It's something I'm only saying now, but.
If one had to classify the 'City of the Void,' it could be seen as something close to an Entry Dungeon.
"In the sense that an entrance and exit clearly exist."
It is different from a Virtual Dungeon, which is a dimension whose existence is unknown, let alone having an entrance and also different from a Villa Dungeon, whose material substance is not hidden and is fully exposed.
Jio's picture frame, which exists only as a passage, could indeed be called an Entry Dungeon.
"The framework itself is similar, as there are mobile types among Entry Dungeons."
Apart from the three types above, dungeons could also be divided into mobile and fixed types.
If we were to categorize it based on the fact that it doesn't stay in one place and keeps moving, it could be roughly defined as a 'Mobile-type Entry Dungeon.'
"Though it's the first time I've seen one in the form of a picture frame…."
Originally, the entrance of an Entry Dungeon did not have a fixed form.
'It could be a book, a pit, or a curtain.'
However, most entrances to Entry Dungeons were in the form of a door.
It was at a level where anyone could look at it and know, 'Ah, that must be the entrance.'
If it looked like it could be entered without difficulty, it was often an Entry Dungeon for sure.
"...."
Still, people don't usually think of a picture frame as an entrance.
"…In the first place, if no one had been dragged in, I wouldn't even have thought it was a dungeon at all."
I knew that Jio could usually come and go through the portraits in the gallery.
However, the portrait had a strong impression of being Jio's 'home,' so I perceived it as a building that couldn't be entered unless he permitted it.
'It was the same when Hunter Cha Ara was invited to Jio's cabin.'
'Jio's Portrait ', which was filled with a serene and heavy atmosphere compared to the dungeons that showed the cruel and harsh capitalism of modern society, was different in many ways.
Perhaps that's why I failed to notice that the two were similar concepts.
Though that's all just an excuse.
'All this time, I thought Jio was something close to an object.'
I had said there was a possibility of him being a monster, but I had not considered the 'dungeon' that naturally follows such a monster.
After all, even as the Source explained it, Jio was clearly a 'portrait.'
"In that case, should that portrait be treated as a single dungeon…."
Jio was already creating dungeons by painting pictures.
It was unknown whether he had painted 'Jio's Portrait' himself, but hadn't 'City of the Void' following 'Breathing Sea' been witnessed by people?
"…Then again, it would be more difficult to say that it's not a dungeon now."
Yu Seong-un recalled the black portrait sleeping in Bisabeol's gallery.
It had covered its face with jet-black ink of its own will, and with that, it was erased from the minds of the people of the world.
The only ones who knew what 'Jio's Portrait' looked like were the very few people who had seen its face before.
'Even they forget from time to time.'
It had erased history without any sense of incongruity.
"...."
Wasn't it a formidable influence?
"I hope he doesn't become hostile towards us."
'Jio's Portrait' was a threat to humanity by its very existence.
If he were to become hostile to humans with his own will, it would be difficult to find a disaster of that magnitude.
Why was Yu Seong-un suddenly spouting off like this?
"…Hoo…."
It was because the 'City of the Void' was right in front of him.
"It really appears out of nowhere."
The place where Yu Seong-un discovered this gray picture frame was none other than an overground train station.
It was a place he had visited with Jio before while giving him a tour of Seoul, and thanks to that, Yu Seong-un was able to form a hypothesis.
"Does this picture frame mainly appear in places its owner, Jio, has visited?"
Or in places that might interest him.
Listening to the eyewitness accounts, it didn't seem to appear only in places Jio knew.
It would sometimes appear in a slum, sometimes on a road, and sometimes pop out from inside an abandoned building.
'People who aren't Hunters wouldn't know this is Jio's painting, so it probably didn't become a rumor.'
This picture frame, surprisingly, appeared more frequently in everyday spaces frequented by civilians rather than in dungeons.
Among those, the most frequent locations were, indeed, spaces Jio had visited in person.
Suddenly feeling exhausted, Yu Seong-un took a seat in the overground train station.
"Oh my…."
His whole body ached.
"Fortunately, there's no one around."
The current time was 4:16 AM.
It was a time when modern people, worn out by fatigue, were asleep in unison, so it was only natural that there was no one at the overground train station, which was expensive to begin with.
'Still, it's just turned the 26th, so I thought there might be some aftermath of Christmas left. Above all, the overground train runs 24/7, so I thought there might be at least one drunkard heading home late after a night of fun….'
Yu Seong-un, who had been thinking that, soon nodded his head.
"…It hasn't been long since people gathered like that and died at the 'Temple of the Deep Sea'."
It was an event held at none other than the Temple of the Sun.
Even in such a place, a virtual dungeon appeared and swallowed the entire crowd that was watching the initiation ceremony.
Considering that time, it was understandable that many people were still anxious about gathering.
"Thanks to that, fewer people gathered this Christmas in particular."
Whenever a crowd started to form, everyone seemed to recall the tragedy of the initiation ceremony and subtly moved away.
"Anyway…."
For Yu Seong-un, who did not want to escalate the situation, it was a good thing.
'…To see citizens trembling in fear and think it's a good thing, I've really been tainted. I hope I don't become so narrow-minded while living like this that I become unfit to manage the garden….'
The 'City of the Void' came into his view.
"...."
Is it a little creepy?
'…It feels like I can sense a disillusionment with the city.'
Having lived as a curator for several years, he could also feel the imagery contained in the work.
The city, with its grotesque collection of gray buildings, seemed to depict the silence within a crowd where it is somehow noisy and chaotic, yet no one seems to open their mouths.
'Even though that crowd isn't even visible.'
Looking at the gray picture frame that somehow made one's mind go blank, Yu Seong-un muttered softly.
"…It seems it certainly doesn't capture people just for looking at the frame."
As he did the legwork and went around himself, he found a total of 4 witnesses.
All of them were ordinary citizens in Seoul, not even Awakeners, and none of them were harmed by the 'City of the Void.'
'They all just thought of it as a painting hanging in an odd place.'
Among the 4 witnesses was an alcoholic who was ambiguously not good-natured.
According to the locals, he had always lived alone and sometimes caused petty trouble in front of the convenience store.
'Does that mean that level of person isn't considered an evildoer?'
Or does it only attack if one commits an evil act right in front of the frame?
"…There aren't enough comparison groups, so I can't be sure."
Yu Seong-un had a history of killing.
'It's not such a rare record in this day and age.'
Of course, it wasn't that he killed just anyone; it happened when he was stopping a 5th-class citizen who was clearly harming society or a criminal of equivalent standing.
It was more advantageous to fight with the intent to kill rather than just aiming for subjugation.
'But that doesn't mean it was the right thing to do.'
In this grim and harsh era, there probably wasn't a single Hunter who hadn't killed a person, but in the end, a wrong was a wrong.
Judged morally, Yu Seong-un had sinned.
Nevertheless, the 'City of the Void' remained silent.
"...."
There were many possibilities.
"…I can't feel the dungeon's master, Jio, in this picture frame."
In that case, this picture frame might just be moving according to Jio's orders.
'That's why it doesn't have the same level of emotional sensing ability as Jio.'
Jio could judge a person's good or evil just by looking at them for a moment.
But this picture frame, which simply received and executed orders, might not have that level of ability and could be judging good and evil only by the situation that unfolded right in front of it.
A downgraded version of 'Jio's Portrait.'
"…If not that…."
It could be that it judged that Yu Seong-un or the alcoholic he saw were 'not evildoers.'
Come to think of it, Yu Seong-un did what he had to do and the alcoholic had only been a major nuisance.
Taking that into account, they might not be evil enough to be attacked by Jio's standards.
'If that drunkard had committed a crime beyond just being a nuisance, it would be much easier to judge.'
If he had done more than just cause a nuisance, there was a high possibility that the 'City of the Void' only collected evildoers who were confirmed to be committing evil acts directly.
"...."
But there was one thing that was certain.
"…Jio's good and evil are decided according to his taste."
If Jio had defined 'murder' itself as an evil act, Yu Seong-un should have already been abducted and gone missing by Jio.
But the fact that it hadn't happened yet meant that Jio distinguished a target's good or evil depending on the situation.
"I don't know if this will be a good thing or a bad thing for humans…."
Anyway, what Yu Seong-un had to do now was clear.
"…I'm dead tired."
He had to go inside that 'City of the Void' and check the condition of the hunter named Park Eun-gyeom.
Yu Seong-un approached the work hanging on the transparent wall.
"How can I get inside?"
A typical Entry Dungeon didn't require any special conditions to enter.
From the dungeon's perspective, it was a case of prey rolling in on its own, so there would be no reason to block it in the first place.
'But if Jio is still favorable to humans, there would certainly be a reason to block that part.'
At the very least, he wouldn't want people to fall into his dungeon indiscriminately and die.
As Yu Seong-un looked at the painting that made him feel more and more stuffy and indignant the more he saw it, he confirmed something in that empty city.
"...."
Noticing something strange, Yu Seong-un looked at the painting more carefully.
"…That is…."
Along the long main street and the buildings lined up on both sides, and between the alleys they created.
Something black and whitish caught Yu Seong-un's eye.
"…A person?"
It also looked like a person crouching down.
'It's too small to confirm.'
But the black dot that stuck out in the city that looked clean enough not to have a single speck of dust was definitely strange.
It was natural enough not to feel particularly out of place, but after consciously looking at it for a long time, he could tell that it was not a picture that belonged in the 'City of the Void.'
The black dot seemed to be faintly stirring.
"...."
Yu Seong-un felt a chill run down his spine for a moment.
"…Is this, Hunter Park Eun-gyeom?"
If one didn't specifically try to find it, it wouldn't even catch the eye.
Because to anyone, it was just a 'painting.'
***
"Kuruk?"
"Dad's busy."
"Kururu?"
"I'm looking after your younger brother."
"Kkung?"
Honey kept tilting its head, but Jio was resolute.
"I have to comfort our Void right now."
He was currently wrapping the 'City of the Void' in a baby carrier and rocking it gently back and forth.
Iseur, who had visited for a moment, had nodded with his characteristic benevolent smile and left, but Jio instinctively felt that the 'City of the Void' was quite pleased with his care.
"If our Void had a mouth, I would have fed him, but what on earth does he eat to live?"
"Kuru…."
"People? People, you say. Unfortunately, that's not something edible."
"Kku-ung?"
"I don't know why all my children talk about such scary things."
Jio, who was conversing with his eldest son, noticed that the picture in the 'City of the Void' had changed for a moment.
"What is this?"
It had taken the form of none other than Yu Seong-un.
"...."
"Kurururu…."
"I don't know why you're smacking your lips, but it's not what you're thinking, so calm down, and what on earth is this situation. Father, if you're watching me, tell me the answer…."
The Sun God told him the answer.
"Kkuu, kkukkuu."
"Are you saying that Mr. Seong-un is actually in front of our Void right now?"
Is this the new generation intercom?
'Has the trend come so full circle that it's back to portraits now?'
Of course, that couldn't be true.
In any case, since the 'City of the Void' could also be considered one of Jio's households, he was grateful for the intercom function that he had never installed in the picture frame.
"I almost couldn't even greet my guest."
He didn't know why that guest was in front of the 'City of the aVoid,' but it didn't matter.
To Jio, who had preserved his purity again today on the holy birthday of Jesus, this welcome face was welcome and then some.
It's been a while, Seong-un hyung, right?
"Void, open the door. It's dad's friend."
" "
"I think my child just answered, or was it an auditory hallucination."
" "
"My adorable baby babbles so well."
Is there any need to think so deeply about life?
To Jio, a variable in life was nothing more than the appearance of new content.
He paid no mind to this sudden situation and finished preparing to become an extreme extrovert.
"It's been a while since I've seen my elder brother's face."
Anyway, as long as it was fun, that's all that mattered.
-x-X-x-
The moment he came to his senses.
"...."
Yu Seong-un was inside the 'City of the Void.'
"…As expected, I don't really remember the moment I entered the painting."
Jio once had a record of turning people he met in the 'Kingdom of the Deep Sea' into paint to help them escape.
It was probably a similar process this time, but just like the testimony of those people back then, Yu Seong-un couldn't remember much of the time he had become paint.
'Though I do think it felt like being a living inanimate object.'
As it was a very contradictory expression, it wasn't a very clear impression.
"By the way, did Jio notice me?"
Yu Seong-un remembered the situation right before he entered the 'City of the Void.'
'A transparent hand reached out to me.'
Something that stood out with its jet-black suit sleeve, something that wasn't exactly visible but could be recognized as a 'transparent hand,' had greeted Yu Seong-un. Unlike the case of Hunter Park Eun-gyeom mentioned in the official document, it was a very polite gesture.
'Somehow, it was a gesture that resembled Jio's actions….'
Jio's posture was well-ordered, like someone who had received intense education or training.
It was a movement similar to that of a nobleman or a soldier, and the gesture made by the 'City of the Void' was just like it.
"…It's probably not Jio himself."
It wasn't a familiar feeling.
"Did the 'City of the Void' extend its hand directly?"
He thought that for a moment, but it seemed more plausible to see it as a hand extended by a monster belonging to the 'City of the Void.'
After all, the multiple hands that had abducted Park Eun-gyeom in the official document had the same appearance.
"...."
Yu Seong-un let out a breath.
"…It's more bearable than I thought."
The pressure from the 'City of the Void' wasn't as great as he had imagined.
"Even considering that I'm an A-Class Hunter, it's quite a comfortable level."
There was a slight sense of stuffiness.
He felt a sense of unease as if someone were pressing down on his solar plexus and there was definitely a chilling part, like a finger tracing down his spine.
'But that's about it.'
The abducted hunter was B-Class.
He didn't know exactly what level of B-Class he was, but it was a fairly strong level.
For a dungeon where such a hunter was helplessly dragged away and all contact was lost, the weight Yu Seong-un, an A-Class, felt was less than expected.
"Am I being given special consideration?"
The route through which he entered the 'City of the Void' was different from the beginning.
'That guy was dragged here, while I was escorted in.'
The treatment itself was worlds apart, so maybe there was a difference in the pressure he felt.
"...."
Yu Seong-un muttered without realizing it.
"How is that possible…?"
People often spoke of the 'master of the dungeon,' but in reality, there were almost no masters who could control a dungeon at will.
In Yu Seong-un's view, not even the humanoid monster mermaid siblings could completely control the 'Kingdom of the Deep Sea.'
In particular, the dungeon master, the dungeon's monsters, and the environment were completely separate entities.
The greater the master's capabilities, the greater their authority would be, but he had never heard of a master who could control the monsters' actions and even adjust the pressure like this.
'I guess it's hard to call him a monster after all.'
Then it was a question of how to explain this dungeon.
'Unless it's an evil god on the level of being treated as a monster, no matter how powerful a god is, they can't create a dungeon. Because they are beings who do not possess emotions large enough to create a dungeon.'
It was the same for the children of the Source; they couldn't create dungeons either.
'They are just children who can exist anywhere, they don't have the ability to create a dungeon.
There's no way those guys, who are almost incapable of physical action and can't even think properly, could create such a huge game board.'
Jio was, as expected, an entity beyond the standard.
"...."
Scratching his neck, Yu Seong-un looked around.
"…It's just like the painting."
A wide-open main street and a long line of variously shaped buildings on either side.
Even though it didn't seem like the colors were intentionally restricted, only monochrome objects were gathered, creating a gray world.
"And the fog, which I didn't know about when I looked through the frame, is thick."
It wasn't to the point where he couldn't see ahead, but if it could get any thicker than this, it seemed there would be a major issue with his vision.
He took a slight sniff, but he couldn't smell the exhaust fumes commonly found in a city.
"Just water vapor…?"
Perhaps it was his imagination, but he felt like he could sense the phytoncide unique to a forest.
'Is it because Jio lives in a forest?'
He wasn't sure.
'Anyway, it's ironic.'
It looked like a definite city, but the scent from the fog was reminiscent of a forest.
It was a harmony that felt so natural that it was paradoxically unsettling.
"…Are there no monsters?"
Thud….
Yu Seong-un slowly moved his feet.
"I thought there would at least be the monster that escorted me inside."
Besides, dungeons were fundamentally supposed to have monsters.
There might not be traps or various additional elements, but monsters that rush to kill invading humans were an indispensable part of a dungeon.
'Then again, it would be difficult to compare a dungeon drawn by Jio with a typical one.'
In the first place, the fact that a monster had personally invited Yu Seong-un was already far from 'normal.'
"Are there no other rules…?"
Some scholars defined dungeons as a type of monster themselves and Yu Seong-un, as a Gardener, agreed with that to some extent.
Just as there were no monsters without rules, dungeons had to be seen in the same way.
"It must have its own preferences."
Virtual Dungeons. Entry Dungeons. Villa Dungeons.
All of these swallowed humans under certain conditions.
Examples included Entry Dungeons, which had the condition of 'the entrance must be found,' and Villa Dungeons, which had the condition of 'one must be at the location where the villa is placed,' in addition to Virtual Dungeons, which were mainly based on specific conditions.
'Other than that, the detailed conditions are different for each dungeon.'
So, if this thing took the form of a dungeon, it must certainly have such conditions or preferences.
"...."
Then again, the dungeon master did have a preference.
'Affirming good and negating evil.'
That could also be called a rule, if it was one.
"…Then what happens when an evildoer comes in?"
He recalled the black dot, which seemed to have become completely one with the painting, presumably Hunter Park Eun-gyeom.
Yu Seong-un thought he had a rough idea of how this 'City of the Void' would negate an evildoer.
'…Does it negate the fact that they are a living human being?'
By turning a human into a painting.
"Creepy."
A whistle escaped his lips unconsciously.
It was an attempt to erase the eeriness with a lighthearted action.
'As expected of those who belong to the Source, they are decisive and clear-cut.'
Humanoid monsters with advanced cognitive abilities and the capacity to feel intense emotions might be a little different, but most beings who weren't like that had simple and clear rules.
As a Gardener, Yu Seong-un could appreciate such a state of the Source with a sense of satisfaction.
'If I hadn't met Jio, when would I have ever encountered a dungeon like this again.'
If one couldn't enjoy that thrill, one was not qualified to manage the garden.
"...."
However, even such a Gardener felt a threat to his life.
"…Ah, dear."
Yu Seong-un turned around.
"Looks like I wasn't alone after all."
"...."
"Should I call this an invisible man…."
What came into his sight was a black suit standing in the form of an adult male.
Long limbs befitting a physique that was neither too thick nor too thin.
The detailed shape of the suit was slightly different from what Jio wore, and the shoes it was wearing were also different.
But seeing the suit's hands-behind-its-back posture, Yu Seong-un felt a sense of déjà vu.
"…It does resemble Jio a bit."
"...."
The empty suit bowed politely.
From that gesture, Yu Seong-un could feel a sense of gratitude, and he briefly wondered what it was grateful for.
'Could it be because I said it resembled Jio?'
They were fellows filled with affection and respect for their master.
"Um… is communication possible? I've never met a monster other than Jio with whom peaceful communication is possible in my life, so I'm not sure, but is conversation possible?"
"...."
The black suit took a pose as if stroking its chin, and then formed a triangle with its arms.
"…So it could be, and it could not be. Is that right?"
"...."
"Yes, it's right. This feels like I'm playing twenty questions."
If it were a monster from a typical dungeon, he wouldn't even have thought of trying to communicate, but this was a very abnormal dungeon.
Yu Seong-un continued to communicate with the black suit with as open a mind as possible.
"Why might it not be? Are you suddenly going to rush at me?"
"...."
"That's not it. If not that… does it mean another entity other than you might attack?"
"...."
"Ah, I'm glad that's correct. In that case, are there many of those aggressive entities?"
This time too, the suit drew a circle with its arms to answer 'yes.'
Perhaps because its fingers weren't visible, it bent its arms high above its head as if drawing a clumsy heart, and seeing that, Yu Seong-un silently handed over the gloves he had in his hand.
"Would it be possible for you to wear these and then signal with your fingers?"
"...."
The black suit made an X with its arms. It meant 'no.'
"…Ah."
From that, Yu Seong-un could tell that this was not something with a transparent being inside, but simply a living, moving black suit itself.
As if to prove it, the black suit tapped the gloves in Yu Seong-un's hand with the sleeve of its clothing.
It was a sight that couldn't be seen if it had real hands.
'Then how should I explain the transparent hand I felt?'
It was a rude thought to have about the kind suit, but honestly, it was a little creepy.
Yu Seong-un tried his best not to show his inner thoughts and continued.
"I see, my apologies."
"...."
"I'm glad you don't mind."
"...."
"In that case, are there other non-aggressive entities besides you? A suit like you with whom I can have a peaceful conversation like this."
"...."
"There are… that's a relief."
It seemed some entities were aggressive, while others were peaceful.
'…Let's think about how that's possible again later.'
It was obvious that the conclusion would be 'it's possible because it's Jio' anyway.
Through repetitive learning up to this point, Yu Seong-un had already predicted the end of his anguish.
He put on his gloves again and looked around.
"...."
Without him noticing, the number of black suits had increased to three.
"…Are those two suits not aggressive towards me?"
"...."
"Ah, they aren't. But they aren't attacking right now, are they perhaps the type that aims for a delayed attack."
"...."
"A triangle… Well, yes, thank you for the kind answer."
It seemed to mean that they would attack in some way or another.
'This is dangerous.'
It seemed that the suit that had kindly extended its hand from the 'City of the Void' picture frame was this one in front of him, or a similar peaceful entity.
But to rely on them, he could see the number of black suits gradually increasing.
'Does the number of black suits increase the longer one stays in the dungeon?'
Although the speed was quite slow, Yu Seong-un gradually felt a strange sense of anxiety.
"...."
"...."
All the black suits were gazing at Yu Seong-un.
'…It's not just those two suits on the sidewalk.'
Gazes he hadn't been able to feel before were now felt from inside the buildings.
He felt them from between the alleys, and he felt gazes from inside a car that was rolling on the road where there had been nothing just a moment ago.
Yu Seong-un instinctively sensed it.
'These are not guys I can handle by fighting with my skills.'
It couldn't be solved by simple slaughter, and he had to make peace by matching the opponent's rules and habits; it felt just like a child of the Source.
But he didn't know how much they would multiply, nor what effect they would have on Yu Seong-un then and that point of 'not knowing' awakened a fear in the usually stoic Yu Seong-un.
'…The fear of the unknown is quite dangerous when dealing with the Source….'
As a Gardener, he could tell.
'This place is a dungeon, but it's also not.'
Whether the abilities of a Hunter, which the Source kindly bestowed upon anyone, would have any real effect.
Even such a basic thing, he couldn't guarantee his own life and death; it felt like a kind of 'garden.'
And one was not supposed to enter another's garden unless they were the owner.
"…This…."
Just when he thought he should run before they increased any further.
"Mr. Seong-un."
"...."
"Mr. Seong-un."
"…Oh, Jio."
Yu Seong-un really almost ran away.
'He's even scarier seeing him here.'
His heart, which had almost dropped at the appearance of The Black Cape, pounded vigorously.
Because he was doing something against Jio's will, he had wanted to resolve it without seeing his face if possible.
Unfortunately, he had failed at burglarizing the empty house and the situation had come to this, so Yu Seong-un swiftly resigned himself.
"Please save me."
He attempted a customized deal.
"I'll bring you seedlings next time."
"No one is going to kill you, Mr. Seong-un."
"That's very reassuring."
What could be safer in a dungeon than the protection of the dungeon master?
-x-X-x-
"I like the honey pot I saw last time."
"The honey pot? You mean the one that blooms with ball-shaped flowers full of honey… that one?"
"Yes, that's right. I heard it's difficult to sprout, so only seedlings are sold."
"Is there anything else you want?"
"I use salt often, so if possible, I would like a rock salt tree."
"A rock salt tree, huh. That was in the last catalog. Anything else?"
"That is sufficient, thank you for your help."
"If anything, I should be the one thanking you."
After all, this was a trade that guaranteed his life in such an abnormal dungeon.
'This is an excessively profitable business.'
Yu Seong-un was a typical hunter of this era who cherished his health and life.
To be swept away by capitalist society and die during a mission was a truly unacceptable ending.
'To think I can conclude a deal like this….'
He observed the portrait's mood.
"...."
"Is there a problem?"
"…No, there isn't."
It was a phrase a Gardener should always ruminate on, but human standards were meaningless to a being of the Source.
If you borrowed 3 and promised to repay 4, but repaid with 5, a being of the Source would get angry.
Yu Seong-un knew well that even if it was incomprehensible to a human, catering to their tastes was the shortcut to a long life.
"Then let's conclude the transaction here."
A deal with a being of the Source had to have a clear beginning and end.
Having brought it to a definitive close, Yu Seong-un asked.
"I don't know if it would be rude to ask this, but how did you know I was here?"
"'The City of the Void' informed me that you, Mr. Yu Seong-un, visited this place."
"I knew it."
It would be stranger if Jio, the owner of a dungeon of this scale, didn't know the state of its interior.
'But the more that's true, the more disadvantageous my position becomes for trying to get Hunter Park Eun-gyeom out.'
Doesn't this make it all the more certain that Jio brought humans here with intent?
It was a difficult situation for Yu Seong-un, who had to see his job through.
'Will it get angry.'
He came to take out a human that this very portrait had dragged away, showing direct hostility.
For a being of the Source that never changed its choices, it would be a considerably unpleasant matter.
"...."
"Mr. Yu Seong-un, why did you come here?"
"…I came to work."
Rather, that's why it was better to confess now.
'Deceiving Jio might also fall into the category of an evil act.'
Besides, hadn't Jio 'promised' to let Yu Seong-un live?
"As far as I know, today is Christmas."
"Huh? No, it's the 26th in Korea now, so it's not Christmas. It's a period when most companies guarantee a holiday, so many people are off until today."
"So everyone else is resting, but you, Mr. Yu Seong-un, are working."
"When have Hunters ever rested just because it's a holiday? It's a common thing."
"Are people with the job of a Hunter unable to rest even on public holidays?"
"Not necessarily, but, um… I guess you could see it that way."
No matter how angry it got, a being of the Source did not break its own words. The atmosphere wasn't too bad either, so trusting in that fact, Yu Seong-un carefully opened his mouth.
"…The reason I came was to get a certain person out of here."
"Is getting a person out of this place your job?"
"That's right, a Hunter named Park Eun-gyeom… I'm not sure if you'd even know the name."
"Park Eun-gyeom."
The portrait repeated the three-syllable name.
"...."
"...."
And silence fell.
For Yu Seong-un, who had something to hide, it was a chilling silence.
'…Is it displeased, after all.'
The child of the Source, who simply mimicked stories without the ability to think, and 'Jio's Portrait' were completely different beings. Jio had clear emotions, and because of that, it sometimes even looked like a monster or a human.
'So I've essentially declared that I'll do something that goes against the will of such a being.'
Moreover, since it said 'I will let Yu Seong-un live,' it couldn't kill him.
'Of course, there are plenty of ways to punish without killing, but that's something I have to bear. Anyway, there's no way that Jio's mood could be entirely good.'
Yu Seong-un braced himself to withstand an attack from Jio.
It was something he had been prepared for ever since he had unwillingly encountered the master of this place in this gray city.
"...."
The portrait, which had been maintaining its silence, beckoned to the black suit.
"...?"
It was a hard-to-understand action, but Yu Seong-un silently watched the situation unfold.
The black suit, which had been increasing in number at the master's gesture, came closer to him.
Then, like an attendant serving the master they revere, it bowed its waist slightly and showed an attitude of listening intently.
'What is this?'
Regardless, Jio asked for the black suit.
"Do you know the location of the human named Park Eun-gyeom?"
"Yes, I do."
Yu Seong-un was a little surprised.
It wasn't simply because the transparent something with no hands or mouth had mimicked a human voice.
Nor was it because the being, who had only been using awkward sign language until just a moment ago, suddenly spoke.
What Yu Seong-un focused on was the voice itself that the black suit produced.
'…That voice….'
It was a voice that brought to mind a man in his 30s.
'But it's not a voice that suits that monster.'
The voice of a human who had spent long years with a single ego would normally carry a tone that represented that ego.
The voice that the black suit uttered, unlike its polite and refined gestures, had a somewhat flippant and neurotic quality.
Jio, who had the identity of a painter, would not have carelessly chosen even the voice for his creation, the black suit.
Yet, for the voice to be so unfitting, then this must be….
'…Could it be?'
Is that Hunter Park Eun-gyeom's voice?
Regardless of Yu Seong-un's suspicions, their conversation continued.
"Why did he come to this place?"
"Yes, he tormented and neglected a weak human."
"Then he is an evil human."
"Yes, he is an evil human."
It was a strange conversation.
"Is there a problem with taking that human out?"
"No, there is no problem at all."
"Then I will do as I wish."
"Yes, that is also our wish."
"I understand."
As if the conversation was over, the portrait looked at Yu Seong-un.
"Since you wish for it, Mr. Yu Seong-un, I will let you take him out."
"…Really?"
He tried not to show it, but he was extremely surprised.
'To react so nonchalantly?'
That fact was, on the contrary, eerie.
'I confirmed that Jio is a being capable of feeling emotions…?'
If it had emotions, it couldn't not be angry at someone who went against its rules.
If even humans were like that among themselves, how would a being of the Source be?
'And yet, it agrees so readily?'
The indelible question brought out the Gardener's bad habit.
"...."
It was interesting.
"…Are you not displeased?"
In the end, Yu Seong-un couldn't hold back the question.
"I don't know the exact situation, but your subordinates brought him here directly, didn't they? On top of that, Park Eun-gyeom is a human who already belongs here."
"That may be so."
"But I wonder if it's right for me to just take him like this. If you don't want it, I won't take him out either. I don't want to treat a guy who throws away his colleagues without knowing their value as a fellow Hunter either."
This was sincere.
The guy named Park Eun-gyeom was not a human worth Yu Seong-un risking his life like this to save or recover his body.
'Besides, the request from the Association wasn't to save Hunter Park.'
What they wanted was information on the process, cause, and result of 'The Black Cape's' attack on the human.
In other words, there was no reason for Yu Seong-un to have to save Hunter Park Eun-gyeom.
To that, Jio asked.
"But didn't you say it was a job you had to do, Mr. Yu Seong-un?"
"I did say that, but…."
"In that case, I too can do as you wish, Mr. Yu Seong-un."
"Are you sure there's no problem…? Your feelings aren't hurt?"
"It doesn't matter, as he was a subject I paid no mind to from the beginning."
I truly knew nothing.
The Void had never spoken of such a person.
I almost felt sorry for a moment that a person was wandering in the house I made, but upon hearing he was a human abuser and neglector, I went into 'Do I care?' mode.
'Even Mr. Yu Seong-un says he's a human not worth saving.'
Then it was even less of my business.
But just as I had given gifts to many passersby, if the other person wanted it and I had the capacity, there was no reason not to grant their wish.
'Above all, this is Mr. Yu Seong-un's work, so even if the situation is difficult, I should help.'
If a working professional goes on a business trip and fails to achieve their goal, how much flak will they get back at the company?
As someone who was once a proper member of society, I really wanted to grant what Yu Seong-un wanted.
"So, Mr. Yu Seong-un, you don't have to worry about anything."
"Those are certainly grateful words."
And eerie words.
'…I didn't know that such an indifferent attitude could feel more frightening than anger.'
It was a being that showed affection to the young and weak and knew how to admire the brilliant and wonderful.
The fact that such a 'Jio's Portrait' responded to this situation not with anger, but with indifference, was a bit chilling for a human like Yu Seong-un.
'If it was going to allow it this easily, why did it drag Hunter Park away in the first place?'
From the conversation between The Black Cape and the black suit just now, one could have thought, 'Jio didn't even know Park Eun-gyeom was here!'
But because the atmosphere of the conversation was so bizarre, Yu Seong-un thought it was a kind of performance for show.
Just as quite a few children of the Source do.
"...."
Therefore, Yu Seong-un had no choice but to reach a bizarre conclusion.
'…A kind of quarantine, perhaps….'
Jio is favorable to humans.
That could be interpreted as 'Jio's Portrait' liking the human race, but this portrait also disliked rude and evil humans.
So, Yu Seong-un thought.
'From Jio's perspective, I don't know if this is consideration for humans or simple self-satisfaction… but this act of attacking evil humans might be to filter out impure seeds like Park Eun-gyeom so that the average value of the human species can be polite and good.'
Just as humans slaughter livestock that attack their own kind.
'Thinking of it that way, I can see Jio's perspective.'
It was a bit creepy, but at least knowing made him feel at ease.
"…Hmm…."
You can't do the Gardener's job if you get scared by every little thing like this.
"Then when can I take Hunter Park Eun-gyeom?"
"A price is required to take him outside the City of the Void."
"A price?"
Yu Seong-un flinched.
"It doesn't matter to me, but is such a price required when I leave too…?"
"It is fine for you to leave as you are, Mr. Yu Seong-un."
"Then what about Hunter Park Eun-gyeom?"
"A price is required to take him out."
"...."
"So it says."
I was speaking the pure, unadulterated truth.
'I don't know either, but anyway, the system said so.'
And interpreting it was Yu Seong-un's job.
"…Aha…."
He was reminded of when Hunter Cha Ara visited 'Jio's Portrait' in the past.
'At that time, Hunter Cha said she offered no price.'
And this time too, Jio said that Yu Seong-un did not need a price.
'It seems that people who enter the frame by Jio's invitation don't need a price. Assuming it's confirmed that they will one day go back outside the frame, the 1:1 rule of once in this world and once in that world is also upheld.'
However, in the case of being forcibly dragged into the frame.
'It seems to be treated as a single painting.'
Jio received a price from Yu Seong-un whenever he drew something for him as a painting.
To take that out into reality and give it to Yu Seong-un, Jio also had to receive something.
The current situation didn't seem much different from that.
"Then what price should I give this time?"
"You do not have to give me a price, Mr. Yu Seong-un."
"Oh, it's okay?"
"Yes, this time's price will be received from the human named Park Eun-gyeom."
"Oh…."
Curiosity arose.
'What on earth is the price it intends to receive?'
Whether he knew Yu Seong-un's feelings or not, I still asked him in a low voice.
"Is it time for you to leave work?"
"Huh? No, hunters like me don't really have a set time to leave work…."
"Do you want to leave work?"
"Of course I want to. It's just that I can't go home because my work isn't finished."
"Then I shall let you out."
Before he knew it, a picture frame was in my hand.
"…Huh?"
It was the living room of Yu Seong-un's home.
"Wait, here is…."
"Have a good night."
And when he came to his senses.
"...."
He could breathe freely.
The mild air from the good heating could be felt on his skin, and the furniture was covered in dust from not having been visited for a while.
A dark house with not a single light on, showing no one had been there.
"...."
Yu Seong-un was standing in the living room of his own house.
"…Oh my…."
He was grateful, but it was truly eerie.
'How am I supposed to react to this.'
To think there could be such an eerie consideration in the world.
Yu Seong-un wore an awkward smile for a while.
-x-X-x-
"One thing is for sure."
Yu Seong-un stated firmly.
"Jio had no ill will."
"What is this, the narrow-minded statement of a guardian protecting their child, Curator Yu Seong-un?"
"Please don't talk like that, it gives me the creeps."
Yu Seong-un shuddered at Bisabeol's thoughtless nonsense.
"You wouldn't be saying such ridiculous things if Jio were in front of you."
It was no easy feat to act friendly in the face of that distant and vast difference in class.
It was because Yu Seong-un was a Gardener familiar with the Source that he could act this composed; there were still plenty of staff who couldn't even say a proper word when facing Jio.
At Yu Seong-un's appearance, Bisabeol asked in a subtle tone.
"Would I really not be like this in front of him?"
"…Damn it, just don't even think of seeing Jio for the rest of your life. Understood?"
"Ah, how unfair. I bought 'Jio's Portrait'. I emptied my wallet and bought it myself."
"Then it seems you just need to fix that personality of yours."
That was the best way for the peace of mankind.
"Jio dislikes you, Guild Master."
"What did I do…?"
"You're overflowing with energy, far too much."
"Is that a sin?"
"Seeing as you haven't been dragged away yet, it seems it's not a sin."
He wished that mouth would get dragged away, but passing on such a terrible responsibility to Jio was something to be sorry for.
Yu Seong-un, collecting himself, returned to the main topic.
"Jio truly had no bad intentions. If that being had truly held hostility or ill will and dragged away Hunter Park Eun-gyeom, he would have felt at least some displeasure when I tried to take him out. Because it would mean ignoring his own feelings."
But 'Jio's Portrait' expressed no regrets whatsoever.
"Rather, he showed a tolerant attitude as if telling me to do as I wish."
"Is there no possibility that he fabricated such an appearance?"
"Why would he go to such lengths to fabricate it for someone like me. Of all places, inside Jio's stomach…."
He didn't know the limits of the abilities Jio could display, but he knew at least that the master of a dungeon could wield power close to a miracle within his own dungeon.
"For him to treat me so gently despite that must mean he truly held no hard feelings."
"Our Seo Jio is so good-natured."
"That's such a warm smile, as if you're treating a grandson… I hope you won't act like that in front of Jio."
Even as he said that, Yu Seong-un was half-resigned.
"Since I'm the only one who confirmed it, I can't say for certain, but from what I saw, the reason 'Jio's Portrait' attacked the human was, as expected, because he was evil and rude."
And.
"His ultimate goal was to maintain the quality of the human race."
"To maintain the quality of the human race, you say…."
"I'm not sure if this is a definite analogy, but you know those things. A sick chicken is culled before it spreads pathogens… an overly violent animal is kept in separate quarantine at the zoo…."
"Oh, to my ears, that sounds like a very accurate analogy. It was the perfect analogy to understand. Does that mean that, according to Jio, we look like such livestock or beasts?"
"...."
Yu Seong-un smiled awkwardly.
"…I am not sure."
Jio, when they were touring Seoul together, was extremely human-like, kind, and respected the other person.
However, if asked whether that appearance was completely different from his appearance as 'The Black Cape,' that wasn't the case either, so it was confusing.
"If his way of treating humans changed according to a change in personality, it would be much easier for us to understand… but from what I saw, such a distinction was not clear."
Yu Seong-un showed a look of difficulty.
"If there is one thing for certain, it's that he is favorable to the human race."
"That is something we knew from before, but it has become a little clearer."
"That's right, it has become clearer."
Through this incident, Yu Seong-un was able to learn one of Jio's habits.
"Jio treats evil and rude humans almost as a different species from other humans."
It was impossible to know if 'Jio's Portrait' regarded all humans as livestock, but he could tell that it at least regarded the evil and rude as livestock.
That was how indifferent and ruthless its attitude was.
"In front of me, it conversed with the transparent man in the black suit, showing me 'This is how little interest I have in the human named Park Eun-gyeom.' I don't know if it really didn't know, or if it knew and put on such an act…."
Yu Seong-un recalled the Black Cape he had seen in the 'City of the Void'.
"It was truly an appearance of placing no value on him whatsoever."
"So that's why you expressed it as having no ill will. Literally, since there was no murderous intent or hostility."
"Whether the human he dragged in died trapped like this, escaped, or struggled, Jio seemed to not care at all."
"Literally quarantine or disposal. Moreover, it's an attitude close to indifference. Jio's interest is solely focused on good or ordinary humans."
"That said, he doesn't have the dedication to go all out and eliminate all evil beings. It just seemed like he dealt with those who didn't meet what Jio thinks of as the standard for 'human' whenever they came into view."
"That is quite frightening."
Bisabeol gave a faint smile.
"And, it's just that much."
"…You are right, Guild Master."
Yu Seong-un nodded his head.
"It's not an action that is greatly harmful to humanity."
If he tried to eliminate all evil people on Earth, or if he openly exerted influence and showed unconditional favoritism towards good people, the story would have changed a little.
But this behavior of 'Jio's Portrait' does not cause great confusion to humanity.
"It also seems like he perceives it as a game, like a snack to kill time."
"To call it a game, he doesn't seem to feel any particular enjoyment, but he doesn't seem to have a sense of responsibility or duty either."
"Indeed, in the first place, I can't feel enough enthusiasm to call it a game or punishment."
"There is no disaster that threatens humanity as much as the enthusiasm shown by a being of the Source."
"In that sense, Jio's habits cannot be called a great disaster for Earth."
This was just close to an event that popped up once in a while.
"At the very least, if people are careful with their conduct just in front of the picture frame, no one will be dragged away. So, if it's just this much…."
"We can sufficiently coexist."
Bisabeol continued in a conclusive tone.
"What fortunate news, when humanity has no choice but to coexist. Since it will be a coexistence that isn't too much of a burden from the perspective of humans, not just Jio, the Association will be able to feel a bit more relieved."
While not denying Bisabeol's words, Yu Seong-un did not let his guard down completely.
"It is still too early to be so certain. It hasn't been that long since we started analyzing 'Jio's Portrait' either."
"Curator Yu Seong-un is right. There is nothing as foolish as feeling relieved thinking you have 'fully grasped' a being of the Source. Especially with an opponent like Jio whose identity we still don't even know."
"…That is the part that concerns me the most. If I could at least know that precise information, I would be a little more at ease, but for unknown facts to keep popping up like this…."
He could believe that the Jio habits seen for now would not be a great harm to humanity, but he couldn't know about anything else.
It was possible that 'Jio's Portrait' might show another aggressive habit someday.
"...."
Yu Seong-un rubbed his neck.
"…I am dragging this out for too long."
"Wouldn't it be better to approach it prudently and carefully?"
"That's a story for when we at least know its identity."
He was a curator, by name, and a Gardener, by name.
"I still do not know what Jio is."
Even at this point when the year is changing.
"In the newly appeared picture frame, that gray city was an abnormal dungeon. The fact that its basic foundation was similar to a normal dungeon made me feel an even greater sense of incongruity. The feeling that it was mimicking a dungeon was strong."
And.
"It is close to a garden."
"I believe you know very well what that means."
"Yes, I know. A garden is also a vein of the Source."
The 'garden' that Gardeners literally put their lives into cultivating beautifully and healthily was, to define it in one word, an 'organ of the Source'.
It was the duty of a Gardener to manage the blood vessels, heart, lungs, muscles, and bones of the Source.
"I have never heard of a being other than a human managing a garden…."
"If we're going to argue that, there is little we know about the Source either."
"That is the problem. Every gardener I know is human, but it has only been 31 years since I learned that."
"It's only natural that there are things we don't know about the Source, whose limits are unknown."
"That said, it is also unreasonable for us to judge Jio as a Gardener and not a human."
Even if there was a monster that managed a garden, even if such a diligent god existed.
Separate from that, it was impossible to create a garden directly. It was an impossible task that could not be expected of anyone.
"…A Gardener cannot do that."
Yes, a 'Gardener' could not do that.
If so….
"...."
"I have had this thought before."
Instead of the silent Yu Seong-un, Bisabeol continued speaking.
"What if the Source were a personage?"
Yu Seong-un did not rebuke him for talking nonsense.
***
"My babies."
After Yu Seong-un left, Jio, alone, reveled in the life of a portrait with the black suits in his arms.
"I don't know how happy I am that you've all grown up so well even though your father couldn't pay attention to you."
"Yes, thank you for liking us, Father."
"How could you have grown into such a wonderful gentleman? I'm blessed with good children, indeed."
The combination of the faceless Black Cape and the faceless black suits was chilling to anyone who saw it, but there was no one here to point that out.
Jio repeatedly muttered 'my praiseworthy babies' as he cared for his new children.
"How can you be so adorable?"
His children, who recognized their father—or more accurately, since they were monsters inside the 'City of the Void', they were closer to grandfathers—but anyway, his children who came to be held in his arms so obediently were just lovely.
They were the sweet and sour vitamins of this harsh world.
"I didn't particularly intend for it, but you resemble me a lot."
"Yes, we wanted to resemble you, Father."
"Is this the 'When I grow up, I'm going to be an adult like my dad'? It has a nice ring to it."
"Yes, thank you for creating us in a form that is pleasing to you, Father."
"I don't know how you can be such diligent and bright children."
Even as he said so, Jio knew that these 'black suits' had an objectively quite scary appearance.
Perhaps because they clumsily imitated the already blunt Jio, their actions were natural like a human's, yet exuded a somewhat clumsy, incongruous feeling.
Park Eun-gyeom felt a fear that could kill him just by looking at them and even the experienced Gardener Yu Seong-un felt an unbearable eeriness.
Jio wasn't completely unaware that others would receive such an impression.
'But that is none of my business.'
Personal impressions can't be helped, but it shouldn't be that someone criticizes my kids for doing their best to dress up to look like their dad.
"This deeply sensitive father is brought to tears by the praiseworthyness of his children."
"Please pet us, Father."
"Father, I love you."
"Father."
"My praiseworthy babies."
Jio's eyes were already covered by thick and sturdy bean pods of love.
"I hope you won't mind even if people say you're scary."
"Yes, if you love us, Father, nothing will be a problem."
"Although you are not human-friendly in appearance, in my eyes you are just cute."
"Thank you, Father. Please hold me."
"To think I am blessed with children at this age…."
These adorable sweethearts.
They were a truly heartwarming family, where each cherished the other.
-x-X-x-
A few days later.
"Jio, are you awake?"
Yu Seong-un sought out 'Jio's Portrait'.
"I've brought the seedlings I mentioned last time."
"I am awake."
"Alright, check if these are the seedlings you wanted."
What Jio had requested from within the picture frame, in exchange for guaranteeing Yu Seong-un's life, was one flower and one tree.
They were the 'Honey Pot' and the 'Rock Salt Tree,' and as their names suggested, one could obtain honey and salt from them respectively.
'Jio prefers such pastoral items.'
Indeed, he had said his own home was a cabin in the woods.
He had also requested various seeds to do some farming.
'His taste is certainly firm.'
Yu Seong-un went inside the picture frame and looked at the seedlings of the Honey Pot and Rock Salt Tree that had become a painting.
"...."
"...."
Jio was caressing them as if they were newborn animals.
'…Perhaps he has a skill to communicate with plants….'
The thought occurred to him as it wasn't a skill completely unheard of among humans.
He didn't know what it was exactly in reality, but Jio certainly liked things that were rewarding to care for, like plants, animals, or young children.
Soon, the portrait gave an answer.
"This is exactly what I wanted. Thank you for complying with my request, Mr. Yu Seong-un."
"I'm glad you're satisfied with them. I'll organize and hand over a list of edible plants from Earth and the dungeons later, so tell me if there's anything you want."
"I, too, will prepare a gift that might be helpful to you, Mr. Yu Seong-un."
Jio, holding the still-frail seedlings in his arms, asked.
"Is that all for today?"
"Well, I just… thought we could chat about this and that."
"That sounds good. I am curious about how student Cha Isold is doing."
"Cha Isold? He entered the temple now."
Yu Seong-un pulled a nearby stool, sat in front of the portrait, and continued.
"He's quite late. Originally, he should have entered right after the initiation ceremony to prepare to become a priest, but Priest Kang Seo-dam was tired, saying that time became very tight due to the 'Kingdom of the Deep Sea' incident."
"I am sorry that my disciples have caused trouble. I have tried to reason with them a few times, but they still hate humans. I will let you know if there are any results soon."
"It's fine since there are no monsters that don't hate humans. It's impossible to deny a feeling that is the foundation of their power and reason just by reasoning with them. Still, it's reassuring that you, Jio, said you would stay by those mermaids' side."
As he said that, Yu Seong-un recalled the stories of the mermaids being witnessed in the 'Kingdom of the Deep Sea'.
'They say they are unbelievably ferocious.'
The exact cause was unknown, but it was reported that the mermaids witnessed recently had a higher risk level than the ones witnessed in the beginning.
They said their anger and hatred were in an uncontrollable state.
'Did their animosity grow due to a backlash from Jio telling them not to hate humans? But even though I didn't see it myself, the report said the signs of despair and sadness were greater.'
Judging by Jio's reaction, it seemed they maintained a normal appearance when they met with him.
'I don't know what's going on…'
However, it was not so rare for monsters to display a chilling level of duplicity.
There was no need for Yu Seong-un to worry about a monster that wasn't even a child of the Source.
"…And as for Cha Isold…."
Yu Seong-un soon recalled the recent news of the cheerful child.
"The partner assigned by the temple was Eun-ha, right? Iseur, who had taken a young form."
"Yes, I remember. Since Iseur has left, student Cha Isold must not have a partner."
"So there was a bit of chaos for a while, but it seems he managed to find a partner one way or another."
The recent 'Temple of the Deep Sea' incident had a big impact.
"Having gone through such a tremendous event while still a prospective priest, it seems a few children left the temple thinking they couldn't do such dangerous work. Apparently, the number of remaining prospective priests was an even number, so they re-formed the partnerships from scratch."
Yu Seong-un shrugged his shoulders.
"I guess it can't be helped since priests are basically a 2-person team."
"I heard that a priest's partner is for life, does that not change?"
"It can change a few times when they are prospective priests, but it's true that the partner one has when they become an official priest registered with the temple is for life."
"I am curious as to what happens if one of them can no longer perform the duties of a priest due to unavoidable circumstances."
"Unless the priests who lost their partners agree to form a new team, I understand that they usually work alone."
A representative example was Priest Kang Seo-dam, who had appeared alone even at the initiation ceremony.
'It's a common thing.'
Most priests in their 40s did not find a new partner.
It would be quite tiring to collaborate with someone other than the partner they had matched with their whole life.
"From the perspective of an ordinary office worker, I do wonder why they created such a tiring structure…."
"I am curious as to why a 2-person team is the standard for priests. Is there a reason other than tradition?"
"Well, the tradition part is big. What was it, the religious circles don't change easily in the first place."
But that wasn't the only reason.
"They say the holy power a priest can use is most effective when cooperating with others."
"Is that so for the holy power of all priests?"
"At least as far as I know, yes. There are exceptions, but priests who serve evil gods are strongest when they are alone."
No priest knew the exact reason for that.
"But if I were to guess, it's probably because the virtues pursued by the gods they serve are different. Most gods value friendship and peace, but evil gods require ruin and suffering."
Yu Seong-un nodded his head.
"The Solar Cult, in particular, refers to each and every priest as a 'little light'. They especially value cooperation because even a faint light can become a great light when gathered together, and it will become hotter when gathered like that."
"That must be why the holy power gets stronger when they cooperate. Because the more they gather, the hotter they will become. The Temple of the Sun was warm and felt good, and now I understand why."
It was 'Jio's Portrait', its eyes painted over with black paint and invisible, but Yu Seong-un could tell that it was gazing at him. The portrait soon continued.
"What kind of child is student Cha Isold's partner?"
"I don't know the details, but I do know that she's a 1st-class citizen."
"A 1st-class citizen, I see."
"Considering she's a young child, she must be quite wealthy."
The biggest difference that could distinguish between 1st and 2nd class citizens, even while living together in the city, was economic power.
If a child young enough to have just been initiated was 1st-class, there was a high possibility that their parents were also 1st-class citizens for generations.
"They don't normally pair them up like that. For priests to become partners, they first have to share the same dormitory room, so they are of the same gender, and they are grouped by similar class to make it easier to understand and rely on each other… a case like this is rare."
Yu Seong-un smiled awkwardly.
"Cha Isold's partner has a different gender and a different class. Well, once he becomes an official priest, Cha Isold will also become a 2nd-class citizen, but…."
"Still, is there no problem?"
"Why would there not be? But it seems the number of prospective priests has decreased significantly because of the mass exodus after this incident."
"It must have been difficult for the priests to pair up the children."
"So this time, they said they referred to the prospective priests' opinions a lot."
The result was this.
"I heard that that kid threw a fit, saying she would become Cha Isold's partner."
"I see, a very bold student. It seems like it would be fun to meet them together with Cha Isold later."
"To get a good evaluation from you already without even seeing her face, she's a kid who'll go far."
It wasn't as if there were no boys among the remaining prospective priests, nor was it that there were no 3rd-class citizens.
Yet, for them to have deliberately grouped children of different genders and classes meant it would have been difficult without a strong expression of their own will.
"Cha Eun-hyeok told me with a very tired face when I met him to buy bungeoppang."
"Indeed, she is not ordinary. So, are the two students satisfied with becoming partners with each other?"
"Cha Isold says he doesn't think much of it, but… wouldn't the other side be happy, at any rate?"
Since what she herself had insisted on came true.
"Of course, they use separate rooms, but it seems the Solar Cult decided to combine the dormitory rooms after this incident. Broadly divided into a boys' room and a girls' room. Cha Isold won't be lonely."
Yu Seong-un, speaking as if to say not to worry, rubbed his tired eyes.
"…Oh my, I'm so sleepy…."
"Were you not able to leave work?"
"…I couldn't sleep because I was running around looking into this and that."
He was mainly looking into matters concerning the 'City of the Void'.
"...."
Perhaps because they had talked about Cha Isold, whom Jio had shown particular affection for, the atmosphere had loosened up considerably.
Yu Seong-un, who was reading the room, soon opened his mouth carefully.
"…Thank you for releasing Hunter Park Eun-gyeom."
Among the things he had looked into was Park Eun-gyeom, who was at the center of this missing person case.
"I looked into it, and he apparently returned home safely."
"I am glad to hear that."
"I expected as much, but you're still so indifferent."
Jio truly did not care what happened to the sinner who had entered his stomach.
'It must have been just a quarantine to make the average value of humans good.'
Yu Seong-un understood Jio's indifference.
But no matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't understand what kind of eyes he was looking at humans with, or how he thought of himself.
Overwhelmed to get to the main point, he unnecessarily brought up Park Eun-gyeom's story and dragged on his words.
"Of course, he was caught by the Association as soon as he returned home. There was clear evidence that he abused and even abandoned his own colleague, and besides that, what happened in the 'City of the Void' is important data for the Association."
Yu Seong-un also played a significant part in that 'important data'.
"That human Park Eun-gyeom also seems to be careful these days after finding out why he was dragged away."
"That is a relief. But I am not holding out much hope."
"Well, humans don't change that easily, I guess. But people from the Association are monitoring him, so I don't think there will be any particular problems."
"If he does something bad again while the Association is watching, I would say that in itself is truly amazing."
"I think so too."
Yu Seong-un chose his words again.
"…Did you know? Your name has become quite famous these days."
"In what way has it become famous?"
"First of all, congratulations, you've got yourself a fan. They say they like your paintings."
"I am grateful that they love my lacking work."
"Isn't that too humble a response?"
Jio's 'works' had great artistic value.
The works of 'The Black Cape' known so far were two in total. 'The Breathing Sea' and 'The City of the Void'.
For the former, there were many stories that it felt like they could feel a person's gaze and breath even though it was just a painting of the sea and for the latter, they said that just looking at it made them feel lonely and sad and want to return to their family and friends.
"You make the paints yourself too, right?"
"That is correct. In this forest, there are many materials that help my work. I receive their help."
"They said they like it because the colors are very unique. Since they are your own colors that cannot be easily imitated. Some people apparently try to imitate them…."
"It would be difficult without the materials from the place where I am."
"Anyway, I was just saying that your work is that popular."
As if a single painter had truly appeared, some people were mesmerized by Jio's works.
A whole day would fly by just by simply appreciating them, and they would even be ecstatic, saying there was a world inside it.
It meant that Bisabeol wasn't the only artist blinded by the works.
'I just hope this doesn't flow into a dangerous atmosphere.'
Jio was exceptionally skilled at bewitching and shaking people.
'There was a time when I thought that was just Giovanni's ability, but he had a tremendous impact even when he was just a portrait….'
He had thought about it when he was first dragged into the 'Temple of the Deep Sea', but it would be a real headache if a pseudo-religion were to form with this being as its object.
"Anyway, for now, it feels like everyone is lightly enjoying the new event in the city."
"Is that so…."
"Ah, did you not like it? I told you since it's a story that's actually in progress."
"I do not like large crowds."
"That… well, I guess covering your face when you go around would cover that to some extent."
Yu Seong-un, who had been chuckling as if it was fine, couldn't hold back the question that suddenly surged up and asked.
"So I became curious."
"...."
"Who are you?"
He had to know that.
"…What should we do?"
Only then, could coexistence be possible.
Could they live on.
-x-X-x-
"Who are you?"
Excuse me?
"…What should we do?"
"...."
About what?
Jio thought.
'What did I do wrong?'
He couldn't understand how the conversation had flowed this way at all.
'Weren't we just talking about what's going on in the world until a moment ago?'
What kind of thunderbolt was this, right when I was feeling burdened by my own self that had become famous without my permission.
Jio, who was suddenly faced with a philosophical question about 'who am I,' fell into unexpected self-reflection.
Even for a thoughtless person like Jio, he could tell that the question just now was quite serious.
'But that makes it even harder to understand.'
It was as if parents were sitting across from their child and lamenting, 'Son, how should we treat you.'
And Yu Seong-un was not Jio's parent.
Jio was an adult male who used to have a job and now doesn't.
'Why? Why me? Suddenly, career counseling?'
He couldn't figure out at what point Yu Seong-un had become so serious.
"...."
"...."
As the silence lengthened, the confusion and anxiety Jio felt also grew.
'…He asked with such a serious posture, so it would be my duty as a human to give a serious answer with a serious posture, but since I know nothing, there is nothing I can say. To think I would learn like this that my crisis response ability, the epitome of the harm caused by cramming-style education during my school days, is lacking.'
Don't I have to understand the situation to be able to give an answer?
'Who… who am I…'
You got me there?
'If I had to say, a haunted portrait…?'
That would probably be the word that could most accurately express Jio's current identity.
However, Jio, who felt it was a bit much to call his not-dead self a 'ghost,' answered after a moment of thought.
"I am a portrait."
"…A portrait, you say."
"I know what you are worried about, Mr. Yu Seong-un."
"...."
"But I cannot understand it."
He was being sincere.
'Where else would you find a haunted portrait as harmless as me?'
It was true that Jio had been managing his image a little lately out of a sense of crisis that 'if I look like a pushover, I'll be captured by a laboratory.'
Jio didn't think it had ever produced a result great enough to make Yu Seong-un feel greatly threatened.
'But seeing Mr. Yu Seong-un's reaction now, he is clearly afraid of me.'
To be precise, it wasn't that he was afraid of Jio himself, but he seemed to be concerned about an accident he might cause someday.
For Jio, who only knew how to stay cooped up at home painting and eating, it was a bewildering situation.
He asserted his own jobless bum-ness.
"I am just an ordinary person who enjoys painting, enjoys meals with my family that I cook myself, and repeats the act of sleeping in a bed filled with the spring breeze."
By any chance, do you know Po○mon?
'I'm Snor○ax. Just Snor○ax.'
A lazy, healthy, and harmless beast that repeats the cycle of eating, sleeping, and shitting.
"That is a fact that does not change even if I am a portrait."
"…Really?"
"I believe you know that well, Mr. Yu Seong-un."
How could my own big brother, of all people, have such a misunderstanding.
'You know that no matter how I'm known to the world, I'm just a talking portrait, hyung. Believe in my insignificance.'
It was Yu Seong-un who had been with him since the early days, but it seemed he was momentarily confused about Jio's risk level due to the buzz of the people of the world.
It meant his image management had been a success, but a situation like this was not welcome.
For reference, his risk level converged at a whopping 0.
It was a value less than even a fire ant's. If you compared a fire ant that shoots formic acid that can even blind a person with Jio who couldn't even bite down hard thinking of his dental health, he would definitely lose.
"I understand why you have come to have such worries."
Jio thought this was a problem that arose from a lack of communication.
"We have lacked the time to understand each other."
If only Yu Seong-un had exchanged KkaeTalk messages with Jio himself day in and day out and knew how much of a jobless bum he lived like inside the house.
He would never have harbored such a ridiculous worry, like a tiger worrying about a rabbit's violence, in the first place.
"Just as countless humans ponder and explore their own identities, I am the same. I, too, do not know exactly what I am."
"...."
"So, would you not like to check for yourself?"
Jio said this with the pure intention of really wanting to clear up the misunderstanding.
'Mr. Yu Seong-un ran barefoot and found the Void, not even knowing where it was in Seoul. He even worked on Christmas to save a person named Park Eun-gyeom, who I didn't even know existed. This means he is a truly pitiful and competent working professional.'
And such a person had to be fed until they were plump.
Originally, a full person doesn't think futile thoughts and doesn't speak futile words.
This was all the harm brought on by a society weary with fatigue.
Therefore.
"I will invite you, Mr. Yu Seong-un."
There was no reason for Jio not to feed Yu Seong-un until he was full.
***
Yu Seong-un was drawn inside 'Jio's Portrait'.
***
"...."
The first thing he felt was.
'Ah.'
It's warm.
It was a gentle spring breeze.
"...."
Yu Seong-un, who had raised his head, looked at the sky.
"…It's blue."
It was a clear sky that was hard to see these days.
Above that sky, large clouds stretched out as if sleeping, and above them was a transparent atmosphere from which dew seemed ready to pour at any moment.
A sky that held both silence and tranquility was here.
"It's a sight that's hard to see on Earth."
"Seoul's air was certainly acrid."
"…Not particularly Seoul, but, well…."
Yu Seong-un found himself blankly fixing his gaze on the sky.
"Where could you see a sky this blue?"
A very, very long time ago, Earth was said to have had such a transparent sky.
That was quite unfamiliar information for Yu Seong-un, who was born right before the Great Catastrophe.
It was amazing to think that Earth had ever been like that, though it wouldn't be strange for a dungeon.
'Come to think of it, this place is a dungeon too.'
Yu Seong-un's head tilted.
'…Why doesn't it feel unfamiliar?'
It was not normal to feel a sense of longing for a sky one has never seen in the past.
"…It's a really pretty sky…."
"Do you like it?"
"Do stars come out in the evening too?"
"Enough to see the Milky Way."
"The Milky Way, that's amazing."
To think that in this cabin, one could freely appreciate the Milky Way, which is now said to be invisible on Earth even if you go to the desert.
Yu Seong-un's head, which had been looking up at the sky as if possessed, slowly came down.
"...."
A forest of soft colors filled his eyes.
"So this is the forest you were talking about."
"If you go a little deeper, you can meet my friends."
"You mean the beasts of the forest, right?"
Just then, a deer with a long neck revealed its face from between the bushes.
"Oh."
It was a fairytale-like, beautiful deer with eyes that sparkled like jewels.
When he listened closely, he could hear the chirping of birds.
When he turned his gaze, he saw a few birds sitting on a tree branch, looking down at him.
Following the tail feathers that flew away with a flutter, he saw a narrow, shallow stream of water flowing gently along the ground.
When he took a breath, it seemed to carry a sweet and nutty scent like that of flowers or nuts.
"...."
The stream, where the sunlight shattered, shimmered like jewels, and the fish passing through it occasionally added to the sound by flicking their tails.
The pebbles laid under the glass-like transparent water shone like polished marble that radiated light.
"…This is true…."
Peaceful.
"It's understandable why one wouldn't want to leave."
It was a peace like the tomb of a wise old man.
"I was always looking at it through the portrait, but I didn't know it would be this wonderful."
"Are you enjoying the view?"
"I'm really enjoying it. I'm curious about what's inside the forest, and I'm also curious what it would feel like to take a nap."
A tranquility that makes a person lazy exists here.
"It might be dangerous."
There wasn't much of a sense of pressure, but separate from that, the tranquility was so deep that the feeling was like a swamp.
If a person with no backbone were to be dragged here, they would forget their own ego and wish to become a sculpture of this forest.
'That said, it's not that Jio has any ill will.'
This forest too had no ill will, not even goodwill.
'It just exists like this.'
That was nature.
This was a nature that held a longing so great that a human could not bear it.
It was like a feast of the gods that humans could not handle.
To enjoy this peace without preparation would be to lose one's everything.
"...."
…Somehow, the F-Class Hunter Cha Ara endured this place.
'It seems her eyes weren't turned because her affection for her family on Earth was that great.'
With every breath he took, his eyes tingled with fondness and his fingertips tickled with happiness.
It was a peace that was hard to endure for those who had no lingering attachments, lacked courage, and had a weak ego.
"…What should I look into here?"
"I did not invite you because I wanted you to look into something here, Mr. Yu Seong-un."
"Then what's the reason you invited me?"
"I just hoped we would enjoy it together, without any great meaning. Because the more we get to know each other, the less we'll be afraid."
Jio, who said so, had taken off his cape at some point. The youth with a strangely expressionless face continued.
"There was no reason not to share what I have with a friend."
"…A friend…"
The portrait called Yu Seong-un a friend.
"…Do I look like a friend to you?"
"…Was I mistaken?"
"No, if it's okay with you, I wanted to have a friend like you too."
He wanted to communicate with the Source.
"Because I am a gardener."
A Source that could be conversed with existed here.
"I get mesmerized when I see such a wonderful garden."
"…It is troublesome if you like it that much."
"I just meant that I really like places like this."
"Then that is a relief."
"You live here, right?"
Yu Seong-un looked at the portrait.
"Did you make this place?"
"I drew it."
"How come?"
"It just happened."
"That's peculiar."
"I think so too."
"...."
Soon, Yu Seong-un asked.
"Did you know? This place, it's connected to you."
"Because I am the master of this place."
"I know you're the master of this place."
But that's not what Yu Seong-un was talking about.
'This garden is Jio's Portrait itself.'
This frighteningly serene world and 'Jio's Portrait' are not separate entities.
But that was a matter of course.
Jio is a portrait, and this world exists inside that portrait.
It meant that everything in the portrait centered on the ego of Jio couldn't be anything but his very self.
"Can only things you drew exist here?"
"No, things that are not so also grow naturally without my knowledge."
"I see. I thought so. And can those be taken outside the frame?"
"Yes, they can be taken outside the frame. Is there something you need?"
"No, I'm just… looking into this and that."
Clatter.
"...."
Transparent water birds sat on a tree branch.
Among them was Honey, whom Jio called his son.
"…Because there are many strange things here."
Yu Seong-un could not read their gazes.
It seemed like they were warning him not to harm this peace, and it seemed like they were welcoming Yu Seong-un, who was invited by their parent, Jio, or it seemed like they were just cameras watching without any emotion.
They had no ill will or goodwill. Or perhaps they had both.
"...."
Where is this embarrassingly tear-jerking longing coming from?
"…That must be your cabin over there."
"That is correct. Student Cha Ara came straight inside, so I was unable to show her the forest."
"May I take a look?"
"My apologies, I failed to mention that you may appreciate it as you wish."
"Alright, thank you."
With Jio's ready permission, Yu Seong-un swept his hand across the cabin's wall.
'…It's warm.'
And he felt a faint vibration.
It was the sound of a dead tree's heart beating.
"…This place."
"Yes, please speak."
"It's breathing."
This was a living creature.
"Or maybe not."
It was also an inanimate object.
"Am I saying something a little strange?"
"To my ears, yes."
"Still, thank you for inviting me, it's because I like it so much."
"I believe it is because you have been very tired lately."
"It's certain that if I were to die, a place like this would be nice."
A Gardener is bound to be buried in a garden.
"This is really a wonderful garden."
This place is the Source.
That became the definite answer to his question.
-x-X-x-