Originally, a rainforest refers to a forest where it rains a lot.
The 'Black Forest,' which Argio considered his hometown, was also like that.
Capricious rain fell almost every other day, a jet-black fog that often held poison set in, and the ground was murky, hiding its friend, the swamp.
"I like rainforests."
Inside that forest, so dense that not even sunlight could enter, all sorts of gold, silver, and treasures overflowed.
Poison was medicine, and an outstanding poison could also become an outstanding elixir.
That splendor bloomed atop all kinds of corpse piles….
"Therefore, I will see you in 15 days."
"Yes, Divinity."
"There is always treasure in a rainforest."
An ecstatic treasure that turns everything into a beast.
***
"Oh!"
A youthful voice rang out in the garden of the religious order's headquarters.
"Brother Jio!"
"Student Cha Isold."
Cha Isold had seen a welcome face after a long time.
"I stopped by because the garden was beautiful, but I didn't know I would see this precious face."
The platinum-blond Jio approached Cha Isold with his characteristic refined smile.
Cha Isold also ran up to Jio, holding his partner's hand, and greeted him with a bright face.
"It's been so long!"
"Yes, it has been a long time."
"I've been well!"
"Oh dear… you've stolen my question."
"Were you well, Brother?"
"I, too, have been having peaceful days."
"That's a relief."
Cha Isold asked with the pure curiosity and goodwill unique to a child.
"Does it not hurt anymore?"
"..."
Giovanni wore a soft smile, as if it were painted on his face.
"It didn't hurt then, either."
"There was a lot of blood."
"It was blood that had to be shed."
"Was it something you did wrong, Brother?"
"It was taking responsibility for a connection."
"What's that?"
"A story like this…."
He looked at Cha Isold's partner and continued.
"I think it should come after you introduce Student Cha Isold's partner first."
"Ah, right!"
As Cha Isold looked at his partner in surprise, Prospective Priest Iruda looked at Cha Isold with a subtly crumpled face.
It was because the topic of their conversation was so bizarre.
"Don't tell me I'm only just now occurring to you?"
"We were holding hands, so I was always thinking of you, Ruda!"
"If you didn't speak just that little bit more prettily, you would have been in big trouble."
"I was just so happy to see Brother that I forgot to introduce you, Ruda…."
"..."
With a sense of 'I have a lot to say, but I'll endure it,' Iruda let out a small sigh.
"…It's a pleasure to meet you, I am a prospective Priest Iruda."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Sister. I am Seo Jio, who has, however inadequately, received the sun's light."
"The sun's light…."
Iruda looked up at Jio.
"Are you perhaps a priest…?"
There was the pure white uniform he wore under the jet-black cape, but more than anything, the atmosphere simply made one think that.
The man who introduced himself as 'Seo Jio' had platinum blond hair like clean marble basking in the sun, and blue eyes that seemed to shimmer with light.
It was the most ideal appearance one would imagine for a 'Priest of the Sun'.
'His energy also doesn't seem like that of an ordinary person.'
A warm energy, enough to be described as 'having received the sun's light,' was certainly overflowing.
Iruda could feel a greatness unique to a god from him, and this would be difficult unless one was a priest greatly loved by a god.
And something, a little more….
"Ah, my. I am not a priest."
"…You're not a priest?"
"I am merely a believer who serves the sun."
"That…."
She wanted to refute it somehow, but it was difficult to speak rashly as he was an unfamiliar adult and someone Cha Isold liked.
There weren't many adults who liked a child who tried to argue point by point with someone they'd just met.
'I'll have to talk a bit more with Cha Isold later.'
As if sensing Iruda's feelings, the man named Seo Jio smiled faintly.
"It seems you have a question, but are you sure you're fine not asking more?"
"…I feel it would be impolite to an adult I've just met."
"Sister Iruda, you are cautious and polite."
Iruda felt a stable goodwill from that voice, one that seemed like it would last forever.
"Do you like sweet things?"
"…Yes?"
When Iruda questioned the out-of-the-blue words, Cha Isold shot his hand up.
"Me! Me, me! I like them, sweet things! Snacks! Snacks from you, Brother!"
"This priest's heart is so very pleased that your desire for snacks is this strong."
Seo Jio's face looked extremely pleased as he said that.
'Ah, they're similar.'
The man, who just moments ago had been wearing an ideal priest's smile, let out a cheerful laugh beyond imagination and squished Cha Isold's cheeks.
From that action, which had no strength in it at all, Iruda could feel the depth of his affection.
"It seems you've lost a little weight?"
"Huh? I gained weight!"
"I would like it if you gained just 15kg more than this."
Iruda had no choice but to cut in.
"If he gains that much, he'll be a pig. He'll roll around."
"Become a pig, hup…."
"You can't."
Iruda was horrified, imagining a Cha Isold pig rolling around, unable to even walk.
She didn't know why, but this person named Seo Jio really seemed like he could turn even a perfectly fine kid into a pig.
She could feel that will.
A hesitant Iruda continued speaking.
"…I don't really like sweet things."
"In that case, do you perhaps not enjoy snacks themselves?"
"No, it's not that, but…."
"Do you have a separate snack that you prefer, Sister Iruda?"
"…Dried medicinal herbs."
"Aha."
Even though it must have sounded strange, Seo Jio readily nodded his head.
"It seems you like bitter things."
"It's just… I like chewing on things that are good for the body. Then my mouth isn't bored, either."
"To already know to think of your own health, what a clever attitude this is."
"..."
"A child who knows the value of medicinal herbs is rare."
Her hand holding Cha Isold's tightened at the heartfelt goodwill that poured out as if breathing.
"Ruda-ya, your face is red."
"Be quiet, Cha Isold."
It was because this was the first time she'd received such blatant praise from an adult.
'Why is he coddling me this much?'
An era where the perception that children will grow up fine on their own if you just leave them be was rampant.
In a world that, as a result, saw children not as 'delicate beings to be protected and sheltered' but as 'beings who die easily and thus require management,' an adult like Jio, who was so gentle to a child, was extremely rare.
'No wonder he seemed to get along so well with Cha Isold….'
It was clear that sunshine gathered with sunshine. Her face felt hot.
Cha Isold was, at least, a friend and partner she had to walk with, but Seo Jio was an adult who was dependable in anyone's eyes.
Iruda, who had no memory of being doted on for no reason by such a being, stammered.
"I-I just eat them because they're helpful."
"To be this humble, too."
"That's not it…."
"I am relieved that a child like Sister Iruda is Student Cha Isold's friend."
Seo Jio smiled, filled with a sense of admiration.
"Surely, Sister Iruda will become a wonderful partner."
"..."
"Since the day is so nice, I will give you a small gift."
Saying that, Seo Jio gifted Cha Isold and Iruda each a small paper bag.
"I hope these are the gifts you wanted. You may use them however you like."
He, who had gently curved his eyes, soon straightened his back and bid farewell.
"Today, I stopped by for a moment, having received a call from the Solar Cult. On my way back after a light greeting, I met you all, so I think it will be an even better day."
"I was happy too! Brother, will you come again?"
"If possible, I will show my face again soon. I will pass on Student Cha Isold's well-wishes to his guardians, but, Sister Iruda."
Seo Jio looked at Iruda and asked kindly.
"May I pass on your well-wishes as well?"
"…Ah, me? To whom?"
"To Student Cha Isold's guardians, of course."
"Why that?"
"They would be extremely happy to know he has made such a good friend."
"…Uh…."
Iruda, who had been opening and closing her mouth, lowered her head, her face turning bright red.
"…Just do as you wish."
"Thank you for your permission, Sister."
Seo Jio, who gave a small nod, smiled one more time and then left the garden.
Perhaps because he was a high-grade Hunter, his gait was very neat, he made almost no sound, and for some reason, a nice scent emanated from him.
"..."
"Brother Jio is a good person, right."
"…Huh? Ah, yeah."
She had never seen an adult like that.
"Is he always that affectionate?"
"Mm, he dotes on you more the younger you are."
"Such a natural monument in this day and age…."
"I've been wondering, what's a natural monument?"
"Creatures that will all die soon without the help of the entire universe."
"…Y-you called me a natural monument, too."
"I'll protect you."
It was a greatly exaggerated explanation, but Iruda didn't think her words were that wrong.
As long as the whole world didn't gather its strength to cooperate, things called natural monuments were not easy to preserve.
'They say birds of a feather flock together, and it's really true.'
She didn't know there was one more person like Cha Isold in the world.
'And such a grown adult, at that….'
An adult who shows goodwill to everyone, but gives even more affection, especially to young ones.
She thought that kind of thing only existed in specious storybooks, but today she felt, 'Wow, that's actually possible.'
Iruda fiddled with the paper bag placed in her hand.
"..."
Natural goodwill given without her having proven any sort of value.
'…This smells nice, too.'
She was curious why on earth he gave such a gift, and if he always carried such gifts around, but for some reason, a corner of her heart felt ticklish, so Iruda hesitated, unable to bring herself to open the bag.
Just then, a curious sound came from Cha Isold.
"Hm? What's this, Ruda-ya?"
"Why, what is it?"
"Is this rubber?"
"…Ah, it's jelly. It's not rubber."
"Then it's edible, right?"
"Of course it's edible."
Jelly must be quite an expensive food item, but he's giving it as a gift so casually?
'It seems like he made it himself, too?'
It was a bag with its opening tied with a ribbon, with no brand name written on it.
At the gift that strongly gave off a handmade feeling, Iruda hesitated a few more times before opening her own bag.
Perhaps because it was a good quality ribbon, it untied smoothly, revealing the contents inside.
"..."
Iruda tilted her head.
"…What is this?"
"There's something you don't know, too?"
"I don't know things if I don't learn them, either."
"Eum…."
Cha Isold also tilted his head.
"Is it a flower?"
"It's a dried flower, but."
"Is it edible?"
"…Did he really give me medicinal herbs?"
"Ew, this is medicine?"
"I-I don't know either."
They were small, golden flowers, clustered together fluffily like sheep's wool.
"..."
However, Iruda felt it.
'…The Sun….'
The Sun Goddess is casting her gaze upon it.
'Wait, why?'
What is this, what is this thing.
What on earth did he give her that the Goddess is coveting ?
***
"Hunter."
Ju-hyeon, who was waiting at the religious order's entrance, asked with his characteristic smile.
"Was it an enjoyable visit?"
"Yes, the Solar Cult's garden was beautiful."
"They say the place where the Solar Cult stays is, in its entirety, a greenhouse."
"The entire temple branch was filled with the sun's warmth."
"It must have been a wonderful sight."
"And…."
Following Ju-hyeon's guidance, Jio continued.
"I saw many welcome faces."
"You said you met Priest Kang Seo-dam."
"I saw Brother Cha Isold, too."
Giovanni spoke with a warm smile.
"He's made a good friend, it seems."
"A good friend, you say…."
As Ju-hyeon muttered his words and was about to open the back seat door, Jio asked.
"May I sit in the passenger seat?"
"If you wish, you may certainly do so."
"Thank you for your consideration."
Jio and Ju-hyeon got into the front seats of the car side-by-side.
"It was a Sister named Iruda. She was extremely mature."
"It seems you looked upon her very favorably."
"She was commendable and yet pitiable. She was very bright."
"She must be a child who will become great."
For 'Jio,' the eyes of the Source, of all people, to say such a thing.
"Was everything else alright?"
"In 15 days."
Jio said.
"I will be going to the rainforest."
"It seems a conquest proposal came in."
"I like it."
"I'm glad to hear that."
Ju-hyeon asked.
"Do you like rainforests?"
"..."
Before he knew it, Jio's hair, as he looked out the window, was dyed red.
"…I like them very much."
That was Argio's house, and his hometown.
It was a massive, rotten tomb.
-x-X-x-
12 o'clock sharp.
"What kind of place was that rainforest you called your hometown?"
Even though Yu Seong-un was too busy and absent from attendance, the corridor meeting began without fail.
"You seemed to be in a good mood when you talked about that place."
"I certainly am in a good mood."
Today's Jio, adorned with extravagant leather and accessories and draped outside the picture frame, was, naturally, Argio.
"Isn't that what a hometown is?"
"It's certainly a word that can make one feel various emotions."
Ju-hyeon smiled awkwardly.
"More than that, seeing you like that…."
"Why?"
"You're scarier than usual."
"..."
Jio, who had been half-hanging out of the portrait and lying on the table, slowly sat up.
"…Am I scary?"
"You're like a typical ghost."
"What ghost is as handsome as I am."
"That's true."
However, the dignity that 'Jio's Portrait' exuded crushed his external beauty.
The proof was that most of The Collectors' guild members felt fear before they even realized 'Mr. Seo Jio' was handsome.
However, Ju-hyeon felt a little sorry to say this part, so he mumbled.
"It's just… like that."
"Do The Collectors' employees still fear me?"
"I tried to hold it in, but that's such an unscrupulous question that I can't help but speak."
"Yes, go ahead and lay it all out honestly."
"Isn't it too much of a thief's mindset to not even imitate a human properly, yet expect people not to be afraid of you, Argio?"
The 'Jios,' who could be considered his human egos, preferred that other people not fear them as much as possible.
He was trying to refrain from commenting, feeling sorry for them being conscious of that part, but wasn't this truly an absurd thing to say?
"If you're bothered by people being afraid, please be a little kinder."
"Where in the world is there a haunted portrait as kind as I am, for you to say something so harsh?"
"I acknowledge that, but separate from that, you expect too great a result for your investment."
"If I invest any more than this, that's just being a pushover."
"…I certainly can't refute that either."
Ju-hyeon also didn't want Jio to be taken for a pushover anywhere.
"To be honest, you are already showing an excessive amount of goodwill as it is."
"But if I don't even do this, won't I just become a scary portrait?"
"In the first place, your identity is just a scary portrait, so aren't you dreaming too big, Mr. Jio?"
"I might just go on strike at this rate."
"Please put up with that. What will you do if you go on strike after accepting the job yourself?"
"Of course, I'm not that irresponsible of a guy. Don't you worry, friend."
Jio, who had waved his hand, draped himself over the table again.
'A giant tiger.'
Beasts belonging to the cat family were exactly like that. When full, they like to lounge and sleep in the warm sun….
"So, are you willing to answer?"
"What about my hometown?"
"Yes, you seemed to stop in the middle of talking about it."
"Isn't it all because you scolded me, Mr. Ju-hyeon?"
"Rather than scolding, I just informed you of reality."
"That is scolding, what do you mean…."
The long-braided red hair scattered along with Jio's languid movements.
All sorts of gold, silver, and treasures decorating his hair rattled, hitting the wooden table.
He rubbed his forehead against the table and grumbled.
"..."
Seeing that, Ju-hyeon obtained another piece of information about 'Jio's Portrait'.
'…Argio must be the clothes he wears when he's angry or annoyed.'
This portrait took Giovanni's form when bestowing mercy and patience, and Argio's form when spewing excitement and anger.
In daily life that didn't require much interaction, it was Seo Jio's form.
'They mix a little sometimes, but it seems they each have their own purpose.'
In that case, will the 'Jios' used to express other emotions also gradually increase?
"…You said you were 24 years old, Mr. Argio?"
"I did, probably."
"Probably?"
"There was no one to count my age for me."
"Is this the time where I should apologize?"
"I just stated a fact, what's with that?"
Argio propped his chin on the table.
"I lived a life closer to a beast than a human, and around me were only family members who were born beasts. It was just one guy who had no intention of counting his age and others who didn't know how, so what would I know properly."
"Did you have any thoughts of counting it yourself?"
"Only later did I become curious about how old I was. I'm not the type to endure wanting something, so I went outside and assessed the situation. So before I died, I thought, ah, I'm dying at 24."
Before Ju-hyeon could say anything more, Jio cut in.
"Above all, the Black Forest wasn't a suitable place to count the days. Morning, evening, night, it was all dark, so how could one measure time. A child who lived like a beast, having thrown away all human dignity, had no mind to count the days."
At that, Ju-hyeon asked.
"Was it a forest that was just dark all the time?"
"Yes, it was a place where you couldn't feel the flow of time."
"An average person would probably go mad not long after entering."
"They'd die from the vicious beasts and terrible poisons before that, don't you think?"
As if intrigued, Jio's characteristic sullen smile spread across his face.
"Did you say you were curious about my hometown?"
"And that hometown, um. It seems it was called the Black Forest."
"That's exactly it. You've understood well, I grew up in the Black Forest."
It was a place that suited Argio's temperament quite well.
"First, I mentioned it was a place without a sun or moon."
"What exactly does that mean? By what principle could you not distinguish day and night?"
"The trees of the Black Forest are extremely thick and tall. Their leaves are dense, and that's why you can't see the sky."
"Were there other climate changes?"
"Well, the most common occurrence was rain falling."
"Right, you did say it was a rainforest."
Saying that, Ju-hyeon tilted his head as if something was strange.
"…You're saying it could rain in a forest where you not only can't see the sky but also can't even feel the flow of time? At that level, the sky and forest would be completely separated, wouldn't they?"
Argio smiled as if satisfied.
"You've thought it out well, friend. In a rainforest that dense, no matter how tremendous a downpour, it would only be a few drops at best. However, the Black Forest collected that rainwater."
"Collected rainwater…?"
"And then, from time to time, it would release that rainwater little by little. The reasons varied. A giant beast stomped its foot, a tree was impacted and tilted, or beasts sat on the leaves…."
"It seems they are all problems related to beasts."
"That rain was, in the end, rain created by the beasts of the Black Forest. The rainwater, while pooled, couldn't withstand the assault of all sorts of flora and fauna and took on a thick toxicity. Without immunity, your flesh would rot and your bones would fester."
"It seems no different from a dungeon at all."
As if affirming Ju-hyeon's words, Jio nodded.
"Also, if the forest temperature rose excessively, a fog would set in. The fog, originating from all sorts of toxic substances secreted by the Black Forest's flora and fauna and from the terrible swamps, was black like a shadow. If you got trapped in it, it was hard to even breathe properly."
"..."
"Also, as your vision darkened, you wouldn't know if you encountered a dangerous beast on the path, and you wouldn't know what traps were set on either side. I couldn't even tell if the step I was taking was on land or swamp."
The Black Forest was that kind of place.
"A place where even small animals, insignificant bugs, or mute plants couldn't survive without being vicious. Since it was that kind of place, in the end, the only things left to form the ecosystem were those vicious monsters."
Jio let out a small laugh.
"There was a reason it was the source of all sorts of ghost stories."
"…Ghost stories…."
"How frightening must a two-legged beast, alive and well in that place, have been to people?"
"…Is that the reason you gained infamy?"
"I believe it had some influence."
"How on earth did you survive, Mr. Argio?"
Ju-hyeon asked with a face that showed no particular emotion.
"Didn't you say you were… left there when you were very young."
"Yes, I was abandoned in the Black Forest."
To Argio, that was a turning point in his life, but it wasn't that big of a deal.
"It was quite enjoyable."
"Why? Weren't you scared when you headed to the Black Forest?"
"I might have instinctively felt it was the place I was supposed to be."
Also.
"Compared to being among those dogs and pigs, it just looked so much more fun."
"You usually say things like you'll turn us into pigs…."
"The pigs I speak of can't always be a compliment, can they?"
"Then is what you're saying now clearly an insult?"
"They just really looked that way."
Those fools who, if they dressed up extravagantly, thought they were human and not beasts.
"Though it was quite fun seeing such stupid and cute sights, too."
"…Stupid, okay, but cute? What part?"
"Even if I tell you, you probably won't be able to empathize with me."
"I'll at least try to understand."
"I really like that attitude of yours."
Argio said nonchalantly.
"Are puppies or cats common companion animals these days, too?"
"Other popular companion animals include reptiles or bugs. There are fish, too."
"Right, let's say you were walking down a path and saw a bird that plucked a roadside flower to adorn itself."
"Ah, yes. A bird adorning itself with a flower."
"Or a cat chattering away about something incomprehensible."
"A cat chattering incomprehensibly…."
"Like a puppy that comes up to me and boasts about its toy."
"..."
"How about it?"
He asked.
"Is it cute?"
"…I think it would be cute."
Unfortunately, Ju-hyeon had understood Argio's words.
"Did the world look that way to you? Even when you were human?"
"I'm still human now. It's very troublesome if you discriminate against me for being a portrait."
"Ah, right. Anyway, was that your perspective even when you were an ordinary human?"
"What's wrong with my perspective?"
"Well… that…."
Just in case, Ju-hyeon double-checked if his understanding was correct.
"So, you're saying that people who adorned themselves and spouted nonsense or boasted looked like those birds or cats or dogs to you, Mr. Jio. Is that right?"
"I'm glad you seem to have understood well, my honorable friend."
"Recalling how you described them quite negatively, it doesn't seem like they showed good hearts or good conduct. So it seems like it was
something similar to abusing the power, and that was ...."
Ju-hyeon asked.
"Cute?"
"Isn't being stupid cute?"
"I understand well that you were truly different from a young age."
"It's because I'm such a special person."
Argio gave a sullen smile.
"A puppy that thinks it's human is truly cute."
"There would be quite a lot of people who'd get angry at that comparison…."
"Of course, I'm not saying the two are completely the same, I just wanted to make you understand."
"Just putting those two on the same level as an example to help understanding is a little uncomfortable."
"…Is that so? I admit it's an example too good for those dogs and pigs…."
Jio, who had raised his body, naturally went back inside the portrait.
As the red hair that had been draped over the table disappeared, Ju-hyeon even felt a sense of emptiness.
The portrait continued.
"The Black Forest was always full of rare treasures."
"…Treasures? Suddenly?"
"Didn't you ask about my hometown."
"I did that."
"Gold, silver, and treasures overflowed there."
"..."
"Poison is medicine, and also becomes treasure…."
That smile was heavy.
"It bloomed on top of corpses."
A calm and heavy smile, making it impossible to tell if he was in a bad mood or a good one.
"I want to hurry up and visit this rainforest I'll be visiting this time."
"…It certainly seems similar to the dungeon you described."
"I can feel it; that place won't be my hometown, so don't worry. It's a completely different dimension."
"I'm relieved you told me that, but on the other hand…."
Ju-hyeon trailed off.
"..."
He soon asked.
"…Do you want to go back?"
"I'd like to go visit."
"Not that you want to return to that time?"
"I don't hold lingering attachments to things that have passed."
"I see."
"I love my family and friends."
Also.
"I died because of it."
Ju-hyeon could not interpret the meaning of that smile.
-x-X-x-
Ju-hyeon often pitied that great mystery.
"..."
Jio's Portrait.
"…Haaa…."
That it was an absurd thought, Ju-hyeon himself knew well.
Ju-hyeon, who had been lying in a large, plush bed unbefitting his station, eventually couldn't fall asleep and got up.
His mind was clear, but just in case sleep might come, he went to the kitchen and drank water without turning on the lights.
"..."
Clack.
He set the glass down.
"…I'm not in a position to be like this."
Even though he drank cool water, the stuffiness in his chest didn't go away.
'To dare to pity a mystery.'
A divinity was an existence that could, as a result of showing pure affection to a beloved priest, trap him in eternity, or, for the reason of wishing for wisdom, make him lose all his knowledge and become an idiot.
If the target of Ju-hyeon's pity hadn't been Jio, and if he hadn't considered himself human and bestowed mercy, it wouldn't have been strange for him (Ju-hyeon) to receive divine punishment for being presumptuous.
'But if it hadn't been Mr. Jio in the first place, I wouldn't even be having these thoughts.'
The reason humans don't pity great mysteries is also to avoid offending them or standing out and suffering disaster, but it was also because, in the first place, they couldn't harbor the emotion of pity.
Who would pity a typhoon and a tsunami that devoured countless people?
Who would feel sorry for the Milky Way shining far away, saying it's lonely?
However, to think only that way, this person named Jio….
"..."
He isn't even a person, yet he feels so much like a being just like me.
"…Please, let's not do anything presumptuous."
The reason Ju-hyeon started things without caring that he was from the looked-down-on Gita Orphanage was because he was confident it would make more people happy.
But Jio? Can I make him happy?
'He's already happy.'
I know from hearing his stories.
I know from seeing his face.
I know from his voice, his gestures.
The countless 'Jios' that the portrait holds lived satisfying lives and died accordingly.
I shouldn't dare to pity that.
"..."
And yet.
"I must be crazy."
How can I not feel sorry for him?
'He was only 24.'
The more he tried not to think about it, the more the anguish clung to him persistently.
'He was only 29, and 32.'
The human lifespan varies depending on the dimension.
Ju-hyeon, who had been an Association researcher, knew this.
There were places where the average lifespan was 50, and places where it was 500.
But that wasn't what was important.
From their 20s to their early 30s.
I don't know if all 'Jios' are like that, but so far, they have been.
They met their deaths just as they were getting used to human life and about to bloom and bear fruit.
'How can this not be pitiful?'
How is that possible?
'People who died the most miserable deaths, in none other than the most familiar embrace….'
Ju-hyeon consciously exhaled.
"..."
4 AM.
"…Did Mr. Yu Seong-un say he has a meeting around this time?"
He unnecessarily turns his thoughts elsewhere.
'Right, let's think about Mr. Yu Seong-un. I must learn from him.'
A mystery is a mystery.
No matter how much it takes a human form, its essence is not the same.
Even if it mimics human life, that is merely amusement, nothing more than the fleeting pleasure of a passing moment.
Yu Seong-un was someone who knew that very well.
That is why, no matter what past 'Jio's Portrait' had, no matter what problems arose, he respects and loves it.
As a single 'work of art'.
"..."
But if that feels repulsive, am I the one who's crazy?
"…Really…."
Yu Seong-un said that portrait is one part of the massive system called the Source.
That in human terms, it corresponds to the eyes, and also, because the Source loves all living things equally, 'Jio' continuously experiences life.
Is that perhaps why Jio always experiences the highest sky and the lowest mire?
'So that the Source can acquire information about humans more efficiently?'
A jet-black drawing paper that can become anything.
"…Really, it's not easy."
Becoming a mystery's friend was a truly difficult thing.
"I can't even worry about him easily."
Ju-hyeon is grateful to Jio.
He is not ignorant about mysteries.
He knows well about divinities.
Nevertheless, Jio asked to become friends as a person and, at the same time, showed goodwill as a friend. Ju-hyeon was thankful for that.
At times, Jio acts childishly and laughs like a young man of that age.
'If it's this much when we haven't even known each other for long, just how much more stifling will it get later?'
If I feel this stifled just from seeing him act 'human' a few times.
"..."
Ju-hyeon, who let out a deep sigh, muttered as he returned to the bedroom.
"…Is it time to seek expert help?"
It seemed he would have to ask for Mr. Yu Seong-un's advice.
***
"This is the data on the A-Class Dungeon, 'Underground Four-legged Rainforest'."
Yu Seong-un held out the document to Bisabeol.
"The type is a Villa Dungeon, the location is underground at Hwanseongul Cave in Samcheok, Gangwon-do, and the participating Guilds, excluding the Solar Cult and The Collectors, are three in total. They have been identified as Eunwol, Haeryeong, and Daecheong."
"Perhaps because it's an event organized by the Solar Cult, they're all respectable places."
"They're famous for having a good attitude. Especially Eunwol, as it is a Guild that has already collaborated with the Solar Cult several times, so their reliability is likely even higher. It is also a Guild that makes up 12% of the religious order's internal personnel."
Just because it's the religious order's headquarters doesn't mean there are only priests.
There were also attendants and maidservants who helped with their daily lives, as well as kitchen staff in charge of meals and managers for various facilities.
The Guild 'Eunwol' had consistently played the role of supplying such personnel to the Solar Cult and the Lady Moon Cult.
They had that many followers related to religion, and it was a famous Guild that basically had a large number of Healers.
"Because Eunwol stepped up, I looked into whether there was an issue related to the Lady Moon Cult, but that side isn't showing any particular interest. It seems they have no intention of getting involved in this subjugation."
"If it's about the Lady Moon Cult's recent situation, I know a little."
Bisabeol smiled faintly and continued.
"A problem arose with their Saintess."
"That doesn't seem like a problem I should know about."
"They say madness is coming…."
"Please don't tell me, I can't even forget it."
"I don't recall having a guild member with such a bad memory."
"That's what I'm saying."
Yu Seong-un was fed up.
"Even if I'm studying a bit these days, I'm not a religion expert, you know that."
"It's not that I'm asking you to resolve it."
"I know full well you wouldn't have mentioned it in the first place if you didn't expect anything from me."
"Well, let's move past that part for a moment."
"We're moving past it?"
"The Lady Moon Cult's Saintess isn't what's important right now, is it?"
Bisabeol asked.
"What's the atmosphere of the other two Guilds?"
"Haeryeong, as you well know, is excited at the news that there's a fun fight to be had…."
"They're famous moths."
Haeryeong was famous as a Guild whose members were, without exception, full of vitality.
'Full of vitality' was putting it nicely; to put it bluntly, it was a Guild where fighting cocks gathered.
As such, it was a gathering place for tenacious warriors with good pain tolerance and poison immunity, who didn't die easily.
Yu Seong-un continued.
"Daecheong is taciturn. It's a feeling of being satisfied with bringing in a stable job."
"Because Daecheong is a typically competent Guild."
Daecheong was not a particularly conspicuous Guild.
Even though it was a fairly high-ranked Guild, it was at a level that fell far short compared to the other Guilds participating this time, but their strength was precisely in their 'sense of stability'.
"They do the basics wherever they go."
They didn't have monstrously capable people like the 3 Great Guilds, nor did they have the incredible mental armament of Eunwol, nor were they a Guild crazy for battle like Haeryeong, but they do the basics wherever they go.
That was Daecheong's strength.
Bisabeol smiled.
"It seems the cult put a lot of thought into it."
"It means they want an equally stable conquest."
"Because it's a dungeon they failed to clear despite taking decent personnel."
"It seems there are also internal concerns about whether they are trying to commit excessively large personnel."
"There was that terror incident just last year, so they should be excessive."
The Solar Cult and the Lady Moon Cult were the two pillars representing the religious world, in a symbiotic and competitive relationship.
However, with last year's 'Kingdom of the Deep Sea' incident, the Solar Cult staggered once and its prestige was greatly broken, so the Solar Cult would also want to avoid failing a conquest twice as much as possible.
At that, Yu Seong-un nodded.
"Yes, I looked into it… and apart from its grade, it's quite a tricky dungeon."
A fake moon and sun repeatedly appearing and disappearing as they please, making it difficult to distinguish the time of day, and most of the overgrown vegetation attacks the conquerors or emits poison.
Moreover, their forms are sharp, so they say just grazing them will slice your flesh.
"The plants are one thing, but the four-legged beast-form monsters that appear here are said to be very aggressive. They say they are hostile to everything that walks on two legs and try to eliminate them."
"If humans walk on all fours, do they let them off?"
"Instead of letting them off, they say they turn them into a fellow four-legged beast. They said the form of the beast it changes into differs depending on what actions the target took and what ideology they held in life, which was interesting."
"It has quite a strong assertion; it might be a dungeon close to the Source."
"So, they say one Gardener is going along this time. This is something I found out through my personal connections; it's a Gardener belonging to Eunwol."
Gardeners seem like they belong to the government and the Association, but strictly speaking, they are not under their control.
They inherited their gardens from their respective masters and were living their own lives, taking responsibility in their own ways, like a kind of family business.
The Gardener belonging to Eunwol was one of them.
Just as Yu Seong-un was a Curator belonging to The Collectors, she, too, was a guild member belonging to the Eunwol Guild.
Gardeners were rare to see, but they existed everywhere.
"Because if it's a dungeon close to the Source, they might be able to find valuable data."
"I seem to recall that the Eunwol guild leader doesn't know Gardener's identity."
"It's a bit much to call it an identity… It's not that big of a deal, it's just like a side job, isn't it."
For most guild members, having two jobs or three jobs was legal.
There were cases like Yu Seong-un, who revealed he was a Gardener himself so those around him knew, but most, like the Gardener from Eunwol, didn't bother to announce they were Gardeners.
In the first place, few people know about the Source, so why would they explain everything just to suffer some troublesome hassle.
If not for Bisabeol's obsession, Yu Seong-un wouldn't have revealed it either.
"Well, I think it's a good opportunity."
Yu Seong-un spoke as a Gardener.
"It's a stable environment in many ways, isn't it? For Jio's first conquest."
"I fully agree with Curator Yu Seong-un's words."
Bisabeol had a bored face.
"This is putting in a lot of thought."
"We're sending the eyes of the Source among humans; frankly, even this isn't enough."
"But Mr. Seo Jio doesn't have the personality to cause trouble somewhere, does he?"
He clicked his tongue, tsk.
"With so many competent workers, I don't know if it'll even be an environment where our Seo Jio Hunter can run wild."
"I'm telling you, we're not sending him out to relieve a fierce beast's stress."
"How stifled must Mr. Argio be? When we haven't even procured a proper battlefield for him…."
"I'm telling you that's not the situation?"
But the purpose of this conquest was clear.
Argio was to establish himself in the human world as 'Seo Jio Hunter,' and The Collectors were to observe 'Jio's Portrait' and analyze his condition.
To what extent is his violence, how is his goodwill expressed, in what way will he collaborate with humans, and in the end, what is the extent of the battle Argio wants.
Is he satisfied with sparring, is a prepared battle alright. Or is there truly no answer but a pure, bloody battle, and so on….
"Don't you also feel like you want to go along to such an interesting event, Curator Yu Seong-un?"
"Of course, I want to go, I do. It's none other than Jio's first conquest, but…."
But the situation was not so favorable.
As a competent hunter and gardener, Yu Seong-un always had many people seeking his help, and because of that, it was already the 5th day he had stayed up all night.
"Even if I try to participate in the conquest in this terrible condition, the religious order won't accept me."
"It seems like it'd work out somehow if you recover with Jio's gift, but I also think this opportunity isn't bad."
Bisabeol gave a sullen smile.
"Isn't it about time Mr. Seo Jio became independent from Curator Yu Seong-un's embrace?"
"A work of art must not become independent from its Curator. As if we need to collapse this already precarious Earth."
"Anyway, since it's come to this, The Collectors can't just send Seo Jio Hunter alone, either."
"Why do you say something so obvious as if you're doing a great favor…."
Yu Seong-un was dumbfounded.
"You're sending out the Source; were you really planning to send him alone?"
"I know it's dangerous, too, that's why I'm trying to attach them now. Escort personnel."
"Shouldn't that be surveillance personnel, not escorts?"
"It's probably closer to attendant personnel, though…."
"If you show too much favoritism, Jio will feel burdened instead."
"That's why I'm thinking of putting in just one Curator."
"Ah."
Yu Seong-un nodded.
"Are you thinking of sending the 5th Floor Manager?"
"Among the floor managers, he's the most finely mad."
"He's someone whose love for art is outstanding."
"I'll look for the rest from the Resolution Team and the Field Staff."
"That's just right."
"Isn't it?"
Bisabeol grinned.
He was already looking forward to what kind of appearance the portrait would show.
-x-X-x-
"Jio look like a person?"
Yu Seong-un corrected his words.
"Ah, no. I am sorry. He looks like that to you?"
"You may speak comfortably. Just like you do to Mr. Jio."
"…Is it because I wasn't taught well when I was young, informal speech is more familiar. It's not a bad meaning so don't think of it crookedly."
"Since I already know well that Mr. Yu Seong-un is a good person, you do not need to worry."
"Oh, really? Although it wouldn't go as far as being called a good person… it is a grateful thing if you view me like that."
To think a guy 3 years younger would openly use informal speech, he sure has good guts.
'He is such an upright living human to the point that I wonder why the Guild Master hates this kind of person so much….'
Passing over the uncomfortable feeling toward his superior as it was, Yu Seong-un smiled lightly.
"Anyway, this is truly a unique consultation."
Yu Seong-un, who finished the meeting with Bisabeol, slept soundly at home after a long time and woke up, visiting his neighbor Ju-hyeon's house to ask after him.
Actually, he didn't have the thought to come in, but it became like this because Ju-hyeon led him.
"In a sense, it is amazing too."
Yu Seong-un, who was drinking the tea Ju-hyeon handed him, blinked his eyes which were not fully awake yet.
"…Uh-uh, wait. Is this tea Jio gave?"
"Ah, yes. He said it was tea made of Basuram Flower, would there be a problem?"
"…No, I probably won't die after eating it."
It probably won't contain lethal elements either.
'Let's just drink.'
If there is a point Yu Seong-un felt all this while, it was the fact that 'Jio's Portrait' rarely touches human identity.
Isn't even Ju-hyeon, who came out after being inside the portrait longer than Yu Seong-un, still human?
'Well, although the test results say so, it's not that there aren't dubious parts….'
At least from the perspective of humans, it was certain that Ju-hyeon was still 'human'.
'So my identity won't become strange just because I drink a little tea.'
He was out of it because he just woke up after sleeping, having stayed up all night for 5 days.
If he were in a slightly more fine state, he would have worried more deeply than this, but for Yu Seong-un who receives the influence of the garden he serves with his whole body, this medicine that warms the body like this could only be welcome.
'As expected, Jio's gift is amazing.'
Especially when waking up from sleep, Yu Seong-un's body was even colder.
"…This is delicious."
"Right? It was good because it had a savory scent like grain."
"It's not an item one can buy somewhere either. Should I pester him to invite me sooner or later."
"It became a little hot when I drank too much…."
"Since I tend to have a cold body originally."
Seeing that the effect of warming the body is strong, it must be a medicine that fits the constitution of Yu Seong-un, a hunter and Gardener, better than Ju-hyeon, an ordinary person.
"Let's see."
[Sun's Star]
[Grade: - ]
Tea made of 'Basuram Flower' that grew wild in the beginning of 'Breathing Sea'. It was in an extinct state but was restored in the Water Vein of Fate.
Jio, the owner of the forest, raised it with love together with his child in the nest of living water.
Because he processed it directly, a human body can also accept it.
It exerts an excellent effect in breathing life and warmth into the soul.
"...."
"Ah, did you appraise it just now?"
"…Is it your first time seeing a Hunter appraise?"
"Because Appraisers were not common in the research institute where I was."
"It's been a long time since I heard the title Appraiser. Indeed, if we're being technical, I did get an appraisal license."
Conversing lightly, Yu Seong-un put on an easygoing smile.
"As expected, it is not bad for the body."
"...."
"Don't be nervous."
"Although it is a body already ruined…."
"What are you resigning already for?"
It wasn't just him who worried about Ju-hyeon's state after receiving too much care from the eye of the Source.
Because of that, they proceeded with a test directly at The Collectors including Yu Seong-un, but truly fortunately, Ju-hyeon was indeed still a fine human.
"...."
The test results, that is.
"…There is a common phrase in the gifts Jio gives. 'Because Jio, the owner of the forest, processed it directly, a human body can also accept it'. It must be one of the ways that Jio considers humans."
If one eats ingredients that went through his hands, there was no worry of mutating into an existence of the Source. At least in Yu Seong-un's judgment, it was so.
"If there is another worry, it is that no one becomes excessively healthy…."
"I did feel like my lifespan increased. Would this also be a problem?"
"Even if they say lifespan increases, it's hard to live long in this world nowadays."
It was a world where the average lifespan was 60.
"At least high-grade Hunters like me or our Guild Master would live a little long, but apart from the sturdiness of the body, Hunter is a job just right for dying young. The person sticking next to them is the same. So I think you don't have to worry about becoming half-immortal."
"…So don't worry because no matter how much lifespan increases, I will die artificially anyway?"
"Above all, Jio doesn't change an innocent human into an existence of the Source for his own greed. So I'm saying you don't have to worry."
An existence of the Source was something that became more trustworthy than a human if one just grasped the rules well.
From what he grasped about Jio so far, there would rarely be an occasion for him to harm humans.
"Rather than that, I find Mr. Ju-hyeon's thoughts are truly surprising."
Yu Seong-un, who put down the warm mug, swept up the hair covering his eyes.
He usually goes around with a pin inserted neatly, but because he intended to visit lightly, his appearance was truly a mess.
"What exactly do you mean that Jio looks like a person?"
"Literally, I cannot stop 'Jio's Portrait' from looking like a person."
"Although they say human thought is something one cannot control, it is certainly peculiar."
"…I kept thinking it was presumptuous. Also the thought that it makes no sense."
Ju-hyeon fingered his portion of the cup and continued speaking.
"But continuously Mr. Jio just…."
"Looked like an ordinary young man?"
"Although it will sound strange."
"Hm."
Slurp─.
Yu Seong-un, who drank the flower tea, asked.
"Are you bewitched?"
"I also tried thinking that thought but."
"Ah, no. You aren't bewitched."
"…Is that so?"
"Since I am a person with an Appraiser license in name."
The state of most people could be checked with Yu Seong-un's own skill.
"At least in my eyes, you look fine."
In this case, the answer was one.
"It seems Mr. Ju-hyeon just views that guy as a human?"
"I did not know I would be a person brave to that extent…?"
"If Jio was a traditional Divinity, you would have been selected as a Saint."
"…Yes? Saint?"
"At least you would have been a religious leader."
"Somehow it seems like a cult."
"To call it a cult specifically… it is a tremendously typical flow."
Most Saints and Saintesses of the dimensions were made in this way.
"Do you know roughly what kind of people Saints and Saintesses are?"
"I know as much as others know. So isn't it a feeling like a type of, god's… foster child?"
"Right. And even if not necessarily a child, there are times when it takes the form of a friend."
"…I am hearing that for the first time."
"Since Saints and Saintesses aren't common, naturally there are few examples on Earth."
The religious side was not Yu Seong-un's specialty field, but since finding out that Jio harbored the Sun's Divinity, he was studying steadily. To that extent, he could answer to some degree regarding this part.
"These Saints usually refer to those who built a bond with a god in a human body."
"Can one build a bond with a god? That sounds a little… impious?"
"What is impious is when that was a human's one-sided offensive toward a Divinity."
Saints were completely different cases from such impious people.
"This is exchanging bonds from both sides. The god pours trust and love toward the human, and the human handles that as if natural and also returns trust and love befitting that. Just like ordinary family or friends do."
"…That was a possible thing…."
"Truly, really very rarely is it a possible thing. So the number of Saints and Saintesses is terribly small. Usually, humans receive a big burden just by receiving a god's voice and goodwill, but this is adding to that and even returning it. And the god does not feel lacking in that."
It's just that the number is exceptionally large in Korea, but when considered globally, the number of Saints did not exceed 20.
If one considers the number of current era religions as many as the stars in the sky, one could know how rare the existence of a Saint is.
"So a Saint is a miracle just by existence itself. The religious orders don't dote on their Saints and Saintesses for nothing. Because they are the only window of humans that can communicate with god while simultaneously proving god's love just by living and breathing."
So most Saints are stuck inside the religious order and take on the role of interpreting oracles or informing of God's intentions.
Ju-hyeon, who heard that explanation, tilted his head.
"Then in a religious order without a Saint, how can they read God's will?"
"They can't read, most of them."
"Ah."
"From what I know, it was one of two."
Yu Seong-un unfolded his fingers.
"One is interpreting the intention of the god one serves entirely through old records of god and scriptures. As much as communication doesn't work, the process and result are uncertain and the loyalty of believers also drops."
"What about other cases?"
"The remaining one is priests who are at least full of holy power gathering in droves and trying to receive an oracle. Performing rituals or supervising religious events or praying until an answer comes…."
"It's not some rain ritual…?"
"That means it is that difficult to communicate with God. The elders within the religious order aren't treated well for nothing. They receive respect and treatment inside because they are that close to their god."
And.
"What skips all this cumbersome process is exactly a Saint."
So even in an economic aspect, priests had no choice but to love the religious order's Saint.
Isn't it the very person who lets them skip performing rituals, supervising events, praying for a long time, and all this investment.
"But that doesn't mean Saints exist in all religions. In the first place, vessels that can treat a god like family or friend are extremely rare, and because of that, religious orders with Saints receive preferential treatment and envy in the religious world."
"They receive preferential treatment and envy?"
"The more one can communicate directly and frequently with god, humans who serve him can receive their god's grace more explicitly. To express it a little easily, a Divinity could inform the location of a gold mine for his believers…."
"Uh… does work really proceed in such a way?"
"This is just an example. No matter how stupid a god is, since they are an existence superior to the smartest human on Earth, just by borrowing a part of their wisdom, their religious order can flourish. And they can enter inside that Divinity's embrace."
Therefore, Saints receive tremendously precious treatment in the religious world.
"The fact that one can accept that voice and touch nonchalantly even though the god did not consider it greatly is truly a matter outside human limits. Just that existence itself is sufficient enough to receive the religious order's love."
To that, Ju-hyeon harbored doubt.
"It sounds almost like they are not human, then is daily life possible for Saints?"
"There are Saints for whom it is possible, and Saints for whom it is not."
As he studied, it seemed Saints were also divided into a few types.
"While there are Saints of giant vessels who just accept anything well whether it is Divinity or whatever from the beginning, there are Saints who can only handle one or a few Divinities. Or else, there are cases where they are raised as Saints from the very beginning and recognized as Saints after numerous tests and hardships."
"…That is…."
"From what I know, the Saintess of the Lady Moon Cult is this last case. The Lady Moon Cult steadily adopts and raises children who become candidates until a Saint of one generation appears. Well, they said cases of dying unable to handle the god in the process of becoming a Saint are also quite frequent."
"...."
Ju-hyeon received a shock.
"…You mean the Lady Moon Cult does such things?"
"It's not really a big deal in this world nowadays, is it?"
This world was overflowing with those who wanted to become god's family even at the risk of their lives rather than remaining as roadside poor or living as a mere human child.
Therefore, the believers of the Lady Moon Cult, and the priests of that place, do not stop this education.
"Most children who didn't die but couldn't become Saints become priests of the Lady Moon Cult and work. So from the Lady Moon Cult's position too, it's not a big loss. Since they have been doing this kind of work continuously since the Great Catastrophe, it should be seen as a type of… custom."
If other religions tried to introduce this kind of education, it would not be easy.
Because the Lady Moon Cult had this custom from very long ago, the religious order was maintained stably; most religions lacked the will and capacity to do so.
"If considered as a concept of employment, it's not a bad thing, is it?"
"…Certainly, Hunters also work risking their lives. It is indeed an already dangerous world to criticize as a dangerous custom."
"The Lady Moon Cult also doesn't force them to become Saints, they just incite."
"But… isn't that the same thing? If the guardian incites, the adopted children will feel a burden. They wouldn't be able to not follow."
"At least the concept that it is a not-so-bad shelter in this world nowadays is also big. Above all…."
Yu Seong-un rolled his eyes as if gauging something.
"Where would they get the opportunity to become a son or daughter of a god?"
Whether they had parents or not, whether the house was rich or poor, the religion that gave the opportunity to become god's family to every child with quality was only the Lady Moon Cult.
Ultimately, the parties involved also harbor greed for that glory.
"They are all things proceeding under agreement. So there is also a story that the priests of the Lady Moon Cult are all Saint candidates. Because only humans who all harbor qualities to become Saints above a certain level gather."
Ju-hyeon was making an expression that he was a little uncomfortable. Yu Seong-un smiled easily.
"As expected, you don't like it?"
"…Just a little, I feel sick."
"Is it correct that you only feel sick?"
"Because there are times when I get tired of the religious world's blindness."
"I agree with that part too."
Yu Seong-un sipped the tea that still maintained warmth.
"This tea is really delicious."
"Right?"
"It's still warm too."
"Although there might be the fact that it lasts long because it is a mug, it also seems like the tea's characteristic."
"It would be funny too if such a special medicine cooled down completely in an instant."
Yu Seong-un, who praised the tea's warmth lightly, continued speaking again.
"Anyway, Saints made it that way, of course that is also tremendously rare but… as expected, unlike those who became Saints naturally, the burden on the body seemed big."
"Ah…."
"Should I say they become half not human. Actually, even if it is a congenital Saint, there can't be any burden unless it is a constitution that can just accept anything carelessly."
"It must be so."
"When considered in such parts, Jio won't harm Mr. Ju-hyeon. However, as I said earlier, this is, what is it, a typical shortcut for an ordinary human to become god's family."
"…Yes?"
Yu Seong-un's mint-colored eyes scanned Ju-hyeon as if analyzing.
"Divinity treating humans equally, and humans also treating Divinity equally…."
"…Uh-oh."
"Right, I'm saying it's not largely different from Mr. Ju-hyeon's situation right now?"
"I am non-religious though…?"
"Jio would be the same regarding that."
Yu Seong-un, who laughed loudly, put up a thumb.
"Fighting."
"Yes?"
"It will go well."
"What will?"
My human disqualification?
Ju-hyeon choked up a little.
-x-X-x-