From the moment she was born, she was acknowledged by the sea.
The mermaid who was the heir of the deep sea from birth, Aria, was always curious about the world beneath the sun, a place she had neither the duty nor the authority to rule and there, she met a human.
"Now, Aria. Look at this cross-section. The human skin has layers."
"Is it different from a mermaid's skin?"
"It is a little different, as a mermaid's skin can withstand the deep sea…."
He was a teacher.
"What are you drawing now?"
"Aria, I was drawing you."
"This is a painting of the sea."
"The sea is the mermaid."
A friend.
"Understanding humans is good, but empathizing with them wouldn't be bad either."
"I don't think there's a difference."
"You can accomplish more just by empathizing than by understanding."
"..."
And family.
Giovanni was the only being who was Aria's equal, or perhaps even higher.
He was different from her younger brother, Iseur, who had to be protected and looked after.
With Giovanni, Aria could have interesting conversations.
Whatever Aria did, Giovanni could handle her.
The existence of a perfectly interlocking cogwheel.
"Aria."
"Yes."
"Please do not harm humans."
That's what she thought.
"Why should I do that?"
"Because that is what I do not want."
"Selfish words."
"Aria, as this foolish priest has always said."
"A relationship is about being considerate and adjusting to one another."
"I am glad you remember."
Aria considered herself and Giovanni to be cogs that would never be misaligned, but Giovanni did not think so.
He always spoke of hatred.
"I am human and Aria is a mermaid. Our ways of thinking and expression are different, yet we were able to become this close. Until now, Aria has yielded many things to me and received a corresponding price for it."
"So you're telling me to do the same this time?"
"If you really don't want to, fighting and winning against me is one way. I prefer to resolve differences in thought through conversation rather than conflict, but Aria might prefer a more direct method."
"Jio, I do not wish to fight you. So I will yield."
"It is truly a joyous thing to not hate each other despite our differing views. Then for dinner tonight, shall we have the clams that Aria likes."
It was pleasant.
"Is this the human way? It's quite bothersome."
"Not all humans will be like this. As I always say, humans are far more diverse and fickle than mermaids. If you wish to interact with other humans later…."
"I do not wish for interaction with such vulgar beings."
"I see."
When she was with him, it was enjoyable.
It was a rare thing that could not be found even among her own kind.
"It would be nice if you became a mermaid."
"Unfortunately, when I die, I will return to the Sun's side. That is what I want."
"Well, humans get cold easily. The Sun's side would be warmer than the deep sea. I admit that."
"Thank you for your understanding."
If that's the case, Jio.
"..."
"..."
When I went to the trouble of letting you go, you should have returned to the Sun's side.
"…Si, sister…."
"What happened to Giovanni?"
She had barely managed to rescue her brother who had been dragged to a temple while helping humans and had destroyed every temple on the land, but for some reason, she couldn't find even a single piece of Giovanni's bones.
Her brother, who came to his senses after nearly a year, couldn't even cry as he answered.
"I ate him."
Her brother was smiling.
"I was hungry, so I ate him. The humans put some kind of drug in that small water tank…."
"..."
"…The rest of his body probably rotted and melted in the water. Though I ate most of it."
"Aha."
Perhaps because she had been prepared for the unimaginable worst, she wasn't that surprised.
'Jio was always worried that I would be hurt after he died, but I'm not as shaken as I thought I would be.'
She was quite calm.
"I see."
But she couldn't stop searching for even the last remaining trace of Jio, even if it was the water he had rotted in.
She went around killing every human in sight and wandered, constantly searching for Jio's body.
And in the residence of the Pope, who received the greatest love of the Sun, she was able to find Jio.
"..."
He had become water.
"…The fishy smell is strong."
It was like looking at seawater.
"Shall I clean it up, Princess?"
"No, leave it as it is."
"But…."
"If you just leave it, it will flow into the sea."
Just how long, and with what, had they trapped the body?
When she opened the large divine statue used as a torture device, his body, which had melted into a thick substance like the essence of seaweed, flowed out.
Not a single trace of a human form could be found.
"..."
No, it wasn't even the form of a living creature.
"But it is a long way from here to the sea."
"It doesn't matter."
She just had to drag the sea up to the land.
"So…"
Deep enough to submerge the sun.
"..."
Just staring at the body that had become water.
"..."
Once left alone, Aria whispered.
"…I thought if you were to die, the cause of death would be natural, due to the limits of your species."
"..."
"Humans have shorter lifespans than mermaids. They age faster, and are easily corrupted. So I thought that if we were to eventually part… it would be because your value had faded."
"..."
"Whether that noble character was clouded by greed, or that weak body withered from disease, or you overcame all those trials and died whole to return to the Sun's side. The partings I imagined were only like that. I was in a state where I had properly understood and accepted that part."
"..."
"Why did you of all people have to die like this? When your own value had by no means faded, to be beaten to death by the hands of ghouls who could not see despite having eyes… and to be scattered not in the sun, but in the deep sea."
"..."
"To be able to hate someone so casually like this, humans are truly beings worth studying."
She couldn't help but ask.
"Do you not hate humans?"
The mermaid hated humans.
My vastness in facing our parting came from your mortality, so I did not know the end of this story would be so ridiculous and miserable.
"It must be cold there?"
You should have gone to the Sun's side, you fool.
"You couldn't win against anyone."
You died trying to protect a mermaid, and now you're shivering in the cold even in death.
Your value was not something that should have crumbled due to such a stupid conflict between species.
You shouldn't have been unable to even go to the Sun's side like this, to have everything amount to just becoming a part of the sea.
"..."
Her brother, the only mermaid who defended humans, shut his mouth.
"Ah…."
Giovanni, the only human who embraced mermaids, lost his mouth.
"…That's right."
"..."
"There's no one left to stop me now."
It was truly a shame.
"..."
"..."
"Hey."
Can't you feel my sincerity?
***
"…Mr. Jio, you're good at cooking too."
At Iseur's difficultly spoken words, Seo Jio smiled.
"I'm happy to hear you say that."
"Are you particularly skilled in seafood dishes?"
"I'm good at everything, generally."
"And where did you learn this recipe?"
"Well, I just…."
The platinum blond hair, almost silver, catches his eye.
"I wanted to try eating it like this."
"I see."
He sees the blue eyes that resemble the surface of the water where sunlight scatters.
"I just grilled it over a bonfire, but it was so delicious I had to ask."
"If that's the case, feel free to ask anytime."
"Because sharing what you know is a joyous thing?"
"…Does student Eun-ha have a mind-reading skill?"
"I had a feeling you would say that."
Because Giovanni always had those words on the tip of his tongue.
'As I thought, a little…'
No, very much.
'He's too similar.'
At this rate, the suspicion he himself created, that he was just 'a different person who looks quite similar,' doesn't even work.
'I can't keep acting like this.'
He was fully aware that he was doing something foolish.
When the human named Yu Seong-un gave him a look that said, 'Are you really okay with this,' he felt so pathetic that the word 'arrogant' couldn't even come out.
"Mr. Jio, where is your hometown?"
"I don't know if you'd know it, but it was real countryside."
"The countryside…."
"I sometimes did some farming, too."
"I see."
The fact that he was unusually down-to-earth for a priest of noble birth was also the same.
'Ah, this is not good….'
He lost the energy to make a move.
'…Seeing as the atmosphere of the entire dungeon has lightened, my sister must be flustered too. Even if she is flustered, I can't possibly be fine. This was not supposed to drag on for so long… at this rate, it's better to leave Earth quickly….'
That would be the way to regain his past calm reasoning.
"..."
But.
Is that okay?
'…Is it really right for us to leave, leaving only Jio in this dimension?'
He had traveled through countless dimensions, but there had never been an opponent he could be sure of at a glance, thinking, 'Ah, this person is Giovanni.'
But no matter how much he thought about it, this person seemed to be Giovanni's reincarnation.
'But why does he have divinity? As expected, unless a sun god from some dimension pulled some strings, no, but… a being of the level of a sun god wouldn't bother to care what happens to humans.'
It was a confusing situation, but one thing was certain.
"…What are your plans for after this?"
He had to send these people out quickly.
'Looking at the situation, it's difficult to hold onto just Jio. It's not too late to just send everyone out together, consult with my sister to sort out my thoughts, and then make a new plan.'
The one who answered that question was Yu Seong-un.
"First, we need to find a way out."
"A way out…."
"Usually in cases like this, the methods are divided into about three categories."
Yu Seong-un, who had roughly filled his stomach with fish, continued.
"The most standard method would be to succeed in conquering it. But we don't have that many Hunters, and above all, it's a situation where there are a ton of civilians who would die if we took our eyes off them for a moment. There's no way we can handle a difficult conquest with this number of people, even without anyone to protect."
"Then what are the other methods?"
"It would be to have an item that allows you to leave the dungeon, like a return stone, but this isn't a wise choice either. After taking a look around, it doesn't seem like 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 barely escape."
"That's true."
"The last method is, as expected…."
Yu Seong-un's gaze landed on Eun-ha, Iseur, who was still smiling like a monotone color.
"..."
"..."
After a fleeting glance, Yu Seong-un continued.
"The dungeon's owner opens the gate themselves."
Iseur inwardly clicked his tongue.
'Were my thoughts read?'
No, it might have been a conclusion that was too obvious even before his thoughts were read.
To both the mermaids and the humans, Giovanni's existence was an excessive deviation from expectations.
It seemed to mean that since both sides were confused, they should first regroup and then face off again.
A C-Class Hunter who had been quietly listening to Yu Seong-un's words asked anxiously.
"W-Will that work? If the incident happened at the Temple of the Sun, the dungeon's owner must have planned this with intent… and the number of people captured is quite large. It must be a strong owner."
"It is not entirely impossible."
Kang Seo-dam replied in the low tone unique to a priest.
"There's a saying that a dungeon is a theater stage. The higher the grade of the dungeon, the more closely it is intertwined with its owner, and the conquerors can examine the dungeon owner's story in more detail."
"Uh… why is that…?"
"In short, if you follow the story well, sometimes the gate will open by luck. The stories of civilians who escaped a dungeon because the owner was moved by the devotion of a conqueror who learned the dungeon's story are not just mere bluffs."
"Gasp, I thought those were just gossip…."
"They are actually cases that happen from time to time. Especially the more intelligent the owner is, close to a humanoid monster, the greater the possibility of such an escape. For a dungeon of this scale, its owner would surely be close to humanoid."
At that point, Yu Seong-un chimed in.
"A similar phenomenon is already being seen. Right after being dragged into the dungeon, there were quite a lot of casualties, but look now. We're openly making a bonfire and eating, yet no monsters are attacking."
"It is certainly showing a strangely stabilized state for a dungeon that so many conquerors have entered. It probably means there has been a change in the feelings of the owner who caused this incident. I get the feeling they are cutting us a lot of slack."
"Considering that, in our situation, the one with the highest chance of success is indeed the third option. If we play our cards right, wouldn't they open the gate for us?"
"I have similar expectations."
Ah, right.
"..."
Iseur decided to just keep his mouth shut.
'What bad luck.'
Their skill in exchanging conversation while pretending not to know his identity was truly top-notch.
'Yu Seong-un has already spoken to me directly, but it's not like Priest Kang Seo-dam doesn't know my identity either. Since I had no intention of hiding it before and openly revealed the aura of the deep sea… I can't act like an ordinary young human at this point.'
Iseur looked back at Jio.
"I hope it works out one way or another. The fish here is delicious, but…."
"..."
"I want to go home, after all."
To that, Iseur asked.
"What is your home like, Mr. Jio?"
"Ah, it's an ordinary cabin."
"A cabin."
"A cabin in a forest with few visitors."
"..."
Isn't that a house that suits you so well?
'…Hearing even this….'
I can't just keep him captive.
Iseur decided to release the humans who had been caught in the net.
"..."
After all, he just had to catch them again.
Iseur, he knew the greed of humans for mermaids.
***
The people who had been dragged into the unspecified-grade virtual dungeon returned alive.
The number of survivors reached 80% of the total, and everyone praised it as a miracle.
"I wonder if this is a miracle too."
"I do not know what you mean."
"Jio, you just stay as you are."
"I do not know what you mean."
"Yes… just like you are now."
Yu Seong-un shuddered at the efficacy of 'Jio's Portrait.'
-x-X-x-
"Isn't it a miracle, truly?"
Bisabeol greeted Yu Seong-un with a bright smile.
"..."
"Hey, hey, don't go back out, just come in. You can't do that to someone's face."
"Ah, I really don't want to go in…."
"I trust you know that I'm the one who pays your salary. Am I wrong?"
"Because I know, I at least came to the door, didn't I."
"If you know, then what are you doing not scurrying right in, Curator Yu Seong-un? The Guild Master is waiting."
Finally entering the office, Yu Seong-un muttered as he sat on the employee sofa.
"I'm definitely going to save up and quit."
"Did you really think that would be possible?"
"If there's a valid reason, shouldn't you approve my resignation letter?"
"Remember that a disgruntled me might accidentally forget to process the resignation letter."
"Corruption…."
"When has there ever been a time in the Republic of Korea without corruption? How can you make such a naive remark."
"Ah, I really hate this."
Yu Seong-un roughly wiped his tired face with both hands and, after letting out a deep sigh as if to exhale his very soul, he slowly raised his head.
The area around his eyes was as hollow as a panda's.
"So what were you curious about? I submitted a full report in writing just yesterday. What on earth were you so curious about that you had to call this poor employee in?"
Bisabeol cut to the chase.
"Looking at the report, it unfortunately seems that Jio didn't cause any casualties."
"Unfortunately?"
"My true feelings slipped out by mistake. I was curious how that portrait worked."
"What kind of reaction are you hoping for from me? Should I clap or something?"
"So let's skip over that part for a moment. I have a question about Jio's Portrait."
"I knew it. Please, go on."
"The part about it being altered in response to the dungeon and monsters was very interesting, but who exactly is Giovanni?"
"That…."
He certainly hadn't been able to report this part in writing.
"As you know, the matter concerning 'Jio's Portrait' is confidential even within our guild, so I didn't include it in the report to prevent any possible leaks. Did that perhaps feel disrespectful?"
"Disrespectful my ass, who is Giovanni?"
"Right, this is the kind of person you were."
"Giovanni is…."
"I'll tell you, so please wait a moment. I need to organize my thoughts too."
Yu Seong-un scratched the back of his neck and then continued.
"…He is judged to be one of the 'Jios' from another dimension. I became certain after obtaining some data while roaming the virtual dungeon I was dragged into, that is… the 'Temple of the Deep Sea'."
When he had gone around to check for any survivors who might have been dropped elsewhere, Yu Seong-un hadn't just been looking for people.
If he found a new dungeon, conducting a basic investigation was a natural duty as a Hunter.
"As a result, I was able to find traces of a person named 'Giovanni'. His age was probably in his early 30s, a priest who served the Sun God and a doctor, with platinum blond hair and blue eyes… it matched one of the descriptions of Jio I reported before."
"In that case, Jio must have a strong connection to the Source. He would be qualitatively different from ordinary Source beings or monsters."
"I am in the process of judging it to be so. After reincarnating as another 'Jio' in another dimension and ending his life as a human, he returns to the portrait for a period of reorganization… I suspect he repeats the cycle of reincarnating again after all maintenance is complete, for now."
It could also be something that proceeded simultaneously, untethered to such a temporal order. After all, it would be a process occurring between dimensions.
Therefore, 'Jio's Portrait' was not a human, a monster, an item, or even a child of the Source, said to be the most veiled of beings.
That's not to say it could be expressed simply with the word 'god'.
"'Jio's Portrait' can become anything."
Just like a painter who can express everything with paints and sculptures.
"And such a thing, is, well… what should I say…."
"I think it's a hasty judgment, but wouldn't the word Source be the most fitting?"
"…That could be."
If he didn't have a close connection to the 'Source', which is called the world's greatest secret, Jio would not have been able to maintain such a vast presence as he did now.
"Still, should I say I'm glad that he hasn't given up what little humanity remains? I don't know whether to say his willpower is amazing, or if this should also be seen as part of the Source's system…."
Yu Seong-un stroked his chin and then asked.
"Are there any other matters you're curious about?"
"Oh, is that all already?"
"I'm not like a parent telling a fairy tale. If you're bored, please find another conversation partner. I may not look at it, but I'm busy cleaning up the aftermath of this virtual dungeon."
"My apologies."
Bisabeol let out his characteristic thin laugh.
"You're busy creating an identity for Jio, aren't you? It's the task of creating an A-Class Hunter out of thin air, no less."
"No matter how many unofficial Hunters belong to the Collectors Guild, there are more than enough things to explain. We'll have to persuade the Association somehow, too."
"I will handle persuading the Association, so you only need to worry about the basic parts. It's not like they don't know about 'Jio's Portrait' either."
"Thank you for lightening my burden. Thanks to you, I'll be able to sleep in my own bed tonight for the first time in a while."
Jio had openly played an active role in the dungeon named 'Temple of the Deep Sea', the center of this incident.
Although Priest Kang Seo-dam was the only one who noticed his divinity, it wasn't as if his holy power could be hidden.
"At that point, we couldn't possibly say he was a non-existent person…."
"What can you do when there are so many witnesses? That's why it would have been much easier to handle things if we had just killed them all from the beginning."
"Are you telling me to become a Red Hunter? To be demoted to a 5th-class citizen? Just like that, suddenly?"
"No, I was thinking of Jio when I said that. If he had, wouldn't I have been able to appreciate Jio's attack methods?"
"I'll pretend I didn't hear that. Jio seems to think of you as a moderately good person, Guild Master, so please manage your image."
"That, I can say, is what I do best. It's one of the weapons that helped me establish one of the three major guilds with this frail body."
"But there are certainly many witnesses. Because the atmosphere was so harmonious, the witness accounts from the survivors are spreading even more actively…."
Perhaps because the survivors had received great comfort in the dungeon, thank-you messages for 'Hunter Seo Jio' were continuously flooding into the Collectors Guild.
In this situation, it was impossible to say that a person named 'Seo Jio' did not exist.
"Because of that, the employees are also a bit shaken. The official document distributed by the Guild Master clearly stated an employee named 'Jio', so they're wondering if he's the same person…."
"Of course he's the same person, right? I don't remember hiring such clueless employees."
"Everyone has their suspicions. No one is trying to act like they know because it seems like the work will get complicated, but at least that the 'Jio' in the official document and the 'Seo Jio' of this commotion are the same being."
"So everyone knows, but not a single person has spoken to me about it?"
"They don't want to be assigned extra work."
Yu Seong-un let out a long sigh.
"Just like me."
"I pay you."
"This damn capitalist society."
In a world where you could officially buy lifespan with money, there was no way labor rights existed.
Yu Seong-un massaged the back of his neck, which had stiffened from fatigue, and said.
"Still, thanks to you introducing him as an employee in the official document, there are some people who are just letting it slide, thinking 'I guess he really was an employee.' Most people are wondering if the Guild Master intends to hire a monster, not a human, though…."
"Speaking of which, shall we try it sometime?"
"When you act like this, the distrust among the employees deepens. It's not for nothing that they call you 'that crazy bastard who loses his mind when it comes to artworks.' Please maintain some dignity as a Guild Master, please."
"It's a very sorry thing to say, but I have none of that. Isn't he a fun person?"
"You'd think he'd have some at that age, but why doesn't he? Why really?"
Yu Seong-un wiped his face once more and continued.
"Anyway, Jio will be officially posted on the Collectors homepage soon. Since he's already known for his blond hair and blue eyes, if Jio wants to be active without his cape, he'll have to move around as 'Giovanni', but I think that much… Jio will probably understand."
Jio didn't seem to have any aversion to his personality changing.
Even that aspect made one nod, befitting a being of the Source, but since it wasn't a big burden on him either, he would tolerate it.
"In short, from now on, Jio… will be actively participating in human society."
"Can't we go to an amusement park together?"
"…'Jio's Portrait' dislikes noisy and crowded places, so I would appreciate it if you would refrain. While he remains unbelievably gentlemanly towards humans, that doesn't mean he has stopped disliking rude and evil individuals."
"Of course, I know. That's why I was thinking of chartering the whole place."
"Please do that for your lover…."
"A lover? Who would go to an amusement park with an old man like me?"
"Then why did you think Jio would go, that doesn't make any sense now."
He knew it was nonsensical bullshit meant to appreciate the reaction of Yu Seong-un, one of his collection items, but it was truly difficult to just listen to these remarks.
He was already tired, and his energy was being completely drained.
"Anyway, if you have nothing more to ask, I'll be leaving. I have to deliver the Hunter license we made this time to Jio, and there are many other things to teach him, like textbooks and what not…."
"Ah, wait a moment."
"What is it?"
"There's something wrong with the sea."
"..."
Yu Seong-un pressed his forehead.
"The sea, if you say that, surely… are you about to bring up the topic related to that strange phenomenon I went to investigate before? Now? After spewing a stream of nonsense, right as I'm about to stand up?"
Bisabeol nodded coolly.
"It slipped my mind."
"Don't lie, it's frustrating."
But Bisabeol would not stop these pranks, if only to appreciate and enjoy Yu Seong-un's own reaction.
It was an eternal truth, but it was indeed easier if you gave up.
Yu Seong-un, having wisely resigned himself, sat back down on the sofa.
"So what is it?"
"There won't be an official announcement yet, but if there's one good thing about the power of the three major guilds of the Republic of Korea, it's the fast information network."
"Ah, yes."
"I've brought some fresh information that the Association just confirmed."
"So what is it?"
"They observed a new dungeon appearing in the sea."
"…In the sea, a new dungeon…."
Yu Seong-un turned pale.
"…At this time?"
"At this time."
Bisabeol smirked.
"Does it remind you of something?"
"Surely… is it related to the 'Temple of the Deep Sea'?"
"It seems to be the same dungeon."
Bisabeol affirmed.
"A few brave Hunters from the Association went to check the inside, and they said the deeper they went, the more the environment resembled the form of a temple."
"It must be the same as what I saw in the 'Temple of the Deep Sea'. So there was another connected dungeon."
A sigh escaped him automatically.
"If it's to the point where the sea is acting strangely, could it be a villa-type dungeon? Did a whole… A temple appears?"
"Not that, it's an ordinary entry-type dungeon."
"It must be damn huge."
One of the characteristics of an entry-type dungeon is that its scope is limitless.
Among the entry-type dungeons confirmed so far, the largest one inside reached the size of a country.
A country the size of Russia, at that.
For that reason, entry-type dungeons are known to be the most stable, but also the most cumbersome and annoying to conquer.
Especially if it's expected to be as vast as this one.
"The 'Temple of the Deep Sea' I checked seemed to be a mix of a temple and a research institute. Since the report from the Hunters you mentioned stopped at the temple form, the place we saw was probably a much deeper… deep underground area."
If that was true, that kid Eun-ha had basically thrown people in there to die.
'It's common sense that the survival rate drops the deeper you go into a dungeon.'
In any case, he could never get used to the hatred and malice of monsters, no matter how much he received it.
"Ah, the child named Eun-ha that I reported…."
"He could not be found after your return. He probably remained in the dungeon or changed his form. It's highly likely that he changed his form to that of a human child to take on the appearance of a prospective priest at the initiation ceremony."
"Is that so?"
'Eun-ha' had disappeared, perhaps judging that it would be difficult to pretend to be human now.
To that, Bisabeol asked.
"Did Jio show any particular confusion about that part? It seems he cared for and cherished him quite a bit."
"..."
"It must have been quite a shock for the cause of this incident to be the child named Eun-ha."
"That part… he seemed fine."
"Hmm."
Bisabeol tilted his head, showing interest.
"He knew all along, didn't he?"
"…We don't know to what extent he has organized his personality, so I can't say for sure, but judging by the fact that he didn't show any particular shock or surprise afterward…."
"Jio knew from the beginning what kind of being Eun-ha was?"
"How else can we interpret it?"
No, he didn't know.
The Jio in the dungeon just hadn't had any thoughts, and the Jio who found out Eun-ha's identity after coming out just didn't show his confusion thanks to his stiff facial muscles.
He only became certain that the Iseur in Giovanni's memory and Eun-ha were the same person after escaping the dungeon.
"As it is a dungeon with a humanoid monster as its owner, it would be good to learn a little more about 'Giovanni', who could be called the key to that peace. Would that be possible?"
"I'll try my best."
"Ah, and…."
"What now?"
"..."
Bisabeol looked at Yu Seong-un with a feigned expression of sorrow.
"According to a Hunter from the Association, he witnessed 'Jio's Portrait' in the sea dungeon I just mentioned."
"…Excuse me?"
"To be precise, he said it was in the form of the 'Black Cape', not 'Seo Jio'. The Hunters from the Association successfully escaped with the help of a tall man wearing a black cape…."
"Oh, please…."
Yu Seong-un tore at his hair.
"Please play within the limits of what I can clean up…."
"Oh dear, how pitiful."
"Aaaaaargh…."
He could see a future of working overtime.
***
Of course, it wasn't that Jio had caused this incident to play around.
"I didn't know there would be other people in the dungeon I visited just to see the faces of my mermaid students."
"Kurururuk."
"Even a dad as versatile as me, who can roast sweet potatoes with paint, cannot predict every future, my dear."
Jio recalled the sturdy Hunters he had run into head-on in the place he visited, thinking, 'Of course there will be no one in that dungeon by now.'
They looked quite scared.
"Just like when the employees of the Collectors Guild ran into me at dawn."
"Kkung."
"Even though they look like very smart elites, those healthy employees were so scared…"
"Kkungkung."
"…scared…"
"Kkungkungkung."
"..."
To say it in advance, Jio also knew how to grasp reality.
And he also knew that a ghost story called the 'Black Cape' had sprung up in the Collectors Guild.
It was partly due to Guild Master Bisabeol's prank, but a large part was because the employees who took it seriously were thoroughly scared.
"…Ah."
The Black Cape standing alone in the hallway of the company after everyone had left, and the Black Cape who suddenly appeared in a dungeon where there should have been no people and showed them the way to survive.
Jio felt a déjà vu at the incredible synchronization rate.
Only then did his sense of reality return, and Jio thought, oops.
"…Did I cause trouble?"
"Kkur."
"Gods of heaven and earth."
That's how it happened.
-x-X-x-
"..."
"So…."
Yu Seong-un made a request to Priest Kang Seo-dam, who was sitting in the chair across from him.
"If possible, I'd like you to treat 'The Black Cape' and 'Seo Jio' as separate individuals."
"Separate individuals?"
"By separating the 'stories' that way, there will be fewer problems in coexisting."
"I understand what you mean."
Kang Seo-dam nodded.
"The Hunter I saw in the 'Temple of the Deep Sea' must be that person named 'Seo Jio'."
"Right, and as for the man in the pitch-black cape witnessed by the Association's Hunters this time, he's a complete unknown. You probably know they're the same person, but…."
"If that is the will of a god, I will accept it. The Goddess also expressed her intention of friendship to him, so it will not be difficult to simply keep my mouth shut."
He readily accepted Yu Seong-un's request.
It wasn't just because it was the will of the goddess he served.
"I had no intention of reporting that I saw a god in the 'Temple of the Deep Sea' either. He didn't seem to want his identity revealed, and if I were to say that a god appeared at the initiation ceremony I officiated, I would be pestered for a while. For my own sake as well, I will not speak of it."
A considerable amount of time had passed since their haphazard escape from the 'Temple of the Deep Sea', but Kang Seo-dam had not submitted a proper report about 'Seo Jio' to the religious order.
As a priest of the order, it was a unilateral action he would not have taken without the Goddess's will, but it was a decision that would have been impossible if the priest himself lacked flexibility.
Yu Seong-un had also grasped that fact and attempted this contact.
Yu Seong-un let out a feigned sigh of relief.
"Thank you for saying that. The employees within our guild can be managed by the Guild Master, but I was worried about how to silence Priest Kang Seo-dam, since you are a member of the religious order."
"'Silence' is a harsh expression. But I agree that we must be cautious about the matter of 'The Black Cape'. The being I met then did not feel like a typical god."
Not all gods could imitate humans and enjoy their amusement.
"Was that perhaps a type of evil god? I am aware that among the beings who can fit themselves into human standards enough to enjoy amusement, there are quite a few evil gods. If that is the case, then this separation measure could be a huge gamble."
"We're still figuring it out."
"So the collector has dealt with it vaguely again, with all that 'beloved artwork' talk. I still cannot comprehend the attitude of the Collectors guild members who can feel at ease just because he looks lovely and safe in the Guild Master's eyes."
"Still, we can't send Jio to a laboratory, can we?"
"It is true that unethical acts are as common as breathing in the Association's laboratories, but for the safety of humankind, that would be the correct choice. Of course, this is if he is an evil god. The probability of that is low for someone who seems to value peace and mercy, so I once again swear to the sun that I will keep this matter to myself."
However, the fact that the being named 'Seo Jio' was by no means safe for humans remained unchanged.
Mystical beings of such a grand scale had annihilated the entire human race of a dimension without any malice, and had created countless living hells.
"Besides, to be able to come and go from a dungeon with a humanoid monster as its owner as if it were his own home and rescue people…."
That level of power was far beyond the authority of a typical god.
A god couldn't be omniscient and omnipotent in all aspects.
Fundamentally, a being called a god was closer to an intangible fate or nature with a will, so not only could they not enjoy amusement in human form, but they also couldn't enter a dungeon so casually.
This could be said to be something that required strong will, deep experience, and immense ability.
"As someone who has received much mercy, this is an extremely ungrateful thing to say, but the fact that 'Mr. Seo Jio' is a dangerous being does not change."
Kang Seo-dam looked at Yu Seong-un.
"Isn't this a being that even the collector, who has the best eyes in the world, could not grasp?"
"It may be a very frustrating way of handling things from the perspective of the order or the Association, but we are also doing our best to understand."
"Is there no possibility that he will be hostile to humanity? I remember that the aura I felt was quite close to death."
"Well, he'd become a disaster if he gets angry. He might harm humanity unconsciously. Wouldn't the Earth be destroyed?"
"That would be troublesome."
The Earth was already barely holding on by a thread, thanks to the mercy of a few powerful individuals.
"…I'm saying this again, but I have no intention of interfering with Mr. Seo Jio's amusement. Hunter Yu Seong-un, you must know that is why I did not report to the religious order."
"I know full well, that's why I came to see you. I know that Priest Kang Seo-dam has no intention of revealing his identity either… but given the situation, I wanted to hear a proper affirmation."
To create a world where they could coexist with this fearsome portrait, and hoping for the day he could appreciate more of its forms, Bisabeol was hoping for the successful separation of 'Seo Jio' and 'The Black Cape'. Yu Seong-un felt the same.
"The image of Jio with blond hair and blue eyes was already revealed in the 'Temple of the Deep Sea', so we can't deny his existence, but the only one the Association has officially identified this time was 'The Black Cape'."
"I understand well what kind of thinking led to that decision. A mere human cannot stop the amusement of such a powerful god. It's obvious that a future with only innocent victims will emerge."
"We reached a similar conclusion. I do think it's a rather irresponsible form of neglect, but the Collectors want coexistence rather than his control. It's the time-honored motto of our guild."
In any case, the incidents caused by 'Jio's Portrait' could not be stopped by humans.
In that case, the plan was for the Collectors to officially manage the side of 'Giovanni' that had already been revealed, while quietly appeasing Jio behind the scenes to reduce the conflict between him and humans.
"It's not that the Collectors will just sit back and do nothing. I think if we pay some attention, we can at least reduce the public's unrest."
"How do you intend to reduce the unrest?"
"By turning 'The Black Cape' into an urban legend. The idea is to make it an ordinary story that people can enjoy casually."
"..."
Kang Seo-dam's expression twisted subtly.
It looked close to a face that was painstakingly and politely crushing down annoyance, discomfort, and bewilderment.
"…I don't think that will work. If things go wrong, the name 'The Black Cape' could instead become an object of fear, and he might become an even stronger disaster."
"For now, it's working for the Collectors. Our employees are treating 'The Black Cape' as a kind of ghost story, and have found a balance in their own way according to its rules."
"I believe that is due to the unique nature of the Collectors Guild. I am sure it will not be easy when you consider the city, Korea, and on a larger scale, everyone in the world."
"Still, it's better than doing nothing, isn't it."
"…Hoo…."
Perhaps thinking it wasn't his place to argue, or perhaps because it was too difficult to talk about the same topic anymore.
Kang Seo-dam, who was pressing his brow with a tired face, soon threw another question.
"…But, is it okay to call a god so familiarly? Like 'that guy', or 'Jio'…."
Kang Seo-dam's reaction was one of slight weariness.
"You are so casual in addressing that enormous being who is imitating human skin."
"Jio wants that."
"..."
"Does it feel uncomfortable from a priest's perspective?"
"…It can't be helped."
Regardless of religion, there were three rules required of a priest who served a god.
"First, do not look into God's eyes. Second, do not call the god's name. Third, do not test the god…. I believe Hunter Yu Seong-un is well aware of these."
"They're famous rules."
"It means not to try to know the essence of a god. Priests basically try to maintain a certain distance when dealing with a god. Treating a god too familiarly also has the potential to violate that essence, so we try to prevent it in advance."
"..."
"The faith of this era is certainly being used as a means. Because of that, humans' attitudes towards gods have become more intimate than before the Great Catastrophe, and their images have become much more secular… but it doesn't change the fact that those with divinity are intangible disasters."
Although they distinguish between traditional gods and evil gods, in reality, if you consider the absolute standard, it is quite ambiguous.
It's because a divinity that is clearly harmful to humanity is evaluated as an evil god.
But how can nature and fate be divided into good and evil? No matter how insignificant beings like humans measure and classify them, it would only cause headaches.
"Whether they have the will or not, a being called a god can at any time become a disaster for humanity."
Priests had to know that better than any other human.
"To forget that is the same as being unqualified as a priest."
"That's quite profound."
"I meant for you to be careful too, Mr. Yu Seong-un. I have seen countless people who called a god's true name and burst from being crushed by the weight of fate. Receiving a god's gaze all to oneself means that."
"I know that well, too."
In fact, Yu Seong-un might know it better.
"I'm something of an expert in this field myself."
From Yu Seong-un's, the Gardener's perspective, the gods of the current generation are classified as a type of 'child of the Source.'
Closely connected to the Source, a formless, soundless disaster that can exist in any dimension.
A fate with a will and a living story.
All these conditions align with a 'child of the Source.'
'But I can't tell that to the priest.'
He would be lucky if all he got was called irreverent.
In the first place, the existence of the Gardeners and the knowledge related to them was uncontrollable and dangerous information that only a few people knew and could handle, so he couldn't go blabbering about Jio's story just to save his own face.
"Anyway, don't be too surprised when you see Jio active in society soon. The Jio at that time will probably be quite flexible and have a good personality, so he won't cause any trouble. His identity will be solid too."
"..."
"He'll be introduced as a Tamer who is a devout follower, enough to handle holy power, so I meant for you to play along. His essential aura might be a bit different, but primarily, Jio is close to the Sun God lineage."
"I'm telling you not to talk like that. It's uncomfortable to hear."
"What can I do, this is my way?"
"Haa…."
"Ah, come to think of it."
Yu Seong-un blinked and asked.
"Has the Association officialized the information about 'The Black Cape'?"
One of the things the Association did was to organize and inform Hunters of the rules regarding beings they should be aware of.
Yu Seong-un thought that the 'Black Cape' witnessed this time was sufficient to be officialized as such.
"They need to open the floodgates on their end so it's easier for us to spin it as a ghost story."
"The dungeon at the newly discovered entrance has also been named, so 'The Black Cape' will be sorted out soon."
"As expected of a priest from the Solar Cult, you're quick with information. What's the name of that dungeon?"
"It is not much different from the place we visited."
Kang Seo-dam continued.
"They call it the 'Country of the Deep Sea'."
"Well…."
Yu Seong-un nodded his head.
"It's intuitive and good."
It was a fitting name.
***
"Hunter Jeong Da-un."
"..."
"Hunter Jeong Da-un, are you ready?"
"..."
The woman with limp brown hair nodded her head.
"…Yes, I'm ready."
"We will now begin a question-and-answer session about what happened in the 'Country of the Deep Sea'."
"Yes."
"As the team leader, Hunter Jeong Da-un will be taking the questions, but if the information is insufficient, we will also seek help from your colleagues, Hunter Jeong Da-un."
"Yes."
"First of all…."
The man in a doctor's gown sitting across from the Hunter continued.
"Let's start with some light talk."
"..."
"You seem to be very nervous. It's been about 3 days since you completed the exploration of the 'Country of the Deep Sea'. Was it not enough of a rest for you?"
"..."
"I am not interrogating you about why you haven't recovered yet, so please speak comfortably. We can only conduct the Q&A session once Hunter Jeong Da-un's mind and body have stabilized."
"…Yes."
The hesitant Hunter let out a hollow laugh and spoke awkwardly.
Her voice was recorded on the recorder.
"I'm sorry, my body has fully recovered."
"I'll say it again, there is nothing to be sorry about."
"It's just… that thing won't leave my head…."
"By 'that thing', are you referring to the 'Black Cape' that was witnessed this time?"
"Yes, that's right. The Black Cape."
The woman raised her head.
"Ah, has the name been decided as 'The Black Cape'?"
"It has been temporarily named as such, but we don't know how the designation will change in the future. The Association has absolutely no information about The Black Cape."
"Am I the first discoverer…?"
"We requested cooperation from the Hunter Associations of various countries, but we have not received any information about the being you witnessed. We need to check a little more, but there is a high probability that Hunter Jeong Da-un's sighting is the first."
"…I see."
In fact, the first discoverer was Bisabeol, who had recognized his identity long ago, and even if counting sightings by non-related civilians, there was Cha Ara, but because things had proceeded so peacefully, the information about him had not been passed on to the Association.
"Then my answers become very important."
"Yes. I don't want to burden you, but as he has been identified as being of a considerably high class, the response measures organized by the Association will change depending on how accurate the information you provide is."
"..."
The hunter nodded her head.
"I'm ready."
"Then we will begin the questioning."
The man, a researcher from the Association, began the main questions.
"Where was the location where you first witnessed 'The Black Cape'?"
"…It was the temple, in the 'Country of the Deep Sea'."
"Let's continue from there. The 'Country of the Deep Sea' is said to have a structure of stage 1, above the sea. Stage 2, a submerged city below the water's surface. Stage 3, a giant temple. Is that correct?"
"Yes, that's right. When you first enter, Hunters are standing on the sea. You don't fall in unless you intentionally try to enter. If you move a bit too aggressively, you fall in… but you can come back up again."
"In that case, the 'Country of the Deep Sea' must be a structure where the danger level increases as you go down."
"That's right, there wasn't anything you could call a monster on the sea. We confirmed that you can breathe even when you go below the surface. There is resistance from the water, so your movements are restricted, though."
"You said monsters were witnessed from stage 2."
"A zombie-like feeling that lives in the water…? There was also a strange slime that looked like a lump of flesh. Besides that, various other things… but I believe my team members have reported on this part."
"Yes, we were just confirming it once more."
The researcher nodded his head.
"Then let's move on to the temple. Is there a big difference between the monsters in stage 2, the 'submerged city', and the monsters in stage 3, the 'temple of the deep sea'?"
"The fact that they looked more heinous? The types themselves seemed similar. But the monsters found in the temple were much more grotesque and ferocious. Naturally, the danger level was also higher."
"Then from here on is the main point."
The researcher took out a photo from the file, and pushed it to show the Hunter.
"This is a photo taken by one of your team members, Hunter Kim I-yeon."
"..."
Pictured in the photo was a man completely surrounded by a pitch-black cape.
"You all described this being as a man, but in fact, it might not have a gender at all. Since its whole body is covered in a cape, there's no guarantee it has a human form."
"…That's true."
"Nevertheless, is there a reason you described him as a 'man in a black cape'?"
"Because… it felt that way."
As a skilled hunter, she knew well about the ambiguity of monsters.
Just because a voice was deep, or because it was tall, didn't make it male.
She had never seen the entity inside the cape, so she didn't even know if it had a human form.
'The Black Cape' didn't even make a sound when it walked.
A very light rustling sound of grass could be heard, in which case it was strange to be sure that the inside was a heavy human body.
"..."
Yes, it's strange.
"…Still, it felt 'human'."
She knows it's not human, yet she ends up saying 'human'.
"As if it were a very natural fact…."
If Jio had heard, he would have felt a bit wronged, thinking, 'But I am human.'
-x-X-x-
Turning back time a little, after Jio escaped the 'Temple of the Deep Sea' and returned to the cabin.
"I knew that unlike the Earth I remember from 30 years ago, the Earth now was a pretty dangerous place…."
"Kururu…."
"I never imagined a terrorist-like incident would break out at such a huge religious event. It was the first terrorist incident I've ever experienced in my life."
Jio was composing himself.
"It's a truly scary world, at the bright young age of 29, I almost went to join my family."
Having experienced a miracle beyond miracles by merging with the Source in a mere human body, he probably wouldn't die so easily, but since he himself knew nothing about it, we'll move on.
It was surprising enough that student Eun-ha from the initiation ceremony was the same person as the Iseur in Giovanni's memories, but to think that kid had even orchestrated this terrorist incident.
"...."
Giovanni became very distressed.
"He wasn't that kind of kid originally, so why did he become like that?"
"...."
"…If I had to find a reason, it would probably be my fault, right?"
"Kkuru."
"Oh, Sun."
Yes, honestly, dying like that was a bit too much. Giovanni knew his sin.
"Iseur especially thought of me as a father. He was such a good and sincere friend, so that incident must have been much more shocking to him. When good kids decide to go astray, it can be very scary…."
He let out a pained sound.
"I should at least make sure he gets a meal."
And these things called Jio never worried deeply.
It was the fusion of two guys whose basic creed was 'So what'.
He was a good person, if you could call him that, but more than that, he knew how to make judgments that were objective to the point of being cold.
He didn't blame or regret things that weren't his responsibility.
This terrorist incident was no exception.
It seemed like an incident caused by a disciple who went astray after being shocked by his master's death, but that couldn't possibly be the fault of the dead master, Giovanni.
There was no reason to be intimidated when someone else caused the trouble.
"This teacher knows everything. It's all because he was hungry and got sensitive."
"Kkuk…?"
"People can only afford to consider others' circumstances when their own stomachs are full."
Far from feeling any guilt, Jio summed up the condition of his disciple, Iseur the mermaid.
"Most incidents and accidents classified as crimes committed by humans happen because the perpetrators are not mentally healthy. Most people wouldn't do such things if they were living a stable life."
If Iseur, who couldn't even handle a fish, let alone a person, had maintained a happy and healthy mind, would this have happened?
Jio, now with black hair, advised.
"Honey, you should remember this well too. There's hardly anyone who is irritable when their body is healthy and their stomach is full. Just by filling their stomachs, most people will become gentle."
"Kkukkung?"
"If someone is still irritable after that, they're a truly strange person, so avoid them. If you give them food and they repay kindness with evil, it's either because the one who gave the food killed their parents, or the one who ate it is weird."
"Kkuk."
"Now is the most important time to decide how I should respond. How should this foolish master react to the disciple who ate him? The fact that he grew up to be a terrorist is quite a headache, so I could just live my life without ever seeing him again, but…."
Of course, Jio couldn't do that.
"How many times did I feed those kids? I can't just see him once and pretend I don't know him."
He doesn't care about things that aren't his responsibility.
The terrorist incident at the Solar Cult's initiation ceremony was clearly not his fault, but there was certainly some responsibility on Giovanni's part for making his former disciple, Iseur, grow up that way.
"It was the best I could do at the time, but if I hadn't been eaten alive, Iseur probably wouldn't have become so twisted."
"Kururuk."
Honey nodded. Its face said, 'You might be right about that,' so Jio had nothing more to say.
"…Anyway, so…."
Wanting to clean up the mess as a human, an adult, and a teacher, he devised a way to meet the mermaid siblings again.
"In my memory, the 'Breathing Sea' and Iseur's dungeon had quite a similar atmosphere."
But even so, it seemed difficult to find the 'Temple of the Deep Sea' through the 'Breathing Sea'.
How could he do something so reckless, not knowing where anything was in that vast world?
And he didn't even know if the two were really connected.
Jio nodded.
"Fortunately, I have the ability to visit other people's dungeons as I please."
"Kururuk?"
"Yes, let's try painting it."
Hadn't he already experienced it once with the 'Vein of Jewels'?
He had failed in his goal of having a desirable social life back then, but thanks to it, he was able to save a young student named Cha Ara.
"This is a pretty useful ability."
If Yu Seong-un had heard, he would have made a small retort, saying, 'It's probably more than just pretty useful,' but Jio was a recluse.
"I can also make roasted sweet potatoes…. They're really delicious with a bit of butter and salt, and a drizzle of honey."
"Kurrrrrruk!!"
"It's similar to Stir-fried Honey Sweet Potato, but a little moister and softer. Ah, and if you add a little whipped cream on top, it's truly fantastic…."
There was no way a lonely young man cooped up in a cabin with no internet would know such common sense.
To him, the ability to paint was no different from a meal truck that filled his stomach.
Jio went to find his father.
"Father."
"Kkuu."
It was the Sun God, teddy bear ver., who had started living in the cabin at some point.
"You were playing with Dana."
"Kku kku…."
"I'm glad you seem to be getting along."
The jewel cat he had brought back from the 'Vein of Jewels' last time, Anticat Dana, was cold-bodied.
So he had wondered if it would get along with the teddy bear that held the warmth of the sun, but their compatibility seemed very good.
"It's just that I'm going to try to meet Iseur again."
"Kkuuu."
"Thank you for your support. I'm thinking of creating a passage by painting, but it seems like the process will take a lot of time…."
"Kku kku."
"Thank you for your consideration. I've put snacks in the storage, so please help yourselves."
Even on this trip to Seoul, he had said, 'Hehe, I'll just watch the event and come right back home,' but how much time had he ended up spending at the temple?
In preparation for a similar situation this time, Jio wholeheartedly finished all preparations so that the cabin could be harmonious even without him.
"...."
Sitting in his workshop, Jio blinked about twice. He muttered.
"…Come to think of it, that temple, maybe…."
The 'Temple of the Deep Sea' that Jio had seen was, for some reason, familiar.
"Is it the place where I died?"
"Kkuruk."
"I don't remember that part in detail."
Synchronization Rate 94.5%
"...."
Still, he properly remembered what the dungeon looked like.
"Let's paint it."
Jio began to paint the 'Temple of the Deep Sea'.
The pure white pillars that held divinity and the high ceiling, and a laboratory that wasn't entirely out of place.
The numerous monsters roaming about and the air shimmering with water scales….
"...."
Jio became absorbed in the painting.
***
The storage where finished works were covered with black cloth.
"...."
The Sun God, sitting in the middle of the storage with Anticat Dana in its arms, raised its head and looked towards one side that was emitting a cold light.
"…Kkuu."
"Myung?"
"Kku kku…."
The 'Breathing Sea,' which could be called the Sun God's hometown, was resonating.
"Kku."
May that story come to an end.
The sun submerged in the sea prayed earnestly.
***
"...."
Jio, with his black cape pulled down low, was in the 'Temple of the Deep Sea'.
"Oh."
This actually works.
"I felt it when I went to the 'Vein of Jewels,' but this is a truly convenient means of travel."
"Kururuk."
"Should we look around a bit?"
Perhaps because the place itself was so vast, he didn't immediately think about finding Iseur.
Considering he was trespassing, Jio decided to be a bit more cautious and look around.
He had come right after painting in his workshop, so he was still barefoot, but it wasn't that cold.
The shallow seawater on the floor made a pleasant splashing sound.
"...."
Giovanni, having become a scoundrel who entered his disciple's finely decorated home without permission, felt a moment of self-disgust.
"Should I buy a new phone?"
"Kkung…."
"Right, the signal won't get through."
It was unavoidable due to the nature of portraits, but considering what happened at The Collectors' guild gallery, it seemed that Jio was destined to get used to trespassing.
'No one would let a portrait into their home expecting a living person to pop out of it.'
Jio humbly accepted his destiny to startle many more people in the future. It was a bit funny, so it was okay.
"It hasn't changed much from the last time I saw it."
"Kururuk."
Fortunately or unfortunately, finding his way wasn't that difficult.
"Somehow… it feels familiar too."
It was largely thanks to Giovanni's memories.
"Because this was where I used to work."
"Kkuk?"
"Ah, that's right. This was where I worked. I remember now."
Giovanni nodded.
"I wasn't stationed here permanently, but I did receive training here. Only after being properly recognized as a priest could you go to other regions and operate independently; until then, you have to train at a temple like this."
"Kkuru."
"You don't have to worry, my memory isn't perfect, but I haven't forgotten the way. Spending time here with others before brought some things back to me…."
Walking along, Jio looked around.
"But it still feels unfamiliar."
The temple he remembered didn't have any research facilities like this.
"...."
After feeling that gap in time, Giovanni's disposition softened.
"Let's go to the exit."
"Kururuk."
Jio found the temple stairs and climbed them.
And then, he met people.
"...."
"...."
"...?"
Why are you coming out from there?
***
"...."
Returning to the present, Hunter Jeong Da-un of the Association continued.
"…Does it still sound a bit strange?"
"To be frank, yes, I don't quite understand."
The researcher nodded.
"But I understand what you're trying to say, Hunter Jeong Da-un. You mean that while you rationally recognized the opponent was not human, you instinctively felt they were human, right?"
"Yes, that's right."
"Then, could it not be some kind of brainwashing?"
Among monsters, especially humanoid monsters, many possessed mental-type skills.
"Even if they're not humanoid monsters, many monsters attempt to mimic humans. It would make more sense if it hid its body with a cape to conceal its true form and used a mental-type skill to make you perceive it as human."
"…I don't think that was it."
Recalling the memory, the Hunter shook her head.
"It was a dungeon that appeared in the sea right after the 'Temple of the Deep Sea,' which was judged to be a dungeon of considerable risk. Although we didn't know at the time that the two were connected dungeons, we attempted entry assuming there would be at least some connection."
"So you're saying you entered after thorough preparation."
"Yes, among our preparations, we had an item to counter brainwashing. As you may have already been briefed, that item is A-Class and can nullify mental-type skills for up to 10 people. Of course, you could say that the 'Black Cape' used a skill of A-Class or higher, but…."
After a moment of hesitation, the Hunter continued.
"I'm sure of it. The item didn't react to the 'Black Cape' in the first place."
"Not at all?"
"It wasn't that it failed to defend, but that it wasn't applicable at all. The 'Black Cape' never once used a mental-type skill against us."
"And yet, you say you felt the opponent was human, Hunter Jeong Da-un. To an opponent with whom you felt such a great sense of disparity that it felt alien."
"It was a feeling that was even close to certainty. To the point where I thought it was impossible to deny it myself."
That was truly something that made no sense.
"For some reason, I felt relieved as if I were lying in a cozy bed, and I was also surprised by that side of myself, which gave me the chills. It became a bit of a reliance… I'm sorry, I can't describe it in detail."
"I understand."
The researcher, offering a simple consolation, continued with his questions.
"Then let's return to our previous topic. Please don't focus on the 'Black Cape's' identity, but describe its actions. How did you first encounter it?"
"…It was after we entered Stage 3, the 'Temple of the Deep Sea.' Perhaps because it was a place that had devoured people in the form of a virtual dungeon, we could certainly see traces of other people. Of course, in the end, there was no one who could be called human…."
The Hunter spoke as if she was still dizzy from the memory.
"As we were looking around the temple like that, we encountered a humanoid monster."
"The report states 'Iseur the mermaid,' do you judge it to be the same entity as the 'Eun-ha' reported by Priest Kang Seo-dam of the Solar Cult?"
"I suppose it couldn't be anything else, could it? Ah, of course, the entity we encountered was in the form of an adult, not a child. It was our first time encountering a humanoid monster, so we were all tense."
"Well, it is the first officially witnessed humanoid monster in a very long time."
The Hunter, bowing her head as if thankful for the understanding, continued.
"He introduced himself as a mermaid named Iseur. As described by Priest Kang Seo-dam, he had pearl-colored eyes and light blue hair. Based on the photo of 'Eun-ha' that he reported, it certainly seemed to be the same individual."
The Hunter, with a tired face, crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair.
"The dungeon's story, as you already know…."
"The report described it as 'A monster born from the tragedy of horribly losing a beloved human'."
"Like all monsters, its hatred for humans was immense. But its skill in mimicking a human was so excellent that at first, we thought it might be a priest who hadn't managed to escape."
Its appearance as it approached with a benevolent smile unique to priests was certainly closer to that of a human.
"But it didn't continue the mimicry. We were only confused for a moment and quickly realized the opponent was a monster, and it seemed Iseur the mermaid had no intention of acting for long either… because a battle started."
"And you said you escaped safely. Is that right?"
"For some reason, the opponent showed a strange reaction. Our team at the time judged that there must have been some problem with the dungeon. It made the other monsters in the dungeon deal with us and went off somewhere."
"But the cause of that was…."
"Yes."
The Hunter nodded as if to say, what you're thinking is correct.
"The reason Iseur fled was probably because of the 'Black Cape'… We knew it the moment we saw that being."
"I'm asking again, but how did you come to meet it?"
"…It asked for our identities."
The memory was still vivid.
"It asked… what our names were."
The eeriness of that moment, the Hunter added, was beyond description.
It was a remark that would surely make Jio complain indignantly, 'Can't I even exchange names?'