chapter 111

The Painter Who Draws Dungeons - Episode 111

Yoo Seong-woon was terrified that a gods’ banquet might come out—kraken legs stir-fried in phoenix blood and garnished with hatchling heads—but contrary to his worry, the meal Gio set out was simple.

‘...No, it’s normal.’

And it was abundant.

A huge grilled fish placed in the middle of the table, and steamed meat in a brown sauce with steam curling up.

A stir-fry of vegetables that seemed to have tomatoes, onions, and bok choy in it.

A heaping mound of rice piled high over the bowl, and bone-broth soup with scallions and seafood.

‘The combination looks kind of subtle, like a table of whatever you can make with what you have...’

But for some reason, it was a table made up of creatures that had never been discovered on Earth.

“...”

Yoo Seong-woon didn’t use an emotion skill.

It wasn’t what you could call a wise decision, but he felt like if he read the exact contents and effects, he wouldn’t be able to eat in his right mind.

“...Looks delicious.”

“It will be.”

“Yeah, I think so.”

He resigned himself.

‘He won’t lock me up in this cabin, right?’

It wasn’t that he had no worries.

Hadn’t the hunter named Park Eun-gyeom had to pay a price, after staying in the ‘City of Emptiness’ for a few days and becoming a complete painting as he went?

If you got down to it, this place was also a painting.

In Greek myth, Persephone became connected to the underworld where Hades was because of just a few pomegranate seeds.

In a world where gods truly existed, Yoo Seong-woon couldn’t help but feel even more uneasy.

‘Still, Hunter Cha Ara ate here and she didn’t end up unable to go home.’

He had already heard the news that Gio personally invited her and even fed her.

It didn’t look like a table that was greatly different from now, so it didn’t seem like it would cause a big problem just because Yoo Seong-woon ate too.

“...You really are good at cooking.”

“Then it will taste good.”

“Yeah, it probably will.”

What Yoo Seong-woon worried about, though, was whether he could leave this painting in the same state he entered it.

Seeing as his eyesight, which hadn’t been bad to begin with, had grown even clearer, it felt like it was already too late.

Soon, he might end up being able to observe living cells with the naked eye.

“And you’ve got a big hand, too.”

“Is the fish a bit big.”

“Does only the fish look big to you?”

Of course, he was also surprised by the fish sitting there so boldly in the middle of the table.

First, it wasn’t an aquatic creature Yoo Seong-woon knew, and second, it was almost as big as a well-fattened winter-season yellowtail.

“Of course the fish is kind of big.”

Yoo Seong-woon looked at the steamed meat.

“That one’s no joke either.”

“It’s dongpo pork.”

“Are the dongpo pork you’re thinking of and the dongpo pork I’m thinking of different?”

“I made it thinking of the dongpo pork you can often encounter in Korea.”

“What kind of Korea did you even go to.”

Even at a Chinese restaurant, they don’t serve it like that.

“Not even kidding, it’s the size of a wedding cake.”

“Three-tier dongpo pork...”

“Seriously the first time I’ve ever heard that word in my life.”

He also wondered how he’d made dongpo pork in such a short time.

“Honestly, I don’t know cooking well, but doesn’t dongpo pork take a long time to make?”

Simply put, dongpo pork was a Chinese dish made by braising pork for a long time.

Usually, you cut it into cubes and boil it down in a soy-sauce-based sauce, and it’s characterized by a texture soft enough to chew with your gums.

“I once asked a Chinese restaurant for it and they said I’d have to wait a day.”

“If they don’t make it in advance, it must have been fresh and warm dongpo pork.”

“If you want, let’s go together next time.

No, anyway, so what is this...”

“It was thanks to Honey and Father helping that the time was shortened.”

“Ah-ha, I see.

I understood perfectly.

So you’re saying I can eat this?”

It looks like it’s not something a human can eat, though?

‘Three-tier dongpo pork made by the child of the source and the sun god joining forces?’

Whatever it is, it feels like if I eat it I’ll have to stop being human.

“...When Hunter Cha Ara stopped by, then.”

“Yes, that happened.”

“Back then too, like this... did the elder help?

With preparing the meal?”

“Back then, I handled it alone.”

“Why me?”

“Yes?”

“No, that came out wrong.”

Why are you doing this to me.

‘This won’t let me feel at ease.’

Just a bit ago, he’d been soothing himself, going ‘Eh, Hunter Cha Ara was fine, so I’ll be fine too.’

But hearing that the meal preparation process was different from then meant he couldn’t help but worry.

‘This is why those called gods have no consideration for humans.’

Yoo Seong-woon swallowed a sigh with effort.

“...I’ll eat well.”

“I hope you enjoy it.”

“I don’t know why I can see greed in your eyes.”

So you can show greed too, huh.

“Today I’m learning a lot.”

If he recalled Gio’s habits, it was probably closer to him imitating human emotions extremely similarly to communicate according to the situation, but anyway.

“What on earth is it that you’re greedy for?”

“I know it may sound rude, but I still wish you’d gain a little weight...”

“I don’t know about rude, but am I really going to walk out having become a pig?”

“...”

“Gio?”

Anyway, right as the meal was about to begin.

“HYAAAAAAAH―.”

“Oh dear.”

An incident occurred where the anti-cat Dana hissed at the human Yoo Seong-woon.

“I apologize, Mr. Yoo Seong-woon.

Our child is very shy around strangers, so she was rude.

I will discipline her.”

“No, it’s only natural for a monster to dislike humans.

Seeing an anti-cat’s hiss, when it’s usually too busy running away whenever it sees people, is a rare experience too...”

Yoo Seong-woon actually liked it.

Through that jeweled cat’s hiss, Yoo Seong-woon could prove that he was still human.

Anyway, now the meal truly began.

“...Oh.”

It was delicious.

“This is the feast of heaven.”

“You flatter me.”

“It was a fairly objective remark.”

He was a little worried about aftereffects after eating, but even so, the food Gio set out really was delicious.

Without exaggeration, he could feel his tongue being happy even from just eating the rice.

“The rice color is unusual.”

“I cooked it with vegetable stock.”

“Ah, you can cook rice like that too?”

“It’s also tasty if you cook it with bone broth or seafood broth.”

“That’s fascinating.”

He’d thought rice was only cooked with water.

It was a strange thing to say when dealing with the source, but Gio really was versatile.

“...”

Even this oddly familiar 모습 would all be closer to camouflage meant to mingle with humans.

‘...Well, there’s nothing that relaxes a living creature’s wariness as easily as a meal.

Especially since he cooks it himself, it raises intimacy.’

Yoo Seong-woon wondered if that was why Gio enjoyed cooking and sharing gifts.

After all, Gio’s outward appearance was particularly frightening and noisy.

‘It definitely worked.

These days, quite a lot of the citizens who go looking for the Black Cloak are wandering around to taste the snacks this guy hands out.’

In that sense, this cooking skill could be called bait to lure humans.

Yoo Seong-woon nodded inwardly.

“It’s really fluffy—there isn’t a single grain that’s turned mushy.”

“I cooked it carefully.

It makes me happy that you praise it.”

“I can’t even imagine how you cook rice like this.”

The texture, similar to the pleasantly firm rice a famed sushi master cooks and yet sticky enough up to the limit line without being unpleasant, was honestly enjoyable even by itself.

“And the umami is good too.”

It didn’t seem like he’d seasoned it, but the faint bitter taste unique to vegetables, the umami that seemed to have flowed out from it, and a deeply steeped fragrance like drinking hot fish cake broth on a winter day were fantastic.

“What did you use to make the stock?”

“This and that went in.”

“...”

It hadn’t been long since he’d started enjoying the taste of food, and already Yoo Seong-woon felt ominous.

He realized anew that it was impossible to enjoy a meal with peace of mind inside the belly of the source.

“...Is it just in my head?

Why do I feel like my body is getting healthier right now?”

“It was worth adding medicinal herbs.”

“Medicinal herbs?

What medicinal herbs?”

No, wait.

Medicinal herbs from the source?

“You used that to cook rice?”

“Isn’t it delicious?”

“Do people usually use medicinal herbs to make something delicious?”

“There’s no reason not to.”

“That’s... true.”

Yoo Seong-woon accepted it.

“There really is no reason not to...”

For Gio, the source, that is.

‘It feels like eating bread baked with a 500-year-old elixir.’

It was certainly true there was no reason it couldn’t be done, but separately from that, it didn’t stop feeling extravagant.

If Earth’s apothecaries learned this, they’d cry tears of blood.

“...Should I think of it as eating medicine deliciously.”

“It seems a medicine that’s good for the body doesn’t necessarily have to be bitter.”

“Yeah, if you think of it that way, it feels okay.”

If you think of it as not making delicious rice with medicine, but making delicious medicine with rice.

‘...Even so, it feels like something is sitting heavy inside me.

I’m only realizing now that even eating can leave the realm of humans...’

He seemed to see himself as an ordinary human, but from Yoo Seong-woon’s standpoint, who was directly experiencing this table, it was nothing but burdensome.

And yet it was so damn delicious he didn’t want to put his spoon down.

“Ha...”

He knew this was bait that could enchant humans and all sorts of living creatures, but he still thought Gio could stand to cook a little less well.

Humanity was in danger.

“This would make great rice balls.”

“It really is delicious.

If you ever have to go on a business trip later, I’ll pack some for you.”

“No, um... sure.

Thanks.”

Since it’s delicious, I won’t refuse.

‘It doesn’t feel like my body is dramatically changing just because I ate.’

Compared to the tea he drank earlier that improved his eyesight, this rice that made his body feel a bit refreshed was normal.

It was at the level of having the fatigue he’d built up from days of overtime fly away.

‘To be fair, that’s still incredible, but I’ve been through so much that I’m keeping my composure.’

Honestly, just the rice was terrifying enough, but since the source that prepared the table was openly watching him, he couldn’t just stay as he was.

Yoo Seong-woon slowly turned his eyes to the fish.

“...”

“Would you like me to debone it for you?”

“No, it’s fine.”

He was just surprised again at its imposing figure.

“What kind of fish is this...?”

“It’s a fish that lives in the ‘Kingdom of the Deep Sea.’”

“I see, sure, that can happen.”

There were plenty of guilds that used a dungeon like a fish farm or a farm.

Thinking of that, it was understandable that Gio brought food ingredients from the ‘Kingdom of the Deep Sea.’

“It’s a species I’ve never seen...”

“On Earth, it would be a fish that’s like mixing salmon and flounder.”

“What kind of fish is that supposed to be.”

“It’s a fish with the texture of flounder and a strong salmon flavor.”

“The universe really is wide.”

Yoo Seong-woon tore off a piece of the fish, grilled crisp.

“...It’s definitely an oily orange color.”

But it didn’t look as oily as salmon.

“Oh, it’s moist.”

“I changed the wood for the oven—how is the aroma?”

“So it was grilled in an oven.

It’s really good.”

He’d wondered how on earth he grilled such a large fish, but it seemed he used an oven.

As Gio said, the bitter smoked scent rose and covered the fishiness unique to seafood.

He didn’t know what he’d done to the fish, but the texture was very soft too.

The skin—something you could tell had been oven-grilled—was crisp like a thin cracker, but the flesh inside crumbled softly like pulling off a thick piece of well-cooked beltfish.

“It’s a little tangy?

There’s a spicy aroma too.

So it wasn’t just grilled plainly?”

“I grilled it after marinating it in green tangerine, lemongrass, and chili juice.”

“Are you a chef.”

He didn’t know how many humans he planned to lure with this cooking skill.

No—because the topic was the table, it seemed easy, but it was no joke; it really was dangerous.

‘Humans who don’t even know the source exists mustn’t come to feel close to this guy.’

No matter what Yoo Seong-woon was thinking, Gio continued explaining the cooking.

“I thought lemon would be fine too, but with this oily fish I thought there needed to be a bitter taste...”

“...”

As he spoke, a hint of excitement settled into the youth’s calm face.

He looked quite pleased.

Yoo Seong-woon understood well that Gio himself had ambition about cooking.

He knew it was pure goodwill too, but such enormous goodwill from the source could become poison to humans.

‘Even for me, right away, it’s goodwill that’s hard to bear...’

What on earth was he supposed to do about this.

“...I have a lot to say about your professionalism, but anyway, what’s that sauce bowl next to the fish?”

“It’s a fish sauce made with a base of lemon, soy sauce, and chili.”

“Even this is so serious.”

Even while he was worrying about how to prepare for Gio’s goodwill, it suited so well that he couldn’t help but laugh a little.

The source’s camouflage wouldn’t be for the purpose of harming humans.

At the same time, it would be contradictory to even call it ‘camouflage,’ and it didn’t seem he could slander Gio, who liked cooking and enjoyed giving gifts, as a lie.

“Man...”

Yoo Seong-woon forced back a sigh, then said with that characteristically unbothered smile.

“It was already tasty just eating it, so I thought I could just eat it like this.”

“Is there a problem?”

“It’s to the point it feels like a loss that I didn’t dip it in sauce.”

“Thank you for the praise full of passion.”

“Why don’t you open a restaurant on Earth?

Feels like you’d get really popular.”

“I don’t think I’m well-suited by nature to running a business.”

“That’s true too.”

The selves of Gio revealed up to now were mostly painter, priest, doctor, teacher.

He seemed either like a very free spirit, or like he preferred being under some ordered system, so he couldn’t force him to do business.

‘A restaurant run by the source would be pretty intoxicating.

Every gardener on Earth would gather.

Even the disaster that would break out like that would be interesting.’

Yoo Seong-woon was slowly losing his reason.

‘...Yeah, whoever made the food, if it’s delicious then it’s fine.’

It really was delicious.

“This vegetable stir-fry is...”

“I stir-fried it once with tomatoes, bok choy, onions, garlic, and so on.”

“So everything I ate until now wasn’t real vegetables.”

After tasting the crisp onion, Yoo Seong-woon nodded.

“It’s sweet.”

“It is sweet.”

“It’s got a bit of a bite too.”

“Is it just right?”

“Yeah, it’s just right.”

Onions that still had that pungent bite unique to onions, and yet had been stir-fried over high heat and were full of sweet juices.

This one had so much moisture and was so crisp it almost felt like fruit.

“At this point, even just stir-frying onions would be delicious.”

“How are the tomatoes?”

“...Why is this so sweet?”

If you exported these tomatoes, the tomato-vegetable faction and the tomato-fruit faction could be unified into one.

This tomato Gio stir-fried was definitely fruit.

At this point, it felt like eating a warm fruit salad.

“This is also the first time I’ve had stir-fried vegetables that aren’t greasy.”

“Is there any reason stir-fried vegetables would be greasy?”

“Because you put in a lot of oil.”

“Then it gets greasy.”

“Yeah, I think this kind of feeling is good.”

This vegetable stir-fry with minimal oil wasn’t mushy—it was crisp, and rather than oil, it had a strong charred-wok flavor.

This crunchy vegetable stir-fry, with a bitter scent of fire like it had been seared crisp with a torch, boasted a freshness completely different from the usual limp, overcooked stir-fried vegetables.

The seasoning wasn’t strong either.

It was a stir-fried side dish of the ingredients’ natural flavor, with a little scent of high-quality soy sauce added, and a light touch of salt and pepper.

“It’s really almost salad-level.”

Yoo Seong-woon picked up the long-awaited dongpo pork.

“...”

“Coo.”

The teddy bear was looking at Yoo Seong-woon with expectation.

‘...What part of this is expecting, exactly.

What reaction am I supposed to have, and what do I do to survive and leave in an average human form?’

It looked like an old man who’d discovered his talent for cooking late in life, waiting for the reaction to his first meal served.

Even while cracking up at his own analogy, Yoo Seong-woon diligently tore off some dongpo pork and set it on his bowl of rice.

It was so soft he had to use a spoon instead of chopsticks.

‘This is really closer to pudding.’

And when he took a spoonful with rice—

“...”

For a moment, Yoo Seong-woon wondered if he should spit it out.

‘...It feels like this might not be food I can handle?

What do I do?’

If you hear it wrong, it might sound like some ridiculous flattery, but no.

He was genuinely feeling a sense of crisis.

Yoo Seong-woon realized for the first time that food could become a problem even if it was too delicious.

Fortunately, the great disaster of Yoo Seong-woon spitting out food did not occur.

Doing that would be impolite to those who made it, and besides, it was too delicious for that.

“...They say humans are beasts that can’t help being swayed by instinct...”

“Why are you saying something like that in the middle of a meal?”

“It just feels like I’m not much different.”

So this is why all those humans in so many legends and myths made those foolish choices.

‘Because they couldn’t let go of human greed.’

Even a gardener who knew the danger of mysterious stories couldn’t help but nod anew.

“Mm...”

Anyway, even after finishing the meal, Yoo Seong-woon did not become immortal.

“You really are good at cooking.”

“You’ve been saying the same thing for a while now.”

“Too good.”

“Thank you?”

“You can be just moderately good.”

“You’re very good at praising, Mr. Yoo Seong-woon.”

“...”

No, I meant you should be less good.

‘I don’t know if you’re doing this knowingly or not, but your cooking threatens human identity.’

Having gotten one delicious meal, Yoo Seong-woon couldn’t bring himself to say that much.

Fantasy, Modern,