chapter 102

The Painter Who Draws Dungeons - Episode 102

So Yoo Seong-woon just.

“I greatly regret to have to say this, but...”

“Is it overtime.”

“...”

“It’s overtime.”

He thought, so it’s finally come.

Visabel, who had quietly examined Yoo Seong-woon’s face—Yoo Seong-woon having gone beyond resignation and reached the realm of enlightenment—soon gave a thumbs-up.

He even added a refreshing wink that didn’t feel like something an old man of that age would do.

“How much will it take?”

“What a filthy capitalist society.”

In this era, something like legally defined working hours was useless.

Even that which was legislated was all based on civilians, so if you were an openly acknowledged hunter rather than an ordinary awakened person, you were worked hard enough that it wouldn’t be strange to die of overwork.

“Hoo...”

And Yoo Seong-woon was a working adult who knew well that he was a cog in this society.

“Yes, fine.”

He nodded.

“I’ll look forward to this month’s paycheck.”

“My god, you’re so cool, Hunter Yoo Seong-woon!

So reliable!”

“Please don’t make this any harder on me and get to the point.”

“Shall I?”

Wearing his trademark languid smile, Visabel continued.

“Gio caused an incident.”

“...”

Slurp...

Yoo Seong-woon, sipping sweet fruit tea, asked.

“Is it at a cute level, or a horrifying level.”

“It was very cute.”

“If it were horrifying by the guildmaster’s standards, there’s no way I wouldn’t already know.”

“Then before I start wondering why you even asked in the first place, Mr. Yoo Seong-woon?

What do you take me for?

A seer who foretells the end times?”

“I’m just amazed that you can enjoy life like that.”

“Enjoying is what remains.

You may admire me.”

“Ah, yes...”

Rubbing his stiff neck, Yoo Seong-woon asked again.

“What exactly happened?”

“I heard a first-grade citizen got dragged into Gio’s frame.”

“If it’s a first-grade citizen, there’ll be a few grade supremacists who’ll make a fuss...”

“What can you do—since it wasn’t something a person did, but a monster, they’ll just pay a bit more attention and move on.”

“That’s true.”

It is true that, in the world of humans, first-grade citizens receive considerable preferential treatment.

But precisely because of that, when a first-grade citizen is harmed by a monster, there were hardly any people who sincerely sympathized. Most first-grade citizens, after all, obtained that power and honor as the price for fighting monsters and protecting other citizens.

“Well, Gio isn’t a monster, though.”

“Still, wouldn’t it be better if that’s how it’s known?”

“What the guildmaster says is right.”

There was no need to let those who couldn’t even understand it know about an existence of the source.

‘It would only add needless confusion.’

If the source were to become publicly known, that would have to be at least a hundred years later.

Right now, with only 31 years having passed since the Great Catastrophe, there were too many shortcomings in citizens’ awareness.

Anyway, the important thing wasn’t this.

“Who is the person Gio dragged away?”

At Yoo Seong-woon’s question, Visabel rubbed his chin and answered.

“They say it’s Hunter Park Eun-gyeom, a B-rank.”

“...I’ve never heard of him...”

“Try memorizing hunters’ names—he was a hunter who was in the rankings, you know.”

“Overall rankings?”

“Domestic.”

“How would I know that.”

Even if Yoo Seong-woon was an A-rank hunter, his job was a collector’s curator and a manager of a secret garden.

Unless it was a widely known target with something he especially needed to pay attention to, all of his interest was directed toward the source.

“What would I even use domestic hunter rankings for.”

In other words, unless it was something you needed to know as basic literacy about the source—or as basic literacy for an A-rank hunter—there was no need to know it.

“You could use it to act like you know things?”

“I roughly remember the important A-ranks.”

“Please pay attention down to the next grade too—no matter how unofficial a hunter you are, you’ll get cursed at otherwise.”

“I’m doing fine with social life too.

I don’t openly show I don’t know right in front of them, do I?”

“Then I guess I should call that fortunate...”

Maybe because hunters were treated like a kind of celebrity in this world.

Unless you had a fairly strong character, people wanted the hunters who appeared in media to always look humble and perfect.

An image of knowing and respecting every hunter’s name fell under that kind of “perfection.”

Of course, Yoo Seong-woon was Visabel’s collectible, and a gardener who needed to have a lot of private time to work, so he didn’t appear in media often of his own will.

If he was handling things well on his own, there was no need for Visabel to fuss over it.

“Well, it’s true he wasn’t a hunter with that much recognition.”

“You mean that hunter Park Eun-gyeom?”

“He seemed full of desire to climb upward, but who knows.

People these days don’t really like arrogant, dogmatic hunters.”

For hunters these days, image management was important.

To reach the point where you didn’t need such an image, you had to become S-rank, but even though hunters were being produced without too much difficulty in the current generation, it was hard to find hunters of that level.

And the hunter kidnapped by Gio this time, of course, wasn’t that capable.

“He’s a typical B-rank.

He was born with a pretty decent aptitude skill and got a plausible rank, but he didn’t have any outward charm, and he wasn’t sociable either.”

“...You memorized all of that.

He wouldn’t have been a hunter you paid special attention to.”

“I remember all of Korea’s hunters.

Even if I look like a loafer, aren’t I the leader of the country’s third-ranked guild?

If you’re going to compete with your head instead of your body, this much is basic.”

“Hmm.”

Yoo Seong-woon nodded.

“What exactly was the situation?”

“A notice just came down from the Hunters Association today...”

Visabel explained what had happened so far.

How the Hunters Association reacted to this incident caused by Gio, and how passively it requested help.

And what exactly the incident Gio caused was.

“...So, they say that hunter named Park Eun-gyeom still hasn’t been found.”

“If he was dragged into Gio’s frame, that’s understandable.

Even I don’t know what kind of state the inside is in.”

Propping his chin, Yoo Seong-woon let out a groan.

“If we’re to call anything fortunate, is it that it isn’t a disturbance big enough to make a huge noise.”

Partly because Gio caused the incident so quietly without a sound.

“More than anything, the Hunters Association’s attitude is impressive.”

“I thought so too.”

Visabel agreed.

“It’s a decision that shows they don’t intend to expand the commotion and don’t intend to offend our portrait, and yet still shows how important they consider this ‘Black Cloak’ incident.”

Without naming it directly, they vaguely “requested” an “investigation.”

If the Association president—who knows Gio is Visabel’s collectible—had wanted, he could have come out much more strongly, but he didn’t.

Then is it simply passive?

No, it wasn’t.

“To request help from all three major guilds, of all things.”

There were three guilds representing Korea, and Visabel’s “Collector” was third among them.

“If so...”

“Together with the Association president, that means all of the ‘Symbols of Eternity’ will be gathered.”

“That’s exactly it.”

Symbols of Eternity.

A term referring collectively to the first- and second-ranked Korean guildmasters and the Korean Hunters Association president, centered around Association President Dan Hae-ra—literally a word that modified the three people recorded as great figures who symbolize eternity.

If Visabel bore responsibility for Korea’s capital, the second-ranked guildmaster bore public sentiment, the first-ranked guildmaster bore safety, and the Hunters Association president handled overall administration and management.

Present-day Korea showed a globally high level of stability with them as its core.

“Well, of course, I’m not a ‘Symbol of Eternity,’ though?”

Some people mistakenly thought so at times, but Visabel’s aging was slowing because his skill realm was high; he had not made a promise of eternity like they had.

Even if they offered, he wouldn’t have done it.

“Still, I’m taking on a big role in this capitalist society, you know.

And since it seems they contacted all three of Korea’s major guildmasters, including me, that alone tells you how important the Association president considers ‘Gio’s Portrait.’”

At those words, Yoo Seong-woon opened his mouth with a slightly disgruntled expression.

“...I’ve been curious about this for a while.”

“Why are you asking now.”

“I didn’t want to get dragged in, but it looks like I’ve already been dragged in, so I’m asking now.”

“Wise indeed—just as expected of Curator Yoo Seong-woon, whom I personally brought in.”

“You brought me in personally and yet you say—anyway.”

Yoo Seong-woon continued.

“Why did the Association president covet ‘Gio’s Portrait’ in the first place?”

As far as Yoo Seong-woon knew, Association President Dan Hae-ra—one of the few S-ranks in the country—did not have a main skill that involved something like “emotion.”

He wouldn’t have been able to sense the essence of that unfamiliar portrait as well as Visabel, so why had he put in enough effort to compete with Visabel, the one responsible for Korea’s capital?

“I know the Association president visits the auction house often.

And he buys a lot, too.

But to show as much passion and sincerity as he did for this portrait... that was almost never, wasn’t it?”

“It was never.”

“So that’s what I mean.”

“But even I don’t know much about that part.”

All Visabel could know, however, was this one thing.

“...”

That, rarely, emotion had appeared in those eyes.

‘...I can’t be certain.’

Association President Dan Hae-ra—who could be called Korea’s current center—was someone who had given up many things to maintain that balance.

‘For someone like that to reveal even faint emotion over an auction item.’

To be honest, Visabel himself doubted his judgment.

“Well, who knows.”

“You don’t know?”

“I can’t know everything.”

“You live like you do.”

“And that also helps my image business.”

“Ah, my head hurts.”

“Life can be like that.”

Anyway, why the Association president coveted ‘Gio’s Portrait’ wasn’t all that important.

At least, it wasn’t to Visabel.

“Even if I don’t know for sure, it’s possible there was something only the Association president could see.”

“...”

“We’ve drifted off-topic.”

What was most important right now wasn’t it ‘Gio’s Portrait’?

“As you expected, the Hunters Association recognizes the importance of the ‘Black Cloak,’ and is approaching with even more caution.

Until they become sure it’s an enemy, they’ll likely maintain a stance as compatible as possible.”

“...At least, it means there’ll be fewer cases where Gio gets angry due to aggressive approaches.

Recently, I was worried about foolish things increasing in the future because the ‘Black Cloak’ image had become overly friendly, but it’s a relief that the Association has recognized it.”

“On top of that, all three of Korea’s major guildmasters received that notice.

Since it’s the Association president’s request, the other two symbols will also establish a clear stance toward the ‘Black Cloak,’ and will make efforts to inform others of it.”

“Since there’s even a symbol specialized in that field, I won’t worry about that part anymore.

Then what remains now is how cooperative an attitude our Collector will show.”

Yoo Seong-woon, who had once been the Association’s research team leader as well, wasn’t completely indifferent to how the country was running.

Even if you twisted your words thirty times, he had the knack to understand—so if you gave him this much of a hint, Yoo Seong-woon had no choice but to work.

“...”

And anyway.

“...Gio is my assignment.”

There was no one else who could take this on, either.

“For now, I’ll take a look around in a roundabout way.”

“You won’t ask Gio right away?”

“...It’s true Gio is friendly to humans for an existence of the source, but this situation is different, isn’t it.”

“Well, it’s the first incident where he showed hostility instead of goodwill.

The notice says he didn’t reveal himself—so he may be displeased.”

“If we try to rescue the human Gio judged as an ‘evildoer,’ he may show even greater hostility.

So rather than asking directly, I’m going to try to find the frame that the victim was dragged into.”

Kneading his stiff neck once more, Yoo Seong-woon asked.

“Is there any clue about that frame?

A photo, or a painting... it would be good to know its characteristics.”

“It says it was first discovered in a dungeon called ‘Gem Vein,’ and also...”

Visabel showed him the Association notice.

“They say it’s a work that painted a gray city.”

“...”

The notice said that the witness testified they could feel emptiness just by looking at it.

Gazing at it quietly, Yoo Seong-woon mouthed his lips.

“...Even now, within the ‘Kingdom of the Deep Sea,’ a frame called ‘The Breathing Sea’ is often witnessed.

It was confirmed by a hunter with an emotion skill, so it’s certain.”

“That, too, would be something Gio created, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.

Still, a painter who draws dungeons at will...”

It made him feel a bit sick.

“It’s frightening.”

And he was curious.

A very Yoo Seong-woon-like thought.

Fantasy, Modern,