chapter 113

The Painter Who Draws Dungeons - Episode 113

Yoo Seong-woon came out of the frame.

“To think I’d return to this land alive.”

“Did you enjoy yourself?”

“Man, I can’t even tell you how much I enjoyed it.”

When I ended up facing the mermaid princess, I couldn’t even bring myself to speak.

“Please tell the princess I’m sorry for making her uncomfortable...”

“It isn’t Yoo Seong-woon’s fault.

That is simply Aria’s usual sulking.

You don’t need to mind it.”

“I don’t think I did anything wrong either, but I don’t want to pile up bad feelings with mermaids.

There’s no need to earn the grudge of a humanoid monster, right?”

“Thank you for understanding such a petty bit of childishness.

You truly are an adult.

I wish my disciples would learn from that side of you.”

“A monster learning from humans—that’s scary in its own way, though?”

With a small laugh, Yoo Seong-woon checked the gallery clock.

“So it’s... 4:41 a.m.?”

Then he checked his phone too.

“...”

“Did I take up too much of your time?”

“No, not really.”

Only about twenty minutes had passed.

“So time inside the frame and time on Earth flow differently.”

“Time inside a painting can pass quickly or slowly depending on my mood.”

“Oh—when is it fast and when is it slow?”

“When I’m enjoying myself, it goes quickly, and when I’m resting, it goes slowly.”

“Hm.”

Then maybe it could be interpreted that he’d been in a good mood this time.

It was an honor, as a gardener and as a curator.

“And when you’re in a bad mood?”

“I don’t know, since I’ve never been.”

“That’s a great positive look—you should keep living like that.”

Though, given that he’s the source, he doesn’t even know whether he can feel displeasure in the first place.

‘...Gio definitely has a self closer to a personality, so no matter how much he’s the source, maybe someday the day he gets angry will come.

When dealing with the source, it’s better not to let your guard down.’

Yoo Seong-woon lifted the small white box with dessert inside.

“Can I take this as it is?”

“If you’d eaten it before leaving, there wouldn’t have been a problem, but...”

“Tomorrow, fish-shaped pastries?”

“Sounds good.”

“It’s a shame I couldn’t tour the forest after all.”

Inside, there was no time to think, but the moment he came outside, a heavy regret remained.

It was a gardener’s greed.

“I wanted to visit that spring you mentioned too.”

Yoo Seong-woon recalled that the water Gio had poured him was defined as [Spring Water of the Source].

“From what I hear, it sounds like a pretty great place.”

“If you come to visit next time, I will welcome you.”

“Then I’ll stop by when I have time.”

That time, he would come after making far more preparations.

‘It was too reckless of me to go in without any preparation at all.’

To go to the source, of all things.

‘Strictly speaking, it felt less like the source itself and more like something in a form humans can perceive easily... so, like a part of the source, or food cooked in a way that’s easy to eat...’

To begin with, humans cannot perceive the being called the source.

A size not even the word “vast” is sufficient for—humans cannot contain and analyze it.

In that sense, Gio felt like a part of the source.

‘Is that why it felt similar to a garden?’

If that were the case—

“...”

“Is there a problem?”

“...It’s not that.”

Could Gio be in charge of “eyes”?

“I thought it was a bit of a shame that his eyes were covered in paint.”

Even among all the things about Gio that were overflowing with things to talk about, if he had to pick the most distinctive part, it was those “eyes.”

Those eyes that seemed to hold everything in the world that exists and does not exist.

“I asked for it, though.”

“Do you wish to return to your original state?”

“No, convenience-wise, it’s still better to have it covered.”

“I see.”

“It was just a curator’s sulking.”

It was also a gardener’s sulking.

‘If Gio truly can be called the source’s eyes, then the reason he is taking a human form is...’

In an instant, his emotions became complicated and his breath caught in his throat.

“...”

He had never intended to, but now Yoo Seong-woon could not avoid or hate Gio.

All that remained for Yoo Seong-woon was only reverence and distance whose depths could not be measured, and the relief that came from them.

“Yeah...”

Because as a gardener, he knew what a fair being close to nature the source was.

“Thanks for treating me kindly.”

“It is my joy.”

“I guess... you really were always gentlemanly.”

This could be a disaster, but it would not become a calamity.

“So we’re the ones who have no choice but to be more careful.”

“Who are you talking about?”

“No, just... I remembered some things I’ll have to do in the future.”

“People who work really are busy.”

“If you don’t work, you don’t eat.”

Letting out a hollow laugh like a sigh, Yoo Seong-woon asked,

“Can I ask just one thing?”

“Do as you wish.”

“That...”

There were many questions he wanted to ask, but Yoo Seong-woon held them back.

‘It’s too early to ask about the source.’

Gio thinks he’s an ordinary human, or else, even if he knows, he’s disguising himself to be close to the truth, so the day he could ask about this was still far away.

Instead, he brought up the most efficient topic he could, here and now.

“That Hunter Park Eun-gyeom.”

Ever since he heard he’d come back outside, he’d been curious.

“What kind of price did he pay, exactly?”

“A price?”

“From our side, we can’t tell what changed.”

Yoo Seong-woon had received a request from the Association to investigate the Black Cloak’s method of attack and its result.

He had reported everything that happened in the ‘City of Emptiness,’ and based on that report, the Association analyzed Hunter Park Eun-gyeom after he escaped from the frame.

But aside from seeming quite frightened, there was no difference from before.

“Could it be that fear itself was the price?

Like taking away his peace?”

“I left Park Eun-gyeom’s disposition to my children.”

“To your children... I see.”

Now even the word “children” sounded meaningful.

‘It reminds me of the source’s children.’

No, maybe it wasn’t even wrong.

‘...A hunter’s skill can’t fully deal with it, it can appear anywhere across dimensions... it resembles a monster, but isn’t a monster... a living story...’

It was all the same description as Gio’s children painted in ink.

Of course, there were slight differences too.

Honey the jeweled waterbird, whom Gio carries around and calls his son, and the “black suits” that are native to the ‘City of Emptiness’ as well.

They had the ability to think.

“...Well...”

I keep having too much to think about, so the topic keeps drifting.

“Sorry, I got distracted for a moment.”

“You seem very tired—are you all right?”

“I’m always fine.”

Yoo Seong-woon returned to the original topic.

“Then can I ask your children what kind of price it was?”

“If you wish, do so.”

“...Do you know that price too?”

“Of course.”

“Can I ask you?”

“There is no problem.”

Gio answered from beyond the black paint.

“Park Eun-gyeom had ‘evil’ taken from him as the price.”

“...”

“That is what my children wanted.”

“...That’s incredible.”

How on earth did they take “evil” away from a human?

“Humans are creatures that can be evil at any time.”

“Because paying the price is Park Eun-gyeom’s share, I also cannot know the result.”

“For now, I understand.”

It was an abstract price to the point it sounded strange, but how many existences of the source had there been that took away abstract things like that?

Memories, love, happiness, friendship, sadness, recollection...

‘This isn’t much different either.’

The exact answer wasn’t something he could get by grilling Gio.

‘And it shouldn’t be.’

Do not expect from a god.

Gio can’t quite be called a complete god, but “god” is also a word that refers to beings of such high rank that humans can hardly perceive them.

Humans are beings that analyze nature and fate, not beings that can demand something from them.

‘It also isn’t proper etiquette to treat them that way.’

If he had been given this much of a hint, then finding the answer beyond that would be Yoo Seong-woon’s share, and other humans’ share.

That was the manner for everyone in this era where humans, gods, and nature were mixed together and living.

“Then tomorrow, I’ll bring fish-shaped pastries as the price for this dessert.”

“Please give my regards to Cha Eun-hyeok.”

“Don’t worry, I talk with him from time to time.”

Before leaving the gallery, Yoo Seong-woon turned back to Gio again.

“...You’re not fighting with the mermaid princess because of me, are you?”

“As I said earlier, that was merely childish sulking.”

The black portrait was firm.

“She cannot be angry at me.”

It was an answer like a prophet speaking of fate.

* * *

“Teacher.”

When he returned to the cabin, Aria called Gio.

“Did you see him off well?”

“I confirmed he left safely.”

“You’re quite kind.”

“You were angry.”

But Gio knew.

“The target isn’t me.”

Aria couldn’t be angry at Giovanni.

“Because we were separated for far too long.”

“...Even if we hadn’t been, there wouldn’t have been any reason for me to be angry at you.”

“If you’re full of anger, life won’t be enjoyable.”

“Is there any reason my life must be enjoyable?”

The mermaid laughed softly.

A smile clearly different from those childhood days, when she couldn’t hide her sensitive, sharp temperament.

“I hate humans.”

“I understand.”

“I know how much you wrap humans up and shelter them.”

“It isn’t sheltering them.

It’s simply giving them the treatment they deserve.”

“It’s excessive treatment, for things that live such short lives...”

Gio sat beside Aria, who was leaning into the sofa as if lying down.

“Aria.”

“Yes, Teacher.”

“Were you afraid?”

“...”

“So you became angry.”

“...Teacher...”

At the hand stroking her cheek, Aria muttered.

“...Sometimes you’re too much.”

Yes, there was no denying it.

“You’re right. I was very afraid.”

“Why was that?”

“I don’t think that human could harm us.”

The individual called Yoo Seong-woon wasn’t the kind of creature that could do that.

“Maybe because he’s deeply connected to the source, he thinks a lot and is cautious.

Sometimes he throws a gamble, but most of the time he looks for a path where everyone can coexist.

He’s strong for a human, but if we fight, I’ll win.”

“Yoo Seong-woon didn’t look that weak to me.”

“That’s why I said he’s strong for a human.

I’ll win if we fight, but I’ll take heavy damage too.

There will be power held by the existence called a gardener... it’ll be hard to interfere.”

But she wasn’t afraid of Yoo Seong-woon.

“I, Teacher.”

Aria rested her head on Gio’s hand.

“I was afraid of the fact that a human is here.”

“...”

“...Because that vile tribe might set fire to this place at any moment.”

Humans were fickle.

“I’m afraid that day will repeat.”

To a mermaid, who lives an entire lifetime with a single memory and emotion, and whose self rarely changes, it was hard to understand the lightness they had.

Humans could be compassionate like traditional gods who value peace, and then act like miserable beggars who wish for ruin to come upon the world.

So right now, the belief or personality of a single individual didn’t matter.

“...”

“Humans can’t be trusted.”

Separate from the mermaid’s hatred, that was a fact that would not change for a mermaid.

“We live for too long, so it can’t be helped.

Compared to us, who do not change by nature, humans live short lives, and in the meantime they change dozens, hundreds of times...”

“That is called growth.”

“Yes, growth.

Humans growing is an inborn habit as much as our not changing.

I know that.

I know it too.

And so I curse it.”

Mermaids and humans were this hard to understand and reconcile.

“How can you know what kind of ‘growth’ that human called Yoo Seong-woon will have, and still let him in here?”

Humans are easily tainted.

“Good and evil differ by dimension.

Even in this narrow dimension, even by an invisible national border alone.

It can also change depending on the environment humans live in.

So, Teacher, our peace could become a calamity to them.”

A human who faces a calamity will resist.

“...Mermaids are the same.”

Who has lived without ever rebelling against fate?

“Even if your breathing becomes a calamity to them, the human called Yoo Seong-woon will take his own species’ side.

Because he is human, and because he is not evil, he will have his own conviction and do so.”

“...”

“They keep changing.”

Humans do not promise.

“...”

“...”

Aria hugged her teacher.

“...I know you haven’t forgiven us.

So I know you will never accept us.

You, merciful as you are, will not become my god.”

“I see.”

“I also know you are always prepared to accept fate.

And I know that no matter how we try to stop you, you won’t listen, we who couldn’t receive your forgiveness.”

Do you know that too?

Gio did not rebel against fate.

He was a person who could enjoy everything, and affirm everything.

Because he was an existence with such a vast vessel, Aria could now hug him like this.

“Thanks to that great tolerance, you took us in as disciples, Teacher, but on the other hand, there are times I become uneasy.

It’s the unease that this peaceful, comfortable cabin might disappear at any moment.”

For the first time in thousands of years, the mermaid felt fear.

“When I’m too afraid, I get angry.”

“That is proof that we are all the same human.”

“You’re always trying to teach something.”

“You all truly worry a lot.”

“You’re right.”

She had thought there was nothing more foolish than fearing a future that hasn’t come.

“We... worry too much...”

Humans say that because you cannot avoid it, it is fate.

In the end, the point that she was no different made Aria miserable.

Because it felt like I, too, am human.

“...”

“...”

That was why she feared repeating the same thing, and calling forth the same tragedy.

Regardless of my rebellion, once again...

Fantasy, Modern,