chapter 137

The Painter Who Draws Dungeons - Episode 137

The institute that manages the wicked god Sankalut, Seoul Branch 21.

“Sankalut-nim?”

“ ”

“G-god?

Why are you in such a wilted color...”

“ ”

“Sankalut-nim...!”

I was going to wish and ask him to take me home.

Sankalut, who had been excited at the thought of going back to his hometown, became downcast.

* * *

“Is it really enough with just this?”

Juhyeon asked with an awkward face as he handed over Sankalut’s mark.

“I’ve eaten and drunk quite a lot here.”

“It was something I treated you to out of personal desire, so repayment is sufficiently done with this.”

The Black Cloak, with black hair, smiled gently.

“It is a splendid jewel.”

“...It isn’t a real jewel, though.”

“You said it is the mark of the wicked god called Sankalut, did you not?”

“Yes, it is a medium that allows exchange with him.”

“There are geometric patterns inside; did you engrave it yourself?”

“That’s right. It’s my first time making one, so it’s very clumsy.”

“Clumsy?”

The Black Cloak exclaimed as if impressed.

“You can tell how tremendous Juhyeon 씨’s talent is.”

“It’s embarrassing when you say that.”

“It felt strange.

‘Never thought I’d be praised for making a wicked god’s mark.’

More than anything, it seemed the Black Cloak wasn’t admiring it because it was ‘a wicked god’s mark,’ but simply admiring it like, ‘To make such a splendid jewel.’

It felt really strange.

‘Is his rank so high that the mark looks more like a single ornament than a medium?’

It looked like a wealthy tycoon overflowing with money admiring a 500-won coin as beautiful.

He was being praised, but he wasn’t all that happy.

Because Juhyeon wasn’t the kind of person so thoughtless that he would be happy about being praised by some unknown enormous mystery for making a wicked god’s mark.

“Isn’t it unpleasant that it’s a wicked god’s mark?”

“The only time I would call him would be when I ask for a meal, so there is nothing to find unpleasant.”

“Ah, is that so.

Even to a wicked god, a meal... a meal... hmm.”

Juhyeon fell silent for a moment.

“...”

And soon, cold sweat ran down.

Does he really want to turn everything in the dimension into a pig?

“Is there... a reason you keep trying to feed things to others...?”

“There is no grand reason.”

At some point the smile vanished from the Black Cloak’s face, leaving only a calm, blank expression.

Even so, in a still gentle voice, the Black Cloak continued.

“It simply makes me happy when other people eat the food I made.”

“I see, you’re overflowing with consideration.”

“More than anything, these days people are too thin...”

“...”

“They don’t look healthy.”

“Ha...”

Grandma?

‘Why is he saying something so grandma-like?’

That tendency for elders of the generation that went through the Great Catastrophe to be especially earnest about fattening children existed everywhere in the world.

Especially that phrase “people these days” sounded as though he were an old man who had grown very old.

‘With that young face?’

Does he even intend to imitate a 29-year-old Earthling?

Juhyeon pondered which rhythm he should dance to so that the enormous existence before him would be pleased. Should he correct him that it isn’t something a 29-year-old would say?

Or should he simply agree and say he is right.

“...I see!”

Juhyeon decided to let it slide.

“Then, if it wouldn’t be rude, may I ask a few questions?”

“Juhyeon 씨 may ask me anything.”

“Thank you.

Um, it’s known in the world that the Black Cloak is a monster...”

“Ah-ha.”

The Black Cloak’s hair flashed red like light, and a deep laughter gathered on his pale face.

“I’m a monster?”

“...If I was rude, I apologize.

I’m sorry.”

“No, I’m not angry.

It wasn’t rude, either.”

He blinked about twice.

“Mm...”

Then he returned to black hair again.

“Your words amused me, so I think I got excited for a moment—how rude of me.”

“No, no.

It’s fine.”

He didn’t know what part had been amusing, but as long as he wasn’t angry at the question, anything was fine.

Juhyeon shook his head modestly with a polite smile.

“But if my question displeased you, then I truly am only sorry.”

“As I said earlier, I am not displeased or angry.

It’s just, how should I put it...”

The Black Cloak’s lips curved softly with interest.

“Beast, wicked god, and now monster.”

“...”

“It felt quite amusing.”

“...Oh...”

Not amusing at all.

“...I see!”

Juhyeon decided to let it slide once again.

“I thought you were a wicked god, Black Cloak-nim, but you don’t seem to be, as much as I expected.”

“You mean I’m not like a wicked god?”

“A little.”

“That’s not very pleasing.”

The Black Cloak pretended to ponder for a moment, then continued.

“To say it in advance, I am an ordinary human.”

“Ah, yep.”

“Sometimes I can become a wicked god, or a priest, or an animal—an ordinary human.”

“You’re amazing.”

Juhyeon endured once more.

“Then should I think of you as an ordinary human...?”

“Of course.”

The Black Cloak nodded.

“That I am rumored to be a monster outside is only a warning for my safety and the safety of others.”

“A warning for your safety and the safety of others?”

“Though it was not intended, perhaps because I live inside a painting, there are times I end up threatening other people.

It is a warning that we should both be careful in advance.”

And though he didn’t say it, there was another intent as well.

Even though he had merged with Argio, a battle maniac, perhaps because assimilation wasn’t complete yet, Gio still felt uncomfortable fighting someone.

So it was closer to image management to prevent them from having to fight each other in advance.

It was the result of thinking that not many people would try to fight the protagonist of a terrifying ghost story.

Gio wanted to avoid conflict if possible.

‘Though if I fully regain Argio’s memories, I don’t know what will happen...’

Anyway.

“...Honestly, even if you’re a wicked god, I still don’t really understand it.”

Gio continued.

“What is a god, and what is a wicked god?

As a human, it is hard for me to know.”

“...That certainly is a difficult topic.

I can’t really give a definite answer either.”

“Isn’t it?”

He nodded.

“It’s hard to clearly define the existence called me.”

So even if Juhyeon asked, there was only one thing he could say clearly.

“All I can say clearly is that I am only one person.”

“One person...”

“I may be a slightly unusual person, and I sometimes do strange things.

But that is all.”

Gio had never once thought that he might not be human.

“Was that a sufficient explanation?”

“...Yes, thank you for helping me understand.”

Juhyeon could only be flabbergasted.

‘Fine, I’ll just memorize it that way too.’

Then it would be so.

“But it feels like I’m only staying in Gio 씨’s house...”

“Have you fully recovered?”

“Thanks to your great consideration, I recovered.”

“In heart as well?”

“...”

To Juhyeon, who was left speechless, the Black Cloak smiled gently like soothing a child.

“Isn’t it a peaceful place?”

“...That’s true.

It’s peaceful enough that I don’t want to leave.”

“Someday there will come a time you want to leave.”

Gio knows.

‘People are creatures that don’t think idle thoughts only when their body and mind are abundant.’

So he did that.

‘As expected, when a person is full, they become 10 times kinder.’

Since he had been going to call a wicked god, he made him into a body where idle thoughts wouldn’t arise.

He didn’t know it, but Gio’s influence also played a big part here.

A person who eats food packed full of Gio’s wish to enjoy it together becomes a gourmet helplessly, and by assimilating with Gio, who is a clear-brained owner who lives without thinking, the body and mind become comfortable.

‘It’s a good phenomenon.’

Gio hoped Juhyeon would become his friend.

“When you want to leave, please tell me at any time.”

“...Yes.”

“You do not need my permission to enjoy your life.”

“That’s...”

Juhyeon answered hesitantly.

“...That’s right.”

He asked.

“Why did you introduce yourself as a wicked god?”

“Because people called me that.”

Strangely enough, there was no other reason.

* * *

“...Ah.”

A new hire flinched.

“Mr. Seo Gio?”

In the company corridor, a long figure was standing.

Even as she called him, the woman felt an inexplicable sense of incongruity.

Even though it was a weekday afternoon and there were still several employees who hadn’t gotten off work, they did not look at Seo Gio standing in the corridor wearing a cloak.

It was as if he were not there, as if they were avoiding him.

By the time she noticed it, the other party looked at her.

“You are the person I met before.”

“That’s right, you remember me.”

“Your name was probably...”

He said,

“Ms. Park Juhui?”

“...”

It felt a little strange.

“...Yes, I’m Park Juhui.”

For a moment, the fact that the other party was calling her name felt like an impossible miracle.

‘A strange thought.’

She could shake it off as an absurd thought right away, but an inexplicable unease lingered and tormented her.

Park Juhui approached him and asked.

“I understand you’re on the dawn shift, but you’re out even at this late hour.”

“It is a hobby.

I was having some time for various questions.”

“Question time as a hobby?”

“If we’re being precise, perhaps it should be called a survey.”

Eyes that held the sea curved softly.

“Ms. Park Juhui.”

“Uh... yes, go ahead.”

“What kind of existence do you think a wicked god is?”

“...A wicked god...”

Suddenly, the quiet came home to her.

Along with him, she felt a sensation of being separated from reality.

Even in this moment, employees passed them by in silence.

Since it was a company where employees with strong individualism gathered, it was a situation she could accept, so without much suspicion, the woman answered Seo Gio’s question.

“Wouldn’t it be a god that does bad things?”

“Then if a wicked god does not do bad things, does it become an ordinary god?”

“That... if there were evil deeds committed before, then I think it would remain a wicked god.”

“That was very useful as reference.”

He smiled as if drawn in a painting.

“It must have been an abrupt question; thank you for answering.”

“No, rather... I should be the one thanking you for remembering a worthless C-rank hunter.”

“Regardless of such a rank, Ms. Park Juhui is a good person.”

Seo Gio curved his eyes deeply.

“Aren’t you kind to me?”

“Uh... that’s...”

Kind means you’re a good person?

The woman felt a little worried at that sudden doormat-like remark.

The range of what this person called a ‘good person’ was excessively wide.

‘Is he being ostracized?’

Startled for a moment, Park Juhui looked around.

Even though you’d think people would pay attention to a long man standing in the middle of the corridor, no one was turning this way.

“...Um...”

A strange suspicion rose, and she asked carefully.

“Could it be that, um... your coworkers, something, don’t get along, or...?”

Kuhuluck!!

From somewhere, a loud cough sounded.

“...?”

“Someone seems to have choked.”

“Ah, I see.

That’s unfortunate.”

Cough, cough...

From somewhere, another cough sounded.

“Unfor...”

Cough—!!

Another cough.

“...”

At this point, Park Juhui couldn’t fail to grasp the situation.

‘...What?

It feels like they’re trying to signal something?’

At that moment, something caught her eye.

“Uh...”

Under the cloak.

A tail of some unknown beast was sticking out, twitch, pop.

“...Um, Mr. Seo Gio.

This is...”

“Ah, excuse me.”

He laughed softly.

“Sometimes I can’t control it.”

“...Control it?”

“I will be careful next time.”

Without any sound, the tail vanished before she knew it.

“...”

As if to say she had seen it wrong.

“As you think, Ms. Park Juhui, it is not that the employees here discriminate against me or ostracize me.”

“...Ah, ah, yes.

I’m sorry.”

“It is simply that my skill is a little special, so everyone is paying attention.”

“Special, so they’re paying attention...?”

“There is nothing for you to worry about.

It is quite late; I hope you will go in carefully.”

“...”

“Ah, right.”

Seo Gio held something out.

“This is repayment for keeping me company.”

“...It smells sweet.”

“It is fruit jelly; it is not that sweet.”

“...I see...”

“Then I hope we meet again with smiling faces next time.”

He bowed lightly, then turned and walked away somewhere.

That black cloak comes into sight again.

Those pitch-black folds of cloth...

“...”

For some reason, the gift on her hand felt heavy.

“...Huh?”

Even if she let out an exclamation with cold sweat.

Not a single employee turned to look.

Fantasy, Modern,