"Something I've been curious about for a while."
Yu Seong-un asked once they arrived at the hotel.
"Are your personalities split?"
"You ask if my personalities are split."
"It's, how should I put it, like multiple personalities."
"...."
Jio, who was sitting on the edge of the bed pondering for a moment, tilted his head.
"I do not know."
"…Right?"
"But I do know that I change from time to time."
Jio pushed back and took off the black hood that had been completely covering his face.
Once again, Honey, who had been hiding inside, fell with a plop and a roll onto the bed.
Jio picked Honey up in his hand.
Soon after, Jio's 'color' changed.
"...."
"...."
Platinum blond hair, close to silver, and emerald eyes that resembled the sea of a famous resort.
"…Uh…."
Life even seeped into the expression that had been merely gloomy and calm.
It was the expression of a very gentle and mature person.
A hint of mature playfulness could also be felt in the way he grinned as if to show off.
"…So, has your personality changed?"
"I do not think of this as a change in personality."
Jio's manner of speaking still had a formal tone.
However, unlike the previous emotionlessness that was like a machine spitting out programmed words, his current voice had a calm cadence.
"Because even now, I am 'Jio'."
Nevertheless, what the Black Cape said was the truth.
"...."
Yu Seong-un asked.
"…How many of such 'Jio' are there?"
"The ones I know of are three for now."
"I see."
He could be sure.
'At the center is Jio's Portrait, and within it, numerous personalities coexist.'
He felt he would need to hear more of the story to understand how that was possible.
"The current Jio… should I just call you Jio?"
"It does not matter, I was called that before as well."
"If you say you 'were called that,' does that mean you have a separate real name?"
"It is not to the extent of being a pseudonym or a true name."
Jio, colored in faint hues, looked like a considerably polite and noble aristocrat, but one could feel a light cheerfulness in the smile he faintly wore.
It was a completely different impression from the 'Seo Jio' who was heavier than a thousand-geun weight.
"I once used the name 'Giovanni' in this form."
Should I say that he seemed like a kind, gentle, and also healthy and vigorous young man.
It seemed like he would be loved by the elderly and make many friends wherever he went.
"The reason people called me 'Jio' was merely a nickname. Therefore, it is not strange for you to call me Jio, Mr. Yu Seong-un."
"…That's a different person from 'Seo Jio,' right?"
"A very similar, yet completely different person. We are just one now, but it was like that in the past."
"…I see…."
If that were the case, the probability that a person named 'Seo Jio' actually existed on this Earth also increases.
'I'll have to talk to the Guild Master about this part. He seemed to be investigating something, so he might have some information now.'
Mulling over the Guild Master who became sinister in strange ways, Yu Seong-un soon came up with a guess.
'What if Jio's Portrait is… repeating death and resurrection?'
The existence of dungeons and the Source had already revealed the fact that there were dimensions other than Earth in this world.
If so, the 'Giovanni' before his eyes right now could have been a version of 'Jio's Portrait' that lived in another dimension.
'…If you look at it that way, it also explains why the personality of the portrait, Jio, is at the center. After finishing one life, he may have returned to the state of a portrait and is slowly reviewing his past personalities….'
Jio had clearly said, 'The ones I know of are three for now.'
This meant that more personalities could exist, and that Jio himself knew of that possibility.
If this guess of Yu Seong-un's was correct, then until when would this review of the portrait's personalities continue?
Does it even end?
In the case that he ends up reviewing a personality that holds hostility towards humans….
"...."
No, for now, it was nothing more than a delusion.
'…But I understand now that there is a center called Jio's Portrait, and alongside it exist numerous personalities named Jio. That's enough reason to prepare.'
Yu Seong-un rolled his eyes.
'If he considers these to be a kind of past lives for this portrait, it also explains his way of thinking, where he can define himself as just Jio despite the numerous personalities.'
After finishing a simple organization of his thoughts, Yu Seong-un asked.
"…Then is there anything I should be careful about? The person named Seo Jio might like sweet potatoes, but the person named Giovanni might hate them. It would be great if you could tell me things like that to keep in mind."
"I do not think there is much to be careful about."
"But, uh, you know. If we make something like rules, I can also be more polite… let's make each other comfortable in advance."
"Hmm…."
Perhaps that nature of being sensitive to etiquette and good and evil was maintained despite the change in personality, as Yu Seong-un's words fortunately got through.
The young man of pale but gentle coloring answered after a moment of thought.
"It is difficult for me to leave a patient alone when I see one."
"…Oh?"
Come to think of it, he had checked on Cha Eun-hyeok's condition back when he was bitten by Honey.
"You said you were a doctor? No, a priest?"
"Both are correct. As a priest, I also worked as a doctor. I went further than that, building a hospital in a country village and traveling around to treat people."
"That's amazing."
"To be honest, nothing comes to mind even if you ask me for rules right now."
The young man, who smiled sheepishly, continued.
"Maybe something like, I would appreciate it if you did not insult the Sun God in front of me?"
"Badmouthing someone is a rude thing to do. I'll be careful to make sure that doesn't happen."
"Thank you, and…."
"And?"
"...."
Giovanni, who seemed to be recalling something, said.
"I may be a little sensitive about mermaids."
"…Mermaids?"
Come to think of it, during Jio's first sightseeing trip, he had rarely brought up the topic of 'mermaids'. Based on a rather reasonable deduction, Yu Seong-un asked.
"When you were Giovanni, did you live with mermaids?"
"Yes, it was a world where two races, humans and mermaids, lived together."
"In what sense are you sensitive?"
"In many ways…."
Jio shrugged his shoulders.
"I was eaten to death by a mermaid."
Just as I was thinking it was certainly a topic to be sensitive about, Jio continued in his still neat voice.
"But it was not because that child wanted it."
"...."
"The humans and mermaids of that time were experiencing a great conflict, and my students and I were caught for the crime of having formed a bond and received an absurd punishment."
"…So that mermaid child ate you?"
"She must have been hungry."
He added a tidy smile.
"I was already in a dying state as well."
"…I didn't intend to hear about your death like this…."
"Was it a sudden story?"
"A little bit."
"I do not remember it well either."
At the same time as those words, the color drained in an instant, and Jio returned to a shadow-like black.
It was the person Yu Seong-un knew well, 'Jio's Portrait' and 'Seo Jio'.
Jio, with a coolly sunken impression without a single trace of a smile, continued.
"Because I am still in the process of remembering."
"So you take your time and recall the memories of your personalities like that?"
"There are times when I get confused. Whether I liked the sea, or if I hated swimming. There are times when trivial parts like that are at odds between the 'Jio's."
"That sounds like a real headache, are you okay…."
"It is not as confusing a process as you might think."
Jio's voice was heavy and calm.
"It is close to recalling forgotten childhood memories."
"If that's the case, then that's a relief."
Suddenly, Yu Seong-un felt like he knew the origin of the heavy silence he felt from Jio.
'…This portrait was forged from countless deaths, far more than I could ever imagine.'
That must be why he is so heavy and quiet.
Because death is that kind of thing.
***
"...."
Consciousness.
It rises to the surface of the water.
"…Ah…."
He saw the sun.
"...."
"Excuse me, are you alright?"
A youthful voice was heard.
"Can you breathe?"
"Cough."
"Thank goodness, you're awake."
"...."
When he opened his eyes, he saw pure white pupils.
Pupils of a mysterious color that held the color of a pearl were something only mermaids could possess.
"…A mermaid?"
"Do not 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, was caught by a mermaid, and dragged into the water.
"Did you save me?"
"Ah, yes."
The mermaid, who appeared to be male, said with an apologetic look on his youthful face.
"I am sorry, it was my older sister who dragged you into the sea."
"I've never heard stories of mermaids eating humans… wasn't that a superstition?"
"It is a superstition. She did not drag you in to eat you. However, my older sister is very curious about humans, so I think she pulled you in to observe or analyze you more closely."
"Thanks to that, I thought I was going to die, but I survived. Thank you for your kindness."
The young mermaid seemed to think he would get angry, but he wasn't particularly angry.
It was because he recalled that the mermaid who had dragged him into the sea had no malice, and that she was very young.
Even if humans and mermaids had a rather bad relationship, he held no ill feelings toward mermaids.
Especially since mermaids had a different way of thinking and emotional system from humans, it wouldn't be strange for them to suddenly drag a human into the sea.
"Hmm…."
Looking around, it was the same beach he had first been strolling on.
"You brought me all the way here."
"Since my older sister caused you trouble, it is only natural to guarantee your minimum safety."
"I understand very well that I am incredibly lucky to have met such a kind mermaid."
After all, he could have died.
"However, there is a village around here. You seem to be a fairly young individual even for a mermaid, and if you stay here too long, people might attack you."
"Ah, was there a village here?"
"Yes, they are in a very agitated state due to having lost three family members to mermaids recently. If they see a young mermaid like you, they will try to bully you out of resentment… so while I am grateful for your kindness, it would be better for you to return quickly."
"Thank you for providing the necessary information to protect myself."
The young mermaid seemed very happy, as if this was his first interaction with a human.
"I am glad that the first human I have spoken to is such a good person. Do you reside in this village?"
"I was just looking around, thinking of settling down. I am a priest who left the temple to open a hospital, but I suppose mermaids do not really like the followers of the sun, right?"
"My older sister and I do not care about such things."
The mermaids served the God of the Deep Sea, and the humans served the Sun God.
Between humans and mermaids, whose ways of thinking, eating habits, and everything else were different, causing frequent disputes both large and small, such a moderate conversation was like a miracle.
Perhaps the young mermaid did not want to miss out on that small miracle.
"My name is Iseur. May I visit you from time to time? If it is alright with you, I will bring my older sister as well to formally apologize."
"Iseur… it is the language of the sea for the Milky Way. It is a good name."
The weak had to be protected and treated with kindness.
Even if the subject was a mermaid and not a human, the warmth of the sun was something that could reach anywhere.
"My name is Giovanni."
And so, Giovanni formed a bond with the young mermaids.
It was a happy time.
***
"...."
Lying on the hotel bed, Giovanni blinked his eyes.
"…Ah…."
He was crying.
This too must be a lingering attachment.
***
"...."
"Kkuk."
"...."
"Kuruk."
"...."
"Kkungkkungkkung…."
"Hatcha."
Only when he heard his son's dissatisfied cries did Jio come to his senses.
"The synchronization rate has gotten considerably high."
The last he remembered was about 31%, but it had become 59% in just one day.
Jio, having confirmed Giovanni's synchronization rate which had jumped by nearly half, finished grasping the situation.
"Is it because I had a dream?"
No, rather than that.
"The one I saw at the event hall then…."
The child with blue hair.
"...."
"Kururuk?"
"Dad's not sleeping."
"Kkuk."
"Right."
That too was a dream, so the memory is already faint, but for some reason, the child he saw at the event hall and the child he saw in his dream looked quite similar.
Perhaps because their hair color was similar, he had recalled Giovanni's memories using that as a trigger.
'Could it be that he is the child I saw in my dream?'
Jio, who thought so, soon shook his head.
"Impossible."
Wasn't it a story from a distant dimension that one could only meet after crossing twenty-five alleys at best?
There was no way a kid who should be in Giovanni's dimension would be in Seo Jio's dimension.
"Even if it were true, it would be a rather shameless act to say I know him as a 33.3% pure Giovanni."
Should I say it feels like becoming a malicious boss who includes gift certificates in the salary.
"...."
Well, anyway.
Jio decided to just sleep.
"Lie down, Honey."
"Kkuk."
"You're warm."
No matter what past or future came his way, Jio with his thick nerves did not care.
Though it might be good to care a little.
-x-X-x-
Long, long ago, there were two mermaids who called each other family.
The older sister wanted to analyze the limits of humans and the younger brother wanted to learn about human culture.
Among them, the younger brother, Iseur, wished for a world where humans and mermaids could one day live in harmony.
It was a truly hollow wish to have in an era where fear and contempt for each other's race were rampant.
The mermaid knew that as well.
"A world where the sky and the sea have merged, that is a wonderfully grand wish."
The one who said that was the first human Iseur had ever met.
Long blond hair that curved like the waves.
A blue gaze full of wisdom.
The man, who always enjoyed wearing white clothes, said he was a priest and a doctor.
"It is a story that makes one feel good just by hearing it."
"...."
He was born with a color that mermaids could not help but follow with their eyes.
Mermaids revered the white human.
"…Humans are lovely but fickle creatures. Is it still difficult to hope for such a day to come?"
"I will not say that it will be easy. Humans and mermaids have that many differences."
He gave realistic advice.
"Even among humans, they hate each other for not being able to understand one another. How much more so would the conflict between humans and mermaids be."
And then he added kind words.
"But if more people who think like you, Mr. Iseur, increase, such a day will surely come."
"...."
"In the end, it is a matter of perception. I believe that the emotion of hatred is something that can be overcome as long as you understand the other party."
"…It has brought me great joy that you have said so."
It was a dream-like story.
"I like the sun. I think it is as wonderful as the humans who live their short lives embracing their own splendid colors."
"I understand that mermaids serve the god of the sea. And yet, you say you like the sun, Mr. Iseur."
"That is right, of course I serve the God of the Deep Sea… but the sunlight is warm and gentle. It has a different kind of dignity from the deep sea."
"I know what you mean. Sometimes it feels truly wonderful to fall asleep under the sunlight."
"That is a difficult thing to do in the sea."
Iseur longed for the land.
"That is why I want to capture the lives of humans in my eyes even more."
"As a son of the sun, I affirm your courage, Iseur."
"Thank you for not denying the children of the deep sea."
The mermaid siblings, with the help of the human named Giovanni, pretended to be human, and the sister nurtured her dream of being a doctor, while the brother nurtured his dream of being a priest.
"You wish to become a priest of the sun even though you serve the God of the Deep Sea?"
"I am not an apostle of the deep sea, so I am not abandoning my duties. Above all, if I serve both gods, won't unification come faster?"
"A simple but good idea. I pray that the sun will see your heart, acknowledge you as family, and grant you holy power."
Giovanni was the only being who did not condemn Iseur's futile dream.
He was kind and affectionate.
He had a bit of a playful side, sometimes tossing pleasantries at Iseur and his sister, and as a priest and doctor, he was competent enough to stay up all night saving countless people.
Sometimes he would say silly things, and at other times he would be so shameless it was dumbfounding, but….
"I want to be like Jio."
"Then shouldn't you also study medicine diligently?"
"Th-that's not what I meant. I do not want to see blood."
Giovanni was an admirable person.
Despite it being an era rampant with conflict and condemnation, he alone was always serene. He was cheerful, and gentle.
"There is blood that flows in peace and mercy, Iseur."
"...."
In a time when everything was in upheaval, only Giovanni always kept his place.
"Teacher, you will continue to be here, right?"
"That, I cannot do."
The only thing the siblings worried about was Giovanni's lifespan.
"As I am human, I will die much sooner than you mermaids."
"We are already well aware of that."
"So I cannot clearly say that I will always be by your side."
"...."
"But I promise you that everything else will be the same. The person that I am will not change by being swept away by the conflicts and pains of the era."
"…Can you do that, Teacher, even though you are a human and not a mermaid?"
"I am certain that even when I eventually die, I will always be the same in your memories."
Parting with him would be a very sad thing, but this short conversation alone was enough to bring Iseur comfort.
"Can you promise that even if your body returns to the earth, you will be the same human as you are now?"
"Rest assured, Iseur. You are my praiseworthy student, so how could I go against your expectations."
"Thank you for quelling my foolish worries. I suppose my heart ached from watching humans who repeatedly leave and change."
"I understand your feelings. I, too, a fellow human, often feel bitterness at the flow of the world."
"It is a relief that I was not the only one. Because I am not alone…."
He hoped that Giovanni would not easily tarnish or crumble like other humans.
But soon, Iseur regretted it.
"...."
"Run away."
Why did I make such a promise?
Perhaps the situation would have been better if he had made a selfish choice like other humans.
"G-Giovanni…."
"Don't you ever come back here, understand? This is not a home nor a school anymore."
"Jio, just a moment."
"Don't even think about saving me. You are young, and you have no reason to suffer from the mere flow of the times."
"…Teacher…."
"Promise me."
Because you changed selfishly.
"There's someone hiding a mermaid here! The traitor is here!!"
Because you couldn't overcome the fear of a future where pain and death were predetermined.
"Here, set fire to this place! Burn it down with the horrid mermaids!!"
"Drag that traitor out right now!! To raise a mermaid, how disgusting…!"
"Why on earth did you hide the mermaids, you who have saved so many humans until now!"
If you had abandoned or betrayed us because of that, how much… easier this wicked heart would have been.
"They have not committed a sin great enough to bear your anger. They are merely children."
"He must be mad, to call a monster like a mermaid a child. He is a traitor to humanity!!"
"If that can end the nightmare of this village, you may call me so."
"You hypocrite…! With that nice face, you pretended to bestow good deeds while raising a mermaid behind our backs!!"
"I hope that this painful relationship will one day meet a peaceful end."
Giovanni was noble to the very end.
"...."
While I was trapped in that narrow fishbowl created by the cruelty of humans.
Unable to overcome the terrible hunger that felt like my organs were melting, until I sank my sharp fangs into that rotting and festered flesh.
You were kind.
"...."
Why is it so cold?
***
"...."
"Are you okay?"
A human child asked me.
Only after that youthful face came into view did the mermaid realize that he had awakened from a wicked dream.
"You had a really bad expression on your face."
"…I think I had a nightmare."
"Really? Should I tell the priest?"
"It's not that big of a deal."
He refused the kindness with a smiling face.
'I don't want to receive help from a human right after having a dream like this.'
Why did I suddenly dream of Giovanni?
'Because I am in the embrace of the Sun God…? Or is it because of that human named Seo Jio I saw yesterday?'
The mermaid rolled his pearl-colored eyes and recalled the person he had seen at the event hall.
The man, completely covered by a black cape, certainly had a noticeable aura.
Around that man alone, it was silent as if all life had died.
The mana cowered as if reading the mood of an emperor, and the air flowed somewhere shrunken and breathless.
The man was probably a Hunter so strong that he could no longer be called human.
'Of all things, for his name to be Jio….'
No, in fact, it might not have been a matter of a name.
"...."
It was unpleasant.
To have been reminded of his noble teacher by a fickle and selfish human.
It was even more sickening than his own current behavior of imitating a human and participating in his sister's massacre….
"...."
"Eun-ha, does your head hurt?"
"…A little."
Don't be kind.
"But it will be okay now."
Please, just be horrible.
'There is no way I would bestow mercy upon a human at this point.'
No matter what he did, Iseur hated humans.
He hated selfish humans because they reminded him of that terrible nightmare, and he hated altruistic humans because he hated how they dared to imitate his teacher.
The mermaid's anger was not something that could be erased even after a lifetime.
'A vulgar creature that will just squirm like a bug in the face of pain and death.'
The very fact that they had spoken to him, a mermaid, was disgusting enough.
"...."
Nevertheless, he smiled.
That was the greatest good deed this wicked mermaid could do.
"I'm sorry, did I wake you up?"
"No? It's not like that, I just wasn't used to the bed…."
"Then we can sleep together now."
"Yeah, thanks."
"There's nothing to be thankful for."
Even though he was sick of himself for indiscriminately hating a race and participating in his sister's massacre, he could not stop.
Iseur twisted his lips as he looked at the human child lying comfortably beside him.
"...."
As much as my teacher.
'Just that much.'
I hope they all die horribly.
Me, and you all.
***
The day of the main ceremony.
"Huh?"
The procession of the priests began.
"That's that thing, right?"
"It is the priest's procession."
"Seeing how they're all young, it must be an initiation ceremony…."
"It's about time for the Solar Cult to hold an initiation ceremony."
"Wow, look how cute the kids are."
8 PM. Since the event was held around the time most office workers were getting off work, there were many spectators.
To receive the god's gaze, the initiation ceremony was usually held in the late afternoon.
"Even though they're young, maybe because they're all priests, their divinity is exceptional."
"I feel purified just by watching. Is it because it's the Solar Cult? It feels warm, too."
"Should we call some other people over? You never know who might get chosen today."
Even though the existence of gods had become more familiar than before the Great Catastrophe, the dignity of a god remained.
People were excited at the prospect of seeing the miracle of one of these young priests being embraced by a god.
In fact, even without such calculating intentions, the priest procession was enough to draw people's attention.
The swaying incense burners that jingled like bells, and the symbol of the sun held in the hands of the prospective priests, as befitted the Solar Cult.
"Ah, it's so warm…."
"As expected of the Solar Cult."
On such a chilly winter day, the gentle and majestic procession of the sun evoked a special kind of emotion.
"…Wow…."
"...."
It was the same for Yu Seong-un and Jio's party.
"I've never seen an initiation ceremony often, so I didn't have a good sense of it, but this is what it's like."
"Have you not seen it often?"
"It's not like initiation ceremonies happen all the time… you have to consider the date and all."
Among the weaker cults, there were some that held an event maybe once every 10 years, if at all.
"Especially to prepare a splendid initiation ceremony like the one we're seeing now, it takes quite a bit of capital. The initiation ceremonies of cults without money or power aren't as grand as this. It's more like just praying in the temple and being done with it."
So an event like this was a pretty good spectacle.
For the citizens living in the city, it was a fairly special event.
"They're starting to enter the temple. We've already saved our seats, so let's go ahead."
Yu Seong-un looked back at Jio.
"If a little more time passes, too many spectators will flock in, and it'll be hard to find our seats and get in."
"Understood."
"It's not too hard with so many people, is it? I don't think you enjoyed the commotion when we came out last time."
Even though the last sightseeing trip had ended safely, Yu Seong-un still didn't know much about 'Jio's Portrait'.
He didn't know what unexpected part might become a trigger and cause an aggressive reaction.
'The Guild Master would not only casually overlook any casualties but would even be delighted that there's something new to watch… all the more reason for me to be careful.'
Bisabeol was only benevolent to his collection; objectively, he could not be called a good person.
Even Yu Seong-un, who thought so, would only feel bitter about people dying and leave it at that.
Around that time, the artwork spoke.
"I am a little tired, but not to the point where you need to worry."
"…Right, then that's a relief."
As expected, it was a patient work of art.
'Still, I must be careful.'
As the procession gradually entered the temple and the crowd began to settle, the priest who had been standing at the very front placed the incense he was holding on the altar and stopped the steps of the prospective priests.
He gestured to the young priests and organized them, much like the conductor of a choir.
"…Goddess, who illuminates the sky and the earth with your gentle light, please send down your fire upon this place where your servants have gathered today. These young priests are like sprouts that have grown following your light…."
The priest, Kang Seo-dam, who had recited the prayer announcing the initiation ceremony, soon concluded.
"Receive this small light."
"Receive this small light."
With the Solar Cult's prayer as the last, Kang Seo-dam bowed his head to the altar, then turned around and bowed his head once more to the prospective priests who were standing in their respective places holding the symbol of the sun.
After confirming that the prospective priests bowed their heads in return, Kang Seo-dam opened his mouth.
"This is the Temple of the Sun, but the sun will not be forced upon the prospective priests. You will learn how to treat the gods and how to become their servants with the help of the Sun Goddess. I hope that today's initiation ceremony will be an opportunity for you to gain another parent."
Clang―.
Kang Seo-dam, who rang a silver bell, continued.
"Before cultivating the mind and body to serve a new parent, the prospective priests will have time to express their gratitude for their worldly ties. Prospective priests, please exchange greetings until the closing ceremony begins."
The initiation ceremony was divided into Part 1 and Part 2, and in between, there was a sort of break time to allow them to spend time with their families. Not all religions did this, but the Solar Cult's initiation ceremony did.
Thanks to the prior education, all the prospective priests moved to find their respective places.
"Mom, Mom…!!"
"I'm a priest now!"
"Isn't this outfit cool!"
Some disappeared with short steps to spend time with their families, while others moved their feet to rest in the waiting room.
"...."
He too was about to move to take a rest.
"...?"
In Kang Seo-dam's eyes, a prospective priest who, for some reason, couldn't go anywhere and was just loitering, came into view.
'…I believe that child's name was Eun-ha.'
He was a child with impressive blue hair that for some reason was reminiscent of the sea.
Perhaps because he actually desired that lineage, his holy power itself had a strong, cool energy.
'He's a Carnation Child, so I know he doesn't have a family to talk to, but why is he just standing there?'
He could not afford to manage even one of the priests under his jurisdiction carelessly. Kang Seo-dam looked around.
'Who is he looking at now?'
Following the child's gaze, he saw a black-haired prospective priest being embraced by his family.
'That child is….'
His name was probably Cha Isold.
"…Ah."
The Black Cape was also among them.
'He is the one I saw last time.'
Kang Seo-dam remembered that he had, uncharacteristically for a god, only observed the event and left cleanly.
'The initiation ceremony itself is quite long, if he showed up again today, is it also to receive a new follower?'
As he watched with suspicion, he could see that Eun-ha's gaze was fixed on the Black Cape.
"...."
Maybe he wants to join that group.
'Well, that side is unusually bustling, so a Carnation Child might well feel envious.'
Fortunately, not long after, Cha Isold pulled Eun-ha over.
Perhaps he was quick-witted, as he was naturally introducing his partner to his family.
He watched carefully to see if that consideration might have hurt his pride, but Eun-ha's mood as he was being pulled along did not seem too bad.
"…It should be fine now."
The Black Cape also seemed like a god with a high understanding of humans, so there probably wouldn't be any big problems.
Only then did Kang Seo-dam also move his feet to take a rest.
-x-X-x-
This situation was unexpected.
"This is Eun-ha! My partner."
"I heard priests are basically in pairs of two, you already have a partner."
"From now on, Eun-ha and I are a team!"
Watching Cha Isold boast about his partner to his family, Jio blinked his eyes, which were hidden by the hood.
'Looking at him like this, they certainly do resemble each other.'
The way he skillfully smiled despite likely being flustered from Cha Isold suddenly dragging him over.
Although there was a clear difference in that level of polish, that blue hair with a strange turquoise tint stimulated Giovanni's memories.
'I think Iseur's name also means Milky Way.'
He didn't know for sure because it was a dream and he'd forgotten much of it since waking up, but the long, blue hair reminded him of the merman Iseur from his dream.
"...."
"Um, these people are…."
Perhaps because of Jio's gaze, Eun-ha opened his mouth as if hoping Cha Isold would introduce them.
Cha Isold made an 'oops' expression before quickly explaining with a broad smile.
"You can tell my brother and sister are mine just by looking, right? And while he's not family, this is the Jio-hyung I told you about before!"
Cha Isold pressed for an answer.
"He's super handsome, right!"
"Huh? Oh, yeah…."
At that bold statement, Jio too became flustered.
How could he know if he was handsome when his face was covered by a hood?
'That friend probably doesn't have a clairvoyance skill.'
Jio, who felt awkward being praised for his looks by a child so openly, couldn't bear the awkwardness and offered a greeting.
"It is a pleasure to meet you for the first time, my name is Seo Jio."
"…My name is Eun-ha."
With a mature smile that felt strangely unfamiliar, the child named Eun-ha added briefly.
"Yes, it is the first time we are meeting."
Hmm.
Jio thought to himself.
'I guess it was my mistake after all.'
It might be a hasty judgment, but the Iseur that Giovanni remembered was a student who, apart from trying to be polite and courteous, was endearingly clueless and fun to tease.
'Perhaps because he was clumsy in many ways, his way of speaking was also much stiffer.'
If anything, he was a friend quite far from the words 'mature' or 'polished'.
Compared to that fresh, sunshine-like young student, the child before him had a somewhat chilly aura.
'It must be a great fate to meet a child so similar to Iseur so soon after beginning to synchronize as Giovanni.'
Besides, the last image he recalled of Iseur was of him in his late teens to early twenties, which made it feel even more like they were not the same person.
"Since we've gathered like this, how about we have a meal together?"
At Jio's suggestion, Yu Seong-un nodded his head.
"Oh, that's a great idea. I doubt the Cha family would be shy around us now, let alone Eun-ha-gun. Right?"
"B-but then we'd be too much of a bother…."
"I heard Cha Isold-gun won't be able to come out for a while once he enters the dormitory anyway. Rather than two grim-faced guys like me and Jio eating intimately, it would be a much better atmosphere if it's a bit more bustling, don't you think?"
As expected of our hyung-nim.
'I need to learn from that polish.'
I truly admired his social skills, the way he could naturally draw the other party in the way he wanted without being rude.
Isn't he the epitome of an adult who is good at social life?
Of course, if Yu Seong-un knew of such thoughts from Jio, he would have been creeped out to death.
"Eun-ha-gun, is there anything you can't eat?"
"I tend not to eat meat."
"Ah, a vegetarian? Come to think of it, if you look around, there are a lot of vegans among priests."
"As long as it's not meat from land animals, it is fine."
"Then you're not a very strict type, are you? Then it would be good to go for seafood."
Even as he said that, Yu Seong-un discreetly observed the child named 'Eun-ha'.
'…For some reason, I feel a slight sense of unease.'
Behind a stoic expression, Yu Seong-un hid a faint suspicion.
Yu Seong-un, who frequently encountered the children of the Source, was particularly sensitive to the aura of non-human beings.
If he was feeling that sense of foreignness now, it was safe to judge it as a problem.
'He doesn't seem to be a child of the Source, so he would be closer to a monster. Is he a dangerous one, I wonder.'
However, as he was a prospective priest, it was possible that Yu Seong-un was mistaking the foreignness of a god.
'…It's not like that hasn't happened before. Especially if it's a kid who receives a lot of a god's gaze or love, they can give off a sense of unease even if it's not their own problem.'
There was also the fact that he was being particularly cautious due to the other's young appearance, so Yu Seong-un decided to swallow his guard.
After all, he might be suspecting an innocent child.
'In case of an emergency, it would be good if I could get at least Jio out. He's a work of art whose behavior patterns and rules haven't been figured out yet… I don't want to give him any major stimulus if possible.'
As long as no harm came to the artwork he was in charge of, he couldn't care less if the child before him was a monster or whatever.
It was a world where monsters killing humans, and humans killing humans, were both commonplace.
Here, humans were a part of the props.
The death of about 30 people wouldn't even make the news.
'Still, I hope nothing happens. If it gets noisy, my overtime will just increase.'
As if he had not been thinking of anything else for even a moment, Yu Seong-un continued stoically.
"Anyone here who doesn't like seafood?"
"…I haven't eaten it so I don't really know…."
"Then you can try it this time."
Cha Ara showed a reluctant reaction, but Yu Seong-un, who had already expected it, brushed it off lightly.
It was because the words were not spat out of inferiority or jealousy, but simply a reaction of 'I don't know jack shit, so why are you asking me'.
"I know a good hairtail fish restaurant."
"What? A hairtail fish restaurant?"
"Even with a large number of people, the room itself is big enough to accommodate us, so how about we go there? I'll guarantee the taste."
"That's not the problem, uh, if it's a hairtail fish restaurant, isn't it a very expensive place…."
As Cha Ara became strangely anxious, her older brother, Cha Eun-hyeok, showed a similar reaction.
"Is it okay for us, as 3rd-class citizens, to go to such a restaurant?"
"...?"
Jio, who had been listening without any thought, was quietly flustered.
'…What did I just hear?'
Are 3rd-class citizens not allowed to eat hairtail fish?
'No matter how much the class system has been revived, to discriminate with what people eat, how could it be this scary.'
Jio, who was serious about food, became greatly saddened.
He was very bitter about how his hometown had been corrupted.
'If so, if I hadn't become a portrait, would I, a citizen of Gangwon-do, have been a 3rd-class citizen too? If I had lived on Earth paying monthly rent, I wouldn't have been able to have a single piece of hairtail fish.'
Jio, who was accustomed to a democratic society, was inwardly terrified, but the city's hairtail fish restaurants of this era were extremely high-class establishments.
They were the perfect places for 3rd-class citizens, who were subtly discriminated against in the city, to be looked down upon.
"I know what you're worried about, but…."
Yu Seong-un, who noticed their feelings, shrugged his shoulders.
"It's all private rooms anyway, and at this time of day, there won't be many people. If you guys are concerned, we can look for another place, but since we're spending money anyway, let's all eat something delicious together."
Yu Seong-un looked back at Eun-ha.
"Eun-ha-gun, are you okay with hairtail fish?"
"I'd be grateful for whatever you buy me."
"Thanks for saying so."
Since even Eun-ha, who was presumed to be a Carnation Child, agreed, Cha Ara and Cha Eun-hyeok also agreed in a daze.
"Is this really okay…?"
"A hairtail fish restaurant."
The Cha family followed behind Yu Seong-un with faces that looked as if they had been tricked for some reason.
Jio, who was about to move with the close-knit siblings, noticed Eun-ha who was strangely detached.
"...."
"...."
It bothers me when he acts like that.
"Student Eun-ha."
Apart from the child resembling his old student Iseur, Jio, who had been a teacher in his own right, did not like the sight of a child keeping a distance as if to say this was not his place.
Fortunately, Iseur, who had a dry expression, answered Jio's call with a spark of life. He also seemed a little surprised.
"Ah, yes."
"Shall we go together?"
When Giovanni offered a hand, Eun-ha, after a moment of hesitation, took it.
'…Is it colder than I thought?'
That small hand was quite cool for a child who was said to be boiling with heat just from breathing.
"Your body temperature is low."
"I think it's because of my severe anemia."
The child smiled skillfully.
It was a soft and benevolent smile that one could naturally associate with the word priest.
It might be a bit strange to use the word 'benevolent' for a child like this, but for some reason, Jio thought that smile was familiar.
'It doesn't suit this student.'
Where had I seen this smile before?
While Jio was quietly retracing his memories, the child, perhaps anxious about the lack of a response, feigned composure and struck up a conversation.
"Is my cold hand uncomfortable for you?"
Would it be strange to say that it sounded like a question expecting something? Jio answered without much thought.
"I like it because it's cool."
"It's winter, and you say that."
"Because I'm a person with a lot of heat."
"...."
Eun-ha, who was silent for a moment for some reason, said.
"Your hand is cold too, Jio-ssi?"
"Ah, that's right."
"Why…."
"I had forgotten for a moment."
"What did you forget?"
"I forgot the fact that I had become cold."
Perhaps because he had been having a series of dreams called 'Giovanni's Theater of Life' lately and was too out of it, he had honestly and completely forgotten.
Even his own body temperature.
'When I was Giovanni, perhaps because I was a priest of the sun, I had a lot of heat in my body.'
Both Seo Jio and the portrait were not particularly warm-bodied.
'Did that sound strange?'
Perhaps because his synchronization rate had been rising sharply lately, his words had slipped out.
As I was contemplating what to say next and looked back at the child….
"...."
"...?"
I could see his small face had stiffened.
"Student Eun-ha?"
"It was just cold for a moment… I was lost in thought."
"Then would you like to let go of my hand?"
"No."
Eun-ha muttered.
"…If we keep holding hands, it might get warm."
"That is also true."
"...."
"I am glad you do not dislike it."
For some reason, the atmosphere was chilly, but to Jio, the child's inherent nature was kind and gentle.
'Kids like this need to be fed well to make them plump.'
Thought Seo Jio, who had inherited the firm belief of his grandmother, who had been the big hand of the village.
'Become a pig, zap….'
Seo Jio was the type whose life satisfaction only increased when he fattened up scrawny men, women, and children of all ages.
***
They had such a conversation.
"Your hand is cold, Iseur."
"Perhaps… It is because I am a mermaid."
"Since our races are different, it would be natural for our body temperatures to differ."
"Is a cold hand uncomfortable for you?"
Humans scorned the cold hands of mermaids, calling them those of underwater monsters.
Giovanni was also a human, and Iseur was a mermaid.
Above all, Giovanni, who was always warm from the sun's blessing, might have felt revulsion at Iseur's damp and cool hand.
But Giovanni laughed as if it were absurd.
He nonchalantly dismissed Iseur's worries.
"On the contrary, I like it because it's cool."
"…It is winter now."
"I am a person with a lot of heat, so it does not matter."
"...."
"Yes, it feels nice."
Even if one had a lot of heat, who among humans would enjoy getting colder in the winter?
No matter how you thought about it, it was a lie to be considerate of the young mermaid, but still….
"…Your hand is warm, Teacher."
He would needlessly try to hold that hand full of warmth.
"Is this high body temperature also due to the blessing of the Sun God?"
"That could be. After all, I was born on a summer day, when the sun's blessing was at its fullest."
"My teacher's hand must not become cold because of me."
He held on greedily, but he always felt sorry, feeling as if he were stealing that warmth.
"…I…."
Sometimes, Iseur was engulfed by the feeling that he was stealing what was Giovanni's.
If he, a mermaid, had not insisted on their bond, Giovanni would not have had to deal with people with such anxiety, nor would he have been trapped in such a small village with his excellent skills.
"...."
So when he felt sorry for taking even this bit of warmth, Jio would say.
"I will always have enough warmth to give to you, Iseur."
"…Is that not too harsh a thing to say for you, a creation of the sun?"
"I meant that you do not need to feel sorry just for holding hands. Iseur, you are often too timid. You can be more confident."
"But I am a mermaid, Teacher. The more I learn, the more I doubt whether humans and mermaids can become one."
"Nevertheless, are we not conversing in the same place like this now?"
He was always warm.
"As long as I do not become a corpse, you can always hold my hand."
"…Am I not allowed to hold the hand of a corpse?"
"The dead must be sent on their way. That way, I too can go to the sun's side."
"...."
"That is nature and the natural order."
The foolish mermaid did not know, but your words, which were so warm, were actually wrong.
That hand, which was so full of warmth, became so cold after suffocating in the seawater.
You must have failed to return to the sun's side even in death.
Otherwise, there is no way it could have been so cold.
There is no way your corpse could have been that cold.
"…It feels sad already…."
And yet.
In the end, it turned out that way.
***
'…Why does he have to remind me of that person so much.'
Iseur thought as he looked at the black cape sitting next to him.
'And on top of that, why is the sun's energy so strong?'
Seeing him up close made it even clearer.
This person was not simply a strong human, but had completely absorbed the divinity of the sun.
The great qualification that only a god could possess.
'He seems to have a high understanding of humans, so perhaps he inherited the divinity while still being human.'
If that were the case, Iseur would despise this black cape.
"...."
"Do you not have an appetite?"
With that affectionate name, Jio, while embracing the same warmth as his teacher… of all things, the Sun God.
'Is this a scheme by the Sun God?'
During the long, miserable years, Iseur too had learned many things about humans, gods, and the world.
'Perhaps the Sun God of Earth, who was wary of mermaids and the deep sea, orchestrated something like this.'
He had committed the atrocity of bestowing the sun's energy upon a human who was terribly similar to that person.
'…It's still disgusting.'
Gods and humans, the sun's lot always made him feel nauseous.
"…It's just, this is my first time in a restaurant like this…."
"I see."
"...."
"You can eat slowly."
The black cape's voice was calm and gentle.
'It's so strange.'
At one moment, it's as low as a quiet corpse, but when he looks at me, he bestows that kindness with a soft rhythm.
'I'm curious about his true identity.'
Whether he was a god or a human, it was not the behavior befitting that cruel race.
"…Thank you."
Even as he said his thanks, Iseur felt a hypocritical anxiety.
A tiny, small anxiety that faintly tickled the tips of his toes.
'Soon, my sister will call the sea.'
Even that hot sun loses its vitality when submerged in the sea.
It was something Iseur had confirmed several times, so this person would probably be no exception.
Could this hand grow even colder than it is now?
"...."
That seemed like it would be a little sad.
It was a feeling he had not felt in a very long time.
***
Upon returning to the temple, Eun-ha with the blue hair stopped Jio.
"Jio-ssi."
"Yes, is there something that matter?"
"...."
The hesitating child asked.
"…Do you like the sea?"
"I do like water."
"Are you a good swimmer?"
"Actually, I am quite bad at it."
"...."
The child, who was silent as if recalling something, or perhaps lost in thought, soon opened his mouth.
"I hope it does not get too cold."
"They certainly do say that this winter is exceptionally cold."
"...."
"Thank you for your concern."
Jio realized that the one this child was worried about was not him, but the child himself.
Rather than worrying about him as a person, he seemed to be worried that a situation he disliked would occur.
He was a child with a somewhat twisted side due to thinking too deeply.
'Life will be tiring like that, what a shame. Being mature is not always a good thing, after all.'
For Jio, whose month's worth of worries could be cleanly blown away by a single roasted sweet potato, it was an ascetic practice he could not even imagine.
"It seems the main ceremony will begin soon."
"…You're right, I'll be going now."
The child added, as if saying goodbye.
"It was fun."
"I am glad to hear that."
Jio realized that it was a lie.
'…As expected of Hell Korea….'
Even the children were no pushovers.
'It's a tough world for a wimp like me, who only knows how to eat delicious food, to survive in.'
It was another day for the haunted portrait to be diligently intimidated.
-x-X-x-
He had tried many things.
Iseur's will was strong and his altruism was great, too great to start hating the existence known as humanity overnight.
He tried to approach humans many times.
He wasn't trying to make an excuse that he had done enough.
Yes, he didn't want to become complacent with just that, but….
"...."
It was truly alright.
"Are you hurt anywhere?"
"H-huaaak…! I-it's a mermaid…!!"
It was sad to be met with contempt and disgust even after saving a life, but he could bear it.
"I can treat you."
"Don't lie, how can I trust a mermaid's words?"
"But…."
"I'll kill you if you touch me."
"...."
It was also alright for the heart that had tried its best to be considerate to be trampled on so casually.
"A mermaid? Isn't that a monster?"
"...."
"I heard they eat people, wow, that's horrible."
Being condemned for his very existence rather than for a crime he committed was also somewhat bearable.
"...."
"...."
"Iseur."
His sister called him.
"Giovanni has been referred to trial."
"…He is a renowned priest of the sun, so won't he be alright? You are allies, after all."
"He'll be sentenced to the extreme penalty for being a traitor. You heard it too, a traitor to humanity."
"But, Teacher… he saved so many people until now."
"What a magnificent excuse. Since when did humans ever care about such things?"
"I do not understand. Did no one advocate for him?"
"Now that it's known he hid a mermaid, he's being criticized instead. It's no different from what we saw that day."
"Why did no one…."
"Aren't humans fascinating creatures? You have no idea how fickle they are."
"…Why…."
"When did they ever praise Jio's character and abilities, calling him a son of god, and now that his light is shared with the sea, they are making a fuss, calling him a disgrace to humanity."
He was the only person who had affirmed the sea.
He was a noble being who had said that mermaids and humans were no different, and had waited with me for the day the sky and the sea would become one.
I know how much great mercy my teacher bestowed by his side, how much love and affection he poured out.
He was a person who sincerely cared for his patients and respected his friends.
"…No way…."
To think all of that was denied.
'By the same humans, no less.'
That was too much even for the patient mermaid.
He could not endure it, it was not alright, and he could not bear it.
We mourned and sorted through our grief for years, finding even his natural death a waste, so how could you kill him yourselves.
How could you be so horrible?
"...."
Are you not sad for his pain?
"I am going to try an experiment."
"...."
"Do you still like humans? Do you still think of them as fickle but lovely creatures?"
"…No…."
"Then do you trust them? Do you believe they will return favor with favor, that you can entrust your back to them?"
"…I do not think so."
"If you have sorted things out, let us return to the sea together."
His sister whispered sweetly.
"As you know, we cannot move people with a single glance or a single touch like Giovanni. A mermaid's cold touch on a creation of the sun would only be creepy."
She was right.
"And for that reason, we can give pain."
"Pain…."
She was right about that, too.
"My brother, Iseur."
"…Yes, Sister."
"Will you go with me?"
So Iseur decided to endure it, just one more time.
"No."
It was not for the sake of humans.
"I will look for another way."
It was for the sake of Giovanni, who had loved everything in the world until the very end.
"Humans and mermaids have already started a war for you to choose such a soft path. And it will be a war more vulgar and cruel than you can imagine."
"I know."
"If that is your choice, I suppose I must respect it. Do your best until you have no regrets, Iseur."
"…Thank you."
It was a very sad fact, but Giovanni was not the type of person to dream of revenge just because he was betrayed by humans.
'So to torment humans and build a bad reputation for my teacher's sake would be to betray him a second time.'
He did not want to take out his anger vulgarly like humans, using that noble person as an excuse.
"...."
Iseur endured tens, hundreds of times more after that.
He saved an innocent child during the war.
The mermaids did not understand their eccentric kin but simply ignored him, while the humans, on the contrary, framed Iseur with an absurd accusation and attacked him.
"One."
He pulled a pregnant woman who had fallen into the sea onto land.
But the pregnant woman struggled to avoid being held by the mermaid's cold hands and drowned, and watching this, the humans screamed that the mermaid was now eating pregnant women too.
"Two."
He pretended not to see a soldier squirming, not even worth attacking.
He didn't want to see blood, but that soldier came looking for him a month later and showered him with attacks and curses.
In the end, Iseur had to see blood.
"Three…."
The humans he barely befriended were either dead or contemplating betrayal, and whatever Iseur did was considered filthy, and his ill repute grew.
Humans poured poison into the sea.
A child died. He treated a wound.
He was stabbed in the side with a knife….
"...."
And then one day, he counted.
"…One thousand six hundred forty-three."
It was already over a thousand.
"…Ah, eugh…."
On the last day he counted, Iseur ate his teacher.
"…Heueu, huhuhu…."
His whole body ached.
"Hah, aaaaaah…! Aak…!!"
He was hungry.
I was so, so hungry.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah―!!!"
***
"...."
Even though it was evening, it was as bright as midday.
'It's just like a white night.'
The phenomenon is often seen in the polar regions, where the sun doesn't set even when it's night.
'This is the romantic city of Seoul. Dopamine is overflowing….'
Jio enjoyed the pounding of his heart to the fullest as he watched the temple's priest procession.
The Part 2 ceremony proceeded much more splendidly than Part 1.
If Part 1 emphasized the unique solemnity of religious figures, Part 2 felt much more like a true 'event'.
Clusters of light sparkled here and there, and the priests' white clothes fluttered.
There was so much to see that his eyes were getting dizzy.
"How is it worth seeing?"
"I like it very much."
"That's a relief."
Yu Seong-un smiled his characteristic light smile.
"The event period is long, so I was worried if you were okay."
"It is certainly a bit tiring, but…."
He was planning on staying cooped up in his cabin for a week once he got back.
He had started getting tired from the moment he stepped outside his home, so Jio's stamina had hit rock bottom a long time ago.
"Still, it is an event worth seeing."
"Is it perhaps the influence of the god you are supporting?"
It was a question asking if he liked the Solar Cult's event because he served the Sun God.
"That could be."
It wasn't as comfortable as my own home, but it felt as comfortable as a friend's house.
"...."
"Jio?"
"…I was just thinking of some old friends."
It's been 31 years, I wonder if these bastards are still alive?
'I'm also curious how the kids are doing.'
It was something he thought about from time to to time, but being out this long, he naturally thought of the connections he had 31 years ago.
'I'm not expecting much from the elders in the mountain village in Gangwon-do since they were already old.'
But he might be able to find out how the students he taught were doing.
"...."
No, but what if I get captured and taken to a lab…?
'Usually in movies, a moment of carelessness stemming from nostalgia plunges a person's life off a cliff, is there any guarantee that won't happen to me?'
Evolving from a human to a haunted portrait was, judging from Yu Seong-un's occasional reactions, undoubtedly a huge deal even in this Hell Korea.
Jio resolved once again to just shut up and stay hidden.
'If we're fated to meet, we'll meet even without intention.'
he thought, full of such dreams and hopes.
"Ah… looks like it's wrapping up."
"It was quite long."
"An initiation ceremony like this is also an event to show off the sect's power."
Especially for the Solar Cult, which boasted a fairly large following in Seoul, they would have had to show off this level of splendor.
'There was also an unfortunate missing person case recently.'
Thinking that, Yu Seong-un glanced over at Jio.
'…No matter how I think about it, it seems this incident is related to this guy….'
Jio looked truly unconcerned.
'Either Jio really knows nothing, or he knows but doesn't feel any strong emotions about it. Either way, it's a plausible aspect of the uniquely-natured Jio, which makes it more confusing.'
It was when they were watching the ceremony as it came to a close.
"...."
A momentary intuition.
'…What is this?'
It's chilly.
'It's not a glacier.'
As a Gardener, he knew the essence of energy.
He smelled the pressure of nature that crushes the human body, and the fishy scent resembling the blood that oozes from it.
'If so, this is….'
A cold, damp, and dark sense of pressure.
'The sea?'
Yu Seong-un soon realized that it was the energy of the sea.
It was not a sensation that could be felt naturally, was it.
Yu Seong-un instinctively looked for the main culprit.
"Ah…."
When his eyes met with the blue-haired 'Eun-ha', Yu Seong-un felt a sense of dismay.
"Oh no."
Kururuk―…!!!
"Was I too careless?"
A piercingly blue energy rushed in.
That energy was not like a fluttering mist. It had a viciousness that sought to take life relentlessly, and a ferocity that provoked human fear with sharp claws.
He immediately grasped the situation.
"It's a virtual dungeon."
With Yu Seong-un's quick judgment, the entire temple was dyed blue.
"■■■■■―…!!!!!"
A noise so loud it hurt his ears, as if a marble pillar was being scraped by giant claws, erupted.
As it gratingly scraped at his eardrums, the whole world distorted chaotically as if glass shards were exploding, and waves foaming white gluttonously devoured the people.
"...."
Yu Seong-un, who always had a stoic expression, contorted his face.
'…I can't predict the damage, but there's one thing for sure.'
Overtime again today.
"Hoo…."
Kwadeuk―!!
"I'm tired already."
Yu Seong-un, who had created an ice spear, drove it into the floor.
'I must not be pushed far away.'
Having made his judgment as an experienced Hunter, Yu Seong-un supported his body with the spear he had driven into the floor.
In the strong cold and vibration, Yu Seong-un looked back at the portrait.
"Jio, be caref—!"
And there.
"...."
"...."
There was a giant 'eye'.
Yu Seong-un felt a dreadful silence, as if time had stopped.
What is that?
Is it an eye?
"...."
It resembled nature, but he couldn't discern whether it belonged to the sun or the sea.
He saw an illusion of fragmented, sparkling pieces of light scattering, twinkling chaotically as if quickening, and reflecting a deep wave of unknowable depth.
Yu Seong-un couldn't take his eyes off the portrait that was swept away by the wave for even a moment.
There, within it, was the sea.
A white sea distorted by light. That sea speaks.
『Where the sun does not reach….』
That voice was like that of nature itself.
『You have come to the deep sea.』
Why did it sound like the judgment of a god?
He saw it with his own eyes but could not perceive it.
It felt as if he could hear the sound of the sun's rays.
He heard the sound of warmth.
The waves mixed with it, then soon hid their fangs and cowered.
It was only after that that Yu Seong-un came to his senses enough to realize anything.
"...."
The sound returned, and time flowed again, free from the silence.
Once the loud noise that hurt his ears and the tinnitus that was like the stubbornness of the dead disappeared, the waves that were as ferocious as a monster of the abyss died down again and became calm….
"...."
"...."
"...."
The world's scenery had changed.
"Ah…."
A ghastly chill that reeked of blood. Yu Seong-un looked around.
He could see people.
"…Wh-where is this place…?"
"A dungeon? Shit, don't tell me it's a dungeon?"
"A-any Hunters here?!"
This place, where people who had just come to their senses were chattering noisily, was clearly a dungeon.
"...."
Yu Seong-un took in the shadowy, dark blue space.
The cavern, so vast that the ceiling could not be seen, was eerily illuminated by water scales of unknown origin.
Yu Seong-un's gaze soon reached the blue water pillars erected throughout the cavern.
A lament escaped on its own.
"…Oh my goodness…."
Chimeras, which looked close to aquatic creatures, were crammed in there.
"This is trouble."
Somehow it felt ominous from the very entrance, and the dungeon's difficulty seemed considerably high.
'It's too much to be a typical virtual dungeon, and there are more people dragged in than usual.'
Yu Seong-un barely held onto his mind that wanted to return home and calmly assessed the situation he was in.
So-called 'virtual dungeons' forcibly drag people who meet arbitrary conditions into another dimension and proceed with a game.
The capabilities of the dungeon master could be gauged by the number of participants and the grotesqueness of the game.
'And just counting the number of civilians gathered in this cavern, it's close to 20…. There could be people dragged to other places too, so it's excessive in many ways. I can see how much the master of this dungeon has been grinding their teeth and preparing.'
And Yu Seong-un, as an A-class Hunter belonging to the Collectors, one of the top three guilds in South Korea, had the responsibility to protect these people and complete the dungeon.
"...."
With this disorderly crowd of citizens, that is.
***
'As expected of an A-class Hunter.'
At Yu Seong-un's calm demeanor as he instantly grasped and tried to manage the situation, Eun-ha, Iseur, was inwardly impressed.
According to Earth's standards, from B-class Hunters onwards, their way of thinking gradually deviates from the standard of ordinary humans.
Needless to say, it would be even more so for an A-class, a higher grade than that.
'I heard he wasn't that famous of a public figure.'
Indeed, he was not to be underestimated.
'But….'
What could a mere Hunter do in a situation like this?
'With all these burdens, at best he'll die with the citizens or choose to flee to save his own life. Such a foolish existence is human.'
In the shadows of the cavern, far from the commotion, Iseur took in the sight of the humans running amok in fear.
"S-save me! I don't want to die here…!!"
"Where is this place? Where is this place? Excuse me, so where is…."
"Kyaaaaaak…!! Th-there's a monster! There's a monster!!"
His ears were tired.
'…Do they not know how to do anything but scream? They are nothing short of idiots.'
The familiar displeasure he felt dozens of times a day from the squawking noise rushed in.
It was a faded hatred towards humans.
"...."
In this incident, Iseur's role was just to open the gate, and that was it.
'…If the predecessor hadn't suddenly disappeared, I wouldn't have had to step up.'
Opening a gate to the deep sea in the Solar Temple of all places required quite a skilled technique.
'Because of that, we had already tamed one of the humans and were in the process of training him.'
But for some reason, he was killed by a mysterious powerful being, and things got complicated.
The execution date was just around the corner. And at that moment, the only person who could open the gate was Iseur….
'There is nothing I like.'
After mixing with humans for a short while, not a single part of his body or mind was sound.
'They are a race one should not associate with for long. I feel like their incompetence is rubbing off on me.'
He wanted to finish this job as quickly as possible and dive into the silent sea.
"Hunter, you're a hunter, right! How are you going to take responsibility for this!!"
"What… what does this have to do with me, don't talk nonsense like responsibility!!"
"The priests? Shit, where did all the priests go!!"
"Th-the prospective priests… are priests too, right? Huh? They're priests?"
"Someone please help, what is this situation!!"
How could he give his heart to something that was shrieking so vulgarly.
"...."
This place was located quite late in the path that the humans of Earth called a 'dungeon'.
'…It's too far to return to the entrance and the situation is not good for finding an exit, so most of them will probably die here. It will surely happen even if I don't lift a finger.'
As he was thinking of wrapping things up like that, the man in the black cape came to mind.
The Sun God is named Jio.
"…Hoo…."
In a situation where all the humans were scattered in random locations, he felt foolish for unconsciously tracking the man's position.
Why on earth would he do such a foolish thing when he was going to kill them all anyway?
'Right, let's get this over with quickly.'
If any individuals remain intact, they will receive the honor of being used as his sister's test subject.
Requesting ownership of one of them might not be so bad either.
"…Then."
He took a step forward from the shadows.
It was when he had gripped the staff in his hand and was about to do his job as a 'monster'.
"...."
Ah.
'…A presence?'
Iseur looked back.
"...."
At some point, the black cape was standing right behind him.
"...!"
No way.
'I confirmed that this person was not here.'
No matter if the opponent was something that harbored divinity, for a mermaid who could even kill gods, this situation was unexpected.
'Was I being too careless?'
Iseur stepped back.
Perhaps because he was in a child's body, he felt an unusually strong sense of pressure from the black cape.
Since this large body had moved, someone among the humans should have reacted, but no one cast their gaze towards the black cape and Iseur.
'Why?'
At that indescribable sense of unease, Iseur bared his sharp teeth. They were the fangs that had even torn apart his teacher's body.
"Who on earth are you…!"
"Iseur."
"...."
…What?
"...."
"Ah, Iseur…."
His name was called.
"...."
It was a call as low as a corpse.
Iseur froze.
'…He called my name.'
Like a fish that had touched ice water, he was frozen solid and could not move.
When the man, as tall as a thick wall, bent down and swept the child's cheek, the small body was swallowed by the shadow in an instant.
The pitch-black cape came down like a curtain, completely enveloping Iseur like a waterfall.
'How….'
That was why the mermaid in a child's body could see the face of the one looking down at him.
"Weren't you cold?"
"...."
"Did it hurt a lot?"
"...."
"You must have been lonely and scared…."
The person who resembled the sunlight scattered on the sea.
"...."
That warm platinum hair, and the eyes that resembled a brilliant wave.
Those distant blue eyes.
"I'm sorry."
"...."
"I am sorry."
We were crying.
"…Ah…."
Giovanni.
My teacher, who had met the most miserable death in the world, was now a corpse, crying in front of me.
***
Jio lost consciousness.
-x-X-x-