that came into my mouth was much softer than the vegetables and spread like silk, soothing the tingling sensation.


    In particular, the smoked fish gave off a luxurious scent unique to the wood that had been burned, creating an even more harmonious taste.


    ¡°...Even if I put scallops in here....¡±


    ¡°Kuu?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes, scallops won¡¯t be particularly spicy either.¡±


    The sun god must have felt that this level of spiciness was delicious, so he secretly handed Geo a baguette with sun-dried tomatoes. He meant to ask him to make a baguette with scallops.


    ¡®You want to experiment with new ideas as soon as you accept them? You show the qualities of a great pig.¡¯


    A baguette with sun-dried tomatoes. The sweet and sour flavor unique to tomatoes that were well-dried in the sun already existed. Instead of adding tomatoes soaked in oil, he made a baguette with only broccoli, garlic, and scallops.


    ¡°Try it once, and if you think it¡¯s a little spicy, you can eat it with cheese.¡±


    ¡°Kku....¡±


    Wow.


    Half of the baguette disappeared into the teddy bear¡¯s large mouth.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Kukukuk....¡±


    Judging by the pleasant smile, Geo¡¯s choice seemed satisfactory.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Muang.¡±


    ¡°...You¡¯re talented.¡±


    Danana Honey was a little worried because she didn¡¯t have hands, but she managed to mix it together well using her mouth or feet. Geo nodded in satisfaction and looked at the family who were now starting to mix it together on their own.


    ¡°Hmm....¡±


    Maybe I should make some bread with dried figs later.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to make bread in advance.¡±


    ¡°Kuuu.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, this was everyday life in Edlen Village.¡±


    Because bread was the staple food in the area, even in coastal towns, there were many bakeries here and there.


    ¡°Kuu?¡±


    ¡°Yes, there were many households that didn¡¯t have ovens.¡±


    ¡°Ku?¡±


    ¡°In those cases, they used the village¡¯s communal oven, or if they had a little more ? N§àv§ÖIight ? (Read more on our source) money, they would go to the bakery. Anyway, bread was always a staple when a meal was served.¡±


    ¡°Kuk-kuk-kuk.¡±


    ¡°As you might expect, I preferred to bake my own bread at home.¡±


    In Edelland Village, bread felt like rice in Korea, so bakeries only sold the most basic bread. Since dipping it in stew was the norm, there were few places that sold it with dried fruit or nuts.


    ¡°Because if you bake your own bread, you can try different things. Sometimes, you¡¯ll even bake it with minced sausage or fish. The seafood in Edelland Village is of high quality, so it¡¯s not too burdensome to eat it in any way.¡±


    Thinking back to that time, I felt motivated.


    ¡°It would be better to bake bread in advance.¡±


    ¡°Kurururur.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that way, I can take it out and eat it whenever I think of it.¡±


    Since bread takes a lot of time to knead and bake, the people of Edelland Village would prepare a large amount of bread at once on a certain day and last for almost a month.


    ¡®Of course, the bread would harden and become dry, but being able to eat warm and moist bread every day was a privilege of the nobility... After all, hard and dry bread tastes good when dipped in stew.¡¯


    In fact, the combination of hard and dry bread and stew with a lot of broth went well together. Since everyone ate like that, the stew they ordered at restaurants was a little salty to eat just the soup, and instead, they would give out bread to go with it.


    However, the advantage of this forest was that fully grown vegetables and cooked food did not spoil.


    Even if you bake a lot of bread, it will always be freshly baked, so if you bake bread diligently and stock up, you can eat it whenever you have time.


    ¡°In addition to meal bread, if you bake other breads, they are also quite....¡±


    ¡°Wow.¡±


    ¡°Small, round bread? Munchkin donuts would be good too.¡±


    If you lightly add milk to the sugar powder and cover the bread, you will have a wonderful glazed donut. Geo thought that he should make a few sweet breads as well.


    ¡°Okay, here we will use pasta noodles.¡±


    When he felt that the bread was consumed, Geo took out the pasta noodles that he had prepared in advance.


    He put the chewy, cooked pasta noodles on his personal plate and added various vegetables, a few spoons of oil, and the sausages that Guan Zha and Dana had brought.


    ¡°This would be delicious as is if you added cheese.¡±


    ¡°Gulp.¡±


    ¡°I will give you some too, so wait a moment. This has a lot of oil, so it might be a little spicy.¡±


    ¡°Kkuk.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve become brave. As expected, children grow up at some point....¡±


    Rub the noodles in hot oil to make it at the right temperature, Geo took a slurp and tasted it.


    ¡°Good.¡±


    He really liked it.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t cut the spiciness of the oil as well as the bread, so this will probably be a little spicier. Just in case, put some cheese flowers on it and eat it together.¡±


    ¡°Kurururur.¡±


    ¡°Do you need dad too?¡±


    The teddy bear shook its head at Geo¡¯s question. It didn¡¯t really have noodles, but it seemed like it liked the bread so far and didn¡¯t plan on changing to another type. Geo confirmed his belief.


    Geo poured some pasta in front of Dana, who was curious about what Honey was eating, and ate his own.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Well.


    It was good as expected.


    ¡®The oil scent is stronger, so it¡¯s a little tingly...¡¯


    Geo sprinkled some more of the ground Milky Way Mary on top of his portion of pasta. The unique strong aroma spreads, and when you eat it with spicy sausage, the taste is excellent, including the meat juice.


    ¡®The sausage was well-cooked once.¡¯


    The moist flesh inside the crispy shell was chewed with each grain, and the smooth noodles soaked in oil added flavor and texture, igniting my appetite.


    Even when eaten with clubs or pals, which are treated as scallops rather than sausages, it had a different taste, so I didn¡¯t get tired of it.


    Geo opened his mouth after drinking the sweet goby fruit tea he had prepared in advance.


    ¡°...Haa....¡±


    A sigh of satisfaction escaped him.


    This is happiness.

 Chapter 101

    "B-grade Hunter."


    "......"


    It was said that anyone who awakened could become a hunter in this world, but that didn¡¯t mean that a B rank was necessarily low.


    Above all, he was born a first-class citizen.


    "......"


    Not only did he live in the city, but he was also rated as a first-class citizen for protecting the city.


    So, wherever he went, he received preferential treatment and respect. A first-class citizen was someone like that in this world.


    "......"


    It was something that would give him ?N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t? the confidence to carry himself with pride.


    "...Uh...."


    Just trying to handle a mere third-class citizen as he pleased, though.


    "...What...what is this... where am I?"


    Stumbling...


    He barely managed to get his body, which didn¡¯t respond, to stand up.


    "What the hell...?"


    Park Eun-Gyeom, a first-class citizen and a B-grade hunter, looked around.


    "...Is this a dungeon?"


    Although he couldn¡¯t be said to have little experience as a hunter, there was a reason he was asking such a simple and foolish question.


    "Is there such a dungeon?"


    It was all in monochrome.


    Bright white. Black as if from the abyss. Light gray. A slightly darker gray. Almost black gray.


    Gray, close to white. Gray, shiny like glass. Gray, wavering as if it were alive. Gray. Gray.


    The man was in the middle of a gray city.


    "......"


    It felt as though his lungs were stuffed with cotton, and his breath was choked. Unknowingly, he felt his chest.


    He knew logically that there was no physical abnormality, but no, it wasn¡¯t a cold feeling. This was...


    "...W-what is this...."


    A chilling sense of weakness. He couldn¡¯t apply any strength anywhere. It felt like the muscles in his entire body had disappeared.


    "Where is this?"


    It felt as though even the organ known as the lungs had disappeared. Even though he was speaking, it was as if his tongue was gone, and he couldn¡¯t tell if his vocal cords were vibrating or not. He couldn¡¯t even hear his own voice.


    "...What the hell..."


    This emptiness, which felt so out of place, slowly started to invade his whole body. It was as if someone were whispering next to his ear, "This is how it should be," a natural change.


    He began gasping for breath as if he were about to die, and it seemed like his airways had disappeared. His heart, which had been pounding, was eerily quiet, unable to comprehend this strange fear.


    Even the warmth from the tips of his fingers was fading away.


    "Unbelievable, no, no..."


    The man stumbled and quickly looked around with his eyes.


    Gray here. Gray there. Gray to the left. Gray to the right.


    The buildings were boring and simple rectangles, made either with the emotional curves unique to Seoul or stretched out very long or extremely short.


    "Made?"


    Who made this?


    "This... this is a dungeon. Yeah, it''s a dungeon."


    But something was strange. Too much was empty.


    This damn gray city looked filthy and vast, and the buildings were numerous, yet there was no trace of life anywhere. Which dungeon in the world could be this quiet?


    "Not even an enemy can be felt."


    He thought the fear would come from monsters rushing to kill him, but no, it wasn¡¯t that. The real terror was that this endless dungeon, with no visible end, just stared at him without doing anything.


    It simply stared at him.


    "......"


    It¡¯s scary.


    Scary?


    Is it scary?


    "...I can¡¯t even tell if it''s fear...."


    At first, it was just the breath he exhaled.


    Then it was the warmth spreading from his organs, connected to his lungs. After that came the emotions.


    "Ugh, ugh...."


    Where was it after that?


    Gradually, the presence of ''Park Eun-Gyeom'' was fading away.


    "...Ugh!"


    The man quickly shook his head and massaged his hands.


    "Don¡¯t think strange thoughts, nothing¡¯s disappearing. I still have hands, and they¡¯re not cold."


    It was all just an illusion. This dungeon was brainwashing him, trying to kill him.


    Since this was his first time encountering this type of calm dungeon, panic hit him for a moment, but he wasn¡¯t someone who would just give in that easily.


    "If this is a dungeon, what kind of dungeon is it?"


    Is it a mobile-type, a fixed-type? Virtual? A mansion? An entrance?


    Consciously taking a deep breath, the man rolled his eyes from side to side.


    "I definitely... was dragged here by that hand..."


    He couldn¡¯t remember the exact process, but he clearly remembered being dragged out of "The Jewel¡¯s Flow" by transparent hands that emerged from a frame.


    His expression, once focused on survival, quickly collapsed into despair and fear.


    "......"


    He recalled the moment when he had been pulled into the frame.


    "...Hah...."


    The sensation of his body melting like paint was vivid in his mind.


    "...I shouldn¡¯t think about this. In a situation like this, thinking more will only lower my chances of survival... yeah, I have to focus. Focus...."


    He tried to pull himself together, but it wasn¡¯t easy.


    It felt so strange. Was it painful? Maybe it was. Was it peaceful? No, it wasn¡¯t.


    The sensation of his feet being the first to be devoured by the frame and slowly melting away like wax. The pain.


    How could he forget the feeling of becoming a liquid capable of thought?


    "......"


    After losing consciousness from the pain, he had come this far without resisting...


    "......"


    So.


    "......"


    What was he trying to do?


    "...Ah, ah, ah."


    With a stumble, the man collapsed backward.


    "Ugh...."


    Now even his thoughts were disappearing into this emptiness.


    ¡®I can¡¯t go on like this.¡¯


    He didn¡¯t know exactly what kind of dungeon this was.


    Although its structure might resemble the dungeons he knew, it was completely different. Still, as a B-grade hunter, he instinctively realized that this dungeon was like a mutation.


    So, his chances of survival were slim, but he didn¡¯t care. In truth, it was more like he couldn¡¯t think.


    Realizing that his thoughts were being eaten up by pain and fear, the man tried to struggle as best he could.


    "Get up, get up. Get up and...."


    For some reason, his body hadn¡¯t responded since earlier. It was similar to the feeling when he had just awakened in the past or when he was overwhelmed by too strong an emotion and collapsed.


    But that, too, sent chills down his spine.


    ¡®Is this dungeon sucking up the strength I should be able to exert?¡¯


    He had that suspicion.


    After struggling like a bug on the ground several times, the man finally managed to get up.


    He couldn¡¯t understand it, but because of rubbing his body on the dark gray asphalt floor, his body was covered in soot.


    No, it seemed like paint was oozing out of him.


    ¡®Paint?¡¯


    Finally, and only after a delay, the man realized whose dungeon he was in.


    "...Black Cloak...."


    Wasn¡¯t this a very famous story recently?


    "...Black...Black Cloak...!! Yeah, that bastard...!! That monster bastard!!"


    Even in this dungeon, his deep arrogance and overflowing anger couldn¡¯t be concealed.


    Dragged like a pitiful dog, struggling and now miserable, this was all created by that monster.


    How could a filthy, beastly monster do this to a human...!


    "Shit, shit, SHIT!! You damn monster that just goes around giving useless gifts...!!!"


    He didn¡¯t even realize what he was shouting.


    If he were a hunter with more knowledge and better skills, he would have recognized that he was inside ¡®Black Cloak¡¯s belly¡¯ and would have shown the utmost humility and reflection.


    But if he were such a person, why would ¡®The City of Emptiness¡¯ have dragged Park Eun-Gyeom here in the first place?


    Gio¡¯s children knew exactly what their parent disliked. They were beings who didn¡¯t even understand such things.


    "Hah, h-hah... huff..."


    The man, still trembling, slowly moved his feet and began to leave his spot.


    It all looked the same, but every dungeon had an entrance. There was no dungeon without a way out.


    Such a place couldn¡¯t be called a dungeon. So, it had to exist, of course it did. But still, the question remained.


    ¡®Why Black Cloak?¡¯


    Although the response level of the Hunter Association website was adjusted very high, those managing the information were all human, so they might have been overly cautious.


    The explanation said to be careful, but in reality, Black Cloak had never harmed a human.


    ¡®Although some idiots died because they suddenly left their posts...¡¯


    For a moment, the man thought of ¡®The Land of the Deep Sea¡¯ and shook his head.


    ¡®I¡¯ve never heard of an attack like this before.¡¯


    The Black Cloak he knew was a monster that would suddenly appear, greet you gloomily, give a gift, and then disappear.


    So trivial that some people would gather together and chat about Black Cloak, passing time with pointless stories...


    ¡®Why the hell... is that monster... after me?¡¯


    While he was slowly moving his feet, it happened.


    "......"


    He froze.


    "......"


    Ignoring the creaking of his un-oiled joints, he turned his head to look behind.


    "......"


    "......"


    A man in a suit was standing.


    "...What..."


    "......"


    "What is it?"


    It was a pitch-black suit.


    It looked like the shadow of a basement where not a single beam of light entered. Even the shirt was black, and it looked suffocating, with every button meticulously fastened. The black shoes, for some reason, looked sturdy.


    It stood there, silently, staring at the man.


    ¡®...Staring?¡¯


    What kind of nonsense was he thinking, looking at something without a face?


    ¡®No, wait... Did I...?¡¯


    Had he known it was there behind him?


    "......"


    Despite not feeling any presence, the man knew the ¡®suit¡¯ was there.


    "...Ah..."


    A dark liquid seemed to flow through his empty brain. He didn¡¯t know what was happening to him.


    "...Go away."


    "......"


    "Go away, you monster. This, this just... I...!"


    "......"


    "I¡¯ll just...!"


    While the man staggered back with the suit in his line of sight, he kept checking behind him to make sure he wouldn¡¯t bump into another suit, but none appeared.


    As he stepped back, the first suit didn¡¯t come any closer.


    "......"


    "......"


    Even though he had moved for a long time, the suit still remained motionless.


    With his mind set, the man quickly tried to run and leave the spot.


    "Ugh...!!"


    Unable to put strength in his legs, he kept falling on the rough asphalt floor, but he didn¡¯t care.


    "Haaah, h-hah, huff...!!"


    As he ran.


    "Aah...!!!"


    "......"


    "Ah, ahh...!!"


    Once again, the pitch-black suit appeared in his vision.


    It stood, arms crossed, slowly walking, but it was clear that its direction had shifted to look at him. The slow pace, as if it were on its way to work, gave an unbearable sense of discomfort, causing the man to stifle his scream.


    But he still ran. Falling, skin scraping, running again. A B-grade hunter like him didn¡¯t have the time to analyze why he was feeling pain on this asphalt floor.


    ¡®Crazy...!!¡¯


    The man kept encountering the suits.


    On the left, there was a suit. It sat on a bench, watching the man run.


    On the right, a suit was running a bit slower. It had also turned toward him.


    Ahead, there were two suits. They stood still, staring at the man as he moved.


    Then, when he looked behind.


    "......"


    Right behind him, from farther away, and from alleys, inside buildings, beyond glass windows, from rooftops, under streetlights, beside benches, inside bus stops, inside convenience stores, inside cars, walking, running, stopping, they all stared at him.


    "......"


    Then.


    When he looked ahead...?


    "......"


    What would happen?


    "......"


    The man felt the breath of the suit, so close to his body.


    "Ugh..."


    He couldn¡¯t turn his head forward again.


    There was no presence, but the feeling of its existence was overwhelming. Even though the clothes moved by themselves, it felt like there was a living person inside.


    No, of course, it couldn¡¯t be called a person, and it shouldn¡¯t be called that... But still.


    "...Hah..."


    Slowly turning his body, the man sluggishly sank to the ground.


    "Haa, hh... hhh..."


    Squatting down ungracefully, he saw his own state.


    "Haa... Aahh... Ugh..."


    Instead of blood, black paint oozed from his skin that had been scraped raw.


    "Aah..."


    The man, trembling, fumbled his face with his black, shaky hands. It felt wet.


    "......"


    Turning his head to look at the building¡¯s window, he saw his own reflection, covered in black splotches. It looked like rotten flesh, stained with a filthy, dark color, with holes that looked like they were eaten away.


    "......"


    Even when he hurriedly felt around, there were no holes. But this was a shadow.


    He lowered his head, kept feeling around his body, looking at his legs, which looked like they had tar smeared on them.


    Then, as he looked up...


    "......"


    "......"


    "......"


    He raised his head.


    "Wow, look at this person."


    It was an unbearably familiar voice.


    "Why is it so blotchy?"


    "Not complete."


    "That''s why we can call it an unfinished work."


    It was Park Eun-Gyeom, his own voice.


    He saw the black-suited figures surrounding him, looking down at him.


    "......"


    They didn¡¯t surround him tightly, but there weren¡¯t few of them. They looked like citizens watching someone who had a heart attack.


    The intense discomfort made his teeth grind.


    "Wow, look at this person."


    The exact same voice.


    "Why is it so blotchy?"


    "Not complete."


    "That''s why we can call it an unfinished work."


    The exact same lines.


    "......"


    And then.


    Park Eun-Gyeom touched his neck.


    "Wow."


    "...¨D"


    "Look at this person."


    ...He couldn¡¯t speak.


    "Why is it so blotchy?"


    "......"


    "Not complete."


    "......"


    "That''s why we can call it an unfinished work."


    "......"


    "......"


    "......"

 Chapter 102

    ¡°Curator Yoo Seong-un.¡±


    Just Yoo Seong-un.


    ¡°I¡¯m very sorry to say this, but....¡±


    ¡°Overtime?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Overtime.¡±


    It felt like it was coming.


    Bisabal, who had been quietly looking at Yoo Seong-un¡¯s face, who had escaped resignation and reached a state of liberation, quickly raised his thumb. He gave a refreshing wink that made it hard to believe he was an old gentleman of that age.


    ¡°How much would it cost?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like a dirty capitalist society.¡±


    In this day and age, things like legally stipulated working hours were useless.


    Even those that were stipulated by law were all based on civilian standards, so if they were not ordinary awakened individuals but openly hunters, it wouldn¡¯t be strange for them to die from overwork.


    ¡°Whew....¡±


    And Yoo Seong-un was a member of society who knew very well that he was a cog in the wheel of this society.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s fine.¡±


    He nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to this month¡¯s paycheck.¡±


    ¡°Oh my goodness, Hunter Yoo Seong-woon is so cool! He¡¯s so trustworthy!¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t make me suffer any longer and get to the point.¡±


    ¡°Should I?¡±


    Bisabal, with his signature sagging smile, continued.


    ¡°Gio got into an accident.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Horok... .


    Yoo Seong-woon asked after drinking the sweet fruit tea.


    ¡°Is it cute or horrible?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really cute.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s horrible by the guild leader¡¯s standards, then I can¡¯t help but know.¡±


    ¡°Then before you even wonder why I asked, Mr. Yoo Seong-woon? What do you think of me? A pioneer who predicts the end?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s amazing how you can enjoy life so much.¡±


    ¡°Enjoying it is the only thing that matters. You can respect me.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes....¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon rubbed his sore neck and asked again.


    ¡°What exactly happened?¡±


    ¡°They said a first-class citizen was dragged away by Geo¡¯s frame.¡±


    ¡°If he was a first-class citizen, there would be a few classists who would rise up....¡±


    ¡°What can we do? It wasn¡¯t something that a human did, it was something that a monster did, so we should pay a little more attention.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    It¡¯s true that first-class citizens receive considerable preferential treatment in the human world.


    However, because of that, few people sympathized when first-class citizens were attacked by monsters. Most first-class citizens gained power and honor in return for fighting monsters and protecting other citizens.


    ¡°Well, Geo isn¡¯t a monster.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, wouldn¡¯t it be better if it was known that way?¡±


    ¡°The guild leader is right.¡±


    There was no need to tell those who couldn¡¯t even see about the existence of the source.


    ¡®It¡¯ll only add to the confusion.¡¯


    If the source was officially known, it would have been at least 100 years later. It had only been 31 years since the Great Disaster, so there were many things that were particularly lacking in the citizens¡¯ awareness.


    Anyway, this isn¡¯t the important part.


    ¡°Who was the person Geo took away?¡±


    Bisabal answered Yoo Seong-woon¡¯s question, wiping his chin.


    ¡°He¡¯s a B-class hunter named Park Eun-gyeom.¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯ve never heard of him before...¡±


    ¡°Please memorize the names of the hunters, he¡¯s a hunter who¡¯s ranked high.¡±


    ¡°Overall ranking?¡±


    ¡°Domestic.¡±


    ¡°How would I know that?¡±


    Although he was an A-class hunter, Yoo Seong-woon¡¯s job was as a curator of a collection store and manager of a secret garden.


    Basically, if it was a widely known object that needed special attention, all of his attention was directed toward the source.


    ¡°Where would you use the rankings of domestic hunters if you knew them?¡±


    In short, if it¡¯s not the basic qualifications of a basic or A-class hunter, there¡¯s no need to know them.


    ¡°It can be used to pretend to know them, right?¡±


    ¡°I remember the important A-class roughly.¡±


    ¡°Please pay attention to the ranks just below that. Even if you¡¯re an unofficial hunter, you¡¯ll get cursed at if you do that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m doing well in society. I don¡¯t show off in front of people that I don¡¯t know them.¡±


    ¡°I guess that¡¯s fortunate....¡±


    Maybe it¡¯s because hunters are treated like celebrities. People always wanted hunters in the media to be humble and perfect unless they had some kind of character.


    The image of knowing and respecting all the hunters¡¯ names was part of that ¡®perfection.¡¯


    Of course, Yoo Seong-un was a collection of Bisabul, and because he was a gardener who had a lot of time for personal work, he didn¡¯t appear in the media often on his own. If he was doing well on his own, there was no need for Bisabal to worry about him.


    ¡°Well, he wasn¡¯t a hunter with that much recognition.¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about that hunter named Park Eun-gyeom?¡±


    ¡°I think he had a strong desire to rise up, but I¡¯m not sure. People these days don¡¯t like arrogant and self-righteous hunters.¡±


    Image management was important for hunters these days. In order to not need that kind of image, you had to be S-class, but even in this day and age where hunters are easily produced, it was hard to find a hunter of that rank.


    And of course, the hunter who was kidnapped by Geo this time wasn¡¯t that good of an ability.


    ¡°He¡¯s a typical B-class. He was born with pretty good aptitude skills and a decent rank, but he didn¡¯t have any particular external charm or social skills.¡±


    ¡°...You memorized it all, so he wasn¡¯t a hunter you paid special attention to.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re a hunter in South Korea, you all remember. Even if I look like a rascal, I¡¯m still the leader of the third-largest guild in the country. If you want to win with your head instead of your body, this is basic.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon nodded.


    ¡°What exactly happened?¡±


    ¡°The official document just came down from the Hunter Association today....¡±


    Bisabal explained what had happened so far. How the Hunter Association reacted to Geo¡¯s accident and how passively they asked for help. And what exactly was the accident Geo had caused.


    ¡°...So, they say that hunter Park Eun-gyeom hasn¡¯t been found yet.¡±


    ¡°If he was dragged into Geo¡¯s frame, that makes sense. I don¡¯t even know what¡¯s going on inside.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon groaned, holding his chin.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the only good thing, it¡¯s that it wasn¡¯t something that would make such a fuss.¡±


    First of all, it was because Geo had caused the accident without much noise.


    ¡°More than anything, the Hunter Association¡¯s attitude was impressive.¡±


    ¡°I thought so too.¡±


    Bisabal agreed.


    ¡°I have no intention of causing a fuss, nor do I intend to offend our portrait, but this decision was made to show how seriously we are taking the ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ incident.¡±


    He vaguely ¡®requested¡¯ an ¡®investigation¡¯ without directly mentioning it. If the association president knew that Geo was Bisabal¡¯s collection, he could have been more forceful, but he didn¡¯t.


    So was he just being passive? That wasn¡¯t the case.


    ¡°Requesting help from all three major guilds, not just anyone else?¡±


    There were three guilds representing South Korea, and Bisabal¡¯s ¡®Collector¡¯ was third.


    ¡°Then....¡±


    ¡°Including the association president, all the ¡®Symbols of Eternity¡¯ are gathered.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it.¡±


    Symbol of Eternity.


    This is a collective term for the top and second guild leaders in South Korea, including Dan Hae-ra, the head of the Korean Hunter Association. It is a word that literally describes three people who are recorded as great people who symbolize eternity.


    If Bisabal is responsible for Korea¡¯s capital, the second guild leader is responsible for public sentiment, the first guild leader is responsible for safety, and the Hunter Association leader is responsible for overall administration and management. With these leaders at the center, South Korea has shown a high level of stability worldwide.


    ¡°Well, of course I am not the ¡®symbol of eternity¡¯?¡±


    Some people sometimes make the mistake, but Bisabal is not making a promise of eternity like them, because his aging is slowing down thanks to his high level of skill. Even if he had, he would not have made it.


    ¡°Still, he plays a big role in this capitalist society. It seems that he contacted all three of the top guild leaders in South Korea, including me, so this alone shows how important the association leader thinks of ¡®Portrait of Geo¡¯.¡±


    At Bisabal¡¯s words, Yoo Seong-woon opened his mouth with a slightly trembling expression.


    ¡°...I¡¯ve been curious about this for a long time.¡±


    ¡°Why are you asking me now?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to get involved, but I feel like I¡¯ve already gotten involved, so I¡¯m asking now.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re smart, as expected, I brought in Yoo Seong-woon myself, curator.¡±


    ¡°You brought them all in yourself, so what... Anyway.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon continued.


    ¡°Why did the president covet ¡®Geo¡¯s Portrait¡¯ in the first place?¡±


    As far as he knew, the main skill of the president of Dan Hae-ra Association, one of the few S-ranks in Korea, wasn¡¯t ¡®emotion.¡¯


    He probably couldn¡¯t feel the essence of that unfamiliar portrait as much as Bisabal, so why did he put in so much effort to compete with Bisabal, who was in charge of Korean capital?


    ¡°I know that the chairman visits the auction house often. He buys a lot of things. But he¡¯s rarely shown as much passion and /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ sincerity as this portrait, right?¡±


    ¡°Never.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t know much about that either.¡±


    The only thing Bisabal could tell was that.


    ¡°.......¡±


    His eyes were unusually full of emotion.


    ¡®... I can¡¯t be sure, though.¡¯


    Chairman Dan Hae-ra, who could be called the center of Korea at the moment, was someone who gave up a lot to maintain that balance.


    ¡®How could someone like that show emotion, even faintly, over one auction item?¡¯


    To be honest, Bisabal himself doubted his own judgment.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t know everything.¡±


    ¡°You act like it¡¯s not true.¡±


    ¡°That helps my image business.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my head hurts.¡±


    ¡°That can happen in life.¡±


    Anyway, it wasn¡¯t that important why the Association Chairman was after ¡®Geo¡¯s Portrait¡¯. At least to Bisabul, it was.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know for sure, but there might have been something that only the Association Chairman could see.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°The conversation has gone off on a tangent.¡±


    Isn¡¯t the most important thing now ¡®Geo¡¯s Portrait¡¯?


    ¡°As you expected, the Hunter Association recognized the importance of the ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ and was even more cautious. We are approaching. We will probably maintain a coexistence attitude until we are sure that they are enemies.¡±


    ¡°... For now, Geo will be less angry if we approach them aggressively. I was worried that the image of the ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ has become too familiar recently, so I am glad that the association has recognized it.¡±


    ¡°Even the three major guild leaders in South Korea have all received the official document. Since it is the request of the association leader, the other two symbols will also make their stance on the ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ clear and make efforts to inform others.¡±


    ¡°Since there are symbols that are specialized in that area, I will not worry about that anymore. Now, the only thing left is how cooperative our collection will be.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon, who was once the research team leader of the association, wasn¡¯t so indifferent to the affairs of the country.


    He was good at understanding even if you twisted it 30 times, but Yoo Seong-woon couldn¡¯t help but do something if he was given this much notice.


    ¡°.......¡±


    And anyway.


    ¡°...Jio is my responsibility.¡±


    If it weren¡¯t for Yoo Seong-woon, there was no one else who could take charge of this matter.


    ¡°For now, I¡¯ll take a closer look.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask Geo right away?¡±


    ¡°...It¡¯s true that Geo is friendly to humans as a being of origin, but this is a bit different.¡±


    ¡°Well, this is the first time he¡¯s shown hostility rather than favor. It says in the official document that he didn¡¯t show up, so he might be upset.¡±


    ¡°If Geo tries to save a human he judges to be a ¡®villain,¡¯ he might show even greater hostility. So rather than asking him directly, I¡¯m going to look for a frame that says the victim was taken away.¡±


    Yoo Seong-un, who had been rubbing his sore neck once more, asked.


    ¡°Do you have any clues about that frame? Like a photo or a painting... I¡¯d like to know its features.¡±


    ¡°It was first discovered in a dungeon called ¡®Jewel¡¯s Vein¡¯, and also....¡±


    Bisabal showed him the association¡¯s official document.


    ¡°It¡¯s said to be a work depicting a gray city.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    The official document stated that the frame was so empty that even just looking at it made one feel empty, and that a witness testified.


    Yoo Seong-un stared at it intently and pursed his lips.


    ¡°...Even now, in the ¡®Deep Sea Country¡¯, a frame called ¡®Breathing Sea¡¯ is often seen. It must be true, since a Hunter with the Appraisal skill confirmed it.¡±


    ¡°That must have been created by Geo, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. By the way, a painter who draws dungeons as he pleases....¡±


    He felt a little tired.


    ¡°It¡¯s scary.¡±


    And, I wondered.


    It was a thought that was typical of Yoo Seong-un.

 Chapter 103

    It may be irrelevant, but ¡®Jewel¡¯s Vein¡¯ was one of the dungeons that Yoo Seong-un had told Geo about.


    ¡°Did I pass on the information for nothing?¡±


    It was already ¡®Geo¡¯s Portrait¡¯ that could move freely anywhere.


    Passing on information about several interesting and uninhabited dungeons connected to Earth to him might have been in the same context as telling a hungry tiger the location of a village.


    ¡°...It was only a matter of time, though.¡±


    Yoo Seong-un did not regret his actions.


    ¡®Bisabal agreed to it.¡¯


    Above all, he was human, but he was not on the side of complete humans.


    There is a saying that the best gardeners are bystanders. They really shouldn¡¯t just be bystanders, but their mission is to balance the Source and their world.


    Yoo Seong-un, who was chosen as a gardener from a very young age, knew how to be indifferent to the events that brought life to its knees.


    ¡®Besides, Geo knows Earth well.¡¯


    Yoo Seong-un only brought Geo¡¯s activities forward, and the portrait¡¯s actions that surprised people by appearing all over Earth were planned.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t even finished investigating Gyeongbokgung Palace yet, and before we can finish anything, another incident has happened. This is....¡±


    Yoo Seong-un scratched his chin while sitting on a bench covered in snow.


    ¡°...Is today Christmas?¡±


    Originally, I was going to go see Geo and ask him if he had any plans to enjoy the end of the year.


    ¡°It must be hard right now.¡±


    Yoo Seong-un, who had been confirmed to work overtime on a holiday like this, was a sad sight for a modern person. Yoo Seong-un slowly sighed, rubbing his sore neck.


    According to the will of the garden he was serving, his breath did not come out.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The first thing to check was the interview with the witness.


    F-class hunter.


    A slightly stronger Awakened than a healthy adult male civilian.


    Those who received a Hunter¡¯s ID card despite knowing that they would die with a high probability if they entered a dungeon often took on the position of ¡®porter.¡¯


    ¡°Oh, hello.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Hunter Lee Seon-hu.¡±


    ¡°I received a call saying that you would come today.¡±


    The ¡®witness¡¯ that Yoo Seong-woon found was a porter with a kind face.


    ¡°That... I think you said you wanted to hear about the black cloak.¡±


    ¡°Yes, to be exact, I came here to hear a detailed story about the situation you witnessed that day.¡±


    ¡°I told you over the phone, but I also relayed the situation to the association staff.¡±


    ¡°Strictly speaking, what I¡¯m curious about is the information about the frame that Hunter Lee Seon-hu saw.¡±


    ¡°...Okay, I understand.¡±


    He let Yoo Seong-woon into the house, feeling embarrassed.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit shabby, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°No, why are you saying that? I¡¯m the one who came to see you.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon understood the witness¡¯s shallow aversion. Generally, third-class citizens tended to feel uncomfortable or burdened when they saw citizens of higher classes than them.


    ¡®It¡¯s also an era where class conflicts are big.¡¯


    Nevertheless, the witness treated Yoo Seong-woon with warm green tea.


    ¡®That¡¯s the kind of impression Geo would like.¡¯


    A portrait of a polite and kind person came to mind. There must have been a reason why he caused this incident because he liked the personality of Lee Seon-hoo.


    ¡°You¡¯re so warm, thank you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I can¡¯t give you anything else.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m more than happy to talk to you.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon continued the light conversation, relieving the witness¡¯s tension.


    Fortunately, the witness didn¡¯t seem to be the type who harbored ill feelings toward first-class citizens, so he quickly let his guard down and continued the conversation.


    The main topic came up when the green tea had almost cooled down.


    ¡°You were curious about the frame I saw back then?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a new work by Black Cloak following ¡®Breathing Sea¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that surprised me too. I didn¡¯t know he would draw a new work like that....¡±


    ¡°I became interested while researching various things while working as a curator.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon didn¡¯t necessarily say that he was looking for the missing Park Eun-gyeom.


    ¡®My goal is more to find out how Black Cloak showed his hostility than to save Park Eun-gyeom... But either way, it probably won¡¯t sound good to the person in question.¡¯


    If Park Hunter was alive, it was one of Yoo Seong-woon¡¯s duties to rescue him.


    It was not good to tell the missing person about Yoo Seong-un¡¯s duty to rescue him or collect his body, who had been abandoned and even abused.


    ¡®... However, what¡¯s interesting is that he seems quite friendly to Black Cloak.¡¯


    The witness smiled, saying, ¡®I didn¡¯t know he would draw a new work again.¡¯ It was similar to the appearance of someone who heard that their favorite artist had opened a gallery.


    ¡°.......¡±


    I didn¡¯t know that I would realize that ¡®Geo¡¯s Portrait¡¯ was a painter.


    ¡®Geo, you have a fan.¡¯


    I knew that there was a group of people who idolized Black Cloak. I didn¡¯t plan on meeting them or talking to them, but it felt strange to see them in person like this.


    The witness, who didn¡¯t know Yoo Seong-un¡¯s thoughts, asked.


    ¡°Will Black Cloak continue to draw works like that?¡±


    ¡°...As of now, I think it¡¯s highly likely.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s amazing.¡±


    The witness nodded and continued.


    ¡°The work I saw that day was a painting of a gray city. Judging from the fact that the colors were very transparent, I thought it was probably watercolor.¡±


    He really seemed to be talking about a certain artist¡¯s work.


    ¡°Actually, when I first looked at it, I judged it to be gray, but it wasn¡¯t completely gray.¡±


    ¡°Then?¡±


    ¡°Rather, I think it was a completely colorless work. It was amazing, the shapes of the buildings in the city were colorful, and the glass windows and everything... It was a very vivid depiction.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s surprising that watercolors, which are easily blurred and have a blurry color, can be used to create such a vivid depiction.¡±


    ¡°There were completely black and white ones. There weren¡¯t any strong colors like red or yellow, so I don¡¯t know how they caught my eye so well.¡±


    The witness seemed to have some knowledge of art. He¡¯s definitely not an expert, but he was able to enjoy the artwork in his own way.


    ¡®That¡¯s why he might be more favorable to Black Cloak.¡¯


    As he sorted out his thoughts, Yoo Seong-woon asked.


    ¡°I envy you for seeing such a work. Have you ever seen it anywhere other than ¡®Jewel¡¯s Vein¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Ah... that, unfortunately, I haven¡¯t. I only encountered it once in the dungeon that day. And even that disappeared quickly.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    He didn¡¯t feel like it was a lie.


    ¡°I wanted to see it with my own eyes, but it¡¯s too bad.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon had to find the frame and see what Hunter Park Eun-gyeom had become.


    ¡°I guess I have no choice but to go around the dungeon myself....¡±


    ¡°T-that.¡±


    The witness hesitated and then continued.


    ¡°Among my friends... there¡¯s a guy who is an Awakened, but he¡¯s an F-rank like me and hasn¡¯t received a Hunter¡¯s ID.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes.¡±


    ¡°I heard that my friend saw the same frame as me.¡±


    ¡°...The same frame?¡±


    ¡°Actually, he saw that frame before me. At first, I was out of my mind, so I didn¡¯t know, but when I was left alone in front of the frame... I realized that it was the frame that he had been talking about.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    No matter how much of an Awakened you are, if you don¡¯t receive a Hunter¡¯s ID, you¡¯re just a civilian.


    ¡®Especially if you¡¯re an F-class.¡¯


    Unlike Hunters who are required to write reports and can easily obtain information, if you¡¯re a civilian, it would explain why the Association didn¡¯t know about this fact.


    However, there was something that was puzzling. I wondered why you didn¡¯t report this to the Association, but more than anything... .


    ¡°Civilians can¡¯t enter dungeons, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. You said you saw it near Gyeongbokgung Palace, not in a dungeon....¡±


    ¡°Gyeongbokgung Palace?¡±


    ¡°So I guess it doesn¡¯t only appear in dungeons.¡±


    ¡°Oh....¡±


    If that¡¯s true, there¡¯s no regularity to the appearance of the ¡®Empty City¡¯.


    ¡®We¡¯re screwed.¡¯


    Now it seemed like we really had no choice but to run.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Geo was startled, completely out of place with his gloomy and calm face.


    ¡°Are you saying that my child has been running away from home without me knowing?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit much to call it running away, mainly in the word choice.¡±


    Aria continued, waving the sleeves of her oversized doctor¡¯s gown.


    ¡°Since the teacher has such great affection for Earth, what can we do? We studied here and there. Last time, we just thought about making Earth chaotic and leaving, so we didn¡¯t really know anything.¡±


    ¡°For that, you¡¯ve done a pretty good job, Aria. I heard that the Seoul branch of the Temple of the Sun is still busy with the cleanup. I think that means that our mermaid students have caused quite a bit of chaos.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a very honorable testimony, gentleman. As a child of the deep sea who hates the sun and its children, I couldn¡¯t be happier. Anyway, I found out while studying the situation on Earth....¡±


    Aria shrugged.


    ¡°Recently, it seems that the ¡®City of the Void¡¯ has been sighted very rarely in the Seoul area.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard that from the Void....¡±


    ¡°Void? Is that a nickname for your dungeon? You have such a peculiar taste, sir.¡±


    ¡°My child says I¡¯ll call you by your name, so I don¡¯t know what¡¯s so peculiar about it.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to know. After all, what I wanted to tell you was that your dungeon was active on the planet called Earth without you knowing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s such embarrassing news even when I hear it again.¡±


    I felt guilty beyond my sense of responsibility as a parent.


    ¡°This must be because I didn¡¯t pay attention to Gong-Heo all this time, and the child became twisted. Parents don¡¯t even know that their child was born and are busy enjoying their own lives, so even if they only started paying attention a little recently, their lonely feelings wouldn¡¯t have gone away.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I should have treated him well when he was little.... Gong-Heo doesn¡¯t have a stable and peaceful home, so he goes outside, right? But even so, It may be irrelevant, but ¡®Jewel¡¯s Vein¡¯ was one of the dungeons that Yoo Seong-un had told Geo about.


    ¡°Did I pass on the information for nothing?¡±


    It was already ¡®Geo¡¯s Portrait¡¯ that could move freely anywhere.


    Passing on information about several interesting and uninhabited dungeons connected to Earth to him might have been in the same context as telling a hungry tiger the location of a village.


    ¡°...It was only a matter of time, though.¡±


    Yoo Seong-un did not regret his actions.


    ¡®Bisabal agreed to it.¡¯


    Above all, he was human, but he was not on the side of complete humans.


    There is a saying that the best gardeners are bystanders. They really shouldn¡¯t just be bystanders, but their mission is to balance the Source and their world.


    Yoo Seong-un, who was chosen as a gardener from a very young age, knew how to be indifferent to the events that brought life to its knees.


    ¡®Besides, Geo knows Earth well.¡¯


    Yoo Seong-un only brought Geo¡¯s activities forward, and the portrait¡¯s actions that surprised people by appearing all over Earth were planned.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t even finished investigating Gyeongbokgung Palace yet, and before we can finish anything, another incident has happened. This is....¡±


    Yoo Seong-un scratched his chin while sitting on a bench covered in snow.


    ¡°...Is today Christmas?¡±


    Originally, I was going to go see Geo and ask him if he had any plans to enjoy the end of the year.


    ¡°It must be hard right now.¡±


    Yoo Seong-un, who had been confirmed to work overtime on a holiday like this, was a sad sight for a modern person. Yoo Seong-un slowly sighed, rubbing his sore neck.


    According to the will of the garden he was serving, his breath did not come out.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The first thing to check was the interview with the witness.


    F-class hunter.


    A slightly stronger Awakened than a healthy adult male civilian.


    Those who received a Hunter¡¯s ID card despite knowing that they would die with a high probability if they entered a dungeon often took on the position of ¡®porter.¡¯


    ¡°Oh, hello.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Hunter Lee Seon-hu.¡±


    ¡°I received a call saying that you would come today.¡±


    The ¡®witness¡¯ that Yoo Seong-woon found was a porter with a kind face.


    ¡°That... I think you said you wanted to hear about the black cloak.¡±


    ¡°Yes, to be exact, I came here to hear a detailed story about the situation you witnessed that day.¡±


    ¡°I told you over the phone, but I also relayed the situation to the association staff.¡±


    ¡°Strictly speaking, what I¡¯m curious about is the information about the frame that Hunter Lee Seon-hu saw.¡±


    ¡°...Okay, I understand.¡±


    He let Yoo Seong-woon into the house, feeling embarrassed.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit shabby, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°No, why are you saying that? I¡¯m the one who came to see you.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon understood the witness¡¯s shallow aversion. Generally, third-class citizens tended to feel uncomfortable or burdened when they saw citizens of higher classes than them.


    ¡®It¡¯s also an era where class conflicts are big.¡¯


    Nevertheless, the witness treated Yoo Seong-woon with warm green tea.


    ¡®That¡¯s the kind of impression Geo would like.¡¯


    A portrait of a polite and kind person came to mind. There must have been a reason why he caused this incident because he liked the personality of Lee Seon-hoo.


    ¡°You¡¯re so warm, thank you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I can¡¯t give {N?o?v?e?l?i?g?h?t} you anything else.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m more than happy to talk to you.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon continued the light conversation, relieving the witness¡¯s tension.


    Fortunately, the witness didn¡¯t seem to be the type who harbored ill feelings toward first-class citizens, so he quickly let his guard down and continued the conversation.


    The main topic came up when the green tea had almost cooled down.


    ¡°You were curious about the frame I saw back then?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a new work by Black Cloak following ¡®Breathing Sea¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that surprised me too. I didn¡¯t know he would draw a new work like that....¡±


    ¡°I became interested while researching various things while working as a curator.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon didn¡¯t necessarily say that he was looking for the missing Park Eun-gyeom.


    ¡®My goal is more to find out how Black Cloak showed his hostility than to save Park Eun-gyeom... But either way, it probably won¡¯t sound good to the person in question.¡¯


    If Park Hunter was alive, it was one of Yoo Seong-woon¡¯s duties to rescue him.


    It was not good to tell the missing person about Yoo Seong-un¡¯s duty to rescue him or collect his body, who had been abandoned and even abused.


    ¡®... However, what¡¯s interesting is that he seems quite friendly to Black Cloak.¡¯


    The witness smiled, saying, ¡®I didn¡¯t know he would draw a new work again.¡¯ It was similar to the appearance of someone who heard that their favorite artist had opened a gallery.


    ¡°.......¡±


    I didn¡¯t know that I would realize that ¡®Geo¡¯s Portrait¡¯ was a painter.


    ¡®Geo, you have a fan.¡¯


    I knew that there was a group of people who idolized Black Cloak. I didn¡¯t plan on meeting them or talking to them, but it felt strange to see them in person like this.


    The witness, who didn¡¯t know Yoo Seong-un¡¯s thoughts, asked.


    ¡°Will Black Cloak continue to draw works like that?¡±


    ¡°...As of now, I think it¡¯s highly likely.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s amazing.¡±


    The witness nodded and continued.


    ¡°The work I saw that day was a painting of a gray city. Judging from the fact that the colors were very transparent, I thought it was probably watercolor.¡±


    He really seemed to be talking about a certain artist¡¯s work.


    ¡°Actually, when I first looked at it, I judged it to be gray, but it wasn¡¯t completely gray.¡±


    ¡°Then?¡±


    ¡°Rather, I think it was a completely colorless work. It was amazing, the shapes of the buildings in the city were colorful, and the glass windows and everything... It was a very vivid depiction.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s surprising that watercolors, which are easily blurred and have a blurry color, can be used to create such a vivid depiction.¡±


    ¡°There were completely black and white ones. There weren¡¯t any strong colors like red or yellow, so I don¡¯t know how they caught my eye so well.¡±


    The witness seemed to have some knowledge of art. He¡¯s definitely not an expert, but he was able to enjoy the artwork in his own way.


    ¡®That¡¯s why he might be more favorable to Black Cloak.¡¯


    As he sorted out his thoughts, Yoo Seong-woon asked.


    ¡°I envy you for seeing such a work. Have you ever seen it anywhere other than ¡®Jewel¡¯s Vein¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Ah... that, unfortunately, I haven¡¯t. I only encountered it once in the dungeon that day. And even that disappeared quickly.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    He didn¡¯t feel like it was a lie.


    ¡°I wanted to see it with my own eyes, but it¡¯s too bad.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon had to find the frame and see what Hunter Park Eun-gyeom had become.


    ¡°I guess I have no choice but to go around the dungeon myself....¡±


    ¡°T-that.¡±


    The witness hesitated and then continued.


    ¡°Among my friends... there¡¯s a guy who is an Awakened, but he¡¯s an F-rank like me and hasn¡¯t received a Hunter¡¯s ID.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes.¡±


    ¡°I heard that my friend saw the same frame as me.¡±


    ¡°...The same frame?¡±


    ¡°Actually, he saw that frame before me. At first, I was out of my mind, so I didn¡¯t know, but when I was left alone in front of the frame... I realized that it was the frame that he had been talking about.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    No matter how much of an Awakened you are, if you don¡¯t receive a Hunter¡¯s ID, you¡¯re just a civilian.


    ¡®Especially if you¡¯re an F-class.¡¯


    Unlike Hunters who are required to write reports and can easily obtain information, if you¡¯re a civilian, it would explain why the Association didn¡¯t know about this fact.


    However, there was something that was puzzling. I wondered why you didn¡¯t report this to the Association, but more than anything... .


    ¡°Civilians can¡¯t enter dungeons, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. You said you saw it near Gyeongbokgung Palace, not in a dungeon....¡±


    ¡°Gyeongbokgung Palace?¡±


    ¡°So I guess it doesn¡¯t only appear in dungeons.¡±


    ¡°Oh....¡±


    If that¡¯s true, there¡¯s no regularity to the appearance of the ¡®Empty City¡¯.


    ¡®We¡¯re screwed.¡¯


    Now it seemed like we really had no choice but to run.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Geo was startled, completely out of place with his gloomy and calm face.


    ¡°Are you saying that my child has been running away from home without me knowing?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit much to call it running away, mainly in the word choice.¡±


    Aria continued, waving the sleeves of her oversized doctor¡¯s gown.


    ¡°Since the teacher has such great affection for Earth, what can we do? We studied here and there. Last time, we just thought about making Earth chaotic and leaving, so we didn¡¯t really know anything.¡±


    ¡°For that, you¡¯ve done a pretty good job, Aria. I heard that the Seoul branch of the Temple of the Sun is still busy with the cleanup. I think that means that our mermaid students have caused quite a bit of chaos.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a very honorable testimony, gentleman. As a child of the deep sea who hates the sun and its children, I couldn¡¯t be happier. Anyway, I found out while studying the situation on Earth....¡±


    Aria shrugged.


    ¡°Recently, it seems that the ¡®City of the Void¡¯ has been sighted very rarely in the Seoul area.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard that from the Void....¡±


    ¡°Void? Is that a nickname for your dungeon? You have such a peculiar taste, sir.¡±


    ¡°My child says I¡¯ll call you by your name, so I don¡¯t know what¡¯s so peculiar about it.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to know. After all, what I wanted to tell you was that your dungeon was active on the planet called Earth without you knowing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s such embarrassing news even when I hear it again.¡±


    I felt guilty beyond my sense of responsibility as a parent.


    ¡°This must be because I didn¡¯t pay attention to Gong-Heo all this time, and the child became twisted. Parents don¡¯t even know that their child was born and are busy enjoying their own lives, so even if they only started paying attention a little recently, their lonely feelings wouldn¡¯t have gone away.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I should have treated him well when he was little.... Gong-Heo doesn¡¯t have a stable and peaceful home, so he goes outside, right? But even so,

 Chapter 104

    Now that I think about it, the ¡°City of Void¡± could, if we really had to categorize it, be seen as something close to an entrance dungeon.


    "The entrance is clearly present, that''s what I''m getting at."


    It¡¯s different from virtual dungeons, which don¡¯t even have clear locations, and from villa dungeons, where the physical entity is fully exposed without any concealment.


    Only the passage exists, so Gio¡¯s frame could indeed be called an entrance dungeon.


    ¡°There are even moving entrance dungeons among the types, so the structure itself is similar.¡±


    Aside from the three types mentioned above, dungeons can also be categorized into mobile and fixed types. If we were to define them roughly, it could be something like ¡®moving entrance dungeon.¡¯


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen one in the form of a frame, though...¡±


    In its original form, the entrance of an entrance dungeon doesn¡¯t have a set shape.


    "It could be a book, a hole, or even a curtain."


    However, most entrance dungeons take the form of a door. Something that, upon looking at it, anyone can immediately recognize as ¡®Ah, that¡¯s the entrance.¡¯


    If it looks easy to enter, it¡¯s more likely an entrance dungeon.


    "...."


    Even so, no one typically thinks of a frame as an entrance.


    "...If no one had been dragged in, I wouldn¡¯t have thought of it as a dungeon."


    I had known that Gio could come in and out of the gallery¡¯s portraits. However, the portrait gave the impression of being Gio¡¯s ¡®house,¡¯ so I¡¯d thought of it as a building you couldn¡¯t enter unless he allowed it.


    ¡®It was the same when Chara Hunter was invited to Gio¡¯s cabin.¡¯


    Compared to the dungeons that show the cruelty and harshness of modern capitalist society, ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait,¡¯ with its serene and heavy atmosphere, was quite different.


    That¡¯s probably why I hadn¡¯t realized they were similar concepts. Though, that¡¯s just an excuse.


    ¡®I had always thought of Gio as something close to an object.¡¯


    I had said it was likely a monster, but I hadn¡¯t considered that such a monster would naturally come with a ¡®dungeon.¡¯ As the origin of the explanation goes, Gio is clearly a ¡®portrait.¡¯


    ¡°Does that mean I have to treat that portrait as a dungeon...?¡±


    Gio was already creating dungeons by painting. While I might not know whether Gio himself painted ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait,¡¯ people had already witnessed ¡®The Breathing Sea¡¯ and ¡®The City of Void.¡¯


    "...Well, now it¡¯s harder to say it¡¯s not a dungeon."


    Seong-Woon thought about the black portrait sleeping in Bisa Beul¡¯s gallery.


    It had willingly painted its face black and erased it from the minds of the people. Only a very small number of people who had seen the face before knew what ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait¡¯ looked like.


    ¡®Even they tend to forget it often.¡¯


    It had erased history without any sense of unease.


    ¡°......¡±


    Isn¡¯t that quite an influence?


    ¡°I hope it won¡¯t be hostile to us...¡±


    ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait,¡¯ by its mere existence, was a threat to humanity. If he were to intentionally oppose humans, finding a disaster of that magnitude would be difficult.


    Why is Seong-Woon suddenly talking about this?


    "...Sigh..."


    Because the ¡®City of Void¡¯ lay in front of him.


    "It really just appeared out of nowhere."


    Seong-Woon had discovered this gray frame at none other than a subway station.


    It was a place he had visited with Gio while touring Seoul, and it allowed Seong-Woon to come up with a hypothesis.


    ¡°Does this frame appear primarily in places Gio has been?¡±


    Or places Gio might be interested in.


    Based on the reports of witnesses, it wasn¡¯t only in places Gio knew. Sometimes it appeared in slums, on roads, or in abandoned buildings.


    ¡®For people who aren''t hunters, they didn¡¯t realize it was Gio¡¯s painting, so the rumors didn¡¯t spread.¡¯


    This frame had surprisingly appeared more often in everyday spaces frequented by ordinary citizens than in dungeons. Among those, the most common were places Gio had actually visited.


    Seong-Woon, feeling suddenly exhausted, sat down at the subway station.


    "Ah... my body aches."


    "At least there are no people."


    It was 4:16 AM.


    The time when exhausted modern people all fall asleep as one, so it was no surprise that no one was at the subway station, where people usually have to pay a hefty fee.


    ¡®But since it¡¯s now the 26th, there might still be some remnants of Christmas. And since the subway runs 24 hours, I thought maybe there¡¯d be at least one drunk person heading home after a long night of partying...''


    Thinking this, Seong-Woon nodded.


    "...After all, it wasn¡¯t long ago that people died at the ¡®Temple of the Deep Sea.¡¯"


    It had been an event at the Sun God¡¯s temple. A virtual dungeon had appeared there, swallowing everyone watching the initiation ceremony.


    When he thought back to that, he understood why people were still reluctant to gather.


    "Thanks to that, fewer people showed up this Christmas."


    Whenever more people seemed to gather, they would subtly move to different spots, remembering the tragedy at the initiation ceremony.


    "Anyway..."


    For Seong-Woon, who didn¡¯t want to escalate things, it was a good thing.


    ¡®...Seeing people scared is a good thing? I¡¯ve really been tainted. I hope I don¡¯t become so narrow-minded that I can¡¯t manage my garden...¡¯


    His gaze fell on the ¡®City of Void.¡¯


    "......"


    A bit unsettling, perhaps.


    ¡®...I feel like I¡¯m becoming disillusioned with the city.¡¯


    Having lived as a curator for several years, he could feel the sense of atmosphere within the artwork.


    The city, with its grotesquely clustered gray buildings, seemed to depict chaos and confusion, yet there was an eerie silence in the crowds, as if no one dared speak.


    ¡®But the crowd itself isn¡¯t even visible.¡¯


    Staring at the gray frame that made his mind go numb, Seong-Woon muttered quietly.


    "...Surely, just seeing the frame doesn¡¯t drag people in."


    He had found four witnesses by personally going around. All were ordinary citizens, not even awakened, and none of them had been harmed by the ¡®City of Void.¡¯


    ¡®They all just thought it was a painting hanging in an odd place.¡¯


    Among the four witnesses, there was one alcoholic who wasn¡¯t exactly what you¡¯d call a good person. According to the locals, he lived alone and sometimes made a nuisance of himself in front of convenience stores.


    ¡®Maybe that¡¯s not considered a villain.¡¯


    Or maybe the painting only attacks if someone commits an evil deed in front of it?


    "...I can¡¯t be sure since the sample size is so small."


    Seong-Woon had a history of murder.


    ¡®In today¡¯s world, that¡¯s not such a rare experience.¡¯


    Of course, he didn¡¯t kill just anyone; it had happened when he had to deal with a level 5 citizen or someone committing equivalent crimes.


    It was more advantageous to fight with the intent to kill than just to subdue.


    ¡®But that doesn¡¯t mean it was the right thing to do.¡¯


    In this brutal and harsh era, who hasn¡¯t killed someone? Yet, a mistake is still a mistake. Morally speaking, Seong-Woon had sinned.


    Still, the ¡®City of Void¡¯ remained silent.


    ¡°......¡±


    There were many possibilities.


    "...This frame doesn¡¯t seem to have Gio¡¯s presence."


    That means this frame could simply be acting under Gio¡¯s command.


    ¡®So, it lacks the emotional depth that Gio has.¡¯


    Gio, with just a glance, could judge the morality of someone.


    But this frame, executing simple commands, might only distinguish right from wrong based on what happened in front of it. It could be a degraded version of ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait.¡¯


    "...If that¡¯s not the case..."


    Perhaps Seong-Woon and the alcoholic weren¡¯t judged as villains by Gio.


    Considering that Seong-Woon did what he had to do, and the alcoholic only made a minor nuisance, it¡¯s possible Gio didn¡¯t think them worthy of attacking.


    ¡®If that drunkard had committed crimes worse than just being a nuisance, it would have been easier to judge.¡¯


    If he had committed something worse than a nuisance, the ¡®City of Void¡¯ might only collect confirmed villains committing evil acts.


    ¡°......¡±


    But there was one thing for sure.


    "...Gio¡¯s sense of right and wrong is decided by his tastes."


    If Gio had defined ¡®murder¡¯ itself as an evil act, Seong-Woon would have been abducted and disappeared by now.


    But the fact that Gio hadn¡¯t done that meant he judged right and wrong based on the situation.


    "I¡¯m not sure whether this is a good or bad thing for humans..."


    Anyway, what Seong-Woon needed to do now was clear.


    "...I¡¯m so tired."


    He needed to enter the ¡®City of Void¡¯ and check the condition of Hunter Park Eun-Gyeom.


    Seong-Woon approached the artwork hanging on the transparent wall.


    "How do I get in?"


    For a typical entrance dungeon, there weren¡¯t any special conditions to enter. From the dungeon¡¯s perspective, prey would naturally wander in, so there was no need to stop them.


    ¡®But if Gio is still benevolent toward humans, there would definitely be a reason to block it.¡¯


    He wouldn¡¯t want people to randomly fall into his dungeon and die.


    Staring at the painting that made him feel increasingly suffocated, Seong-Woon noticed something in the ¡®City of Void.¡¯


    "......"


    Realizing something was off, Seong-Woon looked more carefully.


    "...That¡¯s...?"


    A long road and buildings lined up on both sides, creating ? N§àv§Öl?§Ôht ? (Don¡¯t copy, read here) an alley between them.


    Something dark and faintly gray caught Seong-Woon¡¯s eye.


    "...A person?"


    It looked like someone huddling.


    ¡®Too small to be sure.¡¯


    But the black dot sticking out in the immaculate city was undeniably strange.


    It didn¡¯t feel completely out of place, but after focusing on it for a while, Seong-Woon realized it didn¡¯t belong in the ¡®City of Void.¡¯


    The black dot was faintly trembling.


    "......"


    Seong-Woon suddenly got goosebumps.


    "...Is that Hunter Park Eun-Gyeom?"


    If he hadn¡¯t been looking for it, he wouldn¡¯t have noticed.


    It was clearly a ¡®painting.¡¯


    "Chirp?"


    "Dad¡¯s busy."


    "Chirrup?"


    "I¡¯m looking after your younger sibling."


    "Chirp?"


    Gio was resolute, even as Honey tilted her head repeatedly.


    "If only our Void could be comforted now."


    He was gently rocking the ¡®City of Void¡¯ in a sling, as if cradling it tenderly.


    The brief visit to Isher had left with a gentle smile, but Gio instinctively felt that ¡®the City of Void¡¯ was quite pleased with his care.


    "If our Void had a mouth, I would¡¯ve fed it, but what does it eat, I wonder."


    "Chirp..."


    "People? Sadly, that¡¯s not something it could eat."


    "Chirp?"


    "I don¡¯t know why all of my kids keep saying such scary things."


    While conversing with his eldest, Gio suddenly realized the painting of ¡®the City of Void¡¯ had changed.


    "What¡¯s this?"


    It now bore the shape of Seong-Woon.


    "......"


    "Chirrup..."


    "I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re salivating, but calm down, and what exactly is going on? If you¡¯re watching me, give me the answer, please..."


    The Sun God gave him the answer.


    "Chirp, chirp."


    "So, are we saying Seong-Woon is actually in front of our Void?"


    Is this the new generation intercom?


    ¡®Trends have come full circle, now it¡¯s back to paintings?¡¯


    Of course, that was impossible.


    Still, since ¡®the City of Void¡¯ was somewhat one of Gio¡¯s homes, he was thankful it had the intercom function, even though it wasn¡¯t originally framed.


    "I almost couldn¡¯t welcome him."


    Though Gio didn¡¯t know why the guest was in front of ¡®the City of Void,¡¯ it didn¡¯t matter. After all, this joyful face was just as pleasant as ever.


    "Long time no see, Seong-Woon, right?"


    "Void, open the door. This is your dad¡¯s friend."


    "I swear my kid just answered, is it an auditory hallucination?"


    "My clever little one, babbling so well."


    No need to worry too deeply about life. For Gio, life¡¯s variables were just new content appearing.


    He was ready to embrace this unexpected situation with open arms.


    "I¡¯m about to see my brother¡¯s face after a long time."


    As long as it¡¯s fun, that¡¯s all that matters.

 Chapter 105

    The moment he came to his senses.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon was inside the ¡®Empty City¡¯.


    ¡°... As expected, I don¡¯t remember the moment I entered the painting.¡±


    At one point, Geo had a history of turning people he encountered in the ¡®Deep Sea Country¡¯ into paint and helping them escape.


    Perhaps he went through a similar process this time, but just like those people¡¯s testimonies, Yoo Seong-woon didn¡¯t remember the time he became paint.


    ¡®It felt like I became a living inanimate object.¡¯


    It wasn¡¯t a very clear impression, as it was a very contradictory expression.


    ¡°By the way, did Geo check on me?¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon remembered the situation right before he entered the ¡®Empty City¡¯.


    ¡®A transparent hand reached out to me.¡¯


    Something that was not visible, but could be recognized as a ¡®transparent hand¡¯, with a black suit sleeve standing out, greeted Yoo Seong-woon. Unlike the Park Eun-gyeom Hunter incident that was mentioned in the official document, it was a very polite gesture.


    ¡®It was a gesture that somehow resembled Geo¡¯s behavior...¡¯


    Geo¡¯s demeanor was neat, as if he had received strong education or training. It was a movement similar to that of a noble or a soldier, and the gesture that ¡®Empty City¡¯ extended was exactly like that.


    ¡°...It couldn¡¯t be Geo himself.¡±


    It didn¡¯t feel familiar.


    ¡°Did ¡®Empty City¡¯ extend its hand directly?¡±


    I thought about that for a moment, but it seemed more reasonable to assume that it was a monster belonging to ¡®Empty City¡¯ extending its hand. Many of the hands that kidnapped Park Eun-gyeom in the official document looked like that.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon exhaled.


    ¡°...It¡¯s more bearable than I thought.¡±


    The pressure from ¡®Empty City¡¯ wasn¡¯t as great as I had imagined.


    ¡°Considering that I¡¯m an A-class hunter, it¡¯s pretty comfortable.¡±


    There was a bit of a stuffy feeling. It felt like someone was pressing down on my forehead, and there was definitely a creepy part where someone was tracing my spine with their fingers.


    ¡®But that¡¯s about it.¡¯


    The kidnapped hunter was a B-class. I don¡¯t know exactly what level of B-class he was, but he was pretty strong. Considering that such a hunter was dragged away and all contact was lost in the dungeon, the burden felt by Yoo Seong-woon, who was an A-class, was less than expected.


    ¡°Are you being taken care of?¡±


    The route he took to enter the ¡®Empty City¡¯ was different in the first place.


    ¡®That guy was dragged in, and I was escorted.¡¯


    Since the treatment itself was like heaven and earth, the burden he felt might be different.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon muttered without realizing it.


    ¡°How is that possible...?¡±


    People often say, ¡°The Dungeon Master,¡± but in reality, there were few masters who could control the dungeon as they pleased. In Yoo Seong-woon¡¯s view, even the mermaid siblings, who were humanoid monsters, could not completely control the ¡°Deep Sea Kingdom.¡±


    In particular, the dungeon master, the monsters in the dungeon, and the environment were completely separate entities.


    The greater the master¡¯s ability, the greater his authority, but he had never heard of a master who could control the monsters¡¯ behavior and even control their pressure to this extent.


    ¡°Is it really difficult to call them monsters?¡±


    Then, he wondered how to explain this dungeon.


    ¡°Unless they are evil gods who are treated as monsters, no matter how powerful a god is, they cannot create a dungeon. They are beings who do not have enough emotions to create a dungeon.¡±


    Even the children of the origin could not create a dungeon.


    ¡°They are just children who can exist anywhere, and they do not have the ability to create a dungeon. ¡®These guys who are almost impossible to physically handle and can¡¯t even think properly could create such a huge game board.¡¯


    As expected, Geo was an out-of-spec being.


    ¡°.......¡±


    A squeaky-eyed Yoo Seong-un looked around.


    ¡°...It¡¯s just like the picture.¡±


    A wide open street and colorful buildings lined up on both sides. Although it didn¡¯t seem to have any particular color restrictions, only colorless objects gathered together to create a gray world.


    ¡°The fog is so bad I didn¡¯t notice it when I looked through the frame.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t bad enough to block my vision, but if it got any worse, it would have been a big issue with my vision. I sniffed around, but there was no smoke smell that you often smell in the city.


    ¡°Just water vapor...?¡±


    Maybe it was my mood, but I felt like I could sense the phytoncide unique to the forest.


    ¡®Is it because Geo lives in the forest?¡¯


    I wasn¡¯t sure.


    ¡®It¡¯s ironic, anyway.¡¯


    It looks like a city, but the scent from the fog reminds me of a forest. It was a harmony that didn¡¯t feel out of place at all, but rather made me feel uncomfortable.


    ¡°...Aren¡¯t there any monsters?¡±


    Thump...


    Yoo Seong-un slowly moved his feet.


    ¡°I thought there would be at least a monster that escorted me inside.¡±


    Besides, dungeons were basically filled with monsters.


    There might not be traps or various additional elements, but monsters that rush to kill intruders are essential to dungeons.


    ¡®Well, it would be hard to compare the dungeon Geo drew to a normal dungeon.¡¯


    The fact that a monster invited Yoo Seong-un himself was far from ¡®normal.¡¯


    ¡°Aren¡¯t there any other rules...?¡±


    Some scholars defined dungeons as monsters, and gardener Yoo Seong-woon agreed to that to some extent. Just as there are no monsters without rules, dungeons are no different.


    ¡°They must have their own preferences.¡±


    Virtual dungeons. Entry dungeons. Villa dungeons. All of these guys swallowed humans with certain conditions.


    In addition to the virtual dungeons that mainly had specific conditions, there were also examples of entry dungeons that had the condition of ¡®you must find the entrance¡¯ and villa dungeons that had the condition of ¡®you must be in the place where the villa is located.¡¯


    ¡®The other detailed conditions are different for each dungeon.¡¯


    So if this had the form of a dungeon, there must have been such conditions or preferences.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Well, the dungeon owner did have his own preferences.


    ¡®Affirm good and deny evil.¡¯


    If that¡¯s a rule, then it can be called a rule.


    ¡°...Then what happens when a villain comes in?¡±


    For a moment, he thought of the black dot that seemed to be completely one with the painting, probably Hunter Park Eun-gyeom.


    Yoo Seong-woon seemed to have a rough idea of ??how this ¡®city of emptiness¡¯ would deny the villain.


    ¡®... Is it denying that they are living humans?¡¯


    By turning humans into paintings.


    ¡°It¡¯s creepy.¡±


    I whistled without realizing it. It was an attempt to erase the creepiness by acting lightly.


    ¡®As expected, those who belong to the source are certain to connect and disconnect.¡¯


    Humanoid monsters with advanced thinking abilities and strong emotions would be a little different, but most beings who were not like that had simple and clear rules.


    As a gardener, Yoo Seong-woon was able to appreciate the appearance of the source with satisfaction.


    ¡®If I hadn¡¯t met ? N§àv§Öl¦Éght ? (Read the full story) Geo, when would I have encountered a dungeon like this again?¡¯


    If I couldn¡¯t enjoy that thrill, I wasn¡¯t qualified to manage the garden.


    ¡°.......¡±


    However, even such a gardener felt a threat to his life.


    ¡°...Ah, this is it.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon turned around.


    ¡°I guess I wasn¡¯t the only one.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Should I call this an invisible man...?¡±


    What caught his eye was a black suit standing in the form of an adult male.


    Long arms and legs that matched his body type that was neither too thick nor too thin. The detailed shape of the suit was a little different from what Geo had worn, and the shoes it was wearing were the same.


    However, Yoo Seong-woon felt a sense of awkwardness at the sight of the suit carrying a backpack.


    ¡°...It looks a little like Geo after all.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    The suit, empty inside, bowed with a noble gesture. Yoo Seong-woon could feel gratitude in that gesture, but he thought for a moment about what part he was grateful for.


    ¡®Just because he looks like Geo?¡¯


    They were guys who were full of affection and respect for their master.


    ¡°So... is it possible to communicate? I¡¯ve never met a monster with whom I could communicate peacefully in my life, except for Geo, so I¡¯m not sure, but is it possible to have a conversation?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    The black suit took a pose as if he was holding his chin, and then quickly made a triangle with his arms.


    ¡°...It could be and it could not be. Am I right?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. This feels like asking twenty questions.¡±


    If it was a monster in a normal dungeon, I wouldn¡¯t have even thought of trying to communicate, but this was a very abnormal dungeon. Yoo Seong-un communicated with the black suit with the utmost open mind.


    ¡°Why is it possible? Are you suddenly going to attack me?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it. If not... Are you saying that another entity other than you could attack?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good. Then are there many of those aggressive entities?¡±


    This time, the suit drew a circle with his arm and answered ¡®yes.¡¯


    Since his fingers were not visible, he bent his arms over his head as if he was making a rough heart. Yoo Seong-woon saw this and silently handed him the gloves he had in his hands.


    ¡°Could you put these on and mark them with your fingers?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    The black suit drew an X with his arms. It meant ¡®no.¡¯


    ¡°...Ah.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon could tell that this wasn¡¯t something transparent inside, but just the black suit itself, alive and moving.


    As if to show him the proof, the black suit tapped the gloves on Yoo Seong-woon¡¯s hands with his sleeves. If he had real hands, they wouldn¡¯t have been visible.


    ¡®Then how do I explain the transparent hands I felt?¡¯


    It was a rude sentiment to say to the friendly suit, but honestly, it gave me goosebumps.


    Yoo Seong-woon continued speaking, trying hard not to reveal his true feelings.


    ¡°I see, I apologize.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Then, are there any other non-aggressive entities besides you? A suit that can communicate peacefully with me like this?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°There are... That¡¯s fortunate.¡±


    Some entities seemed aggressive, while others seemed peaceful.


    ¡®...Let¡¯s think about how it¡¯s possible later.¡¯


    It was obvious that the conclusion would be ¡®It¡¯s Geo, so it¡¯ll work¡¯ anyway. Through the repeated learning up until now, Yoo Seong-woon had already anticipated the end of his agony.


    He put on his gloves again and looked around.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Before he noticed, the number of black suits had increased to three.


    ¡°...Are those two suits non-aggressive to me?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Oh, no. But they¡¯re not attacking right now, so maybe they¡¯re the type that aim for a time-lag attack?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Triangle... Yes, thank you for your kind answer.¡±


    It seemed like he meant that he would attack in some way.


    ¡°It¡¯s dangerous.¡±


    The suit that kindly reached out from the ¡®Empty City¡¯ frame was probably this guy in front of him, or a similar peaceful individual.


    However, the number of black suits gradually increased, which was too much for them.


    ¡®The longer you stay in the dungeon, the more black suits there are.¡¯


    Although the speed was quite slow, Yoo Seong-un gradually felt a strange sense of impatience.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    The black suits were all staring at Yoo Seong-un.


    ¡®... It¡¯s not just those two suits that are out in India.¡¯


    He could feel gazes from inside the building that he hadn¡¯t felt before.


    He could feel them in the alleys, and he could feel gazes from cars rolling on the road that had been empty until just a moment ago.


    Yoo Seong-un instinctively felt it.


    ¡®These are not guys that I can deal with by fighting with my skills.¡¯


    He felt like a child of the origin, who could not be resolved by simple slaughter, and who had to reconcile according to the opponent¡¯s rules and habits.


    But he didn¡¯t know how much these would grow, or what effect they would have on Yoo Seong-un at that time. And that ¡®not knowing¡¯ awakened Yoo Seong-un¡¯s fear, which was his indifferent personality.


    ¡®... When dealing with the source, the fear of the unknown is quite dangerous... .¡¯


    As a gardener, he could tell.


    ¡®This is a dungeon, but it¡¯s also not.¡¯


    Would the ability of a hunter who kindly gave the source to anyone actually have any effect? ??Even such basic things felt like a kind of ¡®garden¡¯ where one¡¯s life or death could not be guaranteed.


    And only the owner could enter someone else¡¯s garden.


    ¡°...This....¡±


    He was about to think that he should run away before it grew any further.


    ¡°Mr. Yoo Seong-un.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Mr. Yoo Seong-un.¡±


    ¡°...Uh, Geo.¡±


    Yoo Seong-un really almost ran away.


    ¡®He looks even scarier here.¡¯


    The heart that had almost fallen due to the appearance of the black cloak began to pound strongly.


    Since he was doing something against Geo¡¯s will, he wanted to resolve it without seeing his face if possible. Unfortunately, the situation had come to this because the house burglary failed, so Yoo Seong-woon quickly gave up.


    ¡°Please spare me.¡±


    He tried a customized deal.


    ¡°I¡¯ll bring you some seedlings next time.¡±


    ¡°No one kills Yoo Seong-woon.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s really solid.¡±


    What could be safer in a dungeon than the protection of the dungeon owner?

 Chapter 106

    ¡°I like the honey jar I saw last time.¡±


    ¡°The honey jar? The one with the honey-filled spherical flower that blooms... You mean that one, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the one. I heard it¡¯s difficult to sprout, so they only sell the seedlings.¡±


    ¡°Anything else you want?¡±


    ¡°I use salt often, so if possible, I¡¯d like a salt pine tree.¡±


    ¡°Salt pine tree, huh, that was in the catalog last time. Anything else you need?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, thank you for your help.¡±


    ¡°Honestly, I should be the one thanking you.¡±


    After all, it¡¯s a transaction where my life is guaranteed in this abnormal dungeon.


    ¡®It¡¯s a ridiculously profitable deal.¡¯


    Seong-Woon was a typical hunter of this era, valuing his health and life highly. The idea of dying during a mission, swayed by a capitalist society, was an outcome that was hard to accept.


    ¡®Even though I feel like this deal could be too easy...¡¯


    He glanced at the portrait''s mood.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Is there a problem?¡±


    ¡°...No, nothing.¡±


    As a gardener, it¡¯s a phrase that one must always reflect upon, but to an entity of origin, human standards were meaningless.


    If you borrow three and repay four, the entity of origin would be angry if you paid back with five. Even though humans wouldn¡¯t understand, adjusting to their tastes is the shortcut to longevity, and Seong-Woon knew that very well.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll consider the deal closed.¡±


    Transactions with entities of origin must have a clear start and end. Having wrapped up the transaction, Seong-Woon asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s rude to ask this, but how did you know I was here?¡±


    ¡°¡®The City of Void¡¯ informed me that Seong-Woon had visited here.¡±


    ¡°I thought so.¡±


    It would have been more strange if Gio, the owner of such a dungeon, didn¡¯t know the internal state of the dungeon.


    ¡®But the more I think about it, the worse my position gets, trying to take Hunter Park Eun-Gyeom out of here.¡¯


    It becomes even clearer that Gio intentionally brought humans here. For Seong-Woon, who had to finish the job, it was a difficult situation.


    ¡®Will he get angry?¡¯


    This portrait had come to take the human who had shown direct hostility. For an entity that never changed its decisions, it was likely to be quite displeased.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Why did you come here, Seong-Woon?¡±


    ¡°...I came to work.¡±


    That¡¯s why it was better to settle things now.


    ¡®Deceiving Gio might fall under the category of evil acts too.¡¯


    Plus, hadn¡¯t Gio promised to spare Seong-Woon¡¯s life?


    ¡°As far as I know, today is Christmas.¡±


    ¡°Huh? No, it¡¯s the 26th in Korea now, so it¡¯s not Christmas. Though many people are off until today, since it¡¯s a public holiday period.¡±


    ¡°So everyone¡¯s resting, but you¡¯re working, Seong-Woon?¡±


    ¡°When have hunters ever had holidays? It¡¯s pretty common.¡±


    ¡°Do hunters never rest on holidays?¡±


    ¡°Not really... well, I guess that¡¯s how it is.¡±


    No matter how angry he got, the entity of origin never broke the words it spoke. The mood wasn¡¯t too bad either, so Seong-Woon cautiously spoke.


    ¡°...The reason I¡¯m here is to take someone out from here.¡±


    ¡°Is it your job to take someone out from here?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a Hunter named Park Eun-Gyeom... though I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll even recognize the name.¡±


    ¡°Park Eun-Gyeom.¡±


    The portrait repeated the name.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    A silence followed.


    For Seong-Woon, who felt guilty, the stillness was chilling.


    ¡®...So it¡¯s really unpleasant.¡¯


    The child of the entity of origin, who mimicked speech without any cognitive ability, was completely different from ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait.¡¯ Gio certainly had emotions, and because of that, sometimes he could even appear as a monster or a human.


    ¡®By going against his will, I¡¯ve essentially declared my intent to do something he wouldn¡¯t approve of.¡¯


    Moreover, Gio had promised to spare Seong-Woon, so he couldn¡¯t just kill him.


    ¡®Of course, there are many ways to punish without killing, but I¡¯ll have to bear that. Anyway, Gio¡¯s feelings won¡¯t be entirely pleasant.¡¯


    Seong-Woon prepared himself to endure Gio¡¯s potential wrath. He had already made up his mind when he found himself facing the owner of this gray city against his will.


    ¡°......¡±


    The silent portrait gestured toward the black-clad figure.


    ¡°......?¡±


    It was a difficult action to understand, but Seong-Woon silently watched the situation unfold.


    At the owner¡¯s gesture, more black-clad figures gathered around and approached him. They bowed slightly in a manner that suggested deference, listening attentively.


    ¡®What is this?¡¯


    Ignoring them, Gio asked the black-clad figure.


    ¡°Do you know the whereabouts of the human named Park Eun-Gyeom?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do.¡±


    Seong-Woon was slightly surprised. It wasn¡¯t just because the transparent entity had mimicked a human voice. It wasn¡¯t because the one who had only used awkward sign language just moments ago suddenly started speaking.


    What Seong-Woon focused on was the voice itself from the black-clad figure.


    ¡®...That voice...¡¯


    It reminded him of a man in his 30s.


    ¡®But that voice doesn¡¯t suit this monster.¡¯


    A human voice, after many years with a singular identity, usually carries the tone that represents that identity.


    The voice from the black-clad figure, though, was somewhat flippant and jittery, unlike his elegant and refined gestures.


    As an artist, Gio wouldn¡¯t have chosen a voice for the black-clad figure without intention. Yet, this voice didn¡¯t seem to fit. Could it be...?


    ¡®Could it be...?¡¯


    Is this Park Eun-Gyeom¡¯s voice?


    Regardless of Seong-Woon¡¯s doubts, the conversation between them continued.


    ¡°Why did he come here?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he tormented a weak human and abandoned them.¡±


    ¡°Then he¡¯s an evil human.¡±


    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s an evil human.¡±


    It was a bizarre conversation.


    ¡°Is there any problem with taking that human out?¡±


    ¡°No, there¡¯s no problem at all.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll do what I want.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s also our wish.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    Having finished the conversation, the portrait looked at Seong-Woon.


    ¡°Since Seong-Woon wishes it, I¡¯ll take him out.¡±


    ¡°...Really?¡±


    Although he tried not to show it, Seong-Woon was very surprised.


    ¡®He¡¯s responding so indifferently?¡¯


    That, in itself, was what felt unsettling.


    ¡®Clearly, I¡¯ve confirmed Gio can feel emotions...¡¯


    If he had emotions, he surely wouldn¡¯t remain indifferent to someone going against his rules. Humans react that way, so what would the entity of origin do?


    ¡®Yet he responds so nonchalantly?¡¯


    The unmistakable unease prompted Seong-Woon¡¯s bad habit as a gardener.


    ¡°......¡±


    It was fascinating.


    ¡°...Aren¡¯t you displeased?¡±


    Seong-Woon couldn¡¯t hold back his question.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about the exact situation, but your subordinates brought him here. Also, Park Eun-Gyeom is already someone who belongs here.¡±


    ¡°That may be so.¡±


    ¡°But am I allowed to just take him like this? If you don¡¯t want it, I won¡¯t take him. I don¡¯t want to treat someone who doesn¡¯t appreciate their companions as a fellow hunter.¡±


    He meant it genuinely. Park Eun-Gyeom wasn¡¯t someone Seong-Woon would go as far as risking his life to save or recover his body.


    ¡®Plus, the association didn¡¯t ask me to save Hunter Park.¡¯


    What they wanted was information on the process, cause, and result of ¡®The Black Cloak¡¯s¡¯ attack on a human. In other words, there was no reason Seong-Woon had to save Park Eun-Gyeom.


    Gio asked.


    ¡°But didn¡¯t you say it was your job?¡±


    ¡°True, I did say that...¡±


    ¡°Then, I can also do what you wish.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this a problem? Won¡¯t it upset you?¡±


    ¡°I never cared about him from the start, so it¡¯s fine.¡±


    Gio really didn¡¯t know. The Void had never told him about such people.


    He might have felt a little guilty for a second, thinking a person was wandering in the house he had made, but after hearing they were guilty of human abuse and neglect, it became a ¡°not my problem¡± situation.


    ¡®Even Seong-Woon said he¡¯s a human not worth saving.¡¯


    So, it was even more ¡°not my problem¡± for Gio.


    But, just as he had given gifts to many passersby, if the other party wanted something and he had the means to grant it, he had no reason not to fulfill their wish.


    ¡®After all, this is Seong-Woon¡¯s business, and even if the situation is difficult, I should help.¡¯


    If a salaried worker goes on a business trip and fails to accomplish their goal, how much would they be criticized when they return to the company? Gio, once a proper member of society, wanted to help Seong-Woon with his wishes.


    ¡°So, Seong-Woon, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s really kind of you.¡±


    And it was an unsettling statement.


    ¡®...I never thought that this indifferent attitude would feel more terrifying than anger.¡¯


    Gio, who shows affection for the weak and marvels at the grand and beautiful things.


    The fact that ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait¡¯ responds with indifference rather than anger in this situation felt a little creepy to Seong-Woon, a human.


    ¡®If it¡¯s this easy to accept, why did he even take Hunter Park in the first place?¡¯


    From the recent conversation with the black cloak and black-clad figure, one might think that Gio didn¡¯t even know Park Eun-Gyeom had come here.


    But, given the strange atmosphere of the conversation, Seong-Woon thought it was some kind of show or performance. Just like many of the entities of origin.


    ¡°......¡±


    That¡¯s why Seong-Woon came to a bizarre conclusion.


    ¡®...A sort of isolation...¡¯


    Gio is kind to humans. That could mean ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait¡¯ likes humans as a species, but this portrait also dislikes rude and evil humans.


    So Seong-Woon thought.


    ¡®From Gio¡¯s perspective, this could be a favor to humans, or just simple self-satisfaction... attacking evil humans might be a way to filter out corrupted beings like Park Eun-Gyeom, so the average human can remain polite and good-hearted.¡¯


    Just like humans slaughtering cattle who attack their own kind.


    ¡®Now I see Gio¡¯s point of view.¡¯


    It was a bit unsettling, but at least now he felt at ease.


    ¡°...Hmm...¡±


    If you feel fear over every little thing, you can¡¯t be a gardener.


    ¡°So when can I take Hunter Park Eun-Gyeom?¡±


    ¡°To take him out of the City of Void, a price is needed.¡±


    ¡°Price?¡±


    Seong-Woon stopped for a moment.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind, but is such a price also needed when I leave...?¡±


    ¡°You can leave without any issue, Seong-Woon.¡±


    ¡°Then what about Hunter Park Eun-Gyeom?¡±


    ¡°To take him out, a price is needed.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been told.¡±


    Gio was speaking plainly, with no attempt at hiding the facts.


    ¡®I¡¯m not sure myself, but that¡¯s how the system works.¡¯


    And it was Seong-Woon¡¯s job to interpret that.


    ¡°...Ah...¡±


    He remembered when Hunter Chara had visited ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait¡¯ before.


    ¡®Back then, Hunter Chara didn¡¯t have to pay any price.¡¯


    And this time, Gio had also said that no price was necessary for Seong-Woon.


    ¡®Maybe people who are invited into the frame don¡¯t need to pay a price. If we assume they¡¯ll eventually leave the frame and return to this world, it follows the 1:1 rule, one time in this world and once in the other.¡¯


    But for those forcibly dragged into the frame.


    ¡®It¡¯s treated like a painting.¡¯


    Gio receives a price from Seong-Woon only when he paints something and brings it into the real world. To give it to Seong-Woon, Gio has to receive something in return.


    This situation didn¡¯t seem much different.


    ¡°So what price should I give this time?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to give me any price, Seong-Woon.¡±


    ¡°Oh...¡±


    Curiosity arose.


    ¡®What price would he want from Park Eun-Gyeom?¡¯


    Whether Gio knew Seong-Woon¡¯s curiosity or not, he still asked softly.


    ¡°Is it time for you to leave work?¡±


    ¡°Huh? No, a hunter like me doesn¡¯t have a fixed time to clock out...¡±


    ¡°Do you want to leave work?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I do. It¡¯s just that ~N§àv§Ölight~ I can¡¯t go home because the work isn¡¯t finished.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll let you go.¡±


    Before he knew it, Gio was holding a frame.


    ¡°...Huh?¡±


    It was the living room of Seong-Woon¡¯s house.


    ¡°Wait, this is....¡±


    ¡°Have a good night.¡±


    And by the time Seong-Woon realized,


    ¡°......¡±


    The air felt clear.


    The warmth from the heating filled his skin, and the furniture, covered in dust from not being touched for a while, was visible.


    A dark house with no lights on, showing that no one was home.


    ¡°......¡±


    Seong-Woon was standing in his own living room.


    ¡°...Oh my...¡±


    Grateful, yet truly unsettling.


    ¡®How should I react to this?¡¯


    What a chilling kind of kindness.


    Seong-Woon stood there for a while, with an awkward smile on his face.

 Chapter 107

    "First of all, one thing is certain."


    Yoo Seong-Woon concluded.


    "There was no malice in Gio."


    "What kind of narrow-minded comment is that from a guardian defending their child, Yoo Seong-Woon, the curator?"


    "Please, don''t say it like that. It gives me the chills."


    Seong-Woon shuddered at Bisa Beul''s thoughtless nonsense.


    "You wouldn¡¯t be saying such nonsense in front of Gio, would you?"


    It was hard to act casually in front of someone with such an enormous and vast aura.


    Only someone familiar with the source, like Seong-Woon, could remain this composed. There were still many staff members who couldn''t even speak properly when facing Gio.


    Seeing Seong-Woon''s demeanor, Bisa Beul asked in a subtle tone.


    "Do you really think I wouldn¡¯t act like this in front of him?"


    "...Damn it, just stop thinking about seeing Gio forever. Do you understand?"


    "Oh, it¡¯s so unfair. I bought ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait.¡¯ I bought it with my own money."


    "Then maybe you should change that personality of yours."


    That was the best course of action for the sake of humanity''s peace.


    "Gio doesn¡¯t like the guildmaster."


    "What have I done...?"


    "You¡¯re overflowing with energy, way too much."


    "Is that a crime?"


    "Well, it doesn¡¯t seem like a crime, considering you¡¯re not attracted to him yet."


    Bisa Beul¡¯s words seemed to imply that he wished something would happen to that tongue of his, but it would be unfair to place such a horrific responsibility on Gio. Seong-Woon steadied his mind and returned to the main point.


    "Really, Gio had no ill will. If that guy had any malice or ill intent when he took Hunter Park Eun-Gyeom, I would have felt some discomfort when I tried to rescue him. After all, it would have been as if he ignored his own feelings."


    But ''Gio''s Portrait'' showed no regret.


    "Rather, it showed an inclusive attitude as if telling me to do as I pleased."


    "Isn¡¯t it possible that he staged it like that?"


    "Why would I go as far as to stage something like that? Especially inside Gio¡¯s stomach..."


    Seong-Woon knew that the limits of Gio''s abilities were unclear, but at least he understood that the dungeon''s master could unleash miraculous powers within his own dungeon.


    "Despite that, the fact that he treated me so kindly means that he really didn¡¯t have any bad feelings."


    "Our Hunter Seong-Woon really has a good heart."


    "It¡¯s like he¡¯s giving a smile as if he¡¯s looking at his grandchild... but please don¡¯t act like that in front of Gio."


    As he said this, Seong-Woon half-resigned.


    "I can¡¯t say for sure, since I was the only one who observed this, but from what I saw, the reason ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait¡¯ attacks humans is because he thinks they are rude and evil."


    And then.


    "The ultimate goal is to maintain the quality of the human race."


    "To maintain the quality of the human race, you say..."


    "I¡¯m not sure if this is a proper analogy, but you know how sick chickens are culled before they spread germs... and how overly violent animals are kept separately in zoos..."


    "Oh, I think that¡¯s a perfect analogy. It¡¯s spot-on. Does that mean Gio sees us as livestock or animals?"


    "......."


    Seong-Woon awkwardly laughed.


    "...I¡¯m not sure."


    When they toured Seoul, Gio had been extremely human-like, kind, and respectful to others. However, when he appeared as the "Black Cloak," it was confusing because his demeanor was completely different.


    "If only his way of treating humans changed depending on his personality, I think it would be easier for us to understand, but... from what I saw, that distinction wasn¡¯t very clear."


    Seong-Woon expressed his frustration.


    "One thing I¡¯m sure of is that he¡¯s benevolent toward humans."


    "That¡¯s something we¡¯ve known for a while, but it¡¯s become a little clearer now."


    "That¡¯s right, it¡¯s clear now."


    Through this incident, Seong-Woon learned one particular aspect of Gio¡¯s habits.


    "Gio treats rude and evil humans almost like a different species compared to other humans."


    It wasn¡¯t clear if ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait¡¯ treated all humans like livestock, but at least those who were rude and evil were treated like livestock. It was a nonchalant and ruthless attitude.


    "He showed me while talking to the transparent humans in black suits, ''I don¡¯t care about Park Eun-Gyeom at all.'' Whether he really didn¡¯t know, or whether he staged such a performance on purpose, I can¡¯t say for sure..."


    Seong-Woon recalled the Black Cloak he had seen in the City of Void.


    "It was truly an indifferent attitude."


    "So you say there was no malice. There was no intent to kill or attack."


    "When the human he brought was either locked up and left to die, or escaped, or struggled, Gio didn¡¯t seem to care at all."


    "It was like isolation or disposal. Moreover, it was a nearly indifferent attitude. Gio¡¯s interest seemed to be solely focused on good or ordinary humans."


    "But he doesn¡¯t go out of his way to eliminate all the evil ones. It seems like he just deals with those who don¡¯t meet the ''human'' standard whenever he sees them."


    "That¡¯s quite scary."


    Bisa Beul smiled, going along with it.


    "And that¡¯s about it."


    "...The guildmaster is right."


    Seong-Woon nodded.


    "It¡¯s not an action that would harm humanity on a large scale."


    Had he tried to eliminate all the evil beings on Earth or openly showed unconditional favoritism toward the good, the situation might have been different.


    However, the behavior of ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait¡¯ didn¡¯t cause significant chaos for humanity.


    "It seems like he just sees it as a casual pastime."


    "It doesn¡¯t seem like he takes any particular pleasure in it, but it doesn¡¯t look like he feels any sense of responsibility or duty either."


    "Well, there¡¯s no enthusiasm that could be considered either fun or punishment."


    "Whatever enthusiasm the source shows, there¡¯s no disaster threatening humanity like that."


    "In that sense, Gio¡¯s habits cannot be seen as a major disaster for Earth."


    It seemed like a rare event that occurred now and then.


    "At least if we stay cautious in front of the frame, no one will get dragged away. So, at this point..."


    "It¡¯s possible to coexist."


    Bisa Beul spoke in a definitive tone.


    "It¡¯s good news that there¡¯s no choice but coexistence for humanity. It¡¯s a coexistence that wouldn¡¯t cause a major problem from the human perspective either, so the association will feel less burdened."


    Though Seong-Woon didn¡¯t refute Bisa Beul¡¯s words, he still didn¡¯t let go of his concerns.


    "It¡¯s too early to be sure. We haven¡¯t even been analyzing ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait¡¯ for that long."


    "Yoo Seong-Woon, the curator, is right. It would be foolish to think we¡¯ve ''figured out everything'' about the source and rest easy. Especially with someone like Gio, whose true identity we still don¡¯t know."


    "...That¡¯s the part that worries me the most. If only we knew more accurate information, I¡¯d feel a little better. But with all these unknowns popping up..."


    Even though Seong-Woon believed that the habits he had observed from Gio wouldn¡¯t harm humanity, there was still so much they didn¡¯t know. There was always the possibility that ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait¡¯ could show a more aggressive side in the future.


    "......."


    Seong-Woon sighed.


    "...This is dragging on too long."


    "Wouldn¡¯t it be better to approach this carefully and cautiously?"


    "That would be the case if we knew what we were dealing with."


    As a curator and, in a way, a gardener.


    "I still don¡¯t know what Gio is."


    Even at this time of year.


    "The new frame that appeared this time, that gray city was an abnormal dungeon. It was so similar to a normal dungeon in structure that it created an even stronger sense of discord. It felt like it was trying to imitate a dungeon."


    And then.


    "It¡¯s closer to a garden."


    "I think you know what that means."


    "Yes, I do. The garden is the lifeblood of the source."


    A garden is where life is nurtured and maintained, and in simple terms, it could be seen as the ''organ'' of the source. The gardener''s duty was to manage the veins, the heart, the lungs, the muscles, and the bones of the source.


    "I¡¯ve never heard of a non-human managing a garden..."


    "That¡¯s because we don¡¯t know much about the source either."


    "That¡¯s the problem. All the gardeners I know are human, and I¡¯ve only known about it for 31 years."


    "It¡¯s only natural that there are things about the source we don¡¯t understand."


    "However, it¡¯s also unreasonable to consider Gio as a gardener instead of a human."


    Even if there were monsters who managed gardens, even if such diligent gods existed, it was impossible for anyone to create a garden. It was an impossible task that could not be expected from anyone.


    "...A gardener can¡¯t do that."


    Yes, a gardener cannot do that.


    Then...


    "......"


    "I¡¯ve had this thought."


    Instead of Seong-Woon, Bisa Beul continued.


    "What if the source is a sentient being?"


    Seong-Woon didn¡¯t scold him for speaking nonsense.


    "My children."


    After Seong-Woon left, Gio embraced the black-suited figures in his arms and enjoyed the life of a portrait.


    "I¡¯m so happy that you¡¯ve grown so well, even though I wasn¡¯t able to take care of you."


    "Yes, thank you for loving us, Father."


    "How did you grow into such a fine young man? I must have some good luck with children, indeed."


    The combination of the faceless black cloaks and black-suited figures was spine-chilling to anyone, ~N§àv§Ölight~ but there was no one here to point it out.


    Gio kept muttering "My precious children" as he hugged his new offspring.


    "How can you be so adorable?"


    His children, who recognized him¡ªwell, technically, they were closer to his grandchildren, as they were monsters from the City of Void¡ªcame to him willingly, and he loved them dearly. They were like the sweet vitamins in this harsh world.


    "I didn¡¯t intend it, but you look so much like me."


    "Yes, we tried to resemble Father."


    "So this is what it means when you say, ¡®I¡¯ll grow up to be just like you, Dad.¡¯ Such a beautiful sentiment."


    "Yes, thank you for creating us to your liking, Father."


    "How are you so diligent and smart, my dear children?"


    Even Gio, speaking these words, knew that these ¡®black suits¡¯ objectively had quite a frightening appearance.


    Since they awkwardly imitated his usually blunt nature, their actions felt human yet somewhat clumsy, creating an uncomfortable sense of dissonance.


    Park Eun-Gyeom felt an almost fatal fear just from looking at them, and Seong-Woon, an experienced gardener, couldn¡¯t help but feel an unbearable chill. Gio wasn¡¯t unaware that others might feel this way about them.


    "But that¡¯s none of my business."


    Personal feelings couldn¡¯t be helped, but no one should criticize his children for trying their best to resemble their father.


    "This sentimental father is moved by my children¡¯s accomplishments."


    "Please pat us, Father."


    "Father, we love you."


    "Father."


    "My precious children."


    In Gio¡¯s eyes, the thick, sturdy shells had already formed.


    "Please, don¡¯t worry about people who might be scared. It won¡¯t be a problem as long as Father loves us."


    "Yes, if you love us, Father, nothing will be a problem."


    "Although we may not be human-friendly, to me, you¡¯re just adorable."


    "Thank you, Father. Please hug us."


    "At this age, having good fortune with children..."


    These precious children of his. They were truly a warm family who cared for one another.

 Chapter 108

    A few days later.


    ¡°Are you awake, Geo?¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon found ¡®Geo¡¯s Portrait¡¯.


    ¡°I brought the seedlings I told you about last time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m awake.¡±


    ¡°Yes, check if they are the ones you want.¡±


    Inside the frame, what Geo asked for in exchange for guaranteeing Yoo Seong-woon¡¯s life was a flower and a tree.


    They were ¡®Honey Pot¡¯ and ¡®Salt Tree¡¯, and as the names suggest, they could provide honey and salt respectively.


    ¡®Geo prefers such pastoral things.¡¯


    Honestly, he said that his own house was a cabin in the forest. He had also asked for various seeds for farming.


    ¡®Your tastes are definitely set.¡¯


    Yoo Seong-woon went into the frame and looked at the honey pot and salt tree seedlings that had become paintings.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Geo was caressing them as if they were newborn animals.


    ¡®... or the skill of communicating with plants... .¡¯


    Since it wasn¡¯t a skill that humans didn¡¯t have at all, he thought so.


    I don¡¯t know exactly what it was, but Geo definitely liked things that were rewarding to take care of, like plants and animals or children.


    The portrait soon gave an answer.


    ¡°This is exactly what I wanted. Thank you for accepting my request, Mr. Yoo Seong-woon.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re satisfied with that. I¡¯ll organize the edible plants on Earth and in the dungeon later and hand them over, so if there¡¯s anything you want, let me know.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll also prepare a gift that will be helpful to Mr. Yoo Seong-woon.¡±


    Geo asked, still holding the tender seedling in his arms.


    ¡°Is that all for today?¡±


    ¡°Well, I just... thought I¡¯d chat about this and that.¡±


    ¡°Good. I wonder how student Chaisol is doing.¡±


    ¡°Chaisol? You¡¯ve entered the temple now.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon brought a nearby chair and sat down in front of the portrait as he continued.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite late. Originally, we should have gone in right after the initiation ceremony and prepared to become priests, but Father Kang Seo-dam said he was tired because of the ¡®Deep Sea Country¡¯ incident and time was running out.¡±


    ¡°I apologize for causing trouble to our disciples. I tried to persuade them several times, but they still hate humans. I will let you know if there are any results soon.¡±


    ¡°There is no monster that doesn¡¯t hate humans, so it doesn¡¯t matter. There is no way to deny the emotions that form the basis of their power and reason. Still, I feel reassured that Geo-ne is by their side.¡±


    As he said that, Yoo Seong-woon thought of the stories of the mermaids that were being seen in the ¡®Deep Sea Country.¡¯


    ¡°They are said to be incredibly ferocious.¡±


    The exact cause is unknown, but it has been reported that the mermaids that have been seen recently are more dangerous than the ones that were seen in the early days. He said that his anger and hatred were out of control.


    ¡®Did Geo tell you not to hate humans, so his ill feelings grew even bigger? However, even though I didn¡¯t see it directly, I heard that his despair and sadness were even bigger.¡¯


    Judging from Geo¡¯s reaction, he seemed to be normal when he met him.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know how this happened...¡¯


    However, it wasn¡¯t uncommon for monsters to display creepy duplicity. There was no need for Yoo Seong-woon to worry about the affairs of a monster that wasn¡¯t even a child of the Origin.


    ¡°...And Mr. Chaisol...¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon immediately recalled the recent situation of the cheerful child.


    ¡°The partner you gave him at the temple was Eunha-gun, right? The young form of Iser.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I remember. Now that Iser is gone, I guess Mr. Chaisol has no partner.¡±


    ¡°So there was a bit of confusion, but somehow I think I found a good partner.¡±


    This ¡®Deep Sea Temple¡¯ incident had a big impact.


    ¡°Since they experienced such a terrible thing when they were a trainee priest, there must have been a few kids who left the temple because they thought they couldn¡¯t do something this dangerous. Since there happened to be an even number of trainee priests left, they reorganized their partners from the beginning.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon shrugged.


    ¡°Priests are basically a team of two, so there¡¯s nothing we can do.¡±


    ¡°I heard that a priest¡¯s partner is for life, so it doesn¡¯t # N§àv§Ölight # change?¡±


    ¡°You can change a few times when you¡¯re a trainee priest, but when you become a registered priest in the temple, your partner is for life.¡±


    ¡°I wonder what happens if one of them can no longer do the work of a priest due to unavoidable circumstances.¡±


    ¡°I think the priests who lost their partners might agree to form a new team, but I think they usually work alone.¡±


    A typical example was priest Kang Seo-dam, who even showed up alone at the initiation ceremony.


    ¡®It¡¯s a common occurrence.¡¯


    Priests in their 40s usually didn¡¯t look for new partners. It must have been quite tiring to collaborate with someone other than the partner they had worked with their whole lives.


    ¡°From the perspective of an ordinary office worker, I wonder why they created such a tiring structure....¡±


    ¡°I wonder why priests are usually paired up. Is there a reason other than tradition?¡±


    ¡°First of all, tradition is a big part of it. What is it? The religious world doesn¡¯t change easily in the first place.¡±


    But that wasn¡¯t the only reason.


    ¡°They say that the power that priests can use is most effective when they cooperate with others.¡±


    ¡°Is that the power of all priests?¡±


    ¡°At least from what I know. There are exceptions, but priests who serve evil spirits are most powerful when they are alone.¡±


    No priest knew the exact reason.


    ¡°But if I were to guess, it¡¯s probably because each god they worship pursues different virtues. Most gods value friendship and peace, but evil gods require destruction and suffering.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon nodded.


    ¡°In particular, the Sun Church refers to each priest as a ¡®small light.¡¯ Even if it¡¯s a faint light, if they all gather together, it becomes a large light, and if they gather together like that, it becomes hotter, so they especially value cooperation.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why the power of the spirit increases when they cooperate. The more they gather together, the hotter they become. The Sun Church¡¯s temple was warm and pleasant, and now I understand why.¡±


    It was a ¡®Portrait of Geo¡¯ painted in black paint, so the eyes couldn¡¯t be seen, but Yoo Seong-woon could tell that he was staring at him. The portrait soon continued.


    ¡°What kind of child is Chae Sol¡¯s partner?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know the details, but I do know that he¡¯s a first-class citizen.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a first-class citizen.¡±


    ¡°Considering that they are young, they must be quite wealthy.¡±


    The biggest difference between 1st and 2nd class people living together in the city was their economic power. If they were 1st class even though they were young enough to have just enlisted, it was highly likely that my parents had been 1st class citizens for generations.


    ¡°That¡¯s not how they usually pair up. In order for priests to be partners, they have to share a dormitory room, so they have to be of the same sex, and they are grouped into similar classes to make it easier for them to understand and rely on each other... This is rare.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon laughed awkwardly.


    ¡°Cha I-sol¡¯s partner was of a different gender and class. Well, Cha I-sol would become a 2nd class citizen when he becomes a full priest....¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a problem?¡±


    ¡°Why not? But I guess the number has decreased significantly because so many prospective priests escaped due to this incident.¡±


    ¡°It must have been difficult for the priests to match children with partners.¡±


    ¡°So this time, they took into consideration the opinions of the prospective priests a lot.¡±


    This was the result.


    ¡°I heard that kid made a fuss about becoming Chaisol¡¯s partner.¡±


    ¡°I see, he¡¯s a very confident student. I think it¡¯ll be fun to meet Chaisol later.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s already getting a good evaluation from you without even seeing his face. He¡¯s going to be a great kid.¡±


    There were boys among the remaining prospective priests, and there were also third-class citizens. Even so, it would have been difficult to force the kids of different genders and classes to stick together if they hadn¡¯t expressed their strong will.


    ¡°When I met Cha Eun-hyeok to buy bungeoppang, he told me with a very tired face.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s really unusual. So are those two students satisfied with each other becoming partners?¡±


    ¡°Chaisol says he doesn¡¯t have any particular thoughts, but... wouldn¡¯t the other side like it anyway?¡±


    That¡¯s what he had insisted on.


    ¡°Of course, we each have separate rooms, but I think the Taeyanggyo decided to merge the dormitories because of this incident. They¡¯ll be divided into men¡¯s rooms and women¡¯s rooms. Chaisol won¡¯t be lonely.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon rubbed his tired eyes as if he didn¡¯t have to worry.


    ¡°...Oh, I¡¯m so sleepy....¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t get off work?¡±


    ¡°...I couldn¡¯t sleep because I was looking into this and that.¡±


    He mostly looked into things related to the ¡®Empty City.¡¯


    ¡°.......¡±


    The atmosphere was considerably relaxed thanks to the story about Chaisol, who Geo had shown to be particularly fond of.


    Yoo Seong-woon, who had been watching the situation, then carefully opened his mouth.


    ¡°...Thank you for releasing Hunter Park Eun-gyeom.¡±


    Among the people he looked into was Park Eun-gyeom, who was at the center of this missing person¡¯s case.


    ¡°I found out that he returned home safely.¡±


    ¡°Thank goodness.¡±


    ¡°I knew that, but you¡¯re still so indifferent.¡±


    Geo really didn¡¯t care what happened to the sinner who entered his stomach.


    ¡®It was probably just a quarantine to make the average human good.¡¯


    Yoo Seong-woon understood Geo¡¯s indifference.


    However, no matter how much he thought about it, he couldn¡¯t understand how he viewed humans or how he viewed himself.


    He couldn¡¯t get to the main point, so he brought up Park Eun-gyeom¡¯s story for no reason and continued talking.


    ¡°Of course, he was caught by the association as soon as he got home. There¡¯s clear evidence that he abused and abandoned his colleagues, and what happened in the ¡®Empty City¡¯ is important data for the association.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon also contributed a lot to that ¡®important data.¡¯


    ¡°That guy Park Eun-gyeom seems to be careful these days because he found out why he was taken away.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s good. But I¡¯m not expecting much.¡±


    ¡°Well, humans don¡¯t change that easily. But the people from the association are watching, so it¡¯s not a big deal. I don¡¯t think it will happen.¡±


    ¡°If you do something bad again while the association is watching, that alone will be truly great.¡±


    ¡°I think so too.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon chose his words again.


    ¡°... Do you know? Your name has become very famous lately.¡±


    ¡°How did you become famous?¡±


    ¡°First of all, congratulations. You have a fan. I think they like your drawings.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m grateful that you love my lacking work.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that too humble of a reaction?¡±


    Geo¡¯s ¡®works¡¯ had great artistic value.


    There are two works by ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ that are known so far. They are ¡®Breathing Sea¡¯ and ¡®City of Emptiness.¡¯


    The former was just a painting of the sea, but there were many stories that said that people¡¯s gazes and breaths could be felt, and the latter made people feel lonely and sad just by looking at it, and they wanted to go back to their family and friends.


    ¡°You made the paint yourself, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. There are many materials in this forest that help me with my work. I get help from them.¡±


    ¡°He said he liked the color because it was very unique. It¡¯s your own color that¡¯s hard to imitate. Some people even try to imitate it...¡±


    ¡°It would be hard if there weren¡¯t materials where I am.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, I was saying that your work is popular.¡±


    Some people were fascinated by Geo¡¯s work as if a painter had appeared. Just appreciating it would take a whole day, and they even said that there was a world inside it and were ecstatic.


    It¡¯s not just Bisabal who is blinded by art.


    ¡®I hope this doesn¡¯t lead to a dangerous atmosphere.¡¯


    Geo had an exceptional ability to captivate and shake people.


    ¡®There was a time when I thought it was just Giovanni¡¯s ability, but even when it was just a portrait, it had a tremendous ripple effect... .¡¯


    I thought about it when I was first taken to the ¡®Temple of the Deep Sea,¡¯ but if a pseudo-religion were to form targeting this guy, it would be a real headache.


    ¡°Anyway, right now, everyone seems to be lightly enjoying the city¡¯s new event.¡±


    ¡°Is that so....¡±


    ¡°Oh, you didn¡¯t like it? I did tell you that it was a real story.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like crowds.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s... Yeah, if you cover your face, it will be covered to some extent.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon, who had been smiling slightly as if it was okay, couldn¡¯t hold back the question that came up and asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I was curious.¡±


    ¡°... ... .¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    I had to know that.


    ¡°... What should we do?¡±


    That¡¯s how coexistence was possible.


    We could live.

 Chapter 109

    "Who are you?"


    Excuse me?


    "...What should we do?"


    "......"


    What do you mean?


    Gio thought.


    ''What did I do wrong?''


    He couldn¡¯t understand what was happening at all.


    ''Weren¡¯t we just talking about the world until a moment ago?''


    Amid his burden of being suddenly famous without his consent, this felt like a bolt from the blue.


    Suddenly, Gio found himself asked a philosophical question about "who am I?" He fell into an unexpected moment of self-reflection. Even though Gio lived thoughtlessly, he at least understood that the question was quite serious.


    ''But that only makes it more confusing.''


    It felt like a parent sitting across from their child, lamenting, "Son, how should we treat you?" But Seong-Woon wasn¡¯t Gio¡¯s parent. Gio was an adult man who had a job that disappeared.


    ''Why? Why me? Why suddenly career counseling?''


    He couldn¡¯t figure out where Seong-Woon had suddenly become so serious.


    "......"


    "......"


    The silence stretched on, and Gio¡¯s confusion and anxiety grew.


    ''...He asked so seriously, so I should answer seriously in return. But I don¡¯t know what to say, since I know nothing. To think that I, Seo Gio, the very definition of a product of rote education, would have poor crisis management skills...''


    In order to answer, you first had to understand the situation, right?


    ''Who... who am I...?''


    Well, that¡¯s a good question.


    ''If I had to define it, I¡¯d say a haunted portrait...?''


    That was probably the word that best expressed Gio¡¯s identity right now.


    But it felt odd to call himself a "ghost" when he wasn¡¯t dead. After a moment''s hesitation, he replied.


    "I am a portrait."


    "...A portrait, you say."


    "I understand why you¡¯re worried, Seong-Woon."


    "......"


    "But I can''t understand."


    It was sincere.


    ¡®Who could call a harmless haunted portrait like me anything to worry about?¡¯


    Lately, Gio had been trying to manage his image because of the looming fear that "if I look too approachable, I¡¯ll end up in a research lab," but he didn¡¯t think his efforts had been impactful enough to truly make Seong-Woon feel threatened.


    ''But from Seong-Woon¡¯s reaction, it¡¯s clear that he is afraid of me.''


    To be precise, he wasn¡¯t exactly afraid of Gio himself, but it seemed he was worried about an ¡ï Novelight ¡ï accident that might happen if Gio ever lost control.


    This was a baffling situation for Gio, who only knew how to stay at home painting and eating. He expressed his own lazy tendencies.


    "I¡¯m just a normal person who likes to paint, cook for my family, enjoy meals together, and lie on a bed full of spring air to nap repeatedly."


    Do you know about Poke?mon?


    ¡®I¡¯m like a sleeping Poke?mon.¡¯


    A lazy, healthy, harmless animal that just eats, sleeps, and repeats.


    "That¡¯s the same whether I¡¯m a portrait or not."


    "...Is that so?"


    "I think you already know that, Seong-Woon."


    How could his own brother misunderstand him like this?


    ¡®No matter how the world sees me, I¡¯m just a talking portrait, you know, brother. Please believe in my triviality.¡¯


    Seong-Woon had been with him from the beginning, but it seemed like the noise from the world had made him confused about Gio¡¯s danger level for a moment. This meant his image management had succeeded, but this situation wasn¡¯t welcome.


    For reference, Gio¡¯s threat level was practically zero. It was a level lower than a fire ant. Comparing him to a fire ant, which could blind a person by spraying formic acid, or to the mountain and its health-consciousness, Gio was clearly outmatched.


    "I understand why you¡¯re worried."


    Gio thought this was a communication problem.


    "We haven¡¯t had enough time to understand each other."


    If Seong-Woon had talked with Gio more often and seen how Gio lived like a lazy man inside his house, he wouldn¡¯t have had these absurd concerns, like a tiger fearing the violence of a rabbit.


    "Just like how countless humans ponder and explore their own identity, I do the same. I also don¡¯t know exactly what I am."


    "......"


    "So, why don¡¯t you try to find out for yourself?"


    Gio genuinely wanted to clear up any misunderstandings.


    ¡®If Seong-Woon was able to find the void in Seoul barefoot, and if he worked even on Christmas to save someone named Park Eun-Gyeom, it meant he was truly a poor, capable employee.¡¯


    And such a person deserved to be fed well. People who were full didn¡¯t think nonsensically and didn¡¯t speak nonsense. This was the result of the weariness brought by society.


    So.


    "I invite you, Seong-Woon."


    Gio had no reason not to feed Seong-Woon well.


    Seong-Woon was drawn into ''Gio¡¯s Portrait.''


    "......"


    The first thing he felt was:


    ¡®Ah.¡¯


    It was warm.


    The gentle spring breeze.


    "......"


    Seong-Woon raised his head and looked at the sky.


    "...It¡¯s so blue."


    It was a rare sight these days, a clear sky.


    Above that sky, large clouds floated as though they were sleeping, and the air was so transparent it seemed like dew would fall at any moment.


    A peaceful and tranquil sky was here.


    "It¡¯s a sight you can¡¯t see on Earth."


    "Certainly, the air in Seoul was smoky."


    "...Well, even if it wasn¡¯t Seoul, it¡¯s still...¡±


    Seong-Woon couldn¡¯t help but stare at the sky, lost in thought.


    "Where else could you see a sky this blue?"


    Long ago, Earth was said to have had such a transparent sky. For Seong-Woon, who was born just before the great catastrophe, this was quite unfamiliar information. He thought that maybe it was a dungeon, but to think Earth had once been like this was fascinating.


    ¡®This is a dungeon, after all.¡¯


    Seong-Woon tilted his head.


    ¡®...Why doesn¡¯t it feel unfamiliar?¡¯


    It wasn¡¯t normal to feel nostalgia for a sky he had never seen before.


    "...This sky is really beautiful..."


    "Do you like it?"


    "Will the stars come out tonight?"


    "They¡¯ll rise enough for you to see the Milky Way."


    "The Milky Way, huh, that¡¯s impressive."


    Now, Gio could freely admire the Milky Way here, something you couldn¡¯t even see in the desert on Earth.


    Lost in the beauty of the sky, Seong-Woon¡¯s head slowly descended.


    "......"


    Before him was a soft-colored forest.


    "This is the forest you mentioned."


    "If you go deeper, you can meet my friends."


    "Are you talking about forest beasts?"


    At that moment, a deer with a long neck appeared from the thicket.


    "Wow."


    A beautiful, fairy-tale-like deer with sparkling eyes.


    As Seong-Woon listened closely, he could hear the chirping of birds. Turning his gaze, he saw several birds sitting on branches, looking down at him.


    Following the fluttering tail feathers, he saw a narrow, shallow stream flowing peacefully along the ground.


    As he inhaled, a sweet and nutty fragrance filled the air.


    "......"


    The sunlight scattered across the stream, which shimmered like a gemstone, and the fish swimming inside occasionally swished their tails, adding to the sound.


    The pebbles beneath the clear water glowed like smooth marble, reflecting the light.


    "...This is really..."


    Peaceful.


    "It would be hard to want to leave here."


    It was peace, like the grave of a wise old man.


    "I¡¯ve been seeing it through the portrait, but I didn¡¯t know it would be this beautiful."


    "Are you enjoying the view?"


    "Really enjoying it. I¡¯m curious about what¡¯s further inside the forest, and I wonder what it would feel like to take a nap here."


    This place had the kind of calm that made you lazy.


    "It might be dangerous."


    There wasn¡¯t much sense of intimidation, but the comfort was so overwhelming that it felt like a trap.


    If someone without resolve came here, they¡¯d likely forget their identity and wish to become part of this forest¡¯s sculptures.


    ¡®But that doesn¡¯t mean Gio has malice.¡¯


    This forest, too, held no malice, nor even goodwill.


    ¡®It just exists like this.¡¯


    That¡¯s nature.


    This place was nature filled with a longing that humans could never handle. It was like a banquet of the gods, something beyond human capacity.


    Without proper resolve, enjoying this peace would lead to losing everything.


    "......"


    ...Somehow, Chara, an F-rank Hunter, managed to endure here.


    ¡®It must have been her great affection for her family on Earth that kept her from losing her mind.¡¯


    With every breath, a sharp tenderness ran through Seong-Woon¡¯s heart, and a pleasant tingling spread to his fingertips.


    This peace was difficult to bear for those without attachment, without courage, and with weak identities.


    "...What am I supposed to learn here?"


    "I didn¡¯t invite you here to learn something from this place, Seong-Woon."


    "Then why did you invite me?"


    "I just wanted to enjoy it together, without much meaning. The more we understand each other, the less we¡¯ll be afraid."


    As Gio spoke, he was now without his cloak. A young man with an oddly expressionless face continued.


    "There was no reason not to share what I have with my friend."


    "...Friend...?"


    The portrait called Seong-Woon a friend.


    "...Do I look like a friend to you?"


    "...Was that a misunderstanding?"


    "No, if I¡¯m okay with it, I¡¯d want a friend like you."


    He wanted to communicate with the source.


    "I¡¯m a gardener."


    Here, a source that could communicate existed.


    "When I see such a beautiful garden, I get entranced."


    "...If you like it that much, that¡¯s problematic."


    "I just meant that I really like places like this."


    "Then I¡¯m relieved."


    "You live here, don¡¯t you?"


    Seong-Woon looked at the portrait.


    "Did you make this place?"


    "I painted it."


    "How did that happen?"


    "How did it happen."


    "Interesting."


    "I think so too."


    "......"


    Soon, Seong-Woon asked.


    "Do you know? This place, it¡¯s connected to you."


    "I am the owner of this place."


    "I know you¡¯re the owner of this place."


    But Seong-Woon wasn¡¯t talking about that.


    ¡®This garden is Gio¡¯s portrait.¡¯


    This peaceful world, almost eerily calm, and ''Gio¡¯s Portrait¡¯ were not separate entities.


    But that was only natural. Gio was the portrait, and this world existed inside that portrait. Everything in the portrait, centered around Gio¡¯s identity, could only be him.


    "Can only what you¡¯ve painted exist here?"


    "No, other things, things I don¡¯t know, also grow on their own."


    "I see. I thought as much. Can it be taken out of the frame?"


    "Yes, it can be taken out of the frame. Do you need something?"


    "No, I¡¯m just... trying to figure out a few things."


    Clink.


    "......"


    Transparent waterfowl sat on the branches. Among them was the honey that Gio called his son.


    "...There are many fascinating things here."


    Seong-Woon couldn¡¯t read their gaze.


    It was as if they were warning him not to harm this peace, or as if they were welcoming him, invited by their parent Gio. Or maybe they were simply watching him with no emotion, like a camera.


    There was neither malice nor goodwill. Or perhaps both.


    "......"


    Where was this overwhelming longing coming from?


    "...That must be your cabin."


    "That¡¯s right. Chara didn¡¯t come into the forest, so I couldn¡¯t show her around."


    "May I see it?"


    "My apologies, I should¡¯ve told you that you could admire it as you wish."


    "Thanks."


    At Gio¡¯s easy approval, Seong-Woon ran his hand along the cabin wall.


    ¡®...It¡¯s warm.¡¯


    And he felt a faint vibration.


    It was the heartbeat of a dead tree.


    "...Here."


    "Yes, go ahead."


    "It¡¯s breathing."


    It was alive.


    "It might not be."


    It was also inanimate.


    "Am I saying something strange?"


    "From what I hear, yes."


    "Still, thank you for inviting me, I just love it so much."


    "I think you¡¯re just tired from everything."


    "Definitely, if I¡¯m going to die, this is the kind of place I¡¯d want to end up."


    A gardener is meant to be buried in the garden.


    "This is really a wonderful garden."


    This place is the source.


    That was the definitive answer to his question.

 Chapter 110

    The hut of Gio was arranged to be a comfortable environment for anyone, human or otherwise.


    ¡°The air is really mild.¡±


    ¡°I think it''s because it''s always spring weather here.¡±


    ¡°That might be true, but...¡±


    There was a sense of calm, like being embraced by a parent''s arms.


    ¡°...I think I¡¯d be able to sleep well here.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s actually true.¡±


    Gio, who nodded, soon asked.


    ¡°Is there any particular meal you would like?¡±


    ¡°...Ah, you¡¯re offering me a meal?¡±


    ¡°That was the reason I invited you, Seong-Woon.¡±


    ¡°So that was the purpose.¡±


    Seong-Woon, who had accepted the invitation to analyze Gio''s true nature, found himself slightly embarrassed.


    ¡®Well, it¡¯s not surprising. This old lady-like fellow wouldn¡¯t treat a guest poorly.¡¯


    Despite his reasons, Gio had indeed invited Seong-Woon as a guest. Given that Gio, who regularly handed out gifts to everyone he met, wouldn¡¯t fail to treat Seong-Woon with something.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind anything, but if I say that, you might dislike it.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as ¡®anything¡¯ when it comes to food.¡±


    ¡°But really, I don¡¯t have any preferences. I don¡¯t mind anything.¡±


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll prepare what I want. Is there anything you can¡¯t eat?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t have any allergies or anything, so it¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Gio nodded, and soon, there was a soft sound coming from the kitchen, like something was approaching.


    What could that be? Seong-Woon¡¯s attention was drawn to a fluffy white bundle.


    ¡°Thank you for helping with the guest reception, Father.¡±


    ¡°Goo.¡±


    A bear doll holding a teacup...?


    ¡°......¡±


    No, a bear doll?


    ¡®...Did a bear doll just bring the welcome drink?¡¯


    Seong-Woon was confused.


    Being frequently in contact with beings of origins, Seong-Woon was especially sensitive to the energy of non-human entities.


    He could usually identify the nature of an entity, but in this case, the bear doll in front of him emanated an energy that felt almost divine.


    ¡®...Wait, if this is divine power like the sun...¡¯


    After a moment¡¯s thought, Seong-Woon looked back at Gio.


    ¡°...Your father, then?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡±


    ¡°So, the former Sun God?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for clearing that up.¡±


    There was no actual divinity, but the energy was close enough, and it was the same distinctive warm, tingling sensation from the sun that Seong-Woon had often felt from Gio.


    It seemed this bear doll was a vessel for the Sun God, possessing the leftover divine power passed down from Gio.


    ¡°Still, is it usual for a bear doll to be involved...?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because this form feels familiar to him. I couldn¡¯t change it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a bit hard to understand, though. Why would a god be familiar with a doll¡¯s body?¡±


    ¡°After using this body for meals, I¡¯ve gotten used to it...¡±


    ¡°So, in the end, it¡¯s your fault, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Seong-Woon awkwardly accepted the teacup handed to him by the Sun God in the form of a bear doll.


    ¡°...Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Goo goo.¡±


    Did it just smile?


    ¡®To think I¡¯d see a god smile in my lifetime.¡¯


    Of course, the fact that a Sun God was inside an old bear doll was itself a surprise.


    ¡°Strange, usually gods from different generations don¡¯t get along...¡±


    ¡°Is there a reason for me to not get along with my father? We are family.¡±


    ¡°Hmm...¡±


    There were many reasons, but...


    ¡°...I suspect it¡¯s because of a difference in mindset. Gods who govern life, death, and dimensions have different perspectives, even if they inherit the same divinity.¡±


    It took a long time for one divine era to end, and the difference in thought was similar to how primitive humans and modern humans wouldn¡¯t get along.


    ¡°Especially if they were once human before becoming a god.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Gio asked.


    ¡°Then, am I a god?¡±


    ¡°...Oh... well...¡±


    ¡°So there are gods who don¡¯t do things like this, huh? I guess gods are just like anyone else.¡±


    ¡°...You can think of it however you like.¡±


    ¡°I still think I¡¯m human. Nothing really has changed for me.¡±


    ¡°Then that¡¯s probably the case.¡±


    It seemed that Gio thought of himself as a ¡®human who inherited a divine certification¡¯ rather than an actual god.


    Though that wasn¡¯t really what a god was, Seong-Woon kept quiet since that¡¯s how Gio saw himself.


    ¡®At least Gio isn¡¯t consumed by divinity,¡¯ Seong-Woon thought.


    Becoming a god meant holding the qualification of nature and fate, abandoning the mindset of a living creature.


    Still, Gio enjoyed eating, cooking well, and sharing with others¡ªclearly, there were many aspects that made him problematic to call a true god.


    No matter what, this ¡®Gio¡¯ would never change.


    ¡°......¡±


    Because he is an origin being?


    ¡®...How can something like this even exist?¡¯


    Seong-Woon watched Gio head to the kitchen, preparing to make the meal.


    ¡®I don¡¯t doubt he¡¯s an origin. As a gardener, I¡¯d never mistake that. This portrait is an origin in a form that humans can perceive, almost like a person.¡¯


    But understanding that process was still beyond him.


    ¡®This is more than just living on top of the origin. If that were the case, this space and Gio would have to be separate entities. But they¡¯re not, they¡¯re like bones and flesh together...¡¯


    As Seong-Woon pondered, the bear doll approached with soft, fluffy steps.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Goo?¡±


    ¡°...Sorry, I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying.¡±


    ¡°Goo, goo goo. Goo.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Seong-Woon felt awkward at the sight of the bear doll flapping its cotton paws in front of him.


    ¡®Is it blasphemy to find a god cute? Religion is not my area of expertise.¡¯


    Even without divine power, it was true that the being before him was close to godhood.


    Seong-Woon, wary of the bear doll filled with cotton, watched it carefully, wondering if he might make a mistake.


    ¡°...Ah.¡±


    Soon, Seong-Woon took the teacup.


    ¡°Should I drink it?¡±


    ¡°Goo.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Seong-Woon was momentarily surprised by the cup, which fit so perfectly in his hand.


    ¡°...Oh...¡±


    The feel was pleasant.


    ¡®It¡¯s smooth but soft.¡¯


    It felt like touching silk-like fur.


    Though it was clearly a hard teacup, it felt so soft that it seemed like dust would rub off onto his hand, and despite its sturdy thickness, it was surprisingly light, making it easy to hold.


    ¡®The grip feels nice, too.¡¯


    Even though it wasn¡¯t tailored to his hand, it felt comfortably shaped.


    ¡°A bit fluffy...¡±


    It felt like a teacup made out of clouds or whipped cream.


    ¡°Gio really doesn¡¯t waste anything, not even a teacup.¡±


    ¡°Goo goo.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I really don¡¯t understand. What are you saying?¡±


    The white bear doll, which had a golden-brown color # N§àv§Ölight # like lightly roasted rice, soon pointed at something.


    ¡°...Ah.¡±


    It was honey.


    ¡°Goo roo?¡±


    ¡°...Remember earlier? I was invited, right? I¡¯m the guest?¡±


    ¡°Gooook.¡±


    ¡°It feels like you¡¯re being shown something.¡±


    Seong-Woon realized the bear doll was probably trying to show him that this teacup, too, was something created by Gio.


    Seong-Woon unknowingly understood.


    ¡°No wonder the feel was different.¡±


    The light pink tea inside also smelled nice.


    ¡°...This...¡±


    It had a fresh sweetness similar to vanilla beans but with a unique tangy twist, like honey milk, yet light in a way that didn¡¯t feel overwhelming.


    Seong-Woon squinted his eyes.


    ¡®Is this even drinkable for humans?¡¯


    Without thinking, he activated his emotional skill.


    [Tears Blooming in Silk]


    [Grade: - ]


    A flower tea made from the tears that naturally bloom in the currents of fate. The sharp scent of the unripe tears adds a slight variation to the sweetness. Brewed by Gio, the ruler of the forest, it can be consumed by humans. Drinking it instantly warms the eyes, recovering the optic nerves. It is effective in nullifying mental skills.


    ¡°......¡±


    Forget it.


    ¡®It¡¯s said to be edible, so I¡¯ll just drink it.¡¯


    Seong-Woon quickly drank the tea in one gulp.


    ¡°...Sweet.¡±


    Normally, tea would only be sweetened with sugar, but this tea was so sweet that it nearly made him feel dizzy. The sweetness was precisely at the limit of how sweet something could be, like it was tightly packed in.


    ¡®It even has a peppery, sharp taste.¡¯


    Sweetness and pepper, which seemed strange, actually blended quite well. The clear sweetness and sharp, tingling sensation made his head feel full.


    It wasn¡¯t the kind of pleasure you could casually enjoy, like a slow, relaxed meal.


    ¡®This won¡¯t be something I can enjoy with a relaxed mind...¡¯


    Around this time, Seong-Woon frowned.


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    It felt like his eyes were burning, like he had eaten something spicy.


    It wasn¡¯t quite pain, but it was a strange sensation, like having minty eye cleanser.


    After about three seconds, the sensation in his eyes vanished.


    ¡°...So this is what ¡®Tears Blooming in Silk¡¯ is about.¡±


    Maybe because his sensitive eyes were heated, he even shed a few tears.


    ¡®Definitely feel like my vision has sharpened.¡¯


    He once again thought that it would be hard to enjoy this tea with a calm mind.


    With its intense flavor and aroma that overwhelmed his mouth, then making his eyes feel hot and even tear up, and improving his eyesight to boot, how could anyone drink this with a relaxed mind?


    ¡°......¡±


    It¡¯s like I got free eyesight with this cup of tea.


    ¡°I feel a little strange...¡±


    ¡°Goo roo?¡±


    ¡°...Have you tried this?¡±


    ¡°Goo.¡±


    ¡°It was tasty.¡±


    Seong-Woon licked his lips.


    ¡®I feel like I shouldn¡¯t be here.¡¯


    Gio¡¯s kindness was too much.


    There were many stories about people who entered ¡®the world of gods and had their human identity threatened¡¯.


    ¡®For instance, in the East, there¡¯s the story of the Peach Blossom Spring.¡¯


    Though it wasn¡¯t exactly the same situation, he couldn¡¯t help but feel that same sense of crisis.


    ¡®It¡¯s overwhelming...¡¯


    Spending about three days here, he felt like he would become immortal and leave.


    Meanwhile, the owner of the hut had no idea about Seong-Woon¡¯s feelings.


    ¡°Hmmm.¡±


    Gio was considering what meal to prepare for Seong-Woon.


    ¡®For Koreans, it¡¯s all about rice.¡¯


    That¡¯s right.


    ¡°Rice, side dishes, and soup are necessary.¡±


    He had freshly cooked rice from the early morning, made with various vegetables and herbs, making it rich in flavor. The rice had a faint light green tint, and it was especially sweet and nutty.


    ¡®Next, side dishes...¡¯


    He had a salmon caught from ¡®the breathing sea,¡¯ stored in the basement, and there were also some ham and sausages in the cellar. Vegetables were growing abundantly in the garden behind the hut.


    ¡°I¡¯ll grill the fish, steam the meat, and stir-fry the vegetables.¡±


    He muttered with a peculiar resolve, and just then, Seong-Woon spoke up from the living room.


    ¡°Gio, I can walk out as a human, right?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll be able to walk out on two feet, healthy.¡±


    Though he should be prepared to turn into a pig.


    ¡®I¡¯ll make sure to send this skinny office worker back full and satisfied.¡¯


    Gio decided to stake his grandmother¡¯s honor as the village¡¯s biggest benefactor.


    For the soup, he prepared a bone broth made from a deer¡¯s shin bones, which had an incredible savory taste. Adding a little chopped green onions would make the soup just perfect.


    ¡®These dishes don¡¯t take too long to make...¡¯


    Gio called for Dana, who was lying down in the kitchen.


    ¡°Daughter.¡±


    ¡°Meow.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just lazily meowing because you¡¯re bored, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Mreow.¡±


    ¡°Back to your usual self, huh.¡±


    Gio handed Dana a basket.


    ¡°Could you pick some eggplants and bok choy from the garden?¡±


    ¡°Mreow...¡±


    Luckily, Dana didn¡¯t refuse the errand.


    ¡°Good girl.¡±


    Dana, now about the size of an ordinary cat, stretched like an arch and left through the back door, holding the basket in her mouth. After confirming that, Honey followed her, probably to help.


    ¡®Since Honey¡¯s going, they should do fine.¡¯


    Gio smiled and got to work on the food. He made a generous serving of rice, packed with the rural grandmother¡¯s hospitality. The unique light and deep fragrance of the vegetables immediately stimulated the taste buds.


    And soon, it would also stimulate Seong-Woon¡¯s taste buds.


    ¡®Become a pig, will you...¡¯


    Gio, who had spent his childhood in his grandmother¡¯s care, had learned to share plenty of food.

 Chapter 111

    Yoo Seong-un was terrified that the feast of the gods, with the legs of the Kraken fried in the blood of the Phoenix and decorated with the heads of the hatches, would be served, but contrary to his worries, the meal Geo prepared was simple.


    ¡®... No, it¡¯s ordinary.¡¯


    And it was abundant.


    A large grilled fish in the middle of the table and steaming brown sauce-based meat stew. Stir-fried vegetables that seemed to contain tomatoes, onions, and bok choy. Rice cakes that rose up on top of the bowl, and sagol soup with green onions and seafood.


    ¡®It looks like a delicate combination, like a meal made up of whatever was available...¡¯


    For some reason, the meal was made up of creatures that had never been found on Earth.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Yoo Seong-un didn¡¯t use his emotion skills. It wasn¡¯t a wise decision, but after reading the exact contents and effects, he didn¡¯t think he could eat in his right mind.


    ¡°... It ? N§àv§Ölight ? (Exclusive on N§àv§Ölight) looks delicious.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be delicious.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I guess so.¡±


    He gave up.


    ¡®Surely Geo wouldn¡¯t lock me up in this cabin.¡¯


    He wasn¡¯t worried. Even the Hunter named Park Eun-gyeom had to pay a price for becoming a complete painting after staying in the ¡®City of Void¡¯ for a few days. Strictly speaking, this place was also a painting.


    In Greek mythology, Persephone was connected to the underworld where Hades was because of a few pomegranates. Since this was a world where gods existed, Yoo Seong-un couldn¡¯t help but feel even more uneasy.


    ¡®But even so, Hunter Cha-ara didn¡¯t have to go home because he ate here.¡¯


    I had already heard that Geo invited him and even fed him. It didn¡¯t look like a very different meal than now, so it didn¡¯t seem like there would be any big problems if Yoo Seong-un ate.


    ¡°...You¡¯re really good at cooking.¡±


    However, what Yoo Seong-un was worried about was whether I could leave the painting in the same condition I was in when I entered it.


    My already good eyesight had become clearer, so I thought I was already wrong. I would soon be observing the cells of living things with my naked eyes.


    ¡°Your hands are big.¡±


    ¡°Is the fish a bit big?¡±


    ¡°Does the fish look big?¡±


    Of course, he was surprised by the fish that was placed in the middle of the table. First of all, it wasn¡¯t an aquatic creature Yoo Seong-un knew, and it was almost as big as a plump, winter-season mackerel.


    ¡°Of course, the fish is a bit big.¡±


    Yoo Seong-un looked at the steamed meat.


    ¡°That guy is no pushover either.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Dongpa pork.¡±


    ¡°Is the Dongpa pork we¡¯re thinking of different?¡±


    ¡°I made it thinking of the Dongpa pork that you often see in Korea.¡±


    ¡°What kind of Korea have you been to?¡±


    Even Chinese restaurants don¡¯t serve it like that.


    ¡°I¡¯m not lying, I only serve wedding cakes.¡±


    ¡°Three-tiered Dongpo Pork....¡±


    ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve heard this word in my life.¡±


    I also wondered how they made Dongpo Pork in such a short amount of time.


    ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know much about cooking, but doesn¡¯t Dongpo Pork take a long time to make?¡±


    Simply put, Dongpo Pork is a Chinese dish made by stewing pork for a long time. It is usually cut into cubes and boiled in a soy sauce-based sauce, and it has a soft texture that you can chew with your gums.


    ¡°I asked a Chinese restaurant before and they said I¡¯d have to wait a day.¡±


    ¡°Since they don¡¯t make it in advance, it must have been fresh and warm Dongpo Pork.¡±


    ¡°If you want, let¡¯s go together next time. No, so what is this....¡±


    ¡°Thanks to Honey and Dad¡¯s help, the time was shortened.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. I understood. So I can eat this?¡±


    I guess it¡¯s something humans can eat.


    ¡®The three-stage frozen meat created by the children of the origin and the sun god?¡¯


    I don¡¯t know what it is, but I felt like I would have to stop being human if I ate it.


    ¡°...When Chaara Hunter came by, maybe?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that happened.¡±


    ¡°That friend was like this too... Did the elder help you? Prepare the meal?¡±


    ¡°I was in charge back then.¡±


    ¡°Why me?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°No, I misspoke.¡±


    Why on earth are you doing this to me?


    ¡®I can¡¯t be at ease if you do this.¡¯


    Up until just now, I was comforting myself by saying, ¡®Hey, Chaara Hunter was fine, so I should be fine too.¡¯ But when I heard that the meal preparation process was different from that time, I couldn¡¯t help but worry.


    ¡®This is why the gods, the authors, really have no consideration for humans.¡¯


    Yoo Seong-woon forced himself to swallow his sigh.


    ¡°...I¡¯ll eat well.¡±


    ¡°I hope you enjoy it.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why I see greed in your eyes.¡±


    You¡¯re a guy who can show greed too.


    ¡°I¡¯m learning a lot today.¡±


    If I think about Geo¡¯s habits, it¡¯s probably close to him imitating the emotions of a human being in order to communicate according to the situation, but anyway.


    ¡°What kind of greed are you?¡±


    ¡°I know it might sound rude, but I wish you¡¯d gain some weight....¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s rude, but am I really going to walk out like a pig?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Geo?¡±


    Anyway, around the time the meal started.


    ¡°Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah¡ª.¡±


    ¡°Oh my.¡±


    An incident occurred where Anti-Cat Dana groaned while looking at the human Yoo Seong-un.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Yoo Seong-woon. My child is shy and has caused trouble. I will make him reflect on his actions.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s natural for monsters to hate humans. It¡¯s a rare experience to see the anti-cat yawning as it runs away at the sight of a human....¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon actually liked it. Through the yawning of that jewel cat, Yoo Seong-woon was able to prove that he was still human.


    Anyway, now the meal really began.


    ¡°...Oh.¡±


    It was delicious.


    ¡°This is the heavenly table.¡±


    ¡°You are exaggerating.¡±


    ¡°That was an objective statement.¡±


    I was a little worried about the aftereffects after eating, but the food Geo prepared was really delicious. I could feel my tongue being happy even if I just ate the food without adding a single lie.


    ¡°The color of the rice is unusual.¡±


    ¡°I cooked it with vegetables.¡±


    ¡°Oh, do you cook rice that way?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s delicious even if you make it with bone broth or seafood broth.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s strange.¡±


    I thought rice was made with just water. It might be strange to say that to someone who has such a strong will, but Geo was truly versatile.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Even this strangely friendly appearance was probably just a camouflage to get along with humans.


    ¡®... Well, there¡¯s no other way to ease a creature¡¯s guard as easily as eating. Especially since you cook for them yourself, you have a high level of intimacy.¡¯


    I thought that this might be the reason Geo enjoyed cooking and giving gifts. Geo, who was particularly scary and noisy.


    ¡®It definitely worked. These days, quite a few of the citizens who search for Black Cloak are wandering around just to taste the snacks he gives out.¡¯


    In that sense, this kind of cooking skill could be considered bait to lure humans. Yoo Seong-woon nodded inwardly.


    ¡°It¡¯s really round, there¡¯s not a single egg that¡¯s crushed.¡±


    ¡°This is a carefully prepared meal. I¡¯m glad you complimented me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how they make this kind of rice.¡±


    The texture was chewy and not unpleasant, similar to the chewy rice made by a famous sushi chef, and honestly, it was enjoyable in itself.


    ¡°It¡¯s also savory.¡±


    It didn¡¯t seem to be seasoned, but the strange bitterness unique to vegetables, the savory flavor that seemed to flow from them, and the deep aroma that seemed to come from drinking hot fish cake soup on a winter day were fantastic.


    ¡°What are we, Chaesu?¡±


    ¡°There were all sorts of things in it.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Yuseongun quickly became ominous, thinking it had been a while since he had enjoyed the taste of food. He realized once again that it was impossible to enjoy a comfortable meal in Geunwon¡¯s stomach.


    ¡°...Is it because of my mood? Why do I feel healthier now?¡±


    ¡°It was worth putting in the herbs.¡±


    ¡°Herbs? What herbs?¡±


    No, wait.


    Herbs from the source?


    ¡°You used them to cook rice?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it delicious?¡±


    ¡°Do you usually use herbs to make them taste good?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no reason not to use them.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s... that¡¯s right.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon was convinced.


    ¡°There¡¯s no reason not to use them...¡±


    To Geo, the source.


    ¡®It feels like eating bread baked with a 500-year-old elixir.¡¯


    It¡¯s certainly true that there¡¯s no reason not to, but the thought of it being extravagant didn¡¯t disappear. If the pharmacists on Earth found out about this, they¡¯d probably shed tears of blood.


    ¡°... I guess it¡¯s okay if you think of it as making medicine taste better.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think medicine that¡¯s good for your body necessarily needs to be used.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I think that¡¯s a good idea.¡±


    If you think of it as making delicious rice with medicine, not making delicious medicine with rice.


    ¡®... No matter what, I feel like something is stuck inside. I just found out that even eating can escape the realm of humans... .¡¯


    Maybe he thinks of himself as an ordinary person, but for Yoo Seong-un, who was experiencing this meal firsthand, it was burdensome. But it was so damn delicious that he didn¡¯t want to put his spoon down.


    ¡°Ha....¡±


    I know this is a bait to entice humans and various creatures, but Geo still thought he could cook a little better. Humanity was in danger.


    ¡°This would taste good if I made rice balls with it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s actually delicious. I¡¯ll pack it for you if you go on a business trip later.¡±


    ¡°No, that... that¡¯s right. Thank you.¡±


    It¡¯s delicious, so I won¡¯t refuse.


    ¡®I don¡¯t feel like my body has changed dramatically just because I ate it.¡¯


    Compared to the tea that I drank at first to improve my eyesight, this meal that felt refreshing was ordinary. It was enough to blow away the fatigue I had accumulated from working overtime for several days.


    ¡®Actually, that¡¯s a lot, but I¡¯ve been through so much that I can maintain my composure.¡¯


    Honestly, I was quite scared just from the rice, but I couldn¡¯t just stay still because the person who prepared the meal was watching me closely. Yoo Seong-woon slowly turned his eyes to the fish.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Should I spread it on you?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay.¡±


    Looking at it again, I was just surprised by its sturdy appearance.


    ¡°What kind of fish is this...?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a fish that lives in the ¡®Deep Sea Country¡¯.¡±


    ¡°I see, that¡¯s possible.¡±


    There were quite a few guilds that used a dungeon as a fish farm or farm. Thinking about that, Geo was a foodie in the ¡®Deep Sea Country¡¯.


    It was understandable that they brought ash.


    ¡°This is a species I¡¯ve never seen before....¡±


    ¡°In Earth terms, it¡¯s a fish that¡¯s a mix of salmon and flatfish.¡±


    ¡°What kind of fish is that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a fish with a strong salmon flavor and flatfish texture.¡±


    ¡°The universe is really vast.¡±


    Yoo Seong-un took off the flesh of the fish that had been grilled until crispy.


    ¡°...It¡¯s definitely an oily orange color.¡±


    It didn¡¯t look as oily as salmon, though.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s moist.¡±


    ¡°I changed the firewood in the stove, how does it smell?¡±


    ¡°This was grilled in the stove. It¡¯s really good.¡±


    I wondered how they grilled this huge fish, but it seemed like they used the stove. Just as Geo said, a bitter smoky scent rose, covering up the fishy smell that¡¯s typical of seafood.


    The texture was also very soft, not knowing what they did to the fish. The skin, which clearly showed that it had been baked in an oven, was crispy like a thin cookie, but the flesh inside was soft and crumbly, as if you were eating a thick piece of well-cooked saury.


    ¡°Is it a little sour? It also has a spicy scent. It¡¯s not just baked, is it?¡±


    ¡°I grilled fish marinated in green tangerines, lemongrass, and chili pepper juice.¡±


    ¡°Are you a chef?¡±


    I don¡¯t know how many humans you plan on seducing with this cooking skill. No, it looks easy because the subject is a meal, but it wasn¡¯t a joke, it was really dangerous.


    ¡®Humans who don¡¯t even know the existence of the source shouldn¡¯t feel friendly towards this guy.¡¯


    Jio continued to explain the dish, seemingly not caring what Yoo Seong-woon was thinking.


    ¡°Lemon is good, but I thought that this kind of oily fish should have a bitter taste....¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    The calm face of the young man who said that was filled with excitement. He seemed quite happy.


    I know that Geo himself has a passion for cooking. I also know that it is pure kindness, but such a great favor from the source could be poisonous to humans.


    ¡®This favor is too much for me to handle right now...¡¯


    What on earth should I do with this?


    ¡°...I have a lot to say about your expertise, but what is that sauce bowl next to this fish?¡±


    ¡°It is a fish-specific sauce made with lemon, soy sauce, and chili peppers.¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be this serious.¡±


    Even now, as I ponder how to respond to Geo¡¯s favor, it was so ridiculously well-suited that I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.


    The source¡¯s disguise probably wasn¡¯t meant to harm humans. At the same time, it would be contradictory to call it a ¡®disguise¡¯, so it seemed impossible to criticize Geo, who likes to cook and enjoys sharing gifts, as a lie.


    ¡°I really....¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon tried to hold back his sigh and said with his characteristically indifferent smile.


    ¡°I thought I could just eat it like this because it was so delicious even if I just ate it.¡±


    ¡°Is there a problem?¡±


    ¡°It feels like it was a loss not to have dipped it in sauce.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your passionate compliments.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you open a restaurant on Earth? It seems like it¡¯ll be popular.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m suited for sales.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    The egos of Geo that have been revealed so far have mostly been painters, priests, doctors, and teachers. He seemed to be a very free spirit or someone who preferred to be under some kind of organized system, so he couldn¡¯t force sales.


    ¡®A restaurant run by Geonwon would be quite ecstatic. All the gardeners on Earth would gather there. The disaster that broke out like that would be interesting...¡¯


    Yoo Seong-woon was slowly losing his senses.


    ¡®... Yes, whoever made the food, as long as it was delicious.¡¯


    It was really delicious.


    ¡°This stir-fried vegetable....¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s made by stir-frying tomatoes, Chinese chives, onions, and garlic.¡±


    ¡°What I¡¯ve been eating until now wasn¡¯t real vegetables.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon nodded after tasting the crunchy onions.


    ¡°It¡¯s sweet.¡±


    ¡°A little spicy.¡±


    ¡°Is it good enough?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s good enough.¡±


    The onions retained the unique spicy flavor of the onions, but were also full of sweet juice from being stir-fried over a hot fire. This guy was so juicy and crunchy that it almost felt like a fruit rather than a vegetable.


    ¡°It would be delicious even if I just stir-fried the onions.¡±


    ¡°What about the tomatoes?¡±


    ¡°...Why are they so sweet?¡±


    If they exported these tomatoes, the tomato vegetable and fruit businesses could become one. The tomatoes that Geo had stir-fried were definitely fruit. At this point, it felt like eating a warm fruit salad.


    ¡°This is the first time that stir-fried vegetables aren¡¯t greasy.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything that stir-fried vegetables can be greasy about?¡±


    ¡°Because we put in a lot of oil.¡±


    ¡°Then it is greasy.¡±


    ¡°I definitely like this feeling.¡±


    This stir-fried vegetable, which had minimal oil, was crunchy rather than mushy, and had a stronger fire flavor than oil. The spicy stir-fried vegetables, which had a sour, fiery scent as if they had been burnt with a torch, boasted a refreshing flavor that was completely different from other stir-fried vegetables that had become mushy from the heat.


    It wasn¡¯t seasoned well. It was a stir-fried side dish that had the original flavor of the ingredients, with a hint of salt and pepper, and a luxurious soy sauce flavor that seemed to have been slightly burnt.


    ¡°It¡¯s almost like a salad.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon picked up the long-awaited Dongpa pork.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Kkuu.¡±


    The teddy bear was looking at Yoo Seong-un with anticipation.


    ¡®... What part of it are you expecting? What kind of reaction should I have, and how can I live as an average human being?¡¯


    For some reason, it seemed like an old man who had finally discovered his talent for cooking was waiting for the reaction of the first meal he was served.


    While being dazzled by his own metaphor, Yoo Seong-un steadily took the frozen pork and placed it on his rice bowl. It was so soft that he had to use a spoon instead of chopsticks.


    ¡®This is really close to pudding.¡¯


    So he took a bite with the rice.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Yoo Seong-un thought for a moment whether he should spit it out.


    ¡®... It doesn¡¯t seem like food I can handle? What should I do?¡¯


    If you mishear, it might sound like a trivial remark, but no. He was truly feeling a sense of crisis. Yoo Seong-un realized for the first time that something too delicious could be a problem.


    Fortunately, the disaster of Yoo Seong-un spitting out his food didn¡¯t happen. Not only would that be rude to those who prepared the food, but it was too delicious for that.


    ¡°...They say humans are animals that can¡¯t help but be swayed by their instincts....¡±


    ¡°Why on earth would you say that while you¡¯re eating?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s much difference either.¡±


    That¡¯s why so many humans in legends and myths have made such foolish choices.


    ¡®Because they can¡¯t let go of their greed.¡¯


    Even the gardener, who knows the dangers of mysterious stories, nodded his head in agreement.


    ¡°Hmm....¡±


    Anyway, Yoo Seong-un didn¡¯t become immortal after finishing his meal.


    ¡°You¡¯re really good at cooking.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been saying the same thing since a while ago.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too good.¡±


    ¡°Thank you?¡±


    ¡°You can do it moderately.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Yoo Seong-un is good at giving compliments.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    No, I just meant to do less well.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know if you know it or not, but your cooking threatens human identity.¡¯


    Yoo Seong-woon, who had enjoyed a delicious meal, couldn¡¯t bring himself to say that.

 Chapter 112

    Well, what.


    ¡®I was being playful like this.¡¯


    Anyway, Yoo Seong-woon¡¯s words, ¡®I felt threatened by my identity as a human,¡¯ were sincere.


    ¡®I thought this is what it means to be in a realm that humans cannot handle.¡¯


    Yoo Seong-woon had acquired a sense of ¡®the realm beyond the limit¡¯ many times while managing the garden. However, even for him, this meal was a little creepy.


    ¡®Just one meal... .¡¯


    It would be hard to think that ¡®I¡¯m going to get eaten.¡¯


    ¡®... This situation where I can¡¯t call this a joke is absurd.¡¯


    Jio treated Yoo Seong-woon to a meal with really pure intentions. It didn¡¯t seem to mean much to him. He was a guy who enjoyed giving presents to begin with, so giving him a meal wasn¡¯t a big deal.


    However, if peace is too extreme, it can lead to death, and if pleasure is too excessive, it can turn into pain. From Geo¡¯s perspective, it was probably an intention to treat the guest, but from a human¡¯s perspective, it was a kindness that was difficult to handle.


    ¡°.......¡±


    There was one fortunate thing.


    ¡°Haaaaaaaaaaaaah¨D....¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still human.¡±


    Judging from the fact that Anticat hated it this much, Yoo Seong-un was still human.


    ¡®This is the first time I¡¯ve had such a comfortable and satisfying meal, yet it¡¯s scary and unsettling.¡¯


    For some reason, it felt bitter.


    ¡®This is why you shouldn¡¯t be invited to the banquet of the gods.¡¯


    There was a saying that you shouldn¡¯t covet even the smallest things belonging to the gods.


    Geo was not a god, but rather a source with the characteristics of a god, but because of that, he felt even more burdened. I keep saying this, but Yoo Seong-un himself found it funny that he had to react this way to a meaningless meal.


    ¡®Well, it¡¯s not like I was invited to some grand palace...¡¯


    It was just a warm meal in a hut like this.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Still, Geo¡¯s cabin was beautiful. It was idyllic, like a scene from an old fairy tale.


    There was an eerie longing here.


    ¡°Was the meal satisfying?¡±


    ¡°...I thought that people might die if they were too happy.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Yoo Seong-woon, you are giving me too much praise.¡±


    ¡°That....¡±


    Yeah, if that¡¯s what you think, then that¡¯s fine. Yoo Seong-woon decided to just give up.


    ¡°...I really enjoyed it, huh.¡±


    ¡°Thank goodness.¡±


    Geo said that and sat down across from Yoo Seong-woon.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t prepare dessert in advance, so I¡¯m having it solidified in the icehouse.¡±


    ¡°Icehouse?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯ll act as a refrigerator. Should I serve you tea first?¡±


    ¡°Ahhhh... No, just give me a glass of water.¡±


    He asked for the most ordinary thing, not knowing what evil blessing might come.


    ¡°Here it is.¡±


    [Source of the Spring]


    Water from the source of the spring.


    ¡°.......¡±


    The most unusual thing appeared.


    ¡°......?¡±


    An emotional status window suddenly appeared without even using a skill. Before suspecting, ¡®Is my skill broken?¡¯, Yoo Seong-woon felt gratitude for the formless thing that had shown him this explanation window.


    ¡®It¡¯s as if someone had quietly helped me to live as a human.¡¯


    Yoo Seong-woon asked cautiously.


    ¡°...Is this water?¡±


    ¡°...Isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°It is water.¡±


    Damn, no matter what I ate, it made me feel creepy.


    ¡®All the water used in the food I ate came from the source.¡¯


    It was natural to instinctively feel a sense of crisis. Yoo Seong-woon quietly tightened his tightly shut lips.


    ¡®How dare you still be human. ¡®There are all these miracles.¡¯


    One of the basic requirements for gardeners was ¡®not to consume anything from the garden.¡¯ They were merely labor and managers who managed the garden, not owners.


    The moment such gardeners consumed anything from the garden, they could never leave the garden again. They were also treated as part of the garden.


    ¡°I... I can go home, right? Am I okay?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re doing this, but I¡¯m not a thug who detains guests....¡±


    ¡°Are you flustered? I guess so, then that must be it. I¡¯m sorry for making you flustered, but I¡¯m really scared.¡±


    ¡°What did I do wrong? I¡¯m sorry for making you scared.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything wrong, but... but...¡±


    ¡°Mr. Yoo Seong-woon?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    What on earth did I come here thinking?


    ¡®... Well, I didn¡¯t know this was the source until I came in, so it was an inevitable situation for me who had to figure out the identity... .¡¯


    Even considering that, it was an overly bold choice. You could say it was the words of someone who approached ¡®Geo¡¯s Portrait¡¯ as if it were another gardener¡¯s garden.


    Yoo Seong-un admitted that it was an overly hasty approach.


    ¡®I needed to prepare as much as I did when entering an immeasurable dungeon.¡¯


    Yoo Seong-un was so scared and anxious, but it didn¡¯t matter if he could return to Earth as a human. He decided to believe Geo¡¯s words that he could return home at any time.


    ¡°.......¡±


    He desperately needed the cigarettes he had quit, but he decided to hold out for now because Geo seemed to be giving him ¡®something¡¯ in the form of a cigarette.


    Yoo Seong-un managed to regain his senses.


    ¡°...Sorry, I guess I was very flustered because this is my first time experiencing something like this.¡±


    ¡°If you have trouble adapting to unfamiliar environments, that¡¯s totally possible.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for saying that....¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon looked at the water in the glass with strange eyes.


    [Spring Water]


    Water from the spring of the source.


    ¡°.......¡±


    That is something in the form of water.


    The description is strangely short, so I don¡¯t know the details, but at least I know that it is not water for humans to drink.


    Yoo Seong-woon was lost in thought.


    ¡®... Come to think of it, all the gifts Geo gave me so far had the same sentence.¡¯


    It was the phrase, ¡®Geo, the master of the forest, is fair and can accept human bodies.¡¯


    All the gifts Geo gave me so far, that is, food, had the same explanation.


    ¡®But there is no such explanation here.¡¯


    Yoo Seong-woon quietly put down the glass.


    ¡°... I¡¯m sorry for changing my mind....¡±


    After a while, Yoo Seong-woon asked.


    ¡°Can I have some tea?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have much tea left, but is the flower tea I gave you before okay?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the light blue tea, right? That¡¯s good.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon realized.


    ¡®You shouldn¡¯t eat anything that isn¡¯t made fair by Geo himself.¡¯


    A chill ran down his spine.


    ¡®It¡¯s only natural when you think about the garden we manage, which is also part of the source. I don¡¯t know exactly what process it goes through to become safe, but you shouldn¡¯t carelessly consume the raw food from this garden.¡¯


    Yoo Seong-woon calmed his mind as he thought of the gardeners of the past who had been turned into part of the garden and lived on without being able to die.


    Even this place was the source itself. It might not end with just losing his human identity. Yoo Seong-woon, who had collected his thoughts, emphasized again.


    ¡°Anything you make yourself is fine.¡±


    He was sincere.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I just take it, but can you help me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure to serve guests. Please sit down.¡±


    ¡°T-that¡¯s right....¡±


    Geo soon brought ¡®Forest Butterfly Flower Tea¡¯.


    ¡°It¡¯s Baibamnil Tea.¡±


    ¡°... Baibamnil? Is that the name of this flower?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s delicious if you boil it in water and eat it.¡±


    ¡°What an amazing way to take it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a snack with a nice texture like a vegetable.¡±


    ¡°Is it a vegetable?¡±


    After drinking the tea like that, Yoo Seong-un¡¯s blood vessels, which were already fine, regenerated, his cells were reconstructed, and he was in a situation where he had to maintain immunity against minor diseases for 6 months.


    ¡°.......¡±


    This is true that if you sleep and eat for 3 days, you¡¯ll become immortal.


    ¡®I feel like my lifespan has increased.¡¯


    About 50 years.


    ¡®Forest Butterfly Flower Tea doesn¡¯t have that much effect, so of course it¡¯s my imagination, but I still feel uneasy. Is it because Geo made it himself? The effect shouldn¡¯t vary depending on the person drinking it... ¡®That won¡¯t work.¡¯


    Yoo Seong-woon wanted to live as a human and die as a human. That was the biggest desire any gardener could dream of.


    ¡°...Who else has received such hospitality besides me? Cha A-ra Hunter?¡±


    ¡°Except for you two, I¡¯ve never received guests from Earth.¡±


    ¡°Oh, then maybe it¡¯s the mermaid siblings? I heard they come to the house often.¡±


    ¡°They stop by for a meal once every two or three days.¡±


    ¡°That happened.¡±


    Indeed, it meant that those monsters were of a certain level.


    ¡®They can accept this kind of meal so easily.¡¯


    Doesn¡¯t that mean that they have at least the status of a demon?


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°...Uh, wait a minute.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon stopped Geo as he tried to pour more tea.


    ¡°I think you drank too much.¡±


    ¡°I think the glass was small. Did you feel that way?¡±


    ¡°I want to digest. How about we take a break?¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you resting?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, how about we take a walk to digest?¡±


    It seemed that eating something to Geo meant the same thing as taking a break.


    Yoo Seong-un, who was anxious that eating this would make him leave the human realm, couldn¡¯t do that at all.


    ¡°Can you at least show me around the house?¡±


    ¡°A house tour.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry if I was rude. I just....¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not true.¡±


    Geo nodded.


    ¡°After we see this house, we¡¯ll go out to the forest and spend some time.¡±


    ¡°...Can I go into that forest?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t intend to treat this vast forest as my private property.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    I didn¡¯t ask for permission.


    ¡®I was asking if I would die if I went into that forest.¡¯


    Anyway, Geo had already gotten up.


    ¡°It¡¯ll take a little more time for the dessert to harden. Can I introduce this house to you?¡±


    ¡°...If you were to show me around yourself, I would be honored.¡±


    As expected, Yoo Seong-un got up and asked.


    ¡°But is it okay to leave our cat friend ¡ô N§àv§Öl?g?t ¡ô (Only on N§àv§Öl?g?t) like this?¡±


    A translucent cat monster with a lot of jewel fur. It had stopped yawning, but Dana was still wary of Yoo Seong-un.


    ¡°When our eyes met, it would open its mouth wide without making a sound.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t get eaten.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that, Geo. Monsters are really scary these days.¡±


    ¡°Hee Dana is a newsman, so you don¡¯t have to worry.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t say you wouldn¡¯t eat it, did you?¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s a monster.¡±


    Geo continued with his characteristically calm expression.


    ¡°But he¡¯s a good kid, and I¡¯m with him, so he won¡¯t do that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll really only trust you.¡±


    Honey, who Geo drew himself, looked at Yoo Seong-un with neither hostility nor favor, resembling his parents, but the monster was different. Since Anti-Cat was also a monster, it wasn¡¯t strange for Yoo Seong-un to be anxious.


    More than anything.


    ¡°Anti-Cat isn¡¯t that big to begin with.¡±


    ¡°I put on some weight because I fed him this and that.¡±


    ¡°Did he really gain weight?¡±


    Just imagining how the monster that was so generously loved by the source would evolve made my spine tingle.


    A teddy bear with the sun god came forward to see Yoo Seong-un, who was still anxious. Dana, who had been irritated by Yoo Seong-un for some reason, was soon embraced by the teddy bear and petted.


    ¡°Oh....¡±


    Dana put down her noticeable irritation and calmed down.


    ¡°You two are getting along well.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Yoo Seong-un was then guided to the cabin.


    First, it was the ice storage. Yoo Seong-un was surprised because he didn¡¯t know that the storage that Geo had mentioned as a refrigerator would be so deep, but soon he expressed interest at the sight of the ice storage that was not strange even if it was a growing cave.


    ¡°So this was the ice pearl you gave me last time.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s not something that happens often in this ice storage.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s unusual that water is collected in this cold weather.¡±


    Next was the studio. For some reason, I was bewildered by the sight of empty canvases lying around, but soon I remembered Geo¡¯s characteristics and found peace.


    His paintings became real, so there was no reason for the canvases to be full.


    ¡°Oh, is there a storage room connected to the studio?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s where I mainly store my completed landscape paintings.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that black cloth covering the canvas?¡±


    ¡°If I don¡¯t cover it, the entrance opens without me knowing, so I¡¯m careful.¡±


    ¡°Um... um, yeah? Oh, right. I see.¡±


    Next was the vegetable garden behind the cabin.


    ¡°Garden?¡±


    ¡°I would appreciate it if you could tell me that.¡±


    ¡°...This is the result of planting the seeds I gave you?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Yoo Seong-un swallowed his breath as he looked at the crops that had grown to be so strong that they had egos. The shock and fear he was feeling now was because he was faced with such a vast nature.


    ¡®These guys must have grown up drinking the spring water of the source.¡¯


    Ego-bearing humans also become part of the garden when they consume things from the garden, but these seeds were even growing from the source. They couldn¡¯t have resisted this overwhelming evolution as something from the Earth.


    What should I say about this? Yoo Seong-un muttered, feeling a strange sense of regret stemming from fear.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s already been digested.¡±


    ¡°Then would you like to tour the forest after you eat dessert?¡±


    ¡°Oh, right... the forest. Yes, I guess so.¡±


    Right after he returned to the cabin.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Wow, this is amazing.¡±


    Yoo Seong-un encountered a mermaid wearing a dress.


    ¡°Why are there humans here?¡±


    Murderous intent dripped from him.


    ¡°... ... .¡±


    ¡°... ... .¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go home.¡±


    Save me.

 Chapter 113

    Yoo Seong-Woon stepped out of the frame.


    ¡°It''s unbelievable that I¡¯m alive and back on this land.¡±


    ¡°Did you enjoy it?¡±


    ¡°Ah, it was incredibly enjoyable, beyond words.¡±


    When he even came face to face with the mermaid princess, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to speak.


    ¡°Please tell her I apologize for causing any displeasure...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, Yoo Seong-Woon. That¡¯s just one of Aria¡¯s usual complaints. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I was at fault either, but I don¡¯t want to build any ill will with mermaids. There''s no need to make enemies with humanoid monsters, right?¡±


    ¡°Thank you for understanding her childish tantrum. You¡¯re quite the adult. I hope my disciples can learn from your example.¡±


    ¡°A monster that emulates humans? That¡¯s still pretty terrifying in its own way, though.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon chuckled lightly and checked the gallery clock.


    ¡°So it¡¯s... 4:41 AM?¡±


    He also checked his phone.


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Did I take up too much of your time?¡±


    ¡°No, not really.¡±


    It had only been about 20 minutes.


    ¡°Time inside the frame really flows differently from time on Earth.¡±


    ¡°Time inside the painting changes depending on my mood. It can go fast or slow.¡±


    ¡°Oh... When is it fast and when is it slow?¡±


    ¡°When I¡¯m enjoying myself, time passes quickly. When I¡¯m resting, it moves slowly.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.¡±


    Well, then I could interpret that as it being a good mood this time. It was an honor, both as a gardener and as a curator.


    ¡°What about when you''re in a bad mood?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been in a bad mood, so I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Such a positive attitude, I like it. Keep living that way.¡±


    Although, as the origin, he probably wouldn¡¯t even know what it means to feel displeasure.


    ¡®...Gio definitely has an ego close to that of a personality, so even if he is the origin, there might come a day when he gets angry. I shouldn¡¯t be careless when dealing with the origin.¡¯


    Yoo Seong-Woon picked up the small white box containing the dessert.


    ¡°Can I just take this with me?¡±


    ¡°If you had eaten it here, it wouldn¡¯t have been a problem...¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow, fish-shaped bread?¡±


    ¡°That sounds good.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m really disappointed that I couldn¡¯t explore the forest.¡±


    Although it had been hectic inside, now that he was outside, there was a strong sense of regret left. It was a gardener¡¯s desire.


    ¡°I also wanted to visit that spring you mentioned.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon remembered Gio¡¯s water, which had been defined as [Water of the Origin].


    ¡°I heard it¡¯s quite a magnificent place.¡±


    ¡°If you come again next time, I¡¯ll be happy to welcome you.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll visit when I have time.¡±


    By then, it would be after more preparation had been made.


    ¡®I entered without any preparations at all.¡¯


    Not just anywhere, but the origin itself.


    ¡®To be precise, it didn¡¯t feel like the origin itself, but more like a form of the origin that was easier for humans to comprehend... something like a part of the origin, or a dish prepared in a way humans could eat easily...¡¯


    Humans, in the first place, cannot even recognize the existence of the origin. The scale of it is so vast that the human mind cannot comprehend or analyze it. In that sense, Gio felt like a part of the origin.


    ¡®So, is that why it felt like a garden?¡¯


    If that was the case...


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°...It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    Perhaps Gio was in charge of the ¡®eyes¡¯ of the origin.


    ¡°I think it was a bit of a shame that the eyes were covered with paint.¡±


    Gio had many things about him, but his most distinctive feature was his ¡®eyes.¡¯


    It seemed as if those eyes contained everything that existed and did not exist in the world.


    ¡°You did it at my request, though?¡±


    ¡°Do you want it back to its original state?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just more convenient this way.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°It was just a curator''s little complaint.¡±


    It was also a gardener¡¯s complaint.


    ¡®If Gio truly is the eyes of the origin, the reason he takes a human form is...¡¯


    For a moment, a complicated emotion welled up, and he almost choked.


    ¡°...¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon had never thought of avoiding or despising Gio.


    What remained for him now was awe, a depth he couldn¡¯t measure, and the relief that came from it.


    ¡°Yeah...¡±


    He, being a gardener, knew how closely the origin was tied to nature¡¯s fairness.


    ¡°Thanks for treating me so kindly.¡±


    ¡°It was my pleasure.¡±


    ¡°Right, you¡¯ve always been a gentleman.¡±


    If this were a disaster, it wouldn''t have been a calamity.


    ¡°We have to be more careful, don¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°Who are you referring to?¡±


    ¡°No, just... reminded me of something I have to do.¡±


    ¡°Seems like working people are always busy.¡±


    ¡°They say you can¡¯t eat if you don¡¯t work.¡±


    With a sigh of laughter, Yoo Seong-Woon asked:


    ¡°Can I ask you something?¡±


    ¡°Of course, ask away.¡±


    ¡°Well...¡±


    There were many questions he wanted to ask, but Yoo Seong-Woon held himself back.


    ¡®It¡¯s too soon to ask about the origin.¡¯


    Gio thought of himself as a normal human, and even if he was aware of the truth, he was probably still disguising himself to be closer to it. So asking about that would have to wait a long time.


    Instead, he brought up the most efficient topic he could address right now.


    ¡°Park Eun-Gyeom, the Hunter.¡±


    He had been curious since he heard that he had come out.


    ¡°Exactly what price did he pay?¡±


    ¡°Price?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know what¡¯s changed for him.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon had reported everything that happened in the City of Void to the association. Based on that report, the association had analyzed Park Eun-Gyeom, who had come out of the frame.


    But aside from the fact that he was somewhat frightened, there was nothing particularly different about him.


    ¡°Could that fear be the price? Like, the loss of peace?¡±


    ¡°I left the decision to my children.¡±


    ¡°To your children... I see.¡±


    Now even the term ¡®my children¡¯ sounded meaningful.


    ¡®The children of the origin come to mind.¡¯


    No, wasn¡¯t that actually accurate?


    ¡®...With a Hunter¡¯s skill, it¡¯s not something that can be fully dealt with. They¡¯re not monsters, but resemble them... living stories that can appear anywhere, across dimensions...¡¯


    Everything Gio had painted, from the jewels and birds to the black-suited figures in the City of Void, seemed to match that description. They had cognitive abilities.


    ¡°...Well...¡±


    His thoughts wandered, taking the conversation in a different direction.


    ¡°Sorry, I was thinking about something else.¡±


    ¡°You seem tired, are you alright?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m always fine.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon returned to the original topic.


    ¡°So, if I want to know what the price was, I should ask your children?¡±


    ¡°If you wish, you may.¡±


    ¡°...Do you already know the price?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I do.¡±


    ¡°Can I ask you about it?¡±


    ¡°No problem at all.¡±


    Gio answered from beyond the black paint.


    ¡°Park Eun-Gyeom lost his ¡®evil¡¯ as the price.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°My children wanted that.¡±


    ¡°...That¡¯s impressive.¡±


    How exactly did they take ¡®evil¡¯ from a human?


    ¡°Humans are creatures capable of evil at any time.¡±


    ¡°Paying the price is Park Eun-Gyeom¡¯s responsibility. I don¡¯t know the result.¡±


    ¡°I understand for now.¡±


    It sounded abstract, but there had been many such abstract prices taken by the origin before: memories, love, happiness, friendship, sadness, even sorrow...


    ¡®This isn¡¯t all that different.¡¯


    The exact answer wasn¡¯t something that could be found by probing Gio.


    ¡®And it shouldn¡¯t be.¡¯


    Don¡¯t ask the gods.


    While Gio couldn¡¯t be called a complete god, the term ¡®god¡¯ also referred to beings of such high rank that humans couldn¡¯t comprehend them.


    Humans analyze nature and destiny, but they are not beings who can demand things from them.


    ¡®It¡¯s not polite when dealing with them either.¡¯


    Having gathered this much of a clue, finding further answers was the job of Seong-Woon and other humans. That was the proper etiquette in an age where humans, gods, and nature coexisted.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll bring fish-shaped bread tomorrow as the price for this dessert.¡±


    ¡°Please give my regards to Cha Eun-Hyeok.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I often talk with him.¡±


    Before leaving the gallery, Yoo Seong-Woon glanced back at Gio.


    ¡°...You¡¯re not fighting with the mermaid princess because of me, are you?¡±


    ¡°As I said before, that was just a little childish tantrum.¡±


    The black portrait was firm.


    ¡°She can¡¯t be angry with me.¡±


    It was an answer like that of a prophet speaking of fate.


    ¡°Master.¡±


    When they returned to the hut, Aria called out to Gio.


    ¡°Did you see him off well?¡±


    ¡°I confirmed he left safely.¡±


    ¡°Such a kind person.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s angry.¡±


    But Gio knew.


    ¡°I¡¯m not the one he¡¯s angry with.¡±


    Aria couldn¡¯t be angry with Giovanni.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been apart for too long for that.¡±


    ¡°...Even if we hadn¡¯t, I wouldn¡¯t have gotten angry at you.¡±


    ¡°If you have too much anger, life isn¡¯t enjoyable.¡±


    ¡°My life has no reason to be enjoyable.¡±


    The mermaid smiled gently. It was a smile different from the one she had when she couldn¡¯t hide her sharp, sensitive nature as a child.


    ¡°I hate humans.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°I know how much you embrace them.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about embracing them; it¡¯s about giving them the proper respect they deserve.¡±


    ¡°Such excessive respect, for those with such short lives...¡±


    Gio sat beside Aria, who was lying on the sofa.


    ¡°Aria.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±


    ¡°Were you scared?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re angry?¡±


    ¡°...Master...¡±


    Aria muttered as she felt his hand caress her cheek.


    ¡°You go too far sometimes.¡±


    Yes, there was no denying it.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, I was quite scared.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that human can harm us.¡±


    The entity known as Yoo Seong-Woon wasn¡¯t capable of such things.


    ¡°He¡¯s deeply connected to the origin, so he¡¯s thoughtful and careful. Though sometimes he takes risks, most of the time he seeks coexistence. While strong for a human, I¡¯d win if we fought.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think Yoo Seong-Woon looked weak.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I said he¡¯s strong for a human. If we fought, I¡¯d win, but it¡¯d be a tough fight. There¡¯s power in being a gardener... it wouldn¡¯t be easy to interfere with him.¡±


    But that wasn¡¯t why she feared him.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid, Master.¡±


    Aria rested her head on Gio¡¯s hand.


    ¡°I was scared that humans being here might set things on fire again.¡±


    Humans were fickle.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid the day will come again.¡±


    For a mermaid, who lived her entire life with a single memory and unchanging identity, the human tendency for drastic change was something difficult to understand.


    Humans were like traditional gods who valued peace, then like miserable beggars hoping for the end of the world.


    So, the belief or personality of a single individual wasn¡¯t important right now.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t trust humans.¡±


    Despite her hatred, this remained an unchangeable truth for Aria.


    ¡°We¡¯ve lived too long to be any different. Compared to us, humans live short lives and change a hundred or more times during that time...¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s called growth.¡±


    ¡°Yes, growth. The way humans grow is as innate to them as our unchanging nature. I know that. I know it. And that¡¯s why I curse it.¡±


    Mermaids and humans had a hard time understanding and harmonizing.


    ¡°How could I know how Yoo Seong-Woon would ¡®grow¡¯ and let him in here?¡±


    Humans were easily corrupted.


    ¡°Good and evil standards vary in each dimension. Even within this narrow dimension, just by the boundary of a country that can¡¯t even be seen. It changes depending on the environment humans live in. So, Master, our peace could become a disaster for them.¡±


    A human facing disaster would resist.


    ¡°...Mermaids, too.¡±


    Who hasn¡¯t rebelled against fate while alive?


    ¡°If your resting breath becomes a disaster for them, Yoo Seong-Woon will side with my race. He¡¯s human, so he will, with his beliefs, because he¡¯s not evil.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°They keep changing.¡±


    Humans don¡¯t make promises.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Aria hugged her master.


    ¡°I know you won¡¯t forgive us. I know you¡¯ll never accept us. You won¡¯t be our god.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m always ready to accept fate. I know that we won¡¯t be heard if we try to stop it.¡±


    Do you know this? Gio did not rebel against fate.


    He was a being capable of enjoying and accepting everything. That¡¯s why Aria could hold him now, because of his vast capacity.


    ¡°Thanks to your great capacity, Master, you took us as disciples, but sometimes, ? N§àv§Ölight ? (Exclusive on N§àv§Ölight) I feel uneasy. I fear that this peaceful, calm hut could disappear at any moment.¡±


    The mermaid felt fear for the first time in thousands of years.


    ¡°When I get too scared, I get angry.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s proof that we¡¯re all human.¡±


    ¡°Master, you always try to teach.¡±


    ¡°You all worry too much.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true.¡±


    There was no greater foolishness than fearing the future that hasn¡¯t come.


    ¡°We worry too much...¡±


    Humans say that fate can¡¯t be avoided. In the end, Aria felt miserable for realizing that she wasn¡¯t different either.


    Because she too was human.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    And that was why they feared repeating the same actions, the same tragedies.


    No matter what, even without rebellion... once again...

 Chapter 114

    What would happen if someone who had a habit of evil deeds was fried in hellfire and came out alive?


    ¡°...Fuck....¡±


    The answer was that it wouldn¡¯t change much.


    ¡°What the hell... Seriously, why on earth would I....¡±


    Park Eun-gyeom¡¯s daily life changed overnight.


    A first-class citizen and a B-class hunter. His appearance was okay, and since his body was his asset, his physique was good. It felt like only yesterday that he felt sorry for the idiots who would stick to him without him knowing, but he enjoyed the sweetness of it.


    ¡®But after he got into that dungeon...¡¯


    The atmosphere changed.


    ¡°That guy....¡±


    ¡°They say he¡¯s really habitual.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the end of the world, it¡¯s the end of the world.¡±


    People were muttering as they looked at him.


    ¡°Park Hunter, you said you were dragged to the Black Cloak¡¯s dungeon.¡±


    ¡°...Yes, well, that¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°The aftereffects must be severe, so why did you come out instead of resting?¡±


    The hunters I knew were the same.


    ¡°I heard rumors that you¡¯re tired these days because of the association¡¯s request for cooperation.¡±


    The B-class hunter who said that glanced around with a strange sense of anxiety and irritation. Although he didn¡¯t know the exact reason, his expression seemed to indicate that he knew that he had been taken to the association and investigated several times.


    ¡®I guess they¡¯re suspecting that he¡¯s still under surveillance.¡¯


    But it wasn¡¯t a completely wrong suspicion.


    ¡®Damn it, why am I being treated like this...!¡¯


    In reality, he was under surveillance by the association.


    I couldn¡¯t understand it at all. If a precious first-class citizen, a capable B-class hunter, had survived an unidentified dungeon, shouldn¡¯t he have been praised and encouraged and then compensated for the damages? I don¡¯t understand why the people around him were so critical.


    ¡°That, the hunter... should do his job. If I don¡¯t do my job, who will protect the citizens?¡±


    ¡°...Really? Then do whatever you want.¡±


    The other person clicked his tongue and walked away.


    ¡°.......¡±


    It was a reaction filled with clear contempt and pity.


    ¡®...What kind of reaction is that? Even for a B-class hunter, isn¡¯t this too much? I knew that guy was territorial all along, but he¡¯s acting so blatantly... .¡¯


    He gritted his teeth.


    ¡®Until recently, he was a 3rd-class guy. He¡¯s so shallow that I can¡¯t even get along with him.¡¯


    It was horrible to see a country bumpkin who lived off of monster meat bragging about having just awakened once.


    He tried hard to ignore the whispers and went out to find work. There were many people looking for B-class hunters. He wasn¡¯t the type of person to fall apart like this.


    But.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°...Listen, I don¡¯t know what kind of rumors are spreading these days....¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Hunter Park Eun-gyeom. Our agency can¡¯t help you with any work.¡±


    ¡°You believe those damn rumors and are lying around like this? Hey! How much money did I make here!!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, please visit another agency.¡±


    He was ignored by a regular employee who wasn¡¯t even a hunter.


    ¡°Ha, I can¡¯t believe it. Seeing the hunters working hard at this dirty, small agency makes you think you¡¯re some kind of person...? How can a guy who¡¯d kill you think of hunters as food, damn it!!¡±


    ¡°...Calm down....¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll just leave you alone? Do you think I¡¯ll leave you alone? Don¡¯t be a jerk, you¡¯re just a nobody... I said I came to do the work myself. Huh? What rank are you? What rank are you that you¡¯re acting like this!!¡±


    I felt satisfaction and joy for a moment at the scared employee¡¯s expression.


    ¡°Hunter Park Eun-gyeom, please get out.¡±


    ¡°Huh? No, you¡¯re telling me to get out? Are you crazy?¡±


    ¡°Get out, right now.¡±


    The guards at the brokerage came out and kicked him out of the building.


    Since the brokerage was a place where even hunters who were first-class citizens came and went, most of the guards were C-class hunters. Even if I was of a higher rank, it was natural that I would back down if I was persecuted by the majority.


    ¡°Hey, you, you, you crazy bastards...!! Are you crazy?! Don¡¯t you know me?! Don¡¯t you know me!!¡±


    ¡°Oh, I know. I said I¡¯m Hunter Park Eun-gyeom earlier.¡±


    One of the guards clicked his tongue and said.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a hunter who doesn¡¯t know how to be a good porter and throws monsters to eat, huh?¡±


    ¡°T-that...!!¡±


    What the hell is wrong with that?


    ¡°...I¡¯m not the only one. Huh? Was I the only one? No. Not just me. No. No? Hey, tell me. Do you think that F-class, that porter, looks like a person? Do you think that looks like a person!!¡±


    Yeah, that fucking rumor was going around.


    When things weren¡¯t going well, it was common for anyone to abandon their porters in dungeons. It was annoying that all they did was carry stuff, and now they had to feed them. It was only natural to want to abandon such a carnivorous person.


    Of course, I was in a difficult situation. It was inevitable that I couldn¡¯t afford to take care of a porter in an already dangerous situation.


    ¡°Of course I know that¡¯s bad. But, huh? Think about it, do people cross the street while obeying the traffic lights? No. No, I know that¡¯s bad too, so ? N§àv§Ölight ? (Exclusive on N§àv§Ölight) I... I...!¡±


    ¡°In my own way? What, I hid it well?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Dude, this guy is really crazy.¡±


    The guard snickered at his other colleagues.


    ¡°He¡¯s not a murderer who doesn¡¯t know he¡¯s a murderer.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. These guys are the real deal. Oh, I¡¯m sick of it.¡±


    ¡°Even a 5th-grade citizen would be better at objectifying himself than this.¡±


    He was heartbroken.


    ¡°Who are you comparing to a 5th-grade citizen right now...!!¡±


    But no one listened.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the association monitoring this much?¡±


    ¡°There are no habitual criminals like this. It¡¯s funny that they come out looking for work when the rumor has spread.¡±


    ¡°This is a real joke. Even a 1st-grade citizen is struggling financially, and all that?¡±


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re really pissed off, 1st-grade citizen. Let¡¯s go back too.¡±


    ¡°Oh my, it¡¯s scary. If you get angry, you¡¯ll kick us too, right? Like this, slap!!¡±


    ¡°Ah, you crazy kid. Don¡¯t make me laugh so hard. It¡¯s work time, so stop.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t say anything because he was treated like a peanut to kill time.


    ¡°...What, what...¡±


    He really wanted to cry.


    In the end, he was left alone in front of the chattering crowd.


    ¡°.......¡±


    I don¡¯t know how many times this has happened.


    The hunter said he wanted to do some hunter work, but the agency staff said he ate something wrong and said no. It was all because the association blatantly brought me in.


    ¡°...I, I... I¡¯m not under surveillance, I¡¯m under protection...¡±


    The association staff clearly said that, it wasn¡¯t surveillance, it was protection. He didn¡¯t know when the black cloak would show up again and try to harm him, so he was just watching the situation. How many times did he beg them not to be offended?


    Even though he was upset because he was being played by a monster punk, he thought the association staff were kind and accepted their protection. It was funny that a civil servant would dare to protect a B-class hunter, but I let it go.


    ¡°...The Black Cloak is such a dangerous monster, that, that....¡±


    I wanted to personally show the dangers of the Black Cloak, which were known to the world as some kind of trivial event.


    ¡°I worked so hard to escape....¡±


    That¡¯s why I did it.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°...Is that guy that guy?¡±


    The rookie hunters who were going from agency to agency were muttering.


    ¡°Why, he was dragged away by the Black Cloak after beating up the porter....¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t just beat up the porter, he tried to leave him in the dungeon.¡±


    ¡°He really is a crazy kid.¡±


    Someone muttered.


    ¡°He looks like he could be dragged away by the Black Cloak.¡±


    I was heartbroken again at that, and shouted.


    ¡°What¡¯s so great about being dragged away, you little shits!!¡±


    ¡°Ah, no, we just....¡±


    ¡°Do you know how dangerous that Black Cloak bastard is? Huh? You don¡¯t know!¡±


    ¡°That....¡±


    ¡°He catches normal people and turns them into idiots...!!¡±


    The hunter who looked like a kid made a face.


    ¡°What, you¡¯re talking like a normal person... Hey, the rumors have already spread?¡±


    He was so scared that he made his words sound like a dog.


    ¡°Black Cloak only catches bad people, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, and he said he wouldn¡¯t catch them unless they were as bad as murder or abuse.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not a monster that catches you for jaywalking, so what are you talking about?¡±


    The stupid bastards were all gathered together, so they couldn¡¯t talk.


    ¡°Well, he¡¯s a scary monster because he¡¯s a bad bastard, so how could he be scared of people like us?¡±


    ¡°Well... he¡¯s dangerous because he¡¯s a monster, but I heard he doesn¡¯t cause any harm....¡±


    ¡°Did you hear that you get a gift if you meet him? Hey, after hearing that, I want to meet him too.¡±


    ¡°Arthur, even so, he¡¯s not a dangerous monster recognized by the association. Anyway, we just have to be careful.¡±


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re being too careful. They say the gift he gives tastes so good.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, they say it¡¯s effective. It¡¯s almost like medicine.¡±


    They were already positive about this strange rumor that was spreading throughout the city, not some famous bastard.


    ¡°They say that if you¡¯re unlucky, you won¡¯t get a gift from Black Cloak.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m a little scared. What if I get taken away for a crime I don¡¯t know about...?¡±


    ¡°I should be careful because he¡¯s a monster, but don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, unless you¡¯re that bad of a character, you probably won¡¯t get taken away.¡±


    ¡°I heard that Black Cloak¡¯s work is so amazing, I want to go see it.¡±


    Black Cloak, who gives gifts to good people and punishments to bad people, was popular among the citizens. The polite humanoid monster that rarely hurt people filled the romanticism of the city dwellers to the max.


    There were people who were afraid of him, but no one hated him.


    ¡°But why is that kid acting like this to us?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, he¡¯s easy... That¡¯s why the rank-based people...¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the only one who¡¯s insulting all the first-class citizens, tsk tsk.¡±


    On the other hand, there were many who hated the criminals recognized by the association for no reason.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t that hunter¡¯s ID get revoked?¡±


    ¡°What confidence do you have when you¡¯ve done all the things that made the hunters lose their minds...¡±


    So in the end.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Park Eun-gyeom was isolated.


    ¡°...This, this, this....¡±


    The resentment that no one knew his pain. The anger at being treated for the first time in his life and the fear hidden behind it. The bewilderment caused by being embarrassed in front of so many people.


    He had held back, not wanting to be dragged back to the ¡®Empty City¡¯ again, but now he had picked up the hammer.


    ¡°You piece of trash!!!¡±


    ¡°Whoa!!¡±


    ¡°Stop that guy!¡±


    ¡°Stop being a jerk, you bastards, you, you bastard...!!¡±


    And that sight.


    ¡°.......¡±


    The gray city was watching.


    * * *


    Identification Number


    0S-328-D-01


    Response Level


    B(Avoid)


    Entity Type


    Humanoid(-)


    Entity Name


    Black Suit(-)


    Authority


    Robbery(-)


    A humanoid entity first discovered by Park Eun-gyeom, a B-class hunter affiliated with the Korean Hunter Association. Created by the identification number ¡º0S-328-D (Black Cloak)¡», it inhabits the ¡®Empty City¡¯, which is identified as the entity¡¯s main dungeon.


    It is a black suit with a sense of volume, as if it were worn by a person. The shape of the suit varies slightly from entity to entity. There was noise in the entity naming process. There was a proposal to name the entity ''Invisible Man'', but it was discarded as it was discovered that the body was not transparent but non-existent.


    It was named humanoid entity for convenience, but it may be revised in the future. It seems that the entity name needs to be adjusted after additional information is acquired.


    According to the testimony of an A-class hunter (Yoo Seong-un) affiliated with the collection, it has intelligence enough to communicate, but it may be a characteristic unique to a specific entity. Its height is estimated to be around 185~9cm.


    As can be seen from the identification number, it shows characteristics similar to ¡º0S-328-D (Black Cloak)¡». Its height and behavior are similar to Black Cloak.


    It recognizes evil humans as harmful entities that have a negative impact on the race. Upon encountering them, it forcibly transfers them to the dungeon ''City of Void'' to isolate and dispose of them. If you have permission from the dungeon''s owner, ¡º0S-328-D (Black Cloak)¡», you can escape, but if you stay for a long time, it seems that you will become part of the ''work''.


    If you become a work of ¡º0S-328-D (Black Cloak)¡», a ''price'' is required to escape.


    In the case of the first witness, B-class hunter Park Eun-gyeom, he paid ''evilness'' as a price. However, immediately after showing the ''evilness'' that was taken in return, it was judged to be a violation of the deal, so ¡º0S-328-D-01 (Black Suit)¡» stole the external characteristics of his body and turned his body into paint.


    ¡º0S-328-D-01 (Black Suit)¡»''s method is careful and clever. If the target violates the deal, he will steal the voice, eyes, muscles, and skin in that order. After completing the deal, ¡º0S-328-D-01 (Black Suit)¡» committed suicide in the form of Park Eun-gyeom.


    The people around him testified that they did not notice the discomfort. Judging from the fact that Park Eun-gyeom complained of hysterical pain and fear during the 7-day robbery period, it seems that the target of the transaction was able to confirm the robbery process.


    ¡º0S-328-D-01 (Black Suit)¡» disappeared after it was proven that it was not Park Eun-gyeom. Park Eun-gyeom''s body was turned into black paint and is stored in the association''s research facility. Some researchers analyzed that it was a living paint that was alive.


    Considerations on how to deal with it


    Evil deeds are prohibited within the visible range of the dungeon ''City of the Void'' in ¡º0S-328-D (Black Cloak)¡». It is possible to escape by paying a price or not after talking directly with ¡º0S-328-D (Black Cloak)¡».


    Regardless of the type of attack, ¡º0S-328-D (Black Cloak)¡» and ¡º0S-328-D-01 (Black Suit)¡» cannot be hit. The above two entities and the dungeon ''City of Void'' set evasion as the default response method.


    Requests and additional information are accepted.


    Today''s Status_''City of Void''


    "Void is working hard for Dad (? ?? ?)?"

 Chapter 115

    Park Eun-gyeom wasn¡¯t the only one who was dragged into the ¡®Empty City¡¯.


    ¡°Huh...? Uh, uh, where am I....¡±


    A C-class hunter who tried to kill his teammates and take their items.


    ¡°Huh? Huh... What is it? What kind of punk... Huh?¡±


    A civilian who was drunk and assaulted a passerby without asking.


    ¡°...Is this really the ¡®Empty City¡¯?¡±


    A B-class hunter who was moving forward while throwing out his party members as bait.


    It didn¡¯t matter whether they were hunters or civilians. They all followed the same path as Park Eun-gyeom and floundered in the ¡®Empty City¡¯, and since they didn¡¯t meet the master of this dungeon, Black Cloak, they just became a painting.


    ¡°I, I was invited to the ¡®Empty City¡¯!!¡±


    And someone returned safely, having received a thrilling experience as a gift.


    ¡°I met Black Cloak while I was walking down the street at dawn. I was throwing my trash in the trash can....¡±


    ¡°You did something small and good? You don¡¯t usually do that?¡±


    ¡°Fuck, yeah, honestly, I¡¯ve been doing that a lot lately because I wanted the snacks Black Cloak said he¡¯d give me.¡±


    ¡°You crazy bastard, you made it back alive. Should I report this to the association or not...? So?¡±


    ¡°Instead of the snacks, I asked if I could get an invitation to the ¡®Empty City¡¯, so I went.¡±


    The pedestrian who received Black Cloak¡¯s help was able to safely enjoy the ¡®Empty City¡¯ and escape. It was an incredibly brave challenge for a pedestrian who wasn¡¯t a Hunter, but thanks to it, he gained something to brag about for the rest of his life.


    ¡°It was really cool. Sometimes, a black suit guy pops out and looks at me... Do you know Hunter Lee Sung-jin?¡±


    ¡°I know, you¡¯re the B-rank Hunter who was supposedly dragged to the ¡®Empty City¡¯ this time. You couldn¡¯t possibly....¡±


    ¡°I saw that hunter there? No, he was covered in black spots... I actually didn¡¯t even know he was human.¡±


    At that moment, the black suit with the voice of Lee Seong-jin Hunter spoke.


    ¡°That¡¯s him.¡±


    Unless it was necessary, the black suit didn¡¯t imitate the human he had robbed. He just asked for communication with a cool black suit figure, with a heavy and respectful gesture like a gentleman, and with a human voice and face.


    ¡°I was really creeped out. You¡¯re crazy, you¡¯re amazing...!¡±


    ¡°You, you... You did something so crazy? Who would crawl into a dungeon on their own, you brat?¡±


    ¡°But you said it was worth risking your life for? It¡¯s almost a work of art!¡±


    Cases like this would pop up every time they were forgotten, causing people to murmur.


    Some people were dragged away by force. Some people escaped from the painting at the behest of their families, but some of them committed evil deeds again and became paint, and others reflected on their actions and lived honest lives.


    ¡°I want to visit the ¡®Empty City¡¯ too.¡±


    ¡°They said not to do anything that would hurt you. Are you clean?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m average, average.¡±


    The safest way to get invited was to ask Black Cloak for an invitation instead of a gift. If you asked for an invitation in front of the ¡®Empty City¡¯, you could enter, but if you were judged to be a villain, you would be forcibly dragged out on the spot.


    This wasn¡¯t something that only happened among those who enjoyed danger.


    ¡°It¡¯s a work of art that you can enter yourself, not just look at. That¡¯s amazing.¡±


    ¡°They say there¡¯s a lot to feel just by appreciating Black Cloak¡¯s work. They say it¡¯s small but huge.¡±


    ¡°Have you heard about the safest way to get invited to the ¡®Empty City¡¯?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯ve done good deeds and come across Black Cloak, you can exchange a gift for an invitation....¡±


    Even decent people who enjoy art talked about it.


    ¡°Who can enter the interior of a work and appreciate it?¡±


    If you could enter Vincent van Gogh¡¯s representative work, ¡°Starry Night,¡± and observe the world of the work, who would refuse? Those who pride themselves on enjoying art were excited about Black Cloak¡¯s work.


    ¡°I heard that the style of the painting changes depending on the subject of the work.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that absurd? An artist should definitely have his own style.¡±


    ¡°Well, if there is a lot to appreciate when you look at a work, can you say that the person who painted it isn¡¯t an artist?¡±


    ¡°Black Cloak is a good artist. The moment you see his work, you can tell what Black Cloak is trying to say.¡±


    ¡°That could simply be because he is a monster.¡±


    ¡°In an era where countless gallery painters use their skills to create works, what does that matter?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, that could actually be an advantage.¡±


    ¡°If Black Cloak has a style, it would be that his paintings are a real world.¡±


    ¡°If you think about it that way, it¡¯s definitely.... It¡¯s a work that clearly expresses what it wants to say.¡±


    As the ¡®Empty City¡¯ was completely revealed to the world, even that world changed a little.


    ¡°Uh... What are you doing now?¡±


    ¡°Looking for trash.¡±


    ¡°Why are you looking for trash with such bloodshot eyes?¡±


    ¡°This is the place where ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ often appears.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Black Cloak.¡±


    It was hard to find trash in places where Black Cloak was frequently seen. This was because street cleaning was the easiest and most frequent good deed.


    ¡°I came out today because I didn¡¯t know when Black Cloak would appear....¡±


    ¡°Well, what, please work hard.¡±


    ¡°Yes, thank you. It¡¯s cold, so be careful when you go back.¡±


    Some people did small acts of kindness to get a taste of the snacks Black Cloak gave them. Some people did it to get invited to the work called ¡®City of the Void¡¯. And some people did it to interact with the famous monsters these days.


    When they were tired, someone cheered and bragged.


    ¡°Hey, look at this! It¡¯s a gift from Black Cloak?¡±


    ¡°Black Cloak? This is crazy, this isn¡¯t a snack? What is it, it smells really good.¡±


    ¡°Flower tea, flower tea. Am I the first person to receive something like this?¡±


    A woman who secretly bought a bungeoppang for Carnation Ai out of pity ended up receiving a ¡®flower tea¡¯ as a gift.


    ¡°What, it wasn¡¯t just a snack?¡±


    ¡°So Black Cloak¡¯s gifts had tiers....¡±


    ¡°They said it was almost like a potion.¡±


    ¡°This is too good of a gift for a civilian.¡±


    ¡°Fuck, I¡¯m so jealous.¡±


    Even some who heard that the flower tea was so good that they approached women with bad intentions, but they soon stopped after being watched by the ¡®Empty City¡¯ for a month. In particular, those who almost harmed women were dragged into the frame.


    ¡°The aftermath is also clean.¡±


    Whether they were civilians or Awakened, there was no reason not to try.


    Of course, on the other hand, some of those who had been habitually doing evil things were discouraged. They had to constantly check their own actions because they had to worry about the ¡®Empty City¡¯ that could appear anywhere.


    ¡°...Fuck, what the hell are monsters....¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t do it because my pride is hurt, you piece of shit.¡±


    But they couldn¡¯t let themselves run wild. It was because of the habit ingrained in their bones of being strong to the weak and weak to the strong.


    They knew how terrible the situation was for several people, starting with Park Eun-gyeom.


    The association, sensing this flow, displayed something.


    ¡°Huh? Hey, that thing in front of the association....¡±


    ¡°What is it? Is it paint? Is it food?¡±


    ¡°No, the color is a bit strange.¡±


    Park Eun-gyeom was the first villain in the ¡®Empty City¡¯.


    ¡°...Why does that thing look alive?¡±


    ¡°Dog, don¡¯t be so mean. Is that thing alive?¡±


    ¡°Is the association really crazy... Isn¡¯t this a violation of human rights?¡±


    ¡°If you want to end ? N§àv§ÖIight ? (Original source) up like that, keep being a jerk.¡±


    ¡°...Wow... It¡¯s creepy....¡±


    Those who didn¡¯t read the association¡¯s post didn¡¯t know the exact circumstances, but it was obvious that it was living paint. For some reason, you could tell just by looking at it.


    It was a clear demonstration of how horrible a life one would have to lead if they were branded a villain in the ¡®Empty City¡¯.


    ¡°Can the association use the power of monsters to come out like this?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. We just wanted to let you know about the dangers of the ¡®City of Void¡¯.¡±


    It was a trick that anyone could clearly see as ¡®The current trend created by the Black Cloak is not bad, so let¡¯s keep it that way.¡¯ However, the association evaded the idea, saying ¡®We just wanted to warn you that there are more people who are approaching the Black Cloak these days.¡¯


    The few who knew of the existence of the source and the gardeners realized that this was the association¡¯s intention to limit the ¡®story¡¯ of the Black Cloak to something that would benefit human conscience and rules.


    ¡°I wonder what they¡¯re going to do if the story of the Black Cloak becomes too big because the association acknowledges it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a monster that¡¯s stuck in a corner, and it¡¯s a being that¡¯s quite close to the source to be considered a simple monster. It¡¯s better this way.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, if it keeps appearing in the gaps between people, the story will become huge anyway.¡±


    ¡°So, should we try to make the image of Black Cloak moving in a direction that is beneficial to humans?¡±


    ¡°If we can use this gap to restrict the direction of the active Black Cloak, it would be beneficial. I understand.¡±


    ¡°Even for that, it is a bold move. It must have been impatient because it is a rare existence that directly affects humans.¡±


    ¡°It would be better to prepare before something happens rather than trying to deal with it after it happens. Especially when it comes to story issues.¡±


    ¡°It could be a strong stimulus to monster haters. Some people might strongly oppose it.¡±


    ¡°Well, wouldn¡¯t the association handle that well? There are many capable people there.¡±


    Also, even if that wasn¡¯t the case, there was no one who could strongly oppose the association.


    ¡°If you are dissatisfied with the operation of the association, please contact me.¡±


    It was because Dan Hae-ra, the association president, stepped forward herself.


    In a world where human rights were treated as empty words to begin with. The citizens who were living a safe life in the city with the help of the association did not think of rebelling against them.


    Only a few who had been secretly doing things that could be called criminals were grumbling.


    ¡°.......¡±


    There was another person who benefited from that trend.


    ¡°What the hell.¡±


    It was F-class hunter Cha Ara.


    ¡°Oppa, I just earned some money.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°The people who abandoned me in the dungeon last time paid me compensation.¡±


    ¡°How much?¡±


    ¡°Uh... enough to replace the electric blanket?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s almost spring, so they¡¯re talking about electric blankets.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t that common, but there were times when the Black Cloak would judge the good and evil of a human based on the victim¡¯s appeal. As a result, there were a couple of times when the Black Cloak judged the perpetrator to be evil, and bad things would happen.


    That was the reason why Cha Ara was only now receiving compensation for something that happened a long time ago.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s fix the ceiling. It¡¯s leaking.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s save some. I won¡¯t be selling bungeoppang anymore, so I need to save some money for the time being.¡±


    ¡°That would be better. Oppa, you¡¯ll be staying home for a while, right? What are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°I should start taking care of the garden. The weather is getting warmer... .¡±


    ¡°If oppa says he¡¯ll try to make money by farming, I¡¯ll help him with the farm work for a while.¡±


    ¡°Okay, a hunter should be a hunter. Why are you touching dirt?¡±


    ¡°What are you going to plant?¡±


    ¡°Um... I¡¯m thinking about potatoes and lettuce for now.¡±


    While they were chatting away, the topic changed to the youngest.


    ¡°What¡¯s Chae Sol doing?¡±


    ¡°I bet he¡¯s eating well.¡±


    ¡°Does he have a girlfriend these days?¡±


    ¡°No... He¡¯s a real friend.¡±


    ¡°Kkabi, I thought the youngest learned love too.¡±


    ¡°What kind of love does something the size of your palm learn?¡±


    Cha Eunhyuk clicked his tongue.


    ¡°I heard you¡¯re going to do an internship soon.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Why didn¡¯t I hear it?¡±


    ¡°I got a call the day before yesterday, but you weren¡¯t home.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I heard the youngest¡¯s voice too... I also talked to the youngest....¡±


    ¡°Stay home, whether you talk or not.¡±


    ¡°Our youngest is cotton candy, but he¡¯s already going out for an internship.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just a bean pod, not cotton candy.¡±


    ¡°It dissolves in water.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the same for us.¡±


    The Cha family has been melting in stagnant water for generations. They were people who had a hard time staying submerged for long periods of time.


    ¡°Anyway, I told you to summon Black Cloak when you felt like you were going to fail.¡±


    ¡°Is this guy crazy, ruining a child¡¯s life? It¡¯s like summoning a demon?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s more moderate than a demon... Hey. It¡¯s better to have a messed up life than to die.¡±


    ¡°Honestly, it¡¯s hard to tell the difference between a clean death and a really messed up life.¡±


    ¡°No, last time I saw him, Black Cloak cared for our youngest.¡±


    ¡°That... That¡¯s true, but...¡±


    ¡°You might get annoyed that I called you for personal reasons, but it¡¯s better than losing, right?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Cha Ara, who had been keeping her mouth shut, asked.


    ¡°...So what¡¯s that gentleman doing?¡±


    ¡°From what I¡¯ve seen on the news, he seems to be having a good time.¡±


    ¡°I heard he hasn¡¯t been appearing much lately?¡±


    ¡°I heard there have definitely been fewer sightings than in the winter.¡±


    ¡°I guess everyone¡¯s starting to calm down.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s more like he¡¯s settling down, which gives me goosebumps.¡±


    ¡°What is it, like a mandatory national vaccination....¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s it. That¡¯s exactly what it feels like.¡±


    The city that had been noisy with the story of the black cloak was gradually returning to its usual appearance.


    There were still people running around to meet the black cloak, and there were people holding back so as not to be labeled as villains, but it felt much calmer and more like they had returned to their daily lives.


    ¡°This planet will be with the black cloak until it dies....¡±


    ¡°Fuck, when you say it like that, it¡¯s twice as scary.¡±


    ¡°It just feels like everyone¡¯s gotten used to it, and Black Cloak is also less active.¡±


    Cha Eunhyuk, who had even had a meal with him, asked.


    ¡°But ¡®Sergio¡¯ doesn¡¯t do much?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re asking me that, but Sergio?¡±


    ¡°Black... that... that person... has a status. He came from the ¡®Temple of the Deep Sea¡¯....¡±


    ¡°Ah, ahh....¡±


    Cha Ara nodded.


    ¡°...I see?¡±


    Did Black Cloak have no intention of using his human identity?

 Chapter 116

    There were usually two ways for new recruits to enter the collection.


    ¡°I saw a new face today.¡±


    ¡°Really? Who else did the guild master seduce?¡±


    First, the guild master, Bisabal, picked up one person on the street.


    ¡°No, there were several.¡±


    ¡°Then where did you come from again?¡±


    ¡°You looked so happy....¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the guild master¡¯s long-standing hobby.¡±


    Second, raiding illegal guilds to pick up talented people.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see it on the news.¡±


    ¡°I guess it wasn¡¯t that big of a guild.¡±


    The collection usually recruited new members through the collector¡¯s skills in picking up people. Since the guild itself was like Bisabal¡¯s display case for collection items, it was natural in a way.


    When there was only one new face, there was a high probability that Bisabal had seduced someone on the street, but if there were multiple people at the same time, it was more likely the latter. In this case, it was like they were blatantly raiding a guild.


    ¡°You¡¯re still an intern, right? I¡¯d like you to join our team.¡±


    ¡°You look sturdy, so I think you¡¯ll go to the gallery.¡±


    ¡°No, is that something that can be done just because you¡¯re sturdy?¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll let you work as a curator for a taste.¡±


    ¡°The company has grown so much these days that it¡¯s a bit tough....¡±


    ¡°The gallery is basically our company, so what can I do?¡±


    The first thing a collector does is manage the gallery, the second is managing funds, and the third is exploring dungeons. The collector¡¯s biggest business, which has a strong image of a company that handles numbers and makes money, is definitely the gallery.


    A different world filled with beautiful and bizarre works. Those who know its essence are captivated by its rare power, and those who are intoxicated by romance praise the gallery¡¯s splendor. The gallery in Bisabal is the face of the collector.


    ¡°It seems like there¡¯s a good chance that you¡¯ll become a full-time employee.¡±


    ¡°But if that happens....¡±


    The existing employees were muttering at the appearance of the new faces.


    ¡°Do the new recruits receive that official document too?¡±


    The ¡®official document¡¯ mentioned here was the ¡®Black Cloak Safety Rules¡¯.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°...No, no matter what, this is a bit....¡±


    ¡°...If the new recruits don¡¯t become regular employees, it might spread outside.¡±


    ¡°Honestly, are you telling us this story about the Black Cloak?¡±


    ¡°But if they¡¯re assigned to the gallery, I think we should at least let them know for humanitarian reasons.¡±


    ¡°I still don¡¯t think this is right. It won¡¯t end with one or two people dying.¡±


    ¡°Rather than South Korea being shaken up by monsters, it¡¯s cheaper to have a few new recruits die.¡±


    ¡°No, the new recruits might provoke ¡®Mr. Sergio¡¯ and cause damage to us.¡±


    People who don¡¯t know much about it or who feel friendly towards ¡®Black Cloak¡¯, but those who think a little, have a wary feeling that ¡®they are monsters after all¡¯. In this day and age, humanoid monsters are undeniably objects of fear.


    This was especially true for the staff of the collection who knew a little more about Black Cloak than the average citizen. Only the curators would treat those crazy works as ¡®their babies¡¯ and suck them up, but the ordinary staff were still wary and fearful of Black Cloak.


    ¡°I heard they¡¯re quite high-ranking.¡±


    ¡°I heard that evil spirits are also considered monsters, but is that...?¡±


    ¡°They seem to be quite gentle, but I can¡¯t be at ease.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s hard to know what¡¯s on the mind of monsters.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s on the mind? They probably just hate humans.¡±


    ¡°There hasn¡¯t been much damage yet, but it¡¯s not bad to be cautious.¡±


    The more this happened, the more important it became to recruit curators.


    ¡°I think the reason we brought in new recruits this time was because of Black Cloak.¡±


    ¡°It would be hard for one person to handle such a huge being. Mr. Yoo Seong-woon is trying to die.¡±


    ¡°Our curators risk their lives to make money.¡±


    At the Collector¡¯s Gallery, accidents and incidents occur several times a month, with some dying, others getting injured, and others becoming permanently disabled. Since the job involves managing beings that are difficult for ordinary people to handle, it is said that mental power is greatly consumed.


    ¡°The Association¡¯s research institute is said to be more controlled, so shouldn¡¯t we also go in that direction?¡±


    ¡°There is an image of the Collector¡¯s Gallery. The guild leader himself has set up a household with the works, so how can we just sit back and watch?¡±


    ¡°I can clearly see a future where people will make a fuss about how cruel they can be. Actually, I don¡¯t think this kind of atmosphere is bad.¡±


    ¡°Well, the color of our gallery is so provocative. We benefit a lot from it... We are well-known.¡±


    ¡°There will be a parade in the spring, but that¡¯s definitely not something that can be done in a boring place like a research institute. It¡¯s only done by our curators.¡±


    ¡°I think there are pros and cons. It¡¯s unstable because it relies on social interaction and trust rather than control, but it¡¯s highly utilized.¡±


    The employees¡¯ awareness of the significance of the existence of the Bisabal Gallery was once again solidified, and this time it was passed on to the new freshmen who joined.


    ¡°Looking at the state of the curators these days, it¡¯s about time to change things up.¡±


    ¡°When new people come in, the existing ones take a vacation.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it something that can¡¯t be done unless you¡¯re crazy about money or art? Poor people, they work overtime all the time. They can¡¯t even leave work.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re probably more hands-on than newborns, so how can they have time to rest?¡±


    ¡°Newborns don¡¯t kill people just because they¡¯re not being handled as much. Every time new people come in, someone gets hurt in the gallery, so it¡¯s going to happen again.¡±


    ¡°For the time being, it would be better to keep an eye on the gallery. It¡¯s inevitable that people will die or get hurt, but it¡¯s not good if the entire company suffers damage.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a newbie, so why are you sending me to the 5th floor? It won¡¯t be a big deal. Hey, I thought someone from our team was coming in....¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s give it a break. The curators need to rest too. Anyway, the newbies who don¡¯t fit in with the gallery will be hired as office workers.¡±


    As the employees had guessed, the newbies were indeed selected to manage the gallery.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    They were looking awkward.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re new faces. Are you curators?¡±


    ¡°...Oh, yes, you¡¯re in charge of the gallery....¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a newbie, so you¡¯ll be moving around the 1st floor, but take care.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    The newbies were hesitant as the existing employees greeted them casually as they came and went.


    ¡®This is the collection... The building is really nice.¡¯


    ¡®Can I be here?¡¯


    ¡®Curator? I¡¯ve never done anything like that before.¡¯


    ¡®I have to seize this opportunity somehow.¡¯


    ¡®I don¡¯t want to go back to that guild... .¡¯


    This was the attitude that Bisabal usually showed in the new recruits he brought in from illegal guilds. They have the conscience and will to develop themselves to work in a proper guild, but they are bewildered by the opportunity that suddenly fell upon them.


    A person approached these new recruits.


    ¡°Hello, interns.¡±


    It was Yoo Seong-woon, who was going to give them their first curator training at Bisabal¡¯s request.


    ¡°I¡¯m Yoo Seong-woon, and I¡¯ll give you some brief information about the collection gallery.¡±


    ¡°Oh, hello.¡±


    ¡°Hello....¡±


    ¡°You must have received basic training, so let¡¯s go right away.¡±


    The new curators, led by Yoo Seong-woon, got on the elevator and went down. The elevator for curators was only big enough to fit six people, but since there were exactly six people, including Yoo Seong-un, it felt crowded.


    Despite the cramped space, Yoo Seong-un explained.


    ¡°Today is the first day, so we¡¯ll all be moving together, so it¡¯ll be a bit cramped, but starting tomorrow, each person will have a curator in charge. They¡¯ll be assigned different times, so it won¡¯t be as cramped as it is today, so don¡¯t worry.¡±


    A new employee asked.


    ¡°Um, is there a reason why it¡¯s smaller than the elevator for general employees? Shouldn¡¯t it be bigger to move things in the gallery?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good question. If there were any disadvantages, such as being in the company of dangerous artwork or being cursed by the artwork, everyone inside the elevator would die, so we set the maximum number of people to a small number.¡±


    Yoo Seong-un answered coolly.


    ¡°For the same reason, only 2 to 4 people usually ride the curator-only elevator. For works that are too big to be transported by elevator, freight elevators or moving skills are used, but the more experienced curators are in charge of this part, so you don¡¯t have to worry about it yet.¡±


    ¡°...Considering that everyone will die, how about this small...?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not common, but it does happen often. Most of the accidents and incidents happen because people don¡¯t follow the gallery¡¯s instructions and act rashly, so if you just follow the curator¡¯s instructions, the probability of such an incident occurring is low. Above all, works that you have properly developed a relationship with tend to be safe.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes, I will be careful. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°It takes a long time to go down because the gallery is located deep underground. We are headed to the first basement floor, which is the safest place among the collection¡¯s galleries. There are also works that play tricks on the elevator, so it would be good to get used to the time it takes to descend for each floor.¡±


    The elevator arrived, and Yoo Seong-woon, who had come down to the first basement floor, looked around at the newcomers.


    ¡°Welcome to the gallery of collectors.¡±


    The voice was still calm, but none of the new recruits opened their mouths.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    My breath caught in my throat.


    They were the ones that Bisabal had brought in because he thought they had the qualities of a curator, and they had a high tolerance for danger and pain, but they still felt intimidated.


    The gallery was filled with confusion, heaviness, and a sense of grandeur that made it hard to breathe.


    Yoo Seong-woon spoke to the new recruits who were looking around the white space with pale faces.


    ¡°I think you¡¯re all at least Class C.¡±


    The new recruits who came to their senses answered one by one.


    ¡°I¡¯m Class C.¡±


    ¡°Me too....¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Class B.¡±


    ¡°Class B.¡±


    ¡°...Class A.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon nodded.


    ¡°There are exceptions, but usually the higher your rank, the deeper you are assigned to the underground gallery. I don¡¯t know about B-rank hunters, but I think it would be good to keep in mind the hunter who said A-rank.¡±


    ¡°...Yes, thank you for the advice. I will work hard.¡±


    ¡°The further underground you go, the more pay and benefits you receive. If you don¡¯t want it, you can consult with the HR team and adjust the assignment, so don¡¯t risk it. You don¡¯t have to worry about being forced to do it.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon slowly led the newbies and explained the gallery.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to remember all the works in the gallery, but at least you should memorize the basic locations and characteristics of the works on the first floor and the floor you¡¯re assigned to. You should be able to deal with basic issues if they arise.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I understand.¡±


    ¡°In the case of works that are actively being worked on, they are often stored separately, and although they are usually not managed by newbies, they may arise later. There are areas that require identification, so remember them... You should also become familiar with the rescue request devices installed in the gallery.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon continued with the most basic training.


    The structure of the gallery, the places where dangerous works are placed, the tasks that new curators must do, etc. Because the gallery is so large, it took quite a while to go around just one floor.


    Yoo Seong-woon returned to the elevator and opened his mouth.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to remember in detail the works other than the ones I explained. Of course, if you remember, your survival and safety will be more assured, but the most important thing is how to deal with works that show initiative.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Curator Yoo Seong-un.¡±


    ¡°Your curator will tell you about works that you have a deep understanding of or need to build rapport with. If your ability is recognized, you will be assigned to more than one work, but keep in mind that it may be difficult to exercise your right of refusal in this regard.¡±


    A newbie asked.


    ¡°You can suggest floor layouts, but why is it difficult to suggest works?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because the gallery lacks management personnel.¡±


    ¡°Oh... maybe because everyone is dying?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s also true.¡±


    It was hard to say no. This gallery, which did not have as perfect a control as the association¡¯s research institute but increased the usability and intimacy of the works to the limit, usually sacrificed the curators¡¯ longevity and health in exchange for its glamor.


    It was a gallery that literally forced people into it, but it was a system that could be maintained because the value of the works was much higher than the average manpower. It was a structure that was commonly seen in the world these days.


    ¡°The work of a curator requires considerable mental and physical fatigue, so even if you are assigned to one work, you need to take regular breaks. You need to rotate frequently, but if you don¡¯t, as I just said, the number of works you are assigned to increases.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon laughed indifferently.


    ¡°However, we don¡¯t assign curators tasks that they cannot handle at all, or tasks that are blatantly life-threatening, like human sacrifice.¡±


    It was a world where their lives were never more valuable than the works here, but that didn¡¯t mean that Bisabal neglected the safety of the curators.


    There were only injuries and deaths, but Bisabal cherished what was his. He wanted his employees to die inevitably, and for the end to be noble and artistic.


    ¡°You must remember that this is a country of collectors.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°You have come here because you have shown the potential to become the guild master¡¯s collection. The guild master cherishes his collection considerably, so if you are promoted to a full-time employee, you will have no problems with your personal safety.¡±


    ¡°Ah....¡±


    ¡°As long as you don¡¯t slack off or do stupid things. Our guild master likes honest and competent people. You can use it as a reference for your personal development.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon¡¯s eyes widened as he said that.


    ¡°Always remember that what you will be dealing with from ? N§àv§Ölight ? (Exclusive on N§àv§Ölight) now on is the most dangerous and sensitive being on Earth. ¡°This gallery requires the attitude of thinking about things dozens or hundreds of times and making careful choices, but also making bold choices based on intuition at some point.¡±


    It¡¯s contradictory advice, but that¡¯s the reality. Curators who have to care for their own works with affection and sincerity couldn¡¯t survive by simply following the manual.


    Yoo Seong-woon shrugged.


    ¡°If both the curator and the company decide that the job of a curator is not suitable for them, they will be assigned to other jobs. Since the gallery is short on manpower, everyone is receiving this training as a priority, but it¡¯s not mandatory.¡±


    ¡°Oh, then, what other jobs do you have?¡±


    ¡°Processing company documents or exploring to find works to display at auctions or galleries. If you want a stable life, an office job would be good, and if you want to work to the best of your ability and receive compensation for it, a field job would be good.¡±


    Curators are also paid according to their abilities and results, but they are out of the question because they are much more dangerous than general field workers. If my life is precious, it would be better to take on the company¡¯s general work.


    ¡°This concludes the essential training I will give you today. If you have a strong will to work as a curator or if you still have questions about this place, you can look around a little more.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Hmm, there aren¡¯t any. In that case, I will record everyone leaving the gallery with me in the list. The curator in charge will tell you, but let¡¯s make it a habit to write the gallery entry list every time we get on the elevator.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon nodded and asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s all I will ask you.¡±


    ¡°...Is there anything different when you become a full-time employee?¡±


    ¡°Whether you work as a curator or do something else, the benefits will increase.¡±


    Did he classify the information that he could tell the interns? Yoo Seong-woon, who was thinking about something for a moment, continued speaking.


    ¡°In addition to that, you will have your own identity on a portal that only full-time employees can check.¡±


    The ¡®own identity¡¯ mentioned here meant that their citizenship level would go up. If they were officially employed, they would be issued a 2nd-grade citizenship card instead of the current 4th or 5th grade.


    If they were lucky and worked harder, a 1st-grade citizenship card would not be a dream but a reality. The new recruits¡¯ eyes were filled with anxiety and desperation.


    ¡°What is this portal that only regular employees can check?¡±


    ¡°You can think of it as similar to a portal for general companies. There is information and a community that only the employees of that company can see.¡±


    ¡°Is it possible that interns will be disadvantaged due to such differences in information...?¡±


    ¡°To be honest, I can¡¯t say that there aren¡¯t any. However, it¡¯s not as big of a disadvantage as you think, and I can definitely say that there is a difference in treatment.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon paused for a moment after saying that.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°...Curator?¡±


    ¡°And let me give you one piece of advice.¡±


    He continued with the same innocent smile as before.


    ¡°Our company has a person called Sergio who works in the early morning shift.¡±


    ¡°... Early morning shift? What is that? Is it like part-time?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a similar concept, a kind of special force. He¡¯s an unofficial hunter who hasn¡¯t even debuted in the media. He often shows up at the company, so you might run into him.¡±


    ¡°What kind of person is Sergio... Is there anything we should be careful of since you¡¯re telling us this separately?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a kind and polite person. As long as you don¡¯t do anything rude first, he won¡¯t get angry, so I hope you won¡¯t be too surprised when you meet him.¡±


    ¡°...Does he look a little scary...?¡±


    ¡°Um, that¡¯s about right.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon nodded.


    ¡°He¡¯s wearing a black cloak.¡±


    ¡°... A black cloak?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m having trouble because his image overlaps with the famous black cloak these days. You usually like to wear black cloaks, but I heard that you look like a dangerous monster... .¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. Similar images... .¡±


    ¡°... ... .¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon, who had been silent for a moment, soon opened his mouth.


    ¡°... This is an unofficial special force of the collector. I¡¯m checking the overall atmosphere of this company, so you might run into me in the hallways or galleries. I¡¯m telling you in advance so that you don¡¯t mistake me for an intruder.¡±


    The two new recruits¡¯ expressions hardened at Yoo Seong-woon¡¯s words. It seemed like he had guessed something, but Yoo Seong-woon didn¡¯t say anything more and ended his explanation here.


    ¡°It was nice meeting you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Curator Yoo Seong-woon.¡±


    ¡°I hope we can meet again as a family again without any problems.¡±


    He smiled slightly.


    The gallery of the collector was solely for management, sales, and exhibition. This place, which was created solely to cherish the collection of Bisabal, required socializing rather than controlling the works.


    Will these new recruits be able to develop an irrational affection for those crazy works?


    ¡°I hope you adapt well.¡±


    The new recruits¡¯ first training was over.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    And so the day went by.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°...Ah...?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you don¡¯t seem to be hurt.¡±


    One of the new recruits ran into a blond man.


    He said.


    ¡°My name is Sergio.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°What is your name?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°I wonder what your name is.¡±


    The eyes that contained the sea smiled.


    ¡°Would you like to talk to me?¡±


    It happened at 5:13 in the morning.

 Chapter 117

    The woman often had trouble sleeping at night.


    Even while the new recruits, who had received their first day of training at the Collectors'' Guild, were all asleep, the woman could not fall asleep.


    In recent years, she had often suffered from insomnia due to a deep-seated fear of falling behind. This insomnia had been tormenting her relentlessly. It was inevitable.


    ¡°...I should be studying more instead of lying here...¡±


    She didn''t have any grand ambitions, but there was a sense of desperation driven by her poor circumstances. She wasn''t seeking to become an exceptional person or to attract attention, but she was one of those who longed for "ordinary happiness."


    "I''ve memorized ?N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t? all the handouts from the Collectors'' Guild."


    The woman was from Carnation Isle, and she had grown up working under a hunter in an illegal guild. She had always looked for a chance to step into the light. The outstretched hand of Bisa Beul, the collector, was a golden opportunity for her.


    "I''m not the only newbie here, and most importantly, I''m the lowest rank, C-class... I don¡¯t even know if I¡¯ll be hired. I can''t just let this opportunity to receive the support of the three major guilds of Korea slip away."


    The woman was currently at the dormitory of the Collectors'' Guild.


    "...The company operates 24 hours, right..."


    She quickly gathered her things and made her way to the Collectors'' Guild.


    It was already past 4 AM. When she arrived, the guard standing at the entrance blinked in surprise at the woman.


    He was the one responsible for the entrance, and he knew the faces of all the staff. This didn''t change even for the new recruits.


    "You''re the new person, right?"


    "Ah, yes, yes. That''s right."


    "I heard you were assigned to the gallery. Do you already have work to do?"


    "Well... I don''t know if it''s allowed, but I just wanted to try adapting first..."


    "So, you''re saying you don¡¯t have any specific duties?"


    "...Is that not allowed?"


    "Anything that happens after this is your responsibility, so there¡¯s no problem."


    The guard pointed to the entry gate, and the woman hurriedly scanned her ID card. She bowed her head as she entered the building.


    "Thank you."


    "You''re coming to work, why would you thank me?"


    The friendly guard, who seemed to have a good-natured attitude, naturally started talking to her.


    "If you''re going to the gallery, it¡¯s better to avoid going below the first basement. There are still about two people working on the first floor of the gallery, so if you have any questions, you can ask them."


    "Is it okay? I don¡¯t want to be a bother..."


    "They¡¯re people who have to stay at their posts even though they¡¯re drowsy. If someone talks to them, they¡¯ll actually be glad. They''re on night watch."


    "...Thank you for letting me know."


    "I hope you¡¯ll be made a permanent staff member soon with all your effort. I know you must be busy, but try to take the elevator with a little more time to spare."


    "..."


    The woman nodded and entered the building¡¯s depths.


    ¡®Even at this hour, the lights are all brightly on.¡¯


    Perhaps due to the night staff, there wasn¡¯t a place where the lights were off.


    Despite this, the eerie silence, with no one in sight, made her feel a sudden chill. However, she bravely made her way to the gallery''s elevator. Her footsteps echoed unusually loudly in the hallway.


    The elevator that Seong-Woon, the curator, had told her about earlier was a bit complicated to reach.


    "..."


    After verifying her identity with her ID card, the woman pressed the golden button. After quite a while, the elevator doors finally opened.


    "...Ah, the entry log."


    She noticed a paper log hanging on the elevator wall.


    "I think they said to make it a habit."


    Was that something that applied to her, even though she wasn''t a permanent staff member?


    "Mm..."


    After a moment of hesitation, the woman wrote her name on the log.


    As a non-combatant Hunter, she didn¡¯t have the ability to bring anything special back from dungeons. Born in poverty and raised without proper training in an illegal guild, her office skills were lacking.


    "But the most important thing at the collector''s gallery is the affection you show towards the artwork. They said they wouldn''t assign me any artwork outside of my abilities, so if it''s just about putting my heart and soul into it, I should be able to do well in this gallery."


    Determined to stay in her current position if possible, the woman carefully wrote down her entry.


    "Destination... basement, first floor..."


    She briefly described her goal and placed the golden fountain pen back in its original position.


    "...Shouldn¡¯t this be tied up? Or is there no risk of someone stealing it?"


    Well, this was one of Korea''s three major guilds, after all. It seemed unlikely that anyone would dare commit such a bold act.


    The elevator, decorated in a harmonious blend of ivory and gold, was both elegant and well-maintained. Before pressing the button again, the woman couldn''t help but admire its classy appearance.


    The elevator, shining brightly and maintained spotless, had an old-fashioned feel to it.


    ¡®...Now that I think about it, it¡¯s weird that a giant corporation like this would have metal buttons. The paper log too. Is this design meant to preserve the gallery''s classic image?¡¯


    Just as she thought this, the woman suddenly felt a chill.


    "......"


    The atmosphere felt even stranger than it had earlier during the day.


    "...Is it just because I''m alone? It¡¯s definitely scary..."


    When there were more people, it didn¡¯t feel cramped or scary, but now, alone, the eerie feeling intensified.


    This was the gallery that displayed the most bizarre and dangerous works in the world. Once she completed her training and was accepted as a permanent employee, she would have to take the elevator alone, so it was better to get used to this unsettling feeling now.


    ¡®Right, if I get assigned a work of my own, I have to build proper relationships. I can''t let this fear get to me from the elevator on. How will I handle it later?¡¯


    Resolute, the woman reached for the elevator button.


    "......"


    She tilted her head.


    "...The buttons?"


    They were all for the fourth floor.


    "...Why is this like this? Isn¡¯t this wrong?"


    At that moment, the woman recalled the handouts she had memorized earlier in the dormitory, specifically the part that warned about things to be cautious of when using the gallery¡¯s elevators.


    "Ah."


    She remembered that the handout said to avoid using the elevator going to the gallery at 4:44 AM.


    It was said that a work of art using the number 4, a particularly ominous number in East Asian culture, played tricks on the elevator, causing it to keep returning to the fourth floor, even if the location was changed.


    "Which piece was it again...?"


    She recalled the words of the guard, "Take the elevator at a leisurely pace." She had thought it was just a piece of friendly advice to help her stay calm, but now she realized there was a deeper reason for it.


    ¡®Why didn¡¯t they just tell me...?!¡¯


    For a moment, she felt frustrated, but then she remembered that she was a C-class citizen. In a world where even A-class citizens could be killed without reason, no one would care if she died.


    ¡®But if I mess up and something happens to the artwork, that would be a much bigger problem, right? No, I need to think of a way to handle this, not just panic.¡¯


    But she was so anxious that nothing useful came to mind.


    "What was it, something about a work that shapes an elevator button...?"


    Flicker...


    The lights began to flicker.


    "......"


    Flicker, flicker.


    The flickering sped up.


    "...Uh...?"


    What was going on?


    ¡®What should I do?¡¯


    The woman panicked, unable to even lean against the wall.


    She had memorized all the handouts from the company, but in this pressing situation, she couldn¡¯t recall the information properly.


    This work description seemed like another one, and that one seemed like the first one...


    "Ugh..."


    Why do I always act foolishly when it matters?


    "There¡¯s... there should be a... device to request help from the elevator..."


    Creak.


    The elevator jerked with a foreboding sound. It lurched downward, its door opening and closing repeatedly.


    The noise from inside the elevator and the outside were simultaneously deafening. It was so loud, so chaotic, that she could feel a tightness in her chest.


    "Please..."


    She felt like she couldn¡¯t breathe from the frustration.


    The elevator was supposed to have an emergency request button for such situations.


    The curator Seong-Woon had mentioned during training that if you press it, a rescue team waiting nearby would come to help.


    "......"


    The elevator made a creaking sound.


    Just as she was about to reach for the emergency button, the elevator abruptly stopped.


    "......"


    It wasn¡¯t the work of a monster.


    "...I... I..."


    It was her own selfishness.


    "Am I getting fired?"


    It was entirely possible.


    She had entered a dangerous area without permission, disturbing the night guards and causing a mishap by doing something she had been specifically told not to do.


    Had she broken something in this expensive elevator?


    ¡®And I¡¯m just a C-class Hunter.¡¯


    A C-class Hunter, so common in these times. Most of her peers were ranked higher, and even those who were the same rank had tough, battle-ready bodies.


    ¡®I have the worst possible conditions.¡¯


    And now she had caused a disturbance and was bothering everyone...


    "......"


    She couldn¡¯t let a bigger accident happen.


    Just as her hand reached for the button, it happened.


    "...Uh?"


    Flicker...


    The flickering lights stopped.


    "Uh, uh...?"


    The lights had changed, but the buttons were still set to 4.


    She hadn¡¯t pressed anything yet.


    Without realizing it, in the eerie atmosphere, the woman checked the elevator buttons. Now, instead of just the 4th floor, there were buttons for all five floors from 1 to 5.


    And when the elevator stopped and she checked the floor number...


    "...Fifth floor?"


    Ding.


    The elevator doors opened.


    "...Huh? Fifth floor? No, wait...!!"


    Before she could even collect her thoughts, she was startled, thinking she had ended up in the worst place.


    Without realizing it, she stumbled backward.


    Before she could even groan from the pain, the elevator doors fully opened, revealing a long figure.


    "......"


    "......"


    A blonde man dressed in a black cloak.


    "Hello."


    It was "Sergio," taking the form of Giovanni.


    "...That was some kind of initiation ceremony?"


    "To be precise, it was more like an annual event."


    The blonde man nodded at the woman''s exhausted question.


    "They say it''s a piece that doesn''t actually cause harm, but it only frightens those new curators who forget the rules."


    "Ah..."


    "It¡¯s a safe way to show them the risks of not fully understanding the manual, so I guess people don¡¯t actively warn them."


    The woman recalled the guard at the entrance.


    "Well, they just told me to ¡®take the elevator leisurely.¡¯ I thought it was just advice to stay calm, but... it was for this reason?"


    At least, it wasn¡¯t something truly dangerous.

 Chapter 118

    The next day, the woman¡¯s senior in charge asked,


    ¡°Did you have a good time at the gallery yesterday?¡±


    ¡°Yes...?¡±


    ¡°Because your name was on the list.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes.¡±


    The woman nodded.


    ¡°It seems like you were severely beaten up at the initiation ceremony, but you had a good time.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Initiation ceremony?¡±


    The curator in charge tilted his head.


    ¡°What? You got on the elevator at 4:44?¡±


    ¡°...Yes, I¡¯m sorry. I should have memorized it properly....¡±


    ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not saying anything.¡±


    The curator in charge continued with a small smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m the curator assigned to the first floor. I asked the people who were working overtime yesterday, and they said they didn¡¯t really get it out. They also said they didn¡¯t press the rescue request button.¡±


    ¡°Ah....¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t hear that you were found breathing in the elevator this morning, so I guess someone on another floor pulled you out. What floor curator were you? I should be grateful.¡±


    ¡°Uh, you were on the 5th floor. Thanks to you, I got to see the most dangerous gallery.¡±


    ¡°...5th floor?¡±


    ¡°...Yes? Yes.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    The curator in charge had a faint smile on his face, as if he were a smiling merchant, but his reaction was strange.


    The curator in charge said to the woman who was waiting for an answer, looking around.


    ¡°But do you know that?¡±


    ¡°What, what?¡±


    ¡°There was no curator who worked overtime on the 5th floor yesterday.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    I got goosebumps.


    ¡°...Yes?¡±


    ¡°Oh, kidding, kidding!¡±


    A refreshing laugh. The curator in charge laughed with a face full of laughter.


    ¡°If you want to survive in this gallery, you have to know how to take a joke like this.¡±


    ¡°...No, joking...right?¡±


    ¡°No, to be honest, your name wasn¡¯t on the attendance list?¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s not a joke...!¡±


    ¡°But there¡¯s someone in our guild who walks around without his name on the list.¡±


    ¡°...Ah....¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear from Yoo Seong-woon yesterday? He said he told you something?¡±


    The woman nodded.


    ¡°I, I heard. Sergio.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sergio.¡±


    The curator in charge grinned.


    ¡°Wow, you¡¯re lucky. I heard Sergio hasn¡¯t been seen much lately.¡±


    ¡°Oh... You don¡¯t come out often? Isn¡¯t he a curator?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not a curator, but you can think of him as a special force for our guild.¡±


    ¡°I heard from Yoo Seong-woon... So you don¡¯t have a set job?¡±


    ¡°The most important job of the guild members who collect is the guild leader¡¯s collection.¡±


    ¡°...Why all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°First of all, Sergio, you¡¯re doing your job as a collectible.¡±


    ¡°...That, is that okay? Isn¡¯t it a bit too much to eat...?¡±


    ¡°Actually.¡±


    The curator whispered, lowering her voice as if she was trying to hide it.


    ¡°There¡¯s a story that he¡¯s a hidden S-class hunter.¡±


    ¡°...S, S-class? One of the few in the country...?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s lying and saying he¡¯s an A-class because he hates being noisy.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that illegal??¡±


    ¡°Hey, why bother with that? This is a collectible.¡±


    ¡°Uh...uh, uh...uh....¡±


    ¡°Our guild leader can do this much for the members of the guild. Doesn¡¯t that make you feel a sense of pride?¡±


    The curator shrugged. She pointed to the stuffed rabbit doll she was in charge of.


    ¡°Come on, pat our caregiver¡¯s head. It¡¯s so fluffy and cute.¡±


    ¡°...Is it okay to pat it like this?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you did a great job. If you do this, there¡¯s a very low chance that it¡¯ll give you a piece.¡±


    ¡°You said that¡¯s like a gift that the artwork gives you?¡±


    ¡°Sometimes it¡¯s a curse... but the caregiver is a gentle artwork, so that won¡¯t happen. Yes, it¡¯s a gift.¡±


    ¡°What kind of gift does this doll give you?¡±


    ¡°Oh, a doll for the caregiver? Please be careful what you say.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes. What kind of gifts does the caregiver give you?¡±


    ¡°They give you flowers that smell good, or a sewing kit that can fix any clothes.¡±


    ¡°Oh....¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it cute?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s cute.¡±


    After a brief education, the curator returned to the topic from earlier.


    ¡°Oh, Sergio opened the door for our junior. That¡¯s surprising.¡±


    ¡°But he¡¯s the same employee, so what¡¯s surprising about that...?¡±


    ¡°Employees are employees. Sergio doesn¡¯t like crowds, so he usually hangs out at dawn when there are no people.¡±


    ¡°But he¡¯s really kind.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    The curator asked back.


    ¡°Was he kind?¡±


    ¡°Yes? Oh, yes, yes. He was really kind.¡±


    ¡°Um... Mr. Geo, he¡¯s a really handsome guy, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°Ah....¡±


    The woman nodded.


    ¡°Now that I think about it, that¡¯s true. He was really handsome.¡±


    It felt a little strange.


    ¡°I guess I was so surprised and scared at dawn that I didn¡¯t even think he was handsome.¡±


    ¡°Everyone who meets Sergio says that. They think he¡¯s handsome later.¡±


    The curator¡¯s eyes sparkled.


    ¡°But how handsome is he? I haven¡¯t even seen his face, but why do you say he¡¯s a statuesque handsome man with blond hair and blue eyes? He looks like he smells like sunshine.¡±


    ¡°You described him in such detail, even though you haven¡¯t even seen his face... I think that¡¯s right. He must have some Western blood, because his nose is really high. His eyes are also big.¡±


    ¡°Oh....¡±


    The curator, who was impressed, muttered softly.


    ¡°Is that how you are these days?¡±


    ¡°......?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, not bad.¡±


    ¡°...No matter how handsome you are, it¡¯s hard to judge someone like that....¡±


    ¡°Oh my, am I that rude?¡±


    The curator laughed heartily.


    ¡°I heard that Geo sometimes gets gloomy.¡±


    ¡°...I can¡¯t imagine that at all.¡±


    ¡°He has such a heavy aura, many people say he¡¯s scary.¡±


    ¡°Ah... definitely....¡±


    He was someone who matched well with the all-white gallery, but he had a strange feeling.


    ¡°...Is it because he¡¯s so handsome? He seemed like he wasn¡¯t from this world. He felt distant.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Geo is so friendly, but why are the reactions like this?¡±


    ¡°I know you were kind to me. He even gave me chocolate so I wouldn¡¯t have to go the other way because I was tired.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes. That¡¯s Mr. Geo. He carries snacks in his pocket like a squirrel.¡±


    ¡°Squirrel....¡±


    ¡°You think it doesn¡¯t suit you.¡±


    The curator, who had placed a pink bag in the hands of the fluffy stuffed animal, asked.


    ¡°What did it feel like?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°A guy named Sergio.¡±


    Unlike before, his voice was a little lower in tone, and the woman thought of the man she had seen at dawn.


    ¡°...It¡¯s strange, but the first thing that came to mind was that he was perfect.¡±


    The moment he came into view, the world felt full.


    Just as it is hard to disparage the sunlight shining down on a spring day, and as it is impossible to find fault with the cool waves of summer. It was the same feeling as when you just absentmindedly listen to a lullaby sung by a mother of a child or a superstition passed down from generation to generation in a village.


    You can find faults if you want, and you can criticize if you want, but you don¡¯t necessarily feel like doing so. Even if you tear the leather, bleed, or have any kind of blemish, you can call it complete. A being that makes you think you are simply observing the flow of history.


    It ? N§àv§ÖIight ? (Original source) was a presence that made you feel rich and tight just by itself.


    ¡°It must be a bit strange to think that way the moment you met me?¡±


    ¡°...I think it could be like that if you first saw someone of S-class rank.¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m not weird, then that¡¯s fortunate.¡±


    He laughed awkwardly and continued.


    ¡°His speech was a bit unusual. Should I say it was old-fashioned? Or should I say it was elegant... Honestly, he spoke so politely that it was a bit difficult to handle.¡±


    Sergio¡¯s speech was a bit choppy.


    ¡°Should I say it was like someone who had a bad translation machine? It¡¯s not like I thought it was strange, but I was a little scared because I was so scared.¡±


    ¡°Well... he really could be a Western hunter. It¡¯s clear that he has strong blood from that side, right? We don¡¯t know exactly where the guild leader recruited him.¡±


    ¡°Then maybe he¡¯s not used to speaking Korean yet. But it¡¯s not like it¡¯s really strange, but rather he suits me well... That¡¯s a little...¡±


    It was scary.


    ¡°Is it because he¡¯s so handsome that he doesn¡¯t look like a human?¡±


    I felt a sense of discomfort somewhere.


    ¡°Yes, well. That¡¯s what happened.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything else?¡±


    ¡°Just... that he¡¯s incredibly friendly?¡±


    But I felt distant in that part too. Something was strange.


    ¡°A favor is a favor, but rather than treating me well out of personal feelings....¡±


    ¡°What? What? You wanted to develop a personal relationship?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant. You know that.¡±


    ¡°If favor isn¡¯t a personal feeling, then what is?¡±


    ¡°...That¡¯s right?¡±


    I realized that I was strange even after saying that.


    ¡°Oh, what I meant was, of course I didn¡¯t mean that it was hypocritical or that the favor he showed me was fake. Really.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t understand it that way.¡±


    ¡°What I was trying to say was... The favor Sergio shows is not like a person who is a bit detached, um... It¡¯s not like it¡¯s something you give and receive normally... This is....¡±


    It¡¯s really strange, but.


    ¡°It just seemed like a favor I gave because I¡¯m human.¡±


    A favor given without any conditions, just because I was born human.


    So it felt like indifference... .


    ¡°...No, it¡¯s not that I felt bad. Rather, I think it was good. I think it was the first time I met someone who showed me kindness without any consideration, so I was embarrassed....¡±


    I felt embarrassed because I felt like I had received something so huge without doing anything.


    ¡°Sergio, you¡¯re a first-class citizen, right? Oh, did I ask something too obvious?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know for sure, but I think so.¡±


    ¡°Somehow, I felt a sense of dignity in his actions. It didn¡¯t feel Korean, but....¡±


    There was an atmosphere that made me naturally admire him.


    ¡°He was very relaxed, but his words and actions had a sense of weight. He definitely didn¡¯t have a friendly vibe, but I could definitely tell that he was sociable. He also had a mysterious feeling, like a prince in a fairy tale.¡±


    The curator in charge smiled sinisterly at the woman¡¯s words.


    ¡°Oh, honey. Are you going to confess to me?¡±


    ¡°...You asked for a review, didn¡¯t you...?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to go that far, I didn¡¯t expect that.¡±


    The curator smiled cheerfully.


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m glad that you¡¯re doing well, my junior.¡±


    ¡°Can I consider this as a possibility of becoming a regular employee...?¡±


    ¡°The gallery is so short on manpower that if there¡¯s no major incident, you¡¯ll be confirmed as a regular employee.¡±


    ¡°That would be really great, but I¡¯m worried because I have many shortcomings.¡±


    ¡°What are you worried about? You¡¯re the one who talked well in front of Mr. Sergio.¡±


    ¡°Oh... Is that how the standard is measured?¡±


    ¡°People must be really creepy.¡±


    The curator smiled with wide eyes.


    ¡°Get along well, with your staff....¡±


    ¡°... ....¡±


    ¡°With your artwork.¡±


    It was a tone that had a strange resonance.


    ¡®... Ah.¡¯


    The woman suddenly remembered that the curator Yoo Seong-un she had seen yesterday had the same smile.


    Those eyes, strangely curved, with emotions that could be either good or bad.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Then she realized that the curators here had a similar atmosphere to the gallery.


    ¡°...I will work hard.¡±


    Should I call it mysterious or bizarre?


    She wasn¡¯t sure.


    ¡°Honey.¡±


    ¡°Kur.¡±


    ¡°Dad, I gained confidence.¡±


    The problem with the haunted portrait was the resolution. If you go beyond the frame while it¡¯s a portrait, there¡¯s a resolution problem, and people complain about the burden of recognizing it.


    And now that I¡¯ve completely become one with ¡®Giovanni¡¯, who had solved that problem up until now. I wondered, ¡®Will I still be able to walk around without any resolution problems?¡¯ and went outside...


    ¡°I had a conversation with the staff without any friction.¡±


    I was so touched that I even gave him the chocolate I had been saving up like pocket money.


    After giving it to him, I thought, ¡®Huh? If I do this, won¡¯t they find out that Black Cloak and I are the same person?¡¯ but I brushed it off. Geo, who grew up receiving plenty of the clear energy of the Gangwon-do mountains, didn¡¯t know how to think deeply.


    ¡°I wish I could make a new friend like this.¡±


    ¡°Kurur.¡±


    ¡°My own pen pal....¡±


    ¡°...Kkuk.¡±


    Honey didn¡¯t tackle him because he looked quite happy.

 Chapter 119

    A little time passed, and the first round of training for the new curators came to an end.


    "During your time here, you¡¯ve worked with your assigned curator and encountered various pieces, learning the proper attitude a curator at the Collectors'' Guild should have towards both the art and the customers. You''ve all worked hard over the past three weeks."


    However, this didn¡¯t mean they were immediately hired as permanent staff.


    "From now on, each of you will be assigned a piece to take care of. Based on how you performed during the three-week training, the most suitable works have been selected for each of you. If managing your assigned work proves too difficult, you may be dismissed."


    "......"


    "Even if you¡¯re dismissed, it will be from the gallery. If you don¡¯t cause any serious accidents, you''ll still be able to move into an administrative or field position at the Collectors'' Guild. It¡¯s simply about choosing candidates who can maintain stability within the gallery, so there''s no need to worry too much."


    Seong-Woon spoke to the five new curators before him.


    "You¡¯ve had three weeks of training, and since none of you objected or showed any reluctance to change your positions, I believe all of you are in favor of becoming curators at the Collectors'' Guild. If you''d like to continue working here, please sign the agreement in front of you."


    All five of the new curators signed the agreement. It stated that they would do their best to care for their assigned pieces and take responsibility for any issues that might arise.


    Though similar to a waiver of bodily harm, these were no longer things that would scare the new curators. It was enough that they weren''t solely responsible for any issues that occurred.


    Having grown up seeing the worst in illegal guilds, they now sought the safety of working for one of Korea''s three major guilds, and the Collectors'' Guild, in particular, was highly prestigious.


    "Looks like everyone agrees."


    Seong-Woon nodded.


    "As you may have already checked, there¡¯s information about the pieces you¡¯ll be in charge of on the back of the agreement."


    "...Ah...."


    "The Collectors'' Guild is a warehouse and research facility where the most dangerous and sensitive items are stored. Naturally, there are many pieces whose identities and handling methods are unknown...¡±


    "......."


    "For you newcomers, almost all of the pieces assigned have been fully identified. These are pieces where, if you just follow the guidelines and manuals, there should be no problems."


    The longer a curator worked at the gallery, and the more pieces they managed, the more dangerous the pieces became. However, this was not something the newcomers, who were just beginning to adapt to the gallery, needed to worry about.


    "One year."


    Seong-Woon said.


    "You will have one year. Some of you may decide to leave if you can''t endure it, or you might find a piece that suits you better. I hope you all will take the opportunity to work as curators at the Collectors'' Guild for the coming year."


    "...So, does that mean the pieces assigned to us can change in the middle of the year?"


    "Many of the pieces are very firm in their requirements, so even if we''ve done our best to assign them, there will be times when mismatches occur. If a piece or curator is deemed incompatible, your assignment may change during the year."


    That wasn''t just a problem for the curators. Even if a curator tried their best, sometimes the condition of a piece would change unexpectedly.


    "Then, I look forward to working with you."


    With Seong-Woon¡¯s closing words, the basic curator training came to an end.


    "As much as I¡¯d like to greet you whenever I see you around, I¡¯m usually assigned to the works on the fifth floor, and I travel often, so it¡¯ll be hard to meet you easily."


    "Thank you for everything."


    "I should be the one thanking you for following the training well. Please, don¡¯t cause any accidents. As you¡¯ve heard during the training, accidents don¡¯t just affect you; many others can die too."


    Seong-Woon finished his words with his usual calm smile, despite the chilling nature of what he said.


    "Once again, welcome to the Collectors'' Gallery."


    And just like that, the new curators were thrown into the wild.


    "......"


    "......"


    A rather eerie wild, at that.


    The piece the man was assigned was a set of porcelain dolls.


    "......"


    The official name was "Sweet Tea Party," consisting of three porcelain dolls, smaller than the hands of an adult male.


    ¡®Risk level: Grade 6.¡¯


    The works at the Collectors'' Gallery were classified on a risk scale from 1 to 10, with higher numbers indicating safer works. Compared to the other new curators who had been assigned works with risk levels of 8 or 10, the man had been given a piece with a risk level of 6 on the third floor.


    ¡®It¡¯s more dangerous than the works assigned to the other new curators who got pieces in the 10 to 8 range.¡¯


    Whether this was something to be happy about or whether it was a sign of increased danger, he wasn¡¯t sure.


    Seong-Woon, the curator, had casually mentioned, "If it gets too difficult, just request another piece."


    But...


    "...No need for that just yet."


    The "Sweet Tea Party" porcelain doll set depicted three girls dressed in elaborate dresses.


    ¡®The response is simple, except for the requirement to keep the timing exact.¡¯


    The dolls requested sweets at precisely the right time, and once those sweets were eaten, the dolls would engage in conversation, and the pieces would be ready for the next step.


    ¡®There¡¯s a 5-second window. If I give the sweets too early or too late, the dolls will turn into porcelain humans.¡¯


    It was a terrifying penalty that could result in death with a single mistake, but that was the same when he had worked as an A-class combat hunter in the field.


    "Five seconds is more than enough for a Hunter like me..."


    As an A-class Hunter, he could make judgments and act within 0.01 seconds. It felt much safer than battling monsters in a dungeon, where a lot of effort and injury were involved.


    "......"


    The "Sweet Tea Party" was displayed in the 28th hallway of the third floor. Seeing that it was displayed in a public space, the man¡¯s face relaxed a little.


    The fact that it wasn¡¯t kept in a locked storage and was in a hallway that any curator could walk through meant it was relatively safe.


    ¡®For a third-floor piece, it¡¯s a bit risky, but still... this level of safety is acceptable.¡¯


    He felt somewhat reassured.


    "...It¡¯s quite adorable."


    The porcelain dolls, dressed in elaborate frills, looked as if they would leave white powder on your hands if touched. The blush on their cheeks was painted a ripe peach color, and their eyes were a soft yellow, with fine lashes highlighting their features.


    Their eyes sparkled in purple, yellow, and green, possibly made with embedded jewels.


    ¡®It¡¯s strange that I can¡¯t tell if they¡¯re looking at me. It¡¯s almost as if their whole eyeball is made of jewels, so there¡¯s no distinct cornea or sclera... I can¡¯t tell if they¡¯re staring at me.¡¯


    If it weren¡¯t for the uncanny atmosphere that came from not being able to gauge their gaze, this might have been a highly sought-after collection for those who enjoyed collecting dolls.


    "Today''s snack is star-shaped candy."


    Each doll requested star-shaped candy in purple, yellow, and green.


    "......"


    As the clock struck 4 AM, the time scheduled for the tea party, the man carefully placed the star-shaped candies in small bowls that suited the dolls¡¯ sizes. The candy looked huge compared to the small porcelain bodies of the dolls.


    Then, the dolls began to move.


    "...Oh..."


    Crack, clink.


    Using knives with no sharp edge, the dolls cut the star-shaped candy in a manner reminiscent of how one would slice a cake.


    The soft texture of the candy, like mousse cake, was quite fascinating.


    "It¡¯s a delightful sweetness."


    "It¡¯s a lovely tea party."


    "It¡¯s a wonderful time."


    Once the tea party was over, the dolls made their evaluations. The number of negative evaluations determined the fortune for the day. Thinking about this, the man sighed in relief.


    ¡®Today¡¯s fortune shouldn¡¯t be bad.¡¯


    Then, something strange happened.


    "It¡¯s a delightful crispness."


    "It¡¯s a delightful firmness."


    "It¡¯s a delightful fragrance."


    "It¡¯s a lovely dawn."


    "It¡¯s a delightful snack."


    "It¡¯s a wonderful choice."


    "It¡¯s a lovely gift."


    Seven additional statements.


    "......"


    It was clearly an anomaly.


    "...This isn¡¯t in the manual..."


    In a panic, the man hurriedly read the manual again, but before he could check, the dolls spoke again.


    "Master."


    "Master is coming."


    "Let¡¯s dress sweetly."


    The porcelain dolls added statements that weren¡¯t in the manual.


    "...This wasn¡¯t in the information..."


    The "Sweet Tea Party" dolls were supposed to only speak three sentences per tea party. They always began with "Good-" or "Bad-," and there was never anyone who could be called "Master."


    "What¡¯s happening..."


    Just as he reached for the radio to request help, it happened.


    "......"


    "......"


    "......"


    The dolls were all looking at the same spot.


    "......"


    The man turned around.


    The sea.


    The sun.


    The deer.


    The birds.


    The clouds.


    The flowers.


    The fog.


    The spring.


    The touch.


    The teeth.


    The eyes.


    The pupils.


    Human?


    "...Ah..."


    He saw it.


    A blonde man with a kind smile.


    "Wh-Who are you...?"


    The man was somewhat startled, but he quickly positioned himself in front of the dolls to shield them from view. It was a precaution to avoid any potential danger.


    ¡®I didn¡¯t sense anything before...¡¯


    Confusion flooded the man¡¯s mind as he tried to make sense of the situation. He prided himself on his sharp senses, yet this person had appeared without a trace.


    ¡®...If I, someone who¡¯s confident in detecting presences, didn¡¯t notice him, then no B-class or lower Hunter would have a chance. I¡¯ve never heard of a new S-class Hunter in Korea. Could he be some kind of unofficial, high-level Hunter?¡¯


    Already on edge, the man felt even more disoriented as he processed the bizarre events he had witnessed from the moment he began working alone. He couldn¡¯t let his guard down.


    He observed the figure before him, who was smiling without a care in the world. The man¡¯s golden hair shone softly, and his ¡ã? N o v e l i g h t ?¡ã smile was gentle, almost too perfect.


    It was a bit unsettling.


    ¡®...The atmosphere is warm and kind, yet...¡¯


    Breathing became difficult.


    The air felt thick, as though something ominous was about to happen.

 Chapter 120

    Sergio was a warm and old-fashioned person.


    ¡®I never thought I would feel such an embarrassing feeling when I see someone.¡¯


    But it was a thought that came to mind when I saw him.


    ¡°Today¡¯s snack was star candy.¡±


    ¡°Yes, each of us had purple, yellow, and green star candy.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it really sweet?¡±


    ¡°According to the records... they only asked for sweet snacks.¡±


    ¡°Last time, you wanted lemon madeleines.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t a very meaningful conversation. Although he didn¡¯t stop them from reporting it on the radio, Sergio naturally brushed aside the strange phenomenon of the ¡®Sweet Tea Party¡¯ by saying, ¡®You¡¯ll have luck beyond the norm.¡¯


    The conversation we were having now was more like ordinary small talk. Thanks to this, the man was able to feel a little closer to the ¡®Sweet Tea Party.¡¯


    ¡°I even baked it for them myself.¡±


    ¡°I guess you¡¯re good at cooking.¡±


    ¡°You have a knack for bringing imaginary food into reality.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a little jealous of that.¡±


    Is this the power of a good person? As the conversation continued, my stiff body gradually loosened up.


    ¡®...This conversation gives me a sense of stability.¡¯


    It wasn¡¯t a conversation with anything special, but Sergio¡¯s attitude toward the man gave me that sense of stability.


    Even though he didn¡¯t do anything particularly noticeable, I could tell that Sergio was showing deep favor.


    ¡®I heard you talked to another new employee last time. Are you managing your employees or something?¡¯


    It was a huge favor that was hard to understand.


    ¡°...Do you talk to other employees like this often?¡±


    The man continued.


    ¡°I heard you don¡¯t stay at the company for long.¡±


    ¡°I live in a place that¡¯s easier to find than you think.¡±


    ¡°Oh, by any chance... In that case... Yes, do you live in the dorm?¡±


    ¡°I live in this building.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s such a big building, I didn¡¯t even realize it had such a facility.¡±


    The man understood. It seemed like there were quite a few collectors hanging around. That was clear.


    ¡®Well, if it¡¯s someone with this kind of atmosphere...¡¯


    It was easy to understand the psychology of the guild leader, Bisabal.


    ¡®It seems like it will disappear quietly at any moment.¡¯


    Sergio seemed somewhat detached from reality.


    His voice was soft and gentle, like the sunlight spreading faintly on a spring day. His gaze was clear, but its color was soft and blurred, and his attitude toward people was polite yet cautious, giving off a sense of slow lightness.


    His soft speech and the faint smile on his face that never seemed to disappear seemed like a faded memory from a children¡¯s fairy tale or a silent movie.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Is that too explicit a thought for someone you¡¯re meeting for the first time?


    ¡®... But he doesn¡¯t seem like someone who would be tied down somewhere.¡¯


    But he didn¡¯t seem like someone who would enjoy a noisy atmosphere.


    ¡®His actions are noble, and his atmosphere is heavy...¡¯


    He suddenly disappeared, wandered the world, appeared in unexpected places, gave unexpected gifts, and disappeared. It felt a little strange because he seemed like such an absurdly romantic being.


    He had an indescribable aura. I couldn¡¯t believe that he was there next to me and spoke to me.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Do you like sweets?¡±


    ¡°...To some extent.¡±


    ¡°I like sweets too.¡±


    Was this unconditional empathy?


    ¡®Part of socializing?¡¯


    Without even a moment to think, the other person held out a small snack.


    ¡°Would you like some?¡±


    ¡°...What is this?¡±


    ¡°Lemon madeleine.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    At that moment.


    ¡°...Thank you.¡±


    I thought it was strange.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know what¡¯s strange, but... .¡¯


    Didn¡¯t we just bring up the lemon madeleine story?


    Since you said you enjoy cooking, it must have been a snack you made yourself or bought somewhere.


    However, the lemon madeleine that suddenly appeared during the conversation was wrapped in white paper that was faintly transparent and decorated with a neat black ribbon that was not flashy.


    The madeleine, wrapped in elegant paper and emitting a sweet scent, suited the porcelain dolls in ¡®Sweet Tea Party¡¯ more than them. However, the black ribbon, which was just used to organize the entrance, seemed to have a bitter taste rather than sweet.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Crunch.


    He took out the madeleine.


    ¡°...Did you make it yourself?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really good with your hands.¡±


    To be honest, I couldn¡¯t imagine the process of the person in front of me baking and packaging this.


    ¡®...Rather....¡¯


    It literally felt like he could make it.


    Just because he wanted it, it seemed to be in his hands.


    ¡®... You¡¯ve been thinking strange thoughts since earlier. I don¡¯t think delusions are going to help at all.¡¯


    The madeleines were smaller than I thought, as if they were made from scratch. The lemon madeleine crust, which had a white coating like opaque frost, had a crispy yet crunchy texture.


    The madeleines, which had a faint scent of trees on a rainy day, were lighter and softer than I thought.


    ¡°...It¡¯s delicious.¡±


    For some reason, the tension that had made my body stiffen up again was completely relieved, and it was just that delicious.


    ¡°Actually, I didn¡¯t believe that you were a good cook.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s sad. Why did you think that?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t look like you¡¯d get your hands wet.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I hear often.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the impression you have. But....¡±


    It wasn¡¯t like they didn¡¯t match at all.


    ¡°...You look like you go well with anything.¡±


    He seemed capable of anything.


    He seemed to have ascended to the highest position of the Pope, and he seemed to have ascended to the lowest and most humble position of the rabble. But no matter where he truly was, the man had a feeling that he could accept it all.


    Even if it was an unimaginable rejection, even if it was a carnation child born in a slum on a cold winter day. Yes, you would certainly think that he could.


    ¡°...Why is that....¡±


    Well.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a strange statement.¡±


    ¡°...I see.¡±


    But one thing was certain.


    ¡°.......¡±


    No matter what his status was, no one seemed to be able to hold him back.


    Just as time passed and the world changed.


    ¡®...I should stop thinking about it.¡¯


    Enough now.


    The man stared blankly into space.


    ¡°.......¡±


    There was a lot to do, so it was time to get out of this terrible comfort.


    ¡°...Time... is later than I thought.¡±


    It was already 6 AM.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we had much of a conversation.¡±


    ¡°It was a pleasant conversation.¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯m glad you felt that way.¡±


    At that moment, a new presence was felt.


    ¡°Geo?¡±


    It was Curator Yoo Seong-woon.


    ¡°Are you awake?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Yoo Seong-woon.¡±


    The two talked naturally as if they knew each other well.


    ¡°I was talking to this person.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I wondered who you were, but you¡¯re Curator Binary.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon didn¡¯t say anything more as he nodded. He seemed to be good at dealing with people, and he looked back at Sergio as if he didn¡¯t want to make him uncomfortable.


    ¡°What did we talk about?¡±


    ¡°It was about how he couldn¡¯t believe I was good at cooking.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really? I thought it would suit me pretty well... Your cooking is really delicious.¡±


    Curator Yoo Seong-woon asked in his characteristically indifferent tone.


    ¡°It¡¯s already past 6 AM. The staff will be here soon, are you going to stay in the gallery?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m going to go back before the other staff arrive.¡±


    Under the falling lights, the man¡¯s blue eyes were filled with tears.


    ¡°What are you going to do, Binary?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going back to the dormitory, which the company provided....¡±


    ¡°Is that Binary¡¯s house?¡±


    ¡°It seems more like a place to stay than a house.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll soon have a comfortable house.¡±


    He showed his favor again.


    ¡°Do you need guidance?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Without realizing it.


    ¡°.......¡±


    The man looked around the gallery ¡®without realizing it.¡¯


    I looked at the porcelain doll ¡ºSweet Tea Party¡» that I was in charge of. I looked at the glass curtain of the picture frame hanging next to it and in front of it. I looked at the light from the ceiling and the clock hanging between them.


    I looked at the floor where the light fell. In the vertically falling light, there was a shadow. A black color that was missing... .


    ¡°.......¡±


    I looked.


    ¡°...No.¡±


    I raised my head, and suddenly my eyes met with Curator Yoo Seong-un¡¯s.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    His eyes curved sharply and showed a smile.


    ¡°I¡¯ve memorized the entire layout of this gallery.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go out alone.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for sharing your conversation with me.¡±


    The man in the black cloak said.


    ¡°I remember you and affirm you.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Have a nice day.¡±


    It was a strange echo.


    ¡°.......¡±


    The man nodded and left the gallery.


    ¡°.......¡±


    I passed through the twisted hallway in case of an unexpected situation.


    The lights hanging from the ceiling created shadows along with my footsteps. The shadows moved several times before I finally arrived at the elevator.


    The boarding point was the 3rd basement floor. The exit point was the 1st floor lobby. I pressed the button and the elevator started.


    ¡°.......¡±


    I muttered without realizing it.


    ¡°...What a peculiar person.¡±


    Even though I only saw him briefly, time passed quickly. Even though I only saw him briefly, it was like that. It could happen.


    Despite his rather large physique, his presence was very vague, and he didn¡¯t seem to be there even though he was right next to me. Even so, I couldn¡¯t help but notice his presence, which was not hidden.


    ¡°He seemed like a great person.¡±


    He was affectionate and old-fashioned.


    It was as if he had become an adult and was shining like a prince in a fairy tale, and now he was as old as an old historical relic buried in the ground, and he was special like a miracle that no one remembered.


    ¡°A person who gives comfort....¡±


    Why did a rural village I had never seen come to mind? Why did I hear the sound of dry grass rustling in the quiet wind?


    I felt a longing similar to when I admired the crimson color of the sea as the sun set calmly, or when I heard a lullaby that parents sang to their children to put them to sleep. It was simple and lyrical.


    So.


    ¡°He¡¯s a good person.¡±


    The man didn¡¯t know anything.


    ¡°Yeah....¡±


    The one-hour gap that must have been a delusion.


    The one-hour gap that flowed from my bare feet.


    The sound of dry grass.


    The shadow that didn¡¯t exist alone under the light, or the huge forest reflected on the glass that coated the frame.


    The sun.


    The sea.


    The eyeball.


    The eyes.


    The eyes.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Even the gaze that the eyes reflected on the glass sent, I don¡¯t know.


    I don¡¯t know.


    ¡°...He¡¯s a good person.¡±


    Because ¡®Sergio¡¯ /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ is a ¡®good person.¡¯


    That¡¯s how it had to be.

 Chapter 121

    "......"


    "......"


    In the space where only the two of them remained, the first to speak was Yoo Seong-Woon.


    "Gio."


    "Yes, Yoo Seong-Woon-ssi."


    "You no longer have a shadow."


    "......"


    At Seong-Woon''s comment, Gio''s head slowly dropped.


    "Ah, this is bad."


    It was a very contrived reaction.


    ''Did he think that such a reaction was appropriate for the current situation?''


    Before Seong-Woon could finish his thought, a shadow began to appear beneath Gio''s feet.


    Seong-Woon couldn¡¯t help but admire it.


    ¡®It¡¯s like he¡¯s alive.¡¯


    He thought that "appeared" was the perfect word for it.


    It wasn¡¯t just a shadow cast by an object blocking the light¡ªit had a vivid, dynamic form that couldn''t be simply called a shadow.


    The shadow spread across his retina.


    ¡®...A school of fish?¡¯


    Small fish swimming in groups, the wind causing waves to sway, and he thought he saw a long-horned deer or a beast with thick claws walking across the ground. Or perhaps it was the large wings of a gliding bird.


    In an instant, the diverse shapes that passed by became a dense, giant forest, only to neatly settle into the shape of a human.


    "......"


    The long shadow, which had stretched out, now seemed to settle into a ¡®realistic¡¯ position, dark and small beneath Gio¡¯s feet.


    It was the process of something becoming a complete shape, as if being painted. Considering that Gio had traits of an artist, it was an intriguing transformation.


    ¡®So, can Gio outside the frame still be considered a painting?¡¯


    Soon, Gio spoke.


    "I should have paid more attention, but I showed you an unsightly sight."


    "Sometimes things like that happen."


    "I thought there would be no problem, but to think such a flaw existed..."


    Gio drew out his words.


    "I''m embarrassed."


    "Why be embarrassed about something like that?"


    He had definitely said, "I thought there would be no problem," which was essentially no different from admitting the possibility of something going wrong.


    ¡®In other words, Gio is aware that he''s imitating a human.¡¯


    Having organized his thoughts to that point, Seong-Woon muttered inwardly.


    ¡®Surprisingly, he seems to be capable of objectivity. I thought Gio would consider himself human, but now I have to wonder how I should approach this situation.¡¯


    Were his previous statements about considering himself human also part of the imitation? If so, it was closer to Gio being able to mimic humanity at a level unimaginable to humans.


    ¡®This is something that even gods who indulge in play sometimes show. From our human perspective, what feels like the truth can often be false. Gio thinking of himself as human might just be one of those imitations...¡¯


    When humans truly believe something, it becomes faith, but for beings of a different caliber, even that could be an act. Despite intending to keep multiple possibilities open, Seong-Woon couldn''t help but feel like he¡¯d been caught off guard.


    Was this surprising, or what? Seong-Woon suppressed a reluctant laugh.


    ¡®We shouldn¡¯t measure the existence of the origin by human standards.¡¯


    And if Seong-Woon was dealing with the origin itself, it would only be more evident.


    "......"


    After quietly calming his breath, Seong-Woon asked in a steady voice.


    "It seems like there are a few clumsy parts now, compared to before?"


    "What parts are you referring to? It would be of great help if you could let me know."


    "Well, if I have to say..."


    Is he curious about what humans can perceive?


    The difference in perception between the origin''s existence and a human''s point of view was vast. Perhaps the flaws Gio had shown just now were due to that difference, or maybe it was also part of his act.


    ¡®It might be similar to how humans send in robots to study the behavior of monsters.¡¯


    Monsters or beasts that are wary of humans sometimes send in robots mimicking their own kind to observe them. Humans know they are robots, but to the monsters, it may feel like an odd member of their species.


    ¡®The situation between Gio and humans probably isn¡¯t much different.¡¯


    Seong-Woon nodded.


    "It¡¯s not that hard."


    As a curator and a gardener, he could easily explain the difference in perception.


    "As I mentioned earlier, I was surprised that you didn''t have a shadow."


    "Of course, it should have been there, but I forgot for a moment."


    "After all, the light is coming down from above our heads."


    Bisa Beul''s gallery was exceptionally clean, with bright lighting.


    It wasn¡¯t just to help visitors appreciate the artwork; it also allowed curators to quickly notice strange phenomena like the one earlier.


    "I had a shadow at my feet, as did the new curator."


    It was only Gio who didn¡¯t have one.


    "Next, the strange part would be the weight."


    "The weight?"


    "When you move, I don¡¯t hear any sound."


    "Isn''t that the case?"


    "If I had to point it out, it¡¯s the sound of dry grass rustling."


    In fact, this had been a chronic issue with Gio¡¯s attempt to mimic a human.


    "I remember you were quite light when we toured Seoul before."


    "I thought I had become heavier."


    "Even so, no normal person would just fly away because of a little strong wind."


    "I don¡¯t remember flying away."


    "Right, your body just floated."


    "Wasn¡¯t the wind unusually strong?"


    "Earthly winds don¡¯t blow people away based on their choice."


    Seong-Woon, standing right next to Gio, was fine, but Gio nearly flew away.


    "Similar to that, even now, the sound is very light."


    "It is light."


    "When I walk, there¡¯s no sound."


    "It¡¯s certainly a part I didn¡¯t pay attention to."


    Thud...


    Gio, barefoot, tapped the floor and tilted his head.


    "This is hard to fix."


    "It¡¯s hard to fix all at once, so don¡¯t rush."


    The less detailed Gio became, the quicker humans would notice the situation.


    "And one more thing..."


    "Is there more?"


    "I¡¯m not sure if this will be interpreted correctly, but..."


    Seong-Woon pointed to a painting hanging on the wall of the corridor where they were standing.


    It was large enough to embrace a standing person, and like most of the displayed works, it seemed to mirror the viewers.


    "You look a little strange."


    On the pristine glass, something that could be called nature reflected.


    "The gallery''s lighting is so bright that we can even see ourselves reflected on the glass."


    "Why does that look strange?"


    "Do you think you appear as a human figure in your reflection?"


    "Yes, I do. I understand that you''re saying I don¡¯t appear that way to you."


    "Now that you point it out, it¡¯s embarrassing, but it¡¯s true."


    The "portrait of Gio" reflected in the glass was not a human form.


    "I see a forest."


    In reality, it couldn¡¯t just be called a forest.


    Rich trees, grass, and flowers that symbolize a forest. Life forms like wolves and rabbits playing in it. And those who are eaten and survive within that ecosystem. It wasn¡¯t just an artistic representation of nature, but a giant figure with will and destiny...


    It was very similar to what he had seen in Gio''s "shadow."


    ¡®I can''t just call this a forest.¡¯


    It was clearly gazing at Seong-Woon and the world. It was the "eye" of something very vast.


    ¡®I can feel the gaze.¡¯


    Despite standing right next to him, Gio wasn¡¯t looking at Seong-Woon through the frame¡¯s glass.


    ¡®Does Gio not realize this?¡¯


    Or is he pretending not to know, in order to keep up the "imitation"?


    From the human perspective, distinguishing truth from falsehood was impossible. So, in reality, it didn¡¯t matter which it was. There was no meaning in distinguishing it.


    Seong-Woon, as if he hadn¡¯t seen the giant form, said calmly.


    "I guess I can feel that there¡¯s a difference in scale."


    "I don¡¯t quite understand what you mean, Yoo Seong-Woon-ssi."


    The blonde portrait smiled gently.


    "In my view, I appear quite human in the glass reflection."


    "...Really?"


    "Do I still appear that way to you, Yoo Seong-Woon-ssi?"


    "......"


    When Seong-Woon checked the glass again, he could see the figure of "Giovanni."


    There was no "forest" anywhere.


    "...Oh."


    So, this is how it is.


    "Yeah, I can see that it {N?o?v?e?l?i?g?h?t} looks like a human to me, for sure."


    "Could it be that the painting stored beyond the glass confused you about my figure?"


    "It could have been. The works here are all very assertive."


    Seong-Woon didn¡¯t bother trying to convince Gio that he wasn¡¯t human.


    ¡®If Gio already knows and is acting this way, it¡¯s probably best not to dig into it further.¡¯


    He had no intention of making the artworks he managed feel resentful.


    ¡®If Gio wants to appear human, it¡¯s better to leave it as is.¡¯


    The origin didn¡¯t wish otherwise.


    Gio himself was trying to act human, and he knew that, so there was no reason not to accommodate him. Gio could be human, but he just wasn¡¯t one.


    "Hmm..."


    Running his chilled neck, Seong-Woon asked.


    "I asked this earlier, but when we toured Seoul before, wasn¡¯t it less strange than this? Have some flaws appeared since then? Was there a change in your mindset?"


    "I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s correct to express it this way, but there has definitely been something like a change in mindset. It was me becoming perfect as Giovanni, and these flaws seem to have come from that."


    Gio smiled and continued.


    "I don¡¯t think I can offer any more help as Giovanni."


    What a unique way of speaking.


    ¡®Speaking like this makes it seem like Gio has no intention of imitating a human.¡¯


    Maybe he hadn¡¯t thought that his way of speaking was strange, or perhaps he was just showing his true feelings because Seong-Woon was someone he felt comfortable with. Either way, it wasn¡¯t a bad situation.


    Seong-Woon asked again.


    "What do you mean by you can¡¯t offer help as Giovanni anymore?"


    "It¡¯s as I said. Giovanni was not a portrait, so I could offer help before, but now I can¡¯t anymore."


    "Because the Giovanni before me has become a complete portrait?"


    Is this the "perfecting Giovanni" part?


    "I see. So when Gio wasn¡¯t a complete portrait, he was able to provide that help."


    He was giving what should be naturally given to a human, to something that could not be considered human¡ªa "portrait."


    ¡®...I had once speculated that this portrait¡¯s identity was tied to countless deaths and lives.¡¯


    The portrait constantly revisiting Gio¡¯s life and death across countless dimensions. Now, with the knowledge that he was the origin, Seong-Woon was sure.


    This "Gio" was the "eye" through which the origin experienced, understood, and ultimately applied humanity.


    ¡®Then it becomes possible to explain how the massive origin assigns systems to match human standards.¡¯


    So, the many "Gios" Seong-Woon still didn¡¯t know...


    "......"


    When the origin, a massive being, behaves as a human in one dimension, it helps them adapt and function smoothly among other humans. Hearing about the use of this "Giovanni" personality, that seemed to be the case.


    ¡®...Though, over time, it seems that it eventually becomes tainted by the portrait''s status.¡¯


    Just like a bowl turning darker when a piece of paper is placed inside, the "Giovanni" that could once be called human eventually gets swept into the origin¡¯s status. Losing its point of reference, Gio would no longer be able to affirm the conditions of being human.


    This was the way the vast origin mimicked tiny humans.


    "...So then..."


    Seong-Woon asked.


    "What will you do now? Will you discard your current status as an A-class Hunter?"


    "No, I still find great appeal in living as a proper resident of this world."


    "But with so many glaring flaws like this, it won¡¯t be easy to live comfortably."


    "Then I guess I¡¯ll have to rely on another ''Gio'' for help."


    The portrait was still smiling.


    "If there are results, I¡¯ll send a letter."


    "Sounds good."


    Seong-Woon suddenly noticed another flaw.


    ¡®...The expression is the same.¡¯


    Just like an unchangeable portrait, Gio was always smiling with the same expression.


    ¡®It feels like he¡¯s been mummified while still alive.¡¯


    Such a romantic situation.


    "Groan."


    "......"


    "Groooan?"


    "...I thought there were no problems."


    "Groooan."


    "There were more flaws than I thought."


    Back in the hut, Gio was squishing a soft honey.


    The plump bird had become plump, mixing easily in Gio¡¯s large hand. Feeling the soft, bouncy texture of the bird, Gio openly confessed his mistake.


    "If Seong-Woon-ssi hadn¡¯t pointed it out, I wouldn¡¯t have known until the very end."


    He thought it was fortunate that the new curator hadn¡¯t noticed his flaws.


    The new curator had probably noticed Gio¡¯s "flaws," but he had kept quiet about it, and Gio thought their previous conversations had been successful.


    "I was too complacent, thinking that even as a fully integrated Gio, I could still function without problems."


    "Groo?"


    "No, this father won¡¯t give up. No matter how scary it gets, my hometown is Earth, after all."


    "Grooo."


    "Sometimes I¡¯ll sleep in the portrait, but I should still feel some of the stimuli from my hometown."


    Proper stimulation to the brain helps prevent dementia.


    "I¡¯ll live a long and healthy life."


    "Grook."


    "Then I¡¯ll have to find another Gio..."


    Just in time, a suitable friend appeared.


    The list of suitable candidates


    Kingdom of Animals_Arzio


    Fairy tale compatibility 0%


    "...Looks like it¡¯s time to bring out ''Kingdom of Animals'' from storage."


    It was time to merge with the second suitable candidate, ''Arzio.''

 Chapter 122

    Argio is not a name.


    ¡ºAr¡»


    Cruel.


    ¡ºGio¡»


    Beast.


    ¡°I¡¯m a monster?¡±


    It meant ¡®cruel beast.¡¯


    ¡°There are evil spirits in quite a few dungeons.¡±


    Inside the dungeon, which had a strong primitive religious color, the Sun Cult priest, Kang Seo-dam, explained.


    ¡°Compared to traditional gods who value peace and mercy, there are a lot of them. Does any brother know why?¡±


    ¡°Unlike traditional gods, evil spirits can be easily created artificially.¡±


    ¡°That was a good answer, Sister Iruda.¡±


    Thump.


    Kang Seo-dam said, placing his wand on the mossy marble floor.


    ¡°It¡¯s not hard to make a white garment that has been stained with black paint even blacker. You can smear it with charcoal, crush it with dirty shoes, or put it in a mud pit. However, from the moment a white garment is stained with black paint, it can no longer be called ¡®white clothing.¡¯¡±


    The monsters¡¯ corpses were burning around Kang Seo-dam and the priests-to-be.


    ¡°It¡¯s much easier to make clothes black than to keep them white. It¡¯s much easier to become corrupted than to maintain a noble mystery. There are more ways to become dirty than ways to become pure.¡±


    As the monsters¡¯ corpses completely turned to ash, Kang Seo-dam looked around.


    ¡°This place certainly seems safe. I¡¯ll take a short break and continue the story. All priests-to-be, please take your seats.¡±


    ¡°Yes, priest.¡±


    The young priests, all around ten years old, gathered together and sat down near the old altar. There was blood and bones here and there, as if it was a place for offering sacrifices, but there were no children who would be scared by such things.


    Kang Seo-dam continued speaking while standing after confirming that all the priests were seated.


    ¡°Similarly, there are many ways for evil spirits to be created compared to traditional gods. Just like the dungeon we just visited. This was a place where living sacrifices were offered to evil spirits.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t that happen on Earth?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the Sun Church understands that it is a history from another dimension. The name of this religion is Sankalut, and they torture newborns and the elderly in creative ways and tie them to altars until they die.¡±


    It was a horrifying story for children to hear, but no children were afraid, even if some were tired of it. It was evidence that the current Earthlings are living lives very close to death and suffering.


    Kang Seo-dam also continued his explanation gently.


    ¡°The interesting thing is that the evil spirits worshipped by the Sankalut Church were created beings.¡±


    He looked over the prospective priests.


    ¡°Is there a brother who can explain how gods come into being?¡±


    ¡°There is the one and only god who has existed since the beginning of a dimension, and there are traditional gods who were not the one and only gods but were born from nature and fate after the existence of the dimension.¡±


    ¡°What about other gods?¡±


    ¡°You can escape your mortal fate and gain divinity and become a being called a god. I heard that you can either become a descendant of an existing god or walk the path of an evil god.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good answer, Sister Iruda.¡±


    Kang Seodam nodded.


    ¡°We call gods who maintain the providence of the dimension and pursue coexistence ¡®traditional gods.¡¯ The one and only god who has existed since the beginning is one of them. All gods who are not mortal but born from nature and fate can be called ¡®traditional gods.¡¯¡±


    He said this while looking at the girl with her hair tied low.


    ¡°Also, as Sister Iruda said, there are cases where people escaped their mortal fate and gained divinity. More than 99% of those who twisted their fate and gained divinity in this way become evil gods.¡±


    ¡°Why do beings who gained divinity from mortals become evil gods?¡±


    ¡°First, beings who gained divinity by violating the law of nature are likely to have wild and rebellious wills. Considering that most traditional gods value obedience and harmony, you can see why they become evil gods.¡±


    There was another reason.


    ¡°Second, mortals cannot understand immortals. Unlike traditional gods who are born immortal because they do not change and are eternal, those who are born mortal change and think, so they are prone to falling into negative emotions.¡±


    That is why there were more evil gods than good gods in this vast dimension.


    ¡°Third, as Sister Iruda said, evil gods can be created artificially. What kind of process is this artificial process?¡±


    ¡°It refers to the gathering of faiths of creatures that can think in one place.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. There are beings that are not worshipped as gods because they originally existed that way, but rather, they are beings that have acquired divinity or were born because they were worshipped as gods. This Sankalut religion is one such case.¡±


    Kang Seodam pointed to the old but splendidly decorated marble cavity.


    ¡°If you look at the mural, you can read that the Sankalut religion worshipped a red jewel that could not even think as a god, and also praised the redness of the jewel, and sacrificed the blood of newborns and the elderly to maintain it.¡±


    ¡°Did that jewel really become an evil god?¡±


    ¡°Because it was a religion at the national level and its faith was also dark, the jewel really became an evil god. This dungeon was discovered early in the Great Calamity and was conquered, and now it remains as a resource for learning about the origins of the existence of gods and their influence.¡±


    The girl from Lowtail asked again.


    ¡°If the conquest is complete, where is the evil spirit in the form of a jewel?¡±


    ¡°We have identified the danger level and it is currently stored in the Hunter Association Research Institute in Korea.¡±


    The prospective priests murmured at Kang Seo-dam¡¯s words.


    ¡°Association Research Institute...?¡±


    ¡°There was a place like that.¡±


    ¡°I thought it was in the Collector¡¯s Gallery.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the research institute a warehouse?¡±


    Kang Seo-dam explained the prospective priests¡¯ reactions as if he was used to it.


    ¡°The Collector¡¯s Gallery can be visited by outsiders if the conditions are met, and they can even purchase it, but the Association¡¯s Research Institute is not like that. Only the Association¡¯s employees manage the items, and sales are prohibited, and even information leaks to the outside are strictly prohibited.¡±


    Kang Seo-dam said as if he understood.


    ¡°The Collector¡¯s Gallery will be familiar to you prospective priests.¡±


    ¡°Yes, they hold parades in the spring... It¡¯s great.¡±


    ¡°If you become official priests and belong to a certain religion, you will become more familiar with the Association Research Institute.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡±


    ¡°Because dangerous and sensitive items related to the gods require strict management and storage.¡±


    It was difficult to expect such strictness from a collection store in the ¡®Gallery¡¯ whose identity was ¡®Love the works¡¯. The guild leader himself was talking about it.


    ¡°Any other questions related to the storage of evil spirits?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Yes, there are none. Good.¡±


    Kang Seo-dam moved his body and stepped back so that he could see the marble altar better.


    ¡°This is where the divinity of the Sankalut religion was created. Did you feel anything?¡±


    ¡°I felt that I should not carelessly embrace faith.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your proactive attitude, Sister Iruda.¡±


    Kang Seo-dam nodded as if he had done well.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what god you will worship in the future, or what religion you will join. However, you must never forget that even gods are ultimately swayed by faith.¡±


    The prospective priest Iruda raised his hand once again.


    ¡°I have a question, priest.¡±


    ¡°Please speak.¡±


    ¡°Are there any cases where humans, not jewels, were worshipped as evil gods?¡±


    ¡°It is not uncommon to find cases.¡±


    Kang Seodam rolled his eyes as if recalling something.


    ¡°As I said earlier, evil gods exist in quite a few dungeons. Unlike traditional gods, evil gods are classified as a type of monster. They are easy to create, but they are also easy to seal and destroy.¡±


    They were different from traditional gods, who were difficult to destroy because they were nature and destiny itself.


    ¡°Most of those who became evil spirits with human bodies have physical forms. Since beings born immortal and beings born mortal have different roots, and because they can think as humans, they face various limitations.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why those who became evil spirits with human bodies are all subjugated or sealed and are kept on Earth. Most of them have vague thoughts, feelings, and desire to eat, drink, and covet something. This also becomes a limitation that holds them back.¡±


    Those who are bound could not become true gods.


    ¡°We call them gods because they can embrace anything. If they don¡¯t have the capacity to embrace at least one dimension, they are nothing more than monsters that have been subjugated at some point. So in reality, the distinction between evil spirits and monsters is vague.¡±


    ¡°...Then what if you can become a god with a mortal body and embrace everything?¡±


    ¡°There are only two cases discovered so far, but they are of course real. Both of them gave up their rationality as living beings and wished to become a single system that ? N§àv§ÖIight ? (Read more on our source) coordinates nature and fate.¡±


    ¡°Then there is no god with will and self?¡±


    ¡°There is. Because there are gods with will and self, even now, gods who enjoy play are often found on Earth. However, remember that they are just ¡®will¡¯ and ¡®self¡¯ in human terms.¡±


    God was nature and fate.


    ¡°What we see as will may have been just a single breath to God, and the affectionate personality we thought of as self may have been just a single hair to God.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°That is a very dangerous statement. There is something we must keep in mind as people who have entered the embrace of God. We must not understand God, we must not calculate, and we must not expect anything.¡±


    That was God.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to measure them.¡±


    It was not even possible to analyze them.


    ¡°If that is possible, then it means that you have already become something other than human.¡±


    ¡°...Was I rude?¡±


    ¡°You are a prospective priest, so there is no problem. Just keep in mind that just looking and following your gaze to understand can result in a disaster like divine punishment.¡±


    ¡°Just looking to understand can result in divine punishment?¡±


    ¡°Not divine punishment, but a disaster like that. It¡¯s just that. Even though God didn¡¯t have feelings of wanting to punish you, it will eventually happen.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your advice.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you accepted it.¡±


    Kang Seo-dam continued.


    ¡°There¡¯s a saying that you shouldn¡¯t look into the eyes of God.¡±


    ¡°If you do, you¡¯ll go crazy, so don¡¯t do that...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a problem beyond the realm of human perception.¡±


    There are photos that capture the entire landscape of the Earth without any omission. It¡¯s impossible to capture all of it at once, which easily exceeds hundreds and thousands, but if you try to do it, your eyeballs will burst and your brain will rot.


    That¡¯s what it means to see God.


    ¡°Are there any other questions?¡±


    A curly-haired boy, Chae Sol, raised his hand at Kang Seo-dam¡¯s words.


    ¡°Is an evil spirit with pure evil treated as a monster?¡±


    ¡°... Pure evil...¡±


    He spoke at length.


    ¡°In our Solar Church, we do not treat pure beings as monsters.¡±


    However, this was interpreted differently by each religion. This was an era where the distinction between gods and monsters was still vague.


    ¡°Some religions say that the results of evil cannot be pure.¡±


    ¡°Ah....¡±


    ¡°The standards of justice and nobility are similar for everyone, but the standards of evil are different for each person.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°I wonder if there can be such a thing as pure evil in the first place.¡±


    It was a difference in perspective.


    ¡°That is why there are so many evil gods.¡±


    It may be an obvious ¡®evil¡¯ to the vast majority, but it may be ¡®good¡¯ to a small minority.


    Who can set absolute standards for good and evil?

 Chapter 123

    ¡°I don¡¯t worry about good and evil.¡±


    The man wearing the beast¡¯s bones said.


    ¡°I¡¯m not the type of person to worry about such boring things. I¡¯m aware that I¡¯m capricious and self-willed. I always do things that I can enjoy.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°If a thinking person doesn¡¯t have greed, isn¡¯t he a corpse? I¡¯m true to my instincts. I become greedy for what I want, I get angry at those who make me angry, and I don¡¯t do anything that doesn¡¯t protect my beliefs.¡±


    The clothes he wore were primitive, made of bones and feathers, but they looked old-fashioned because they were covered in colorful fabrics that high-ranking people would use. The man wearing the mask made of a sheep¡¯s skull laughed.


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s an interesting life.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes, you can understand me.¡±


    ¡°Life should be fun.¡±


    Gio, wrapped in a black cloak, nodded.


    ¡°Have you ever killed anyone?¡±


    ¡°I must have killed quite a few, there were many who were angry with me.¡±


    ¡°Why were they angry with you, Argio?¡±


    Gio¡¯s second suitable, ¡®Argio¡¯, answered.


    ¡°They say I am the root of all evil in the world.¡±


    Golden eyes curved darkly beyond the bone mask.


    ¡°I am a monster, huh?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Gio muttered inside the palace made of bones and blood.


    ¡°That is a very abstract metaphor.¡±


    ¡°I think so too, my friend.¡±


    As ¡®Argio¡¯ laughed, a tiger growled and roared.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this really difficult? If you are angry, you should tell me exactly what you are angry about. What I did to them, and what part of me you are angry about.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡±


    ¡°That way, I can get angry too. I can confront with all my might, exchange emotions, and create a better situation. Isn¡¯t that the most powerful force anger has?¡±


    Argio pretended to look tired on his throne, which was adorned with all kinds of silk, feathers, and leather. He said as if he was troubled.


    ¡°But most people can¡¯t do that. They¡¯re just stupid people who can¡¯t control their anger and get eaten up in return. If they¡¯re swayed by emotions that are part of me, how can they be considered human?¡±


    He smiled again.


    ¡°Honey, so many of them were all beasts.¡±


    ¡°Oh....¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a new idea, but I respect it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good to be respected.¡±


    Argio rested his chin on his hand with a bright smile. Long, sharp nails like those of a feline or a bird of prey like an eagle caught my eye.


    Geo bravely couldn¡¯t hold back his curiosity.


    ¡°Do you grow your nails?¡±


    ¡°...Ahahahahahahaha!!¡±


    Argio, who burst out laughing, answered in a voice full of laughter.


    ¡°Oh no, well. If you grow them, then you grow them, but it wasn¡¯t really for beauty purposes.¡±


    ¡°I thought it was intentional because it goes well with the current fashion.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t grow your nails after wearing this outfit, but you dressed up because your body is like this.¡±


    ¡°I have no fashion sense, so I only wear black, and I¡¯m really jealous.¡±


    ¡°...Oh my, don¡¯t you know how to dress up? Are Earthlings like that?¡±


    ¡°Seeing that people who dress up know how to dress up, I think it¡¯s my personal problem.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡®Argio¡¯, whose smile had disappeared, gave a look that seemed to be looking at a person with pity.


    ¡°...I believe that your plain personality will improve a little if you join me.¡±


    ¡°Do you not like my current outfit that much?¡±


    ¡°No matter what kind of beast I bring in, it will have a more colorful taste than you.¡±


    ¡°I said that if you wear achromatic colors, you will get a flattering hit.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like there is a cultural reason, and it¡¯s not like you are performing a ritual, so why is it all black?¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t help it because I like black.¡±


    ¡°The black color that was used will cry, it¡¯s a shame.¡±


    ¡®Argio¡¯ clicked his tongue and returned to the topic he had just discussed.


    ¡°My fingernails are one of the abilities I have had since I was born. If you join me, you will eventually have to use them, so it would be best if you listen carefully to my explanation.¡±


    ¡°I will concentrate.¡±


    ¡°Good posture. To put it simply, the power I possess is the power to imitate beasts. Like now, I can imitate the claws of a predator, the large wings of a bird flying in the sky, or the quick wits of a prey to avoid danger.¡±


    ¡°How can I be so greedy?¡±


    ¡°I truly cherish this power, but strangely enough, my family was very afraid of this power. They called me a curse and drove me into a forest full of dangerous beasts.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Geo shut his mouth tightly. ¡®Argio¡¯ asked.


    ¡°You look dissatisfied?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why all ¡®Geo¡¯s¡¯ bring up heavy personal issues when we first meet.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s also a unique idea. Wasn¡¯t that the kind of position that was created in the first place?¡±


    ¡®Argio¡¯ laughed as if it was funny.


    ¡°Or are you hoping to become one with me without any explanation?¡±


    ¡°If you say so, I think it would be better to listen to the explanation.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Judging from what you¡¯re doing, I won¡¯t act stupidly and meet a foolish death.¡±


    ¡®Argio¡¯ nodded and introduced himself.


    ¡°So what I¡¯m saying is, I¡¯m a curse with no name. I¡¯m a descendant of a royal family that once ruled a great nation, a natural being who grew up with intelligent and dangerous beasts as family, and eventually died after being hit by a human¡¯s hammer, ¡®Gio.¡¯¡±


    He added.


    ¡°In the end, ¡®Argio¡¯ is not my name, but a name.¡±


    ¡°Does the word ¡®Argio¡¯ have any meaning?¡±


    ¡°In the ancient, primitive language, it means ¡®ar, cruel.¡¯ ¡®Gio,¡¯ beast.¡¯ In a word, a cruel beast.¡±


    ¡°Beast....¡±


    Geo looked at his opponent seriously.


    ¡°You certainly look strong.¡±


    ¡°I guess it was more of a contempt than pure admiration.¡±


    ¡°You look like you have a lot of muscle. If you join me, can I use that strength?¡±


    ¡°If you prefer this kind of body, why didn¡¯t you exercise earlier?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to sweat outside of farming.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Then ¡®Argio¡¯ nodded.


    ¡°If you assimilate, can I take care of your body?¡±


    ¡°Are we assimilating into another self?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not the case. I¡¯m worried that I shouldn¡¯t be assimilated into that lazy spirit.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m that lazy, I just don¡¯t exercise.¡±


    ¡°Then what are you diligent about? Farming? Well, I don¡¯t really like that kind of thing....¡±


    Even though he was covered by a mask with only eye holes, I could feel ¡®Argio¡¯s¡¯ brow furrowing.


    ¡°Do you enjoy fighting?¡±


    ¡°There are so many things to enjoy in the world, why did you choose that?¡±


    ¡°I guessed it when I was called here, but I really don¡¯t feel well.¡±


    ¡°Why do you have to go through conflicts?¡±


    ¡°At least you should know how to be justly angry at the conflicts that come your way.¡±


    ¡°I get angry too.¡±


    ¡°Have you ever harvested the tongue and teeth of someone who talks nonsense?¡±


    ¡°On Earth, you¡¯d be arrested for that.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, laws and rules are definitely important.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s another unexpected answer.¡±


    Geo was impressed.


    ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t bound by laws and morals because you¡¯re so aggressive.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be bound by morals that much.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t deny the necessity of good and rules.¡±


    ¡®Argio¡¯ continued in a cool tone.


    ¡°I¡¯m quite fickle. One day I want to get drunk in a town full of smiles, and another day I want to head to hell with a clear mind and screaming.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Have you ever wanted to act like a ruthless beast? Have you ever wanted to throw off all your cumbersome clothes? Have you ever wanted to fight until your whole body crumbles, screaming and cheering, smelling the sweet smell of blood?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°I understand your way of life. In the end, what I wanted to say was that in order for such a fickle person like me to enjoy everything, good and evil must coexist in the world, and peace and chaos must coexist.¡±


    In order to do that.


    ¡°In the end, we need those who believe in goodness and those who follow the rules.¡±


    That way, I can enjoy what I want that day and at that time.


    ¡°It¡¯s inevitable that I, who am like that, am called an evil spirit.¡±


    ¡°Have I come here to become one with an evil spirit?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s quite surprising.¡±


    ¡°May I go out?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t go out unless I give you permission, my kind source.¡±


    ¡°This is unreasonable. I think I should have a choice.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really pitiful, but your authority only extends to entering this place.¡±


    ¡®Argio¡¯ continued, laughing happily.


    ¡°So, why don¡¯t you listen to my story for now?¡±


    It¡¯ll be quite interesting.


    There was a great family that ruled over humans.


    This family had a curse that had been passed down from generation to generation, which was that if one of their children turned ten, they would turn into an evil beast.


    ¡°That¡¯s why my family encouraged having as many children as possible. If they had only one child and that child turned into an evil beast, they would have to kill him, so they had other countermeasures.¡±


    The child, who had revealed his horrific true self at the age of ten, was abandoned in the dirtiest and most horrific hell that humans could reach. It was a huge rainforest called the ¡®Black Forest.¡¯


    ¡°I was praised for my beautiful appearance and excellent drawing skills, but when I turned ten, a horn grew on my forehead. That was the cause. It was famous for the story that a monster lived in the ¡®Black Forest,¡¯ but I never thought that the monster there would come from my family... I was abandoned without knowing anything.¡±


    The place where he was abandoned was, as rumored, a dangerous place.


    ¡°In the darkness where the sun never rises, a dangerous beasts and insects were eagerly waiting for their chance to eat. They contained poison so strong that they could not easily drink or eat anything, and from time to time, ear-piercing screams like the spirits were screaming could be heard.¡±


    But he did not die.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t I also ? N§àv§Öl?g?§ä ? (Continue reading) a beast? Since I knew I was not human, I acted instinctively and greedily like my beast, and fought for prey on equal footing with my forest family. I was able to create a new family without difficulty.¡±


    And then he learned something surprising.


    ¡°Deep in that forest, there were traces of an old dynasty. I learned that the power I had was not a curse but a blessing, and that the monsters that had been abandoned here were actually saints who would prevent the dangerous disasters of the Black Forest.¡±


    There was too much evidence left to believe that it was a self-directed play by ancestors who had gone mad in the dark forest.


    ¡°However, as too much time passed, people forgot about it. Forgetting that the reason we sacrificed the child was to prevent disaster, we considered our heterogeneous powers a curse, and that the ominousness of the Black Forest was not caused by the disaster, but by our own creation.¡±


    Of course, it didn¡¯t matter.


    ¡°What difference would it make if we knew?¡±


    Although he was not angry at his family for abandoning him, ¡®Argio¡¯ gained a new family. He painted on the walls of the great old dynasty, and spent his time beastly getting what he wanted, sometimes sharing.


    ¡°In the process, he sometimes ran out of the forest, but...¡±


    Well?


    ¡°I swear by the soul of a warrior that I have never harmed an innocent person. Of course, I wouldn¡¯t say I have harmed anyone. How could I leave those who attack me alone?¡±


    The problem was what happened next.


    ¡°Rumors began to spread that I was the cause of some epidemic.¡±


    The humans were furious.


    ¡°I had no time to notice, but I had to see my house burning down. Yes, they didn¡¯t have the confidence to fight me directly, so they decided to burn down the entire forest. I suffered severe burns in the process, survived a little longer, and eventually died in the arms of my family...¡±


    Although Argio was not unimpressed by that reckless display of anger.


    ¡°Listen, do you remember? The Black Forest originally existed to prevent a disaster that would destroy the world. The evil beasts that appeared every generation were the forest keepers who helped with that... and also the last barrier.¡±


    Now, the forest was gone, burned down, and there was no forest keepers to block it.


    ¡°In the end, the disaster that had been hidden since long ago revealed itself. The beasts acquired human-like intelligence, began to speak, and developed more detailed and intense emotions.¡±


    Among them, Argio¡¯s family even took revenge on humans.


    ¡°What would the world have become?¡±


    For countless years, humans have raised and slaughtered animals for food. But not only did they disappear, they began to speak to humans, curse them, and engage in terrible ¡®interactions¡¯ with them.


    There was no way the human world could continue.


    ¡°In the process, I became an evil spirit. To be exact, all the evil beasts that had been abandoned in the Black Forest were a collection of saints who had not been recognized for their worth and had met terrible deaths.¡±


    It was truly a pity.


    ¡°Almost all humans did not even know that ¡®Argio¡¯ was a crowd. However, people began to gossip about the source of all evil and created the existence of a nation.¡±


    An evil spirit that had caused disasters and led massacres in the Black Forest.


    ¡°A cruel beast.¡±


    It was ¡®Argio.¡¯

 Chapter 124

    "......"


    "...Hmm..."


    Gio nodded.


    "Can I leave now that it''s over?"


    "Why not listen a bit more?"


    "It''s heavy enough already. I¡¯m suffocating."


    "Goodness, what a drama."


    "My limits on violence only extend to fights over friendship and love."


    "The main topic isn''t over, so wait."


    "I¡¯m good at waiting."


    "Quite the diligent listener."


    Delighted by the attentive listener, Arzio continued explaining things related to himself.


    "This is how the evil god ¡®Arzio¡¯ was born, and the world started to quickly approach its demise. So many countless souls of saints gained divinity... and can you imagine how docile that would be?"


    Humans said that the evil god used wicked monsters to torment them, and in reality, that was exactly what happened.


    "If I had to make an analogy for you to understand, would you call him something like the Demon King?"


    "I¡¯ll understand him as the Demon King from the fairy tales where kidnapped princesses and brave warriors appear."


    "Not much different, I suppose. I simplified it that way."


    A peaceful world, with a single ominous area existing. There, the Demon King began scheming, spreading plague and using monsters to torment humans.


    It was something that lasted for a long time, enough to be recorded in history books. Humans began living ? N§àv§ÖIight ? (Read more on our source) in fear of the Demon King¡¯s tyranny, and the world came under the rule of horrific monsters.


    "Since the Demon King¡¯s tyranny reached its peak, what should appear next?"


    "A hero?"


    "As time passed after the evil god appeared, those who would seal this wicked beast began to emerge."


    "Quite the typical response..."


    "They eventually succeeded in sealing ¡®Arzio¡¯."


    During that process, the heroes learned the truth of the Black Forest, but well...


    "That¡¯s not really an important part."


    In the end, they hid the story of the evil god''s birth.


    "Perhaps they couldn¡¯t accept the foolish mistakes made by my ancestors, whom they believed to be virtuous. The being they thought was the world¡¯s evil was actually created by humans, so imagine how shocking that must have been?"


    "Do you resent them?"


    "No, they were never the madmen who burned my house and family. They are not who I should be angry with. More than anything, living under the weight of countless vengeful spirits, carrying anger I didn¡¯t even want to feel, isn¡¯t something I would welcome either..."


    Arzio spoke calmly.


    "I am thankful."


    Anger should be fully one¡¯s own.


    "Do you know how terrible it is to express anger that isn¡¯t even mine? Do you know how foolish it feels to throw out pointless rage? I understand why the evil god is called the evil god¡ªhaving to enjoy massacres I never asked for."


    It was absurd.


    "I know I haven¡¯t lived in a way to earn divine mercy and grace, but isn¡¯t this a bit much? To massacre innocent people with no will or guilt isn¡¯t my joy. What¡¯s the point in killing a terrified child who knows nothing?"


    "Unexpectedly normal words..."


    "Anger must be proportional if it is to have value and pleasure. But I alone could not stop it; the saints¡¯ pain and despair were far too great. The anger of those who had to die horribly in the dark without knowing why was overwhelming."


    But to him, anger was not something cheap.


    "I affirm myself. I affirm everything about me, so life is joyful and without regret. So, the anger I feel should be proportional to that... and I¡¯m thankful for it."


    In that sense, he was grateful.


    "They were called heroes, but they were nothing more than sacrifices. They were dragged into a battlefield they had no responsibility for, just because they were strong and talented, and had to endure great pain and sorrow while sealing the Demon King."


    "..."


    "They didn¡¯t want to fight. They were just humans, not warriors¡ªsomeone¡¯s family, someone¡¯s friend. And to get their happy daily lives back, to fix mistakes they didn¡¯t even make, they had to suffer so much."


    How illogical it all was.


    "But in the end, the world perished. Isn¡¯t that inevitable? After all, this evil god was created by humans, and would sealing him remove the anger of the remaining beasts?"


    "Then how did Arzio¡¯s world perish?"


    "It perished in a miserable and vulgar fight, so much so that the distinction between humans and beasts no longer mattered. It was a very childish fight. Those who remained have long since transformed into monsters..."


    Cluck, Arzio clicked his tongue.


    "Humans blamed me for everything and did countless wicked deeds. Even if their lover cheated, they blamed the evil god for tempting them, and if I killed someone, they said the evil god led me down that wicked path. Every fight with neighbors and every war with neighboring villages was blamed on this cruel beast?"


    In the end, their evasion of responsibility created the evil god and made him even stronger.


    "They didn¡¯t even realize that such laziness would only encourage the evil god¡¯s ferocity. Thanks to that, ¡®Arzio¡¯s¡¯ story was recorded in history in a much more horrific form, and with that record and memory, ¡®Arzio¡¯ became a very cruel monster."


    "You got what you deserved."


    "That¡¯s why I say stop blaming me. They¡¯re the ones who inflated our bodies and made us grow, and even made us uncomfortable. If I had been ashamed of the beasts I gave birth to and revealed the secrets of the saints, maybe it would have been okay."


    Thus Arzio asked.


    "Hey, Gio. My friend who looks just like me."


    "I¡¯m listening."


    "I just want to express my own anger."


    That was what Arzio wanted.


    "Anyone who wants to fight me can fight me. Anyone who has wronged me can pay with blood. I am an honorable warrior with my family, and a greedy one who feels fulfilled when I accomplish everything I want."


    That was his wish.


    "I¡¯ll give myself to you, so take care of the descendants of my family."


    "These ''Gios'' keep talking about their families."


    "Didn¡¯t the Gio in front of me want to take care of his father? I¡¯m similar."


    "How should I take care of them?"


    "Go to ¡®The Kingdom of Animals¡¯ you painted and show mercy to those poor beasts."


    "I¡¯m not really in a position to show mercy."


    "No, you are more than qualified."


    And.


    "Above all... please stop this crazy evil god¡¯s anger."


    "Pardon? Me?"


    "I believe you can handle it."


    "Heavens."


    "Is that what you call the origin? Very trustworthy."


    "There¡¯s a misunderstanding, I don¡¯t know how to deal with dangerous beings like the evil god."


    "I¡¯ll let this clever joke pass."


    "You only listen to what you want to hear. You really are a ¡®Gio¡¯ for sure."


    "This narrow hearing of mine is one of the skills that helped me survive in the Black Forest."


    Arzio laughed as though it was all trivial.


    "Don¡¯t worry, your vessel is bigger than mine, so you won¡¯t be unable to handle it. I¡¯m the last personality to die and came to this spot, but if you want to become one with me, you¡¯ll eventually become one with all those countless madmen."


    "Should I not be stupid then? I¡¯m not confident."


    "I already think you¡¯re plenty antisocial."


    "Where would a model student like me get such remarks from?"


    "There¡¯s a saying on Earth, ''Delusion is a form of insanity.''"


    "......"


    The possessed portrait became subdued.


    "Arzio¡¯s words are right."


    "I''m very glad I won."


    "......"


    Kingdom of Animals_Arzio


    "I''m... not feeling great."


    Arzio¡¯s Quest


    "Such a quiet world."


    "Cluck?"


    "Yeah, it¡¯s awful."


    Control of the Evil God (0/1)


    Fresh rain in the dry forest (0/2)


    "It feels like I just drank some horrible alcohol..."


    Fairy tale compatibility 1%


    "That¡¯s right."


    "Cluck."


    "This might be fun."


    "Cluck?"


    "I have a cute son, after all."


    Lying on the bed, Gio suddenly grabbed the small bird.


    "Peace isn¡¯t as bad as I thought."


    Now, there were no more fools screaming in anger in his ears.


    Control of the Evil God (1/1)


    Fairy tale compatibility 21.1%


    "......"


    "......"


    "Any places to fight?"


    "Cluck cluck cluck cluck cluck!!!"


    "Ouch..."


    Gio got scolded by his son for not being aware.


    While Gio was still wrapping up his mindset as Arzio.


    "What are you doing?"


    "Drawing."


    "You can draw?"


    "Wanna see?"


    "Yeah."


    The youngest of the Chara family, Chai Sol, was chatting with her partner.


    "Tada."


    "...Well, you said you draw, but I don¡¯t think you ever said you were good at it."


    "Don¡¯t you think I drew this well for what it is?"


    "So what¡¯s supposed to be running, I don¡¯t get it."


    "Look, this is a cloak..."


    "Ah."


    Chai Sol¡¯s partner, Iru Da, nodded.


    "Did you draw the Black Cloak?"


    "Yeah, looks pretty close, right?"


    "It does look like it¡¯s black."


    "Ruda, at least say it looks good, even if it¡¯s a lie."


    "It¡¯s well done."


    "You¡¯re the first friend who can¡¯t even say a white lie."


    Chai Sol laughed heartily.


    "Now, look again."


    "I don¡¯t think I need to."


    "This is the arm. This is the leg, and this is the torso..."


    "Ah, yeah. I see."


    "This is the eye."


    "......"


    Iru Da tilted his head.


    "...An eye?"


    "Yeah, an eye."


    "...The eyeball of a person?"


    "Couldn¡¯t I draw it that way?"


    "It¡¯s not that... the eyes are just too big."


    "......"


    It was beyond the human face, drawn so far that it reached behind it.


    "I thought it was supposed to be a halo."


    "Huh? Does it look like that?"


    "When you think of an eye, it¡¯s supposed to be attached to a face, like ours."


    "There are people like that, too."


    "People who are... not like that?"


    Iru Da looked again at the black-stained drawing.


    "...It¡¯s a person, right?"


    "The Black Cloak is a person, too."


    "Probably not."


    Both the rumored Black Cloak and the one in this drawing.


    "...Hmm."


    Until just now, he had thought it was just a poorly drawn picture.


    But seeing the many eyes, large and tangled together, it suddenly felt creepy.


    "Chai Sol, you... said you don¡¯t serve any gods right now?"


    "Yeah, I don¡¯t. I¡¯m not sure what I should be doing, so I don¡¯t have confidence."


    "Really?"


    For someone saying that.


    "I see."


    From the awful picture, Gio could feel a ''gaze.''


    It was an ominous gaze, colder than the one she was receiving.

 Chapter 125

    Iruda was already a priest chosen by God.


    She had received God¡¯s grace since birth. Many gods coveted Iruda¡¯s vessel, and she chose the gentlest and most articulate one to make a contract with. In other words, she was a career-oriented person.


    Among the prospective priests of this batch, there was probably no one who knew the presence of God as well as Iruda.


    ¡°.......¡±


    To Iruda, Chae Sol¡¯s drawing seemed somewhat eerie.


    ¡®Could it be the evil god¡¯s... .¡¯


    She thought to herself.


    ¡®I¡¯ve never heard of a black cloak having divinity.¡¯


    Wasn¡¯t it just a regular monster?


    Iruda had also heard rumors about the black cloak. It was a humanoid monster wearing a black cloak from head to toe, and it was said to draw a dungeon that could be called a ¡®work of art¡¯ and drag bad guys into it.


    ¡®I wondered why the damage wasn¡¯t that great for a monster.¡¯


    The citizens were talking about ¡®Are we seeing a new native monster?¡¯ but if you think about it a little, you can see that it¡¯s a ridiculous idea. The current native monsters on Earth have been going through a process of appeasement for 32 years.


    In comparison, Black Cloak has only been on Earth for a short time and has caused few casualties. It was an action that a monster that can¡¯t stand hatred toward humans would not show.


    Iruda¡¯s parents had said that it was possible that it wasn¡¯t a monster.


    ¡®They said that it¡¯s a method often used by the association to prevent confusion. Since ? N§àv§ÖIight ? (Original source) the citizens still lack awareness of monsters, they are easily fooled even if you make it up. That¡¯s why there are still quite a few truths hidden.¡¯


    Then, it was necessary to guess that Black Cloak was really an evil spirit.


    Compared to monsters who are busy expressing their hatred without being able to control it, evil spirits know how to act cleverly even if they have negative thoughts inside them. It means that they have the ability to be called ¡®gods¡¯.


    ¡°...Chaisol.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Do you like black cloaks?¡±


    ¡°Oh, they¡¯re kind.¡±


    ¡°You sound like you¡¯ve met them before.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve met them!¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Chaisol¡¯s sunny friendliness caused another accident.


    ¡®I never thought it would apply to beings treated as monsters.¡¯


    After a beat, he asked.


    ¡°...When, how, in what way?¡±


    ¡°Did I do something wrong?¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll know when I hear it.¡±


    ¡°I just see them sometimes.¡±


    ¡°If I see them sometimes, doesn¡¯t that mean we meet quite often?¡±


    ¡°They stopped by my house once.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s... really an amazing story.¡±


    Iru nodded.


    ¡°You¡¯d better never tell anyone else.¡±


    ¡°I told you because you¡¯re Ruda.¡±


    ¡°You keep acting like that, so I¡¯m going to live next to you.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re partners!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it like that, but, well, it¡¯s similar.¡±


    You¡¯re like the light and salt of my tough life.


    ¡®Live like that for the rest of your life.¡¯


    This dirty and deadly world needed shiny fools like Chae Sol.


    ¡°You¡¯re sensitive to the aura of the gods, so you know, but Black Cloak seems more dangerous than you think.¡±


    ¡°But he was so kind... He¡¯s such a sweet brother.¡±


    ¡°I meant that he might have made you think that way. I wish Black Cloak was a good person like you think, but, well, the world doesn¡¯t run on such wishes alone.¡±


    ¡°I think Ruda makes it too difficult to say.¡±


    ¡°I wish you would tell me that I am mature. Anyway, I think that meeting or interacting with such a being without any sense of caution is an overly careless act.¡±


    Iru looked at Chaisol¡¯s picture.


    ¡°How about refraining from meeting him as much as possible?¡±


    She knew Chaisol¡¯s talent. Like Iru, he was suitable to contain a god, and he was also born with an energy that many gods would seek.


    Whether it was a traditional god or an evil god, they coveted the qualities of a foolish hero like Chaisol.


    ¡°You never know.¡±


    Such people were especially often swayed by evil gods.


    ¡°Is there any evidence that the Black Cloak is a good being?¡±


    ¡°There is no such thing.¡±


    ¡°That is why I am telling you to refrain.¡±


    If you made a contract with an evil mystery in a moment of carelessness, that person¡¯s life became more terrible than hell from then on. That was something that could be decided in an instant with just a breath or a glance from a god.


    ¡°There is nothing wrong with being careful.¡±


    ¡°That is true.¡±


    Fortunately, Chae Sol was not possessed, so he obediently agreed with Iru Da¡¯s words.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be careful too.¡±


    ¡°...Okay, if you see me again, tell me.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but is the black cloak an evil spirit?¡±


    ¡°It seems... not impossible.¡±


    ¡°It was really warm, so it could be.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Is it warm?


    ¡®I would understand if you said it was hot.¡¯


    It didn¡¯t feel like such a gentle being. If it was a mystery that could feel its essence from just this poor drawing, then it must mean that it was of considerable level.


    ¡®Those beings don¡¯t care about humans.¡¯


    To be exact, it was closer to not caring. It was quite difficult for the great mysteries to grasp their imagery according to the narrow vessel of humans. That became even more difficult as the level increased.


    Of course, Chae Sol could endure no matter how great the god was, since his vessel was large, but he wasn¡¯t worried. Chae Sol was a fool of this era who had been recognized as a fool.


    ¡°...No matter what you felt, humans should not completely trust God. That is not a matter of trust. Trust is based on the minimum mutual understanding. God cannot understand humans, and humans cannot understand God.¡±


    That is why it is not possible. If God and humans could understand each other, how could the two be distinguished in this world?


    Above all, humans were happy beings when they did not know many things and could not do many things. Incompetence that fit the subject enriched life.


    ¡°So you are saying that you should not believe that whatever you felt was the other person¡¯s true feelings.¡±


    ¡°Then you cannot make a contract with an evil spirit?¡±


    ¡°...Usually... it would not work. Especially with a personality like yours....¡±


    There were officially recognized religions of evil spirits. Death, disease, fear, anger, sadness. They were mostly quiet disasters whose value and significance were recognized by humans.


    But that didn¡¯t mean that evil spirits weren¡¯t dangerous. Even traditional gods considered humans as mere toys, not their own mates, and those with violent personalities like evil spirits were even more so.


    ¡°You really had better be careful.¡±


    ¡°If I make a contract with Black Cloak....¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s think about it more, I think that would be wise.¡±


    ¡°I think Ruda, what you said is right.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s how you should be my partner.¡±


    Fortunately, Chaisol wasn¡¯t a fool who would insist on meaningless things.


    ¡°I¡¯ll burn that painting.¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t it hurt if I burn it?¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s going to hurt?¡±


    ¡°Black Cloak.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes I learn a lot from your way of thinking.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll burn it, because I drew it.¡±


    Chaisol burned the painting cleanly.


    ¡°But he didn¡¯t seem like a really bad guy.¡±


    ¡°Priest Kang Seodam said the same thing. How can you judge the good and evil of a god?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    Chae Sol, who had been lying on the bed for a while, smiled and said.


    ¡°Next time, Ruda, do you want to meet with me?¡±


    ¡°...Okay, let¡¯s do that.¡±


    Iru Da did not refuse.


    ¡®If there¡¯s anything I learned after joining the church, it¡¯s that not all evil gods are evil.¡¯


    In the end, distinguishing between gods was also nothing more than human arrogance. How can you divide the disasters and mysteries that exist into right and wrong? Rather, there were times when the traditional gods¡¯ behavior was even more despicable than evil gods.


    ¡®You shouldn¡¯t be prejudiced when looking at the narrow world through the eyes of a mere human.¡¯


    In the end, it was clear that the most correct form of a god and a priest was a master and his tool. The master seeks a useful tool, and the tool seeks a master who is satisfied with its treatment. As long as they fit well together, that¡¯s enough.


    So if Black Cloak really was an evil god, he might surprisingly fit well with Chae Sol.


    ¡°Next time I see Black Cloak, I have to call him too, Chaisol.¡±


    He was just worried.


    ¡°You still don¡¯t know much about God.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s why I¡¯m learning a lot thanks to Ruda.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    I feel my heart warming up.


    ¡°I should live next to you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do that too.¡±


    ¡°Does Black Cloak really give you snacks?¡±


    ¡°Like cookies or chocolate?¡±


    ¡°Interesting.¡±


    ¡°If I see you again, ask for snacks.¡±


    ¡°That would be a good experience.¡±


    Ruda thought of the image that still seemed to linger before his eyes.


    What on earth would the snacks given by that distant and eerie essence taste like?


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Geo muttered, holding a bloody knife.


    ¡°I thought Chaisol called me for a moment.¡±


    Since it seemed like there was someone else next to him, he didn¡¯t really go out.


    ¡°Ryu-jon?¡±


    ¡°Wait, Danaya. Dad is still dismantling.¡±


    ¡°Ryu-jon-jon-jon?¡±


    ¡°Seeing how much of an appetite you have, I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t starve to death no matter where you go.¡±


    What a special thing.


    ¡°You are my daughter.¡±


    Geo laughed contentedly as he peeled off the golden sheep¡¯s skin. Unlike Giovanni¡¯s, his smile was fierce and experienced.


    ¡°Moreover, why do intruders keep coming into my comfortable sweet home?¡±


    ¡°Kurur?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, this time, even the golden sheep showed up. Is there a time when it¡¯s so embarrassing?¡±


    Currently, Argio was slaughtering a huge sheep hanging from the ceiling. It wasn¡¯t that he went out and hunted himself, but when he went out to the garden to think about what to eat, there was another victim.


    ¡°If you think about it, that monster garden could be used as a security force.¡±


    It really was a trap like any other.


    ¡°It must have been killed by piercing the forehead, and the meat quality is really good.¡±


    ¡°Kung?¡±


    ¡°They say that a living thing has to die without knowing anything for the meat to be tender, Honey.¡±


    ¡°Kurur.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, if you learn how to slaughter, you¡¯ll find it useful.¡±


    Argio, who lived like an animal, sometimes enjoyed eating while imitating humans, perhaps because of the manners he learned as a child. In the process, he naturally the power of the ox has increased.


    ¡°I can definitely tell that this sheep is from my hometown. It has a golden fur that is as soft as a slippery sheep, and a body as big as a ox plowing a field. Sharp teeth and two pairs of eyes. Thick claws....¡±


    It was clear.


    ¡°It¡¯s a type of sheep that lives in the Black Forest.¡±


    Golden Step Sheep


    A carnivore that hunts its prey by disguising itself as a gentle prey or by being charmed by its golden color. The plants that the Golden Step Sheep steps on turn into gold, and this gold emits a sweet scent that impedes the judgment of living things. Unlike regular gold, its strong teeth easily suffocate its prey.


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re being diligent today.¡±


    Geo nodded.


    ¡°It has an impeccable cuteness in terms of appearance, scent, and texture. However, if you are fooled by its gentle appearance or are charmed by the gold it creates, you will have your neck bitten.¡±


    ¡°Kururu?¡±


    ¡°Just like you said, it¡¯s an experience. They are really coy, but their teeth are thick and sharp. Thanks to that, I almost got my throat ripped off, but in the end, I was the winner.¡±


    Method of Etching: If you boil the bones of a golden step ram, you can use it as a powerful painkiller or drug. The blood inside the horn becomes a painless death potion for females, and a painful resurrection potion for males.


    ¡°Oh, right. That¡¯s how I was able to survive.¡±


    Geo smiled darkly as he looked at the system.


    ¡°The one I killed was a male. Their horns aren¡¯t as hard as they look, so they break quite easily, and there¡¯s golden blood inside. I liked the shiny thing, so I drank it, and my dying heart started beating again.¡±


    After that, he carried it with him.


    ¡°The male¡¯s horns are curved towards his back like this, and the female¡¯s horns are curved towards the front. Judging by the horns that are curved towards his back, this guy seems to be a male. Right?¡±


    ¡°Kururururur.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll cut off the horns last, so eat as much as you want. The blood from the female¡¯s horns shouldn¡¯t be drunk without a tolerance, but the blood from the male¡¯s horns is fine to drink when he¡¯s healthy. If he¡¯s not in a state of near death, the effect is small.¡±


    You can only feel your body getting a little hotter.


    ¡°The leather is in good condition.¡±


    When you completely peeled off the sheep¡¯s hide, you could see a black lump of flesh inside.


    ¡°Hmm....¡±


    ¡°Kururururururururur!!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you should keep the fur.¡±


    The golden sheep''s fur was so enchanting that it was perfect for bedding, but the golden sheep''s sparkle attracted many water birds that coveted its fur, including honey.


    "As a father, I can''t help but give up a piece of skin for my children."


    At those words, water birds that were wandering around the slaughterhouse sneaked up and pecked at the golden sheep''s skin. The strength of their tiny beaks was so great that the fur was pulled out of the skin, and the sight of those jewel water birds was like a living treasure.


    "As expected, my children know how to dress themselves up."


    "Yes, our Dana. This father will cut off the flesh right away."


    Dana, who had grown a little bigger than the average adult cat, had fluffy fur and was comfortable to hug. It was truly ecstatic when Dana leaned against his leg and leaned against him.


    When I cut off the cheek of the sheep, Dana bit into it.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, you have to chew it thoroughly. The best delicacy of this sheep is this cheek. The cheek of the golden sheep, which has almost no facial muscles and cannot make expressions, has a chewy yet very soft texture.¡±


    However, if you eat it too quickly, it can get stuck in your throat.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it really delicious?¡±


    ¡°Ae?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it.¡±


    Is there anything more joyful than my beloved family liking the same things I like?


    Argio, who let Dana savor it to his heart¡¯s content, soon turned his head again and looked at the black flesh of the sheep hanging from the hook.


    ¡°You can use the bones to draw later....¡±


    What should I do with this overflowing flesh?


    ¡°.......¡±


    He muttered.


    ¡°...The flesh of the golden sheep is elastic, so let¡¯s steam it.¡±


    All meats in the world become delicious when boiled for a long time with alcohol and seasoning.


    Yes, Argio was not without his greed.

 Chapter 126

    From ancient times, meat that was either cooked with alcohol or steamed was always considered delicious.


    "The sharp scent of alcohol removes the gamey smell of the meat, and the gentle heat softens the tough texture."


    Just the right ingredients were available.


    "So..."


    Sugar-catcher tree.


    A tree with a bulbous base that swells up like candy. It has both male and female parts, with the leaves growing outside, but the fruit grows inside the swollen trunk. If the fruit, which has a sweet and bitter taste, isn''t harvested on time, it begins to rot inside. Depending on various conditions, this fruit mixes with the tree''s sap to become vinegar, juice, or fruit wine.


    "Yes, this."


    Gio pulled out a small porcelain from the basket that Dana had bitten. Dana, who had just run an errand to the ice storage, spat out the basket, and Arjio placed a piece of meat from the Golden Steppe Lamb in her mouth.


    The omnivorous cat, who didn¡¯t discriminate, didn¡¯t refuse the raw meat. Unlike regular cats, Dana, an anti-cat with densely lined teeth, enjoyed the meat firmly.


    "Impressive."


    Lately, it''s been growing bigger every day, and I hope it grows like a pig. Then, we¡¯ll have to do at least five rounds of abdominal massages. Gio smiled contentedly.


    "The good thing about the sugar-catcher tree is that each tree is aged differently. Maybe that¡¯s why the taste varies a bit. This one... has a definitely stronger scent of the tree."


    The distinctive heaviness of alcohol, which instantly heats the tongue, and the unique bitterness of the plant rolled around in the mouth. The fragrance of the sugar-catcher tree itself added a smoky feeling.


    Indeed, this alcohol tasted great even just drinking it. People who enjoy alcohol would probably find it hard to understand using it in cooking.


    "Liquor made in nature wasn¡¯t found in the Abilas Forest."


    "......."


    "Honey, would you like to try a taste?"


    "Guurr."


    "Seeing how well the kids eat, it''s pleasing. They¡¯ll grow fast."


    Gio tried to pour the fruit wine into a small dish, but Honey, undeterred, squeezed into the narrow porcelain opening. Watching quietly, Gio saw Honey''s soft face poke out from the opening not long after.


    "......"


    "......"


    The bird sitting on the edge of the opening tilted its head.


    "Bkkung?"


    "Oh dear."


    "...Bkkung bkkung..."


    "It seems it didn¡¯t taste good, huh?"


    "Guurr."


    "Some people are just not suited for alcohol. Maybe it¡¯s still too early for you, child."


    "Bkkung..."


    "Do you want to enjoy it?"


    Arjio, who enjoyed both battle and alcohol, kindly offered advice.


    "There are a few ways to enjoy fruit wine. You can hold it in your mouth and feel its weight and texture, analyze the bitterness typical of plants, or appreciate the fragrance the fruit itself carries, or even the scent afterward."


    "Guuruk."


    "You, like a child, might find it hard to enjoy liquor just yet. As for me, I¡¯ve enjoyed these sensations and fragrances since I was young, and kept liquor close, but if it¡¯s not for you, you could use it in cooking. Fortunately, we have just the right one here."


    Whether it was Dana¡¯s choice, guided by her sharp sense of smell, or just what she grabbed because it was the most visible, she brought the one fruit wine among all the ones she had collected that paired best with meat.


    "Normally, alcohol used in cooking loses its scent and flavor during the boiling and frying process, but the liquor here is special, so that won''t happen. The stew we¡¯ll make with this meat will definitely taste great."


    Gio, who always felt it was a shame that the flavors and scents of alcohol would mostly dissipate during cooking, was pleased. But the things from this forest never easily disappeared.


    "They truly have strong vitality, don¡¯t they?"


    "Guurr?"


    "Yes, just like you."


    Gio, gently rubbing the child perched on his shoulder, then turned to look at the teddy bear.


    "So..."


    "......"


    "Why is my father staying so far away?"


    "Guuu..."


    "Is the new son really that unfamiliar?"


    Gio''s hair, once a deep wine red, faded, turning platinum blonde.


    "So how about now?"


    "...Gu."


    "Yes, it''s the same person. No change at all."


    "Gu-gu-gu."


    The traditional god who once ruled a dimension clapped his hands and laughed. It wasn¡¯t really a situation that called for applause, but no one here pointed that out.


    Giovanni smiled and hugged his father before standing again.


    "Hmm."


    His hair turned back to its deep red.


    "But now I¡¯m worried about how our mermaid siblings will react."


    "Guuu?"


    "Yes, it¡¯s about time they come too. Well..."


    Arjio chuckled.


    "It¡¯ll be fun."


    It was going to be a very enjoyable meal.


    "......"


    "Our princess has arrived."


    "Damn."


    The mermaid princess Aria poked her two eyes.


    "My Gio has been tainted."


    Aria, with blood dripping from her eyes, pouted. It looked just like a crying child, and Arjio burst into laughter. He teased as he led the still-standing Aria down to the table.


    "If you¡¯re talking about tainting, surely my heart would be hurt by that."


    "How did someone like Giovanni end up with such a personality? Didn¡¯t only people with similar ¡®Gio¡¯ qualities gather?"


    "My dear student. My disciple. In the end, we¡¯re all the same Gio, don¡¯t you know?"


    "I know."


    Aria, now with her eyes recovered, clicked her tongue and gazed at Arjio¡¯s sharp golden eyes. It reminded her more of a cold golden lump stained with blood than the calm, sunlit sea.


    But in those eyes, there was familiar affection. A love she could never forget, unmistakable.


    "...That look can''t be imitated."


    "How honest of you."


    "You know, in the end, you¡¯re my teacher."


    That wasn¡¯t a lie.


    "I wasn¡¯t surprised by this at all."


    This ¡®Gio¡¯ in the portrait was varied. In fact, ¡®Seojio¡¯ and ¡®Giovanni¡¯ were already very different.


    They had different ages, different builds (though hidden by their clothes), different skeletal structures, different colors, and even different expressions they could make. So, it wasn¡¯t strange for such a bright red Gio to appear now.


    Her mentor asked.


    "So?"


    "......"


    Before sitting at the table, Aria carefully took Giovanni¡¯s hand, which had escorted her.


    "Gio."


    Her voice was gentle.


    "I want to eat with you."


    "...I feel the same."


    Giovanni also gave his usual smile.


    "This time, I¡¯ve come up with a pretty good recipe. I¡¯d like to brag about it."


    "Then why were you making that face if you were just going to brag about the recipe?"


    "I guess I didn¡¯t like Arjio¡¯s face, so I felt I should explain..."


    "...Ha..."


    Aria sighed softly as she watched Giovanni¡¯s awkward smile and said,


    "Can¡¯t you explain it with words?"


    "But is there any explanation more certain than showing it?"


    "You''re quite shameless."


    Only then did Aria sit in the spot Giovanni had guided her to.


    "Is this the one you made recently?"


    "Yes. Doesn¡¯t it smell wonderful?"


    "At first, it smells like alcohol, but it seems like it will be a treat."


    "I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be bad."


    Giovanni, now with black hair again, sat across from her. Honey and Dana, as if familiar, climbed onto the table, and the sun god, in the form of a teddy bear, took his seat as well.


    And....


    "......"


    Aria looked around.


    "What are those birds?"


    "They''re just watching to see if they might get something."


    "Why would they get anything?"


    "It¡¯s probably because of the golden fur they took earlier from the lamb."


    "Golden fur?"


    "The fur that the meat in front of you is offering."


    "Ah..."


    Aria nodded, looking at the birds peering in from the window.


    "Now we even have golden lambs. What next?"


    "We didn¡¯t have such creatures back in our homeland."


    "If such a thing existed, humans might have turned their attention to them."


    "That fur was beautiful enough that anyone would have a hard time resisting greed."


    "So, it¡¯s best not to show it outside. Well, that¡¯s just my personal selfish desire."


    The mermaid still couldn¡¯t trust humans.


    "You, teacher, have no wariness in strange places. I¡¯m worried."


    "Aria, you¡¯ve truly grown into a wonderful adult."


    Gio admired his disciple for looking after him. Even in his current form as the black-haired Seojio, he naturally smiled as Giovanni. They had fully synchronized.


    "Used to be so prickly and hot-headed."


    "Wow... how long ago are you talking about?"


    But Aria admitted that part.


    "I know there was a lot lacking in me back then."


    When Aria was newly born, she was sensitive and prickly. She doubted everything that approached her, found it hard to recognize anyone, and felt irritation and disgust toward anything that interrupted her.


    "When compared to those days, I¡¯ve softened quite a bit."


    "Honestly, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re much different even now."


    "Ha, it¡¯s only because I can be comfortable in front of you, teacher."


    "Suddenly telling such an emotional story?"


    "I didn¡¯t mean to make you feel emotional."


    Aria, not looking at the food, fiddled with a glass of water.


    "Who else could I be so honest with? Not even with my younger brother Iser, because I had to lead him, you see."


    "......"


    "I¡¯ve become quite seasoned. Skilled, and I can smile in front of anyone, regardless of my likes or dislikes. Just as you taught me, this has been very helpful in connecting with others."


    She looked at Gio with her pearly eyes.


    "Is this ¡®growth¡¯ you¡¯re fond of?"


    "It might be, it might not be. What matters is that it¡¯s not about what I like."


    "You¡¯re still a vague person."


    Aria sighed exaggeratedly, and Gio laughed softly. It was a small, gentle smile toward his cute disciple.


    "So, are you not going to eat?"


    "I just think I¡¯m going to get sick from eating food made by some unknown creature."


    "That unknown creature might just be your teacher."


    "It¡¯s even stranger because it¡¯s definitely my teacher. Just like this, in an instant..."


    It felt truly strange.


    "......"


    But it wasn¡¯t that she wanted to reject it, just that she couldn¡¯t quite adjust.


    "...As I said before, the fragrance is good."


    "Thanks to the fragrance from the new liquor ¡ï Novelight ¡ï I made."


    "The meat is very tender."


    "I boiled it first, then roasted it, and finally added the sauce."


    "Cooking, I don¡¯t understand how it can be this complicated."


    And as complicated as it was, it was delicious.


    "You said you added the sauce separately, so it¡¯s a little different from making stew?"


    "It¡¯s definitely different. Thanks to that, the flavor of the meat is more pronounced."


    "Wasn¡¯t it golden lamb meat? Yes, truly a rare treat."


    The meat, dark as if covered in squid ink, was soft when chewed, and tore neatly when pulled apart. But the bouncy, soft texture added a chewy bite, giving a satisfying experience.


    Especially the scent from the meat itself was remarkable. The sharp aroma rising from the tongue was like spices such as garlic or onion. The rich, savory flavor and fat that came from the meat¡¯s juice were beyond description.


    "Strangely, being around you, teacher, makes me feel like I¡¯ve become a gourmet by accident."


    "I¡¯ll take that as a compliment."


    "It makes me think while eating, doesn¡¯t it?"


    "That was a compliment, right?"


    "There''s no one quite like you when it comes to thinking whatever you want."


    The sauce was also quite good.


    "My tongue is a bit tingly."


    "We didn¡¯t add spicy spices, but I think it¡¯s because the liquor used this time was strong."


    "Doesn¡¯t the alcohol usually evaporate during cooking?"


    "While a lot of the alcohol itself has dissipated, I think the fragrance has remained intact."


    "I can¡¯t understand how just the fragrance can be so strong."


    "Mermaids especially can''t eat anything too stimulating."


    "No...."


    Aria muttered quietly to herself.


    ¡®Isn¡¯t it a miracle that I, someone like me, can feel this?¡¯


    Aria, who had built power almost to the level of a demon god, couldn¡¯t be like a regular mermaid after all those years of ¡®growth.¡¯


    And yet, she was able to enjoy Gio''s cooking like an ordinary person.


    ¡®Did he adjust the cooking to match my level?¡¯


    Or perhaps...


    ¡®Is it that anyone can enjoy Gio¡¯s cooking, just as he intended?¡¯


    Aria thought it was probably the latter. Even the sun god, who had no appetite, had been made to wait eagerly for Gio¡¯s cooking. Truly, an extraordinary ability.


    He simply wanted to share his cooking with everyone, whether the recipient was a monster that surpassed a mermaid¡¯s limits or a teddy bear who had once been a god.


    "......"


    Aria asked.


    "...Aren¡¯t there any bread to go with this?"


    "I¡¯ve already prepared some. Would you like it?"


    "The sauce is so good, I¡¯d love to dip it."


    "Then I¡¯ll bake some right now."


    Gio stood up and put the pre-baked bread into the oven.


    The golden waterfowl, wondering if there was anything it wanted, flew and sat on the shoulder of the Black Cloak. The waterfowl perched by the window also fluttered, making splashing sounds as they approached, and the giant human hands petted the little ones.


    "Yes, the scent of roasting is pleasant, isn¡¯t it?"


    "Guurr."


    "Just a little longer."


    The sound of the firewood crackling and the smell of the already baked bread turning even crispier, with the warmth spreading and the clatter of the teddy bear''s dishes...


    "......"


    Aria took it all in.

 Chapter 127

    It was a peaceful world.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Isn¡¯t it?


    My mentor, who had died a terrible death, was alive and breathing, and he always prepared a meal for Aria, waiting for her to come. He consoled her with the same voice as before, laughing, chatting, and enjoying himself with his new children... .


    He had no intention of ruining this terrible peace.


    ¡°...Giovanni.¡±


    No matter what happened in the future, Aria had decided to cherish this peace.


    ¡°My teacher.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Aria.¡±


    After the short meal, Geo returned to his blunt face. With a calm face that seemed to have never smiled before, but with familiar affection, his mentor asked.


    ¡°Do you need dessert?¡±


    ¡°Is that a dessert with a lot of sugar?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s very sweet.¡±


    ¡°The cake I ate last time was really delicious.¡±


    ¡°Aria, what you want is right here.¡±


    ¡°This is what I always wanted.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so smart.¡±


    He brought a small cake.


    ¡°Is this what you wanted?¡±


    ¡°Exactly. You gave it to a human named Yoo Seong-un who visited here before?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and I got a bungeoppang in return.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a very modest price to pay....¡±


    The ¡®price¡¯ coming out of his mouth sounded like a child¡¯s play.


    ¡°For such a delicious cake.¡±


    It had a very light texture, resembling a small round cake.


    First of all, the sheet was like that. It had a soft crunch like chewing on a well-baked meringue cookie and a soft texture that soaked right in. The outside was smooth and had sweet sugar powder sprinkled on top.


    The layers were divided into four: vanilla cream, green tea cream, and mascarpone cream cheese. Although it was said to contain a lot of sugar, it felt lighter than I thought, perhaps because of the exquisite harmony.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that you were talented at pastry.¡±


    ¡°Your baking skills are not bad, so I think that might be the influence.¡±


    ¡°That could be true.¡±


    It definitely had a crunchy texture, but the weight and texture were so light that I didn¡¯t even realize it was going down my throat. It was an ecstatic texture that no human could ever create.


    ¡°You can¡¯t hide your discomfort just because the taste you feel is human.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re trying to say. Do you have any advice for me?¡±


    ¡°I just said it once. I don¡¯t know what you want to be, sir....¡±


    The taste was quite familiar. When I spied on Earth, I found that this kind of sweet and soft cream was popular. Maybe ¡®Sergio¡¯ wanted to copy it.


    Nevertheless, Aria, an excellent analyst, knew what kind of an ecstasy this was. You can tell that with just one bite of cake. It wouldn¡¯t be easy for someone to imitate this texture.


    ¡°I respect you, teacher.¡±


    Geo was smart, but he wasn¡¯t someone who was easily caught up in his surroundings. He was even someone who could kindly bestow his own death.


    Oh, how arrogant he was.


    ¡°You can make a cake like this, right?¡±


    ¡°I feel ashamed that I¡¯m receiving excessive praise for just one cake.¡±


    ¡°For such a delicious dessert, I deserve more praise.¡±


    ¡°Would you like a cup of tea?¡±


    ¡°Have I not had my tea yet?¡±


    It was so delicious that I forgot for a moment.


    ¡°Would you like a cup of what you¡¯re drinking right now?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I will.¡±


    A soft and clear sound like beads made of cut gems clashing. The sunlight coming through the window shattered into the pale blue tea. It seemed like the contents should have been jewels, not liquid.


    Nevertheless, what Aria received was tea of ??the right temperature.


    ¡°.......¡±


    She drank it and looked around.


    ¡°...I cherish this place.¡±


    ¡°I can tell without having to hear it directly.¡±


    ¡°But if you ask me if I like it, I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    ¡°I know that too.¡±


    ¡°...Yes, Giovanni....¡±


    Aria smiled wryly.


    ¡°This must be sadness.¡±


    It was different from anger.


    ¡°This must be missing.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s also a feeling of regret.¡±


    In this comfortable place, Aria felt such emotions.


    ¡°I wondered why I felt such emotions in such a peaceful and quiet world. A place where I could meet my teacher again anytime, a cabin filled with sweet honey and fruit, and where I could hear the chirping of beautiful birds. A wooden house filled with warm air.¡±


    It was just good.


    ¡°I always feel sick when I come here.¡±


    Aria asked.


    ¡°Why does this place feel like a grave to me?¡±


    ¡°I am alive.¡±


    ¡°I feel like you are going somewhere again.¡±


    ¡°I will stay here forever.¡±


    ¡°It is so strange to talk about such eternity.¡±


    Giovanni never spoke of ¡®eternity.¡¯ That was proof that we had come such a long way.


    The one before his eyes had already died once, and would experience countless more deaths in the future. And he would reveal even more changes to those he loved. That was how it would be.


    ¡°A person who misses the dead is a failure. He will never be able to bring them back to life, so he will be buried in the past for his entire life, and a person who rebels against fate is no longer human, so he becomes a monster.¡±


    That was the situation now.


    ¡°I became that monster.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it.¡±


    ¡°Gio, how are you?¡±


    Are you human?


    ¡°Can you think of yourself as human?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m asking you this, but how could you not?¡±


    ¡°Well.¡±


    Aria couldn¡¯t bring herself to say ¡®no¡¯ to him.


    ¡°You¡¯re always right.¡±


    The being drinking tea with me in front of her is not human.


    It could possibly be human, but its essence itself cannot be called human. In the end, Aria¡¯s only human teacher is here, but she concludes that he is not like her.


    Giovanni is alive, dead.


    ¡®Stuffed.¡¯


    Like a faded portrait of the most beautiful times.


    ¡®How many more of the most beautiful times will be stuffed in the future?¡¯


    She feels distant from that short, colorful life and the eternal changes. Geo would never remain stagnant for even a moment, and Aria would be in a hurry to keep up with his changes.


    Even though they were drinking the same tea together, he felt hurt. He felt so distant.


    ¡°... Longing is such emotion.¡±


    Aria continued.


    ¡°It seems good, but it makes my insides a mess.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because we¡¯re not immune to emotions.¡±


    ¡°Have humans become accustomed to this emotion?¡±


    ¡°We all live with longing, no matter what object we think of.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s horrible to think that I¡¯ll live like this my whole life.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that horrible.¡±


    Geo¡¯s voice was quiet, as if there was no sound.


    ¡°We can have memories because we miss.¡±


    ¡°Do you call this a memory?¡±


    Then Aria is now.


    ¡°I¡¯m now lost in those memories.¡±


    She felt like she was suffocating.


    I felt like a fish in fresh water, not the ocean. I felt like a human trapped in a world filled with nitrogen instead of oxygen.


    It felt painful and peaceful at the same time. It was a really strange feeling.


    ¡°How should I define this peace?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we just enjoy it without worrying?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like the devil¡¯s temptation, a cleverer proposal than any devil I¡¯ve ever seen.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve met the devil.¡±


    His blunt voice became warm, as if he was trying to appease his student. He asked with a gentle voice and smile.


    ¡°How were they?¡±


    ¡°Well, they were much lower quality than you.¡±


    In many ways.


    ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t have the confidence to accept this peace. I think it¡¯s all a lie, even though I know it¡¯s true. I think it¡¯s a mirage, even though I know it¡¯s real.¡±


    ¡°Aria thinks too much, and it¡¯s a problem.¡±


    ¡°In my opinion, it seems that you are not thinking deeply. I don¡¯t know what kind of symbol you are, being able to define yourself as human without any hesitation.¡±


    ¡°Is there a reason why my change won¡¯t make me human?¡±


    ¡°There are many reasons. There are many, but I think you, the teacher, would find them unsuitable. That stubborn stubbornness is truly trustworthy....¡±


    Or should I say it¡¯s ominous?


    ¡°You can achieve everything you want.¡±


    However, Geo was something she could not control or possess, despite his ominousness. If the peace she longed for now suddenly disappeared one day, Aria would be able to accept it.


    And on that day, she would learn despair. The long road we had already walked had already proven that it was a predetermined fate.


    ¡°I have already learned fear.¡±


    ¡°How did that happen?¡±


    ¡°Because you weren¡¯t in my dungeon.¡±


    When I lived as a monster, thinking that it would never exist and that it had already left my hands, I would rather laugh. My benefactor, whom I could not grasp, was hovering around me with a smiling face, so it was so scary.


    Once was enough. I couldn¡¯t lose him twice. There was no way I could endure such a loss again.


    ¡°That¡¯s the guy named Giovanni. He comes up with ideas that ordinary people wouldn¡¯t even think of, and on such a topic, he gives as much as he can, and he understands even the smallest things, and his patience is beyond imagination.¡±


    He was a man who tried anything.


    ¡°But now, he¡¯s not just trying, he¡¯s gained the strength to do it. I¡¯m not sure if it was always like that or if it became like this later... But in the end, you¡¯re still my teacher.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll change again and again. You¡¯ll disappear someday. You might die before me or live longer than me. If you want it, it will happen, and if you don¡¯t, you¡¯ll just enjoy your fate.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°I admit it. But don¡¯t you know, Geo? We¡¯ve killed and harmed so many people because we realized our hatred for your death. We¡¯ve endured all these years. And what is this?¡±


    Aria looked at Giovanni.


    ¡°You¡¯re too much to comfort us all these years...¡±


    It soon turned black.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    It turned red again.


    I heard.


    ¡°...You¡¯re so fickle.¡±


    ¡°You understood me well.¡±


    ¡°That makes me very anxious.¡±


    It was too long.


    ¡°I¡¯ve lived through all that time with hatred and anger, but the teacher I met again unexpectedly doesn¡¯t respond to my greed. I¡¯d like to put you in my dungeon, admire you without taking my eyes off you for even a moment, and spend all that time together.¡±


    Argio laughed awkwardly at the mermaid¡¯s greed.


    ¡°That¡¯s not fun.¡±


    ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t be caught easily, and I didn¡¯t know I¡¯d fail if I tried.¡±


    It was because Geo didn¡¯t forgive them, and so he wouldn¡¯t accept them.


    That couldn¡¯t hurt Aria. I think it was natural and obvious. However, because of that, the mermaids couldn¡¯t completely get their hands on their teacher.


    ¡°I wonder how the teacher will disappear in the meantime.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what makes you anxious.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because the only variable I have is the one that acknowledges and loves.¡±


    Aria laughed similarly.


    ¡°How can you believe in this peace?¡±


    ¡°I think that¡¯s the homework that remains for you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s something you would say.¡±


    The fact that a mere human was invited here, the future in which Geo¡¯s color would change countless times, the enormous responsibility of the mermaids that could not be fully taken care of even after tens of thousands of years.


    All of these were homework that Aria had to bear. Homework to believe in the current peace.


    ¡°It would have {N?o?v?e?l?i?g?h?t} been better if I were a stupid human.¡±


    Then I would have believed.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that so?¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s not a wise choice.¡±


    ¡°...Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Constantly worry and doubt.¡±


    Golden eyes widened with affection.


    ¡°That will prove you.¡±


    ¡°As expected, you are...¡±


    Aria smiled weakly.


    ¡°...You are my teacher.¡±


    A human who had no limits in strange places, always spoke of a realistic future, and was busy teaching something.


    Let¡¯s remember that the person in front of us was the only one who loved us, the mermaids... .


    ¡°I love you.¡±


    ¡°Me too.¡±


    Only then did I feel at ease.


    We are still in our daily lives today.


    Giovanni always said, ¡®Learn as many emotions as you can while I am here.¡¯


    ¡°That will be a sign of your mermaid life.¡±


    ¡°Sign?¡±


    ¡°Emotions are signs of memories, learning, and all those memories.¡±


    He said that would help you, the mermaid, grow.


    ¡°The emotions you have now will show you the path to take.¡±


    ¡°Gio, can¡¯t you tell me?¡±


    ¡°I, who am not completely like Aria, can be erased and disappear from that life at any time.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t erase you or let you disappear.¡±


    ¡°After all, aren¡¯t we drawing different futures now?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°...even if I¡¯m not there, even if I¡¯m there.¡±


    Geo always said.


    ¡°I hope that sign will help you understand more.¡±


    But before he could understand that much, Giovanni died.


    Death took away more than he thought. It meant that there was no one to smile brightly when he woke up in the morning, no one to force him to eat at a set time, and no one to cover him up to the neck with a blanket even when the night was over.


    Each and every one of them was truly ordinary and big. Small and many.


    ¡°.......¡±


    We have always learned about death.


    So today was not much different.

 Chapter 128

    4:00 AM at the Gallery.


    ¡°Gio.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon called the portrait as usual.


    ¡°Are you awake?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m awake.¡±


    ¡°I came because I received your letter.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    The portrait, its eyes covered with black paint, gazed at Yoo Seong-Woon. Its colorless lower jaw spoke.


    ¡°Were you able to read it this time?¡±


    ¡°Nothing¡¯s changed. It¡¯s the same as the ones you sent before.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    There was no sign of discouragement.


    As usual, the tone of the portrait was blunt and hollow. Its calm voice sounded pleasant, but its weight was not light, making it hard to dwell on for long.


    Yoo Seong-Woon let the voice pass without trying to understand its meaning. Then, the portrait spoke again.


    ¡°I can show you something interesting.¡±


    ¡°Something interesting...?¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon nodded, as if he had an idea.


    ¡°Did you finally manage to find another ¡®Gio¡¯?¡±


    Despite his vast stature, Gio had been able to mimic humans so well because he had awakened another, older persona of ¡®Gio.¡¯ It was said that before the human ¡®Gio¡¯ became tainted by the portrait, it was easy for him to act as a human.


    At Yoo Seong-Woon''s question, Gio nodded and elaborated.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t find it, I painted it.¡±


    ¡°Is that also a painting then? So, what¡¯s the difference from the portrait?¡±


    ¡°Technically, it¡¯s asking the Gio beyond the painting.¡±


    ¡°Asked...?¡±


    It was quite a mild expression.


    ¡°......¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon quietly composed himself. He was ready to face the calamity.


    ¡°So, who is this ¡®Gio¡¯ this time?¡±


    ¡°One of the evil gods.¡±


    ¡°Ah, does that mean the earth is about to be destroyed?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t destroy the earth.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m grateful, but it¡¯s still a bit scary.¡±


    Of course, an evil god, of all things.


    ¡°...No, if it¡¯s an evil god... doesn¡¯t that mean they¡¯re not human to begin with? Is it okay to accept the help of such a ¡®Gio¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Because he is still human, it¡¯s possible.¡±


    ¡°Truly merciful. I always feel like your standards for humans are pretty loose.¡±


    I had already figured that out when you preached ¡®you too are human¡¯ to those terrifying mermaids.


    ¡®And considering that you view yourself as a regular human...¡¯


    In fact, that seemed to be a kind of joke or act, but still, there was no falsehood in what he ¡®believed.¡¯ It seemed that Gio''s standards for treating others as human were surprisingly... inclusive.


    ¡°So, was that what you wanted to tell me?¡±


    Though Yoo Seong-Woon still couldn¡¯t decipher Gio¡¯s letter, he knew that Gio had something to convey. That was why ¡ã? N o v e l i g h t ?¡ã he had come to visit at this early hour on the day he received the letter.


    ¡°Or, is there something you want to discuss with me?¡±


    ¡°Rather than that...¡±


    Clink¡ª


    The portrait¡¯s ringed hand grasped the frame.


    ¡°......¡±


    The ¡®Gio¡¯ covered in black paint surged out as if enveloping Yoo Seong-Woon...


    ¡°¨DPeekaboo.¡±


    It was playing a prank.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Why no reaction?¡±


    ¡°...Uh...¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon stepped back, and pale bare feet landed in that space. Before long, the ¡®Gio¡¯ had fully emerged from the portrait, and Yoo Seong-Woon clutched his heart.


    ¡°...Oh, right.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°Just... I got a little scared.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t think that was my intention.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    For a moment, he really thought he was going to die.


    ¡®Those eyes...¡¯


    The instant he locked eyes with those golden ones, his mind went hazy.


    Yoo Seong-Woon had previously suspected that the ¡®eyes¡¯ of Gio¡¯s portrait were the source used to gather human data.


    Since then, he had tried even harder not to make eye contact, but facing them directly now made it difficult to breathe. It truly...


    ¡°......¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon took a short breath and returned to his usual expression.


    ¡°So, the Gio I knew is still the same, right?¡±


    ¡°I still remember you and approve of you, Yoo Seong-Woon.¡±


    ¡°Hmm...¡±


    It was certainly a familiar, friendly response.


    ¡°...But it feels like a lot has changed. Even back in Giovanni¡¯s time, it was like a complete shift.¡±


    From the stiff, expressionless ¡®Seojio,¡¯ he became the kind and cheerful ¡®Giovanni¡¯ priest.


    ¡®And now, he¡¯s turned into an evil god with a dark smile...¡¯


    Yoo Seong-Woon had always believed Gio would maintain basic kindness, but seeing him become an evil god made him wonder if such a temperament could really change.


    ¡®After all, Gio himself couldn¡¯t have been described as entirely good by human standards. He probably still has a fixed preference for kindness and politeness, but his inherent kindness or goodwill toward humans could change.¡¯


    Even after sorting that thought, there was still not enough information. Unlike the usually gentle ¡®Gio,¡¯ this one appeared flashy, from his appearance to his personality.


    The first noticeable change was, in fact, the color.


    ¡°Is this the color of this ¡®Gio¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it quite flashy?¡±


    ¡°Definitely, it¡¯s really flashy.¡±


    His eyes were a cool golden color, and his hair was dark red, like aged blood. Yoo Seong-Woon could quickly picture a similar color palette.


    It seemed Gio had the same thought.


    ¡°The guild master here seemed to have a similar color to mine.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, that¡¯s right. He also has golden eyes.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t exactly the same color. Bisa Beul¡¯s hair and eyes were a little more saturated than Gio¡¯s now. His hair resembled fresh blood, and his eyes were closer to lemon yellow than gold.


    Still...


    ¡°Very similar.¡±


    So similar, in fact, that they could almost be mistaken for family.


    ¡®Would he be offended if I mentioned that?¡¯


    Given that the other had introduced himself as an evil god, it was important to be cautious. If he described himself as being just like a human, it might be perceived as an insult by a god. It was best to avoid that.


    But Gio responded quite coolly.


    ¡°Do you think we look enough alike to be family?¡±


    ¡°...I suppose so.¡±


    ¡°Are you good at fighting?¡±


    ¡°Ah... absolutely not, I¡¯ll fly away with a single touch.¡±


    ¡°Really.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon inwardly bit his tongue.


    ¡®So, this is the kind of evil god he is.¡¯


    Among evil gods, some are scheming manipulators, while others are berserk warriors who simply sweep everything away. This Gio seemed to lean more toward the latter.


    ¡°...So, do you enjoy fighting now?¡±


    ¡°If the opponent isn¡¯t worth it, I don¡¯t rampage, so don¡¯t worry, my friend.¡±


    ¡°Is that so...¡±


    Since he called him ¡®friend,¡¯ it seemed that the goodwill accumulated until now hadn¡¯t been wiped away.


    ¡®So, he¡¯s been thinking of me as a friend all along.¡¯


    Yoo Seong-Woon felt both grateful and, at the same time, burdened. Being regarded as a friend by an entity with eyes that could be considered the core of a god was undoubtedly an honor, but it also made him feel like he could never truly die as a human.


    ¡®Could it be that I might not live to see my natural lifespan?¡¯


    Anyway, it''s better to buy goodwill than to make an enemy.


    ¡°......¡±


    Scratching his neck, Yoo Seong-Woon spoke again.


    ¡°...Can I speak casually now?¡±


    ¡°Someone as good as you, Yoo Seong-Woon, deserves that level of treatment.¡±


    ¡°Even with the same polite language, it really feels different.¡±


    The black Gio¡¯s formal speech was eerily blunt, Giovanni¡¯s was warm and respectful, but the formal speech from the vibrant Gio now had a sharp edge, almost sarcastic.


    ¡®But despite that, I can¡¯t help but feel it doesn¡¯t seem like the usual obnoxious type.¡¯


    Yoo Seong-Woon surveyed the interior of the black cloak. He knew that whenever ¡®Gio¡¯ changed, so did his attire, though rarely.


    The black cloak covered everything from head to toe, making it impossible to see the inside, but if he revealed it himself, it would show. When Gio was Seojio, he wore a black suit, and when he was Giovanni, he wore white priest robes.


    ¡®His hairstyle and fashion seem to change based on Gio¡¯s mood at the time, but this one stands out.¡¯


    This Gio¡¯s attire was filled with bones and jewels.


    ¡°......¡±


    If he walked out like that, how would he explain it?


    ¡®Explaining everything as artifacts would make the atmosphere really uncomfortable.¡¯


    Perhaps noticing Yoo Seong-Woon¡¯s thoughts, Gio laughed.


    ¡°Do you think I would walk around like this among people?¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯m really glad.¡±


    ¡°If needed, I¡¯d wear a suit. It¡¯s cleaner.¡±


    ¡°Then, what about your current outfit?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m showing it to you, Yoo Seong-Woon, after all.¡±


    His tone kept changing rapidly.


    ¡®He¡¯s quite the fickle type...¡¯


    He had to be careful. Despite his words, he could still walk among people in this outfit.


    These days, with so many Hunters with unique concepts, it might not be a big deal, but since he introduced himself as an evil god, a careless mindset would be foolish.


    ¡°...So...¡±


    Feeling a bit confused, Yoo Seong-Woon spoke first.


    ¡°I¡¯m starting to get a grasp of the situation.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Do you want something from me?¡±


    ¡°I have something I¡¯d like to ask.¡±


    ¡°Something to ask? Is that the main point?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Gio asked.


    ¡°Am I still scary?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    It was an amazing question.


    ¡®...Is this Gio still considering humans?¡¯


    Though the black cloak didn¡¯t treat humans as such, Gio showed fair affection toward them.


    So fair, in fact, that it sometimes felt indifferent, but Yoo Seong-Woon knew that it was the portrait¡¯s consideration.


    ¡®But for an evil god like Gio, is it possible to be this way?¡¯


    He had prepared for a lot when Gio introduced himself as an evil god. But somehow, it felt like he was seeing something completely unfamiliar.


    ¡°......¡±


    After carefully surveying his opponent, Yoo Seong-Woon shook his head.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not scared.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°To be more precise, I do feel somewhat intimidated by your presence.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon smiled calmly.


    ¡°But that can¡¯t be helped. You¡¯re much taller than other humans, and right now, your colors are so vivid, and your gaze is so imposing. Your expression also... has a fierce edge.¡±


    But...


    ¡°Still, you feel human.¡±


    Of course, Gio¡¯s eyes were still hard to face directly.


    But despite staring at him from such close quarters, Yoo Seong-Woon could quickly pull away because, in the end, this Gio remained grounded in humanity.


    Noticing his calm reaction, Gio¡¯s lips twisted in an ambiguous smile. He was probably laughing.


    ¡°It feels very strange to hear that.¡±


    ¡°Is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s strange to say I look like a human.¡±


    ¡°Is that... a change from what you are now?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Gio squinted for a moment as if thinking about something.


    ¡°Everyone used to call me Arjio, but you can call me however you like, Yoo Seong-Woon.¡±


    ¡°Arjio? Is that the word for you?¡±


    ¡°It means ¡®cruel beast¡¯ in an old language from my homeland. It¡¯s a kind of derogatory term.¡±


    ¡°...Then I¡¯ll just call you as I normally do.¡±


    There was no need to praise the cruel evil god by calling him ¡®cruel.¡¯


    ¡®It would even feel wrong to use a derogatory term for someone who doesn¡¯t show malice.¡¯


    Perhaps sensing his thoughts, Gio smiled wryly. That¡¯s when Yoo Seong-Woon realized Gio¡¯s eyes were sharper than he had expected.


    ¡®Now that he smiled, he really does resemble the guild master more.¡¯


    Usually, he hadn¡¯t noticed Gio¡¯s sharp eyes, as they were always calm. But now, in this unexpected moment, it seemed like he had to acknowledge it.


    The topic felt out of place, so Yoo Seong-Woon didn¡¯t mention it, but Gio spoke.


    ¡°Today¡¯s business is done here.¡±


    ¡°Did you check if there were any side effects from merging with another Gio?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s pretty much it. I¡¯m satisfied.¡±


    He pressed the hood of his cloak deep and wrapped his entire body in the dark cloak. Only his pale bare feet revealed the black suit underneath.


    From within the cloak¡¯s shadows, Gio spoke again.


    ¡°Thank you for responding to my letter.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    That was definitely ¡®Seojio.¡¯


    ¡°...Wow...¡±


    At this rate, it was going to get harder to adjust over time.


    ¡®It¡¯s amazing that I still find this creepy. Maybe I¡¯m still human after all.¡¯


    As time passed, the garden¡¯s erosion became stronger, but it seemed that there was no significant impact from direct contact with the origin. Laughing, Yoo Seong-Woon shuddered at the sudden change of ¡®Gio.¡¯


    To this portrait, ¡®Gio¡¯ was just a kind of clothing.


    ¡®He¡¯s trying to fit in with others by changing into the right outfit for the situation.¡¯


    Yoo Seong-Woon understood this attempt and consideration. The portrait of ¡®Gio¡¯ was trying to adapt and interact with others using countless memories and personalities.


    ¡®So, the reason he called me this time was to show off how well his new outfit fits, like a family or friend showing off?¡¯


    It was kind of funny. The portrait¡¯s actions were oddly cute, like seeing a newborn, inexperienced being from the origin.


    ¡°Thank you for your kind words.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be able to help you another day.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s even more appreciated.¡±


    As a gardener, the origin¡¯s help could be a lifeline.


    ¡®Though there¡¯s no historical case, so I don¡¯t know how exactly it will help.¡¯


    As Yoo Seong-Woon was about to leave, the portrait called him back.


    ¡°Would you like to stay the night at my hut if you¡¯re tired?¡±


    ¡°Hmm...¡±


    He was definitely tired, but...


    ¡°I¡¯m not uninterested.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°If possible, I¡¯d prefer to visit in a more proper manner.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°If I delay your kind invitation until the next opportunity, will you be upset?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m always waiting for your visit, Yoo Seong-Woon.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s quite a wonderful invitation.¡±


    It was like a ghost inviting a lonely, weary traveler.


    ¡°I do like such things.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon smiled broadly, his blue-gray eyes flashing.


    Meanwhile, in a derelict building in the outer district:


    ¡°......¡±


    The man, who had lost everything, sat quietly in the place filled with ash and soot.


    What he held was the evil god¡¯s mark, known as the San-Kalluth.

 Chapter 129

    Unlike other traditional gods who are difficult to contact and interact with, most evil gods are not difficult to summon and have a high probability of responding.


    This is because evil gods actively seek out their fallen followers.


    ¡°Or they may intentionally cause misfortune in order to make the humans they like their followers. Some humans are loved by evil gods because they are fallen, while others become fallen because they are loved.¡±


    Any god who watches over humans has a way to summon them. That is why, in the numerous dungeons created in the ruined dimension, there were many cases where intellectuals with wrong intentions brought disaster upon themselves.


    ¡°The most common case is revenge.¡±


    ¡°Revenge?¡±


    ¡°There are also those who summon evil gods simply because they want destruction.¡±


    Kang Seo-dam continued his explanation in the classroom of prospective priests.


    ¡°Do you know about the seven deadly sins?¡±


    ¡°Pride, greed, envy, anger, lust, gluttony, and sloth.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Sister Iruda. This is a concept that existed even before the Great Disaster, when there was no close relationship with God.¡±


    Kang Seodam nodded.


    ¡°After the Great Disaster, there were many changes in perception on Earth. If the concept still exists despite this, it is because it has shown its worth.¡±


    In the religious world, this was the Seven Deadly Sins.


    ¡°The arrogant do not learn. The greedy do not share. The jealous lose the opportunity to grow, and the angry do not tolerate. Lust easily blinds people, gluttony makes people forget how to respect, and laziness rots one¡¯s own value.¡±


    Kang Seodam looked around at the students.


    ¡°Humans are social creatures who cannot survive alone. In particular, humans on Earth before the Great Disaster were considerably weaker than other creatures on Earth.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Even so, the Seven Deadly Sins still existed at that time. Can any of you guess why they were considered sins regardless of whether they were before or after the Great Disaster?¡±


    The girl with the low tail, Iruda, raised her hand.


    ¡°I can explain.¡±


    ¡°Please explain in front of the brothers.¡±


    ¡°As you said, humans are weak social creatures, so they must form a community, and in order to survive and develop sustainably, they must not commit such sins.¡±


    ¡°That was an exemplary answer.¡±


    Kang Seodam looked around again.


    ¡°Is there anyone who understood what Sister Iruda said?¡±


    ¡°Me.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Brother Chaisol. I would like to hear your opinion.¡±


    ¡°I think it means that if you are selfish, you cannot live together, so you must live well.¡±


    ¡°That was an accurate summary.¡±


    He agreed.


    ¡°Just as good and evil are, the world is vast and humans are diverse, so when someone acts according to their own desires, someone else will be unhappy. This is because resources are limited and not everyone has the same personality and desires.¡±


    This is the method that humans, as social animals, have chosen to survive.


    ¡°Some brothers might say this. When dungeons are overflowing and monsters are pouring out, is it really right to protect others instead of protecting yourself in such a critical situation?¡±


    Kang Seo-dam shook his head.


    ¡°It¡¯s not about judging the good and evil of human behavior. Humans exist, think, and act for themselves, so such human behavior can easily face evil. It¡¯s extremely rare for a choice to satisfy everyone, so in the end, someone will criticize even your good deeds.¡±


    That¡¯s why the important thing wasn¡¯t the good and evil of humans.


    ¡°If we were faced with a great disaster, I would have said this. Let each of you figure out how to live well.¡±


    ¡°Uh... uh....¡±


    ¡°Does it sound strange? But priests are also human, and humans exist for themselves.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°If even preserving oneself is considered evil, then humans should not exist in the first place.¡±


    I will not consider selfishness when life is threatened as a sin. However, acts of giving when one has the means to do so will strengthen the survival of humanity.


    So, now.


    ¡°Good and evil are not important in the subject of this lesson.¡±


    They had to look at the world.


    ¡°Look at the flow of the world.¡±


    They had to broaden their perspective.


    ¡°Is this a great disaster? Are you now in a place where monsters are overflowing? The world is gradually becoming more organized and is running toward peace, and the faster it gets, the higher the average number of people who receive the grace of life.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°For priests who serve traditional gods, the most important thing is the balance of dimensions. This dimension, the world, and the country must be maintained so that they and we can enjoy the grace of life as long as possible. So don¡¯t be stupid, but think about good and evil.¡±


    Kang Seo-dam stroked his chin.


    ¡°I know how absurd it may sound to tell people to do good in this world. But if you want to live and enjoy more, if you are one of those ordinary people, it would be better to become a faithful servant of the word of God.¡±


    He looked around at the students again.


    ¡°Then another question arises. What if you become a priest of an evil god who loves destruction and imbalance, not a traditional god? What if you are not an ordinary person who desires the grace of death, not the grace of life, and wants to enjoy everyday life by chatting with friends and enjoying a delicious meal... Is it okay for you not to become a faithful servant?¡±


    Kang Seo-dam nodded.


    ¡°This is how we return to our original topic.¡±


    He looked at the students.


    ¡°In the dungeons of countless ruined dimensions, hunters see the consequences of the misfortunes brought upon themselves by wrong-minded intellectuals. Many gods can be summoned with only the slightest qualification and simple knowledge.¡±


    Even the weakest scholar can summon an evil spirit. If he knows what the evil spirit he wants to summon wants and how to do it, or if he simply wants a disaster that will fulfill his wrong desire, the evil spirit will respond.


    ¡°Some evil spirits even engage in trade with humans through very simple materials and rituals. Some have summoned them by sacrificing a single rat, others by drawing a simple picture, and others by reciting a short prayer.¡±


    Evil spirits respond quickly to even the weakest groans of humans.


    ¡°Hatred and disillusionment reach the gods faster than gratitude and praise.¡±


    Evil spirits speak to humans when they are at their weakest, and disaster strikes in an instant.


    ¡°Traditional gods are born under providence, so they are often immature in dealing with such negative prayers. Most gods do not even recognize the small entity called humans, so how can they understand their wishes, and is their understanding really correct? The probability of that happening is low.¡±


    ¡°Then how can we receive a response from God?¡±


    ¡°The easiest way, as I said earlier, is to summon an evil spirit. Most evil spirits who seek to exploit human negative emotions or blatant greed are experienced and, thanks to that, are skilled in dealing with humans.¡±


    Kang Seo-dam pointed to the numerous data that appeared on the screen.


    ¡°That can also explain why most gods who enjoy playing are evil spirits.¡±


    The evil spirits who have the most experience directly interacting with humans are likely to be skilled in understanding and imitating such humans. That is why they can respond immediately to human calls.


    Kang Seo-dam clicked his tongue.


    ¡°First of all, let me say this. In Korea, all evil spirits except those recognized by the government and religious circles are considered targets of subjugation.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so evil spirits are monsters....¡±


    ¡°Yes. So even if you see an evil spirit that seems very gentle and kind, you shouldn¡¯t easily make a contract with them or rely on them. They are very knowledgeable about humans.¡±


    They especially enjoyed corrupting young priests.


    ¡°Quite a few evil spirits enjoy corrupting humans.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s because it¡¯s literally fun.¡±


    ¡°...Well, because it¡¯s fun....¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget that humans are just toys to God, no matter how well you treat them.¡±


    Even if the grace they bestow can be objectively considered ¡®love¡¯ to humans, that ¡®love¡¯ could ultimately be just a glance from God. The standards of God and humans were completely different.


    ¡°No matter how much they love and care for you, they won¡¯t cry for you like family when you die. They won¡¯t build you a gravestone, and they won¡¯t prepare you a warm meal when you¡¯re sad and tired. That¡¯s something you can only expect from a fellow human being.¡±


    Kang Seo-dam looked at his brothers with slightly tired expressions.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean you have to be afraid to serve God.¡±


    ¡°But then, aren¡¯t we being used in the end?¡±


    ¡°If you go by that, we humans are also using God.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a little different...?¡±


    ¡°What would you do if a passing ant followed you?¡±


    The priests spoke one by one.


    ¡°I think I¡¯d take it in and raise it.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t I feed it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯d probably run away because it¡¯s following me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so small that you can¡¯t see it, right?¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯d look inside to see if there¡¯s a problem.¡±


    Kang Seo-dam asked in turn.


    ¡°How are you going to raise the ants?¡±


    ¡°Uh... Should I give them a home? There¡¯s an ant-raising kit.¡±


    ¡°What kind of food do you want to give them?¡±


    ¡°...I don¡¯t know, maybe rice grains? Star candy? Something like that?¡±


    ¡°Why did you think they¡¯d run away?¡±


    ¡°How do the ants recognize me and follow me? It¡¯s strange. They¡¯re not even human. Someone must be doing something sinister.¡±


    ¡°Would you ? N§àv§Öl?§Ôht ? (Don¡¯t copy, read here) care if they couldn¡¯t see it because they¡¯re small?¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t know that... in the first place? You wouldn¡¯t even know it was there.¡±


    ¡°How are you going to check if there¡¯s a problem?¡±


    ¡°Just catch them...? Or look around their bodies, or something...¡±


    Kang Seo-dam asked one last time.


    ¡°Are you sure you won¡¯t burst a small ant in your hand?¡±


    ¡°...If you¡¯re unlucky, it might burst.¡±


    ¡°Please tell me what you feel at that time.¡±


    ¡°A little... sorry? Feeling dirty?¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    He said to the priests.


    ¡°It¡¯s a way of feeling.¡±


    ¡°... ... .¡±


    The faces of the children who didn¡¯t know turned pale, and those who had guessed what was being said sighed. Kang Seo-dam, who had been looking at their faces, continued to speak.


    ¡°If God loves you and takes you in, you will be imprisoned in a safe and peaceful shackle. If God misinterprets your cries and gives you more power and wealth than you can handle, you will easily be ruined.¡±


    ¡°... ... .¡±


    ¡°Some gods may find it incredibly disgusting and repulsive that humans have come to them. Other gods may not even recognize you no matter how desperately you call them. That can happen.¡±


    He looked at the child who had answered last.


    ¡°If there is a god who tries to understand and care for you, you can die by his hands. And no god will be sad if a human dies like that.¡±


    If that incident had made him interested in humans, he would have sought out other believers, and if he had developed antipathy, he would have never even looked at humans for the rest of his life. That was the existence of God.


    ¡°In very rare cases, there are humans who receive the normal affection of God. We call these beings saints and saints, and they become the medium that connects humans with the great existence of God for their entire lives.¡±


    ¡°I heard that the saint of Dalnim Church communicates with God! They say that she is a living God, the next Dalnim.¡±


    ¡°Yes, she is a very important person. And because of that, the saint of Dalnim Church will never be able to leave the church for her entire life, and she will always be trapped in the hands and eyes of God. She is the only person who can treat God normally because her vessel is so great.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°That is far from the happiness of humans that we usually talk about.¡±


    Kang Seo-dam said firmly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to understand God. Don¡¯t expect anything from God, and don¡¯t try to use him. The enmity of God is an easy disaster to understand, but the favor of God is also a disaster that is comparable to it.¡±


    ¡°... ... .¡±


    ¡°God is nature and destiny with a will. Just as we humans find food in nature and do not question the fate that is coming, do so. Then you will avoid disaster.¡±


    He added.


    ¡°That is how to coexist with God.¡±


    ¡°... I am more afraid... .¡±


    ¡°A priest can open the possibility of communication with God just by existing.¡±


    ¡°But... .¡±


    ¡°Someday, a god that fits you well will come.¡±


    Kang Seo-dam said with his characteristically blunt face.


    ¡°But if you serve a god that does not fit you, there is no greater disaster than that.¡±


    ¡°... Yes.¡±


    ¡°So what I want to say is, try to be as kind as possible.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°As I keep saying, the god that responds the fastest to human negative emotions is usually an evil god.¡±


    And the evil gods are gods.


    ¡°In that case, you will face a disaster you could never have imagined.¡±


    Haven¡¯t I told you about the dangers of gods so many times?


    ¡°One day, you may find something you have devoted your life to. It may be gold and silver, a dreamy lover, or revenge on those who have made you miserable. Or you may be overcome by a simple impulse and want to ruin everything.¡±


    But.


    ¡°If you hear the voice of god at that time, don¡¯t respond.¡±


    It could have been that god who had thrown you into the pit of misfortune. Humans who are easily tempted by sin and ruined hold on to it without even realizing that it is a rotten rope.


    In the first place, the god who speaks to humans when they are most distressed and struggling, the god who gives them a chance, could never be called a god of benevolence and abundance. It was more likely an evil god who was waiting for that person to completely collapse.


    ¡°Rather, express your anger with your own power, use someone else to cause chaos in society, and wield madness in the hands of humans. Kill pedestrians, set fire to the houses of those who sleep, and take out their entrails while they are alive.¡±


    ¡°...That, that is too much....¡±


    ¡°That is cheaper than responding to an evil god. Those who express their greed by using an evil god will not be able to properly resolve their own greed, and they will devastate those around them. It would be better for you to step forward yourself, and it will be less damaging to those around you.¡±


    When an evil spirit that is good at dealing with humans intervenes, no one can be saved. Whether the instigator or someone else. Whether there is sin or not, such things would not be of much importance to the evil spirit.


    ¡°No one can be satisfied or happy if they are caught up in an evil spirit. That is why it has been confirmed that the intellectuals who summoned evil spirits for revenge all wrote words of regret and died. The same goes for the summoners who only wanted destruction.¡±


    That soul would still be left in the clutches of the evil spirit.


    ¡°Beware of the gods and reject the evil spirits.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Then you are halfway there.¡±


    To that.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Chae Sol was sweating profusely.


    Kang Seo Dam and Iru Da looked at that sight with very subtle eyes.

 Chapter 130

    "The Chaisol Brothers."


    In the end, Chaisol was summoned by Kang Seodam.


    "I''ll ask you directly."


    "Yes."


    "Have you ever had contact with an evil god?"


    "...Yes!"


    "I appreciate your honesty."


    "But wait a moment, sir."


    "Speak, I am listening."


    "Thank you...!"


    Taking a deep breath, Chaisol spoke with great seriousness.


    "It might not have been an evil god!"


    "......"


    Kang Seodam did not hastily deny it.


    "Indeed, it is a somewhat ridiculous act to separate evil gods from the human perspective."


    "Maybe it¡¯s actually a very good god."


    "What I can tell you is that most gods, from a human standpoint, are quite evil."


    "Yes, I remember."


    "You¡¯re a diligent student. I, too, serve a god, but I can clearly tell you this."


    He shook his head.


    "Gods are not beings to be trusted or relied upon."


    "I¡¯ve been wondering, don¡¯t you think the God of the Sun gets angry or upset when you speak like that?"


    "What¡¯s important to gods isn¡¯t words, but actions and results. As long as you don¡¯t engage in actions that have a harmful effect, they won¡¯t punish you."


    "Surprisingly, gods are... somewhat..."


    "They are indifferent, yes, and that¡¯s the case in reality. It¡¯s because they have a low understanding of human beings."


    Kang Seodam rummaged through the materials in his office drawer.


    "That¡¯s why some prospective priests hope for evil gods who have a high understanding of humans. Once they become official priests and actually serve a god, they wouldn¡¯t say such things... Ah, here it is."


    He placed a few documents in front of Chaisol.


    "This is the information on evil gods recognized in the country. Feel free to take it."


    "T-thank you...?"


    "But based on Chaisol¡¯s reaction, it seems you already have a god in mind."


    "Can I say it?"


    "Do you know the name of this god? It¡¯s a very rare case."


    Kang Seodam stroked his chin.


    "Most evil gods have separate names so humans can call them without burden. The evil god you know¡ªdoes it have a separate nickname? Our Seoul branch of the Sun Church has a secondary name, ¡®The Light of Justice,¡¯ for example..."


    Chaisol gestured to Kang Seodam. Kang Seodam, obediently leaning in to listen, heard Chaisol whispering.


    "The Black Cloak."


    "...Oh..."


    Slowly returning to his original position, Kang Seodam nodded.


    "I see."


    "Yes."


    "......"


    "Did I do something wrong...?"


    "...That¡¯s something we¡¯ll have to think about more."


    Kang Seodam pondered for a moment and then asked again.


    "Earlier, you said you still don¡¯t know whether this god is an evil god or a traditional god."


    "Yes, how can we distinguish them?"


    "Look at whether the claims and powers of the god harm humans or not."


    "Then, it¡¯s not an evil god!"


    "But most evil gods often present false claims."


    Kang Seodam called in the prospective priest, Iruda, who had been waiting outside the door. Iruda, who had been preparing to return to the break room with his partner, Chaisol, quickly entered and looked at Kang Seodam.


    "It¡¯s the third time we¡¯ve met today, Sister Iruda."


    "It seems so."


    "I believe you were the one who told Chaisol about this evil god."


    "...That¡¯s correct."


    "I¡¯d like to hear the reason why you thought so. May I?"


    "Yes, I¡¯ll explain."


    Iruda spoke with an expression that seemed disillusioned by the world, but still explained patiently.


    "I saw a picture that Chaisol had drawn. It was black..."


    "I just heard from Chaisol what entity we¡¯re talking about."


    "I¡¯m glad you did. When I saw the black shape he drew, I felt a chill and unease."


    "Could it be that you just mistook the god¡¯s intimidating presence?"


    "As far as I know, it wasn¡¯t blatant, but the evil god¡¯s malevolent divinity was indeed present."


    "Not blatant..."


    Kang Seodam then asked.


    "Didn¡¯t you feel a warm energy?"


    "Yes? Yes. Chaisol did mention that it might be okay because it feels warm."


    Chaisol murmured in response.


    "It¡¯s really warm."


    "I¡¯m not optimized to sense divine warmth."


    "Divine warmth?"


    "......"


    Iruda hesitated, and instead, Kang Seodam explained.


    "Do you remember when I said that a god is nature and fate with a will?"


    "Yes, I remember."


    "Humans have a very narrow range of perception. Unless one becomes a very devout believer, even an ordinary person would never sense a god in their lifetime."


    "Ah..."


    "Fortunately, thanks to awakening as a priest, we can sense gods more easily. That¡¯s why every priest interprets and accepts the god differently."


    Kang Seodam pointed at Iruda.


    "In the case of Sister Iruda, she senses the volume of the god."


    "The volume?"


    "How big the god is, where it touches you, how loud its voice is. Simply put, she can feel the entire size of the god."


    "I see..."


    "In the case of Chaisol, it seems that he¡¯s sensitive to the god¡¯s temperature. Unlike Sister Iruda, who easily perceives the god¡¯s pressure and violence, Chaisol is more attuned to sensing the god¡¯s affection or mercy."


    Kang Seodam, having explained both priests¡¯ abilities, pointed to himself.


    "But for most priests, including myself, it¡¯s not easy to sense a god. That¡¯s why we rely on the orders of the church. The longer we stay in the temple, the more it becomes convenient to understand the god¡¯s will."


    "......"


    "This means that both Chaisol and Iruda are very capable as priests. Other priests, when they reach my age, will have their own ways of serving gods, but for now..."


    Kang Seodam looked at Chaisol.


    "That¡¯s why I¡¯m especially concerned about what god Chaisol will form a contract with. Especially since it overlaps with Chaisol¡¯s personality... There are some worrying aspects."


    "Am I that anxious?"


    "Honestly, yes. I know that Chaisol has an unexpectedly shrewd and clever side, but kids his age are especially prone to being swept up by emotions."


    "...Ugh..."


    After some hesitation, Chaisol asked.


    "What should I do?"


    "Has this god directly suggested a contract with you?"


    "No, we¡¯ve met privately a few times."


    "I still don¡¯t know if that entity is an evil god or a traditional god."


    Although he didn¡¯t say it directly, the Black Cloak had once been touched by the fair light that Chaisol revered. Since it had been approved by the goddess of traditional providence, it would be hard to simply categorize it as an evil god.


    Even when considering gods of death, there were those who respected human providence and those who broke the order, spreading the agony of death across the world. It was difficult to categorize gods from a human standpoint.


    "As I mentioned in today¡¯s class, evil gods can easily penetrate human desires and anger. Even someone who was once intellectual can be turned into an embodiment of greed or a berserker of rage."


    They easily ruin humans. An evil god could turn even a righteous knight into a miserable killer in an instant.


    "There¡¯s a subtlety to this that traditional gods lack. It happens without you even realizing, very naturally. Evil gods are, after all, a kind of nature and fate."


    "......"


    "In our Sun Church, we¡¯ve had priests who were once captivated by evil gods and ruined their lives and those around them. Even though they made a contract with a god out of altruism, like saints, they eventually fell."


    Kang Seodam emphasized.


    "Don¡¯t trust gods."


    "...But then, why make a contract?"


    "I misspoke. I meant that you shouldn¡¯t approach gods with human emotions."


    "Yes."


    "You can believe and rely on gods as much as you want, but you must not expect human-like qualities from them."


    "......"


    "Evil gods, in particular, are very subtle about this..."


    Kang Seodam, who was about to say more, closed his mouth.


    "......"


    "...Sir?"


    "...No, it¡¯s just..."


    He continued.


    "I hope you are careful."


    "Yes, yes."


    "As I mentioned, the entity you¡¯re talking about isn¡¯t something that has been observed on Earth for long."


    "Yes, I¡¯ve heard that."


    "So, there¡¯s not much data, but... Hmm."


    Kang Seodam nodded.


    "I haven¡¯t felt any negative energy from Chaisol yet."


    "Ah, so it¡¯s okay for me to keep meeting with them?"


    "I¡¯d advise against rushing into a contract. If you just avoid that, half the battle is won."


    "Why avoid the contract?"


    "No god can create a follower without a contract. The reason why no devout believer can be considered a priest without using divine power is because of that."


    "Ah..."


    "For various reasons, gods don¡¯t influence the human realm without a contract. The contract is the last line of defense."


    "So, as long as I don¡¯t make a contract, it¡¯s fine?"


    "We¡¯ll need to observe the situation more, but for now, that¡¯s sufficient."


    Iruda, who had been listening to their conversation, intervened.


    "Is this still okay? Maybe the evil ? N§àv§Öl¦Éght ? (Read the full story) god could have brainwashed me without me noticing..."


    "I may not be as much of a genius as Sister Iruda, but I have more experience."


    "Even so..."


    "My partner was once captivated by an evil god and was executed. I took the lead in that."


    "......"


    "I am the one who can recognize the signs of an evil god better than anyone."


    He smiled faintly.


    "Don¡¯t worry, Chaisol is under the protection of the Sun."


    "I was rude. I apologize."


    "I understand your concern for your brother."


    "Thank you."


    "However, if anything unusual happens, please let me know at any time."


    "I will."


    As Iruda stepped out of the counseling room, she buried her face in her hands.


    "......"


    "Ruda?"


    "I made a mistake."


    "You like me too much."


    "It¡¯s annoying because it¡¯s not wrong."


    "Does that make me feel very secure?"


    "...If you know, do it well."


    "How?"


    "Let me know whenever he contacts you..."


    "I will."


    They continued their quiet conversation as they headed to their assigned room.


    "By the way, didn¡¯t you say in today¡¯s class that scholars summoned evil gods?"


    "That¡¯s right."


    "So, even if we¡¯re not priests, it means we can summon gods? Even ordinary people, not just those awakened like us?"


    "Even non-priest regular believers can use divine power, so it¡¯s somewhat expected."


    "But most people can¡¯t even imagine summoning a god."


    "That¡¯s because knowledge about gods hasn¡¯t been popularized."


    Above all, the chaotic world today had too low a civic consciousness to handle knowledge about gods.


    "Most people don¡¯t want to risk doing crazy things, so knowledge about calling gods is usually controlled by the government and associations. If there are people who know it in detail, it¡¯s probably the three major guilds."


    "Guilds..."


    "Unless you serve a god of the same type, if you serve a different god, you can join a private guild after becoming an official priest. With Chaisol¡¯s personality, this more flexible approach might suit him better."


    "What about the partner?"


    "I¡¯ve heard they usually work together. There¡¯s no strict rule, but it¡¯s hard to find a colleague you¡¯re so in sync with."


    "Oooh...."


    Chaisol didn¡¯t really confirm anything yet.


    "Well, you never know what the future holds."


    "That mindset is wise."


    "So, only high-ranking people know about god-related knowledge?"


    "They don¡¯t just know. There are groups that control some knowledge about it."


    "What if someone from that group has bad intentions?"


    "...That¡¯s...."


    Iruda sighed.


    "...It¡¯s the sin of the human who trusted them."


    That¡¯s why, in the end, we rely on gods.


    Humans are neither eternal nor strong enough to rely on themselves.

 Chapter 131

    Some orphanages supported by the government and associations are considered public institutions, and the man was from one of them.


    "Joo Hyun-ah."


    "Yes, Director."


    According to the orphanage''s rules, his name was simply Joo Hyun, with no surname.


    "If you have some time, could you run an errand for the association?"


    "I will. What should I deliver this time?"


    "It''s the list of the new kids coming in. Please have it reviewed."


    He was born four years before the Great Disaster.


    In other words, he was around four years old when the Great Disaster happened. The child, who had even lost his name, was intelligent and diligent, receiving much love from the adults and surviving under their care. The reason he could stay at the orphanage was because of this.


    "Understood. I¡¯ll be back soon."


    "You¡¯re such a good kid, Joo Hyun."


    "That''s what I should do."


    Orphanages affiliated with the association generally selected children who were smart, healthy, and hardworking. The kids raised here would either become hunters after awakening and go independent or have the opportunity to be employed by the association.


    Joo Hyun was one of those children, but unlike the other orphans who lived as life took them, he had ambitions.


    "You¡¯ve said you want to go to the association''s research center, right?"


    "Yes, even if I awaken, I prefer the research center."


    He wanted to create a better world. He wanted to prevent as many tragedies as possible.


    "You could help the hunters, after all."


    Having experienced the Great Disaster firsthand, he had seen the world¡¯s misery. He had witnessed how low humanity could fall.


    In that situation, Joo Hyun was relatively fortunate. He hoped to share the good fortune he had with others so that the same tragedy wouldn¡¯t repeat itself.


    "You¡¯re admirable, Joo Hyun."


    "Thank you."


    "The research center is always short on staff, so you should be able to get a job there."


    "I hope so."


    If he could share what he had, there was no reason not to.


    "I want to help."


    That was Joo Hyun''s thought.


    Though it might be embarrassing to say, it was his own belief. If he could help, he would, and if he could join others, he would.


    With that sense ? N§àv§Öl?g?§ä ? (Continue reading) of duty, the man did not forget to support the orphanage that raised him even after he joined the association.


    "You must be busy making a living, but thank you always."


    "It¡¯s thanks to you, Director."


    "That''s my job, though..."


    "I know it must have been tough taking care of us."


    Joo Hyun was biracial, and his skin was dark. The orphanage he stayed at, ''Other Orphanage,'' was a place where many children of foreign descent gathered.


    "Nowadays, most people don¡¯t care about skin color or anything, but there were tough times back then."


    "It was right after the Great Disaster, so people were very sensitive."


    "I know, they were saying it was hard enough to take care of Korean children, so why bother with foreigners? I remember."


    "Joo Hyun, that..."


    "I know I¡¯m Korean. I was born here. It was just a sensitive time, as you said."


    However, because all records, including nationality, were wiped out, people were highly suspicious and condescending if someone looked even slightly different from a typical Asian.


    The Great Disaster was a time like that.


    "I understand, but the atmosphere from back then still lingers... our orphanage still doesn¡¯t get much support."


    "It''s my fault. By the way, do you feel like the association people are looking down on you?"


    "I can¡¯t deny it. But it¡¯s fine. You know me. I''m smart and capable, so if I handle myself well, I¡¯ll settle in quickly."


    Those who joined the association through the orphanage were often treated differently, and Joo Hyun¡¯s orphanage, in particular, was looked down upon. Promotions were slow.


    Naturally, he couldn¡¯t participate in proper projects. A researcher who hadn¡¯t been promoted was essentially no different from a gofer.


    Despite this, Joo Hyun won the hearts of his colleagues with his diligence and hidden cleverness, showcasing his talent to gain the attention of the higher-ups.


    "Why are you working so hard?"


    "It¡¯s something I can do, so there¡¯s no reason not to."


    "You¡¯re diligent. I hope you¡¯ll stay with us for a long time."


    Some people liked him, while others worried or mocked him.


    "People who work that hard usually burn out quickly."


    "Thank you for the advice."


    He accepted the truth and swallowed it.


    Joo Hyun was not an entirely virtuous person. But his goal was to make the world a better place, and he cleverly found ways to contribute to that.


    "I set such a big goal..."


    To not get too exhausted, he took it step by step.


    "One thing at a time."


    He didn¡¯t rush. He didn¡¯t desire honor. But he had confidence.


    He was particularly intelligent among the research team and learned quickly. Although not an awakened one, he was healthier than average due to constant care.


    Joo Hyun also participated in numerous volunteer activities.


    "From the association?"


    "Are they looking for test subjects or something?"


    "Who do you think you are to help?"


    People in the outskirts, or those who needed help, were usually highly suspicious. Despite this, Joo Hyun continued to interact with them, gradually gaining their trust. After some time, they softened.


    "Thanks for the treatment last time."


    "I heard the kid over there is sick..."


    "Any more food? You know, it''s winter."


    Some of them were genuinely grateful, while others treated Joo Hyun as if he were a hen that laid eggs. Though some were rude, Joo Hyun didn''t get swayed and kept up his diligent service.


    "...You¡¯re busy."


    But even that felt good.


    He participated in the association¡¯s research, studied in his spare time, and volunteered. Rude people existed everywhere, and there were bound to be frustrating moments. But it was still good.


    "Once I gain more experience, maybe I can become a team leader. If I become the head of a research team, I¡¯ll have the time and resources to conduct my own research. Then I can study dungeons or monsters."


    It was during this busy time.


    "...Huh?"


    "Ahhhhhhh!!"


    "What, what¡¯s happening?"


    Someone ran out and grabbed Joo Hyun¡¯s ankle.


    "Please, please help me! I was wrong! I¡¯ll never do it again!!"


    "Wait a minute..."


    "Fuck, let me go! I don¡¯t want to die! Not like this!!!"


    "Ugh...!!"


    The research staff murmured, and before long, the security team arrived. No, had they been chasing the man from the start? They immediately subdued him.


    Still holding Joo Hyun¡¯s aching ankle, the researcher who followed apologized.


    "Oh no, is your ankle okay? It¡¯s not broken, is it?"


    "Huh? Ah, no... I think I¡¯ll need some treatment."


    "It¡¯s our fault. The association will treat you, but aside from that, we¡¯ll compensate you."


    "What about that person earlier?"


    "Huh?"


    The researcher looked at Joo Hyun¡¯s face and tilted his head.


    "Ah, you haven¡¯t participated in a real project yet, right?"


    "Does that have anything to do with it?"


    "He¡¯s a responder, a responder. He ran away because he didn¡¯t want to do his job."


    "A responder..."


    Joo Hyun had an idea.


    "You mean the people who help with the experiments?"


    "To put it another way, just test subjects."


    "..."


    "Seems like he couldn¡¯t adjust well."


    The researcher chuckled.


    "Probably, but it¡¯s nothing serious."


    "...I heard that responders get proper treatment and compensation."


    "That¡¯s divided by rank. You don¡¯t know yet, but that person is more like a test rat."


    "I clearly heard him begging for his life."


    "He must have been scared because he¡¯s about to enter the red room after the hourglass. I should¡¯ve managed it better, but I was surprised by how strong he was."


    "...The hourglass? The red room?"


    "Since you¡¯ll be working with us soon, let me tell you in advance."


    Up until now, the efforts seemed to be rewarded with some benefits, but Joo Hyun felt his heart pounding and cold sweat running, with no time to feel grateful. He would soon witness what the researcher mentioned¡ªthe ¡®hourglass¡¯ and the ¡®red room.¡¯


    "Those are monsters that consume people¡¯s time. It looks like a fancy hourglass, but if it doesn¡¯t consume someone¡¯s time once a week, the decorations become plain. When that happens, anomalies occur... you¡¯ll learn about it later."


    "..."


    "You know the room attached on the opposite side, right? You¡¯ve probably passed by it a few times when running errands. That¡¯s because it¡¯s strategically placed. The monster living inside is a deep red jewel, and it has to drink the blood of the elderly and infants to be satisfied."


    It was hard to understand.


    "...What do you mean by eating time, then?"


    "In today¡¯s world, it¡¯s hard to find infants or old people to take. So, we just make one old and put them in there."


    "...Then both the hourglass monster and the red room monster will be satisfied, right?"


    "You understand well. I think you¡¯ll adjust just fine, Joo Hyun. I¡¯m grateful."


    "Ha ha..."


    In short, they were offering sacrifices for the monsters.


    "Is this really okay? Is there no problem with this?"


    "The responder just deployed is a level 5 citizen."


    The researcher added knowingly.


    "Don¡¯t worry too much."


    He was a murderer who had killed dozens of people. The researcher patted Joo Hyun¡¯s shoulder a couple of times and left.


    Joo Hyun wandered through the endless rooms filled with monsters, talking to researchers and occasionally seeing which rooms they entered.


    Even in the crowd, he felt like he was alone.


    "..."


    Joo Hyun quickly came to his senses and focused on what he had to do.


    He fulfilled his duties, volunteered, and even made difficult requests to speak with the association president. But nothing improved. Everything was the same. The same routine.


    His family at the orphanage, his friends on the street, asked him:


    "You look really tired lately."


    Joo Hyun was comforted by them.


    "The things happening at the research center... aren¡¯t as noble as I thought."


    "If the association was the only noble thing, that would be amazing."


    "Yeah, you¡¯re right."


    He cleared his mind.


    "Thanks for listening to me."


    With family and friends, he could rise again.


    ¡®I endured the Great Disaster. I can endure this, and I need to find a better path.¡¯


    So, he kept trying to do more. With his newfound authority, Joo Hyun even used himself as a test subject to show results.


    But all he saw was the same tragic cycle that he hated so much.


    "..."


    "You¡¯ve overdone it. I¡¯ll give you a month of rest and recovery leave."


    "...But..."


    "I know what you want, but in your current state, you won¡¯t even be able to complete your tasks properly."


    "...Understood."


    After the conversation from the previous day, it seemed that the association president had personally recommended it after noticing Joo Hyun¡¯s exhaustion.


    Joo Hyun was about to stubbornly resist but quickly realized his mind and body were in disarray, so he accepted it. He didn¡¯t want to stubbornly insist without a plan.


    "I¡¯ll rest for a bit."


    But that was not how it was meant to be.


    "..."


    When he came back after recovering a little, his hometown was burning.


    Some of his friends on the street were missing, and things were chaotic. Joo Hyun, still processing his confusion, ran around trying to assess the situation.


    "Huh?"


    Then he soon realized that the cause was linked to him.


    "Because of me?"


    "Some people who had complaints about you must have caused trouble."


    "Complaints? What do you mean..."


    "They were around here?"


    Even people from his hometown, who he thought were close, some of his friends from the street, and some researchers at the lab who he thought were competent, hated Joo Hyun.


    He wasn¡¯t entirely oblivious to these feelings. Jealousy, disgust, or differences in ideology led to conflicts. He had been careful about it, but in the end, trouble had started.


    "Actually, I didn¡¯t think very highly of you either."


    "..."


    "You act like you''re perfect, don¡¯t you?"


    That stung.


    "...Ha ha."


    It sounded terrible.


    Why hadn¡¯t he heard of this earlier? It seemed that the research team leader who had been in charge of Joo Hyun had tried to suppress his energy, thinking he had strange ideas. "You can¡¯t work with someone who has such weird thoughts," they said.


    Had he stood out that much? Well, maybe not.


    ¡®I thought I was careful.¡¯


    He had tried to understand his colleagues¡¯ thoughts as best he could. He¡¯d agreed with them at times. He had also made suggestions. Probably, those small things built up, leading to this absurd ¡°reporting ceremony.¡±


    But his family, his friends, weren¡¯t level 5 citizens. They were ¡°innocent citizens.¡± Even in a world where human rights were hard to come by, this was absurd.


    ¡®Why didn¡¯t anyone try to stop it? Why is it just me who¡¯s suffering?¡¯


    Someone said:


    "Just accept it. If things keep going this way, you might end up becoming a responder too."


    "Can that really happen?"


    "When there¡¯s a shortage of staff, researchers get deployed as responders."


    "I¡¯ve heard about the research center¡¯s shortage every time."


    "Besides, you¡¯ve already played the role of a test subject."


    "Does that become an issue?"


    "I¡¯m not sure, but it can be used as a justification."


    "...Understood."


    Someone else was angry.


    "Fuck, I knew this would happen. That¡¯s why you shouldn¡¯t trust those association bastards!"


    "No, I..."


    "You killed my friends! You took them as test subjects, didn¡¯t you?"


    "...That¡¯s not it..."


    "Fucking hypocrite. Pretend to be nice and then stab us in the back, huh? You disgust me..."


    "..."


    He was tired.


    "..."


    It would¡¯ve been fine if he was just tired, but he was angry. It didn¡¯t make sense, but it was hard to think rationally with this tired rage.


    He was angry enough to burn all this frustration.


    ¡®...I guess this can happen.¡¯


    Humans are fickle and self-centered, so this kind of thing could happen. One of the traits of humanity was ingratitude. People forget what they¡¯ve received quickly and become sensitive to any perceived loss.


    He knew all this when he started. He had been hurt countless times by these parts of humanity. But he wanted to make a better world, not see the same tragedies again. That was his belief, and he lived with a smile.


    ¡®It could happen.¡¯


    But then, suddenly, he thought¡ªhe was human too.


    "...So..."


    When he came to his senses, he realized he was holding the mark of the evil god.


    He had created the mark of one of the evil gods, Sancalut.


    "...This could happen."


    He hadn¡¯t used it yet.


    Sancalut was an evil god of blood and honor. It was said that if you sacrificed the blood of a newborn or an elderly person, your wish would be granted, and the souls of the dead would be sent to paradise.


    But the reason he hadn¡¯t invoked the evil god yet wasn¡¯t because he was kind or intended to endure it again. He just hadn¡¯t thought about whom to kill or what wish to make.


    ¡®...I¡¯m not even wishing for anything, and yet I¡¯m thinking about getting angry. I don¡¯t understand. Was I always this foolish?¡¯


    He felt empty.


    "...If someone has to die, it might as well be me."


    He felt like a puppet, tied to a thin thread, no longer in control.


    He had been granted the authority to approach the monster that devoured time, the "hourglass," but considering everything that had happened, he wasn¡¯t sure if he still had that right.


    "At least, I can summon the evil god."


    That was enough.


    "As for my wish... hmm."


    What should he wish for?


    ¡®Should I ask to bring back my deceased family?¡¯


    Joo Hyun walked silently into the orphanage that had been reduced to ruins by the fire.


    The bodies had all been recovered, but the abandoned buildings in the remote areas hadn¡¯t even been demolished. Joo Hyun silently walked into the room of the children that hadn¡¯t burned completely. There were traces of the children left in the least damaged room.


    "...This..."


    There was even an unidentifiable picture that had miraculously not burned.


    "Did they draw the Black Cloak?"


    It had been quite famous.


    ¡®Children talking or drawing about the Black Cloak are not rare.¡¯


    Staring at the picture with lifeless eyes, Joo Hyun eventually dropped it, hearing it hit the floor with a dull sound.


    He collapsed on a bed, still smelling like smoke. As he looked at the evil god''s mark he had created, he thought.


    "..."


    "..."


    "Interesting."


    A wicked admiration.


    He realized someone was at the entrance of the room.


    "It''s a jewel that smells of blood and wealth, isn''t it?"


    "...What..."


    "If you give it to me, I can give you a more beautiful and valuable gem."


    "Where are you...?"


    "Hey, sir. Want me to guess what you''re thinking?"


    A man in a black suit was leaning against a gilded frame.


    "Aren¡¯t you hungry?"


    "...Huh?"


    It was an utterly unexpected remark.

 Chapter 132

    The horror stories about the Black Cloak were famous, but Juhyun wasn¡¯t very interested.


    ¡®There was no information I could access.¡¯


    The humanoid monster ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ that suddenly appeared recently had its information and traces managed by high-ranking researchers. Juhyun, who was still only a proxy, had no information he could access.


    However, he knew very well that he was a kind of portrait.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Why, did you lose your voice because you saw something so beautiful?¡±


    ¡°...Ah.... You¡¯re so confident?¡±


    ¡°If it were me, I would be overflowing with confidence.¡±


    ¡°That....¡±


    The conversation was so natural that it was ridiculous.


    ¡°...Is that Black Cloak?¡±


    It was so different from the image I had.


    ¡°I heard Black Cloak speaks more stiffly.¡±


    ¡°Then it wouldn¡¯t be fun. I know how to change to suit the other person, that¡¯s my talent.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on.¡±


    ¡°Surprisingly, I¡¯m not dreaming. Please don¡¯t treat me like I¡¯m dreaming.¡±


    ¡°...It doesn¡¯t seem to be a dream.¡±


    My mind is still a little dazed, but my heart is pounding with surprise.


    ¡°Why...why are you here?¡±


    ¡°I feel like someone is calling me.¡±


    ¡°At least I haven¡¯t called...¡±


    ¡°I guess so.¡±


    The portrait, whose hood was pulled down so deep that his face couldn¡¯t be seen, pointed to the bottom of the frame.


    ¡°You seem to be better at drawing than this.¡±


    ¡°...Ah.¡±


    Where he pointed, there was a picture of a black cloak drawn roughly with black crayon.


    ¡°.......¡±


    For some reason, the picture wavered unsteadily.


    ¡°...Did it come from this picture?¡±


    ¡°If it did, it would have come from that piece of paper, you idiot gentleman.¡±


    ¡°But isn¡¯t that picture calling you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I was able to find this location, and thanks to that, I met you.¡±


    ¡°Your speech is really... erratic.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard for me to stay still for even a moment.¡±


    ¡°The image is so different from the black cloak I¡¯ve heard of...¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    His face was hidden by the shadow of the hood, but for some reason, he seemed dissatisfied.


    ¡°This kind of conversation isn¡¯t fun.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Only then did Joo-hyun suddenly feel a sense of crisis.


    ¡°...I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    No matter who the other person was, there was no good in incurring his enmity.


    He didn¡¯t even remember debating whether or not to pray to the evil god Sankalut just a moment ago. It was because his head wasn¡¯t working well because he was faced with such an absurd situation.


    Joo-hyun apologized for now.


    ¡°If you were offended... uh...¡±


    ¡°Will you offer me a sacrifice?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know who you are, so it¡¯s a bit much to offer a sacrifice first...?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great. Prudence is a good virtue for humans to live by.¡±


    ¡°But why are you here, really?¡±


    ¡°I think I said that before.¡±


    ¡°No one called you.¡±


    ¡°No one called you.¡±


    A brief moment of silence passed, and the portrait waved its hand gently.


    ¡°You called me, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Unlike before, the voice was gentle and soft.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I came.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°To summon the evil spirit.¡±


    And once again, it became as ? N§àv§Ölight ? (Exclusive on N§àv§Ölight) blunt as a corpse.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for a friend to help me adapt.¡±


    ¡°...friend....¡±


    Was that ¡®adaptation¡¯ perhaps a word directed at human society?


    Among the gods, the evil spirits were particularly interested in humans. It was really unexpected, but if the ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ was one of those evil spirits, it made sense that he would suddenly appear and speak to them like this.


    ¡®No, I¡¯m not going.¡¯


    Do evil spirits usually appear out of nowhere like this?


    ¡°...I, I... was trying to call another evil spirit... you?¡±


    ¡°No matter what you were trying to call, there would be no better option than me.¡±


    ¡°Uh....¡±


    It was an extremely arrogant statement, but rather than feeling resentment, I felt fear and anxiety.


    ¡®The presence is growing.¡¯


    I understood that the other person¡¯s tone of voice was fluctuating. Most of those great mysteries did not fit human standards, so many parts seemed strange.


    ¡®Maybe he¡¯s adapting, as I said earlier.¡¯


    However, the pressure that I hadn¡¯t felt at first was gradually increasing, which was a dangerous sign.


    ¡®Does the blunt tone make the level more obvious?¡¯


    When the initial tone of voice had a sense of cruel interest, it was rather absurd, but when the voice had a pious weight, and even more so when the current mechanical tone of voice was used, the level felt even clearer.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°You seem confused.¡±


    ¡°...A little bit.¡±


    ¡°How can I help you?¡±


    ¡°Could you...speak a little more, more lightly...?¡±


    ¡°Aha.¡±


    The tone suddenly rose.


    ¡°You seem to prefer informality?¡±


    ¡°...Yes, this is more comfortable.¡±


    At the same time, the pressure also eased.


    ¡®...Is the personality changing?¡¯


    For a moment, the thought of having to report this new information about the ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ crossed my mind, but it soon subsided. It was funny that he couldn¡¯t break away from his usual habits while holding the symbol of the evil spirit.


    The portrait, watching Joo-hyun¡¯s reaction, asked.


    ¡°Why did you call the evil spirit?¡±


    ¡°...That¡¯s surprising, I thought a god would know without me having to say it....¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an invasion of privacy.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°And now I¡¯m human.¡±


    ¡°...Ah, yes.¡±


    The being that jumped out of the frame didn¡¯t seem convincing, but anyway, I knew that he was doing his best to meet human standards. The fact that no witnesses who claimed to be an evil spirit had their brains explode and died upon seeing the black cloak was proof of this.


    If he hadn¡¯t been considerate, there would have been countless victims just by looking. A god could have caused disaster just by looking.


    ¡°Why did you call the evil spirit?¡±


    Joo-hyun muttered and soon closed his mouth.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Well.


    ¡°...I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°You have no talent for revenge.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know my circumstances?¡±


    ¡°I just came here to smell anger.¡±


    ¡°Of course, you would....¡±


    Since the author of Evil God could not possibly be unaware of the circumstances of a mere human, the fact that he acted coyly, saying something about invading privacy, seemed like a kind of disguise or consideration.


    ¡®No, how could an evil god show consideration?¡¯


    Then, wouldn¡¯t it be imitating a human to appear as friendly as possible? Most evil gods are skilled and clever at digging into the hearts of humans, so imitating to that extent wouldn¡¯t have been an issue.


    In fact, I felt relieved.


    ¡°I trusted people.¡±


    ¡°Someone.¡±


    ¡°I trusted everyone.¡±


    Joohyun had tried to summon Sankalut without any wish anyway. He wanted to relieve his inexplicable impulses, even if it was in such a stupid way.


    So now, it wouldn¡¯t be a big problem if he were to follow the rhythm of another evil spirit. Rather, the black cloak that his family talked about felt more familiar, so Joo-hyun continued talking.


    ¡°I trusted my family, I trusted my friends, I trusted my colleagues.¡±


    ¡°Are you overflowing with trust?¡±


    ¡°I thought I was suspicious... It¡¯s embarrassing, it ended up like this.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Some of my people died because of my stupidity, some betrayed me, and the rest abandoned me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so sad.¡±


    ¡°I was so angry. I wanted to ruin everything because I was so angry, but I didn¡¯t know how to ruin it.¡±


    ¡°So you called the evil spirit?¡±


    ¡°I thought if I just called it, something would get better. I thought I could ruin something, so I tried my hand at it. I made it pretty well.¡±


    Even though the evil spirits are easy to summon, considering that they are authors, it was clear that they were talented since they were able to create something so quickly. Joo-hyun laughed at my situation and talent, and also admired me.


    ¡°I wanted to do good things.¡±


    I didn¡¯t need honor.


    ¡°Just... anything...¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°I wanted to make a better world.¡±


    ¡°You have a kind heart.¡±


    ¡°...That would have been enough...¡±


    I knew it would be hard, but it was harder than I imagined.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this too much?¡±


    It was a complaint that could be made when dealing with an evil spirit.


    ¡°I know that having good intentions doesn¡¯t mean that I will only receive good results. I knew that I shouldn¡¯t be the only one struggling, so I made a lot of family, friends, and colleagues... but they all died, betrayed me, and left me.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Look at this. It¡¯s a symbol that can summon Sankalut. If you hold it, the evil spirit can gaze at me more easily. You¡¯re using the knowledge you learned at the Association¡¯s research institute like this. You even made it so well. And then you tried to summon the evil spirit without a wish.¡±


    Really.


    ¡°This is the worst.¡±


    The situation surrounding me, and himself.


    ¡°It couldn¡¯t be worse....¡±


    ¡°Does that make you feel better now that you¡¯ve said it?¡±


    ¡°...Black Cloak, are you an evil spirit?¡±


    ¡°There used to be quite a few people calling me that. Not anymore.¡±


    ¡°I think you were last seen in Korea.¡±


    ¡°Before you were here.¡±


    ¡°I see, that could be true.¡±


    ¡°Your work too.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


    It was like the devil¡¯s whisper demanding an evil price.


    Whether the black cloak was really an evil spirit, or something similar. In the first place, whether it was a god or a monster. It was a situation where nothing could be known... .


    There was no reason not to answer.


    ¡°...A village where people die without value, lose precious people for no reason, and helplessly fall to continuous disasters... In hell, where we have to live in fear...¡±


    The terrible karma created by humans, monsters, and nature, indiscriminately destroys everyone without distinguishing between good and evil. No one can be happy or at peace.


    ¡°I hope such a tragedy never repeats itself.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have the confidence to see that anymore.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to see it.¡±


    I tried really hard.


    The cruelty of humans and monsters mixes together, and the world continues to create unbearable tragedies.


    ¡°Can you grant my wish?¡±


    The silver cloak answered.


    ¡°? No?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Juhyun silently raised his head and looked at the black cloak.


    ¡°...Wasn¡¯t it time to offer a deal and grant a wish?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t interact with people who are weak in mind and body. Dealing with them is a big deal.¡±


    ¡°Usually, it¡¯s better to deal with people who are weak in mind and body? Can an evil spirit say something like that in the first place?¡±


    ¡°More than anything, gods are more insignificant and incompetent than you think.¡±


    The black cloak asked in a pitiful tone.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t thinking of wishing for something like world peace, were you?¡±


    ¡°...I thought it wouldn¡¯t work out, but no matter what, isn¡¯t that too honest?¡±


    ¡°Look, gentleman. I just came here to find a friend to exchange letters with. I¡¯m sorry, but I think it would be better to give up on the dream of world peace.¡±


    ¡°So I don¡¯t want world peace, I just want to contribute something....¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the same thing?¡±


    ¡°...I can¡¯t say no.¡±


    Wait a minute.


    ¡°...A friend to exchange letters with? So, you mean a pen pal?¡±


    ¡°Will you do it? I can send it to you in the prettiest handwriting possible.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know why that¡¯s necessary... but what¡¯s good and bad for me if you do it?¡±


    ¡°The fact that I won¡¯t have to go hungry in the future and that I might end up a pig?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to tell which is better and which is worse because they sound so similar.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re being harsh. Why, you¡¯re the type of person who has a lot of friends, so why don¡¯t you include me?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s something else to include....¡±


    More than that.


    ¡°...Did you really ask me earlier if I was hungry?¡±


    ¡°I said that because you look like you could explode a nuclear bomb in a small country like Korea.¡±


    ¡°Do you know about nuclear bombs? No, but why did you ask if I was hungry? It doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±


    ¡°Usually, people who try to cause trouble without reason are hungry.¡±


    ¡°But it doesn¡¯t seem normal.¡±


    ¡°You could say it¡¯s a human malfunction caused by a weak stomach.¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯ve been taught humans wrong. What does causing trouble have to do with a strong stomach?...¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking.¡±


    The portrait seemed to be smiling in the shadow of the cloak.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you hungry?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    He kept asking if I was hungry, so he was a very persistent evil spirit in a strange way.


    ¡®... What is his intention? Since he¡¯s an evil spirit, I don¡¯t think it can be seen as the traditional mercy of a god. He definitely wants... .¡¯


    Joohyun tried to think calmly.


    ¡°.......¡±


    He tried to do that, but it was hard to expect his usual rationality from him, who hadn¡¯t eaten or slept for a while.


    Half swept away, half bewitched by the sweet voice. Joo-hyun didn¡¯t rebel but agreed.


    ¡°...I guess I¡¯m hungry too.¡±


    Suddenly, a thought occurred to him. ¡®What would happen if I prayed to the evil spirit for world peace?¡¯


    In a dream-indistinguishable unreality, Joo-hyun briefly had such a meaningless and worthless fantasy.


    The black cloak reached out.


    Joo-hyun was invited to the cabin.

 Chapter 133

    For the record, "I don¡¯t interact with mentally weak individuals" was Arjio¡¯s personal belief.


    ¡°I¡¯m a bit picky when it comes to taste.¡±


    ¡°That sounds quite like something an evil god would say.¡±


    ¡°Better healthy people, if possible.¡±


    Arjio took off his hood and continued speaking.


    ¡°Such people are even more interesting to watch when they get angry.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Hey, sir. What¡¯s the problem now?¡±


    ¡°...Ah, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Is it because I¡¯m too handsome? I understand, it happens often.¡±


    ¡°Why am I so unlucky...?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re quite a fun person to tease.¡±


    ¡°No...¡±


    Joo Hyun, subtly frowning as he looked around warily, asked:


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it make you angry that I¡¯m acting so arrogantly?¡±


    ¡°If you want to see me angry, it¡¯s going to cost you a bit. Are you sure you can handle it?¡±


    ¡°You mean you don¡¯t get irritated? I¡¯m asking if you¡¯re not annoyed by it.¡±


    Whether the other party was a monster or an evil god, perhaps it didn¡¯t matter to distinguish them. But he couldn¡¯t simply let someone act arrogantly toward him. Monsters who could think were typically proud beings.


    Yet, despite being aware of his reckless behavior, the man in the black cloak didn¡¯t show any sign of annoyance. Instead, he seemed to enjoy it.


    ¡°Why should I be angry?¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯re being arrogant?¡±


    ¡°Then I must be the first to die, because there¡¯s no one more arrogant than me.¡±


    ¡°...Well, I¡¯m not sure how to judge that.¡±


    ¡°Me neither.¡±


    With a flash of his golden eyes, the evil god laughed.


    ¡°I prefer not to think about troublesome things.¡±


    ¡°You really live with such a refreshing attitude.¡±


    ¡°With so many things to enjoy in this world, is there really a reason to suffer?¡±


    ¡°Ah... I see what you mean...¡±


    He appeared to be a hedonist at heart.


    ¡°......¡±


    But more than that, the colors were far more dazzling than he had imagined. Joo Hyun¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly in surprise.


    ¡®The color is unimaginable when hidden by that dull black cloak.¡¯


    Bright red hair and golden eyes that glimmered with a cold light.


    ¡°...What a beautiful color.¡±


    ¡°Is this color your favorite?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    ¡°You really like someone stimulating and honest, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I never really thought about it like that...¡±


    ¡°Then, to cater to your taste, today I will be Arjio.¡±


    ¡°...Huh? A?¡±


    Before he knew it, Joo Hyun was seated on the sofa and asked:


    ¡°Are you calling this form ''Arjio''?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°So... there are other forms?¡±


    ¡°The shape is the same, only the colors change.¡±


    ¡°Not like a chameleon.¡±


    ¡°A chameleon, eh? I could call it a distant relative of mine.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re joking, right...?¡±


    ¡°Being able to change according to the situation is similar to that.¡±


    Suddenly, his color shifted to a dazzling platinum, as though bathed in sunlight.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think so?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    What was this?


    ¡°...Is it like a split personality...?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a different personality, though.¡±


    ¡°Even the tone and expression are so different; isn¡¯t it a different personality?¡±


    ¡°I just change colors, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°...Ah, I see.¡±


    He understood it roughly.


    ¡®It¡¯s like changing clothes, I guess.¡¯


    Changing clothes wouldn¡¯t change the person inside, so from a god¡¯s perspective, it could be considered a similar trick. Certainly, one shouldn¡¯t judge mystical beings based on human standards.


    Joo Hyun [N O V E L I G H T] nodded.


    ¡°I understand what you mean.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for understanding.¡±


    ¡°...But, I prefer the red one.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    In the blink of an eye, the black cloak transformed into a radiant image, glowing with color like a fire.


    ¡°I am Arjio. If you promise to be my friend, I will tell you my other name. I swear on the honor of my dear friends that it won¡¯t harm you.¡±


    ¡°...That...¡±


    There were still parts that didn¡¯t make sense.


    ¡°Why do you need a friend, like a pen-pal?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m shy.¡±


    ¡°Did you kill all the shy people in the world?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really hard to make friends.¡±


    ¡°And it was easy for me?¡±


    If anything, Joo Hyun, having been betrayed by the world and grown hyper-sensitive, was clearly the one with a more difficult time. It was absurd; anyone off the street could be a better friend than him.


    Then Arjio spoke.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you not afraid of me?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Everyone else, when they see me, is too busy looking at me strangely.¡±


    ¡°...I see.¡±


    That was definitely true.


    ¡®Most would be either afraid or in awe.¡¯


    The current status of the Black Cloak in Korea felt just like that. It was famous enough for even children to know, but the danger was high, and while it was oddly friendly, there was a sense of fear that couldn¡¯t be ignored...


    ¡®It¡¯s truly a ghost story.¡¯


    A city legend, perhaps.


    If Joo Hyun had met him under normal circumstances, he would probably have had a similar reaction. There was nothing good about getting involved with a mysterious figure whose true identity was questionable.


    ¡°......¡±


    But right now, he didn¡¯t have the energy to even act appropriately.


    ¡®...I¡¯m not even sure why things got this far.¡¯


    He barely held onto his consciousness, but the sense of unreality was starting to dull.


    ¡®It would make more sense if this were just a dream.¡¯


    So he responded more casually. Since the moment he created the mark of Sancalut, his mind had been half-gone, and because he¡¯d been planning to die from the start, everything had been blurry ever since.


    Amidst all that, being invited into the portrait by the Black Cloak added even more to the unreal feeling he was experiencing. He couldn¡¯t even muster the energy to react normally.


    ¡°...This is... such a lovely place.¡±


    Joo Hyun looked around and said.


    ¡°It¡¯s far cozier and peaceful than I imagined.¡±


    ¡°I do love my home.¡±


    ¡°Is this your home?¡±


    ¡°You can make homes in many places, but this feels like my hometown.¡±


    ¡°Hometown, huh...¡±


    It certainly had the atmosphere to be called that.


    ¡°So, what should I do?¡±


    ¡°Eat and play.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to work?¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯ve been suspended.¡±


    ¡°Then you should eat!¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡±


    Joo Hyun didn¡¯t quite understand why he was so fixated on food.


    ¡®Come to think of it, I heard most of Black Cloak¡¯s gifts are snacks...¡¯


    Could the ultimate goal really be to fatten up humans?


    ¡®Can I even call this an evil god?¡¯


    It felt strange. He had thought of Black Cloak as an evil god just because he called himself that, but the more they talked, the less he seemed like one.


    Was this all just a highly elaborate deception? An act to lure a tired human into submission? Or was it compassion, like a god giving alms to a beggar? Or just a temporary whim?


    ¡°...Should I help prepare the meal?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t have the guest handle the kitchen.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll just wait quietly?¡±


    ¡°How about some tea?¡±


    ¡°Sounds nice, but...¡±


    And then a teddy bear brought the tea.


    ¡°...A teddy bear?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the one who¡¯s like a father to me.¡±


    ¡°Father?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s soft.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    The fruit tea the teddy bear handed him was unexpectedly delicious.


    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry anymore.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I made a mistake again.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t make mistakes with weak humans.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t look that weak.¡±


    ¡°So, what mistake was it?¡±


    ¡°This tea fills you up.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t drink it before meals?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see.¡±


    Joo Hyun nodded.


    ¡°Is this really a dream?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s reality.¡±


    ¡°I feel sleepy.¡±


    ¡°Then sleep.¡±


    A large hand patted Joo Hyun¡¯s head.


    ¡°Sleep well, wake up, have a meal, and then have some snacks.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°After you wash up and lie on the bed, I¡¯ll sit by your head and listen to your screams.¡±


    ¡°...Yes.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be friends after talking endlessly. You can talk to me.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I wonder what your anger tastes like...¡±


    A voice filled with curiosity and mercy dropped over his head, and soon that hand closed Joo Hyun¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°I can be a good friend.¡±


    It truly seemed like that.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t dream.¡±


    Letting go of everything, Joo Hyun fell asleep.


    ¡°...Hmm, I see.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon nodded.


    ¡°So, now there¡¯s an association researcher sleeping in your house?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been two days, and he still hasn¡¯t woken up.¡±


    ¡°Two days already? I didn¡¯t know, since I only visit in the early mornings.¡±


    The background in Gio¡¯s portrait changed according to the changes within it. In the morning, it looked like morning, and in the evening, it looked like evening. Occasionally, new animals appeared, or strange flowers bloomed.


    ¡®I didn¡¯t realize that two days had passed inside the painting during that short time.¡¯


    Maybe it was because he had finally gained a ¡°pen-pal friend,¡± but Gio seemed to be really enjoying the visit. The passage of time inside the portrait changed according to Gio¡¯s mood.


    ¡®When I visited before and had a meal, only about 20 minutes passed outside. Time in the portrait flows faster when Gio is enjoying himself, and slower when he¡¯s resting...¡¯


    Right now, he seemed to be in a very good mood. Yoo Seong-Woon smiled his usual calm smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m happy that you¡¯ve made a new friend.¡±


    ¡°That person and I aren¡¯t friends yet. I¡¯ll always give people a chance. He might become my friend, or he might not.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you have such an open heart.¡±


    If someone were forced to become friends with the source, what a great disaster it would be for that individual.


    ¡®At least giving them a choice shows how merciful you are.¡¯


    Anyway, Yoo Seong-Woon had something else he wanted to say.


    ¡°So that would-be friend tried to summon an evil god, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Why did you stop him?¡±


    ¡°He had the kind of face that would cause a massive disaster if he made a mistake.¡±


    ¡°Oh...¡±


    Considering the source¡¯s judgment, it sounded plausible.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t he say he wouldn¡¯t go to work because he was suspended?¡±


    ¡°Yes. He didn¡¯t seem to have done anything wrong, but I¡¯m curious why he received such a punishment.¡±


    ¡°Probably a forced vacation. It¡¯s a pretty common thing.¡±


    ¡°Is this kind of coercive measure really common?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s kind of a forced resignation. The atmosphere in the association and the collectors¡¯ office is completely different.¡±


    When you looked at it globally, the three major guilds in South Korea were a bit unique, with the collectors¡¯ office standing out as one of the few groups that treated humans like humans.


    ¡°We get all sorts of benefits because the guild leader is very hands-on, but the association... it feels like a dungeon. With such a huge organization, some places do their work without personal interest, while others are embroiled in faction wars.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, that new guest was probably from a team that played the social game a lot. In the association, teams are so big that they¡¯re assigned entire buildings. That¡¯s why a lot of things happen in an uncoordinated way.¡±


    It¡¯s also why so many people were abruptly killed. There were works that could mentally or physically contaminate or infect people. It wasn¡¯t rare for people to die while studying or analyzing them.


    ¡°There are tons of people working at the association, but what needs to be done there is much more dangerous, and there are many clinical trials going on for various projects...¡±


    ¡°Are they really clinical trials and not human experiments?¡±


    ¡°We just call them clinical trials to make it sound nicer to civilians. Well, the team I used to be with was pretty mild, and there were no projects that required human sacrifices. So I don¡¯t know much.¡±


    The atmosphere of the research center varied greatly depending on the team.


    ¡°So... uh...¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon said with a somewhat awkward expression.


    ¡°Guess it¡¯s not that rare.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s terrifying.¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s surprising that they even tried to summon an evil god.¡±


    ¡°Is it?¡±


    ¡°Most people don¡¯t go that far.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon chuckled bitterly.


    ¡°But even if they did, it seems like it would have been handled somehow. If it was an incident at the Seoul branch¡¯s research center, the head of the center or the association president would have heard about it right away, and then they¡¯d have stepped in... Even if they succeeded in their transaction with the evil god, it would have ended well.¡±


    Then Gio summarized.


    ¡°Everything seems to be maintained through the association president¡¯s mercy.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not wrong. The current situation on Earth is exactly like that.¡±


    The peace was maintained only because a few powerful figures occasionally granted mercy. If any of them turned bad, the peace would crumble into pieces.


    ¡°Despite all the dangerous materials accumulating in Korea, the reason this country hasn¡¯t fallen apart is because of that. Korea has a strong system, and many powerful hunters.¡±


    ¡°Luckily.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, I feel bad about that guest. I left because I was fed up with the atmosphere of turning people into tools and means. It¡¯s really maddening at the collectors¡¯ office.¡±


    They had the ability to break down even the mentally and physically intact, and the irony was that this ability helped them collect a great deal of data, which contributed to their development.


    South Korea¡¯s rapid progress was built on countless sacrifices like these.


    ¡°If you want to survive in the association¡¯s research center, you need to adopt the mindset that life is about being alone.¡±


    You can trust others¡¯ abilities, but you shouldn¡¯t trust or depend on the person themselves.


    ¡°Actually, this isn¡¯t just a story about the association.¡±


    ¡°Do other people live like this too?¡±


    ¡°The intensity is particularly strong at the research center, but... yeah, pretty much.¡±


    It was a truly unfortunate reality, but such tragedies were common in this small country.


    ¡°Still, most people don¡¯t think about summoning an evil god. Was someone encouraging him?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°If the conversation goes well with that guest, can you arrange a meeting with me? I want to hear more about it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do that if possible.¡±


    ¡°If I feel a dangerous vibe, I¡¯ll have to investigate it myself.¡±


    It felt as uncomfortable as when they investigated the raging sea before the mermaid siblings appeared. Yoo Seong-Woon kept his smile but sighed briefly.


    ¡°...If anything goes wrong, send me a letter. I¡¯ll be there right away.¡±


    He entrusted the poor, betrayed human to the source, believing that the source¡¯s mercy was far more reliable than that of another human.

 Chapter 134

    Safety ¡ï¡ï¡î¡î¡î


    Would you like to check your history?


    [Yes/No]


    Name: Ahn Joo-hyun


    Age: 36


    Status: Panic


    He wanted to help the world to prevent a repeat of the tragedy he experienced, but all his hard work and affection were betrayed and he became isolated. He knew it was not an easy goal, but he was faced with more than enough misfortune. He is alone.


    Ahn Joo-hyun is wary and suspicious of you, but he is never aggressive. He is polite and clever. He will obey even if he harbors hostility, and he will be in awe if you harbor favor. As a civilian, he is weaker than an F-class Hunter. He cannot disobey you.


    You can either drop him into the clutches of Sankalut and gain awareness as an evil spirit, or you can watch him care for the poor man and move towards his goal again. You can choose or not. An Ju-hyun can have impure thoughts, but he can¡¯t do any harm.


    He is a safe person for you.


    The reason Geo immediately spoke to Ju-hyun was because he had confirmed the above history.


    ¡°He seems like a good ¡ï Novelight ¡ï person.¡±


    ¡°Kururur.¡±


    ¡°He said he¡¯s safe for me.¡±


    He was the best.


    ¡°The way the system says things is quite unlucky, but I know that this person called An Ju-hyun is a good person. And nothing is more important than that.¡±


    There are not many harmless people in this world who can have a normal conversation with the ¡®Black Cloak¡¯. That was a huge problem for Geo, who only knows how to eat and sleep.


    ¡°I can finally make a pen pal.¡±


    ¡°Arrrrrrrrr....¡±


    ¡°Danaya, Dad needs friends too, right? And I¡¯m human too.¡±


    Geo picked up Dana, who seemed to be about to smash the door where Joohyun was sleeping. As she grew bigger, Dana actively expressed her aversion to humans. Her body flashed.


    ¡°I heard from Yoo Seong-woon that most anti-cats are just busy avoiding things, but why does my child have such confidence? It¡¯s really interesting.¡±


    She clearly took after her father.


    ¡°Father.¡±


    ¡°Kuu?¡±


    ¡°I think I need to coax Dana a little.¡±


    ¡°Kuk kuk kuk....¡±


    ¡°Can you let me know when the guest wakes up?¡±


    ¡°Kuu.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Geo thought she might wake up, so he carried the tray of food he had brought back down. Dana, who had grown considerably, moved her body from her father¡¯s arms to his shoulders. His shoulders were warm and heavy.


    ¡°A cool ball of jewel fur....¡±


    Isn''t it a cute cool mat? I thought I''d take Dana instead of Honey when summer came to Earth.


    "Honey, let''s go."


    "Kurur."


    "You can eat this."


    "Kururururur."


    "I should eat it too."


    It was porridge made by boiling rice grains until they were all intact, and adding various vegetables and a little minced meat. I also added the baiba mnil and pickled goby fruit that I had made before, which gave off a delicious aroma.


    And Honey ate it all by herself.


    "......."


    "Kkung."


    "Pig."


    "Kungkungkungkungkungkungkung...!!"


    "You''re cute."


    I didn''t know she''d eat all that by herself, but anyway, it was a bonus point that I didn''t have to throw away the food that the guests didn''t eat.


    Geo pulled Dana, who was lying on his shoulder, and sat her on his thigh.


    ¡°How can our Dana be so confident?¡±


    ¡°A child?¡±


    ¡°Does she think the world revolves around her?¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    ¡°I see, that¡¯s the kind of confidence our child has.¡±


    Still, it would be awkward if she bit the heads off of everyone she met.


    ¡°Honey used to do that too.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Did you learn it from watching your brother?¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so, but then it must be instinct.¡±


    ¡°Gyarrrrr.¡±


    ¡°So cute.¡±


    Geo gently stroked Dana¡¯s belly, which was turning over and acting cute. Unlike other cats who are sensitive to having their bellies touched, Dana just lay there as if she was happy. Since she was a long-haired cat, it felt like there was a heavy carpet lying on her.


    ¡°Your brother used to bite people at will at first. It was only once, but when he found out, Dad¡¯s heart sank.¡±


    ¡°For the sake of this Dad, I hope you don¡¯t bite or hurt other people at will. If I were to talk about the damage from your perspective as a monster, every time you cause something like that, I have to go far away to clean up or pay money.¡±


    ¡°......!¡±


    ¡°Dad can draw gems and gold, but it seems that bartering isn¡¯t that popular in South Korea yet. In short, he¡¯s a beggar, and I could be branded a debtor and get harassed, so I wish Dana would think of Dad a little.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re pretty, you¡¯re pretty.¡±


    Dana apologized after learning about Dad¡¯s poor financial situation. Building trust with the sturdy daughter who promised not to cause any trouble, Geo sat Honey, who was poking the empty tray, on his hand.


    ¡°Honey, come here.¡±


    ¡°Gulp.¡±


    ¡°The tray will be worn out soon.¡±


    I don¡¯t know who he resembled to grow into such a wonderful pig. Of course, he knew very well that he resembled Geo himself.


    ¡°The guest must have been quite tired, considering he slept for almost five days.¡±


    Geo really liked this guest.


    He was a 36-year-old adult male, older than Geo, and he didn¡¯t get scared or rush at the black cloak when he encountered it. He was even a polite and harmless human recognized by the system.


    ¡°And he¡¯s skinny.¡±


    He had to gain weight right away.


    It had been a long time since he had seen someone who seemed worth gaining weight for. An Ju-hyun was truly qualified to be Geo¡¯s friend.


    ¡°I prepared lamb skewers to eat together....¡±


    ¡°Gulp.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, if you don¡¯t wake up, let¡¯s eat together in the evening.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    ¡°If you wake up, we can all eat together.¡±


    If we eat, we become Anne of Green Gables and her friend Diana.


    In this harsh world, Geo finished preparing to hunt to make new friends.


    Joo-hyun woke up early in the morning.


    ¡°.......¡±


    He got up from his soft bed in a daze.


    The dawn of a world where spring had fully descended was cool, and a gentle breeze carrying the scent of flowers and the forest was blowing gently.


    Joo-hyun turned his head toward where it was touching his cheek. He could see the world sparkling with dew beyond the wide-open terrace.


    ¡°...Wow....¡±


    It¡¯s beautiful.


    And it was peaceful.


    ¡°...here, now....¡±


    He frowned, his mind hazy.


    He felt around with his raised upper body, and his hands were caught in a soft blanket that seemed to contain only feathers.


    The feeling of the sun-dried cloth rustling and fluttering brought back the feeling of touching moss as a child.


    Joo-hyun was speechless for a moment at that feeling, and then he looked at the world beyond the terrace again. It was an instinctive gaze.


    ¡°...Was it inside the black cloak¡¯s frame?¡±


    It was a world more like a fairy tale than he had imagined.


    ¡®The sun is just rising.¡¯


    The dark dawn clouds were a navy blue that reminded him of the cold spring weather, but the warmth and starlight that lingered next to the rising sun were gentle colors like forsythia or cherry blossoms.


    When he took a bite of it, it was as sweet as honey given by flowers.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Thump.


    Joohyun went out to the terrace without realizing it.


    ¡°...It¡¯s a star.¡±


    There were stars in the sky, there was a moon, and with them the sun.


    Even in the bright and soft light, the stars that did not fade showed a clearness that seemed as if they would fall down at any moment. They were still twinkling.


    ¡°The Milky Way....¡±


    Suddenly, the tips of her fingers tingled at the dreamy sight, and her tightly closed lungs throbbed. Although it was a sight she had never seen before, Joohyun felt a heavy air along with an inexplicable longing.


    ¡°.......¡±


    In the place where the shadows of dawn still remained, an endless forest and a sparkling lake were visible. Joohyun¡¯s eyes were momentarily captivated by the lake. She felt a deep richness from the enchanting golden light.


    It was cold and warm.


    ¡°...It feels strange.¡±


    Joohyun muttered to herself and stepped back.


    ¡°...This is, um, yes. Yes....¡±


    He tried to come to his senses.


    ¡°Is this some kind of dungeon?¡±


    It didn¡¯t go well.


    He had been like this all along. He thought rationally that he could recover by doing this and that, but he didn¡¯t have the motivation to actually do it. It was as if his brain had frozen and refused to work.


    But a cool breeze blew from the terrace, cooling his forehead.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Joo-hyun let out a slow sigh, laughing at himself for thinking that, at the gentleness that seemed to tell him not to be impatient.


    ¡°...Haaah....¡±


    Crunch.


    He sat down on the bed.


    ¡°...Let¡¯s calm down.¡±


    It was okay.


    It wasn¡¯t okay, but it could be okay. Just like always, he could overcome it this time too.


    ¡®I feel a little more rational since I woke up.¡¯


    The terrible listlessness that had been tormenting Joo-hyun recently had disappeared.


    Yes, he was listless. An impulse he had never felt in his life shook Joo-hyun violently, and his head, which had always coolly produced results for his own benefit and goals, had become rigid.


    ¡®But now... it¡¯s not like that.¡¯


    He felt like he was breathing.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Gulp?¡±


    ¡°...Huh?¡±


    ¡°Knock, kkung.¡±


    ¡°Bird?¡±


    When he came to his senses, he saw a golden bird sitting on the terrace railing.


    ¡°No, water?¡±


    Joo-hyun soon realized that it was living water in the shape of a bird.


    It looked similar to the already extinct squint-eyed scorpion, had a much longer tail, and held a jewel that stood out as if it were a treasure chest.


    ¡°Why here....¡±


    As he froze, not knowing how to react, the bird flew over and landed on Joo-hyun¡¯s thigh. It was almost weightless, and although it was water, it felt warm like a living creature.


    ¡°Kur.¡±


    ¡°...Hello?¡±


    ¡°Kuk-kur-rur.¡±


    The water bird let out a long cry as if responding to the greeting and flew up again, flapping its wings. It soon bit the sleeve of Joo-hyun¡¯s white pajamas with its beak and held on tightly.


    He dragged it.


    ¡°...Let¡¯s go out?¡±


    ¡°Gulp.¡±


    ¡°...That¡¯s strange, isn¡¯t the vocal organ attached to the mouth....¡±


    Perhaps because he was still half asleep, he was more curious about the fact that the bird, made entirely of water, had his sleeve in its mouth but its cry didn¡¯t distort.


    Joo-hyun followed the bird down in a strange sense of unreality. There was a pitch-black man there.


    ¡°Honey.¡±


    At his call, the honey-colored bird landed on the man¡¯s hand. It was a soft landing.


    The man gave the bird a short compliment, saying it was good, and lifted it onto his shoulder. At his feet was a large cat shining with a cold light. Joo-hyun realized that it looked quite similar to the Anticat.


    Joo-hyun hesitated, not knowing what to do, and soon the man spoke to him.


    ¡°Good morning.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes. Good morning.¡±


    ¡°I was worried because you didn¡¯t wake up for a long time.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t wake up...?¡±


    ¡°You slept for 8 days.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Juhyun¡¯s dark skin turned pale as he chewed on those words.


    ¡°...8 days?¡±


    ¡°A total of 3 days have passed in reality.¡±


    ¡°Ah, ah. Ah... I see. I understand.¡±


    Juhyun let out a sigh of relief. After being startled once, he felt like he had come to his senses. Juhyun looked at the pitch-black man in front of him with a clearer mind than before and thought to himself.


    ¡®... Is this the true form of the black cloak?¡¯


    There were no witnesses who had seen the inside of the black cloak, to the point where there were almost theories that the cloak or suit itself was the main body. And the main body of the black cloak that Juhyun confirmed was a man who was more handsome than he had imagined.


    ¡®I think I saw it before I fell asleep, but his impression is completely different now... What exactly is different?¡¯


    While pondering the differences in the black cloak¡¯s transformation, the other person asked politely with calm, sunken eyes.


    ¡°Would you like to eat?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Are you hungry?¡±


    Oh, that expression.


    ¡®... A person changes completely with just one expression.¡¯


    When the black cloak asked ¡®Are you hungry?¡¯ just a moment ago, its color hadn¡¯t changed, but it looked extremely gentle and affectionate. My gaze was unknowingly drawn to the natural, softly curved eyes and lips.


    After a beat, Joo-hyun was able to answer.


    ¡°...Yes, I¡¯m hungry.¡±


    Look at this terrible peace.


    ¡®There¡¯s no way this kind of peace could exist in the world.¡¯


    From that unrealistic comfort, he realized that he was in a painting.

 Chapter 135

    Joo Hyun, now that he had regained his senses, no longer feared the Black Cloak.


    ¡°For your first meal since waking up, I prepared porridge.¡±


    ¡°You can make porridge?¡±


    ¡°Though I look like this, I can cook almost anything.¡±


    ¡°The smell is wonderful. Thank you.¡±


    Joo Hyun, having regained his strength during his sleep, gave a bright smile and expressed his gratitude.


    ¡®A monster is making porridge??¡¯


    Of course, this thought was separate from his true feelings. Joo Hyun couldn¡¯t help but sweat as he felt a deep sense of confusion and absurdity.


    A god, preparing porridge, serving it to a human, and expressing pride in such an act. The main reason he wasn¡¯t scared of him right now was because of how utterly ridiculous it all seemed.


    ¡®Even if he¡¯s a god... this is... if he¡¯s a god, it¡¯s even weirder.¡¯


    The association had reported the Black Cloak as a monster, but having spent enough time with the organization, Joo Hyun was aware of the truth. Often, the association hid the truth for various purposes under the guise of a greater cause. It looked like this was another case of that.


    But still, it didn¡¯t make sense. It was rare for a god to prepare a meal for a human, but even then, they wouldn¡¯t cook it themselves.


    ¡®And if I think of this world as some sort of dungeon, it becomes even harder to explain. Only monsters who fulfill certain criteria create their own dungeons. But gods... don¡¯t they have a place to stay that could be considered a dungeon?¡¯


    Joo Hyun stopped his thoughts there.


    ¡°...It¡¯s delicious?¡±


    It was the porridge that was delicious.


    ¡°This is the best porridge I¡¯ve ever had.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m happy to hear that you¡¯re enjoying it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s amazing. How could porridge taste like this? Is this really okay?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t just empty flattery¡ªJoo Hyun was truly stunned and astonished.


    He didn¡¯t particularly like porridge. Usually, porridge was made from rice that was stretched out to make it go further, or it was something you ate when you were sick. But the porridge the Black Cloak served was so delicious it could make your brain ache.


    ¡°I never knew porridge could taste like this.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the best compliment I could hear from someone who appreciates the dish.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re amazing, the flavor and texture... I could eat this every day without getting tired of it.¡±


    For the first time in a long while, his admiration wasn¡¯t out of politeness, but pure wonder.


    ¡°It¡¯s really delicious.¡±


    He kept repeating the same words, sounding a bit silly.


    The rice grains in the porridge almost melted, giving it a texture similar to a smooth rice soup. But there were still traces of rice grains, like the well-cooked rice in a traditional sweet drink, warm and crumbling softly like a health food.


    And the rich flavor of the rice, with its savory and sweet notes, gently spread in his mouth. The vegetables mixed in had a mild warmth, and especially the generous pieces of meat added a comforting depth.


    ¡®This feels surprisingly filling...¡¯


    Was it bone broth?


    ¡°...Did you use bone broth in this?¡±


    ¡°Good guess, you have a talent for gastronomy.¡±


    ¡°T-talented, you say...¡±


    ¡°Thank you for savoring it.¡±


    A bright smile bloomed on his pale face. For some reason, the Black Cloak truly seemed pleased.


    ¡°It was just a small portion since it¡¯s the first meal, but would you like more?¡±


    ¡°Ah...¡±


    When Joo Hyun came to his senses, the bowl was completely empty.


    ¡°...If it¡¯s not too much trouble, may I have another bowl?¡±


    Though he felt embarrassed for imposing on an evil god, he shamelessly requested another bowl.


    ¡°Would you like more side dishes?¡±


    ¡°Yes, please...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re enjoying it.¡±


    Even though the porridge itself was surprisingly filling, the Black Cloak seemed particularly pleased by Joo Hyun¡¯s enjoyment and soon returned with a larger bowl.


    ¡°I thought the portion was too small, so I increased it.¡±


    ¡°Th-thank you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve made sure it¡¯s easy on the stomach, but please don¡¯t overeat.¡±


    ¡°Yes... I¡¯ll be careful.¡±


    The porridge the Black Cloak brought felt as if it melted on the tongue like cotton candy. The rice was still there, but it felt like it was dissolving as it touched the tongue, showing how carefully the rice had been prepared.


    ¡®And it somehow feels like a health tonic.¡¯


    It almost seemed like there was a slight medicinal scent to it...


    ¡°......¡±


    Medicinal?


    ¡°...Excuse me, Black Cloak... sir?¡±


    ¡°You can call me Gio.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Gio. Is there any medicine in this?¡±


    ¡°...I didn¡¯t add any medicine.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°I used ingredients grown here, except for the rice.¡±


    ¡°Aha, thank you for explaining.¡±


    Joo Hyun expressed his thanks with a warm smile, but internally, he couldn¡¯t shake the unease.


    ¡®Ingredients grown here?¡¯


    This was information he couldn¡¯t ignore. His smile grew tense.


    He thought back to the fairy-tale-like scenery he had seen when he first woke up. That dreamlike sight had shaken him just by looking at it.


    ¡®Is it likely that ingredients grown in a mystical being¡¯s divine land are ordinary materials?¡¯


    A time full of monsters and mystery. Among them, Joo Hyun had studied hard to contribute to the world. He knew the significance of ¡®eating¡¯ in such a mystical context.


    ¡®Am I... eating something too bold, something that¡¯s shaped like porridge but is actually a mystery I shouldn¡¯t be consuming?¡¯


    But it was delicious.


    ¡°......¡±


    Nom.


    Food wasn¡¯t to blame.


    ¡®...Anyway, I¡¯ve already discarded my body.¡¯


    Joo Hyun, who had been ready to become a sacrifice to Sancalut, thought that if he turned into something not human in the embrace of some unknown mystery, he wouldn¡¯t be too hurt by it.


    Having finished the meal with a strangely bittersweet feeling, the Black Cloak asked:


    ¡°Would you prefer a light tea for dessert, or something sweet?¡±


    ¡°...Light tea?¡±


    ¡°Do you not enjoy sweet things?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that, but I prefer something savory in tea...¡±


    ¡°Savory tea, huh.¡±


    The Black Cloak seemed to be pondering for a moment before blinking twice.


    ¡°Tea made from grains is usually quite savory.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind for the next meal.¡±


    ¡°...Thank you?¡±


    Joo Hyun, suddenly feeling a bit fearful as the Black Cloak seemed intent on improving his guest treatment, found himself thinking, ¡®Am I really drinking something I shouldn¡¯t be consuming?¡¯


    Soon, the Black Cloak brought out a warm tea with a bluish hue.


    ¡°This tea is excellent for boosting immunity.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. Thank you for the consideration.¡±


    For a moment, Joo Hyun doubted, ¡®Could this really be just for immunity?¡¯ But in his resigned state and his fascination with the intoxicating aroma, he drank the tea. The scent was creamy sweet, yet the taste itself was light.


    ¡°...It¡¯s nice.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s made from dried flowers from this forest.¡±


    ¡°I saw the forest from the terrace of the room you gave me.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it peaceful and beautiful?¡±


    ¡°Yes, looking at it made me feel at ease.¡±


    As the tea warmed his body, Joo Hyun began to feel his mind clearing.


    ¡°......?¡±


    Was it just a feeling?


    ¡®If this is just a feeling, it¡¯s a really dishonest one.¡¯


    What am I even drinking?


    ¡®I feel uneasy. If I had awakened the emotional skill, I might have been able to check.¡¯


    Though Joo Hyun wasn¡¯t an awakened one, the Bai Bamnil flower tea was capable of reconfiguring cells and ? N§àv§ÖIight ? (Read more on our source) making the drinker immune to light illnesses at all times.


    The elixir of the source couldn¡¯t leave a human¡¯s brain sluggish. It was no wonder Yoo Seong-Woon, the previous visitor, had feared, ¡®At this rate, you might not live to your own age,¡¯ considering the consequences.


    But Joo Hyun, unaware of the reality, simply sipped the delicious tea.


    ¡°Hmm...¡±


    With his mind clearing, he finally felt like he could breathe again.


    ¡°Am I drinking something too precious?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing precious about food. In the end, it all goes into a person¡¯s mouth.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    Joo Hyun didn¡¯t question Black Cloak¡¯s words further, remembering how humans in society risk their lives over elixirs and potions. He didn¡¯t feel the need to argue with Black Cloak¡¯s words.


    Now, with a little clarity, he began to assess the situation.


    ¡°I was rude when we first met. I was in such a chaotic state that I must have committed a lot of rudeness. Thanks to your kindness, I¡¯ve been able to recover quite a bit.¡±


    Back when he had been swept up in destructive impulses, he had truly given up everything. But now, with his somewhat clearer mind, Joo Hyun started to calculate his current position.


    It wasn¡¯t particularly because of any reason; it was just a habit he had developed from living his entire life with a sense of survival. It was a habit that helped him endure even the most disadvantageous situations.


    ¡°May I introduce myself properly?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Joo Hyun. I don¡¯t have a family name, and I¡¯m 36 years old.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Gio. I have many names, but I¡¯m currently 29 years old.¡±


    ¡°Being helped by someone so young makes me feel a bit embarrassed.¡±


    He said it like a joke, but deep down, Joo Hyun¡¯s thoughts were still chaotic.


    ¡®29...? There¡¯s no way that¡¯s actually true, is it? Is this some kind of game? Or a role? If I think about it, many evil gods enjoy some form of play, so perhaps Gio is immersing himself in the persona of a 29-year-old young man... and the multiple names could refer to the color changes of the Black Cloak?¡¯


    He was too busy absorbing and organizing the information about the Black Cloak.


    ¡®If my memory isn¡¯t wrong, he¡¯s currently in black hair, but he¡¯s changed to platinum or red hair before. But even when his colors don¡¯t change, he behaves as though his personality shifts. Is he an actor, like a human? Or is ¡°changing clothes¡± the right way to describe it?¡¯


    Joo Hyun fiddled with the transparent glass teacup, the blue tea swirling inside.


    ¡°You may know this, but I worked at the association¡¯s research center.¡±


    ¡°The research center of the association, huh? I¡¯ve heard it¡¯s a rather harsh environment.¡±


    ¡°Yes, although I¡¯ve been suspended now after a few incidents.¡±


    ¡°You must have had a lot of tiring days. You need a rest.¡±


    Nodding, the Black Cloak asked:


    ¡°So, what kind of dessert would you like?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Did he understand what I just said?


    ¡®...Since my counterpart isn¡¯t human, I¡¯m not sure if this is genuine consideration, or if he¡¯s just indifferent to my situation. He didn¡¯t even respond when I mentioned my misfortune... Why is that?¡¯


    An evil god, or rather a god, visits humans with the intention of using them for their own purposes. But the Black Cloak seemed to have no interest in Joo Hyun¡¯s troubled situation.


    Joo Hyun, who had thrown a kind of bait out earlier, was now inwardly surprised but managed to smile and respond without showing it.


    ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m not sure. What kind of desserts do you have?¡±


    ¡°We have small cakes, fruit pudding, and ice cream.¡±


    ¡°Then, may I have the pudding?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Soon, a fluffy teddy bear brought the pudding.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Thank you for helping me, Father.¡±


    The teddy bear is... my father?


    ¡°Thanks to you, I¡¯ve always received a lot of help.¡±


    ¡°Cuckoo cuckoo...¡±


    Did it just laugh?


    ¡®I feel like I¡¯ve thought about this exact thing before falling asleep.¡¯


    With a strange sense of de?ja? vu, Joo Hyun forced a small smile. He didn¡¯t know that the Sun God was inside the teddy bear, nor was he aware that this was far from normal, but he understood something was off.


    When Gio turned around, Joo Hyun quickly put on a clean smile.


    ¡°Thank you for the pudding.¡±


    ¡°Cuckoo.¡±


    The teddy bear nodded and then, taking its share of the pudding, left the house with a large cat. Watching the cat¡¯s swaying gem-like tail, the Black Cloak explained.


    ¡°There are chairs and tables outside the hut. Since the sun is rising, they¡¯re probably planning to enjoy snacks with Dana while watching that.¡±


    ¡°Ah... Dana?¡±


    ¡°The name of the large breed cat you saw earlier. I brought her from the ¡®Gem¡¯s Waterway¡¯ dungeon and raised her. She¡¯s grown quite big by now. I treat her like a daughter.¡±


    ¡°I see, I can feel the affection.¡±


    Once again, Joo Hyun¡¯s inner turmoil continued.


    ¡®If it¡¯s a cat from the Gem¡¯s Waterway... gem fur... a large breed... is it an anti-cat? But the anti-cat is a monster that¡¯s small, just like a kitten... No matter how much time passes, they don¡¯t grow out of that state, and people assumed it was the complete form. But could it have grown more?¡¯


    It would¡¯ve been information that could be reported to the association, causing a lot of questions, but Joo Hyun just sighed inwardly. With his suspension from the association, he thought, ¡®What am I even worried about?¡¯


    ¡°The pudding...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s made with a fruit called the ¡®Mudung Berry.¡¯¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of such a fruit.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the most common fruit in this forest, and it¡¯s very sweet.¡±


    ¡°It smells wonderful.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s also aged with the ¡®Crying Strand¡¯ fruit.¡±


    ¡°It seems like a lot of care went into it.¡±


    With his habit of maintaining a pleasant smile, Joo Hyun ate a spoonful of the pudding.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Is it delicious?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so delicious that I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m allowed to eat it.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to flatter me like that.¡±


    ¡°No, really...¡±


    The pudding, with its creamy taste mixed with the sweetness of the fruit, melted in his mouth like it was dissolving, leaving behind a slightly sour taste and a perfect creamy flavor.


    ¡°......¡±


    And then, he felt healthier.


    ¡°...It¡¯s really delicious.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t sure if it was just his mood, though.


    Why did his vision improve?

 Chapter 136

    "So."


    Yoo Seong-Woon smiled with a resigned expression.


    "You''re turning that person into a pig, aren''t you?"


    "I''m glad you understand."


    "It¡¯s hard not to understand, I almost became a pig myself..."


    "If you felt it was rude, I apologize."


    "No, the meal was really delicious."


    He continued with a nonchalant smile.


    "I did feel a bit of a crisis, though."


    It was a crisis about the species of humans possibly changing.


    "Or else, I''d have burst from overeating."


    Having gone through a difficult period known as the great catastrophe, it seemed that the older generation was particularly sensitive to fattening up the children. Gio gave off a similar vibe.


    "Mostly from constantly feeding them..."


    If Seong-Woon hadn''t met the mermaid princess back then, he probably wouldn''t have escaped from the endless cycle of meals and snacks. Most hunters, despite having large stomachs, still felt this way.


    "...You¡¯ll handle it well, but that person will eat less than I would. Don''t overfeed him."


    "I don''t plan on overfeeding him... I made a mistake. He''s suffering from indigestion."


    "I''m amazed that he could even have indigestion after eating such heavenly food. But then again, eating too much of anything isn''t good."


    "To call it a heavenly taste is an extravagant compliment. But it was so pleasant to see him enjoying it so much that I might have pushed him too hard."


    "He probably didn''t even realize he was full and kept eating happily. Even if he''s a researcher from the association, most are just civilians, so he probably didn''t have much self-control."


    He understood the situation. Gio, who liked seeing humans get fat, must have kept feeding him, and that person, lost in the bliss of the taste or feeling pressured by Gio, likely couldn''t refuse.


    "It would be hard to reject food that tastes so good, especially if it was served from Gio¡¯s own stomach."


    Even if he was an ordinary civilian, he was still a researcher in the association. The portrait inside the dungeon, where the flow of time and the weight of the air changed according to Gio''s mood, was something that person, Jo Hyun, must have known.


    "Still, considering that Gio doesn¡¯t seem to be upset, he must be skilled in social etiquette."


    Though he probably had a mess of emotions inside, Jo Hyun''s attitude was remarkably bold for a civilian. It wasn¡¯t easy to act all sweet in front of someone like Gio.


    "If it had been easy, Gio would have made a pen pal a long time ago..."


    Well, it might have been that Jo Hyun was in a desperate state when he acted that way.


    "..."


    It seemed like things were getting a bit complicated.


    "I did some research on that Jo Hyun person."


    "Thank you as always for your help."


    "No need to mention it. But it seems that the team leader in this matter... has played some trick."


    "Are you saying that that person¡¯s superior intervened in Jo Hyun''s situation?"


    "Jo Hyun?"


    Yoo Seong-Woon had found out that Jo Hyun was an orphan from the association¡¯s orphanage. As it was the nature of these orphanages for children to leave their family names behind, he hadn¡¯t specifically looked into it, but it seemed that Gio even knew Jo Hyun''s surname.


    "Well, it wouldn''t be difficult for Gio to find out the surname of a mere human in some way."


    Whether he used an emotional skill or asked with his unique social prowess, it wouldn''t be surprising if Gio knew the surname of an orphanage-raised researcher.


    Yoo Seong-Woon moved past it casually.


    "I think that''s right. Most people don''t know, but a few seem to..."


    He hesitated, trying to find the right words.


    "It gives off a sort of... hush-hush vibe."


    "They''re hiding it even though they know."


    "I¡¯m not sure why."


    Yoo Seong-Woon shrugged.


    "I¡¯m not involved with them anymore."


    Especially in the association''s research labs, which could be considered a nation under the command of a single team leader, it was easy for that leader to wield absolute power, except for minimal structures.


    "Anyway, it seems like the team leader made things difficult for Jo Hyun."


    "Why does the team leader have such authority and not the head of the research lab?"


    "Maybe because the head of the lab doesn''t actually come to work. Usually, a head of a research lab manages multiple buildings."


    The association''s research labs were divided into branches like Seoul¡¯s First Branch, Second Branch, Third Branch... and the lab heads were in charge of specific branches. The head of the lab didn¡¯t directly manage the day-to-day work; instead, the team leader did.


    "How many branches of the association are there in Seoul?"


    "By the time I worked there, there were up to Branch 184, but now there are 221 branches. Seoul isn''t that large of an area, but most of the research labs are constructed using space expansion magic. It''s quite a lot, right?"


    Since there were so many labs to manage, the lab heads couldn''t directly participate in the work themselves. They were too busy reviewing incoming research reports and permission requests.


    Yoo Seong-Woon laughed awkwardly.


    "Of course, you probably don¡¯t understand why they have such an inefficient structure."


    "Honestly, I don¡¯t. Why not just have one head of the lab for each research facility?"


    "There are several reasons, but the main one is... simply that there isn¡¯t trustworthy staff."


    The association''s research labs were full of dangerous and sensitive information, some of which could be easily exploited.


    "That place is filled with information that the public still has a hard time accepting and can be exploited in various ways. So they keep it contained, but there are so many subjects each year... if an ordinary person were exposed to that, it wouldn''t be strange for them to lose their sanity."


    "Didn''t Jo Hyun feel the same way? Based on what you said, he was making a sign of the Sankalut... It''s the kind of bold choice a genuinely good person wouldn''t make, right?"


    "I see."


    "The association''s research labs are filled with dangerous knowledge that can be easily abused. That''s why the head of the lab must not be tempted by this information, must have the ability to resolve incidents in their jurisdiction, and must be removed from the field."


    "Why should they be removed from the field?"


    "No matter how self-disciplined someone is, humans are creatures of adaptation. If they only see it in documents or occasionally visit the field, the weight of the situation becomes lighter, and they might be more likely to misuse it... but if their body is kept away, it reduces the chances of them being swayed."


    The association¡¯s research labs were worse than some dangerous dungeons. Even the most carefully selected heads of the lab would eventually have their beliefs broken after long exposure to such an environment.


    "And it¡¯s not just about having a strong will. Many project subjects have their own wills, and the field workers have to endure the temptations and criticisms of these bizarre mysteries every hour."


    "Why do so many people work in such places?"


    "Some were drawn there by the association''s strong promotion, others are from orphanages supported by the government or the association. At first, they usually give them minor jobs that don''t strain their minds."


    But that didn''t last long before they were faced with the harsh reality.


    "And above all..."


    Yoo Seong-Woon hesitated for a moment before continuing.


    "To become a head of a research lab, there''s... some sort of procedure."


    "A procedure?"


    "To put it bluntly, it''s either brainwashing or conditioning..."


    "That¡¯s an unexpected method."


    "It''s probably because of ethical concerns."


    Yoo Seong-Woon gave a awkward smile.


    "The first step is to find a hunter who has the qualifications to be a head of a research lab. They look for hunters who are at least A-level or close to S-level, but from that group, they choose people who are either wealthy or have no desire for power, and then they select for their administrative skills and ability to manage staff..."


    "....."


    "They also need to be highly skilled in various areas. Even though the A-levels have increased, it''s hard to find someone close to S-level, and they must not be greedy or have too many desires... Such people are rare."


    But even once they find such a person, there''s still a problem.


    "At the final stage, ? N§àv§Öl?§Ôht ? (Don¡¯t copy, read here) they go through some sort of brainwashing to remove their greed and ensure they obey the head of the association¡¯s orders. While it''s unethical, it''s not something that''s forcibly done."


    "You''re making someone into a mere paperwork machine with the title of research lab head?"


    "Not just processing papers, that''s the problem. Anyway, it''s hard to find someone who agrees to this process, so we can''t place a head of the lab in every single research facility."


    "Is this insistence on high-quality personnel for research security?"


    "That''s one way to look at it. Of course, if we lower the standards, we could have more staff in each lab, but then we¡¯d have huge uncontrolled dungeons."


    The association''s research labs could be seen as symbols of human arrogance.


    "Right now, Korea is the epicenter of many disasters. Especially the association''s labs, if something goes wrong, the entire planet could be doomed in an instant. So, despite these strict processes, we can¡¯t lower the quality of our personnel."


    Yoo Seong-Woon, who had once been a research team leader at the association, said with a suppressed feeling of doubt.


    "The only good thing is that as long as the lab heads and the symbol of eternity, the association''s president, exist, all those dungeons are perfectly controlled."


    "......"


    "To put it another way, we¡¯re relying too much on the president, taking on a lot of risks, but well. He¡¯s focusing on the development of humanity and the analysis of its origins."


    Gio asked after a brief silence.


    "What is the symbol of eternity?"


    "...Ah."


    Yoo Seong-Woon nodded and explained.


    "They are three immortals in Korea."


    "Immortals?"


    "They are extremely strong awakeners, and they neither age nor die."


    Gio responded.


    "It must be lonely."


    "......"


    Yoo Seong-Woon was momentarily speechless.


    "...I¡¯ve never thought of the symbol of eternity like that, so I don''t know."


    "Three together, it seems a blessing amidst the misfortune."


    "They say they were friends even before the great catastrophe."


    Yoo Seong-Woon chuckled lightly and continued.


    "Anyway, as long as the symbol of eternity exists, no matter what risks are taken, it will never reach the worst. So experiments become bolder, people get weeded out, but there are more than enough people compared to the population that can handle it, so... people die, break, and get twisted, but through that, humanity progresses."


    He let out a small sigh.


    "That''s also why Korea has been able to develop so quickly."


    "Because they blindly relied on the symbol of eternity and boldly used people?"


    "In summary, that¡¯s probably it. It''s high risk, high return."


    But no matter how high the risk, as long as the symbol of eternity exists, the damage won''t escape the research labs. Whatever research is conducted, the maximum damage is contained within the lab building, which is why the experiments are conducted so boldly.


    "I don''t know if I should say this, but they say failure is the mother of success, so that kind of data becomes the foundation to prevent further failures."


    "I understand."


    "If a research lab is wiped out, it''s like, ''Ah, so this is the reaction,'' and then they think, ''What if we tried this method?''... something like that... a structure where they can keep developing."


    "It''s a frightening world."


    "Human rights and all that, it¡¯s just a fac?ade. Since it¡¯s a country with such strong cultural tendencies, people are naturally objectified. It doesn¡¯t look good."


    But because of that, development happens quickly.


    "The association is trying to study and uncover as much as possible about the origins, so they can shorten the time people suffer. Otherwise, this planet would still be in primitive agony 500 years from now... that''s their intention."


    As an immortal, the symbol of eternity had the ability to make such judgments.


    "I left because I didn¡¯t want to see that."


    "I see."


    "It¡¯s a worthwhile sacrifice, but still, I just can¡¯t stand it."


    "I agree."


    "...Well, that aside."


    Yoo Seong-Woon stretched his neck.


    "Anyway, given all this, it¡¯s hard for me, who already quit, to find out what¡¯s going on inside the research lab, since those people are basically tight-lipped."


    "I can imagine."


    "But the atmosphere seems a bit delicate. From what I can tell, I think the team leader was trying to make some sort of move through Jo Hyun."


    "Did the team leader intervene in Jo Hyun¡¯s situation?"


    Yoo Seong-Woon smiled as he looked at Gio.


    "You stopped it before it happened."


    "I''m glad it turned out well."


    "I''m always grateful, from my point of view."


    It might have been a coincidence, but Gio had a habit of appearing right before incidents got out of hand and cutting the flow of events in an unexpected way.


    "It¡¯s like releasing the tension that was building up in the strangest way. Even with the mermaid siblings, it wasn¡¯t supposed to end up like this..."


    Yoo Seong-Woon was still investigating the mermaid siblings¡¯ whereabouts, and traces of them had been found recently at Gyeongbokgung. It seemed they were planning to overthrow not only the Sunlight Church but also Gyeongbokgung.


    "There aren¡¯t many comparison cases yet, so it¡¯s hard to say, but either way, from a human perspective, Gio¡¯s actions were really appreciated."


    Being able to defuse catastrophic events before they got out of hand was something that couldn¡¯t be appreciated enough.


    "......"


    In that sense, Yoo Seong-Woon thought that Jo Hyun might have been the source of a disaster.


    It was a relief that Gio found him before things escalated.


    "...So, how¡¯s Jo Hyun doing?"


    "He''s eating well and sleeping well."


    "How does he feel?"


    "He still seems a bit nervous, and he looks a bit confused."


    "Yeah, that makes sense."


    But the fact that he was already that stable was almost miraculous.


    "I''ll take care of him properly."


    "I hope he¡¯ll stay healthy."


    "It would be problematic if new humans started showing up as hunters."

 Chapter 137

    At that moment.


    Research Institute that manages the evil god Sankalut, Seoul Branch 21.


    ¡°Sankalut?¡±


    ¡° ¡±


    ¡°Oh, my god? How can you be so pale....¡±


    ¡° ¡±


    ¡°Sankalut...!¡±


    I was going to ask him to take me home if I made a wish.


    Sankalut, who had been excited about going home, became gloomy.


    ¡°Is that really okay?¡±


    Juhyun, who had handed over the Sankalut¡¯s token, asked with a trembling face.


    ¡°I¡¯ve eaten and drunk a lot here.¡±


    ¡°I treated you out of personal greed, so this is enough repayment.¡±


    The black-haired black-cloaked man smiled gently.


    ¡°What a wonderful jewel.¡±


    ¡°...It¡¯s not a real jewel, though.¡±


    ¡°You said it was the evil god¡¯s token, Sankalut?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a medium that allows you to communicate with him.¡±


    ¡°There are geometric patterns on the inside. Did you carve them yourself?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s my first time making it, so it¡¯s quite clumsy.¡±


    ¡°Clumsy?¡±


    Black Cloak exclaimed in admiration.


    ¡°I can see that Joohyun is very talented.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing to hear you say that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a very small pattern, but all the necessary language is engraved on it.¡±


    ¡°Haha....¡±


    It felt strange.


    ¡®I didn¡¯t know I would be praised for making the mark of the evil god.¡¯


    More than anything, Black Cloak didn¡¯t seem to be impressed by the fact that ¡®you made the mark of the evil god,¡¯ but rather by ¡®making such a wonderful jewel.¡¯ It felt really strange.


    ¡®Is the mark so high that it looks more like a decoration than a medium?¡¯


    It looked like a rich man with a lot of money looking at a 500 won coin, saying it was beautiful.


    He was praised, but he wasn¡¯t very happy. Joo-hyun wasn¡¯t the kind of person who would be happy to be praised for making a mark of an evil spirit by an unknown giant mystery.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you feel bad about the mark of an evil spirit?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll only call him to ask for a meal, so there¡¯s nothing to feel bad about.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really. Even an evil spirit needs a meal... a meal... um.¡±


    Joo-hyun was silent for a moment.


    ¡°.......¡±


    And soon, he broke out in a cold sweat.


    Do you really want to turn everything in the dimension into pigs?


    ¡°Is there a reason... why you keep trying to feed something to others...?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no grand reason.¡±


    The smile disappeared from Black Cloak¡¯s face, and only a calm expression remained. Even so, Black Cloak continued speaking in a soft voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m just glad that other people are eating the food I made.¡±


    ¡°I see, you¡¯re very considerate.¡±


    ¡°More than anything, people these days are so skinny....¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t look healthy.¡±


    ¡°Huh....¡±


    Grandmother?


    ¡®Why are you making such grandma-like remarks?¡¯


    The trend of the elderly from the generation that experienced the great disaster being particularly serious about fattening their children was everywhere in the world. In particular, the words ¡®people these days¡¯ seemed like they were all looking at old people.


    ¡®With that young man¡¯s face?¡¯


    Was he even thinking of imitating a 29-year-old Earthling?


    Joo-hyun wondered which beat he should dance to in order to make the giant being in front of him happy. Should I correct him, saying that his remarks were not typical of a 29-year-old? Or should I just agree with him and say that you were right?


    ¡°...I see!¡±


    Joo-hyun decided to just let it go.


    ¡°But if you don¡¯t mind, can I ask you a few questions?¡±


    ¡°You can ask me as many questions as you want, Joo-hyun.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Well, the world knows that Black Cloak is a monster....¡±


    ¡°Aha.¡±


    Black Cloak¡¯s hair turned bright red, and a deep smile formed on his pale face.


    ¡°Am I a monster?¡±


    ¡°...I apologize if I was rude. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t angry. I wasn¡¯t rude.¡±


    He blinked twice.


    ¡°Um....¡±


    Then he returned to his black hair.


    ¡°I think I got excited for a moment because what you said was funny, Joo-hyun. Sorry.¡±


    ¡°No, no. It¡¯s okay.¡±


    I don¡¯t know what part was funny, but as long as he wasn¡¯t angry at his own question, everything was fine. Joo-hyun smiled brightly and shook his head humbly.


    ¡°But if my question made you uncomfortable, I¡¯m truly sorry.¡±


    ¡°As I said earlier, I wasn¡¯t uncomfortable or angry. It was just, how should I put it....¡±


    Black Cloak¡¯s lips curved gently with interest.


    ¡°A beast, an evil spirit, and now a monster.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°I thought it was pretty funny.¡±


    ¡°...Oh....¡±


    It¡¯s not funny.


    ¡°...I see!¡±


    Joo-hyun decided to just ignore it once again.


    ¡°I thought you were an evil spirit, but you don¡¯t seem to be like that.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying you¡¯re not like an evil spirit?¡±


    ¡°A little.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really like that.¡±


    Black Cloak pretended to think for a moment before continuing.


    ¡°Let me tell you in advance, I¡¯m a normal human.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes I can become a demon, a priest, or an animal.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s amazing.¡±


    Joo-hyun persevered once more.


    ¡°Then should I think of myself as a normal human...?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Black Cloak nodded.


    ¡°The fact that I¡¯m rumored to be a monster outside was just a warning for my safety and that of others.¡±


    ¡°A warning for the safety of Black Cloak and others?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t intentional, but since I live in a painting, I sometimes threaten others. It¡¯s a warning to be careful of each other in advance.¡±


    Although he didn¡¯t say it, he had another intention.


    Although he had merged with the battle-mad Argio, Geo was still uncomfortable fighting someone because he hadn¡¯t fully assimilated. That¡¯s why he was more like managing his image so that they wouldn¡¯t fight each other in advance.


    It was the result of thinking that not many people would want to fight the protagonist of a terrifying ghost story. Geo wanted to avoid conflict if possible.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know what would happen if Argio¡¯s memories were completely restored...¡¯


    Anyway, that was it.


    ¡°...Actually, even if you say he¡¯s an evil god, I don¡¯t really understand.¡±


    Geo continued.


    ¡°What is a god, and what is an evil god? It¡¯s hard for me, a human, to know.¡±


    ¡°...That¡¯s definitely a difficult topic. I can¡¯t give a definitive answer either.¡±


    ¡°Right?¡±


    He nodded.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to define my existence.¡±


    So even if Joo-hyun asked, there was only one thing he could clearly say.


    ¡°I can only say that I¡¯m just one person.¡±


    ¡°One person....¡±


    ¡°I may be a bit of an odd person, and I sometimes do strange things. But that¡¯s all.¡±


    Geo had never once thought that he might not be human.


    ¡°Is that a sufficient explanation?¡±


    ¡°...Yes, thank you for helping me understand.¡±


    Joo-hyun was just dumbfounded.


    ¡®Yeah, I¡¯ll just memorize it like that.¡¯


    That would happen.


    ¡°But I feel like I¡¯ve been staying at Geo¡¯s house too much....¡±


    ¡°Are you fully recovered?¡±


    ¡°Thanks to your consideration, I¡¯ve recovered.¡±


    ¡°And your heart?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    To Joo-hyun, who was speechless, Black Cloak smiled gently as if he was trying to comfort a child.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a peaceful place?¡±


    ¡°...That¡¯s right. It¡¯s so peaceful that you don¡¯t want to leave.¡±


    ¡°There will come a time when you want to leave.¡±


    Geo knew.


    ¡®People are creatures that don¡¯t have frivolous thoughts when their mind and body are rich.¡¯


    That¡¯s why he did that.


    ¡®People become 10 times kinder when they are full.¡¯


    He said he was going to summon the evil spirit, so he made his body so that he would not have any vain thoughts.


    He didn¡¯t know it, but in fact, Geo¡¯s influence was also big here. The person who ate the food filled with the desire to enjoy his food together became a gourmet without any thought, and he became one with Geo, who had a clear mind without thinking, and his body and mind became comfortable.


    ¡®It¡¯s a good phenomenon.¡¯


    Geo wanted Joo-hyun to be his friend.


    ¡°Please tell me whenever you want to leave.¡±


    ¡°...Yes.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need my permission to enjoy your life.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s....¡±


    Joo-hyun answered hesitantly.


    ¡°...Yes.¡±


    He asked.


    ¡°Why did you introduce yourself as the evil spirit?¡±


    ¡°Because people called me that.¡±


    Strangely enough, there was no other reason.


    ¡°...Ah.¡±


    A new employee paused.


    ¡°Mr. Sergio?¡±


    A tall figure was standing in the company hallway. The woman felt an inexplicable sense of discomfort as she called him.


    Although it was a weekday afternoon and there were still several employees who had not yet left work, they did not pay attention to Sergio, who was standing in the hallway wearing a cloak.


    It was as if they were avoiding him as if he did not exist. When they realized that, the other person looked at me.


    ¡°You¡¯ve met me before.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you remembered me.¡±


    ¡°I think your name is....¡±


    He said.


    ¡°Ms. Park Joo-hee?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    It felt a little strange.


    ¡°...Yes, it¡¯s Park Joo-hee.¡±


    At that moment, it felt like an unbelievable miracle that the other person was calling my name.


    ¡®That¡¯s a strange thought.¡¯


    She was able to quickly shake it off as an absurd thought, but an inexplicable sense of unease lingered and tormented her.


    Park Joo-hee approached him and asked.


    ¡°I thought you were a morning shift, but you¡¯re here at this late hour?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a hobby. We had a Q&A session for this and that.¡±


    ¡°Q&A session for a hobby?¡±


    ¡°If we really had to call it a survey, I guess.¡±


    The eyes that held the sea gently curved.


    ¡°Ms. Park Joo-hee.¡±


    ¡°Uh... yes, go ahead.¡±


    ¡°What do you think an evil spirit is?¡±


    ¡°...an evil spirit...¡±


    Suddenly, silence struck her. She felt disconnected from reality along with it.


    The employees passed them by without saying a word even at this moment. Since it was a company with strong individualistic employees, it was understandable, so the woman answered Sergio¡¯s question without much doubt.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t he a god who does bad things?¡±


    ¡°Then, if the evil spirit doesn¡¯t do bad things, would it be an ordinary god?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s... if there were evil deeds committed before, wouldn¡¯t they still be evil?¡±


    ¡°That was a good reference.¡±


    He smiled as if he was drawing a picture.


    ¡°It must have been a random question, but thank you for answering.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m the one... I¡¯m grateful that you remembered a lowly C-rank hunter.¡±


    ¡°Regardless of his rank, Park Joo-hee is a good person.¡±


    Sergio¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you kind to me?¡±


    ¡°Uh... that¡¯s... .¡±


    Kindness is a good person?


    The woman was a little worried ? N§àv§Öl?§Ôht ? (Don¡¯t copy, read here) by the sudden, foolish remark. The scope of the ¡®good person¡¯ this person was talking about was excessively broad.


    ¡®Are you being bullied by any chance?¡¯


    Park Joo-hee looked around, momentarily flustered. The man standing in the middle of the hallway, like a pole, would have been bothersome, but no one was looking in this direction.


    ¡°...Over there....¡±


    She asked cautiously, feeling a strange suspicion.


    ¡°Are those... colleagues, not on good terms or something...?¡±


    Khuhuluk!!


    A loud cough was heard from somewhere.


    ¡°......?¡±


    ¡°It seems someone has been bitten.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. That¡¯s too bad.¡±


    Khuhuluk, khuhuluk... .


    Another cough was heard from somewhere.


    ¡°That¡¯s too bad....¡±


    Khuhuluk©¤!!


    Another cough.


    ¡°.......¡±


    At this point, Park Joo-hee couldn¡¯t help but figure out the situation.


    ¡®... What is it? It seems like they¡¯re giving me a hint?¡¯


    At that moment, something caught her eye.


    ¡°Uh....¡±


    Beneath the cloak.


    The tail of an unidentified beast was sticking out.


    ¡°...Hey, Sergio. This is....¡±


    ¡°Oh, sorry.¡±


    He gave a small laugh.


    ¡°Sometimes I can¡¯t control it.¡±


    ¡°...Control?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be more careful next time.¡±


    Without another word, the tail disappeared.


    ¡°.......¡±


    As if she had seen it wrong.


    ¡°The staff here aren¡¯t discriminating against me or ostracizing me like you think, Park Joo-hee.¡±


    ¡°...Oh, oh, yes. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just that I have a special skill, so everyone is paying attention.¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m special, you¡¯re paying attention...?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about. It¡¯s getting late, so please be careful.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Oh, right.¡±


    Sergio held something out.


    ¡°This is my thanks for hanging out with me.¡±


    ¡°...It smells sweet.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fruit jelly, but it¡¯s not that sweet.¡±


    ¡°...I see....¡±


    ¡°Then I hope to see you smiling again next time.¡±


    He nodded slightly, turned around, and walked away.


    The black cloak came into view again. The black fabric... .


    ¡°.......¡±


    For some reason, the gift in his hand felt heavy.


    ¡°...Huh?¡±


    Even though he let out a sigh along with cold sweat.


    Not a single employee turned around.

 Chapter 138

    Black Cloak.


    A humanoid monster first spotted in the S-class dungeon Country of the Deep Sea last winter, and later recorded on the Hunter Association¡¯s website. It is famous for tormenting bad people and giving gifts to good ones.


    Its characteristics include being very tall, wearing a black cloak, and dressed in a suit with bare feet.


    ¡°......¡±


    In her solitary dorm room, the new curator, Park Ju-Hee, clenched her teeth.


    ¡°...Now that I think about it, it¡¯s all similar...¡±


    She remembered the first time when Yoo Seong-Woon, the curator, explained about someone named ¡®Sergio.¡¯


    ¡°He¡¯s often misunderstood because he has similar characteristics to the Black Cloak.¡±


    It wasn''t that Park Ju-Hee hadn¡¯t thought that Sergio and the Black Cloak had something in common. It was just that Sergio had been too kind, human-like, and had a very soft smile.


    But now that she thought about it, it made her dizzy.


    ¡®It was too idealistic.¡¯


    She should have doubted it.


    ¡®Would someone who smiles as if they¡¯re frozen in their best form really be normal?¡¯


    Sergio smiled, talked, and showed consideration like an ordinary person, but his actions and expressions lacked any fluctuation. He had the atmosphere of a non-existent being, and Park Ju-Hee had definitely noticed that about him.


    ¡°...Is this... is this okay?¡±


    She was confused.


    Because the other person seemed so human, she couldn¡¯t imagine they might be a monster. She wondered if she had been charmed or deceived somehow. There was a high chance that the ¡®Sergio¡¯ the Black Cloak showed was likely a mask.


    ¡®I haven¡¯t known him for long enough to feel betrayed or anything.¡¯


    She had only met him twice so far. If it were someone she had known for over a year, she would have passed it off if they deceived her. But now, having only met him twice, she didn''t feel betrayed.


    ¡®I¡¯m not angry either. I¡¯m not disappointed, either. We didn¡¯t have that much trust between us. But the confusion is real...¡¯


    What should she do?


    ¡°...I don¡¯t think I¡¯m in a position to take any action?¡±


    The curator''s gallery was filled with dangerous works, and there would undoubtedly be numerous protocols for dealing with unusual phenomena. There must also be safety measures and information control in place.


    ¡°Besides, all the other staff seemed to know.¡±


    Only the new hires didn¡¯t know that Sergio was the Black Cloak.


    ¡°But it¡¯s not like they were hiding it meticulously...¡±


    It wasn¡¯t that Park Ju-Hee was especially slow, but with this many common points, the other curators must have already figured it out.


    For some reason, the collectors simply tolerated the existence of the Black Cloak.


    ¡°......¡±


    After thinking for a while, she knocked on the door of another dorm room.


    ¡°...What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯d like to talk to you about something.¡±


    ¡°To me, a fellow newbie?¡±


    ¡°Bina-ri, you¡¯ve... met Sergio, right?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    One of Park Ju-Hee¡¯s fellow curators, Bina-ri, nodded.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    ¡°...Excuse me.¡±


    In the deep night, their conversation was long.


    Among the new curators, Bina-ri was the only one responsible for the works on the third floor.


    ¡°I knew.¡±


    ¡°Just as I thought... was I the ? N§àv§Öl?§Ôht ? (Don¡¯t copy, read here) only one who didn¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡±


    He had been one of the first to realize that Sergio was the Black Cloak.


    ¡°When Yoo Seong-Woon first warned us about Sergio, I had a feeling. Also, B-class hunter Jeong Eun-Byeol raised some doubts.¡±


    ¡°Ah...¡±


    ¡°We figured it out, and it seemed like Yoo Seong-Woon had also noticed we were suspicious. But he never gave us a heads-up. It seems that inside the collector''s guild, it¡¯s common knowledge that ¡®Sergio¡¯ is the Black Cloak.¡±


    Bina-ri added:


    ¡°Besides, there¡¯s no such thing as a night shift in the collector¡¯s guild.¡±


    ¡°...True, I thought it was hidden because it wasn¡¯t mentioned on the website, but I thought it was done to protect such an important asset.¡±


    ¡°After asking around, I found out that Sergio is the only one assigned to the night shift.¡±


    ¡°But maybe it was a measure for appearances.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it could be seen as a special privilege for an extraordinary individual.¡±


    He shrugged.


    ¡°Just like the others are probably thinking.¡±


    ¡°...True. It still feels a bit too careless, but...¡±


    ¡°Maybe they thought it was something they could hide from the new recruits like you, just as you figured it out today.¡±


    ¡°What happens to those of us who realized Sergio¡¯s true identity?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be penalized. It might be a way of seeing how we adapt.¡±


    ¡°Why... why is this happening...¡±


    Park Ju-Hee stumbled over her words, then took a short breath before speaking again.


    ¡°There are a lot of things that don¡¯t make sense. Why didn¡¯t they tell the new recruits about the Black Cloak? It¡¯s a humanoid monster, after all.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, the basic training we received didn¡¯t include any information about ¡®Sergio.¡¯ Maybe because we were interns, it wasn¡¯t something they felt necessary to disclose.¡±


    ¡°Interns, huh... so you mean they didn¡¯t tell us to maintain confidentiality? We could be let go at any moment, so they wouldn¡¯t disclose important matters to us.¡±


    Park Ju-Hee pondered.


    ¡°But isn¡¯t it a bigger problem if we haven¡¯t received safety training and something goes wrong? The senior curators always emphasize that if we¡¯re going to die, we should just die as curators.¡±


    She had heard that when dangerous works cause accidents, they often spiral out of control.


    ¡°The key here is the rules. If we, who don¡¯t know about ¡®Sergio¡¯s¡¯... condition, end up angering him, isn¡¯t that a bigger problem?¡±


    ¡°Jeong Eun-Byeol and I thought the same for a moment. And we came to a conclusion: it seems that treating Sergio like an ordinary employee won¡¯t cause any issues.¡±


    Bina-ri sighed.


    ¡°I think the collectors must have considered all of this. So, if we treat the Black Cloak as just an ordinary employee, there¡¯s no problem. Even if an anomaly occurs, he¡¯s not someone who¡¯ll cause a huge accident.¡±


    ¡°...Is it just a problem where we might die?¡±


    ¡°I think that¡¯s the extent of it. It¡¯s like a test. To see if we¡¯re qualified to be a collection item, qualified to be a member of the collector''s guild, qualified to be colleagues of the Black Cloak...¡±


    ¡°Since we¡¯re here, I think we already qualify as collection items.¡±


    ¡°The collector¡¯s guild is probably fine with it. As long as we continue thinking of Sergio as a regular night-shift worker, it won¡¯t contradict the conditions, and if we realize the identity of the Black Cloak, they can see how well we adapt.¡±


    He awkwardly smiled.


    ¡°So, the faster we figure out Sergio¡¯s true identity... I think it might speed up our promotion to full-time status. Just a guess, though.¡±


    ¡°...Ah, I see. If all the other employees already know the identity of the Black Cloak, then, well, the essential condition for becoming a full-time employee would be... knowing the identity of the Black Cloak.¡±


    They also knew how much effort Bisa Beul put into his collection. Once someone was promoted to a full-time position, they could no longer leave the collection and could not be expelled from the guild.


    ¡°But if we show that we know the identity of the Black Cloak as interns and adapt well...¡±


    They could be reassured and embraced in many ways.


    ¡°For both us and the Black Cloak, it means that he doesn¡¯t dislike the new recruits, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. So, this loose security measure seems like a way to confirm the intentions of the guild leader and Sergio.¡±


    ¡°Even so, it would be nice to know the exact details... like the conditions for accepting a monster.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like it¡¯s important to us. And even if we try, we can¡¯t become full-time employees unless Sergio accepts us.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Park Ju-Hee¡¯s expression grew subtly strained.


    ¡°...So... why is that?¡±


    ¡°...It seems the collector¡¯s guild considers the Black Cloak as a basic component.¡±


    ¡°A basic component means it can¡¯t be excluded, right...¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°...Ah.¡±


    She lifted her head.


    ¡°Could it be?¡±


    ¡°Well...¡±


    ¡°At the gallery?¡±


    ¡°...Well...¡±


    ¡°Was it a work of art?¡±


    ¡°...Huh...¡±


    Bina-ri sighed and then spoke.


    ¡°Actually, it¡¯s well-known even among ordinary citizens that the Black Cloak is a portrait. Some collectors have even become enthusiasts for the portrait series created by the portrait artist.¡±


    ¡°Did the guild leader bring it in thinking it was a work of art? When Yoo Seong-Woon explained about Sergio, I think he mentioned it was one of his collection pieces.¡±


    ¡°There are quite a few monsters that resemble works of art in the collector¡¯s gallery. It¡¯s illegal to breed monsters, but once they enter the gallery, they are treated as objects...¡±


    ¡°So the Black Cloak was treated as one of the guild leader¡¯s collection pieces? Really? Does that make sense?¡±


    ¡°I think it does. Perhaps Sergio didn¡¯t want to leave the collector¡¯s guild and kept lingering around, so the guild leader brought him in. Well, there are many possibilities.¡±


    But this was information the new recruits wouldn¡¯t know.


    ¡°Anyway, the important thing is that the collector¡¯s guild is essentially the same as the guild leader¡¯s gallery. No matter what harm or changes occur, the collector is pretty greedy... So, they wouldn¡¯t want to throw away an unusual collection piece like the Black Cloak.¡±


    Bina-ri made a strange expression.


    ¡°Even if they want to throw it away, I wonder where they would.¡±


    ¡°Ah, right...¡±


    ¡°What''s certain is that the collector¡¯s guild has already adapted to Sergio¡¯s existence.¡±


    ¡°...Can we think of it as a kind of executive, or like a potted plant?¡±


    ¡°A potted plant?¡±


    ¡°Like the ones placed in the hallway...¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s better to think of it as a work of art hanging in the hallway.¡±


    ¡°That seems more accurate since it is a work of art.¡±


    Park Ju-Hee barely managed to organize her thoughts.


    ¡°So, now the works in the gallery are roaming around the company.¡±


    ¡°We just don¡¯t know, but there may be other works besides Sergio.¡±


    ¡°It would be better to think of it as a manual within the company rather than just a gallery.¡±


    The collector¡¯s gallery had different activities on each floor, and separate manuals were prepared for it. For example, before opening the 39th door on the second floor, you had to knock three times, or before passing the first corridor on the fourth floor, you had to drink some water...


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve got a general idea of how to handle the works.¡±


    All the manuals were rules to avoid angering the many works in the gallery. If you thought of Sergio¡¯s Black Cloak identity as something hidden in a similar way, it wasn¡¯t too difficult to understand.


    ¡°Thanks for helping me understand.¡±


    ¡°We should help each other as fellow newcomers.¡±


    ¡°After all, the comrades are important.¡±


    ¡°Because there are times when we need help...¡±


    Still, there was a lingering unease.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°...Isn¡¯t this a bit too complacent?¡±


    ¡°...That seems to be the motto of the collector¡¯s guild...¡±


    ¡°Love the works?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that.¡±


    ¡°...This is...¡±


    The collector¡¯s guild was operating under the mindset of ¡®if something happens, it can¡¯t be helped,¡¯ even with a humanoid monster walking around. There was no safety training or strict confidentiality policy.


    ¡°...We don¡¯t know, but monitoring and evaluation are probably ongoing. If we leave the company, there will likely be measures taken for confidentiality.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, there must be countermeasures and all, but I don¡¯t know if there¡¯s anything to protect interns like us.¡±


    ¡°Even if we¡¯re not full-time yet, we¡¯ve already stepped into Bisa Beul¡¯s collection. I hear the treatment of the collection pieces is pretty good, so let¡¯s hope for the best.¡±


    Bina-ri asked next.


    ¡°But you¡¯re not as shocked as I expected?¡±


    ¡°Uh... you mean when I found out about Sergio¡¯s true identity?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not complete strangers, and you¡¯ve spoken with him twice.¡±


    ¡°Well... I just didn¡¯t know how to react. It didn¡¯t feel real...¡±


    Park Ju-Hee hesitated and continued.


    ¡°...I didn¡¯t think he was quite human from the beginning.¡±


    And their conversation had entered the safety management department within the collector¡¯s guild.


    The safety management department, the only department that operates 24 hours a day, had staff whispering after the eavesdropping was completed.


    "Seems like they¡¯re figuring it out faster than we thought."


    "Yeah, Sergio¡¯s been wandering around the company more often lately."


    "He used to only appear late at night, but now...¡±


    "Right, now he¡¯s often seen during working hours?"


    "Has something changed with his mindset?"


    Gulp.


    A staff member sipping coffee asked.


    "Three people have already figured it out. Shouldn¡¯t we just promote them to full-time?"


    "That¡¯s not for us to decide."


    "Has the guild leader not confirmed yet?"


    "We need to confirm the Black Cloak''s intentions too."


    "Well, still, it seems like he¡¯s starting to like this new batch of recruits."


    "At least the fact that none of them were immediately dragged into the portrait means they passed."


    "I guess it means these new recruits are polite and good people."


    "Ultimately, it¡¯s Sergio¡¯s judgment."


    "As long as they meet his criteria, they¡¯re good enough..."


    A staff member, who was staring at the CCTV screen while sipping coffee that looked like poison, spoke up.


    "Anyway, Sergio¡¯s been more active lately."


    "He¡¯s showing up even when there are people around."


    "Has Yoo Seong-Woon made any remarks?"


    "He hasn¡¯t sent any reports or requests. He just told us to keep an eye on him."


    "I heard that too. He didn¡¯t mention anything about submitting papers..."


    "But we know what topics Sergio¡¯s been asking about."


    "You think I don¡¯t know?"


    The safety manager sighed.


    "He¡¯s been asking about the Dark God."


    "Why suddenly the Dark God?"


    "Actually, he¡¯s been asking about the definition and qualifications of the Dark God."


    "Could this be about him personally?"


    "It¡¯s not impossible."


    "Still, it¡¯s not something we can be sure of without examining the work."


    One of the staff members paused mid-sentence.


    "Uh."


    "Hey, Case. That guy¡¯s watching the CCTV."


    "Shutting off screen 53 on the 14th floor."


    As the Black Cloak was about to look at the CCTV, the staff quickly cut the screen feed. As soon as the black screen appeared, the other staff members, who had been watching different screens, sighed in relief.


    The manager spoke.


    "You remember the last time, right? The employee who nearly fainted after getting a ¡®deep eye kiss¡¯ from Sergio through the screen?"


    "He didn¡¯t faint, but he passed out, right?"


    "Same thing, wasn¡¯t it? Anyway, yeah, Ha-ryu. When¡¯s he coming back?"


    "He¡¯s still in the counseling room, walking around."


    "Hasn¡¯t it been a while? Come on, we¡¯re short on staff..."


    "Apparently, he¡¯s still holding off because he thinks he¡¯ll create a cult if he sends him back now."


    "Wow, that¡¯s serious. We¡¯re not going to get any vacation time at this rate."


    "Don¡¯t bring it up... Just get paid and take the time off."


    "I don¡¯t want to get paid. I want the vacation time."


    "Me too."


    One staff member turned the screen back on, and in the spot where the Black Cloak had been, only the portrait remained.


    Staring at the portrait, which was the only thing left in the empty corridor, the manager spoke.


    "Wow, the atmosphere is dead."


    The screen flickered.


    In the portrait, behind the black paint, Sergio¡¯s eyes met theirs.

 Chapter 139

    Yoo Seong-woon came running.


    ¡°Geo-ya.¡±


    ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Did we do anything to upset you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re asking that, but we haven¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fortunate.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon asked, smiling hollowly.


    ¡°I think you¡¯ve been talking to other employees a lot lately.¡±


    ¡°Did it interfere with your work?¡±


    ¡°Just a little? Well, I¡¯m not saying you were completely rude....¡±


    It was a bit ambiguous to see creating fear as a nuisance. This was especially true for Yoo Seong-woon, who knew that Geo¡¯s true identity was neither a monster nor a god, but a part of the source.


    He was just curious.


    ¡°I heard the story, you¡¯re asking about the evil spirit?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon was startled when Geo in the portrait suddenly thrust his upper body forward.


    ¡°You could have come out like that.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re only half-covered.¡±


    A low-saturation red hair caught my eye under the black cloak that rippled like a veil. Judging by his uniquely provocative and sharp tone, it seemed to be Argio, who introduced himself as an evil spirit.


    He leaned against the frame. His fingernails, which were lightly flickering, seemed to have grown long like those of an animal. Argio continued.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been having questions about evil spirits lately.¡±


    ¡°Questions? What kind of questions?¡±


    ¡°What is an evil spirit? How can I call it an evil spirit?¡±


    ¡°That... is really hard to tell.¡±


    Yoo Seong-un cleared his throat.


    ¡°Humans call gods who do things that harm them evil spirits.¡±


    ¡°Then is it also evil to barge into a festival to drink alcohol or to interfere in a hunting ground?¡±


    ¡°I guess it depends on the local customs, but I don¡¯t really feel like it¡¯s an evil deed.¡±


    ¡°What about hanging the necks of those who attacked me and decorating them in the forest?¡±


    ¡°That certainly deserves to be called an evil deed...?¡±


    There is a saying in the world that self-defense is the case, but humans are not the fairest creatures to return what they have received.


    In areas where people have a high level of awareness of natural human rights, such blatant retaliation would especially not be welcomed.


    ¡°Well, I personally don¡¯t think it¡¯s an evil deed. I don¡¯t necessarily let someone who attacks me live either. I don¡¯t decorate it either, but...¡±


    ¡°Would I decorate it because it looks beautiful? If I didn¡¯t, there would be idiots who would come in to pick a fight, so that would be a problem. Anyway, you don¡¯t feel that it¡¯s particularly evil, do you?¡±


    ¡°If you intend to kill someone, you should intend to die in return. I¡¯m not the only one who thinks this way, right? But why are you asking me this question?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Argio, who had been silent for a moment, spoke again.


    ¡°I thought I was an evil spirit, but I think I fall short of that standard.¡±


    ¡°Standards. On our Earth, there are clear standards for defining evil spirits.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon asked.


    ¡°Have you ever killed innocent people?¡±


    ¡°What kind of people do you mean by innocent?¡±


    ¡°People who didn¡¯t harm you or did you a favor?¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have killed those people, would you?¡±


    ¡°Have you ever repaid a favor with enmity?¡±


    ¡°If you ignore it, you won¡¯t know, but I¡¯ve never done anything like that.¡±


    ¡°Then why are you an evil spirit?¡±


    I didn¡¯t quite understand.


    ¡°People called you an evil spirit.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Why did they call you that? Even the name Argio is a derogatory term.¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯re unlucky?¡±


    Argio continued, snapping his long fingernails.


    ¡°A beautiful beast that doesn¡¯t even look human deserves to be hated by people. There were many other reasons besides that, but they called me the evil spirit of greed and anger.¡±


    ¡°Greed and anger....¡±


    ¡°I like wealth. Gold, silver, treasures, and good wine are my best friends, and since I grew up as a beast, I didn¡¯t have to endure it. It¡¯s fun to turn my anger on those who offend me.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s a bit too much to call me an evil spirit.¡±


    ¡°...Uuuum....¡±


    Argio rested his chin on his hand.


    ¡°I guess so.¡±


    ¡°What do you not like?¡±


    ¡°I had my own pride....¡±


    ¡°You were proud of being an evil spirit?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s also one of my honors, so of course.¡±


    ¡°Honor....¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s mine that came into my arms.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°But now that I look back, my notoriety wasn¡¯t that great.¡±


    Even though he couldn¡¯t see well because of the cloak, Geo looked quite bored.


    ¡°How can I be this empty?¡±


    ¡°...Hmm, uh... is that so....¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon roughly understood the situation.


    ¡®The size of a mysterious body varies depending on the stories surrounding it.¡¯


    Even evil spirits are ultimately gods. Their size varies depending on the favor or hostility of the creatures who believe in their existence, and it seems that Argio actively accepted even the notoriety for things he didn¡¯t do as his own.


    ¡®Then it¡¯s possible to have an excessively evil divinity compared to the evil deeds he directly committed.¡¯


    Isn¡¯t that the case with the Sankaluts? An ordinary jewel that couldn¡¯t even speak, let alone kill, became a full-fledged evil spirit through national beliefs and sacrifices. It¡¯s a similar case to Argio.


    ¡®In particular, this one actively accepted the misunderstandings directed at him while being able to speak and act... .¡¯


    It was a very rare case.


    ¡°Then you actually did nothing?¡±


    ¡°You visited the mansions of unlucky authors without permission and took alcohol and goods.¡±


    ¡°Who were those unlucky authors?¡±


    ¡°Those who ruined the taste of my alcohol. They made a fuss in front of me.¡±


    ¡°You were talking too loudly?¡±


    ¡°You said you annihilated the village that prepared a meal for me.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that was definitely self-defense. Then it would be hard to say what you did was evil.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s really unfortunate news.¡±


    ¡°Hmm....¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon laughed awkwardly.


    ¡°Is it because your reputation was empty?¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s more enjoyable to be evil than good.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon was speechless for a moment.


    ¡°...Would you like me to check out the battlefield?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Geo¡¯s voice instantly became blunt.


    ¡°I¡¯m not yet perfect as Argio.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying you don¡¯t like fighting much right now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve always been averse to fighting.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a little different from what I said earlier.¡±


    ¡°I think it depends on the situation.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, is that so?¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon thought for a moment and asked.


    ¡°Is Joo-hyun still at home?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s sleeping.¡±


    ¡°He seems to be sleeping every time I ask him.¡±


    ¡°I thought you were tired, so I put you to bed early.¡±


    ¡°Nothing else, I was just wondering if you could leave.¡±


    ¡°Do you have any advice for me?¡±


    ¡°You said you were curious about the evil spirits.¡±


    Anything was better when you actually fought.


    ¡°There is an evil spirit that Korea officially recognizes as a normal religion.¡±


    ¡°It must be an evil spirit that doesn¡¯t harm humans.¡±


    ¡°Rather, it must have been thought of as a kind of natural order, even though it was harmful.¡±


    Mysteries related to gods were not Yoo Seong-un¡¯s specialty, but he remembered the basic flow.


    ¡°The most representative example of this is the God of Death.¡±


    ¡°Death is definitely natural order.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. But people don¡¯t like it.¡±


    ¡°For most people, death is harmful.¡±


    ¡°The God of Death has been recognized as a general religion in the past 14 years.¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it before that?¡±


    ¡°It was a very sensitive time, and in many ways...¡±


    Yoo Seong-un laughed absentmindedly.


    ¡°I guess it was a world where evil spirits ruled, so there wasn¡¯t much room to distinguish.¡±


    ¡°They ruled.¡±


    ¡°Thanks to the symbol of eternity, it feels like things are somewhat organized now.¡±


    He shrugged.


    ¡°Would you like to meet? If you want, I¡¯ll ask for your understanding in advance.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯d like to meet you.¡±


    That¡¯s how Black Cloak came out into the world again.


    To be exact, as the A-class Hunter ¡®Sergio¡¯.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Hey, look.¡±


    Bisabal looked at Yoo Seong-un, who had come to ask for permission, as if he found it ridiculous.


    ¡°You always told me not to let Sergio go outside.¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it because the guild leader is someone who threatens world peace?¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m contributing so much to world peace right now that you¡¯re saying such nonsense?¡±


    ¡°At least I don¡¯t clap my hands and tell Geo to make a mess.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, it¡¯s true, but I feel so wronged. How can I live with this kind of treatment?¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon knew that they had lived too well, and Bisa-bal knew that.


    ¡°As expected, our employees don¡¯t know how to rub their palms.¡±


    ¡°If you add more work to it, they¡¯ll rub it all out.¡±


    ¡°Or they won¡¯t, I like you guys so much.¡±


    ¡°We know that too, you¡¯re acting so arrogantly on your own....¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon muttered and then smiled and asked.


    ¡°The Temple of Death is in Gyeonggi-do, so I came to get permission in advance. Unlike before, we¡¯ll be going quite far, and since it¡¯s a meeting between two evil gods, we don¡¯t know what kind of chemical reaction will occur.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Bisa-bal, who had been tapping the table as if calculating something, nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯m curious, what would happen if the evil god Geo and the quiet evil god met.¡±


    ¡°I knew you¡¯d say that.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a much more fun and interesting topic than protecting the peace of humanity?¡±


    ¡°Interesting... When you say that, you seem to resemble Argio.¡±


    Argio said that the reason he likes evil more than good is because it¡¯s more stimulating and interesting.


    In terms of not caring much about the peace of mankind but defending good in order to enjoy more, there were definitely similarities between Bisabal and Argio.


    Bisabal smiled at him.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t Argio say that his colors are similar to mine?¡±


    ¡°He has a more calm color scheme than the guild leader.¡±


    ¡°If anything, I¡¯ll just say he¡¯s my nephew.¡±


    ¡°You said he was the only son of the fourth generation.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Bisabal added to Yoo Seong-woon¡¯s deep gaze.


    ¡°Like a hidden son?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you in your eighties?¡±


    ¡°You look so plump.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re plump, but you have the body of a 50-year-old.¡±


    ¡°Then It¡¯s called correcting.¡±


    Yoo Seong-un didn¡¯t say anything up to that point.


    ¡°... Geo already has the sun¡¯s divinity. I don¡¯t know if the evil divinity of the evil god was added on top of it, or if they coexist, or if they can switch it...¡±


    Yoo Seong-un continued.


    ¡°The Seoul branch of the Sun Church ? N§àv§Öl?g?t ? (Official version) was friendly to Geo. In particular, the evil god of the Gyeonggi branch doesn¡¯t enjoy conflict between divinities, so I thought there wouldn¡¯t be a big problem, so I came to ask for permission.¡±


    ¡°But did you think it was dangerous?¡±


    ¡°Since Geo introduced himself as an evil god, we should be careful. He especially likes things that are provocative, and more than anything, he doesn¡¯t fear conflict. I thought we should prepare for it.¡±


    ¡°I can help you with that.¡±


    Although the collection of Bisabal took the form of a business company, that didn¡¯t mean that his guild members weren¡¯t good at fighting. Some of his followers only followed his orders.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask my friends to do this.¡±


    ¡°I feel reassured that you¡¯re looking after me.¡±


    Yoo Seong-woon expressed his gratitude with his characteristically innocent smile.


    ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve always received help.¡±


    ¡°I feel the same way. However....¡±


    ¡°However?¡±


    ¡°When I leave, I¡¯ll go as ¡®Sergio¡¯, right?¡±


    ¡°...Shouldn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Bisabal stroked my chin.


    ¡°I think it would be okay to find Sergio¡¯s secretary soon.¡±


    ¡°Are you planning on making Geo an official hunter?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve blocked him for a while, but his attention is already focused on him.¡±


    No matter how quietly things were done, quite a few people knew that the sea had become calm after Sergio and other hunters visited the S-class dungeon, ¡®Deep Sea Kingdom¡¯.


    The A-class hunter who appeared without a sound and the sea of ??Korea that had become calm after his visit. Since there was no specific evidence, they were curious, even if not suspicious.


    ¡°Sergio used to save people at the ¡®Deep Sea Temple¡¯.¡±


    ¡°You still have that influence? Because of a hunter who doesn¡¯t even do official activities?¡±


    ¡°A handsome and capable hunter is popular with everyone.¡±


    ¡°...That¡¯s true.¡±


    In particular, Geo had a strong aura that was hard to forget in people¡¯s memories.


    Above all, it wasn¡¯t strange that there were still people who remembered ¡®Sergio Hunter¡¯ who had gathered people together and encouraged them during those difficult and scary times.


    Yoo Seong-woon nodded.


    ¡°The fact that he was a promising new A-class hunter but his whereabouts were unknown probably drew more attention. It might have been read as a kind of mystical strategy....¡±


    ¡°If you knew, you should have sent Geo out a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t know that that was a recommendation full of the guild leader¡¯s selfish intentions? Anyway, I guess I¡¯ll have to look for a manager among the staff.¡±


    If he was a hunter with frequent official activities or a high profile, he would have one or two managers to manage his schedule.


    Even though Geo didn¡¯t plan on having frequent official activities, if there were many people interested in him, he needed a secretary in another sense.


    ¡°It would be easier to manage his schedule and image if we knew about the existence of ¡®Sergio¡¯...¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s gradually find someone for that part.¡±


    Bisabal¡¯s long, slit pupils slowly dilated.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll be able to find him soon.¡±


    Was it Joohyun?


    He didn¡¯t like her, but she seemed pretty useful.

 Chapter 140

    Hunters with high recognition mostly had managers.


    Yoo Seong-Woon spoke.


    ¡°Well, you could think of them as secretaries.¡±


    ¡°Do I need such a secretary, especially since I rarely go out?¡±


    ¡°Of course, secretaries help organize busy schedules...¡±


    There were other duties as well.


    ¡°The most important task is managing a person¡¯s inner and outer life.¡±


    Especially in Korea, where the image of a hunter is strongly associated with celebrities, many hunters often hired managers.


    ¡°Korea has such strong admiration for hunters, and because of that, the image consumption of hunters has been smoothly facilitated. One of the important aspects is how that hunter is perceived by the public.¡±


    ¡°A hunter¡¯s job wasn¡¯t just about catching monsters or criminals?¡±


    ¡°You could say it¡¯s somewhere between a soldier and a celebrity. Even though most hunters aren¡¯t affiliated with the government, the characteristics of the two jobs are somewhat similar.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon led the way to the parking lot and invited Gio to get in.


    ¡°Take a comfortable seat, I¡¯ll drive.¡±


    ¡°Then can I sit in the passenger seat?¡±


    ¡°Of course. It¡¯ll be more comfortable to talk that way.¡±


    Once in the car, Yoo Seong-Woon continued the topic.


    ¡°So, the reason I suggested you hire a manager...¡±


    Drrrr.


    The sound of a marble rolling echoed as the car¡¯s engine started.


    ¡°You don¡¯t really understand how the world works yet.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to make use of the ¡®Sergio Hunter¡¯ identity, it¡¯s better to have an assistant by your side.¡±


    ¡°An assistant?¡±


    ¡°Someone who can guide you on how to deal with things as a hunter.¡±


    In fact, many hunters hired managers for this reason.


    ¡°Depending on your specialization, a hunter¡¯s job can vary greatly, but one thing to always keep in mind is what image you¡¯re going to project to the public.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to hear an example from your situation, Yoo Seong-Woon.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already decided not to focus on image consumption. I feel more like a gardener than a hunter, and besides, having worked as a research team leader in the association... It¡¯s awkward for me to appear as a public figure.¡±


    ¡°Is it because there¡¯s a risk of important information leaking?¡±


    ¡°Partly, and also because I don¡¯t have the energy for image management. If I had time to go out and spread hope and smiles to the public, I¡¯d rather secure more time to work.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon was a competent hunter, a veteran gardener, and a former research team leader in the association. Now, he was both a collection item of Bisa Beul and a curator for the collector¡¯s guild. If he also had to manage his image, even five bodies wouldn¡¯t be enough.


    With a soft smile, Seong-Woon¡¯s eyes were clear, but for some reason, they looked vacant.


    ¡°I also need some rest.¡±


    ¡°Well, if you need a sweet snack, feel free to let me know anytime.¡±


    ¡°Rather than a snack... Just invite me again next time.¡±


    ¡°My friend, Yoo Seong-Woon, is always welcome to visit.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, I think I¡¯ll sleep really well there.¡±


    There was a small drawback of being slightly affected by the danger of identity transformation, but looking at examples like Chara and Ju-Hyun, one could easily feel that Gio¡¯s cabin was optimized for human rest and recovery.


    ¡®Although that would only be true for humans that Gio likes.¡¯


    Yoo Seong-Woon smiled faintly.


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m just too busy to care about image. There are plenty of underground unofficial hunters who don¡¯t want to appear in public, and there are more of them in the collector¡¯s guild, which operates like a business.¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I remain an unofficial hunter too?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve had my share of activities as an A-class hunter, just like you, but from the beginning, I¡¯ve worked under a confidentiality agreement. But you¡¯re already pretty well-known, so it¡¯ll be harder for you. For some reason, a lot of people remember you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can keep up the job of a celebrity. I¡¯d fall into disgrace due to controversies over my personality.¡±


    ¡°...I understand what you mean. If it¡¯s too burdensome, you can just keep a low profile. People might think it¡¯s a strategy of mystery, but if you stay hidden, you¡¯ll eventually be forgotten.¡±


    Awakened individuals continued to appear, and even more people became hunters. The number of hunters who wanted to be recognized by the public was growing exponentially, and if you stayed silent, you would eventually be forgotten.


    ¡°But if you¡¯re going to keep working as ¡®Sergio Hunter,¡¯ it¡¯ll be hard to completely avoid people¡¯s attention.¡±


    ¡°If I don¡¯t officially step out, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem, right?¡±


    ¡°People¡¯s bad instincts will try to dig deeper the more their curiosity is triggered.¡±


    ¡°Am I someone who stimulates the curiosity of the public?¡±


    ¡°You definitely have star potential, but you¡¯re not in the media, not appearing in press.¡±


    What should he say?


    ¡°Kind of like a... hidden picture game? That¡¯s what it feels like.¡±


    Since Gio was a portrait, the comparison to a hidden picture game wasn¡¯t wrong.


    ¡°And that¡¯s similar to the characteristics of the well-known ¡®Black Cloak.¡¯¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying there¡¯s a chance people will realize that I am the same person as the Black Cloak?¡±


    ¡°Exactly, so it¡¯s a good idea to show the image you want before anyone starts investigating your true identity.¡±


    A star-quality A-class handsome hunter who never shows himself in public.


    There were still few people who remembered him, so there wasn¡¯t much of a fuss. However, the few who did remember him were still searching for the whereabouts of ¡®Sergio Hunter.¡¯


    ¡°If those people keep growing, it could become quite problematic. ? N§àv§ÖIight ? (Read more on our source) Paparazzi will follow.¡±


    ¡°Would they still do that if I¡¯m not officially active?¡±


    ¡°If something like the ¡®Temple of the Deep Sea¡¯ incident happens again, will you just hide away?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll quietly help people from behind.¡±


    ¡°If you keep doing that, people will keep remembering you.¡±


    Hunters who never appeared in public but quietly performed good deeds were especially popular.


    ¡°To be honest, ¡®Sergio Hunter¡¯ has too many things that people like.¡±


    It was hard to forget him easily.


    ¡°So, before the fools who want to uncover the truth show up, it might be a good idea to make the first move. If you reveal ¡®Sergio Hunter¡¯s¡¯ personal information and image, the people who satisfy their curiosity won¡¯t bother digging into your identity. That way, you can fully separate the images of ¡®Sergio Hunter¡¯ and the ¡®Black Cloak.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Even if people¡¯s curiosity is satisfied, will there still be those who investigate me?¡±


    ¡°There are always people like that. Even I¡¯m one of them. In my case, even though I was affiliated with the association, where information control is very strict, it happens. So, for someone like you, who isn¡¯t managed by the government or association, there¡¯s even more room for investigation.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon smiled casually.


    ¡°Well, this is all assuming you want to keep using the ¡®Sergio Hunter¡¯ identity...¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t fully understand my role yet, but I¡¯m satisfied with my current identity.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s definitely better to take care of your image. Even monsters living in the mountains come down to human settlements when they¡¯re hungry.¡±


    ¡°A monster?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, when they¡¯re hungry and there¡¯s nothing to eat, it¡¯s natural for them to disturb innocent people. I meant you should throw them some bait.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll make an effort with at least basic image management.¡±


    Gio, with his blonde hair and a subtle smile, asked.


    ¡°Does that mean I¡¯ll also be hiring a manager?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll work hard on that... we¡¯ll think about it.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon smiled awkwardly.


    ¡°You can recommend someone you like first.¡±


    They said various things, but in the end, the most important thing was that Gio¡¯s portrait wouldn¡¯t be upset. Yoo Seong-Woon hoped that, at the very least, this gentleman-like origin wouldn¡¯t hate humans.


    ¡°It¡¯s not urgent, so you can think about it slowly.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°And to add a bit more explanation...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±


    ¡°The manager¡¯s role isn¡¯t just image management.¡±


    ¡°As you mentioned earlier, they also act as a guide.¡±


    ¡°Exactly, a guide. And an assistant.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon nodded.


    ¡°Unless you were born to hunter parents, most hunters flounder at first. They want to get famous and appear in the media, but they don¡¯t know how.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°As a hunter, you need to know what you should be doing, where you should go to gain recognition, where you can build relationships with other hunters... a manager helps with all aspects of a hunter¡¯s social life.¡±


    ¡°That definitely seems necessary for me.¡±


    Gio gave a look that seemed deeply moved.


    ¡°I¡¯m worried about how to live, even as a citizen of South Korea, not just as a hunter.¡±


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s a limit to what I can teach you personally...¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon gave a helpless smile.


    ¡°Sorry for being so busy.¡±


    ¡°No, I actually think it¡¯s admirable.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s really... kind of you to say.¡±


    It was also a burdening statement.


    ¡®Saying admiration is close to expectation, but even that is a burden.¡¯


    Yoo Seong-Woon cleared his throat and continued.


    ¡°You¡¯ve often had trouble using modern conveniences.¡±


    ¡°Yoo Seong-Woon is right.¡±


    ¡°I think a manager who can also help with that would be a good idea.¡±


    Gio had tried to pay in jewels, appeared barefoot in public places, and had questions about human culture that showed he didn¡¯t understand it very well.


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s not a huge issue yet, but wouldn¡¯t it be beneficial to learn some things?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering if I should go to school to learn the knowledge I need for daily life.¡±


    ¡°School? Oh, I see. But at your age, going to school would stand out...¡±


    Maybe Gio thought of school as a place where humans learn wisdom for everyday life and social interaction. But no matter what, they couldn¡¯t enroll Gio in school.


    ¡°Then, for your manager, it¡¯d be good to find someone versatile.¡±


    ¡°Someone who won¡¯t be scared even after learning that I¡¯m the Black Cloak would be even better.¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯ll look for someone who fits that description.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon exclaimed and asked.


    ¡°Have you ever interacted with other gods?¡±


    ¡°I frequently communicate with my father.¡±


    ¡°No, not the ancestral gods, but completely separate gods.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t done that.¡±


    Gio laughed as if he had heard an amusing joke.


    ¡°How could an ordinary person like me communicate with gods?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon smiled with his lips tight.


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°Please call me an ordinary person.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve got a pretty ordinary Gio here.¡±


    If the origin asked for it, there was nothing that could not be done.


    ¡°Last time, didn¡¯t you exchange the light of justice and gaze with the Goddess of the Sun?¡±


    ¡°If by the light of justice you mean the Goddess of the Sun, yes. I haven¡¯t met her again since then.¡±


    ¡°Then, this is the first meeting as gods, right?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°Hmm...¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon let out a small groan and asked.


    ¡°Do you think something might go wrong?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m past the age for pranks.¡±


    ¡°From Arjio¡¯s perspective?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not fully assimilated, so I¡¯m not sure, but maybe that¡¯s why it¡¯s safe.¡±


    ¡°Because the initiative is with them?¡±


    ¡°Well, since that¡¯s still me, it¡¯s hard to call it initiative.¡±


    ¡°Really? Anyway, if you don¡¯t intend to fight, that¡¯s fine.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon understood how Gio¡¯s portrait served as the origin¡¯s eyes, and he also understood the mechanism behind it. Arjio, who introduced himself as the Dark God, was simply ¡®Gio,¡¯ but not the ¡®portrait of Gio.¡¯


    ¡®Since Gio said he won¡¯t cause trouble, I guess that¡¯s true.¡¯


    However, just to be safe, Yoo Seong-Woon spoke up.


    ¡°The death god you¡¯ll meet is a traditional dark god.¡±


    ¡°A traditional dark god?¡±


    ¡°A god born in fate, but brings harm to humanity.¡±


    He was a native god of Earth.


    ¡°He¡¯s also a twin god of the birth god, and because he¡¯s been around for so long, he¡¯s very dignified and quiet. He doesn¡¯t actively interfere with humans.¡±


    ¡°If I visit, he might not even react?¡±


    ¡°Maybe not, or like the Goddess of the Sun, he might glance at you. But the death god is one of the few gods with a physical manifestation on Earth, so the possibility of communication is high.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a physical manifestation?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like a puppet created by divine beings, who are closer to incorporeal entities, to visit the human world. It¡¯s a bit different, but it¡¯s similar to the teddy bear your father used...¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Gio nodded with a smile.


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°Then, I¡¯m relieved.¡±


    Comparing a teddy bear and a physical manifestation was an astonishing thing for Yoo Seong-Woon as well.


    ¡°After passing the toll gate, there¡¯s the Temple of Death not far ahead.¡±


    ¡°I look forward to it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not very popular, since it¡¯s a dark god¡¯s temple...¡±


    And just when they were chatting, death opened its eyes.


    ¡°......¡±


    Death looked at its daughter.


    ¡°My... daughter...¡±


    ¡°Death, why have you opened your eyes?¡±


    ¡°...Cruel... divinity...¡±


    ¡°By cruel divinity, do you mean the dark god?¡±


    ¡°You wish to... be invited....¡±


    ¡°There was a request for permission to visit.¡±


    The woman bowed deeply.


    ¡°What should I do?¡±


    ¡°...Guide... me...¡±


    The veiled death whispered.


    ¡°I shall see.¡±


    Was it a sinner, fate, or a hero?


    Or perhaps, what else could it be...

 Chapter 141

    Meanwhile, Joo Hyun was¡ª


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Kkuu.¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯ll carry it.¡±


    He was being treated to a snack by the teddy bear.


    ¡°Is this fruit tea?¡±


    ¡°Kku.¡±


    ¡°It smells wonderful. You must¡¯ve gone through a lot of trouble. Thank you for the effort.¡±


    ¡°Kkukkukku....¡±


    ¡°And from now on, I¡¯ll take care of what I eat myself. If that¡¯s alright.¡±


    He added,


    ¡°I don¡¯t mean to use the kitchen, which the master of this house seems to cherish, recklessly. But if it¡¯s just taking food that¡¯s already prepared like this, I think I could do it myself.¡±


    Careful not to offend the massive beings of mystery in this place, Joo Hyun wore his characteristic polite smile.


    ¡°I feel it¡¯s rude to only receive help from you, sir.¡±


    ¡°Kku?¡±


    ¡°If there¡¯s anything else I can help with, please don¡¯t hesitate to ask.¡±


    The teddy bear tilted its head but then nodded as if understanding.


    ¡®I thought it might get angry, thinking I was refusing its kindness... but fortunately, it doesn¡¯t seem that way.¡¯


    He knew that although it looked like an ordinary teddy bear, what dwelled inside was far from ordinary. Wasn¡¯t it the being that Black Cloak called ¡°Father¡±? It made Joo Hyun feel deeply uncomfortable to just keep receiving from such a great elder.


    ¡®Being able to interact even a little with a being that dwells in a place like this is lucky enough, but...¡¯


    Joo Hyun stared in silence at the brilliantly sparkling fruit tea in front of him.


    ¡°......¡±


    He wasn¡¯t sure if it was really something he should be grateful for.


    ¡®Is it okay to drink this?¡¯


    He had eaten and drunk without problems so far, but that didn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t worried.


    ¡®No matter how I think about it, this place is way too distant from the human realm.¡¯


    Even among dimensions, there are those where humans can live, and others where only enormous beings like gods can dwell.


    ¡®The fact that it appears as a forest cabin that even someone like me, an ordinary person, can perceive is amazing in itself, but even so...¡¯


    In Joo Hyun¡¯s view, this place clearly belonged to the latter. A dimension where mysteries, not humans, reside.


    ¡®And the act of consuming something has always been treated as a kind of ritual.¡¯


    There are countless legends of people eating divine food and experiencing astonishing miracles. Eating something here would mean stepping one foot into the dimension that food belonged to.


    ¡°...I think I¡¯ve eaten quite a bit already...¡±


    ¡°Kkuu?¡±


    ¡°Will I still be able to walk out of here as a human?¡±


    That was Joo Hyun¡¯s worry. Divine favor changes humans.


    ¡®No matter the scale or direction, that can¡¯t be entirely safe for a human.¡¯


    Most saints and saintesses who still existed on Earth lived barely clinging to life. No one could predict how Joo Hyun would be swept up by Black Cloak¡¯s kindness.


    ¡®Of course, it¡¯s better than earning hostility, but...¡¯


    After a long hesitation, Joo Hyun finally drank the fruit tea. It wasn¡¯t just a matter of etiquette, of not casually refusing offered hospitality.


    Joo Hyun let out a hollow laugh.


    ¡°...It¡¯s delicious, as always.¡±


    The taste was so blissful he could understand why so many humans in legends had been captivated by divine foods and lost their ability to think clearly.


    The soft spring breeze, as if infused with flowers, melted into the sweet fruit tea and gently dissolved on Joo Hyun¡¯s tongue.


    ¡®Yeah, I¡¯m still human.¡¯


    There was an Anticat here named Dana. That creature, which particularly hated humans, would often hiss and shy away whenever it saw Joo Hyun. It was a clear indicator that he was still human.


    ¡®Although... the longer time passes, the less it hisses and avoids me...¡¯


    He didn¡¯t want to believe it was a sign of anything ominous.


    ¡®It¡¯s just that we¡¯re getting used to each other after being around so long. Even when I checked myself, I didn¡¯t find anything strange. I want to believe there¡¯s no big problem.¡¯


    Joo Hyun blinked.


    ¡°......¡±


    Even though he had once given in to despair, now that things were like this, he had no intention of giving up being human.


    ¡°...I¡¯ll leave as soon as I¡¯m ready. I have to.¡±


    ¡°Kku.¡±


    ¡°Because a normal human like me can¡¯t keep staying here.¡±


    Humans had to live among humans, living human lives. That was Joo Hyun¡¯s belief.


    ¡°It¡¯s funny though. Even if I leave this place, it¡¯s not like I¡¯ll really be able to live like a human again...¡±


    Joo Hyun, who remembered life before the Great Catastrophe, remembered what ¡°living like a human¡± meant.


    The right to live with people who love and cherish you. The chance to naturally grow through fortune and misfortune alike. When the strong protected the weak by cooperating, humanity achieved its ideal structure.


    ¡°...Mmh.¡±


    Joo Hyun gave a sheepish smile, feeling how nai?ve his hopes were.


    ¡°I¡¯m aware that the future I want is too idealistic.¡±


    ¡°Kkuu?¡±


    ¡°Gio once asked me if I wanted to achieve world peace. And... I think he was right.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°If I could even raise a part of it up... I think the world would be much better than it is now.¡±


    A dream is a dream. Even knowing it can¡¯t be achieved perfectly, humans still strive because they believe they might touch a fragment of it. Joo Hyun¡¯s dream was no different.


    To grab even a ?N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t? piece of that mirage, you needed the right spirit¡ªpassion, conviction, hope¡ªthe fuel that burns through a human¡¯s short life.


    ¡°But right now... I just don¡¯t feel motivated. That¡¯s why I¡¯m hesitating to leave this place. It¡¯s pathetic.¡±


    He had lost too much. He had fallen into too much disillusionment.


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know what I want to do anymore.¡±


    He already knew that effort didn¡¯t guarantee reward.


    If the world had been one where good children were respected and rewarded, Joo Hyun wouldn¡¯t have had to abandon his nature. If those who achieved results were properly compensated, Joo Hyun would at least have been ranked higher than a deputy.


    But it was all still fine. Even if he moved slowly, sometimes regressed, or even stood still, he believed he was still inching forward.


    ¡°...I just feel hollow inside...¡±


    And in the end, he lost everything.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°...That wasn¡¯t a very fun story, was it.¡±


    Joo Hyun shrugged.


    ¡°I guess I just need time to think.¡±


    Actually, he knew very well. To think properly, he first had to deal with the emptiness inside him. Having faced misfortune and overcome it more than once, Joo Hyun knew how to stand up again.


    ¡®But right now, I don¡¯t even have the strength to walk out of this place on my own two feet...¡¯


    Joo Hyun gave a familiar smile and asked the teddy bear,


    ¡°Is it okay if I stay like this for a little longer?¡±


    ¡°Kkuu.¡±


    The teddy bear climbed onto the table, patted Joo Hyun¡¯s head, and then climbed down.


    ¡°Kkuku, kku.¡±


    ¡°...I don¡¯t quite understand you.¡±


    ¡°Kkuu.¡±


    The bear gave his thigh a gentle tap once more, then left the cabin with the Anticat. Seeing the snack bag in the cat¡¯s mouth, it seemed they intended to spend time on the cabin bench again.


    It felt as if they were deliberately giving Joo Hyun some space.


    ¡°......¡±


    Suddenly, doubt gnawed at him again.


    ¡®...Even non-human beings show me this kind of kindness.¡¯


    Why did I dream? For whom, and for what?


    ***


    Arriving at the Temple of Death, Gio blinked twice.


    ¡°...It¡¯s simpler than I thought.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a very popular religion.¡±


    ¡°More than that...¡±


    Gio tilted his head slightly.


    ¡°It feels strongly Korean.¡±


    When you imagine a temple, you tend to think of Renaissance architecture. The Seoul branch of the Solar Church, the Giovanni¡¯s Solar Church¡ªall made you think of white marble structures. So this was a bit surprising.


    ¡°It¡¯s a hanok, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°As I said on the way here, the God of Death is a native Earth deity. There¡¯s at least one Temple of Death in every country, including Korea.¡±


    ¡°So they emphasized the local flavor to express that it¡¯s an Earth deity?¡±


    ¡°Among all the Temples of Death, Korea put the most effort into the building¡¯s exterior. Maybe because it¡¯s the only one where the death god¡¯s incarnation resides. Not that it was necessarily the god¡¯s request...¡±


    Locking the car, Yoo Seong-Woon continued.


    ¡°This place was the first case where an evil god was officially recognized as a religious entity. At first, public opposition was fierce¡ªthere were tons of protests from nearby residents. It was treated like a noxious facility.¡±


    ¡°A noxious facility, huh.¡±


    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s the God of Death. People had suffered so much from divine meddling back then, they had no room to care about providence or anything else.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s unexpected.¡±


    It sounded like there had been a time when gods directly tormented humans. Gio, who had once been a priest, asked,


    ¡°Did humans suffer at the hands of the gods?¡±


    ¡°The distinction between traditional gods and evil gods isn¡¯t that old. In the past, gods meddled so much in human lives that there were countless large and small disasters.¡±


    ¡°Large and small disasters...¡±


    ¡°Say something that didn¡¯t please a god, and you¡¯d get divine punishment. Or they¡¯d forcibly establish a temple on Earth. They had no reason or will to consider humans.¡±


    ¡°And now it¡¯s different?¡±


    ¡°Thanks to the Symbols of Eternity, excessive divine interference was curbed. What would have eventually sorted itself out was forcibly sped up.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon waved his hand.


    ¡°The story¡¯s long, but basically: now gods need to invest a lot to interfere with the human world.¡±


    ¡°So those unwilling to invest won¡¯t meddle easily anymore. I understand what you¡¯re saying.¡±


    Gio nodded.


    ¡°I remember wondering why my father couldn¡¯t easily interfere with human lives. I didn¡¯t know there were measures like that.¡±


    ¡°It was a time when gods from dead-end dimensions roamed around, so proper countermeasures were late. Luckily, the Symbols of Eternity stepped in and handled it.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon shrugged.


    ¡°They stopped divine overreach, but the great beings themselves didn¡¯t vanish. The ones who were particularly interested in Earth still kept watch.¡±


    ¡°Is the God of Death among them?¡±


    ¡°Since he¡¯s a native deity, it¡¯s not like he could easily look to other dimensions. Anyway, some of those beings turned out to be helpful to humanity.¡±


    ¡°But it must not have been easy for humans to accept that.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. But it¡¯s not like the existing gods would just disappear. Coexistence with mysteries was inevitable, so the government took action.¡±


    He pointed to the modest hanok.


    ¡°They shrank the building size, added Korean elements.¡±


    ¡°And did it work?¡±


    ¡°It definitely made people understand this god is a native Earth deity. Though the God of Death isn¡¯t exclusive to Korea...¡±


    ¡°But for Koreans, it would feel familiar, like meeting an old hometown friend.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s close.¡±


    The surprising modesty of the hanok stunned the fierce protesters, and the government offered incentives to nearby residents to sway public opinion.


    ¡°They basically succeeded in marketing it. At that time, there were so many deaths and little way to manage them. Having the God of Death personally preside over funerals became a huge appeal.¡±


    For those losing family or facing death themselves, funerals conducted at a shrine blessed by the official God of Death offered real comfort.


    ¡°In desperate moments, people can¡¯t help but crave mercy. Whether the god was evil or not.¡±


    ¡°And the government and association¡¯s credibility helped, right?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. Trust in them was huge. Once they officially promoted the God of Death, it was hard not to believe.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon nodded.


    ¡°And the god¡¯s cooperation helped a lot too. Being a native deity, he genuinely cared for Earth¡¯s people. He wasn¡¯t the type to meddle unnecessarily.¡±


    ¡°I heard there¡¯s a manifestation here.¡±


    ¡°After the Great Catastrophe, the conditions allowed it. With so much death around, it was perfect timing for a native god to manifest.¡±


    ¡°Perfect timing...¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know the full details. Why he stays in Korea, either. I¡¯m no expert in godly matters. And the God of Death... he¡¯s extremely quiet. He hardly ever reacts, aside from observing the world through his manifestation.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon laughed softly and guided Gio.


    ¡°Shall we go in?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    As they approached the temple entrance, a gatekeeper wielding a spear asked,


    ¡°Are you Hunter Yoo Seong-Woon?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I booked a private prayer room today.¡±


    ¡°Please, come this way.¡±


    Soon, a priest clad in a pure white robe appeared.


    Their hair was tied in a single knot, their eyes covered by a white cloth, and they carried a round white lantern in their left hand. The robe¡¯s Korean aesthetic made it impossible to tell their gender.


    The priest spoke in a neutral tone.


    ¡°I will guide you.¡±


    ¡°Please, lead the way.¡±


    The temple interior was extremely dark. Shallow water covered the floor, flowing quietly like a living being.


    The priest walked as if conversing with the water¡¯s flow.


    ¡°Follow me.¡±


    Normal people would barely see a step ahead; only the priest¡¯s lantern and white robe were visible.


    Unlike the ¡®Gem¡¯s Waterway,¡¯ Gio couldn¡¯t secure his vision in the darkness, perhaps due to the ongoing synchronization.


    ¡°......¡±


    The white lanterns moving through the dark felt like will-o¡¯-the-wisps floating above a lake at night.


    ¡°This is the prayer room assigned to Brother Yoo Seong-Woon.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for guiding us.¡±


    ¡°And... may I ask for a brief favor?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon glanced at Gio and nodded.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°The bishop wishes to meet you.¡±


    The priest bowed deeply.


    ¡°The Father has opened his eyes.¡±


    ¡°...You mean a revelation has been received?¡±


    ¡°The Father wishes to speak with today¡¯s visitor.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m the one he wants to see.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s surprisingly proactive.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon asked Gio,


    ¡°What do you want to do?¡±


    ¡°Well.¡±


    Then Gio asked,


    ¡°Does he want to be friends with me?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    The priest paused, then said,


    ¡°...Forgive me, unnamed divinity. I have not heard the full story.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re afraid of me.¡±


    ¡°If my humble service displeased you, I offer my deepest apologies.¡±


    ¡°I wish you wouldn¡¯t be scared.¡±


    A vivid crimson smile curved on Gio¡¯s lips.


    ¡°Making friends is really hard, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    The priest dared not answer.


    ***


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°...Please, this way.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Everyone is scared of me.


    ¡®This too... is a kind of burden, isn¡¯t it?¡¯


    Gio grew gloomy.

 Chapter 142

    Gio wasn¡¯t hurt that people were afraid of him.


    ¡®It¡¯s understandable they might be scared.¡¯


    Even before the Great Catastrophe, there had been plenty who feared Sergio.


    His stiff, seemingly regressed facial muscles hardly knew how to smile. He didn¡¯t enjoy social activities much either, so his range of action was narrow. On top of that, Gio, who placed unusual importance on manners, was someone hard to get close to lightly.


    Maybe because of that, just when it felt like people had gotten used to him, there would always be someone new who feared him.


    ¡®They said the atmosphere was scary...¡¯


    Always expressionless, absurdly tall, and always dressed in a black suit.


    ¡®Black is such an easy, convenient color to wear.¡¯


    Though it was both a personal preference and a practical choice, plenty of people were still frightened by Gio¡¯s appearance. He was aware that he didn¡¯t give off a particularly approachable impression.


    ¡°......¡±


    Still, when they were this scared of him, even Gio couldn¡¯t help feeling uneasy.


    ¡°Are we almost there?¡±


    ¡°I apologize for any discomfort.¡±


    ¡°No need to apologize.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t like asking, ¡°Are we almost there?¡± warranted this level of panic. Although the guiding priest wasn¡¯t making a fuss outwardly, the stiff steps and slightly trembling voice gave away their fear.


    Gio thought to himself,


    ¡®This really must be a burden.¡¯


    He hated it.


    ¡®At least the Collector¡¯s guild staff would just openly freak out and laugh it off...¡¯


    This fear felt different. The staff at the Collector¡¯s guild had good resilience and seemed to have adapted well to Gio. Maybe it was because only people who were naturally unflappable and indifferent gathered there.


    But the priest guiding him now was experiencing real, raw fear.


    ¡®I didn¡¯t think it would be this bad.¡¯


    And yet, seeing them still doing their best to serve him, Gio, who felt obligated to repay kindness fivefold, found his mood twisting.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Stopping in front of a massive gate, Gio thanked the priest.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°...It was my honor.¡±


    The priest bowed deeply.


    ¡°Please, do not hold a grudge against us for following the Father''s words.¡±


    ¡°I came here simply as a priest and a visitor wishing to pray. You have no reason to worry.¡±


    ¡°Your words lighten this lowly priest¡¯s heart.¡±


    Gio then asked,


    ¡°If it¡¯s alright... would you accept a small gift from me?¡±


    ¡°...A gift?¡±


    ¡°Do you like sweet things?¡±


    ¡°Sweet things... Yes, I do.¡±


    ¡°This is a simple token of my gratitude.¡±


    Gio handed over a packet of dried fruit, neatly wrapped in hanji.


    ¡°Sun-dried ¡ï Novelight ¡ï fruits.¡±


    ¡°Ah...¡±


    ¡°You may eat them or not, as you wish.¡±


    And he added,


    ¡°But please, don¡¯t be afraid of me.¡±


    Because it made him feel too guilty.


    ¡°Will you do that for me?¡±


    ¡°...I will not forget the warm grace bestowed by Your Divinity.¡±


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t think of it as something so grand.¡±


    Ah, no, don¡¯t do that.


    ¡®Why are you saying it like that?¡¯


    Honestly, he felt like crying a little. Every word was just too heavy. If they had just treated him like a ghost story or a monster, he could¡¯ve laughed it off. But being treated with such reverence while being feared made Gio extremely uncomfortable.


    What was so grand and gracious about this? He didn¡¯t want to be treated like royalty over a simple packet of dried fruit. He wished the priest could understand the sincerity behind his simple gesture.


    ¡°I hope next time, you¡¯ll have a more comfortable expression.¡±


    Thinking it would be impolite to drag things out further, Gio withdrew.


    He did have a scary appearance, and it was natural to be afraid of scary things. In a relationship where they had just met, it wouldn¡¯t be polite to whine about it.


    ¡°......¡±


    Thinking about it made him miss Joo Hyun, who was probably resting back at the cabin.


    ¡®Please become friends with me quickly.¡¯


    My kind and well-mannered future pen pal, who wasn¡¯t afraid of a haunted painting like me.


    He hadn¡¯t been particularly good at making friends even before he became a ghost story. Afterward, it only got harder, with more people fearing him. It was getting exhausting.


    ¡°Should I just open the door and walk in?¡±


    ¡°Stand in front, and I¡¯ll ring the bell for the gatekeeper.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    Ding¡ª.


    The priest rang a bell that shone softly white.


    ¡°......¡±


    The door opened noiselessly.


    ¡®...Is this the opening scene of a horror movie?¡¯


    A massive door to a dark, cavernous temple opening without a sound ¡ª it was like something from a haunted mansion.


    ¡®But if it¡¯s a horror concept, I¡¯m not about to lose as a haunted portrait myself.¡¯


    Gio thought that if he ever built a temple someday, he would definitely ask for permission and adopt this system. It seemed his public image was growing closer to that of a ghost story; there was a lot to learn.


    ¡®Still... is it rude to compare a great elder to a ghost just because I haven¡¯t seen their face yet?¡¯


    To Gio, the God of Death was on the same level as the Sun God, the teddy bear Father. Having once experienced the Sun God, the concept of "god = lonely old man" was deeply rooted in his mind.


    Confidently, he entered the pitch-black room, not a single ray of light inside. Judging from the atmosphere, it seemed the elder here also lived alone and lonely, and Gio was confident he could liven things up.


    ¡°...Hmph.¡±


    A soft, flowing stream of darkened, clear water covered the entire floor.


    The massive door closed soundlessly behind him, and soon a small white light flickered to life not far away.


    ¡°Are you the bishop of this place?¡±


    ¡°Please lower your words, unnamed Divinity.¡±


    A woman wearing a richly layered hanbok like a blooming peony answered.


    ¡°We are grateful that you tolerated our rudeness. May we understand your presence here as accepting the Father¡¯s invitation?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°I am Eunyeong, though I am lacking, the manager of this place. If you require anything, please summon me. I will remain in this room.¡±


    The bishop placed the lantern she held onto the ground and quietly disappeared into the darkness. Wearing a pitch-black hanbok and a black veil, she vanished into the gloom almost immediately.


    Only then did Gio realize with whom he was supposed to speak.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    He raised his head and looked into the darkness.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you would already be here.¡±


    Then, from the darkness, a moist sound echoed.


    ¡°I greet the Death of Earth.¡±


    ¡°...You...¡±


    A face emerged faintly between the flickering lights.


    ¡°You treated my children well...¡±


    It was a being that seemed one with the darkness.


    Its face resembled an ancient, weathered tree, with white light leaking through the cracks and gaps.


    It had numerous long, thin arms, and its lower body, illuminated by the lanterns, stretched like a long black river.


    Its body spread out like a spider¡¯s web, wrapped in black silk. Gio realized the entire room was part of Death¡¯s manifestation.


    ¡°You are magnificent.¡±


    He admired sincerely.


    ¡°You are both river and tree.¡±


    ¡°Is that... how you see me...¡±


    ¡°What I stand on is your knee, and what I see is a mountain of arms.¡±


    ¡°...You... are very kind to me...¡±


    ¡°Is there any reason not to be?¡±


    Gio liked elders.


    ¡°I came today to ask about evil gods.¡±


    ¡°...I see...¡±


    ¡°Would you tell me why you summoned me?¡±


    ¡°I have seen you...¡±


    The voice of Death was as vast as an echoing cave.


    ¡°You exist within sin, yet are not a sinner.¡±


    ¡°You are like providence, yet not fully part of it.¡±


    ¡°You cannot be called a hero by the standards of evil...¡±


    Through mouths suspended in the air, Death defined Argio.


    ¡°You, who gave your body, how can you be in hell?¡±


    He said,


    ¡°You are condemned as a sinner but are not one. You refused to bask in the comforts of providence. You once stood as a hero among deities greedy for blood and offerings. I pity you. Your soul is sorrowful.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°You wish to be blamed but will find it difficult. You desire to linger in dull pleasures, but prosperity and peace will remain at your side. You wish to be remembered as a hollow ghost, but you will be recorded as a giant of history.¡±


    Death asked,


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    It was a pure, genuine question.


    ¡°Have you decided?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    And Gio¡ª


    ¡°......?¡±


    ¡ªwas speechless.


    ¡°I¡¯m human.¡±


    ¡°Ah, so you have decided.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ve been human from the start.¡±


    ¡°I understand...¡±


    ¡°Sir, please listen to me.¡±


    Gio grew a little indignant.


    ¡°I admit I¡¯m an unusual case, but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m not human.¡±


    There were people with massive crow wings flying around, people with slitted reptilian eyes flashing, people so powerful they could blow apart mountains with a single breath ¡ª and they were still human.


    Why couldn¡¯t he be?


    ¡°This is discrimination.¡±


    ¡°Discrimination...¡±


    ¡°Human diversity is broad enough to include someone like me.¡±


    ¡°Yes... surely it embraces you...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not being embraced ¡ª I was part of it from the start.¡±


    ¡°I shall accept that...¡±


    Somehow, it felt like Death sighed. Gio became even more indignant. Humanity¡¯s diversity had grown so vast ¡ª why couldn¡¯t a haunted portrait be accepted as human?


    Whether Death simply didn¡¯t care about Gio¡¯s frustration or lacked the will to debate, the many mouths floating in the air muttered continuously.


    ¡°Poor soul...¡±


    ¡°Such devotion and affection are admirable...¡±


    ¡°Your embrace is higher than mountains and deeper than rivers...¡±


    ¡°Breathing in your embrace...¡±


    ¡°Sleeping in your embrace...¡±


    ¡°Life and death reside within it...¡±


    ¡°And still you call yourself human...¡±


    ¡°Ever loving, ever giving...¡±


    ¡°You shall have no end...¡±


    ¡°Only beginnings...¡±


    ¡°To you...¡±


    Among the countless voices like mist whispering in the mountain¡¯s gloom, only one continued:


    ¡°You shall know no death.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Gio thought.


    ¡®...Oh heavenly gods, am I walking the path of legendary eccentrics now?¡¯


    Out of nowhere, he had just been given confirmation of immortality.


    ¡®As expected, I¡¯m amazing.¡¯


    He had vaguely accepted it since the moment he admitted he was a portrait, but now it seemed he truly could no longer call himself an ordinary being. His self-esteem climbed yet another level today.


    Though it really could stop growing now, the only human who could¡¯ve pointed that out ¡ª Sergio¡¯s grandmother ¡ª had already passed away. Yoo Seong-Woon¡¯s scream and humanity¡¯s collective grief were inevitable.


    ¡°......¡±


    Gio quickly reached a conclusion.


    ¡°...I need to make a lot of friends.¡±


    That was the answer.


    ¡°That way, I¡¯ll never be bored.¡±


    ¡°...Yes...¡±


    ¡°Would it be alright if I visited you often? I¡¯ll bring you gifts.¡±


    ¡°Gifts... you say...¡±


    ¡°If death no longer applies to me, then we could be friends without farewells, couldn¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°...Friends...¡±


    The dark room made of death rang out, soft and wide.


    ¡°That sounds wonderful.¡±


    Gio recognized that sound ¡ª it was laughter.


    ¡°Come often, young friend.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll look forward to your gifts.¡±


    Thus, Gio gained another friend.


    Ta-da.


    ***


    ¡°Oh, really?¡±


    Waiting in the prayer room, Yoo Seong-Woon asked,


    ¡°So basically, as long as they¡¯re not afraid of you, they¡¯re automatically your friend?¡±


    ¡°I would also prefer they be kind and polite, if possible.¡±


    ¡°So... anyone who isn¡¯t scared of you and is nice and well-mannered.¡±


    ¡°In that case, there¡¯s no reason not to make them my friend.¡±


    ¡°Indeed...¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon nodded.


    ¡°I thought you were calling him ¡®sir,¡¯ so I figured you wouldn¡¯t go as far as calling him a friend.¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t seem as old and lonely as I expected...¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re using your father as the standard for ¡®old and lonely,¡¯ aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°He was quite lonely before I started visiting.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not even sure how you define something intangible like a god as ¡®old¡¯ or ¡®lonely,¡¯ but...¡±


    ¡°Well... doesn¡¯t it just feel that way when you see them? Death didn¡¯t seem particularly lonely to me. He has a lot of family, too.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    That part was a little intriguing. Yoo Seong-Woon¡¯s bad habit ¡ª curiosity ¡ª peeked out. He asked,


    ¡°So how did the God of Death appear to you?¡±


    He was curious about Gio¡¯s perception of the world.


    ¡°You said he didn¡¯t seem lonely, right?¡±


    ¡°Hmm... if I had to describe it as a person, maybe... middle-aged?¡±


    ¡°Middle-aged. And?¡±


    ¡°With an incredibly good sense of acceptance...¡±


    After thinking briefly, Gio added,


    ¡°A bit of a couch potato?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t irresponsible ¡ª just that if you push, he¡¯ll let you.¡±


    ¡°Uh...¡±


    ¡°And above all, he didn¡¯t want to leave his room.¡±


    ¡°...Uh, that...¡±


    ¡°I think we¡¯ll get along very well.¡±


    ¡°...I see.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon nodded.


    ¡°If you say so, I¡¯ll believe you.¡±


    Yeah, sure.


    It must be a realm still beyond human understanding.

 Chapter 143

    Once all the visitors had left, the bishop summoned the priest who had guided ¡°Sergio¡± today.


    The priest, clad in a white robe and carrying a white lantern, entered the room where Death¡¯s manifestation resided and offered his respects. He extinguished the lantern¡¯s flame, stepped forward into the darkness where the bishop waited, and stood silently, waiting for permission to speak.


    ¡°You worked hard today,¡± the bishop soon said.


    ¡°It must have been exhausting.¡±


    ¡°It was my honor.¡±


    ¡°You must have spent the day with an anxious heart.¡±


    ¡°I am still lacking...¡±


    ¡°Before divinity, who among us can stand tall?¡±


    ¡°I am grateful for your boundless compassion.¡±


    ¡°Yes...¡±


    The bishop gestured for him to sit and asked,


    ¡°Tell me what you saw and heard.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Bishop.¡±


    The priest bowed deeply and began speaking.


    ¡°He seemed very skilled at interacting with humans.¡±


    ¡°That was my impression as well.¡±


    ¡°At a glance, he appeared simply as a very powerful human, but... there were moments where it felt like his personality shifted completely.¡±


    ¡°His ?N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t? personality? Do you mean his self changed?¡±


    ¡°No, his self and memories remained intact. It was just... his temperament that shifted.¡±


    ¡°Ever-changing, is he?¡±


    ¡°The voices I heard were heavy like a father¡¯s, warm like sunlight, and sharp with a cruel sort of interest.¡±


    ¡°He is one who has touched the myriad transformations of heaven.¡±


    The bishop nodded.


    ¡°And I hear he gave you a gift.¡±


    ¡°Yes, this...¡±


    The priest placed a small, black lacquered tray inlaid with mother-of-pearl on the floor, with a paper-wrapped object atop it. It floated on the surface of the water, gliding smoothly until it reached the bishop¡¯s feet. The bishop lifted it.


    A strong, sweet fragrance rose from it.


    ¡°I shall not open it, whatever he may have said?¡±


    ¡°He said it was dried fruit. He mentioned it would be sweet.¡±


    ¡°Did he say anything else?¡±


    ¡°He said he hoped we would not fear him...¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°He wished that, next time we met, we would wear more comfortable expressions.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    The bishop placed the gift back on the tray and gently pushed it toward the priest, who respectfully bowed and tucked the crinkling package into his robe.


    Satisfied, the bishop spoke through the veil of black silk,


    ¡°You have received his grace. Do not harm your kin, but offer your thanks.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Bishop.¡±


    ¡°If he should visit our home again, you shall attend to him.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Bishop.¡±


    ¡°I should offer you advice regarding him, but... it is difficult...¡±


    The bishop fell silent for a moment, then said,


    ¡°Since the Father has called him a friend, you must treat him accordingly.¡±


    ¡°I will do my best to honor him as a dear guest.¡±


    ¡°He does not wish for grand treatment. Treat him simply as a visitor... but remember, he is a friend of the Father.¡±


    ¡°I am but a foolish priest, but I shall obey.¡±


    ¡°Fear not his divinity nor the title of evil god. Before he is an evil being, he is providence and a hero.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°He considers himself human.¡±


    How one walks the harsh road of compassion...


    ¡°I too am but a foolish child of the Father, and I have little advice to give. He flows like a river. Do not think to resist; simply entrust yourself to him, and you will avoid misfortune.¡±


    ¡°I will etch it in my heart.¡±


    ¡°I have kept his true identity hidden from the other children. I trust you have done the same. He desires to be treated not as a god, but as a human. Let no grand tales grow here.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    At the sight of the priest bowing deeply, the bishop spoke in a characteristically gentle voice.


    ¡°I consider you my successor. You must act wisely.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Bishop.¡±


    ¡°Since the Father has acknowledged him as a friend, your role has become all the more important.¡±


    The bishop nodded after a pause.


    ¡°The gift he gave you will bring no harm. Enjoy it, and if you notice anything unusual, inform me. I will offer guidance.¡±


    ¡°I am grateful for your kindness.¡±


    ¡°Go now and rest. This is the Father¡¯s room, the dwelling place of Death, and it is still poisonous to you. When you are better able to accept stillness and darkness, I will summon you here again.¡±


    ¡°Then I shall take my leave.¡±


    The priest bowed once more and quietly exited the room of Death.


    ¡°......¡±


    The only human left in the room, the bishop, placed the long-stemmed pipe onto the surface of the water. Made of black bamboo and gold, the pipe floated, casting only a shadow over the shallow water.


    From within the black veil, the bishop called to their father.


    ¡°Father.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°If you have any other wishes, please call upon this daughter at any time.¡±


    ¡°...My... daughter...¡±


    ¡°Yes, Father. Your child is here.¡±


    ¡°Are you... afraid...¡±


    ¡°You watch over me, Father, so I am not afraid.¡±


    But¡ª


    ¡°I was cautious of the divinity¡¯s wickedness.¡±


    The bishop who served the God of Death was not a saint. Death, who humbly used a manifestation, allowed communication without special qualifications. It was something that could be achieved through effort.


    Yet, by serving divinity so closely, one inevitably learned certain things. The bishop realized today that the wicked divinity who visited bore certain similarities to her Father.


    ¡°Is it alright that I was worried?¡±


    ¡°He...¡±


    ¡°Yes, Father. I am listening.¡±


    ¡°...He flows...¡±


    ¡°Like your river, Father?¡±


    ¡°There is no reason to resist, and resistance would be futile... Cherish him well.¡±


    ¡°...How could I dare to cherish divinity...¡±


    ¡°He is not lonely, but he deserves love.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    The bishop smiled faintly.


    ¡°You are rather talkative today.¡±


    ¡°Is that good?¡±


    ¡°Silence is precious, but so is a day like today.¡±


    ¡°I am pleased too...¡±


    Without a sound, Death¡¯s countless arms and hands explored the room. The river-like body of Death flowed on and on, and the black veils surrounding him swayed with the tiny bells adorned upon them.


    Death expressed his joy in silence.


    ¡°Though he exists within sin, he is no sinner. Though born under a wicked star, he was once a hero.¡±


    ¡°I did not expect such a mystery to exist.¡±


    ¡°I too would not have seen it until he showed himself. But as he lives as a human and his story is rare and precious, I shall desire that young friend.¡±


    ¡°Will you?¡±


    The bishop lifted the pipe again.


    ¡°Shall I find his shrine?¡±


    ¡°He is human. He has no shrine.¡±


    ¡°Then, how shall I show sincerity?¡±


    ¡°Become his friend, as he wishes.¡±


    ¡°A friend...¡±


    The bishop, exhaling mist instead of smoke, nodded.


    ¡°I shall warmly welcome him again upon his next visit.¡±


    ¡°That is enough...¡±


    ¡°Will you sleep now?¡±


    ¡°...Yes...¡±


    ¡°May you sleep deeply, far from noise.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°I will keep watch over you.¡±


    As Death grew silent, the bishop also fell quiet, exhaling only mist.


    Stillness once again cloaked the pitch-black room.


    ***


    By the way¡ª


    ¡°I heard I¡¯m immortal.¡±


    ¡°...Is that so?¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s quite amazing.¡±


    Not even the news of his newfound immortality could dampen Gio¡¯s spirits.


    ¡°I might be carving a line into the history of humanity.¡±


    ¡°If you say you¡¯re still ¡®normal,¡¯ I might seriously cry.¡±


    ¡°I would appreciate it even if it were a lie.¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t understand that stubbornness.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my way of asking not to be discriminated against just because I¡¯m exceptional.¡±


    ¡°Oh... I see...¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon nodded as he adjusted the car¡¯s direction.


    ¡°But is that all?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Usually, when someone finds out they¡¯re immortal, they freak out a little.¡±


    ¡°Is it surprising when you¡¯re already a living portrait?¡±


    ¡°Well, I think it¡¯s still something to be surprised about.¡±


    ¡°My mental fortitude is not that weak.¡±


    ¡°I mean, ordinary people would react differently.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon muttered inwardly,


    ¡®If you want to mimic a human, you should try harder.¡¯


    It felt like Gio¡¯s human imitation was becoming worse day by day. Maybe because Yoo Seong-Woon was an easy person to deal with. Still, watching from the side, it was sometimes bewildering.


    ¡®How do I match his mood without upsetting him...¡¯


    Feeling a bit bittersweet, Yoo Seong-Woon gave a soft smile.


    ¡°But, you know, about being immortal...¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°The Symbols of Eternity are immortal too, and you worried they¡¯d be lonely, right?¡±


    ¡°I did.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried for yourself?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    After pretending to ponder for a moment, Gio blinked.


    ¡°Not particularly.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Because I am confident I can live well and happily.¡±


    ¡°Huh... you certainly seem that way.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon was convinced. Gio didn¡¯t seem the type to get bored with life easily.


    ¡°So when you worried about the Symbols of Eternity, it was because they weren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°It might sound arrogant, but yes.¡±


    Gio nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯m a free spirit. I can live peacefully inside a portrait. But they... they carry the fate of this country and this planet on their shoulders.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°In that case, it would be difficult for them to simply enjoy life. Every step they take affects countless lives, and everyone fears and focuses on them.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound pleasant.¡±


    ¡°Would you want to spend your whole life working while being revered and cursed at, when you could be enjoying life? It doesn¡¯t sound good to me.¡±


    ¡°Yeah...¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon thought quietly.


    ¡®You lived a life not much different yourself.¡¯


    He recalled Gio¡¯s story¡ªhow he had tried to ease the conflict between mermaids and humans, how he had saved countless lives, only to die in the most terrible, tragic way.


    ¡®And even after dying, he ended up preserved as a portrait.¡¯


    Because Gio¡¯s portrait had its roots in the origin, there wasn¡¯t much to worry about, but from a human¡¯s perspective, it was still pitiable. To live as a human manifestation of the origin was heavier than being a Symbol of Eternity.


    After a moment, Yoo Seong-Woon asked,


    ¡°You really are okay, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m very satisfied with my life.¡±


    ¡°Even though being immortal isn¡¯t exactly ¡®normal¡¯...¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a big problem.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to watch many of your friends die.¡±


    Gio was confident.


    ¡°And why is that a problem?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Oh.


    Right.


    Yoo Seong-Woon was left speechless.


    ¡°...So you¡¯re not trying to pretend to be normal anymore, huh?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a trustworthy friend, Yoo Seong-Woon. I want to be honest.¡±


    ¡°Oh, well, thanks for that.¡±


    ¡°Of course, watching friends die will be sad.¡±


    Gio continued,


    ¡°But the joy and happiness we shared while alive will be greater than the sadness after death.¡±


    ¡°...That¡¯s...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m too busy looking for new friends to mourn those who haven¡¯t even died yet.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Death is just a state. It¡¯s not something to avoid or fear. I don¡¯t think deeply about it.¡±


    He asked,


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it strange? When you make a friend, do you immediately worry they might die someday?¡±


    ¡°...No, not really.¡±


    ¡°Then why should I fear the death of friends I haven¡¯t even made yet?¡±


    Well, if you were an ordinary human, you might fear being left alone...


    ¡®But then again, Gio would probably just make new friends in no time. I forgot that for a moment.¡¯


    Even so, Yoo Seong-Woon thought,


    ¡®He really has no intention of pretending to be an ordinary human.¡¯


    But maybe that was fine. Maybe it was only in front of him that Gio showed this relaxed side.


    In the end, Yoo Seong-Woon gave up trying to say anything and smiled.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯ll figure it out.¡±


    Even if Gio had a way of blending into the crowd when needed, in front of a true friend, he was this honest.


    ¡®Still... maybe I should hurry up and find someone to be Gio¡¯s secretary...¡¯


    Thinking that, Yoo Seong-Woon asked,


    ¡°So, after talking with the God of Death, did you find your answer?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I realized what I must do.¡±


    Argio declared confidently.


    ¡°I¡¯ll become a Demon King.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Screeech¡ª


    Stopping at the red light, Yoo Seong-Woon laughed wearily.


    ¡°...Could you explain that a bit more clearly?¡±


    Conversations with Gio always consumed far too much mental energy.

 Chapter 144

    Argio was, by nature, a cruel being.


    "He basically craves blood and treasure."


    "You''re okay describing yourself like that?"


    "What can I do? It''s the truth."


    The two of them continued their conversation in the collector''s lounge.


    Gio¡¯s hair was still platinum blond, likely because they hadn¡¯t yet left the outside world, but his expression was calm and blank, like that of the portrait.


    ¡®...That face is very different from the priest I knew. Is this the face of Gio because Gio has now become a complete portrait?¡¯


    Just as Yoo Seong-Woon was thinking that, Gio continued in his uniquely quiet voice.


    "Argio is highly talented in many fields. If he sets his mind to learning something, he learns it well. He¡¯s unafraid of trying new things. But his nature is closer to that of a beast, so he tends to prefer more intense stimulation. He doesn¡¯t lack patience, I think, but..."


    "By stimulation, you mean the blood and treasure you mentioned earlier?"


    "In addition to those, he also enjoys alcohol and combat. Among them, what he likes most is facing a worthy opponent with all his might. Rather than simply ¡®fighting,¡¯ I think he longs for the thrill that comes from the edge between life and death."


    "So, he enjoys the thrill. That¡¯s... something."


    Yoo Seong-Woon laughed awkwardly.


    "There are a fair number of hunters like that, too."


    "Is that so?"


    "People who find the meaning of life in fights to the death."


    "I didn¡¯t expect that kind of taste to be so common."


    "There¡¯s a wide variety of tastes in this world. I can kind of understand Argio¡¯s story, too."


    "Thank you for understanding preferences that don''t align well with societal norms."


    Gio lightly expressed his gratitude, then continued.


    "That said, it¡¯s not as if he acts recklessly without any discretion. If he desires alcohol, it must be high-quality artisan liquor. If he wants treasure, it must be gold and silver with a story behind it. If it¡¯s combat, he prefers opponents worthy of going all out."


    In other words, his tastes were incredibly particular.


    "And to match those tastes, he¡¯s the type who is willing to invest and wait as long as it takes."


    "The reason you¡¯re introducing yourself like this now... is it related to what you said earlier about being the Demon King?"


    "Of course. Having explained this much, it should be easier for you to understand, Mr. Yoo Seong-Woon."


    The platinum-haired Gio stated bluntly.


    "I wish to fight a hero."


    "...Oh...?"


    "In the past, many heroes came looking for me."


    "...Heroes?"


    "Because I was once considered the evil god that threatened the peace of the world."


    There was a time when he was treated as the root of all evil behind every big and small misfortune in the world.


    "Back then, I didn¡¯t need to make an effort. Many fine opponents came to find me. For the sake of humanity¡¯s peace, to protect their loved ones, to further the world¡¯s progress¡ªthey poured their everything into it."


    "......."


    "Those battles were truly enjoyable. Though the other divine personas apart from Argio seemed full of betrayal and other messy thoughts, at least for me, that was how I felt."


    Gio wore a deeply regretful expression. It wasn¡¯t ¡®Sergio¡¯¡ªit was a naturally childish sulk.


    "Now that I think about it, that was probably the best cost-performance ratio I¡¯ve ever had."


    "Cost-performance..."


    "I didn¡¯t even need to advertise. I was so famous that talented people just kept showing up."


    "Advertisement, huh. So that¡¯s what this is."


    Yoo Seong-Woon gave a subtle smile.


    "So the Demon King comment earlier¡ªthat was your advertisement."


    "You could say it¡¯s a kind of recruitment notice."


    Gio¡¯s blue eyes sparkled wistfully.


    "As Argio, I¡¯ve come to reflect. After speaking with the god of death, it¡¯s become even clearer. All those battles I enjoyed as the evil god Argio¡ªthey were terribly unfair gains."


    "Unfair gains?"


    "Even though I made no effort to earn those worthy fights, people sent me such talented opponents. I took it as my natural right, but it turns out it wasn¡¯t."


    "Isn¡¯t the logic a bit off?"


    "The god of death told me that my infamy wasn¡¯t truly mine. It was fame I had temporarily due to luck. So now, it¡¯s time I make the effort to earn it back."


    "Oh, I see. That¡¯s impressive."


    Yoo Seong-Woon nodded.


    "And you don¡¯t hate the people who slandered you as an evil god and framed you?"


    "It¡¯s not like I¡¯m not angry. But I¡¯ve gained something even more valuable, so it¡¯s fine."


    "Man... that¡¯s not sentimental at all."


    If you look only at the facts, it¡¯s hard to find a more unjust story.


    ¡®Born with the instincts of killing and pillage, yet showing enough consideration to be a seed of a hero... then through various false accusations and slanders, ending up as an evil god.¡¯


    If there were a dungeon with that kind of story, and its boss was Argio, just how massive of a bomb would it be for humanity? Even the vague idea made him let out an uneasy chuckle.


    Yoo Seong-Woon cleared his throat and asked,


    "What was the end of Argio?"


    "A seal."


    "A seal, huh. Doesn¡¯t sound like a pleasant ending."


    "But I was glad I could finally stop the meaningless slaughter."


    "If it had been meaningful slaughter, would that have been fine too?"


    "Mm... no."


    Surprisingly, Gio denied it.


    "Back then, that divine form was composed of too many victims bundled together. So there were many moments where I had to release anger I didn¡¯t even feel. I wasn¡¯t in control."


    He was saying that unless the rage was truly his, it had no value.


    "To get angry, to assign worth to someone¡ªevery single one of those should be solely under my control. But back then, I couldn¡¯t do that..."


    "Was it unpleasant?"


    "It was indescribably unpleasant. Even though I¡¯d lived all my life called a beast and acting like one, I still knew how to act intelligently. And yet, it felt like all my precious rationality was sinking into the mud."


    Gio gave a faint smile.


    "That¡¯s why¡ªaren¡¯t they such precious and admirable people? Those noble souls honed themselves and came to give me peace. They offered a truly meaningful gift, paid with the entirety of their lives."


    "You really like heroes for someone who calls himself the Demon King."


    "I respect brave warriors. They had upright and kind souls, excellent insight and judgment. They were always careful, yet knew how to be bold when needed."


    "You¡¯ve always liked virtuous and well-mannered talents, even back ? N§àv§Öl?g?§ä ? (Continue reading) then."


    "Mr. Yoo Seong-Woon is right. I¡¯ve always loved those who dream and work hard to make those dreams real. No matter how it ends, just the effort they put in makes it all incredibly precious."


    Yoo Seong-Woon understood Gio¡¯s words.


    ¡®That¡¯s a truly long-standing preference.¡¯


    Sergio, Gio, Argio... The names varied, and the expressions changed slightly, but in the end, Gio¡¯s love and admiration for humankind remained consistent.


    Whether short-lived or long-lasting, strong or weak, regardless of degree or direction, what he loved were those who had walked the path of a hero.


    ¡®In that regard, he really does seem like a god.¡¯


    Great mysteries usually favor heroes.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon let out a laugh like a sigh.


    ¡°So you want to become the Demon King just to fight those heroes again?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡±


    ¡°Why does it have to be the Demon King? Can¡¯t you just, you know, ask for a match?¡±


    ¡°Because what I want isn¡¯t a spar. It¡¯s a blood duel.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying they have to risk everything, including their lives.¡±


    ¡°Fights where everything is at stake¡ªor already abandoned¡ªare the most interesting.¡±


    ¡°Was it that way for you too?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve fought every battle alongside death.¡±


    Gio¡¯s hair briefly flushed red.


    ¡°A delicacy you can rarely taste.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°...Ah.¡±


    He reverted back to platinum blond. Gio smiled awkwardly¡ªa gentle, cheerful smile.


    ¡°Apologies. Sometimes I lose control, since the fusion is still incomplete.¡±


    ¡°...As long as that lack of control doesn¡¯t lead to massacring people, it¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°No matter how out of control it gets, that won¡¯t happen.¡±


    ¡°Because Argio never enjoyed meaningless slaughter in the first place?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right, Mr. Yoo Seong-Woon.¡±


    ¡°Hmm...¡±


    He paused to think.


    ¡°...But, you know.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m listening.¡±


    ¡°How exactly do you plan to act like the Demon King?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re, how should I put it...¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon hesitated before continuing.


    ¡°Your personality doesn¡¯t really fit villainy.¡±


    ¡°T-That¡¯s...¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not even good at doing bad things.¡±


    Never thought I¡¯d say something like that to an evil god, but it was the undeniable truth. Gio just wasn¡¯t cut out for wrongdoing.


    ¡°Even when you were Argio, you didn¡¯t go around slaughtering meaninglessly.¡±


    ¡°I did enjoy frequent bloodbaths.¡±


    ¡°So you started fights? Picked on innocent people?¡±


    ¡°That... I didn¡¯t do.¡±


    ¡°Any other bad things you did?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    After a long hesitation, Gio finally muttered,


    ¡°...Theft?¡±


    ¡°What did you steal?¡±


    ¡°From some obnoxious pigs...¡±


    ¡°Alright, so you¡¯ve never harmed innocent people.¡±


    ¡°But harming people who have nothing to do with it¡ªthat¡¯s just too cowardly, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Just the fact that you think like that probably disqualifies you from being the Demon King.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there a place in the world for a Demon King who loves fair fights?¡±


    ¡°A fair Demon King wouldn¡¯t even have a subjugation squad sent after them, Gio. The heroes wouldn¡¯t gather.¡±


    ¡°...You¡¯re right, Mr. Yoo Seong-Woon...¡±


    Gio looked genuinely troubled.


    Analyzing the increasingly diverse expressions Gio made had become a fun part of Yoo Seong-Woon¡¯s job as a curator. He sipped the cheap instant coffee on the table while admiring the man¡¯s face.


    ¡®Truly a face worth looking at... beautifully balanced.¡¯


    How long had Yoo Seong-Woon been observing? Only after quite some time did Gio speak again.


    ¡°...Back when Argio¡¯s infamy was at its peak, I didn¡¯t need to think about these things. The fame just came to me. It¡¯s really unfortunate. They say you only recognize the void once something is lost¡ªseems I¡¯ve reached that point.¡±


    ¡°Not sure it¡¯s something to get so worked up about, though.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t I expect something similar this time, too? Like, even if I don¡¯t do anything particularly underhanded, people might just frame me, or see me as the embodiment of evil... something like that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, but that doesn¡¯t seem very likely.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon gave a sheepish smile.


    ¡°We can think through that part gradually. For now, there¡¯s the matter of Joo-Hyun resting at your place, and you said your awareness as an evil god still isn¡¯t fully formed.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right, Mr. Yoo Seong-Woon. At the moment, it¡¯s not an ideal time to be spreading rumors about being a Demon King. Thank you for the sound advice.¡±


    ¡°Demon King... hmm. I¡¯ll think about that project, too. I¡¯d like to come up with a way that minimizes collateral damage, if that¡¯s okay with you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯d like to ask of you. I do have the urge to fight exceptional talents, but I also don¡¯t want people to be so scared of me that I can¡¯t make friends.¡±


    ¡°Thinking about it that way... maybe splitting your identity further would be better. Black Cloak, Sergio the hunter, and the evil god Argio... hmm...¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon trailed off for a moment.


    ¡°...I guess I also don¡¯t want people to be afraid of you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for understanding, Mr. Yoo Seong-Woon.¡±


    ¡°From the perspective of preserving peace for humankind, it would be a huge problem, too.¡±


    Beings of Origin can shrink or expand depending on the ¡®stories¡¯ surrounding them.


    Yoo Seong-Woon had barely managed to separate Gio¡¯s portrait into ¡®Sergio¡¯ and ¡®Black Cloak¡¯ to create a safe zone. And now... Demon King?


    A cold sweat trickled down Yoo Seong-Woon¡¯s back.


    Not as a curator¡ªbut as a human¡ªhe could sense how messy things might get.


    ¡°Also, um...¡±


    ¡°Yes, what is it?¡±


    ¡°...A weird sense of guilt...?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you have any reason to feel guilty.¡±


    ¡°No, I mean... it¡¯s just...¡±


    Wasn¡¯t he basically drawing up a plan to turn an innocent person into a global villain?


    ¡®If the goal is to recreate the situation from the Argio days... that would mean making Gio, who¡¯s done nothing wrong, into the root of all evil, throwing baseless slander and insult on him.¡¯


    Even if he says he¡¯s okay with it... is this really right?


    ¡®Sure, from the Origin¡¯s perspective, guilt might not be something they process the way humans do. But still... Gio also has a human-like self. Which makes it hard to say he¡¯s not human at all...¡¯


    The whole thing felt strangely wrong.


    ¡°...I¡¯ll give it some serious thought, so for now, let¡¯s hold off on doing anything drastic.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been at a loss, but knowing you¡¯ll think through it with me is truly reassuring.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me for something like this...¡±


    A harmless Demon King, huh.


    ¡®Never mind whether it makes sense¡ªit¡¯s not even something within my authority to approve.¡¯


    Yoo Seong-Woon barely held back a sigh.


    It was probably time to check in with Bisa Beul.


    ***


    And so Gio returned home.


    ¡°.......¡±


    And Joo-Hyun, too, found herself pondering something similar to Yoo Seong-Woon.


    ¡°...Ah, the Demon King thing.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the gist of it. What do you think?¡±


    ¡°Give me a moment to think.¡±


    What the hell was this even about?


    ¡°So basically...¡±


    It sounded like he was asking to be turned into a globally despised villain.


    The earnest young man, who had nothing to do with sinister plots, was clearly confused.


    ¡°...That¡¯s a little...¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°...Isn¡¯t that... way too unethical?¡±


    Didn¡¯t that defeat the whole purpose of becoming the Demon King?

 Chapter 145

    If not for stimulation, what joy is there in living such a long life?


    ¡°There! The king of demons!¡±


    ¡°The beasts of the Black Forest have appeared!¡±


    People screamed like animals with their throats pierced.


    ¡°Prepare for battle!¡±


    ¡°Argio is here¡ªtarget him!¡±


    ¡°Kill the wicked beast!¡±


    The sound of steel splitting through rage, fear, and exhilaration.


    ¡°Do not let him enter!¡±


    ¡°Kill Argi¡ªkuhhek©¤...!!¡±


    A scream spilled out through claws driven deep. A faint tremor through the vocal cords, warm blood, torn leather. The vibration that shook the whole body. The wind brushing the skin. The red that covered the eyes. When he pushed off the ground with force, the world trembled. He danced with those who bared their teeth at him, sang, shouted, cheered...


    Who will match me today? Who will be the one to take my life? Yes, let¡¯s see together, friends. What kind of painting will we draw with what kind of blood?


    ¡°M-Monster....¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Ah, truly.


    ¡°...Heh-ha.¡±


    Argio loved the battlefield.


    ***


    Kingdom of Beasts_¡°Argio¡±


    Synchronization Rate: 61.9%


    ¡°.......¡±


    Gio awoke from sleep.


    ¡°...Oh....¡±


    He murmured in admiration.


    ¡°Better than I thought.¡±


    ¡°Meung.¡±


    ¡°This kind of thrill... not bad at all?¡±


    To be honest, Gio had been skeptical about Argio¡¯s preferences.


    As Sergio, and even as Gio himself, he¡¯d never been someone who enjoyed combat. From the start, he wasn¡¯t the type to enjoy conflict, nor did he have any particularly active hobbies.


    But the more the synchronization rate rose, the more Gio began to feel.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t conflict he enjoyed.¡±


    Argio simply¡ª


    ¡°He liked the clarity of a direct clash.¡±


    ¡°Mwung?¡±


    ¡°...Saying it out loud makes me wonder if there¡¯s really a difference.¡±


    Gio chuckled with his now-red hair and hugged Dana.


    ¡°But being able to obey instinct... is far more enjoyable than I expected.¡±


    Gio recalled the dream he¡¯d just had.


    It wasn¡¯t about dwelling in discord and division. It was about throwing everything in¡ªbody and soul. It wasn¡¯t about delighting in slaughter, but playing joyfully with those on the battlefield. That place could be stained with blood, filled with dissonance¡ªit didn¡¯t matter. It was like a blank canvas.


    In the dream, Argio painted. He locked eyes with those staring at him, answered their roars with one of his own, and saved the tastiest meal for last...


    ¡°.......¡±


    That kind of play¡ªhonestly,


    ¡°...It¡¯s charming.¡±


    Gio¡¯s eyes curved vividly.


    He wanted to dive back into that overwhelming ecstasy, where all human decorum and reason had been stripped away.


    ***


    ¡°Good morning.¡±


    ¡°Good morning to you, diligent friend.¡±


    Black Cloak asked,


    ¡°Did you sleep well last night?¡±


    ¡°Ah...¡±


    Not really.


    ¡®How could I sleep after hearing something like that Demon King nonsense?¡¯


    Joo-Hyun had been left reeling ever since Black Cloak dropped that bomb last night.


    And yet the one who started all this seemed to have slept just fine. Perhaps it was simply human nature to be thrown around by the lightheartedness of such immense mystery.


    Joo-Hyun hadn¡¯t been able to sleep at all. The story she¡¯d heard had been too much to handle.


    ¡°.......¡±


    But she wasn¡¯t so shaken that she¡¯d openly complain.


    ¡°...Yeah, well.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°I slept well.¡±


    She smiled awkwardly.


    ¡°You¡¯re red today.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I say this was my favorite color?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re quite expressive right now. It makes talking to you easier.¡±


    ¡°Blunt honesty has long been one of my virtues. Thank you for noticing.¡±


    ¡°Haha...¡±


    Joo-Hyun, watching Argio, cautiously asked,


    ¡°You seem to be in a good mood.¡±


    ¡°I had a pleasant dream.¡±


    ¡°What kind of dream?¡±


    ¡°A dream where people called me a monster.¡±


    ¡°...That¡¯s a pleasant dream?¡±


    ¡°At least for me, it is.¡±


    Black Cloak¡¯s eyes curved slyly like a fox.


    ¡°Though I suppose it wouldn¡¯t be for you?¡±


    ¡°From my limited understanding, yes... it¡¯s a bit difficult to grasp.¡±


    Joo-Hyun didn¡¯t deny it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t insults like that... hurt you?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Joo-Hyun¡¯s face quickly flushed.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s a rather fascinating perspective.¡±


    ¡°I... I apologize...!¡±


    She knew it was a foolish thing to say. Black Cloak was no one else but the evil god.


    What evil god would be wounded by their own infamy? Even if not an evil god, even if he were just a god of natural law, what humans said would mean little.


    ¡®And yet.¡¯


    She couldn¡¯t just let it go.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°...Hmm.¡±


    Argio tilted his head and asked,


    ¡°You look like you have a lot you want to say.¡±


    ¡°...I do, actually.¡±


    ¡°Then would you care to talk with me?¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be impolite?¡±


    ¡°Conversations with people like you are valuable.¡±


    Black Cloak pulled out a chair for Joo-Hyun at the table, then took a seat across from her.


    ¡°I was originally going to prepare breakfast.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I made you miss your meal.¡±


    ¡°So many apologies. It¡¯s fine to skip breakfast now and then.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for being considerate.¡±


    ¡°I prefer hearing thanks to apologies.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Argio preferred gratitude over apology.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Joo-Hyun clenched her hand slightly.


    ¡°Well then, let¡¯s hear it. What are you holding in?¡±


    ¡°...What I say might offend you.¡±


    ¡°When someone starts like that, it usually doesn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Then I think I can speak a bit more comfortably.¡±


    ¡°Say as much as you like. I¡¯ll listen.¡±


    ¡°You say that you...¡±


    In a very careful tone, Joo-Hyun continued.


    ¡°...consider yourself human.¡±


    For someone labeled as an evil god, Black Cloak had too many peculiar traits.


    ¡°You said honesty was a virtue, so I¡¯ll be honest too.¡±


    ¡°I love those kinds of conversations.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if calling yourself human is a joke or sincere...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s always been sincere. That¡¯s a shame to hear.¡±


    ¡°But even considering that, you¡¯re an evil god unlike any other.¡±


    Joo-Hyun took a subtle deep breath. Her fingers trembled faintly in fear. She gripped her hands tight.


    ¡°I know that you¡¯ve been considerate to me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because I wanted to call you a friend.¡±


    ¡°If that hadn¡¯t been the case... would you have made things very hard for me?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t enjoy such petty hobbies.¡±


    ¡°If someone¡¯s in pain or struggling... how would you treat them?¡±


    ¡°Not much differently than now.¡±


    Argio answered casually.


    ¡°If they were wicked, I¡¯d pass them by. If they were good, I¡¯d offer them a meal. If they needed someone to talk to, I¡¯d offer conversation. If they were lost, I¡¯d show them the way.¡±


    ¡°...Why go that far?¡±


    ¡°Because to me, those aren¡¯t great acts of mercy or kindness. I simply enjoy having someone enjoy my cooking, and I like seeing kind, polite people smile.¡±


    He said it like it was nothing.


    ¡°No lofty ideals or convictions involved.¡±


    ¡°...That¡¯s precisely why I¡¯m grateful.¡±


    Because compassion and kindness show their true worth when they¡¯re not grand.


    ¡°You really are kind.¡±


    If this was all some trick of an evil god, then Joo-Hyun must have already been ensnared. But even if it were all a lie, she didn¡¯t mind. Whatever his true intent, if this gentle consideration could comfort others, then that alone was enough.


    Joo-Hyun did not trust Black Cloak. A vast mystery like him was beyond human comprehension; their mercy was not mercy, and their love was not love. And yet, haven¡¯t we lived our whole lives under the affection of gods?


    ¡°What kind of god would cook for a mere human? Who would get their hands wet, stand before fire, and spend such precious time? But you... you so easily lowered yourself.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you overthinking it a bit for just one meal?¡±


    ¡°You carry no divine arrogance, nor do you possess the cruelty of an evil god. You call yourself human, and you don¡¯t see humans as insignificant. There¡¯s no malice or murderous intent in you¡ªonly curiosity.¡±


    That¡¯s what made it strange.


    ¡°Who was it... and why... who called you evil?¡±


    ¡°...People did.¡±


    ¡°If you became an evil god simply through slander and false accusation, is that your sin?¡±


    ¡°We all bear sin.¡±


    ¡°At the very least, I know you¡¯re not someone who deserves ¡ã? N o v e l i g h t ?¡ã to be isolated in fear and contempt.¡±


    Though hesitant, Joo-Hyun continued.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you should... be treated like a Demon King.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°...You shouldn¡¯t be.¡±


    Her voice trembled at the end.


    ¡®Of course he¡¯ll be offended.¡¯


    Now that she¡¯d said her piece, she feared how he might react.


    To say someone who sought to be known as an evil god wasn''t suited to be one¡ªwhat could be more insulting?


    But surprisingly, Black Cloak didn¡¯t get angry.


    ¡°...I see.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    He just looked, for a moment, a little... sad.


    ¡°Do you also believe I¡¯m unfit to be an evil god?¡±


    ¡°...No!¡±


    Joo-Hyun, startled, shook her head quickly.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just... a difference in perspective. From a human¡¯s view, it¡¯s not right!¡±


    He felt both awe and wonder.


    To her surprise, Argio was someone she could speak with. An evil god she could hold a conversation with. There was no seething malice in him¡ªonly the purity of someone seeking enjoyment.


    That gave her the will to speak more.


    And something else she couldn¡¯t define¡ªhope.


    ¡°It might sound ridiculous to you. Maybe you don¡¯t understand. But yesterday you spoke, and today you said you had a good dream... but that dream meant turning someone innocent into a scapegoat named Argio.¡±


    She knew gods had their own perspective. But through her conversations with Black Cloak, she¡¯d come to believe¡ªhe had some awareness of being human. He was a god with very human parts.


    Though he didn¡¯t fit the image of an evil god, he had been granted a sinister divinity.


    ¡°I... I don¡¯t believe this is right. Not even a little.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°I understand what you want. I understand what you¡¯re trying to do. And yet.¡±


    He¡¯d said he wished for desperate battles against heroes. That, surely, was sincere. But if achieving that meant the person known as Argio had to be smeared with lies and accusations... then that should not be allowed.


    ¡°Please... don¡¯t make people commit sins.¡±


    ¡°Make people commit sins?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you¡¯re trying to do? Making ignorant people treat someone innocent as a criminal.¡±


    ¡°How is that a sin?¡± Argio asked.


    ¡°A wicked beast deserves to be treated as guilty.¡±


    ¡°No one should be treated as guilty if they¡¯ve committed no crime.¡±


    ¡°I get to enjoy fine battles, and people get someone to blame.¡±


    ¡°That might sound rational, but it¡¯s a twisted bargain from the start.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t today¡¯s world full of people desperate to find something to blame?¡±


    ¡°Even so, those people have the right to be angry at the right things!¡±


    Joo-Hyun grew a little desperate.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking ever since I heard what you said. I¡¯ve come up with more ways than I can count to make you the Demon King and give relief to the masses. But in the end¡ªwhat¡¯s left?¡±


    ¡°Well... the people¡¯s relief?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not real relief. If they find comfort by blaming the wrong person, then what they feel is resignation born from damage. It¡¯s only easier because they¡¯ve given up.¡±


    ¡°What have they given up?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve given up living as humans. They¡¯ve given up the chance to become better. Yes, the world is full of people who aren¡¯t worth the kindness. But if we give up even the smallest bit of kindness, then what¡¯s left for us...¡±


    She hesitated briefly, then said,


    ¡°...Nothing is left.¡±


    Only beasts, who must bite others just to survive.


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯m exaggerating. But you do have that much influence.¡±


    ¡°You seem to be overestimating me.¡±


    ¡°At least in this country, there¡¯s no one who doesn¡¯t know Black Cloak. That alone proves it.¡±


    Joo-Hyun pleaded.


    ¡°Please... don¡¯t turn people who could still be human into beasts.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Argio said nothing for a long time. Then at last, he spoke.


    ¡°You¡¯re a hero.¡±


    Black Cloak pitied her.


    ¡°...How pitiful.¡±


    ¡°...What?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    In the short silence, the evil god¡¯s hair turned black.


    ¡°Hm. I see...¡±


    ¡°Um...¡±


    ¡°I understand what you¡¯re saying.¡±


    ¡°...Did I offend you?¡±


    ¡°No. It was a reasonable opinion.¡±


    He had the face of someone who didn¡¯t know how to show emotion. For a second, she worried he was angry¡ªbut there was no such sign.


    He simply continued.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s find a compromise.¡±


    ¡°A... compromise?¡±


    ¡°A way for people to remain human.¡±


    ¡°Yes...¡±


    ¡°And one that won¡¯t become a wound for me.¡±


    ¡°...Ah...¡±


    A word she¡¯d said herself¡ªbut never imagined would come from his mouth. Black Cloak had said: a wound.


    Only after a long silence did Joo-Hyun cautiously ask,


    ¡°...When you were called an evil god... did it wound you?¡±


    ¡°It became a powerful weapon and tool for me.¡±


    The pitch-black evil god continued.


    ¡°But I was angry.¡±


    He spoke of his pain like an adult reading a fairytale.


    ¡°So, I suppose it did wound me.¡±


    ¡°...That...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure... but maybe that¡¯s what happened.¡±


    Black Cloak said,


    ¡°Thank you for telling me.¡±


    ¡°...I... just...¡±


    ¡°Shall we eat?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Caught in surprise, her face twisted ever so slightly¡ªand Joo-Hyun couldn¡¯t help it. But then she nodded.


    ¡°...Yes.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t tell whether it was kindness or stubbornness.


    What a strange god.

 Chapter 146

    The conversation with Joo-Hyun made Gio reflect.


    ¡°I think... I was only thinking about what I wanted.¡±


    Even if it looked like a win-win deal, people still had the freedom to not agree to that deal. Gio couldn¡¯t just ignore the opinions of those who wouldn¡¯t accept the idea of making him the Demon King.


    ¡°My desire to build my own battlefield is overwhelming... but that¡¯s just selfishness. And if I sacrifice others for that selfishness, it¡¯ll leave a bad taste. That¡¯s not the kind of war I want.¡±


    Most of all, Joo-Hyun had said this:


    ¡°My precious Demon King project is...¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°...something that hurts both others and me.¡±


    Every word rang true.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    In the quiet attic, Gio held Honey in his hand, enjoying the soft, squishy texture. It clung to his palm with a pleasing bounce¡ªa true paradise for tactile sensation.


    He enjoyed the jiggly, sticky feel for quite a while, then finally nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯ll admit it.¡±


    He spoke up.


    ¡°I¡¯m not exactly a deep thinker.¡±


    ¡°Ggureuk?¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just that my brain is unusually clear.¡±


    But not everyone in the world could be like Gio.


    ¡°Up until I was about 21, I honestly thought everyone lived without thinking, like me.¡±


    Sergio, with a life satisfaction and self-esteem maxed out to absurd levels, never paid much mind to how others saw him. So it wasn¡¯t until a year after becoming an adult that he realized his mental framework was quite different from others.


    ¡°No wonder characters in movies and dramas are always tormented with inner conflict.¡±


    Gio had thought that was just exaggerated fiction. But it wasn¡¯t. Surprisingly, most people in the world lived with some degree of anxiety and worry.


    ¡°They regret the past and fear the future.¡±


    ¡°Ggung?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t know why either. Why torture your own brain cells?¡±


    Gio lived in the present. Even when he thought about the past or future, all he had were beautiful memories. In many ways, he just didn¡¯t understand why people lived so painfully.


    They clung to things that had already passed. They feared situations that hadn¡¯t even arrived. They couldn¡¯t treat events as just what they were¡ªthey kept attaching meaning to them, and then suffered because of it.


    ¡°They can¡¯t let emotions flow and end up tying them to reality, constantly creating new problems.¡±


    ¡°Ggung...¡±


    ¡°Honestly, it makes me wonder why they self-harm like that. Isn¡¯t that basically masochism?¡±


    ¡°Ggureureuk.¡±


    ¡°Not that I can¡¯t understand at all, though.¡±


    Gio at least understood this much:


    People weren¡¯t all like him. He hadn¡¯t even realized that during his school years, but he wasn¡¯t without empathy¡ªhe¡¯d just been enjoying life so thoughtlessly.


    ¡°So then...¡±


    Gio mumbled, uncharacteristically hesitant.


    ¡°I guess Argio... must¡¯ve had hard times, too.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°There must¡¯ve been, right? Times like that?¡±


    It was hard to be sure, since there was the case of ¡®Giovanni,¡¯ who lived joyfully and died without a single regret.  From Sergio¡¯s perspective, even the craziest situations hadn¡¯t fazed him¡ªbut he¡¯d turned out fine.


    Still, objectively speaking, Gio acknowledged that Argio had been through tough times.


    ¡°He really seemed okay, like nothing was wrong... but if I look closely, it wasn¡¯t such a peaceful or easy life. It was full of trials and hardship.¡±


    A talented child, once beloved, who was branded a beast at a young age just because his powers awakened. Bullied, scorned, and ultimately exiled to a wretched den filled with dangerous creatures¡ªno sunlight, no warmth.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Ggureuk?¡±


    ¡°...Honestly, though, that place was more fun¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ggung ggung ggung.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, Honey. I¡¯m not even fully synchronized yet. I shouldn¡¯t make assumptions.¡±


    ¡°Gguk.¡±


    ¡°But still, it was a lot more fun than that damned house.¡±


    Anyway, with only 61.9% Argio in his system, he couldn¡¯t make any definitive statements. Not until he reached 100%. So Gio made an effort to objectively assess Argio¡¯s misfortune.


    ¡°Anyway, the fact is¡ªhe was angry.¡±


    He had, after all, sworn to rip out the throats of those swine who failed to see his worth. Maybe Argio had been hurt in his own way, which was why he¡¯d gotten angry.


    ¡°Even if he wasn¡¯t consciously aware of it... it could still have been pain.¡±


    ¡°Ggureureu...¡±


    ¡°Just because I¡¯m simple doesn¡¯t mean Argio was too.¡±


    So Gio decided to reflect.


    ¡°My pain is something I have to take care of myself.¡±


    ¡°Ggung?¡±


    ¡°I promise to value myself, to not treat myself poorly, to live with honesty and manners.¡±


    ¡°Ggung ggung ggung...¡±


    ¡°In that sense, I should rethink the Demon King project.¡±


    Just like Joo-Hyun advised¡ªcreate a plan where no one has to suffer unfairly, and everyone can be happy.


    Gio made that resolution while thinking back to the conversation with Joo-Hyun.


    More precisely, those warm brown eyes.


    ¡°She really did seem worried about me.¡±


    ¡°Ggureuk.¡±


    ¡°I owe Joo-Hyun an apology.¡±


    Though Gio had ended up with all kinds of dramatic titles¡ªportrait, evil god, immortal¡ªit didn¡¯t change the fact that he was still just a person with a soft heart. And he¡¯d been deeply moved by Joo-Hyun¡¯s concern.


    ¡°She really is a good person.¡±


    How fortunate. A rare warmth filled the attic.


    No matter how extraordinary Gio appeared, Joo-Hyun still insisted,


    ''Even so, it¡¯s not right for an innocent person to be blamed.¡¯


    She even responded with great care to that one word Gio had used¡ªwound.


    ¡°Kinda feels like I threw a tantrum. Embarrassing.¡±


    ¡°Ggureureuk?¡±


    ¡°Well, technically, the one she comforted was ¡®Argio.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Ggung, ggureuk.¡±


    ¡°...Yeah. Guess I¡¯ll nap for now.¡±


    After a bit of reflection, his whole body relaxed. As always, post-meal drowsiness crept in.


    The chair he leaned on was comfortable. Spring wind drifted gently through the attic window.


    Gio and Honey dozed together in a short nap.


    And when he woke up from the dream¡ª


    ¡°......¡±


    Synchronization Rate: 94.2%


    ¡°......?¡±


    Gio, now with red hair, murmured,


    ¡°Was I... really unhappy?¡±


    The ¡®Argio¡¯ in the dream didn¡¯t seem the least bit miserable, and Gio was a bit thrown off.


    That damned beast had lived his life to the fullest¡ª120%¡ªand exited just the way he wanted.


    Gio¡¯s golden eyes trembled slightly.


    ¡°No, but if that¡¯s the case... then I...¡±


    ¡°Ggureuk?¡±


    ¡°...I can¡¯t even look Joo-Hyun in the face.¡±


    ¡°Ggung?¡±


    ¡°I mean... doesn¡¯t it make me look like a total crybaby?¡±


    Getting worried over nothing.


    In the end, Gio had become a 24-year-old whiner who got comforted for no reason.


    ***


    While Gio was lost in a kind of regret that wasn¡¯t quite regret, Bisa Beul laughed.


    Utterly burst out laughing.


    ¡°Ahhak, ahahahahahaha!¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Kkph, khh... heuheuheuuph...!¡±


    Catching his breath, Bisa Beul asked,


    ¡°Demon King?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the Demon King.¡±


    ¡°Ah, truly my daily vitamin. Never lets me get bored.¡±


    ¡°Guild Leader, you being bored tends to threaten world peace.¡±


    ¡°Have I ever endangered peace first?¡±


    ¡°You do enjoy other people¡¯s misfortunes a little too openly.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s still not my fault.¡±


    Ssshp.


    Bisa Beul composed himself and said,


    ¡°A Demon King and Hero... it¡¯s hard to find a more fitting metaphor.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not exactly a joke either.¡±


    ¡°But if we let a new Demon King loose right now, Earth might not survive it.¡±


    While Bisa Beul lived mostly for curiosity and fun, that didn¡¯t mean he didn¡¯t know right from wrong. If anything, he leaned toward wishing for the peace of humanity and the longevity of Earth.


    In other words, if even a hedonist like Bisa Beul was getting concerned, the world was in real danger.


    So he couldn¡¯t always pursue just the things he wanted to see.


    ¡°Personally, I¡¯d love to keep a Demon King nearby for close observation.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t. I¡¯m not exaggerating when I say the planet might really fall apart.¡±


    ¡°I know, which is what makes this all so frustrating... What a shame.¡±


    He was genuinely disappointed.


    ¡°A masterpiece that came into my possession¡ªhow I wish it would perform its show in my hometown.¡±


    A work of art he¡¯d spent a fortune on, one he truly liked, and now it was willing to dance for him. He wanted that performance to happen right before his eyes, but alas, there was no suitable stage for it.


    ¡°I understand now why you asked for a meeting. It¡¯s definitely a dangerous request.¡±


    ¡°And the word ¡®Demon King¡¯ doesn¡¯t exactly sound good either.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon let out a sigh.


    ¡°What he wants is a battle with everything on the line.¡±


    Not just his life, but his fate, his beliefs¡ªevery piece of his being invested in a fight to the death. There was a strong scent of blood clinging to the greed of Argio.


    ¡°So I considered finding him a different battlefield... but he has no interest unless it¡¯s his war.¡±


    ¡°He wants all eyes and emotions focused on himself, on Argio.¡±


    ¡°Looks like he wants to be the protagonist on stage.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why he dreams of being the Demon King¡ªso the heroes come to him without him lifting a finger.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the order he¡¯s most familiar with.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon had heard the story of Argio:


    Slandered as a beast, hunted as a target, eventually acquiring a twisted divine power and being sealed away. A mystery being of greed and rage, an evil god.


    ¡°Gio seems to want to relive the joy he felt back then.¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t that painful for Argio?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t sense any such feeling.¡±


    That was surprising.


    ¡°Other evil gods who followed that path were always soaked in hatred and resentment. It¡¯s truly rare¡ªGio even expressed sympathy and affection for the heroes who sealed him.¡±


    Argio had called the heroes pitiful yet admirable.


    ¡°So even if Gio becomes the Demon King, I do believe he¡¯ll try to minimize the damage. Can¡¯t say the same for Argio, but...¡±


    ¡°The ¡®Portrait of Gio¡¯ clearly favors kindness and good manners. He himself tries to behave that way, no matter how it manifests in the end.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, Guild Leader. Gio enjoys battle itself, not the power or riches that come with it. Those are secondary gains.¡±


    ¡°He welcomes fame and fortune but doesn¡¯t crave them. I understand now. To him, they¡¯re just trophies, not objects of greed.¡±


    ¡°Yes. He shows clear preference, but the desire is mild. They¡¯re just proof of his victory¡ªnothing more.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon had already reported what Argio looked like on their first encounter:


    Adorned in gold and jewels, long crimson braids, beast hides¡ªhe definitely had a taste for flair.


    From appearance to lifestyle, he liked extravagance.


    But if he¡¯d truly been obsessed with wealth and fame, even the Portrait of Gio would¡¯ve been ornate.


    He would never have forgiven Yoo Seong-Woon for treating him so casually.


    ¡°What Argio truly wants is battle¡ªnothing else.¡±


    ¡°He really does want to behave like a beast.¡±


    No concern for status, pride, or titles. He wants to cast off or stake everything that makes him who he is, all for a pure fight. He wants a battlefield where he can immerse himself completely.


    ¡°So first of all...¡±


    Bisa Beul began to arrange the steps.


    ¡°We need to reveal ¡®Sergio¡¯ to the world.¡±


    ¡°...All of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°Not sudden. We were already preparing for it.¡±


    ¡°Well, true...¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a proper order to all things.¡±


    Bisa Beul¡¯s elongated pupils dilated slightly. His gaze wasn¡¯t on Yoo Seong-Woon, but on the air around them¡ªstill, his eyes moved as if following something.


    His lips moved.


    ¡°...Yes, if Sergio the hunter steps into the world first...¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll find his place. A small opening will form... Yes.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°The mermaids... right, there¡¯s still an unfinished story there...¡±


    Soon, Bisa Beul nodded.


    ¡°...We¡¯ll announce Sergio as a hunter for the Collector¡¯s Guild, and assign him a suitable dungeon. We also need to see how he behaves in a duel¡ªnot a death match, just a spar.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll look into a good dungeon.¡±


    ¡°I think we can create the battlefield Sergio wants. But to ? N§àv§ÖIight ? (Original source) do that, we first need to see his skill for ourselves, speak with him, and prepare the right setting.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon, staring at his superior, finally asked,


    ¡°Shall I ask Gio to meet with the Guild Leader?¡±


    ¡°No need.¡±


    Bisa Beul narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s not polite to rush a guest you know will arrive.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon sighed, visibly drained.


    ¡°...Maybe it¡¯s time to rename your skill to ¡®Foresight¡¯.¡±


    ¡°My skill is emotion, not prophecy.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes I really don¡¯t want to talk to you.¡±


    ¡°You never want to talk to your boss anyway.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a modern virtue.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I like you, Yoo Seong-Woon.¡±


    He smiled, delighted by the arrogant antics of his favorite collection piece. Yoo Seong-Woon, meanwhile, looked even more worn out. But Bisa Beul just returned to the main topic.


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll need to assign a secretary for ¡®Sergio.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Ah... I actually prepared a candidate list...¡±


    ¡°The person recovering in the painting¡ªwasn¡¯t her name Joo-Hyun?¡±


    ¡°Oh, come on.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon stuffed the documents back into his bag. The delicate papers crumpled without resistance.


    ¡°I knew it would end up like this.¡±


    ¡°Then why go to all that trouble?¡±


    ¡°Because effort is a virtue in the workplace.¡±


    ¡°My employees really are so diligent.¡±


    ¡°No wonder Gio keeps talking about Joo-Hyun.¡±


    ¡°Looks like he¡¯s happy to have a friend.¡±


    ¡°He still insists he isn¡¯t, but...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a matter of time.¡±


    Bisa Beul gave a rare crooked smile.


    ¡°No hero can not like Gio.¡±


    ¡°...A hero?¡±


    ¡°Oh dear, I overdid the praise.¡±


    He mocked with a grin.


    ¡°A fool drunk on idealism, I meant.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon ran his hands down his face.


    ¡°...Please don¡¯t say that to her face.¡±


    ¡°I do have tact, you know.¡±


    ¡°She really did live a hardworking life. Why this hostility?¡±


    ¡°I know she¡¯s a diligent person.¡±


    It¡¯s just¡ª


    ¡°I don¡¯t like her.¡±


    Bisa Beul didn¡¯t get along well with hero types.


    ¡°If only everyone in the world were like you, Yoo Seong-Woon.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like a different kind of disaster.¡±


    ¡°Well, anyway. Gio and Joo-Hyun will become friends soon enough.¡±


    ¡°You sound very sure of that.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Great mysteries always like heroes.¡±


    In other words¡ªthey liked pushovers.


    ¡°And since Gio is the most humanlike of all mysteries, that Joo-Hyun person won¡¯t have much trouble accepting him.¡±


    ¡°But with Gio¡¯s massive presence, won¡¯t Joo-Hyun be overwhelmed?¡±


    ¡°The ¡®Portrait of Gio¡¯ has already proven his tastes. He¡¯s the kind of divine presence heroes find endearing.¡±


    As always, Bisa Beul laughed lightly.


    ¡°They¡¯ll become great friends.¡±


    And in his eyes, for some reason... Yoo Seong-Woon was trapped.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°This will be fun.¡±


    His eyes curved even narrower.

 Chapter 147

    It wasn¡¯t because he was stupid¡ªGio simply didn¡¯t live with much thought.


    ¡°......¡±


    In fact, Gio¡¯s mind moved faster when he desired something.


    Sergio didn¡¯t want his homeland to become harsher.


    Giovanni wanted people not to commit sins without even realizing it.


    Argio didn¡¯t want to engage in actions that were petty and cowardly, unbefitting a warrior.


    ¡°......¡±


    How could he satisfy his own desires while still protecting this fragile peace?


    Could things get better without becoming worse first?


    Gio suddenly recalled memories from his time as a priest. He thought of the information he had encountered when he ventured to Earth, and the faces of the heroes who had come to subdue him.


    Because he wasn¡¯t just ¡°Sergio,¡± he crafted and discarded countless plans in the span of a moment.


    ¡°...Right.¡±


    His lips moved slightly.


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    He had come up with a plan he liked.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s a good one.¡±


    A clean plan, free of any burnt offerings.


    A satisfied smile quietly stretched across Gio¡¯s face like a solar eclipse.


    ***


    Meanwhile, Joo-Hyun...


    ¡°......¡±


    Unlike the homeowner, she had many worries.


    ¡°...It¡¯s confusing.¡±


    Though her body had healed significantly compared to the beginning, her mind hadn¡¯t caught up. Each passing day, her body felt more at ease, but her thoughts remained in disarray. Some days, the chaos inside her cleared up; other days, it tangled even more.


    Joo-Hyun sat on the bed, blankly staring out at the terrace, and murmured softly.


    "Did he say he¡¯s skipping lunch?¡±


    Their conversation had stretched on, pushing it into the gap between morning and afternoon. Black Cloak had suggested dinner instead, saying he needed time to digest. Joo-Hyun had accepted it without resistance.


    ¡°...Really....¡±


    It wasn¡¯t like a being as mysterious as Black Cloak could have digestive issues. It was purely consideration for her¡ªyet again, a god who didn¡¯t act like one.


    When facing such mystery, humans were the ones who had to adjust to the gods'' rules. For a mysterious being to bend their own rules for a human... it was unheard of in all of history.


    ¡°......¡±


    And so, she fell into thought again.


    ¡°...Slowly, one step at a time....¡±


    Don¡¯t see it narrowly¡ªlook at the larger shape.


    ¡°Let¡¯s take time and organize everything.¡±


    She already knew she could do it.


    ¡°I¡¯ll manage.¡±


    She started by organizing her current situation. If she requested it, she might be able to transfer to another research center. But each research center was like its own kingdom¡ªadjusting and blending in would take a long time.


    ¡®Still, staying at the current one would be strange.¡¯


    The allies she had struggled to build were all gone now. Those left were only concerned with pushing her out. Transferring to another center might be the lesser evil.


    ¡®Should I aim for an administrative position at HQ instead?¡¯


    Joo-Hyun, now familiar with studying the mysterious, wouldn¡¯t find it difficult to work at HQ. Since the guild leader lived there, it was a more open environment.


    ¡°At least there, someone like me¡ªan orphan¡ªmight be accepted more easily.¡±


    Unintentionally muttered, but it was true¡ªJoo-Hyun had grown up in an orphanage. And those who entered the Association through the orphanage¡¯s special admissions were usually disliked. Among them, Joo-Hyun was particularly disliked.


    ¡°......¡±


    Still, this path didn¡¯t really appeal to her.


    ¡°...Maybe the Association isn¡¯t the only way.¡±


    She had chosen the Association because she¡¯d grown up in a government-sponsored orphanage, and the Association worked on equal footing with the government. She thought it was the best path to build the world she wanted.


    ¡®But maybe the Association isn¡¯t as good a path as I thought.¡¯


    The Association was already too well-established.


    "Which means there¡¯s little room for someone like me to make any difference.¡¯


    The Association was stable¡ªand had to remain that way. It was woven like a spider¡¯s web, far more intricate than Joo-Hyun had imagined. Every division was deeply interconnected.


    ¡°To try and change something in a place like that....¡±


    Of course it didn¡¯t look good.


    ¡°......¡±


    After a long silence, Joo-Hyun finally spoke.


    ¡°...Maybe a private guild would be better.¡±


    Though they called it a ¡°transfer,¡± she knew it was basically a recommendation to resign. Realistically, she had been kicked out of the research center. She had to find another path, but no clear option had yet appeared.


    ¡°No, even in a private guild, you still have to follow orders. There¡¯s a good chance the same thing would happen again....¡±


    Joo-Hyun suddenly thought of the children from the orphanage.


    ¡°......¡±


    She couldn¡¯t¡ª


    She couldn¡¯t bear it.


    Her stomach ached.


    ¡®...If only I had acted more wisely.¡¯


    She may have been too impatient. Her ideals were grand, but she was powerless. She had to move these small feet quickly to even touch the edge of her dreams¡ªbut every step felt too slow.


    Maybe that¡¯s why she hadn¡¯t looked around properly. Or maybe she had been seduced by an evil god. Perhaps it was both.


    As a result of her impatience, she had driven her family and friends into death and suffering.


    ¡°...That...¡±


    Joo-Hyun wiped her face.


    "How do I atone for that sin?¡±


    Especially for those who were already dead.


    If she couldn¡¯t make peace with the past, she couldn¡¯t move toward the future. But how could she pay the price for people who died because of her poor choices?


    ¡°I hope they at least found peace... But I don¡¯t know if I have the right to hope for that.¡±


    A bitter smile formed. She knew well enough that the past couldn¡¯t be undone. From the moment humans are born, they must move forward. Even after making a grave mistake.


    With a mere human body, spilled water couldn¡¯t be retrieved¡ªso the least she could do was clean up after.


    ¡°...Hmm....¡±


    The problem was, death couldn¡¯t be cleaned up as easily as spilled water. Especially not for someone like Joo-Hyun, a non-awakened human with no special power.


    ¡®If only I had been a priest in a temple like the Church of Sunlight.¡¯


    She couldn¡¯t grant peace to the dead. She didn¡¯t serve any god, so she couldn¡¯t even beg for mercy.


    ¡®If I had just been a little more diligent... but there¡¯s no use regretting that now.¡¯


    She suddenly thought of Black Cloak, who was somewhere in this hut.


    ¡°...Hmm. Still, this is....¡±


    She gave an awkward laugh.


    ¡°This would be too shameless.¡±


    For a moment, she had considered asking Black Cloak to grant peace to her family and friends. But she quickly erased the thought.


    It wasn¡¯t just that he was an evil god¡ªit was more than that. Joo-Hyun wasn¡¯t brazen enough to request such a privilege. How could she ask for mercy and peace from a god she didn¡¯t even worship?


    ¡®That kind of privilege is rare even for priests who¡¯ve served a god for years. I¡¯m a nonbeliever¡ªI have no right to ask.¡¯


    Unless she suddenly awakened as a priest at this late stage of life, she probably couldn¡¯t. Still, she resolved to do whatever she could for the souls of those who died because of her.


    ¡°If I don¡¯t forget my mistakes, If I keep reflecting on my sins, If I live with constant gratitude and remorse for those people....¡±


    Then maybe, just maybe, she could reach them¡ªeven a little.


    ¡°...Yes.¡±


    That would be the beginning.


    ¡°Let¡¯s start by building a grave.¡±


    Their bodies had been recovered, but that was just ¡°cleanup,¡± not a funeral. She had been so overwhelmed, she hadn¡¯t even made space for mourning.


    ¡®Maybe I assumed I¡¯d be going to the same place soon anyway.¡¯


    It was a massive failure. A massive price. She hadn¡¯t even thought about recovery¡ªit was a sin so great she could only feel sorry. She had no face to ask for redemption or to move forward.


    ¡°......¡±


    Joo-Hyun laughed awkwardly.


    "But that would be the more cowardly thing to do... It would be like running away just because I didn¡¯t want to take responsibility.¡±


    Nothing was certain.


    She thought dying with the people who had perished because of her would be the true atonement. But maybe that was just a form of escape. She couldn¡¯t say which path was ¡°right.¡±


    But one thing had become clear.


    ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s make a gravestone.¡±


    The bodies had already been ¡°cleaned up.¡±


    She had tried to recover them later, but all she heard was that they¡¯d already been disposed of.


    That¡¯s probably why she hadn¡¯t thought of gravestones until now.


    But now, she could.


    ¡°A space for mourning is needed.¡±


    That was how humans¡ªunlike gods¡ªprayed for the peace of the dead.


    She would draw the faces of those she remembered,


    arve their names,


    Write down their stories.


    At the very least, no ? N§àv§Öl?g?t ? (Official version) one would say such an act was ¡°wrong.¡±


    ¡°After that....¡±


    What then?


    ¡°......¡±


    Joo-Hyun pressed her lips together.


    ¡®At the very least, dying with them is not the right answer.¡¯


    And she didn¡¯t want that anymore.


    Before Black Cloak had helped her, she had been resigned to dying. But not now. Now, she had the space to think about a better path and to choose it.


    But she still didn¡¯t know what that ¡°better path¡± might be.


    ¡®...Should I go to the Temple of Abundance, which values charity? No, the religious world doesn¡¯t accept change easily. They¡¯re just as bad as the Association. Then should I use the money I¡¯ve saved and start a business? I do have some item ideas... Maybe I could shift society¡¯s mood little by little through that....¡¯


    She thought for a very long time.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Grung.¡±


    ¡°...Ah.¡±


    When she came back to herself, it was already dark outside.


    ¡°Must be time for dinner.¡±


    Black Cloak would be waiting.


    ***


    After finishing yet another blissful meal.


    ¡°You seem troubled.¡±


    Black Cloak showed interest in Joo-Hyun¡¯s condition.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Of course he would notice.


    ¡°...I have a lot on my mind...¡±


    Actually, the word ¡°notice¡± didn¡¯t really apply. What use was scheming in front of a divine mystery? A human mind was just a bug crawling on the Buddha¡¯s palm.


    More importantly, it was Black Cloak who had brought her here when she was hesitating over whether or not to summon Sancarlut. Even this situation might have been orchestrated by him. So Joo-Hyun didn¡¯t bother to hide her state.


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to figure out what I¡¯m supposed to do next.¡±


    ¡°I heard from my father that you¡¯re considering a new path.¡±


    ¡°A new path...¡±


    Such a neat and proper phrase.


    ¡°...Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±


    Strictly speaking, it wasn¡¯t wrong. The path she had followed so far had ended in failure. Rather than trying to backtrack, it seemed better to find an entirely different road. If you wanted to dress that idea up nicely, you¡¯d call it ¡°reconsidering your career.¡±


    ¡°I was trying to predict how my life would unfold from here.¡±


    ¡°Do you possess the ability to foresee fate?¡±


    ¡°...N-no, absolutely not. That¡¯s not what I meant.¡±


    Joo-Hyun blushed as she realized what she had just said in front of a living embodiment of fate. How ridiculous must it have sounded? Like preaching to a chrysalis about transformation.


    ¡®Why do I get so honest around Black Cloak? Is that another effect of divinity?¡¯


    Regaining her composure, Joo-Hyun glanced at Black Cloak.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a tea brewed from grains.¡±


    ¡°Ah, thank you.¡±


    Before she could assess anything more, something edible was placed into her hands again. Really¡ªhe was like an old grandmother sometimes.


    ¡°...Is this corn tea?¡±


    ¡°You mentioned last time that you like nutty flavors.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you remembered.¡±


    ¡°The corn I¡¯ve been growing had been begging to be eaten.¡±


    ¡°I see... the corn was... begging....¡±


    Wait a second.


    ¡°...Begging?¡±


    Joo-Hyun looked down at the tea with a suspicious gaze.


    ¡°...Ahem.¡±


    But the aroma was too good to resist.


    ¡®The food isn¡¯t to blame.¡¯


    One sip, and her mind and body seemed to instantly calm.


    ¡®So this one has a relaxation effect...¡¯


    Dozens of mystical meals that provided immediate physical benefits¡ªby now, Joo-Hyun wasn¡¯t even surprised.


    With a clearer mind, she looked at Black Cloak again.


    ¡°......¡±


    The world teaches not to look into a god¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°...Just...¡±


    It also teaches not to rely on them. And Joo-Hyun knew this.


    ¡°...Could you give me some advice?¡±


    And yet, as humans always have, she craved the help of the great unknown.


    She had been planning to talk to Sancarlut, of all beings.


    Compared to that classic devourer of the weak, Black Cloak was absolutely someone worth consulting.


    ¡°What do you see in my future, Gio?¡±


    ¡°I cannot see the future.¡±


    Just as she thought he was declining to answer, he continued.


    ¡°But I have met many people like you.¡±


    ¡°...People like me?¡±


    ¡°In simple terms, born heroes.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Joo-Hyun¡¯s face twisted in embarrassment.


    ¡°...You said that last time too, but why do you keep calling me a hero?¡±


    ¡°A hero is someone who chooses the greater good over personal desire.¡±


    Black Cloak smiled warmly.


    ¡°They are people who value the world beyond themselves, who prioritize intangible ideals over tangible things, and who care more about a lasting foundation than a fleeting moment. You are such a person.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°I know what you¡¯ve told me¡ªand what you haven¡¯t.


    Right now, you¡¯re grieving over the sacrifices caused by your mistakes, but even more important is your conviction.¡±


    The god¡¯s smile was laced with curiosity, even a hint of mischief.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that you don¡¯t mourn your family and friends. You grieve as deeply as anyone else. But the fact that you still think about moving forward¡ªthat is the point.¡±


    ¡°...Are you saying I¡¯m the kind of person who sacrifices the few for the many?¡±


    ¡°No, not at all. You¡¯re someone who grieves even over small tragedies that don¡¯t concern you. Even if you saved 99 out of 100, you¡¯d mourn the one who died. You only ever put yourself on the line.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not exactly...¡±


    ¡°Joo-Hyun, you are a hero. You have a kind heart. You treat everyone you meet with courtesy. I think you¡¯re an excellent person.¡±


    Suddenly, a flicker of red flared through Black Cloak¡¯s hair, like fire.


    ¡°So I thought I¡¯d try to coax you a bit.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡ªme? Why?¡±


    ¡°If I pressed the right buttons, maybe you¡¯d make a fine warrior.¡±


    ¡°Please leave me out of that, I¡¯m begging you.¡±


    Joo-Hyun recoiled.


    She never once thought he¡¯d actually drop that Demon King project of his. But the idea of joining a parade of false heroes under that title? Never.


    Black Cloak gave her a sly grin, like a satisfied fox.


    ¡°I don¡¯t do cowardly things like that.¡±


    ¡°Th-that¡¯s... good to hear....¡±


    ¡°But I do want you as a friend.¡±


    ¡°Why are you so obsessed with having friends?¡±


    ¡°One can never have too many.¡±


    ¡°Well... that¡¯s not wrong, I guess.¡±


    She just didn¡¯t expect that saying to apply to gods too.


    ¡®A divine mystery wanting a mere human as a friend... it still doesn¡¯t make sense to me.¡¯


    But thanks to her experience with Black Cloak so far, she didn¡¯t panic easily. Joo-Hyun let out a slightly awkward sigh, but didn¡¯t flinch at anything he said.


    ¡°So then... I¡¯m... what, again?¡±


    ¡°A hero.¡±


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    ¡°Why do you hate it so much?¡±


    ¡°It gives me chills.¡±


    Anyway¡ª


    ¡°So, what happened to the people like me?¡±


    ¡°They became gods, became legends, or vanished without a trace.¡±


    ¡°...That¡¯s much more grim than I expected. Isn¡¯t that a bit extreme?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a bit shameless to walk such a path and then expect a mild result?¡±


    ¡°Well, I mean... it¡¯s not about shamelessness, exactly...¡±


    ¡°Anyway.¡±


    Argio chuckled lightly.


    ¡°So, what are you planning to do next? Got a job in mind?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still thinking through the cleanup... but I haven¡¯t found any work.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like you¡¯re leaving the research center, then. In that case, don¡¯t do anything for a while.¡±


    ¡°Hearing it like that really makes me sound unemployed... but yeah, that¡¯s where I¡¯m at.¡±


    ¡°In that case, how about spending some time with me?¡±


    ¡°...Wait, spend time? Like... hang out?¡±


    ¡°You could say you¡¯re supervising and monitoring a natural disaster named me.¡±


    ¡°What even....¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that sound fun?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Joo-Hyun closed her mouth.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    After a long silence, she finally spoke.


    ¡°...Maybe it does?¡±


    And so, Joo-Hyun was taken by the hand of Yoo Seong-Woon¡ªat Gio¡¯s request¡ªand brought before Bisa Beul.


    A future she herself had never imagined.

 Chapter 148

    Yoo Seong-Woon knew Bisa Beul¡¯s tastes very well.


    ¡®He likes dry and selfish people.¡¯


    Thorough individualists who were, at their core, diligent and competent. People who, even when someone dropped dead right before them, could think, ¡®Ah, that¡¯s unfortunate, but at least I¡¯m not them.¡¯ And yet, people who still tried to hold onto the minimum standards of good and conscience.


    That was Bisa Beul¡¯s standard for collecting people.


    ¡®In that sense, this woman Joo-Hyun is completely outside his type.¡¯


    In truth, even Yoo Seong-Woon only had a vague understanding that ¡°this is the kind of person the guildmaster likes.¡± He didn¡¯t really know what kind of people Bisa Beul disliked or how he reacted to them. If someone wasn¡¯t his type, he simply never bothered collecting them in the first place.


    And now¡ª


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    In the silence that seemed to have crawled up from hell itself, Yoo Seong-Woon clenched his interlaced fingers tighter.


    ¡®Someone, please say something.¡¯


    Yoo Seong-Woon was slowly withering away between Bisa Beul and Joo-Hyun.


    ¡®I figured she wouldn¡¯t be his type since she¡¯s pretty sarcastic, but...¡¯


    Bisa Beul genuinely looked like he hated Joo-Hyun.


    He was smiling, but his lips were twisted. His snake-like grin never faltered, but his eyes were cold, and his gaze¡ªwhen resting on her¡ªwas arrogant and completely uncooperative. Yoo Seong-Woon had never seen Bisa Beul like that before.


    ¡®And on this side...¡¯


    Joo-Hyun wasn¡¯t doing great either.


    This woman didn¡¯t even try to smile. She¡¯d always seemed polite and earnest, but in front of Bisa Beul, she didn¡¯t even pretend to play nice. Her slightly narrowed eyes were clearly filled with contempt.


    ¡®Why?¡¯


    You two literally just met.


    ¡®And you haven¡¯t said a word to each other.¡¯


    Back when Gio handed Joo-Hyun over to him, there was no way he could have predicted this atmosphere. During their walk to the meeting room, Joo-Hyun had come off as warm and easygoing.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°...Excuse me.¡±


    In the end, Yoo Seong-Woon couldn¡¯t take it anymore.


    ¡°Can someone say something already?¡±


    Stop dragging me into your petty standoff.


    Maybe they sensed Yoo Seong-Woon¡¯s discomfort, or maybe they just figured this had gone on long enough. Either way, the two of them suddenly switched expressions, returning to their everyday personas.


    ¡°Oh dear, pardon me. You see, I¡¯d heard so much about you, Miss Joo-Hyun, and your presence was so striking that I couldn¡¯t help but stare. Please forgive my rudeness?¡±


    ¡°Forgiveness? What do you mean, Guildmaster Bisa Beul. I must apologize instead¡ªI was so nervous to meet the famous collector that I behaved quite poorly. I¡¯m truly sorry.¡±


    Watching those two snakes play their game, Yoo Seong-Woon clicked his tongue inwardly.


    ¡®I want to go home.¡¯


    Of course, it was way too early to clock out.


    ¡°Guildmaster.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Yoo Seong-Woon?¡±


    ¡°Should I take my leave?¡±


    ¡°Please, have a seat.¡±


    Bisa Beul gestured to a chair with his signature smirking smile.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to talk about ¡®Sergio,¡¯ after all. As his handler, you, Curator Yoo Seong-Woon, should be present, shouldn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s your wish, Guildmaster. Thank you for the consideration.¡±


    If it weren¡¯t for the outsider in the room, Yoo Seong-Woon would¡¯ve said, ¡°Please stop bullying me already.¡± But for the sake of the guild¡¯s image, he had no choice but to bow his head. He obediently sat where Bisa Beul had indicated.


    Finally, the real conversation began.


    ¡°Allow me to properly introduce myself, Miss Joo-Hyun. I am Bisa Beul, Guildmaster of the Collector¡¯s Guild.¡±


    With a reasonably decent expression, Bisa Beul offered a light smile.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard about your situation as well. Quite rude of me, I know, but I learned about it through Mr. Yoo Seong-Woon. I believe our curator explained the basics to you...?¡±


    ¡°Yes, thanks to him, I also learned about the ¡®Portrait of Gio.¡¯ I was honestly shocked to hear that the famous Black Cloak is one of your collection pieces, Guildmaster.¡±


    ¡°I feel bad that an old collector like myself surprised such a fine young lady. So... the fact that you¡¯ve come through the Collector¡¯s Guild must mean you¡¯re willing to look after Mr. Sergio, yes?¡±


    Bisa Beul¡¯s tone was natural and smooth.


    ¡°Ah, of course, if you find it burdensome, you may decline.¡±


    ¡°While I do feel it¡¯s a role too grand for me, I have no intention of declining.¡±


    Joo-Hyun¡¯s voice was just as fluid and composed.


    ¡°I¡¯ve received so much help from ¡®Mr. Sergio¡¯... I consider this a great honor, to be given the chance to repay him.¡±


    At that moment, Yoo Seong-Woon heard Bisa Beul mutter sarcastically under his breath, ¡°So she does get it.¡± His lips hadn¡¯t moved¡ªventriloquism. A clear ¡ï Novelight ¡ï sign he was sulking.


    Joo-Hyun, being an ordinary person, probably didn¡¯t catch it. But still...


    ¡®And what do you want me to do about it?¡¯


    To be honest, Yoo Seong-Woon was inclined to take Joo-Hyun¡¯s side. Sure, her open glare toward her superior wasn¡¯t ideal, but the one who threw the first look was Bisa Beul.


    ¡®Please, act your age.¡¯


    Despite Yoo Seong-Woon¡¯s thoughts, the conversation moved forward.


    ¡°The ¡®Portrait of Gio,¡¯ known in the public as ¡®Black Cloak,¡¯ is currently recorded as an A-rank hunter belonging to the Collector¡¯s Guild. That¡¯s the identity he uses when navigating human society.¡±


    ¡°And my role will be to manage this ¡®Sergio Hunter,¡¯ correct?¡±


    ¡°As Mr. Sergio is officially part of our guild, you could consider yourself his secretary. Your job will be to help the ¡®Portrait of Gio¡¯ live among humans and function as a hunter without causing discord.¡±


    Bisa Beul wore the kind of PR smile that the public had come to recognize. There was a faint arrogance typical of S-rank hunters¡ªcloser to monsters than humans¡ªbut it still conveyed trust and stability.


    ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, Mr. Sergio introduced himself to you as an evil god. Is that true?¡±


    ¡°Yes, under the name Argio...¡±


    Joo-Hyun smiled gently as she spoke.


    ¡°And for someone like that, he was incredibly kind and merciful¡ªit surprised me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly the charm of the ¡®Portrait of Gio.¡¯ Though he contains multitudes and countless forms, he is fundamentally friendly toward humans. Very gentlemanly.¡±


    Bisa Beul¡¯s smile briefly became sincere as he described Gio. He loved art, and even more so, his collection. He genuinely wished for the ¡®Portrait of Gio¡¯ to be happy and at ease.


    ¡°It¡¯s understandable that you¡¯d be wary after meeting him as an evil god. But if you show kindness, the ¡®Portrait of Gio¡¯ will reciprocate.¡±


    ¡°...There was a rumor that Black Cloak gives gifts to good people.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true. He genuinely likes virtuous and polite humans. And he despises the wicked and discourteous ones¡ªto the point of isolating them from others.¡±


    Bisa Beul¡¯s eyes curved with a sly smile.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that suit your temperament, Miss Joo-Hyun?¡±


    ¡°...Haha...¡±


    Joo-Hyun returned the smile as-is.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare claim what does or doesn¡¯t suit my temperament.¡±


    ¡°Oh, how wonderfully modest. Unlike the scale of your heart.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m someone without much to offer¡ªplain and timid.¡±


    ¡°Excessive modesty doesn¡¯t suit you, Miss Joo-Hyun.¡±


    Bisa Beul¡¯s smile twisted.


    ¡°What suits you better is gluttonous greed, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Joo-Hyun¡¯s smile deepened.


    ¡°...I never imagined I¡¯d be called greedy by the collector himself.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re both greedy in our own fields.¡±


    Then, Bisa Beul returned to his usual, public-friendly demeanor.


    ¡°You may not admit it, Miss Joo-Hyun, but Mr. Yoo Seong-Woon will explain the exact details of your tasks.¡±


    At that, the long-silent Yoo Seong-Woon nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯ll explain everything later.¡±


    ¡°Ah, thank you. I was worried about what to do...¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t be difficult. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    As he said that, Bisa Beul looked back at Joo-Hyun.


    ¡°Do you wish to become a member of the Collector¡¯s Guild?¡±


    Joo-Hyun gave a clean smile.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Haha! I thought so.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m a good fit for the guild.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, that¡¯s the truth.¡±


    Only those deemed ¡®collection-worthy¡¯ by Bisa Beul could join the guild. If he didn¡¯t like the way you looked as a piece, you wouldn¡¯t even make it past the front door. A ridiculous company, in a way.


    In that sense, it was obvious Bisa Beul had taken a disliking to Joo-Hyun. Even Yoo Seong-Woon¡ªwho prided himself on being one of the favored¡ªhad never seen such a reaction from his superior.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be Mr. Sergio¡¯s personal secretary, not mine. So you don¡¯t need to follow my orders. Just listen to Mr. Sergio.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡±


    ¡°I hear things with the association aren¡¯t quite settled yet, but I¡¯ll take care of that. I¡¯ll make sure you leave cleanly, without a fuss. Do you have anything at your workplace you need to retrieve? Belongings or supplies?¡±


    ¡°No, nothing.¡±


    ¡°Then all that¡¯s left is to tidy up your status. Fortunately, that won¡¯t be difficult for our guild. We¡¯ll help you transition smoothly without any friction.¡±


    With a smile, Bisa Beul asked,


    ¡°Any other questions?¡±


    ¡°Rather than me, it seems you have something you want to say, Guildmaster.¡±


    ¡°Oh my. You¡¯re quite perceptive.¡±


    The smile vanished from Bisa Beul¡¯s face.


    ¡°I don¡¯t particularly like people like you, Miss Joo-Hyun.¡±


    He added, ¡°I imagine you feel the same.¡±


    ¡°People like you chase after illusions far too seriously.¡±


    ¡°Chasing illusions is, I¡¯d say, a foolish human right.¡±


    ¡°But is it really necessary to do something you know is foolish?¡±


    ¡°For people with poor vision like you, Guildmaster, fumbling forward is the only way.¡±


    ¡°...Yes. I truly dislike people like you...¡±


    He began fiddling with the rings on his fingers.


    ¡°......¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon realized this was Bisa Beul¡¯s habit when he considered someone an enemy, and he quietly stared at Joo-Hyun.


    The flow didn¡¯t quite make sense, but it was worth noting. At what point did his admired superior start viewing this civilian researcher with suspicion and hatred?


    ¡®Going by context... did he think she might harm the artwork?¡¯


    Since Bisa Beul hadn¡¯t given any signal, Yoo Seong-Woon figured he wasn¡¯t considered an enemy yet. Still, he decided to keep a wary eye on the civilian. He trusted Bisa Beul¡¯s judgment.


    ¡®For a civilian to stand tall against both an S-rank and an A-rank hunter...¡¯


    There had to be something off. That was when¡ª


    ¡°¡ªHey.¡±


    A long arm stretched out from behind Bisa Beul.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°The air¡¯s heavy in here.¡±


    It jingled with a clatter of ornaments, and soon a hand adorned with elaborate jewels gently clasped Bisa Beul¡¯s shoulder, almost teasingly. Yoo Seong-Woon turned to see whose arm it was.


    Pale skin untouched by sunlight, a vivid smile, crimson-black hair.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t tease a hero.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°To treat a precious talent so coldly...¡±


    It was the portrait.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you agree, Guildmaster Bisa Beul?¡±


    A portrait appearing not from a wall¡ªbut from thin air.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Those eyes.¡±


    The gaze of two monsters met.


    ¡°Of the dragon, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    Bisa Beul¡¯s pupils slit vertically.


    ¡°Pleased to meet you, Portrait of Gio.¡±


    ¡°I gladly accepted your invitation.¡±


    ¡°My, my...¡±


    With ecstasy and greed, Bisa Beul grinned.


    ¡°...It¡¯s an honor.¡±


    It was the first meeting of the collector and the portrait.

 Chapter 149

    It was the meeting with the Portrait that Bisa Beul had so long awaited¡ªbut unfortunately, it didn¡¯t last very long.


    ¡°It seems the important part of the conversation is over. I¡¯ll be taking my friend now.¡±


    ¡°A shame you''re leaving so soon.¡±


    ¡°I look forward to your next invitation.¡±


    Before long, the ¡®Portrait of Gio¡¯ disappeared into the painting, taking Joo-Hyun with him.


    ¡°......¡±


    That part caught Yoo Seong-Woon slightly off guard.


    ¡®They¡¯ve built a solid bond of trust.¡¯


    At just a single gesture from Gio, Joo-Hyun willingly stepped into the arms of the Portrait. Though she wore a friendly smile, she never struck him as the type to easily lower her guard. Either way, it was surprising.


    ¡®That Gio would treasure a human this much¡ªand that someone like Joo-Hyun would accept Gio.¡¯


    It seemed Bisa Beul had noticed it as well.


    ¡°As expected, Mr. Sergio has the ability to disarm humans.¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t seem very socially adept, and yet... I¡¯ve thought before he has an odd sort of charm.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the ancient ability he¡¯s shown since the ¡®Temple of the Deep¡¯ incident.¡±


    Ordinarily, the Portrait gives off a rigid, overbearing atmosphere¡ªdifficult to handle¡ªunless Gio tempers it.


    It might sound absurd to speak of such things regarding a being like the Origin, but Gio was not exactly what one would call sociable.


    ¡®He doesn¡¯t like staying outside the frame for too long or interacting with large groups. Gio adjusts himself, lowering his aura to fit. Still, from a human standpoint... he isn¡¯t easy to approach.¡¯


    Even in his gentlest, most soothing form¡ª¡®Giovanni¡¯¡ªit was the same. No matter how kind he was, people still found him intimidating. Likely due to that innate nobility in his bearing.


    No matter how considerate he was, that immense presence couldn¡¯t be softened. But for such a daunting being...


    ¡°......¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon cleared his throat.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you say this is one of Gio¡¯s powers?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no reason to think otherwise.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell whether we should be grateful or uneasy about that.¡±


    Strangely, Gio earned trust and goodwill with ease.


    It was the same with Hunter Chara, who once mistook him for a monster. And with the dungeon refugees, tense from the threat to their lives. Even Joo-Hyun, who first met him in the form of an evil god, reacted this way.


    ¡°They¡¯ve probably spent more than a day or two together. Time inside the Portrait¡¯s world shifts according to Gio¡¯s mood¡ªit likely passed quickly. Still, even factoring that in, it¡¯s remarkable.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon recalled what he¡¯d researched.


    ¡°Joo-Hyun isn¡¯t the type to trust others easily.¡±


    ¡°She struck me as rather shrewd. For someone like her, time and trust have little correlation.¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t seem like the kind of person who¡¯d believe someone just because of familiarity.¡±


    ¡°And Mr. Sergio is an evil god¡ªa primal being.¡±


    ¡°Entrusting oneself to such a being requires at least a minimum level of trust...¡±


    ¡°If she stepped willingly into the painting, that says everything.¡±


    ¡°Whether it was a conscious choice or unconscious trust, I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    ¡°I believe it was both,¡± Bisa Beul said, smiling faintly.


    ¡°The timing was perfect. She¡¯d been reckless enough to try making a deal with Sankalut. When someone is that resigned, meeting an evil god might¡¯ve felt like, ¡®Well, whatever happens, happens.¡¯¡±


    ¡°And after letting go like that, Gio cared for her in various ways¡ªmaybe it just became too difficult to maintain her guard. She didn¡¯t seem the type to be [N O V E L I G H T] easily touched.¡±


    ¡°Well... I suspect her basic admiration for Black Cloak played a part.¡±


    He clicked his tongue, uncharacteristically.


    ¡°Seems like she dreams of utopia. Rejecting a vast mystery that affirms good and denies evil must¡¯ve been difficult.¡±


    He clearly didn¡¯t like Joo-Hyun much.


    ¡°She may keep questioning his true nature, but to her, the ¡®Portrait of Gio¡¯ is an ideal. Mr. Sergio, in the form of Black Cloak, has proven his character multiple times¡ªand she must¡¯ve felt drawn to that.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t Joo-Hyun¡¯s preferences pose a danger to Gio?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s considered harmful is highly subjective. Personally, I think anyone who tries to define and use my work however they please is an arrogant parasite. But as you saw earlier, Gio quite likes her. Our perspectives differ.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon gave an awkward smile.


    ¡°So that¡¯s why you disliked her.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s the kind of human I just don¡¯t mesh with.¡±


    He wore a weary expression.


    ¡°Heroes are greedy. They can¡¯t tell courage from recklessness, and they¡¯re full of ambition but always make foolish choices. I can¡¯t tell if they¡¯re just that stupid or pretending to be.¡±


    ¡°Ah....¡±


    ¡°Whether they¡¯re aware of it or not, people like Joo-Hyun often act beyond their station. If she comes to fully believe in Mr. Sergio¡¯s true nature, she¡¯ll try to use him. That bothers me.¡±


    ¡°Right... I see.¡±


    That obsessive love for his collection again.


    ¡®No wonder he¡¯s called the Collector.¡¯


    Bisa Beul typically managed his collection with love and freedom. He tried to accommodate their desires as much as possible. But this time, he didn¡¯t like that Gio wanted someone like Joo-Hyun as a ¡®friend.¡¯


    ¡®Anyway, it¡¯s none of my concern.¡¯


    In the end, he was just annoyed that someone he already disliked ended up being entrusted with the management of a beloved piece. It was only unfortunate for Joo-Hyun, who had to endure the guildmaster¡¯s pettiness.


    ¡°...Still, calling her a ¡®hero¡¯¡ªisn¡¯t that a compliment, in its own way?¡±


    ¡°More of an objective observation than praise.¡±


    Bisa Beul gave a sly smile¡ªthe kind only seen when his collection was mentioned. A sign he was trying to lighten the mood for Yoo Seong-Woon¡¯s sake.


    ¡°I may be acting immaturely, but it¡¯s not that I hate her. There are just people out there who you can¡¯t get along with, even if neither side has done anything wrong.¡±


    ¡°Ah... I see....¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t harbor any real resentment or complaints. You know how people freak out when a silverfish shows up in their house, even though it eats the other bugs? It¡¯s like that.¡±


    ¡°Are you seriously comparing a person to a bug?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a metaphor. Miss Joo-Hyun will be a fairly decent guide and helper for Gio, and I appreciate that. She just doesn¡¯t mesh with me, that¡¯s all.¡±


    Then Bisa Beul asked:


    ¡°Speaking of which, don¡¯t you need a roommate?¡±


    ¡°...I think I misheard?¡±


    ¡°You could use a friend too, Mr. Yoo Seong-Woon.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, you didn¡¯t mishear?!¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon grimaced and shot back,


    ¡°And who would that roommate be?¡±


    ¡°Why, Miss Joo-Hyun, of course...¡±


    ¡°Please, what did she ever do to deserve that?¡±


    ¡°Or maybe Mr. Sergio?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    He¡¯s gone completely mad.


    Yoo Seong-Woon wiped a hand over his face.


    ***


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Joo-Hyun opened with an apology.


    ¡°I feel like I made the atmosphere heavier than it needed to be....¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to apologize to me for that.¡±


    ¡°But you introduced him as someone who was helping me, and I acted rudely.¡±


    ¡°If you really are sorry, could you tell me why you acted that way?¡±


    As he spoke, Gio suddenly transformed¡ªpoof!¡ªinto a platinum-haired priest.


    With a holy smile like he was comforting a lost lamb, he said,


    ¡°Now then, sister. I¡¯m ready to listen.¡±


    And he really did look the part.


    Though they were simply sitting at a wooden table infused with phytoncide scent, the flowing platinum hair and pure white robe brought to mind the prayer chamber of a temple. He was the image of the ideal priest.


    ¡°......¡±


    Joo-Hyun, as usual, smiled¡ªbut looked slightly overwhelmed.


    ¡°That¡¯s... how you prepare to listen, huh....¡±


    ¡°Well, I thought this might make it easier for you to talk.¡±


    ¡°I mean... I guess it does.¡±


    It felt like confession.


    ¡°Hmm...¡±


    After a moment of hesitation, Joo-Hyun finally spoke.


    ¡°I just thought... he and I didn¡¯t get along.¡±


    ¡°Why did you think that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit embarrassing, but... I¡¯ve never been fond of collectors.¡±


    ¡°Was there a particular reason?¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t care at all about others¡¯ well-being.¡±


    Bisa Beul, the guildmaster of the Collector¡¯s Guild¡ªone of Korea¡¯s three great guilds. A man of immense power and wealth, who acted and made decisions based solely on his personal interests.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything inherently wrong with following your own curiosity. But from what I saw of him, he seemed like someone who genuinely doesn¡¯t care about others. That was... hard to stomach.¡±


    To Bisa Beul, the world was his gallery. A playground where his artworks ran wild. He seemed to follow the rules, but that individualistic nature made Joo-Hyun uneasy.


    ¡°Even with all his power, he acts like someone with no sense of responsibility. Of course, it¡¯s hard to know what someone¡¯s really like without speaking to them¡ªbut I suppose that¡¯s a kind of prejudice.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s why you felt you didn¡¯t get along.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really embarrassing. I¡¯m not exactly some great person either, yet I judged him and acted rudely. But still... I don¡¯t hate Guildmaster Bisa Beul.¡±


    She gave an awkward smile and added,


    ¡°I¡¯m grateful to him. The Collector is one of the few pillars holding up our fragile world. Regardless of my personal feelings, he¡¯s someone worthy of respect.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re well aware of your actions and the consequences. Still, I¡¯d prefer not to see you beating yourself up. Next time, try not to act in ways you¡¯ll regret.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your thoughtful advice. I don¡¯t think Guildmaster Bisa Beul actually hates me either. It was just... we both acted childishly.¡±


    He touched his lip as if in reflection.


    ¡°He probably doesn¡¯t like that I¡¯m close to Mr. Gio.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    For a moment, Gio¡¯s eyes gleamed gold, and his hair turned red.


    ¡°Is this that ¡®you thieving cat¡¯ moment I¡¯ve heard about...?¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t know what¡¯s so fascinating about this for you, but probably not.¡±


    Joo-Hyun¡¯s expression turned strange.


    ¡°Wait¡ªhow do you even know that expression?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s because I¡¯m wise.¡±


    ¡°I mean, I guess you could find out anything if you really wanted...¡±


    It felt weird.


    ¡°......¡±


    And not just because the situation was amusing.


    ¡®...How should I put this...¡¯


    Would it be disrespectful to say he felt... human?


    The way he played and overreacted about trivial things¡ªhe felt just like an ordinary young man of that age. And truthfully, Argio¡¯s face was young enough to pass for one.


    Of course, a being of such immense presence, with an identity and form that shifted based on will and purpose, couldn¡¯t be called a normal young man¡ªbut even so...


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Miss Joo-Hyun, what are you thinking about?¡±


    ¡°...Good question.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t sure herself.


    ¡°...I¡¯ve heard that Black Cloak likes good people.¡±


    ¡°Who could dislike kind people?¡±


    Before she noticed, his hair had returned to black.


    The color was like a shadow, as though drained of all light and life¡ªbut the face of Black Cloak remained serene and warm.


    He added, casually¡ª


    ¡°I think it¡¯s a pretty ordinary preference.¡±


    ¡°To give gifts to kind and polite people?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t stand to leave people who¡¯ve moved me alone.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s those people who move you.¡±


    If that were really true, it was remarkable.


    ¡°That¡¯s really...¡±


    Joo-Hyun realized it anew.


    ¡°...Something extraordinary.¡±


    ¡°What is extraordinary?¡±


    ¡°That someone like you is merciful.¡±


    This being¡ªwas truly peaceful.


    ¡°You resemble the world inside this painting.¡±


    And that¡¯s why she admired it.

 Chapter 150

    When I first awoke in this hut and saw the dawn sky just as the sun was beginning to rise¡ª


    ¡°I felt a peace I had only imagined until then.¡±


    It was a beautiful sky.


    Unlike the concrete forest where nothing beyond was visible, here the view was vast.


    A pristine Milky Way that seemed it would sparkle endlessly when touched by enough light.


    A sweet hint of nature carried on a wind both cool and warm.


    An inexplicable longing ached through the dryness of her corneas, and her heart pounded heavily.


    It was overwhelming¡ªso much so she couldn¡¯t even think.


    ¡°Unlike reality.¡±


    Here, there was no noise at all.


    ¡°Sergio.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve finally called me that.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a strong being, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I became that way without realizing it.¡±


    ¡°And also an evil god.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t yet fully understand what that role entails, but yes.¡±


    ¡°...Do I come off as rude?¡±


    Black Cloak tilted his head slightly, puzzled.


    ¡°Do you want me to think of you as rude?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it, but... to be honest, it¡¯s hard to understand.¡±


    ¡°What part is difficult to understand?¡±


    ¡°How can something like you exist?¡±


    It was absurd.


    ¡°You possess all kinds of strength.¡±


    In every way, Gio¡¯s portrait was that of a superior being.


    ¡°In every aspect, you¡¯re an overwhelming force.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s high praise.¡±


    ¡°It might sound that way, but at least to me... yes.¡±


    It might be foolish to talk of combat when facing the great mystery that is the evil god, but when he was red, he even seemed skilled in battle.


    His overwhelming presence, despite his exceptional mimicry, made people bow their heads.


    To Joo-Hyun, he was a god.


    To the world, he was a terrifying humanoid monster.


    His dungeons worked faithfully for their master.


    His mystery and divinity radiated an overwhelming power.


    ¡°Excuse me if this is rude, but even your appearance...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m often told I¡¯m handsome.¡±


    ¡°I think that too. It seems natural.¡±


    He was the ideal image of a handsome man.


    Though his form was obscured by the cloak, he was neither overly muscular nor overly thin.


    His height was close to 190 cm, and his demeanor resembled that of an ancient noble or a dignified priest.


    The hands he kept folded behind his back were large.


    Joo-Hyun was confident in her observation skills.


    Black Cloak¡¯s appearance could be a powerful weapon in itself.


    After all, humans are inherently weak to visuals.


    ¡°Sergio, you could never be a weakling.¡±


    In any situation or relationship, he held the upper hand.


    ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s harder to understand.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m listening. Please continue. What don¡¯t you understand?¡±


    ¡°You....¡±


    She hesitated, then sighed as she spoke.


    ¡°You act as if you understand the weak.¡±


    It made no sense.


    The innately strong could not understand the weak.


    Just as gods, when looking at humans, may memorize their actions and ways but cannot truly be considerate.


    Because the strong cannot comprehend weakness.


    Like a blind man trying to understand the color red.


    ¡°So what I¡¯m trying to say is....¡±


    Her words felt tangled.


    ¡°You¡¯re so powerful, Sergio... and yet, you understand the weak.


    You care.


    You respect them.


    How can someone who invokes such immense fear also be capable of that?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m just a human.


    I¡¯m not the ideal strong person you imagine.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the thing.


    You really do feel human.


    You sleep, eat, cook.


    You want friends, go out sometimes, play tricks, laugh, cry....¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe I¡¯ve ever cried.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen you act spoiled with your father.


    I¡¯ve seen you whimper in front of your children.


    All of it felt natural.


    That¡¯s why you seem truly human.¡±


    Suddenly, a question struck her.


    ¡°Even these thoughts of mine¡ªdid you intend them?¡±


    ¡°I intend nothing.¡±


    ¡°Is that a lie so subtle I never even noticed it was one?¡±


    ¡°Not at all.


    I¡¯m a far clumsier person than you imagine.¡±


    ¡°Even if that¡¯s true, humans would still be deeply affected.¡±


    That¡¯s what it is to be human.


    The gaze or gesture of a god could entangle them, devastate them.


    A divine conversation might become a catastrophe.


    A drop of affection could drive them mad.


    That is what it means to be human.


    That is what it means to be a god.


    Joo-Hyun knew this.


    ¡°I know....¡±


    She shut her eyes tightly.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Then again, she took in Black Cloak¡¯s face.


    Two eyes.


    One nose, one mouth.


    Two ears.


    Skin slightly pale.


    Hair gently wavy.


    He waited for her to speak.


    No matter how deeply she looked for his essence, all she saw was the shape of a man.


    ¡°...I can¡¯t help but see you as human.¡±


    A young man¡¯s face.


    ¡°How old are you?¡±


    ¡°Twenty-nine.¡±


    ¡°Where are you from?¡±


    ¡°Gangwon Province.¡±


    ¡°What did you do?¡±


    ¡°At school.¡±


    A faint smile formed on his pale face.


    ¡°I taught students.¡±


    ¡°...You were a teacher.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I worked at a high school.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    She felt deflated.


    ¡°I see....¡±


    Look at that affectionate smile.


    If this isn¡¯t a human, then what is he?


    ¡°Do I finally look like a person to you?¡±


    ¡°...Maybe....¡±


    Maybe he could.


    Joo-Hyun gave an awkward smile.


    ¡°I keep asking similar things, but... why do you give gifts to good people?¡±


    ¡°Because anyone would want to praise someone who¡¯s admirable.¡±


    ¡°They say you speak to people when you see them.¡±


    ¡°Talking is a joy.


    I do feel sorry for those who are afraid of me.¡±


    ¡°Then why do you keep capturing bad people?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s something my children do on my behalf, but it was never intentional.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s really no grand reason behind anything, is there.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t tend to overthink things.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    If all of this were the truth, and even if it wasn¡¯t¡ªif he simply continued in this way¡ªJoo-Hyun would eventually be unable to deny him.


    Would it be too presumptuous to say she felt greedy?


    She couldn¡¯t bring herself to hate him, not when he was so composed of something like ideal peace.


    ¡°.......¡±


    She had tried to stay wary since he introduced himself as an evil god.


    And yet, though he was too vast to feel safe around, she found herself wanting to open her heart.


    ¡°...You didn¡¯t use some kind of ability on me, did you?¡±


    ¡°If you could tell me what kind of ability you mean, I¡¯d be grateful.¡±


    ¡°One that... makes people... feel safe... completely off guard... seduced....¡±


    ¡°...? I don¡¯t quite understand¡ª is that a compliment?¡±


    ¡°It could be... or not....¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°...Ugh....¡±


    Joo-Hyun blamed herself for being stupid.


    ¡®What the hell was I expecting, asking something like that?¡¯


    In a situation where the form before her might not even be the real one, wanting equal interaction was already a mistake.


    For a god, human truths and lies had different standards.


    Whether he had such an ability or not, whether he knew it or not, until she realized it herself,  everything he said could be truth or falsehood.


    ¡°Sorry, that was nonsense.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t fully understand, but....¡±


    He asked,


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to be friends with me?¡±


    ¡°...Huh?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why you complimented me, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh, no....¡±


    ¡°In the end, it seems you like me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s... um....¡±


    ¡°Do you still not know what you want? Are you wary of trusting me?¡±


    ¡°...I...¡±


    ¡°Joo-Hyun, you consider relying on someone other than yourself to be a sin. I respect the value of that stubborn belief.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s your way of living.¡±


    As she hesitated to respond, he continued.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to overthink it. I wanted to be friends with you, and now it seems you do too. And you¡¯re not the type to stay in one place forever.¡±


    ¡°...Is that a compliment too?¡±


    ¡°You may take it that way. But what I really mean is¡ªthere¡¯s no problem with us becoming friends. Are you someone who regrets the past and fears the future so much that you can¡¯t see the present?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    ¡°Then even more so, there¡¯s no problem. You carry a great ambition called world peace.  I think I¡¯d make a fitting friend for that. So I hope you¡¯ll become the second friend of this portrait.¡±


    His face remained calm and expressionless.


    ¡°Take your time. You¡¯re a sincere and polite person. Whether it¡¯s fast or slow, you¡¯ll find the right path that suits you.¡±


    ¡°I might make an irreversible mistake.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as an irreversible mistake. Why does such a phrase even exist? In the end, people must live in the present and move forward. But instead, they dwell on an unreachable past.¡±


    ¡°Because humans are foolish beings.¡±


    ¡°I admit I have a particularly simple and light way of thinking. But to reflect and grow through the past is the privilege of the living. And it¡¯s the only choice.¡±


    ¡°I know that, but....¡±


    ¡°Joo-Hyun.¡±


    He spoke as if he were some kind of Buddha.


    ¡°Are you afraid of new attempts because of a mistake you haven¡¯t even made yet?¡±


    ¡°Because someone else might suffer because of my mistake again. I¡¯ve sinned.¡±


    ¡°Joo-Hyun, the people of this world are not helpless lambs for you to ¡ô N§àv§Öl?g?t ¡ô (Only on N§àv§Öl?g?t) save.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Trying to take responsibility for all of them is a kind of arrogance too.¡±


    That, perhaps, was a bit of a shock.


    ¡°They each live their own lives. And the fact that they got swept up in your mistake is something to be respected as their own life story. Don¡¯t delude yourself into thinking their lives were yours alone.¡±


    ¡°...But....¡±


    ¡°Reflecting is good. But if fear takes over, the only paths left are running and hiding. And I know you¡¯re not that kind of person. You¡¯ll find your own path, and all I¡¯m doing is easing your hesitation.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°No individual can be truly great. Even if someone has enormous influence, in the end they¡¯re just part of the current. Even if they seem like a giant, that¡¯s just one of their features. No being can be a perfect guide.¡±


    Still with an expressionless face, he went on.


    ¡°To me, Joo-Hyun, you seem like a kind and courteous person with heroic traits. That¡¯s a part of who you are¡ªnot the whole of you. Don¡¯t let it consume you.¡±


    ¡°...Ah....¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t let the goal you want to achieve devour you. You simply wish for a peaceful world. That alone is why you act. Don¡¯t let that destroy you.¡±


    ¡°That....¡±


    ¡°Your caution and wariness are great strengths and virtues. But if you need to understand everything before you believe, then not much will stay by your side. So for now....¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Shall we be friends?¡±


    He smiled.


    ¡°I always had a romantic notion about having a pen pal.¡±


    ¡°...That¡¯s a nice thought.¡±


    Would that smile dull her senses?


    Make her settle?


    And yet, she found herself drawn to that sense of calm.


    She wondered what kind of Gio¡¯s smile that was¡ªbut quickly concluded it didn¡¯t matter.


    If what he said was true, then even distinguishing which Gio he was wouldn¡¯t hold meaning.


    By now, even hesitating felt awkward.


    ¡°...Let¡¯s do it. Let¡¯s be friends.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°This is kind of awkward.¡±


    Joo-Hyun gave a subtle smile.


    ¡°Problems might arise.¡±


    ¡°We can think about that later.¡±


    ¡°I was about to say the same.¡±


    ¡°Opportunities always appear.¡±


    ¡°Or we make them ourselves.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve understood well.¡±


    ¡°...So then....¡±


    After hesitating again and again, she finally said,


    ¡°I look forward to it.¡±


    And Sergio smiled.


    It looked surprisingly human.

 Chapter 151

    Even though Gio had made a new pen pal and Joo-Hyun had befriended Black Cloak, the peaceful routine of the hut remained unchanged. Black Cloak still cooked their meals.


    ¡°Please, let me do some chores too.¡±


    ¡°Guests do not do chores.¡±


    ¡°But you said I¡¯m a friend.¡±


    ¡°A friend who is a guest.¡±


    It did make her feel a little uneasy, but it was true that everything was peaceful.


    ¡°Then, perhaps you could look after Dana. The child seems bored.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t she set me on fire if I got too close? Would she? They say Anticat¡¯s fire is extremely hot.¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t seem to dislike you as much as she used to. Perhaps you could gather a little courage?¡±


    ¡°This morning alone she bared her teeth at me just for walking past her...¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s definitely an improvement, considering she once tried to turn you into ash.¡±


    Three warm meals a day, a comfortable and private room, and the view beyond the veranda looked like something out of a fairy tale.


    Joo-Hyun was enjoying benefits far beyond what she felt she deserved, without having done anything to earn them.


    But that didn¡¯t mean the situation had actually changed.


    ¡°......¡±


    Joo-Hyun was lost in thought over the true identity of her new friend.


    It had started with curiosity about how paint or brushes were made, which led her to the attic.


    There, she began with a careful tone.


    ¡°I mean no offense, but I¡¯ve been thinking...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±


    ¡°If we¡¯re friends, I think I should be able to ask this.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    She called him.


    ¡°Mister Gio.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°...Sergio?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Argio?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°So... what should I call you?¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Gio acknowledged his mistake.


    ¡°I failed to properly introduce myself.¡±


    Indeed, Joo-Hyun knew almost nothing about Gio.


    ¡®He never explained it to me.¡¯


    That strangely detached manner was, in a way, typical of the great mysteries when interacting with humans.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to accidentally offend you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s much you could do to offend me, but...¡±


    ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t think I¡¯d do something like that either, but still.¡±


    ¡°True, failing to properly introduce myself isn¡¯t very polite.¡±


    Glass instruments clinked as they were set down.


    Inside them were strange-colored liquids and vividly pigmented paints scattered without order.


    Dana and Honey lay buried in a box beside the worktable.


    Among all these mysterious things gathered in the attic, Gio began an unexpected self-introduction.


    ¡°I am Sergio.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, I¡¯ve heard. The members of the Collector¡¯s Guild know you by that name.¡±


    ¡°And I am Batlan Giovanni.¡±


    ¡°...Batlan Giovanni?¡±


    ¡°I will soon become Argio as well.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Joo-Hyun thought this habit of cutting all the context and only stating the core message in a cryptic way should be made illegal.


    ¡®Even the oracles, the most representative form of interaction with these beings, are like this. These vast, transcendent entities are always too vague when giving information.¡¯


    It was frustrating for the human listener. Joo-Hyun gave an awkward smile.


    She understood there were reasons for it. With oracles, divine language could harm the faithful, so the message was reduced as much as possible, resulting in sentences that were nearly impossible to interpret.


    ¡®It¡¯s not my field of expertise, so I wouldn¡¯t know for sure.¡¯


    In any case, because of that, Joo-Hyun wasn¡¯t easily rattled by Gio¡¯s curt and fragmented speech. After a moment of thought, she quickly picked up on a pattern.


    ¡°All your names contain ? N§àv§Öl¦Éght ? (Read the full story) ¡®Gio.¡¯ So that¡¯s why it¡¯s ¡®Portrait of Gio¡¯?¡±


    ¡°I believe so.¡±


    ¡°So the changing appearances of Mister Gio seem tied to the names.¡±


    She asked in her usual gentle tone,


    ¡°What does Sergio look like?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the form with black hair.¡±


    ¡°Hmm... Argio was when you had red hair, right?¡±


    ¡°Thank you for remembering.¡±


    ¡°Then Batlan Giovanni must be the blonde version.¡±


    ¡°You understood well.¡±


    Perhaps it was surprising to him that a mere human could understand the logic of a great mystery.


    Something about her insight seemed to strike the portrait¡¯s emotional chord, and soon, golden light spread over him like paint.


    Giovanni smiled brightly, in his own dazzling way.


    ¡°This is the first proper introduction I¡¯ve done since Yoo Seong-Woon.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    It seemed that Giovanni was the form he took when trying to express joy or comfort humans. If that was the case, then ¡®Sergio¡¯ and ¡®Argio¡¯ each had their own specific uses as well. As she organized her thoughts, Joo-Hyun gave a slightly bashful smile.


    ¡°...Ah, the first time, huh. I think I can understand why.¡±


    ¡°Most people get too tense just looking at me, so I never had the chance for small talk. I often worried when I¡¯d ever make a friend... I¡¯m very fortunate to have met you, Miss Joo-Hyun.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s truly an honor.¡±


    Though she smiled politely, inwardly she thought:


    ¡®Well, unless someone¡¯s as out of their mind as I am, how could they not be afraid?¡¯


    At a glance, he looked like a humanoid monster at best, a demonic god at worst.


    While rumors of ¡°Black Cloak¡± had become familiar and even comforting to some, there were very few who could interact with him in a truly friendly way.


    ¡°......¡±


    Being one of those rare few made Joo-Hyun feel bitter.


    She had once thought of herself as a perfectly sane person living a normal life ¡ª and now she was friends with a demonic god.


    ¡®I need to be careful not to get carried away. Even if he says he wants friendship and I respond, I must be careful about what that means.¡¯


    Things like mistaking his goodwill as her own strength, or relying on him too much... or getting drunk on borrowed power without gratitude and becoming greedy...


    The contractors of evil gods who ruined the world in history had all failed because they didn¡¯t know their place.


    She had no intention of being recorded in history like that ¡ª she¡¯d rather disappear quietly as a cog in society.


    ¡°...Then may I hear your story, Mister Gio?¡±


    Since he had shared his names, it seemed he might be willing to tell more.


    ¡°Of course, if you¡¯re uncomfortable, you don¡¯t have to.¡±


    ¡°No, they¡¯re not particularly special stories.¡±


    The black-haired Gio folded his arms, seemingly deep in thought, and then spoke.


    ¡°Argio was born with a natural ability to transform into a beast. He was expelled from his family because of it, lived like an animal in the forest, and was ultimately branded the source of all evil, becoming a demonic god.¡±


    Joo-Hyun reflexively said,


    ¡°That already sounds pretty special.¡±


    ¡°Does it?¡±


    ¡°Well, maybe not special, more like... negative.¡±


    ¡°He lived joyfully and passed away well.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s some pitch-black humor.¡±


    Nodding, Joo-Hyun asked again,


    ¡°What kind of person was Giovanni of the Batlan family?¡±


    ¡°He was a priest of the Sun and a doctor. He cared for mermaid students, but was beaten to death.¡±


    ¡°...How am I supposed to respond to that?¡±


    ¡°You can laugh. He also lived joyfully and passed away well.¡±


    ¡°If I laugh, I¡¯ll feel like I¡¯m less than human.¡±


    There was no room for laughter ¡ª she was too busy hiding her shock.


    ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve heard a similar story somewhere...¡±


    ¡°Then perhaps you read the report on ¡®The Kingdom of the Deep.¡¯¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m amazed it wasn¡¯t just my imagination.¡±


    As a rare case of a humanoid monster officially recognized by the association, Joo-Hyun had studied the report on ¡°The Kingdom of the Deep¡± carefully.


    It also included the broader dungeon-related story.


    ¡°......¡±


    No matter how you looked at it, that didn¡¯t sound like a joyful or peaceful death.


    ¡°...I had a feeling.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m curious what gave you that feeling.¡±


    ¡°Ever since I learned that Black Cloak belonged to the Collector¡¯s Guild.¡±


    ¡°And what¡¯s the issue with that?¡±


    ¡°That report on ¡®The Kingdom of the Deep¡¯ was authored by Yoo Seong-Woon.¡±


    ¡°I believe so.¡±


    ¡°And Yoo Seong-Woon is, well...¡±


    Joo-Hyun carefully chose her words.


    ¡°He¡¯s quite well-known in the research center community of the association.¡±


    ¡°And why is that?¡±


    ¡°Because he was a former team leader who transferred to the Collector¡¯s Guild ¡ª not just any place.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s so special about transferring to the Collector¡¯s Guild?¡±


    ¡°Their motto is. The Collector¡¯s Guild values preserving ¡®artworks¡¯ ¡ª it¡¯s a very protective atmosphere.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that¡¯s one of their guiding principles.¡±


    ¡°And among researchers, that motto creates resistance.¡±


    Which made sense.


    ¡°They¡¯ve seen too many horrors at the research centers.¡±


    They knew just how dangerous the objects the Guild called ¡°artworks¡± could be.


    ¡°There¡¯s even a saying among researchers: ¡®You¡¯re not a real researcher until you¡¯ve lost something to one of those things.¡¯ That¡¯s how strong their wariness is, and everyone has their own scars.¡±


    ¡°I am safe.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I wasn¡¯t talking about you, Mister Gio. Compared to the dangerous items, you¡¯re far too precious. You¡¯ve also given me so much kindness.¡±


    She gave her usual bright smile.


    ¡°But most dangerous objects aren¡¯t like that. The Collector¡¯s Gallery and the association¡¯s research centers are practically opposites in every way. So employees moving from one to the other... it¡¯s extremely rare.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon had effectively been the first to make that leap.


    ¡°It takes an almost fanatical love for dangerous artifacts to even consider it. That report on an S-class dungeon was written by someone like that ¡ª no wonder so many researchers were curious about what caught his interest.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°One of the names listed in that mission was Hunter Sergio. He was also known for playing a major role in rescuing civilians during the Temple of the Sun incident. But the fact that you, known as Black Cloak, had the name Sergio...¡±


    Joo-Hyun gave a sheepish smile.


    ¡°It made me suspect a deeper connection between you, as Sergio and Black Cloak, and ¡®The Kingdom of the Deep.¡¯ Especially since portraits of Black Cloak are known to appear often in that dungeon.¡±


    It was a guess she had put together while staying in Black Cloak¡¯s hut.


    ¡°Above all, the ¡®Kingdom of the Deep¡¯ contains a record of Batlan Giovanni. It¡¯s rare to find, but when you introduced yourself with that name...¡±


    ¡°You suspected a connection.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have realized otherwise. That dungeon doesn¡¯t include a clear image of Giovanni, and even if it did, blond hair and blue eyes aren¡¯t uncommon.¡±


    ¡°They weren¡¯t common in the Korea of the past. Interesting.¡±


    ¡°...Speaking of the past, you once said that ¡®Sergio¡¯ was the name you used while living on Earth, right? What kind of life did you lead then?¡±


    ¡°Nothing remarkable.¡±


    Gio answered bluntly.


    ¡°I became a portrait because of a school fire.¡±


    ¡°Ah... I see!¡±


    She acted as though she had been mentally prepared ¡ª it was so unsurprising at this point.


    ¡°How did that happen?¡±


    ¡°Are you asking about the fire, or about becoming a portrait?¡±


    ¡°Both, I guess.¡±


    ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t know what caused the fire.¡±


    He blinked twice.


    ¡°The alarm suddenly went off, and as soon as I heard the sound, I went to check ¡ª the first floor was already in flames. It spread quickly, so I doubt it was a natural fire.¡±


    ¡°...So someone set it intentionally...?¡±


    ¡°It would have taken something like oil to spread that fast. But that¡¯s just my guess. At the time, I was too busy getting the students out of the building.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t escape with them?¡±


    ¡°I had to check if any students or teachers were still inside. Unfortunately, it was break time, and everyone had scattered. Some students had a habit of hiding in odd corners....¡±


    His black eyes stared calmly at Joo-Hyun.


    ¡°Thankfully, I was the only one left in the building, and I couldn¡¯t get out in time. It wasn¡¯t a situation where I could hope to survive until the fire was extinguished. So I entered the storage room I cherished most.¡±


    ¡°A storage room?¡±


    ¡°The art storage room. I did wonder whether I should¡¯ve just jumped out the window instead, but I was on the very top ¡ª the fifth floor. And our school had especially high ceilings. So I chose the place that seemed the best for dying.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°And then I became a portrait. Isn¡¯t that fascinating?¡±


    Joo-Hyun gave a strained laugh.


    ¡°...It is fascinating.¡±


    Black Cloak didn¡¯t seem to feel any negative emotion about ¡°Gio¡¯s¡± death.


    Of course, he hadn¡¯t directly said that Sergio died that way, but given the earlier stories of Giovanni and Argio, Joo-Hyun assumed the same applied to Sergio. That he, too, had died like that.


    ¡°May I ask... how old were you at the time?¡±


    ¡°I was twenty-nine.¡±


    ¡°Do all the ¡®Gios¡¯ have different ages?¡±


    ¡°Giovanni died at thirty-two. Argio at twenty-four.¡±


    ¡°...None of them lived long.¡±


    A pang of sadness hit Joo-Hyun.


    ¡°You were younger than I am.¡±


    Was this portrait a collection of young and early deaths?


    ¡®Maybe that¡¯s why I can talk to him like this ¡ª one-on-one, without difficulty.¡¯


    Sure, behind all these Gios must lie the vast mystery called ¡°Portrait of Gio,¡± but still, they had once been ordinary humans.


    Yet every death of a ¡®Gio¡¯ felt steeped in bitterness.


    ¡®Even if he became a demonic god... Argio died at twenty-four...¡¯


    And no matter how much he called himself evil, Argio never seemed like a truly evil person. He appeared capable of great kindness.


    ¡®People like that...¡¯


    Why did their lives always end in tragedy?


    ¡°......¡±


    Joo-Hyun gave him a gentle, smiling gaze.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how something like that could happen, but... it really is surprising.¡±


    ¡°I feel the same way.¡±


    ¡°Come to think of it, I heard the two mermaids still residing in the ¡®Kingdom of the Deep¡¯ haven¡¯t been subjugated yet.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re dangerous enough that subjugation isn¡¯t a simple matter.¡±


    ¡°So... you¡¯re not against the idea of subjugating them?¡±


    That was unusual.


    ¡°And about that... does it not trouble you?¡±


    ¡°What part are you referring to?¡±


    ¡°...They were once your beloved students, weren¡¯t they?¡±


    If Joo-Hyun were in his place, she¡¯d be overwhelmed with emotion.


    ¡°If it were me, I think I¡¯d be sad for a long time. I¡¯d blame myself, thinking it happened because of me. I¡¯d want to forgive them because they were once dear to me... but as a human, I don¡¯t think I¡¯d be able to. Am I being too presumptuous?¡±


    The man ¡ª now platinum-blonde ¡ª smiled.


    ¡°My friend, you are in no way presumptuous to me.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯m glad.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m not someone who reflects as deeply as you do.¡±


    ¡°You think I reflect deeply...?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never blamed myself. Not even once.¡±


    Giovanni blinked his blue eyes as if to say, Why should I?


    ¡°I loved my students with all I had, and I lived with the virtues befitting my role. As a son of the Sun, I acted in a way that brought no shame. As a teacher, I walked the path meant for those who guide others. That path was not one of self-flagellation ¡ª it was how I showed respect to myself.¡±


    His voice was soft, measured.


    ¡°My students may have resented me. But I did everything I could to protect them, and gave them the affection they deserved.¡±


    ¡°So you don¡¯t regret it? Because you did your best?¡±


    ¡°I did what I truly wanted to do, and that was a righteous path ¡ª justifiable before both the Sun and myself. I won¡¯t entertain the absurd guilt that says my lack of cunning led my students to commit sins.¡±


    ¡°Your lack of cunning...?¡±


    ¡°If I had catered to the whims of the church or the village, perhaps I could¡¯ve lived longer. But that would¡¯ve been a betrayal of my students, of my father, and of myself.¡±


    His lips curved into a smooth smile.


    ¡°I simply didn¡¯t want that.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°There are many reasons, but most of all ¡ª I made a promise.¡±


    ¡°With whom?¡±


    ¡°With my students.¡±


    His ocean-colored eyes curved with gentle fondness.


    ¡°I promised them that who I am now would never change.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Joo-Hyun finally found her voice.


    ¡°...Do you still love those students?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°Then... have you forgiven them?¡±


    ¡°I have not.¡±


    ¡°Then... will you punish them?¡±


    ¡°That is not my place.¡±


    The priest chuckled softly. It was the laugh of a spotless youth.


    ¡°The only sin they committed against me was betraying my faith in them. And that, they¡¯ve already been punished for in time past. Any further punishment is not mine to give.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°You may think this: Giovanni is in the best position to punish those sinful mermaids. But that would be a ridiculous notion.¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s not your place?¡±


    ¡°Also because... they want me to punish them.¡±


    Giovanni let out a faint, dry laugh.


    ¡°My mermaid students spent an awfully long time releasing their fury. Though they clung to their memories and scattered sins they could never retrieve, in some corner of their hearts, they kept a place for me.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Even though they believed I never would, they hoped ¡ª hoped that I, the only meaning left to them, would one day return like a miracle... and end it. That¡¯s an incredibly irresponsible and indecisive wish. For me to punish them... would be a reward, not a sentence.¡±


    He shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°Would you say that¡¯s right?¡±


    ¡°...I... I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    It was a perspective that gave her a lot to think about.


    ¡°...But I do hope that no similar tragedy repeats itself because of those mermaids.¡±


    ¡°I feel the same. And that hope ¡ª that¡¯s the reward of my affection. The proof of my favoritism.¡±


    ¡°You truly do love them. And yet you haven¡¯t forgiven them.¡±


    ¡°Even if eternity were to pass, I wonder if I ever could.¡±


    A man imbued with the mercy of the Sun said¡ª


    ¡°No matter what my students do, the sin grows, and responsibility accumulates. The pain of those they hurt won¡¯t disappear. Even if they somehow restored the world of those they killed to its perfect state, that wouldn''t erase the sins already committed.¡±


    ¡°...Then...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a particularly deep thinker, so I can¡¯t say if such sin could ever be redeemed ¡ª with time, with pain, with devotion. Maybe it¡¯s impossible. Maybe it¡¯s not. But even if a few thousand years pass, who¡¯s to say it¡¯ll be enough?¡±


    Giovanni, now free of his youthful aura, spoke with the gravity of a priest.


    ¡°But don¡¯t worry. As long as I exist, they will continue to grapple with their sins. I am still fulfilling my duty as their teacher...¡±


    ¡°So the tragedy I fear won¡¯t repeat itself either.¡±


    ¡°One thing is clear ¡ª I haven¡¯t forgiven my mermaid students because I love them. And as long as I exist, they will never again become the disaster they once were.¡±


    ¡°...Hearing you say that brings me relief.¡±


    And she meant it.


    ¡°After all, humanoid monsters are, well... they can be concerning...¡±


    ¡°You seem uneasy.¡±


    Giovanni asked, with a curious tilt of his head.


    ¡°Shall I introduce you?¡±


    ¡°...Excuse me?¡±


    Introduce what?


    ***


    ¡°Ta-da.¡±


    Gio made a sound effect as he gestured toward two mermaids. Joo-Hyun blinked in disbelief.


    ¡°That was not a moment for ¡®ta-da.¡¯¡±


    ¡°These are my students.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I figured that out.¡±


    Aria smiled faintly as if she already knew the nature of Giovanni¡¯s relationship with Joo-Hyun. She looked over at her teacher. Her smile was flawless.


    ¡°So now you raise humans too, huh?¡±


    ¡°Raise? She is my friend.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re quite sociable... in strange ways, teacher.¡±


    ¡°Such flattery is making this teacher blush.¡±


    ¡°Blush? Looks more like a snowstorm¡¯s about to hit.¡±


    To that, Gio offered the gentle smile of a priest.


    ¡°Would this do?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s still my favorite face of yours.¡±


    Aria nodded and glanced between her sister, Iser ¡ª who was awkwardly eyeing Joo-Hyun ¡ª and the new human friend herself, who was still trying to process it all.


    ¡°You little ones...¡±


    Aria chuckled softly and bowed with formal grace.


    ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you, gentleman beloved by the Sun. I am Aria, disciple of the priest Giovanni of the Batlan family. May the Earth¡¯s blessings be upon you.¡±


    ¡°...Likewise, I am Iser, second disciple of Giovanni of the Batlan family. May the warmth of the Sun reach you.¡±


    Though he glanced at his sister, Iser returned the greeting a beat late. As a researcher for the association, Joo-Hyun already knew they were humanoid monsters ¡ª but under these circumstances, she had to show corresponding sincerity. She reflexively put on her polished, social smile.


    ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Joo-Hyun, newly appointed as Mister Sergio¡¯s manager while he operates as a hunter outside the portrait. Though lacking, I have the honor of being his friend.¡±


    And then, all eyes ¡ª mermaid and human alike ¡ª turned to Giovanni.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    In the thick silence, Gio finally spoke.


    ¡°Shall we eat?¡±


    And so, an unexpected mealtime was declared.

 Chapter 152

    Joo-Hyun offered to help with the meal preparations, but her offer was rejected.


    ¡°It would be best if you stayed here.¡±


    ¡°But I feel bad, just eating without doing anything...¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯d like to keep the human race going, I suggest you sit still.¡±


    ¡°...Ah.¡±


    ¡°Exactly that.¡±


    Iser nodded once and headed into the kitchen. Aria, who gently escorted the bewildered Joo-Hyun to the sofa, offered a light explanation.


    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t prepared and handled directly by the teacher, it¡¯s likely too dangerous for a human to consume.¡±


    ¡°What happens if I eat something that Gio didn¡¯t prepare...?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d become one with this portrait. I doubt that¡¯s what you want, gentleman.¡±


    ¡°Even just handling the ingredients¡ªis that a problem too?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, your body is far too fragile for that kind of strain.¡±


    Aria gave her a delicate smile.


    ¡°You seem eager to help somehow. How about setting the table, then?¡±


    ¡°...Yes, I suppose placing the utensils shouldn¡¯t be an issue, right?¡±


    ¡°That level of contact won¡¯t cause any mutation, so don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for that... nourishing advice.¡±


    ¡°Think nothing of it.¡±


    After a slight nod, Aria also disappeared into the kitchen.


    Joo-Hyun let out a quiet sigh of relief. Whether it was pure coincidence or Gio¡¯s deliberate care, she realized she had never eaten unprocessed ingredients while staying here.


    ¡®Now that I think of it, even the drinks were always in the form of tea or juice.¡¯


    That could¡¯ve turned out to be a dangerous situation.


    ¡®I let my guard down because most dungeon-grown ingredients are safe for humans...¡¯


    Maybe it was because this dungeon belonged to a humanoid monster like ¡°Black Cloak.¡± Joo-Hyun had judged it by the standards of ordinary dungeons.


    Not knowing about Gio¡¯s Origin or the nature of the garden made her vulnerable to such oversight.


    It made sense though ¡ª dungeon-grown ingredients had become a valuable food source in modern times.


    Cheaper than Earth-grown produce, they were widely embraced by the middle class. Joo-Hyun was no exception.


    ¡°Hey, gentleman.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes?¡±


    ¡°Would you care to enjoy some tea with me while we wait for the meal?¡±


    Aria emerged from the kitchen, lifting a teaware set on a tray.


    ¡°Gio¡¯s made a new blend recently.¡±


    ¡°A new tea...?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s made from small flowers clustered like stars.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve tried it before.¡±


    Gio had once brought the flowers, saying he had grown them in ¡°a waterbird¡¯s nest.¡±


    Joo-Hyun¡¯s face brightened as she accepted the tray from Aria.


    ¡°It had a rich, nutty aroma.¡±


    ¡°The kitchen was far too busy, so I just brought it out.¡±


    ¡°I-Is that allowed...?¡±


    ¡°No one¡¯s going to get mad about stolen food.¡±


    ¡°So you did steal it...¡±


    There was something disconcerting about hearing a humanoid monster casually say she ¡°stole¡± something.


    Aria was a mermaid ¡ª a species sometimes considered a subspecies of humans.


    That she even understood the concept of theft surprised Joo-Hyun anew.


    ¡®Not that I should make a big deal out of it...¡¯


    Joo-Hyun placed the teaware on the table and began to steep the tea.


    ¡°Gio told me it¡¯s a dried tea made from Basram flowers.¡±


    ¡°Basram flowers were cultivated in the world I was born in.¡±


    ¡°So it was a famous tea flower there?¡±


    ¡°Each blossom was worth its weight in gold.¡±


    ¡°...Gold was expensive there too, I assume?¡±


    Joo-Hyun asked with an awkward laugh.


    ¡°Why was it so valuable?¡±


    ¡°It was incredibly difficult to cultivate.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°These flowers choose who grows them.¡±


    ¡°They... choose their grower?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Aria smiled faintly.


    ¡°Only a few of the priests of the Sun were able to raise them properly.¡±


    ¡°A flower that only priests could cultivate... that does sound special.¡±


    "Basram flowers were grown underwater, in the places where solar energy was strongest.¡±


    ¡°Underwater cultivation? Come to think of it, Gio said he grew them in a waterbird¡¯s nest. That¡¯s unusual.¡±


    ¡°There was a time when Basram flowers were grown in the deepest part of the Sun Temple...¡±


    Aria trailed off before continuing.


    ¡°...That¡¯s where they used to bloom.¡±


    ¡°In the deepest part of the Sun Temple?¡±


    Joo-Hyun tried to picture it.


    ¡°What was the status of the Sun Church back then?¡±


    ¡°It was the dominant religion aboveground.¡±


    ¡°Then this Basram flower must¡¯ve been truly rare.¡±


    ¡°It was treated as the supreme elixir blessed by the Sun.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Joo-Hyun, mid-pour, paused.


    ¡°...An elixir?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The most highly revered elixir of the land.¡±


    ¡°So I¡¯m currently brewing... an elixir as tea?¡±


    ¡°Why ask such obvious things?¡±


    Aria gave a flawless smile.


    ¡°Everything you¡¯ve eaten here probably fits that category.¡±


    ¡°...Oh...¡±


    Drip.


    Joo-Hyun finished pouring her tea.


    ¡°Now I feel awkward drinking it.¡±


    ¡°I doubt the teacher had any deep intentions. Just drink it.¡±


    ¡°To a mere human like me, that¡¯s a terrifying thought.¡±


    ¡°Drinking it won¡¯t shatter your identity as a human.¡±


    ¡°So... there might be small changes?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll be very warm.¡±


    ¡°...Like ginseng?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps something close to that.¡±


    Aria took a sip from her own cup.


    ¡°Though the effects will probably be much better.¡±


    ¡°...The aroma really is rich and pleasant.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it smell like well-roasted grains?¡±


    The mermaid¡¯s lips curved gently.


    ¡°Giovanni was the warmest of all the priests of the Sun.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°The Basram flowers he raised were the sweetest and most fragrant in the world.¡±


    ¡°...Could it be that this is...?¡±


    ¡°They can no longer grow in my dungeon, unfortunately.¡±


    Aria traced the rim of her teacup and continued.


    ¡°Before they¡¯re harvested, even a slight chill will cause the Basram flowers to wilt. They can only grow if they¡¯re constantly watched over by someone close to the Sun.¡±


    ¡°What a delicate flower.¡±


    ¡°My human teacher was the best priest at nurturing Basram flowers. The Sun Temple tried every way to bring him back and trap him there. He was essential to their elixir business.¡±


    ¡°...That¡¯s more... worldly than I expected.¡±


    ¡°But Giovanni spent his time outside, healing and comforting people. The Temple must¡¯ve been frantic. Many hated him for not obeying the Church¡¯s orders.¡±


    ¡°Hm...¡±


    Joo-Hyun sipped her tea and asked,


    ¡°Were there any priests who cultivated flowers privately?¡±


    ¡°Of course there were. Most of them just couldn¡¯t do it well.¡±


    ¡°Was it that hard to grow?¡±


    ¡°Sunlight alone wasn¡¯t enough.¡±


    ¡°Then what else was needed?¡±


    ¡°You had to love them.¡±


    Aria gazed at the small floating blossoms in the transparent teapot, her tone almost doting.


    ¡°You had to truly love and care for them.¡±


    ¡°...That¡¯s incredible.¡±


    Joo-Hyun nodded slowly.


    ¡°And it took a lot of effort.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what made them so hard to grow.¡±


    Aria chuckled softly.


    ¡°Still, there were priests who tried to grow Basram flowers on their own. They lacked the full warmth of the Sun, and they couldn¡¯t truly love a flower submerged in water... but even so, they managed to grow a little, little by little.¡±


    ¡°How was that possible?¡±


    ¡°Simple. They brought objects imbued with the Sun¡¯s energy into the cultivation chamber. The more of those objects you gathered, the more the chamber would resemble the Sun Temple. Let¡¯s see... like a sacred relic of the Sun. A saint¡¯s remains, for example...¡±


    ¡°But even so, would that really fulfill the ¡®love¡¯ requirement?¡±


    At Joo-Hyun¡¯s question, Aria set her teacup down.


    ¡°It didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Then how...?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why another method was necessary.¡±


    ¡°What method?¡±


    ¡°You place the priest¡¯s corpse with the flowers.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°The temple¡¯s pond became a tomb for saints.¡±


    Joo-Hyun blinked, then asked again.


    ¡°Wait¡ªare you saying they used corpses like that?¡±


    ¡°They say it produced something close to love.¡±


    ¡°...Why would they...?¡±


    ¡°They must¡¯ve decided that sacrificing one¡¯s entire being as nourishment counted as devotion.¡±


    Aria smiled.


    ¡°So Basram flowers were also called ¡®corpse-eating flowers.¡¯¡±


    Rather than having a high-ranking priest with strong Sun energy raise them directly, it was far more cost-effective to use the corpses of priests with just enough of that energy.


    ¡°There was even a time when Sun priests¡¯ bodies were secretly sold.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Of course, the flowers grown that way were inferior to those raised with genuine love.¡±


    ¡°Uh...¡±


    ¡°Still, even those produced through such means were highly effective.¡±


    Aria continued, her tone as casual as ever.


    ¡°That¡¯s how great the demand for the elixir was. A flower considered a divine relic, grown using priests¡¯ remains, with value beyond mere symbolism ¡ª its actual effects were tremendous.¡±


    ¡°...Could you tell me exactly what effects it has?¡±


    ¡°They said it could bring the dead back to life ¡ª and there were cases close enough to be believed. It warms the body to its ideal temperature. The standard method was drying the flower under intense solar heat and powdering it to mix with water.¡±


    ¡°At that point, wouldn¡¯t that just cause burns...?¡±


    ¡°If it did, it wouldn¡¯t have been treated so preciously. It had no side effects. It simply kept the body at an ideal warmth, making people far less prone to illness.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Joo-Hyun stared at the teacup in her hand. Then she looked at Aria again.


    ¡°...Am I really allowed to drink this?¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t die.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s kind of the problem.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to die?¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t tempt me. I mean, I¡¯d like to die as a human, at least.¡±


    ¡°There was a rumor that it extends one¡¯s lifespan.¡±


    ¡°This flower?¡±


    ¡°Well, not as tea, but...¡±


    ¡°Oh...¡±


    Joo-Hyun rolled her eyes, visibly thinking.


    ¡°Would drinking it as tea make the effect weaker?¡±


    ¡°Are you hoping the flowers dried by the Sun God are less effective?¡±


    ¡°...Wait, what?¡±


    Joo-Hyun asked, startled.


    ¡°The Sun God?¡±


    ¡°Oh dear, didn¡¯t you know?¡±


    ¡°Giovanni is...?¡±


    ¡°Do you see that gentlemanly teddy bear waving from the kitchen?¡±


    ¡°...Ah.¡±


    From within the kitchen, a teddy bear waved a paw ¡ª apparently helping with the cooking.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s his father.¡±


    ¡°...You mean¡ª¡±


    ¡°The previous Sun God.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°Gio inherited his divinity.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    As Joo-Hyun paled, Aria smiled faintly.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it lovely? To have the Sun God as your friend. What greater honor could there be?¡±


    ¡°It is certainly an honor, but no ¡ª I mean ¡ª still, this is...¡±


    Joo-Hyun wore a troubled expression.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit much, honestly.¡±


    ¡°Your friend? Or the tea?¡±


    ¡°How am I supposed to repay this...?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re thinking of repaying a divine gift?¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s one way to [N O V E L I G H T] look at it...¡±


    Flustered by her own thoughts, Joo-Hyun¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment.


    ¡°I can¡¯t just keep taking...¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Aria¡¯s smile faded, and she let out something close to a sigh.


    ¡°...You remind me a little of my foolish brother.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, just a little.¡±


    Aria smiled softly again.


    ¡°If only my brother had received divine grace during better times, like you have...¡±


    There was something deeply layered in that statement ¡ª something Joo-Hyun couldn¡¯t even begin to grasp.


    ¡°Then he wouldn¡¯t have become a monster, but a priest of peace.¡±


    ¡°...Do you regret it?¡±


    ¡°As you probably know already, someone who regrets... can¡¯t be a monster.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    A dream, an attachment, a daily life ¡ª anyone who still had such things couldn¡¯t become a monster. Joo-Hyun knew that better than most.


    ¡°......¡±


    And so she could already sense how this story between the mermaids would end.


    ***


    Dinner was lamb skewers.


    ¡°...Lamb skewers?¡±


    ¡°Do you dislike them?¡±


    ¡°No, not at all.¡±


    Looking at the meat skewers perfectly marinated, Joo-Hyun smiled awkwardly.


    ¡°This is golden lamb meat, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°You remember well.¡±


    Gio beamed.


    ¡°Seems you enjoyed the lamb chops last time.¡±


    ¡°W-Well, I did. I really did, but...¡±


    ¡°Is there a problem? I can adjust things if needed.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Eventually, Joo-Hyun gave in.


    ¡°No, it looks delicious.¡±


    ¡°Of course it does. I made it.¡±


    ¡°Haha...¡±


    I really need to move out.


    ¡®Live independently. Eat like a normal person again.¡¯


    As long as Dana was still wary of him, this was her last chance.


    Joo-Hyun made up her mind ¡ª she would get a home on Earth again.


    An unexpectedly surreal method of trauma recovery.

 Chapter 153

    The lamb skewers were truly delicious.


    ¡°There¡¯s no gamey smell at all.¡±


    It was like a miracle.


    ¡°The lamb chops we had last time were really good too...¡±


    ¡°That was steak.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but the skewers have a livelier texture. I like that.¡±


    Joo-Hyun had never been especially interested in gourmet food. Even as a second-class citizen of the city, her life was a constant scramble to make ends meet each day. What room was there for luxury when she didn¡¯t even have money to donate?


    But even someone like Joo-Hyun found herself craving this meal, seduced by the ecstatic taste and texture. She had eaten monster-based lamb skewers a few times before, but never something this refined, this complete.


    ¡°The balance between the fatty and lean parts is especially nice...¡±


    ¡°I mixed them deliberately. The fatty part had too much grease, and the lean part was too clean on its own.¡±


    ¡°Thanks to that, I feel like I can keep eating without getting tired of it. It¡¯s amazing.¡±


    ¡°If you praise me like that, I have no choice but to keep feeding you.¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯ll try to pace myself and enjoy it properly.¡±


    Unexpectedly, even the mermaids seemed to be quite enjoying the meal.


    ¡°Teacher, did you change the charcoal this time?¡±


    ¡°I found a new kind of wood and decided to try it.¡±


    ¡°It has a spicy aroma. A bit more stimulating than last time.¡±


    ¡°Oh dear, was it /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ too strong?¡±


    ¡°No, it was a compliment.¡±


    Their peaceful chatter made them seem nothing less than a family.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Joo-Hyun felt a strange emotion rise inside her.


    ¡®...This is far more normal and gentle than I imagined.¡¯


    She suddenly thought of the orphanage she could call her hometown. Among the association-run orphanages, it was one that tended to be avoided, and so life there had its difficulties¡ªbut precisely for that reason, it was a place where hearts often came together.


    Even after becoming independent, Joo-Hyun would sometimes return to help with meals. The menu wasn¡¯t anything extravagant, but the children who helped prepare it¡ªwashing ingredients, setting the table¡ªand the director...


    ¡®It¡¯s vague, but it¡¯s a good kind of atmosphere.¡¯


    A gentle breeze carried a touch of warmth. It held the scent of flowers in the sunlight, and the forest surrounding the hut swayed with cool whispers. Birds peeked in. Clouds drifted by.


    Rather than feeling like a perfectly painted scene, it was a situation one might wish for when imagining the abstract idea of ¡°ordinary happiness.¡± She thought the landscape before her resembled a fairytale.


    ¡°...Hmm...¡±


    But in reality, she was dining with humanoid monsters and a dark god.


    ¡®There¡¯s a strange quality here, where good and evil aren¡¯t clearly divided.¡¯


    She found herself thinking all sorts of things since arriving here.


    ¡°By the way.¡±


    ¡°...Ah, yes?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s your friend, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    At Aria¡¯s question, her younger brother Iser¡¯s gaze also turned toward Joo-Hyun. He didn¡¯t seem to have anything particular to say, but when their eyes met, he curved them gently. It was a form of goodwill.


    Soon, Aria continued.


    ¡°How did that happen?¡±


    ¡°I thought you already knew the basics?¡±


    ¡°I hear bits and pieces about what goes on here.¡±


    ¡°Then why...¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I know everything about the teacher.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°But I see. I can guess some of it.¡±


    Aria looked over at Gio.


    ¡°The teacher likes kind and polite people.¡±


    Gio didn¡¯t deny it. He smiled gently.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to be close to people like that?¡±


    ¡°Hard to say whether he¡¯s just very sociable or what.¡±


    Aria looked at Joo-Hyun again.


    ¡°So, you''re one of those clever fools, then.¡±


    ¡°...You... know that phrase?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve studied a bit about Korean culture.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure why you specifically learned the word ¡®fool,¡¯ though...¡±


    Joo-Hyun¡¯s face stiffened with embarrassment. She always felt awkward when people pointed out how idealistic her way of thinking was.


    ¡°Am I a fool?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    Gio disagreed.


    ¡°That word usually refers to people who don¡¯t even protect what¡¯s theirs and get taken advantage of in directions they never wanted. I don¡¯t think that applies to you, Ms. Joo-Hyun.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too kind.¡±


    ¡°To be honest, I do tend to prefer people like you¡ªthose with deep roots, strong enough to share themselves with others without losing anything.¡±


    ¡°Uh... um...¡±


    Joo-Hyun¡¯s smile turned vague.


    ¡°...Thank you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m only saying what I feel.¡±


    After speaking, Gio turned to Iser with a soft smile.


    ¡°The same goes for Chae Sol, who was Iser¡¯s partner before.¡±


    At that, Iser nodded calmly.


    ¡°He was a kind child.¡±


    ¡°He resembled you.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Iser then gave his signature gentle smile.


    ¡°That¡¯s too generous.¡±


    Seeing Joo-Hyun blink at their conversation, Gio offered a bit of explanation.


    ¡°Chae Sol is currently a student at the Seoul branch of the Temple of the Sun.¡±


    ¡°Ah... is he the one who was kidnapped to the ¡®Country of the Deep Sea¡¯?¡±


    ¡°You know that too, I see.¡±


    ¡°I try to check all the information the association makes available.¡±


    Joo-Hyun nodded.


    ¡°It¡¯s not common for a kidnapped child to come back safe and sound.¡±


    At her words, Aria smiled clearly.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t my intention to harm him. I know the value of a hostage.¡±


    ¡°I heard the treatment he received was very different from what one would expect from a normal abduction.¡±


    ¡°No matter how much I might dislike humans, I don¡¯t harm human children directly.¡±


    ¡°Is that because Giovanni likes children?¡±


    ¡°Because being young often means being innocent, too.¡±


    Aria gave a clean, tidy smile.


    ¡°Even though they still got caught up in our mess?¡±


    ¡°...That¡¯s true...¡±


    Joo-Hyun responded awkwardly.


    ¡°So that¡¯s why you didn¡¯t... um, physically harm Chae Sol? I mean, it¡¯s still a problem that you kidnapped him, but...¡±


    Iser answered this part.


    ¡°I wanted him to be a little frightened.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that didn¡¯t happen?¡±


    ¡°He had far too much faith that we wouldn¡¯t harm him.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a smart kid.¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t even fear the merfolk.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s... impressive, I suppose...¡±


    ¡°Not sure.¡±


    Iser gave a smile that vaguely resembled Giovanni¡¯s.


    ¡°I think you¡¯re similar to him, Ms. Joo-Hyun.¡±


    ¡°...Me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re eating with monsters like it¡¯s nothing.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Well, she wasn¡¯t unaware, but still.


    ¡°Ah, um... yeah...¡±


    Joo-Hyun became flustered.


    ¡°Maybe I just haven¡¯t fully processed the reality yet.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t look that way to me.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be weird to suddenly start being scared after coming all the way here?¡±


    ¡°That kind of strange shamelessness is what I meant.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to say it, please just call it confidence.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s what you prefer.¡±


    Iser nodded calmly and looked toward Gio.


    ¡°Are you planning to keep her here?¡±


    ¡°I never said I was taking you in.¡±


    At that, Joo-Hyun tilted her head in doubt.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who picked me up, Mr. Argio?¡±


    ¡°I only extended an invitation. I don¡¯t believe I ever picked you up, so to speak.¡±


    ¡°Ah... I see.¡±


    Apparently, showing up out of nowhere, bringing her into his house, feeding her, letting her sleep there, and conversing with her didn¡¯t count as ¡°taking her in.¡±


    As she often did, Joo-Hyun found herself wondering just how Gio¡¯s inner encyclopedia was organized.


    ¡®Guess it wasn¡¯t the whole ¡°stray dog getting rescued¡± kind of vibe I thought it was.¡¯


    Regardless of what she thought, Gio continued speaking.


    ¡°I would be happy if you stayed here.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no thank you.¡±


    Joo-Hyun gave her signature polite smile and declined quickly.


    ¡°I can¡¯t possibly be a burden like that. You¡¯ve already fed me and given me a place to rest ¡ª that¡¯s more kindness than I deserve. I was actually planning to find my own place soon.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll need to find a new home?¡±


    ¡°I used to live in the dorm near the research center. But I don¡¯t think that life suits me, so I¡¯m going to submit my resignation. Which means, yes, I¡¯ll have to find a new place.¡±


    Gio stared quietly at her for a moment. There was something oddly childish about the pressure in his gaze.


    ¡°You are my secretary, after all...¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°And yet you¡¯ll go live far away.¡±


    ¡°...That¡¯s what most people do...¡±


    Even among hunters and managers, living together was extremely rare.


    ¡°I¡¯ll also need time to receive proper training for the manager role.¡±


    ¡°The door to my house is always open.¡±


    ¡°It feels a little too open. Maybe close it a bit...¡±


    ¡°Pardon me?¡±


    ¡°I said... the weather¡¯s really nice today.¡±


    The series of works known as ¡°Black Cloak¡± had all become gateways to dungeons. The fact that their owner was this open to outside elements made it easy to imagine a lot of people dying.


    But no matter how principled and pine-tree-like Joo-Hyun was, she couldn¡¯t exactly ask a dungeon master to close his gate. And besides, the stares from the mermaids were far too sharp. She wasn¡¯t ready to die like that.


    ¡°So, I was thinking I¡¯d move out and...¡±


    And with that, she gently steered the conversation back to her future plans.


    ¡°Once I¡¯ve settled into a place, I¡¯m planning to build a grave.¡±


    ¡°A grave¡ªfor your family involved in the recent incident, I presume?¡±


    ¡°Yes, things were so chaotic, I didn¡¯t even think about holding a funeral.¡±


    She¡¯d been planning to die herself, so funerals hadn¡¯t exactly been a priority.


    But now, Joo-Hyun was looking forward. She was sketching out a future and thinking about how to move forward. And the first step in doing that was to apologize¡ªto the family and friends who got swept up in her disaster.


    ¡°That¡¯s how I want to begin.¡±


    At this, Gio asked,


    ¡°Do you need my help?¡±


    ¡°This is my responsibility to bear.¡±


    ¡°But... I think you will need my help.¡±


    ¡°Please, I¡¯d appreciate it if you held back your overflowing generosity.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m really good at this kind of thing.¡±


    ¡°And even if you weren¡¯t, it¡¯d still be overwhelming.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s like that, huh.¡±


    Watching the two of them, Iser lifted a finger and then gently curled it into a fist.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Iser.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sister.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t let your mind wander. Bring the tea.¡±


    ¡°Right away.¡±


    Joo-Hyun blinked wide-eyed, watching how naturally Iser obeyed his sister¡¯s command.


    ¡°...Mind wandering? Did I offend her somehow? Did I almost die?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not entirely fearless, I see.¡±


    Aria cupped her cheek as she spoke.


    ¡°It¡¯s just ordinary jealousy. Nothing you need to fear.¡±


    She then turned to look at Gio again.


    ¡°Your friend is building a grave. Will you help him?¡±


    ¡°If there¡¯s a part I can assist with, of course.¡±


    Before Joo-Hyun could say anything to reject the offer, Gio looked at him.


    ¡°How are funerals usually held on Earth these days?¡±


    ¡°Typically through cremation. If there¡¯s no body... we burn the personal belongings and keep the ashes.¡±


    ¡°Then your family and friends don¡¯t have remains?¡±


    ¡°Given the circumstances, I¡¯m quite late.¡±


    ¡°In that case, I...¡±


    Just as Gio was about to make a suggestion, Iser returned with the tea.


    ¡°I brought it because we had some Basram flowers.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, hasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, quite a long while.¡±


    ¡°This time, I made them bloom myself.¡±


    ¡°Basram is an aquatic plant. Where did you grow it?¡±


    ¡°In the nests of the waterbirds, over there.¡±


    A beat passed before Iser, handing out the tea, answered.


    ¡°...Ah, I see they can be used that way too.¡±


    ¡°I was helped by children who like flowers.¡±


    ¡°Basram flowers have a lovely scent. They must have been pleased.¡±


    ¡°The lake I passed by looked golden somehow.¡±


    At that, Joo-Hyun asked,


    ¡°Is there a reason it was gold?¡±


    ¡°When the teacher¡¯s waterbirds are happy, they make their nests shine gold.¡±


    ¡°Ah...¡±


    Her gaze moved to Honey, the waterbird perched on Gio¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Then what about that one?¡±


    ¡°Honey changed color after drinking Lulupu juice.¡±


    ¡°Koongkoor.¡±


    Gio elaborated.


    ¡°It¡¯s a flower that grows in the forest¡¯s spring.¡±


    ¡°Just hearing about it sounds... ominous.¡±


    ¡°The fragrance really is intensely pleasant.¡±


    ¡°...I see!¡±


    That wasn¡¯t quite the ¡°ominous¡± she meant, but alright.


    ¡°I¡¯m curious what that scent is like.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯d like a perfume, I can make one for you.¡±


    ¡°Please, ease off the generosity.¡±


    Joo-Hyun continued,


    ¡°In any case, I¡¯ll prepare and find a house soon.¡±


    ¡°I think submitting your resignation through Yoo Seong-Woon would be a good idea.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind. Thank you for all the advice.¡±


    With the guild leader of the Collector¡¯s Guild personally backing her, the resignation would be handled neatly.


    ¡®Still... if I¡¯m going to manage Hunter Sergio, maybe the place should be nearby?¡¯


    That question lingered in Joo-Hyun¡¯s mind ¡ª something to ask Yoo Seong-Woon directly.


    ***


    A few days later.


    ¡°...My lodging has already been arranged?¡±


    ¡°...Sorry. I really tried to stop him...¡±


    ¡°No, no. There¡¯s nothing to apologize for.¡±


    Joo-Hyun waved her hands at the sight of Yoo Seong-Woon¡¯s worn-out smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m grateful you looked into it for me. Honestly, I¡¯d been wondering what kind of place would be good if I were to manage Hunter Sergio.¡±


    ¡°I really appreciate you seeing it that way.¡±


    ¡°And they said the guild would cover the housing cost, right? If you think about it like that, it¡¯s actually way more than I deserve. I was just caught off guard by the sudden decision.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°...Um...¡±


    Sensing something odd in Seong-Woon¡¯s silence, Joo-Hyun asked cautiously,


    ¡°So, where exactly is this place?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s... next door to me.¡±


    ¡°...Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°...Why?¡±


    Seriously ¡ª why?


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon looked away.


    It was the price of having the infamous Collector as your guild leader.

 Chapter 154

    Bisa Beul wanted the three of them to become housemates.


    ¡°All three of us?¡±


    ¡°Yes, all three.¡±


    ¡°You mean me, Hunter Yoo Seong-Woon, and... no, don¡¯t tell me...¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly it.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon nodded.


    ¡°Gio is included.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    At that, Joo-Hyun¡¯s lips tightened as he paused mid-way through unpacking his boxes. Yoo Seong-Woon was fairly sure the words Joo-Hyun swallowed were something like, ¡°Are you insane?¡± or ¡°You¡¯ve completely lost it.¡±


    But being a powerless wage slave in capitalist society, there was no way he could protest to his superior. Rather than offering hope of an escape from this madness, Yoo Seong-Woon opted for a humble apology.


    ¡°My apologies that you¡¯ve been dragged into our guild leader¡¯s ambition.¡±


    ¡°Oh no, I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a grand intention I simply don¡¯t understand.¡±


    Joo-Hyun responded with his usual courteous smile, though it didn¡¯t quite reach his eyes.


    ¡°If I may ask, could you tell me what led to such a decision?¡±


    ¡°Simply put, it¡¯s because they want ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait¡¯ to adapt more quickly to human life.¡±


    ¡°They want Mr. Gio to adapt to human life?¡±


    Rustle.


    Joo-Hyun¡¯s smile shifted subtly as he opened a box of his belongings.


    ¡°...It¡¯s not my place to doubt it, but... is that even possible?¡±


    ¡°Well, Gio is quite determined, so it¡¯s not entirely impossible.¡±


    ¡°He certainly is excellent at mimicking humanity...¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s also constantly asserting that he is human.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s not just something he says to me.¡±


    Joo-Hyun let out a dry laugh.


    ¡°He said he was a human with the traits of a portrait.¡±


    ¡°One of his more frequent claims.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon understood the absurdity behind Joo-Hyun¡¯s tone.


    ¡°With the diversity of humanity being what it is, he asks, why wouldn¡¯t a portrait fit in?¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon had never even tried to argue against such reasoning. Even if he did, it wouldn¡¯t get through anyway.


    ¡°No matter how high the level, how vast the power, how changed the body and mind, Gio considers it all just... a characteristic.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the impression I got too.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear you understand. And that¡¯s exactly why Gio wants to blend in with humans even more. We at the Collector¡¯s Guild determined we can¡¯t stop him.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon smiled his usual even-tempered smile.


    ¡°Does that make us look negligent?¡±


    ¡°...Honestly, a little.¡±


    Joo-Hyun¡¯s eyes curved gently as he replied.


    ¡°Back at the association¡¯s lab, you were far more thorough.¡±


    ¡°That level of caution is certainly necessary when considering the peace of Earth and humanity.¡±


    ¡°But the Collector¡¯s Guild¡¯s motto is ¡®Love the Artwork,¡¯ isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and because of that, we don¡¯t have the kind of security systems you might expect.¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯re not just sitting on your hands. I¡¯m sure this is just how the Collector¡¯s Guild operates.¡±


    ¡°As you said, we focus more on response after incidents happen. That¡¯s fundamentally different from the association, which aims to eliminate all risks in advance.¡±


    At that, Joo-Hyun nodded in understanding.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to adapt.¡±


    Although he hadn¡¯t been officially hired by the guild, since Gio was part of the Collector¡¯s Guild, Joo-Hyun was half-involved by association. He would need to get used to their system as quickly as possible.


    ¡°So this whole... housemate idea came from that? Since they can¡¯t stop ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait¡¯ from living among humans anyway?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s one of the reasons. As I mentioned before, Gio doesn¡¯t yet know much about human society. To function as ¡®Mr. Sergio,¡¯ he needs to adjust more.¡±


    ¡°So they decided to have him live with other humans¡ªto smooth out his presence and help him learn basic human norms. Yes, that makes sense.¡±


    Joo-Hyun was calmly working through his thoughts, but then his smile turned awkward.


    ¡°Although... you said that¡¯s only one of the reasons?¡±


    ¡°The main purpose is to observe how ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait¡¯ lives among humans.¡±


    ¡°By the Guild Leader of the Collector¡¯s Guild.¡±


    ¡°Surprisingly, yes. That¡¯s reality. That¡¯s what being a collector means.¡±


    ¡°I always knew he was exceptional, but he¡¯s bolder than I expected.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for putting it kindly.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon nodded, touched by Joo-Hyun¡¯s determined attempt to keep things civil even under such bizarre circumstances.


    ¡°Fortunately, this isn¡¯t being implemented immediately. That¡¯s why you were assigned to the unit next door to mine. I imagine the Guild Leader also hopes you¡¯ll get closer to me, since I¡¯m the curator in charge of ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Thanks to that, I¡¯ve been given a place far nicer than I deserve.¡±


    ¡°As I mentioned, the lease is under your name, but all living costs will be covered by the Collector¡¯s Guild. So don¡¯t feel too burdened¡ªjust try to adapt for now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still figuring out how to manage ¡®Mr. Sergio¡¯...¡±


    ¡°Your manager training will be handled by our guild¡¯s secretarial department. You won¡¯t be part of the guild itself, so don¡¯t worry. Since this is your first time with such a task, they¡¯ll walk you through all the basics step by step.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon listed off everything ? N§àv§ÖIight ? (Original source) needed and then offered a small laugh.


    ¡°Well, now that we¡¯re neighbors, I hope we can get comfortable in time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to adjust to that, too...¡±


    ¡°I imagine we¡¯ll naturally get closer as we keep running into each other over Gio-related matters.¡±


    ¡°Then I couldn¡¯t ask for more.¡±


    ¡°Oh, and one more piece of advice.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon asked,


    ¡°You¡¯ve become Gio¡¯s pen pal, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Apparently so...¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯ll occasionally receive letters from him.¡±


    ¡°So the pen pal thing is real.¡±


    ¡°They appear out of nowhere¡ªtry not to be too startled.¡±


    He pointed to himself as he continued.


    ¡°I was Pen Pal #1, so I know this well. The letters appear quietly inside an empty house and send chills down your spine. And when you open them, you can¡¯t even read what they say.¡±


    ¡°Then what¡¯s the point of sending a letter?¡±


    ¡°I think of it as a kind of pager. We believe the frame surrounding ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait¡¯ filters the message, and that¡¯s why the letters come out distorted. It¡¯s likely a limitation of being delivered within the bounds of human comprehension.¡±


    ¡°If it were delivered raw, it¡¯d probably do a lot of damage to most people.¡±


    ¡°Even now, just touching the letter can make your heart drop. Gio is still working on the issue of legibility. I believe once his imitation of humanity improves, that problem will be resolved eventually.¡±


    With that, Yoo Seong-Woon looked at Joo-Hyun with some concern.


    ¡°I worry more in your case since you¡¯re unawakened.¡±


    ¡°...Are the letters really that dangerous? Enough that your awakened status determines your safety?¡±


    ¡°Well, since you used to work at the association¡¯s research lab, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll adapt quickly.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon offered his ever-patient smile once again.


    ¡°Things like that¡ªunreal tragedies¡ªthey do happen often enough.¡±


    ¡°So... are you saying Mr. Gio¡¯s letters are something I should be genuinely cautious about?¡±


    ¡°To put it simply, think of them as ghost stories.¡±


    ¡°Ah... ghost stories.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the core identity of ¡®Black Cloak,¡¯ after all.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard similar stories now and then.¡±


    Urban legend might be the right term. People seemed to treat Black Cloak as a living ghost story¡ªsomething you could run into if you were very lucky, or very unlucky.


    ¡°Is there anything else I should know?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll learn the rest as you interact with Gio.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon asked then,


    ¡°By the way, are you familiar with the Garden?¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re not talking about a yard with flowers and trees.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a kind of knowledge that only a select few in the Association know.¡±


    ¡°Am I allowed to know about that?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to, whether you want to or not.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s closely tied to ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait,¡¯ isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll explain that to you later, in due time.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon smiled.


    ¡°I¡¯ll send you the materials ahead of time. Read them at your own pace.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve always been confident in my theory work. I¡¯ll try to live up to your expectations.¡±


    ¡°I hate to say it, but at this point... we¡¯re all on the same boat. The Gio boat.¡±


    He offered the words like a blessing.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope we stay human.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Joo-Hyun curved his eyes and smiled.


    ¡°...Yes.¡±


    He thought it was one of the most chilling things he¡¯d ever heard.


    ***


    Under the Collector¡¯s Guild¡¯s care, Joo-Hyun completed his move successfully.


    ¡°This place is too big.¡±


    He muttered to himself.


    ¡°How is this a house?¡±


    He only wanted to use maybe one-tenth of it.


    Joo-Hyun knew exactly what kind of apartment this was¡ªone of Seoul¡¯s most prestigious, usually occupied by A-rank hunters or celebrities. Only the wealthiest first-class citizens lived here.


    ¡®Well, at least I won¡¯t need to worry about security...¡¯


    But as a measly second-class citizen, he couldn¡¯t help but feel wildly uncomfortable.


    He¡¯d never once hoped for a place like this. One comfortable room, one kitchen, one bathroom¡ªthat was all he wanted.


    ¡®Is this just another thing I¡¯ll have to get used to?¡¯


    It was frustrating.


    ¡°...Hmm...¡±


    Joo-Hyun glanced around.


    The Collector¡¯s Guild had clearly arranged everything with great care¡ªbeyond the essentials, even tasteful decorations like picture frames and ceramics adorned the place. And yet, it felt nothing like his home.


    ¡®I was more comfortable at Mr. Gio¡¯s hut.¡¯


    The thought made him shudder.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Am I losing my mind?


    ¡®I need to be careful not to let my thoughts wander too far.¡¯


    There¡¯s a kind of unspoken rule when dealing with gods: no matter how merciful or generous they seem, you must never take their blessings for granted¡ªor worse, expect more of them.


    ¡®Maybe I¡¯ve spent too much mental energy lately thinking about my family¡¯s graves.¡¯


    His thoughts turned practical.


    ¡°...First, I need to find the keepsakes...¡±


    He wanted to create graves for the family and friends lost because of him.


    ¡®There should still be some things left at the orphanage.¡¯


    Even though it was located in Seoul, his orphanage had always been tucked away in a remote corner. Because the building had no other purpose and was poorly lit, only the monster-risk corpses had been cleared out. The structure itself was still standing.


    ¡®I haven¡¯t had a chance to go back since everything happened, but I doubt the government cleaned it thoroughly. There should be enough to use as keepsakes. I¡¯ll start by gathering those.¡¯


    But the thought left a bitter taste.


    ¡°.......¡±


    The graves I¡¯m building won¡¯t even have bodies.


    ¡°...Haah...¡±


    If only I¡¯d gone back sooner, maybe I could¡¯ve collected the remains before they were disposed of.


    ¡®I was too late.¡¯


    He didn¡¯t want to waste emotions on useless guilt, but the sense of personal responsibility¡ªof failing those he loved¡ªwas hard to shake. A gravestone with no owner... it twisted painfully inside him.


    He sat on the bed with his head down for a long time.


    ¡°Meow.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Meow.¡±


    ¡°...?¡±


    A cat¡¯s cry.


    ¡°Meow.¡±


    That¡¯s what it sounded like, at least.


    ¡°Meow.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Do cats usually cry that... typically?


    ¡®...That¡¯s way too textbook...¡¯


    His stomach turned a bit.


    Joo-Hyun stood up, rubbing the cool skin on his neck.


    His unit was on the 46th floor. Even more vertically isolated than standard apartments, no stray cat could possibly make it up here. Not to mention, the building¡¯s security was too tight for even a monster to slip through.


    ¡°.......¡±


    And yet, Joo-Hyun moved without hesitation.


    ¡°Meow.¡±


    ¡°...Ah...¡±


    ¡°Meow.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    He looked out through the balcony window.


    ¡°It was you.¡±


    The gemstone-furred cat, holding a black letter in its mouth, had changed color since he last saw it at the hut¡ªnow its coat was the shade of the night sky.


    Was it camouflage? Or something else? The question barely passed through his mind before he noticed the letter clamped in the cat¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°You brought a letter?¡±


    ¡°Meow.¡±


    ¡°Fitting, since we were just talking about this today.¡±


    Gio¡¯s anti-cat, Dana, approached the window slowly, her starlit form glowing softly in the dark.


    ¡°...Want to come in?¡±


    When Joo-Hyun opened the window, Dana trotted in. Her body was nearly the size of a Maine Coon, and she settled in front of him, raising her head as if to say, Take it.


    When he took the letter, Dana blinked her eyes. She looked like a night sky filled with galaxies.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    In the dark shadows that seemed to absorb even light, the gemstone cat circled once around Joo-Hyun¡ªthen walked out onto the balcony again. In the next moment, she vanished into the night.


    Joo-Hyun stared at the open balcony, then unsealed the letter.


    ¡°...As expected, I can¡¯t make any sense of this.¡±


    But the near-weightless paper, the rustle of dried grass, and the faint scent of forest¡ªit was all unmistakably Gio.


    He stared blankly at the distorted script and let out a weak breath.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Come to think of it¡ª


    ¡°How did she meow with a letter in her mouth?¡±


    He hadn¡¯t realized it when Dana was right in front of him.


    And just like that, Joo-Hyun found himself thinking...


    That felt like a piece of a ghost story.

 Chapter 155

    ¡°How is it?¡±


    At Bisa Beul¡¯s question, Yoo Seong-Woon gave a small shrug.


    ¡°As you predicted.¡±


    ¡°You say that like you know exactly what I predicted.¡±


    ¡°I trust the Guild Leader¡¯s eye.¡±


    At that faith, Bisa Beul gave his signature sly smile.


    ¡°But you don¡¯t trust me as a person, I suppose?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve long known you have no shame.¡±


    ¡°How cold-hearted.¡±


    ¡°Please, I¡¯m exhausted.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯d better make this quick.¡±


    Bisa Beul tapped the desk lightly with his ringed fingers¡ªtok tok tok.


    ¡°I already knew he wouldn¡¯t be easy to tempt.¡±


    They were talking about Joo-Hyun.


    ¡°Even if the easy path is right in front of him, if he thinks it¡¯s an unfair advantage, he won¡¯t touch it.¡±


    ¡°He seems a little foolish that way. But I suppose he has some kind of personal conviction.¡±


    ¡°In a way, it¡¯s like he¡¯s a Confucian scholar from Joseon-era Korea.¡±


    ¡°...Can I take that as a compliment?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s up to you. I¡¯m simply saying he¡¯s rigid.¡±


    ¡°Well, that kind of uprightness must¡¯ve appealed to Gio.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon nodded.


    ¡°He never once tried to take advantage of Gio.¡±


    ¡°Not that Gio would allow himself to be dulled by such petty greed.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say greed is petty.¡±


    Human desire was never so simple.


    Shame is something crafted by consciousness. Greed is instinct. When something as incomprehensible and divine as Gio declares itself your friend, it¡¯s only natural to want something in return.


    Greed is born of instinct, not guilt.


    ¡°Gio, in many ways, stands at the top. Even his ¡®Sergio¡¯ persona holds more power and status than Joo-Hyun. Gio uses incredibly rare elixirs¡ªthings humans would kill for¡ªjust to make meals. It¡¯s... excessive.¡±


    So it wouldn¡¯t have been surprising if¡ª


    ¡°Joo-Hyun had expectations. That something precious to Gio is as trivial as a pebble in someone¡¯s yard, so taking it shouldn¡¯t be a burden to either side.¡±


    And it¡¯s not like Joo-Hyun was wealthy. Even if he wasn¡¯t born greedy, hardship and exhaustion eventually spark need¡ªand need becomes hunger.


    ¡°He worked at the Association for a long time, but maybe because of his orphanage background¡ªor some other reason¡ªhe remained stuck in a deputy role. Promotions came late.¡±


    ¡°What little he had, he gave away¡ªeither to support his orphanage or to charity.¡±


    ¡°And from what I¡¯ve seen, he has almost no monetary ambition. He sees money as a useful tool, sure, but not as an object of greed. A rare kind of integrity.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon crossed his arms.


    ¡°Gio and you both referred to him as a hero. Considering that, I can understand why he seems almost entirely free from financial desire.¡±


    The nature of heroes is something one is born with¡ªinstinctual.


    ¡°But even so...¡±


    Joo-Hyun did have something he wanted. Something he longed for.


    ¡°He may not crave wealth, but he¡¯s still human. He has desires. I¡¯ve heard he holds a remarkably firm goal¡ªhe wants to bring peace to the world.¡±


    ¡°And that, in itself, makes him a person full of ambition. It¡¯s just that his desire doesn¡¯t serve his own comfort¡ªJoo-Hyun¡¯s ambition flows in a selfless direction, at least from an objective perspective.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s exactly that: selfless desire. If you want to change the world outside yourself, you can still call it selfish¡ªjust aimed at others.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I don¡¯t like Joo-Hyun. We¡¯re still in that awkward early phase of friendship, so I¡¯m polite for now¡ªbut if we got closer, he¡¯d use Sergio for his idealism in no time.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think Gio would fall for that? More likely, Gio would choose to offer mercy and goodwill to a mere human. And that, too, would please Gio. Honestly, I¡¯m not worried.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon shrugged.


    ¡°Gio¡¯s not the kind of being humans need to worry for.¡±


    ¡°Ahh, my masterpiece...¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s more than a masterpiece, Guild Leader. He¡¯s an Origin. Let him go.¡±


    The obsessions of a collector...


    ¡°Joo-Hyun won¡¯t exploit Gio for his own benefit. It¡¯s impossible, and besides, there¡¯s very little Joo-Hyun could even ask of Gio.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon offered his typical quiet smile.


    ¡°Not nothing, of course.¡±


    ¡°He probably wishes Gio would show mercy to the souls of the dead.¡±


    ¡°More likely, he¡¯s simply aware of the possibility.¡±


    ¡°After all, gods do have power over life and death.¡±


    ¡°Having recently lost family and friends, it¡¯s something Joo-Hyun must have thought about.¡±


    Though Gio had been introduced as a dark god, he came across as deeply merciful. And when one thinks of gods, dominion over the dead is only natural.


    In the frame, receiving the benevolence of the Portrait, Joo-Hyun must¡¯ve wondered: If such mercy could touch my lost family and friends¡ªhow wonderful that would be.


    ¡°Especially when he believes their deaths were his fault. The debt he feels must be immense.¡±


    ¡°He wants to atone somehow, and repay what he owes. But he doesn¡¯t seem to have chosen Gio as the shortcut.¡±


    ¡°He seems to believe¡ªbecause the tragedy was his doing¡ªhe must bear the responsibility alone. Even if Gio is a god, even if he possesses terrifying power...¡±


    ¡°Even if they¡¯ve now become friends¡ªhe refuses to lean on Sergio.¡±


    Bisa Beul sneered.


    ¡°As if a mere human could repay the dead. What can the living do for those who¡¯ve passed? At best, all we can do is remember their deaths¡ªand our sins¡ªover and over again.¡±


    ¡°But isn¡¯t that intention itself meaningful?¡±


    ¡°Maybe he even believes that constant guilt and repentance can be enough to pay the debt. Maybe he needs to believe that. But to walk such a thorny path, willingly?¡±


    Bisa Beul twisted his lips, as if he were looking at something pathetic.


    ¡°It¡¯s all because Joo-Hyun has such a narrow view of the world.¡±


    ¡°For someone narrow, he carries quite the grand ambition.¡±


    ¡°He just lacks humanity.¡±


    ¡°I suppose you could say that...¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s just an idiot who doesn¡¯t know how to lean on others.¡±


    ¡°Now that¡¯s going a bit far.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon tried to soothe his guild leader.


    ¡°Still, he¡¯s Gio¡¯s new friend. Can¡¯t you be a bit kinder?¡±


    ¡°The older I get, the more stubborn I become.¡±


    Bisa Beul smirked.


    ¡°He¡¯s not unintelligent. He understands the usefulness of connections. If anything, he¡¯s quite cunning. He knows how to calculate. And yet, he behaves like a monk, castrating all worldly desires to chase his ideals.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that good for humanity?¡±


    ¡°As I always say, I don¡¯t care about humanity¡¯s interests. What matters is the effect he¡¯ll have on me and my collection. And if he¡¯s truly committed, he¡¯ll ruin my masterpiece without hesitation.¡±


    Bisa Beul grumbled.


    ¡°I¡¯ll admit, yes¡ªhumans like him make the world a little more peaceful... but they¡¯re also boring.¡±


    ¡°You say things like humanity¡¯s villain with such ease.¡±


    ¡°Joo-Hyun¡¯s not free of greed. When it comes to fulfilling his ideals, he¡¯s more greedy than anyone. He¡¯s ravenous. Doesn¡¯t care what people say. Doesn¡¯t care how he¡¯s seen. He just pushes forward.¡±


    Bisa Beul curled his lips again.


    ¡°When people like that cause problems, they cause big problems.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t deny that, but Gio already stopped the worst of it, didn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°In any case, he¡¯s not the kind of person who¡¯ll be a real threat to Sergio.¡±


    Bisa Beul let out a rare sigh¡ªlaced with irritation.


    ¡°He just annoys me.¡±


    ¡°You really do dislike him.¡±


    ¡°I prefer our guild members.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, well...¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon laughed awkwardly. He genuinely admired his superior, so it wasn¡¯t a completely forced smile.


    ¡°We like you too, Guild Leader.¡±


    ¡°You say that so rarely, it¡¯s even sweeter.¡±


    ¡°Oh, for god¡¯s sake.¡±


    Even that smile faded as Yoo Seong-Woon grimaced.


    ¡°This is why we can¡¯t give you compliments.¡±


    ¡°I love that arrogance. Be bolder. Mm, delicious.¡±


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m relieved things turned out as expected.¡±


    Bisa Beul smiled cleanly.


    ¡°Great powers often favor poor heroes.¡±


    ¡°Poor heroes...¡±


    ¡°They churn out mythic tales by the dozen.¡±


    His bright yellow eyes narrowed.


    ¡°I imagine Gio feels the same about Joo-Hyun.¡±


    ¡°By protocol, he¡¯ll be giving him a gift soon. Should I prepare in advance?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s a gift from Sergio, expect some noise. He¡¯s not the type who¡¯s unaware of how the world sees him.¡±


    ¡°Still, he¡¯s long overdue to truly explore the human world. I¡¯ll alert the press in advance.¡±


    ¡°And prepare to be very, very busy. I don¡¯t think Sergio would bring disaster, out of respect.¡±


    ¡°Though divine favor often feels like a disaster... What kind of affection do you think Gio will show?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s obvious.¡±


    Bisa Beul smiled like a grandfather watching his favorite grandchild.


    ¡°He¡¯ll make him human.¡±


    ¡°...Is that the end¡ªor the beginning?¡±


    ¡°Both, I think.¡±


    ¡°Gio always liked humanity.¡±


    His kindness had always been given equally.


    ¡°Well, except the ones he didn¡¯t like. But I suppose he categorized those as ¡®not human.¡¯¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon rubbed his neck.


    ¡°To Gio, death is just another state a human can be in, right?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re correct, Curator Yoo.¡±


    ¡°Then he¡¯ll treat living and dead humans the same¡ªwith grace.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re thinking it through well.¡±


    ¡°In the end, Gio will... treat even the dead¡ª¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon¡¯s hand, lowering from his neck, trembled faintly.


    ¡°¡ªlike gentlemen.¡±


    When Gio gives a gift to a human, it¡¯s a law unto itself.


    ¡°I understand what I need to do now.¡±


    ¡°I look forward to your handling of it, Curator Yoo.¡±


    ¡°May you enjoy the performance.¡±


    Excessive kindness from the divine often drives mortals to fear.


    And drawing that terror back into the ordinary¡ªthat is the role of the gardener.


    ***


    ¡°I want to give you a gift.¡±


    ¡°...Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°Is that a presumptuous thought?¡±


    ¡°Uh...¡±


    Joo-Hyun blinked at the portrait that had appeared unannounced at the orphanage.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Okay. Deep breaths.


    ¡®I can handle this.¡¯


    He forced a smile.


    ¡°...I see! And what kind of gift are we talking about, exactly?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It seems I let my feelings get ahead of me.¡±


    ¡°No, not at all. I mean, I was a little surprised, but not offended.¡±


    He had merely experienced a level of fear comparable to the threat of death.


    ¡®Does he really have no idea how terrifying he looks?¡¯


    It was near midnight. A scorched, abandoned building in a remote, damp area of the city. The air was thick with soot and traces of death, the aftermath of a fire. Joo-Hyun had been searching for belongings left behind in the orphanage.


    Relying on a single flashlight, he had been walking through the dim halls when the portrait appeared¡ªnestled among cheerful children¡¯s drawings, its face obscured by thick black paint. And then it spoke.


    ¡°I want to give you a gift.¡±


    Joo-Hyun felt proud of himself for not screaming. That alone was an accomplishment worthy of praise.


    ¡°Let me ask again... What exactly do you mean by a gift?¡±


    He didn¡¯t bother with the stupid question of how Gio had found him. A being as immense as Black Cloak wouldn¡¯t have trouble tracking down a mere human. Instead, he focused on interpreting the situation.


    ¡°As far as I know, Black Cloak only gives back what he¡¯s received.¡±


    ¡°If something is given, it¡¯s only natural to return it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve also heard he sometimes appears to random passersby and gives them gifts.¡±


    ¡°That is simply gratitude for having interacted with me.¡±


    At that, Joo-Hyun couldn¡¯t help but nod slightly.


    ¡®I guess it must count as something big enough to warrant thanks.¡¯


    Black Cloak was said to appear in remote places and offer gifts to those who performed good deeds. To meet a humanoid monster right after doing something kind must be a shocking experience.


    In that sense, the gifts made sense¡ªas a form of compensation. Another one-to-one law ¡ã? N o v e l i g h t ?¡ã by which ¡°Gio¡¯s Portrait¡± seemed to function.


    ¡°...?¡±


    Joo-Hyun tilted his head.


    ¡°But I didn¡¯t give you anything, Mr. Gio.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a thank-you for being my friend.¡±


    ¡°I see...¡±


    Maybe it was a kind of collector¡¯s impulse.


    Did he really just... want a ¡°human friend¡± that badly? As he pondered how little he understood the way beings like Gio thought, the portrait¡ªits eyes hidden behind paint¡ªspoke again.


    ¡°More than anything, I wanted to give a gift to someone kind like you.¡±


    ¡°Hmm... But I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever done anything kind in front of you, have I?¡±


    ¡°Even so, it seems many people have been helped by your actions.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s reason enough to give me a gift?¡±


    ¡°It is my selfish desire to return the joy you¡¯ve given me.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I came to ask your permission.¡±


    It took Joo-Hyun a moment to respond.


    ¡°...Joy?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°You felt joy.¡±


    He gave a faint, awkward smile.


    ¡°So what I¡¯ve done... brought you joy.¡±


    It was a very strange feeling.


    ¡°I think... I¡¯ve felt something like that from you before too. Funny, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    It might¡¯ve sounded ridiculous, but to Joo-Hyun, the words of Black Cloak were oddly comforting. There was a quiet warmth in knowing that such a vast being acknowledged his efforts.


    It almost sounded like a way of saying You weren¡¯t wrong. Thank you.


    ¡°Ha...¡±


    Suddenly, he wanted a reward.


    ¡®What a shameless thought. How dare I, who did what I did purely out of will, expect anything in return...¡¯


    A quiet sigh, masquerading as a chuckle, escaped his lips. He felt a weariness so deep it seemed to melt his bones. To hide the blank expression trying to surface, he pressed his palm firmly to his forehead.


    ¡°So, what kind of gift do you intend to give me? This is my third time asking, I think.¡±


    ¡°Oh dear. It seems I let myself ramble. My apologies.¡±


    The portrait continued in its usual flat, unreadable tone.


    ¡°I could offer you a fine medicine. A delicious meal. A gem of your choosing, drawn just for you. Or I could sit and chatter with you.¡±


    At that moment, a gemstone-furred cat leapt softly into the portrait¡¯s embrace.


    ¡°It seems Dana has taken quite an interest in you.¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯m honored.¡±


    ¡°Those gifts I mentioned are simply ones I can offer as a friend.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an honor, too.¡±


    ¡°So... would you be willing to tell me what it is you truly want?¡±


    The portrait said,


    ¡°So that my gift may be worth its weight.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    After a long silence, Joo-Hyun finally spoke.


    ¡°...I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t want anything. Or maybe he couldn¡¯t. Maybe he shouldn¡¯t.


    If he wanted to remain who he was¡ªjust a human, aware of his place¡ªthen that was the only answer.


    ¡°Just calling me your friend is already... more than enough.¡±


    ¡°I know that you were born without worldly greed.¡±


    ¡°What I want most right now is to atone for what happened to my family and friends...¡±


    ¡°But you believe that¡¯s something you must do alone.¡±


    ¡°I believe it has to be.¡±


    ¡°There is no such thing as ¡®right.¡¯¡±


    The portrait whispered in a voice that felt like it was sliding into his ear.


    ¡°There is only what one believes to be right.¡±


    It sounded very much like the kind of temptation a dark god would offer.


    ¡°...Do you want me to ask for your help?¡±


    ¡°I want you to see things from a new perspective.¡±


    ¡°I want to apologize to my family and friends.¡±


    That, he had to do.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t want to escape from this guilt.¡±


    ¡°Because I believe I must be bound to it in order to atone.¡±


    ¡°If I overcome even this... I¡¯ll end up forgetting what I did.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t forget. You¡¯re not that kind of person.¡±


    ¡°If I don¡¯t reflect on it, how am I any different from a beast?¡±


    ¡°Even beasts have their own nature.¡±


    The portrait¡¯s voice turned languid, sleepy.


    ¡°You¡¯re not a beast.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°What is it you truly wish for?¡±


    ¡°...I...¡±


    ¡°Put away words like ¡®atonement.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Just say what you really want.¡±


    Standing in the ashes of what his family left behind, Joo-Hyun spoke.


    ¡°I want them to be at peace... even if they had to die.¡±


    That was his honest desire.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if I carry the weight of their deaths for the rest of my life¡ªjust, I don¡¯t want them to be in pain.¡±


    ¡°Do you want them to rest somewhere warm and happy?¡±


    ¡°I do. They weren¡¯t perfect, or saints. They were just ordinary people...¡±


    ¡°But because they were your family and friends, you want them to be at peace.¡±


    ¡°I know it¡¯s a selfish wish. I know it¡¯s a stretch.¡±


    After a pause, Joo-Hyun continued.


    ¡°But you¡¯re a dark god, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I am.¡±


    ¡°Would you honor that selfishness?¡±


    ¡°You did well.¡±


    The portrait¡¯s lips stretched wide into a smile, full of quiet joy.


    ¡°Will you need time to prepare your heart?¡±


    ¡°...A little, yes.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll send your gift soon.¡±


    ¡°What do I need to do?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know what a gift is, do you?¡±


    A sound came, like a predator grinning.


    ¡°Just... observe, my friend.¡±


    Maybe it was just a trick of the light.


    ¡°.......¡±


    But nestled in the portrait¡¯s arms, Dana¡¯s gemstone eyes gleamed¡ªbrighter than the moon.

 Chapter 156

    The incident began with a teddy bear.


    ¡°Ggwoo.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Ggwooou, ggoo...¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re looking for Lulupu¡¯s extract.¡±


    It was during the time Gio was agonizing over what to offer as friendship fee.


    His new friend, Joo-Hyun, was a mature and dignified woman of rare caliber, and Gio was considering taming her with delicious meals, a cozy place to sleep, and refreshing little events.


    Given that mindset, he had prepared all sorts of things in advance...


    ¡°There is something you might be looking for.¡±


    There was even Lulupu¡¯s extract.


    ¡°Ggwoo?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s perfect for use as a perfume.¡±


    ¡°Ggugguggu...¡±


    ¡°Quite a good idea, right?¡±


    It had no distinctive taste, but the scent was wonderfully pleasant. Bottled, it was beautiful¡ªvisually valuable as a display item in and of itself. Gio had made it in advance with the intent to ? N§àv§Öl?§Ôht ? (Don¡¯t copy, read here) gift it if he found someone seeking a decent fragrance.


    ¡°But Father, how did you come to seek Lulupu¡¯s extract?¡±


    ¡°Ggwooou...¡±


    ¡°Aha, you want to give it to Dana, even though it has no taste.¡±


    Is that all right?


    ¡°...¡±


    Giovanni asked with a serious expression.


    ¡°...It won¡¯t upset her stomach, will it?¡±


    ¡°Ggugu.¡±


    ¡°Forcing someone to eat something flavorless is...?¡±


    ¡°Ggu.¡±


    ¡°Aha, then it¡¯s perfectly fine.¡±


    ¡°Ggwoo.¡±


    The teddy bear clapped its plush paws together. Just looking at it made one feel fluffy inside.


    Gio, who found joy in his family¡¯s happiness, looked at him warmly and asked:


    ¡°Giving the extract isn¡¯t the issue, but how did you plan on giving it to Dana? Was it her request?¡±


    ¡°Ggu!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure why this is suddenly being brought up, but yes, I was currently thinking about what gift to give Joo-Hyun.¡±


    The former Sun God pointed out the situation Gio was in¡ªthinking about a gift for his new friend, Joo-Hyun.


    When Gio acknowledged it, the teddy bear, smelling of warm sunshine, let out another ¡°Ggugu¡± and continued.


    ¡°Let¡¯s help with Joo-Hyun¡¯s funeral.¡±


    ¡°Ggwoo.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t possibly mean killing her yourself.¡±


    ¡°Ggu...!?¡±


    ¡°Then it must be the funeral of her family or friends...¡±


    Gio nodded.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t completely ignored the idea. Joo-Hyun recently lost her family and friends, and she¡¯s in a state of deep self-blame. She¡¯s just become independent, and is now thinking of building graves for them.¡±


    It was a deeply significant process for Joo-Hyun. Not only could it help ease the guilt and debt she carried, it was also a responsibility¡ªa foundation for anything she would do moving forward.


    ¡°As someone who inherited the divinity of a being who sows and reaps life, there should be no problem in me helping a friend with matters related to that.¡±


    ¡°Gguguu?¡±


    ¡°Yes. As you said, assisting in Joo-Hyun¡¯s funeral rites should be fine. I do understand it could make quite a thoughtful gift... but...¡±


    Gio, who prided himself on having decent looks and common sense, looked conflicted.


    ¡°I¡¯m worried it might be an act of disrespect.¡±


    ¡°Ggu...?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it rude to meddle in someone else¡¯s painful affairs without invitation?¡±


    A fair point. Between humans, there are boundaries, and the tragedy tied to Joo-Hyun¡¯s guilt was far too personal for Gio¡ªa complete outsider¡ªto interfere with lightly.


    But gods don¡¯t understand things like that.


    ¡°...Ggwoo??¡±


    The teddy bear looked up at Gio with eyes that seemed to ask, Why not? Why is it disrespectful to get involved in human death? That¡¯s odd. Humans used to love it when I did that...


    ¡°Hm.¡±


    That¡¯s possible.


    Father has never lived among humans, after all.


    Gio found an appropriate answer.


    ¡°That¡¯s a privilege you enjoyed because you were a god, Father.¡±


    ¡°Ggwoo??¡±


    ¡°Aha, now that I think of it, I¡¯m a god too.¡±


    To think a pig-nut like him¡ªwho was only good at eating and sleeping¡ªcould become a god... How strange it felt to Gio. But soon he smiled proudly and added,


    ¡°I¡¯m an ordinary human with a god license.¡±


    ¡°Muaaaang©¥...¡±


    Dana walked past with a wailing sound that clearly said, I love Dad, but he¡¯s talking nonsense again.


    Honey, perched on her head, looked at Gio with eyes that meant, I love Dad too, but Dana¡¯s right, and disappeared alongside her.


    ¡°...¡±


    Gio felt slightly wronged.


    ¡°Just because I have a god license, does that mean I¡¯m no longer considered human?¡±


    ¡°Gguguu.¡±


    ¡°That can¡¯t be, Father. What kind of god roasts sweet potatoes by hand?¡±


    The teddy bear looked up at him as if to ask, Yeah... how is that even a thing?


    That pure, questioning gaze left Gio speechless.


    He never expected to be treated like a weirdo just for eating roasted sweet potatoes.


    ¡°Anyway, Father, listen. The world may have flipped once, and who knows what¡¯s changed since then, but in this country with deep-rooted Confucian values, it¡¯s considered rude to interfere in someone else¡¯s family funeral without just cause.¡±


    ¡°Ggu.¡±


    ¡°More importantly, Joo-Hyun is a freshly caught¡ªno, freshly made friend. We¡¯re just starting to get close. This is the time to gently tame her with non-burdensome gestures and gifts, and eventually send her three boxes of sweet potatoes without her running away. Rushing things will only make it worse.¡±


    ¡°Ggu.¡±


    ¡°And she¡¯s 36, older than me. Offering to help with her funeral arrangements as someone younger, especially when she¡¯s clearly capable and experienced, would be extremely inappropriate. It¡¯s rude to intervene without permission in something someone is clearly trying to handle alone.¡±


    ¡°Ggu?¡±


    Again, gods don¡¯t understand things like that.


    ¡°Ggwooou?¡±


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s rude.¡±


    ¡°Ggwoong...¡±


    Just then, Iser, who hadn¡¯t visited in a while, spotted them.


    ¡°Teacher? Is there a problem?¡±


    ¡°I was having a conversation with Father about my new friend¡¯s funeral.¡±


    ¡°...That alone sounds like a very confusing situation.¡±


    After hearing the context, Iser nodded.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s such a big imposition.¡±


    ¡°If you two insist, I¡¯d like to hear your reasoning. Why not?¡±


    ¡°Teacher, you are the Sun God, are you not?¡±


    ¡°And also Joo-Hyun¡¯s newly made friend.¡±


    ¡°That human, Joo-Hyun, seems to regard you as a god as well.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but...¡±


    ¡°Then what¡¯s the issue, Teacher?¡±


    Iser tilted his head.


    ¡°For a god to personally care for matters of human life and death is not an imposition. It is great mercy.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s... quite an embarrassing thing to say.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m not sure what part of that is embarrassing. The Sun God did the same.¡±


    ¡°Well, Father was the sun who created and reaped life...¡±


    ¡°And since you¡¯ve inherited that divinity, doing something similar wouldn¡¯t be strange.¡±


    Iser had once been a priest of the deep sea and a devotee of the Sun God. As someone who had studied theology under Giovanni, the most brilliant child of the sun, Gio¡¯s so-called doubt felt quite strange to him.


    ¡°You know it well, Teacher. Governing life is both the right and the duty of a god. I don¡¯t know what exactly is making you uncomfortable, but this is a deeply natural thing.¡±


    ¡°I keep saying¡ªI¡¯m a regular human.¡±


    ¡°I truly respect and love you, Teacher, but I also know that statement isn¡¯t valid. Still, if we consider it from a human point of view¡ªwhy not think of it as inheriting a family business?¡±


    Iser respectfully gestured toward the teddy bear with both hands.


    ¡°You¡¯ve inherited the divine business of the sun.¡±


    ¡°This is my first time being a god, so forgive me for asking, but... when you inherit divinity, are you also supposed to inherit the previous god¡¯s duties?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my understanding. It¡¯s a kind of succession.¡±


    The mermaid, who had once dreamed of being a proper priest, looked down at the teddy bear.


    ¡°It seems the previous Sun God... your Father... wishes for you to show mercy to a beloved human, and at the same time, grow accustomed to the power and position of being the sun.¡±


    Gio had already suspected as much.


    ¡°Otherwise, Father wouldn¡¯t have suddenly advised me to host a funeral. I¡¯ve been slacking too much as a god, so it looks like he decided to step in.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I suppose it can be seen that way.¡±


    ¡°Until now, I thought I had only inherited the license, not the position itself. But calling it a family business makes me realize¡ªup to this point, I¡¯ve been neglecting my father¡¯s trade.¡±


    To that, Iser smiled reassuringly, as if to ease Gio¡¯s worries.


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t be anxious, Teacher. All of the duties once managed by this sun have already sunk with my sister and I into the sea, so you need not concern yourself with them.¡±


    ¡°You really have a way with words that gnaw at the soul.¡±


    ¡°What I mean to say is¡ªthere¡¯s no need for someone like you, who holds divine nature, to feel such a heavy burden about involving yourself in the matters of human life and its rites.¡±


    Iser gave a bitter smile.


    ¡°Any ordinary being would have shed all traces of humanity the moment they inherited divinity. But for some reason, Teacher, you¡¯ve managed to retain yours... which is probably why you¡¯re still bound by human etiquette. How remarkable.¡±


    ¡°Did the basic logic that one shouldn¡¯t meddle in someone else¡¯s funeral require invoking a grand concept like ¡®humanity¡¯? Unless you¡¯re blood or soul-bound kin, it¡¯s simply inappropriate to intrude on another¡¯s private pain.¡±


    ¡°You are not an equal to humans. Your smallest kindness becomes tremendous grace¡ªor catastrophe¡ªto them. It¡¯s only natural that this is so, given you¡¯ve inherited the Sun God¡¯s divinity.¡±


    A troubled look shadowed Giovanni¡¯s face.


    ¡°That sounded horribly speciesist, you know.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Yes, Teacher, your sins run deep.¡±


    Iser, once a victim of racial discrimination and eventual perpetrator of it, fell momentarily silent.


    ¡°...Ahem, well, in the end, it¡¯s your decision, of course.¡±


    ¡°Still, I can¡¯t shake the feeling it would be deeply discourteous to Joo-Hyun...¡±


    ¡°Rather than a discourtesy, I¡¯d call it... hmm, a very meaningful gift from a divine being.¡±


    Humans had been known to devote their lives, to endure pilgrimage and hardship, for just a single word from a god¡ªa mere touch of a divine hand.


    To receive the grace of life or death from such a being was an immeasurable mercy.


    ¡°And, from what I¡¯ve gathered...¡±


    Iser, who had been piecing together recent events from the human world centered around Gio, organized his thoughts.


    He recalled the brown-skinned woman he had once met.


    ¡°It seems that another dark god was involved in the tragedy that befell Joo-Hyun. If those souls were indeed sacrificed to the schemes of such a malevolent deity, perhaps it is right that the merciful sun be the one to gather them.¡±


    ¡°I do feel guilty digging into such a deep sorrow... Isn¡¯t a gift supposed to feel light, not burdensome? Joo-Hyun would even find monetary support oppressive.¡±


    ¡°From what I understand of the former sun, the gift he mentioned wasn¡¯t the rite of funeral itself, but one concerning the souls of the departed. It¡¯s about essence, not appearance.¡±


    The teddy bear nodded.


    ¡°Ggwoo!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t act all friendly now.¡±


    ¡°Ggugugu...¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see what¡¯s so funny.¡±


    Iser still resented the previous sun. He looked to Gio.


    ¡°You once taught me, Teacher, that the greatest love of the sun is to scatter life upon the earth and, when the time comes, to gather it back into the sunlight. That is the birth and retrieval of souls.¡±


    ¡°I did indeed say that.¡±


    ¡°Then you can do the same. From what I¡¯ve heard, Earth is now under intense attention from various gods. Souls there have been gathered by many different divine hands.¡±


    He smiled at his teacher.


    ¡°I believe they¡¯d be much happier being embraced by a god of Earth than by a foreign one. That, I believe, is what the former Sun meant by a funeral gift.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m qualified to gather anyone.¡±


    ¡°From your perspective, it¡¯s less about ¡®gathering¡¯ and more about ¡®making more friends.¡¯


    Each god handles life and death differently¡ªso you could even think of it as social interaction.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Social interaction, you say.¡±


    ¡°I understand what bothers you. You¡¯re holding on to human etiquette and reason. But if you wish to truly take up the role of an evil god as well, you¡¯ll also need to accept the duties that come with divinity.¡±


    Iser had heard that Argio sought to become the Demon King because he desired the full bloodshed that came with being an evil god.


    Then it would be necessary to adapt to that divine role and position.


    The mermaid siblings, too, wished for Giovanni to become whole. Because if he fully separated from humanity... there might come a day when he rejected humans altogether.


    ¡°And more importantly¡ª¡±


    Iser hesitated briefly, then added,


    ¡°Since when did you care about fitting into human standards...?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°I mean... you¡¯ve never really acted ¡®human¡¯ to begin with, have you, Teacher?¡±


    Iser recalled the former human Giovanni.


    ¡°Even then, I don¡¯t remember you ever behaving particularly humanlike.¡±


    ¡°What an outrageous way to describe my brave life.¡±


    ¡°If I remember correctly, it wasn¡¯t so much bravery as it was impulsive recklessness.¡±


    ¡°I always maintained basic manners.¡±


    ¡°When I think about the feats you pulled off as naturally as breathing...¡±


    ¡°¡®Feats I pulled off¡¯?¡±


    ¡°I just can¡¯t see why you¡¯re suddenly pretending to be modest.¡±


    ¡°What do you think I am, some legendary serial pocket-filler?¡±


    Giovanni felt unjustly accused again.


    ¡°Even I never pried into someone else¡¯s family affairs without reason.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I just don¡¯t get why you¡¯re so worried now.¡±


    ¡°What if Joo-Hyun gets overwhelmed and runs away!?¡±


    ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s what this is about.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t fear of intruding on a dark past that concerned him.


    It was fear that his overwhelming kindness would scare her off.


    Iser nodded with the serene face of a priest, as if to say he¡¯d expected as much.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Teacher.¡±


    ¡°What part of this is fine?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s already too late.¡±


    ¡°...Too late in what way?¡±


    ¡°Well, as I just said...¡±


    Iser gave a wry smile.


    ¡°Joo-Hyun already doesn¡¯t see you as her equal.¡±


    ¡°Damn it, I knew it.¡±


    Giovanni¡¯s face grew grim.


    ¡°She treats me so formally¡ªI suspected it, but still...¡±


    ¡°She reveres you. It¡¯s separate from friendship.¡±


    ¡°Still, there might be hope yet.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not quite following. What kind of hope?¡±


    ¡°The kind of friendship where we can even push each other around with our feet.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Pushing a god with one¡¯s foot? That¡¯s a blasphemy I¡¯d rather rinse from my ears¡ªeven as a mermaid.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t overdramatize. Blasphemy has no place between friends.¡±


    ¡°If that hope still exists, then that would truly be a miracle.¡±


    But Gio remained firm. He did not know how to give up.


    ¡°I, Batlan Giovanni, son of the sun and symbol of miracles¡ªthere is nothing I cannot do.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to say ¡®that¡¯s not possible,¡¯ but with you, I¡¯ve learned never to make such definitive claims...¡±


    The mermaid students had learned through their human teacher that ¡°Ah, truly, there is no limit to humanity.¡±


    He was a craftsman who turned the impossible into possible.


    Iser had always kept in mind the possibility that his teacher might return and scold them one day¡ªand hadn¡¯t he?


    Gio, if he put his mind to it, could do anything. Iser believed that.


    ¡°In any case, if your hesitation isn¡¯t about burdening Joo-Hyun, then I don¡¯t think there¡¯s much to worry about. That human won¡¯t interpret your mercy as rudeness or imposition.¡±


    Who would dare see divine mercy as a nuisance? Even the boldest of humans could hardly manage that.


    ¡°They might suspect it¡¯s a trial from an evil god¡ªbut not a discourtesy.¡±


    ¡°But my Confucian conscience still unsettles me.¡±


    Giovanni cast his melancholic eyes downward, clearly troubled.


    ¡°It¡¯s not right to interfere in another¡¯s affairs without invitation...¡±


    ¡°But what if that person is quietly yearning for salvation?¡±


    ¡°Then I would have no choice but to act.¡±


    He changed stances with suspicious speed, as though he¡¯d been waiting for the moment.


    ¡°I truly wanted to respect our boundaries like the mature adult and priest of the sun that I am... but if Joo-Hyun truly seeks help, then I have no choice.¡±


    ¡°I knew it. You were just waiting for someone to give you a push.¡±


    ¡°Ha, I¡¯ve been found out. But still, a new friend made while living as a portrait is rarer than a hundred-year-old ginseng. Given who she is, I couldn¡¯t rush things.¡±


    Gio¡¯s strength¡ªand weakness¡ªwas that he didn¡¯t overthink.


    ¡°If only Joo-Hyun had just asked for help from the start, I would¡¯ve helped without a second thought.¡±


    And honestly, by Gio¡¯s standards, this had been a lot of thinking.


    Now, he felt emboldened.


    He had been afraid that his extraordinary gift might overwhelm his newly-minted friend.


    But if that wasn¡¯t the case, there was nothing to hold him back.


    ¡°If someone needs help, and they¡¯re my friend, and I can give that help¡ªthen there¡¯s no reason not to.¡±


    ¡°Honestly, I believe Joo-Hyun, deep down, does wish for the help of such a capable friend.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I knew you¡¯d say that. Just like the smiling tyrant of the seaside village¡ªno, the chosen son of the sun¡ªyou are.¡±


    ¡°That may be an inappropriate way for a student to refer to their teacher, but I¡¯ll let it slide this time. In any case, I think I have a general idea of what kind of gift I should give Joo-Hyun.¡±


    Gio turned to his father.


    ¡°Assuming Dana truly wants it, Father¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ggugugu!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll gift her the Lulupu extract, just as you wished.¡±


    Just because he didn¡¯t overthink didn¡¯t mean he knew nothing.


    ¡°And now, let¡¯s go make some new friends.¡±


    That¡¯s how Yoo Seong-Woon ended up having to work overtime.

 Chapter 157

    Gio had always known everything.


    That he had long since exceeded human limitations.


    That dead souls had gathered inside Anti-Cat Dana.


    That others saw him as something far beyond what he claimed to be.


    ¡°...He simply places no great meaning on any of it.¡±


    Aria spoke while swirling a glass flask.


    ¡°That¡¯s why¡ªeven though he knows everything, he always seems like he knows nothing.¡±


    ¡°Teacher¡¯s eerie indifference has always surprised those around him.¡±


    ¡°Which suggests it¡¯s not a trait that developed after becoming a portrait.¡±


    Even when Gio had been wholly human, hadn¡¯t he consistently behaved the same way?


    ¡°It¡¯s such a strange thing, isn¡¯t it.¡±


    ¡°Teacher has always been... special.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I should say ¡®special¡¯ or just ¡®peculiar¡¯...¡±


    ¡°His way of thinking is certainly unique.¡±


    ¡°A disposition rarely found in ordinary humans.¡±


    Now, Gio was no longer human.


    He was a portrait. A divinity.


    And perhaps something far beyond either of those¡ªa vast, unknowable mystery.


    He was loved by the Structure and fused with it.


    ¡°If he wished, our Teacher could do anything.¡±


    Yet all those powers meant nothing to Gio.


    ¡°What¡¯s remarkable is that he can accept even that as just a facet of his personality.¡±


    ¡°He even sees the former Sun God¡¯s divinity as just another trait.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s the very divinity I once revered. Honestly, I¡¯m speechless...¡±


    If Gio had simply been ignorant of divinity¡¯s value, Aria could have accepted it more easily.


    But Giovanni had once been the most cherished disciple, a bright hope of the sun.


    He couldn¡¯t possibly be unaware of divine worth and authority¡ªthis was either extreme humility or an indifference that bordered on absurd.


    Aria organized a shelf full of flasks containing various liquids and continued:


    ¡°What would it take to make him see himself as not human?¡±


    To make him disappointed in humanity?


    Despite all his power and transcendence, Gio remained convinced that none of it made him anything other than human.


    That belief was as natural and solid as his very sense of existence.


    ¡°No matter what you throw at him, he¡¯ll just think there¡¯s no reason he isn¡¯t human.¡±


    ¡°I can already predict how he¡¯d react without even testing it.¡±


    ¡°And to think, the reason he was hesitant about using divine authority... was just a matter of politeness.¡±


    Aria had once wondered if Gio rejected divine acts because he still saw himself as human.


    But whether he was human or not, it turned out powers simply didn¡¯t matter to him.


    ¡°And yet, the moment someone mentioned the word ¡®salvation,¡¯ he accepted it immediately?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯d never use a grand word like ¡®salvation¡¯ himself, though.¡±


    Iser smiled with that familiar, knowing look.


    ¡°Hasn¡¯t he always been that way, Teacher?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s someone who values salvation over recognition.¡±


    ¡°And still prefers those who are kind and well-mannered...¡±


    ¡°Surely his ideal human and his own nature must be aligned, then?¡±


    Just because someone liked kind and polite people didn¡¯t mean they themselves were kind and polite.


    Gio respected boundaries and showed courtesy, but when salvation was involved, the rules changed.


    If someone had an unspoken wish they couldn¡¯t voice, or secretly [N O V E L I G H T] longed for help¡ª


    Even if they insisted otherwise, even if only those around them hoped for it¡ª


    Gio would act.


    ¡°As expected of the smiling tyrant of the seaside village.¡±


    ¡°I think he still dislikes that nickname.¡±


    ¡°Well, you can¡¯t really call it tyranny if the results were always good.¡±


    Watching from nearby, there were moments when it seemed like Gio¡¯s actions were more force than grace.


    And yet, those whom he reached out to always ended up better for it.


    That was the true nature of Gio¡¯s power.


    ¡°You can¡¯t call someone like that a fool.¡±


    Gio always knew everything.


    He simply received it as information¡ªnot emotion.


    His distance from worldly affairs gave the impression that he was clueless, but it was a calculated image that made him seem like a mystical sage.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure he has a plan of his own this time too.¡±


    ¡°Saying it like that makes him sound like a master schemer behind the curtain.¡±


    ¡°He always seems like he has no thoughts, but he¡¯s constantly preparing something.¡±


    ¡°You only see it when you take a step back.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then this time... hmm...¡±


    Aria finished organizing her flasks and adjusted her large white lab coat.


    ¡°...¡±


    She spoke.


    ¡°Teacher must already know the true nature of his lovely daughter.¡±


    ¡°You mean the creature filled with the souls of the dead?¡±


    ¡°Yes. That monster in the shape of a cat.¡±


    It was born from the collective spirits of the dead, slain by humans.


    ¡°Surely she grew that strong because Teacher genuinely sees her as his daughter.¡±


    ¡°Given how much death has gathered in the world of the Structure, it¡¯s certainly plausible.¡±


    ¡°There may be other factors behind her growth... but do you think Gio will use her?¡±


    ¡°He was thinking about what gift to give that human, Joo-Hyun. Probably, yes.¡±


    Gio always knew what he needed to do.


    ¡°There could be many reasons for such a gift.¡±


    It may have been Joo-Hyun¡¯s unspoken wish.


    It may have been to help Gio acclimate to the position his predecessor intended for him.


    Or it may have been a chance for his daughter to become truly his.


    Above all, Gio would continue to live in the human world.


    ¡°He likely wants to solidify the image of ¡®Mr. Sergio.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Every time I see that kind of calculated intent, I get cognitive dissonance.¡±


    Behind that innocent, gentle smile, he had already planned everything.


    No one could ever know how long he had been thinking about it¡ªor what he truly knew.


    ¡°Teacher never accepts an outcome that doesn¡¯t please him.¡±


    He simply doesn¡¯t allow such a future to arrive in the first place.


    ¡°Which is probably why he ended up dying like that.¡±


    ¡°...He is alive now.¡±


    ¡°Can you really call that living?¡±


    ¡°Not sure.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes it¡¯s frightening.¡±


    Aria smiled her peculiar smile.


    ¡°Because you never know when he¡¯ll do something completely insane again.¡±


    Gio was a variable beyond control.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, he shouldn¡¯t be so lovable.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°This feels like I signed a wildly unfair contract.¡±


    ¡°...Sister...¡±


    ¡°Yes, Iser.¡±


    The mermaid asked her brother:


    ¡°What are we supposed to do now?¡±


    They could never be forgiven by their teacher.


    ¡°There was a time I hoped he might grow to hate humans. That he¡¯d distance himself and turn against them... but it seems he¡¯s decided to love them again.¡±


    And for something close to eternity, he would continue that way.


    ¡°We need to make our stance clear as well.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°...At the very least, regarding his origin...¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°...Hmph.¡±


    Aria murmured.


    ¡°Responsibility, huh.¡±


    The end of their deliberation was approaching.


    ***


    ¡°Urgh...¡±


    Early February in Korea was still bitterly cold.


    ¡°Why is it so freezing?¡±


    The woman sniffled.


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s worse because it¡¯s so late...¡±


    It was just after 1 a.m.


    Not particularly late by most standards¡ª


    Though 8 p.m. was the ¡°average¡± time people got off work, there were plenty who left far later.


    ¡°Back in the day, there would¡¯ve been more people on this street.¡±


    She glanced around the empty street.


    An old electric sign buzzed as it flickered to life, while most others had long gone dark.


    The asphalt, slick from melted snow, squelched beneath her feet, and she thought she heard a rat squeaking in the shadows.


    ¡°...¡±


    Between the rusted buildings, the city center glowed in the distance¡ªcleaner, sleeker than her suburban hometown.


    Unlike the now-shuttered businesses around her, that part of the city still pulsed with neon.


    A hollow feeling stirred in her chest.


    ¡°...Maybe there are even fewer people because of that old terror incident.¡±


    It hadn¡¯t happened just anywhere¡ª


    A dungeon gate had opened inside the Temple of the Sun.


    Everyone inside had been dragged away.


    She had been there.


    Even now, the memory clung vividly.


    Since then, she avoided crowded places whenever she could.


    And clearly, other citizens did the same.


    That¡¯s why the streets were this empty.


    ¡°This area¡¯s a mix of shops and residences anyway... not much foot traffic this late.¡±


    She shivered and sank deeper into her padded coat.


    ¡°Ugh... of all nights, a company dinner...¡±


    Ending it around 1 a.m. was merciful, she guessed¡ª


    But she was still upset.


    She had to be up again by 6.


    She had no idea how those drunkards had so much stamina.


    She was walking with her head down when¡ª


    ¡°Meow.¡±


    ¡°...?¡±


    A cat¡¯s cry.


    But something was... off.


    That was... a little too perfect.


    It sounded like someone had recorded a ¡°meow¡± and played it back.


    As a cat lover, she knew most cats didn¡¯t sound like that.


    They wailed, screeched, or croaked in broken syllables.


    And though the city was supposedly protected by the Association and the government¡ªthis area was still close to the outer slums.


    She tensed and looked around the dark street.


    ¡°...Oh.¡±


    And saw it.


    ¡°A cat.¡±


    A large feline, shimmering deep blue like the Milky Way in the night sky.


    ¡°...Whoa. What the hell? Is that a monster...?¡±


    ¡°Meow.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look dangerous...¡±


    It was beautiful.


    Of course, just because something looked harmless didn¡¯t mean it was.


    But this could be a native monster she¡¯d never heard of.


    She slowly stepped back, widening the gap between them¡ª


    And then¡ªthud!


    ¡°AAAUUUUGH¡ªMOTHER¡ª!¡±


    ¡°...Oh dear.¡±


    ¡°HhhrrraaAAACK...!!! HhoooAAEEKK!!!¡±


    The woman spasmed the moment something hard pressed against her back.


    ¡°I seem to have startled you.¡±


    ¡°H-huh...!¡±


    Staggering, she turned around¡ªand saw a man gazing down at her.


    ¡°Please, calm down.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Well done. You did very well.¡±


    ¡°...Uh...¡±


    The voice flowed gently, like a teacher soothing a nervous child, and the thunder in her heart slowly began to ease.


    Though her breath still came in ragged bursts from shock, she realized she wasn¡¯t in any real danger.


    ¡°...Ah...!!¡±


    And then, she recognized him.


    ¡°You¡¯re... Hunter Sergio?!¡±


    ¡°Oh, you remembered me.¡±


    ¡°W-well, you left quite an impression...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you saw me in a good light.¡±


    ¡°N-no, I mean... yes...!¡±


    Feeling the closeness was too much, she took a step back¡ªand with that, she got a clearer look at the Hunter¡¯s face.


    Hair the color of moonlight or sun-bleached platinum. Eyes that shimmered like fractured blue glass. That radiant, sacred smile of someone blessed...


    ¡°Oh wow.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Just... startled again.¡±


    Even now, his face looked like something crafted by a master of the century.


    They really should designate that as a cultural treasure.


    A face worth preserving, no doubt.


    ¡°What brings you here? I thought you operated as an unofficial Hunter... Do you have work today? Still, it¡¯s so nice to see you again. You¡¯re never on TV, so it¡¯s hard to keep up.¡±


    ¡°I can see how genuinely happy you are to see me.¡±


    ¡°D-did I get too excited? I¡¯m sorry... I¡¯ve always wanted to thank you properly, but I didn¡¯t know how to reach you. Not that contacting a Hunter personally is proper, and the Collector¡¯s Guild didn¡¯t say anything either.¡±


    Meeting him by chance like this¡ªit really was a joy.


    ¡°But... what brings you out here?¡±


    ¡°I came to help a friend.¡±


    ¡°A friend?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Hunter Sergio glanced between the alleyways.


    ¡°Dana.¡±


    At his call, a cat answered.


    ¡°Muaang.¡±


    ¡°Oh, how cute.¡±


    ¡°Nyah.¡±


    The cat¡ªits cry now sounding much more like a proper feline mewl¡ªemerged from the shadows and padded over to sit beside Hunter Sergio.


    It was massive, nearly the size of a Maine Coon. It brushed against his shin, then curled up comfortably at his feet.


    ¡°Aww.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a good one.¡±


    He stroked her head gently. Dana closed her eyes, clearly enjoying his touch.


    ¡°...Ah, right. That¡¯s true.¡±


    The woman finally wrapped her head around the situation and nodded.


    ¡°You said you were a tamer, didn¡¯t you? And it¡¯s true, I see.¡±


    ¡°I must not look the part.¡±


    ¡°You look more like... a priest, honestly.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s understandable.¡±


    Sergio smiled as he spoke.


    ¡°Honey is also here, by the way.¡±


    From inside his cloak¡¯s hood, a tiny golden-yellow bird¡ªno bigger than a child¡¯s fist¡ªpoked its head out. It tilted its head at the woman before tucking itself back inside.


    ¡°Looks like it¡¯s shy.¡±


    ¡°Th-that¡¯s okay. Monsters aren¡¯t exactly fond of humans, after all.¡±


    As someone who had followed Hunters, she knew a little about their profession.


    Tamers were rare, but even when they succeeded in forming contracts, it didn¡¯t mean the bond was close.


    ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard, most contract beasts don¡¯t actually like their masters... but you two seem really close. As expected of a Collector¡¯s Hunter...¡±


    ¡°Perhaps because I raised them like my own children.¡±


    ¡°It must¡¯ve been hard to care that much for a monster... That¡¯s really impressive. Oh, uh... am I taking up too much of your time?¡±


    ¡°Not at all.¡±


    Hunter Sergio tilted his head slightly as he asked:


    ¡°Would you happen to know where Gita Orphanage is?¡±


    ¡°Gita Orphanage?¡±


    His voice was far too calm and composed for someone simply asking directions¡ªit gave the illusion that he already knew the answer.


    ...If it¡¯s a mission, the Guild probably gave him the location. But he said he came for a friend. Did he rush here without details? Or maybe it¡¯s a surprise visit...?


    The woman¡¯s thoughts spun briefly, but then she saw a sheepish smile on his sculpture-like face¡ªthe kind people wear when asking strangers for help. And she snapped out of it.


    Don¡¯t zone out in front of people. Maybe I¡¯m just tired. Why am I thinking like this...?


    Shaking off her silly impressions, she returned to reality.


    ¡°Ah, Gita Orphanage... That one...¡±


    As someone familiar with the area, she answered with a troubled look.


    ¡°It burned down a little while ago.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes.¡±


    Sergio¡¯s face lit up, as if that was exactly what he¡¯d been looking for.


    ¡°That¡¯s the building I¡¯m looking for.¡±


    ¡°That building...?¡±


    It was in a secluded spot¡ªpossibly even infested with monsters.


    Maybe someone had tipped him off about it on his friend¡¯s behalf.


    Maybe he didn¡¯t get the full details from his friend. He could be trying to handle it quietly, without burdening them.


    That sounded like the Sergio she remembered.


    The Hunter who helped people in the ¡°Temple of the Deep¡± and never sought even a single article about it.


    I remember hearing he was shy. Thought it was just a rumor, but maybe he really does get uncomfortable being thanked for his good deeds.


    She nodded.


    ¡°Yes, I know where it is. Want me to show you?¡±


    ¡°You were on your way home¡ªsorry for the trouble. I¡¯d appreciate the help, if you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°These streets are pretty confusing anyway. Besides, if it weren¡¯t for you, I¡¯d already be dead. This is nothing.¡±


    ¡°Thanks to your kind cooperation, we all made it out safely.¡±


    ¡°Wow... how do you make compliments sound so good?¡±


    A small pang of regret welled up inside her.


    If he were a publicly listed Hunter, I¡¯d have followed his account immediately.


    With that bittersweet thought, she led the way.


    Even though it was a quiet, obscure area, it was still part of a living city.


    There were occasional streetlights and flickering signs. It wasn¡¯t completely dark.


    Soon, they arrived at Gita Orphanage.


    ¡°This should be it... the orphanage you mentioned.¡±


    Seeing the burned structure stirred something eerie in her.


    They said people died here. No wonder it gives me chills.


    She didn¡¯t suspect Sergio, but coming to a deserted place like this was still unnerving.


    Looking at the abandoned building, she gave a nervous laugh and asked:


    ¡°Um... would it be okay if I waited until you¡¯re done? I don¡¯t really want to walk back alone...¡±


    ¡°Of course. I was planning to accompany you regardless. It¡¯s dangerous for a woman to go home alone at this hour.¡±


    Hunter Sergio nodded and smiled gently, eyes crinkling.


    ¡°It won¡¯t take long.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really? So, are you here to eliminate a monster or something...?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    He said:


    ¡°I came to make friends.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Was it just her imagination?


    His voice sounded... like it had sunk into the sea.


    ¡°...Uh, I... see...¡±


    Maybe he was here to tame a new monster?


    As she tried to reason it out, staying within the bounds of common logic, Hunter Sergio gently stroked the cat''s head and spoke.


    ¡°Dana.¡±


    The cat replied.


    ¡°Meow.¡±


    And then, more replies followed.


    ¡°Meow.¡±


    ¡°Meow...¡±


    ¡°...Meow...¡±


    The cat¡¯s moonlike eyes curved gently.


    And then¡ª


    ¡°Meow.¡±


    High, faint voices, unripe and childlike.


    ...Like the sound of bells.


    As the woman stood there, stunned, she saw something.


    Children, mimicking the cat¡¯s cries, stepping out of the ruined building.


    ¡°Meow...¡±


    ¡°The meow called us.¡±


    ¡°It said meow.¡±


    ¡°I meowed too, kitty.¡±


    ¡°Meow!¡±


    A stream of chaotic, childlike sentences.


    A girl with her hair tied in a single braid.


    A boy with a mischievous look.


    One who walked hesitantly, timid.


    Another who sniffled, tears running down his face.


    A child who hugged the giant cat tightly, delighted...


    ¡°...Ah.¡±


    And then, at the end of that line¡ª


    She saw an old woman.


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    She awkwardly ushered all the children out.


    Wearing an apron, she bowed deeply when her eyes met Sergio¡¯s.


    ¡°...Please take care of them.¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t you come with us?¡±


    ¡°I serve a different god.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to hear their name.¡±


    ¡°My god lights the world with moonlight.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll visit soon with the children.¡±


    ¡°...If you would...¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t be alone.¡±


    The old woman, who had said nothing until now, began to weep.


    ¡°...Thank you.¡±


    And when the woman blinked once¡ª


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    They were gone.


    ¡°Uh... uh... wha¡ª?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve finished my business. Let me escort you home.¡±


    ¡°W-whaaa??¡±


    ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°Wh...what???¡±


    Only then did she realize...


    She had just seen a ghost.


    ***


    At the broken window of the ruined building¡ª


    ¡°...¡±


    Joo-Hyun had been watching it all.


    And now she crumbled to her knees.


    Her voice, soaked in tears, trembled pitifully.


    ¡°...I¡¯m sorry...¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. If only I¡¯d done better...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Joo-Hyun.¡±


    ¡°Truly... I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault.¡±


    ¡°I-It was my fault...¡±


    A reunion wrapped in the mercy of a dark god, bending the laws and logic of the world.


    ¡°...I¡¯m sorry I hurt you...¡±


    Joo-Hyun had received a friend¡¯s gift.

 Chapter 158

    The city allowed only two citizen classes to live within it: Class-1 and Class-2.


    But the gap between them was immense.


    Class-3 citizens, who lived separately in rural areas, were treated like people from another world.


    Meanwhile, Class-2 citizens were constantly compared to the Class-1s, made to feel inferior.


    They mockingly referred to themselves as ¡°bums¡± or ¡°hicks.¡±


    Unable to afford the insane urban rent, Class-2 citizens were pushed to the outskirts¡ªand the further they went, the closer they got to the slums.


    ¡°...Ugh, come on.¡±


    A man sat up and flicked on his phone screen. It was past 1 a.m.


    ¡°Ah, crap, the laundry... fuck...¡±


    It was probably all wrinkled by now.


    ¡°I think my alarm went off, why the hell couldn¡¯t I wake up?¡±


    Grumbling, he trudged out to the communal laundry room to retrieve his clothes.


    If a Class-1 citizen saw him, they¡¯d probably sneer at him for ¡°trying to act clean.¡±


    But the man thought to himself:


    ¡°Sure, we¡¯re broke¡ªbut we still have our pride. They already say we¡¯re filthy. I¡¯m not going to give them a reason to be right.¡±


    His apartment was one of those old, tall villas near the red-light district.


    The walls were thin as paper, and everything creaked and rusted.


    It was the kind of place Class-1s would openly call ¡°disgusting.¡±


    Still, he had to look decent for work.


    The ancient washer had done a crap job spinning the clothes dry, so the laundry weighed a ton with all the water it held.


    ¡°Urgh.¡±


    The stairs creaked with every step.


    Back home, the man headed straight for the balcony.


    It was still chilly¡ªhe wondered what the temperature was and pulled out his phone.


    ¡°...¡±


    1:24 a.m.


    ¡°...Huh.¡±


    While checking the screen, his eyes caught something¡ªa couple standing below, just beyond the edge of the balcony.


    ¡°What the hell? At this hour?¡±


    His voice dropped instinctively.


    Being near the nightlife district, it wasn¡¯t uncommon for drunk scumbags to drag their business into deep alleyways.


    But these two... they didn¡¯t give off that vibe.


    The man looked closer¡ªtwo figures, a man and a woman. Surprisingly normal.


    ¡°The guy... is he a Hunter? Isn¡¯t that the Gita Orphanage over there? What the hell would they want with an empty, burnt-out building like that?¡±


    And then¡ªhe saw it.


    ¡°...¡±


    A jewel-toned feline, meowing with a voice too beautiful to be real.


    ¡°...Uh...¡±


    That bell-like cry...


    And then, the children¡ªfaint, young spirits¡ªbegan emerging from the ruins.


    ¡°W-what...¡±


    And presiding over it all¡ª


    ¡°¡ª...¡±


    A priest.


    No¡ªa tamer?


    Before he could finish processing the scene, the man realized¡ªhis eyes had met the platinum-haired Hunter¡¯s.


    He couldn¡¯t breathe.


    ¡°...¡±


    It wasn¡¯t until much later¡ªafter everything had vanished like a dream¡ªthat the man found himself collapsed on his balcony.


    ¡°...Wh-what the hell was that...¡±


    He couldn¡¯t recall it clearly.


    He was sure their eyes had met¡ªbut the memory between that moment and now was blank.


    ¡°Goddamn... people say Hunters are scary, and yeah... I nearly pissed myself just from eye contact.¡±


    It must¡¯ve been some kind of panic reaction.


    He¡¯d heard of it before¡ªwhen ordinary people faced extremely powerful Hunters.


    So he accepted it without much doubt.


    He grabbed his phone with clammy, trembling hands.


    It was old and sluggish, but even accounting for that¡ªhis hands were shaking too hard.


    ¡°What the hell... ghosts are real?¡±


    When the phone lit up, it was full of silent notifications.


    Local community posts.


    And instinctively, he knew¡ªit had to be about what he just saw.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t the only one.¡±


    It hadn¡¯t been a hallucination.


    With shaking fingers, he began to type a new post in the neighborhood forum:


    "I saw it with my own two eyes (photo attached)"


    That was the start of the massive fireball launched into the sky... by "Mr. Sergio."


    ***


    One of Korea¡¯s eternal traditions, dating back before the Great Catastrophe:


    - ??? What the hell did I just see??


    The Internet never dies.


    - Ghost spotted in Gwanak-gu at dawn


    - Anyone else see the ghost in Daehak-dong??


    - What¡¯s with the meowing??


    - WTF I saw a ghost


    Even in a world destroyed and reborn, Koreans¡¯ SNS and community forums thrived.


    - That place already had bad rumors...


    - Wait, are we talking about Gita Orphanage??


    ? Just call it Gita, the censor¡¯s pointless now


    - Why are we all talking ghosts right now??


    - What a mess, and it¡¯s only morning...


    Perhaps because /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ society had been flipped once already, residents of a given district viewed themselves as an extended family.


    When something happened, sharing the details became a kind of social etiquette.


    That¡¯s why Gwanak-gu¡¯s forum exploded when "Hunter Sergio" paid it a visit.


    ¡°Hey, apparently a ghost showed up in Gwanak.¡±


    ¡°You serious? What the hell.¡±


    The story spread through the neighborhood fast.


    I saw it with my own two eyes (photo attached)


    Yes, I¡¯m the one who saw the ghost, you Gwanak-gu hicks.


    Too many of you keep messaging me so here¡¯s a proper write-up.


    Time of sighting: 1:24 a.m.


    Why do I remember so clearly?


    Because I was hanging laundry like an idiot.


    I set my alarm for 1:00 and still overslept.


    I looked at my phone at 1:22 when I finally got up.


    Went to the balcony to hang the laundry, it was cold as hell,


    so I checked the weather¡ª1:24.


    So don¡¯t even start with ¡°this is fake¡± crap.


    I¡¯m not dropping my full address, but if you¡¯re local, you already know¡ª


    Yes, I live in Daehak-dong.


    Anyone who¡¯s even visited knows it¡¯s a crammed shithole.


    And you know that narrow 4-way alley between the buildings?


    If not, just imagine a backstreet slum filled with broke Gwanak folks.


    There¡¯s an orphanage there.


    ¡°Gita Orphanage.¡±


    I think it¡¯s government-run or maybe under the Association, but if they were getting proper support, there¡¯s no way they¡¯d build an orphanage there.


    I love my neighborhood, but let¡¯s be real¡ªit¡¯s a depressing place.


    Not a place for kids. And yet, there were so many of them.


    Poor, unwanted kids everywhere.


    But then it caught fire.


    Everyone died.


    Our building got hit too, by the way.


    The kids were the only bright spot in this whole moody neighborhood.


    After the fire turned that place into a ghost house, the mood got so much worse.


    Like... 360 times darker.


    Now here¡¯s the important part.


    I told you¡ªI went out to the balcony to hang my laundry.


    I knew no one would be out at that hour.


    But there were two people.


    A woman and a man.


    My first thought: Oh god please don¡¯t be here to do gross crap in our alley.


    You never know with this place.


    But they didn¡¯t look like that kind of crowd.


    Then I heard the woman calling him ¡°Hunter.¡±


    Okay, so the guy¡¯s a Hunter.


    And then¡ªwhat the hell is this cat?


    Was it even a cat? It sparkled like a damn gemstone.


    And it meowed.


    I don¡¯t even know how to describe it.


    It wasn¡¯t just a sound¡ªit shook my soul.


    Like... that chill you get down your spine.


    Not from fear, but from witnessing something vast, beautiful, otherworldly.


    Forget last summer¡¯s banshee shriek¡ªthis was on another level.


    Yeah, I was scared shitless.


    And then¡ªmore meowing.


    And then the kids started crying.


    What kids?


    The ghost kids, you idiots.


    At first it was just weird.


    Then the ¡°meows¡± started getting varied.


    Something in my gut screamed wrong wrong wrong.


    I hid and peeked down¡ª


    And I saw them.


    Children. Clean, living-looking kids.


    Walking out of a ruined orphanage.


    With my own two eyes, I saw it.


    That... was a ghost.


    You hear Class-1s talk about ¡°souls¡± and whatever, and you think it¡¯s bullshit.


    But now I know.


    Those kids... looked alive.


    But I knew they were the ones who died in that fire.


    And that cat... had called them out.


    And the blonde Hunter was their master.


    I couldn¡¯t breathe.


    I was shaking¡ªbut not from the cold.


    It wasn¡¯t creepy or wet like you¡¯d expect.


    It was... majestic.


    Like being overwhelmed by something divine.


    Like being possessed¡ªbut gentle.


    Entranced.


    I didn¡¯t get any photos of the kids.


    They vanished quickly.


    But I don¡¯t think they ¡°disappeared.¡±


    It felt like... I had been allowed to see them for just a moment.


    That time simply ended.


    I think the cat did something.


    No idea what¡ªit¡¯s not like us Class-2 folks understand that crap.


    The woman standing next to the Hunter looked like a hick like me.


    She collapsed from shock.


    But so did I, honestly.


    lololololol


    By the time I came to, I was sitting on the balcony floor, hands and feet shaking uncontrollably.


    I swear we made eye contact.


    Anyway, it was scary as hell.


    I totally get what that woman was feeling.


    And I only saw it from a distance¡ªif I¡¯d been right there? I¡¯d be pissing myself.


    That cat looked like a monster... was the Hunter a tamer or what?


    I couldn¡¯t see clearly from that far, but I took a picture. Take a look.


    His face isn¡¯t in it, so don¡¯t come at me with ¡°invasion of privacy¡± crap.


    Yeah, okay, go off, fake-news police. Whatever.


    A photo was indeed attached to the post.


    Just as the author had described¡ªwhether it was due to his trembling hands or the poor camera quality¡ªit was a very blurry shot.


    But even so, the blond Hunter and the collapsed woman could be clearly identified.


    Taken from a higher angle, the image stirred the community into another frenzy.


    Comments (149):


    How is this not fake?So... a Hunter with soul-related abilities?


    ? A Hunter with skills like that in Gwanak-gu...? For real...?


    ? Right? That kind of power isn¡¯t some rookie-tier stuff.


    That cat is insanely cute.


    ? Look at the size. That¡¯s not ¡°cute,¡± that¡¯s ¡°we¡¯re a snack¡± cute.


    Is that... Anti-Cat??LOL the way the woman just collapsed.


    ? Fr fr. Plop Woman...


    ? Plop Woman has me crying ????????????


    ? She really plopped huh LOL


    Is that thing Anti-Cat or not??


    ? Sorry, what¡¯s ¡°Anti-Cat¡±? Is that the name of the cat?


    ?? Bro, it¡¯s a cat-type monster from the Gem¡¯s Waterway Dungeon or whatever


    ? You can tame Anti-Cats now???


    ? Nah nah, Anti-Cats are kitten-sized, stop pretending you know everything


    ? Tired of all these fake experts crawling out the woodwork


    ? Acting like they know stuff SMH


    If he has soul abilities, maybe he¡¯s a priest? Getting Temple of the Sun vibes...Why would such a rare Hunter be in a dump like this...???Blonde Priest has me feral


    ? Chill, perv


    ? Even if he¡¯s a Hunter, isn¡¯t that kind of comment just... ew?


    ? There¡¯s a line, even for celebs.


    ?? Who cares lol


    ? He radiates hot guy energy. Can¡¯t even see his face and I know he¡¯s fine


    ? Is he as tall as a lamppost or something? What the hell


    If he¡¯s a priest, isn¡¯t walking around with a monster illegal??Doesn¡¯t seem like a priest¡ªcat¡¯s too well-behaved. Gotta be a tamer.


    ? Yeah if it weren¡¯t tamed, Gwanak would already be on fire


    What is Anti-Cat??Does anyone know the priest¡¯s name please ???? someone help ????Can ¡°Plop Woman¡± verify herself? LOL25 years of being a face-fan and this Hunter has me needing his name and re?sume?Why the hell aren¡¯t journalists doing their job


    ? Maybe he¡¯s an unofficial Hunter? Came outta nowhere


    ? Classic media, silent when you actually need them


    ? Are there even any blond tamers? Not many tamers in Korea, and never seen a blond one


    ? Isn¡¯t that silver hair??


    But seriously¡ªif he¡¯s a new tamer, this is some elite-tier national prideWhy is a tamer dealing with ghosts...? What the hell even...Can a real Hunter please come explain what we just sawlol so are we saying it¡¯s fake or not


    ? Of course it¡¯s not


    ? Comments like yours are why the OP¡¯s pissed


    ? Anti-fake police OUT


    By the time the story spread beyond Gwanak-gu and into Seoul¡¯s broader online community¡ª


    ¡°I think it¡¯s fine now.¡±


    ¡°Uh... um...¡±


    ¡°Would you post it?¡±


    ¡°Can I really...?¡±


    ¡°The Collector¡¯s Guild has approved it.¡±


    ¡°Wow...¡±


    The woman at the center of the ghost incident posted a new thread.


    ¡°Hi, I¡¯m the so-called ¡®Plop Woman¡¯ from the Gwanak ghost incident. Here¡¯s the story...¡±


    Attached was a photo¡ªa two-shot of her with Hunter Sergio.


    Unlike the first post, this one had clear, high-quality resolution.


    Her face was covered with a sticker, while Sergio¡¯s was fully visible.


    The caption was simple:


    ¡°Beauty That Ruins Kingdoms.¡±


    And that was it.


    Comments (1,623):


    Did... did Beauty That Ruins Kingdoms just HAPPEN??Why so handsome? Why so handsome? Why so handsome? x100


    ? Breathe, dude


    The future of this country is looking REAL bright


    ? Seriously, I just got forcibly enlightened


    The post was so short, but what more needs to be saidI feel cheated that I didn¡¯t know this face for 28 yearsValidHe looks like he walked out of a Joseon painting


    ? Right?! The kind of face you¡¯d just... follow


    ? (Comment removed due to violation of community guidelines)


    He¡¯s... really handsome.Beauty That Ruins Kingdoms... yeah, no exaggerationSo that¡¯s the kind of face that ruins nations


    ? Honestly, fair trade


    ? Are we talking... rolled up like sushi?


    ?? Please, y¡¯all need therapy


    Hunters are still human. Please stop crossing the lineThis comment section is a hot messMods, please clean this upHow is a human being this kind-looking AND that handsome


    ? How do you even know he¡¯s kind??


    ?? The face looks kind


    The comment section exploded.


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°The response is... overwhelming.¡±


    ¡°Looks like it.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon thought:


    Nothing disrupts the narrative quite like visual shock.


    As a proud curator, even Seong-Woon had to admit the portrait-level beauty that "Gio" carried.


    And judging by how smoothly everything was flowing, he allowed himself a rare, relaxed smile.


    ¡°Thank you for your cooperation.¡±


    ¡°N-no, I¡¯m just glad I could help.¡±


    ¡°As we discussed, all of your personal information will remain private.¡±


    ¡°Still, people always find a way...¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll make sure this doesn¡¯t cause you any problems.¡±


    ¡°Th-thank you, I really appreciate it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve signed the contract. Do you have any other questions?¡±


    ¡°...Actually.¡±


    The woman now infamously known as ¡°Plop Woman¡±¡ªChoi Ra-On¡ªspoke with surprising seriousness:


    ¡°Can I make a fan cafe??¡±


    ¡°...That¡¯s well within your rights as a citizen.¡±


    ¡°I mean... if Hunter Sergio wouldn¡¯t like it, I won¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask him and get back to you.¡±


    ¡°If he approves... can it be an official fan cafe??¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask about that, too.¡±


    ¡°Thank you...!¡±


    ¡°No trouble at all.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon mused inwardly.


    Maybe it¡¯s time we scheduled some public activities.


    Striking while the iron¡¯s hot was always best.


    Still not sure what level of exposure would suit Gio best...


    He had no intention of throwing Gio into media appearances.


    The man seemed averse to fame, uninterested in celebrity.


    If possible, Seong-Woon intended to keep him underground.


    Though... at this point, staying unofficial might be impossible.


    Then again, perhaps Gio had always expected this much.


    ¡°...¡±


    A dungeon campaign might be a decent first move.


    Wasn¡¯t there a promising raid coming up? Some guilds or temples had dibs on it already...


    In any case, it wasn¡¯t Seong-Woon¡¯s problem anymore.


    Time to go delegate.


    The thought of dumping all this onto Joo-Hyun warmed him pleasantly.

 Chapter 159

    There were a few people here who recognized "Sergio Hunter."


    ¨C That¡¯s Sergio Hunter


    ¨C Sergio Hunter ??? Are you finally going to show your face?


    ¨C Our hunter is official now. That¡¯s that then.


    They were civilians who had been helped during the time of the S-Class dungeon, "Temple of the Deep Sea."


    ¨C That hunter¡¯s name is Sergio?


    ? Yeah yeah yeah yeah, he called himself a tamer back then too


    ¨C Kssa, come check if it¡¯s really him


    ¨C Is it fair to post just one photo of that face?


    ? If you''re going to tell us, tell us everything


    ¨C Hey, why doesn¡¯t anything come up when I search?


    ¨C Unofficial hunters... Once their faces are out, it¡¯s like they think they¡¯ll die or something


    ¨C Isn¡¯t Sergio Hunter part of the Collector¡¯s Guild? Isn¡¯t there any response from their side?


    ? Oh the Collector¡¯s Guild??? Collector¡¯s Guild????


    ? ?? That sunshine pretty boy is with the Collector¡¯s Guild??


    ? Did Bisa Beul¡¯s taste change or something


    ? Nono, maybe it¡¯s just the face that looks like sunshine


    ? How could that smile not be sunlight pouring straight from the soul


    ¨C Why is everyone losing it over someone¡¯s face


    ¨C Korea¡¯s standard of praising people just because they look good tsk tsk


    ? ojjlr


    And soon after.


    A new post appeared: Sunshine Necromancer Hunter joins Collector¡¯s Guild.


    Title said it all.


    The Collector¡¯s Guild¡¯s official homepage had uploaded the personal profile of ¡°Sergio Hunter.¡±


    ¨C What¡¯s ¡°Sunshine Necromancer Hunter¡±?


    ? Gssa they say he¡¯s a sunshine pretty boy, but he¡¯s also the one who stirred up a ghost incident, so they didn¡¯t know what else to call him


    ? LOLLL maybe it¡¯s not that they had nothing to say, but way too much


    ? It¡¯s not ¡°descent,¡± it¡¯s ¡°necromancy¡±? That¡¯s oddly funny


    ? SunshineNecromancerHunter lolol


    ? Don¡¯t give our hunter weird nicknames


    ?? ?What the hell. You''re acting like he¡¯s your hunter


    ?? Like you¡¯ve even met him before


    People who read the post quickly rushed to the Collector¡¯s Guild homepage and confirmed it was true. The photo posted was as clear as the one previously uploaded by the certified witness, Choi Raon.


    And some people were baffled.


    ¨C Hey, why did they only release this much info?


    ¨C I¡¯m new to hunter stanning... is it usually like this? ????


    ? No it¡¯s not;;


    ? Ignore the reply above, it¡¯s usually like this. Hunter info is always sparse


    ? That¡¯s right. It''s standard practice to keep hunter details under wraps


    The only info released was his name, height, and age. Since it¡¯s a long-standing Korean tradition not to disclose hunter identities in detail, most people understood and moved on.


    But still, some got excited.


    So now it¡¯s officially okay to stan him?


    The state just recognized my stanning??


    It was considered good manners not to mess with unofficial or underground hunters, but once official activities increased, those lines were easily crossed. Those who had been watching Sergio since ¡°Temple of the Deep Sea¡± were thrilled.


    Among them was Choi Raon, who had been teased all day at work for being the ¡°splat girl.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll never get another face like this in my life.¡±


    After getting off work and returning home, her itchy hands twitched.


    ¡°Fan cafe?... If I start a fan cafe?... then I could get access to photos and his schedule...¡±


    On Choi Raon¡¯s battered old computer screen was a two-shot with Hunter Sergio. The image had a distinctly gloomy vibe for this late hour, but she was earnest in her longing.


    ¡°It¡¯s rare to see a face like this, but a face like this with that kind of personality? Even rarer.¡±


    The reason Korea still had some semblance of law and order wasn¡¯t because Koreans were inherently good people, but because a slew of stringent laws and innovative punishments kept them in line. It was an era where dehumanizing others had become the norm, and average moral standards had dropped drastically.


    As such, even public figures who became stanning targets no longer had the same kind of integrity as before the Great Catastrophe. Especially among hunters, it was common for someone to kill a person in broad daylight and still be brushed off as ¡°Well, it happens.¡±


    Of course, many hunters put on a fake gentle act and suppressed their nasty personalities just to maintain popularity, but Choi Raon was confident.


    ¡°I know a thing or two about physiognomy. And this one¡¯s real... This one¡¯s a pure wellspring dragged up from deep underground.¡±


    Her gut, sharpened by years of stanning celebrities and hunters, was screaming that this was the real deal. A one-in-a-million gem. A kind of calling was forming in her.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it fate that I met him that day?¡±


    Though it was a fate hand-crafted by Gio, 100% handmade, pure and deliberate, Choi Raon had no way of knowing that.


    His platinum-blond hair looked silver under the dingy streetlamp ? N§àv§Öl?§Ôht ? (Don¡¯t copy, read here) glow. His curly locks looked as soft as silk, and the smile, radiating warmth just by looking at it, truly resembled sunlight.


    ¡°An absolutely f*cking insane face...¡±


    Choi Raon recalled seeing him up close. That cool atmosphere with a subtle forest scent, and the cheerful, dashing smile he gave her when they parted.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s the key.¡±


    She had thought he was just a calm, priestly type, but hidden beneath that was the citrusy freshness of a sports team captain.


    ¡°Ha...¡±


    Life was already so damn exhausting. Everyone needed a little light and salt to survive.


    ¡°The last light and salt got ruined by a major personality scandal.¡±


    Given how brutal a hunter¡¯s life could be, many ended up with their personalities exposed sooner or later. Sometimes it was exaggerated, but either way, being dragged into a scandal would leave fans emotionally exhausted.


    ¡°I know I¡¯m kind of intense compared to other people... But when I get disappointed in my baby¡¯s personality, my heart just cools off, what can I do?¡±


    Choi Raon was the type who¡¯d fall out of love the instant she noticed any flaw in her ¡°baby¡¯s¡± personality. Whether they bullied someone, or killed someone for no good reason.


    Before the Great Catastrophe, even the idea of ordinary people doing something like that was ridiculous. But now, in this new era, her expectations for morality were unusually strict.


    ¡°...I mean, it¡¯s not like I committed a crime, right? Right? A person can be a little picky, can¡¯t they?¡±


    So naturally, Choi Raon had a long list of former stanning targets. The second she spotted a red flag in their character, her feelings cooled instantly.


    In fact, the last ¡°light and salt¡± had been taken away by none other than the Black Cloak. That guy still had plenty of devoted fans waiting faithfully, but no matter how popular he was, Choi Raon couldn¡¯t bring herself to stan someone a literal monster had judged as a bastard.


    ¡°......¡±


    Eyes glued to her monitor, Choi Raon mumbled quietly.


    ¡°...But with a face like this...¡±


    Even if his personality had some flaws, she might just get a little thrill and move on.


    ¡°...Yeah. Being a hunter must be insanely hard. Stuff happens in life.¡±


    Most hunter stans didn¡¯t lose interest over a few scandals. In truth, Choi Raon was the exception. With the way the job worked, it was impossible for hunters to always speak and act like saints.


    But the point where Choi Raon drew the line for ¡°my baby¡± was their face and mannerisms. More precisely, mostly their face.


    ¡°Which means...¡±


    Even if this ¡°light and salt¡± got involved in 66 consecutive scandals, she probably wouldn¡¯t be able to let go. If someone with this face had that kind of personality, then it meant God was being fair.


    ¡°But what if he even has a good personality?¡±


    That would be a once-in-a-lifetime, national treasure.


    ¡°I hope they drop some juicy content soon.¡±


    Choi Raon smiled contentedly in front of her monitor.


    ***


    Meanwhile, Joo-Hyun, who had just been handed over the role, was slightly overwhelmed.


    ¡°Of all times, you''re handing this off to me now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m already too busy managing just the ¡®Black Cloak.¡¯ And as you know, ¡®Sergio¡¯ is your responsibility, Joo-Hyun.¡±


    ¡°You started all this at the Collector¡¯s Guild¡ªwhy are you dumping it on me?¡±


    ¡°If you were part of the Collector¡¯s Guild, you''d be busier than this. What a shame.¡±


    ¡°No, Yoo Seong-Woon¡ª¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon expressed his regrets as he handed over a stack of documents, full of collected online community reactions.


    ¡°This rollout needs extensive handling, so I stepped in for this one time. But from now on, whenever ¡®Sergio Hunter¡¯ makes a public appearance, you need to be at his side.¡±


    ¡°Because a hunter and their manager need to come as a set. I get that, but...¡±


    ¡°Seems you learned well from the secretary¡¯s office. And as you know, now is when the buzz is loudest, and attention is focused. Besides, I¡¯m an unofficial underground hunter.¡±


    An unofficial hunter is one who doesn¡¯t publicly reveal their identity. An underground hunter is one who doesn¡¯t operate publicly at all.


    ¡°I can¡¯t exactly become ¡®Sergio Hunter¡¯s¡¯ official manager under those circumstances.¡±


    And he already had more on his plate than he could count.


    ¡°If it comes to that, I¡¯ll basically become a sleepless human being.¡±


    ¡°...Just how much work are you doing exactly?¡±


    ¡°The more capable a hunter is, the more they''re split apart for tasks¡ªnever forget that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not even awakened.¡±


    ¡°Sergio Hunter is, though.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°The Temple¡¯s been showing interest as well... Before long, there¡¯ll be collaboration requests pouring in.¡±


    High-profile hunters attract work even when they¡¯re doing nothing.


    ¡°As you probably learned too.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that part was definitely part of the training.¡±


    Because of his screen-ready face, media contacts might come calling. And since he was one of the rare beast tamers in Korea, strategy or joint mission requests would likely follow.


    Yoo Seong-Woon gave a stiff smile.


    ¡°The minor inquiries will be filtered out by the secretary¡¯s office. Anything that¡¯s not even worth passing to Sergio Hunter will be stopped there. But for everything else, it¡¯s your job to deliver it directly.¡±


    Joo-Hyun asked,


    ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering... how exactly am I supposed to find ¡®Sergio Hunter¡¯?¡±


    ¡°That part¡¯s already been discussed with Gio.¡±


    ¡°Could I ask what exactly you two discussed?¡±


    ¡°Gio drops by our apartment hallway exactly at midnight every day...¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Joo-Hyun gave a resigned smile.


    ¡°So the Guildmaster really has decided to get rid of me.¡±


    ¡°No, no! That¡¯s not what this is. Please calm down. There are reasons for all of it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d really like to hear those reasons.¡±


    ¡°For starters, humans don¡¯t have a way to contact Gio.¡±


    It would be absurd for mere humans to expect to reach a god whenever they pleased.


    ¡°Put simply, you can¡¯t exactly install a telephone in Gio¡¯s house.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s true. It¡¯s practically another dimension.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I just fixed a time to meet him. Around 4 AM, typically.¡±


    ¡°And if Gio wants to call on me, he usually sends a letter.¡±


    ¡°I did receive a letter too, but I couldn¡¯t even interpret it. More than that, I doubt I could even get into the Collector¡¯s Gallery...¡±


    ¡°As a non-awakened, the aura of the underground fifth-floor gallery would probably overwhelm you.¡±


    ¡°So this setup was put in place so Gio would come here instead?¡±


    Joo-Hyun asked with a characteristically polite smile.


    ¡°Or is it that the Guildmaster still hasn¡¯t let go of the dream of a roommate situation?¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t have a defense for that one.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon laughed bitterly.


    ¡°I¡¯m in Unit 1, you¡¯re in Unit 2, and Gio shows up in the hallway in between... It¡¯s perfect.¡±


    ¡°Is it really okay for the Collector¡¯s Guild to just occupy the 46th floor like this?¡±


    ¡°All the residences on the 46th floor were legally purchased. So no issues there.¡±


    ¡°And now there¡¯s either a dark god or a monster living between these units.¡±


    ¡°Gio¡¯s always gone wherever he likes. That¡¯s not something law can control.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, well... you¡¯re not wrong.¡±


    Joo-Hyun was starting to feel a little stifled.


    ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve been assigned a role in overturning the world order...¡±


    ¡°It could be a positive sort of overturning.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not denying that it¡¯s an overturning, though.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a possibility¡ªit might never happen, so don¡¯t worry too much.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re making me more anxious.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon gave a composed smile.


    ¡°Honestly, no one¡¯s going to be in the 46th-floor hallway at exactly midnight.¡±


    There were only two households on that floor. Anyone visiting at that time, and to a unit they didn¡¯t live in, would seem suspicious.


    ¡°So if something happens, we can chalk it up to self-defense.¡±


    ¡°What exactly are you planning to chalk up...?¡±


    ¡°This is the power of a major corporation.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon chuckled.


    ¡°And anyway, even if you tried to use the stairs, you can¡¯t visit a floor unless you¡¯re a resident.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so it¡¯s like the elevator system? I didn¡¯t know the stairs worked that way.¡±


    ¡°Most people don¡¯t unless they¡¯ve tried it. But yes, even the stairs require a resident¡¯s keycard to access that level.¡±


    ¡°Then there won¡¯t be any poor soul fainting after accidentally running into the Black Cloak, huh.¡±


    ¡°That was no accident. That was straight-up BS. No way someone got up here unintentionally.¡±


    Of course, building staff or inspection workers could enter, but never at exactly midnight. The apartment complex was tightly managed, and wouldn¡¯t allow even minor disruptions to its residents.


    ¡°So again, no need to worry too much.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, okay. I understand.¡±


    ¡°Thanks to that, I also got my meeting time with Gio moved earlier.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re also meeting him at midnight?¡±


    ¡°The Guildmaster said it¡¯d be more convenient to get everything handled at once.¡±


    ¡°...That¡¯s...¡±


    ¡°Total BS, yes.¡±


    Bisa Beul was a superior whom Yoo Seong-Woon respected deeply, but there were still some things that needed to be said.


    ¡°Seems like he wants the three of us to form a tighter bond.¡±


    ¡°Would it be okay if I resisted with all my strength?¡±


    ¡°I still think you¡¯ll be fine. Let¡¯s do our best together.¡±


    And so, without the man himself even being present, the life of Hunter Sergio was quietly being constructed.

 Chapter 160

    And Gio had no thoughts at all.


    ¡°The Mangdung berries dried out too much again.¡±


    ¡°Ggng.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all because of too much sunlight.¡±


    How could there be three suns under one sky?


    ¡°This isn¡¯t right.¡±


    He was lamenting in front of the Mangdung berries that had hardened into something like gold.


    ¡°We¡¯re just too warm.¡±


    Giovanni, imbued with the divinity of the Sun. The teddy bear housing the former Sun God. And Honey, the light-attribute evolved waterbird, basking in their love.


    With three suns of various sizes living together in the hut, it took no time for fruit to dry out.


    ¡°I need to overturn this divine power right now.¡±


    ¡°Ggngggng...!!¡±


    ¡°Gggooo...!!¡±


    While the pig, angry at the lack of tasty treats, was held back by the waterbird and the teddy bear, Dana stretched out peacefully, washing her face like a cat. The sun-drenched, steaming warm house was nothing short of paradise to her.


    Gio collapsed in the yard.


    ¡°Grandmother, I¡¯m sorry. This potato has become a fool who can¡¯t even dry a single fruit properly.¡±


    ¡°Ggoo.¡±


    ¡°I am a talking potato. The only thing I can do is speak. That appears to be my identity.¡±


    ¡°Ggoo...?¡±


    The former Sun God was deeply confused as to why this child of the sun was calling himself a potato. His identity was far closer to the sun than a potato¡ªand closer still to the Origin.


    Gathering the hardened Mangdung berries like an old basket-carrying grandpa, Gio, having composed his sorrow, spoke:


    ¡°I¡¯m aware I don¡¯t really resemble a potato.¡±


    It was something he¡¯d admitted to himself from time to time, and he also knew he wasn¡¯t exactly that harmless either. A real potato couldn¡¯t turn people into paint.


    ¡°I¡¯m more like the Ogol chicken in the yard. All pitch black...¡±


    ¡°Ggurrrrr.¡±


    ¡°You like it too since it''s a bird, huh, Honey. I should try drawing a feathered cloak next time.¡±


    Back in his Sergio days, he often dressed in all black. So if one had to draw comparisons, something completely black would make more sense.


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯m being tempted by shiny things lately because of Argio.¡±


    Maybe something like soot from the hearth, or a crow the size of a house. Even Gio couldn¡¯t find much correlation between himself and a potato. And yet, the reason he couldn¡¯t let go of the potato identity came from his childhood.


    ¡°This is all the elders¡¯ fault.¡±


    To the people in that remote mountain village in Gangwon-do, Gio had just been a highly verbal, high-functioning potato.


    Sergio wasn¡¯t lacking in self-awareness. Teaching high schoolers bursting with energy to the point of combustion would ensure that. Besides, his appearance wasn¡¯t particularly harmless either.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit funny, really.¡±


    People treated Sergio like he was some grand, exceptional figure just for breathing.


    He hadn¡¯t done anything, yet they acted like he had. And nobody, not even Sergio himself, could pinpoint what exactly that ¡°something¡± was. He remembered how watching people act that way had made him laugh¡ªand so he let them.


    ¡°Everyone thinks I¡¯m far more complicated than I am.¡±


    ¡°Gggooo...¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why, even if just in my heart, I keep calling myself a potato.¡±


    To remind himself that he was nothing more than a regular human.


    ¡°Such is the rebellious nature of man.¡±


    If they hadn¡¯t made him out to be something so daunting and fascinating, maybe he wouldn¡¯t be clinging to the potato narrative.


    Sergio knew full well he wasn¡¯t anything that extraordinary.


    He had a lot of random skills, his grades were decently good, he had a decent number of friends, but he wasn¡¯t as perfect in every area as people imagined.


    ¡°I¡¯m just this ordinary person, but everyone treats me like I¡¯m something special.¡±


    And on top of that, he had an exceptionally handsome face¡ªso people projected even more onto him. Gio knew that was a ridiculous misunderstanding, but others didn¡¯t.


    ¡°Only the elders in our mountain village ever saw through my fleeting essence.¡±


    That¡¯s why he cherished the nickname ¡°potato¡± even more.


    ¡°It gives me a sense of stability.¡±


    It was, so to speak, his emotional hometown.


    ¡°It¡¯s kind of funny how everyone gets flustered just by my expression...¡±


    ¡°Ggoo??¡±


    ¡°And I get scared, wondering if I might start believing I¡¯m actually something.¡±


    ¡°Ggoo, ggoo.¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯m not special.¡±


    Sergio knew his place.


    ¡°I¡¯m just average.¡±


    He was just a regular person with extremely poor social instincts.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Noticing the teddy bear¡¯s uneasy, wavering gaze, Gio gave a nod. He could guess what it was imagining, and what it feared. But it was a misunderstanding.


    ¡°...Even I wouldn¡¯t go out into the world shouting, ¡®I am a potato!¡¯¡±


    ¡°Ggoo.¡±


    ¡°No, not even shout¡ªI don¡¯t even say it out there. I know it¡¯d sound like madness.¡±


    What kind of embarrassing nonsense would that be?


    Gio loved the identity of ¡°potato¡± that those kind mountain elders had given him, but that was one thing, and this was another. Even Gio, the world¡¯s most affectionate homebody, had to function in society.


    ¡°I might act bratty at home, but outside, I¡¯m always polite and well-mannered. You don¡¯t need to worry about your son acting foolishly in public.¡±


    There are many grandchildren treated like little puppies in Korea, but that doesn¡¯t mean they go around claiming it in public. Even elementary schoolers don¡¯t do that¡ªlet alone a 29-year-old adult man.


    ¡°Ggnggg?¡±


    ¡°Why am I calling myself an old man?¡±


    ¡°Ggurrr.¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m almost in my thirties, that¡¯s why.¡±


    He felt a little too ambiguous to be called a youth.


    ¡°With a two in front, it¡¯s a bit of a stretch to call myself an old man...¡±


    Technically, since he was a portrait, he wasn¡¯t aging with the years, but due to his unique circumstances, Gio concluded that ¡°old man¡± was accurate.


    ¡°In my current form, I¡¯m 32 years old, so yes, I suppose I¡¯m officially an old man.¡±


    ¡°Ggng...?¡±


    ¡°Wait, 24 plus 32 plus 29... that¡¯s senior citizen tier, huh?¡±


    In any case, he was in a situation where calling himself a young adult made his conscience ache.


    ¡°Anyway, what am I going to do with all these Mangdung berries?¡±


    What could he do?


    ¡°Guess I¡¯ll have to make Blood Rice Balls.¡±


    Refinement Method: Grind the thoroughly dried berries into powder, mix with juice from the Rurupu, knead into balls, and dry them in a dark place for over a week. Effective for treating and recovering from bleeding.


    ¡°I¡¯ll need to extract a bit more Rurupu.¡±


    At the sound of ¡°Rurupu,¡± Dana, who had been sprawled out lazily, perked up. Maybe because of today¡¯s bright weather, her appearance, once reminiscent of a galaxy at night, now glowed with a clear blue sheen.


    Dana shimmered in a pale blue light and gently bumped her head against Gio¡¯s calf.


    ¡°Mngmng...¡±


    ¡°This batch¡¯s for medicine, though.¡±


    ¡°Ang.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you just want to come with me.¡±


    ¡°Nyong.¡±


    ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s go together.¡±


    The giant cat Dana would once again become his dependable escort.


    ***


    Meanwhile, there was yet another place stirred by the emergence of ¡°Sergio Hunter.¡±


    ¡°I never imagined that Anti-Cat possessed such abilities.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, truly remarkable. Letting one see souls...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not yet a confirmed matter, so further examination is necessary.¡±


    It was none other than the Church of the Sun and the Church of the Moon.


    Religions rooted in traditional deities naturally adhered to cosmic order and were deeply concerned with the cycles of life and death. Before the rise of the Church of Death, these two had been the most closely associated with funerary rites.


    ¡°By the way, I¡¯ve heard that monsters like Anti-Cat are not easily tamed.¡±


    One elder priest remarked, and a younger priest echoed his sentiment.


    ¡°Yes, upon investigation, it turns out even tamers can¡¯t handle it¡ªit¡¯s notoriously difficult.¡±


    ¡°Is that based on data from both domestic and international sources?¡±


    ¡°Yes. From what I¡¯ve heard, this is the first successful case of taming an Anti-Cat in the world.¡±


    ¡°Well then, it¡¯s something that will catch the eye of the global community.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s already causing a stir among tamers.¡±


    A tamer¡¯s prestige and honor depended on how many, how varied, and how difficult the monsters they could handle were. If it were true that Sergio had tamed an Anti-Cat, his reputation would quickly reach elite heights.


    ¡°They say the Anti-Cat doesn¡¯t allow humans to approach at all.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not well-versed in that field, so let me ask¡ªcan¡¯t it be forcibly subdued?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard it incinerates everything around it when provoked.¡±


    ¡°Even if the hunter has flame resistance...?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s said to be a fire that burns the soul. No matter how strong the resistance, even the most hardened hunters would struggle.¡±


    ¡°A fire that burns the soul... how troubling.¡±


    The priests stirred restlessly. Few topics were as sensitive to them as the soul.


    ¡°I¡¯d very much like to witness that power myself¡ªif it¡¯s possible.¡±


    ¡°But it won¡¯t be easy. The Collector¡¯s Guild has kept this one under wraps.¡±


    ¡°He seems to be a hunter deeply cherished by the Collector. A careless approach could be costly.¡±


    ¡°Still, shouldn¡¯t we verify the authenticity of those powers?¡±


    ¡°And who are we to make such judgments?¡±


    ¡°Ahem, apologies. I let my eagerness get ahead of me.¡±


    A hunter¡¯s authority always belonged to their guild. Interfering in that meant bracing for a cold war of subtle power plays. The Church of the Sun had no desire to stir things up with one of Korea¡¯s three major guilds.


    ¡°I understand your thoughts. If Anti-Cat truly has powers that interact with the soul...¡±


    ¡°It would be a tremendous asset to the priests performing funeral rites.¡±


    ¡°It would also benefit the image of the Church of the Sun. With the recent dungeon outbreaks, our standing has been weakened.¡±


    ¡°Even the apprentice priests remain uneasy.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why now, more than ever, we must demonstrate the virtues and honor of the Church¡ªto reassure both initiates and believers.¡±


    Another elder priest expressed reluctance.


    ¡°But isn''t it true that only a tamer can handle Anti-Cat? Even if the ability is real, our priests wouldn¡¯t be able to tame the creature.¡±


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t we enlist the help of this hunter named Sergio? I heard that during the ''Nation of the Deep Sea'' incident, he showed healing powers close to that of the Sun. If that¡¯s the case, he can¡¯t hold any ill will toward our church. Even if he was swept up in such an incident... faith, after all, is...¡±


    ¡°No, listen. The concern isn¡¯t whether he holds no grudge¡ªwe should be more worried about turning neutral feelings into negative ones. From what I¡¯ve heard, he dislikes attention and has been living as an unofficial hunter until now.¡±


    ¡°Well, the fact that he¡¯s now showing his face so openly suggests he might be trying to live as an official hunter. I agree that we shouldn¡¯t provoke his dislike. If his powers are real, we need to approach him with the utmost respect.¡±


    ¡°More importantly, I...¡±


    A middle-aged priest added,


    ¡°I believe his powers are real.¡±


    ¡°And what leads you to that conclusion?¡±


    ¡°He is a hunter under the Collector.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes... of course.¡±


    ¡°He is not a man who would show favoritism without reason.¡±


    Bisa Beul¡¯s tastes were well-known. His baseline requirements were simple: competent and diligent. A man of such keen eyes would never treasure a hunter inflated by empty hype.


    ¡°If Guildmaster Bisa Beul has given ¡ï Novelight ¡ï his approval...¡±


    ¡°Then we have no choice but to trust it.¡±


    ¡°If we cannot trust the Collector¡¯s discernment, what else is there to trust?¡±


    After all, his collections were his life¡¯s purpose.


    ¡°Even so, we still don¡¯t know the exact nature of Sergio¡¯s powers.¡±


    ¡°To try and snatch them up with no effort would be the behavior of scoundrels.¡±


    ¡°Th-that is true, yes...¡±


    For someone who wasn¡¯t even a guildmaster to go poking around a hunter¡¯s identity and power set would be terribly rude¡ªespecially things like specific skills or exact rankings.


    ¡°With how things are going, the details will come to light naturally, little by little.¡±


    The elder priests understood the flow of the world.


    ¡°He¡¯s shown his face, and the Collector¡¯s Guild didn¡¯t try to suppress it. That means they¡¯ve decided that this Sergio Hunter is ready to be revealed to the world.¡±


    ¡°And what better stage to debut a hunter than a dungeon? It¡¯s not as if the world lacks dungeons to conquer, or guilds curious about his capabilities...¡±


    ¡°If no proper site presents itself, we could offer one. What about proposing a joint expedition to that dungeon we discovered in Gangwon-do?¡±


    ¡°In any case, the truth of Sergio Hunter¡¯s powers will become clear before long. Hahaha, if possible, I¡¯d truly love to learn more about that Anti-Cat¡¯s abilities.¡±


    As they said this, their gazes all turned to one young priest.


    ¡°......¡±


    It was Kang Seodam, the priest who had once entered a dungeon alongside ¡°Sergio Hunter.¡±


    He clenched his teeth in silence.


    ¡°O Sun... grant me the courage to endure the trials ahead.¡±

 Chapter 161

    Exactly midnight¡ªwhen most citizens of Seoul were long collapsed in exhaustion¡ªtwo people sat in the hallway of a high-rise apartment.


    ¡°...Are we really doing this the right way?¡±


    Joo-Hyun couldn''t help but question the surreal nature of this meeting, something nearly extinct in modern society.


    ¡°Sitting on two folding chairs in an apartment hallway, facing a portrait hung on the opposite wall?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem? There¡¯s even a table. This table was custom-made by our guild, you know.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a half-circle shape, so it does feel like Mr. Gio is sitting here with us...¡±


    ¡°Feels like? He is actually here, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°He hasn¡¯t stepped out of the frame, though.¡±


    Joo-Hyun offered a dry smile.


    ¡°Since it¡¯s in a frame like that, this kind of feels like I¡¯m holding a conversation with a memorial photo. It¡¯s a bit unsettling.¡±


    To that, the subject of the portrait answered.


    ¡°In a way, I am a memorial photo.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon countered.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not a photo¡ªyou¡¯re a portrait.¡±


    ¡°In that regard, Mr. Yoo Seong-Woon is correct.¡±


    ¡°Although... your ¡®portrait¡¯ might not be the usual kind. Could be the other kind of ¡®ch¡¯osang¡¯¡ªyou know, as in the mourning rites.¡±


    ¡°A clever observation.¡±


    ¡°Since we¡¯re discussing your identity, do you have anything to contribute?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to say I respect all forms of diversity.¡±


    And Joo-Hyun thought:


    What kind of conversation even is this?


    The kind that naturally draws out one¡¯s most polite, society-approved smile.


    ¡°Are we absolutely sure there¡¯s no risk of this conversation leaking outside?¡±


    ¡°As I said before, Ms. Joo-Hyun.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon smiled with reassuring confidence.


    ¡°This is a very expensive apartment.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°Unless you¡¯re a hunter with some seriously deep pockets, you¡¯d snap your spine just trying to live here.¡±


    ¡°That also makes sense.¡±


    ¡°If a place charging this much money still allowed data leaks, it would¡¯ve gone up in flames a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, probably.¡±


    Joo-Hyun nodded compliantly and pointed at a CCTV camera fixed in the hallway.


    ¡°That¡¯s been taken care of too, I assume?¡±


    ¡°You say that like you¡¯re agreeing, but I still feel suspicion dripping from you.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon nodded.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s been thoroughly handled for a while now. Nothing to worry about.¡±


    ¡°What exactly was thoroughly handled is what worries me.¡±


    ¡°There are many spooky rumors about the Collector¡¯s Guild, but as you know, most of them come from our own artworks and ghost stories.¡±


    ¡°Yes, and those are also... still rather worrying.¡±


    ¡°The Collector¡¯s Guild doesn¡¯t spill innocent blood. No harm came to the staff¡ªwe simply reached an agreement.¡±


    He added lightly:


    ¡°We just settled it all with money.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know where to start with the dozens of thoughts in my head right now.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to share every thought aloud.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon cut off her spiral gently.


    ¡°Between being forced to shut up for free and choosing to stay quiet for a hefty sum, the latter is clearly the better option. I can personally attest there was no coercion involved.¡±


    ¡°Still, there¡¯s something bitter about living in a world where everything gets solved with money.¡±


    ¡°On that point, I fully agree. But at the end of the day, no one truly hates money, right? The important thing is to stay within acceptable lines¡ªand we handled this within agreeable terms.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t trying to criticize how the Collector¡¯s Guild does things...¡±


    ¡°And above all, you might be wondering if money alone can really keep mouths shut¡ªbut in this case, we also used a soul contract. Unless they want to give up... a lot, that silence is guaranteed.¡±


    ¡°Could we please not keep using the phrase keep mouths shut? It¡¯s starting to sound like we¡¯re in some illegal guild.¡±


    It made her feel deeply unsettled, as a regular civilian.


    ¡°This meeting is already strange enough¡ªI mean, I¡¯ve never attended anything like this before¡ªbut if soul contracts are involved, then... yes, I suppose I can trust that.¡±


    ¡°What exactly is a soul contract?¡±


    It was the portrait who asked.


    Joo-Hyun paused for a moment to organize her thoughts. The question was so basic, she wasn¡¯t sure how to explain it.


    ¡°...It¡¯s exactly what it sounds like¡ªa contract involving one¡¯s soul. These days there are various methods, but the common factor is that they all use the system of the awakened.¡±


    ¡°The system of the awakened...¡±


    ¡°They operate on a higher-dimensional framework than regular humans. Unless specific clauses are added, the terms of a soul contract cannot be changed midway.¡±


    ¡°Are the building managers here awakened?¡±


    ¡°Some are, and some aren¡¯t. But to carry out a soul contract, you only need one awakened person to officiate. They don¡¯t even need to be a party to the contract¡ªjust a qualified witness.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon added:


    ¡°The manager I contracted with was awakened.¡±


    ¡°That explains everything.¡±


    The portrait nodded.


    ¡°Shall we begin the meeting now?¡±


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s.¡±


    As Yoo Seong-Woon gave his nod, Joo-Hyun spoke up.


    ¡°Fortunately, in this latest necromancy incident, the public attention has mostly landed on Miss Dana. It helped that we¡¯d previously described Hunter Sergio as a tamer. People are most convinced by the explanation that the event was due to a monster¡¯s help, rather than the hunter¡¯s own powers.¡±


    Had Gio pulled that off without Dana, it would¡¯ve caused far more than just a ¡°surprising incident.¡± After all, summoning intact souls with a wave of one¡¯s hand was a power far beyond human limits¡ªeven if soul-related skills existed.


    But tamers were rare. And among them, none had ever succeeded in taming an Anti-Cat. The idea that this unknown monster possessed soul-related powers seemed to help people swallow the incident more easily. Or so Joo-Hyun ? N§àv§Öl?g?§ä ? (Continue reading) believed.


    ¡°Realistically, Mr. Gio likely played the larger role, but the public doesn¡¯t know the finer details.¡±


    Without Gio¡¯s consent as ¡°Gio¡¯s Portrait,¡± the Anti-Cat¡ªonce the size of a kitten¡ªwouldn¡¯t have grown to that scale or gained such abilities. Just because someone else tamed an Anti-Cat didn¡¯t mean they could replicate this outcome. Still, letting things slide like this was better for helping Gio blend into society without drawing suspicion.


    ¡°And perhaps because of that...¡±


    With her usual polite smile, Joo-Hyun continued.


    ¡°This time, the religious groups seem to be especially interested in the incident. Particularly the Church of the Sun and the Church of the Moon.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve visited the Church of the Sun before.¡±


    ¡°Ah yes, probably during that induction ceremony. But that event opened a public prayer space that even outsiders could enter. Once you step further inside, the experience will be very different.¡±


    Joo-Hyun pulled out a document.


    ¡°And in that context...¡±


    He looked directly at the portrait.


    ¡°The Church of the Sun has submitted a request for collaboration.¡±


    ¡°They want to verify my abilities?¡±


    ¡°It may sound unpleasant... but that¡¯s the reality of the situation.¡±


    Joo-Hyun¡¯s calm, composed reply impressed Yoo Seong-Woon, who had been quietly observing their conversation.


    ¡®To respond like that without flinching... she¡¯s got nerves of steel.¡¯


    It wasn¡¯t as if Joo-Hyun knew nothing about ¡°Gio¡¯s Portrait.¡± With help from Yoo Seong-Woon and the Collector¡¯s Guild members, she had thoroughly studied up on him. And as a former researcher at the Association, she was well aware of the dangers he posed and the sheer scale of his presence.


    ¡®And yet she reacts like that...¡¯


    For most people, it would be nearly impossible to speak that casually to a mysterious, divine being¡ªespecially when asked to assess his capabilities. Saying something like ¡°it might offend you, but that¡¯s the truth¡± would be unthinkable.


    ¡®She¡¯s bold in the strangest ways...¡¯


    While Yoo Seong-Woon mused to himself, the conversation continued on.


    ¡°People still know very little about ¡®Sergio Hunter.¡¯¡±


    ¡°I believe I¡¯ve provided as many hints as possible about myself.¡±


    ¡°Your miracle at the Gitah Orphanage certainly raised your profile.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t quite a miracle.¡±


    ¡°True, more like a performance. Still, that performance¡ªand your collaboration with Curator Yoo¡ªhave allowed you to gain public recognition unusually quickly.¡±


    However¡ª


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean people have resolved all their questions about you.¡±


    ¡°You mean their curiosity has only deepened.¡±


    ¡°Yes, exactly. What¡¯s his specialty? What position does he serve in raids? What has he done in the past? There¡¯s no shortage of questions.¡±


    Joo-Hyun held out the document sent from the Church of the Sun.


    ¡°From that perspective, this outreach from the Church could be very helpful.¡±


    It was a formal visit request.


    ¡°This is a standard tactic when any organization wants to gauge a famous hunter. If it were from a guild, they¡¯d have just sent an email or business card.¡±


    ¡°Right. It¡¯s like saying, ¡®Let¡¯s get to know each other.¡¯ When they think the hunter¡¯s inexperienced or not threatening, they often send this kind of feeler. It¡¯s a test run.¡±


    Approaches varied by organization.


    ¡°It depends on which guild a hunter is affiliated with¡ªor if they¡¯re freelance. Even freelancers will have a manager, so that¡¯s usually the first point of contact.¡±


    Joo-Hyun nodded.


    ¡°That was also the case for me. It¡¯s considered rude to directly contact a hunter you¡¯ve never met before. Formal requests are typically routed through the manager or the affiliated guild.¡±


    She added,


    ¡°Ah, by the way, the term ¡®inexperienced hunter¡¯ is slang. It usually refers to hunters new to the field, though sometimes it¡¯s used pejoratively.¡±


    ¡°Slang, I see.¡±


    ¡°It can imply inexperience, but sometimes it¡¯s used to belittle someone''s skill¡ªwhich, of course, is very disrespectful.¡±


    ¡°That was a thorough explanation.¡±


    ¡°If any terms or behavior are unclear in the future, I¡¯ll be happy to clarify.¡±


    Sliding the document toward Gio¡¯s portrait, Joo-Hyun continued.


    ¡°In simple terms, this letter says, ¡®Shall we be friends?¡¯ But for an organization as large as the Church of the Sun to reach out directly¡ªthat¡¯s rare.¡±


    Anyone in the know would already understand what this meant.


    ¡°I¡¯ll prepare accordingly.¡±


    ¡°The Church of the Sun...¡±


    Gio turned to Yoo Seong-Woon.


    ¡°That¡¯s where Priest Kang Seodam and Student Cha I-Sol are, correct?¡±


    ¡°Right. This request also came through Priest Kang¡¯s office.¡±


    ¡°I assume there was no personal message.¡±


    ¡°Kang Seodam doesn¡¯t strike me as someone who makes personal appeals.¡±


    ¡°That was my impression as well, when I met him.¡±


    The portrait made its decision.


    ¡°I will pay them a visit soon.¡±


    ¡°You mean the Church?¡±


    ¡°I mean Priest Kang Seodam.¡±


    Joo-Hyun nodded.


    ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll make preparations.¡±


    And silently, she thought to herself:


    ¡®So the Church itself hasn¡¯t earned a passing grade yet, huh?¡¯


    Given Gio¡ªno, Giovanni¡¯s¡ªcomplicated history, it would¡¯ve been more surprising if he had positive feelings toward the Church of the Sun. But thanks to his unusual personality, he didn¡¯t seem to bear a grudge either. Not quite fond, but not hostile.


    ¡®He¡¯s just mildly curious.¡¯


    He had said before that he¡¯d visited once, so he clearly wasn¡¯t indifferent. From Joo-Hyun¡¯s point of view, it was one of the easier attitudes to handle.


    ¡°There have been a few other contacts as well, though none particularly urgent. Most of them are from mass media outlets, so I¡¯ve just sorted them lightly. Would you like an overview?¡±


    ¡°I do not wish to carry out two engagements at once.¡±


    ¡°Ah, understood. It would indeed be burdensome for you to handle multiple tasks simultaneously. I¡¯ll prepare everything so you can focus on just one.¡±


    Joo-Hyun and Yoo Seong-Woon thought in unison:


    ¡®Is this one of Gio¡¯s personal rules?¡¯


    ¡®Maybe there¡¯s a limit to how much he can do at once.¡¯


    One was a gardener, the other a former researcher. Neither of them arrived at the simple conclusion:


    ¡®Gio is an introvert who runs out of energy quickly doing too much at once.¡¯


    But to be fair, it wasn¡¯t entirely their fault. Gio¡¯s aura was so composed and imposing that even strangers wouldn¡¯t imagine him as someone who¡¯d wilt from too much social exposure.


    ¡®I suppose even stepping out of the frame for long periods must be exhausting.¡¯


    Thinking this, Yoo Seong-Woon gave a mild smile.


    ¡°Then what date would work best?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll follow whatever you recommend.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Then, Ms. Joo-Hyun, can you handle the scheduling?¡±


    And with that, the first ever Hallway Conference concluded¡ªon a surprisingly wholesome note.


    ***


    And elsewhere... things were not going so smoothly. Nor did they end on a warm note.


    ¡°Haaaa...¡±


    Kang Seodam, the priest who had been shoved aside to deal with leftovers, muttered under his breath.


    ¡®Rotten religious bureaucracy...¡¯


    The younger and lower-ranked you were, the more you were treated like a slave.


    If not for the merciful light of the Sun, he would¡¯ve walked out long ago. Now, he calmed himself.


    It was time... to face the divine.

 Chapter 162

    A few days later, ¡®Hunter Sergio¡¯ visited the Church of the Sun.


    ¡°Thank you for your visit.¡±


    Kang Seodam personally came out to greet him.


    ¡°Was the journey here not too troublesome?¡±


    ¡°The thought of seeing the sun I met that day once again filled me with nothing but excitement.¡±


    ¡°That the light of the sun reached you must also be fate.¡±


    With his characteristically blunt expression, he guided Gio forward.


    ¡°Please, follow me.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡±


    Gio followed behind Kang Seodam, taking in the true form of the Church of the Sun.


    ¡®As expected, it¡¯s different from the church I once belonged to.¡¯


    Though Gio¡¯s Sun Church, once corrupted by the plotting of mermaids, was still grand, the Church of the Sun on Earth radiated a much simpler, gentler atmosphere. It felt as though it were filled with sunlight.


    ¡®They seem to favor clean white over gold.¡¯


    As someone who often painted, Gio couldn¡¯t help but value aesthetic more than historical worth. This place was far warmer and lighter than he had imagined.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite lively.¡±


    ¡°Does it displease you?¡±


    ¡°No, I asked because it¡¯s pleasant to hear.¡±


    ¡°Then this priest is glad to hear it.¡±


    With his usual indifferent tone, Kang Seodam continued.


    ¡°One of the greatest strengths of the Church of the Sun is its abundance of life.¡±


    ¡°I visited the Church of Death once before, and it¡¯s nothing like this.¡±


    ¡°The Church of Death considers silence a virtue, and it values the collective over the individual.¡±


    They strolled down a hallway where sunlight poured through large windows.


    ¡°In other words, priests of death are often called a family of silence. Compared to other churches, they have a particularly rigid sense of familial structure. And yet, apart from that, they emphasize obedience and flow... It must¡¯ve felt quite still.¡±


    It was unlike the Church of the Sun.


    ¡°Warmth belongs to the living. The small rays of our Sun, bestowed by the Sun himself, burn while we are alive, then return to his side once they¡¯ve consumed all.¡±


    ¡°Hence, the brightness of this atmosphere.¡±


    ¡°Yes, unlike other churches, we promote the free actions of each priest. So we maintain minimal formality even in conversation. And so...¡±


    Kang Seodam lightly chuckled, glancing at the passing priests.


    ¡°The Church of the Sun tends to have this kind of noisy energy.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a good sight.¡±


    ¡°I''m glad it appears that way to you.¡±


    Soon, they headed toward the Church¡¯s hospitality room.


    ¡°Please, take a comfortable seat.¡±


    Once seated, a few attendants brought out refreshments and tea. Unlike the priests or Kang Seodam, these people did not radiate much of the sun¡¯s energy, so Gio looked at them briefly.


    Realizing that Gio was not human, and recalling his lack of common knowledge, Kang Seodam explained.


    ¡°...These are our brothers and sisters who assist the priests of the Church of the Sun in many ways. Though they are not priests, they remain within the church and offer large and small aid.¡±


    ¡°I see. Thank you for introducing them.¡±


    ¡°It is a priest¡¯s joy to host the guests of the Church. Thank you, brothers, for the tea. Now, if you¡¯d allow, I would like to speak privately with our guest.¡±


    The attendants quietly stepped out, leaving only Gio and Kang Seodam in the room.


    ¡°...First of all...¡±


    Kang Seodam bowed deeply.


    ¡°Regarding the mercy you showed in the ¡®Nation of the Deep Sea,¡¯ I thank you once again on behalf of all humans who were there.¡±


    His demeanor was much more respectful than it had been outside. From the phrase ¡°on behalf of all humans,¡± Gio realized he was not being regarded as human himself¡ªbut he let it pass.


    ¡®A bit absurd...¡¯


    But better this than being exposed as an ordinary human and dragged off for experimentation. Thinking that, Gio composed himself as a priest of the Sun should.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad I could be of help.¡±


    ¡°Were you able to safely receive the reward from the Church?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I received the compensation through the collector.¡±


    ¡°...Though I did not feel it right to repay you with something as lowly as money...¡±


    ¡°You''re too modest.¡±


    Giovanni offered a sacred priestly smile.


    ¡°I like money.¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Most happiness can be bought with it.¡±


    Kang Seodam remained silent for a moment before nodding.


    ¡°I see... That¡¯s a relief.¡±


    Gio instinctively recognized the reaction: ¡°I don¡¯t get it, but I¡¯ll let it go.¡± It was the same look Yoo Seong-Woon or Joo-Hyun often had.


    Kang Seodam still held an uncomfortably formal posture.


    ¡°Thanks to your intervention, the number of casualties was greatly reduced. As the person ultimately responsible for the initiation ceremony, it should¡¯ve been my burden. But because you extended your hand, the young novice priests did not meet a pointless death.¡±


    ¡°I believe it was something we accomplished together.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re truly grateful for your favorable view of us. The reason we called Hunter Sergio here today is that the Church requested a meeting. My own opinion was not fully reflected, but I will do my utmost to ensure no discomfort arises.¡±


    ¡°You think I¡¯d be displeased?¡±


    Did he expect Gio to say something like ¡°How dare you summon me¡±? Gio gave a light look of confusion at Kang Seodam¡¯s intense caution¡ªbut the priest¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change.


    ¡°Yes. Thank you for understanding.¡±


    Gio¡¯s interpretation was correct. As a mere human, Kang Seodam felt it disrespectful to summon a divine being. And it wasn¡¯t just a feeling¡ªit was disrespectful.


    ¡®I fear I¡¯ll forget my place as a human if this continues.¡¯


    The sacred being before him showed humans an extraordinary degree of favor¡ªbut even so, there were boundaries. Of course, Kang Seodam couldn¡¯t exactly go around saying, ¡°Hunter Sergio is actually divine.¡±


    ¡®The elder priests are still arguing about whether or not to recruit him...¡¯


    They didn¡¯t even realize the sin of daring to speak that way about a divinity. It was a sin born of ignorance. Kang Seodam, who¡¯d ended up in charge of this mess, felt utterly miserable.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t the first time humans have sinned out of foolishness. I will reflect.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t quite follow, but I believe self-reflection is a virtuous act.¡±


    Gio, like a wise adult, kindly ignored Kang Seodam¡¯s turmoil.


    ¡°Is there something I must do?¡±


    ¡°.......¡±


    Kang Seodam barely held back a cough.


    ¡°...Ahem. No, I couldn¡¯t possibly ask anything of you.¡±


    ¡°I hope you won¡¯t treat me with too much difficulty. Are ? N§àv§ÖIight ? (Original source) you afraid of me?¡±


    ¡°To be honest, it¡¯s more discomfort than fear. It¡¯s... overwhelming.¡±


    ¡°I truly admire such honesty.¡±


    Influenced by Argio, Giovanni¡¯s face lit up with a radiant smile.


    ¡°You seem full of stress. Do you need a sparring match?¡±


    ¡°Even if it meant my death, I would never ask to spar with you.¡±


    ¡°What an honest soul. You¡¯re remarkable, Brother Kang Seodam.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for affirming my soul.¡±


    Kang Seodam wanted to crawl into a hole.


    ¡°As I mentioned earlier, today¡¯s meeting with you, Hunter Sergio, is purely for social purposes. I haven¡¯t prepared any formal procedures. Just a casual conversation before you return.¡±


    ¡°You seem very tired for a casual conversation.¡±


    ¡°I know it''s quite irreverent to say, but priests are really no different from regular office workers. In fact, we often have more interpersonal burdens than most jobs. But my fatigue dwells alongside the soul¡ªno need to mind it.¡±


    ¡°In that case, shall we have the comfortable conversation you suggested?¡±


    Giovanni thought of the young priests in this place.


    ¡°How is Brother Cha I-Sol doing?¡±


    ¡°Ah, that child...¡±


    Recalling his student, Kang Seodam¡¯s expression softened a little.


    ¡°Do you intend to take her in?¡±


    He meant, as a disciple. But Gio only smiled.


    ¡°That¡¯s not for me to decide.¡±


    ¡°I thought your visit during the initiation ceremony was to find a new follower.¡±


    ¡°I am willing to make many friends and family, but I will never force anyone.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Kang Seodam nodded.


    ¡°Recently, Brother Cha I-Sol seems to want to become your disciple. That¡¯s why I asked.¡±


    ¡°Then it is not my intention.¡±


    ¡°I thought as much. If it were, the decision would have been made that day.¡±


    Unlike what Kang Seodam had assumed then, the great mystery called ¡°Gio¡¯s portrait¡± was not a divine being greedy for followers. He simply existed¡ªwithout desire.


    ¡®Which is even more terrifying.¡¯


    To be so immense, even without worshippers, was exceedingly rare.


    ¡°Beyond that, there have been no major events involving Brother Cha I-Sol. She¡¯s a sociable and optimistic girl¡ªpeople with such energy tend to draw in those who want to help.¡±


    Cha I-Sol was quite popular among the novice priests.


    ¡°She¡¯s living quite a steady life. While she doesn¡¯t show particular zeal for study, she doesn¡¯t avoid her duties either.¡±


    ¡°That makes me truly happy. Her family must be pleased as well. I¡¯m certain she¡¯ll become a wonderful priest and help many people.¡±


    A prophecy?


    ¡°.......¡±


    Most likely.


    ¡®I''ll remember that.¡¯


    Divine beings often made predictions casually. Especially the mischievous ones¡ªfree from providence, they scattered miracles and calamities without care.


    Kang Seodam didn¡¯t take Gio¡¯s words as mere praise born of affection. He began to speak again, seeing Cha I-Sol¡¯s future unfold.


    ¡°You may not know this, but her partner is a girl named Lee Ruda. In this priest¡¯s humble eyes, both show great potential and have high expectations placed on them.¡±


    However¡ª


    ¡°What worries me is that Sister Lee Ruda receives jealousy and resentment from the other students. She herself doesn¡¯t seem to mind it at all.¡±


    ¡°...As their teacher, you must feel quite burdened.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your kind words. So long as I¡¯m here, I believe things won¡¯t become too serious, but I thought it might concern you, so I mentioned it.¡±


    After a light conversation about the novice priests, Kang Seodam got to the main point.


    ¡°There will soon be a raid sponsored by the Church of the Sun. The dungeon is an A-class one known as ¡®The Four-Legged Rainforest of the Underground,¡¯ and we¡¯ve already partnered with a few guilds.¡±


    ¡°You want me to participate?¡±


    ¡°If I may offer a poor excuse, this isn¡¯t my decision. But the Church is curious about ¡®Hunter Sergio¡¯s¡¯ abilities¡ªand the man himself.¡±


    ¡°I find the attention amusing. Quite flattering.¡±


    ¡°Please share your thoughts freely. The Church will not dare assert authority over you, and even if it did, you belong to the Collector¡¯s Guild, correct? There¡¯s no problem.¡±


    The Collector¡¯s Guild was the third most influential¡ªand the wealthiest¡ªguild in South Korea. No one dared provoke a Collector obsessed with their collection.


    ¡°This is nothing more than a suggestion, which you are entirely free to refuse.¡±


    ¡°What kind of dungeon is this ¡®Four-Legged Rainforest of the Underground¡¯?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a villa-type dungeon formed beneath a limestone cave, filled with toxic and sharply-honed plants. That¡¯s why we¡¯re prioritizing healers and tamers.¡±


    ¡°Healers and tamers...¡±


    Gio¡¯s eyes sharpened.


    ¡°That would be me.¡±


    ¡°...Forgive me.¡±


    Kang Seodam continued, as politely as possible.


    ¡°This is both a test of your ability and a task originally meant for our Church. We discovered the dungeon and saw its potential use, but failed to clear it.¡±


    ¡°Hence the cooperation with other guilds.¡±


    ¡°Contrary to popular belief, the Church of the Sun actually has few healers. The Sun¡¯s fire leans more toward destruction than delicate preservation. That is the reason.¡±


    ¡°I understand. Power isn¡¯t always something one can wield with precision.¡±


    ¡°There isn¡¯t much time left. The raid is scheduled to begin in fifteen days. Despite the tight schedule, we believe there is no one better suited for it than Hunter Sergio...¡±


    He swallowed the sigh that nearly escaped and continued.


    ¡°...And so I¡¯ve made this presumptuous request.¡±


    ¡°Is it so presumptuous?¡±


    ¡°I apologize. Where others may see, I¡¯ll treat you as any other hunter.¡±


    ¡°Priest Kang Seodam, you¡¯re quite the stubborn man.¡±


    Gio gazed down at the proposal in Kang Seodam¡¯s hands with his characteristic blue eyes, glimmering with light.


    ¡°...A rainforest, is it...¡±


    In his curling gaze, a golden gleam shone.

 Chapter 163

    Originally, a rainforest refers to a forest where rain falls frequently.


    The ¡°Black Forest¡± that Argio once called home was like that too. Rain came without warning, black mist laced with poison often rolled in, and the soggy ground hid its old friend, the swamp.


    ¡°I like rainforests.¡±


    That forest, so dense that even sunlight couldn¡¯t penetrate it, overflowed with all kinds of treasure. Poison is medicine, and a powerful toxin can become an exceptional elixir. Splendor blooming atop heaps of corpses...


    ¡°So, I¡¯ll see you in fifteen days.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Divinity.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s always treasure in a rainforest.¡±


    The kind of treasure that turns everything into a beast, a rapture-filled prize.


    ***


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    A youthful voice echoed across the garden of the Church headquarters.


    ¡°Gio hyung!¡±


    ¡°Student Cha I-Sol.¡±


    Cha I-Sol had spotted a welcome face after a long time.


    ¡°I came to see the garden because it¡¯s so beautiful, and I didn¡¯t expect to see you here.¡±


    Gio, with his platinum hair, approached with his characteristic refined smile. Cha I-Sol, still holding her partner¡¯s hand, ran over and greeted him with a bright expression.


    ¡°It¡¯s been forever!¡±


    ¡°Yes, it has.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been doing great!¡±


    ¡°Oh dear... you¡¯ve stolen my question.¡±


    ¡°How have you been?¡±


    ¡°I, too, have been spending peaceful days.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡±


    With childlike purity and goodwill, Cha I-Sol asked:


    ¡°Are you not sick anymore?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Giovanni wore a gentle smile as if it had been painted on his face.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t sick back then either.¡±


    ¡°There was so much blood.¡±


    ¡°It was blood that needed to be shed.¡±


    ¡°Was it because you did something wrong?¡±


    ¡°I took responsibility for a bond.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°This sort of talk...¡±


    He glanced toward Cha I-Sol¡¯s partner before continuing.


    ¡°...should come after you introduce your partner.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right!¡±


    Startled, Cha I-Sol looked toward her partner. The novice priestess Lee Ruda looked at her with a subtly creased expression¡ªit was natural, given the bizarre nature of the conversation.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t just remember I was here, did you?¡±


    ¡°I was holding your hand the whole time, so I was always thinking about you!¡±


    ¡°If you weren¡¯t at least a little sweeter with your words, I might¡¯ve cursed you on the spot.¡±


    ¡°I was just so excited to see hyung that I forgot to introduce you...¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    With the expression of someone holding back countless words, Ruda let out a small sigh.


    ¡°...It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. I¡¯m novice priestess Lee Ruda.¡±


    ¡°A pleasure to meet you as well, Sister. I am called Sergio, one who is, though unworthy, touched by the light of the Sun.¡±


    ¡°The light of the Sun...¡±


    Ruda looked up at Gio.


    ¡°Are you a priest...?¡±


    The pristine white robe under his black cloak, and above all, his atmosphere¡ªit all made her think so.


    The man who introduced himself as ¡®Sergio¡¯ had platinum hair like sunlit marble and blue eyes that shimmered like living light. He was the very image of an ideal Sun Priest.


    ¡®And his energy... it¡¯s not ordinary.¡¯


    The warmth around him was strong enough to say he was truly touched by the sun¡¯s light. Ruda could feel the sheer vastness that belonged only to gods emanating from him. No one but a beloved priest of a deity should exude such a presence.


    And something more, something beyond...


    ¡°Oh, no. I¡¯m not a priest.¡±


    ¡°...You¡¯re not?¡±


    ¡°Only a follower who serves the Sun.¡±


    ¡°I...¡±


    She wanted to question that, but this was a stranger¡ªand someone Cha I-Sol clearly adored. It wasn¡¯t easy to challenge an unfamiliar adult. Most grownups didn¡¯t appreciate children who nitpicked.


    ¡®I¡¯ll talk to Cha I-Sol more about this later.¡¯


    Perhaps sensing Ruda¡¯s hesitation, the man called Sergio gave a small smile.


    ¡°You seem curious. But may I ask, is it alright if you don¡¯t inquire further?¡±


    ¡°...It doesn¡¯t seem ? N§àv§Öl¦Éght ? (Read the full story) proper to ask too many questions of someone I just met.¡±


    ¡°Sister Ruda, you are thoughtful and well-mannered.¡±


    Ruda felt in his voice a benevolence so steady it could last forever.


    ¡°Do you like sweets?¡±


    ¡°...Excuse me?¡±


    At the sudden question, Ruda blinked, but Cha I-Sol raised her hand high.


    ¡°Me! Me, me! I love sweets! Snacks! Snacks from hyung!¡±


    ¡°Such a passionate yearning for sweets brings joy to this priest¡¯s heart.¡±


    Sergio¡¯s face beamed with delight.


    ¡®Ah, he¡¯s different.¡¯


    The man who had been smiling like an ideal priest now laughed freely and rubbed Cha I-Sol¡¯s cheek with playful affection. There was no pressure in his gesture, only warmth¡ªRuda could feel how deep that affection ran.


    ¡°You seem to have lost a bit of weight.¡±


    ¡°Huh? I gained weight!¡±


    ¡°Then I hope you gain exactly 15 more kilograms.¡±


    Ruda had to cut in.


    ¡°If she gains that much, she¡¯ll be a pig. She¡¯ll roll around.¡±


    ¡°Become a pig, abracadabra...¡±


    ¡°No, don¡¯t!¡±


    Ruda flinched, imagining a round, rolling pig version of Cha I-Sol. For some reason, it felt entirely plausible that this Sergio person could make that happen if he wanted.


    After a short pause, Ruda spoke up.


    ¡°...I don¡¯t really like sweets.¡±


    ¡°Then perhaps you don¡¯t enjoy snacks in general?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it...¡±


    ¡°Do you have a preferred kind of snack, Sister Ruda?¡±


    ¡°...Dried medicinal herbs.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Though it was an odd answer, Sergio simply nodded.


    ¡°You must like bitter things.¡±


    ¡°I just like chewing on things that are good for my body. Keeps the mouth busy, too.¡±


    ¡°To be mindful of one¡¯s health already¡ªwhat a wise attitude.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Few children recognize the value of herbs.¡±


    Genuine affection poured out of him as naturally as breathing. Ruda tightened her grip on Cha I-Sol¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Ruda, your face is red.¡±


    ¡°Shut up, Cha I-Sol.¡±


    This was her first time receiving such unabashed praise from an adult.


    ¡®Why is he being this gentle?¡¯


    In an age where people believed children should just grow up on their own, kids were often seen not as delicate beings to be protected, but as beings likely to die unless managed carefully.


    Adults like Gio, who treated children tenderly, were almost nonexistent.


    ¡®No wonder she¡¯s close to him...¡¯


    Sunshine must gather with sunshine. Her face was hot.


    Cha I-Sol was her friend and partner¡ªbut Sergio was clearly a dependable adult. Ruda had no memory of ever receiving such pure affection from someone like him.


    ¡°I just eat them because they¡¯re helpful.¡±


    ¡°And modest, too.¡±


    ¡°No, I mean...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m relieved that someone like you is friends with Student Cha I-Sol.¡±


    Sergio smiled warmly, full of admiration.


    ¡°I¡¯m certain you¡¯ll be a wonderful partner.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°With such lovely weather, allow me to give you a small gift.¡±


    Sergio handed each of them a small paper pouch.


    ¡°I hope it¡¯s something you¡¯ll like. Use it however you wish.¡±


    With his eyes gently curling in a smile, he straightened his posture to say goodbye.


    ¡°I came by today at the Sun Church¡¯s request. But meeting you two made this day even better.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad too! Hyung, will you come again?¡±


    ¡°If I can, I¡¯ll visit again soon. I¡¯ll send word of you to your guardians, Student Cha I-Sol. And Sister Ruda...¡±


    He turned kindly toward her.


    ¡°May I include your regards as well?¡±


    ¡°...Me? To whom?¡±


    ¡°To Cha I-Sol¡¯s guardians.¡±


    ¡°Why would you do that?¡±


    ¡°They would be delighted to know such a good friend has entered her life.¡±


    ¡°...Uh...¡±


    Ruda looked down, her face red.


    ¡°...Do whatever you¡¯d like.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your permission, Sister.¡±


    With a small nod, Sergio smiled once more and left the garden.


    He walked with the grace of a high-ranked hunter, making almost no sound, and for some reason, he smelled pleasant.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Gio hyung is a good person.¡±


    ¡°...Yeah? Oh, yeah.¡±


    She had never met an adult like that before.


    ¡°Is he always that kind?¡±


    ¡°Mm, he¡¯s especially sweet to younger people.¡±


    ¡°In this day and age, he¡¯s practically a living relic.¡±


    ¡°...What¡¯s a living relic?¡±


    ¡°Creatures that will all go extinct soon unless the whole universe helps.¡±


    ¡°...You called me a living relic, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll protect you.¡±


    An exaggerated explanation¡ªbut Ruda felt it wasn¡¯t far off.


    Relics only survived if the world cooperated to protect them.


    ¡®Birds of a feather really do flock together.¡¯


    She never imagined someone like Cha I-Sol could meet someone so similar.


    ¡®Especially such a big adult...¡¯


    Someone who offered kindness to everyone, but especially to the young. That was something you only read in saccharine novels. Today, Ruda realized¡ªit was possible.


    She caressed the paper pouch in her hand.


    ¡°......¡±


    Undeserved kindness, given without requiring proof of worth.


    ¡®...It smells nice.¡¯


    She wondered why he gave such a gift, or whether he always carried gifts like this. But something fuzzy in her chest stopped her from opening it right away.


    Then Cha I-Sol spoke.


    ¡°Huh? Ruda, what¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°What? What is it?¡±


    ¡°This is rubber?¡±


    ¡°...Ah, it¡¯s jelly. Not rubber.¡±


    ¡°So you can eat it?¡±


    ¡°Of course you can.¡±


    Jelly was expensive¡ªwas he really giving this away so casually?


    ¡®He might¡¯ve made it himself.¡¯


    There was no brand label. The pouch was tied with a ribbon and had a homemade feel.


    After some hesitation, Ruda opened her pouch.


    The ribbon came loose smoothly, revealing the contents.


    ¡°......¡±


    She tilted her head.


    ¡°...What is this?¡±


    ¡°Even you don¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t know everything without learning it first.¡±


    ¡°Hmm...¡±


    Cha I-Sol tilted her head too.


    ¡°Is it a flower?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s dried flowers, but...¡±


    ¡°Can you eat it?¡±


    ¡°...Did he really give us medicinal herbs?¡±


    ¡°Ugh, is it medicine?¡±


    ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t know.¡±


    It was a cluster of tiny golden flowers, fluffy like sheep¡¯s wool.


    ¡°......¡±


    But Ruda felt it.


    ¡®...The Sun...¡¯


    The goddess of the Sun was watching.


    ¡®Why?¡¯


    What the heck is this thing?


    What did he give us that even the goddess wants it?


    ***


    ¡°Hunter.¡±


    Waiting at the entrance, Joo-Hyun asked with her usual smile:


    ¡°Did you have a pleasant visit?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the Sun Church¡¯s garden was beautiful.¡±


    ¡°They say the entire temple is like a greenhouse.¡±


    ¡°The warmth of the Sun filled the entire place.¡±


    ¡°It must¡¯ve been quite a sight.¡±


    ¡°And...¡±


    Following her lead, Gio continued:


    ¡°I saw many familiar faces.¡±


    ¡°You said you met Priest Kang Seodam.¡±


    ¡°And Student Cha I-Sol as well.¡±


    Giovanni spoke with a smile full of warmth.


    ¡°She¡¯s found a good friend.¡±


    ¡°A good friend...¡±


    Joo-Hyun murmured, opening the backseat door¡ªuntil Gio asked:


    ¡°May I sit in the front?¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s what you want, please do.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for the consideration.¡±


    Gio and Joo-Hyun sat side by side in the car¡¯s front seats.


    ¡°Her name was Ruda. Quite a mature girl.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like you were very fond of her.¡±


    ¡°She was admirable, and also a little heartbreaking. Very clever.¡±


    ¡°She must be destined for greatness.¡±


    If even Gio¡ªthe eye of the Origin¡ªsaid so, then surely.


    ¡°Was there anything of note?¡±


    ¡°In fifteen days,¡± Gio said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go to the rainforest.¡±


    ¡°A raid invitation, then.¡±


    ¡°I like it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that.¡±


    Joo-Hyun asked:


    ¡°Do you like rainforests?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Gio¡¯s hair, now lit by the setting sun through the window, had turned red.


    ¡°...I love them.¡±


    For it was Argio¡¯s home.


    A rotted, crumbling, massive grave.

 Chapter 164

    Twelve o''clock sharp.


    "What was the rainforest you called your homeland like?"


    Even though Yoo Seong-Woon was too busy to attend, the hallway meeting began without fail.


    "You always seem in a good mood when you talk about it."


    "Of course I¡¯m in a good mood."


    Today, the Gio who leaned halfway out of the frame in lavish leather and ornamentation was, naturally, Argio.


    "Isn¡¯t that what a homeland is supposed to be?"


    "It certainly is a word that stirs many emotions."


    Joo-Hyun gave a slightly awkward smile.


    "More than that... the way you look right now..."


    "What about it?"


    "You¡¯re scarier than usual."


    "......."


    Gio, sprawled halfway out of the portrait and leaning onto the table, slowly sat up.


    "Am I scary?"


    "You look like a textbook ghost."


    "And which ghost is as handsome as me?"


    "That part¡¯s true."


    But the sheer presence of ¡°Gio¡¯s Portrait¡± overwhelmed even his outer beauty. Most of the Collector¡¯s Guild staff felt fear before noticing that ¡°Sergio¡± was good-looking¡ªevidence enough.


    Still, Joo-Hyun, feeling a bit guilty, tried to brush it off.


    "Just saying..."


    "Are the Collector¡¯s Guild employees still afraid of me?"


    "I tried not to say anything, but that¡¯s way too shameless a question to ignore."


    "Come on, be honest now."


    "Isn¡¯t it a bit much for you to hope people won¡¯t be scared of you when you don¡¯t even pretend to act human, Argio?"


    The ¡°Gio¡± selves¡ªthe ones closer to humanity¡ªusually hoped not to be feared. Seeing him care about that made her feel sorry for him, but when he said such absurd things, she had to respond.


    "If it bothers you that people are scared, maybe treat them a little more gently."


    "Where in this world is there a ghost-possessed portrait kinder than me? That¡¯s just cruel to say."


    "I admit that¡ªbut you¡¯re expecting too much return for your investment."


    "Any more investment and I¡¯d just be a sucker."


    "...Hard to argue with that, honestly."


    Joo-Hyun didn¡¯t want to see Gio end up being taken advantage of.


    "You¡¯re already being pretty generous, honestly."


    "But if I didn¡¯t even do this, I¡¯d just be a scary painting."


    "Isn¡¯t that kind of your whole identity though? ¡ï Novelight ¡ï A scary painting with aspirations way too high."


    "Careful, I might just go on strike."


    "Please don¡¯t. You¡¯re the one who accepted the job¡ªwhat would we do if you went on strike?"


    "Of course I¡¯m not so irresponsible. Don¡¯t worry, friend."


    Gio waved his hand and flopped back onto the table.


    A great tiger.


    Big cats often looked like that¡ªsprawled lazily in warm sunlight, full-bellied.


    "So, would you be willing to answer now?"


    "About what¡ªmy homeland?"


    "Yes. You were about to speak but stopped."


    "And wasn¡¯t that because you were scolding me?"


    "It wasn¡¯t scolding¡ªit was just giving you a reality check."


    "That is scolding, come on..."


    Gio¡¯s long, braided red hair slipped off the table with his motion. The ornaments in his hair clinked faintly against the wooden surface. He rubbed his forehead into the table, grumbling.


    "......."


    Seeing this, Joo-Hyun gathered a new piece of intel about ¡°Gio¡¯s Portrait.¡±


    ¡®...Argio appears when he¡¯s angry or annoyed.¡¯


    The portrait manifested Giovanni¡¯s form when showing mercy or patience, Argio¡¯s when stirred by anger or passion, and Sergio¡¯s for mundane, everyday interactions.


    ¡®They sometimes mix, but each seems to have a purpose.¡¯


    Would more forms of ¡°Gio¡± appear as he expressed different emotions?


    "Mr. Argio, you said you were twenty-four, correct?"


    "That¡¯s right... probably."


    "Probably?"


    "No one really counted for me."


    "Is this the part where I¡¯m supposed to feel sorry for you?"


    "I¡¯m just stating a fact."


    Argio rested his chin on the table.


    "I lived more like a beast than a human. Everyone around me was born a beast. None of them cared to count age¡ªor knew how."


    "You never tried counting yourself?"


    "Later, I started wondering how old I was. I¡¯m not one to ignore what I want, so I went out into the world to check. Before I died, I figured, ¡®Ah, I guess I¡¯ll die at twenty-four.¡¯"


    Before Joo-Hyun could respond, Gio continued.


    "Besides, the Black Forest isn¡¯t a place where you can mark dates. It¡¯s dark¡ªmorning, night, it¡¯s all the same. A child living like a beast doesn¡¯t have the mind to track days."


    Joo-Hyun asked,


    "Was it really that dark, all the time?"


    "Yes. A place where time doesn¡¯t flow."


    "Most people would go insane in a place like that."


    "They¡¯d probably die first¡ªfrom some wicked beast or toxic air."


    Amused, Gio showed his usual crooked smile.


    "You wanted to hear about my homeland?"


    "And that place was... called the Black Forest, wasn¡¯t it?"


    "That¡¯s right. I grew up in the Black Forest."


    It was a place that suited Argio¡¯s nature well.


    "I¡¯ve told you, there was no sun or moon."


    "What does that mean, exactly? Why couldn¡¯t you distinguish day and night?"


    "The trees were massive and thick. Their leaves were so dense, you couldn¡¯t see the sky."


    "Were there any weather changes?"


    "Rain was the most common."


    "Since it was a rainforest, of course."


    Joo-Hyun tilted her head, puzzled.


    "Wait¡ªif you couldn¡¯t see the sky and couldn¡¯t feel time passing, how could it rain? At that level, it¡¯s like the sky and forest were totally separated."


    Argio smiled with satisfaction.


    "Good thinking, friend. In such a dense rainforest, no matter how heavy the rain, only a few drops would reach the ground. But the Black Forest stored that water."


    "Stored the rainwater...?"


    "And it would release it bit by bit¡ªbecause a beast stomped its foot, a tree leaned from impact, or animals rested on branches..."


    "So all the triggers involved beasts."


    "That rain was, in the end, made by the beasts of the Black Forest. While it sat, the water absorbed toxins from plants and animals, becoming thick with poison. Without immunity, your flesh would rot and bones dissolve."


    "Sounds no different from a dungeon."


    Gio nodded, affirming her words.


    "And when the forest grew too warm, fog would rise. A fog thick with poisons from flora and beasts, with gases from deadly swamps. It was dark as shadow and hard to breathe within."


    "......."


    "And with vision obscured, you couldn¡¯t see beasts or traps, nor whether you were stepping on ground or into a swamp."


    That was the Black Forest.


    "Small animals, lowly bugs, even mute plants¡ªif they weren¡¯t vicious, they didn¡¯t survive. So only monsters remained to form the ecosystem."


    Gio gave a dry laugh.


    "There¡¯s a reason it''s the root of so many horror stories."


    "Horror stories, huh..."


    "How scared must people have been to see a living, two-legged creature coming out of that place?"


    "...Is that part of why you gained infamy?"


    "It played a role, I think."


    "How did you even survive there?"


    Joo-Hyun¡¯s face was calm, but her voice was sharp.


    "You said you were left there when you were very young."


    "Yes. I was abandoned in the Black Forest."


    For Argio, it was a turning point in life, but not one he considered particularly grand.


    "I actually enjoyed it."


    "Why? Weren¡¯t you afraid when you were sent there?"


    "Maybe I instinctively felt it was where I belonged."


    Also¡ª


    "It looked a lot more fun than staying with those pig-dogs."


    "You always talk about turning us into pigs..."


    "My pigs aren¡¯t always meant as compliments, you know."


    "So this one is clearly an insult?"


    "It just appeared that way to me."


    Those fools who thought wearing glitter made them human, not beasts.


    "Watching their stupid, adorable antics was kind of fun, though."


    "Stupid, I understand¡ªbut adorable? In what way?"


    "You probably won¡¯t agree even if I explain."


    "Let me try."


    "I like your attitude, friend."


    Argio said it like it meant little.


    "Do people still keep dogs and cats as pets?"


    "That, and reptiles, insects, fish¡ªlots of popular pets."


    "Then picture this. You¡¯re walking down the street and see a bird decorating itself with flowers."


    "Okay, a bird wearing flowers."


    "Or a cat chattering away with nonsense words."


    "A cat babbling gibberish..."


    "Or a puppy bringing you its toy like it¡¯s the greatest treasure."


    "......."


    "What do you think?"


    He asked.


    "Isn¡¯t that cute?"


    "...Yeah. That would be cute."


    Unfortunately, Joo-Hyun understood what he meant.


    "So that¡¯s how you saw the world? Even when you were human?"


    "I am human. Don¡¯t discriminate just because I¡¯m a portrait."


    "Ah, right. I meant when you were a regular human."


    "And what¡¯s wrong with that perspective?"


    "Well... um..."


    Just in case, Joo-Hyun tried to confirm.


    "So you¡¯re saying you saw people¡ªthose who dressed themselves up, who spoke nonsense, who bragged¡ªas birds, cats, dogs... That¡¯s what you meant, right?"


    "I¡¯m pleased you understood, my honorable friend."


    "But you described them so negatively. Doesn¡¯t seem like they were good people. So... was that abuse of power? And still..."


    She asked.


    "Did you find them cute?"


    "Isn¡¯t stupidity endearing?"


    "I see you¡¯ve been like this since you were very young."


    "I¡¯ve always been quite special."


    Argio smiled slyly.


    "A dog that thinks it¡¯s a human is just too adorable."


    "You might upset a lot of people with that analogy..."


    "Of course they¡¯re not the same. I only used it to help you understand."


    "Using them as examples in the same breath is pretty uncomfortable."


    "...Is it? I admit it may be too flattering for those pig-dogs..."


    Rising to his feet, Gio slipped naturally back into the portrait.


    The long red hair spread across the table vanished, leaving Joo-Hyun feeling oddly empty. From inside the frame, the portrait spoke again.


    "The Black Forest was always full of rare treasures."


    "...Treasures? Out of nowhere?"


    "You asked about my homeland, didn¡¯t you?"


    "I did, yes."


    "There was gold and silver in abundance."


    "......."


    "Poison became medicine, became treasure..."


    That smile was heavy.


    "It bloomed atop corpses."


    A calm, grave smile¡ªits meaning unreadable.


    "I look forward to visiting the rainforest soon."


    "...It does sound similar to the dungeon you described."


    "I feel that way, but rest assured¡ªit¡¯s not my homeland. Entirely different dimension."


    "I¡¯m relieved to hear that, but at the same time..."


    Joo-Hyun trailed off. Then asked quietly:


    "...Do you want to go back?"


    "I¡¯d like to visit."


    "Not... go back to that time?"


    "I don¡¯t cling to the past."


    "I see."


    "I loved my family and friends."


    And¡ª


    "Because of that, I died."


    Joo-Hyun couldn¡¯t decipher the meaning behind that smile.

 Chapter 165

    Joo-Hyun often felt sympathy for that immense mystery.


    ¡°......¡±


    Gio¡¯s portrait.


    ¡°...Haa....¡±


    Joo-Hyun knew very well how absurd the thought was.


    Lying in a lavish, overstuffed bed that didn¡¯t suit her status, she couldn¡¯t fall asleep and eventually got up. Her mind was clear, but just in case sleep might come, she didn¡¯t turn on the lights. Instead, she went to the kitchen and drank some water.


    ¡°......¡±


    Clink.


    She set the glass down.


    ¡°...This isn¡¯t something someone like me should be doing.¡±


    Even after drinking the cool water, the tightness in her chest wouldn¡¯t go away.


    ¡®To dare feel pity for a mystery...¡¯


    A divine being¡ªone who might trap a beloved disciple in eternity out of pure affection, or turn someone into a fool simply for asking for wisdom.


    If Gio wasn¡¯t the one she pitied¡ªif he hadn¡¯t seen himself as human and shown mercy¡ªthen receiving divine punishment for arrogance wouldn¡¯t be surprising.


    ¡®But if it weren¡¯t Gio in the first place, I wouldn¡¯t even be having these thoughts.¡¯


    The reason humans never pity immense mysteries isn''t just out of fear of offending them or being noticed and cursed. It¡¯s that humans aren¡¯t even capable of pitying such beings.


    Who could possibly pity a typhoon or a tsunami that devours countless lives? Who would feel compassion for a galaxy shining far away, thinking it might be lonely? But even so, this being called Gio...


    ¡°......¡±


    He wasn¡¯t even human. Yet he felt more like her than anyone else.


    ¡°...Please, don¡¯t overstep your bounds.¡±


    The reason Joo-Hyun had always acted without shame despite being an overlooked orphanage child was because she believed it would bring happiness to more people. But what about Gio? Could she truly bring happiness to him?


    -->


    ¡®He¡¯s already happy.¡¯


    You can tell from his words. You can tell from his face. You can tell from his voice and gestures. The many versions of ¡°Gio¡± held within that portrait had lived fulfilled lives, and each died accordingly.


    It was not something she had the right to pity.


    ¡°......¡±


    And yet.


    ¡°I must be out of my mind.¡±


    How could she not feel sorry for him?


    ¡®He was only twenty-four.¡¯


    The more she tried not to think about it, the more persistently the thought gripped her.


    ¡®Only twenty-nine. Thirty-two.¡¯


    Human lifespans vary across dimensions. Joo-Hyun, once a researcher at the association, knew that. Some places had an average lifespan of fifty years. Others, five hundred. But that wasn¡¯t the point.


    Mid-twenties to early thirties. Maybe not all Gio¡¯s were like that¡ªbut so far, yes. They died just as they were getting used to human life, just when they were about to bloom and bear fruit.


    ¡®How could that not be pitiful?¡¯


    How could it possibly not be?


    ¡®People who died in the most miserable ways... not in some alien place, but in the most familiar arms.¡¯


    Joo-Hyun consciously exhaled.


    ¡°......¡±


    4 a.m.


    ¡°...Didn¡¯t Yoo Seong-Woon say he holds meetings around this time?¡±


    She tried to redirect her thoughts.


    ¡®Yes, think about Yoo Seong-Woon. I should learn from him.¡¯


    Mysteries are mysteries. No matter how human they appear, their essence is different. Even if they mimic human life, it¡¯s just play¡ªfleeting enjoyment at best.


    Yoo Seong-Woon knew this very well. That¡¯s why, no matter what past the portrait of Gio held, no matter what problems arose, he respected and loved it. As a ¡®work of art.¡¯


    ¡°......¡±


    But if that feels repulsive... am I just crazy?


    ¡°...Honestly....¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon had said the portrait was part of a vast system called the Origin. That if it were a human body, it would be the eyes. And since the Origin loves all life equally, ¡®Gio¡¯ continually experiences life.


    Could it be that¡¯s why Gio always experiences the highest heavens and the lowest gutters?


    ¡®So the Origin can gather human data more efficiently?¡¯


    A blank canvas that could become anything.


    ¡°...It¡¯s really not easy.¡±


    Becoming friends with a mystery... was truly a difficult thing.


    ¡°There¡¯s not even one worry I can ease.¡±


    Joo-Hyun was grateful to Gio.


    She didn¡¯t know nothing about mysteries. She knew well what divinity was. Yet Gio had asked to become friends¡ªas a person¡ªand had extended kindness as one.


    She was grateful for that.


    At times, Gio would act and laugh just like any young man of his age.


    ¡®If I already feel this overwhelmed just from seeing him act like a human a few times... what¡¯s going to happen later?¡¯


    Just seeing him act human a handful of times already left her breathless.


    ¡°......¡±


    With a deep sigh, Joo-Hyun muttered as she returned to the bedroom.


    ¡°...Maybe it¡¯s time to consult a professional.¡±


    She would probably have to ask Yoo Seong-Woon for advice.


    ***


    ¡°These are the documents for the A-Class dungeon, ¡®The Four-Legged Rainforest Underground.¡¯¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon handed the files to Bisa Beul.


    ¡°It¡¯s classified as a villa-type dungeon, located beneath Hwanseon Cave in Samcheok, Gangwon Province. Excluding the Sun Church and the Collector¡¯s Guild, there are three participating guilds: Eunwol, Haeryeong, and Daecheong.¡±


    ¡°Guess that¡¯s to be expected, with the Sun Church organizing it.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re all known for good reputations. Especially Eunwol¡ªthey¡¯ve collaborated with the Sun Church several times, so their trust rating is higher. They even make up 12% of the church¡¯s internal personnel.¡±


    The church headquarters didn¡¯t consist of priests alone. There were attendants and maids helping with daily life, kitchen staff handling {N?o?v?e?l?i?g?h?t} meals, and administrators managing various facilities.


    The guild Eunwol had steadily provided such personnel to the Sun Church and the Moon Church. They had many devout followers and were famous for their large number of healers.


    ¡°I checked to see if there was any entanglement with the Moon Church since Eunwol¡¯s involved, but they don¡¯t seem interested this time. Looks like they won¡¯t be getting involved in the raid.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m familiar with the Moon Church¡¯s situation recently.¡±


    Bisa Beul smiled lightly.


    ¡°There¡¯s been some trouble with their saintess.¡±


    ¡°Probably not something I should know, then.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s on the verge of madness, apparently...¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t tell me¡ªI¡¯ll never be able to forget it.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t recall hiring anyone with such poor memory.¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon looked exasperated.


    ¡°Even if I¡¯ve been studying religion lately, I¡¯m no expert. You know that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to solve anything.¡±


    ¡°If you didn¡¯t expect anything from me, you wouldn¡¯t have brought it up in the first place.¡±


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s move on from that part for now.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re moving on?¡±


    ¡°The saintess isn¡¯t the focus right now, is she?¡±


    Bisa Beul asked,


    ¡°What¡¯s the atmosphere like in the other two guilds?¡±


    ¡°Haeryeong¡¯s thrilled. They heard it¡¯s going to be a wild fight...¡±


    ¡°Infamous pyromaniacs.¡±


    Haeryeong was famous for its energetic members. ¡°Energetic¡± being a polite way of saying they were brawlers. Their resistance to pain and immunity to poison made them a vicious group of warriors who didn¡¯t die easily.


    Yoo Seong-Woon continued.


    ¡°Daecheong is quiet. They seem content to have picked up a stable contract.¡±


    ¡°Daecheong¡¯s a textbook example of a competent guild.¡±


    Daecheong wasn¡¯t a flashy guild. Though high-ranking, they were clearly outmatched by the others in this raid. But their strength lay in reliability.


    ¡°They handle the basics wherever they go.¡±


    They didn¡¯t have outrageous abilities like the top three guilds, nor the spiritual depth of Eunwol, nor the berserkers of Haeryeong. But they got the job done. That was their strength.


    Bisa Beul smiled.


    ¡°Seems the Church put a lot of thought into this.¡±


    ¡°They probably want a stable strategy.¡±


    ¡°Especially after failing to conquer this dungeon before, even with decent personnel.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s concern they might be over-deploying internally.¡±


    ¡°Well, after the terror incident last year, they should be overdoing it.¡±


    The Sun Church and the Moon Church were the two pillars of the religious world¡ªcoexisting yet always in competition.


    But after the ¡°Nation of the Deep Sea¡± incident last year, the Sun Church had been shaken and lost face. They couldn¡¯t afford another failed raid.


    Yoo Seong-Woon nodded.


    ¡°Yeah, I looked into it... This dungeon is tricky regardless of its rating.¡±


    Fake suns and moons rise and fall at will, making it hard to track time. Most of the overgrown vegetation attacks invaders or emits poison. Even just brushing against them can slice skin with their sharp edges.


    ¡°The plants are one thing, but the four-legged monsters here are incredibly aggressive. They target and eliminate anything that walks on two legs.¡±


    ¡°If a human walks on all fours, do they get spared?¡±


    ¡°They spare you by turning you into a fellow four-legged beast. Depending on your past actions and thoughts, your beast form differs. It was fascinating.¡±


    ¡°With that kind of metaphysical imprint, this dungeon might be close to the Origin.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why a gardener will be joining the team. I found out through my own network¡ªit¡¯s a gardener from Eunwol.¡±


    Though gardeners seemed affiliated with the government or association, they weren¡¯t strictly under their control. They inherited gardens from their teachers and lived according to their own responsibilities and styles¡ªalmost like a family trade.


    This Eunwol gardener was one of them. Just as Yoo Seong-Woon was a curator under the Collector¡¯s Guild, she was a guild member under Eunwol. Gardeners were rare but existed everywhere.


    ¡°If it¡¯s a dungeon close to the Origin, valuable material might surface.¡±


    ¡°I think the Eunwol guildmaster didn¡¯t even know her identity.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a big secret¡ªjust a side gig, really.¡±


    Most guild members legally had two or three jobs. Some, like Yoo Seong-Woon, openly admitted to being gardeners. But most, like the Eunwol gardener, didn¡¯t bother mentioning it.


    Very few even understood the Origin. Why go through the hassle of explaining it? If not for Bisa Beul¡¯s obsession, Yoo Seong-Woon wouldn¡¯t have mentioned it either.


    ¡°Well, I see it as a good opportunity.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon spoke as a gardener.


    ¡°It¡¯s a stable environment¡ªfor Gio¡¯s first raid.¡±


    ¡°I fully agree, Curator Yoo.¡±


    Bisa Beul looked bored.


    ¡°I put a lot of thought into this.¡±


    ¡°Sending the Origin¡¯s eyes into human society¡ªit¡¯s still not enough.¡±


    ¡°But Sergio isn¡¯t the type to cause trouble, right?¡±


    He clicked his tongue.


    ¡°With so many capable people around, I wonder if our Hunter Sergio will even get the chance to act up.¡±


    ¡°I told you, this isn¡¯t about releasing a wild beast for stress relief.¡±


    ¡°Just imagine how frustrated Argio must be. We haven¡¯t even given him a proper battlefield...¡±


    ¡°Even if that weren¡¯t the case.¡±


    The objective of this raid was clear. Argio, under the identity of ¡®Hunter Sergio,¡¯ would be integrated into human society. The Collector¡¯s Guild would observe this ¡°portrait of Gio¡± and analyze his condition.


    How violent is he? How does he show goodwill? How does he collaborate with humans? What kind of battle does Argio truly desire? Would sparring suffice? Are prepared fights enough? Or does he only seek pure, unrestrained bloodshed?


    ¡°Don¡¯t you feel tempted to join such an interesting mission, Curator Yoo?¡±


    ¡°Of course I want to go. It¡¯s Gio¡¯s first raid, after all...¡±


    But the situation wasn¡¯t ideal. Yoo Seong-Woon was always in demand, both as a skilled hunter and as a gardener. He hadn¡¯t slept in five days already.


    ¡°Even if I tried to join like this, the Church would never accept me in this state.¡±


    ¡°If you recovered with one of Gio¡¯s gifts, maybe it¡¯d work. But I agree, this might be a good chance.¡±


    Bisa Beul smiled slyly.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it time for Mr. Sergio to become independent from your care?¡±


    ¡°A work of art should never be separated from its curator. We don¡¯t need more threats to Earth.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, we can¡¯t just send Hunter Sergio alone.¡±


    ¡°You say that like you¡¯re doing me a favor...¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon looked stunned.


    ¡°You were actually thinking of sending the Origin out there alone?¡±


    ¡°I know it¡¯s risky. That¡¯s why I¡¯m assigning escorts¡ªnow.¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we be calling them surveillance instead of escorts?¡±


    ¡°More like caretakers, really...¡±


    ¡°If you dote on him too much, Gio might feel overwhelmed.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m only including one curator.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon nodded.


    ¡°You¡¯re sending the fifth floor curator?¡±


    ¡°The most gently insane among them.¡±


    ¡°Someone with an exceptional love for their work.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll gather the rest from the trainee teams and field staff.¡±


    ¡°That sounds about right.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    Bisa Beul grinned.


    He was already excited to see what kind of shape the portrait would take.

 Chapter 166

    ¡°Gio looks like a person to you?¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon corrected himself.


    ¡°Ah, no. Sorry. You mean, he seems that way to you?¡±


    ¡°You can speak comfortably. The way you do with Mr. Gio.¡±


    ¡°...I grew up a bit rough, so informal speech comes more naturally. Don¡¯t take it the wrong way¡ªI don¡¯t mean anything bad by it.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. I already know you¡¯re a good person, Mr. Yoo Seong-Woon.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really? I wouldn¡¯t go that far, but... thanks for seeing me that way.¡±


    A guy three years younger just openly declared he¡¯d talk down to him¡ªwhat a chill person.


    ¡®Sometimes I wonder why the guildmaster hates this guy so much. He¡¯s a model citizen if I¡¯ve ever seen one...¡¯


    Yoo Seong-Woon let his unease about his superior slide and smiled lightly.


    ¡°Anyway, this is a pretty unique counseling session.¡±


    After wrapping up his meeting with Bisa Beul, Yoo Seong-Woon had gotten a rare full night¡¯s sleep. He dropped by his next-door neighbor Joo-Hyun¡¯s place to check in on her. He hadn¡¯t planned to go inside, but she had insisted.


    ¡°In a way, it¡¯s impressive.¡±


    Yawning, he blinked with half-open eyes as he sipped the tea she gave him.


    ¡°...Wait, hold up. Is this tea from Gio?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes. He said it¡¯s made from the Basram flower. Is there something wrong with it?¡±


    ¡°...No, it¡¯s not going to kill me.¡±


    It probably didn¡¯t contain anything deadly.


    ¡®Just drink it.¡¯


    If there was one thing Yoo Seong-Woon had learned, it was that ¡°Gio¡¯s portrait¡± rarely tampered with human identity. Even Joo-Hyun, who¡¯d been immersed in it far longer than him, was still human.


    ¡®Well... the tests say so, even if I have my doubts...¡¯


    -->


    At least from a human perspective, Joo-Hyun was undeniably still human.


    ¡®So a little tea isn¡¯t going to mess with my identity.¡¯


    Having just woken up after five sleepless days, he was barely functioning.


    Had he been more lucid, he would¡¯ve thought harder¡ªbut as someone who absorbed the energy of his garden with his whole body, he couldn¡¯t deny the relief the tea brought.


    ¡®As expected of Gio¡¯s gifts.¡¯


    Especially upon waking, his body always ran cold.


    ¡°...This is really good.¡±


    ¡°Right? It has a nutty aroma, like grains. I love that about it.¡±


    ¡°Not the kind of thing you can just go out and buy. Maybe I¡¯ll start pestering him for an invitation.¡±


    ¡°If you drink too much, it gets really warm...¡±


    ¡°I tend to run cold anyway.¡±


    Given its strong warming effect, it probably suited Yoo Seong-Woon¡ªa hunter and a gardener¡ªbetter than Joo-Hyun, an ordinary civilian.


    ¡°Let¡¯s take a look.¡±


    [Star of the Sun]


    [Grade: ¨C]


    Tea made from the Basram flower, which once grew in the ¡°Breathing Sea.¡± Though extinct, it was restored through a stream of fate. Gio, lord of the forest, raised it lovingly with his child in the Nest of Living Waters. Hand-processed by him, it can be consumed safely by humans. Exceptionally effective at breathing warmth and life into the soul.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Did you just appraise it?¡±


    ¡°...Never seen a hunter do it?¡±


    ¡°There weren¡¯t many appraisers in my research center.¡±


    ¡°¡®Appraiser¡¯¡ªthat¡¯s a word I haven¡¯t heard in a while. Well, technically I¡¯ve got the license for it.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon smiled with practiced ease as their light conversation continued.


    ¡°Not harmful to the body, at least.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°No need to be so tense.¡±


    ¡°My body¡¯s already kinda given up anyway...¡±


    ¡°Why are you resigning yourself already?¡±


    Joo-Hyun wasn¡¯t the only one worried about the effects of receiving too much from the Origin¡¯s gaze. That¡¯s why Seong-Woon and the Collector¡¯s Guild had run their own evaluations. Thankfully, she was still unmistakably human.


    ¡°......¡±


    According to the results, anyway.


    ¡°...There¡¯s a phrase that shows up often in the gifts Gio gives: ¡®Hand-processed by Gio, lord of the forest, and can be consumed safely by humans.¡¯ It¡¯s probably one of the ways he shows consideration.¡±


    Food that passed through Gio¡¯s hands didn¡¯t risk turning people into beings of the Origin. At least, that was Yoo Seong-Woon¡¯s assessment.


    ¡°If there¡¯s one concern, it¡¯s that it might make you a little too healthy...¡±


    ¡°I do feel like my lifespan increased. Could that be a problem?¡±


    ¡°Even if it did, it¡¯s hard to live long in this world anyway.¡±


    The average lifespan was sixty years now.


    ¡°High-rank hunters like me or the guildmaster might live a bit longer, sure. But being a hunter¡¯s the perfect job for dying early¡ªsame goes for anyone close to them. So I don¡¯t think you need to worry about becoming half-immortal or anything.¡±


    ¡°...So, no matter how much longer I live, I¡¯ll probably die unnaturally anyway, so don¡¯t sweat it?¡±


    ¡°More importantly, Gio¡¯s not the type to forcibly turn innocent humans into something else out of selfishness. So, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Once you understood the rules, beings of the Origin were often more reliable than humans. From what Seong-Woon had seen so far, Gio was unlikely to harm people.


    ¡°More than that, I¡¯m honestly amazed by your perspective, Joo-Hyun.¡±


    He set down the warm mug and swept back the hair falling into his eyes. Normally, he wore it pinned back neatly, but he hadn¡¯t planned on going anywhere today, and it showed.


    ¡°What exactly do you mean when you say Gio ¡®looks like a person¡¯?¡±


    ¡°I mean exactly that¡ªI can¡¯t stop seeing the ¡®portrait of Gio¡¯ as human.¡±


    ¡°Sure, thoughts aren¡¯t something we can really control, but... it¡¯s unusual.¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯ve kept thinking it¡¯s presumptuous. Unreal.¡±


    Joo-Hyun turned her cup in her hands.


    ¡°But Gio keeps just...¡±


    ¡°Looking like an ordinary young man?¡±


    ¡°I know it must sound strange...¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡±


    Sip.


    After a mouthful of flower tea, Seong-Woon asked,


    ¡°Are you possessed?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve wondered that myself...¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not. Definitely not possessed.¡±


    ¡°...Really?¡±


    ¡°I am a certified appraiser, you know.¡±


    With his skill, he could evaluate the condition of most people.


    ¡°At least to my eyes, you look perfectly fine.¡±


    That meant one thing.


    ¡°You just see him as a person, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know I was that brave of a person...?¡±


    ¡°If Gio were a traditional divine being, he¡¯d have chosen you as his saint.¡±


    ¡°...Excuse me? A saint?¡±


    ¡°At the very least, a cult leader.¡±


    ¡°Okay, now that just sounds shady.¡±


    ¡°Not really. It¡¯s a pretty classic path, actually.¡±


    In most dimensions, saints and saintesses were created in ways just like this.


    ¡°Do you know what kinds of people saints usually are?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard the basics... Kind of like the god¡¯s... adopted children, right?¡±


    ¡°Exactly. Sometimes they¡¯re not children but friends instead.¡±


    ¡°...That¡¯s new to me.¡±


    ¡°Saints aren¡¯t common, so there aren¡¯t many examples on Earth.¡±


    Religion wasn¡¯t Yoo Seong-Woon¡¯s area of expertise, but ever since learning Gio embodied a sun deity, he¡¯d been studying. He knew enough to explain this much.


    ¡°These saints are people who, in human form, have built genuine bonds with a god.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s... possible to build a bond with a god? Isn¡¯t that... sacrilegious?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only blasphemous when the bond is one-sided¡ªwhen humans push too hard.¡±


    Saints were fundamentally different from those who crossed the line.


    ¡°This is mutual. The god gives trust and love to the human, and the human receives it naturally and returns it in kind. Like family or friends would.¡±


    ¡°...So that is possible...¡±


    ¡°Very rarely. That¡¯s why there are so few saints and saintesses. Most people can¡¯t even receive divine kindness without breaking down¡ªlet alone return it. But saints do. And the gods feel no lack.¡±


    There were barely twenty known saints across the entire world, even with the vast number of modern religions. That made their rarity clear.


    ¡°That¡¯s why saints are miracles in and of themselves. Church leaders don¡¯t praise them for nothing. They¡¯re the only humans who can breathe the same air as divinity and understand it.¡±


    So most saints lived cloistered within their churches, interpreting divine will and guiding others.


    Hearing this, Joo-Hyun tilted her head.


    ¡°Then how do churches without saints interpret the will of their god?¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t. Most of them can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°In my experience, there are only two paths.¡±


    He held up two fingers.


    ¡°One: They try to interpret their god¡¯s will through ancient scripture. No communication means uncertainty in both process and result¡ªand their followers tend to lack conviction.¡±


    ¡°And the second?¡±


    ¡°The other is that priests with strong divine energy gather in large numbers and try to summon or channel a divine message. Through rituals, ceremonies, constant prayer...¡±


    ¡°Like a rain dance?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s how hard it is to communicate with a god. That¡¯s why church elders are treated with such reverence¡ªthey¡¯re believed to be closest to the divine.¡±


    And¡ª


    ¡°Saints skip all that.¡±


    Which made them incredibly valuable¡ªeven financially. They eliminated the need for costly rituals, events, or endless prayer.


    ¡°Of course, not every religion has saints. Only a few humans have the capacity to treat gods as family or friends. So churches that do have saints are revered in the religious world.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re... envied?¡±


    ¡°The more direct and frequent your god¡¯s communication, the more tangible their blessings. Like, say... the god just casually tells you where to find a gold mine.¡±


    ¡°...Wait, really?¡±


    ¡°Just an example. Even the dumbest god is more brilliant than the smartest human. Borrowing even a sliver of that wisdom can help a church thrive¡ªand get closer to their god.¡±


    That¡¯s why saints were so precious in the religious world.


    ¡°Even without special care from a god, being able to handle their voice and touch is a feat beyond normal humans. That alone earns them a place in the heart of any church.¡±


    Joo-Hyun frowned slightly.


    ¡°That almost sounds... inhuman. Do saints live normal lives?¡±


    ¡°Some can. Some can¡¯t.¡±


    From his studies, Seong-Woon had found that saints came in types.


    ¡°There are those born with an enormous capacity¡ªable to accept any divine being. Then there are saints who can only handle one or two specific deities. Others are raised for the role, trained through endless trials...¡±


    ¡°...That...¡±


    ¡°The Moon Church¡¯s saintess is from the last category. They adopt and raise gifted children until a saint is born. Many die during the process, unable to handle the divine burden.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Joo-Hyun was visibly shaken.


    ¡°...They really do that?¡±


    ¡°In this world? It¡¯s hardly shocking anymore.¡±


    Many would risk their lives for the chance to become divine family rather than live as orphans. That¡¯s why the Moon Church continued their practice.


    ¡°Most kids who survive but don¡¯t become saints still serve as priests. So from the church¡¯s perspective, it¡¯s not even a loss. They¡¯ve done this since the great catastrophe¡ªit¡¯s practically tradition.¡±


    Other religions couldn¡¯t adopt this practice even if they wanted to. The Moon Church had centuries of history behind it; others lacked the resolve or strength.


    ¡°From a job-hunting angle, it¡¯s not the worst option, right?¡±


    ¡°...Hunters risk ?N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t? their lives too. In this world, maybe we can¡¯t judge harshly.¡±


    ¡°The Moon Church doesn¡¯t force sainthood. They... encourage it.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s the same thing, isn¡¯t it? If a guardian pushes a child, how can they refuse?¡±


    ¡°Well, at least it¡¯s not a terrible shelter. And more than anything...¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon glanced at her thoughtfully.


    ¡°Where else can you be offered the chance to be a god¡¯s son or daughter?¡±


    Regardless of parents, wealth, or background, the Moon Church was the only religion that gave anyone with potential the chance to become divine family. Naturally, many wanted it.


    ¡°It¡¯s all consensual. That¡¯s why some say all Moon Church priests are saint candidates¡ªthey¡¯ve all passed a certain threshold of qualification.¡±


    Joo-Hyun looked deeply uneasy. Yoo Seong-Woon chuckled softly.


    ¡°Does it bother you?¡±


    ¡°...It just makes me a bit nauseous.¡±


    ¡°Just a little?¡±


    ¡°Sometimes I¡¯m sick of religious zealotry.¡±


    ¡°I get that.¡±


    He sipped the still-warm tea.


    ¡°This tea really is good.¡±


    ¡°Right?¡±


    ¡°Still warm, too.¡±


    ¡°It could be the mug, but I think it¡¯s the tea itself.¡±


    ¡°Would be kind of disappointing if something this special went cold so fast.¡±


    After praising the tea¡¯s warmth, he continued.


    ¡°Anyway, the saints made that way¡ªsure, they¡¯re rare, but their bodies really do suffer. Unlike those born for it.¡±


    ¡°Ah...¡±


    ¡°Half-human, if even that. Even natural saints can¡¯t handle everything without strain.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°So from that perspective, Gio wouldn¡¯t hurt you. But like I said¡ªit¡¯s the textbook shortcut for a human becoming divine family.¡±


    ¡°...What?¡±


    Seong-Woon¡¯s mint-green eyes studied her carefully.


    ¡°Divinity treats humans as equals. Humans return that. And¡ª¡±


    ¡°...Wait.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that sound a lot like your situation with Gio?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not even religious...¡±


    ¡°Neither is Gio, probably.¡±


    He laughed and gave a thumbs-up.


    ¡°Good luck.¡±


    ¡°...What?¡±


    Good luck with what?


    Am I disqualified as a human now?


    Joo-Hyun felt her chest tighten.

 Chapter 167

    ¡°You¡¯re saying a saint can be made that way?¡±


    At the man¡¯s blunt words, Yoo Seong-Woon¡ªleaning against the gallery wall¡ªlet out a short laugh.


    ¡°It¡¯s not certain.¡±


    ¡°But according to you, she¡¯s going through the process of becoming a saint, step by step.¡±


    ¡°Well, the divine being in question is going out of his way to consider the human. It¡¯s similar to the case of the God of Death.¡±


    Saints are those who, even without any special grace or consideration, can handle their deity like a friend or family member. Joo-Hyun, still living a perfectly normal human life thanks to Gio¡¯s consideration, couldn¡¯t be called the same as those saints.


    ¡°I only said there¡¯s a possibility.¡±


    There were enough examples of ordinary humans who became saints by virtue of their vast inner capacity alone.


    ¡°The very fact that she can look at that immense mystery and see a young man¡ªit¡¯s something most people can¡¯t even imagine. The fact that she can means she¡¯s already proving her qualifications.¡±


    ¡°If she continues to prove herself like that, she might just become a saint in the end. That¡¯s how the Moon Church has managed to manufacture saints all this time.¡±


    ¡°Still, we can¡¯t know what kind of saint she¡¯d become¡ªif she even does. And more likely than not, she won¡¯t¡ªeither because Gio doesn¡¯t wish it, or because she lacks the capacity.¡±


    In other words¡ª


    ¡°Joo-Hyun¡¯s only taken the first step.¡±


    If there were a staircase between an ordinary person and a saint, she¡¯d climbed just one step. And until she reached the top, no matter how many she ascended, she¡¯d remain just an ordinary human.


    ¡°So I don¡¯t think you need to worry so much, Senior. For now, it¡¯s all just in the realm of imagination.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not really my place to worry. But did you explain it properly to the person involved?¡±


    ¡°I told her everything. I figured she¡¯d grab me by the collar if I didn¡¯t. She¡¯s got a gentle face, but she¡¯s sharper than she looks. Surprisingly fierce.¡±


    ¡°A normal human doesn¡¯t pity an immense mystery. Only a ¡®human who merely appears ordinary¡¯ might.¡±


    The man clicked his tongue.


    ¡°You¡¯d better make sure she¡¯s careful.¡±


    ¡°I said as much, but...¡±


    -->


    ¡°Well, if words alone solved anything, there¡¯d be no tragedies in the world.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s trying to restrain herself... though, who knows.¡±


    So many saints in history became the family or friend of a god precisely because they could treat a revered divine being as an equal. It wasn¡¯t something you could control with sheer willpower.


    ¡°She definitely has the capacity.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon rubbed his throat.


    ¡°But I wouldn¡¯t say the situation is bad.¡±


    ¡°Are you falling back into your bad habit again?¡±


    ¡°Well... maybe a little.¡±


    How could the curator of Bisa Beul and the gardener of the Snowfield resist the pull of something this interesting? The Origin might be a being that could become or hold anything, but even so, whether it could hold the heart of a divine child was another matter entirely.


    But this wasn¡¯t just about Seong-Woon¡¯s curiosity.


    ¡°Gio doesn¡¯t manipulate the people he cherishes.¡±


    He shrugged lightly.


    ¡°So unless Joo-Hyun wants otherwise, she¡¯ll remain an ordinary human.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re sure of that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve observed and analyzed Gio long enough.¡±


    ¡°When it comes to rules, beings of the Origin are more reliable than humans.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I told her¡ªfor now, just follow her heart.¡±


    ¡°If nothing can be done about it, that¡¯s probably best.¡±


    The man nodded.


    ¡°If the ¡®Portrait of Gio¡¯ has embraced that woman Joo-Hyun, maybe it¡¯s because he¡¯s drawn to that stubborn compassion of hers. We, outsiders, might be overstepping by trying to interfere.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°If the portrait finds satisfaction in that part of her, it¡¯s best to leave things be. And you¡ªdon¡¯t go doing anything foolish just because you find it interesting.¡±


    ¡°...Would I, though?¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon pulled a mock-exhausted expression.


    ¡°Senior, I think you love the beings of the Origin a bit too much.¡±


    ¡°If a curator doesn¡¯t love the work, do they even deserve the title?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a limit, though. If you give your heart too easily to dangerous mysteries, eventually it¡¯ll end badly.¡±


    ¡°I have enough judgment for that.¡±


    The man glanced sideways at Seong-Woon, who was crouched in the hallway, gnawing on a lollipop.


    ¡°You gardeners... you really don¡¯t know what to do once you start feeling something, do you? Feeling pity for an entire species¡ªhow arrogant.¡±


    ¡°If that rubbed you the wrong way, I apologize. But I guess... yeah. Just think of it as a harmless occupational hazard.¡±


    Seong-Woon chuckled mildly.


    ¡°After all, the floor director has dedicated his life to the work, just like the guildmaster.¡±


    The man¡¯s name was Garasani, also known by the nickname ¡°Chamber Master¡±¡ªdirector of the Fifth Floor at the Collector¡¯s Gallery. He oversaw the gallery¡¯s most dangerous works, ones Bisa Beul valued more than his own life. Naturally, his love for his works was intense.


    He was also one of the few guild members who knew that Yoo Seong-Woon was a gardener. Garasani looked down at him with faint exasperation.


    ¡°I don¡¯t get it. You signed a full-body liability waiver just to enter, and now you¡¯re talking about ¡®dedicating your life¡¯?¡±


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t a waiver¡ªit was just a contract. Let¡¯s not use such ominous phrasing.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem that different to me. Either way, loving the work is part of being a curator.¡±


    ¡°Of course, of course. You''re the Fifth Floor Director, after all. You¡¯d know best.¡±


    ¡°You say that like you don¡¯t realize you¡¯re worrying about me.¡±


    Garasani raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°But isn¡¯t it funny? You¡¯ve given your whole body and soul to a garden, and you¡¯re worried about me loving a few pieces of art too much? Doesn¡¯t that seem off?¡±


    ¡°Well, when you put it like that, I guess I don¡¯t have much to say...¡±


    ¡°I know the guildmaster and I have a habit of being too indulgent with our works. But we wouldn¡¯t do it if it weren¡¯t warranted.¡±


    ¡°Talk about favoritism. Not that I can say much myself...¡±


    Whenever a work¡¯s safety and a human¡¯s safety were both on the line, they always chose the work. That was the way of the collector Bisa Beul¡ªand his loyal right-hand man, the Fifth Floor Director.


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m sure things with Joo-Hyun will wrap up fine.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you just toss her a bomb?¡±


    ¡°If it was a bomb, she was holding it from the start.¡±


    ¡°Fair.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll struggle with it a bit, but she¡¯ll find her own way.¡±


    The little things weren¡¯t Yoo Seong-Woon¡¯s concern. No matter how things unfolded, as long as Gio stood firm, there wouldn¡¯t be real danger.


    Yoo Seong-Woon turned his focus to reality. What he had to worry about now was Gio¡¯s first dungeon raid.


    ¡°I heard you¡¯re joining the Collector¡¯s dispatch team?¡±


    ¡°Of course. No way I¡¯d miss the moment we take a mystery like that into the outside world.¡±


    ¡°Ooh, confident.¡±


    ¡°So, is today¡¯s visit to ask me to look after the ¡®Portrait of Gio¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Just wanted to see you. Call it a courtesy visit.¡±


    Bisa Beul had chosen Garasani, the Fifth Floor Director, as the curator to accompany ¡°Hunter Sergio.¡± He was not only someone who served the work like a master but also a powerful A-Class hunter capable of protecting it.


    Two trainees and two field staff would also join the team, but as a fellow curator, this was the least Yoo Seong-Woon could do.


    ¡°Please take good care of my work.¡±


    ¡°With me around, it won¡¯t suffer a scratch.¡±


    Garasani nodded as if it were obvious.


    ¡°You get a little intense sometimes, you know.¡±


    ¡°...Sorry? All of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    He stared down at Seong-Woon.


    ¡°So maybe... do something about those eyes.¡±


    ¡°My eyes? What about them?¡±


    ¡°Quit staring like that. I¡¯ll bring your piece back in one piece, alright?¡±


    ¡°...Unbelievable.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon grinned.


    ¡°Caught me.¡±


    How could he not care, when his work was being handled by another curator?


    ¡°There¡¯s just too much on my plate. And the guildmaster wanted to know if Gio would be satisfied with a curator other than his own.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re not happy with it?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say that. Just... you know. Asking you to take care of my kid. He¡¯s never been dropped among strangers before¡ªit feels like leaving a baby by the water.¡±


    There was also the issue that he simply didn¡¯t have the time to participate in the raid himself. Still, Bisa Beul was curious to see how Gio would interact with unfamiliar humans.


    ¡°He¡¯s doing just fine with someone like Joo-Hyun, who represents a ¡®dangerous divinity.¡¯ So maybe we¡¯re worrying too much...¡±


    ¡°Interacting with one chosen human and mimicking humanity to mingle with strangers are two very different things.¡±


    Garasani added,


    ¡°And the fact that it¡¯s that Joo-Hyun just makes the guildmaster¡¯s doubts worse.¡±


    ¡°...That, actually...¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon made a face like he truly didn¡¯t want to ask but asked anyway.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering¡ªwhy does the guildmaster hate Joo-Hyun so much?¡±


    Bisa Beul¡¯s behavior was oddly extreme. He was usually polite unless it concerned his collector¡¯s obsession. Even if Joo-Hyun wanted to use Gio, even if she was tempted, she wasn¡¯t someone capable of harming him. Bisa Beul knew that, too.


    He had even admitted his resentment was petty.


    So then¡ªwhy?


    ¡°There¡¯s no shortage of people the guildmaster dislikes, but I¡¯ve never seen him show this much open hostility. Usually he smiles to your face and schemes behind your back...¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you want to know his personal business? You look like you do.¡±


    ¡°Personal or not, I¡¯d avoid it if I could. But the guildmaster keeps tying me, Joo-Hyun, and Gio together¡ªtreating us like a set. I can¡¯t ignore it anymore.¡±


    He schooled his expression and looked up at Garasani.


    ¡°If anyone would know, it¡¯s you.¡±


    Garasani was one of the founding executives of the Collector¡¯s Guild¡ªand Bisa Beul¡¯s very first collected ¡®work.¡¯ If anyone knew the truth, it was him.


    ¡°If I¡¯ve overstepped, please forget I asked. But I doubt the guildmaster thought I wouldn¡¯t start asking questions.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Garasani finally spoke.


    ¡°He was once badly hurt by someone like Joo-Hyun. A hero.¡±


    ¡°I had a feeling... And that¡¯s already surprising enough. But how badly must he have been hurt to bear that kind of grudge against a total stranger?¡±


    ¡°Well... enough that he recoils at people like her now. He finds them revolting.¡±


    He added,


    ¡°The guildmaster¡¯s been patient many times before¡ªbut none of those times ended well.¡±


    Garasani clicked his tongue softly.


    ¡°Sucks for you, getting caught in it. But he won¡¯t hurt you¡ªno matter how much spite he shows. In fact, he¡¯ll probably go out of his way to protect you, whether he wants to or not. So don¡¯t worry about that.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d really attack someone innocent, but... wow. He hates her that much? I thought he might lash out. But this is... the opposite.¡±


    ¡°For him, it¡¯s more like hatred and love. He probably hates her with everything he¡¯s got... but he won¡¯t stand by if she gets hurt. Like I said¡ªwhat you¡¯re afraid of isn¡¯t going to happen.¡±


    Bisa Beul¡¯s malice was like a reflex. Like someone recoiling from a cockroach on their brow. Deep, instinctive disgust¡ªautomatic, not deliberate.


    ¡°Especially his eyes...¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°...Yeah. Never mind.¡±


    Garasani cut himself off when he noticed Yoo Seong-Woon watching him closely.


    ¡°Let¡¯s stop here.¡±


    Speaking too much about a superior¡¯s private history was inappropriate. Garasani already felt he¡¯d gone too far.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to be pulled into that mess soon anyway. That¡¯s the only reason I said anything. But beyond this? It¡¯s too personal. I won¡¯t say more.¡±


    ¡°...What you¡¯ve said is already helpful. I just couldn¡¯t understand why he¡¯d show that kind of hostility toward someone younger, someone not even Awakened.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s right, either. I just... understand. I always side with him, and from that position, I get it.¡±


    Garasani offered a rare bit of comfort.


    ¡°If the guildmaster speaks ill of Joo-Hyun, just let it go in one ear and out the other. He knows it¡¯s petty. He wouldn¡¯t want you losing sleep over his bitter little tantrum.¡±


    ¡°For all that, he sure does grumble a lot. Anyway, got it. I just wanted to ask because if Gio¡¯s being deployed, Joo-Hyun will have to go too. I was wondering if that¡¯d be okay.¡±


    ¡°You think the guildmaster will send an assassin after her?¡±


    Garasani scoffed.


    ¡°If he genuinely felt nothing but hate and contempt, maybe. But like I said, this case is different. He¡¯ll more likely assign protection to make sure she doesn¡¯t get hurt.¡±


    Garasani continued,


    ¡°I¡¯m more worried about Mr. Gio than her. That ¡®Dana¡¯¡ªthe anti-cat¡ªis questionable.¡±


    ¡°Ah... I don¡¯t know the details either. I still don¡¯t know exactly what Gio did through Dana that day.¡±


    ¡°Something to do with souls, that much is clear. But you said the gift Gio promised wasn¡¯t...¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon picked up where he left off.


    ¡°Not just a funeral¡ªit was a grave. But Gio hasn¡¯t created such a grave yet.¡±


    ¡°We still don¡¯t know where the souls from that orphanage Dana supposedly led ended up. Their whereabouts remain unknown.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll probably find out more once we see what role Dana plays during the upcoming raid. Worst case, I can always just ask her directly.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon rose from his seat.


    ¡°Anyway, I hope it all goes well.¡±


    Only if this operation ended smoothly¡ªor at least without failure¡ªcould they justify letting Gio move more freely.


    ¡°If this raid goes well, I¡¯m thinking of taking Gio and Joo-Hyun on a little vacation.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t lie, I¡¯m jealous you get to vacation with your work.¡±


    ¡°Right? You have no idea how sweet he is. Always giving gifts¡ªit¡¯s wild.¡±


    ¡°Alright, enough. You sound like a bragging parent.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no one else like Gio in this world. Be as jealous as you want.¡±


    ¡°...Really now...¡±


    Garasani sighed, setting aside his irritation.


    ¡°...Yeah, see you later.¡±


    The way Yoo Seong-Woon kept pressing for details about the guildmaster¡¯s past¡ªand the way he was teasing now¡ªGarasani knew it all came from a place of anxiety.


    So, as a senior, Garasani let it slide.


    ***


    Meanwhile, at the Sun Church...


    ¡°A curator from the Collector¡¯s Guild is coming? That gallery¡¯s curator?¡±


    One elder priest muttered in dismay.


    ¡°How in the world did we get someone that important involved...?¡±


    ¡°I knew Guildmaster Bisa Beul favored Hunter Sergio, but I didn¡¯t expect this.¡±


    ¡°At this point, isn¡¯t he treating him like an actual art piece? The guy¡¯s a real human being.¡±


    ¡°Everyone knows the Collector¡¯s Guild is basically Bisa Beul¡¯s jewelry box.¡±


    ¡°Still, there are limits. This is a bit much.¡±


    The Collector¡¯s Guild had added five hunters to accompany Sergio, including him. They couldn¡¯t just send him out alone for his first raid¡ªbut even so, it felt excessive.


    ¡°And not just any curator. They¡¯re sending the ¡®Chamber Master¡¯¡ªthe Fifth Floor Director of the gallery.¡±


    The director of the most dangerous and secured floor¡ªthe very heart of the Collector¡¯s Gallery. His involvement made it clear how deeply Bisa Beul treasured Hunter Sergio.


    ¡°I figured Yoo Seong-Woon would be the one to come, since he helped in the ¡®Nation of the Deep Sea¡¯ raid.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s famous for being busy, though.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know the full story either, but if it were just about personal connection, it would¡¯ve been him, right? No matter how busy he is, this is Gio¡¯s first raid. If he wanted to make time, he could have.¡±


    ¡°So the fact they chose the Chamber Master instead suggests this isn¡¯t about familiarity.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. It¡¯s not about friendship¡ªit¡¯s that Sergio requires a curator.¡±


    A Collector¡¯s Guild curator was a very specific kind of personnel. Entirely different from their usual field agents.


    ¡°Has the Collector ever taken such measures to manage a guild member?¡±


    ¡°Not that I can recall...¡±


    ¡°I thought they at least treated their members like people.¡±


    ¡°But sending a curator¡ªespecially a floor director¡ªthat¡¯s treating him as a piece.¡±


    ¡°Every guild member is a collectible to Bisa Beul, sure, but this is still...¡±


    Collector curators had a fearsome reputation. If someone made a request to use a gallery ¡®piece,¡¯ the curator in charge would show up¡ªand fiercely guard their charge like it was family.


    It was well-known how fanatical they could be.


    One even famously wept blood and tried to sue after their assigned piece came back with a scratch. That story had spread even among the Sun Church elders.


    ¡°As I recall, the Fifth Floor Director is one of Bisa Beul¡¯s closest aides?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I believe he was one of the original executives.¡±


    ¡°That Garasani Curator is personally coming...¡±


    One middle-aged priest tilted his head.


    ¡°What, is he Sergio¡¯s long-lost son or something?¡±


    ¡°Hey, mind your words.¡±


    ¡°Apologies. I just can¡¯t wrap my head around it...¡±


    ¡°It is definitely an unusual case.¡±


    Most curators never left the gallery unless their assigned work was involved. The only reason they¡¯d be officially dispatched was if the piece they were responsible for was directly tied to the operation.


    ¡°Guildmaster Bisa Beul surely knows the impression this will leave.¡±


    So then, the meaning was obvious.


    ¡°...He¡¯s showing us just how precious Sergio is to the Collector¡¯s Guild.¡±


    ¡°But how do we interpret that? He¡¯s not just some guild member anymore...¡±


    And it wasn¡¯t just the curator.


    ¡°I know some of their personnel¡ªtwo on that list are trainee team members from the gallery.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with the Collector¡¯s hierarchy. What exactly are trainees?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re support personnel who handle incidents within the gallery. Somewhere between full guild members and curators.¡±


    ¡°Then this really is treatment reserved for a piece, not a person...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s unusual. Bisa Beul is known for not interfering with his guild members.¡±


    But the intent behind this list was clear.


    ¡°This is an escort force¡ªfor Hunter Sergio.¡±


    And at this point, even ¡®escort¡¯ felt like the wrong word.


    ¡°More like surveillance. A curator, two trainees...¡±


    ¡°And yet from what I¡¯ve heard, Sergio is a perfectly upstanding person.¡±


    ¡°If he had any major flaws, he never would¡¯ve been collected by Bisa Beul in the first place.¡±


    ¡°True. So then why this level of oversight?¡±


    Bisa Beul¡¯s collection didn¡¯t include people with character defects. They were all competent, sincere, and took responsibility for their roles. Even if Sergio didn¡¯t match the guildmaster¡¯s usual preferences, exceptions like him weren¡¯t unheard of.


    ¡°I knew he was exceptional from what he did with that anti-cat, Dana. But I didn¡¯t expect this. What¡¯s the problem? Why go this far?¡±


    ¡°There must be something unique about him... Could he actually be related by blood? Not that people resemble their parents much these days.¡±


    ¡°I said stop making rude guesses about other guilds¡¯ members. Do you want to start a fight with the Collector¡¯s Guild before the raid even begins?¡±


    At that moment, one elder chuckled softly.


    ¡°Whatever the reason, I know this¡ªBisa Beul may be greedy, but he¡¯s not the kind to ruin others just to satisfy himself.¡±


    If he wanted to destroy something, he would¡¯ve shown it from the beginning.


    ¡°The paperwork was official. The support was thorough. He¡¯s trying to help with this raid, no doubt about that.¡±


    ¡°Well... that¡¯s true, yes.¡±


    ¡°And we don¡¯t need to know everything about that young hunter. We have neither the right nor the reason. The Collector¡¯s Guild is helping with our mission¡ªwe should simply be grateful.¡±


    ¡°Our apologies. We were out of line.¡±


    ¡°Arrogance is a sin the Sun avoids. And Sergio ? N§àv§ÖIight ? (Original source) is a follower bathed in the Sun¡¯s light. We¡¯re the ones who brought him into this operation¡ªit was our desire. If anything happens, we must...¡±


    He looked around the room.


    ¡°...we must accept it. Don¡¯t you agree, brothers?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll reflect on this. Thank you for the wisdom.¡±


    ¡°Remember, our job is to complete this mission.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    ¡°If we grow close to Hunter Sergio, that would be a bonus.¡±


    ¡°We were too hasty, clearly.¡±


    The priests bowed their heads in shame.


    ¡°We¡¯re not investigators. We shouldn¡¯t be talking like this.¡±


    ¡°Hey, now, don¡¯t say we¡¯re like the Moon Church.¡±


    ¡°Ahem, we were just surprised. It¡¯s so unusual... Still, we¡¯ll reflect.¡±


    ¡°Well, with such elite talent gathered, this raid should be promising. Maybe I¡¯m being too hopeful, but I¡¯m actually excited.¡±


    ¡°They say the dungeon is filled with heat and flora. And with a fake sun rising within¡ªif we succeed, it¡¯ll be a huge win for our church.¡±


    As the mood began to settle, one of the silent elders turned toward Kang Seodam.


    ¡°Brother Kang Seodam.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m listening.¡±


    ¡°We leave it in your hands.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    And in that moment, Kang Seodam thought:


    ¡®...This dispatch team from the Collector¡¯s Guild is less about favoritism and more about containment and caretaking.¡¯


    Of course they wouldn¡¯t send something like ¡°the Portrait of Gio¡± out alone.


    Kang Seodam¡ªbarely, just barely¡ªfound himself grateful that the collector did have a plan.


    And then¡ª


    ¡°......¡±


    He felt the goddess¡¯s gaze.


    ¡®...She¡¯s interested, huh.¡¯


    She really wants to get close to ¡°Mr. Sergio.¡±


    Kang Seodam had no idea why he kept getting roped into divine politics, but right then, he truly wished he could just lock himself in his office.

 Chapter 168

    Meanwhile, there was someone else, besides Kang Seodam, who was equally troubled because of ¡°Mr. Sergio.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Ruda?¡±


    ¡°...Ah...¡±


    It was none other than Iru Da, Kang Seodam¡¯s student and a priest-in-training.


    ¡°It¡¯s because of the gift I received last time.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you mean the one from Gio? That flower?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that dried flower.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t he say it was medicinal? You said you like medicine. Why not just take it?¡±


    ¡°That would be the simplest way, but no matter how I look at it, it¡¯s not just an ordinary herb...¡±


    After all, it was a medicinal flower that the Goddess of the Sun herself had laid her eyes upon.


    ¡®And that subtle greed I sensed in the divinity back then...¡¯


    It was already a rare occurrence for a divine being to desire anything of this world¡ªbut this time, the one who had revealed that desire was none other than the Goddess of the Sun, who was known to love the flow of fate and pure innocence.


    ¡®She¡¯s not someone who usually desires things.¡¯


    For a divine being like that to nudge a mere trainee priest like Iru Da in the ribs... It was simply absurd.


    ¡°How did things end up like this...¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡±


    ¡°I think I received too precious a gift.¡±


    Fearing that things might spiral out of control, Iru Da had not shared her confusion with Cha I-Sol until now¡ªbut today, she¡¯d reached her limit. She needed a second opinion.


    ¡°Cha I-Sol.¡±


    ¡°Yeah? Want me to help?¡±


    -->


    ¡°That older guy you¡¯re close with...¡±


    ¡°You mean Gio?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Is he always like this?¡±


    ¡°Like what?¡±


    ¡°Always going around handing out gifts?¡±


    ¡°Yup!¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    The confidence and clarity of the answer left Iru Da momentarily speechless.


    ¡°...Why?¡±


    ¡°He says he just feels like giving gifts when he sees people who seem commendable.¡±


    ¡°Why, though?¡±


    ¡°He says there¡¯s no reason not to give them, so why shouldn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s even the issue?¡±


    ¡°That is the issue.¡±


    It started even with the fruit jelly he gave to Cha I-Sol. According to her, they¡¯d only gotten close by chance, and yet, an acquaintance he¡¯d barely met had given something far too extravagant to a child who knew nothing.


    Let alone the gift Iru Da had received.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say I liked medicine because I actually wanted herbs as a present...!¡±


    Normally, when she told adults she liked medicinal herbs, they looked at her like she was talking nonsense and soon dismissed it. She had never imagined someone would actually carry around medicinal herbs.


    ¡°Cha I-Sol, what do you feel from this dried flower?¡±


    ¡°Sunlight smell?¡±


    ¡°What else?¡±


    ¡°Like warm blankets dried in the sun?¡±


    ¡°So, it¡¯s related to the sun, right? Right? It is the sun, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Well, sunlight and the sun are kinda different, no? One¡¯s super hot, the other¡¯s warm.¡±


    ¡°Still¡ªlike the difference between a slap and a caress¡ªit¡¯s still the same hand.¡±


    Contrary to the public image of the Church of the Sun, the actual sunlight it reveres is incredibly violent. The more skillfully one can refine and temper it, the better one becomes as a sun priest.


    And making medicine infused with that sunlight was no easy feat. Without talent, one couldn¡¯t even attempt it¡ªand even a small mistake would cause delicate herbs to burn in the sun¡¯s flames.


    ¡°......¡±


    Clearly, this was a gift far too valuable for Iru Da to handle.


    ¡°...Could it be this gift was meant to screw me over...¡±


    ¡°Why would you eat taffy?¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯m wondering if that Sergio person gave me this gift just to mess with me.¡±


    ¡°Huh? I don¡¯t think so. Why would you think that?¡±


    ¡°Mercy beyond one¡¯s means drives beggars on the roadside to death.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re not a beggar.¡±


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯m a first-tier citizen and fairly well-off for a human, but in this situation, I am a beggar.¡±


    ¡°You always talk in such a complicated way.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just that this gift is too much for me. I fear for my safety. Precious treasures attract attention, right?¡±


    And it seemed like this wasn¡¯t just a problem with people anymore.


    ¡°If you can¡¯t protect yourself from those who covet your gift, then a gift becomes poison. To put it extremely¡ªsomeone might kill me to take this.¡±


    The word ¡°kill¡± seemed to jolt Cha I-Sol, who asked in alarm:


    ¡°Should I call Gio?¡±


    ¡°No, someone like him must be busy. There¡¯s no need for that...¡±


    Iru Da, ever perceptive, had already realized there was no malice in the gift from this Sergio person.


    ¡®But he doesn¡¯t strike me as the kind of person who wouldn¡¯t know this gift is too much for me.¡¯


    And now, Iru Da decided on her conclusion.


    ¡°...Maybe he¡¯s telling me to win favor.¡±


    ¡°I have no idea what you mean, but I think you¡¯re overthinking this.¡±


    ¡°Surely, if I offer a gift desired by the Goddess, I¡¯ll be granted great favor.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really get it, but I don¡¯t think Gio thought it through that deeply...¡±


    Not quite knowing what her partner was thinking, Cha I-Sol trailed off. She knew the man in the black cloak handed out gifts without much thought.


    Watching her partner devise what looked like a convoluted strategy, Cha I-Sol thought:


    ¡®Smart people live such exhausting lives. I¡¯m glad I¡¯m not one of them.¡¯


    Gio, of course, knew that his gift could end up being poison to a small priestess like Iru Da. But he also knew that no gift from the Black Cloak ever harmed anyone.


    The Basram Flower was a precious medicine with no side effects. Anyone could use it safely. And the fact that both Gio himself and the Sun Goddess acknowledged the gift guaranteed its safety, blessed under divine providence and fate.


    Above all, while Gio didn¡¯t overthink things, he did understand the depths and ? N§àv§Öl¦Éght ? (Read the full story) breadths of what others might think. He would be happy no matter how Iru Da chose to use the gift.


    ¡°...I¡¯ll offer it to the Goddess.¡±


    This, too, was something Gio had hoped for.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to meet Priest Kang Seodam. What about you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll come with you.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re just bored, you can hang out with the other kids.¡±


    ¡°I just want to be with you. You¡¯re my partner.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Iru Da slowly nodded.


    ¡°Looks like I¡¯ll have to keep you at my side for life.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Isn¡¯t that how it¡¯s supposed to be?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I was just expressing my will.¡±


    And just as Kang Seodam returned from finishing a meeting, he was hit by the soft, fragrant, and freshly-warmed bomb his fluffy student had been carefully carrying around.


    ***


    A meeting room at the Collector¡¯s Guild.


    ¡°Ah, Chamber Master.¡±


    ¡°Yoo Ji-Na?¡±


    The newly assembled dispatch team was beginning to gather one by one.


    Garasani, the 5th Floor Chamber Master of the Collector¡¯s Gallery, gave a quick once-over to the hunter who had just entered. The woman he called Yoo Ji-Na was wearing the official uniform of the rookie team¡ªsuit with a cape. A familiar face to him.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡±


    ¡°Sure has.¡±


    The rookie team member grinned and sat across from Garasani.


    ¡°Not much to clean up on the fifth floor, after all.¡±


    ¡°Not a place where rookies get assigned.¡±


    ¡°Only veterans go in and out. No news is good news, I guess.¡±


    ¡°If rookie teams start hearing about the 5th floor, that¡¯s when there¡¯s a real problem.¡±


    ¡°Thanks to your oversight, Chamber Master.¡±


    She rubbed her palms together with mock humility, and Garasani raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Still the same cheap flattery, I see.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t tell if you like it or hate it.¡±


    ¡°If I hated it, I wouldn¡¯t tell you to go on.¡±


    ¡°Ah, our Chamber Master¡ªthe light of the 5th Floor, bringing peace to the gallery and wealth to all...¡±


    Just then, another person entered the meeting room.


    ¡°Whoa... what¡¯s this now.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t just say this when looking at a person.¡±


    ¡°So, what are you up to?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you tell? Sucking up.¡±


    ¡°Sucking up to the 5th Floor Chamber Master? That¡¯s not gonna get you much...¡±


    The field agent laughed awkwardly as she replied to her colleague.


    ¡°Nice to see you again, Chamber Master.¡±


    ¡°First time seeing you since you transferred from the third floor to field work?¡±


    ¡°Yes, thanks to all the support you gave me, I¡¯ve adjusted well.¡±


    ¡°Good. All that matters is doing your job well.¡±


    Garasani turned back to Yoo Ji-Na.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say one more from the rookie team was coming?¡±


    ¡°They got a request from the 1st floor. Just popped down to confirm something in their sector.¡±


    ¡°Being responsible for your own area is always admirable. The main guest won¡¯t be offended by that.¡±


    ¡°I was going to call them up right away if things got delayed. Kind of surprising though. Mr. Sergio is pretty tolerant for a ¡®piece.¡¯¡±


    The rookie glanced around and smiled, intrigued.


    ¡°I thought Curator Yoo Seong-Woon would join us too. But his name wasn¡¯t on the list.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a busy man. It couldn¡¯t be helped.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s about his own assigned piece...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure if he shuffled his schedule enough, he could have made it. But it¡¯s not easy.¡±


    And that wasn¡¯t the only reason.


    ¡°The Guildmaster wants to see how Mr. Sergio behaves among unfamiliar humans. Whether it¡¯s worth continuing this ¡®Sergio¡¯ identity¡ªor whether there¡¯s danger in doing so.¡±


    Another field agent spoke up.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this risky though? The very first mission being in an A-grade dungeon? That¡¯s no walk in the park. Wouldn¡¯t it have been better to let him adjust in a safer zone first?¡±


    ¡°Well, before we could make that call, Mr. Sergio already set his preferred schedule. So we followed it. Even without that, the Guildmaster wouldn¡¯t have gone for a boring approach.¡±


    Everyone knew Bisa Beul¡¯s nature well enough.


    ¡°He¡¯s not the type to sit back and wait for a safe opportunity when something more exciting is right there. If he were, he¡¯d never have become Guildmaster in the first place.¡±


    ¡°Hard to argue with that...¡±


    ¡°Asking someone like that to suddenly develop restraint is laughable. He must have decided this operation has enough value to warrant the risk.¡±


    This operation would likely determine Sergio¡¯s position in the organization. A bold move, one with real risk to lives¡ªbut an unavoidable step if they wanted to present ¡°Hunter Sergio¡± to the world.


    And there was another reason.


    ¡°Above all, we¡¯re not sure if Mr. Sergio could even tolerate something as dull and safe as that.¡±


    Technically, the Collector¡¯s Guild could¡¯ve introduced him slowly, starting with easy dungeons and a familiar team to help him adjust.


    But rumor had it the Portrait of Gio thirsted for bloodshed. That he housed even wicked divinity. He might very well have been repulsed by such a cozy approach.


    ¡°We mustn¡¯t do anything that could harm the artwork.¡±


    ¡°I agree completely.¡±


    The rookies and field agents nodded. They all knew what disaster might unfold if a piece was offended.


    There was a reason the Collector¡¯s Guild was surrounded by so many rumors and ghost stories. One of the field staff who had once been a curator added:


    ¡°Still, I imagine Curator Yoo Seong-Woon is a little upset.¡±


    ¡°His assigned piece is going out into the world¡ªwithout him.¡±


    ¡°And it¡¯s the first time too. It must be eating at him.¡±


    To a curator, an assigned piece was a delicate matter. Managing something strange enough to twist fate and burrow into minds was an enormous mental burden.


    A curator had to love their piece, study it, and be aware of its dangers. It was only natural that obsession followed. A single mistake could mean the deaths of dozens.


    ¡°Especially a 5th Floor piece.¡±


    A curator who didn¡¯t love and obsess over their piece could never be trusted to manage it.


    ¡°He must be really distressed...¡±


    ¡°Which is why I¡¯m part of this dispatch.¡±


    ¡°They must believe you¡¯re reliable enough, Chamber Master?¡±


    ¡°More like they chose the lesser evil.¡±


    And just then¡ª


    Knock knock knock.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Excuse me.¡±


    A soft, gloomy voice came from outside the meeting room.


    ¡°May I come in?¡±

 Chapter 169

    It is a common motif in old legends: evil must be invited.


    Even divinity, seemingly omnipotent, has rules it cannot break without permission¡ªunable to enter a home uninvited, unable to emerge without help, and so on.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    The guild members exchanged glances.


    ¡°...Mr. Sergio?¡±


    The rookie team member asked, and a voice from behind the door responded.


    ¡°Yes, my name is Sergio.¡±


    That voice, filled with paradoxical emptiness, caused instant doubt.


    The Collector¡¯s Guild, with its strange and eerie collection of works, was always rife with ghost stories. Though they had been expecting "Mr. Sergio," the guild members couldn''t help but worry¡ªwas this the kind of moment where a wrong decision brings misfortune?


    Then, the 5th Floor Chamber Master and curator, Garasani, stood from his seat.


    ¡°Chamber Master.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to worry about?¡±


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s just...¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Click.¡±


    Garasani swept his gaze across his juniors and opened the meeting room door.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Welcome, Mr. Sergio.¡±


    Standing before them was a platinum-haired man.


    -->


    His hair flowed gently, and his eyes held the color of a summer sea. Garasani did not meet his gaze directly¡ªinstead, he bowed deeply, showing the respect due to a piece. He was, after all, a servant of many such works.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been expecting you.¡±


    ¡°Am I late?¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯ve arrived precisely on time.¡±


    It was now 4:00 p.m., the exact appointed hour.


    One of the rookie team members, already seated, looked past Garasani to see the large man standing behind him. That warm, sun-touched hue... combined with an expression so emotionless it sent chills down their spine.


    ¡®They said he resembled a funeral.¡¯


    Flawless, spotless, yet heavier than grief¡ªa gloomy, oppressive presence...


    ¡°......¡±


    Ah.


    ¡®...He looked right at me.¡¯


    And then, the thing curved its eyes in a soft smile.


    ¡°Nice to meet you.¡±


    Death, once resembling a corpse, had turned into sunlight in an instant.


    One could easily tell it was a monster mimicking humanity.


    ***


    The Black Cloak held the status of a ¡°free-range work¡± within the Collector¡¯s Guild.


    ¡°Mr. Sergio¡± could be encountered freely within the Guild building¡ªsometimes in human form, sometimes as a portrait. And the staff tried their best not to speak of him.


    Some feared curses. But more than anything...


    ¡®You¡¯re screwed if you get involved.¡¯


    ¡®No way am I working overtime.¡¯


    ¡®Anyone but me.¡¯


    Yes, no one wanted to get tangled in complicated affairs.


    ¡°Ah, if only he weren¡¯t so friendly toward humans.¡±


    ¡°If he were antisocial, things would be so much easier...¡±


    Even though Bisa Beul treated all guild members as part of his collection, he never disrespected humans. He drew a clear line between human collections and non-human works.


    Would someone like Bisa Beul truly be insane enough to let a dangerous ghost story roam freely inside the building? No. But ¡°Mr. Sergio¡± was especially kind to humans, and that was the problem¡ªbecause the closer one got to him, the more likely they¡¯d end up with more work.


    ¡°Look at Yoo Seong-Woon.¡±


    A perfect example.


    ¡°Poor guy. Probably hasn¡¯t been home in days.¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t Curator Yoo always busy, though?¡±


    ¡°Still doesn¡¯t change the fact that he¡¯s been saddled with extra work related to Mr. Sergio.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah. Definitely not someone to get involved with.¡±


    And so it was.


    Because of that, Guild members avoided acknowledging Mr. Sergio when they saw him. Following orders, they showed him the utmost respect¡ªbut otherwise avoided him like a natural disaster. No one wanted to befriend the eye of the storm.


    There were also those who feared him.


    ¡°Just because he¡¯s friendly doesn¡¯t mean he won¡¯t suddenly turn.¡±


    ¡°I respect Mr. Sergio as a member of the Guild, but... yeah, he¡¯s terrifying.¡±


    ¡°Do we have to befriend an urban legend...?¡±


    To them, ¡°Mr. Sergio¡± was not a human requiring social exchange. He was more like a phenomenon¡ªa ghost story quietly embedded in their daily routine.


    No one wanted to become friends with an urban legend like the Red Mask, still rumored to roam Korea. Who would want to casually chat with the ghost nurse wandering late-night hospitals, or the woman in a white dress standing on a desolate roadside?


    ¡°Well, if it¡¯s required, I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    ¡°If they order us, fine.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll do what¡¯s asked.¡±


    Competent and responsible, Guild staff never did more than they were told. If they were ordered to interact, they¡¯d treat it like whispering to a potted plant¡ª¡°Say something nice once a day.¡±


    ¡°Wait, isn¡¯t this workplace bullying?¡±


    ¡°...Does that apply to works, too?¡±


    ¡°Oh. Good point.¡±


    To them, ¡°Mr. Sergio¡± was one of Bisa Beul¡¯s chilling works. Something that merely wore a human shape¡ªnot a true human. Thus, there was no real reason to socialize with him.


    If he¡¯d been a true coworker, they might have made small talk. Collector¡¯s Guild members weren¡¯t socially inept¡ªjust private. But Mr. Sergio was a work, not a colleague.


    ¡°I ran into Mr. Sergio yesterday.¡±


    ¡°Wow. And you still showed up for work today?¡±


    ¡°He was surprisingly gentle, so... it was fine.¡±


    ¡°You must be a good person, then.¡±


    ¡°We exchanged names and I got a gift.¡±


    ¡°Nice and clean.¡±


    Bisa Beul¡¯s previously circulated ¡°Mr. Sergio Interaction Guidelines¡± had also helped.


    Now the Guild staff viewed him as ¡°a creepy work you might run into, and if you manage the conversation well, you get a gift.¡±


    So¡ªnot a colleague, but a workplace weather event. A mysterious natural occurrence with whom coexistence was necessary. They¡¯d adapted.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Back in the meeting room, where the dispatch team had gathered¡ª


    ¡®So this is the infamous Mr. Sergio. The Black Cloak who gifts the kind...¡¯


    ¡®He¡¯s incredibly imposing. Looks fully human, which somehow makes it worse.¡¯


    ¡®He¡¯s supposed to be good at interacting with intelligent species. How far can he go pretending to be human?¡¯


    There was a subtle tension. After all, they were now in a team with one of the building¡¯s most infamous legends.


    Given that Bisa Beul treasured him, the chances of danger were low¡ªbut having to face that eerie presence in person still made nerves taut.


    ¡®He¡¯s too perfect. It feels like I¡¯m looking at something that shouldn¡¯t exist...¡¯


    His appearance was astonishingly beautiful¡ªhis build neither too thin nor bulky. As if modeled to a perfect human ideal, his form only intensified the feeling of something not human.


    ¡®Maybe he¡¯s chosen this form to be pleasing to humans?¡¯


    In Korea, where appearance plays a large role in perception, it was a smart tactic. And indeed, many Guild members had been charmed by his beauty¡ªlike beholding a rare jewel or priceless artifact.


    ¡°......¡±


    A silver-haired woman with bronzed skin scanned the room. The 5th Floor Chamber Master had stepped back after letting Sergio in¡ªhis silence urging the others to act.


    ¡®Is this a signal for us to engage properly?¡¯


    Perhaps gifts would come later¡ªbut for now, according to the guideline, the first step was to introduce themselves.


    The woman stood and greeted Mr. Sergio.


    ¡°Mr. Sergio?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my name is Sergio.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re more handsome than I expected!¡±


    ¡°Do you like this face?¡±


    ¡°Hard not to.¡±


    She laughed, playing up her tone.


    ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Yoo Ji-Na.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Yoo Ji-Na. How should I address you?¡±


    ¡°Just like that, or call me Ji-Na. Whatever¡¯s easier.¡±


    The rookie team member smiled slyly.


    ¡°Please take good care of us on this mission.¡±


    He really did seem human.


    ¡®...Doesn¡¯t he know that being slightly imperfect actually feels more human? Still, aside from being too ideal, everything else is spot-on. If people didn¡¯t know what he was, they¡¯d be completely fooled. He¡¯s so skilled it¡¯s dangerous.¡¯


    From him, there was none of the unease that other mysterious works gave off during mimicry. His only ¡°flaw¡± was being too ideal¡ªa vague impression that couldn¡¯t be easily defined.


    ¡®They said he wasn¡¯t this good at first... is he evolving?¡¯


    The growth of an unknown entity always sparked human fear. Yoo Ji-Na pushed down her unease and continued with a courteous tone.


    ¡°These are Kang Neu-Ru and Dan-Mi!¡±


    The field staff glanced at her gratefully, then spoke.


    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Kang Neu-Ru, field agent for the Collector¡¯s Guild.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m with Neu-Ru, my name¡¯s Dan-Mi. Nice to meet you.¡±


    With smooth introductions complete, Yoo Ji-Na shrugged casually.


    ¡°One more from our rookie team will be joining us, but she¡¯s delayed helping the 1st Floor. Should be here soon.¡±


    That¡¯s when Garasani stepped forward.


    ¡°My apologies, Mr. Sergio. If you permit, I¡¯ll go retrieve her.¡±


    To outsiders, it might seem overly deferential. But they knew¡ªsome works would commit massacres over a missed appointment.


    The reason they hadn¡¯t retrieved her sooner was because Mr. Sergio was known to be lenient. He showed mild displeasure to the rude, but so long as mistakes weren¡¯t repeated, he responded with grace.


    ¡®Still, we don¡¯t know where his patience ends.¡¯


    That¡¯s why Garasani stepped in¡ªto gauge the mood of the work.


    ¡°If it has upset you...¡±


    ¡°I assume something urgent came up.¡±


    Fortunately, Mr. Sergio did not appear displeased.


    ¡°She said ? N§àv§Öl?§Ôht ? (Don¡¯t copy, read here) it was unexpected, so there was no helping it.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your understanding.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate the generous treatment¡ªbut I also feel somewhat sorry.¡±


    He smiled gently, eyes narrowing in a look of playful discomfort.


    ¡°Are you afraid of me?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    The 5th Floor Chamber Master smiled like a grandfather looking upon his grown grandson.


    ¡°It is only an honor.¡±


    It was a smile Garasani showed only to works.


    ¡°We¡¯re already familiar with each other, but I imagine the faces here are new to you. This meeting is to get acquainted before the operation¡ªplease feel comfortable.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your thoughtfulness.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. Since you usually work nights, these folks probably haven¡¯t seen much of you. Let¡¯s take our time and get to know each other.¡±


    Though Garasani successfully seated Mr. Sergio, he didn¡¯t relax. He could see how tense the others were, overwhelmed by this being¡¯s oppressive aura¡ªan aura of death.


    He¡¯d tried to hide it, but Garasani saw it.


    ¡®And if I can see it, Mr. Sergio certainly can.¡¯


    It worried him.


    ¡®We must play our parts in the roleplay Sergio wants.¡¯


    Garasani had plenty of experience and could adapt¡ªbut for the rookie and field teams, this would be a challenge. Playing along with the whims of a strange, unknowable entity was no small task.


    With that in mind, Garasani set down tea for the team.


    ¡°This is the new Azan-Ka Tea I¡¯ve prepared.¡±


    ¡°Ooh, Chamber Master¡¯s tea is always excellent.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d love some light feedback.¡±


    He smiled, hoping they could all adjust in peace.


    ***


    Clack¡ª!


    A woman burst into the meeting room.


    ¡°Sorry! Orientation ran a little lon¡ª!¡±


    She froze.


    ¡°Ah, Gio, you¡¯re unbelievable!¡±


    ¡°You really did that? Not even joking?¡±


    ¡°This is insane... The Smiling Tyrant of the Sea Village? It fits too well...¡±


    ¡°How is that even possible?! Should I call this amazing or terrifying?¡±


    The mood was shockingly cheerful.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Ah, come in.¡±


    At the center of it all, the platinum-haired priest looked at the stiffened rookie who clearly hadn¡¯t caught up.


    With a voice as soft and warm as the sun itself, he said:


    ¡°My name is Sergio.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Ah, yes.¡±


    ¡°What is your name?¡±


    ¡°Kim Na-Na...¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    The Black Cloak asked calmly:


    ¡°Would you like to speak with me?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Isn¡¯t this just a textbook cult induction scene?


    ¡®What the hell did he do to my coworkers?¡¯


    Kim Na-Na felt chills rush down her spine.

 Chapter 170

    ¡°...Do you know what my first thought was when I heard about that?¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon raised both thumbs enthusiastically.


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s amazing. How the hell did he pull it off?¡±


    ¡°You flatter me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not flattering you¡ªI genuinely thought that.¡±


    The hallway meeting at exactly noon was revived just before Yoo Seong-Woon worked himself into the grave. As usual, it was not so much a meeting as it was an informal gathering¡ªwith Gio¡¯s special tea and a spread of snacks.


    Joo-Hyun, watching Yoo Seong-Woon¡¯s worn-out appearance with pity, cleared her throat.


    ¡°Ahem, Gio turned out to be more sociable than I expected.¡±


    ¡°If he¡¯s so sociable, why was he always so desperate to scare people?¡±


    At Yoo Seong-Woon¡¯s pure and snow-white question, the portrait of the Black Cloak replied:


    ¡°I did not scare them. They frightened themselves.¡±


    ¡°Wow, look at you, your vocabulary really improved. ¡®Frightened themselves¡¯? What kind of expression is that?¡±


    ¡°I mean to say I am innocent.¡±


    ¡°No matter how I think about it, it still doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±


    Massaging his stiff neck, Yoo Seong-Woon asked:


    ¡°How did you create such a warm and cheerful atmosphere?¡±


    Logically, it should¡¯ve been impossible.


    Gio possessed an inherent gravitas. No matter how well he concealed it, humans instinctively sensed the gap in class¡ªand with Gio, it was the kind of gap that inspired fear. A chilling kind.


    ¡°People must¡¯ve been terrified of you.¡±


    ¡°They were indeed very frightened. So, I worked very hard.¡±


    ¡°I find it so bizarre that you could just work hard and overcome that.¡±


    -->


    ¡°I¡¯m fortunate to have at least that much social ability.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think it was even about your social skills, more like... um...¡±


    To be honest, if we were comparing the Portrait of Gio to a human, it wouldn¡¯t be fair to say he lacked social skills. If anything, he had an indifferent nature that bordered on detached, but he was fundamentally kind and generous to humans.


    ¡®He¡¯s excessively formal, and people get scared during interactions because of that.¡¯


    Still, it felt a bit awkward to say it that bluntly.


    ¡°...You do look kind of scary, though.¡±


    ¡°I agree.¡±


    Gio nodded sincerely.


    ¡°There have always been a significant number of people who found me frightening.¡±


    To that, Joo-Hyun tilted her head.


    ¡°Always? Then even as Giovanni, were people afraid of you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, many were afraid of me then, too.¡±


    ¡°But Giovanni didn¡¯t seem to have an intimidating aura...¡±


    ¡°More accurately, they were preemptively uncomfortable. Fearful in advance.¡±


    Though Giovanni had the air of a warm and kind priest, his dignified posture and priestly authority made many unable to treat him as an equal.


    ¡°And I was blonde back then.¡±


    ¡°What does that have to do with anything?¡±


    ¡°It was a world where children born with the color of the sun were rumored to be divine offspring.¡±


    ¡°Divine offspring, huh...¡±


    ¡°And in my case, I truly was a priest of the sun. That must¡¯ve made it heavier.¡±


    He was a renowned priest, called a saint. For people of that era, when the Church of the Sun ruled society, treating someone like that as an equal simply wasn¡¯t possible.


    ¡°I don¡¯t recall doing anything especially frightening, but still, they were afraid.¡±


    ¡°I heard from Iser that you were known as the ¡®Smiling Tyrant of the Sea Village.¡¯¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    The portrait shifted to platinum-blonde.


    ¡°...Iser said that? When?¡±


    ¡°During the lamb skewer night. Just random chatting.¡±


    ¡°I swear, this is slander. Why would I be a tyrant?¡±


    ¡°They said if someone didn¡¯t accept your mercy willingly, you¡¯d force it upon them...¡±


    ¡°The results were good, so I¡¯d say it was justified.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see. That explains why people feared Giovanni too.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, it¡¯s unfair.¡±


    At Gio¡¯s earnest protest, Yoo Seong-Woon smiled in his usual unbothered way.


    ¡°Maybe it was closer to reverence than fear.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah. If I had a neighbor like Giovanni, I don¡¯t think I¡¯d have treated him casually either.¡±


    Joo-Hyun nodded in agreement.


    ¡°He gives off a vibe that¡¯s hard to approach casually.¡±


    The portrait appeared wronged again.


    ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it if people were friendly with me.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re already friendly with you, but it¡¯s hard for strangers to be the same.¡±


    At least when he was the cheerful and bright Giovanni, people¡¯s feelings stopped at reverence. But as Sergio¡ªwith seemingly paralyzed facial muscles¡ªor the bloodthirsty Argio, what people felt was unmistakable fear.


    Yoo Seong-Woon, having heard about Sergio¡¯s latest appearance through Joo-Hyun, asked:


    ¡°So even as Sergio, people were afraid of you? It¡¯s not like you were performing miracles like Giovanni or thirsty for blood like Argio...¡±


    ¡°Yes, I was just an ordinary teacher.¡±


    ¡°Well, not that ordinary. You¡¯re glossing over that part a little too easily.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s unjust.¡±


    The portrait had returned to black hair.


    ¡°I simply had a scary face.¡±


    ¡°With a face that handsome? That¡¯s kind of impressive in its own right...¡±


    ¡°I was always a kind and helpful teacher.¡±


    ¡°So, it wasn¡¯t your behavior but your presence. Though... that probably didn¡¯t help either.¡±


    And that wasn¡¯t a problem that could be fixed with a simple ¡°that¡¯s unfair.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s strange, isn¡¯t it? Even when you were a ¡®regular teacher,¡¯ people were afraid of you.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon recalled what he¡¯d heard from the 5th Floor Chamber Master earlier¡ªabout the meeting room.


    ¡°How did someone like that create such a harmonious atmosphere?¡±


    ¡°As I¡¯ve said, I just tried really hard.¡±


    Gio did possess that much sociability.


    ¡°There were many who struggled to connect with me because of my intimidating presence, but in the end, we always parted on good terms. If people fear me, all I have to do is dissolve that fear.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon admired him for that.


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you do that all the time?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s tiring.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°The return on investment is unclear.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying it¡¯s not worth the effort?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    If he had to work with someone or see them regularly, Gio would pour in the effort. But for people he¡¯d only pass by once, he saw no reason to waste precious energy convincing them.


    ¡°My basic presence is frightening, after all.¡±


    The more naturally Gio interacted, the harder it was for others to break free from their fear. But on the flip side, when he did make an effort, people had no reason to fear him at all.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    And so, Yoo Seong-Woon and Joo-Hyun thought:


    ¡®...It¡¯s true. Making someone of that class feel approachable can¡¯t be done without immense effort. That¡¯s not mercy you can offer just anyone.¡¯


    ¡®To have to try that hard just to stand on equal footing with ordinary humans¡ªthat alone proves he isn¡¯t one of us...¡¯


    Yoo Seong-Woon, as a gardener and curator, understood the weariness of the work. Joo-Hyun, as a friend, saw through Gio¡¯s contradictions. At the very least, neither of them considered him fully human.


    Gio, for his part, noticed their thoughts.


    ¡®Doesn¡¯t anyone see that I¡¯m just a socially awkward introvert with a scary face...?¡¯


    The scary face was his default. And in order to reassure others and loosen their fear, Gio had to burn through a lot of energy. That was the life of a spooky-looking introvert.


    But the situation was so ridiculous, he decided to simply accept it. If they were going to treat him like a precious painting, he wouldn¡¯t fight it. Gio truly wouldn¡¯t mind living his life as a painting.


    ¡°...So I didn¡¯t do anything wrong, right?¡±


    ¡°No, you didn¡¯t. Honestly, you helped a lot.¡±


    ¡°I was concerned, since they¡¯re people I¡¯ll be working with.¡±


    From what he¡¯d heard from Joo-Hyun, the operation would be like a group retreat or an extended business trip. Gio didn¡¯t want to spend that time in awkward silence.


    ¡®Few things are more hellish than that.¡¯


    That¡¯s why he¡¯d put all his effort into making a good first impression, to enjoy the upcoming days in a pleasant atmosphere. Gio had really done his best to bond with his temporary coworkers.


    ¡°Though the rookie who came in last¡ªKim Na-Na¡ªseemed a bit startled.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah, I heard about that.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon nodded.


    ¡°She thought it was some kind of brainwashing, apparently.¡±


    ¡°She was very frightened.¡±


    ¡°But she warmed up to you after a bit of conversation, right?¡±


    ¡°It took significant effort.¡±


    ¡°And I get where she¡¯s coming from.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon continued with a sheepish laugh.


    ¡°To walk in and see your coworkers chatting casually and laughing with the Black Cloak like he¡¯s an old friend? Of course she¡¯d be creeped out. It¡¯s surreal.¡±


    ¡°But in the end, she seemed more comfortable with me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. She didn¡¯t seem scared of you afterward either¡ªwhich, frankly, is impressive.¡±


    Then Yoo Seong-Woon asked with a smirk:


    ¡°You sure you didn¡¯t actually use some brainwashing skill?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m genuinely innocent.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, sorry. But still¡ªit¡¯s a little suspicious.¡±


    ¡°Have you ever seen a painting cry?¡±


    ¡°I mean, I¡¯m curious, but let¡¯s save that for another time.¡±


    Joo-Hyun shot Yoo Seong-Woon a look like she was staring at a complete lunatic, but he ignored it. That was just the way curators of Bisa Beul¡¯s kind behaved. A crying painting? Now that would be a ? N§àv§Ölight ? (Exclusive on N§àv§Ölight) rare sight.


    But fortunately¡ªor perhaps unfortunately¡ªYoo Seong-Woon was so tired, he let it go.


    ¡°If you really managed that just with your conversational skills, it¡¯s pretty impressive.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for the compliment.¡±


    Gio felt genuinely happy to be told he was good at socializing. Timid and cautious, he felt oddly proud of himself for doing something ¡°normal.¡±


    ¡°I think I knew how to respond well because I¡¯ve dealt with this before.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure it wasn¡¯t just your portrait powers at work?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what ¡®portrait powers¡¯ means exactly...¡±


    ¡°You know, that thing¡ªmaking things go the way you want just by being there.¡±


    ¡°Like stacking stones on a mountain trail?¡±


    ¡°...Kind of?¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon suspected that Gio¡¯s ability to direct situations as he wished came from his Origin. He subtly altered fate.


    ¡°Well, either way, it¡¯s still amazing.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You really do like being praised, huh...¡±


    At that, Joo-Hyun chimed in with a laugh.


    ¡°He is still young, after all.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Under Yoo Seong-Woon¡¯s aged gaze, Joo-Hyun looked away.


    ¡°...I meant personality-wise. His personality is young.¡±


    ¡°Why are you embarrassed?¡±


    ¡°Because I feel like I said something inappropriate...¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell if you¡¯re bold or shy.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it if you stopped teasing me.¡±


    Blushing, Joo-Hyun muttered with slight indignation.


    ¡°But isn¡¯t Gio still pretty young? Twenty-nine, thirty-two, twenty-four...¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah. He did die young.¡±


    ¡°Stop focusing on the death¡ªjust look at how old he was while alive. He was young.¡±


    ¡°Sure, he died young. I know that.¡±


    ¡°Did you really have to say that in front of him?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a fact...¡±


    Feeling oddly scolded, Yoo Seong-Woon looked toward Gio.


    ¡°I bet he¡¯s not even bothered.¡±


    ¡°Ahh... If only I¡¯d lived longer with my mermaid students...¡±


    ¡°Okay, so now you¡¯re trying to make me look like the bad guy?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m kidding.¡±


    Giovanni had no particular regrets about his short life.


    ¡°There¡¯s even that saying¡ª¡®beautiful people die young.¡¯¡±


    ¡°That confidence suits you.¡±


    ¡°Well, it is undeniable that I¡¯m handsome.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re shameless in weird ways.¡±


    Yoo Seong-Woon shrugged.


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m glad you managed to get along with them.¡±


    ¡°They still seemed a little intimidated by me.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really? I thought the vibe was good?¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    Gio hesitated, then continued.


    ¡°There have been similar cases in the past.¡±


    ¡°What kind of cases?¡±


    ¡°Where people take my most sincere efforts as acts of divine mercy and end up revering me...¡±


    ¡°Ah, so that was you doing your very best, huh. Got it.¡±


    To be honest, Yoo Seong-Woon had interpreted it more as divine benevolence from a great mystery than mere effort. Gio might deny it, but that was his honest take.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Hmm? What is it?¡±


    ¡°Are you hungry?¡±


    ¡°...A little, but why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°You seemed to be thinking strange thoughts. I wondered if it was because your stomach was empty.¡±


    ¡°What does that have to do with anything?!¡±


    Even his way of being snarky somehow circled back to feeding people¡ªYoo Seong-Woon was amazed.


    ***


    And so the fated day approached¡ªa rest day before the big operation.


    ¡°Well, well, finally meeting the infamous Collector¡¯s young master.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Our little master won¡¯t cry about the food being bad in the dungeon, will he?¡±


    Some random well-built punk was provoking Gio unilaterally.


    ¡®He¡¯s challenging me over food...?¡¯


    Truly, the world had no intention of understanding his delicate soul.

 Chapter 171

    A luxurious hotel in Samcheok, Gangwon Province. The event room.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    A strange silence drifted between the noisy cluster of people. The one to speak first was Gio.


    He spoke plainly, as if delivering a simple fact.


    ¡°I will be the one preparing the meals, so I¡¯m not concerned about the food being unappetizing.¡±


    ¡°...Ah, you¡¯re going to cook, young master?¡±


    ¡°My cooking skills and digestive capacity are excellent. So even in a dungeon, I¡¯m confident I can enjoy a proper meal.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s... a refreshing answer.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your concern, but you¡¯re standing a bit too close. Could you take a step back?¡±


    ¡°Ah, my apologies.¡±


    The hunter with black eyes curved like a crescent moon raised both hands with a grin. It was a classic gesture of surrender¡ªand of mockery. He took a small step away from Sergio.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard so many stories about Hunter Sergio, I think I imagined we were already friends.¡±


    ¡°Ah, so that was a gesture of camaraderie just now. I understand what you meant.¡±


    ¡°Our young master is very open-minded, isn¡¯t he? And funny, too. I¡¯m really glad to meet you like this.¡±


    Many other hunters were pretending not to listen but were secretly intrigued by their exchange. Yet Sergio didn¡¯t seem to care, and neither did the blond hunter who had initiated the conversation.


    ¡°I have a bad habit of saying things without thinking. You¡¯ll forgive me, right?¡±


    With long, straight blond hair and a well-shaped physique, his face resembled that of a noble knight from a fairy tale. As he walked up, radiating a provocative energy, Sergio responded with a smile.


    ¡°You are truly humble.¡±


    ¡°Oh? I look humble? That¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard that. Surprising, really.¡±


    ¡°This was an enjoyable conversation.¡±


    ¡°Would you consider continuing it a bit longer?¡±


    -->


    ¡°I was only planning to make a brief appearance and return. I ask for your understanding.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm....¡±


    The hunter let out a long, vague hum with a face unreadable in its expression, then backed away with a grin. His retreat was as absurdly casual as his approach.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk again sometime.¡±


    ¡°That would be welcome news.¡±


    At that moment, Curator Garasani, who had been observing the situation, approached.


    ¡°Hunter Sergio.¡±


    Just like this random provocation, it seemed that due to the current team composition of the Collector¡¯s Guild, some people viewed Sergio as a greenhouse flower.


    Aware of this perception beforehand, the Guild members had deliberately kept some distance to avoid giving the impression that they were overly guarding or coddling Sergio¡ªbut this case was different.


    ¡°Is there anything I can assist you with?¡±


    ¡°Well... how about an explanation of the situation?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It must have been a bit startling.¡±


    Garasani spoke with a look that suggested he sympathized with the trouble.


    ¡°For something like that to happen the moment you arrived...¡±


    Indeed, Gio had been dragged into provocation as soon as he entered the room.


    To understand how the current situation came to be, we must rewind a little.


    ***


    ¡°A hotel?¡±


    Gio tilted his head as he echoed the word, and Joo-Hyun nodded.


    ¡°Yes. Since the event is hosted by the Church of the Sun, it looks like they¡¯ve put in a lot of effort.¡±


    ¡°Could I ask what you mean by ¡®a lot of effort¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Actually, I figured you might not be familiar with hunter customs, so I came prepared.¡±


    Joo-Hyun, who had returned to the Collector¡¯s Guild after a long absence, sat with Gio in a small meeting room.


    ¡°It¡¯s ideal if the dungeon being targeted is close to the guild involved, but in most cases, it¡¯s located in a completely different region.¡±


    ¡°That seems likely.¡±


    ¡°This time, for example, it¡¯s in Samcheok, Gangwon Province. So, when conditions allow, especially among the larger groups that care about appearances, hunters are not immediately dispatched into the dungeon.¡±


    ¡°Then...¡±


    ¡°They try to secure a base near the dungeon entrance where hunters can rest. Think of it like a rest stop. It¡¯s one of the common customs in hunter culture.¡±


    Not fully grasping the ways of Earth, Sergio asked,


    ¡°So they don¡¯t head into battle right away?¡±


    ¡°They want hunters in optimal condition before dungeon entry.¡±


    ¡°Because traveling drains stamina?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the biggest reason.¡±


    Joo-Hyun nodded.


    ¡°Some hunters can teleport using their skills or equipment, but usually it¡¯s only the individual who can move. Even then, it consumes stamina, mana, or gear durability.¡±


    Even with a professional teleport hunter assisting¡ªone not involved in the raid¡ªthe same limitations applied. The person being teleported still experienced stamina loss.


    ¡°Such professional teleport hunters are very rare. They¡¯re high-value assets, in demand everywhere, and hard to book.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s not a method that can be used commonly.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. Although large guilds like the Collector¡¯s may already have a few such hunters, most other guilds can¡¯t rely on that luxury.¡±


    ¡°Are there no public teleport stations? I remember someone named Cha Eun-Hyeok who sold fish bread mentioning something similar.¡±


    ¡°Those only exist in a few places. They¡¯re extremely limited. Cha Eun-Hyeok must live in a fairly developed area. Especially in Gangwon Province, there are no terminals.¡±


    ¡°...There are no terminals in Gangwon Province?¡±


    Sergio was shocked. Joo-Hyun continued.


    ¡°It means there¡¯s no transportation infrastructure installed by the government. There¡¯s no teleport terminal, no non-magical railways, and not even properly paved roads for buses or cars.¡±


    Yet most hunters still had to use those unpaved roads to reach Gangwon Province. The region¡¯s dungeons were infamous for being physically taxing just to reach.


    ¡°There¡¯s a stark gap in infrastructure between cities and rural areas. Gangwon Province still bears the scars of the great catastrophe. The only area set up for habitation is Samcheok. It¡¯s a harsh region.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why, for this operation, it¡¯s especially important to provide hunters with a proper place to rest. Even when not as far as Gangwon, resting before dungeon raids is essential.¡±


    Joo-Hyun smiled gently.


    ¡°To ensure hunters can perform at their best.¡±


    ¡°You make it sound like there¡¯s another reason.¡±


    ¡°Gio, you¡¯re correct. As I said earlier¡ªit¡¯s also about appearances.¡±


    Gio glanced up at her, surprised.


    ¡°Appearances?¡±


    ¡°Particularly among Seoul-based guilds.¡±


    ¡°They care about appearances?¡±


    ¡°Well, this is a trait of Korea in general...¡±


    Joo-Hyun explained with a slightly embarrassed look.


    ¡°Korea is known for having excellent personnel, but it¡¯s small geographically. Only Seoul and Busan are significantly developed and populated.¡±


    Gio thought to himself,


    ¡®...How is this different from before the catastrophe? Just a matter of survival difficulty...?¡¯


    Her explanation continued.


    ¡°Seoul especially values popularity among its citizens. SNS is deeply ingrained in the culture, and people are tightly connected. Many guilds thrive on the support of the public.¡±


    ¡°You mean they¡¯re selling an image?¡±


    ¡°Exactly. The better they appear¡ªstrong, flawless¡ªthe safer the citizens feel. It¡¯s tied to Seoul¡¯s civic pride.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what kind of pride that is.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a common human instinct¡ªto mistake something external for their own. Even if it isn¡¯t theirs, they associate themselves with powerful guilds. People aren¡¯t like you, Gio. They don¡¯t just focus on themselves.¡±


    ¡°Oh...¡±


    Sergio, who was technically human, felt oddly insulted.


    Was this really how people saw him? Apparently, yes. Though he did enjoy the VIP treatment he received as a living artwork.


    With a flowing stream of self-justification, Gio nodded.


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°Do you? You really are clever, Gio.¡±


    Joo-Hyun smiled as if explaining to a younger sibling.


    ¡°That¡¯s why large Seoul-based organizations care so much about appearances. Major raids are the perfect opportunity to show off. And this includes the custom I mentioned earlier.¡±


    ¡°You mean securing a resting place near the dungeon?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Even a poor guild will go out of its way to follow that tradition. If they don¡¯t, it gives the impression that they don¡¯t care if their members live or die.¡±


    Which wasn¡¯t entirely wrong.


    ¡°A hunter¡¯s survival rate is heavily influenced by their condition that day. Unless they want to advertise that they¡¯re killing off their own, guilds provide rest stops.¡±


    There were exceptions, of course.


    ¡°Illegal guilds, for instance. Since they don¡¯t care about public scrutiny, they¡¯ll send their hunters to die without hesitation. They don¡¯t bother with customs.¡±


    ¡°All illegal guilds are like that?¡±


    ¡°Maybe there are exceptions, but all the ones I know of are. Customs are only followed by groups that care about keeping up appearances.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard illegal guilds are numerous.¡±


    ¡°Yes. This world¡¯s overflowing with people. There¡¯s no shortage of labor from slums, third-tier provinces, or even criminals.¡±


    ¡°Overflowing with people...¡±


    Considering Korea once feared collapse from population decline, the reversal was shocking. And grotesque. Sergio was at a loss.


    Unaware of Gio¡¯s inner turmoil, Joo-Hyun continued.


    ¡°The Church of the Sun, your Collector¡¯s Guild, and other participating groups are all reputable. With so many eyes on them, they¡¯re planning a small party to wish for the raid¡¯s success.¡±


    Gio blinked.


    ¡°A party to wish for success?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a strict tradition, but it¡¯s common. Depending on resources, they may hold a brief, joyful gathering to lift the mood.¡±


    She explained like a human enlightening a clueless cat.


    ¡°A short celebration to boost morale¡ªwithout exhausting the hunters. After enjoying such a festival and rest in a nice space, people feel mentally and physically recharged.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t find the idea of a festival appealing.¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯re not fond of noisy settings. Reporters and press will be there too, so there will be many humans. I wouldn¡¯t recommend openly skipping it, but just showing your face and returning to your room is fine.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s allowed?¡±


    ¡°Not every hunter enjoys these events. Some are shy. Some think they¡¯re pointless. And with so many people, there¡¯ll be someone who doesn¡¯t get along with you.¡±


    Still, such parties had positive perceptions.


    ¡°The main purpose is social. Especially when multiple groups are involved¡ªlike now¡ªit helps break the ice. Hunters get to understand each other¡¯s fighting styles.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good intention.¡±


    ¡°There might be friction, sure. But that¡¯s also part of it. It¡¯s a way to identify compatible and incompatible teammates before going in. Composition matters in raids.¡±


    ¡°...I have one question.¡±


    Introvert Sergio asked,


    ¡°You said ¡®team composition during the raid¡¯¡ªdon¡¯t they just group guildmates together?¡±


    ¡°Ah... That must be unfamiliar and uncomfortable for you, Gio.¡±


    Joo-Hyun nodded sympathetically.


    ¡°While ? N§àv§Öl¦Éght ? (Read the full story) guilds try to keep their members together, the most critical factor is role balance. If one guild sends only healers, they¡¯ll be scattered among other groups.¡±


    It was a valid point.


    ¡°......¡±


    Gio felt himself shrink a little.


    ¡®I might just end up avoiding everyone the entire raid...¡¯


    Then what was the point of all the socializing he¡¯d forced himself to do at the Collector¡¯s Guild?


    Joo-Hyun tried to comfort him.


    ¡°There¡¯ll probably be reporters at the venue, but don¡¯t worry. At least one Collector¡¯s Guild member will stay near you... and like I said, you can just show your face and leave.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be rude to others?¡±


    ¡°Plenty of hunters don¡¯t enjoy these things. If you step out early, the hosts will just remember you as someone who dislikes crowds. It¡¯s not considered rude.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡±


    Gio was reassured by her gentle encouragement.


    ¡°If it¡¯s just making an appearance, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡±


    And so, Gio headed to the only hotel in Samcheok with members of the Collector¡¯s Guild. The moment he stepped into the event room from his designated suite... someone picked a fight.


    ***


    Back in the event room of the hotel.


    ¡°If you wish, I can file a formal complaint with Haryeong.¡±


    At Garasani¡¯s words, Gio asked,


    ¡°The person I just spoke with¡ªis he affiliated with the Haryeong Guild?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Were you greatly offended?¡±


    ¡°No, not as much as you¡¯re imagining.¡±


    ¡°I see. That¡¯s good.¡±


    ¡°...Haryeong...¡±


    It was one of the guilds Joo-Hyun had mentioned.


    ¡°......¡±


    Gio¡¯s eyes settled on the man he¡¯d just spoken to. Their eyes met. The man gave a small wave, and Argio pulled his hood over his head.


    ¡°...What a shame.¡±


    There was no malice.

 Chapter 172

    In this narrow, narrow world, there are two things that only humans can possess.


    ¡ºOne is conviction, and the other is malice.¡»


    If you desire my wrath, then become human.


    For no matter how long a beast may bark, how could I ever grow angry?


    ***


    Hunter Sergio, having truly only shown his face, exited the event room.


    ¡°Captain.¡±


    A member of the Haryeong Guild approached the blond hunter with a familiar expression.


    ¡°Why¡¯d you do that? Just now, with the Collector¡¯s Guild hunter?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I wonder. Why did I?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm, didn¡¯t want to get teamed up with him?¡±


    ¡°Did it look that way to you?¡±


    ¡°When you don¡¯t want to work with someone, that¡¯s how you act.¡±


    The man, addressed as ¡°Captain,¡± curved his eyes into crescents.


    ¡°I don¡¯t always act that way, you know?¡±


    ¡°Living up to your name, huh¡ªLiar?¡±


    ¡°Ah... I hate that name.¡±


    ¡°The Association gave it to you. You should be grateful.¡±


    ¡°I said I hate it.¡±


    ¡°That was obviously picking a fight, just now.¡±


    The guild member nudged his captain in the side.


    -->


    ¡°And did you see it?¡±


    ¡°See what? The eye color change?¡±


    ¡°You totally saw it. Don¡¯t play coy.¡±


    ¡°When he suddenly pulled up his hood like that, of course I looked...¡±


    Trailing off, the blond hunter swept his gaze across the room. His dark, almost lightless eyes absorbed the scene.


    ¡°Looks like a few others noticed it, too.¡±


    When he jabbed at Hunter Sergio earlier and got a smile and eye contact in return, he waved casually¡ªand right after that, Sergio¡¯s eyes changed color beneath the hood.


    ¡°What do you think the color was?¡±


    ¡°Hard to say. The shadow under that hood was strangely deep...¡±


    ¡°Hmmmm, must be an item?¡±


    ¡°From what I saw¡ªyellow?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with gold.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s probably gold.¡±


    Another guild member chuckled and asked,


    ¡°Didn¡¯t the Collector¡¯s eyes look gold, too?¡±


    ¡°No, no. His were... lighter in tone.¡±


    ¡°¡®Lighter¡¯ as in fluorescent?¡±


    ¡°Something like that.¡±


    ¡°Still, don¡¯t you think... it¡¯s possible?¡±


    ¡°Possible what?¡±


    ¡°Oh come on, you know what I mean.¡±


    ¡°Admittedly, it¡¯s an interesting idea.¡±


    The blond hunter smiled slowly. Clearly, his charming little guildmate wanted to suggest: What if Hunter Sergio, whom Collector Bisa Beul so obviously favors, is actually related by blood?


    ¡°Just wondering who he takes after, to be so empty-headed.¡±


    ¡°Should I shut up now...?¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm. Might be good to tone it down. Some Collector¡¯s Guild members are still in the hall, and they¡¯ve got ears, you know?¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll shut up, Captain.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t know who you take after, being so cute. Must be me?¡±


    Feigning affection, the man slung an arm around his teammate¡¯s shoulder with a grin.


    ¡°Let¡¯s be careful, yeah? I don¡¯t wanna pick a fight with the Collector...¡±


    ¡°Because the team lead will chew you out?¡±


    ¡°That, and other reasons.¡±


    ¡°Still, wasn¡¯t what you just did already asking for a fight?¡±


    ¡°Ah-ha, was it now?¡±


    His eyes curved again.


    ¡°How troublesome.¡±


    It was the face of a liar.


    ***


    ¡°Haryeong...¡±


    Curator Garasani continued speaking.


    ¡°They¡¯re a textbook guild of brawlers.¡±


    The hunter was attending to Gio in his assigned room while explaining.


    ¡°They prefer to live without brains.¡±


    ¡°Without brains?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mean they literally remove them. Just that they live without thinking.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see.¡±


    Gio hadn¡¯t asked because he didn¡¯t understand¡ªbut silence often kept him out of trouble.


    The Fifth Floor Director looked on at the attentive ¡®portrait¡¯ without smiling, clearly pleased, then turned to Joo-Hyun, who had been helping Gio unpack.


    ¡°Miss Joo-Hyun, do you have any material on the Haryeong Guild?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s information on the guilds participating in the operation, I¡¯ve got it here.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡±


    Garasani took the transparent tablet from Joo-Hyun and turned back to Gio.


    ¡°May I continue with the explanation?¡±


    ¡°It would be very helpful if you did.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m honored. Thank you.¡±


    Wearing a calm smile befitting his alias as ¡°Housemaster,¡± Garasani resumed.


    ¡°The man who approached you in the event room is named Sanarae. His alias is ¡®Pinocchio.¡¯ He holds the title of Captain within the guild. Haryeong is structured into standard members, captains, section chiefs, unit leads, and the guild master.¡±


    ¡°Those ranks... Were they borrowed from industrial job titles?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re quite knowledgeable about human social hierarchies. Impressive. Yes, members of Haryeong view themselves as a kind of sanitation crew. And sanitation jobs are, of course, a type of industrial labor.¡±


    ¡°So Haryeong members think of themselves as street cleaners?¡±


    ¡°They embrace the idea of ¡®cleaning¡¯ in multiple senses. Haryeong handles not only monsters, but also Red Hunter-class citizens¡ªthose rated fifth tier. In a way, they clean both dungeons and society.¡±


    Garasani brought up profiles of the Haryeong guild members on the room¡¯s display screen.


    ¡°However, don¡¯t expect them to possess ordinary civility.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you described them earlier as people who live with their brains removed.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for remembering. Haryeong¡¯s members are hard to manage unless you¡¯re their direct superior.¡±


    With a glance at Garasani for permission, Joo-Hyun added,


    ¡°If I may offer a supplemental explanation¡ªthe members of Haryeong give complete authority over themselves to their superiors. That includes their lives.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve touched on a very important point, Miss Joo-Hyun. Yes, most of them seem like people desperate to die. We can categorize Haryeong members into three main types.¡±


    Garasani listed them calmly:


    ¡°First, those who simply enjoy battle. Second, those with terminal-stage danger insensitivity¡ªpeople who throw their lives away. And third, those addicted to the sensation of death.¡±


    He pointed to the profile of ¡°Haryeong: Sanarae¡± on the screen.


    ¡°This one here falls into the third category.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not quite sure I understand what it means to be addicted to the sensation of death.¡±


    ¡°It means exactly that¡ªsomeone who can¡¯t detach from the experience of death. A kind of addict.¡±


    Sensing his explanation wasn¡¯t clear enough, Garasani paused and rephrased.


    ¡°Hunter Sergio, are you familiar with how a person behaves when addicted to a substance? It doesn¡¯t have to be drugs¡ªalcohol or cigarettes can be addictive, too.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m aware.¡±


    ¡°Then you can think of it like that. Sometimes humans lose control of themselves, flirting with death or drowning in lethargy. Hunter Sanarae is a far more hedonistic kind of person, but...¡±


    ¡°A hedonist?¡±


    ¡°You could categorize him as a pleasure-seeker. He often behaves like someone intoxicated by all kinds of stimuli. Even if he seems to think and act rationally, he¡¯s fundamentally unwell. Not someone you want to form personal ties with.¡±


    Garasani returned to the list of Haryeong members.


    ¡°To continue¡ªthe guild members are that much more obedient to their superiors.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t get the impression their hierarchy was particularly strict. Don¡¯t any of them rebel?¡±


    ¡°The probability is extremely low. For them, mutiny holds no meaning.¡±


    At that, Joo-Hyun chuckled and added,


    ¡°They¡¯re a guild made up of people who don¡¯t want to deal with complicated things.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I understand now.¡±


    In short¡ªthey want pleasure without responsibility.


    ¡°Then I suppose they wouldn¡¯t want to rise too high in the ranks.¡±


    There would be no reason to. From the sound of it, they hated thinking so much that the idea of shouldering more responsibility clearly didn¡¯t appeal to them.


    ¡°They¡¯re not shallow thinkers, in a way. That¡¯s what makes them oddly admirable.¡±


    ¡°Admirable, are they? You¡¯re very generous, Hunter Sergio.¡±


    Garasani smiled fondly, like a grandfather watching his brilliant grandchild get into a prestigious university. Then, returning to the earlier subject, he said:


    ¡°Back to what we discussed¡ªHunter Sanarae¡¯s disrespectful behavior toward you surely had a motive. At the very least, being a Captain, he¡¯s not someone entirely devoid of thought.¡±


    Garasani stroked his chin thoughtfully.


    ¡°Haryeong... does not care much for so-called ¡®young masters¡¯ or ¡®ladies.¡¯ The guild is largely composed of individuals with unclear backgrounds, and thus they hold deep resentment toward the ranking system. It¡¯s a classic case of status-based conflict.¡±


    ¡°Their backgrounds are unclear?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Take Hunter Sanarae, for example¡ªhe¡¯s from the slums. Especially Sanarae... I must warn you, what I¡¯m about to say may be unpleasant¡ªbut he is quite well-known for his hatred of ¡®greenhouse flower¡¯ hunters.¡±


    Despite his appearance¡ªlike a chivalrous knight or a fairy tale prince¡ªSanarae¡¯s behavior bordered on thuggish. He had a lazy grin and an instinct for getting under people¡¯s skin. Unless authority was enforced through strength, he didn¡¯t listen. He knelt easily, as if it were second nature, but behind that gesture lay different intentions. And with a face that never seemed capable of it, he lied with the ease of breathing, causing endless headaches for those around him. Sometimes pathetic, other times beast-like in his cruelty. He could calmly utter false vows with perfect grace. He smiled charmingly through every deception¡ªso no one ever truly expected obedience or loyalty from him.


    ¡°His eyes clearly say he¡¯s not in his right mind, yet he behaves as though he is. There''s a widespread rumor that had the Haryeong Guild not taken him in, he would¡¯ve been designated a Tier 5 citizen.¡±


    Joo-Hyun nodded in agreement.


    ¡°He¡¯s often described as someone whose thoughts no one can read. Betrays people without hesitation, acts irrationally without warning.¡±


    ¡°He does seem to get along well with other Haryeong guild members, though. But they hardly interact with anyone outside their own.¡±


    Garasani nodded.


    ¡°I believe that connects back to what we discussed about status conflict.¡±


    ¡°You mean their attitude toward so-called ¡®young masters¡¯ and ¡®ladies¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Not always, but on average, they maintain a peculiar hostility toward those they perceive as ¡®greenhouse flowers.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, I am indeed a greenhouse flower.¡±


    Gio declared this with confidence, but Garasani only smiled softly¡ªas if watching a cat clumsily roll over. It was the kind of fondness that treated nonsense as endearing. Gio, once again, fell silent.


    Garasani continued.


    ¡°Hunter Sergio certainly gives off that ¡®young master¡¯ impression from the outside. You''re under the overt favor of our guild master, and even among this team, it''s obvious you¡¯re accompanied by a special support group.¡±


    ¡°It must have been obvious.¡±


    ¡°Regrettably, yes. And your sudden rise to fame as Hunter Sergio is likely being dismissed as a stunt by the Collector¡¯s Guild. Which only adds more reasons for Sanarae to take issue with you.¡±


    Joo-Hyun added with an awkward smile,


    ¡°To be fair, the number of people sent for your support... it was more than usual for the Collector¡¯s Guild.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°Well, usually the Collector¡¯s Guild doesn¡¯t...¡±


    Joo-Hyun trailed off, hesitant to say it outright. Garasani filled in, confirming her point.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. The Collector¡¯s Guild typically does not dispatch this many personnel for a single hunter.¡±


    ¡°From what I know, the Guild usually recruits experienced hunters. Since they''re already skilled, the risk is considered minimal.¡±


    ¡°Of course, when danger is high, the Guild does not hesitate to offer robust support. But usually that comes in the form of material resources or sending basic field agents.¡±


    Gio asked,


    ¡°But the people who came with me aren¡¯t all just field agents, are they?¡±


    ¡°Exactly. I myself am a curator, and two of the members with us are trainees from the gallery.¡±


    Garasani seemed pleased with Gio¡¯s observation.


    ¡°In the Collector¡¯s Guild, even the uniform design differs by role. This makes it easy for outsiders to identify a member¡¯s position at a glance.¡±


    Field agents wore sleeveless cloaks. Trainees wore light, mobile capes. Curators wore neat overcoats. Those without uniform but wearing suits with the Collector¡¯s insignia were typically administrative staff. Outside of official events, most members didn¡¯t bother wearing uniforms¡ªbut not in this case.


    Garasani gestured to Sergio¡¯s black cloak.


    ¡°For instance, the cloak Hunter Sergio is wearing¡ªit¡¯s also a type of field cloak.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it doesn¡¯t have sleeves.¡±


    ¡°Then most people will assume you''re a field agent of the Guild.¡±


    ¡°Even though it¡¯s not the official uniform?¡±


    ¡°Hah. Hunters are creatures of habit. If it looks familiar, they¡¯ll assume it¡¯s standard.¡±


    Hunters often avoided unfamiliar gear¡ªany discomfort, however minor, could decide life or death in battle.


    ¡°And since the Collector¡¯s Guild emphasizes uniformity, even outside formal occasions, they often provide gear that resembles the standard set. People will perceive you accordingly.¡±


    Garasani smiled gently.


    ¡°When the departure ceremony begins the day after tomorrow, will you wear the official Collector¡¯s Guild uniform, Hunter Sergio?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I look forward to it.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your generous spirit, despite how this might have made you feel.¡±


    Garasani bowed slightly, then continued.


    ¡°For all these reasons, I believe Hunter Sanarae may have simply been testing you. There¡¯s been much talk about you, yet little actual record of activity.¡±


    With his usual blank expression, Gio nodded.


    ¡°I sensed that too, from what you said.¡±


    ¡°Yes. And if not that, then perhaps...¡±


    Garasani stroked his chin again, as if weighing something.


    ¡°...he simply doesn¡¯t want to be in the same team as you.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Hunter Sanarae is known for this kind of behavior on the day before dungeon entries.¡±


    ¡°Ah, so it¡¯s a pattern.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the kind of person who swallows bitterness, but always finds a way to spit it back out.¡±


    Joo-Hyun gave a knowing, faint smile.


    ¡°As I mentioned, these events provide useful insight into team chemistry. He may have acted out to ensure he gets placed on a different team.¡±


    To that, Garasani gave a tidy smile.


    ¡°Of course, the reverse often happens.¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Because when paired with so-called ¡®greenhouse flowers,¡¯ Hunter Sanarae tends to perform well.¡±


    ¡°I imagine he doesn¡¯t enjoy it, though.¡±


    ¡°Precisely why he works harder.¡±


    ¡°To finish it quickly?¡±


    ¡°Correct, Hunter Sergio.¡±


    Garasani nodded.


    ¡°Even aside from that, his wild, unstructured combat style pairs well with the more rigid techniques of ¡®young masters¡¯ and ¡®ladies.¡¯ They dilute each other¡¯s extremes.¡±


    Surprisingly, such contrasting hunter types often ¡ô N§àv§Öl?g?t ¡ô (Only on N§àv§Öl?g?t) formed effective teams.


    ¡°Still, whenever possible, we separate them. Especially now, when we have plenty of excellent personnel. No need to let friction fester.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°So then...¡±


    Garasani asked politely,


    ¡°Hunter Sergio, what would you like done about this man?¡±


    Having finished the explanation, all that remained was to learn Gio¡¯s intent.


    ¡°I am here to offer you what you desire. If it did not offend you, please share your will with me. I have the power¡ªand the willingness¡ªto follow it.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°You may use me however you wish. Whether you seek interference, detachment, or even just idle conversation¡ªonly say the word, and I will follow.¡±


    ¡°...Hmm.¡±


    Gio, with those pale blue eyes and that expressionless face, answered:


    ¡°There was no malice.¡±


    ***


    ¡°There was no malice.¡±


    The straight-haired blond hunter, Sanarae, said with a smile shaped like a crescent moon.


    ¡°I just thought it¡¯d be fun.¡±


    ¡°...That¡¯s it?¡±


    ¡°I wanted to poke at him, I guess.¡±


    ¡°What kind of nonsense is that...¡±


    ¡°I was just curious.¡±


    He possessed a sense more beast than man.


    ¡°That one... didn¡¯t smell human.¡±


    And so, he had to know.


    What kind of being was standing among them?


    ***


    Gio said,


    ¡°He simply seemed curious about me.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why... I found it a little disappointing.¡±


    Argio, with golden eyes, gazed at the profile of Hunter Sanarae on the screen.


    ¡°...I prefer clarity.¡±


    Was this one a beast?


    Or was it human?


    ¡°......¡±


    No matter.


    Both are valid.

 Chapter 173

    The day of the official deployment ceremony.


    ¡°When are they coming out?¡±


    ¡°They said the departure was at 10, right?¡±


    ¡°Only the attendants are visible so far.¡±


    Near Hwanseon Cave in Samcheok, Gangwon Province¡ªan area still not fully recovered from the aftermath of the Great Catastrophe¡ªpeople had gathered just beyond the barricaded danger zone.


    Even in such rough regions, whenever a major guild launched a raid, it was common for both media and spectators to crowd in. Among those with cameras were not only journalists but also fans who had come all the way here out of sheer devotion to a particular hunter.


    ¡°......¡±


    Choi Raon¡ªonce mockingly called the splat girl¡ªwas one of them.


    ¡°...The Collector¡¯s Guild isn¡¯t out yet, huh...¡±


    Growing anxious as she waited, she was startled when someone called out.


    ¡°Oh! Unnie!¡±


    ¡°Gah...!¡±


    ¡°Come on, it¡¯s been forever!¡±


    ¡°Jesus, you scared me.¡±


    Choi Raon clutched her pounding heart. Maybe it was the stress of leaving the safety of Seoul alone to come to this infamously dangerous Gangwon region.


    Fortunately, the woman who had spoken to her was someone she used to tour the country with, chasing candid shots of hunters. Camera slung over her shoulder, the woman grinned and sized Choi Raon up.


    ¡°Ever since you got dragged off by that hunter in the black cloak, you ghosted us. Looks like you found a new ray of light and salt, huh? Coming all the way out here again¡ªfor a hunter?¡±


    ¡°Yeah... a hunter. But seriously, what about you? What happened to your old flame?¡±


    Fans like Choi Raon¡ªwho moved on quickly¡ªweren¡¯t exactly beloved in fan circles. But this woman had a similar temperament, which is how they¡¯d become close.


    They had originally met on the idol scene¡ªbonding over shared stanning. Raon remembered the last time she¡¯d seen this woman, she had been obsessed with a boy idol. But now...


    ¡°......¡±


    -->


    ¡°...Sorry.¡±


    ¡°...It¡¯s fine.¡±


    Why would someone who used to stan a civilian idol show up here, camera in hand?


    ¡®So your well ran dry too, huh.¡¯


    There hadn¡¯t been any news of a group disbanding, so it was likely her favorite had been involved in some scandal, leaving a void in her heart. She¡¯d always been sensitive to flaws in the ones she admired.


    ¡®Sure, in this day and age, what celebrity doesn¡¯t have baggage...¡¯


    Most fans were turned off by personality scandals backed by solid proof¡ªvideos of someone abusing their manager, or leaked voice files mocking others. That kind of thing.


    It wasn¡¯t that such ¡°flaws¡± were rare anymore, but Choi Raon couldn¡¯t keep loving someone once she saw that dark side. Especially if the face didn¡¯t justify the moral compromise.


    She knew she was being a bit extra.


    ¡®Still... I don¡¯t get how others just look past that stuff.¡¯


    Out of simple decency, she didn¡¯t say ¡°What the hell did that jerk do this time?¡± She was curious, sure, but some things you just don¡¯t say. You don¡¯t go rubbing salt into someone¡¯s wounds.


    ¡°...Ahem.¡±


    ¡°Hmph.¡±


    They tacitly agreed not to dig deeper.


    ¡°So, who are you here for?¡±


    ¡°Ah...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I made a new account too.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that.¡±


    With an embarrassed expression, the woman replied,


    ¡°Hunter Sanarae...¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s my mess. The kind you¡¯d be ashamed to show in public. Beautiful face, constantly causing trouble, never even gets famous because all his screw-ups keep needing to be cleaned up.¡±


    ¡°...What?¡±


    ¡°God, if he crosses the line even once, I swear¡ªjust once¡ªI¡¯ll end him.¡±


    ¡°Wow...¡±


    Choi Raon, who didn¡¯t know who Sanarae was, found the woman¡¯s reaction strange¡ªbut got the gist. Sanarae was probably one of those hunters who liked to stir up trouble just barely within the limits of acceptability.


    Then the woman asked,


    ¡°So, who brought you all the way out here? Didn¡¯t you take half a day off?¡±


    ¡°Nah, full vacation day.¡±


    ¡°Whoa, must be a big catch. Who is it? What guild? Not Haryeong if I don¡¯t know him. Eunwol? The Church of the Sun?¡±


    ¡°Collector¡¯s Guild.¡±


    ¡°Collector¡¯s...?¡±


    The woman glanced past the barricade where attendants were still arranging things, then looked toward the hotel where the hunters were staying.


    ¡°...You don¡¯t mean Hunter Sergio?¡±


    ¡°Oh? You know him?¡±


    ¡°Of course. He¡¯s been making waves lately.¡±


    ¡°I actually met him before.¡±


    ¡°...Ah!¡±


    The woman¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°The splat girl.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for not shouting that out loud.¡±


    ¡°No way. I thought your silhouette looked familiar.¡±


    ¡°He saved me in the dungeon, too.¡±


    ¡°Damn... You hit the jackpot.¡±


    Granted, it was a jackpot earned while almost dying¡ªbut in today¡¯s world, that¡¯s modern life. If you got rescued by your bias and didn¡¯t end up with lasting injuries, people would be jealous.


    The woman scrunched up her face.


    ¡°Jealous. Meanwhile, my account could explode at any moment.¡±


    ¡°Is he that unstable...?¡±


    ¡°Kind of... a chaos-magnet hunter...¡±


    ¡°How¡¯d you fall for someone like that?¡±


    ¡°Been in denial for over two years.¡±


    ¡°That was when you were stanning someone else, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Exactly. God, it¡¯s bullshit.¡±


    The woman looked genuinely aggrieved.


    ¡°Next thing I know, I¡¯m licking photos of him.¡±


    ¡°Well... That¡¯s how bias-crashes usually go.¡±


    There are straightforward crushes like Choi Raon¡¯s¡ªclear, overwhelming, love-at-first-sight types¡ªand then there are the messy ones, like this woman¡¯s. Denial all the way, while the fingers obediently collect every photo.


    ¡°...Oh, looks like something¡¯s happening.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Where?¡±


    ¡°The attendants are clearing a path.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah.¡±


    During official raids, the Association often dispatched personnel to assist. These were referred to as ¡°attendants,¡± and if you knew how they moved, you could guess what was about to happen.


    ¡°Looks like they¡¯re making space for teleportation. I mean, if you have that option, why bother walking out here?¡±


    ¡°The hotel isn¡¯t that close, after all. If they want to present themselves in top shape before entering the dungeon, this makes sense.¡±


    The woman polished her camera lens and nodded.


    ¡°Catch you later, unnie. Let¡¯s grab lunch afterward.¡±


    ¡°Sure, there¡¯s a kalguksu place nearby. They had dumplings too...¡±


    ¡°Oh, I love dumplings. Sounds like a solid spot.¡±


    They gave each other thumbs-ups and parted ways.


    In chaotic scenes like this, with press, onlookers, and solo fans everywhere, fans had to fend for themselves.


    The first to arrive were the priests of the Church of the Sun.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Church of the Sun!¡±


    ¡°Priests! Could we get an interview?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your take on the last failed raid?¡±


    ¡°Priest Ahn Seo-Hee, please look this way!¡±


    ¡°Priest!!¡±


    As expected, the area quickly grew loud.


    ¡®Wow, am I even going to be able to get good shots...?¡¯


    Choi Raon had plenty of experience as a candid fan photographer, but even she found this kind of hunter-fandom overwhelming. Sergio was the first hunter she ever ¡ï Novelight ¡ï took paid time off to photograph during a deployment ceremony.


    Thankfully, the hunters were arriving one group at a time. After the Church of the Sun, no other guilds showed up right away. Choi Raon let herself relax and observe the situation.


    She was a bit impressed.


    ¡®As expected of priests... They¡¯ve got this divine aura about them.¡¯


    Despite the surrounding commotion, they maintained a composed and pristine presence.


    Their robes were pure white¡ªflawless. But clearly battle-ready, interwoven with sturdy gear to allow fluid movement.


    Just then, she met eyes with a priest with vivid green eyes.


    Feeling awkward, Choi Raon gave a small, polite bow¡ªand the priest, in turn, offered a modest nod.


    Still slightly dazed, she watched the priests pass by... and next came the procession from the Guild Eunwol.


    ¡°Sunbae, it¡¯s Eunwol.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve brought a lot of healers, apparently...¡±


    ¡°They say the raid field is covered in poison. Probably because of that.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, in cases like that, healers are cheaper than potions. Especially if it¡¯s not just brief damage.¡±


    ¡°Hunters really live a rough life...¡±


    ¡°Well, they make a lot of money. It¡¯s an equivalent exchange. Life in exchange for money, you could say.¡±


    Hearing the reporters¡¯ chatter, Choi Raon turned her gaze back to the Eunwol Guild.


    ¡®They give off a similar vibe to the priests who just passed by...¡¯


    Choi Raon couldn¡¯t sense presences like a hunter, but she could still recognize that distinct aura of religious devotion. Dressed in white robes, they followed behind the Church of the Sun. Their garments were lighter in appearance but still conveyed that same devout energy.


    ¡®Can¡¯t see their faces well...¡¯


    More heavily covered than even the Church of the Sun, their concealed forms made her blink.


    ¡®Is the white robe their uniform? I¡¯ve never seen a guild hide their faces this much at a deployment ceremony.¡¯


    Deployment ceremonies, especially ones exposed to the media, were usually an opportunity for guild PR. It was a world where image mattered¡ªmost tried to look as dazzling as possible.


    But Eunwol, with their priest-like demeanor, came off as extremely ascetic.


    ¡®Right, I think Eunwol provides personnel for both the Church of the Sun and the Moon Temple. I should¡¯ve looked into them more.¡¯


    The temple attendants¡ªlike those in the Church¡ªserved their priests while keeping their presence as muted as possible. Given that, this kind of atmosphere made sense.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Daecheong now.¡±


    ¡°Heard they¡¯d be joining too.¡±


    ¡°Not taking pictures of Daecheong?¡±


    ¡°Probably nothing exciting over there.¡±


    ¡°Still...¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re too clean-cut. Not much of a spectacle.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll shoot them.¡±


    The Daecheong Guild members all wore matching blue uniforms. Unlike the previous Eunwol group with their white robes, they didn¡¯t attract much attention.


    ¡®I feel like I¡¯ve heard of Daecheong before, but maybe they¡¯re not a top-tier guild?¡¯


    Maybe it was just her, but it seemed like even the camera flashes were fewer than earlier.


    ¡®Feels familiar. Must¡¯ve collaborated with someone I used to stan... But I can¡¯t recall at all.¡¯


    At that moment, another guild¡¯s members appeared.


    ¡°That¡¯s Haryeong.¡±


    ¡°Still wild as ever.¡±


    ¡°They hate anything constraining, so their outfits are always a mess...¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t have uniforms?¡±


    ¡°Of course they do. Standard black ones. They just refuse to wear them.¡±


    ¡°Their guild leader doesn¡¯t say anything?¡±


    ¡°They ignore anything that¡¯s not battle-related. It¡¯s a nest of troublemakers.¡±


    ¡°Scary...¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re the ones involved in that journalist assault incident. Basically beasts.¡±


    As the reporters muttered, Choi Raon heard a familiar voice¡ª


    ¡°¡ªHunter Sanarae! Please, just one look this way! Please, Hunter!!¡±


    It was the woman she¡¯d just parted with, the one who had wished her good luck.


    And one of the men in the Haryeong group responded. He walked calmly amid the restless pack, standing out for his neat pace. Curious, Choi Raon followed him with her eyes¡ªand was struck by his striking appearance.


    ¡®...Looks like a romance novel knight commander. So she¡¯s still into pretty boys...¡¯


    His long, straight golden hair fell almost to his tailbone, vivid in color. His face bore no expression, yet he didn¡¯t seem overbearing. His bearing and movements had an elegant air, yet everything about him was unreasonably gorgeous.


    Perhaps recognizing his fan¡¯s desperate voice, the man turned toward the sound.


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    Upon spotting her, he smiled radiantly¡ªon that listless, pale face.


    For a moment, even his pitch-black eyes seemed to shine. The smile was so bright that Choi Raon, caught off guard as she watched her friend¡¯s bias, flinched a little.


    ¡°Noona! We meet again?¡±


    ¡°Narae-yaaah...! You¡¯re so handsome, my Sanarae!!¡±


    ¡°Aw, I¡¯m touched. Gonna get a nice shot of me?¡±


    ¡°You can count on me!!¡±


    Hunter Sanarae, who had come right up to the barricade to charm his fan, gave a lazy wave and rejoined his group. His fellow hunters looked simultaneously fed up and used to it¡ªclearly not the first time this had happened.


    The reporters commented again.


    ¡°Hunter Sanarae still gives great fan service.¡±


    ¡°I mean, if someone chases you out to Samcheok on a weekday morning, you¡¯d probably feel obligated too.¡±


    ¡°Even if he didn¡¯t, I hear he¡¯s easy to win over if you treat him sweetly...¡±


    ¡°Could be image management. Could be attention-seeking. Or maybe he just likes hearing people scream for him. That punk¡¯s fan service motivation is probably a mix of everything.¡±


    "Hunters really have it rough nowadays. Even that¡¯s part of the job.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re like twelve. Quit yapping about ¡®hunters these days¡¯ and fix your focus.¡±


    Listening in, Choi Raon mused to herself:


    ¡®So that¡¯s how he normally is...¡¯


    A pale, languid guy acting all cutesy¡ªdefinitely the kind of impression her friend would fall for.


    ¡®But there¡¯s something... a little dangerous about him.¡¯


    He was neat and smiled well, yes, like a knight. But those dead, black fish-like eyes were eerie. His smile, foxlike and serpentine, curved into crescents that made her shiver a little.


    He hadn¡¯t done anything wrong, but still... he didn¡¯t exactly seem sane.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡®That¡¯s a rude thing to think about someone you¡¯ve just met.¡¯


    ¡®Focus on yourself, Raon. Mind your own business.¡¯


    And then¡ª


    ¡°...Ah, ah! It¡¯s the Collector¡¯s Guild...!!¡±


    Choi Raon lit up, hastily raising her camera. The familiar weight and grip snapped her mind into focus.


    ¡°Excuse me! I¡¯m so sorry¡ªcoming through!¡±


    ¡°Hey, what the...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry! Please just let me squeeze past¡ªjust this once!!¡±


    Some people were annoyed, but many understood. Their eyes seemed to say, Ah, that¡¯s her main bias. That understanding warmth nearly made Choi Raon burst into tears.


    She barely made it to the barricade, got into position, and gasped in awe.


    ¡°Waaah...!¡±


    Maybe it was because her favorite was in this group¡ªbut the Collector¡¯s Guild procession seemed more majestic than all the others combined.


    Dressed in coordinated uniforms blending black and white, the hunters marched in line. At the very front walked a platinum-haired man.


    He was her light and salt. The reason she had come all the way to dangerous Gangwon and waited with a nervous heart.


    ¡®Damn, the Collector¡¯s uniforms are on another level...¡¯


    She¡¯d only ever seen him in a black cloak¡ªbut today, respecting the guild image, Hunter Sergio wore a sleek cloak in black and white. Beneath it, the custom-tailored Collector¡¯s suit fit him to perfection.


    ¡®Wow... wow. Did he just clock out from the Louvre or something?¡¯


    He looked like a living cultural treasure that needed to be preserved.


    ¡°...H-Hunter Sergio!! Sergio Hunter...!!¡±


    Mustering her courage, she raised her voice¡ªand he responded.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    ¡°!¡±


    ¡°Miss Choi Raon?¡±


    ¡°Gasp...!¡±


    Hunter Sergio stepped right up to the barricade and looked at her. Her heart thudded violently as her favorite stood before her. Choi Raon clutched her mouth.


    ¡°I-I, um...¡±


    ¡°Did you come to see me? I¡¯m grateful.¡±


    ¡°C-could I take just one photo...?¡±


    ¡°Please, as you wish.¡±


    ¡°Thank you...!¡±


    By the time she came to her senses, Hunter Sergio was already walking away, waving gently.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    The woman from before approached again and asked,


    ¡°You hit the jackpot?¡±


    ¡°...Yeah, I did.¡±


    ¡°Me too.¡±


    ¡°Yeah... I saw.¡±


    ¡°This is why we stan.¡±


    ¡°Totally worth taking a vacation day.¡±


    It was still morning, but it already felt like a fulfilling day.


    ***


    ¡°......¡±


    A pink-haired woman gazed silently at Sergio.


    ¡°.......¡±


    ¡°Yeongwon-ssi? Is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°No, just...¡±


    Her name was Jeong Yeong-Won.


    ¡°I was just taking in the moment.¡±


    An acquaintance of Yoo Seong-Woon¡ªand a gardener from the Guild Eunwol.

 Chapter 174

    Gardeners, quite literally, tend to ¡°gardens.¡±


    And the way each gardener nurtured their garden¡ªvaried entirely from one to the next.


    Some would dedicate all their time to the garden.


    Some would come by only when needed.


    Some treated the garden like a dear friend or family member...


    ¡°......¡±


    There were even gardeners who worshipped their gardens like a priest serving a god.


    ¡®...That must be the Eye of Origin Yoo Seong-Woon told me about...¡¯


    Among the hunters from various guilds gathered at the dungeon entrance, one pair of eyes was focused solely on ¡°Sergio.¡±


    They belonged to Jeong Yeong-Won, a hunter from Eunwol¡ªwho was also a gardener.


    A colleague nudged her and said,


    ¡°Yeong-Won, your eyes.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Jeong Yeong-Won adjusted her glasses.


    ¡°Are they normal now?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. They look like plain yellow again.¡±


    ¡°Then earlier they were...?¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Crimson, maybe?¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    She gently touched the corner of her eye.


    ¡®That¡¯s the inconvenient part about being a gardener.¡¯


    -->


    Gardeners are intimately connected with their gardens¡ªso much so that it sometimes changes the color of their hair or eyes.


    Even Jeong Yeong-Won, who tended a tranquil spring field of blossoms, experienced this.


    ¡®It¡¯s not a garden that changes me often... Could it be because the Eye of Origin is nearby?¡¯


    Her gaze drifted again, prompting another question from her teammate.


    ¡°Why do you keep staring at Sergio Hunter?¡±


    ¡°...Ah, because he¡¯s handsome.¡±


    ¡°...Well, you¡¯re not wrong.¡±


    ¡°I was aware it was rude.¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t seem to mind, though...¡±


    ¡°Feels like he¡¯s used to people looking.¡±


    ¡°If I looked like that, I¡¯d probably be used to it too.¡±


    ¡°It does seem natural for someone like him to attract attention.¡±


    As though he¡¯d been created just to be seen.


    Jeong Yeong-Won once again looked at ¡°Sergio,¡± standing among the Collector¡¯s Guild members.


    ¡°It¡¯s not just about looks.¡±


    Was it her nature as a gardener that made her keep staring?


    ¡®No, this... this is the normal human response.¡¯


    She clenched and unclenched her fist¡ªsubtle tension building.


    ¡®The Eye of Origin... among so many people...¡¯


    So little is known about the Origin.


    So much remains undiscovered.


    Its mystery is something humans are neither meant to pry into nor easily permitted to witness.


    It¡¯s simply too vast.


    It appears in too many forms, affects the world in too many ways.


    Jeong Yeong-Won assumed ¡°Sergio¡± was one such form.


    ¡®That¡¯s just one of the Origin¡¯s methods of influencing the world, I suppose.¡¯


    Yoo Seong-Woon had referred to ¡°Sergio¡± as the Eye of Origin.


    ¡®...Then was that ideal appearance crafted to experience human life and collect data firsthand? So that goodwill would make data collection easier? But pure goodwill wouldn¡¯t be enough to gather comprehensive data on human behavior... Unless it¡¯s specifically data on how people respond to kindness itself...¡¯


    With no choice but to indulge her habit as a gardener, Jeong Yeong-Won turned to her team leader.


    ¡°Senior.¡±


    ¡°Hm? What is it?¡±


    ¡°Would it be possible to push for me to be in the same team as that person?¡±


    ¡°...Just to be cautious¡ªthis isn¡¯t about romantic feelings, right? I won¡¯t cover for that.¡±


    ¡°What a horrifying thing to ? N§àv§ÖIight ? (Read more on our source) suggest.¡±


    ¡°Right, I should¡¯ve known. No way our Jeong Yeong-Won would fall in love with a human. I got worried there for a sec.¡±


    Though she never publicly revealed it, gardeners rarely develop romantic or sexual feelings toward humans.


    Her team leader nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do. But isn¡¯t he a priest or something?¡±


    ¡°...Please memorize your intel properly. He¡¯s not a priest, he¡¯s a tamer.¡±


    ¡°Oh, the vibe was just very priest-like. So he¡¯s not even a healer?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that part. Information is limited... He might be a healer, possibly.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Then will they even let you join his team?¡±


    ¡°Since he primarily acts as a tamer, I think having a healer in his party wouldn¡¯t be an issue.¡±


    ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll frame it that way when I make the request.¡±


    The leader grinned lazily.


    ¡°So? What part was so interesting to you?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Aw, come on. I know how you think.¡±


    ¡°...It¡¯s just...¡±


    As Jeong Yeong-Won turned to look at ¡°Sergio¡± again, their eyes met.


    ¡°......¡±


    Yes.


    ¡°......¡±


    What beautiful eyes.


    Under the veil of composure, the gardener glimpsed the very essence of Origin.


    What looked like irises shone like divine radiance. The pupils, sunken deep, held an indescribable overlap of colors.


    Ah. A human-shaped Origin.


    ¡®...Incredible.¡¯


    It went beyond beauty. That luminous brilliance made her mind reel.


    Her heart pounded. She couldn¡¯t believe the version of herself reflected in those eyes. She felt she might forget her own identity. Overwhelmed by an otherworldly mystery, she could hardly breathe.


    It was vast¡ªunfathomably deep and immense.


    ¡®It¡¯s so... blissful.¡¯


    What is that being made of?


    ¡®Dizzy...¡¯


    A sweet fragrance reached her.


    Like the flowers of her own garden.


    No¡ªsweeter still. A scent of honey and milk.


    Cool and soft, like lilacs blooming in spring.


    A fragrance flowing from destiny itself¡ªcradling both life and death.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°...Yeong-Won?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Yeong-Won? Did you fall asleep?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then why¡¯d you stop mid-sentence?¡±


    ¡°We made eye contact for a moment.¡±


    Receiving the full attention of the Origin...It left her unable to think clearly.


    ¡°What were you asking just now?¡±


    ¡°I asked why you¡¯re showing so much interest.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really nothing.¡±


    Her face was unreadable, but her fingers gripped the staff tightly.


    ¡°...I believe he is worthy of being observed.¡±


    An opportunity like this would not come again. Reverence for the Origin...  Had stirred even a mere gardener.


    ***


    ¡°Garasani.¡±


    ¡°Yes, please speak.¡±


    ¡°If anyone starts to hate me, please let me know.¡±


    ¡°Do you think someone hates you?¡±


    ¡°That one, with the cherry blossom-colored hair...¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Garasani glanced toward the Eunwol Guild and chuckled.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s hate in her eyes.¡±


    ¡°Then why does she keep glaring?¡±


    ¡°Her gaze is sharp. Like a hawk¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s very unsettling.¡±


    ¡°Shall I lodge a formal complaint?¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary...¡±


    Gio could only come to one conclusion.


    ¡°Must be because I¡¯m too handsome.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha...! Ah yes, quite possibly.¡±


    Garasani laughed warmly, as if he''d just seen the world¡¯s most adorable puppy.


    ¡°Once we enter the dungeon, teams will be split. You won¡¯t have to worry. You didn¡¯t seem uncomfortable, so I didn¡¯t take action earlier...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m used to it, but that doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s pleasant. No need to do anything about it though. I was just being needy because you¡¯re so reliable, Garasani.¡±


    ¡°Ah, truly an honor. If you continue to depend on me, I couldn¡¯t ask for more. I believe we¡¯ll be in the same team post-entry.¡±


    Garasani glanced sideways at the Temple clergy, hosts of this raid.


    ¡°They value safety. And since it¡¯s rare for a curator from the Collector¡¯s Guild to join, they¡¯ll likely arrange the team the way we intended.¡±


    ¡°By ¡®the way we intended,¡¯ do you mean the Guild¡¯s effort to accommodate me?¡±


    ¡°Exactly. People will think we¡¯re here to assist and monitor Sergio Hunter. The Temple will follow that narrative.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯m relieved. Just having one familiar face helps.¡±


    ¡°Even if I¡¯m assigned elsewhere, I¡¯ll ensure I remain by your side. If something unexpected happens, I¡¯ll take the necessary steps¡ªso don¡¯t worry, Sergio Hunter.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your thoughtfulness.¡±


    Without acquaintances nearby, Sergio would quickly turn quiet¡ªso he felt reassured.


    ¡®Yep. Life is all about connections.¡¯


    How fortunate to have become the Collector¡¯s portrait.


    ***


    Indeed, Gio was placed in the same team as Garasani.


    ¡°I never thought I¡¯d see you again like this. What a surprise.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°I mean it. I¡¯m thrilled we¡¯re in the same team, young master.¡±


    ¡°Young master?¡±


    ¡°Ah, slipped again. I¡¯ll press my hands together and beg for forgiveness, will that do?¡±


    ¡°Ha ha...¡±


    Sanarae was also on the team.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Gio looked into his eyes silently, then smiled.


    ¡°...Adorable.¡±


    Before Sanarae could even respond, Gio returned to his gentle expression, as if gazing at a puppy too cute to exist.


    ¡°Of course I¡¯ll forgive you.¡±


    ¡°Uh...?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re smiling as you apologize¡ªhow could I ignore that?¡±


    ¡°Uh... Okay? I feel like I was just treated like something less than human...¡±


    ¡°Do you like to eat? You¡¯re awfully thin for a grown man. Can¡¯t have you collapsing.¡±


    ¡°Whoa, don¡¯t squish me! Hey¡ªwhoa¡ªwait! Sergio Hunter, why are you so strong?¡±


    ¡°This pitiful body of yours... all skin and bones... and you¡¯ve dragged it all the way here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not that thin... Sergio Hunter? Are you even listening?¡±


    ¡°Looks like I have no choice but to fatten you up during this raid...¡±


    ¡°Please... give me a chance to retreat.¡±


    Barely escaping Gio¡¯s grip, Sanarae gasped.


    ¡°You trying to eat me or something? You... eat people?¡±


    ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard, human meat doesn¡¯t taste very good.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not even ask how you know that¡ªalso, that doesn¡¯t reassure me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m against eating anything that tastes bad.¡±


    ¡°Still not comforting!¡±


    Sanarae actually backed off a step, rare for him, muttering under his breath,


    ¡°Weird... why do you remind me of my dead grandfather...?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m honored. Perhaps I¡¯m as warm and reliable as your grandfather was?¡±


    ¡°No... It¡¯s something else... Something I can¡¯t quite name. But I will figure it out...¡±


    Leaving the pensive Sanarae behind, another team member stepped forward.


    It was Jeong Yeong-Won¡ªthe hunter who had stared at Sergio before dungeon entry.


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Sergio Hunter. We locked eyes earlier, didn¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes. You¡¯re from Eunwol, right? I hope I¡¯m not mistaken.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re correct. Thank you for recognizing me. I¡¯m Jeong Yeong-Won.¡±


    With her soft, cream-pink hair and round glasses, she extended a hand with a serious face.


    ¡°Would you shake hands with me? Just once.¡±


    ¡°...? Of course.¡±


    It felt... like more than a simple greeting. Curious about her unusual tone, he shook her hand lightly.


    ¡°...Excellent grip control.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°I thought it would hurt more.¡±


    ¡°Do I look that rough?¡±


    ¡°No, not really...¡±


    Nodding to herself, she added,


    ¡°Thank you for being considerate.¡±


    ¡°...For what exactly?¡±


    ¡°My position is healer. I¡¯ll be in charge of healing the team.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see. I look forward to working with you.¡±


    So what exactly did I just get praised for...?


    Getting complimented for a handshake left Sergio a bit bewildered inside¡ªthough he kept a straight face.


    It felt like being praised for breathing.


    ¡°Um, then... may we also...?¡±


    ¡°? Yes, nice to meet you.¡±


    ¡°Please shake my hand too.¡±


    ¡°Sure, nice to meet you.¡±


    After greeting two more hunters from the Daecheong Guild, Sergio finally asked,


    ¡°So why is it just me that got handshakes from everyone?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°......?¡±


    Surprisingly, no one had a real answer.


    ¡°...Good question...?¡±


    ¡°Oh, this is delightful.¡±


    It looked like they had the perfect storm of a team.


    And with an odd mix of exasperation and amusement, Sergio stepped into the A-Class dungeon: The Quadrupedal Underground Rainforest.

 Chapter 175

    Gio wasn¡¯t particularly angry with Sanarae.


    ¡°Why should I be?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I see.¡±


    Sanarae replied with a languid grin.


    ¡°Most people would be mad by now.¡±


    ¡°I think that¡¯s understandable.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re tougher than I thought.¡±


    Contrary to his infamous reputation, Sanarae was surprisingly cooperative.


    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re not all emotional, wanna help me find a base first?¡±


    ¡°A base?¡±


    Gio blinked at the term, prompting the curator Garasani, who stood beside him, to whisper,


    ¡°¡®Base¡¯ is slang for a temporary resting spot inside the dungeon. It¡¯s useful to secure a shelter or stronghold in advance, especially if the raid won¡¯t end within a day or two.¡±


    Garasani glanced around and added,


    ¡°The temperature and humidity are high, and there are many poisonous plants. We should find solid ground or, if that¡¯s not possible, clear a spot ourselves.¡±


    ¡°My personal opinion? Might be faster to just make one. Can¡¯t tell where the other teams landed, but this area doesn¡¯t smell like dry soil... We¡¯ll need to walk a bit.¡±


    Sanarae sniffed the air as he scanned the surroundings.


    ¡°It¡¯s really humid here.¡±


    The thick, tightly-packed vegetation certainly wasn¡¯t helping. Breathing felt as hard as being trapped in a sauna.


    ¡°I heard it rains here periodically, the kind that drives people mad. Maybe it evaporates and makes it worse...¡±


    ¡°They also said the fake sun changes its position at random. We should prioritize building something to shield us from the rain.¡±


    As Sanarae and Jeong Yeong-Won discussed, one of the Daecheong Guild hunters turned to Gio.


    -->


    ¡°You¡¯re a tamer, right...? Could you maybe scout out a spot?¡±


    But it was Jeong Yeong-Won who answered, not Gio.


    ¡°That¡¯s sacrilege.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°You have committed sacrilege.¡±


    ¡°Uh... wha...?¡±


    The declaration was so grave that the Daecheong hunter briefly wondered if he¡¯d committed a mortal sin, and Gio questioned if he might be the reincarnation of King Sejong.


    Snapping out of it, Gio chuckled awkwardly.


    ¡°Yeong-Won, are you teasing me by calling me young master too?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, that wasn¡¯t my intent...¡±


    ¡°In a space with such poor visibility, it¡¯s only right for the tamer to act.¡±


    That¡¯s what he was brought for, after all.


    ¡°Then, if you¡¯ll excuse me for a moment.¡±


    Gio pulled on his hood and called out to his little companion, who was sprawled out comfortably, apparently enjoying the dungeon¡¯s high humidity.


    ¡°Honey.¡±


    ¡°Kurrr.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Sanarae gasped even before Honey had fully emerged. When Gio turned to look, Sanarae was resting his chin on his hand, nodding¡ªclearly impressed.


    ¡°So once your face reaches that level, even making sounds like ¡®Honey¡¯ doesn¡¯t sound cringe. That¡¯s wild.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for admiring my face. I think it¡¯s a rather pleasing one myself.¡±


    His mother had lovingly sculpted his features from womb to newborn stage with utmost care.


    ¡°Turned out pretty well, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°Huh. That¡¯s a new response. Did you have work done?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s all natural. A face shaped by fate.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, guess you can¡¯t buy that kind of face. Sorry for the assumption.¡±


    Sanarae laughed, feigning sheepishness.


    ¡°When you said it was made, I figured it was artificial. You really do talk in a weird way, young master.¡±


    ¡°Sorry for the confusion. Let¡¯s agree that no one is at fault¡ªshared responsibility.¡±


    Gio reached out, and Honey plopped into his hand. At the sensation and weight, Gio smiled softly and murmured,


    ¡°...Have you gained weight?¡±


    ¡°Ggungk ggungk ggungk...!!¡±


    ¡°He can fly, believe it or not.¡±


    ¡°GGUNG GGUNG GGUNG!!!¡±


    ¡°Honey, could you find us a place to settle down?¡±


    He gently stroked Honey, who stopped bouncing.


    ¡°We need to set up shelter before that rain that hurts people starts falling.¡±


    ¡°...Kurruk.¡±


    ¡°Not too far, ideally. Can you manage that?¡±


    ¡°Kur.¡±


    With a quick flap, Honey zipped off between the trees. Despite its chubby appearance, the little creature flew shockingly fast, impressing the hunters.


    One of the Daecheong Guild members said in awe,


    ¡°Amazing, Sergio Hunter. Your monster listens so well...¡±


    ¡°Well, I am a tamer.¡±


    ¡°Even for a tamer, this level of bond is rare.¡±


    And it made sense¡ªhow many people had been killed or wounded by the time a tamer finally subdued a monster? No one wanted to get too friendly.


    ¡°Oh, that reminds me...¡±


    Another guild member asked,


    ¡°What happened to the famous Anti-Cat?¡±


    ¡°Hm? That was Anti-Cat? It looked totally different in size.¡±


    ¡°Yeah... I¡¯m not sure myself.¡±


    ¡°Was your cat really an Anti-Cat, Sergio Hunter?¡±


    Gio nodded.


    ¡°If you¡¯re referring to the gemstone feline from Gem¡¯s Waterway, then yes.¡±


    ¡°Wow, impressive. They rarely even approach humans...¡±


    ¡°She seemed sensitive to the unfamiliar environment, so I separated from her for a bit.¡±


    ¡°So she¡¯s here in the dungeon with you. Do you use a cage?¡±


    ¡°Cage¡± referred to an item tamers used to carry monsters¡ªusually designed as accessories for convenience.


    Gio smiled and lifted a corner of his cloak.


    ¡°No, she¡¯s in here.¡±


    ¡°Inside the cloak...?¡±


    ¡°Technically, inside the shadow.¡±


    ¡°...Did Anti-Cats always have that ability?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. It just... happened.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s incredible.¡±


    The Daecheong hunter nodded, impressed.


    ¡°Anti-Cats are notorious for hating humans. Sounds like your monsters really trust you. Sticking close to you is probably best for them.¡±


    At that moment, Honey returned. The hunters were stunned at how fast the tiny creature came back.


    ¡°Kurrrrr!¡±


    ¡°Did you find us a home?¡±


    ¡°Kurung.¡±


    Honey placed something from its mouth onto Gio¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s...¡±


    ¡°Soil.¡±


    Healer Jeong Yeong-Won stepped forward and touched it. The dirt crumbled gently at her white fingertips.


    ¡°Dry soil. And it¡¯s firm, too.¡±


    She looked at the honey-colored bird with awe.


    ¡°How did it find this in such a humid rainforest?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure either, but I¡¯m glad it found a good spot.¡±


    Gio smiled brightly.


    ¡°Right?¡±


    He had no idea what Honey did, but it worked. That was enough.


    ***


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Kang Seodam, priest?¡±


    ¡°...Ah. Yes, Yoo Ji-Na. I¡¯m listening.¡±


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°No, not really...¡±


    He had just felt the Sun¡¯s divine presence from afar and flinched. It felt like the Sun God was firing off miracles for the smallest reasons.


    Already tired from being dragged into this rainforest, Kang Seodam decided it was best not to comment.


    ***


    When they arrived at the spot Honey had guided them to, Sanarae tilted his head.


    ¡°......?¡±


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Mm, no.¡±


    Sanarae sniffed the air.


    ¡°Smells like sunlight?¡±


    ¡°Maybe sunlight reaches even here.¡±


    ¡°Hmm... no, more like... hmm...¡±


    ¡°Sanarae Hunter?¡±


    Ignoring the Daecheong hunter, Sanarae turned to look at Sergio.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Thank goodness. Looks like Honey found a good spot.¡±


    ¡°...This was already here, right?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯d ask that, but what else would it be if not that?¡±


    Garasani added,


    ¡°It¡¯s unlikely a place like this would just appear out of nowhere.¡±


    ¡°There are no monster traces either, so I¡¯m reassured.¡±


    Yeah, yeah.


    ¡®These two from the Collector¡¯s sure bounce off each other well...¡¯


    Sanarae swept his eyes across the space with his signature deadpan stare.


    It was large enough to fit 50 people. A hollowed-out space inside a massive tree¡ªlarger than most around. Trees like this were common here, but none had such natural hollows.


    ¡®That means this was created... somehow.¡¯


    Yet there were no signs of tools, cuts, or burns. The earth was dry, compact. The cavity looked naturally aged, like it had formed over centuries.


    Vines dangled across the entrance like a curtain, blocking outside humidity. It would also be great for hiding from monsters.


    ¡®But that strong scent of sunlight...¡¯


    And that smell...


    ¡°......¡±


    It was the same as the scent from that little bird.


    ¡®...Even if that¡¯s true, it still doesn¡¯t explain how this place exists.¡¯


    You couldn¡¯t carve out something like this¡ªnot just by hacking and breaking. Sanarae could feel it¡ªthis space was full of life. Not something artificially made in a short time, but something grown.


    ¡°...Huh. I don¡¯t get it.¡±


    ¡°What don¡¯t you get?¡±


    ¡°Like... what you actually are.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Sergio Hunter asked cheerfully.


    ¡°Would you like me to tell you?¡±


    ¡°Oh, really?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m actually a priest serving a Sun God from another dimension.¡±


    ¡°...Huh?¡±


    ¡°And when I begged earnestly, the Sun bestowed this nice house upon me.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Sanarae¡¯s smile twisted a little.


    ¡°...Did I tease you too much? You mad? Hey, you know I meant no harm, right?¡±


    ¡°Ahaha, now that¡¯s a fun reaction. Was it too unbelievable?¡±


    ¡°If you hate being called young master that much, I¡¯ll stop...¡±


    ¡°Oh no, as I said¡ªI¡¯m not mad.¡±


    It sounded sincere enough that even Sanarae was impressed.


    ¡°It really does seem honest. That¡¯s rare.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s so surprising about that?¡±


    ¡°Well, I wasn¡¯t exactly speaking nicely.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s impressive that you¡¯re even aware of that.¡±


    ¡°...You are teasing me now, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Not at all.¡±


    Sergio wore a face of slight exasperation¡ªbut it was so perfectly idealized that Sanarae suddenly felt an unplaceable unease.


    ¡°I don¡¯t get why you¡¯d think I¡¯m angry.¡±


    ¡°...Most people are when I talk to them. So I figured you would be too.¡±


    ¡°Then that would be a case of overgeneralization.¡±


    ¡°Is that what people normally say in this kind of situation?¡±


    ¡°Well, I was scared at first.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    All the hunters, including Sanarae, turned to look at Sergio.


    ¡°Why are you all staring?¡±


    ¡°Sergio Hunter, you really don¡¯t have a knack for jokes... I guess no one¡¯s perfect.¡±


    ¡°I truly was scared.


    It felt like I was getting picked on by a scary guy on my first day.¡±


    ¡°And now?¡±


    ¡°Well, now...¡±


    Sergio looked at Sanarae.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Just as his eyes seemed to flash gold, he smiled.


    ¡°...Haha.¡±


    He reached out and ruffled Sanarae¡¯s hair roughly.


    ¡°Augh...!¡±


    ¡°Being honest helps with bonding, Sanarae Hunter.¡±


    ¡°Wh¡ªhuh? What the...?¡±


    ¡°Enough chit-chat. Let¡¯s start unpacking, shall we?¡±


    ¡°Wait! What did you just do?!¡±


    As the bewildered Sanarae blinked, Garasani approached.


    ¡°Our guild member seems to have caused you discomfort. Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh, no, I¡¯m fine. Is Sergio Hunter always like this?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s rather assertive. I hope you understand.¡±


    ¡°So that was his way of telling me to stop teasing. Seriously, you Collector folks sure talk fancy.¡±


    Sanarae muttered while trying to fix his hair.


    ¡°Is this... how people usually think?¡±


    What a {N?o?v?e?l?i?g?h?t} strange person.


    ¡®His thought process is so damn weird.¡¯


    Still, wouldn¡¯t hurt to keep him as a connection.


    ***


    ¡°......¡±


    And five hours into the general exploration, Sanarae came to a realization.


    ¡°You¡¯re a candy-house witch.¡±


    ¡°...Sorry? Did you say you¡¯re hungry?¡±


    ¡°So you really do plan to eat me.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re rambling nonsense, your stomach must still be empty...¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a tyrant. This is food torture.¡±


    Tilting his head over a bowl of cream stew, Sanarae muttered,


    ¡°How do you get this flavor from rainforest plants...?¡±


    ¡°I supplemented the flavor with bacon I brought.¡±


    ¡°Why would you even bring bacon into a dungeon? How did you bring it?¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I bring delicious bacon?¡±


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s wild. There are so many reasons not to, but somehow I feel like you wouldn¡¯t listen to any of them.¡±


    Sergio wasn¡¯t a hunter. He was clearly a witch from the gingerbread house.


    ¡°You¡¯re a hunter or a pig...?¡±


    The other hunters flinched. Collapsed in a circle, they looked like defeated soldiers¡ªwracked with guilt over overeating.


    Eating light during a raid was an unspoken rule, but overwhelming flavor short-circuited their judgment.


    ¡°So that¡¯s why Hansel and Gretel were lured so easily.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m delighted to hear such high praise for my cooking.¡±


    ¡°Mm... not sure that was praise.¡±


    ¡°Then what was it?¡±


    ¡°Like a death-row inmate¡¯s final words. A cry before getting eaten by a monster.¡±


    Sergio asked calmly,


    ¡°Who¡¯s dying?¡±


    ¡°A hunter becomes a pig, and a pig must die.¡±


    ¡°Then why be a hunter?¡±


    ¡°Your way of thinking is so bizarre.¡±


    He really was a strange one.


    ¡°Grandma, one more bowl please.¡±


    ¡°You eat so well¡ªwhat a lovely sight.¡±


    ¡°Okay, but if you ever build a candy house, give me a heads-up. I wanna come see.¡±


    ¡°A candy house, hmm. I like that. I¡¯ll keep it in mind for future creative work.¡±


    And as he ladled another bowl, he looked so genuinely happy, Sanarae couldn¡¯t help but laugh.

 Chapter 176

    After the meal, inside the hollow of the tree.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t joking when you said you wouldn¡¯t eat bad food.¡±


    ¡°Why should I eat bad food?¡±


    Having just finished organizing the ingredients, Sergio responded with a serious tone.


    ¡°As long as I¡¯m in charge of this team¡¯s meals, there will be no such thing as a lousy dish.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re kind of scary when you don¡¯t smile, Sergio Hunter. I didn¡¯t realize.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I smile a lot, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°I also didn¡¯t expect you to be such a big eater. I mean, you pulled out a pot the size of a person¡¯s torso.¡±


    ¡°And who was it that scraped the bottom of that pot clean?¡±


    ¡°I meant to say it was amazing. Really, thank you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just glad you enjoyed the meal.¡±


    Gio looked past the vine-covered entrance.


    ¡°Anyway, looks like morning came again.¡±


    ¡°It was evening when we were eating...¡±


    Just as the rumors said, the dungeon¡¯s environment was erratic. As Sanarae complained, Healer Jeong Yeong-Won added while cleaning the hollow.


    ¡°They really weren¡¯t kidding about the fake sun and moon appearing randomly.¡±


    ¡°You were observing even while we were eating. Did you figure anything out?¡±


    ¡°It seems the daylight period is significantly longer than the moonlight period.¡±


    ¡°And when the moon comes out at night, the temperature drops a lot, right?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not exactly a typical day-night difference, but yes, the temperature swings are extreme in this dungeon.¡±


    ¡°Weak people would catch a cold in here.¡±


    -->


    ¡°Likely, yes.¡±


    Though, a weak person wouldn¡¯t be in a dungeon to begin with.


    ¡®...His way of thinking is definitely not human. Too strange¡ªit¡¯s almost eerie.¡¯


    It was just some outdated nonsense from someone who didn¡¯t fear dungeons, but as a gardener, she didn¡¯t think that far. After finishing all the cleaning, Jeong Yeong-Won called everyone over.


    ¡°Using what I observed briefly before the meal and what Honey scouted during our meal, I¡¯ve organized the information. Most of it aligns with what was in the Temple of the Sun¡¯s previous raid data.¡±


    One key example was the behavior of dungeon monsters.


    ¡°There are monsters that move under the sun and those that move under the moon. Monsters active during the day fall into a dazed state at night, and vice versa¡ªthose active at night grow violent once it¡¯s dark.¡±


    ¡°I think I saw that in the materials the temple distributed.¡±


    ¡°Yes. But here¡¯s what we additionally discovered. Day monsters never group up. They each wander around busily, searching for something. On the other hand, night monsters¡ªonce it gets dark¡ªthey gather and move as a group toward a specific location...¡±


    She pointed proudly to Honey, who puffed up with pride.


    ¡°Honey found that for us. And Sergio helped interpret it.¡±


    ¡°Kurrururururur.¡±


    ¡°I think he¡¯s asking for praise. Let¡¯s give him a hand, everyone.¡±


    ¡°Kuuuk.¡±


    Clap clap clap clap...


    A half-hearted round of applause followed.


    ¡°So, Sergio Hunter, can you understand the language of monsters? I¡¯ve heard some veteran tamers can do that. If you interpreted what that waterbird brought back...¡±


    ¡°We communicate. Like a couple at a restaurant exchanging glances to ask for a napkin.¡±


    ¡°Ah, so it¡¯s a bond. I¡¯ve only heard about tamers before¡ªseeing it in person is quite the experience. And I didn¡¯t expect such a cute monster to actually exist.¡±


    ¡°Our Honey is indeed adorable.¡±


    After a bit of small talk, Jeong Yeong-Won continued.


    ¡°Honey is impressively capable. I was worried due to his small size, but that turned out to be unnecessary. He managed to track where the night monsters were heading. I think we should investigate that location first.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so they were heading to a specific spot?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what it looks like so far. And in a place like this, with dense vegetation, only a small flying monster could really track them. With Sergio¡¯s help, it worked out. But for ordinary humans, it would¡¯ve been near impossible.¡±


    She turned to Garasani, the eldest among them.


    ¡°Should we inform the other teams about this?¡±


    ¡°We should deliver the information, but have our team act alone.¡±


    ¡°If whatever it is is sensitive to human numbers, bringing a crowd would only backfire.¡±


    ¡°On that note, maybe we shouldn¡¯t inform Haryeong at all.¡±


    Sanarae, from Haryeong, grinned.


    ¡°Ouch. That¡¯s discrimination, huh? Just because you''re the big corps, now you¡¯re flexing your power?¡±


    ¡°Haryeong members tend to charge in the moment they think a good fight¡¯s available. If they assume there¡¯s a dangerous monster, someone might act rashly.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not that much of a wrecking crew. That¡¯s a pretty narrow view.¡±


    ¡°It may be narrow, but Haryeong has given us plenty of reasons to think so. Still, I agree it¡¯s not entirely fair, so I¡¯ll leave the decision to you, since you¡¯re from Haryeong.¡±


    ¡°Well now, how am I supposed to raid in this oppressive atmosphere?¡±


    Sanarae turned to Sergio.


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°Telling them might be fun.¡±


    ¡°...Fun, huh?¡±


    ¡°Give it a try.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Go on, try it.¡±


    After hesitating, Sanarae averted his gaze.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pass.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s your decision, Sanarae Hunter.¡±


    Gio smiled.


    ¡°I plan to follow Garasani¡¯s judgment completely.¡±


    ¡°Why, that¡¯s an honor,¡±


    Garasani replied with a soft laugh, like a grandpa hearing his grandchild say they¡¯re the best in the world.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know when the sun will vanish again. When night falls, the poisonous plants become harder to avoid. And while the number of monsters decreases, they become far more aggressive. We should move to the location Honey confirmed while visibility is still good.¡±


    Thus, the proper exploration began.


    ***


    The A-rank dungeon Quadrupedal Underground Rainforest showed surprising signs of human presence.


    ¡°Is that... a villa?¡±


    ¡°More like a mansion, maybe?¡±


    ¡°I guess this was a dimension that collapsed, too.¡±


    Jeong Yeong-Won muttered,


    ¡°Well, I suppose just because a dimension collapsed doesn¡¯t mean humans had to be here...¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think this was in any of the documentation.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d have to look really hard to even find this place.¡±


    ¡°Thick trees and vines make it feel like it¡¯s hidden deep inside.¡±


    ¡°And it¡¯s in such ruins that it¡¯s hard to recognize the original shape.¡±


    One teammate asked,


    ¡°Should we go take a look?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s better to move faster while it¡¯s still daylight...¡±


    ¡°If humans lived here, there might be useful items.¡±


    ¡°Good point.¡±


    Hunters always kept an eye out for loot. Sure, you could sell monster parts, but you could make real money by scavenging relics or gear from other dimensions.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just hope there aren¡¯t traps or curses.¡±


    Their main healer, Jeong Yeong-Won, said with her typical porcelain-doll expression.


    ¡°Poison, you can flush out of the body. But curses often cling to the soul, so they¡¯re more troublesome. Be cautious¡ªnight could fall at any moment.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You know our guild. Daecheong likes safe paths.¡±


    ¡°If anyone was poisoned during the approach, please let me know now. You all said you were fine earlier, but some poisons have delayed effects.¡±


    ¡°So far, so good. Though I¡¯m a bit thirsty...¡±


    ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s carefully go in. It¡¯s heavily damaged and unstable. And something dangerous might be lurking.¡±


    As her sentence trailed off, Gio sent Honey ahead.


    ¡°Honey.¡±


    ¡°Kurruk!¡±


    The small-bodied Honey slipped inside the ruin and returned quickly. Flapping his tail feathers, he signaled everything was clear.


    ¡°No traps, it seems.¡±


    ¡°What about toxic plants?¡±


    ¡°There are weeds and trees growing through the cracks, but that¡¯s unavoidable.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s manageable. Let¡¯s head in.¡±


    The ruins, estimated to have been five stories tall at one point, clearly belonged to someone wealthy. Among the vegetation, gold and gems peeked out. The team scavenged bit by bit while exploring.


    ¡°Most of it¡¯s collapsed. Only the first and third floors are accessible. Second floor has totally caved in, and the third looks ready to crumble too... Are we really going up there?¡±


    At that, Sanarae wrinkled his nose.


    ¡°Why does it smell so awful here?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Are you okay, Sanarae Hunter?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s stinging my nose...¡±


    ¡°Wait¡ªdo you think it¡¯s poison?¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t smell like it... Probably just a lot of dust.¡±


    ¡°Might not be a bad idea to step out.¡±


    One member suggested,


    ¡°Let¡¯s send only a few lightweight people up.¡±


    ¡°Lightweight, huh...¡±


    Sanarae looked at Jeong Yeong-Won.


    ¡°Are you light?¡±


    ¡°In actual mass, I¡¯d weigh less than the rest of you.¡±


    She was small-framed and the only woman in the team.


    ¡°But I¡¯m not exactly agile. I can protect myself, but climbing those unstable hallways is probably out of the question.¡±


    ¡°Hm, I see.¡±


    ¡°Sanarae Hunter, you¡¯re much more physically adept. I imagine you could go up and come back down without trouble.¡±


    ¡°If I go up, the whole thing will come crashing down.¡±


    At his sulky expression, Gio smiled brightly.


    ¡°You¡¯re very talented at nonsense.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you picking a fight?¡±


    ¡°That was pure admiration.¡±


    ¡°People don¡¯t usually admire like that.¡±


    ¡°People also don¡¯t usually lie as easily as they breathe.¡±


    ¡°Why assume I¡¯m lying?¡±


    ¡°I suppose you might not be. My apologies.¡±


    ¡°...No, wait¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡±


    Gio stepped onto the broken staircase.


    ¡°I¡¯m good at things like this.¡±


    And... there wasn¡¯t even a creak from the stairs.


    ¡°See?¡±


    ¡°...How did you do that? It¡¯s completely silent.¡±


    As the Daecheong hunter stared, another teammate muttered,


    ¡°He¡¯s probably using a skill.¡±


    ¡°Ah, like some kind of lightweight passive.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, he¡¯s new to the business.¡±


    ¡°If I offended you¡ª¡±


    Gio waved his hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll check quickly and come right back.¡±


    ¡°Yes, please do.¡±


    And soon, Sergio vanished from sight.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    A strange quiet fell over the group.


    ¡°...There¡¯s not even a single sound.¡±


    ¡°No presence at all.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t just the Daecheong hunters who felt that way.


    ¡°......?¡±


    Sanarae wrinkled his nose.


    ¡®...No scent.¡¯


    He hadn¡¯t consciously noticed it before, but the cool, sweet scent he remembered from the hotel ballroom was gone.


    Even with stealth skills, hiding ? N§àv§ÖIight ? (Original source) a scent was odd.


    ¡®Especially so suddenly?¡¯


    Or... had his nose finally gone numb?


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°...Hmm...¡±


    Glancing at the unreadable faces of Garasani and Jeong Yeong-Won, Sanarae suddenly grinned.


    ¡°Guess I¡¯ll go up too.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say earlier you wouldn¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°Since Garasani Hunter put it that way, now I have to.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s quite the twisted mindset.¡±


    ¡°I just don¡¯t like leaving a teammate alone.¡±


    Without waiting for a response, Sanarae climbed the stairs.


    Creak.


    ¡°Whoop.¡±


    They really were badly decayed.


    ¡°Sorry, stairs are falling apart.¡±


    ¡°Gah! Cough cough!¡±


    ¡°Watch the dust.¡±


    ¡°You already kicked up all the dust!¡±


    ¡°Poor guy. Should¡¯ve been more careful.¡±


    He waved lightly and soon reached the third floor.


    ¡®This area¡¯s in better shape than the stairs.¡¯


    The floor might still collapse with one wrong step, but it was better than those crumbly stairs.


    He looked around.


    ¡®Where¡¯s Sergio Hunter...?¡¯


    And then¡ª


    ¡°......¡±


    A waterfall of blood.


    ¡°...Uh...¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°...?¡±


    No¡ªplatinum hair.


    And a picture frame behind the man¡¯s back.


    ¡°...Sergio Hunter?¡±


    ¡°You came.¡±


    He didn¡¯t turn to show his face.


    ¡°There¡¯s an interesting painting here. I was admiring it.¡±


    ¡°Interesting painting?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    He turned, and what looked at him¡ª


    Smiled.


    ¡°There¡¯s a peaceful landscape painting, you see.¡±

 Chapter 177

    Controlling the body was easy enough.


    ¡®Because I still have memories from when I was Argio.¡¯


    But the abandoned house was in an extremely dilapidated state, and it looked as if it might collapse with the slightest pressure. In that case, it seemed better to ascend to the mansion in a way that wouldn¡¯t place any burden on it at all.


    That was why Gio had used the portrait to arrive on the third floor.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Sanarae, who had been staring at Gio, asked with his signature smiling face.


    ¡°A landscape painting?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s right here.¡±


    ¡°A picture of the hut.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it look nice?¡±


    ¡°It does look nice.¡±


    ¡°Is that so.¡±


    Giovanni, ever the master of social graces, managed his expression effortlessly.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to come up this quickly.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t look particularly surprised though?¡±


    ¡°I sensed you coming up.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t a lie.


    ¡®I sensed it right as I stepped out of the frame, that¡¯s all.¡¯


    Knowing that Sanarae had a bit of a contrarian streak, Gio had considered the possibility that he might come up on his own if left alone. Still, he had come up faster than expected, and Gio missed the timing to remove the portrait.


    ¡®I needed a little time to manage my expression.¡¯


    -->


    That was why Gio had kept his gaze fixed on the portrait-turned-landscape painting instead of turning to Sanarae right away. In any case, it seemed he hadn¡¯t been caught¡ªat least not as the portrait¡ªand that was a relief.


    Though if he had been found out, that would¡¯ve led to its own kind of entertainment...


    ¡°Shall we take a look around the third floor together?¡±


    ¡°Mm, that was the plan.¡±


    ¡°It would¡¯ve been better if we¡¯d come up together from the start.¡±


    ¡°Well, Hunter Sergio was so quiet, I got worried.¡±


    ¡°I have a fairly decent stealth skill.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what everyone seems to think.¡±


    ¡°Do you not think so, Hunter Sanarae?¡±


    ¡°No, I think so too.¡±


    With a smile, Sanarae pointed to the three or so rooms on the third floor.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t looked in here yet?¡±


    ¡°I just came up to the third floor myself.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go together. Oh, how reassuring.¡±


    Maybe his claim that the dust in the mansion hurt his nose was true¡ªSanarae was surprisingly cooperative when it came to searching the ruins. On the third floor too, they mostly found gold and gemstones.


    Hunter Sanarae looked a little disappointed.


    ¡°Would¡¯ve been nice if there were actual items.¡±


    ¡°Gold and jewels aren¡¯t enough for you?¡±


    ¡°Better to have gear that can actually be used, rather than pretty minerals.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re greedy.¡±


    ¡°More like a liar.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, Pinocchio?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly fond of that nickname...¡±


    Clink.


    A rusted metal jewelry box snapped shut.


    ¡°Just more jewels here too.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t hunters like accessories like these? Jewels that only look pretty on the outside?¡±


    ¡°Hunters who¡¯ve made it to an A-class dungeon don¡¯t usually care for basic loot like this.¡±


    ¡°And why is that?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Sanarae looked at Gio and continued.


    ¡°They¡¯re not worth much. Sure, they might be of some help to ordinary citizens, but we¡¯re fairly high-ranked hunters. After coming all this way, we want a real payday.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard glass is quite valuable.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because it can be melted down and used to craft equipment or items. It takes a lot of work to make, and increasing the clarity costs a lot too. That¡¯s why, out of all jewels, glass is especially expensive.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t these gemstones melt?¡±


    The ones I painted do.


    ¡®Maybe because they¡¯re made of paint?¡¯


    Gio continued.


    ¡°As far as I know, gold and silver melt quite easily. Am I mistaken?¡±


    ¡°...Of course, you can make equipment from gold and silver too, but the upper limits are much lower than with glass. Their nature is too rigid, so they¡¯re not as flexible for diverse equipment.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for the kind and detailed explanation.¡±


    ¡°Especially since hunters¡¯ incomes can¡¯t be sustained on just gems or trinkets. If you want equipment that¡¯ll actually save your life, it costs a fortune. There are tons of hunters out there selling their land deeds or house deeds just to afford gear.¡±


    ¡°Oh dear.¡±


    Gio let out a small exclamation and asked,


    ¡°Thank you for the detailed explanation. You¡¯re not getting irritated because I¡¯m too much of a ¡®young master,¡¯ are you?¡±


    ¡°Well, are you actually a young master?¡±


    ¡°In some sense, you may have hit the nail on the head... but I wasn¡¯t exactly raised that delicately.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? That¡¯s unexpected.¡±


    ¡°Do you dislike me?¡±


    Gio smiled.


    ¡°That¡¯s not it, is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a weird thing to say, but...¡±


    With a flat expression that conveyed no emotion, Sanarae spoke in an everyday tone.


    ¡°Hunter Sergio, you seem older than you look.¡±


    ¡°How old do I look to you?¡±


    ¡°Your profile says 29, doesn¡¯t it? Is that wrong?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s correct.¡±


    ¡°But you seem older than that.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to be hit with such a painful comment just because I don¡¯t keep up with trends.¡±


    ¡°...It happens.¡±


    They finished searching the abandoned house room by room, eventually arriving at the innermost room.


    ¡°This must¡¯ve been the bedroom.¡±


    There was a broken bed frame in such poor condition it was hard to recognize, and a large portrait of a woman. Even that was so decayed that it was barely recognizable as female¡ªrotting and crumbling just like the mansion itself.


    A haunted portrait... one that evoked an odd sense of kinship.


    ¡®Oh, another portrait.¡¯


    Hello there, fellow painting.


    ¡®...They say all kinds of crazy things happen in dungeons, but I¡¯ve yet to see another haunted painting like me. This one just looks like a regular old ruined portrait. Poor thing.¡¯


    Gio, who loved painting and was a painting himself, felt a very human sense of pity.


    ¡®How sad.¡¯


    It looked like it might be restorable with some effort.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Hunter Sergio?¡±


    ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Is there something about that portrait?¡±


    ¡°Nothing in particular.¡±


    ¡°Then why do you keep staring at it?¡±


    ¡°Is that not allowed?¡±


    ¡°Talk to me, would you?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Only then did Gio shift his gaze toward Sanarae.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Sanarae only smiled gently.


    ¡°......¡±


    Around that time, the sunset spilled in, and with the pressure in the air and the fittingly eerie atmosphere, Gio grew nervous.


    He felt like he was standing in front of some lunatic¡ªsomeone who¡¯d be joking one second and start a shooting rampage the next. The sun set quickly and the house went dark, doubling the fear.


    ¡®...What did I do wrong?¡¯


    He instinctively realized something was off. That kind of stare meant one of two things: flirtation or war. And this was clearly the latter.


    And then Gio realized¡ª


    ¡®Ah, this.¡¯


    This was the same atmosphere as when Yoo Seong-Woon and Joo-Hyun scolded him.


    ¡°...Did I do something weird?¡±


    ¡°Who knows?¡±


    ¡°Did I scare you?¡±


    ¡°Not sure.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll apologize for everything.¡±


    Flustered, Gio asked,


    ¡°Would you like something sweet?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem like you¡¯re a fan.¡±


    He had offered sweets at this odd moment hoping the absurdity might lighten the mood, but didn¡¯t get much of a reaction.


    Gio patted the sweet chocolate cookie he always kept with him.


    ¡®You¡¯re a good cookie.¡¯


    It wasn¡¯t the cookie¡¯s fault. It had simply ended up with the wrong owner.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    And then he felt a little wronged.


    ¡°Don¡¯t people normally admire portraits?¡±


    ¡°They do.¡±


    ¡°Then why are you glaring at me like that?¡±


    ¡°...¡®Glaring¡¯? You really use the strangest expressions.¡±


    ¡°Was that weird?¡±


    ¡°You just keep using everyday words, even in this kind of situation.¡±


    Sanarae smiled that familiar smile.


    ¡°You¡¯re scary.¡±


    ¡°Am I?¡±


    Is he teasing me again?


    ¡°Then tell me why.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d fix it if I did?¡±


    ¡°So I won¡¯t repeat the same mistake.¡±


    ¡°Eh, I don¡¯t feel like it. I think Hunter Sergio could afford a few more mistakes.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like this kind of atmosphere. I want to do better.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I think it¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re saying that.¡±


    So what mistake did I make this time?


    ¡®Can¡¯t I even look at a portrait now?¡¯


    He felt so wronged he wanted to start hand-writing a formal complaint. Everyone else could do this kind of thing just fine, so why was it terrifying only when he did it?


    ¡°You¡¯re making fun of me. You¡¯re a cruel one.¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯re not saying that out of anger.¡±


    Sanarae added,


    ¡°I just thought that was the most fitting thing to say, don¡¯t you?¡±


    At that, Gio thought,


    ¡®Humans are supposed to run their words through a filter in the brain first.¡¯


    But he knew Sanarae hadn¡¯t said that out of thoughtlessness. Gio realized the real issue with the current situation¡ªit was something that had followed him all his life.


    ¡°I know I give off a frightening impression. People often misunderstand me.¡±


    He¡¯d met more than a few people who acted like they¡¯d seen a ghost whenever he spoke.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I made an effort to smile, but... it wasn¡¯t effective, was it?¡±


    ¡°It probably works well for most people.¡±


    ¡°Then what is it you¡¯re trying to say, Hunter Sanarae?¡±


    ¡°That the more I learn, the more scared I get.¡±


    Gio was baffled.


    ¡°What do you know, Hunter Sanarae?¡±


    What do you know about me?


    ¡®How long have you even seen my face, and you already ¡°know¡± so much?¡¯


    Even Yoo Seong-Woon, the first friend Gio made after becoming a haunted painting, had never said that.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯re that close...¡±


    ¡°So only close people are allowed to know things?¡±


    ¡°In most relationships, yes.¡±


    ¡°Were you offended?¡±


    ¡°What exactly are you afraid of?¡±


    Pretending to be calm, but clearly nervous. Gio couldn¡¯t understand how things had gotten to this point. If this continued, he''d have to either get a new face or live with a metal mask.


    ¡®But even then, the world would still find me scary.¡¯


    It was a hard time to live in, being someone with a scary face.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t treat a perfectly normal person like a ghost, Hunter Sanarae.¡±


    ¡°Then why were you staring at that portrait for so long?¡±


    ¡°I felt sorry for it.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Sanarae looked like he had more to say, then smiled again¡ªhis eyes curved into crescent moons.


    ¡°What do you like, Hunter Sergio?¡±


    It was a bizarrely out-of-context question, but Gio understood. Crazy people often changed topics out of nowhere. And Giovanni, the ever-kind priest of the people, respected the diversity of human conversation.


    ¡°I like food that¡¯s delicious and filling.¡±


    ¡°Were you a starving ghost...?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever been possessed.¡±


    ¡°Nothing else?¡±


    ¡°I like kind people.¡±


    ¡°Oh, this is bad.¡±


    Gio had been right.


    ¡°I¡¯m not about to get eaten or anything, am I?¡±


    ¡°As I¡¯ve said before, human flesh probably tastes awful.¡±


    ¡°See, that¡¯s not exactly comforting...¡±


    Sanarae had been scared.


    For quite a while now.


    ***


    By the time the two left the mansion, the sun had risen again.


    ¡°You¡¯re back. Any noteworthy findings?¡±


    ¡°Mostly accessories.¡±


    ¡°No special effects, I see. Understood.¡±


    Garasani, who had been waiting for Gio, continued.


    ¡°There was a message while you ? N§àv§Ölight ? (Exclusive on N§àv§Ölight) two were upstairs.¡±


    ¡°From another team?¡±


    ¡°Yes. They¡¯re asking for any available healers to gather.¡±


    This team had two healers: Jeong Yeong-Won and Sergio. Garasani checked the tracking equipment and said,


    ¡°Fortunately, they¡¯re quite nearby.¡±


    ¡°Is it injuries? Poison?¡±


    ¡°I heard they ran into a swarm of monsters.¡±


    ¡°Likely both, then.¡±


    Gio smiled. He could tell what Garasani wanted to say. Maybe this was why his attempt to make dried fruit had failed earlier.


    ¡°I believe I can be of help.¡±


    Have you ever heard of a blood dumpling crafted by three suns?

 Chapter 178

    Joo-Hyun used to say:


    ¡°If you want to convincingly imitate a human being¡ª¡±


    ¡°Imitate? Do you want to see a crying portrait? It¡¯d be your first time, right?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t start sobbing just yet, Mr. Gio. I¡¯m not done talking.¡±


    He was worried this scatterbrained portrait might return as a half-baked god beyond human reckoning. Anyone who¡¯s seen what so-called evil gods do for fun would get a rough idea of where it leads.


    ¡°Instead of taking action yourself, use items.¡±


    Joo-Hyun truly worried about Gio.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get frustrated and jump in, only to create some weird fanatic. Just listen to me.¡±


    ¡°I am a pure sun that does not deal in fanaticism.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not filled with just the sun, are you? Right? I have more experience in life than you do, Mr. Gio.¡±


    ¡°If we count everything, I¡¯ve lived longer.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I said that wrong. At the very least, I understand what counts as ¡®normal¡¯ better than you do.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t argue with that.¡±


    Gio gave a double thumbs-up.


    ¡°I lack social awareness.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s just that. Yoo Seong-Woon told me some things.¡±


    Joo-Hyun asked, full of concern.


    ¡°You once carved out a sea tunnel in a dungeon called ¡®The Nation of the Deep,¡¯ right?¡±


    ¡°I was told it wasn¡¯t illegal. I stand falsely accused.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not scolding you. So keep listening. They say you made stairs instead of a slide¡ªis that true?¡±


    ¡°Well, of course I made stairs. Think about it, Miss Joo-Hyun. If I made a slide with that kind of insane depth, the acceleration would kill someone.¡±


    -->


    ¡°I appreciate your concern for human life, but humans don¡¯t carve stairways through the sea just because they don¡¯t want to die. Especially not in dungeons.¡±


    ¡°I understand what you¡¯re worried about.¡±


    Gio nodded.


    ¡°But I¡¯ve lived on Earth for 29 whole years. Please believe in me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re in this state after 29 years, so how am I supposed to believe in you?¡±


    ¡°Shall I show you a crying portrait?¡±


    ¡°If you want to stop pretending to be human, feel free to keep saying things like that.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    It wasn¡¯t exactly pretending, but there was a sting of truth to it. Gio quietly shut his mouth. Joo-Hyun nodded in appreciation and continued.


    ¡°But it¡¯s not like you¡¯re someone who can just sit by and ignore human affairs.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°My trust in you hit rock bottom the moment I found out people called you the ¡®smiling tyrant of the seaside village.¡¯ Isn¡¯t that right, you mercy-bombing maniac?¡±


    ¡°Mercy-bombing?¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯re not one to sit still, so let me offer one piece of advice.¡±


    Joo-Hyun said solemnly:


    ¡°Don¡¯t get directly involved.¡±


    ¡°And use items instead?¡±


    Gio looked disheartened.


    ¡°I¡¯m broke. I don¡¯t have any items.¡±


    ¡°Amazingly enough, your entire hut¡ªdown to the last drop of water¡ªis made of items.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t belittle my peaceful and cozy hut.¡±


    ¡°You know exactly what it is and are just playing dumb. So I¡¯ll keep talking. Use your items.¡±


    Joo-Hyun offered sincere advice.


    ¡°That way, you at least have some room to make excuses later. Remember, during the necromancy incident, the only reason you weren¡¯t treated like some divine figure was because Dana served as a buffer between you and everyone else.¡±


    ¡°So what would I be explaining afterward?¡±


    ¡°That you¡¯re human. If you start throwing around miracles just because humans look amusing or pitiful to you again, don¡¯t. And if you absolutely must, at least make sure there are no witnesses.¡±


    ¡°Are you suggesting I eliminate witnesses? That¡¯s... quite fascinating.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bring out Argio just for moments like this, Gio. I¡¯m being serious. Even if the Collector¡¯s Guild is a corporate powerhouse, it¡¯s difficult to keep things under wraps when this many people are involved. Especially since this is an event hosted by the Church of the Sun.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll behave.¡±


    And Joo-Hyun never once said he trusted him. He was a truly meticulous man.


    ***


    But even a meticulous man like Joo-Hyun had overlooked something.


    ¡°Th-The bleeding stopped?¡±


    ¡°What? I... I feel warm again.¡±


    ¡°...My organs are healing.¡±


    He should¡¯ve placed a limit on the type and number of Gio¡¯s items as well.


    Severed arms reattached, lost flesh and organs regenerated, cursed bleeding wounds were instantly sealed, and the half-dead regained body heat and tasted miracles akin to resurrection.


    The culprit behind it all: Gio¡¯s blood dumplings.


    ¡°......¡±


    About seven had been scattered.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°...Ngh...¡±


    Gio saw, in the distance, Priest Kang Seodam covering his face with both hands, trying to stifle sobs.


    ¡°P-Priest, please don¡¯t cry! Everyone¡¯s recovered...!¡±


    ¡°I... I didn¡¯t expect Priest Kang Seodam to be so worried...¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize how deeply he cared...¡±


    Despite the warm gratitude and comfort pouring in from the others, Gio felt like the sorrow radiating from Kang Seodam had only grown stronger. It wasn¡¯t just his imagination¡ªthe priest wasn¡¯t recovering well.


    Even Gio, who normally ignored the stares of others, couldn¡¯t pretend not to notice this time. He slowly slid over to Garasani¡¯s side.


    And whispered,


    ¡°I think I made a pretty big mistake.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll say it was a Collector¡¯s item. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Gio thought to himself,


    ¡®How do you write a self-reflection essay again...¡¯


    He was more used to receiving such things than writing them. But in the face of such a colossal mistake, things like pride or dignity were flung into the abyss of dark matter. Gio preemptively apologized to Joo-Hyun.


    ¡®I¡¯ll write and send him a letter when I have time later.¡¯


    It would be a pretty letter, one that the recipient wouldn¡¯t even read, but better to have something than nothing. Sensing people approaching, Gio looked up.


    ¡°U-Um, Priest...?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a priest.¡±


    ¡°Ah, right. Hunter.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t fully recovered yet. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to lie down a bit longer?¡±


    ¡°No. After receiving such a precious gift... how could I just lie there...?¡±


    The hunter, who had just come back from the brink of literal death, was teary-eyed with emotion. Gio wanted to bury his head inside a frame. It was overwhelmingly awkward.


    ¡°H-How could you give us such an elixir...?¡±


    ¡°Ah, that medicine...¡±


    At that moment, Gio realized something.


    ¡®Saying it¡¯s a Collector¡¯s item won¡¯t cut it.¡¯


    He tried to bluff it, but the atmosphere didn¡¯t allow for it.


    The Collector¡¯s Guild wasn¡¯t known for handing out valuable items as charity. And anyone could see that the owner of these blood dumplings was Sergio.


    ¡°......¡±


    Giovanni decided to just trust in his holiness and go with a bold-faced lie.


    ¡°...I named the medicine ¡®Blood Dumpling.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Blood Dumpling?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s a dumpling crafted from medicinal herbs I found with the help of the god I serve. I was lucky enough to stumble upon an herb colony in a place the Sun guided me to, and I prepared it before coming to the dungeon.¡±


    ¡°Unbelievable...¡±


    ¡°To be honest, I wasn¡¯t sure what effects it would have. But seeing the herbs, I thought they¡¯d help with clotting and recovery, so I made it just in case. Never imagined I¡¯d have to use it like this.¡±


    Gio drew a cross across his chest with a saintly expression.


    ¡°This too must be the Sun¡¯s will. The divine one I love and revere must have wished for this expedition¡¯s success. I merely followed the will of my god. So please, direct all gratitude¡ªnot to me¡ªbut to the Sun.¡±


    There were too many holes and questions in the story. But the sheer sincerity in Priest Giovanni¡¯s voice, paired with his melancholy appearance, made the hunters accept it.


    ¡°Come to think of it, the Collector¡¯s Guild only joined shortly before deployment...¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s it. Hunter Sergio¡¯s divine power must¡¯ve pushed him to participate.¡±


    ¡°This expedition is being supported by two Suns!¡±


    ¡°Right. Without divine help, we wouldn¡¯t have survived this.¡±


    Too tired to think deeply, the people were easily swept up in emotion. Of course, there were still some with doubts¡ªbut even those soon faded as the crowd self-managed the story.


    ¡°Wait, wasn¡¯t Hunter Sergio a tamer?¡±


    ¡°Idiot, it¡¯s not just priests who can serve a god.¡±


    ¡°Oh... didn¡¯t know that.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s rare though.¡±


    ¡°Even priests rarely get chosen by a god... but a tamer?¡±


    ¡°At this point, isn¡¯t he basically a saint? Must be super loved.¡±


    ¡°But if he¡¯s not from the Church of the Sun... does that mean it¡¯s a different Sun?¡±


    ¡°Seoul¡¯s Church of the Sun is probably not thrilled.¡±


    Being battle-hardened hunters, they quickly became lively again after recovering. Gio watched the resilient humans, then leaned toward Garasani and whispered:


    ¡°How long do you think this will last?¡±


    ¡°If the Collector steps in, quite a while.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll think of a more stable cover once we¡¯re back. But please, help me with this one.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t even need to ask.¡±


    Technically speaking, Gio¡¯s excuse wasn¡¯t completely impossible. Just extremely rare¡ªonce-in-a-generation rare. People would question it once their reason returned.


    But that only mattered if nothing else was done. If Giovanni kept calmly ¡°educating¡± them with the truth, and if the mighty Collector provided ¡°support¡± here and there, then the tale would become common knowledge.


    So what. If we say it¡¯s true, then it is. What are you going to do about it?


    ¡°......¡±


    Of course, there were still people that logic wouldn¡¯t work on.


    ¡°Sun God?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Sun... God...¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Sanarae looked at Gio with a face that had lost its usual smile. A subtle expression, hard to interpret¡ªbut Gio understood. It meant, ¡®That¡¯s a pretty weak excuse, don¡¯t you think?¡¯


    And Gio ignored it.


    ¡®It¡¯s not entirely a lie.¡¯


    His stepfather was the Sun God. Even if he was currently shaped like an adorable teddy bear, his divine majesty remained.


    ¡®He even lives at my place.¡¯


    Gio had devoted himself to the Sun in more ways than one. Saying he served the Sun wasn¡¯t a lie. Sure, it leaned more toward caregiving than worship, but still.


    Thankfully, Sanarae didn¡¯t press further.


    ¡°...You really are loved by the Sun, huh.¡±


    ¡°Sharp eye, Hunter Sanarae. We¡¯re practically family.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then you¡¯re basically a saint. Wonder how the Church of the Sun will react.¡±


    ¡°Sounds ominous.¡±


    With a voice full of experience, Gio asked:


    ¡°Am I going to be branded a heretic and face trial, stoned by angry citizens?¡±


    ¡°Are you insane?¡±


    ¡°Or imprisoned without trial, locked in a tank with man-eating fish...¡±


    ¡°What are you even saying?¡±


    ¡°Being eaten alive isn¡¯t as thrilling as it sounds.¡±


    At that moment, Kang Seodam stepped in.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t see the Church of the Sun as such a primitive cult, Hunter Sergio.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Was that primitive?¡±


    ¡°...There may be some religions like that, but we are not among them.¡±


    ¡°My apologies.¡±


    ¡°As Hunter Sanarae said, the Church may respond... but nothing hostile.¡±


    ¡°What kind of response?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    After hesitating, Kang Seodam answered.


    ¡°...Let¡¯s say, at worst, they¡¯ll try to recruit you.¡±


    ¡°But I serve a different divine entity altogether.¡±


    ¡°If we cared about that, we wouldn¡¯t be Seoul¡¯s representative religion.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s... a surprising thing to hear. You¡¯ve changed my perspective.¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯ll do my best to protect you. I¡¯ll try my hardest... huuuh...¡±


    Watching Kang Seodam¡ªwho sounded like he was crying¡ªSanarae glanced at Gio with a complicated expression.


    ¡°Say it.¡±


    ¡°Mm. It¡¯s nothing...¡±


    ¡°Say it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really nothing.¡±


    ¡°Say it.¡±


    ¡°I was wrong.¡±


    With his hands clasped in apology, Sanarae quietly left¡ªprobably to greet the Haryeong Guild hunter teamed up with Kang Seodam. Left behind were Gio, Kang Seodam, and Garasani.


    Surveying the chaotic surroundings, Garasani asked Kang Seodam:


    ¡°What happened here? Communications were down¡ªI didn¡¯t get the full picture...¡±


    ¡°I believe I mentioned it: monsters appeared during the false moon¡¯s time.¡±


    ¡°We know those creatures become especially aggressive at that hour.¡±


    ¡°I believe the monsters we faced may be unfamiliar to your team.¡±


    Kang Seodam furrowed his brow, clearly troubled.


    ¡°They were undead.¡±


    ¡°Undead?¡±


    ¡°Yes, rotten corpses. They vanished quickly after a light trigger, but...¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Garasani¡¯s silence prompted a nod from Kang Seodam.


    ¡°It was indeed a baffling situation.¡±


    Why would undead monsters inhabit this rainforest dungeon?


    ¡°I thought it was a standard plant-based dungeon, but clearly there¡¯s more going on.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s likely a narrative dungeon.¡±


    ¡°And such dungeons are difficult to conquer without knowing the story.¡±


    ¡°Were you able to identify the monsters?¡±


    ¡°It was dark, but as a priest of the Sun, I confirmed what I could.¡±


    ¡°Thankfully, they weren¡¯t anyone you knew?¡±


    ¡°The clothing style didn¡¯t match Earth¡¯s, so it seems unlikely.¡±


    ¡°They might¡¯ve changed clothes. Did you see their faces?¡±


    ¡°They were too damaged to recognize. But I didn¡¯t sense any familiar presence... So I don¡¯t believe they were priests of the Sun.¡±


    The Church had previously failed an expedition in this dungeon. There were worries the undead might be former priests¡ªbut Kang Seodam shook his head.


    ¡°It¡¯s strange. Not a single trace of our brothers¡¯ remains.¡±


    ¡°I believe the four-legged beasts here don¡¯t eat corpses.¡±


    ¡°Even if the Church¡¯s info was wrong, there should¡¯ve been leftover gear. But nothing.¡±


    ¡°With a dungeon this vast, there must be many unsearched areas.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but...¡±


    Kang Seodam continued, hesitating.


    ¡°Our team found something.¡±


    ¡°What a coincidence. So did we.¡±


    ¡°We found drag marks¡ªsigns that something heavy like a body was moved.¡±


    ¡°Our team saw monsters migrating toward a single location.¡±


    ¡°...Then our course is clear.¡±


    Kang Seodam looked at Gio for a moment.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°How can I assist?¡±


    ¡°...No, this is...¡±


    Biting his lip, Kang Seodam carefully asked:


    ¡°...If the expedition succeeds, would you attend the Church of the Sun¡¯s funeral mass?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Is there anything else you need?¡±


    ¡°No. Truly, we¡¯re immeasurably grateful for your mercy and kindness.¡±


    As Kang Seodam whispered quietly, making sure no one else heard, Gio thought:


    ¡®Why doesn¡¯t anyone ever ask me to help with funerals...?¡¯


    Who else was better suited for such things?


    As Gio wondered if he wasn¡¯t seen as trustworthy enough to assist with death rites¡ªunlike his father¡ªand mused about whether he needed formal training in kingship, Kang Seodam called the surviving hunters together.


    ¡°After a short rest, we move.¡±


    Until now, it had been exploration. But with this many clues, everything changed. The real expedition was beginning. One of the hunters, checking his wounds, asked:


    ¡°Priest, where are we headed?¡±


    ¡°Deeper in.¡±


    Kang Seodam replied.


    ¡°We go where the monsters are gathering.¡±


    There was definitely something ? N§àv§Öl?g?§ä ? (Continue reading) waiting there.

 Chapter 179

    Before the official departure, they took time to rest.


    ¡°Still, it¡¯d be better to get some sleep first.¡±


    ¡°Seems like a lot of hunters relaxed too suddenly after recovering so fast.¡±


    ¡°If we move now, people will definitely get hurt...¡±


    ¡°Yes, it''s better to take a proper rest.¡±


    So the hunters each settled into their own spots.


    ¡°These damn weeds, no matter how much I cut them, they just grow back.¡±


    ¡°Can someone start a fire here? Any fire-type hunters around?¡±


    Watching this, a hunter from Daecheong spoke up, a little wistfully.


    ¡°That house we found would¡¯ve been a much better place to rest.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯d be too hard to go all the way back there in this situation.¡±


    ¡°I know. I was just saying... it feels like a waste.¡±


    ¡°It was a good spot to turn into a base.¡±


    ¡°Especially in a dungeon like this, filled with poisonous plants.¡±


    Even as they carved out resting space, the sun rose and set multiple times. The hunters all looked visibly fed up with the environment.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna die from exhaustion.¡±


    ¡°Even when I sleep, it doesn¡¯t feel like I slept...¡±


    A vast rainforest filled with humid heat and all sorts of toxic flora, and to top it off, the sunrise and sunset were wildly erratic. It was truly an awful place to try and get any real rest.


    Still, they managed to set up a rough resting zone, and soon enough, hunters started calling for healers.


    ¡°Can I get a heal over here?¡±


    ¡°I got cut by a poisonous plant!¡±


    -->


    ¡°Damn, my arm¡¯s rotting! Heal me!¡±


    In a dungeon thick with poisonous plants, not getting hurt while building a camp was harder. This time, the expedition had prepared above-average healers, and the results were paying off.


    Among them, Gio was getting a steady stream of requests.


    ¡°Priest!¡±


    ¡°I am not a priest.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡ªuh, right. Tamer?¡±


    ¡°That is correct. Where are you hurt?¡±


    ¡°My hand... I got pricked by a thorn...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s already started to discolor.¡±


    With a light touch, Gio cleansed the dark, venomous streaks climbing up the hunter¡¯s skin and veins. The process was so smooth and seamless that both the patient and nearby hunters were awestruck.


    ¡°Wow... How did you purify it that fast?¡±


    ¡°I figured it was better to do it quickly, since it must hurt.¡±


    ¡°Still, this kind of thing isn¡¯t easy...¡±


    They all assumed Hunter Sergio had high-tier healing skills. Asking for detailed skill windows was considered rude, so no one pressed him¡ªbut it was treated as an open secret.


    ¡°Was that medicine you gave us earlier also made with a skill?¡±


    ¡°No such skill exists.¡±


    ¡°Wait, so... you made it on your own?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think a skill was needed to make medicine.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impressive. Most people rely on skills.¡±


    ¡°The ingredients were powerful on their own. I was lucky.¡±


    ¡°You must really be serving a compassionate god.¡±


    ¡°Yes, a truly gentle one.¡±


    From what they¡¯d heard, Hunter Sergio seemed to be treated almost like a saint by his god. That must be why he had access to herbs so full of the Sun¡¯s power.


    At that, one of the Sun¡¯s priests quietly asked Kang Seodam,


    ¡°It¡¯s a different dimension¡¯s Sun, but still a similar domain. Do you think he might dislike our Church?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t twist a good thing into something ugly. Let go of your greed. He is the son of another divine being.¡±


    ¡°But this sort of thing has happened before. There are plenty of gods who became family with ours. If we just try to convince him¡ª¡±


    ¡°What exactly are you hoping to achieve? I understand what you¡¯re aiming for, but show some humility.¡±


    Kang Seodam was growing visibly tired of the itch-like irritation.


    At least the older priests knew to hide their greed and act humble, but the younger ones often relied on the Church of the Sun¡¯s stature and became reekingly arrogant.


    ¡®Honestly, I¡¯d rather deal with the Moon Church¡¯s slyness than this blatant stupidity. Still, it¡¯s no less annoying. I doubt this kid even knows who he¡¯s talking about.¡¯


    As one of the top two major religious institutions in Seoul, the Church of the Sun trained priests from a young age. By 14, they were formally ordained; by 17, they began active service.


    Drunk on their reputation, the Sun¡¯s priests often carried themselves with this sort of entitlement¡ªbelieving that any offer from them would be accepted with gratitude.


    ¡°Do you want Sergio¡¯s fame that badly? His skills look useful, huh? Sure, unlike the Moon Church, we don¡¯t have a saint yet, so a candidate like Sergio must look appealing. But evaluating the son of another god like you¡¯re choosing produce? That¡¯s really something.¡±


    ¡°N-no, I was just¡ª¡±


    ¡°Drop the arrogance. What does Sergio lack? He¡¯s satisfied with his life. He grows in the embrace of his divine patron. We should feel honored if he approaches us, not the other way around.¡±


    After spitting it out, Kang Seodam ran a hand down his face and sighed.


    ¡°I¡¯m already worried.¡±


    And it wasn¡¯t just this young priest¡¯s desire¡ªonce they escaped the information-locked dungeon, the story would reach the church.


    ¡®Then the elders will go wild again.¡¯


    The older they got, the more polished their masks became, and the stronger their pride in the Sun Church. They¡¯d come at Sergio with all the subtle, experienced methods they had.


    ¡®Filthy worms.¡¯


    It couldn¡¯t get more disgusting than that.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°...Reflect on this.¡±


    Unfortunately, the situation had all the worst optics.


    ¡®The mermaids in the Deep said their teacher had been taken by their dimension¡¯s Church of the Sun...¡¯


    Kang Seodam had entered the ¡°Nation of the Deep¡± dungeon with Hunter Sergio. He knew its story well. And the situation unfolding now looked far too similar.


    ¡®If the mermaids get angry again, what then?¡¯


    In religious circles, those who hosted divine power were always seen as something greater. Among the Sun Church¡¯s priest trainees, Choi I-Sol and Iru Da had the most potential. The Moon Church had its own ¡°Saintess.¡±


    The Church of the Sun and the Moon Church were locked in a relationship of coexistence and rivalry. And while the Moon Church had a living saint, the Sun Church did not.


    Worse, last year¡¯s dungeon break had hit the Sun Church hard¡ªthey were still reeling.


    ¡°......¡±


    As Kang Seodam stood alone, holding in a heavy sigh, Gio approached.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°...Apolog¡ªno, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    It was a fair distance, but there was no way ¡®Hunter Sergio¡¯ hadn¡¯t heard the conversation. Kang Seodam apologized in clear anxiety.


    Fortunately, Sergio didn¡¯t get angry.


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°Your mercy is as vast as the sky.¡±


    ¡°I like the Sun.¡±


    ¡°...Yes, I know.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be nice if we were friends?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Kang Seodam nodded with a heavy face.


    ¡°I¡¯ll... be careful.¡±


    He had ? N§àv§ÖIight ? (Read more on our source) no intention of provoking the still-angry mermaids again.


    ¡°I¡¯ll smooth things over. I have some influence within the Church¡ªmy brothers should listen to me.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to overthink it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just ashamed of our greed and pettiness. I¡¯ll do my best to prevent any trouble. Thank you for your compassion.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    To that, Gio thought:


    ¡®Do I speak strangely or something?¡¯


    He¡¯d just made a simple offer of friendship, yet Kang Seodam had taken it and run in circles with it. Seemed like Kang Seodam lived life a bit too seriously.


    ¡®Still, if he¡¯s doing the worrying for me, that¡¯s helpful.¡¯


    And entertaining, too¡ªso that was fine.


    ¡°I¡¯ll return to my team now.¡±


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll see you later.¡±


    ¡°May peace be with you, brother.¡±


    Gio was rather fond of his own clear-headed mind.


    ***


    And yet... no one truly saw Hunter Sergio for what he was.


    ¡°......¡±


    Especially not Hunter Sanarae.


    ¡°Captain? What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Haha.¡±


    ¡°What the¡ªwhy¡¯re you laughing?¡±


    ¡°Just doing some life reflection.¡±


    ¡°Whoa, seriously? You do that? That¡¯s wild.¡±


    ¡°Is it?¡±


    He thought his teammate was more impressive than himself.


    ¡°Stay safe out there.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t suit you at all.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha.¡±


    Sanarae waved and casually wandered off. He returned to where his team was resting and sat down. He glanced around the group huddled around the fire.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Exchanging glances¡ªSanarae, Jeong Yeong-Won, and Garasani.


    Interlocking his fingers, Sanarae asked,


    ¡°Is this really okay?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Garasani, with his cold expression, responded innocently. Sanarae smiled that trademark smile.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this, like, way too shameless?¡±


    ¡°If you provide the subject and object, it¡¯d greatly aid my understanding.¡±


    ¡°In this camp? With everyone listening? Are you trying to get me killed?¡±


    Sanarae, despite appearances, was the type who valued his own life.


    People would scoff¡ª¡°You? Really?¡±¡ªbut it was true. He simply enjoyed battles near death¡¯s edge in a hazy state of mind, but he always secured an escape route before diving in.


    Well, he¡¯d taken his risks coming here, too. That¡¯s why, even after hearing ¡®Hunter Sergio¡¯ would be joining the expedition, he didn¡¯t back out. In that same spirit, this wasn¡¯t all bad, either...


    ¡°Haha.¡±


    Sanarae chuckled again.


    ¡®I¡¯m losing my damn mind.¡¯


    At that moment, Sergio arrived after greeting the other hunters.


    ¡°Is anyone getting hungry yet?¡±


    ¡°Hunter Sergio really is a wicked old witch.¡±


    ¡°I may look it, but I promise I don¡¯t eat people. Please rest easy.¡±


    ¡°Still not totally reassuring, honestly...¡±


    If you can¡¯t avoid it, enjoy it, they say.


    ¡°What¡¯re you offering?¡±


    ¡°Do you like dried fruit?¡±


    ¡°Ooh, I do.¡±


    Sanarae obediently took a round piece of dried fruit. Smoother and deeper yellow than a raisin, it had a clean, sweet flavor that was excellent.


    ¡°How is it?¡±


    ¡°This is seriously good.¡±


    Are you planning to fatten us up before eating us?


    Even this little snack tasting so good was maddeningly unfair¡ªit made him laugh.


    ¡°......¡±


    Sanarae was a hunter who knew how to use his body.


    His sight was like a raptor¡¯s from the sky. His sense of smell like a tiger¡¯s. His danger instincts as sharp as a prey animal¡¯s. There were things he couldn¡¯t help but notice.


    Like a scent that changed three times in one body.


    ¡°...Give me one more.¡±


    ¡°How wonderful it is to see someone eat so well.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t go overboard with this.¡±


    ¡°If it overflows, the dungeon ants will eat it.¡±


    ¡°Think there are ants here?¡±


    ¡°Then a monster will eat it.¡±


    ¡°Ooh, monsters...¡±


    The tone and rhythm of the voice in his ears.


    ¡°So compassionate.¡±


    That embalmed-like smile and every gesture¡ªeach hinted at something, whether you wanted to know or not.


    ¡°How far does your mercy go, Hunter Sergio?¡±


    ¡°With a pushover like me beside you, the feast will be luxurious that day.¡±


    ¡°Uh... yeah. Yeah, I guess it would be.¡±


    For now, he chose to laugh it off.


    Hunter Sergio didn¡¯t seem the type to get angry.


    ***


    ¡°Meow.¡±


    In the darkness, a cat cried out.


    ¡°Meow.¡±


    Again, until someone responded.


    ¡°Meow.¡±


    Dana was waiting.


    There was a soul here that needed to return home.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Meow.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Sanarae covered his ears.

 Chapter 180

    On a night where nothing could be seen, an anomaly occurred.


    ¡°Huh? What is that?¡±


    ¡°Undead... aren¡¯t those undead?¡±


    ¡°...Hold on.¡±


    A hunter scanning the surroundings widened his eyes.


    ¡°There¡¯s so many of them.¡±


    It was a monster frenzy.


    ¡°Wake up! It¡¯s a frenzy!!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a frenzy occurring! Everyone, grab your gear!!¡±


    ¡°Undead! They¡¯ll reach here soon!!¡±


    At the shouted alerts of those standing night watch, sleeping hunters, those checking their equipment, even those still tending to the wounded¡ªall jumped to their feet. The hunters handpicked by the Church of the Sun moved in perfect sync, even amid the chaos.


    Gio, who hadn¡¯t been asleep to begin with, murmured softly.


    ¡°A frenzy?¡±


    ¡°It refers to monsters going berserk, just as it sounds.¡±


    ¡°Ah, another hunter term?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It happens more often than one would hope.¡±


    Garasani explained as he organized his firearms, continuing in a calm tone.


    ¡°Still, it¡¯s not exactly a common occurrence either.¡±


    He turned to Kang Seodam, the priest who was organizing their team.


    ¡°What do you think caused it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    -->


    Though he seemed about to leave it at that, when Sergio¡¯s eyes met his, Kang Seodam hesitated, lips twitching. Groaning, he eventually forced out an answer.


    ¡°...At least from our side, I don¡¯t think we triggered anything. There¡¯s no record of this kind of phenomenon in the Church of the Sun¡¯s data, and with so many participants in this raid, it¡¯s more likely someone from another team set off a trigger. Of course, I can¡¯t say for certain.¡±


    Monster frenzies could either be caused by the dungeon¡¯s own cycle or by hunters activating a powerful trigger. The former was extremely rare. So for now, they had to consider the latter.


    ¡°Now that it¡¯s come to this, we should hold out here until the frenzy subsides.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good we secured the area in advance. I¡¯ll relay that to my team as well.¡±


    With that, Garasani departed. Sergio turned to Kang Seodam.


    ¡°Shall I send Honey?¡±


    ¡°...Please do.¡±


    ¡°Do you need light?¡±


    ¡°It might provoke the monsters.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s too dark to see anything clearly.¡±


    ¡°Too broad a light source could be...¡±


    ¡°I can adjust it.¡±


    ¡°Then, please handle that too.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡±


    Gio reached toward his neck, and from the depths of his hood, Honey climbed onto his hand. With a gentle flick, Gio sent Honey flying through the air. The small figure quickly disappeared into the darkness.


    After sending Honey to assist in scouting and rescue, Gio lifted the edge of his cloak.


    ¡°Dana.¡±


    From the cloak¡¯s black shadow, a gemstone-colored cat rose¡ªits fur the color of the night sky.


    ¡°Meow.¡±


    ¡°Help your brother.¡±


    ¡°Meow.¡±


    The large-bodied cat immediately darted off into the brush. A hunter, hurriedly fixing her gear, flinched in surprise. Filled with concern, she asked Gio:


    ¡°Will you be alright? The monsters are going to swarm in soon. Without a tamer to protect you, it¡¯ll be hard to hold out. We¡¯ll do our best to defend, so if you could stay inside the formation and provide heals...¡±


    Gio shook his head.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°Pardon? But...!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s prejudice.¡±


    Thup!!


    Gio caught a flying sphere.


    ¡°That healers or tamers are weak.¡±


    Crunch¡ª!!


    Fragments flew everywhere.


    Smiling, Gio crushed something inside the sphere.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Interesting shape.¡±


    ¡°Uh...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s small, brown, has a pair of wings as big as its body.¡±


    ¡°O-oh.¡±


    ¡°A silent flying monster.¡±


    Thud, pat...


    With a flick of his wrist, the monster¡¯s remains scattered.


    ¡°The monsters have arrived.¡±


    ¡°...Right.¡±


    ¡°See you later.¡±


    As the flustered hunter rushed away, Gio let droplets of black blood drip from his hand and went looking for Garasani. He had a question¡ªone asked out of consideration. Pulling his hood over his head, Gio asked:


    ¡°Mr. Garasani.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Hunter Sergio?¡±


    ¡°If I suddenly turn red, will people be startled?¡±


    ¡°They might be a bit surprised. But it¡¯s fortunate.¡±


    Garasani, holding firearms in both hands, added calmly.


    ¡°The night is dark.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Like blood soaking in, Argio¡¯s hair turned red.


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    A wicked divinity grinned in excitement.


    ***


    Jeong Yeong-Won was a textbook healer.


    ¡°Guard me right now.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am...!¡±


    Meaning she was a fragile and precious asset.


    ¡°Healer-nim, please stay right here!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll protect you!¡±


    ¡°But could you also give us a bit of healing...?¡±


    In the midst of the noise, Jeong Yeong-Won nodded solemnly.


    ¡°If you stay within five meters of me, you won¡¯t die.¡±


    The hunters were overwhelmed.


    ¡°Thank you, healer-nim...!!¡±


    ¡°Protect Hunter Jeong Yeong-Won! If the healer dies, we all die!!¡±


    Healers were fundamentally rare. Not so rare that you¡¯d never meet one in your life¡ªbut rare enough that many teams never had the chance to recruit one. As such, they were regarded as high-class professionals.


    And healers like Jeong Yeong-Won, who could provide area-of-effect healing, were even rarer.


    ¡°Three undead up front!!¡±


    ¡°Healer behind us! Shut up and block them with your bodies!!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re counting on you, healer-nim...!!¡±


    Though she cursed their recklessness, Jeong Yeong-Won kept the hunters alive without fail.


    ¡°You brain-dead morons, if you don¡¯t wanna die, take better care of yourselves!!¡±


    One reason healers were rare was because ¡ï Novelight ¡ï learning and using healing skills was exceptionally difficult.


    Just because you learned the skill didn¡¯t mean it would pop out like a frozen meal from a microwave.


    There were methods to forcibly restore the human body, and people like her knew them¡ªbut actual healing demanded intricate and delicate work. Very few could perform wide-area healing like Jeong Yeong-Won.


    ¡°Seriously, stop getting hurt!!¡±


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s so reassuring having a healer with us!!¡±


    ¡°You featherbrained chickens¡ª!!¡±


    Suddenly, Jeong Yeong-Won felt something fast approaching from above.


    ¡°Ah, shit! Above us! Flying monster...!!¡±


    Just as one of the hunters raised their weapon in panic¡ª


    CRACK!!


    ¡°...Huh?¡±


    KRR-ACKK!!


    Something massive snatched the monster and slammed it into a tree.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°W-who...?¡±


    ¡°Oh dear.¡±


    Covered in black blood, someone was smiling with claws dug into the tree like a beast.


    ¡°Gotta be careful.¡±


    A voice like someone soothing a small, weak creature.


    ¡°Monsters are flying from the sky.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°You should protect yourself.¡±


    Golden eyes glinting like a predator¡¯s.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡±


    From her place behind the hunters, Jeong Yeong-Won recognized him.


    ¡°...Hunter Sergio.¡±


    ¡°See you later.¡±


    Crunch, crack¡ª!!


    Climbing the tree like an animal, he disappeared from sight.


    ¡°......¡±


    Jeong Yeong-Won thought she heard the joyful growl of a beast.


    And indeed, Argio was in an excellent mood.


    Hunting mindless, rampaging beasts¡ªit had been a long time since something so pure delighted him.


    They were so clueless, he could barely resist crushing them with both hands.


    ¡®...Nice.¡¯


    Squelch¡ª!!


    One kick drove into a skull, bursting it apart.


    ¡®Very nice.¡¯


    Crack!!


    He pierced with his claws, causing dead veins to pop like balloons, and flesh like tree bark to peel off in chunks.


    ¡®I especially like the ones up top.¡¯


    There were so many beasts in these trees.


    Despite his large frame, he moved silently through the dark, towering forest. His bare feet, freed from tight shoes, landed on branches without so much as a creak. His massive figure moved with a speed and grace that made him seem winged.


    These jungle trees were no different from Argio¡¯s homeland.


    With trees this high, sky-gliding monsters were nothing but easy prey.


    He bounded from tree to tree, smashing the airborne monsters out of the sky.


    And watching that scene¡ªwas Sanarae.


    ¡°......¡±


    Even as he crushed incoming monsters to pulp, his gaze stayed fixed on the man in the sky.


    ¡®...He¡¯s not actually flying... right?¡¯


    But the way he ran, climbed, and leapt between trees¡ªbarehanded and barefoot¡ªmade him seem as if he had wings.


    Though he was far from small, his spring-loaded movements gave the illusion of weightlessness.


    A monster landed in his large palm. He squeezed gently¡ªand it burst like a water balloon.


    Even as black blood splattered across his face, hair, and clothes, he smiled as if nothing delighted him more.


    His gleaming golden eyes brimmed with a childish, terrifying joy.


    ¡°Hunter Sanarae, don¡¯t lose focus!!¡±


    ¡°Ah, sorry.¡±


    Crunch, thud¡ª!!


    While fending off monsters, Sanarae replied vaguely.


    ¡®What the hell is he really?¡¯


    The man slipped through hunter blind spots with uncanny precision, moving with feline grace like a cat stretching after sleep.


    ¡®He¡¯s drenched in blood...¡¯


    Running through treetops, sometimes dropping to the ground to stomp monsters flat¡ªgently luring them with his fingers, then darting past hordes to crush their heads, necks, hearts, and limbs.


    ¡®At this rate...¡¯


    It looked almost like a joyful dance.


    That smiling face, full of delight, stuck vividly in Sanarae¡¯s mind.


    ***


    ¡°Kyaaa!!!¡±


    The moment the frenzy ended, a hunter screamed.


    ¡°Se-Se-Se-Seo Seoji¨CHunter Sergio!! No, healer!! Healer!!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not hurt.¡±


    ¡°Heal...!! Ah, wait, what? You¡¯re not... hurt?¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t my blood.¡±


    Covered in dark crimson blood, Gio turned to Garasani.


    ¡°My clothes are dirty.¡±


    ¡°Oh dear. We don¡¯t have any spares.¡±


    Garasani smiled gently and asked,


    ¡°Would you like to use this fellow¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°What the hell is this, what kind of abuse is this, Team Leader?!¡±


    ¡°Yoo Ji-Na, you need to learn the joy of sharing.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t sharing, it¡¯s mugging.¡±


    Passing by, Yoo Ji-Na glanced at Gio.


    ¡°But if you really need my clothes, I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°No, it likely wouldn¡¯t fit me anyway, so I¡¯ll decline.¡±


    ¡°I was only offering the cloak anyway...?¡±


    Yoo Ji-Na grabbed a nearby field staff member from the Collector¡¯s Guild.


    ¡°I think we can give him this guy¡¯s clothes. Isn¡¯t your build kind of similar?¡±


    ¡°Why me again?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t even give a shirt for our dear Sergio?¡±


    ¡°I can give it, but isn¡¯t this, like, coercion?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only coercion if you complain.¡±


    Gio was touched by the Collector staff¡¯s warm generosity.


    ¡°I appreciate the kindness, but I¡¯m truly fine.¡±


    He didn¡¯t particularly want to wear someone else¡¯s clothes.


    ¡°I was just wondering if I could throw away the soaked cloak.¡±


    ¡°Feel free to toss it. Even if it weren¡¯t soaked in blood, you could still discard it if you wanted.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not the type to be wasteful.¡±


    ¡°Ah, what a shame. I was going to pick it up and treasure it like a relic.¡±


    ¡°No. Don¡¯t do that.¡±


    ¡°But you really do need to wash up. You must feel pretty grimy like that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s even possible right now.¡±


    At that moment, Honey¡ªwho had been flying around for some time¡ªlanded on Gio¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Grrrk.¡±


    ¡°Did you have a good look around, Honey?¡±


    ¡°Grrrrrr...¡±


    Honey blinked as he looked at his dad.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Honey?¡±


    ¡°GRRRRGRRRRGRRRRR!!!¡±


    Seeing his dad drenched in blood and muck, Honey exploded with outrage.


    ¡°GRRGRRGRR!!! GRRRRGRRRRGRRRR!!!¡±


    ¡°W-why is Honey acting like this?¡±


    ¡°Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrk...!!¡±


    GULP¡ª!


    Honey, now massive, swallowed Gio whole.


    ¡°HONEYYYYYYYY!!!¡±


    ¡°Kyaaaaah!!!¡±


    ¡°Mr. Giooooo!!!¡±


    Regardless of the hunters¡¯ cries of horror, Honey immediately spat Gio back out.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    ¡°Grrrk.¡±


    ¡°Honey, don¡¯t spit Daddy out so roughly.¡±


    ¡°Grr.¡±


    ¡°I collapsed in such a tragically delicate pose, too...¡±


    Like a princess drained of all strength, Gio had tumbled into a graceful heap. Now, he stood up, dusting off his clothes.


    ¡°Did I startle anyone?¡±


    ¡°H-Honey just...!! Honey just now...!!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. He was washing me.¡±


    Thanks to Honey, all the blackened blood staining Gio¡¯s face and body was now gone, and he looked as clean as he had at the start.


    From Honey¡¯s enlarged body, the blood sucked from Gio gathered together.


    ¡°Grrrk.¡±


    Clink.


    Inside Honey¡¯s body, the monster blood began condensing into gem-like formations and dropped to the ground. Mixed with the many jewels Honey had been collecting day and night, it was hard to tell which had once been blood.


    Only now did the hunters begin to grasp what had just happened, their faces frozen in confusion.


    ¡°Ah, so, that was... a cleansing. Got it.¡±


    ¡°For a second I thought he got eaten...¡±


    ¡°...Why did it turn into a gem?¡±


    Giovanni flashed his signature radiant smile.


    ¡°Because Honey likes gems.¡±


    ¡°Still, normally, that doesn¡¯t mean they form inside your body...¡±


    It didn¡¯t really make sense¡ªbut at least everyone confirmed there was no danger, and a few hunters sighed in relief.


    Now that things had calmed down, those who had seen Gio during the frenzy began speaking to him.


    ¡°You were the one on the trees, right? Taking down the monsters... Hunter Sergio?¡±


    ¡°There weren¡¯t many active in the treetops, so that was probably me.¡±


    ¡°W-Wow... Wow...¡±


    One of the hunters who had been guarding Jeong Yeong-Won spoke, still pale.


    ¡°I thought I was gonna be eaten.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t eat people.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just, your eyes were, like... something... something like...¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®your eyes were like something something¡¯ exactly?¡±


    ¡°You know. You know the feeling, right?¡±


    ¡°I do not?¡±


    Feigning ignorance was Giovanni¡¯s specialty.


    ¡°But how are you that agile when you¡¯re a healer?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a prejudice.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re a tamer too, but you sent all your beasts away...¡±


    ¡°That too is a prejudice.¡±


    Gio nodded seriously.


    ¡°Tamers and healers can fight too.¡±


    ¡°But normally, when the tamer and healer are at the frontlines, it means the whole raid has failed.¡±


    If a tamer or healer was fighting head-on, it typically meant the rest of the team was already dead. That¡¯s how far back they usually stayed. Their studies in taming and healing were grueling enough¡ªfew had time to develop combat skills.


    Gio smiled as he replied.


    ¡°I¡¯ve grown rather used to combat.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    The hunters turned their eyes to Garasani, the senior guild member from the Collector¡¯s Guild.


    ¡°...What kind of training did you put him through...?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think Collectors were like this...¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t the Collector¡¯s Guild say they treasure their members?¡±


    Garasani simply laughed.


    ¡°Hoho.¡±


    Like he cared.


    ***


    ¡°It seems Team 6 was the cause.¡±


    Holding a dungeon-specialized communication crystal, Kang Seodam continued.


    ¡°I¡¯ve made contact. Apparently, this all started because someone touched a small tree.¡±


    ¡°What kind of tree, exactly?¡±


    ¡°They said it was less than a meter tall. Its leaves and branches glowed pale violet...¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s... anomalous.¡±


    ¡°Especially in a place filled only with these massive trees.¡±


    This dungeon was lined with colossal trees¡ªeach with a circumference requiring dozens of adult men to embrace, their height so immense the tops were invisible. Amidst that, a small violet-glowing tree might have seemed like the key¡ªbut there was no helping it.


    ¡°So they attacked the tree, but it only got scratched¡ªit didn¡¯t break. And the moment they tried something more, a frenzy spread to all monsters in the dungeon.¡±


    Even monsters never seen before had appeared.


    ¡°Those floating, sphere-shaped monsters in the sky... we¡¯re not sure what they were. They didn¡¯t show up in the Church¡¯s previous raid reports, and it was too dark to identify them properly.¡±


    ¡°I know what they looked like.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Hunter Sergio. Those creatures seem to have only emerged in response to the violet tree being attacked. We handled it well enough to avoid deaths, but...¡±


    ¡°Did other teams suffer losses?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Thankfully, there were many healers to care for the wounded¡ªbut still, the number of hunter casualties wasn¡¯t small. Apparently, those monsters self-destruct when approached, releasing heat and poison to deal with intruders.¡±


    The heat and poison must have been intense. Despite entering with plenty of healers and items, several hunters had died. Now, most teams were focused on treating the wounded.


    ¡°That¡¯s why we need to verify things on our end, thoroughly.¡±


    As Kang Seodam said this, he came to a stop.


    ¡°...There it is.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Gio nodded.


    ¡°Looks like we¡¯ve found a solid lead.¡±


    Delicate branches. Fluffy leaves like cotton.


    What they found was, indeed, the small pale-violet tree they had been discussing moments earlier.

 Chapter 181

    ¡°Wisteria?¡±


    Gio looked faintly delighted.


    ¡°It resembles a wisteria in shape. But the petals are more akin to lilac...¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be interested in Earth¡¯s flora.¡±


    Kang Seodam was surprised that ¡®Hunter Sergio¡¯ was familiar with Earth¡¯s plant life. Perhaps it was a divine privilege that let him perceive biological traits¡ªbut his words just now felt more like personal preference.


    ¡®There are few divinities who embrace Earth¡¯s forms this attentively.¡¯


    Examining the pale violet tree beside Gio, Kang Seodam nodded slowly.


    ¡°It does indeed look quite similar to a certain Earth species.¡±


    ¡°Though, considering its entire body is violet... I doubt it¡¯s native to Earth.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Most of Earth¡¯s native trees have brown trunks...¡±


    ¡°The uniform color makes it look like the whole tree is a flower. It''s beautiful.¡±


    At those words, Garasani, who stood beside Gio, fixed his gaze firmly on Kang Seodam.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Kang Seodam noticed the subtle pressure behind that look.


    ¡®Is he hinting that once the dungeon is cleared and the Church gains local autonomy, they should hand over this tree?¡¯


    Like a doting grandfather demanding a miracle just to delight his late-born grandchild.


    ¡®If this tree plays a major role in the dungeon, it may not even survive after the raid. And even if it does, it could be classified as either a critical research subject or a hazardous material, making distribution almost impossible... he knows this.¡¯


    It was like demanding a midwinter blossom from frozen soil¡ªwithout magic. All because his precious grandkid wanted to see it.


    ¡°...What role might this tree play here?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to find that out now.¡±


    -->


    Fortunately, Gio himself seemed more interested in resolving the dungeon than in acquiring the tree. It meant avoiding unnecessary conflict with the Collector¡¯s Guild.


    Kang Seodam called over one of the priests.


    ¡°Do you sense anything?¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t sense anything at all...¡±


    ¡°That, in fact, gives me confidence.¡±


    ¡°R¨Creally?¡±


    ¡°This tree holds no heat.¡±


    Another team member raised a question.


    ¡°No heat? But the whole dungeon is a damn oven.¡±


    ¡°Touch it. It feels slightly cool.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t freezing¡ªbut still strangely cool. And that was already unusual, given the oppressive heat saturating the rest of the dungeon¡¯s vegetation.


    ¡°This dungeon¡¯s flora tends to radiate heat. That¡¯s why poison spreads so quickly.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but then why is this tree different?¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t say. For us priests of the Sun, it¡¯s especially puzzling.¡±


    Sun priests struggled to perceive heatless entities. Their sacred warmth conflicted with anything cold, making mutual perception difficult. Kang Seodam turned to the gathered hunters.


    ¡°Anyone else with an opinion? Since mere proximity doesn¡¯t seem to trigger a frenzy, I ask you to investigate without harming the tree.¡±


    Then Jeong Yeong-Won, the gardener, stepped forward.


    ¡°I have some interest in plants myself.¡±


    ¡°Do you?¡±


    ¡°I joined this raid because I heard there were strange plants.¡±


    ¡°Then please, take a closer look.¡±


    ¡°Just as the priests said, there¡¯s no heat coming off it...¡±


    Approaching the tree carefully, Jeong Yeong-Won inspected it closely.


    ¡°......¡±


    A glint of realization appeared in her eyes.


    ¡°...The vitality is immense.¡±


    ¡°Vitality?¡±


    ¡°Just as the priests are sensitive to heat, I¡¯m a healer.¡±


    ¡°So you can perceive life force better.¡±


    ¡°If a healer can¡¯t sense the aura or mood of a living thing, they¡¯re not worth much.¡±


    ¡°I understand, Hunter Jeong Yeong-Won.¡±


    ¡°I say this as someone trained in that.¡±


    Adjusting her round glasses, Jeong Yeong-Won continued with her usual doll-like expression.


    ¡°This tree is packed with the dungeon¡¯s life force. It¡¯s like a vital organ. Think heart or brain.¡±


    ¡°Heart or brain?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t just store a lot of life force¡ªit might also circulate it through the dungeon. But I can¡¯t be sure. It could just be so overloaded with vitality that it¡¯s leaking out.¡±


    She stepped back from the tree.


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell if the dungeon is favoring the tree, or if the tree is what¡¯s keeping the dungeon stable. If it¡¯s the latter... then perhaps we should consider removing it quickly, even at some risk.¡±


    A nearby hunter paled.


    ¡°Wait, healer-nim. No offense, but... that would kill us. Other teams spotted trees too, right? If there are multiple, we¡¯d be wiped out before we cleared them all.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. And that¡¯s not even a confirmed strategy. From what I heard, Team 6 couldn¡¯t destroy theirs either. It looked weak, but it probably isn¡¯t.¡±


    Yoo Ji-Na from the Collector¡¯s Guild chimed in.


    ¡°What if it¡¯s the former? The tree is just being favored.¡±


    ¡°Then even destroying all of them wouldn¡¯t finish the dungeon.¡±


    ¡°So we¡¯d just be pissing it off for no reason? Great...¡±


    With many dead or wounded after a single frenzy, haphazard destruction wasn¡¯t a sound option.


    A young priest looked exhausted.


    ¡°To think we¡¯ve gathered so many elite personnel, and we¡¯re still stuck... How is this an A-class dungeon?¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t speak so negatively in front of our guests.¡±


    ¡°S-sorry. I let my frustration get the better of me. I¡¯ll reflect.¡±


    The priest bowed deeply¡ªbut not sincerely. Other hunters frowned.


    Hot, humid, poisoned, constantly injured, and now insulted like they were overpaid underachievers¡ªit was enough to put anyone on edge.


    ¡°I¡¯ll apologize on his behalf.¡±


    Kang Seodam stepped in.


    ¡°After the operation, the Church will issue a formal apology to the ~N§àv§Ölight~ hunters.¡±


    ¡°Huh? No, I mean, that¡¯s not necessary... the Church has its reputation...¡±


    ¡°Integrity and humility are more important than face. Please grant us the opportunity to reflect.¡±


    As Kang Seodam expertly soothed the tension, Hunter Sanarae, who had been sulking, quietly approached the violet tree.


    Gio greeted him with a smile.


    ¡°You¡¯ve come.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a weird smell from the tree.¡±


    ¡°Is that why you look so moody?¡±


    ¡°Moody, huh? Cute way to put it.¡±


    As usual, Sanarae dodged the subject, crinkling his nose.


    ¡°......?¡±


    Seeing his expression, Jeong Yeong-Won asked,


    ¡°Hunter Sanarae, you¡¯re known for having excellent senses. I¡¯m sure you noticed something we didn¡¯t. Could you tell us if you picked anything up?¡±


    ¡°Known? That¡¯s a bit much. Still, I appreciate the compliment. It¡¯s not much, but... hmm...¡±


    With a characteristic grin, Sanarae answered.


    ¡°Smells like a corpse.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    At that, Gio called to Garasani.


    ¡°Mr. Garasani.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Hunter Sergio?¡±


    ¡°What did Priest Kang Seodam mention earlier during the gear check?¡±


    ¡°He said he found traces of something heavy being dragged.¡±


    ¡°And we confirmed that monsters move toward this area at night.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s find out what the monsters do when night falls.¡±


    In this dungeon, with its chaotic sun and moon cycle, night came quickly. Skilled hunters concealed their scent and presence to observe the monsters¡ªand what they discovered was shocking.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°...Wh¨Cwhat the...¡±


    A young priest collapsed.


    ¡°How... how could they...!¡±


    ¡°Calm yourself.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re using priests as fertilizer!¡±


    His face was twisted with disgust for both monsters and the dungeon.


    ¡°These vile creatures! Disgusting! Demonic beasts abandoned by the Goddess herself...!¡±


    At night, the monsters brought ¡°fertilizer¡± to the tree. Sometimes it was dormant monsters, but among them were unclaimed corpses from previous raids.


    The young priest¡ªbarely an adult¡ªwas sickened by the blasphemy of it all.


    ¡°No wonder our brothers were missing... this is what happened to them...¡±


    ¡°I said calm down.¡±


    ¡°B-but...! I didn¡¯t know this dungeon was so horrid!¡±


    ¡°You shame the name of the Sun.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Click.


    Kang Seodam clucked his tongue. Only then did the priest shut up, his face turning pale.


    Within the Church, Kang Seodam had a reputation for sharp judgment and authority. His opinion carried weight. Offending him wasn¡¯t wise.


    Ignoring the priest, Kang Seodam turned to the hunters.


    ¡°Using bodies as fertilizer... an unexpected method.¡±


    ¡°There were no signs of disturbed soil. Makes sense.¡±


    ¡°No one expected the ground to split open...¡±


    Kang Seodam looked tired.


    When night fell, monsters brought the ¡®fertilizer,¡¯ and upon clawing the earth, the ground opened painfully wide. Then they dropped the corpses inside.


    ¡°That pit looked deep... and yet Sanarae caught the scent?¡±


    ¡°Just happened, I guess? It was a weird smell. You know?¡±


    ¡°Whatever the reason, thank you. Thanks to you, we found our brothers¡¯ remains.¡±


    ¡°Though I¡¯m not sure if you can still call them remains...¡±


    ¡°Better than finding nothing at all.¡±


    Even seeing what was left of those once considered family, Kang Seodam¡¯s face did not change. He knew his role. It wasn¡¯t time to break.


    ¡°And we¡¯ve discovered something else.¡±


    ¡°If we stay hidden near this tree, monsters can¡¯t find us.¡±


    ¡°Yes, just as Hunter Sergio said. I¡¯m not sure why, though...¡±


    Even before, hiding worked¡ªbut now they were near the dungeon¡¯s core life source. Shouldn¡¯t that make concealment harder?


    Kang Seodam furrowed his brow.


    ¡°Maybe they¡¯re too focused on the tree to notice anything else...¡±


    The hunters were puzzled.


    ¡°Then is that favoritism? If the dungeon really treasures it, wouldn¡¯t there be guardians nearby?¡±


    ¡°Exactly. In previous A-class dungeons, there were guardians near core pillars. And tons of traps. Here, there¡¯s nothing.¡±


    ¡°Very strange. If this tree really held the dungeon¡¯s fate, it¡¯d be way more heavily protected.¡±


    Jeong Yeong-Won nodded.


    ¡°Then perhaps it¡¯s not the dungeon¡¯s heart. It might be indestructible, so they feel no need to guard it¡ªbut even that seems too... casual.¡±


    Night monsters seemed unusually intelligent. Creatures that clever wouldn¡¯t neglect their own survival.


    ¡°So what is it then? So much life force focused here, and yet the monsters are indifferent. If it were mere favoritism, their behavior wouldn¡¯t add up.¡±


    ¡°Why does the tree even exist? It doesn¡¯t attack, doesn¡¯t poison, doesn¡¯t resist being touched...¡±


    ¡°It only responded when the night monsters opened the ground. Without that, it wouldn¡¯t even react.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s just a passive plant? Why is it here? Why does touching it cause such chaos?¡±


    That¡¯s when Gio spoke.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this how you treat a hostage?¡±


    ¡°...A hostage?¡±


    ¡°Like a leash to control someone useful.¡±


    He continued.


    ¡°You have to feed it regularly. Check its condition nightly. But there¡¯s no love¡ªjust duty. Not caretaking¡ªobligation. So why would monsters follow through?¡±


    A hunter hesitantly answered.


    ¡°Maybe... because the dungeon needs it to survive? Monsters can¡¯t think deeply, but that might make them more sensitive to loss.¡±


    ¡°Well said, Hunter Dang-U.¡±


    Gio nodded.


    ¡°Then why is this tree¡¯s existence and growth vital to the dungeon? The monsters don¡¯t love it. They don¡¯t guard it. So it¡¯s not an organ.¡±


    ¡°...Maybe not a heart, but still essential to the dungeon¡¯s stability... Wait, is this where that hostage idea comes in? Then... who is the hostage for?¡±


    ¡°The dungeon.¡±


    Gio¡¯s voice was steady.


    ¡°This is a villa-type dungeon, underground. It rains, the sun rises, and the moon appears¡ªbut there¡¯s no sky.¡±


    ¡°Dungeons don¡¯t obey natural laws...¡±


    ¡°Just a hypothesis. Who makes it rain here? Who raises the sun? Who moves the moon? This isn¡¯t another dimension.¡±


    It¡¯s a physical space.


    ¡°Could be magic.¡±


    ¡°Possibly...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m curious.¡±


    Gio turned to Yoo Ji-Na, the Collector¡¯s Guild mage.


    ¡°Can a human use magic to make it rain?¡±


    ¡°If you wreck an A-class, yeah.¡±


    ¡°Can a human raise the sun?¡±


    ¡°Maybe... if you destroy an S-class?¡±


    ¡°Can a human raise the moon?¡±


    ¡°Same deal. Not really within human limits.¡±


    ¡°Then who owns magic?¡±


    Gio¡¯s blue eyes curved gently.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it ours?¡±


    But no human can truly raise the sun or moon.


    ¡°Where does the sun go at night? Where does the moon go at dawn? Earth¡¯s sun and moon rise and set as the planet rotates. But this is a villa dungeon.¡±


    ¡°...Ah...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a finite physical space. Honey flew as high as he could. Dana ran as far as she could. This place isn¡¯t the size of a planet.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Then where does the sun hide at night? Where does the moon rest by day? They swap places perfectly¡ªwhen one goes down, the other rises.¡±


    Gio looked up at the ¡®sky.¡¯


    ¡°Since this place is underground, what we see above is a giant ceiling. Honey confirmed the ceiling is covered in trees.¡±


    He smiled.


    ¡°And then the rain fell.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°If it rained from the ceiling, that means water dropped from above.¡±


    Torrents of water, like jungle monsoon.


    ¡°When the moon rises, heat lessens. The night monsters bring offerings to this tree. These monsters don¡¯t even like the heat. So daytime beasts sleep, and intelligent night monsters roam free.¡±


    Assuming the moon is the preferred presence.


    ¡°You said this tree alone lacks heat, yes?¡±


    ¡°...Yes.¡±


    ¡°And it holds concentrated life force?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s assume something.¡±


    Gio pointed at the sky.


    ¡°What if this dungeon is being sustained by something massive? And this tree is beloved by it? What if this delicate tree... is family?¡±


    He lowered his hand and covered his mouth, laughing quietly.


    ¡°If it were me... I¡¯d hold up an entire forest for my family.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I mentioned the idea of a hostage.¡±


    ¡°...A hostage.¡±


    ¡°It may be delusion. But still.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Kang Seodam rubbed his face.


    ¡°All personnel capable of moving¡ªfocus on search operations.¡±


    Some dungeons could only be conquered once their stories were understood.

 Chapter 182

    In one dimension, there existed a vast and ancient lifeform.


    It cultivated a great tree¡ªits own child, grown from a part of itself. That tree, sacred in origin, matured into a divine being and, in time, developed intelligence.


    Eventually, the tree came to love a human.


    ¡°Oh great Tree of Life, I beg you, please accept this humble child.¡±


    ¡°Accept this child as your family, O great one of myth.¡±


    ¡°And bless us humans with the gift of life!¡±


    But the tree did not respond.


    The limits of human life were part of the natural order decreed by Life itself. No one could receive the Tree¡¯s blessings, which belonged solely to the children of Life.


    Yet, as time passed, the love the tree held for the tiny human child only grew.


    The child was pure.


    Gentle.


    And treated the tree like family.


    But the child was terribly fragile.


    ¡°The child you loved is dead.¡±


    ¡°Split into five pieces, a divine punishment for daring to touch the child of a god!¡±


    ¡°This is rightful judgment, so do not be angered¡ªgrant only mercy!¡±


    ¡°We humans, including the child, are held in the arms of Life!¡±


    The tree was so sorrowful it wept.


    Its tears¡ªshed by a child of Life¡ªbecame heavenly blessings to humankind.


    And in response, ?N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t? humans grew crueler.


    They brought bloodied offerings.


    -->


    ¡°We offer sacrifices¡ªgrant us your blessing...!¡±


    ¡°Rain down the water of life!¡±


    One among them shouted:


    ¡°If not that, then grant us all eternal life!!¡±


    How shameless.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t even your beloved child return to life then?¡±


    ¡°Oh tree, how can you be so cruel to humanity? Why must noble human lives be so short?¡±


    ¡°Grant us eternal life! Grant humans immortality!!¡±


    Swayed by such coaxing, the tree ultimately collapsed the boundary between life and death¡ªreviving the human child it so loved.


    For this, Life became enraged.


    To witness its child misuse divine authority¡ªit cast a curse.


    ¡°A calamity! Calamity has come!!¡±


    ¡°¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö...!!¡±


    ¡°An evil spirit resides within the sacred tree! Burn it!!¡±


    ¡°¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö...!!!¡±


    ¡°The tree has become a beast!!¡±


    The Tree of Life was turned into a monster¡ªmassive, quadrupedal, unable to see humans, with a body too vast to belong among the small ones it once cherished.


    It was punishment for defying natural law.


    ¡°Aaagh...! The tree! The tree has cursed us!!¡±


    ¡°Please, we did no wrong...! Show us mercy!¡±


    ¡°Why would you turn us into beasts?!¡±


    And those humans who had dared to take Life¡¯s blessing¡ªwere transformed into beasts themselves.


    The evil humans who had killed and deceived the child the Tree of Life loved were cursed with insomnia and became monsters of the night.


    The humans who had greedily soaked in the tree¡¯s blessings became monsters of the day.


    ¡°KIIIIEEEEEEK...!!¡±


    ¡°K-Kuhh, GRAAAAGH... AAAH...!¡±


    ¡°KREEEEEEEKK...!¡±


    They all became beasts¡ªabandoned by Life.


    Their dimension began to shrink.


    The burning sun¡ªleft behind as punishment¡ªgrew so hot that they wished for death.


    Their intellect slowly eroded.


    Only pain remained.


    ¡°¡ö¡ö¡ö...¡±


    And among them was the resurrected human child¡ªa being returned to life by the mistake of what had once been the Tree of Life.


    Once torn apart into five pieces by humans, then fused back into one by a beast... only to be split again by divine wrath.


    The beast wanted to protect that small child in its arms.


    So it expanded its body¡ªlarger, and larger still.


    To block the collapse of their shrinking dimension.


    To protect them from the scorching sun, it created a moon.


    And it shed tears to cool the world.


    ¡°Grrr...¡±


    ¡°Krrrk, kghh...¡±


    The cursed, four-legged beasts¡ªnow monsters¡ªhoped this sweetness would last a little longer.


    Even after losing their minds, they longed for longer nights.


    For wider dimensions.


    So the lesser beasts wandered around the small, delicate tree where it had all begun.


    And the great beast, for that fragile tree, took in all those monsters.


    It raised the moon more often.


    It traveled across dimensions, trying to cool its body.


    Yet the scorching heat Life had left behind... would not fade.


    ***


    ¡°...That¡¯s the story,¡±


    Kang Seodam concluded, voice tired, after piecing together the dungeon¡¯s narrative with the other hunters.


    ¡°So Hunter Sergio¡¯s theory was correct after all.¡±


    ¡°Wow... I didn¡¯t think it would be literally true.¡±


    ¡°But now that we know this, clearing the dungeon is going to be a headache.¡±


    The other hunters clicked their tongues.


    ¡°Then why did the night monsters feed the tree? It rains regularly anyway. Why add fertilizer?¡±


    ¡°Uh... maybe to create more slaves? If the trees grow up, they become more like the Tree of Life? Otherwise, why bother giving it anything?¡±


    ¡°Well, since the tree was like family to the big beast, they wouldn¡¯t want to harm it. Maybe it¡¯s separate from the fertilizer¡ªit¡¯s just that they wanted more ¡®Trees of Life.¡¯¡±


    ¡°So that frenzy earlier... it was the Tree of Life protecting its child. A parent¡¯s instinct.¡±


    ¡°Especially since all the dungeon¡¯s monsters went wild.¡±


    Listening to the discussion, Jeong Yeong-Won added,


    ¡°The rain in this rainforest... those were the Tree of Life¡¯s tears.¡±


    It made sense now¡ªwhy touching it drove people mad.


    ¡°Because it¡¯s a mythic being¡¯s tears... or maybe its blood. Any ordinary human would lose their mind upon contact. Definitely worth investigating.¡±


    ¡°The dungeon¡¯s monsters seemed fine, though.¡±


    ¡°Maybe they went mad long ago. They¡¯re extremely hostile to humans¡ªand now we know why. Wouldn¡¯t you lash out if you were tormented into madness?¡±


    Some monsters hated humans and avoided them. Some were cold and calculating. Others attacked on sight.


    ¡®This dungeon¡¯s are clearly the third kind.¡¯


    Jeong Yeong-Won fell into thought.


    ¡°To clear this place...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a nightmare.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t just smash our way through.¡±


    ¡°And the Church that hired us won¡¯t sit back.¡±


    ¡°We need to clear it while preserving what we can.¡±


    ¡°There are some extremely valuable plants here...¡±


    ¡°Too much to destroy.¡±


    The poisons in this dungeon were potent and fast-acting. Extracted and refined, they could bring wealth¡ªor be turned into medicines.


    ¡°In times like these, poisons and cures are worth gold.¡±


    After Jeong Yeong-Won¡¯s comment, a few hunters turned to look at Sergio.


    ¡°...Do you have something to say to me?¡±


    ¡°N-no, sorry. It just slipped out...¡±


    ¡°I understand. The medicine I gave was just too effective.¡±


    Giovanni smiled with divine innocence.


    ¡°Please give your thanks to the Sun.¡±


    ¡°O-of course...!¡±


    People were beginning to think, ¡°Something¡¯s off here...¡±


    But Gio wasn¡¯t worried.


    He was the cheerful type who never worried in advance.


    Kang Seodam, on the other hand, was deeply concerned.


    ¡°......¡±


    He sighed quietly, unable to hide his troubled face.


    ¡°...I hate to bring this up after all the deaths, but... I¡¯d really prefer to preserve the dungeon if possible. It¡¯s even in the contract.¡±


    ¡°I remember. Don¡¯t worry, Priest.¡±


    ¡°Fortunately, we¡¯ve figured out the core story and clues. The next issue is: how do we clear this place peacefully?¡±


    Each dungeon had its own rules.


    Some required resolving a boss¡¯s grudge.


    Some needed solving specific riddles.


    Others ended when you opened a particular door.


    ¡°So what if we just kill all the monsters? Wouldn¡¯t that ease the Tree¡¯s heart a little? I mean, seems like it¡¯s been betrayed more than once.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the condition, we won¡¯t finish in a single raid. We¡¯d have to come back repeatedly. And what if, after clearing it, the Tree just destroys the dungeon?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, maybe it¡¯d collapse from peace. Ugh. What do we do then? Carefully... dig up the small trees and relocate them?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯d probably die in the frenzy before moving even one. Everyone¡¯s already exhausted just figuring out the story. Isn¡¯t there a more gentle method?¡±


    That¡¯s when Gio stepped forward.


    ¡°What if we lowered the heat?¡±


    ¡°Pardon? The heat?¡±


    ¡°Then the day monsters would sleep, and we could deal with the night ones.¡±


    ¡°So you mean...¡±


    Before others could finish, Sanarae tilted his head.


    ¡°Carrot, not stick?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t cold wind that made the traveler shed his coat¡ªit was warm sunlight.¡±


    ¡°Well, this dungeon¡¯s ready to go mad from that sunlight.¡±


    ¡°Peace brings apathy more than pain does.¡±


    Creatures resist pain but sleep in peace.


    ¡°If all the Tree of Life wanted was to protect its family, we should let it. Just give it a calm, safe nest.¡±


    The tree upholding this dungeon wasn¡¯t aggressive¡ªunless you messed with the little ones.


    ¡°So maybe it¡¯ll sustain itself too.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s only if this place becomes a good nursery...¡±


    A hunter asked cautiously,


    ¡°But how? We could maybe deal with the monsters over time, but this dungeon¡¯s huge. We can¡¯t remove all the heat.¡±


    ¡°Right. Even if we smash the fake sun, the environment would collapse. The plants would die too.¡±


    ¡°And you can¡¯t just ¡®remove heat.¡¯ Not with one or two mages or priests. Though... if we could, it¡¯d be ideal...¡±


    Then Gio asked:


    ¡°What if there are many of us?¡±


    ¡°Uh... what?¡±


    ¡°People who can absorb heat.¡±


    ¡°...Do such people exist?¡±


    Kang Seodam chimed in:


    ¡°Sun priests can handle heat. But I can manage the heat of ten buildings, tops. The younger priests... maybe a single big tree.¡±


    ¡°There are others, right?¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, there are six of us left, including myself. Not enough. But with help from mages, we might manage.¡±


    He paused in thought.


    ¡°We have artifacts, too.¡±


    The Church held a patent on heat-absorbing artifacts. They brought a decent number, expecting heat in this dungeon.


    ¡°But even with that, we can¡¯t remove all the heat. Unless the sun disappears, this heat won¡¯t either. But destroying the sun... we don¡¯t have the method. And we¡¯d suffer for it. It might destroy the dungeon too.¡±


    Kang Seodam asked:


    ¡°Hunter Sergio¡ªwhat¡¯s your idea?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll start with a guess.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°This place feels like a sauna, right?¡±


    ¡°...Yes.¡±


    ¡°High humidity.¡±


    ¡°Very.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Kang Seodam replied,


    ¡°Because of the rain?¡±


    ¡°But it doesn¡¯t rain that often.¡±


    ¡°It poured when it did...¡±


    ¡°But it wouldn¡¯t cause this much humidity.¡±


    Even non-hunters would struggle to breathe here. Like inhaling through a soaked rag. No way it was just a few rains.


    ¡°There must be another water source.¡±


    ¡°I thought the same.¡±


    Gio gestured to the trees.


    ¡°These trees are massive.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely.¡±


    ¡°Roots must be massive too.¡±


    ¡°...Must be deep.¡±


    ¡°And if the only water source was occasional rain¡ªcould they grow this big?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a dungeon, so maybe other factors... but your point stands.¡±


    ¡°I think a vast body of water lies beneath this floor.¡±


    ¡°A great reservoir.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Giovanni smiled.


    ¡°I¡¯m someone deeply tied to water, so I feel quite confident.¡±


    ¡°...Ah...¡±


    At this point, it was basically a divine revelation.


    ¡®I suppose we should be glad he¡¯s so gentle about it...¡¯


    Kang Seodam, silently grimacing, asked:


    ¡°If we draw up that reservoir...¡±


    ¡°The Tree of Life could finally breathe.¡±


    ¡°And the moonlight would last longer.¡±


    ¡°First, let¡¯s confirm if it exists¡ªand if we can draw it up.¡±


    ¡°If we pull up an entire tree, we¡¯ll know.¡±


    ¡°...I... suppose so.¡±


    Please don¡¯t expect humans to pull off miracles like this.


    ¡°......¡±


    Taking a deep breath, Kang Seodam said,


    ¡°Let¡¯s sort things out step by step.¡±


    They still had plenty of food. Plenty of skilled people.


    ¡°If this drags on, we¡¯ll shift to long-term expedition mode.¡±


    ¡°Must it drag on?¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°If you permit it... I¡¯ll start with the heat.¡±


    Gio lifted the edge of his cloak.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°Dana.¡±


    From the deep shadow¡ªcame a cat¡¯s meow.


    ¡°Meow.¡±