Seo Jio was a gentle and old-fashioned person.
'I never thought I'd have such a blush-inducing impression of someone.'
But that was the thought that came to mind as soon as he saw him.
"Today's tea snack was star candy, I see."
"Yes, they were purple, yellow, and green star candies respectively."
"Isn't it truly sweet?"
"Looking at the records… they've only requested sweet snacks."
"Last time, they wanted lemon madeleines."
It wasn't a particularly meaningful conversation.
Although he wasn't stopped from reporting it via radio, Seo Jio smoothly passed over the anomaly of 『The Sweet Tea Party』 with the words, 'a fortune beyond the standard is coming.'
The conversation they were having now was close to ordinary small talk.
Thanks to that, the man was able to feel a bit more familiar with 『The Sweet Tea Party』.
"I've also baked them myself."
"You must be good at cooking."
"I have a talent for bringing imaginary food into reality."
"I'm a little envious of that."
Was this the power that a good person gives off?
As they talked, his tensed body gradually relaxed.
'…It's a conversation that gives a sense of stability.'
The conversation didn't have any special content, but Seo Jio's attitude towards the man gave him that sense of stability.
Even though he wasn't doing anything particularly conspicuous, he could sense the deep goodwill that Seo Jio was showing.
'I heard he talked with another newbie last time, is he managing the employees or something.'
It was a vast goodwill that was hard to understand.
"…Do you often have conversations like this with other employees?"
The man continued to ask.
"I heard that you don't stay at the company for long."
"I am staying in a place that is easier to find than you might think."
"Ah, perhaps… in that case… Yes, are you living in the dormitory?"
"I am living within this building."
"I didn't even know such facilities existed in such a large building."
The man understood.
It seemed the Collector was doting on him quite a bit. That must be it.
'Well, if the person has this kind of atmosphere….'
He could understand the psychology of the Guild Master, Bisabeol.
'He has an atmosphere like he might quietly disappear at any moment.'
Seo Jio showed an aspect that was somehow detached from reality.
His voice was low and gentle, resembling the sunlight spreading faintly on a spring day.
The gaze that reached him was clear, yet its color was soft, making it hazy, and his attitude towards people was polite yet cautious, giving a sense of slow lightness.
His soft-spoken manner and the faint smile on his face that showed no signs of disappearing looked like a faded memory from a children's fairy tale or a relic like a silent film.
"..."
Was this too blatant a thought for someone he had just met?
'…But he doesn't look like someone who would be tied down somewhere.'
But he also didn't seem like he would enjoy a bustling atmosphere.
'His actions are noble, and his atmosphere is heavy….'
As if he would suddenly disappear and wander the world, appearing in an unexpected place, giving an unexpected gift, and then disappearing.
It felt strangely like such an impossibly romantic being.
He exuded an atmosphere that couldn't be described in words.
The very fact that such a person existed next to him and was talking to him was unbelievable.
"..."
"Do you like sweet things?"
"…To some extent."
"I also like sweet things."
Was this an unconditional agreement?
'Part of a social activity?'
Before he could think any further, the other person held out a small snack.
"Would you like one?"
"…What is this?"
"It's a lemon madeleine."
"..."
For a moment.
"…Thank you."
He thought it was strange.
'I don't know what's strange, but….'
Hadn't we just been talking about lemon madeleines?
Since he said he enjoyed cooking, he must have either made it himself or bought the snack from somewhere.
But the lemon madeleine that appeared suddenly during the conversation was wrapped in a faintly translucent white paper and decorated with a simple, neat black ribbon.
The madeleine, wrapped in elegant paper and exuding a sweet scent, suited the porcelain dolls of 『The Sweet Tea Party』 more than them.
But the black ribbon, merely used to tidy the entrance, looked like it would taste more bitter than sweet.
"..."
Rustle.
He took out the madeleine.
"…Did you perhaps make this yourself?"
"It is my pleasure."
"You are truly skilled with your hands."
To be honest, he couldn't imagine the person in front of him baking and wrapping this himself.
'…Rather than that….'
It seemed like he would literally create it.
Simply because he wanted it, it seemed like it would be in his hands.
'…I've been having strange thoughts since a while ago. Unnecessary delusions are of no help at all.'
Perhaps the mold itself was custom-made, as the madeleine was smaller than expected.
The lemon madeleine's shell, which was coated in white like a blurry frost, had a crisp and crunchy texture.
The madeleine, which had a faint scent of trees after a rain, was more plain and soft than he thought.
"…It's delicious."
For some reason, it was just delicious enough to completely release all the tension that had made his body stiffen again.
"To be honest, I didn't believe you when you said you were good at cooking."
"Those are sad words. Why did you think that?"
"Because you don't have an atmosphere of someone who would get their hands wet."
"I hear that often."
"That is the impression you give. However…."
It wasn't that he thought it didn't suit him at all.
"…You also have an impression that suits anything."
He seemed like he could do anything.
He looked as if he had sat on the throne of the Pope in a high place, and also like a beggar in the lowest, most humble place.
But the man instinctively knew that whatever position he truly held, he would be able to accept it all.
Whether he was a chaebol beyond imagination, or a Carnation Child born in a slum on a cold winter day.
Yes, he would come to think that you could certainly be that.
"…The reason is…."
Well.
"I'm not sure."
"Those are strange words."
"…Is that so."
But there was one thing for certain.
"..."
Whatever his status, it seemed no one could hold this person down.
Just as it's natural for time to pass and the world to change.
'…I should stop thinking.'
That's enough.
The man stared blankly into the air.
"..."
He had a lot of work to do, so it was time to break away from this terrible comfort.
"…The time… it's later than I thought."
It was already 6 in the morning.
"It doesn't feel like we talked much."
"It was an enjoyable conversation."
"…I'm glad you felt that way."
Around that time, a new presence was felt.
"Jio?"
It was Curator Yu Seong-un.
"Were you awake?"
"Yes, Mr. Yu Seong-un."
The two seemed to know each other well as they conversed naturally.
"I was talking with this person."
"Oh, I was wondering who it was, if it wasn't Curator Binari."
As he had nothing to say and just bowed his head, Yu Seong-un didn't say anything more.
As if he was skilled at dealing with people, he turned back to Seo Jio as if not to make him uncomfortable.
"What were you talking about?"
"We were talking about how it's unbelievable that I'm good at cooking."
"Oh, really? I thought it suited you quite well…. Your cooking is really delicious."
Curator Yu Seong-un asked in his characteristic calm tone.
"It's already past 6 AM. The employees will be coming soon, are you going to stay in the gallery?"
"No, I plan to go back before the other employees arrive."
Under the light that fell straight down, the man was reflected in the deep blue eyes.
"What will you do, Mr. Binari?"
"I plan to go back to the dormitory, the one the company provided…."
"Is that place Mr. Binari's home?"
"It seems to be more of a place to stay than a home."
"You will soon have a comfortable home."
He showed goodwill once again.
"Do you need a guide?"
"..."
Without realizing it.
"..."
The man 'unwittingly' looked around the gallery.
He looked once at the porcelain dolls he was in charge of, 『The Sweet Tea Party』.
He looked at the gleaming glass of the frame hanging next to it, and in front of it.
He looked at the light falling from the ceiling and the clock hanging between them.
He looked at the floor where the light fell. In the light that fell vertically, the shadow.
The one missing black color….
"..."
He saw.
"…No."
When he raised his head, he suddenly met Curator Yu Seong-un's eyes.
"It's alright."
Those eyes curved clearly, revealing a smile.
"I've memorized the entire structure of this gallery."
"I see."
"I'll go out by myself."
"Thank you for talking with me."
The man in the black cape said.
"I remember and affirm you."
"..."
"Have a good day."
A strange resonance.
"..."
The man bowed his head and left the gallery.
"..."
He passed through the winding corridors in preparation for any unforeseen event.
The lights on the ceiling created a shadow along with his footsteps.
After the shadow moved several times, he arrived at the elevator.
The place to get on was the 3rd basement floor.
The place to get off was the 1st-floor lobby.
He pressed the button and the elevator started to work.
"..."
He muttered to himself without realizing it.
"…He's a peculiar person."
He had only seen him for a moment, yet time had flown by.
He had only seen him for a very brief moment, yet it was so.
It could be.
Despite his large build, his presence was incredibly faint, and even when he was right next to him, it felt like he wasn't there.
Yet, his undeniable presence made it impossible not to look at him, even if he tried to look away.
"He seemed like a great person."
He was gentle and old-fashioned.
He sparkled like a prince from a fairy tale who had become an adult, he was ancient like a relic of old history now buried in the ground, and he was special, like a miracle of a time that no one remembered.
"A person who gives comfort…."
Why did a country village he had never seen before come to mind?
Why did he hear the sound of dry grass rustling in the desolate wind?
He felt a nostalgia similar to when he admired the vermilion color of the sea as the sun set calmly, or when he listened to a lullaby sung by a parent to put a child to sleep.
It was simple and lyrical.
So.
"He's a good person."
The man knows nothing.
"Yes…."
The one-hour gap where he must have been possessed by something unreal.
The sound of dry grass coming from his bare feet.
The shadow that didn't exist alone under the light, or the vast forest reflected in the glass coating the frame.
The sun.
The sea.
The eyeball.
The eye.
Eye.
"..."
Even the gaze sent by the eye reflected in the glass, he doesn't know.
It is an unknown thing.
"…He's a good person."
Because 'Seo Jio' is a 'good person'.
He had to be.
-x-X-x-
"...."
"...."
In the space where only the two of them remained, it was Yu Seong-un who spoke first.
"Jio."
"Yes, Mr. Yu Seong-un."
"Your shadow has disappeared."
"...."
At Yu Seong-un's point, Jio's head slowly lowered.
"Ah, dear."
It was a very contrived reaction.
'Did he decide that such a reaction was appropriate in this situation?'
As soon as that thought crossed my mind, a shadow blossomed beneath Jio's feet.
Yu Seong-un was inwardly impressed.
'It looks alive.'
He thought the word 'blossomed' was very accurate.
It took on a vibrant and diverse form, too much to be considered a mere shade created by an object blocking the light.
The shadow spread across the retina.
'…A school of fish?'
A school of small fish swam in a group, waves swayed in the wind, and it seemed he had seen a long-horned deer walking on the ground or a beast with thick claws.
Or perhaps it was the large wing of a gliding bird.
The diverse shapes that flashed by in an instant soon grew lush like a vast forest, then became neat again to form the shape of a human.
"...."
The long, stretched shadow settled into a dark, small spot under Jio's feet, as if finding a 'realistic' position.
The process of a clumsy shape gradually becoming a complete form, as if drawing a picture.
Considering Jio's characteristic as a painter, it was an interesting change.
'In that case, can the Jio outside the frame still be called a painting?'
Soon, Jio opened his mouth.
"I should have been more careful, I've shown you an unseemly side of myself."
"These things happen in life."
"I thought there wouldn't be any problems, but to think there was such a flaw…."
Jio trailed off his words.
"I am embarrassed."
"It's nothing to be embarrassed about."
He had clearly said, 'I thought there wouldn't be any problems.'
That was no different from saying he had anticipated the possibility of problems arising.
'In other words, Jio is aware that he is imitating a human.'
Having organized his thoughts up to that point, Yu Seong-un muttered inwardly.
'Was he surprisingly capable of self-awareness? I thought Jio considered himself human, but if this is the case, what attitude should I take?'
Were his past statements, where he considered himself human, also part of the imitation?
If so, Jio was performing an imitation of a high level, unimaginable for a human.
'It's a trait sometimes seen in the gods who enjoy their amusement. What feels like the truth to us humans is sometimes, in fact, a lie. Even Jio's way of thinking, of considering himself human, could be one of those imitations….'
If a human thinks something with all their heart, it becomes a belief, but for beings of a different class, like gods, even that can be an act.
Even though he had intentionally kept various possibilities open, he felt a little blindsided.
Should he call it surprising? Yu Seong-un inwardly swallowed a difficult laugh.
'I shouldn't measure a being of the Source by human standards.'
Especially if the one Yu Seong-un was dealing with was the Source itself.
"...."
After quietly composing his breath, Yu Seong-un asked in a calm voice.
"Unlike before, you have some clumsy parts now, don't you?"
"It would be a great help if you could tell me in what aspects that was the case."
"In what aspects, you ask…."
Does he want to know how much humans can perceive?
The scope of a being of the Source and the vision of a human were different.
It could be surmised that the flaws in Jio's imitation just now stemmed from such a difference in vision, or that this too was part of an act.
'It might be a similar principle to humans inserting a robot to understand the ecology of a monster.'
In the case of monsters or beasts that are wary of humans, robots that mimic their form are sometimes deployed to observe their daily behavior.
From the human's perspective, they know it's a robot, but to the monster, it would feel like one of their own kind with some strange aspects.
'The situation between Jio and us humans probably isn't too different from that.'
Yu Seong-un nodded his head.
"It's not difficult."
As a Curator, and as a Gardener, he could explain such differences in vision anytime.
"As I said before, the fact that you didn't have a shadow was a bit surprising."
"It's something that should naturally be there, but I forgot for a moment."
"Above all, the lighting is falling from above our heads."
Bisabeol's Gallery was particularly clean white, and the lighting was bright.
This was to help visitors appreciate the works fully, but it was also a measure to allow the Curators to quickly notice anomalies like the one that just happened.
"Both I and the new curator had shadows at our feet."
Only Jio did not.
"Next, if there's another strange part, it would be the sense of weight."
"Sense of weight."
"I can't hear any sound when you move."
"You can't hear it?"
"If I had to pinpoint it, it's about the sound of dry grass rustling?"
In fact, this was a chronic problem with Jio's human imitation.
"You were quite light when you were touring Seoul before, too."
"I thought I had gotten heavier, in my own way."
"Still, an ordinary person doesn't get blown away just because the wind is a bit strong."
"I remember that I was not blown away."
"Right, your body floated up."
"Wasn't it that the wind was particularly strong?"
"The winds on Earth don't pick and choose people to blow away."
Yu Seong-un, who was right next to him, was fine, yet hadn't Jio alone almost been blown away?
"Similar to that, your sound is very light right now."
"It is light."
"You don't have the sound that I make when I walk."
"That was certainly a part I didn't pay attention to."
Thud….
Jio, who tapped the floor with his bare foot, tilted his head.
"This is difficult to fix."
"It'll be hard to fix it all at once, so don't be too hasty."
From the humans' perspective, the less detail Jio had, the faster they could grasp the situation.
"And to tell you one more thing…."
"Is there more?"
"I'm not sure if this will be interpreted well, but."
What Yu Seong-un pointed to was a work hanging on the wall of the corridor where they stood.
It was large enough to embrace a standing person, and like most of the paintings on display, it faced people as if it were a mirror.
"You're reflected a bit strangely."
On the cleanly managed glass, a mass that could be called nature was reflected.
"Maybe because the gallery lights are so bright, but we're a bit visible on that glass."
"Why does that look strange?"
"In your eyes, are you reflected in a sufficiently human form?"
"Yes, I am. I hear you saying that it does not look that way to you, Mr. Yu Seong-un."
"It's embarrassing that you point it out, but it's true."
The 'Jio's Portrait' reflected in the glass was not in a human form.
"I see a forest."
In truth, it couldn't be called a forest.
The lush trees, grass, and flowers that symbolize a forest.
The living creatures like wolves or rabbits playing within it and the ecosystem where they are preyed upon and live on.
It was not simply a representation of nature, but a huge form with will and destiny….
It was similar to what he had seen in Jio's 'shadow' a moment ago.
'I can't just call this a forest.'
It was clearly staring at Yu Seong-un and the world.
It was the 'eye' of something very huge.
'I can feel its gaze.'
Even though the Jio standing next to him was not looking at Yu Seong-un through the glass of the frame.
'Could it be that Jio doesn't know about this either?'
Or does he know and is pretending not to, in order to 'imitate'?
From a human's standpoint, his truth and lies were indistinguishable, so in reality, it didn't make much difference either way.
There was no point in distinguishing.
As if he hadn't seen that colossal thing, Yu Seong-un spoke calmly.
"Should I say I can feel that you're of a different class?"
"I do not quite understand your words, Mr. Yu Seong-un."
The blond portrait smiled gently.
"From what I see, my form reflected in the glass looks sufficiently like a person."
"…Is that so?"
"Does it still look that way to your eyes, Mr. Yu Seong-un?"
"...."
When Yu Seong-un checked the glass again, he could confirm the form of 'Giovanni'.
There was no 'forest' anywhere.
"…Oh."
So this is how it comes out.
"You're right, I can definitely see a person reflected there."
"Perhaps the painting stored behind the glass confused my form?"
"That could be. The works here are all quite assertive."
Yu Seong-un did not bother to persuade him by saying, 'You are not human.'
'If he himself knows it well and still comes out like this, it must mean I shouldn't dig any deeper.'
He had no intention of earning the resentment of the work he managed.
'If Jio wants to appear human, it's better to leave it that way.'
The Source itself wishes for it, after all.
Jio himself was trying to act like a human, and since he knew that Jio wanted to do so, there was no reason not to play along.
Jio could be human as much as he wanted, he just wasn't one.
"Hmm…."
Yu Seong-un, rubbing his cool neck, asked.
"I asked the same question earlier, but wasn't it the case that there were fewer anomalies when you were touring Seoul before? A few flaws have appeared since I last saw you, has there been some kind of change of heart?"
"I'm not sure if this is the right way to express it, but there was certainly something similar to a change of heart. It was the matter of me becoming perfect as Giovanni, and these anomalies seem to have stemmed from that."
Jio smiled and continued.
"It will be difficult to hope for Giovanni's help any longer."
What a peculiar way of speaking.
'Speaking in this manner makes it seem like he really has no intention of imitating a human.'
He might not have realized that his way of speaking was strange, or he might just be revealing his true feelings because Yu Seong-un was a comfortable person to be around.
Either way, it wasn't too bad of a situation.
Soon after, Yu Seong-un asked.
"What do you mean it will be difficult to hope for Giovanni's help?"
"It is as I said. Until now, I could expect help because Giovanni was not a portrait, but now I can no longer do so."
"Because the Giovanni in front of my eyes has become a complete portrait?"
Is that what he meant by 'the matter of becoming perfect as Giovanni'?
"So you were able to receive that kind of help from the Jio who wasn't a complete portrait."
Things that a human should naturally have are bestowed upon a 'portrait' that cannot be called human.
'…I once speculated that the identity of this portrait was countless deaths and lives.'
That this portrait was constantly reviewing the life and death of 'Jio' in countless dimensions somewhere.
Now that he knew he was the Source, Yu Seong-un could be certain.
This being called 'Jio' was likely an 'eye' for the Source to experience, understand, and ultimately apply to humans.
'If so, it also explains how a colossal being like the Source can grant a system according to human standards.'
Therefore, the numerous 'Jios' that Yu Seong-un still didn't know about.
"...."
When he, whose essence is the Source, acts as a human in one dimension, it seems they also play a role in helping him adapt and function smoothly among other humans.
Listening to the use of this personality called 'Giovanni' suggests as much.
'…It seems that too, after a long time, it gets colored by the class of the portrait.'
Just as a piece of korean paper placed in an ink bowl gradually turns black, the ego called 'Giovanni,' which could have been called human, was eventually swept away by the class of the Source.
Having lost his reference point like that, Jio would become unable to be sure of the conditions of being human.
This was how a colossal being like the Source imitated a tiny human.
"…Then…."
Yu Seong-un asked.
"What are you going to do from now on? Are you going to discard your current status as an A-Class Hunter?"
"No, I find great charm in being active as a respectable resident of this world."
"But it'll be hard to live comfortably with so many chilling flaws like now."
"Therefore, I think I will have to receive the help of another 'Jio'."
The portrait was still smiling.
"I will send a letter if I have any results."
"Yes, that sounds good."
Yu Seong-un suddenly noticed another flaw.
'…His expression is the same.'
Like a portrait that has already been drawn and cannot change, Jio was always smiling with the same expression.
'It's like being taxidermied while still alive.'
It was a very romantic affair.
***
"Kuruk."
"...."
"Kururu?"
"…I thought there were no problems."
"Kururururu."
"But there were more flaws than I thought."
Having returned to the cabin, Jio kneaded the squishy Honey.
The plumply fattened water bird was softly mixed in Jio's large hands.
Feeling the bouncy texture of his son, who could be flexibly squashed at will, Jio candidly confessed his mistake.
"If Mr. Yu Seong-un hadn't told me, I really would never have known."
He thought it was fortunate that the new curator he met today didn't notice his abnormality.
The new curator had noticed all of Jio's 'flaws' but had gritted his teeth and pretended not to, but anyway, that's what Jio thought.
Because he considered his conversations up to that point to be quite successful.
"It was too complacent of me to think that there would be no problem operating as a fully synchronized Jio."
"Kkung?"
"No, this father does not give up. No matter how scary it has become, my hometown is Earth, after all."
"Kurururu."
"One must sleep in the portrait but also feel the stimulus of one's hometown from time to time."
Moderate stimulation of the brain was good for preventing dementia.
"I'm going to live a long and healthy life."
"Kuruk."
"Well then, now I need to find another Jio…."
As it happened, there was a suitable friend.
[LIST OF THE APT —
Animal Kingdom_Argio
Synchronization Rate: 0%]
"…Is it time to take out the 'Animal Kingdom' that was shoved in the warehouse?"
It was time to merge with the second Apt, 'Argio'.
-x-X-x-
Argio was not a name.
『Ar』
Cruel.
『Jio』
Beast.
"They say I am a monster, don't they?"
It meant 'Cruel Beast'.
***
"Quite a lot of dungeons have evil gods."
Inside a dungeon with strong colors of a primitive religion, the Solar Cult priest, Kang Seo-dam, explained.
"Their number is incredibly large compared to traditional gods who value peace and mercy. Does any brother know the reason?"
"Unlike traditional gods, it is because evil gods can be easily created artificially."
"An excellent answer, Sister Iruda."
Thud.
Kang Seo-dam, who placed his wand on the mossy marble floor, spoke.
"It is not difficult to make white clothes stained with black paint even blacker. You can stain it with charcoal, crush it with dirty shoes, or put it in a mud pit. However, from the moment black paint touches white clothes, it can no longer be called 'white clothes'."
Around Kang Seo-dam and the prospective priests, the corpses of monsters were burning away.
"It is much easier to make clothes black than to keep them white. It is much easier to become corrupt than to maintain a noble mystery. This is because there are far more ways to become dirty than ways to be pure."
Once the monster corpses had completely turned to ash, Kang Seo-dam looked around.
"It seems this place will be safe enough. We will take a short break and continue our story. All prospective priests, please make yourselves comfortable."
"Yes, Priest."
The young priests, around 10 years old, gathered in a cluster and sat near a worn altar.
It seemed to be a place for offering sacrifices, as there was bloodstain here and there and bones were laid out, but there were no children here who would be frightened by such things.
Kang Seo-dam confirmed that all the priests were seated before continuing to speak while standing.
"Similarly, there are a great many ways for an evil god to be created compared to a traditional god. Just like the dungeon we are visiting now. This was a place where live sacrifices were offered to an evil god."
"Isn't this something that happened on Earth?"
"Yes, the Solar Cult has determined it to be the history of another dimension. The name of this religion is Sankalut, and they tortured newborns and the elderly in creative ways, tied them to an altar, and left them until they died."
It was a gruesome story for children to hear, but while there were children who were disgusted by it, there were none who were scared.
It was proof that the people of Earth now lived lives very close to death and suffering.
Kang Seo-dam continued his explanation gently.
"What's interesting is that the evil god worshipped by the Sankalut cult was a created being."
He scanned the prospective priests.
"Is there any brother who can explain how a god comes into being?"
"There is the One God who has existed from the beginning of a dimension, and there are traditional gods who, though not the One God, were born in nature and fate after the existence of the dimension."
"And gods other than those?"
"One can escape the fate of mortality and gain divinity to become a being called a god. I have heard that this can be divided into cases of becoming a descendant of an existing god or walking the path of an evil god."
"You have answered well, Sister Iruda."
Kang Seo-dam nodded his head.
"We refer to gods who maintain the providence of the dimension and pursue coexistence as 'traditional gods'. The One God who existed from the beginning is also one of them. All gods born from nature and fate, not from mortality, can be called 'traditional gods'."
He looked at the girl with her hair tied low and spoke.
"Also, as Sister Iruda said, there are cases where one escapes the fate of mortality and gains divinity. More than 99% of those who twist their fate to gain divinity in such a way become evil gods."
"Why do beings who gain divinity from mortality become evil gods?"
"First, a being who has gained divinity by deviating from the natural order is highly likely to have a rough and rebellious will. Considering that most traditional gods value obedience and harmony, you will understand why they become evil gods."
There was another reason as well.
"Second, a mortal cannot understand an immortal. Unlike traditional gods who were born as immortals and are unchanging and eternal, those born from mortality change and think, making it easy for them to be corrupted by negative emotions."
That was why in this vast dimension, there were more evil gods than good gods.
"Third, as Sister Iruda said, it is possible to create evil gods artificially. What kind of process does this artificial process refer to here?"
"It refers to thinking life forms gathering their faith in one place."
"That is correct. There are beings who were not originally worshipped as gods because they existed as such, but gained divinity or were born because they were worshipped as gods. This Sankalut cult is such a case."
Kang Seo-dam pointed to the worn but ornately decorated marble cavern.
"From the murals, we can read that the Sankalut cult worshiped a red jewel that could not even be thought of, praised the redness of that jewel, and offered the blood of newborns and the elderly to maintain it."
"Did that jewel really become an evil god?"
"Because it was a nation-level religion and its faith was also strong in color, the jewel really did become an evil god. This dungeon was discovered in the early days of the Great Catastrophe and its conquest has been completed, and it now remains as a resource for learning about the origin of a god's existence and its influence."
At that, the girl with the low ponytail asked again.
"If the conquest has been completed, where is that jewel-form evil god?"
"After assessing its risk level, it is currently stored in the Hunter Association's laboratory in Korea."
At Kang Seo-dam's words, the prospective priests began to murmur.
"The Association's laboratory…?"
"So there was a place like that."
"I thought it would be in The Collectors' gallery."
"Isn't a laboratory different from a warehouse?"
Kang Seo-dam explained, as if accustomed to the prospective priests' reactions.
"The Collectors' gallery allows visits from outsiders if certain conditions are met, and even purchases are possible, but the Association's laboratory is not like that. Only the Association's staff manage the items, sales are also impossible, and even the leakage of information to the outside is strictly forbidden."
Kang Seo-dam spoke as if he understood.
"To you prospective priests, The Collectors' gallery will be more familiar."
"Yes, they hold a parade in the spring… it's cool."
"If you become official priests and belong to a certain order, the Association's laboratory will become more familiar."
"Why is that?"
"Because dangerous and sensitive items related to gods require strict management and storage."
It was difficult to expect such strictness from The Collectors, whose very identity was in being a 'gallery'. The Guild Master himself was going around yelling, 'Love the artworks'.
"Are there any other questions related to the storage of evil gods?"
"...."
"Yes, there are none. Good."
Kang Seo-dam moved his body, stepping back to give a better view of the marble altar.
"It was right here that the divinity of the Sankalut cult was forged. Have you felt anything?"
"I felt that one should not harbor faith carelessly."
"Thank you for showing such an active attitude, Sister Iruda."
Kang Seo-dam nodded his head as if to say she had done well.
"In the future, I do not know what god you will come to serve, or what order you will join. But you must never forget that in the end, even a god is a being that is swayed by faith."
At that, the prospective priest named Iruda once again raised her hand.
"I have a question, Priest."
"Please speak."
"Are there any cases where a human, not a jewel, was revered as an evil god?"
"They are confirmed not infrequently."
Kang Seo-dam rolled his eyes as if recalling something.
"As I said before, quite a lot of dungeons have evil gods. This is also why evil gods, unlike traditional gods, are classified as a type of monster. Just as they are easily made, they are easily sealed and destroyed."
They were different from the traditional gods, who, being nature and fate itself, were difficult to destroy.
"Most of those who became evil gods in a human body have a physical form. Because the roots of a being born immortal and a being born mortal are different, and because they can think as humans, they face various limitations."
"...."
"Therefore, those who became evil gods in a human body have all been subjugated or sealed and are stored on Earth. Most of them can faintly think, harbor emotions, and seek to eat, drink, and covet things. This too becomes a limitation that holds them back."
One who is bound cannot become a true god.
"We call them gods because they can embrace anything. If they don't have the capacity to embrace at least one dimension, they are nothing more than a monster that will be subjugated someday. So, in reality, the distinction between an evil god and a monster is blurry."
"…Then what if one becomes a god in a mortal's body and can embrace everything?"
"It is a case that has been discovered only twice so far, but of course, it is a real story. Both of them wished to give up their reason as living beings and become a single system that coordinates nature and fate."
"Then are there no gods with will and ego?"
"They exist. Because there are gods with will and ego, gods who enjoy their amusement are still occasionally discovered on Earth. However, please remember that it is only that humans express it as 'will' and 'ego'."
A god was nature and fate.
"What seems like will to us might have been a single breath to a god, and the kind personality we thought was an ego might have been no more than a single strand of hair to a god."
"I cannot understand."
"That is a very dangerous statement. As someone who has entered the embrace of a god, there is something you must keep in mind. We must not understand the gods, we must not calculate them, and we must not have any expectations of them."
That was a god.
"Do not try to measure them."
One shouldn't analyze them either.
"If that is possible, it means you have already become something other than human."
"…Was I being disrespectful?"
"You are a prospective priest, so there is no problem at all. However, please keep in mind that just by looking and trying to understand, you could suffer a disaster like divine punishment."
"I can receive divine punishment just for looking to understand?"
"It is not divine punishment, but merely a disaster like it. For it will end up that way even if the god had no emotion of wanting to punish you."
"Thank you for your advice."
"I am glad that you have accepted it."
Kang Seo-dam continued.
"There is a saying not to look into a god's eyes."
"Because you'll go mad if you look, so don't…."
"It is a problem outside the domain that humans can perceive."
There is a photograph that captures the entire scene of the Earth without omission.
It is impossible to take in all of it, which would easily exceed hundreds, thousands of sheets, at a single glance, and in trying to do so, one's eyeballs would burst and their brain would rot away.
That is what it means to see a god.
"Are there any other questions?"
At Kang Seo-dam's words, a boy with curly hair, Cha Isold, raised his hand.
"Is an evil god that harbors pure evil treated as a monster?"
"…Pure evil…"
He drew out his words.
"In our Solar Cult, we do not treat a pure being as a monster."
However, the interpretation of this differed for each religion.
It was still an age where the distinction between god and monster was blurry, after all.
"Some religions say that the result of evil cannot be pure."
"Ah…."
"The standard for justice and nobility is similar for everyone, but the standard for evil is different for each person."
"...."
"In the first place, I'm not even sure if something like pure evil can exist."
It was a difference in perspective.
"That is also why there are so many evil gods."
It might be a clear 'evil' to the absolute majority, but to a small minority, it could be 'good'.
Who could apply an absolute standard to good and evil?
-x-X-x-
"I do not contemplate good and evil."
The man wearing the bones of a beast spoke.
"I am not one to ponder such uninteresting things. I am aware that I am whimsical and self-centered. I always do only what I might enjoy."
"...."
"Is a thinking being without greed not a corpse? I am faithful to my instincts. I become greedy for what I want, I get angry at those who have angered me, and if I cannot protect my beliefs, I do nothing at all."
The clothes he wore were made of bone and feathers, giving them a primitive look, but he was also wrapped in a splendid cloth that high-status humans might use, making him look old-fashioned as well.
The man wearing a mask made from a sheep's skull laughed.
"What do you think?"
"I think it's an interesting life."
"Oh, yes, you and I are on the same page."
"Life should be enjoyable."
Jio, wrapped in a black cape, nodded his head.
"Have you ever killed a person?"
"I must have killed quite a few, for there were so many people who were angry with me."
"Why were those people angry at you, Argio?"
To that, Jio's second Apt, 'Argio,' answered.
"They said I was the source of all evil in the world."
Through the bone mask, golden eyes curving deeply could be seen.
"They say I am a monster, don't they?"
"...."
Inside the palace made of bone and blood, Jio muttered.
"That is a very abstract metaphor."
"I think so too, friend."
When 'Argio' laughed, a growling sound, like a tiger's cry, was heard.
"Is it not truly troublesome? If they are angry, I wish they would tell me exactly what they are angry about. They should tell me what I did to them, and what part of me they are angry about."
"Why is that?"
"So that I too can be angry with them. I can clash with all my might, exchange emotions, and create a better situation. Would that not be the most powerful force that anger possesses?"
On the messy and splendid throne decorated with all sorts of silks, feathers, and leathers, 'Argio' put on a feigned look of exhaustion.
He spoke as if he was troubled.
"But most people could not do so. They were all fools who were eaten up by their own anger, not knowing how to control it. If they are swayed by emotions that are a part of them, how can they be said to have the qualifications of a human?"
Soon after, he smiled again.
"Thus, all those many people must have been beasts."
"Oh…."
"Is that not so?"
"It is a new way of thinking, but I respect it."
"It's a good thing to be respected."
With a vivid smile, 'Argio' rested his chin on his hand.
His long, sharp fingernails, like those of a feline beast or a bird of prey like an eagle, came into view.
Jio, quite bravely, did not hold back his curiosity.
"Do you grow your fingernails?"
"…Ahahahahaha!!"
'Argio', who burst out laughing, answered with a voice full of amusement.
"Oh no, well. If you call it growing, then it's growing, but there wasn't any particular cosmetic purpose."
"They go so well with your current fashion that I thought you intended it."
"It is not that I groomed my nails after dressing like this, but rather that I styled my clothes because this is my natural body."
"I have no fashion sense, so I only wear black clothes. I'm truly envious."
"…Oh dear, you don't know how to adorn yourself? Are people from Earth usually like that?"
"Seeing as how people who want to dress up do it well on their own, it seems to be my personal problem."
"...."
His smile vanished, and 'Argio' sent a gaze as if looking at a pathetic opponent.
"…I believe that your plain personality will get a little better if you are with me."
"Do you dislike my current attire that much?"
"Even if I were to bring any random beast, it would have a more diverse flavor than you."
"I was told that if you wear monochrome, you'll at least be average."
"Unless there's a cultural reason, you're not even performing a ritual, so what's with all the black?"
"I couldn't help it because I like the color black."
"The black color that has been taken advantage of would cry, how pitiful."
'Argio', who clicked his tongue, returned to the previous topic.
"My fingernails are one of the abilities I have possessed in my body since I was born. If you join me, you will eventually have to utilize it, so it would be good for you to listen carefully to my explanation."
"I will focus."
"A good posture. To explain simply, the power I possess is the power to imitate beasts. I can imitate the claws of a predator like now, or the large wings of birds flying in the sky, or I can avoid danger by imitating the keen senses of prey."
"How can it be this covetable?"
"I too truly cherish this power, but strangely enough, my family feared such a power greatly. In the family, they called me a curse and drove me out into a forest full of dangerous beasts."
"...."
Jio kept his mouth firmly shut. 'Argio' asked.
"You look like you have a complaint?"
"I just don't understand why all the people named 'Jio' bring up a heavy personal story on our first meeting."
"That too is a unique thought, was this place not created for that very purpose in the first place?"
'Argio' laughed as if it were amusing.
"Or do you wish to synchronize with me without any explanation?"
"Now that you put it that way, I think it's better to hear the explanation."
"That's right, seeing your actions, you won't act foolishly and meet a foolish death."
'Argio', who nodded his head, introduced himself.
"So I'm telling you, I am a curse without a name. A descendant of a royal family that once ruled a great nation, a nature that grew up with bright and dangerous beasts as family, and a 'Jio' who was eventually struck down and killed by the humans' iron mace."
He added.
"In the end, 'Argio' is a name that is not my name."
"Is there a meaning to the word 'Argio'?"
"In an ancient, primitive language, Ar, cruel. Jio, beast. In a word, it means cruel beast."
"Beast…."
Jio scanned his counterpart seriously.
"You certainly do look strong."
"Though the meaning was probably stronger in contempt than in pure admiration."
"You seem to have a lot of muscle, too. If you join me, can I use that strength as well?"
"If you prefer a body like this, why haven't you been exercising all this time?"
"I didn't want to sweat for anything other than farming."
"...."
Soon after, 'Argio' nodded his head.
"When we synchronize, may I be in charge of your physical management?"
"By any chance, are we synchronizing into a different ego?"
"No, it won't be like that. I worry that I shouldn't be in sync with that lazy mind."
"I don't exercise, but I don't see myself as that lazy."
"Then what are you diligent in? Farming? Well, I don't really like that sort of thing…."
Even though he was hidden by a mask with only eyeholes, one could feel that 'Argio's' brow was furrowed.
"Do you enjoy fighting?"
"There are so many things to enjoy in the world, why choose that of all things?"
"I had a feeling when I was summoned here, but this is truly disheartening."
"Why must one go out of their way to experience conflict?"
"At the very least, shouldn't one know how to be justly angry at a conflict that comes their way?"
"I do get angry."
"Have you ever harvested the tongue and teeth of an opponent who was spouting nonsense?"
"On Earth, you get arrested for that."
"Hmm, certainly, law and rules are an important part."
"Now that's an unexpected answer."
Jio was impressed.
"I thought you were so belligerent that you wouldn't be bound by law and morality."
"I don't think I'm particularly bound by morality."
"Ah?"
"But that's not to say I deny the necessity of goodness and rules."
In a cool tone, 'Argio' continued.
"I am quite whimsical. On some days, I want to get drunk in a village full of smiles, and on other days, I head towards a hell rampant with screams with a clear mind."
"...."
"Have you never wanted to act like a beast without reason? Never wanted to throw off all your cumbersome clothes? Never wanted to cheer and scream, smell the sweet scent of blood, and fight until your whole body crumbles?"
"I have not."
"I understand that way of life of yours as well. In the end, what I wanted to say was that for a whimsical person like me to enjoy everything satisfactorily, good and evil must coexist in the world, and peace and chaos must be together."
For that to happen.
"In the end, it means that people who believe in good and people who abide by the rules are necessary."
Only then can I enjoy what I want on that day, at that time.
"It was inevitable that I came to be called an evil god."
"Am I here now to become one with an evil god?"
"Quite surprisingly, that's about right."
"May I leave now?"
"You cannot leave unless I permit it, my kind Source."
"This is unreasonable. I believe I should have a choice as well."
"It is truly pitiful, but your authority extended only to entering this place."
'Argio', who laughed cheerfully, continued.
"So for now, how about you listen to more of my story?"
Because it was bound to be quite exciting.
***
There was one great family that ruled over the humans.
In this family, there was a curse that had been passed down for generations, which was that one of the children of the family would become a wicked beast upon turning 10 years old.
"Therefore, my family encouraged having as many children as possible. If they had only one child and that child became a wicked beast, they would surely have to be killed, so it was a way of having another contingency plan."
The child who revealed their terrible true form upon turning 10 was abandoned in the filthiest and most terrible hell among the spaces humans could reach.
It was a great rainforest called the 'Black Forest'.
"I was praised for my beautiful appearance and excellent drawing skills, but when I turned 10, a horn grew on my forehead. That was the cause. The story that a monster lived in the 'Black Forest' was famous, but I never thought the monster there would come from my family… I was abandoned without knowing the reason."
The place where he was abandoned was indeed a dangerous place, just as the rumors said.
"In the darkness where the sun never rises, dangerous beasts and insects vigilantly seek a chance to devour your flesh. Everything has such a strong poison that you can't easily drink or eat anything, and from time to time, an ear-splitting scream, as if vengeful spirits are screaming, would echo."
But he did not die.
"Am I not a beast as well? Knowing I was not human, I acted instinctively and greedily like a beast, and fought with my forest family for prey on an equal footing. I was able to make a new family without difficulty."
And he learned a surprising fact.
"Deep in that forest, there were traces of a worn-out dynasty. I learned that the power I had was not a curse but a blessing, and that the monsters who had been abandoned here until now were actually saints who would block the dangerous disaster of the Black Forest."
There was too much evidence left to dismiss it as a fabrication by ancestors who had gone mad in the dark forest.
"It's just that people had forgotten it over a very long period of time. Forgetting that the reason for offering a child was to prevent a disaster, they regarded the heterogeneous power we possessed as a curse, and said that the ominousness of the Black Forest was not because of the disaster but something we had created."
Of course, it didn't matter.
"What would change just by knowing?"
It wasn't that he wasn't angry at the family that had cast him out, but 'Argio' had gained a new family.
He drew pictures on the walls of the great old dynasty, obtained what he wanted like a beast, and sometimes shared, passing the time.
"In that process, I sometimes ran out of the forest, but…."
Well?
"I swear on a warrior's spirit, I have never harmed an innocent person. Of course, I won't say I haven't harmed anyone. How could I leave those who attack me alone?"
The problem was what came next.
"A rumor began to circulate that I was the source of a certain epidemic."
The humans were enraged.
"Before I knew it, I had to watch my home burn. Yes, they didn't have the confidence to fight me directly, so they decided to burn down the entire forest. In that process, I suffered severe burns, lived on a little longer, and eventually died in the arms of my family…."
It wasn't that 'Argio' wasn't angered by that indiscriminate outburst of rage, but.
"Hey, you remember, right? The Black Forest existed in the first place to prevent a disaster that would destroy the world. The wicked beasts that appeared at least once every generation were the forest keepers to help with that… and were also like a final barrier."
Now, it had burned down, so there was no forest, and no forest keeper to protect in its place.
"In the end, the disaster that had been hidden since long ago revealed itself. The beasts came to possess intelligence like humans, they began to speak, and they came to harbor more segmented and more intense emotions."
Among them, 'Argio's' family burned with vengeance towards the humans.
"What do you think happened to the world?"
For countless ages, humans had bred and slaughtered beasts for consumption.
But not only was their food gone, but those very beasts started talking to them, cursing them, and began a terrible 'exchange' with humans.
There was no way the world of humans could be maintained.
"In that process, I became an evil god. To be precise, you could say it is a collective of all the wicked beasts who were abandoned in the Black Forest until now, the saints who were not recognized for their worth and met a terrible death."
It was a truly pitiful affair.
"Almost all humans seemed unaware that 'Argio' was a single crowd. However, referring to this source of all evil, people whispered and created the being that is me."
The evil god who caused disaster and led a massacre from the Black Forest.
"The Cruel Beast."
It was 'Argio'.
-x-X-x-
"...."
"…Hmm…."
Jio nodded his head.
"If it's all over, may I leave?"
"Why not listen more?"
"It is heavy enough. I can't breathe."
"I've never seen such a fuss."
"The limit of my violence is friendship quarrels and lovers' quarrels."
"The main point is not over, so please wait."
"I am good at that."
"You are truly a diligent one."
Pleased with the admirable listener, 'Argio' continued his explanation about himself.
"Thus the evil god 'Argio' was born, and the world approached its ruin even faster. The vengeful spirits of more saints than one could count gained divinity… would you expect that to be tame?"
The humans said that the evil god was tormenting them by commanding wicked magical beasts, and in reality, it became so.
"To use a metaphor you would easily understand, should I say something like a Demon King?"
"I will understand it as the Demon King from a fairy tale book where a kidnapped princess or a brave hero appears."
"It's not much different, since that's about how roughly it's been mashed together and expressed."
A peaceful world, the only ominous area that existed.
From there, the Demon King played his tricks, spread an epidemic, and began to torment humans with his magical beasts.
That continued for such a long time that it could well be recorded in the history books.
Humans began to live holding their breath under the Demon King's tyranny, and the world was ruled by terrible magical beasts.
"Now that the Demon King's tyranny has reached its peak, what should appear now?"
"A hero?"
"As time passed after the evil god appeared, those who would seal this wicked beast began to appear."
"Should I call that a very typical response…."
"They eventually succeeded in sealing this 'Argio'."
In the process, the heroes did learn about the truth of the Black Forest, but, well.
"It's not that important of a part."
In the end, they hid the secret story of the evil god's birth.
"Perhaps they just couldn't accept the foolish mistake committed by their ancestors, whom they had believed to be virtuous. The being they believed to be the evil of the world was in fact created by the hands of humans, so how great must that shock have been?"
"Do you resent them?"
"No, in the first place, they are not the madmen who burned down my home and family. They are not the target of my anger. Above all, a life where I must continue an unwanted anger, crushed by countless vengeful spirits, is not something I can welcome either…."
'Argio' spoke calmly.
"I am grateful."
Anger had to be entirely his own.
"Do you know how terrible it is to express an anger that is not even my share? Do you know how foolish it feels to be angry over something without any value? I could see why an evil god is called an evil god, to think I had to enjoy a massacre I never even wished for."
It was an absurd treatment.
"I know I have not lived virtuously enough to receive a god's mercy and grace, but isn't this a bit too much? Massacring those without fighting spirit and who are innocent is not my joy. What meaning is there in killing a child who knows nothing and is terrified?"
"Surprisingly normal words…."
"Anger must be equal to feel its value and joy. But the pain and despair of the saints were too great for me to stop alone. The anger of those who had to die horribly in the darkness without knowing why was too immense."
But to him, anger was not such a pathetic thing.
"I affirm myself. I affirm all of myself, so life is enjoyable and there is nothing to hold me back. Therefore, the anger I feel should also have a worthy value…."
In that sense, he was grateful.
"They are called heroes, but they were no different from scapegoats. Just because they were strong and talented, they were dragged into a battlefield they had no responsibility for, had to seal the Demon King, and had to suffer much pain and sadness in the process."
"...."
"They did not want to fight. They were not warriors but single human beings, someone's family, and someone's friend. And to get back their happy daily lives with them, to clean up a mistake that was not their own fault, they had to hurt so much."
How illogical was this?
"But in the end, the world was destroyed. Isn't that obvious? In the first place, this evil god was created by humans, and do you think sealing him would make the anger of the remaining beasts disappear?"
"Then how did your world get destroyed, Mr. Argio?"
"It was destroyed while fighting miserably and vulgarly to the point where there was no meaning in distinguishing between human and beast. It was a very childish fight. Those who remain have likely long since degenerated into monsters…."
Tsk, 'Argio' clicked his tongue.
"Humans committed many evil deeds using me as an excuse. Even if their lover had an affair, they chattered that the evil god seduced them, and even after killing someone themselves, they said the evil god led me down that wicked path, and the reasons for fighting with the house next door and for a war with the neighboring village were all the fault of this cruel beast, weren't they?"
In the end, their shifting of responsibility created the evil god, and made him even stronger.
"They didn't seem to think that such laziness would also fuel the evil god's ferocity. Thanks to that, the story of 'Argio' was recorded in history in an even more terrible form, and in step with that record and memory, 'Argio' became a very cruel monster."
"It's like you got it back in return."
"That's why they should stop making excuses using me. Don't you think? They inflated and grew our bodies and even got on our nerves. It might have been okay if they weren't ashamed of the beast born from their own womb and had revealed the secret of the saints."
Thus 'Argio' pleaded.
"Hey, Jio. My friend who is so much like me."
"I am listening."
"I want to let out only my share of anger."
That was what 'Argio' wanted.
"Those who want to fight can fight with me, and those who have sinned against me can offer their blood with me. I am an honorable warrior with my family, a greedy person who is only satisfied when I achieve all that I desire."
That was his wish.
"I will give you myself, so please take care of the descendants of my family."
"These people called 'Jio' keep talking about their families."
"Didn't the one called Giovanni before me wish to support his father? I am similar."
"In what way should I take care of them?"
"You can go to the 'Animal Kingdom' that you painted and bestow mercy on the pitiful beasts."
"I do not think I am in a position to bestow mercy."
"No, you are more than qualified."
And.
"Above all… please stop this mad evil god's tantrums."
"Yes? Me?"
"I believe you are more than capable of doing it."
"Oh, gods of heaven and earth."
"Is that a term for the Source? Very reliable."
"There is a misunderstanding, I do not know how to deal with a dangerous being like an evil god."
"I will pass this off as a very witty joke as well."
"You really only hear what you want to hear. You are definitely a 'Jio'."
"This narrow hearing is one of the talents that helped me survive in the Black Forest."
'Argio', who laughed as if it were ridiculous, said.
"Worry not, your vessel is larger than this 'Argio's' vessel, so there is no way you cannot handle it. It is just that I, the last personality to die, came out to this place, but if you want to become one with 'Argio', you will eventually become one with those countless madmen."
"Can I really not back out? I have no confidence."
"Did I not say it was a tantrum? In the end, the ghosts of the Black Forest are just children who are barely over 10 years old. No matter how long they lived, they couldn't pass thirty. I'm asking you to accept the tantrums of immature kids with the heart of an adult."
"...."
A question briefly arose in Jio's mind, and he asked.
"Then how old are you?"
"I died at the age of 24."
"I couldn't tell you were so young because you were hidden by a mask."
So he died around college age?
"For that age, you are quite… mature."
"Isn't it that the culture of the Earthlings you remember is much slower?"
'Argio' tilted his head.
"In Seo Jio's memory, the Earthlings acted childishly and threw tantrums even after they passed 20. It is a culture that is different in many ways from my dimension, where one is treated as an adult responsible for a family from the age of 15."
"15 years old is a middle school student, Mr. Argio."
"You can think of it as a cultural difference. Since it is a matter of a completely different dimension, it can't be helped that the brain structure itself is different. Anyway, since you are older than me, I believe you will do well on your own."
He laughed.
"Since I will be with you in the end, too."
"…I don't want to develop an antisocial personality."
"I think you already have a sufficiently antisocial personality."
"How can you say such a thing when there is no model student like me anywhere?"
"Isn't there a saying on Earth that there's a limit to delusion?"
"...."
The haunted portrait lost his spirit.
"…Mr. Argio is right."
"I am very happy to have won this."
***
"...."
Animal Kingdom_Argio
"This feeling… is not very pleasant."
Argio's Quest
"To think there is such a quiet world."
"Kuru?"
"Yes, I don't like it."
Control of the Evil God (0/1)
Rain on a Dry Forest (0/2)
"I feel like I've drunk a lot of bad-quality liquor…."
Synchronization Rate 1%
"That's right."
"Kkuk."
"This will be fun too."
"Kurururu?"
"I have a cute son too."
Jio, who was lying in bed, suddenly pulled the small water bird into an embrace.
"Peace is not as bad as I thought."
Now, there were no fools screaming in anger in his ears.
Control of the Evil God (1/1)
Synchronization Rate 21.1%
"...."
"...."
"Is there anywhere to fight?"
"Kkungkkungkkungkkungkkung!!!"
"Ayaya…."
He couldn't get a grip and got scolded by his son.
***
Around the time, Jio was busy getting his mind in order as 'Argio'.
"What are you doing?"
"Drawing a picture."
"You know how to draw too?"
"Wanna see?"
"Yeah."
The youngest of the Cha family, Cha Isold, was having an idle chat with his partner.
"Ta-da."
"…Well, you did say you were drawing a picture, I don't think you ever said you drew well."
"For this level, didn't I draw it well enough to have everything it's supposed to have?"
"That's why I don't know what it's supposed to have."
"Look, this is the cape…."
"Ah."
Cha Isold's partner, Iruda, nodded her head.
"By any chance, did you draw the Black Cape?"
"Yeah, now that you know, it looks plausible, right?"
"Certainly, the fact that it's black is plausible."
"Ruda, please say I drew well, even if it's just empty words."
"You dreeew weeell."
"You're the first friend I've met who can't give an insincere compliment."
Cha Isold laughed heartily.
"Here, look again."
"I think it's okay not to look."
"This is the arm. This is the leg, this is the torso…."
"Uh-huh, right. I see."
"This is the eye."
"...."
Iruda tilted her head.
"…Eye?"
"Yeah, eye."
"…You're talking about a human eyeball, right?"
"Did I draw it that badly?"
"It's not a problem like that…."
The eye was too big.
"...."
So big that it was drawn behind the human face, the body, far beyond it.
"…I thought it was something like a halo."
"Huh? Does it look that way?"
"Usually, when you say eye, it's attached to a human face, like us."
"There are people who aren't like that."
"People who aren't…."
Iruda looked again at the drawing stained with black.
"…Is it even a person?"
"The Black Cape is a person too."
"I don't think so."
Neither the Black Cape in the rumors, nor the Black Cape in this picture.
"…Hmm."
Just a moment ago, she thought it was just a poorly drawn picture.
But seeing the numerous, huge, and intricately intertwined eyes, it became a little creepy.
"Cha Isold, you… you said you don't serve any particular god right now."
"Yeah, I don't. I'm not confident yet because I don't know what I should do."
"Really?"
For someone like that.
"I see."
She could feel a 'gaze' from that clumsy drawing.
It was an ominous gaze, of a lower temperature than the one she was receiving.