One day, the young mermaid said.
"I'm going to eat you up."
"..."
Giovanni gave an awkward laugh.
"…Is that something you say to someone who has just returned from the market?"
"I said, I'm going to eat you."
"It seems you were displeased that I went to the market leaving Aria alone."
"Yes, I am displeased."
"You were the one who said you wanted to stay home alone, engrossed in your book, Aria."
"I'm going to eat you u…"
"I understand. We shall go together next time."
Giovanni patted Iseur, who was constantly glancing behind him, wondering if his older sister was angry and handed the child a bag of groceries.
It wasn't that heavy.
"Could you take this to the kitchen?"
"Ah, yes, I will."
"Thank you for always helping, Iseur."
Watching Iseur head to the kitchen, Giovanni sat down beside Aria.
"Looking at you like this, you don't seem all that angry."
"Is this what humans call being angry?"
"Merfolk are indeed dull when it comes to emotions. Perhaps it's because you usually live among sea creatures with whom you rarely communicate."
"Sea creatures communicate perfectly well. It's just that stupid humans can't recognize it."
"Is that so? But it must be of a different nature than the creatures on land."
His deep blue eyes curved.
"Perhaps what you are feeling right now, Aria, is anger."
"The story of an angry mermaid sounds quite unfamiliar."
"It's my first time seeing an angry mermaid as well. Merfolk were always expressionless, even when fighting with humans."
"I suppose so."
Even when humans killed a mermaid's child, the merfolk did not get angry.
They simply delivered retribution with cool, expressionless faces, and watching them, people would say they were monsters who didn't even care if their own children died.
"Speaking of which, I heard humans and merfolk fought again in the next village. Did you see it, teacher?"
"I did not see it, but the merfolk I have seen throughout my life have always been without emotional expression."
He smiled.
"As you know, Aria, the conflict between humans and merfolk is so old that no one knows who started it."
Even they didn't know who was the progenitor of this conflict.
Humans simply saw merfolk as eerie sea monsters, and merfolk regarded humans as stupid and threatening beasts.
The conflict was escalating. Now, merfolk would drown innocent humans in the sea and humans would dry innocent merfolk to death in the public square.
Watching this, they would shout at each other.
"Everyone says this. We must kill the merfolk. We must kill the humans…. They say, how could anyone but a devil create such a horrific situation."
"..."
"I have seen the conflict between merfolk and humans with my own two eyes. Living as a son of the sun, I traveled from place to place, and in the process, I encountered many merfolk."
"And so you boast that you know merfolk well?"
"It might have been an inappropriate confidence to show in front of a mermaid. But even I find your angry appearance unfamiliar, Aria."
"You may be seeing it often from now on."
"Oh dear…"
Giovanni carefully stroked her dark navy hair.
"As far as I know, the idea that merfolk eat humans is just a superstition spread in some regions. Why did you say you would eat me?"
"Because whenever I said this, everyone obediently listened."
"So it's a result of learning. I understand."
Giovanni understood such learning in merfolk.
The indifference of merfolk, who felt no need to distinguish between means and methods as long as they could produce the desired result, further fueled the humans' fear.
But Giovanni hoped that this mermaid, who was curious about humans, would become a more friendly and social adult, so he wished this would not end as a mere result of learning.
Giovanni continued speaking.
"Then it must be a joke."
"A joke?"
"You don't really intend to eat me, do you."
"Merfolk don't eat humans. We get stomachaches."
"In that case, let's just call it a joke."
He didn't want to place undue weight on the mermaid's cruel learning.
Hadn't this deep conflict arisen because up until now humans and merfolk had attached excessive meaning to the other side's 'incomprehensible actions'?
He simply advised.
It was an extremely light piece of advice he could offer as a teacher and a friend.
"It must be convenient to make people obey your commands by frightening them. But if you only scare them, a great many people will try to run away from your side, Aria."
"Is that a bad thing?"
"At least for Aria, who wants to learn about humans, it wouldn't be a good thing. Humans are not creatures that show diverse reactions only in fear. On the contrary, they show far more reactions when they are happy and joyful."
Giovanni hoped this mermaid would not be left alone in the future.
So, as her younger brother wished, he wanted the day to come when the sea and the sun became one.
Merfolk live for a very long time, dwelling in a single memory.
Perhaps this young mermaid, who liked her current daily life, could grow up to become a mermaid who helps humans someday. She could be the beginning of peace.
It was impossible to know if it would really happen, and he didn't want to force it.
However, there was a definite wish for this mermaid, who would have to live a lifetime embracing his short life, to become gentler.
"If you keep playing pranks like this, no one will be left by your side, Aria."
To that, the arrogant mermaid asked.
"My younger brother?"
"..."
"And, what about you?"
"…Perhaps we will always remain by your side."
"Always?"
"As long as I do not die."
"You're going to die."
The mermaid complained.
"The lifespan of humans is too short. The sun that made you was stupid."
"Isn't it also that because our lifespan is short, we show more diverse aspects?"
"I don't understand. Isn't it obvious that one can learn more with a longer lifespan?"
"You will slowly come to understand as time passes."
"What?"
"Desperation."
Giovanni knew the limits of humans.
He also knew the infinite possibilities that arose from them.
"It is precisely because we are creatures of short breath that we strive so hard. A slothful human is easily left behind, that situation easily worsens, and humans cannot welcome such a situation."
"You struggle because you are more desperate?"
"Perhaps that is so. Is there a point here to consider further? What might that be? Aria, think about it."
"..."
The little mermaid princess, after pondering with her small head, asked.
"Then, if merfolk too become desperate, do we become diverse like you?"
"Of course. Merfolk are simply more familiar with water and have a slightly longer lifespan than humans. It means we are not that different."
"A great many things seem very different."
"If a human were to grow gills to breathe underwater and live a life closer to eternity, people would look at him and call him a merman."
"Are you saying we are the same?"
"No one was wrong. We simply have our differences. If there is one thing I felt while living with you all, it was the fact that ultimately, you, Aria, are the same as me."
Giovanni did not doubt that fact in the slightest.
"Merfolk are also creatures that create precious things, aren't you?"
"What does that have to do with future diversity?"
"Because any living creature develops to protect what is precious to it."
"Any living creature?"
"Even a four-legged beast that cannot speak, even the fish we so often eat, will use all sorts of tricks and develop great strength to protect their young."
"That's an instinct to preserve the species."
"An innate instinct can also be called something precious."
The mermaid did not seem to understand well.
"Then is human greed the same?"
"If protecting that greed is precious to oneself, then yes, it is."
Everyone becomes diverse because they have something precious to them.
It's just that humans, with their shorter lives than merfolk, strive harder to achieve their goals.
"So, merfolk will be the same."
"…Then what on earth is the difference between humans and merfolk?"
"In truth, they are not different."
It is only that they do not understand each other.
"So, nothing grand is needed. If only the number of people who understand each other's differences increases…"
"..."
"If the number of people who voice understanding and compromise increases, this long conflict will one day come to an end."
The mermaid complained with an expressionless face.
"That sounds strange."
"I suppose it does."
"I don't like it."
"Is that so?"
"I'm going to eat you."
"You won't, yet you're being so cross…"
"I'm going to eat you."
"Of course, I understand perfectly."
But there was something she absolutely had to remember.
"Aria, if you intend to scare someone by saying you'll eat them, you must know this."
"What is that?"
"Whatever your purpose was, humans will each show a different reaction, and you must take responsibility for that reaction. A creature that does not take responsibility cannot learn anything."
"..."
Responsibility.
"…Alright."
The mermaid readily affirmed.
"I will take responsibility."
"Wonderful."
"I will eat you."
"Oh my… what could have displeased you again."
So, that was a joke.
"I will put you on my dining table."
"This priest is not tasty."
An endlessly lighthearted joke.
***
"..."
"..."
The mermaid blinked her eyes and saw a rapturously brilliant light.
It was the sun.
"…I…"
Why am I wavering?
The moment my heart sways, I've lost.
I didn't want to lose, not after waiting for so long.
But that light was hot enough to dry up even the vast ocean.
It was the sharp heat that had once dried the tails of merfolk above the sea.
My stomach churned.
A motion sickness I had never felt, not even in the deep, dark abyss, not even on the surface roiling from a typhoon, came over me.
"…I don't quite understand."
"What is it that you do not understand?"
"Well, this is…"
Could this also be desperation?
If so, desperation for what.
Soon, the mermaid found the words she could say.
"Why would you think that I'd wish for you not to die?"
"Because you did not create me, Aria."
Giovanni's voice was no different from what it was thousands of years ago.
"I saw the laboratory. You attempted to create and combine numerous lives. The skill in dissecting and organizing creatures was, at the very least, taught by me, so I could recognize it as a matter of course."
Aria suddenly thought it was all too strange.
It was a voice she had mulled over and remembered for a countless amount of time, but it felt unfamiliar, knowing the reason for this voice's absence until now.
You fled to the sun's side or you melted into the cold sea.
How can a person who returned to nature come back alive, looking the same as then, and speak to me.
"Some even succeeded, and some you intentionally ruined."
"..."
"I was suspecting that it might have been to give them a life that was not truly living."
The priest of the sun, who seemed to have been preserved in his most beautiful years, asked.
"Then why did you not do so to me? Why did you not bring me back to life?"
"…No matter how I tried, I could not succeed. You died without so much as a corpse, so there was not enough material to study."
"That's because you respected me."
"Had you died in a more intact form, the result would have been different. It was simply a matter beyond my abilities, not something I intended."
"If emotions are also an ability, then that would not be a lie either. I know that merfolk feel emotions too."
Giovanni was certain.
"You love me, Aria."
"Why would you think that?"
"There is no strength in your voice."
"That's not true."
It was a meaningful reunion with an old friend.
I had no intention of proceeding in such a foolish manner; I hadn't been able to sneer as well as I had resolved to, thinking that my end had finally come.
I had never been this foolish for hundreds, thousands of years.
I had killed, tormented, and toyed with so many humans…
"..."
But just by seeing one missed face, the words wouldn't come out.
Even though the only thing that had changed was your existence, Giovanni.
Only then did I recall that you were not only my friend but also my teacher.
An adult I could never win against and my guiding star.
'That's right. Yes, that's how it was.'
Surprisingly, Aria had never won against him.
She was reminded of a fact she had forgotten for a while.
With difficulty, I opened my mouth.
"In the first place… Giovanni, with your divinity, would you really die just because you were killed like this? This must be nothing more than a trick to fluster me."
"If this is a lie, I can die anew before you a thousand times, and if this is the truth, 'Giovanni' will disappear in this place. He is merely a human."
"…That's also true."
I became amused at myself for not expecting such a counterattack.
Unlike Aria, who couldn't touch a single fingertip of her master, encountered through an unbelievable miracle, Giovanni could destroy himself as much as he wanted.
'If he had been one to cherish his own body and life, he would have lived longer than that.'
But Giovanni was a human who accomplished everything because he wanted to.
Form a very long time ago, Aria had not been able to win against her teacher.
"..."
Having come this far, Aria could not lie that she did not love Giovanni.
Because, for whatever reason, Giovanni was confident of the merfolks' love, and unfortunately, that was the truth.
"Ah…"
From that moment, victory and defeat were already decided.
Aria knew it too, and because she knew, she had placed her end entirely in Giovanni's hands.
And yet, her benevolent teacher chose to torment himself rather than wield that leash.
Because he knew that was more effective in punishing Aria. It was certainly so.
"Why do you have to be so cruel?"
A reply came back to the reflexive question.
"Why were you so cruel?"
"..."
"To me, and to the countless humans you have met until now."
"…I was angry."
"Then you must take responsibility."
I know.
"I know, too."
He told me to take responsibility.
"From a very long time ago, you've kept saying that to me. To act only after preparing to take responsibility for everything I do."
No matter how much time has passed, there's no way I would have forgotten your teachings.
But she did not take responsibility for anything.
Because she simply did not want to be responsible for the deaths and suffering of mere humans.
If she had to weigh the gravity of her tantrums, she wouldn't have even started in the first place.
"If I take responsibility for the things I've done, doesn't that defeat the purpose of venting my anger?"
Ah, I hate humans.
I loathe them.
Even this feeling of anger was so precious to Aria that she couldn't bring herself to soften it.
My resentment and hatred are as heavy as the love I had for you.
It was truly precious.
So, it was only natural not to take responsibility either.
Because if I took responsibility, if I atoned, I would have to conclude that this feeling was wrong.
I didn't want this terribly precious memory to be tainted and dulled.
"No one told me to take responsibility."
"Quite a few would have wanted you to."
"I suppose so. The countless humans who died and were hurt at my hands."
They must have wished for this horrific sea monster to meet the most miserable death in the world, to atone while continuing days more terrible than death itself.
"But isn't it a funny story? How can you expect human emotions from a monster like me."
She briefly looked at the white-haired Hunter with an impassive expression.
Yu Seong-un, was it. Aria asked him.
"Do you Hunters want the monsters inhabiting dungeons to be judged by the law? Or do you want them to apologize or feel sad?"
"…Monsters are just targets for subjugation. We don't engage in such emotional expenditure. Resources are too scarce to put even monsters, who aren't criminals, on the stand."
"Yes, that's it. Most humans exterminate monsters because it's a mission, without emotion. I, too, have killed humans because I hate them."
Aria looked at Jio.
"Why should someone like me take responsibility? Giovanni, you taught me as a human… but now, am I not just a monster?"
"Hearing you say that truly pains this priest's heart. I taught a human who loved the sea, but you say you were, in fact, a monster."
Giovanni said.
"You know this is all a tantrum."
"It's not that I don't know."
I know it well.
"I didn't want to justify my actions with your death."
"Thank you."
"For that, you were… too merciful. You wouldn't have wanted something like this."
"I see."
"It just wasn't appropriate to use as an excuse."
I asked, just to be sure.
"Do you still not resent them?"
"I resent and hate them."
"Then how can you corner me?"
"Because I do not resent them enough to take responsibility for their deaths."
He resented them, but he did not wish for their deaths.
It was an answer that only Giovanni, who believed that if you influence someone in any way, you must take responsibility for all their reactions, could give.
He said.
"Choose."
"What on earth?"
"Are you a human, or a mermaid?"
"…What…"
It is a difficult question to understand.
I saw the sharp light of the sun.
It was ready to pierce Giovanni at any moment.
"Taking a hostage, that's too cunning."
"Since I am using myself, wouldn't the responsibility I bear also be light?"
"You are right."
There was nothing as cost-effective as consuming oneself.
Aria knew that too.
That was why she had instilled fear in countless humans by using herself until now.
This was not the first time she had seen a human make such a choice.
The number of humans who used themselves to make deals was just barely countable, it's just that they... were not Giovanni.
So I tormented them.
"..."
Naturally, I do not regret it.
Because Aria knew from the beginning that her and her brother's actions were nothing but a tantrum built on favoritism and unfairness.
But I vaguely wished that one day, our teacher would come back to life, scold us harshly, and give us our punishment to end this long life.
Only Giovanni could do that.
If it wasn't him, it held no meaning for these merfolk.
'…But it ended up like this. How has nothing changed.'
He was not one to be easily swayed by his students.
The scolding from my truly reunited benevolent teacher took a form quite different from what I had imagined, leaving me speechless.
"To be honest…"
"You can be honest."
"I don't know what to say."
"Oh dear, you poor thing."
"I was so full of confidence, you know."
I felt empty.
Until the moment I forced a choice upon Giovanni, I was sure the 'ending' was right before my eyes.
"…Now I'm not sure what to do."
Kwa-deu-deuk—!!
A spear fell.
"..."
"..."
Blood flowed from Giovanni's shoulder.
Whether it was because she was his student or simply because Aria was sharp.
She instantly figured out the meaning of that action.
It meant it was not the right answer.
"What should I do?"
Kwa-deuk—!!
The second spear fell.
"Should I apologize for my rudeness…?"
Kwa-jeu-jeuk—!!
It was the third spear.
"Don't die."
"Wrong."
Kwang!!
"Don't die in front of me."
"That's wrong."
Kka-deu-deuk—…!!
"I…"
"Are you now inclined to respect me?"
"…Are you angry, Giovanni?"
"Did you expect that I would not be angry?"
His voice was still gentle and soft, but Aria realized that he was very, very angry.
No, more than that.
"Did you expect I wouldn't be disappointed?"
He seemed disappointed.
"..."
"…That's quite eerie."
With just a few gestures, Giovanni became covered in blood.
There were many holes, and many parts were severed. It was a frail body unbecoming of the new sun god's honor.
So it was scary.
There was a terrible smell of flesh cooking before the sun's fire.
It was a stench announcing that the mermaid's old friend was becoming a mere lump of meat.
"…Was it like this back then too?"
Seeing him so injured, especially by the sun's light, reminded me of that day.
"You said you were tortured."
"I was."
"Did it hurt as much as it does now?"
"I believe it hurts more now."
"Then you can just stop. It's not wise."
"An emotionally driven human is never wise."
"That's…"
"Aren't you the same, Aria."
"..."
"That's why you've done such cruel things."
It was so absurd and I was so speechless that I had no choice but to laugh.
"…Why are you…"
"..."
"Still seeing me as a human…"
But I was crying.
"How can you do that?"
Pearls fell to the floor, onto the hem of my dress.
"Why haven't you changed one bit."
We've changed so much.
"Is this not a deception towards the humans who died because of me, because of my brother? How can you be so kind?"
"It is not because I am kind that I see you as human. I simply treat you as such because that is the truth."
"How truly funny. A ridiculous story. No one sees us as human. Therefore, you are still kind."
Perhaps because of the pearls falling from the corners of her eyes, which remained pale as wax instead of turning red, she did not look particularly sad.
It just looked like an ornament.
"I am not human, Giovanni."
Aria thought that was a bit unpleasant.
She didn't like it.
She wanted to feel at ease, even if it meant eating everything.
"But you could be."
"It's only natural for a monster to eat and torment humans, isn't it."
"Saying that monstrous evil deeds are natural because you are called a monster is nothing but an excuse."
Giovanni still had a smiling face and his voice was gentle.
The smile that did not falter even as he was broken and disheveled looked like a taxidermied painting, feeling eerie.
It was like watching a portrait whose expression did not change even as it burned in fire.
The blood-soaked body, which held something that was neither life nor death, continued to speak.
"You could have chosen not to eat humans, and you could have chosen not to torment them."
"..."
"You could have chosen not to be called a monster, Aria. You were capable of that."
The mermaid, unaccustomed to fear and anxiety, did not know exactly what emotion she was feeling.
She had never felt this way, not even when her teacher, the sole meaning in her long life, had died.
She simply pleaded.
Because her opponent happened to be Aria's only meaning, she looked uncharacteristically foolish.
"Don't be angry at me."
"Aria, you are my student."
"…Still?"
"Still, you are."
If you are this angry because I am still your student.
"…Then isn't that too cruel?"
I know.
It is not right to say such a thing when I pride myself on being a monster.
Those who died at her hands would scoff and despise me.
But if I had followed the right path, I would not have thought of becoming a monster in the first place.
Aria only cherished her own heart and repeated.
You know, I missed you for a time so long I couldn't even count.
"Don't be in so much pain in front of me, you shouldn't."
"If you are a monster, then this is fine."
"..."
The mermaid finally had to admit it.
"…That I am still your student."
"That is correct."
"As someone who is not a monster, can I be scolded in a different way?"
"Of course. This is a human conversation, after all."
With a teacher-like gentle yet firm voice, Giovanni spoke.
"I have always treated you as humans. As beings like myself."
"..."
"I know you are merfolk and I know the difference, but that doesn't mean you are monsters."
I thought it was the perfect moment to end what had been a very long story, but it seemed Giovanni had no intention of concluding it here.
"Why is killing me not the perfect ending?"
"Because that, too, is a choice to evade responsibility. It is a cowardly act."
"I will never consider my sins as sins for the rest of my life."
"But as long as you are by my side, you will come to regard your sins as sins."
"To be able to remain by my old friend's side is a great honor."
Finding it amusing, I asked.
"Do you think that can be a sufficient punishment? To return to me someone precious?"
"Firstly, I am not in a position to punish you, and secondly, I will not return anything to you."
"But if you're not going to punish me, why are you keeping me alive? You say you won't return anything, so how do you intend to stay by my side."
"My existence will be a punishment to you. Since I like good things, you will take an interest in good deeds and one day, you will be influenced."
"That can never be a hell for me. The people I've killed and tormented would shed tears of blood if they found out. This kind of thing, any punishment…"
"I will say it again, I am not in a position to punish you. I have neither the responsibility nor the duty to do so. Is that not right?"
He continued.
"However, as time passes, one day you will see yourselves as humans, not monsters."
"That's absurd."
"When that day comes, you will find your own hell without anyone needing to step in. You will punish yourselves."
"How do you know that?"
"I raised you. I taught you, and I watched over you. I know what good children you are when you are by my side."
Giovanni spoke nonchalantly, as if discussing the very obvious fact that the sun is hot.
"You two are very curious and clever. You have the will to improve and you are not afraid of new attempts."
"..."
"That is the you I know. So stay by my side. You must take responsibility for what has passed."
In the banquet hall, ruined by the noble priest's blood and the sun's fire, Aria conveyed her surrender.
"…Then that's enough."
I admitted defeat.
There were no regrets for the meaningless, long-drawn-out tantrum, but it had been too long.
Yet, the hatred and anger wouldn't cease, so I couldn't stop, nor did I want to.
So, if possible, I hoped that you, Giovanni, would return and give an ending to the mermaid's story.
Only you could end the mermaid's life.
Only he had the right to conclude this insane living story.
"I wanted to win, but I've lost."
"I suppose it's because I am, for what it's worth, a teacher."
"So give me time."
"Time, you say."
"I need time to think, in what form I will remain by my teacher's side."
"I do as well."
At that moment, the few remaining spears of light vanished.
Aria looked up at the empty air with a lingering sense of regret on her face.
"…You should have killed the monster."
"As I keep saying, that is not my part to play. Why do you seek punishment from me?"
"Are you going to call me a coward?"
"Yes, do not act cowardly. I'm telling you to stop dwelling in the time of my death and conduct yourself properly like an adult."
"What will you do if I continue to kill people?"
"That is also none of my business. I have never encouraged you to murder, nor have I ever stopped you."
"Then how can you call this an ending? Nothing has ended."
"But now, I am by your side. Nothing may have ended, but it won't be that nothing changes, either. Right?"
"I won't deny it."
"Personally, I think this is not too bad an ending. Do you know?"
Giovanni smiled.
"The mermaid princess in Earth's fairy tales sometimes disappears into sea foam, but she also becomes human and lives happily with the prince."
"Yes, my prince. I thought of you that way from the first time I saw you. So, will you live happily with me now?"
"If you wish to do so, you may. The end of anger can be reconciliation, it can be forgiveness, or it can be ruin. That depends on how and how much responsibility you take."
"And it will be a story unrelated to you, teacher? I can't tell if you're kind or indifferent."
"Ah, my goodness. I'm sorry to say this, but I've done my part. If it were up to me, I would have just cut ties and lived as if I didn't know you, but you caused trouble in every direction, so I endured my loss of affection and came to see your face."
"How heartless of you."
"So… let's take our time to think about the rest. What kind of story we create from now on depends on your choices."
Jio concluded.
"Because we have a lot of time."
"..."
"Right?"
***
An Ending for the Mermaid Princess (1/1)
Synchronization Rate 100.0%
Acquired Batlan Giovanni
Linkage: 'Kingdom of the Deep Sea' and 'Breathing Sea'
Palette Residents: Aria, Iseur
Linkage successfully completed
Achievement: Law of Equivalent Exchange
Achievement: The Painter in the Painting
Achievement: The Painting in the Painting
Achievement: The Human in the Frame
Achievement: ….
....
.
.
.
Tutorial has been completed
-x-X-x-
IDENTIFICATION NUMBER:0S-761-SS
RESPONSE CLASS: SS
ENTITY TYPE: Humanoid_Mermaid(Female)
ENTITY NAME:Aria
AUTHORITY: Kingdom of the Deep Sea
A humanoid entity first discovered by the 175th conquest team under the authority of the Collectors Guild.
Unlike the related entity by blood, 'Mermaid Iseur,' her dark navy hair is long enough to touch the floor.
She wears a white doctor's or researcher's gown over a blue dress, which is a male's and does not fit her physique, suggesting a connection to the story of the 'Kingdom of the Deep Sea.'
The entity revealed herself to be a mermaid and stated her name as 'Aria.'
It is testified that no falsehood was detected.
The entity name is confirmed as 'Mermaid Aria.'
As a peculiar trait, it was confirmed that the color of her eyes and hair changes according to her physical and emotional state.
The entity has made several statements identifying herself with the sea, leading to the speculation that she may be able to influence not only the 'Kingdom of the Deep Sea,' where she is set as the owner, but also the seas of any dimension.
Initial Sighting
It is understood that she came out of the dungeon to abduct a prospective priest (Solar Cult) and observe human reactions.
The exploration team, organized under the authority of the Collectors Guild, witnessed her at the entrance of the 'Temple of the Deep Sea.'
She did not display any particular aggressive tendencies, and although a conversation was requested, she was reported to have a strong aversion to humans.
It has been determined that 'Aria' is the owner of the 'Kingdom of the Deep Sea,' and 'Iseur' is a false owner to deceive humans.
Both entities have repeatedly engaged in acts to inflict physical and mental pain, such as modifying humans into monsters, out of their hatred for humanity.
It is understood that she has set a target that she finds attractive in the dimension of Earth.
It is expected that she will cease active aggression towards humans until she achieves her goal.
It is advised that special caution be exercised to avoid provoking her, such as visiting the dungeon and causing a disturbance.
Due to the characteristics of a humanoid entity, the response class is set to SS.
Conquest method not found.
The Collectors Guild has requested that 'Evasion' be the basic response protocol.
Accordingly, the Hunter Association will also be extending the exploration period indefinitely instead of attempting a conquest, so we ask all Hunters to exercise caution.
All Comments(1,043)
– Are S-Class Hunters not attempting a conquest?
– We request that a precise deadline for the exploration season be set
– Request for reconfirmation of the response class
– Need to confirm attack patterns
....
….
....
***
In the end, the 'Kingdom of the Deep Sea' could not be conquered.
"Three A-Class Hunters participated, and yet you couldn't conquer it?"
"I heard the Collectors bought the 'Kingdom of the Deep Sea,' is that true?"
"Please tell us if the monster information confirmed through this exploration is accurate!"
"What resource is it that the Collectors want from the 'Kingdom of the Deep Sea'?"
Yu Seong-un, one of the exploration members, had to deal with the reporters.
"Yes, we failed to conquer it. And it is true that the Collectors purchased the S-Class dungeon 'Kingdom of the Deep Sea,' and the monster information reported to the Association is also accurate."
"Then the resource is…"
"For detailed inquiries, please contact the Collectors' Admin Team directly."
"Hey, wait a minute…"
"There's no wait a minute, don't block the way."
The reporters tried to grab Yu Seong-un, but their words didn't reach his ears, as he had to pull all-nighters for nearly a week to manage the aftermath of this dungeon exploration.
The dark circles under his hollow eyes nearly reached his chin.
Yu Seong-un was a very busy person.
"I repeat, please contact the Admin Team."
In fact, from the reporters' perspective, Yu Seong-un was probably the easiest target.
Kang Seo-dam, a high-ranking priest of the Solar Cult, which had the largest following in Seoul, had his identity revealed but was not easily accessible for questioning.
In Cha Ara's case, the Hunter Association and the Collectors were protecting her personal information.
'And if they tried to approach the other Hunter, Seo Jio, he would have been nowhere to be seen.'
That was only natural, as the 'Seo Jio' they were looking for was asleep inside Bisabeol's Gallery.
'So it's a natural step for them to grab me, who at least commutes to the company.'
He understood, but he was genuinely tired.
Submitting reports to the Guild and the Association, checking the state of the sea, hiding Jio's information… He had been so busy that he had to postpone his main job as a curator for a week.
"Hunter Yu Seong-un!"
"Not here."
"You're right there!"
"I said I'm not here."
Even though most reporters these days were awakeners, they were no match for Yu Seong-un, an A-Class Hunter.
Yu Seong-un smoothly slipped away and fled to the guild lobby.
An Admin Team employee who had been waiting for him greeted Yu Seong-un.
"Good work."
"If you were watching, you could have helped fend them off."
"The Guild gets a bad rap these days if we treat reporters like that."
"True, the Guild's image is important…"
"It's difficult for us to respond unless they get excessively aggressive."
"I managed to shake them off on my own, so it's fine for now."
The employee nodded.
"We will take action if we determine that too much attention is being drawn."
"I guess I'll have to hole up inside the guild for a while. Is the lounge available?"
"We haven't had any new recruits for a while, so there should be some room in the dorms. I'll look for an empty room for you."
"Anyway…"
Yu Seong-un let out a sigh.
"I don't know why everyone is so interested in the 'Kingdom of the Deep Sea.'"
"Isn't it because it's the first officially appeared humanoid monster dungeon in Korea in a long time?"
"Actually, humanoid monsters have appeared several times, though it's been hushed up. They were all unofficial."
"More than anything, it's a dungeon purchased by the Collectors."
"..."
Yu Seong-un, rubbing his neck, asked.
"Has it drawn a lot of attention?"
"Buying an S-Class dungeon whose information hasn't even been properly identified, they must be curious about what on earth the Collectors know."
"They'll be suspicious that we might be monopolizing some special resource. It's not like there haven't been such cases before. Are the ants going to gather soon?"
"The stock price will go up."
"It's not exactly the kind they're expecting, though."
It was purchased not for a special resource, but based on the judgment that a dungeon so deeply connected with the 'Black Cape' could not be left out in the wild.
It would be a good thing for the Black Cape himself, too.
The employee shrugged.
"If only it could be conquered, it could be used as a tourist destination."
"The fact that you can breathe inside the sea is definitely a huge merit."
"So, in the end…"
The employee, after glancing over Yu Seong-un, finally asked.
"What was the connection between the 'Kingdom of the Deep Sea' and the 'Black Cape'?"
"..."
"Based on the identified information, the Kingdom of the Deep Sea and the Black Cape are not very compatible monsters. The Black Cape is too out of place in that verdant dungeon."
"…Sometimes monsters pop up here and there."
There were times when completely identical monsters or creatures appeared in entirely different dungeons.
The Gardeners called them the 'Child of the Source,' but to Hunters, they were just peculiar monsters.
"That part is something I have to look into."
"You must be busy."
"You wouldn't be willing to take over for me, would you…?"
"I'm not a curator."
"That's true, but."
Yu Seong-un, clicking his tongue, moved to the elevator.
"Then please handle the response."
"Don't worry and go check on the condition of the artworks."
"I should. I haven't been able to check for a while."
As soon as he had roughly finished the urgent tasks, the place Yu Seong-un headed to was, of course, Bisabeol's Gallery.
He swiped his employee key for the elevator heading to the gallery and pressed the button for the 5th basement floor at the very end.
Thanks to the Collectors' building, famous for splurging on cutting-edge facilities, he could reach even the deepest parts quite quickly.
"Hmm…"
Bisabeol's Gallery, which he hadn't visited in a while, had an immense pressure as always.
'What a suffocating place.'
Even for Yu Seong-un, an A-Class Hunter, it was not a particularly refreshing space.
Should I call it eerie, or heavy?
A strange air that made his whole body shiver as if feeling muscle pain, yet scraped at a person's instincts, lingered in this gallery.
'Especially since the artworks on the 5th basement floor are mostly ill-tempered…'
With such thoughts, Yu Seong-un stood before a certain portrait.
"..."
Because his face was covered in pitch-black paint, it was impossible to tell whether he had his eyes open or closed.
'…I even forget his face from time to time.'
He had seen 'Hunter Seo Jio' just a week ago, but despite having a decent memory, he couldn't recall the face.
Only the black paint now before his eyes came to mind.
'Is this also one of the effects of covering the portrait's face?'
With that thought, Yu Seong-un called out to the portrait.
"Jio, are you there now?"
"I am."
"Oh…"
It was a quick answer.
"It's rare for it not to dawn."
The current time was 3 PM.
For 'Jio's Portrait,' which always insisted on the vicinity of 4 AM, it was a rare time to be awake.
Yu Seong-un, who had been worried he might be ignoring the rules, could feel a little relieved.
'If there was no immediate answer, I was just going to go back and come again at dawn.'
Of course, it was a bit puzzling.
'Wasn't it a rule that we had to converse at 4 AM? For that to be the case, he seemed to be around often at that time, strange…'
Anyway, since things turned out this way, it seemed like a good idea to have a little chat.
"Have you been awake this whole time?"
"I heard Mr. Yu Seong-un coming, so I was waiting."
"You can hear such things?"
"I can detect the sound of someone approaching the frame."
"To be able to detect even that, that's impressive."
"It's been a while."
The portrait asked in its characteristic blunt voice.
"Have you been well?"
A week had already passed since he visited the 'Kingdom of the Deep Sea' to rescue the little priest Cha Isold.
'Jio's Portrait,' which could be called a painting rather than a real person, seemed to have recalled that fact as well.
"I was worried because you hadn't shown yourself for a while."
"No need to worry that much. Usually, if I'm not around, it just means I'm overworking somewhere."
"That sounds like a reason to worry."
"Just whining a bit."
Although he had left the management to another curator, he couldn't be at ease.
Yu Seong-un, who was examining the precious, precious portrait for any damage, soon asked.
"How about you, Jio."
"Please state the precise intent of your question."
"It's hard to ask point-blank, but for starters… the mermaid siblings and all that."
"They still haven't come out of the sea, but they seem to be doing well."
He heard that the mermaid siblings were still hiding in the 'Kingdom of the Deep Sea' and hadn't shown their faces.
Jio said it was probably because 'they feel awkward coming to see me after getting a good scolding.'
"..."
Yu Seong-un was at a loss for words for a moment.
"You call that a scolding."
"Did it seem a bit aggressive?"
"I can't say it wasn't."
"It was a natural action for Giovanni."
"Yeah, a teacher scolding a student is, in a way, a natural thing, but… that was… like that…"
Do ordinary teachers scold their students like that, Jio?
'I thought maybe after the human persona of Jio died and he became a portrait, some strange parts developed, but maybe the things called Jio just have a slightly strange side to them since they were human. Even if they live as humans, is it because their roots are ultimately the Source?'
That horrifying level of indifference often startled even Yu Seong-un.
'Aside from the mental aspect, Jio was the one who took the biggest hit in that situation. But he seems to have no feelings about that part at all. That level of indifference… he definitely has no intention of mimicking a human.'
He still remembered it vividly.
The intense heat that could evaporate all the seawater, the sacred spears of the sun, and the Black Cape who, despite being a mess because of it, still wore 'Giovanni's' smile…
That beautiful and bizarre sight had captivated Yu Seong-un.
He surmised that the mermaid named Aria must have felt something similar.
'…Anyway, that was beyond the level of a scolding.'
Or was that a moderate level of discipline from Jio's perspective?
He was already worried about what would happen if a guy like this seriously harbored feelings of anger or hatred.
Jio, perhaps misinterpreting Yu Seong-un's silence, asked.
"Shall I call them?"
"Huh? Ah… no, I don't have anything to discuss with them in particular."
"I believe there is no need to be afraid, as they are now trying to restrain themselves, if only because they are conscious of me."
"Uh, right…"
Yu Seong-un thought to himself.
'Since they're only holding back because they're conscious of him, I can't say it's that safe.'
Having heard the conversation between Giovanni and Aria in the dungeon, Yu Seong-un realized that the only meaning left for the merfolk was Giovanni.
If they were watching their step, trying to restrain themselves, or even pretending to reflect, it was solely a result of Giovanni's influence.
'The mermaid siblings without Giovanni by their side are just intelligent monsters only capable of mimicking interaction.'
Monsters were universally regarded as the enemy of mankind because they placed no meaning whatsoever on humans.
They paid as much attention as one would to an insect squashed underfoot while passing by.
'Looking at the dungeon's story, the context is roughly understandable.'
He could see the source of their hatred for humans from the atmosphere flowing in the S-Class dungeon, the 'Kingdom of the Deep Sea.'
Having had the only human they ever loved snatched away in a gruesome manner by those of the same kind, he could understand.
'But that's why I want to talk to them even less.'
He understood that they were furious about having Giovanni, their only meaning, taken from them, but was it really necessary to take it out on humans from another dimension?
It was even more absurd that they seemed to have some awareness that they were doing something childish.
In the end, they were monsters.
Their entire way of thinking was different from humans.
'As expected, right and wrong are not important values to monsters. They only do things that are meaningful to them. In that sense, it's also why I can't see Jio as a monster even more so…'
Basically, you couldn't have a conversation with monsters.
Yu Seong-un smiled awkwardly and asked.
"…Putting the mermaids aside, are you okay? You were badly hurt that day."
"I am a priest of the sun and a doctor. I can recover from such injuries quickly."
The portrait asked.
"Were you worried about me, Mr. Yu Seong-un?"
"Would you be offended if I said I was?"
"It is a concern that gives no reason to be offended. I am sorry to have startled you."
"Well, I was a little startled, but…"
That was being startled by Jio's choice and the visual shock; strictly speaking, he wasn't worried about 'Jio's Portrait' itself.
It was true that such feelings arose, but his reason judged that 'there was no need for it.'
'Even if Giovanni had died on the spot, this portrait would not have been annihilated.'
Beings of the Source had a particularly faint boundary of death.
It didn't seem like 'Jio's Portrait' would be much different.
He seemed to be a being especially close to the Source.
"You're a skilled priest, and you have your father at home. I vaguely thought you'd be okay."
"Returning first without a proper farewell to recover that day was a rude act. I apologize once again."
"No, it's a part that I and the others understood. If we had left you injured as you were, we would have been berated by the mermaids instead."
And they might have received hatred and contempt beyond just being nagged.
"You were badly injured, any aftereffects?"
"None."
"Did it hurt that day?"
"It didn't hurt as much as I thought."
"Now that's surprising news."
The tattered image of Giovanni he saw at that time came to mind.
'Does he have a high pain threshold? Or he could just be insensitive to pain. But…'
Recalling the usually neat 'Jio's Portrait' in such a broken state made his stomach a little uneasy.
"…Hmm."
Yu Seong-un quickly added.
"I do think you did it because you could handle it, but from my perspective, I can't help but worry."
After all, Jio had taken his own life hostage to have a 'conversation' with Aria.
'It wasn't just a threat, either.'
The formless spear, burning hot, pierced Jio's body.
Perhaps he controlled it with his sun god-like skill, as Yu Seong-un didn't feel that much heat, but wasn't it enough to evaporate the seawater in an instant?
No matter how much he knew he was a portrait and not a human, he couldn't remain indifferent after smelling the scent of blood and flesh burning black.
"That's quite upsetting, you know."
Yu Seong-un perceived Jio as a pretty good friend and a splendid work of art and he was still human enough that he couldn't calmly accept such an existence being broken.
"I was worried. It might be a bit funny to say this to you who recovered a while ago, but my heart definitely sank back then."
"That was a week ago."
"That's why I rushed over like this. I was busy and neglected my duties as a curator, and there was no way to ask how you were doing…"
"I should have sent a letter stating that I was well."
"No, um, anyway. I couldn't come right away, but I was worried in many ways. I'm sorry I couldn't take care of you as soon as my work was done, but I'm glad."
"Thank you for your concern."
The portrait, obscured by black paint, continued.
"But I am a portrait. The blood I shed is ultimately paper and paint, so there is no problem in recovering."
"..."
…Is that so?
Just as he was about to be convinced, 'Jio's Portrait' asked in its characteristic dry voice.
"Was it not fun?"
"Was that a joke?"
As expected of a being from the Source, even his jokes were nothing short of eerie.
'It's in moments like these that I really feel he's not human.'
Yu Seong-un painstakingly changed the subject.
"Come to think of it… wasn't that also the first time you'd seen Aria in a long time?"
"Yes, it was the first time."
"And yet you managed to converse with Aria so calmly in that situation. I can't imagine it was easy."
To Yu Seong-un, the persona of 'Giovanni,' despite being close to humans, had a twisted side.
From Giovanni's perspective, the situation at the time was not something he could just brush off so calmly.
A student he had taught in another dimension had appeared as a heinous monster.
Moreover, it happened after he died and experienced a resurrection of sorts and yet, Giovanni treated his students who had become monsters as if it were nothing.
He definitely did not have an ordinary personality.
"That mermaid said things like she was going to eat you up."
"It was a joke, so it's fine."
"…It was a joke?"
"Aria as a child often played such jokes."
"Uh…"
"She used to say she would eat you up if she didn't like something."
The portrait continued in a steady tone.
"That was indeed a joke. I believe Aria knew that as well, which is why she specifically made such a remark."
"…Because it was a joke?"
"If the situation did not go her way, she would have just made it as if it never happened, saying it was a joke like before."
"..."
"Aria too would have prepared to talk to me in such a way, but I won before she could pull such a trick, so she just couldn't say it."
After a moment of hesitation, Yu Seong-un asked.
"What would you have done if it wasn't a joke?"
"It would not have mattered. They are mermaids."
"What do mermaids have to do with it?"
"Mermaids are a race that lives their entire lives with the memory of a single moment."
From that calm and heavy voice, Yu Seong-un was suddenly reminded of the 'eyes' of Jio he had once seen.
"Because they are mermaids, I knew they would be unable to give up on Giovanni."
Those were definitely not the eyes of a human.
"When Aria forced a choice on me, was there an option for me to die?"
"…That's…"
At that time, if Jio had chosen humans, Aria would have committed suicide and if he had chosen mermaids, she would have continued her life of tormenting humans.
"…But didn't Aria threaten you, saying you were a human too, that she would eat you up?"
"I just said that was a joke. She, in a sense, admitted that she cannot kill me."
"Oh."
"From there, I was certain of my victory. Because I knew that Aria still loved me."
"…I understand."
The mermaid princess, who left room to pass it off as a joke at any time, but who set up a banquet hall and pressured humans intensely to seize the initiative.
And Jio, who not only figured all that out in an instant, but also played the suicide card, predicting that because they were mermaids, they would not be able to give up on him.
"…Cunning, both of you…"
"Whether family or friends, people grow closer by fighting."
Jio continued in a gloomy and calm voice, devoid of any emotion.
"Especially since it was a reunion after a very long time for them and me, resolving the conflict openly seems to have been a great help in breaking the ice."
"Resolving the conflict…"
Feeling a bit strange, Yu Seong-un asked cautiously.
"Then do you wish for those mermaids to be happy?"
"It's fine if they are happy, and fine if they are not. I simply wish for them to take responsibility for their actions and their past."
"So you haven't forgiven them?"
"Yes, I have not forgiven them, who were my students. The day I fully accept them will not come until they take full responsibility."
"Don't be sad, their evil deeds were not your fault."
"I am very well aware of that. I do not need to take responsibility for their past. But without me by their side, they will ultimately not change."
"So you gave them a chance?"
"Saying I gave them a chance is not appropriate. I simply took my share of responsibility. The rest is their share, and because of me, they will undergo a minimal change."
"You're not playing favorites?"
"I believe I took responsibility equivalent to the affection I invested in my favoritism. If I hadn't loved them, I wouldn't have tried to take even a minimal amount of responsibility."
"Well, that's clean, at least."
They were scary fellows, anyway.
'…This eerily indifferent attitude is the reason why humans must be wary of beings from the Source.'
It was not easy to grasp.
-x-X-x-
The highest floor of the Collectors, Bisabeol's office.
"That's a dangerous disposition."
"His temperament?"
"You could put it that way."
Bisabeol, having heard Yu Seong-un's report, stroked his chin and asked.
"He threatened the merfolk by holding himself hostage?"
"…To summarize, yes, that would be it."
"How fiery of him."
Bisabeol's smile as he murmured that seemed somewhat bitter.
"To think my collectible would try to walk into hellfire on its own."
"That hellfire was the light of the sun. Please refrain from remarks that could cause friction with the Solar Cult."
"That's why I'm not saying it in front of them. That should be enough."
"You never know where words might leak. Especially a story that could be heard as blasphemy…"
"Anyway, you just can't reason with people who are crazy about religion."
"Isn't that just the way of all priests?"
"Our Mr. Giovanni shouldn't grow up to be like that…"
"He's all grown up, that Mr. Giovanni person. So grown up he died."
"Don't you dare kill my lovely artwork as you please, Curator Yu Seong-un."
As if he quite liked this ridiculous conversation, the previously slumped Bisabeol let out a small laugh.
"We can surmise that he has no lingering attachment to his own annihilation and pain. Even the gods are extremely sensitive about annihilation, so it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that humans have now lost their most traditional countermeasure against disaster."
"We shouldn't create a situation where we have to fight 'Jio's Portrait' in the first place. If the situation deteriorates to the point where we must find a way to subdue Jio, it won't be a disaster that ends with a few offerings, as we do with evil gods."
"If he were an ordinary god, it would have been a little easier to prepare. But then again, Jio is not a traditional god but something with the characteristics of a god, so thinking this way won't lead to an answer."
"That's also true, but Jio also possesses human characteristics. The fact that he wasn't swayed by sentiment, despite clearly having a human persona, is something we need to consider. We must continue to contemplate a way to subdue him."
To that, Bisabeol asked.
"Considering he didn't kill or punish them at all, couldn't we see it as a treatment that took old affections into account?"
"That's a separate issue from the outcome. I observed Jio from the side, but those were not the eyes of someone buried in the past."
It seemed that Giovanni had simply made that choice because he thought it was the natural course of action and also the right one.
He seemed to truly believe that tormenting himself would be the greatest punishment for the mermaid.
"It seemed Jio took the most appropriate responsibility he could bear. By handing Giovanni to the merfolk, who had become desensitized as monsters, he gave them meaning and made them constantly agonize."
"So that's the punishment."
"As long as Giovanni is by their side, the merfolk will have to take responsibility for everything they have done. It seems that Jio himself wanted that and attempted such a thing."
Yu Seong-un said, recalling the Giovanni of that time.
"He was very resolute. According to him, those merfolk were kids that the human Giovanni had raised like his own children, but whether he was angry or not…"
"..."
"It was quite eerie to see him keep smiling even while bleeding and with his limbs broken. He was no different from a portrait. He proceeded with his plan even as the mermaid named Aria cried and begged."
"The story of a mermaid crying is quite interesting, but a threat?"
"It was a method where Jio suffered along with them, but, yes, well, probably. No matter how you phrase it, it's hard for the essence to change."
It is difficult to say that it wasn't a threat.
"However, the peculiar point is indeed that he held himself hostage."
"If things had not gone well then and Giovanni had died, did it seem like his persona would have truly reached the point of death?"
"He said so himself. That the persona of Giovanni could die and if not, that he would die over and over again, dozens, hundreds of times before her."
"Either way is horrifying."
"It certainly seemed the mermaid thought so as well. Perhaps because he said it with a gentle smile, it sounded even more frightening. Even to my ears, Giovanni's words did not feel like a simple bluff…"
"It must have been a decent punishment for the merfolk."
Bisabeol shrugged.
"Not that I think they'll stop tormenting humans because of it."
"Still, as long as Jio is by their side, I surmise there won't be any major incidents, but…"
"The part we should focus on is that there will 'only' be no 'major incidents.'"
As long as it wasn't on the level of a mass slaughter, Jio would not add a word about the merfolks' cruelty.
'Jio's Portrait' was a gentlemanly being of the Source who liked good and polite things, but he himself was not good.
"He is not a hero. He may have once been a hero, and he may possess a 'Jio' with such qualities, but at the very least, 'Jio's Portrait' is a form of nature and destiny."
Bisabeol smiled and continued.
"Mr. Yu Seong-un, as a Gardener, you would know better, but it's one of the characteristics of beings close to the Source. Unless it's due to some special malice, for Jio, human life and death are not much different from a flower blooming and withering."
The pitch-black portrait, pretending not to, pursued its interests, judging the death and pain of itself, its surroundings, and what lay beyond as a single state and piece of information.
It held no half-baked sympathy for things that broke and collapsed outside its hands.
Of course, 'Jio's Portrait' loved humanity impartially, but to love everything was, in the first place, the same as loving nothing at all.
In a way, he was heartless and indifferent. Unless his interest was piqued, he let things flow as they would.
"As proof of that, the entrance to the 'Kingdom of the Deep Sea' hasn't been closed yet, has it? If the merfolk had sincerely reflected on their past and intended to respect humans, they would have closed the entryway and sealed the dungeon so that no more humans would get hurt."
But even after a week, there was no sign of that.
It meant that the merfolk, being monsters, could not let go of their hatred towards humans, and Jio, likewise, did not unconditionally defend humans.
"If either one of those had come to pass, the dungeon would have been closed."
"It's because beings of the Source aren't fellows who bend to the will of humans. They are nature."
"So in the end, we had to buy it. We don't know who else might die from the merfolks' tantrums."
Bisabeol laughed as if enjoying himself.
"Of course, there was also the concept of it being a gift for our Hunter Seo Jio!"
"…I trust you'll handle the media well, but is the expenditure alright…?"
"This collector, Bisabeol, will not be affected by buying just one dungeon."
"You seem very reliable in a capitalistic society like this."
"I was always a reliable guild master."
"Ah, yes."
"It's just that Jio cannot be said to be completely on the side of humans."
Bisabeol smiled at Yu Seong-un.
"Just like the Gardeners, such as yourself, Mr. Yu Seong-un."
"..."
At the word 'Gardener,' which hadn't come up in a long time, Yu Seong-un shrugged.
"From what has been revealed so far, the Source is closer to a system than a sentient being. It is impartial to all sentient beings in the universe… like humans, monsters, and the Children of the Source. In that case, the Gardeners who manage the veins of such a Source must also maintain an impartial perspective."
A sense of balance that takes no one's side was the most important virtue of a Gardener.
They were milestones that maintained a minimal balance and bystanders living within the garden.
"Speaking in that sense, I sometimes get the feeling that Jio is similar to a Gardener."
"In what way did you get that feeling?"
"Hunter Cha Ara was the first human to visit the inside of 'Jio's Portrait.' The cabin she described seemed similar to the gardens we manage."
"Then Jio could perhaps be a Gardener who was devoured by the Source."
"How could a Gardener devoured by the Source maintain their ego…."
Yu Seong-un messed up his pure white hair with a fed-up expression. His sky-blue eyes narrowed.
"That's absurd."
A Gardener maintaining their ego even after being devoured by the garden?
That was impossible.
A Gardener who became a possession of the garden could no longer be called an intelligent life form.
"However, thinking from this feeling, it's certain that Jio will not definitively take anyone's side between humans and monsters. Considering that, you can see that Jio doesn't just wish for the merfolk to be punished."
He simply solved the problem before him.
He took only the share of responsibility that Giovanni had to bear and placed a minimal check on the merfolk who possessed abilities and ideologies that could threaten humanity.
That was all.
As Bisabeol said, Jio was not a passionate being who would do something he had no interest in, even at a loss.
"Jio loves beings that are good and polite. That's the part that interests that portrait."
"The merfolk weren't particularly good. For Jio, who abhors evil, to show that much mercy, could be a form of favoritism, as you reported, Mr. Yu Seong-un."
"Saving the people was also probably done lightheartedly on the side. I can sort of size it up."
Yu Seong-un stroked his neck, looking at the empty air as if gauging something.
"He likes it when all matters proceed simply and peacefully. This is the basic attitude of 'Jio's Portrait' towards the world, with about two exceptions."
"The first would be a connection from the past, and the second would be a target of interest."
"And that target of interest would be a good and polite being. 'Jio's Portrait' seems to fundamentally operate on these three directions as rules, but, that…"
"It is still too early to be certain. We've only had the second 'Jio' appear, after all."
"Yes, we should consider ourselves lucky this time. In the case of 'Giovanni,' his disposition itself was that of a gentle and merciful priest. We must also consider the case of a 'Jio' with a hostile orientation towards humanity emerging."
"Since 'Jio's Portrait' itself values peace and has a strong will to interact, I don't foresee any major problems."
"That's why I'm saying you shouldn't treat a being of the Source like a person. Anyway, what I want to say is, um…"
He, who seemed to be sorting out the headache that was encouraging him to work overtime, soon opened his mouth.
"That we also need to find a way to coexist with the merfolk from now on."
"..."
"Guild Master, it seems you'll have to prepare some countermeasures."
This old guild master really hated doing work that wasn't related to his collection.
Bisabeol slumped in his chair and said bitterly.
"…How about we keep the dungeon entrance closed forever? We don't let anyone in."
"Will that work? What you purchased was the right of entry to the dungeon, not the dungeon itself, wasn't it? Above all…"
"If we forbid anyone from entering when we don't even know what resources might be inside, at the very least the Hunter Association won't stand by idly."
"Why do you say that when you know full well?"
"Haa…"
Bisabeol, who had been buried deep in his chair, sluggishly pushed his upper body up.
"…Even if there are no resources inside, no one will believe it?"
"News is already circulating that the Collectors are trying to monopolize a special resource from the 'Kingdom of the Deep Sea.' Saying something like that now will only be seen as a deceptive tactic."
"That's right."
Bisabeol gave a slight smile.
"Then what can we do? We'll just have to let them go find their own place to die."
"Ah, so that's what you'll do?"
"I plan to set the entrance fee soon. I will respect the brave souls who crawl in there to find some special resource the Collectors have supposedly found. And it's not my fault if they die there, is it?"
"Then I will take note of that."
Since there had been a tiff with Jio, the merfolk in the 'Kingdom of the Deep Sea' wouldn't go so far as to come outside the dungeon to cause trouble, but they wouldn't leave the humans who came inside the dungeon alone either.
"I think Jio won't easily offer help there anymore either. The reason Jio frequented the Kingdom of the Deep Sea was to converse with the merfolk, and since he's already achieved his goal… he won't go out of his way to help Hunters anymore."
"The 'Jio's Portrait' we saw wasn't that altruistic and devoted of a being, was it?"
"That's right. He's just considerably more friendly and gentlemanly compared to other beings of the Source."
There would probably be idiots who crawl into the S-Class dungeon just because they believe in the existence of the 'Black Cape,' but it was about time they got a taste of reality.
"This is the right direction."
Yu Seong-un nodded.
"Hunters these days are treating the 'Black Cape' like a convenient vending machine. Jio didn't really help such pathetic-minded Hunters in the first place, but…"
"Anyway, that kind of pushover image won't do Jio any good."
"Yes, so the time has come for them to learn that the 'Black Cape' is a natural disaster that doesn't move at their whim. If they die in the 'Kingdom of the Deep Sea' without even witnessing the 'Black Cape,' they will realize the reality."
There were still many idiots in the world who thought they could compromise with and use monsters, that is, beings of the Source.
Even though they are clearly disasters, not resources.
"I will give Jio a heads-up on this matter. It's possible that Jio, who found pleasure in drawing and rescuing humans, might step up to save more Hunters, but he's not that active in portraits, so I think the probability is low."
To that, Bisabeol said.
"I can talk to him, too."
"No matter how well you talk, what are you going to do if Jio himself refuses?"
"I might just end up laying a sleeping bag in front of the portrait."
"Jio will get angry if you do that…"
"Tsk."
Bisabeol, clicking his tongue, soon changed the subject.
"Come to think of it, is that prospective priest who was kidnapped back then doing well?"
"You're only asking now. I heard he's finally moving into the dormitory next Monday."
"The Solar Cult must have been in an uproar like no other. They were supposed to have accepted and been raising the students long ago, but he had to become prey for the merfolk, and the whole schedule got messed up."
"Priest Kang Seo-dam seemed really stressed about it. You know, right? It was on the news this time…"
"Still, now that things will proceed according to the original schedule, the Solar Cult's situation should improve a bit."
Yu Seong-un nodded.
"The prospective priest you mentioned, Mr. Cha Isold, also didn't seem to have any major psychological issues."
"That cynicism, like a well-ripened fruit, is he a talent of the Collectors that I have yet to bring in?"
"He's already a priest of the Solar Cult, would he join a private guild that isn't his religion? Above all, he's a kid who is far from the kind of cynicism you're thinking of. He's just a bit…"
"A bit?"
"He's pretty thick-skinned."
He knew he had been kidnapped, yet he coolly observed the merfolks' ecology and came back.
"It didn't seem like he was unaware due to a child's innocence, but more like he's quick-witted but has a strong mind that isn't easily affected."
"Does he have the makings of a pushover? Or the makings of recklessness? Neither is welcome. No wonder there was a report that Jio is fond of him."
"In any case, we have provided ample compensation for the damages to that side as well. No matter how fine he acts, a victim is a victim."
And it was then.
"Oh."
"Did you get a text?"
"Yes, it's from… Mr. Cha Eun-hyeok."
"Isn't he the older brother of the prospective priest we were just talking about?"
"That's right."
Yu Seong-un, after checking the text, was speechless for a moment.
"..."
"Is there a problem?"
"…He says Jio is there."
"…Where?"
To Bisabeol's question, Yu Seong-un answered with difficulty.
"At Mr. Cha Isold's house."
"..."
He was already thinking he was screwed when it came to leaving work on time, but Yu Seong-un felt the familiar scent of overtime.
Why are you there now?
***
"Wh-what is…"
Cha Ara stammered.
"What happened?"
"You have to trust me."
"So what is it?"
"Well, you see, noona."
At his older sister's reaction of disbelief even after seeing reality, Cha Isold answered honestly.
"I drew a picture and Jio-hyung came out…"
"What is this nonsense?"
"It's true. I drew a picture and Jio-hyung came out, I'm telling you!"
"No, what the…"
Cha Ara, at a loss in her bewilderment, soon turned to the Black Cape with a strange expression.
"..."
"A pleasure to meet you."
"…Ah, yes…"
Is today the day I die?
He didn't seem hostile, but he was one terrifying Black Cape anyway.