It was a world where even human lives were treated as resources.
Even if a wicked seed who muddied the waters of society was dragged away by something that was neither a monster nor anything else, no one was genuinely worried about the missing person.
They were just curious.
"Would he be dead by now?"
"What was the time of disappearance confirmed by the Information Processing Team?"
"It was around 4 PM on the 22nd."
"Today is the 24th. Roughly two days have passed… It seems we can count him as deceased."
"In that case, how he was killed will also be a topic of interest."
"He might not have been killed but made into a toy."
"It is evaluated as having considerable intelligence, so that is a possibility."
Due to the situation where they couldn't identify the exact identity of the 'Black Cape', the Association's employees had no choice but to predict and judge it by comparing it to humanoid monsters.
And when they thought about how humanoid monsters treated humans who broke their rules, grim speculations naturally arose.
"If he was killed cleanly, I think we can reconsider the meaning of 'punishment'. Doesn't that mean there's no personal grudge?"
"It could have been an intention of 'cleaning up' rather than 'punishment'. It's only natural to want to get rid of a human who broke one's rules from sight, so you can't say there's no personal grudge."
"We'll need to know the outcome for sure to be able to adjust the response level for the 'Black Cape'…. There was also advice from the former Research Team Leader, Hunter Yu Seong-un."
The Black Cape when it encountered polite and good people and showed goodwill was not that important.
For the Association, which had to consider all sorts of dangerous variables, what was important was how this thing, which might or might not be a monster, would harm humans.
"Is there no way to track the missing person's location?"
"According to the witness's testimony, he did not carry a location tracking device."
"Well, it's uncertain if such an item would have worked anyway."
"Still, it is not enough to simply handle it as a missing person case and conclude the agenda."
"Is there no separate way to summon the 'Black Cape'?"
"We have not yet been able to find information on that."
In the midst of the orderly commotion, the Association President opened his mouth.
"Let's request cooperation from the 3 Great Guilds."
"…From all 3 Great Guilds, you mean?"
"Yes, please contact the heads of each guild."
"Understood."
Only the executives gathered in this room knew that another name for the 'Black Cape' was 'Jio's Portrait'.
The person who had bought it at the auction was none other than the collector Bisabeol, the guild master of the Collectors.
Therefore, requesting cooperation from the 3 Great Guilds here was no different from a request to ask the Black Cape directly about the outcome of the Hunter Park Eun-gyeom disappearance case.
It was a direct and blatant request that could displease Bisabeol or the 'Jio's Portrait'….
"The Collector will be more than willing to help as long as we show that we only intend to not touch the artwork. The reaction of the 'Black Cape' is unknown, but the curators of the Collectors will manage it directly and grasp the situation, so if things get really dangerous, they will exercise restraint on their own."
Above all, judging by the direction the Collectors were moving, there was a high probability that the curator currently in charge of 'Jio's Portrait' was the Gardener Yu Seong-un.
Since he was a very serious person when it came to dealing with beings of the Source, there was no harm in trying either way.
"We will conclude this agenda item here."
"Yes, Mr. President."
"Then the next agenda is…."
The Association was always busy.
So, receiving help from friends was sometimes a necessary thing.
***
Meanwhile, in the peaceful cabin within the portrait.
"Today's content."
I declared.
"Has been decided as Gambas."
"Kururururuk."
Honey cried out in joy.
"Kuruk, kkuk, kururururururu."
"Calm down, son. Gambas don't fly over like you just because you rush it."
Although the name of the 'Black Cape' had become widely known in the world, especially in Korea, the detailed circumstances were none of my business.
The owner of the ultimate positive mindset, who had accepted the life of a portrait because he didn't want to pay rent, was peacefully contemplating his meal today as well.
"I said Gambas for now… hmm."
For the excellent gourmet and big eater Seo Jio, the biggest content of his life was deciding what to eat.
Living in the dream cabin abundant with time, stamina, and capital, I freely exhausted my mind and body on preparing meals.
"Gambas al ajillo is the original official name, though."
"Kuru?"
"Gambas means shrimp, ajillo means garlic."
"Kururu…?"
"Yes, a direct translation would be stir-fried shrimp and garlic."
In fact, although I said I would make 'Gambas', what I was going to make today was completely different from the original.
"In the first place, it's not even going to have shrimp in it."
The only commonality was that I would be using olive oil with its slightly bitter aroma and plump garlic.
But since the cooking method would be quite similar, I decided not to bother changing the name.
"Honey, you know the Club Trumpet we saw last time, right? If you go to the storage, there are some Club Trumpets that Dad has prepared."
"Kuruk."
"Go down with Dana and bring up as much as you want to eat, including Dad's and Grandpa's portions. If there's anything else you want in the storage, bring it up too."
"Kururururu."
Honey nodded vigorously, then flew off with a flutter and sat on Dana's head.
Dana, who had been lying sprawled out like a cat spilled on the subtly warm floor as a spring breeze gently blew, flailed its two front paws.
"Kuru."
"…Myaaaaa…."
Streeeetch―.
Dana, who got up and stretched out in an arch, moved its feet with quick little steps.
I nodded, watching my two children disappear with a small basket made to fit Dana's body in their mouths.
"They get along well."
"Kuu?"
The Sun God asked if it was okay for Dana to go to the freezing cold ice storage, but I shook my head.
"Dana is not a family member I painted, so she might be affected by this forest, but perhaps because her body is naturally cold and, strictly speaking, she is not an ordinary creature, there were no problems even when she went to the ice storage. I don't know if she goes to other dangerous places, but Dana won't get sick just because it's cold."
After reassuring the household elder, I thought to myself.
'He's particularly concerned about Dana.'
I could understand that feeling. Honey would come on his own to receive his daily share of attention and affection, but if Dana was left alone, there were many times I didn't even know where the kid was.
'She doesn't even cry when it's not mealtime….'
When she didn't particularly feel like eating, she would disappear altogether, which seemed to be a great source of worry for the Sun God.
I didn't think anything serious would happen to the child who had survived well even in that harsh 'Jewel Water Vein', but since Grandpa said so, I could certainly respect his feelings.
"Then I'll first…."
Seafood gets tough if heated for too long.
The Club Trumpet that Honey and Dana would bring would be added almost at the end, so I just needed to do the rest of the work.
"Since Honey and Father don't particularly enjoy spicy food, I will add the spices moderately."
"Kuu, ku."
"Yes, I will adjust it well so that only the aroma can be enjoyed, so you don't have to worry too much."
"Kuu…."
"It's true that spicy food was not that common in Giovanni's world. It's understandable that you would find it unfamiliar."
I generously poured olive oil into a shallow, wide square pan.
"But in Edlen village, spicy food was quite developed."
"Kuu?"
"I also thought it was unusual. Usually, in coastal villages where fresh seafood is readily available, they don't use spicy spices much…."
Basically, while spices were used to enrich the aroma, they also had the purpose of covering up the bad smells of ingredients.
It was common even on Earth to use strong and pungent chili powder to mask the gamy smell of meat or the fishy smell of seafood.
"Well, it was a hot and humid climate. The annual temperature range was large too. It was a perfect environment for ingredients to spoil, so they might have extended the preservation period with spiciness… or aimed for a sterilization effect."
Above all, although the specialty of Edlen village was shellfish like the Club Trumpet, there was a neighboring village whose specialty was spices.
It might have been a good environment for spicy food to develop in many ways, as it was easy to obtain that kind of spice.
"One of the signature dishes of Edlen village was spicy fried fish. It was a menu item often sold at the tavern, and if you requested, you could get extra dry bread to dip in the red oil."
"Kuuu…?"
"Although it was spicy, it went particularly well with bread thanks to the unique aroma of tomatoes and the savory oil of the fish. The fish used for it was particularly oily and plump, and the oil that came out from it was truly magnificent."
"Kuu…."
"Thinking about it now, it would have been nice if pasta noodles could have been added."
Recalling that memory a bit, bread and noodles were planned to be served with the Gambas I was making this time.
"For bread, I have the ciabatta and baguette I made last time, and it would be good to toast both of them lightly in the stone oven once. Which do you prefer, olive ciabatta or cheese ciabatta? There is also a baguette baked with dried tomatoes."
"Kukukuku…."
"Yes, you are wise. As per Father's words, I will put out a little of each. I don't know about Dana, but Honey takes after me and is quite a big eater, so he will be able to enjoy it without leaving any food behind. It's a good thing I baked the bread in advance."
Yu Seong-un, who knew that I had a great interest in cooking, would often give me ingredients as gifts.
These included unique flours and vegetables that could only be bought in the current world, and I was happily indebted to Yu Seong-un.
'I must serve him as my elder brother.'
He was full of adult composure, competent, and had a good personality, so he was very sociable.
To survive in this Hell Korea, I decided today as well to faithfully leech off of Yu Seong-un.
"Ah, it would also be delicious to eat the baguette with cream cheese and smoked salmon on top…."
Even if it wasn't salmon, putting thinly sliced sausage or ham on top was also a fantastic combination.
I brought the dried fish jerky from the 'Breathing Sea' that was drying in the yard and sliced it thinly and widely.
"Good, it has dried well."
"Kuku."
"Then I will leave the bread preparation to you, Father."
I sliced the garlic I had prepared earlier, not too thinly, and poured it directly onto the pan that had not yet heated up.
The teddy bear, which was slicing a baguette studded with sun-dried tomatoes, turned to look at me at the sound of something pouring out in a rush.
"Ku?"
"Yes? There is no problem at all."
"…Ku?"
"It's normal for this much garlic to go in."
"...."
The teddy bear soon gave up and began to slice the baguette.
Thanks to being a doll with fingers, it seemed to be able to handle the knife, albeit precariously.
I felt relieved and continued cooking the Gambas.
'You have to put the garlic in from a low temperature so that the aroma of the garlic infuses well into the oil.'
One thing to be careful about was that if you leave the garlic in the olive oil for too long, it will burn.
However, the garlic grown in this cabin forest was particularly firm and the cloves were large, so it seemed that the misfortune of it suddenly burning up wouldn't happen even if I left it in long enough to bring out the aroma.
"And…."
I picked up the dried Milky Way Mary.
"Where was the pestle?"
"Kuuu."
"Ah, I see. Thank you for telling me."
Thanks to the Sun God telling me, I was able to take out the pestle that had been stuffed in the cupboard.
The Milky Way Mary, well-dried in the sun, sparkled black and transparently, but its grains were too hard to be crushed by hand.
Grind, grind.
"...."
A spicy and piquant aroma rose up.
'It's similar to pepper, as expected.'
Should I call it pepper with a slight hint of chili?
'It's not spicy even if I add a lot, so should I add a generous amount?'
The aroma of pepper is highly volatile, so if you leave it on the ground for too long, the scent doesn't last. But the Milky Way Mary didn't have that problem, and its intense aroma lasted for a long time, so there would be no problem putting it in the olive oil now.
"I've added the pepper too…."
Next was the Weeping Garok.
"I'll only add a little of this."
"...."
"If the spicy aroma is too weak, it will be greasy and I won't be able to eat much."
"…Kuu…."
"You can trust this son."
When making a dish with a lot of oil like this, dried spices were better.
This was because if moisture got into the hotly heated oil, a high-performance, eco-friendly bomb would be created.
'And I had dried the Weeping Garok in advance for this day that would come someday.'
If you dry Weeping Garok in the sun for more than a month, it turns pink and produces a tremendous sweetness.
But when dried indoors, not in the sun, by lightly roasting it on a gently heated pan like grilling dried filefish jerky, its spicy aroma became stronger instead.
'The feeling is markedly different from chili powder in that the color is still blue-green, but….'
Still, the aroma was roughly similar.
'The sweet smell that made the aroma overly complicated has also mostly disappeared.'
The Weeping Garok, thoroughly dried with fire, was crumbly like thin, blue-green Hanji (korean traditional) paper and its edges were wrinkled like lace.
When the Weeping Garok, torn into appropriate sizes, went in, the spicy aroma, which had been dormant even with the Milky Way Mary, started to burst out.
"This is it."
"Ku."
"...."
I, who had unknowingly clenched my fist, lowered my arm.
"…It won't be that spicy."
No, really.
At the unrelenting suspicious gaze, I volunteered to be the food taster just in case, but it wasn't that spicy.
If even Seo Jio, who didn't have a great tolerance for spicy food, could handle this much, it seemed there wouldn't be a big problem even if the teddy bear, whose very appearance screamed mild flavor, tasted it.
"Really."
"...."
"If a father doesn't believe his son, who will believe me?"
"Ku."
"Abuse of trust, you say? This is the kind of trust that exists to be used in times like these."
Unfortunately, a spice-wimp's suspicion was not something that could be easily dispelled.
The adults, who had not aged in vain, continued their strange standoff until Honey and Dana arrived.
-x-X-x-
As a Korean, I can tell you that garlic was not a spice.
"It's a vegetable, I tell you."
"Kkungkungkung…."
"Honey, is it really something to hate that much?"
Honey always made a 'kkung' sound when expressing disagreement, and when he grumbled like that, he would curl his already round body even tighter and bob up and down.
He looked like a fragile, bouncing bouncy ball.
But I felt wronged.
"Garlic isn't spicy when you cook it."
"Kkung."
"You'll know when you taste it, it's just a potato. It's just a soft, moist potato, that's all."
"Kkungkung…."
"The aroma has all seeped into the oil. Your dad is truly wronged."
I had gone to the trouble of making a meal, only to have two of my family members distrusting me.
"I told you Dad tried it."
The one who reacted to that was not Honey, but the teddy bear.
"Kuuu…."
"…Of course, it's true that Koreans are strong against spiciness, but Father, that is a prejudice. Not all Koreans are strong against spicy food. I was about average."
I had never mentioned it separately, but being a god, the Sun God knew that among the 'Jios', there was a Korean and this standoff was happening because of the myth that Korea was particularly strong against spicy flavors.
"Why must we face such a harsh ordeal in front of this warm and delicious dining table…?"
As always, my cooking was fantastic.
The Club Trumpet, thrown in at the right moment and cooked to a soft and moist perfection, boasted a milky white color, and the olive oil, imbued with the soul of garlic, harmonized with the Milky Way Mary and Weeping Garok.
Furthermore, the bread, blessed with warmth by the Sun God and then toasted once by me in the stone oven, was generously emitting a savory aroma.
"On top of that, with the addition of smoked fish jerky gently dried in the mild spring breeze, what a neat and perfect table this is. Especially, how delicious would it be to place this soft and chewy fish jerky on a crispy baguette, add a drop or two of the gambas oil, and then top it with well-pickled capers."
Perhaps the sincerity of the pig appealing to their appetite got through, as I could feel Honey and the teddy bear flinch.
I didn't miss the opportunity and sat Honey and the teddy bear at the dining table.
"Let's eat first. No matter how much you dislike spicy food, you shouldn't act like this in front of a warm table. That is an insult to the ingredients and a criticism towards me, the chef."
"Kuruk…."
"Kuuu…."
"Dana is already sitting at her seat, is everyone going to hesitate like this? Honey, I did not raise you to be so weak. Father, did you not say you wanted to experience human culture?"
And so, I was barely able to persuade the two.
"A wise decision. Yes, you may feel an aversion to spicy food, but if you just avoid it without even trying, your range of experience will inevitably narrow."
"Kuuu."
"Of course, it is said that spiciness is closer to a sense of pain than a taste, but even if you don't deny that, I hope you understand that it too is an experience of gastronomy. The oral texture is also a part of a meal."
It was like not wanting to eat soggy fried dumplings or hard pudding.
Food had a texture that best suited it, and a taste and aroma that fit that form.
I couldn't just leave these spice-wimps be.
"No, more importantly."
I once again pleaded my case of injustice.
"I'm telling you, it's not spicy."
"...."
"Dana, are you too not going to believe your father?"
Anyway, the meal proceeded.
Although both Honey and the Sun God showed a subtle reluctance, they had no intention of skipping the meal entirely from the start.
How could they avoid it when a delicious smell was wafting everywhere?
I made a salmon baguette for my timid, spice-wimp son.
"Place well-cooked broccoli and garlic on the baguette… mash the tomato widely so its juices come out… place the smoked fish on top… and then top it with a Cheese Flower, and, ta-da."
The Jio-style salmon baguette was complete.
"It was a good idea to grow the Cheese Flower."
This flower is made of cheese, which I had first encountered at the restaurant I visited with Yu Seong-un.
Thanks to it being a plant that grew wild in some dungeon, I was able to get its seeds.
As expected, it must have been influenced by the forest, as it had evolved from an azalea to a morning glory, but its deep taste and aroma remained the same.
"It'll be much less spicy if you eat it with cheese like this."
"Kkung…."
Chomp.
The baguette melted away into Honey's body.
"…Kuru."
"It's delicious, right?"
"Kururururururu."
"That's a relief."
The impression of the very first food one eats often determines the gourmet road that follows.
I didn't want to implant a bad memory of the first 'spicy flavor' my child ever tasted.
"It's just moderately spicy, so it's good, right?"
"Kurukkuruk."
"Right, you never know until you try."
I also made and ate a baguette in the same way.
"Hmm."
I approve, in the name of a self-proclaimed amateur gourmet.
"This is good."
"Kurung."
It was delicious.
'I think it could have been a little spicier for me, though.'
I avoid spiciness that's on the level of a traffic accident, but I knew that if it was at a level of gently brushing past my shoulder, it could be a pleasant stimulus.
The smoked fish, Cheese Flower, and broccoli were all mild flavors, so it felt a little plain.
'But this is quite good.'
The unique spicy and piquant aroma of the Milky Way Mary brushed past the roof of my mouth, but it wasn't to the point of making my tongue tingle, so it could be passed off as a pleasant fragrance.
It seemed Honey had given it a passing grade on this point as well.
'The broccoli is also cooked just right. If I had cooked it for too long, it would have become soggy and limp, and the texture would have been strange… and the uniquely firm tomato became soft and mashable thanks to being heated.'
The broccoli, garlic, and tomato all seemed to be getting a little spicy from absorbing the spicy oil.
But just then, the Cheese Flower that entered my mouth at the same time spread even more softly than the vegetables, like silk, and soothed the tingling sensation.
In particular, the smoked fish gave off the luxurious aroma of burnt wood, creating an even more harmonious taste.
"…Even if I add the adductor muscle here…."
"Kuu?"
"Ah, yes, the adductor muscle won't be particularly spicy either."
Perhaps the Sun God also found this level of spiciness delicious, as he subtly handed me a baguette with sun-dried tomatoes.
It meant he wanted me to make a baguette with the adductor muscle.
'To think he wants to experiment as soon as he accepts a new opinion, I see the qualities of an excellent pig.'
A baguette with sun-dried tomatoes.
It already possessed the unique sweet and sour taste of well-sun-dried tomatoes.
I didn't bother adding the tomatoes that were in the oil, and just made the baguette with broccoli, garlic, and the adductor muscle on top.
"Please try it, and if it's a little spicy, you can have it with some cheese here."
"Kuu…."
Wagu.
Half of the baguette disappeared into the teddy bear's large mouth.
"...."
"...."
"Kukuku…."
Seeing its pleasant laughter, it seemed my choice was satisfactory.
"...."
"Myang."
"…You're quite skillful."
I was a little worried since Dana and Honey didn't have hands, but they were managing to combine and eat well using their mouths or feet.
I nodded with pride and watched my family, who had now started to combine and eat on their own.
"Hmm…."
Maybe I should try making bread with dried figs later.
"It's really nice to have bread made in advance."
"Kuuu."
"That's right, this was a daily routine in Edlen village."
Thanks to it being a region where bread was the staple food, there were many bakeries here and there, even though it was a coastal village.
"Kuu?"
"Yes, there were many households without a stone oven."
"Ku?"
"In that case, they would use the village's public stone oven, or families with a little more means would frequent the bakeries. Anyway, it seems that bread was basically never missing whenever a meal was served."
"Kukuku."
"As you guessed, I preferred to bake bread at home myself."
In Edlen village, bread was like rice in Korea, so even the bakeries only sold the most basic bread.
Since it was common to dip it in stew, there were almost no places that sold bread with dried fruits or nuts in it.
"If I baked bread myself, I could try various things. Sometimes, I even tried baking it with minced sausage or fish. The seafood in Edlen village was of high quality, so it wasn't too burdensome to eat it in any way."
Recalling those times, I felt a surge of motivation.
"It seems it's better to bake bread in advance after all."
"Kurururu."
"Right, that way we can take it out and eat it whenever we think of it like this."
Since bread takes a lot of time to knead and bake, the people of Edlen village would set aside a day to prepare a large amount of bread at once and then survive on that for nearly a month.
'Of course, the bread became hard and dry, but being able to eat warm and moist bread every day was a privilege of the nobility… and anyway, hard, dry bread was delicious in its own way when dipped in stew.'
In fact, the dry, hard bread and the soupy stew were a good combination.
Since everyone ate like that, the stew ordered at restaurants came out a bit too salty to eat on its own, and instead, bread would be served with it.
But the advantage of this forest was that fully grown vegetables or cooked food did not spoil.
Even if I baked a generous amount of bread, it would always be maintained as if it were freshly baked, so if I diligently baked and stockpiled bread, I would be able to eat it from time to time.
"Besides bread for meals, if I bake other kinds of bread, that too would be quite…."
"Akong."
"Small, round bread? Munchkin donuts would be good too."
If I add a little milk to sugar powder and coat the bread, a wonderful glazed donut is complete.
I thought I should make a few sweet breads as well.
"Now, this is where we use the pasta noodles."
Around the time I felt a decent amount of bread had been consumed, I took out the pasta noodles I had prepared in advance.
I placed the springy, cooked pasta noodles on my personal plate, and on top of that, I added various vegetables, a few spoonfuls of oil, the adductor muscle, and even the sausage Dana had brought.
"It would be delicious in its own way if I add cheese."
"Kuruk."
"I'll give you some too, so wait a moment. This one has a lot of oil, so it might be a little spicy."
"Kkuk."
"You've become brave. As expected, children grow up in an instant…."
I, who had made the noodles to a suitable temperature by mixing them in the warm oil, slurped and tasted them.
"Good."
I liked it very much.
"It doesn't cut the spiciness of the oil as much as the bread, so this will probably be a little spicier. Just in case, try eating it with a Cheese Flower."
"Kurururu."
"Do you need some too, Father?"
At my question, the teddy bear shook its head.
It had never tried noodles, but it seemed it still liked the bread and had no intention of switching to something else.
I affirmed his conviction.
I served some pasta in front of Dana, who was also curious about what Honey was eating, and then ate my own again.
"...."
Munch.
It was good, as expected.
'The oil flavor is stronger, so it's a bit tingly….'
I sprinkled a little more of the ground Milky Way Mary on my portion of pasta.
Its unique, intense aroma spread out, and on top of that, eating it with the spicy sausage, including its juices, made the taste exceptionally outstanding.
'It was a good idea to grill the sausage once.'
The moist meat inside the crispy skin had a texture where each grain of meat could be chewed, and the slippery noodles, coated in plenty of oil, added flavor and texture, fueling my appetite.
Eating it with the Club Trumpet, which was being treated as an adductor muscle instead of a sausage, also had a different taste, so there was no time to get bored.
I drank the sweet Mangdung Fruit tea I had brewed in advance and opened my mouth.
"…Hah…."
A satisfied sigh escaped on its own.
This is happiness.
-x-X-x-
A B-Class Hunter.
"...."
It was a world where anyone and everyone could become a Hunter just by awakening, but that by no means meant that a B-Class was a low rank.
Above all, he was a 1st-class citizen by birth.
"...."
They weren't just people who lived in the city; they were evaluated as 1st-class because they protected that city.
So, they were fundamentally treated with preference and respect wherever they went.
Such was the existence of a 1st-class citizen in this world.
"...."
It was something worth having strong confidence over.
"…Uh…."
Enough to try and deal with a mere 3rd-class citizen as he pleased.
"…Wha, what is this… where am I?"
Stagger….
He barely managed to raise his body, which had no strength.
"What the…?"
Park Eun-gyeom, a 1st-class citizen and a B-Class Hunter, looked around.
"…Is this a dungeon?"
There was a reason why he, who couldn't be said to have little experience as a Hunter, harbored such an obvious and foolish question.
"A dungeon like this exists?"
Everything was monochrome.
A stark white. A black like a bottomless pit.
A light gray. A slightly dark gray. A gray close to black.
A gray close to white. A gray that shone like glass.
A gray that shimmered as if it were breathing. Gray. Gray.
The man was dropped in the middle of a gray city.
"...."
As if his lungs were filled with cotton, his breath caught and the man unknowingly fumbled at his chest.
Rationally, he knew there was nothing wrong with his body, but no, it wasn't a feeling of being filled. This was….
"…Wha, what is this…."
A chilling sense of lethargy.
He couldn't put strength into any part of his body.
It felt as if all his muscles had vanished.
"I said, where is this place?"
It was an emptiness, as if the organ called the lungs had disappeared entirely.
Even though he was speaking, it felt like his tongue was gone, he couldn't tell if his vocal cords were vibrating, and even hearing his own voice didn't feel like hearing.
"…What in the…."
This emptiness gradually encroached upon his entire body, to the point of feeling a sense of disharmony.
It was a natural change, as if someone were whispering in his ear, 'This is how it should be.'
It started with his breath catching in hitches, like a man about to die, then it felt as if his airways had vanished, and his heart, which had been pounding, was incomprehensibly calm amidst this bizarre fear.
Even the warmth at his fingertips was fading.
"No way, n, no…."
Faltering, the man quickly took in his surroundings.
Gray here. Gray there. Gray this way. Gray that way.
The buildings were uninteresting and simple rectangular shapes, made emotionally with Seoul's characteristic curves, and also either very long or very short.
'Made?'
Who in the world made this?
'This… this is a dungeon. Right, it's a dungeon.'
But something was strange. Too much was empty.
This damn gray city looked incredibly vast and had many buildings, but not a single presence could be felt. What dungeon in the world could possibly be this quiet.
'I can't even feel any hostility.'
He thought it was terrifying when monsters came rushing to kill him, but no.
The terror was that this seemingly endless, vast dungeon was just watching him, doing nothing.
It was merely gazing at the man.
"...."
Scared.
Scared?
Am I scared?
'…I can't even discern a single emotion….'
First, it was the breath he exhaled.
Next were the organs extending from his lungs and the warmth originating from them.
After that, it was his emotions.
"Ugh, ughh…."
What would be next?
The existence known as 'Park Eun-gyeom' was gradually disappearing.
"…Ugh!"
The man quickly shook his head and kneaded his hands.
'Don't think strange thoughts, what do you mean disappear. My hands are clearly here and they aren't even cold.'
All of this was nothing but a simple misunderstanding.
It was a form of brainwashing by this dungeon, trying to wither him to death.
It was his first time in a quiet dungeon of this type, so he panicked for a moment, but he wasn't one to be taken down so easily.
"If this is a dungeon, what kind of dungeon is it?"
Is it a mobile type, or a fixed type?
Virtual, villa, or entry.
The man consciously took a deep breath to calm himself and darted his eyes around.
"I was definitely, that… led by that hand…."
He couldn't remember the detailed process.
But he remembered being confronted by a certain picture frame in the 'Vein of Jewels,' and being forcibly dragged in by the transparent hands that crawled out from within it.
The expression of the man, who was stealing his resolve and planning for survival, soon crumbled miserably.
It wasn't anger, but despair and fear.
"...."
He had recalled the moment he was dragged into the picture frame.
"…Hk…."
The sensation of his body melting and flowing like paint was vivid.
'…I, I shouldn't think like this. Panicking more in a situation like this will only lower my survival rate… Right, I have to get a grip. A grip….'
He tried to force himself to pull it together, but it wasn't easy.
It was a really strange feeling.
Was it painful? It seemed like it might have been.
Was it peaceful? No, it wasn't.
That sensation, that pain, of being caught by the transparent hands and slowly, like wax, melting away, starting from the foot that was devoured first by the picture frame.
How could he forget the feeling of becoming a living, thinking liquid?
"...."
He had lost consciousness from the pain and had been brought here without being able to resist….
"...."
So.
"...."
What was I trying to do?
"…Ah, ah, ah."
Thud―!!
The staggering man fell backward.
"Ugh…."
Now, even his thoughts were disappearing into this void.
'This can't go on.'
He didn't know what kind of dungeon this was exactly.
Its structure might be similar to the dungeons he knew, but it was completely different.
Still, as a B-Class Hunter, the man instinctively realized that this dungeon was like a mutation.
So the chances of getting out alive would be even lower, but it didn't matter.
To be precise, it was closer to being unable to think.
Realizing that following pain and fear, he was changing into a state where he couldn't even think, the man tried his best to struggle.
"Get up, let's get up. Get up and…."
For some reason, his body had been devoid of strength for a while now.
It was a similar sensation to when he hadn't awakened yet, right after waking up from sleep or when he had collapsed, consumed by an overly intense emotion.
But even that was chilling.
'Isn't this dungeon sucking away even the strength I should rightfully be able to exert?'
It was because such a suspicion arose.
After flailing on the ground like an insect a few times, the man barely managed to get up.
It was incomprehensible, but his whole body was covered in soot, perhaps from rubbing against the dark gray asphalt floor over and over again.
No, rather, it looked like paint was smearing off him.
'Paint?'
Only then, and very belatedly, did the man realize whose dungeon he was in.
"…The Black Cape…."
Hasn't it been a very famous topic of conversation recently?
"…The Black, The Black Cape…!! Right, that bastard…!! That monster bastard!!"
Even in a dungeon like this, the deep-seated arrogance and overflowing anger ingrained in his body could not be hidden.
That dog-like monster bastard was the one who had created this situation where he was pathetically flailing about after being dragged here like a mangy dog.
A mere monster, base as a beast, doing this to a human…!
"Fuck, fuck, fuuuck!! You're just a pathetic monster that goes around handing out useless presents…!!!"
He didn't even know what he was shouting.
Perhaps if he were a more knowledgeable and capable Hunter, he would have realized that this place was inside the 'Black Cape's' stomach and shown the utmost humility and remorse.
But if he were that kind of person, why would the 'City of the Void' have dragged in someone like Park Eun-gyeom in the first place?
Jio's children knew exactly what their parent disliked.
It was beings like this, who didn't know their place.
"Hah, hah… Heuk…."
After struggling for a long while, the man moved his trembling feet and slowly began to leave the spot.
It all looked like the same scenery anyway, but every dungeon was bound to have an entrance and exit.
A dungeon with no way out did not exist.
That couldn't be called a dungeon.
So it must exist, of course it must and yet, the question remained.
'Why on earth did The Black Cape?'
Although the response level on the Hunter Association's website had been adjusted to be quite high, the ones managing that information were all human too, so they might have just been overly cautious.
The description said to be careful or whatever, but in reality, The Black Cape had never harmed a human.
'Although there were a few idiots who died because it suddenly left its post….'
Briefly recalling the 'Kingdom of the Deep Sea,' the man shook his head.
'I've never even heard of it attacking like this.'
The 'Black Cape' he knew was a foolish monster that would suddenly pop out, give a gloomy greeting, hand over a present, and then disappear.
Perhaps because it was so pathetic, he had heard some nonsense about people gathering to pass the time by sharing stories about the 'Black Cape'….
'Why would a monster like that target me?'
It was when he was arduously moving his feet one by one.
"...."
Flinch―.
The man's body froze.
"...."
Ignoring his jaw that creaked like an unoiled hinge, he turned his head and looked back.
"...."
"...."
A suit was standing there.
"…What…."
"...."
"What is that?"
It was a jet-black suit.
A color as if modeled after the shadow of a pitch-black basement where not a single point of light entered.
Even the shirt was black, and it was buttoned up meticulously, looking almost suffocating.
The lusterless black shoes somehow looked sturdy.
It stood with its hands behind its back, simply gazing at the man.
'…Gazing?'
What nonsense was he spouting while looking at that faceless thing?
'No, in the first place… how… why….'
Did I know that thing was behind me?
"...."
Despite not feeling any presence, the man knew the 'suit' was behind him.
"…Ah…."
What kind of ink had flowed into his emptying brain.
He couldn't understand what on earth he was becoming.
"…G-Go away."
"...."
"Go away, you monster bastard. This, this is just… I'm gonna…."
"...."
"I'm gonna just crush you…."
Keeping the suit in his sight, the man faltered backward.
He frequently checked behind him, worried he might bump into another suit he hadn't seen, but there was nothing of the sort.
As he backed away, the suit he first saw didn't come any closer either.
"...."
"...."
Even after moving for a good while, the suit was still standing still.
Having made up his mind, the man quickly ran to escape the place.
"Heek…!!"
His legs wouldn't listen, causing him to fall on the scratchy asphalt floor several times, but this was no time to worry about such things.
"Huak, heok, heup…!!"
As he was running like that.
"Ack…!!!"
"...."
"Ah, augh. Ugh…!!"
Again, a jet-black suit came into view.
It was walking slowly down the street with its hands behind its back, but from the turned direction of its body, he could tell it was gazing at the man.
Its walking pace, like that of a person heading to work, gave off an unbearable sense of disharmony and the man tried his best to swallow his scream.
Still, he ran.
He fell, his skin got scraped, and he ran again, repeating the cycle.
He didn't even have the leisure to analyze why he, a B-Class Hunter, was feeling pain from a mere asphalt floor.
'Crazy…!!'
The man continued to encounter the suits after that.
When he looked to the left, there was a jet-black suit.
It sat on a bench, gazing at the running man.
When he looked to the right, there was a slightly slower-running suit.
It, too, had turned its body in the man's direction and was gazing at him.
When he looked ahead, there were two suits.
They stood still, gazing at the moving man.
And then when he looked behind.
"...."
Right behind him, behind that, a little further away, and in the alley, inside the building, beyond the glass window, on the rooftop, under the streetlight, next to the bench, inside the bus stop, inside the convenience store, inside the car, inside the bus, walking, running, standing still, there were black suits gazing at him.
"...."
And then.
If I look ahead…?
"...."
If I look ahead.
What happens?
"...."
The man felt a black suit breathing just inches from his body.
"Euhk…."
He couldn't turn his head forward again.
It had no presence, but it had a presence.
Though it was just clothes moving, it felt as if a living person was inside.
No, of course, it could never be called a person and shouldn't be, but… but still.
"…Hk…."
The man slowly turned his body and sluggishly sank to the ground.
"Heuk, heu-euu…."
As he squatted down ungracefully, he could see his own state.
"Haaah… Ah-euuuk… eu…."
From his skin, raw from being sanded down, not blood but black paint was smearing out.
"Augh…."
With trembling, jet-black hands, the man fumbled at his face with clumsy gestures. It was damp.
"...."
When he turned his head to look at the building's glass, he saw his own reflection, blotchy and blackened.
The dirty black color, as if rotted, was like a hole where flesh had been gouged out.
"...."
He hastily felt around, but there were no holes.
But this was a shadow.
The man lowered his head and kept fumbling at his body, then looked at his jet-black pants as if smeared with wet tar, then at the legs inside them, and then….
"...."
"...."
"...."
When he raised his head.
"Wow, look at this person."
Chillingly.
A familiar voice was heard.
"Why is he so blotchy?"
"He's not whole."
"So we can call him an unfinished work."
It was Park Eun-gyeom's own voice.
He saw the crowd of jet-black suits that had, at some point, surrounded him and were looking down at him.
"...."
They weren't packed so tightly that no gap could be seen, but their numbers weren't small either.
They looked just like citizens watching someone who had suffered a heart attack.
A terrible sense of disharmony made him shudder.
"Wow, look at this person."
The exact same voice.
"Why is he so blotchy?"
"He's not whole."
"So we can call him an unfinished work."
The exact same lines.
"...."
And.
Park Eun-gyeom felt his own throat.
"Wow."
"…―"
"Look at this person."
…He couldn't speak.
"Why is he so blotchy?"
"...."
"He's not whole."
"...."
"So we can call him an unfinished work."
"...."
"...."
"...."
-x-X-x-
"Curator Yu Seong-un."
Yu Seong-un just.
"I deeply regret having to say this, but…."
"Is it overtime?"
"...."
"It's overtime, I see."
He thought, what was bound to come has come.
Bisabeol, who had been quietly staring at Yu Seong-un's face which had transcended resignation and reached a state of enlightenment, soon gave a thumbs-up.
He added a refreshing wink that made him seem nothing like an old man his age.
"How much will it be?"
"What a filthy capitalist society."
In this day and age, legally mandated working hours were completely useless.
Even those laws that were enacted were all based on civilian standards, so a publicly known Hunter, not just a regular Awakener, was worked to the point where it wouldn't be strange for them to die from overwork.
"Hoo…."
And Yu Seong-un was a working man who knew well that he was a cog in the machine of this society.
"Yes, alright."
He nodded his head.
"I'll look forward to this month's salary."
"My goodness, you're so cool, Hunter Yu Seong-un! So completely reliable!"
"Please stop making things harder for me and get to the point."
"Shall I?"
With his characteristic, drawn-out smile, Bisabeol continued.
"Jio caused some trouble."
"...."
Slurp….
Having taken a sip of his sweet fruit tea, Yu Seong-un asked.
"Is it on a cute level, or a dreadful level."
"It seemed quite cute to me."
"If it were on a dreadful level by your standards, Guild Master, there's no way I wouldn't already know."
"Then why on earth did you ask, Mr. Seong-un? What do you take me for? A harbinger who foresees the apocalypse?"
"It's just amazing how you can enjoy life so much."
"Enjoying it is what matters. You may respect me."
"Ah, yes…."
Yu Seong-un rubbed his stiff neck and asked again.
"What exactly happened?"
"I heard that a 1st-class citizen was dragged into Jio's picture frame."
"If it's a 1st-class citizen, there will be a few classists who will rise up…."
"What can you do, it wasn't done by a person but by a monster, so they'll just be a little more concerned and let it go."
"That's true."
It was true that in the world of humans, 1st-class citizens received considerable preferential treatment.
But because of that, almost no one sympathized when a 1st-class citizen was attacked by a monster.
After all, most 1st-class citizens gained their power and honor in return for fighting monsters and protecting other citizens.
"Well, Jio isn't a monster, though."
"In any case, wouldn't it be better for it to be known that way?"
"You are right, Guild Master."
There was no need to tell those who couldn't see about the existence of the Source.
'It would only add to the confusion.'
If the Source were to be officially known, it would have to be at least 100 years in the future.
Now, only 31 years after the Great Catastrophe, the consciousness of the citizens was particularly lacking in many aspects.
Anyway, that wasn't the important thing.
"Who is the person that Jio supposedly dragged away?"
At Yu Seong-un's question, Bisabeol stroked his chin and answered.
"They say it's a B-Class Hunter named Park Eun-gyeom."
"…I've never heard of him…."
"You should try to memorize the names of Hunters, he was a Hunter within the rankings."
"The overall rankings?"
"Domestic."
"How am I supposed to know that?"
Although he was an A-Class Hunter, Yu Seong-un's job was a curator for The Collectors and a manager of the secret garden.
Unless the subject was widely known and had aspects that required special attention, all his interest was directed toward the Source.
"What use is there in knowing the domestic Hunter rankings?"
In short, if it wasn't related to the Source or the basic knowledge of an A-Class Hunter, there was no need for him to know.
"It could be used to pretend you know things, couldn't it?"
"I have a rough memory of the important A-Classes."
"Please pay attention to the rank just below as well, even if you're an unofficial Hunter, you'll get flak for that."
"I'm doing well in my social life too. I don't make it obvious that I don't know them to their faces, do I?"
"Should I call that a relief…."
Perhaps because Hunters were treated as a type of celebrity in this world.
Unless they had a remarkable character, people wanted the Hunters who appeared in the media to always seem humble and perfect.
The image of knowing and respecting all Hunters' names was part of such 'perfection.'
Of course, Yu Seong-un was one of Bisabeol's collectibles, and as a Gardener who needed a lot of time to work privately, he did not frequently appear in the media of his own volition.
If he was doing well on his own, it wasn't something Bisabeol needed to worry about.
"Then again, he wasn't that well-known of a Hunter."
"You mean that Hunter named Park Eun-gyeom?"
"It seems he himself was filled with the desire to climb higher, but, well. People these days don't really like arrogant and self-righteous Hunters."
For the Hunters of today, image management was important.
To reach a level where such an image was unnecessary, one had to become an S-Class, but even in the current generation where Hunters were produced without much difficulty, a Hunter of that rank was hard to find.
And the Hunter who was abducted by Jio this time was, of course, not that skilled.
"He's a typical B-Class. He was born with a pretty decent Aptitude Skill and obtained a plausible rank, but he wasn't particularly attractive externally, nor was he very sociable."
"…You've memorized everything, even though he probably wasn't a Hunter you were paying special attention to."
"I remember all the Hunters in the Republic of Korea. I may look like an idler, but am I not the respectable head of the nation's 3rd-ranked guild? This much is basic if you want to compete with your head, not your body."
"Hmm."
Yu Seong-un nodded.
"What's the exact situation?"
"An official document just came down from the Hunter Association today…."
Bisabeol explained what had happened.
How the Hunter Association had reacted to Jio's incident this time, and how passively they had requested help and what exactly the incident was caused by.
"…And so, that Hunter named Park Eun-gyeom has still not been found."
"If he was dragged into Jio's picture frame, that's understandable. Even I don't know what that place is like inside."
Chin in hand, Yu Seong-un let out a groan.
"If there's any silver lining, it's that this commotion isn't likely to make a big fuss."
First of all, it was largely thanks to Jio causing the trouble so quietly.
"Above all, the Hunter Association's attitude is impressive."
"I thought so too."
Bisabeol also agreed.
"It's a decision that shows they have no intention of escalating the disturbance, nor do they intend to displease our portrait, but at the same time shows just how importantly they are treating this 'Black Cape' incident."
They didn't point fingers directly but vaguely 'requested' an 'investigation.'
The Association President, who knew Jio was Bisabeol's collectible, could have come on stronger, but he didn't.
So, was it just passive? That wasn't it.
"To request help from none other than all three of the 3 Great Guilds."
There were three guilds that represented the Republic of Korea, and Bisabeol's 'The Collectors' was ranked 3rd among them.
"In that case…."
"Including the Association President, it means all the 'Symbols of Eternity' are gathering."
"That's exactly it."
The Symbol of Eternity.
It was a term used to refer collectively to the heads of the 1st and 2nd ranked guilds in the Republic of Korea, centered around the Korean Hunter Association President, Dan Hae-ra.
It was a word that modified the three people recorded as great figures who literally symbolized eternity.
If Bisabeol was responsible for Korea's capital, the 2nd-ranked guild master was in charge of public sentiment, the 1st-ranked guild master was in charge of safety, and the Hunter Association President was in charge of overall administration and management.
The current Republic of Korea, with them at its core, showed a globally high level of stability.
"Well, of course, I'm not a 'Symbol of Eternity,' but?"
Some people occasionally misunderstood, but Bisabeol's aging was only slowing down thanks to the high level of his skills; he hadn't made the pact of eternity like them.
He wouldn't have done it even if they offered.
"Still, I play a pretty big role in this capitalist society. It seems they've contacted all three of us, the heads of the Republic of Korea's 3 Great Guilds, including myself. This alone shows how importantly the Association President regards 'Jio's Portrait'."
At Bisabeol's words, Yu Seong-un opened his mouth with a slightly sour expression.
"…I've been curious about this for a while."
"Why ask now."
"I didn't want to get involved, but I think I'm already involved, so I'm asking now."
"How wise, just as expected of Curator Yu Seong-un, whom I brought in myself."
"What do you mean, you brought everyone in yourself… Anyway."
Yu Seong-un continued.
"In the first place, why was the Association President so covetous of 'Jio's Portrait'?"
As far as he knew, the main skill of Association President Dan Hae-ra, one of the few S-Classes in the country, was not something like 'Appraisal.'
She wouldn't have been able to sense the essence of that unfamiliar portrait as much as Bisabeol, so why did she put in enough effort to compete with Bisabeol, who was in charge of Korea's capital?
"I know that the Association President frequently visits the auction house. She buys many things as well. But she's almost never shown as much passion and sincerity as she did for the portrait this time… right?"
"She's never shown any at all."
"That's what I'm saying."
"But I don't know much about that part either."
The only thing Bisabeol could know was.
"...."
That in those eyes, an emotion had rarely surfaced.
'…I can't be sure, though.'
The current center of Korea, Association President Dan Hae-ra, was a person who had given up many things to maintain that balance.
'For such a person to show even a faint emotion for a single auction item.'
To be honest, Bisabeol himself doubted his own judgment.
"Well, who knows."
"You don't know?"
"I can't possibly know everything."
"You live as if you do."
"It helps with my image business."
"Ah, my head hurts."
"That can happen in life."
In any case, why the Association President had aimed for 'Jio's Portrait' was not that important. At least, not to Bisabeol.
"I wouldn't know for sure, but there could have been something that only the Association President's eyes could see."
"...."
"The story has strayed."
Isn't the most important thing right now 'Jio's Portrait'?
"As you predicted, the Hunter Association has recognized the importance of the 'Black Cape' and is approaching it with more than just caution. They'll probably maintain a stance of coexistence as much as possible until they're certain it's an enemy."
"…For now, it seems less likely that Jio will get angry due to an aggressive approach. I was worried about the foolish stunts that would increase as the 'Black Cape's' image has become overly friendly recently, but it's a relief that the Association has taken notice."
"And all three of the Republic of Korea's Great Guild leaders received that official document. Since it's a request from none other than the Association President, the other two symbols will also clarify their stance on the 'Black Cape' and strive to let others know."
"Especially since there's a symbol who specializes in that area, I won't worry about that part anymore. Then what's left is how cooperative of a stance we, The Collectors, will show."
Yu Seong-un, who was once even a research team leader at the Association, was not that indifferent to the affairs of the nation.
He had the talent to understand even if it was said in a way that was twisted 30 times, and with this much of a hint, there was no way Yu Seong-un couldn't do the work.
"...."
And, anyway.
"…Jio is my responsibility."
If not for Yu Seong-un, there was no one else to take on this job.
"For now, I'll try looking around in a roundabout way."
"You're not going to ask Jio right away?"
"…It's true that Jio is favorable to humans for a being of the Source, but the situation is a bit different this time, isn't it."
"True, this is the first incident where he's shown hostility instead of goodwill. The official document says he didn't reveal himself, so he might be in a bad mood."
"If I try to save a human that Jio has judged as an 'evildoer,' he might show even greater hostility. So rather than asking directly, I intend to look for the picture frame the victim was dragged into first."
Massaging his stiff neck one more time, Yu Seong-un asked.
"By any chance, are there any clues about that picture frame? A photo, or a drawing… it would be good to know its characteristics."
"It was first discovered in a dungeon called 'Vein of Jewels,' and also…."
Bisabeol showed him the official document from the Association.
"It is said to be a work depicting a gray city."
"...."
It was written in the official document that a witness had testified it was a picture frame that made one feel emptiness just by looking at it.
Yu Seong-un, who was gazing at it intently, mumbled his lips.
"…Even now in the 'Kingdom of the Deep Sea,' a picture frame called the 'Breathing Sea' is often witnessed. A Hunter with an Appraisal Skill confirmed it, so it must be true."
"That must have been created by Jio too, right?"
"Yes, that's right. By the way, a painter who draws dungeons as he pleases…."
He felt a little fed up.
"It's frightening."
And, he was curious.
It was a thought typical of Yu Seong-un.
-x-X-x-
He wondered if it was really related, but the 'Vein of Jewels' was one of the dungeons Yu Seong-un had told Jio about.
"Did I just hand over information for nothing?"
'Jio's Portrait' could already move freely anywhere.
Giving him, of all people, information about several interesting and sparsely populated dungeons connected to Earth might have been the same as telling a hungry tiger the location of a village.
"…Still, it would have been a matter of time."
Yu Seong-un did not regret his actions.
'Bisabeol agreed to it as well.'
Above all, although he was human, he was not entirely on the side of humans.
There is a saying that the best gardener is an onlooker.
While one shouldn't just be an onlooker, their mission was to balance the Source and their world.
Yu Seong-un, who was chosen as a Gardener from a very young age, knew how to be stoic about the events of life and death.
'Besides, Jio knows Earth well.'
Yu Seong-un had only hastened the timing of Jio's activities; the portrait's actions of appearing all over the Earth and surprising people were already a scheduled event.
"I'm not even done investigating Gyeongbokgung yet, and now another incident happens before I can wrap anything up, my goodness…."
Yu Seong-un sat on a bench covered with fallen snow and scratched his chin.
"…Is it Christmas today?"
Originally, he had intended to visit Jio and ask if he was interested in enjoying the year-end.
"That'll be difficult now."
Yu Seong-un, who had his overtime confirmed on a holiday like this, was truly a sad representation of a modern person.
Massaging his stiff neck, Yu Seong-un slowly let out a sigh.
In accordance with the will of the garden he served, his breath did not fog.
"Alright."
The first thing to check was the interview with the witness.
***
An F-Class Hunter.
An Awakener who was slightly stronger than a healthy adult male civilian.
These people, who received their Hunter licenses knowing they would most likely die if they entered a dungeon, often took on the position of a 'porter.'
"Ah, hello."
"A pleasure to meet you, Hunter Lee Seon-hu."
"I received a call that you would be coming today."
The 'witness' Yu Seong-un sought was a porter with a kind-looking face.
"You… I believe you said you wanted to hear about The Black Cape."
"Yes, to be precise, I came because I wanted to hear a detailed account of the situation you witnessed that day."
"As I said on the phone, I already relayed the situation that day to the Association staff."
"What I'm curious about is, strictly speaking, information about the picture frame that you saw, Hunter Lee Seon-hu."
"…I understand for now."
Though he seemed troubled, he let Yu Seong-un into his house.
"It's a bit shabby, isn't it? I apologize."
"Not at all, what are you saying? I'm the one who came unannounced."
Yu Seong-un understood the witness's slight reluctance.
For the most part, 3rd-class citizens tended to feel awkward or burdened when they saw citizens of a higher class.
'It is also an era of great class conflict.'
Despite that, the witness served Yu Seong-un, even bringing out warm green tea.
'He has a face Jio would like.'
He was reminded of the portrait that liked polite and good-natured humans.
The reason for causing this incident surely must have included the fact that he liked the character of this person named Lee Seon-hu.
"It's warm, thank you."
"I feel somewhat sorry that I have nothing more than this to offer."
"Just agreeing to talk is more than enough."
Yu Seong-un continued with light conversation, easing the witness's tension.
Fortunately, he didn't seem to be the type to hold a grudge against 1st-class citizens, as the witness soon lowered his guard toward Yu Seong-un and steadily continued the conversation.
The main topic came up only when the green tea had almost cooled.
"You said you were curious about the picture frame I saw that day?"
"It is The Black Cape's new work, following the 'Breathing Sea,' after all."
"Ah, I was surprised about that part too. I didn't know he would create a new work like that…."
"I became interested while researching various things for my curator job."
Yu Seong-un deliberately did not mention that he was looking for the missing Park Eun-gyeom.
'My purpose is more to confirm how The Black Cape expressed its hostility rather than to save the man named Park Eun-gyeom… but in any case, it wouldn't sound very pleasant to the person involved.'
If Hunter Park were alive, rescuing him was also one of Yu Seong-un's duties.
It would do no good to tell the person who was abandoned and even abused by this missing person about Yu Seong-un's duty to save him or recover his body.
'…However, what is interesting is his very favorable attitude toward The Black Cape.'
The witness was smiling as he said, 'I didn't know he would create a new work again.'
He looked just like someone who had heard the news that their favorite artist had opened a gallery.
"...."
I didn't expect to be reminded again that 'Jio's Portrait' is a painter like this.
'Jio, you've got a fan.'
He was aware that a group of people who strangely idolized The Black Cape was forming.
He hadn't thought of meeting them or talking to them, but seeing it firsthand like this felt strange.
Unaware of Yu Seong-un's thoughts, the witness asked.
"Will The Black Cape continue to create works like that?"
"…As of now, I believe there is a high probability of that."
"That's amazing."
The witness, who nodded, continued.
"The work I saw that day was a painting of a grayish city. Seeing as the colors were very transparent, I was thinking it might be a watercolor…."
He really spoke as if he were talking about an artist's work.
"Actually, I judged it to be gray at first glance, but it wasn't entirely gray."
"What was it then?"
"It would be more accurate to say it was a completely monochrome work. It was fascinating, the building shapes of the painted city were diverse, and the glass windows and what not… it was a very vivid depiction."
"A vivid depiction with watercolor, which has colors that smudge and blur easily, is surprising."
"It was completely black and also white. There were no strong colors like red or yellow, but I don't know how it caught my eye so strikingly."
The witness seemed to have some knowledge of art. It couldn't be called an expert level, but it was to the extent that he could view and enjoy a work in his own way.
'That might be why he's even more favorable to The Black Cape.'
Organizing his thoughts, Yu Seong-un asked.
"I'm envious that you saw such a work. Have you by any chance seen it again in a place other than the 'Vein of Jewels'?"
"Ah… that is, unfortunately, no. That one time in the dungeon that day was all I encountered. Even that disappeared quickly."
"I see."
He didn't sense any lies.
"I wanted to see it with my own eyes, what a shame."
Yu Seong-un had to find that picture frame and confirm what had become of Hunter Park Eun-gyeom.
"I guess there's no choice but to wander around the dungeons myself…."
"Um, excuse me."
The witness hesitated for a moment before continuing.
"Among my friends… There's a guy who is an Awakener, but since he's an F-Class like me, he hasn't been issued a Hunter license."
"Ah, yes."
"I heard that my friend has also seen the same picture frame as I did."
"…The same picture frame?"
"Actually, that friend was the one who saw the picture frame before I did. I was out of it at first so I didn't know, but when I was left alone in front of the frame… I realized it was the same one he had talked about."
"...."
No matter how much of an Awakener one was, if they weren't issued a Hunter license, they were just a civilian.
'Especially if they're F-Class.'
Unlike Hunters, who were required to write reports, making it easy to obtain information, if it was a civilian, it also explained why the Association didn't know about this fact.
But there was a strange point.
He was curious why this fact wasn't reported to the Association, but more importantly….
"Civilians can't enter dungeons, can they?"
"Yes, that's right. He said he saw it near Gyeongbokgung Palace, not in a dungeon…."
"Gyeongbokgung Palace?"
"So I think it probably doesn't only appear in dungeons."
"Oh…."
If that was true, it meant there was no pattern to when the 'City of the Void' appeared.
'I'm doomed.'
It seemed there was now no choice but to do the legwork.
***
"Pardon?"
Jio was startled, in a way that didn't match his gloomy and calm face at all.
"Are you saying my child has been running away from home all this time without my knowledge?"
"It might be a bit much to call it running away, especially your choice of words."
Aria, fiddling with the sleeves of her oversized doctor's gown that were hanging down, continued.
"Since your affection for Earth is so profound, what could we do but study it in various ways. Last time, we only thought of throwing Earth into chaos and leaving, so we didn't know anything properly."
"For that, you did a pretty good job of wrecking the place, Aria. I heard the Temple of the Sun's Seoul branch is still busy with the cleanup. Doesn't that mean our mermaid students caused quite a big mess?"
"That is a most glorious testimony, mister. As a child of the deep sea who despises the sun and its children, nothing could bring me more joy. Anyway, I found something out while studying the situation on Earth…."
Aria shrugged her shoulders.
"It seems the 'City of the Void' has been very rarely sighted in the area called Seoul recently."
"This father has not heard such a thing from the Void…."
"The Void, is that your dungeon's pet name? You have a very peculiar taste, teacher."
"I don't see what's so peculiar about me calling my own child by its name."
"If you don't know, then fine. In the end, what I wanted to tell you was the news that your dungeon is roaming the planet called Earth without your knowledge."
"It is news that is just as bewildering to hear again."
Beyond parental responsibility, he even felt a sense of guilt.
"This must be because I haven't been paying attention to the Void, causing the child to go astray. The one who is a parent was too busy enjoying his own life, not even knowing his child was born. Just because I started paying a little attention recently doesn't mean that lonely heart would have gone anywhere."
"...."
"This is why I should have been good to him from a young age…. The existence of a home isn't that stable and peaceful for the Void, so he must be wandering outside. But even so, I truly couldn't have imagined that a picture frame, which I had stored safely in the warehouse, would go out on its own."
While considering even a dungeon as his child, why couldn't he imagine that a picture frame would escape on its own?
'With that level of creativity and tolerance, it seems entirely possible.'
Aria was momentarily puzzled but soon answered Jio's words.
"…It's certainly not the typical aspect of a dungeon. Nor is it a behavior that a normal item or artifact would show. The master of the dungeon isn't inside, so maybe its body feels light, so it's wandering around here and there."
Jio lamented.
"It's because dad wasn't home."
"Didn't you say this place was your home."
"But I did confirm that the Void was safe in my warehouse…."
"Then it's a clone or another entrance."
Just as a dungeon is a world, it didn't have only one entrance.
"There isn't just one way to invade Earth, you know. If the dungeon's master intends it, they can create as many entrances as they want."
"I have never intended to do so."
"That's why I came to ask. I was wondering if you finally decided to crush the humans and opened up the entrances."
"I have never had such a terrifying thought. Above all, if the humans are crushed, who will chat with me? Who will roast sweet potatoes for me?"
"We can do it for you."
"I refuse. As I told Iseur, you all need to develop your independence. Any more excessive attention and affection will make your teacher's life difficult."
"I do try to restrain myself."
Aria nodded her head.
"Even if you had no such intention, it's not that I don't understand why the 'City of the Void' is acting this way."
"Is it because it's going through puberty…? Because it has a worthless dad…? Because I had a harsh childhood…?"
"I keep telling you that a dungeon is a world. Any place can become an entrance, and besides, you, the master, are constantly inside this portrait and at the same time very interested in Earth."
Moreover, the place it was frequently seen was Seoul.
"Speaking of Seoul, isn't that the area you've been frequenting lately, teacher?"
"I am trying to find a pen pal friend."
"A dungeon and its master have a nature of trying to become one, so it wouldn't be strange for it to try to visit the dimension where the traces of its master are most abundant."
"Are you saying it's wandering that wide and harsh Seoul alone to find its worthless father…?"
"…Yeah, if you understand it that way, the context is more or less correct."
Of course, the situation was lighter than that. If the dungeon truly had a self-consciousness, it was closer to a spoiled child who barges into their dad's workplace and pesters them to play, rather than a 'boy head of the household who left to find his father who doesn't come home often.'
'But if the teacher puts this much effort into the dungeon, it's all the better for us.'
In the end, a dungeon was a dungeon.
It was a game board for devouring something.
As long as Jio was interested in Earth, humans would be endlessly devoured, so the more the dungeon was managed, the more at ease the mermaids could be.
'The teacher's work and this cabin are connected, after all.'
However, there was one curious point.
"About that 'City of the Void'."
"Yes."
"Have you ever connected it to Earth separately?"
"…Pardon?"
"You haven't."
Aria had felt that somehow, on the day Jio came to talk to the mermaids at the risk of his own life, the 'Kingdom of the Deep Sea' and the 'Breathing Sea' had been connected.
Since then, a picture frame connected to the 'Breathing Sea' began to float around in the 'Kingdom of the Deep Sea.'
Well, since the 'Breathing Sea' was part of the 'Kingdom of the Deep Sea' to begin with, it wasn't that strange.
But it was certain that, at least on that day, the mermaids' temple and Jio's 'picture frame' were connected.
'But even without such measures, the teacher's picture frame is wandering around in the area called Seoul on Earth.'
What was the reason?
"…You must really like Earth, teacher?"
"There was no reason to hate my hometown without a particular cause."
"Aha, so it's your hometown."
Then it made sense.
"It was connected from the very beginning."
Since the roots of his soul were on that planet, it was natural that there was no need for a separate connection like between the 'Kingdom of the Deep Sea' and the 'Breathing Sea.'
For the 'City of the Void,' Earth was like the hometown where its father was born.
"But that makes me a little jealous…."
"Oh Sun, the jealousy of a mermaid. May I refuse?"
"Even if you refuse, what can I do, it's my one-sided emotion."
For some reason, Jio's roots were in that dimension teeming with humans.
'Strictly speaking, the Kingdom of the Deep Sea is our hometown too.'
What on earth happened in the meantime for Jio's roots to move to that narrow and barren dimension.
Aria inwardly clicked her tongue while stroking her chin in thought.
"…Can't the roots be moved?"
"Move the roots, are you thinking of doing bonsai?"
"Hmm, perhaps."
"I have a talent for that sort of thing. Do you need help?"
"For now, I'll try to handle it myself."
"Such an independent attitude is very admirable."
"It's an honor, master."
She thought she would have to consider how to move the roots of his soul to her sea.
Giovanni was most beautiful when he was in the sea.
'Of course, before that, I need to think about how I can take on that damn thing called responsibility and be fully accepted by the teacher….'
As if she hadn't been thinking at all, Aria continued to speak nonchalantly.
"Anyway, pay some attention to the 'City of the Void'."
"I suppose just creating residents for it wasn't enough."
"That's not bad either, but you know."
Aria knew instinctively.
'The world the teacher paints with Earth as the subject will have a gate open there.'
In that case, the more a painting Jio drew was reminiscent of Earth, or the more it was a complete work of his that did not belong to another dimension.
The roots of those works would also be planted in Earth and torment humans.
'Since the master of the dungeon has no hostility, the speed might be very leisurely, but….'
When did natural disasters ever torment humans because they had hostility?
"When will you paint the next picture?"
"…On a day I feel like painting?"
"I see."
Aria smiled with satisfaction.
'In the end, is it just a matter of time.'
She hoped that dimension teeming with humans would one day be in Jio's stomach.