chapter 144

Episode 144

Argio was born with a cruel nature.

“Basically, I crave blood and wealth.”

“Is it okay for you to describe yourself like that?”

“The truth is what it is—what can I do.”

The two continued their conversation even in the Collector’s lounge.

Perhaps because he was still outside, Gio’s hair was platinum blond, but his expression was blunt and calm like the portrait’s.

‘...That looks very different from the priest’s face I know. Is that what I’m seeing because Giovanni has become a complete portrait?’

As Yoo Seong-woon was thinking that, Gio continued in his characteristically low voice.

“Argio is talented in many fields, so if he sets out to learn something, he learns it well, and he is not afraid of trying new things. However, perhaps because his nature itself is closer to a beast, he prefers stimulating things. I do not think he lacks patience, but...”

“By stimulating things, you mean the blood and wealth you mentioned earlier?”

“In addition, he also enjoys liquor and battle. Among them, he especially likes struggling with all his strength against an opponent worth it. In truth, rather than sparring, it seems he wants the razor’s-edge thrill he feels in the process of killing and being killed.”

“So he enjoys thrills. This is really...”

Yoo Seong-woon laughed awkwardly.

“There are quite a few hunters like that too.”

“Is that so?”

“People who find the meaning of life in a life-or-death blood fight.”

“I did not know there would be so many with such tastes.”

“Tastes are diverse in this world, so, um... I do understand Argio’s story.”

“Thank you for understanding tastes that do not fit well with social common sense.”

After offering light thanks, Gio continued.

“That said, he does not act blindly and recklessly without discrimination. If he wants liquor, he desires a craftsman’s fine liquor; if he wants wealth, he covets gold and jewels with stories; and if he fights, he prefers an opponent worth clashing with all his strength.”

Meaning his tastes were extremely picky.

“He also has the temperament to invest and wait as much as needed in order to satisfy that palate.”

“Is the reason you’re introducing yourself like this related to what you said earlier... about being a Demon King?”

“Of course. Since I have explained this far, it will be easier for Mr. Yoo Seong-woon to understand.”

Platinum-blond Gio asserted bluntly.

“I desire battle with heroes.”

“...Oh...?”

“Before, there were many heroes who came to find me.”

“...Heroes?”

“Because I was a wicked god who threatened the peace of the world.”

There was a time when he was treated as the root of all evil behind every bad thing in the world, great and small.

“At that time, even if I did not go out of my way, there would be many fine opponents who came to me. For the peace of humanity, to protect precious people, for the development of the world, they poured in everything they had.”

“...”

“The battles with them are memories I found very enjoyable. Other divinities besides the personality called Argio seemed full of stray thoughts like betrayal and whatnot, but at least I was not.”

Giovanni wore a very regretful expression. It was a fairly natural sulk for someone who was not ‘Seo Gio.’

“Thinking back, that time seems to have had the best cost-effectiveness.”

“Cost-effectiveness...”

“Even without any separate promotion, I was so famous that many talented people came.”

“Promotion—that’s how it feels.”

Yoo Seong-woon gave a subtle smile.

“So when you said you’d become the Demon King, that was for promotion.”

“It is like a recruitment notice for talent.”

Giovanni’s blue eyes glittered, filled with melancholy.

“As Argio, I am reflecting. After conversing with the death god, it became even clearer. Those many battles I enjoyed as the wicked god Argio were unjust gains.”

“Unjust gains?”

“Even though I made no effort at all to seek a valuable battle, people sent me good talent. I thought it was a natural right, but in truth, it was not.”

“Isn’t the flow kind of strange?”

“The death god said that my infamy was not truly mine. It was fame I could hold for a moment because I was lucky, so now it is time to make the effort to regain it.”

“Oh, I see. That’s something.”

Yoo Seong-woon nodded.

“Don’t you hate the people who slandered you as a wicked god and pinned false charges on you?”

“It is not that I am not angry, but I gained something more valuable than that, so it is fine.”

“This really is unbelievably sentimental.”

Objectively, there was hardly any story more unfair than this.

‘Even though he was born with the instinct for slaughter and plunder, a seed of a hero who still showed sufficient consideration, amid all kinds of false charges and slander... until he finally became a wicked god.’

If there were a dungeon with such a story, and Argio was that dungeon’s boss, what a massive bomb it would be to humans. Just that vague imagination made an awkward laugh spill out.

Rubbing his neck, Yoo Seong-woon asked.

“How did it end, as Argio?”

“It was a seal.”

“A seal... that doesn’t sound very pleasant.”

“But I was glad, because I could stop meaningless slaughter.”

“If it had been meaningful slaughter, you would have been glad with that too?”

“Mm... no.”

Unexpectedly, Gio denied it.

“At the time, because it was divinity made by being lumped together with many different victims, there were many times I had to vent rage I did not want. You could say the initiative was not in my hands.”

He says that without his own anger, it has no value.

“Getting angry, assigning value to an opponent—everything must be under my authority alone. But at that time, it could not be...”

“Was it unpleasant?”

“It was truly unbearably unpleasant. Even if I was called a beast for a lifetime and lived like a beast, I know how to act cleverly, but it felt as though all my precious reason had sunk into a mud pit.”

Giovanni wore a faint smile.

“So what admirable and grateful people they are. Polishing those noble souls, heroes gave me rest. It is a meaningful gift achieved by offering their entire lives.”

“For a Demon King, you really like heroes too much.”

“I respect courageous warriors. They had upright and good souls, outstanding insight and judgment, and they knew how to be cautious in all things, and sometimes bold.”

“You still like talented people who are good and well-mannered.”

“Mr. Yoo Seong-woon is correct. I have always loved those who dream and strive for it. No matter how the result turns out, the process of striving then is, by itself, so very valuable.”

Yoo Seong-woon understood Gio’s words.

‘That really is an ancient taste.’

Seo Gio, Giovanni, and Argio. Even if the expressions differed a little, in the end, the image of the human Gio loves and cherishes was similar.

Whether short or long, strong or weak, whatever the degree and direction, in the end he loves those who walked the path of a hero.

‘In that respect, you really can call him godlike.’

Great mysteries tend to like heroes.

“...”

Yoo Seong-woon laughed like a sigh.

“So you want to clash with those heroes again, and that’s why you say you’ll become the Demon King?”

“Yes, that is correct.”

“Why do you have to be the Demon King? You could just suggest you spar once.”

“Because what I want is not a bout, but a blood fight.”

“So you mean you have to stake your life and everything.”

“A fight when you bear everything, or when you throw everything away, is the most interesting.”

“And you were like that too?”

“I fought every battle together with death.”

Gio’s hair was dyed red in an instant.

“It is a delicacy difficult to taste.”

“...”

“...Ah.”

He returned to platinum blond. Giovanni smiled awkwardly. It was the smile of a gentle, cheerful man.

“I apologize. Because the assimilation is incomplete, it sometimes slips out of my control.”

“...As long as you don’t go around massacring people because it slips out of your control, I don’t care.”

“No matter how out of control it may be, such a thing will not happen.”

“Because to begin with, Argio doesn’t enjoy that kind of meaningless massacre?”

“Mr. Yoo Seong-woon is correct.”

“Hm...”

He pondered briefly.

“...But you know.”

“Yes, I am listening.”

“How are you going to pull off this Demon King act?”

“...”

“You, how should I put it.”

After hesitating, Yoo Seong-woon continued.

“You’re not the kind of personality that suits evil deeds.”

“Th-that is...”

“You can’t really do bad things, can you.”

He never imagined he’d live to say something like this to a wicked god, but it was an unavoidable fact. Gio was not the type of existence that could easily commit evil.

“Even when you lived as Argio, you said you didn’t do meaningless massacre.”

“I did enjoy frequent blood fights.”

“So did you pick fights first? Did you bully innocent people?”

“That is... not, but.”

“Then have you ever done any other bad thing at all?”

“...”

After hesitating for a long while, Gio opened his mouth with difficulty.

“...Theft?”

“Whose did you take.”

“Unlucky pigs’...”

“Good. So you haven’t bullied innocent people, at least.”

“But to bully people with no relation at all—wouldn’t that be too cowardly?”

“From the point where you say that, aren’t you disqualified as a Demon King?”

“Might there not be a Demon King somewhere in the world who likes fair and square contests?”

“A fair and square Demon King doesn’t even get an extermination party formed, Gio. Heroes won’t gather.”

“...That, Mr. Yoo Seong-woon is correct...”

Gio looked quite troubled. Since analyzing Gio’s expressions, which had become quite diverse lately, was enjoyable in its own way as a curator, Yoo Seong-woon drank the cheap instant coffee on the table and appreciated his face.

‘It really is a harmonious face with a lot to watch.’

How long was Yoo Seong-woon appreciating his work? Only after quite a long time did Gio speak.

“...When Argio’s infamy was high, I did not have to worry like this for my fame to rise on its own. It is truly regrettable. They say you only know the empty space after you lose it—so I’m that state.”

“It’s not really something you need to go that far over.”

“This time as well, could I not expect a similar situation? Even if I do not do something cowardly, people would naturally pin false charges on me, or regard me as the embodiment of evil... things like that.”

“I’m really sorry, but it doesn’t look easy.”

Yoo Seong-woon said with an awkward smile.

“Let’s think about that part gradually. For now, there’s also the matter of Mr. Juhyeon resting at your house, and you also said your awareness as a wicked god isn’t complete yet.”

“That is certainly correct. It is not an easy situation to become famous as the Demon King right away. Thank you for the appropriate advice.”

“Demon King... well, I don’t know. I’ll think about the parts related to that Demon King project too. If possible, I want to think in a direction with less collateral damage—is that okay?”

“I would like to ask that of you as well. My desire to clash with fine talent is full, but I also do not want people to fear me too much and be unable to make friends.”

“In that respect, thinking about it, it might be better to split your status further. Black Cloak, Hunter Seo Gio, and wicked god Argio... hmm...”

Having said that far, Yoo Seong-woon hesitated a little.

“...I do, in truth, have a hope that other people won’t fear you.”

“Thank you for understanding, Mr. Yoo Seong-woon.”

“First of all, even from the perspective of humanity’s peace, it feels like it will be a big problem.”

An existence of the source can shrink and swell its bulk based on the “story” surrounding it. They had barely separated ‘Gio’s Portrait’ into ‘Seo Gio’ and ‘Black Cloak’ to create a safe zone, and now it was the Demon King.

Cold sweat ran down Yoo Seong-woon’s back. Not as a gardener, but just as a human being named Yoo Seong-woon, there were additional problems he could feel.

“And to add, um...”

“Why is that?”

“...A subtle sense of guilt...?”

“It does not seem there was anything to feel guilt over.”

“No, I mean... how should I put it... that...”

Aren’t we planning to make one perfectly fine person into the world’s trash?

‘And if he wants to recreate the situation of Argio’s time... it means making Gio, who committed no sin at all, into the root of all evil, and making him bear false charges and humiliation that don’t even work.’

Even if he says he’s satisfied, is this really right?

‘Of course, from the source’s perspective, it would be far from the guilt humans feel, but even so... Gio has a human self too... and then it’s also kind of ambiguous to say he isn’t fully human either, so...’

It felt truly strange.

“...I’ll think hard, so for the time being, let’s not actually put anything into practice.”

“To have you think together with me when I was at a loss as to what to do is truly something to be grateful for.”

“It’s not like it’s something to be grateful over...”

A way to make Gio into a harmless Demon King.

‘Leaving aside whether it’s even a thing that makes sense, this isn’t something I can just fix with my own authority.’

Yoo Seong-woon forced himself to swallow a sigh.

It seemed he would need to see Visabel as soon as he returned.

* * *

After Gio went home like that.

“...”

Juhyeon ended up having a similar worry to Yoo Seong-woon.

“...Ah, the Demon King.”

“Summarizing it, that’s it. What do you think?”

“Please give me a moment to think.”

What in the world is this?

“So, in other words...”

It feels like he’s asking to make himself into the world’s scapegoat, outright.

A wholesome young man far from wicked schemes fell into confusion.

“...That is... a little...”

“Hm?”

“It’s too unethical...?”

To begin with, doesn’t it make the meaning of becoming the Demon King vanish, then?

(To be continued in the next episode)