The bishop opened her eyes in the same place again today.
"...."
"Have you come."
It was a dream in which, above the lake where the Moon Lady ought to be, the red evil god floated.
"I am glad to receive your visit."
"I do not know why you keep calling one as lowly as I am."
"Because you have seen me."
"My sin is great…."
You held in your eyes what you must not hold.
"I should not have had my gaze stolen away."
For a moment, she was bewitched by that splendor. To eyes grown accustomed to white, wings like blood must have been too vivid. Perhaps the blood flowing with elegance in gold from that shattered head was beautiful.
'If I had been a more perfect existence, would this not have happened?'
After first facing the evil god, the bishop reunited with him many times. It was the same even when she slept, and whenever she went to behold the Moon, she always met him. As a bishop, she could not disregard the rules of the order. It was truly an awkward matter.
The bishop threw the same question she had kept asking until now once again. Meaninglessly, like tossing a mere pebble into a great lake.
"What do you desire from me."
"I wish to see you in anger."
"…That will not be easy."
She was the one who had only despaired even when the saintess she had raised most dearly reached the end of mystique's demise. She had lived half her life as the bishop of the Moon Lady Religion. She might break and collapse, but she had never learned how to raise her voice.
"It seems you require amusement?"
It was like an evil god.
"Do you wish for me to reach ruin? Do you wish the one who becomes bishop of the Moon Lady Religion to fall? If I forget my place and make a spectacle of myself, would that please your heart? Is that so?"
"It does not satisfy me."
"Has my soul already risen onto your hand?"
"What is in my hand is your Moon Lady."
"...."
The pure white thing held in his second hand caught her eye.
"…What does Teacher call me."
"He says nothing."
"I already knew I was that weak an existence."
"You are not disappointed."
"He does not know humans well…."
"Is that truly so."
Upon the surface of the lake, pale toes touched down.
"Why are you so afraid? Am I so frightening to you."
"I fear you will let me ruin everything."
"Ruin, yes. Ruin. We can speak from that, I think."
"You are urging me into conversation with an evil god."
"You are already conversing with me. You are looking at me, hearing me, and harboring questions about me. Now, look at me. Lift your head. Do not disappoint me."
"As a priest… I was disqualified long ago."
"Then what is sin? Let us talk, then—do you not wish to speak with me? I have waited for you like this, yet how indifferent you are…."
His voice gradually became more natural. To the oppressive voice that held only authority and interest, a mournfulness settled. The ornaments that had made no sound rattled and spat out noise.
"We could even become friends."
With a shattered head, golden blood, and three pairs of arms, the mystique imitated a person. It made nonverbal expressions and showed emotion with a face that was only half. An empty breath escaped her.
Even so, he was still an evil god.
"…How much must I be mocked by you? I must have looked so ridiculous to you, I who ruined everything because I could not shake off a single shred of affection. No, in the first place, I was so incapable I could not even ruin it—this wretched thing… this lowly thing… how could it ever become your amusement?"
Her voice flowed softly.
"I am a lowly human without even the ability for that. I achieved nothing, nothing…. Did you think that I, who only kept to a single seat, might make even a tolerable toy?"
"I thought you might be angry, but you are not."
A hand wearing gold bracelets lifted the bishop's chin.
"Have you given up? Resigned yourself? Are you hesitating?"
"I have already done all of those."
"Beast, be angry. Burst. Rage."
A gentle voice came, as though handling a newborn beast.
"Only rage makes beast and human alike."
The bishop interpreted his meaning.
"…Are you saying that one who cannot rage holds value even less than a beast? Humans are animals of intellect, O god. How can you place the beast that cannot endure and rages on the same level as a human."
"Did being born human seem like such tremendous authority? It is not so. To my eyes, all are the same. Humans—yes, humans must harbor conviction and malice to be qualified as human."
"My conviction is not worth being human…."
"Who called that conviction? Who dared?"
A wicked soul whispered.
"No one may call it conviction." "You were shoved into that seat." "Did that look like your choice?" "To your eyes, it must have seemed there were no further choices." "Little beast that can only see the ground." "Little beast that knows only the sky as sky…."
It whispered again.
"Pitiful."
Her chin was released, but the bishop was still looking at the god.
"…Ha, haha…."
A laugh spilled out.
"…I know your wisdom…."
"Did you dream?" "A sweet dream?" "It must have pleased you."
"Yes, it was so sweet. I dreamed a sweet dream. If I, if I… how could I become a star beside the Moon… if I dreamed just a few more times, I feel like I might know…."
"You do not fall asleep easily."
"I felt hollow."
She still did not know what, exactly, had felt hollow.
"Since the saintess rose to the saintess's seat, I have continued my research. That child is truly strong and beautiful, but… abandoned by her family, she is very lonely… she hates being cold, hungry, and alone. I brought that child from an alley in the winter slums…."
She kept the child by her side and agonized and researched without end. Even if it meant adding one more tradition that others called an evil custom, she wished to do it. Thinking perhaps it was rather a good thing. Calling it a noble act of forging yet another mystique.
"Why does it feel so empty? It feels as if the inside of me is wide open, and as if it is tightly blocked. I feel as though I am doing everything wrong, but I do not know what I am doing wrong, and I do not know whether my thoughts are right, and I do not know what I must fix."
"How is it so."
"…I do not know. I do not know the answer. Is it because what I agonized over so long was solved in an instant? Because I received help not from Teacher, but from an evil god? Because I grew afraid that it would not be as great a help as I had thought?"
It was like sinking into a swamp.
"I even felt wronged."
"How is that so as well."
"...."
"Because you love."
Poor thing.
"Because you only know how to love."
You do not know the method.
"How do you not know you are wrong? Not anything else—why did you not know you were wrong, and so committed so many sins. You carry a truly sweet and savory scent. If you are chewed and eaten like this, do you not think you could give me enjoyment? Why is sin that is pure and foolish so pitiable and lovely…."
"…Since I have already done everything that will make me look foolish, I will ask a foolish question. Do you eat people?"
"If I desire it, I do so."
The evil god whispered.
"Did what you saw look like justice? Did that pitiable sacrifice look like a noble sacrifice? You have two eyes, both perfectly fine, so why did you see it that way? You thought the floor was the floor and the ceiling was the ceiling. You did not even think to cross the wall."
"I did my best… as a bishop, as a priest of the Moon Lady Religion, what I… ought to… do…."
"When love fills an empty puppet, nothing is ever done properly." "If you had not loved, you might have held conviction at least." "If you had known how to love, you might have become human." "But you did not." "In the end, you could not even harbor malice."
"If there is no way for me to escape you, then at least tell me what I should do. Should I play along with your amusement? Shall I become a puppet and put on a play? If I become a beast and lie flat, will that please you?"
"Become human."
"...."
Even now, she did not know if that was possible.
"…I have grown old and ugly. The human you desire—I will not be able to become."
"You know neither how to love, nor how to rage, nor how to think, so you are no different from a newborn beast. Yet you can become human. Now, burst."
"What are you saying?"
"Burst."
The evil god laughed.
"What you love is in my arms."
"…Will you take that child away?"
"Fate is decided."
"Do not do that. That child… that child loves Earth. Cherishes her family. How can you take her without letting her achieve even a single thing she has wanted her whole life."
"Whether you become human or remain a beast will not affect it in the least."
"Give her back…!"
Even to herself, it was abrupt.
Had something been injected into her, or was it some kind of brainwashing? As if something were wrong with her head, her hands trembled and her breath swelled in her chest.
"She is the Moon Lady's child! She is a child I have watched over, though I am insignificant—how can you take that precious soul away when she does not even know how to smile! She is a child who has sacrificed all her life…!!"
"Just so."
"...."
"You are doing well."
"…Ah."
"That is the emotion called 'rage.'"
Only belatedly did her head go blank, and she realized.
"…Did you carve rage into me, and speak falsehood?"
"Am I not an evil god?"
"…Truly, truly, what is it… that you desire from me… I really do not know…."
"That state of yours is funny and amusing, is it not."
A being like divinity would not do this simply for fun, just to toy with one person like me. There was no need to put in such effort. Even revealing that ominous, mysterious form—why?
"I hear your Moon Lady is truly bored."
"…Teacher would never say such a thing."
"Now, look. Is he not saying it?"
Placing the Moon Lady he held in his second hand to his face, the evil god imitated the Moon Lady like playing with a doll.
"I am so terribly bored, my disciple. Come enjoy with me."
Capricious like a child. A divinity that could lie. As he imitated the Moon Lady with an innocent voice, fear surged up. Their teacher was no more than a toy in the hands of that red evil god.
When he lowered the Moon slightly, she saw the lips of the half-faced visage curl.
"What are you hesitating over? Why do you blame yourself so? Listen, friend. The order you cultivated by offering yourself was rotten from the start. Even if you offer up one bedroom to an immature evil god now, nothing will change at all."
"…Are you saying our order would have rotted completely someday?"
"The world develops quickly. It is becoming better. Humans, not even knowing what they want, are repairing the precarious dimension even a little. When many things become abundant, can the Moon Lady Religion… truly refrain from forcing sacrifice?"
He recited a fearful future.
"You will stand on the guillotine not by choice, but by coercion."
And you will be offered up.
"Not as noble sacrifice, but as the sacrifice of living offerings." "Why? Because you know nothing else!" "Do you think your descendants will be able to ignore the precious tradition built upon noble sacrifice?" "Then who will stop you." "You will lock the door and hide alone in the shadows."
"...."
"Listen, my young friend."
He spoke with tenderness.
"How long did you believe you could call it noble?"
The bishop could not answer.
"...."
It would be a lie to say she had never thought such a thing, and yet.
And yet.
"…Then, why…."
Her breath caught.
"Then why, why did my family have to leave like that. In this, in this world… my family who died without even making their names known… those precious people who protected me and gave me strength—why did they have to go to the Moon Lady's side, where it is cold and lonely…!"
Because she had learned, this time she raged by her own strength.
"Ah, I made it so. I did that. I could have stopped it, I could have protected them! I could have clung to them and begged them not to do it—if I had, they might not have become the Moon! But I did not. Because I was foolish. Because I have done only wrong. Because I am unqualified, incapable, imperfect… covered in nothing but flaws, a trash heap of nothing but stubbornness and incompetence…!!"
She was raging at herself.
"Was it only a dog's death? Surely that cannot be. It must be true that they became part of Teacher. But I am afraid. They will remain as the greatest villains in history, who will force the sacrifice of descendants. My incompetence has ruined so much. If only I had been sharper. If only I had been more perfect!!"
It was unbearable.
"Why, ah. It should have been me who died, not them… I… this worthless thing should have died. They should have lived, and I should have become the Moon. If only I could have finished my research a little sooner, how good would that have been. Then… I, at least… the minimum… at least…."
"Little friend."
The evil god asked with a voice tinged with laughter.
"What do you want to do?"
"…I want to turn it back…."
"What?"
"Everything I missed and blundered and ruined."
"Shall I help you?"
"Please take this lowly hand. I will offer up everything."
"Your family as well?"
"If I was wrong in anything, then in the Moon Lady Religion the only one who was not wrong is the saintess. We sinned, and called it noble. Many things were wrong. It is a barrel filled with spoiled liquor, so please break it."
"I like that."
He promised the end.
"In you, the Moon's evil custom will end."
Do you desire that?
* * *
"...."
Aram hugged her pillow tight and scrunched up her face.
"...?"
Where am I?
She was at an amusement park.
-x-X-x-
"Why the heck did the pillow come along too."
Aram looked uneasily at the pillow she was holding tight. Still, since the soft texture felt nice, she decided to carry it around for now. Her offensive and defensive abilities worked even without using her hands.
'Having my hands tied up should be fine.'
More than anything, if the opponent was on the level of an evil god, not being able to use her hands was a trivial penalty.
'But… it's a little different from what I thought.'
Her wish had been, 'Please let my family be able to escape from the dream amusement park.' A demand that ran counter to the very purpose of the dungeon. With that, Aram thought through several possible cases.
First, it shows her a dream exactly as that wish. Second, the dungeon's owner becomes enraged and attacks. Third, nothing happens and she simply sleeps. She considered exceptions too, but the most likely outcomes were those three.
'But this is an amusement park?'
A flamboyantly decorated amusement park. She had never been to one, but there were similar places on Earth. There wouldn't be many rides she could get on with a child's body that couldn't grow, but she had been curious at times.
"Hmm…."
As she paced in place, she realized she was barefoot.
"Ah, I should've… slept with my shoes on."
It seemed she had come exactly as she was when she fell asleep. She had anticipated that too and dressed comfortably, but she had forgotten her shoes. She must have been out of her mind after fighting with the bishop. She felt a little down.
'No. I'm the saintess of the Moon Lady Religion. I can't slump like this here…!'
Aram hugged the pillow tighter and looked around.
'I've never actually been to an amusement park, so I can't tell how different this place is from Earth's. Teacher was right a hundred times over. Wisdom doesn't increase just by studying theory inside the Moon Lady Religion. Even at a time like this, I can't come up with a decent idea….'
After walking a little more, she sensed movement nearby.
'…Wait, movement?'
She could sense a person?
'Is it a monster mimicking someone? Or is there someone else, like me, who ended up in this odd amusement park instead of a wish-dream? I should check, but should I hide?'
She wrapped herself in holy power, concealing her presence and appearance. Then she lifted her feet slightly off the ground and erased even her footprints. Floating softly like a ghost, Aram moved carefully—and soon saw something.
"Oh my."
"!"
"Here you are, guest."
It was a woman with jet-black hair and eyes. The adult woman, wearing a neatly tailored suit, was looking straight at Aram. She bowed politely in greeting.
"Pleased to meet you. My name is Crow Cecil."
"…You can see me?"
"We have good eyes."
"Eyes…."
She didn't feel any particularly special aura.
'…She said crow. Is there a separate race? On Earth I've seen hunters with animal traits a few times. Or did a crow transform into a human? What is this?'
She had heard there was a beastfolk race in other dimensions—could it be something like that?
"...."
She didn't sense hostility, and there was no deceit. If even that was being hidden, Aram had no way to deal with it. Since she had called her "guest," matching her tone would be a good judgment.
She soon released her concealment and greeted her properly.
"My name is Aram. Could you tell me where this is?"
"Of course. That is why I was assigned to you. Please allow me to accompany you."
"Are you going to guide me somewhere?"
"This is the Amusement Park of Dreams. You may enjoy and appreciate everything you desire. I am merely an attendant to help you avoid inconvenience."
"Then… as I asked earlier, could you tell me where this is?"
She was more polite than expected. Rather than fighting head-on, this might be a dungeon that required knowledge and wisdom. This place was the belly of mystery. If she followed the rules set by the dungeon owner, she could at least avoid suffering losses.
Crow Cecil answered readily.
"This is, as I said, the Amusement Park of Dreams. Here, you may enjoy the things you desired only in dreams—or desired so strongly they sometimes appeared in your dreams."
"Am I a special case? I was invited into a dream the same way as everyone else, but I ended up at this amusement park instead of what I wrote down as my wish."
"You could be called a special case, but you need not worry that it might be a side effect. It is simply that you have been moved to the place you desired."
"I desired this place?"
"Our Amusement Park of Dreams always reflects the guest's desire. What you wished for was reality, not a dream, and so you were invited here. We cannot force a dream upon one who rejects dreams."
"...."
If that was true, then "writing the dream you want" was not the primary element of this place.
'So putting a wish for the dream under your pillow wasn't a necessary element after all. Maybe it served as a spark to help the dreamer make their desire more concrete. The most important thing is the desire within the sleeping person….'
Then the "Amusement Park of Dreams" had to be able to grasp even the inside of a human.
'I heard one of the other brothers report something similar. If it's stated this clearly, then what he confirmed must be correct. But if not a single one of the many brothers reported on this amusement park… that must mean their desires were in dreams, not reality.'
No—wait.
"…Then am I in reality right now?"
"Yes, you are in reality."
"Th-then my body that was on Earth was moved here?"
"Exactly so."
No wonder she had arrived just as she had been sleeping!
"M-my parents will worry. If I suddenly disappear…!"
"But in reality, you can only be one person."
The crow, who introduced herself as an attendant, answered kindly.
"No one can leave their own body and see the world from a different perspective unless it is a dream. Once born, most must look upon the world trapped in that single body for their entire lives. That is, if they are living beings like you from Earth."
It sounded as though she were looking down at a body in reality.
"…Because you only have one body, there are things that become more precious too."
"You are correct, guest. That is why you were moved here."
"But didn't you say this is the Amusement Park of Dreams? You said I can do everything I've dreamed of, so it's hard to call this reality as well, isn't it?"
"It is true that Earth's reality and the realities of other dimensions differ. Here, you may taste your wish. That is the purpose of dreams."
"Dreams are…."
Dreams do not exist to enjoy fragments of wishes.
"...."
But one could still wish for that.
'…It's not wrong.'
It was just a little different from what Aram herself believed. She accepted that. If she only sharpened her hostility because it was a dungeon, nothing would be accomplished. She needed to judge calmly and rationally.
"Then have people other than me visited this place?"
"Yes, they have. In particular, those who called themselves Association employees have visited often."
"Ah, people from the Association?"
"Besides them, hunters who said they belonged to Justitia also visit from time to time. Not as frequently as the Association employees, but they could be called regular customers."
"Wh-what do they do here?"
"Unfortunately, they often wake up without even seeing the entire amusement park."
"Why? A dream shouldn't be able to wake its owner, should it?"
"But those who cannot dream cannot dream."
The crow smiled faintly.
"They have no dreams, so it is only natural they cannot remain here long."
"…What about me? Could you find out for me?"
"You can remain here far longer than you wish."
"How can I wake up?"
"If you dream all your dreams, you will be able to wake."
"…No, wait. If you're saying that now, then…."
Noticing something strange and panicking, the crow tilted her head.
"Most guests who come to the Amusement Park of Dreams are guaranteed only a short time. From the beginning, they fell asleep with a purpose in reality, not a dream, so of course. But for some reason, guest, you are dreaming a great many dreams."
"Th-that can't be. It's a contradiction…."
"Of course. It is a contradiction. Yet you have made it reality. However, dreams are something you cannot wake from unless you exhaust them entirely. No matter who I am, I cannot help you exhaust your dreams within a short time."
"Why do you only talk about dreams in a place like this?!"
Perhaps because reality and dream were tangled together, the structure was absurd.
"Send me home! This is kidnapping!"
"I do not have the authority."
"Then who does?!"
"Only you, and…."
After letting it hang, the crow's eyes curved prettily.
"And the owner of this amusement park."
"O-owner?"
"Yes. There is an owner who watches over us."
"Is the owner in this dimension? In this dungeon?"
"He always watches over us. It is not my place to presume to arrange a meeting for you, but if you try actively exhausting your dreams so that you might catch his eye, how about it?"
"Even if I do that… will that owner look at me?"
"He will, of course. He loves dreamers."
"What an unusual taste…."
She couldn't bring herself to curse.
'Who knows how much longer I'll be bound here—there's no point building up bad feelings. I'll only lose out.'
Patience would bring wisdom.
"Hoo…."
"Do you require a place to rest?"
"…Does an amusement park have a place like that too?"
"You may enjoy everything you desire."
"No. I want to see this place as it is."
Her dream should not be in a place like this.
"My dream is in reality, not in an abstract dimension like this. I'll start exhausting my dreams only after every investigation of this dungeon is finished. Even that will be a means of escape, not an end in itself. Please remember that."
"Of course, guest."
The crow smiled faintly again.
"We sincerely wish for the guests' happiness."
"...."
Hesitating, Aram asked.
"…Um, but. If there are other Koreans who came to the amusement park, could you arrange a meeting with them? In Earth's reality, I must have suddenly disappeared, so my family will be very worried… I want to send word, at least."
"I will take measures so that you will not be inconvenienced."
"Yes, thank you…."
Aram, who had lived her whole life as a model student, became a runaway teenager like that.
* * *
The problem was that the people of the Moon Lady Religion did not feel it that way.
"Bishop, the saintess has not shown herself within the order."
"…Is that so."
"Please give us your orders."
"Search. You will not be able to find her."
"May we hear why you say that?"
"It seems the evil god of dreams coveted the saintess."
In a calm voice as always, with a face no different than usual, the bishop said,
"I will request help from the Association, Justitia, and the Collection Merchant."
She opened the door of the Moon Lady Religion that she had kept locked.
Whether this would become a path of learning, or a path to the end, none could say.
-x-X-x-
Justitia.
Korea's number one guild, famous as a group that values justice. It was led by 'Seo Seohui,' one of the 'Symbols of Eternity.' They had stood against sinister incidents and dreadful calamities both at home and abroad.
"Guildmaster, may I ask one question?"
"Sure, ask whatever you like."
"Do you believe it is right for our guild to participate in this incident?"
"Since when did Justitia start weighing the severity of incidents?"
Click.
"And this matter…."
As she equipped her gear, the guildmaster, Seo Seohui, said,
"I think it's an incident large enough that even a major guild like ours is worth joining."
"…If we judge by the scale of the incident, that's true, but Guildmaster, you know as well as I do."
"What, that the culprit in this incident is behaving far more gently than anyone imagined?"
"Yes. The head of the Moon Lady Religion says the mastermind behind this incident is an evil god, but there isn't even proper evidence."
"You're not trying to dismiss the Moon Lady Religion's bishop, the one they call the Tower of Wisdom, are you?"
"That's not it."
"We'll be able to confirm the proper evidence in this meeting."
Seo Seohui grinned and looked at his colleague.
"You're always so timid."
"You're too fearless, Guildmaster, so the rest of us have to be cautious."
"I've never recruited timid friends as guild members."
"Even if you say that, we can't help but worry about your safety."
"You still seem dissatisfied that I'm participating personally this time, right?"
"If I offended you, I apologize."
The vice-guildmaster, his close aide, bowed his head.
"Still, it feels like, in this matter, you're showing a side that's unusually… unlike you, Guildmaster."
"What side would that be?"
"You seem a little excited."
"Ah, is that so."
Seo Seohui nodded.
"That could be."
"…Ever since you heard that Hunter Seo Gio would be attending this meeting, you've been like this."
"Guess I made it pretty obvious. What do the others think?"
"It wasn't that obvious. Only me and the secretary's office folks can tell a little."
"That's right. I've wanted to have a conversation with Hunter Seo Gio for a long time."
Fully equipped, the guildmaster turned to face his colleague and said,
"You were looking forward to meeting him too, weren't you?"
"I won't say it's completely untrue."
Justitia pursued justice and order. A guild where those who knew the value of goodness gathered. Their favor toward Hunter Seo Gio—said to practice self-sacrifice with his whole body even if he wasn't a saint in name—was already high.
"He seems like someone who resembles you somehow, Guildmaster."
"Me? In what way?"
"…I heard he has tremendous drive. Not that he doesn't consider his own safety, but he always puts it second. He's like you, Guildmaster."
"I think so too."
As always, he smiled.
"I hope we can become good friends."
"...."
The vice-guildmaster lowered his head.
The name of Justitia's guildmaster Seo Seohui's primary skill was 'Friend.' It was an ability that was influenced by beings he regarded as friends, a passive skill he could not turn on or off.
'…I hope it influences you in good ways.'
The vice-guildmaster's worries came first.
'Could it end up influencing you in strange ways instead?'
Simply put, his skill was the ability to assimilate with 'friends.' It could be a good influence, or it could be a bad influence. He worried that Seo Gio might add even more self-sacrificial tendencies to the guildmaster.
Seeing the vice-guildmaster like that, Seo Seohui laughed.
"Don't worry ahead of time when we don't even know if we can become friends or not."
"When the Guildmaster sets his mind on becoming friends, is there anyone who could refuse?"
"Of course there is. Anywhere, there is."
He couldn't become friends with everyone in the world.
"I might not want it, and the other person might not want it, right? It's true I'm sociable, but it's not like I have a skill that can brainwash people or charm them."
"You do have charisma that's almost the same, though…."
"That's too much praise. Still, my skill is indeed quite suited to getting close to people."
Seo Seohui glanced at the clock.
"Shouldn't we get moving?"
"Yes, I'll escort you."
"Sorry for holding up a busy friend."
"It would be absurd for me not to go along when you're stepping in personally, Guildmaster."
"I told you, you don't have to worry so much."
He grinned.
"Like always, we'll be the ones who win."
That childish line, that justice would win.
That was Justitia's motto.
* * *
The meeting place was none other than the Association's party room.
When Justitia moved to the Association headquarters, Association staff greeted them. They bowed deeply toward the Symbol of Eternity in respect, then guided them to the meeting place as naturally as water flowing.
"My."
There, the Association President, Dan Haera, was waiting for her friend.
"I heard you might come, but I didn't think you really would."
"When even my friend who's so busy she might die of overwork soon shows her face, I figured I couldn't just rest comfortably in my office."
"You've got quite the gift of gab. Every time I see you, your speaking skills have improved."
Dan Haera asked with her usual doll-like smile.
"So what's the real reason?"
"This situation is different from the last mermaid incident."
Back then, it had been a disaster not just nationwide but worldwide, so Justitia's manpower was needed. There was a clear enemy, so the response was clear as well. It was something that would have been resolved even if he, Justitia's guildmaster, hadn't stepped in personally.
But this time was different.
"It's too abstract."
The scale was large, and the enemy was ambiguous.
"From what I hear, side effects are already showing up more often than not."
"People addicted to dreams are increasing, and they're even trying to seek out the dungeon itself."
"Right. They say the dream itself isn't the dungeon, but that there's a real dungeon beyond it."
"Seems that hit their conquest instinct, so they've become even more proactive."
"At this rate, society as a whole will collapse."
It was a society he and his friends had worked hard to build. And a world that, though lacking, was still trying to become better. There were many right things and many wrong things, but the blood spilled was even greater than that.
"We can't let that happen."
"I agree."
The immediate damage was small, but the potential risk was far too high.
After that, miscellaneous everyday conversation went back and forth. Association President Dan Haera still wore a mechanical smile, but her friend Seo Seohui could tell that Dan Haera was in quite a good mood.
'She must've been exhausted.'
Seo Seohui knew what Dan Haera had given up for the world as it was now.
"…Looks like they're gathering."
"We said we'd meet at 3 p.m."
"He'll come too, right?"
"You mean Hunter Seo Gio?"
"Yeah."
Seo Seohui examined his friend.
"...."
"...."
They both knew they were feeling the same thing.
'…Maybe it'll be clearer if we see him in person. Even if I can't tell as a mere contractor, Haera, as the owner of the promise, will definitely notice.'
The skill name of Association President Dan Haera was 'Promise.' A kind of transaction through which one could receive a promise of fate. Through an object or concept, she could receive a promise of something of equal value.
Among those, the best cost-performance offering was memories and emotions. Dan Haera and her friends had offered those up to shape the Korea of today. That was why they were deeply interested in the existence called 'Hunter Seo Gio.'
'When I saw his photos and videos taken by reporters, the feeling was… strange.'
He might be someone connected to their 'promise.'
'But I can't tell exactly which promise he's bound to.'
From what he'd heard, Hunter Seo Gio was twenty-nine. Considering that they themselves were already well into their fifties, there was a high chance he was bound by an abstract promise.
'Which means we might owe something to Hunter Seo Gio.'
That was why Seo Seohui had been yearning to meet Hunter Seo Gio. He had already built personal goodwill toward him, and thinking he might be a comrade influenced by 'Promise' made this excitement inevitable.
'Well, he could also be the protagonist of a negative connection. But that's something we can confirm in time.'
Soon after, the head of the Moon Lady Religion and its priests entered the conference room.
"We've been seeing each other often lately, haven't we?"
"It would be better if these things happened less often. It's unfortunate."
"Please, take a seat. The materials you sent ahead of time, as well as the materials gathered by the Association, are already prepared."
"Thank you for your consideration."
And then, the Collection Merchant arrived.
"Every familiar face is gathered here!"
The first to enter was Bisavol.
"It's been a while, everyone. Have you been well?"
"Yes, it's been a while, Guildmaster Bisavol."
This time as well, the Association President guided him to his seat with a mechanical smile.
"We would appreciate it if you would go to the seat marked with the Collection Merchant's name."
"You're still so cold… We're meeting after so long, and you won't smile a bit more?"
"I am always smiling for everyone."
"That's exactly what's cold about you, but it's nice to see even that. Thank you for the invitation; I'll take my seat."
Was something putting him in a good mood? Bisavol, whose attitude was more bare than usual, grinned as he looked at the fifth-floor head, Curator Garasani, who came in right after him.
"Where is our Hunter Seo Gio?"
"It seems he is running a little late because he is having a brief conversation with one of the Moon Lady Religion's priests."
"Then he'll be here soon."
There were about five minutes left until the promised time of three o'clock. Since it wasn't a broken promise, the Collection Merchant had nothing to be faulted for. More than anything, the Origin itself—'Hunter Seo Gio'—would never fail to keep an appointment….
As if proving that, ten seconds before three o'clock on the dot, two more people entered the conference room.
"I'm sorry, I'm a little late."
"It's fine, please take your seat."
"Then…."
As one priest hesitantly took his seat, Hunter Seo Gio, who had entered with him, also sat down on the Collection Merchant's side. Dan Haera and Seo Seohui stared at him.
Warm divinity of the sun god lineage, and the chaste aura characteristic of a priest, overflowed from him. His behavior was elegant and upright, and the smile on his lips was, in some ways, similar to Dan Haera's.
"...."
"...."
…Beyond that, they didn't feel anything particularly special.
'…Will we know if we talk?'
Thinking that, Seo Seohui turned to the Association President.
'Ah.'
And in an instant, he realized her intent.
What she had seen. From the way she looked as if to say, 'Let's talk later,' it seemed she had noticed something, so Seo Seohui opened his mouth to let things proceed naturally.
"Doesn't it seem everyone is here?"
"I think so as well."
Dan Haera nodded.
"Let's begin the meeting."
They had gathered to discuss 대응 measures for the new S-rank dungeon, 'Amusement Park of Dreams.'
* * *
The meeting did not take very long.
"The Moon Lady Religion's saintess has been taken by the evil god of dreams."
From the start, there was already a clear victim.
"What clearer damage could we possibly need beyond this?"
"I agree with the Moon Lady Religion bishop."
The Association President also sided with the Moon Lady Religion.
"The Moon Lady Religion handled our Association's request extremely thoroughly. Thanks to that, we were able to confirm records inside the dungeon about the owner of this dungeon, that evil god."
If you peeled off the surface that could be called a lucid dream and went deeper, you could reach the 'Amusement Park of Dreams.' The Moon Lady Religion and the Association's staff obtained information about the 'evil god' there.
"They called it the evil god of blood and rage. In addition, we confirmed it as a divinity that can also be described with words like pleasure, fear, and war. Inside the dungeon as well, it seems to be treated as a very ancient evil god… and it appears that it has awakened again."
"Why did it have to be Earth?"
"We can infer that the current state of Earth was the most appropriate time for the 'Amusement Park of Dreams' to run rampant. There must have been countless candidate worlds, but perhaps we were the one that got selected. As for more detailed reasons, we will need investigation."
"We should assume that, while it was sealed, its divinity also underwent evolution. Compared to the past, when it ruled the world through simple blood and fear, it's using far more intelligent methods. It is poking at humanity's greatest desire."
"Compared to direct harm like what happened to the Moon Lady Religion's saintess, it may not seem like much, but clear victims are already appearing. There have been more than a few cases where people nearly died due to addiction to sleeping pills."
"What's interesting is that no one has actually died. If the evil god did not directly lay a hand, how did such results occur? The divinity playing this prank knows very well how to manipulate humans."
"That's right. Since no one has suffered massive tangible damage, citizens are gradually losing their restraint as well. I've begun to think the evil god's goal may not be simple social collapse, but the expansion of its forces. It may intend to colonize Earth as a whole."
"At this rate, we may do nothing but be toyed with until Earth is swallowed by the evil god. Of all things, it's divinity. To think an existence with no response beyond sealing—even sealing itself being difficult—would set its sights on Earth…."
Justitia's guildmaster said,
"Up until now, there have been countless cases like this."
"Guildmaster Seo Seohui is right. It's simply that another ordeal we must overcome has arrived."
"Then it seems the conclusion of this meeting is already decided."
Subjugation was necessary.
"We have to shut down the 'Amusement Park of Dreams.' We must block the mysterious passage so it can no longer interfere with Earth, and establish measures so citizens can focus on reality."
"We trust that the Association and the government will handle measures for citizens who are addicted to dreams or showing signs of it. And if so, then it seems the attitude we must adopt has been decided as well."
A virtual dungeon with no entrance. What humans had to face was not an unkillable divinity, but their desire and thirst itself. Their enemy was striking a truly cunning weakness.
"We'll end this first meeting here. Until the next meeting is arranged, we would appreciate it if each leader would deliver a clear plan for how you will enter the 'Amusement Park of Dreams' and respond. By the next meeting, the Association will discuss with the government and present policies to rescue citizens."
They had set the direction, so now it was time to put it into practice.
* * *
After the meeting ended.
"Hunter Seo Gio?"
Justitia's guildmaster, Seo Seohui, called to Seo Gio.
"Since we've met like this, could we have a brief conversation?"
"Guildmaster Seo Seohui is very sociable."
"Ah, I hear that a lot."
"Do you?"
Gio smiled.
"That's unexpected."
You couldn't even smile before.
Thinking that, Gio accepted the conversation.
-x-X-x-
There had been a group of students who truly adored the teacher named Sergio.
'Two boys, two girls.'
Their personalities were all different.
One was curt, one was delinquent, one was cheerful, and one was calm. They were polar opposites in many ways, but they got along remarkably well.
'If you asked me which students left the deepest impression, they'd come to mind first without question.'
A man asked Gio, who sat on a break room chair:
"Would you like some coffee?"
One of the boys Sergio remembered from back then was Seo Seo-hee.
"I actually enjoy instant coffee —it's sweet."
"That's a relief. You didn't seem like someone who'd kind of thing, so I was a bit nervous."
Said like a joke, and Gio tilted his head and asked:
"Then what kind of drink do I seem like I would enjoy?"
"Hm, maybe something like hand-dripped coffee by a professional barista, or elegant herbal tea?"
"I like those as well."
"So you're not picky, then."
"All food has its own virtues. You're right, Seo Seo-hee."
And Gio thought to himself:
'Still a child's palate, even now.'
Apparently, he still couldn't appreciate the bitter truth of roasted beans.
In the past, this boy with the face of a model student had said, "There's so much delicious food in the world—why drink bitter coffee?"
Whether offering instant coffee now was out of lingering personal taste or simply because they were in the Association's break room—he wasn't sure...
But regardless, it was nice to recall old memories.
'So much of the world has changed, but some things always remain the same.'
It was... a surprisingly pleasant feeling.
"What made you want to talk with me?"
"Personally, I have a favorable view of Hunter Sergio."
"I can guess what you mean by that."
"Am I that easy to read?"
"Well, I suppose the things I've been doing lately align rather well with Justitia's values. Though I didn't expect them to catch your eye, Mr. Seo Seo-hee."
"That's a bit embarrassing when you say it so directly... but yes, you're right."
Seo Seo-hee, now fully grown, sat across from Sergio. In the past, it had been the opposite—Sergio sitting across from him as a teacher. Now their roles were reversed.
Looking around 28 or 29, Seo Seo-hee continued.
"By the way, you don't seem particularly intimidated by me."
"Would you like me to be? I can arrange that if you wish."
"Of course not. It's just... most Hunters don't speak comfortably with me. What with that 'Symbol of Eternity' title and all."
"That must be tiresome."
"...You might be the first person to say that to me."
"Why? I heard even the Association President is your friend."
"Oh—I meant aside from my old peers, no one really talks like that."
"I had a feeling you wouldn't be fond of such a grandiose title, so I mentioned it."
"Honestly, yes. It's not a title I'm very fond of."
"Yet you still hold on to it. Which means it must be worth keeping."
Seo Seo-hee exaggerated a shrug.
"You're more direct than I expected. I thought you'd be the observant, distant type."
"I didn't think a few blunt words would hurt your feelings, so I said what I thought."
"Of course. I like honest people."
"Less thinking involved, right?"
"You know me quite well."
He rested his chin on his hand, then asked:
"This might be a bit bold, but... were we acquainted in the past?"
Gio pondered his question, then smiled.
"That's a very unique kind of boldness."
"You're a hard person to read, Hunter Sergio. So I figured I'd ask outright."
"I've been told I'm unusual, but I imagine you've heard that about yourself too."
"I have, but I don't think I'm quite on your level."
"A common sentiment."
"So will you answer my question?"
"Don't you already know the answer?"
Seo Seo-hee smiled faintly after a moment of silence.
Or rather, he'd been tired, and for a moment, he'd let his mask slip. With a sheepish smile, he said:
"I think... we were close."
"You didn't seem like someone well-known in Korea. Maybe we met abroad? Or perhaps when I visited the Collector's Guild, if you were always stationed there..."
"...Really, I'm sorry. Given your age, it must've been back when the world was more chaotic. When the Association President was making 'Promises' left and right. I know you probably already figured this out, but... those Promises were... incredibly broad."
He looked completely worn out.
"Is it all right to show this side of yourself to me, the Guild Master of Justitia?"
"...Are you teasing me? Well, I guess there's no point pretending in front of someone tangled in a Promise. You don't seem like the type to exploit that."
"You seem very used to strangers pretending to know you. You look more exhausted than surprised. So this happens a lot, doesn't it?"
"Less often lately, but yes. Though even that... I can't be sure. Some people caught in a Promise have their entire existence erased."
"You're saying... you forget even what you forgot?"
"Exactly. Once again, I'm truly sorry."
Seo Seo-hee asked cautiously.
"...Is the reason you only recently became known in Korea... related to the Promise? If that's the case, my friends and I will do everything we can to make it right. That includes any misunderstandings we've caused the Collector's Guild."
He seemed to blame himself more than he used to.
"I really was hidden away. By choice."
"...Then I suppose I was lucky to stumble upon such a good connection. To think I once had a close bond with someone the Collector's Guild treasures so dearly."
"It was a good bond. At least... that's how I remember it."
"I'm ashamed that we erased something like that."
"You can speak more comfortably."
"...More comfortably? More than I already am...?"
For the first time, he looked genuinely surprised.
"...Were we that close?"
"We were on a first-name basis."
To be precise, Sergio had spoken to them informally.
"Would you believe me if I said I knew about your family matters?"
"...You knew that? Wait—hold on. You said 'you all.' How many people are we talking about...?"
"Unless my memory's been tampered with too, there were four of you, including Seo Seo-hee. You were always together."
Seo Seo-hee looked stunned.
"...We forgot a bond that precious?"
"I was surprised too."
He'd thought they'd shared too many irreplaceable memories to simply forget. That he'd been forgotten entirely by these students...
"But I'm sure those memories were used for something more valuable."
Which is why it was heartbreaking.
"You've suffered a lot."
"I only recently learned that you were placed in this situation because I don't like going out and avoid meeting strangers. It must've been hard."
"I thought... you all must've suffered a lot, out there in the unknown."
After a long pause, Seo Seo-hee gave an awkward smile.
"...I wonder how much we gave up. How much of our memories were traded to the Promise..."
He sounded a bit breathless.
"...I want to talk more. About what kind of bond we had. About who you are, Hunter Sergio. About why you've only shown yourself now. I have so many questions."
"There's no need to rush."
"You've all lived just fine without me so far, haven't you?"
"Hearing you say that just makes me more curious. You speak as if you were important to us."
"No, perhaps I simply remember all of you as dear and intimate. A one-sided memory. Lost memories are not easily recovered, and I don't think that's a bad thing."
"That makes me feel better. Still, aren't you... even a little hurt that we forgot you?"
"I'm a little hurt. I'm human, and we were close."
"Even so, I wasn't someone you needed."
"Are you drawing a line? That's making me feel hurt now."
"Then please take it as a small complaint. I don't know if you realized, but I never agreed to having your memories of me erased..."
Seo Seo-hee's face stiffened faintly.
"You didn't remember something just now. So why ask?"
"We wouldn't have offered up memories of a living friend without their consent. If you'd died and become a memory, maybe... but otherwise, it would've been too cruel. We promised not to do that."
"Oh dear. I misspoke, didn't I."
Seo Seo-hee rubbed his face, then gave his usual smile.
"...Would you mind if we moved somewhere more private? I didn't realize you were... such an important guest. I wanted to verify how deep our ties to the Promise were, but this isn't the place for it."
"I'm sorry, but my companion is waiting. Guild Master Bisa Beul is... particularly concerned for my well-being, and I'd rather not worry him. More than that, wouldn't it be better if we both had time to gather our thoughts before talking again?"
Gio blinked at Seo Seo-hee.
"Are you sure only your memories were offered?"
"I think I might have some thinking to do as well."
"I'll see you again."
"In that case... may I arrange a time when you're free?"
"Not until this dungeon matter is settled."
"Then I have one more reason to help clear the dungeon quickly."
Giovanni personally didn't dungeon. If someone like Seo Seo-hee was willing to help, it was a blessing.
"You too, Hunter Sergio."
Gio exited the break room and was met by Joo-Hyun, who had been waiting.
"Did your conversation go well?"
"Yes. It was quite meaningful."
"You seem in good spirits."
"It was a welcome reunion after a long time."
Then, turning to the bright red snake coiled around Joo-Hyun's neck, he asked:
"Have I sprung a leak?"
The snake tilted its head.
"So it's a matter for me to contemplate, after all."
"A leak? That would be difficult—for a human, anyway."
"But if fate is being unraveled... anything might come to light, no?"
Gio looked at Joo-Hyun.
"Let's head back to the Collector's Guild."
They needed to prepare a countermeasure for the dungeon.
Left alone, Seo Seo-hee eventually spoke.
"...Did you hear all that?"
Association President Dan Haera appeared beside him as a translucent hologram.
[There are a lot of possible explanations.]
"He didn't seem like the kind of person who'd use that knowledge maliciously."
[If Haeun heard this, she'd scold us for being too complacent.]
"But you felt it too, didn't you? That's why you're reacting ."
[He's a Collector's Guild member...]
Dan Haera spoke slowly.
[But I thought... he might truly be someone who died.]
She still remembered the painting that had been snatched away by a collector at the auction.
Yes—an unforgettable moment. Her breath caught, her facial muscles trembled. She had been visibly shaken then.
[I saw him first at that auction.]
"...You mean that portrait? The Black Cloak?"
[Not sure. It might've been the Black Cloak itself, or just one of its fragments.]
"The Black Cloak's scale is far too vast for a human to carry. Probably the latter."
[If Sergio really died and was then turned into a portrait, it makes sense. It's already known that he can operate souls through the Black Cloak's paradise.]
"Which also explains why his emergence and the Black Cloak's appearance coincided. The magnitude and credibility are different. I agree—they should be treated as separate entities."
[He might be half-synchronized. If Sergio is a true servant of the Black Cloak, that is.]
"He didn't feel inhuman. If anything, his mimicry is impeccable..."
[Or maybe he really is just human.]
[When I saw the portrait, I felt destiny. Faintly, but unmistakably. I instinctively knew he was someone I had erased. That's why I wanted to buy the painting...]
"But it was taken by Guild Master Bisa Beul."
[That's when I started wondering if he really had died. It's rare, but in today's world, resurrection isn't entirely impossible.]
"Are you certain the portrait was of Hunter Sergio?"
She could recognize that much.
[It was someone I erased.]
And yet somehow, she had forgotten the face in the portrait. No—the fact that she'd forgotten it.
She knew she'd been shaken by a portrait, but couldn't recall the face. That meant it had been wiped.
[Hmph... come to think of it, I do think it looked like him.]
"If you're saying that, then the memory of his face wasn't erased by us. No one at the auction remembered it either."
[Right. Everyone remembered the painting as covered in black paint. No one knew if he had black hair, blond hair, or red hair.]
"I heard the Collector's Guild also did something to it."
[Then I probably wasn't the one who traded the memory of his face. Or maybe... maybe he realized what we'd erased, and chose to erase everything about himself.]
"He really is... an extraordinary person."
"If he really died and came back, it makes sense why the collector is so protective of him. If the child he doted on became a portrait... and factoring in his tastes..."
"But now I'm curious. How did we ever meet Hunter Sergio? It must've been before he died—back when the four of us were together. That only happened during big catastrophes. Could it have been when Eunhye was still a civilian?"
[Maybe one of us met him first, and the connection spread. In that case, you or Haeun are more likely. I barely traveled, and neither did Eunhye.]
"He awakened as a beast tamer, but he had a priest-like air... so probably Haeun's side, then?"
But Sergio didn't seem to hold any lingering resentment toward the past.
[You're disappointed, aren't you?]
"...We chose to forget him. How could I be?"
[Still... he didn't seem pleased.]
"Maybe because... the conversation was fun."
He seemed like a good person.
"If someone like that had been pretending not to know us all this time... I guess it's natural to feel a little sad."
Even if it was selfish.
-x-X-x-
"You're saying the Symbols of Eternity were your students?"
In response to Yoo Seong-Woon's question, Gio inside the portrait nodded.
"Yes, that's correct."
"So you weren't normal even back then, just as I thought."
"My students didn't become the Symbols of Eternity until after the Great Calamity."
"I'm not sure if I should say this, but..."
"Birds of a feather flock together, huh."
"Even if you hadn't become a portrait, I bet you still would've made a name for yourself."
As always, the corridor conference continued, and Yoo Seong-Woon gave his usual laid-back smile.
"Let me guess. Back then, you were the only one who thought you were normal, right? The Great Calamity was just a trigger. You were already an extraordinary being—that's probably why you ended up becoming a portrait."
"Could you refrain from insulting the portrait?"
"I'm not sure which part you felt was an insult, but... okay, sure."
He didn't want to see the Eye of Origin get angry.
Even if it wasn't real rage but only a mimicry of it, from a human's perspective, that would still be overwhelming.
"Still, that's a truly surprising story. You must mean when the Symbols of Eternity were high schoolers, right? Since you said you were their art teacher back then. That kind of eternity..."
"They were ordinary students."
Seo Seo-Hee, the blunt and uptight model student.
Jeong Hae-Woon, who teased him by calling him a noble scholar.
Cha Eun-Hye, the aspiring idol who would mess around alongside him.
And Dan Haera, another model student who always seemed detached, drifting among them.
Even now, they still seemed ordinary in his memory.
"Students you could see anywhere, really."
"I don't know whether to trust what you're saying..."
"Seeing them again, their personalities seem to have changed quite a bit."
"Well, they've been through a lot, haven't they?"
Seo Seo-Hee, who used to be so serious that others teased him for it, had now learned how to smile with a touch of social grace.
Dan Haera, always calm, had grown into a paragon of perfection.
"I suppose the others are no different."
"You haven't said anything about Guildmaster Jeong Hae-Woon. You know, the head of Korea's second-ranked guild."
"I haven't met him directly, so I don't know how he's changed."
"...What kind of student was he?"
"He was a delinquent."
"It was... challenging."
He drank, smoked—the works.
Over time, the things people worried about or scolded him for did improve.
And with the other three friends being so upright, even if he was a troublemaker, there wasn't much that could be done.
"To me, they were special connections, but to them, I might not have been. I respect that part.
No matter how special something is, can it really compare to classmates who shared the same time?
I was just a teacher... So even if they forget me, I don't consider it a big deal."
Besides, in practice, he was considered someone who had died.
"Now that they're all adults, if I suddenly show up claiming to be their teacher from back then, wouldn't that just be kind of pathetic?"
"I never received compulsory education, so it's hard to give any insight."
Yoo Seong-Woon turned to Joo-Hyun, who was older than him.
"What about you, Joo-Hyun? I think you experienced compulsory education, didn't you?"
"Hmm, my memories of that time are pretty fuzzy too..."
It was hard for her to comment on what Gio described as the impression of a high school teacher.
"But yes, teachers do feel a bit distant.
How should I put it...?
Once you leave the school, they just sort of fade away...?
And being adults made it hard to feel close to them in the first place."
"So they're the kind of presence you can take or leave, huh."
Better not to act like you know them.
"Bringing up old ties just ends up making things awkward for everyone."
"And that's enough for you? You said they were precious to you."
"I still live just fine on my own, but they don't.
They already looked tired—I don't want to burden them with more exhausting homework."
"Exhausting homework..."
Leaving the hesitant Joo-Hyun behind, Yoo Seong-Woon asked,
"And if they ask what kind of connection you had?"
"You mean whether I'd lie or tell the truth?"
"If it were me, I'd want to know more."
"I don't think they would."
Seo Seo-Hee had said something like, 'I'd like to talk more in detail,' but that was more out of politeness for someone entangled in the promise.
The students he hadn't seen in so long had become timid.
"They're burdened with responsibilities, things they have to see, things they have to hold onto.
People like that don't welcome variables or changes to decisions they've already made.
I imagine they've already seen what kinds of bad things can happen when you do."
Who would be happy to be reminded of a time with their high school teacher?
If possible, they'd rather not dig up those buried memories.
More likely, they'd prefer to build new relationships on top of the forgotten ones.
Yoo Seong-Woon gave a mild smile.
"Still, if they do ask..."
"I'll let them think whatever they want."
"Whatever they want? You're okay with however they interpret it?"
"They'll probably think I was a good connection—someone who died one day and ended up as the main character in a memory sacrificed as payment for a promise."
"You always talk in such roundabout ways."
"I think that was a pretty concise summary, actually."
Whether it was before or after the Great Calamity, whether older or younger—it didn't matter.
They'd shared good memories, and then he'd died, becoming not a person but a concept...
That was who Sergio was.
"Even if they don't know how it happened, they'll probably believe I died and came back to life as a portrait.
That Bisa Beul, the guild master, bought me, and that led to where we are now."
"If only Guildmaster Beul hadn't jumped into the auction, things might not be this complicated."
"I'm grateful I ended up at the Gallery rather than the research lab.
Though people might never stop thinking I'm the guild master's son.
Saying he saw his son resurrected as a portrait and bought it—it's not hard to believe."
"That's something Guildmaster Beul will have to deal with himself."
Yoo Seong-Woon didn't care about minor stuff like that.
Besides, worrying about Bisa Beul would only be a loss for himself.
No reason to bring trouble on purpose.
"So what does that make this? The guild master had a hidden son he raised in secret, but then some incident happened, and the kid died.
Then the son came back to life as a portrait, and in a burst of emotion, the guild master bought him and locked him in the Gallery..."
"I imagine that's quite plausible."
To Gio's agreement, Joo-Hyun cut in without realizing.
"Doesn't that make it even more grotesque?"
Yoo Seong-Woon shook his head.
"He was always a freak, so it's fine."
"Well, as one of his employees, I guess I should try defending him a little. That makes me feel a bit better."
"What kind of defense are you thinking of?"
"It's common for famous hunters to hide the existence of their lovers or children to protect them."
"Right. If people with bad intentions find out, it could get dangerous.
I've heard stories like that pretty often."
"Not to mention our guild master is physically fragile."
He wouldn't go down easily, but that applied only to himself.
One of the reasons he never had a family was exactly that.
He knew he wasn't strong enough to protect them while treating them 'like humans.'
"So he raised his son in secret out of worry, but then something happened—a disaster—and the kid died.
But then, the son came back to life, even if only as a portrait.
Wouldn't anyone lose their mind over that, even without being a freak?"
"You're saying being reborn as a portrait still counts as coming back to life?"
"Uh, well, I guess it depends on the person?
But I think our guild master definitely sees it that way."
And honestly, it sounded a lot more convincing to others too.
"Yeah, compared to the idea of 'Wow, my son's beauty is insane!' and locking him up in the Gallery...
It makes more sense that he saw his resurrected son and his collector's instincts kicked in."
"I still think it's kind of creepy..."
"You might, Joo-Hyun, but awakened hunters probably get it."
Most hunters would understand.
They've faced bizarre phenomena and monsters as naturally as breathing.
They'd feel excitement and comprehension before fear or distance.
Especially if it's something about a family member coming back.
Well, not that this was truly about family.
"...I wonder if the Symbols of Eternity would see it that way."
"Like you said, Seong-Woon, it's a more convincing story."
"You can't be sure, though."
"I believe that's how it'll go."
His students had already become leaders of the post-Calamity world.
They would think more about what came after, not before.
The memories big enough to sacrifice for a 'promise' would mostly be from after.
So it'd be hard to imagine that this 'Sergio' they forgot was from before the Great Calamity.
Not to mention, his official age was 29.
And he really did look it.
With the added rumor of being Bisa Beul's son, it would be even harder to uncover the truth.
That was enough for Sergio.
"I'm glad I won't have to burden them with more complicated thoughts."
"Don't know if that's cold or kind."
Yoo Seong-Woon rubbed his neck.
"If it were me, I'd be a bit hurt."
They had been a close teacher and students, but now they'd forgotten each other and acted like strangers.
Even if they forgot, a connection is still a connection, isn't it?
"Well, it's your choice, but still..."
There was something chilling about how cleanly he cut ties.
Guess he really wasn't a normal person from the start.
That's probably why he could become the Eye of Origin.
Maybe he was the Origin from the beginning, or maybe, as Gio insisted, he was an ordinary human who became a portrait.
But this kind of clean severance—few could do it.
"...If you're fine with it, then I don't mind either."
Even if I've been forgotten, I can't be the one to hold back the students I once failed to guide forward."
"Still, it's surprising to think the Symbols of Eternity once had ordinary student days. Don't you think so too, Joo-Hyun?"
As always, Joo-Hyun gave a gentle smile to Yoo Seong-Woon's question.
"Of course. He used to be my superior—so far above me it was dizzying..."
"What kind of person was the chairman you knew?"
He always smiled kindly, but it never felt that way.
A lot of people said he was scary, like a machine."
"Yeah, must be hard to treat the Symbols of Eternity casually..."
Gio looked unfairly wronged.
"Yes, teacher. If you say so."
Maybe to those kids he once taught long ago, he wasn't.
But to the modern people of today, he was something else.
He was a living legend, a monument.
It would be stranger not to feel fear or awe.
Gio looked melancholy.
"They probably can't even relax and have fun... That's a shame."
"Not sure if they're even interested in that kind of thing..."
"You never know until you try."
"Please say that again."
"Slip of the tongue."
He didn't want to get scolded by the Origin.
"Then maybe you should try making them feel more relaxed."
"Wouldn't that just tangle things up again?"
"But from the way you're talking, it sounds like the Guildmaster of Justitia is already pretty interested in you..."
"Everything will continue once the Dream Amusement Park is resolved."
Yoo Seong-Woon asked,
"What happened to the Saintess?
The religious world was in an uproar saying you kidnapped her."
"Now that you mention it... What about that so-called hero? That guy Ather."
"They'll make good friends."
"...What are you trying to do?"
"Heroes and Saintesses have always been good partners. It's a classic cliché."
"You like clichés...?"
"Isn't that obvious from this whole project?"
Demon King and dungeon.
A Saintess with a strong heart.
A hero who meets her.
A religious world enraged by the kidnapping.
A bishop who became corrupt.
People succumbing to depravity.
The values of dreams and reality.
Pleasure and responsibility.
"I referenced a lot of subculture from before the Great Calamity."
"You even researched it?"
"I didn't know much about it myself."
Sergio didn't need to mention it.
Giovanni only remembered his saintly days.
Argio was good at reversing schemes, but not creating evil ones.
"Even so, it seems to be going pretty well."
So he had no reason not to become one.
And around that time—
The Saintess Aram and the hero Ather met.
At a glance, they recognized each other's true identity.
Just as Gio said, they had always been timeless, well-matched partners.