Chapter 23

The Painter Who Draws Dungeons — Episode 23

Meanwhile, Gio had fallen into a boring worry.

It was a truly boring worry.

“...”

Ever since coming to this world, he hadn’t painted a single landscape.

‘No, it’s not like I’ve never done it even once.’

Now that he thought about it, there had been the time he made a lake for Honey and its kin, the waterfowl, but that was all.

Strictly speaking, that was merely adding one more accessory to this world, not a proper landscape painting.

That brought him to a question.

“Fruit, buildings, animals...”

He could draw them all.

“Then what about landscapes?”

What happens to the world I draw?

“...”

With that question in mind, Gio continued painting.

For now, about three of them.

* * *

‘Breathing Sea’

Searching...

...

...

Dimension exists

Entry possible

...

Apt One confirmed

Synchronization possible

‘Kingdom of Animals’

Searching...

...

...

Dimension exists

Entry possible

...

Apt One confirmed

Synchronization possible

‘City of Void’

...

...

That dimension does not exist.

Would you like to register it?

* * *

You have 3 unchecked notifications.

“What is this.”

Please check the new notifications.

“...”

Gio felt it.

‘A premonition of joy.’

New content had appeared at a ghostlike timing right after he finished farming.

Staying up late to work is a sacred act—the artist’s companion, and a symbol of a free soul.

After drawing all night, Gio completed a total of three landscape paintings.

“Hm.”

Seeing that there were three notifications, he could roughly guess.

He felt as happy as if he’d received a Christmas gift that arrived by mistake on Chuseok.

“A good adult is repaid someday.”

“Kkuwoong?”

“Where else in the world is there someone as good as Dad?”

“Gurur...”

“The trust between father and son is this absurd.

A truly lamentable thing.”

With a solemn face, Gio skillfully spouted nonsense and checked the system notifications.

“...”

Then he asked,

“Where’s the help section.”

That’s right.

He couldn’t interpret it.

‘I get that it’s related to the three paintings I finished yesterday.’

First, Gio painted a seascape. Second, a wasteland. And last, a cityscape with no one in it.

‘Breathing Sea, Kingdom of Animals, City of Void... I never named them that.’

Maybe the system named them on its own.

“Did the system recognize my naming talent and snatch away my chance to title my works...

But even so, what does ‘Dimension exists’ mean?”

Taken literally, it sounded as if an actual dimension existed that matched the landscape painting Gio drew.

“To have enough ability to discover a whole dimension—wouldn’t that be a bit much for a human.”

Of course, for New Gio, newly evolved as a portrait, it might be possible.

When a human has evolved into a painting, the standards of ‘as a human’ can be set aside next to Andromeda for a while.

“Ta-da.”

Having finished his astonishingly perfect rationalization, Gio resumed reasoning worthy of Sherlock Holmes.

“It says entry is possible... so among the pictures I drew, there are dimensions that really exist, and it seems I can even go directly inside them.”

He hadn’t expected an update on this scale.

Originally, human life didn’t seem to have such diligent operators, so this was a very encouraging change.

“Nice.”

A fresh soul from Gangwon-do, who doesn’t walk the same path as others.

Even though he’d never even thought about it, Gio approved of and cheered on his own unusual challenge that was already proceeding on its own.

“But there’s still something I don’t understand...”

He couldn’t make sense of the words ‘Apt One’ and ‘Synchronization.’

“...”

“...”

“What’s apt, and what synchronizes with what?”

“Kung?”

Cute, but you mustn’t be fooled.

That didn’t mean ‘I know, right?’—it meant ‘How would I know that?’

“Right.”

Gio nodded.

Judging by that impure gaze, it seemed puberty had arrived, but seeing how Honey still responded properly to Dad’s words, he could tell what a diligent son Honey was.

There may be bad paint in the world, but there are no bad paintings.

Honey was like that.

‘What a good kid.’

While checking the system window, Gio soon found a new list.

Apt One List

It was the answer, no matter who looked.

“Let’s see.”

Breathing Sea_Giovanni

Synchronization Rate 0%

Kingdom of Animals_Arzio

Synchronization Rate 0%

What is this.

“...”

Description: Apt One

“So you do have a conscience.”

Apt One

A method for more conveniently understanding unfamiliar dimensions.

Among the existing beings within the displayed dimension, the target corresponding to ‘Gio’ has been named an ‘Apt One.’

If you obtain the Apt One’s consent, you may borrow their soul and body to easily understand and travel the dimension.

“If you still can’t understand after this, what are you going to do?

I’m curious how you’d react, truly.”

But he understood.

“So if an ‘Apt One’ exists in a real dimension, I can walk around using that person’s body...”

These people do good work.

He didn’t know what the person called an Apt One would think, but from the user’s standpoint, it was a very considerate structure.

“I won’t know the culture of that dimension, and above all, there might be germs that don’t match my current body.

Even if you can breathe air on Earth, in another place you might breathe some gas like nitrogen.”

In that sense, receiving the Apt One’s help would be a convenient choice.

“The criterion for finding an Apt One must be that the other party is ‘Gio’...”

Just looking at the names on the list, he got the gist.

Breathing Sea_Giovanni

Synchronization Rate 0%

Kingdom of Animals_Arzio

Synchronization Rate 0%

“Those people were probably called ‘Gio’ too.”

Anyway, is it enough if the name contains ‘Gio’?

“...No, if that were the case, they wouldn’t have used a term like Apt One.

There must be other conditions—important enough that they made a list and manage it on purpose.”

Maybe it checked the sync rate or adaptability with Gio himself.

“Interesting.”

He liked it a lot.

“I’ll never be bored for my whole life.”

The amount of updated data was so enormous that he wasn’t even sure he could enjoy it all in one lifetime.

“An update on the scale of dimensions.”

It was truly surprising.

“...”

But even after this long explanation and analysis, there was still one more step left.

“What is the City of Void?”

‘City of Void’

That dimension does not exist.

Would you like to register it?

“Does that mean I created a new dimension?”

It was properly insane.

“I can hear my life getting flashy all the way from here.”

He loved it.

Gio never thought deeply.

This time was the same.

Of course, if it were something that had world peace, friendship, and love on the line, he would worry deeply with the pure heart of an untainted mountain youth, but this didn’t stir much motivation.

Gio looked like the kind of person who drank only espresso every morning, yet he had the palate of an elementary schooler who spits out bitter and swallows sweet.

“Hm.”

His ultimate positive mindset didn’t so much as flinch at the mere act of creating a dimension.

“Just because I made a new dimension, it’s not like some random nuclear power plant on Earth will blow up one second later.”

That was enough.

“Honey, do you agree too?”

“Ggururook!”

“Then that really settles it.”

Now that he had his family’s consent, there was nothing left to hesitate over.

Though it was a scale he’d never experienced in his life, such trivial information could not stop the growth of the deeply rooted tree called Gio.

Gio was a portrait with conviction.

“Life is incredible.”

As you live, new content always appears.

“If I don’t enjoy this content right now, I’m not human.”

“...”

“I don’t know exactly which part you fell silent at, but Honey, trust your dad.”

Gio was confident.

Confident he would enjoy it very much.

“Life is a hurricane.”

With a free tongue, Gio selected the Apt One [Giovanni] from the list.

It felt familiar for no particular reason, because it was a name often used in Italy on Earth.

And then Gio...

—Pop.

“...”

‘Pop?’

He was left alone in an operating room somewhere.

“...”

Honey, who ought to have been on his shoulder, wasn’t there either.

Sadness welled up.

‘I’m lonely.’

No, what kind of case is this.

Dropped into an operating room you’d only see in 18th-century Europe by the system’s machinations, Gio muttered inwardly.

‘It feels like it hasn’t been thirty minutes, let alone yesterday, since I was admiring the system’s possessed operation skills and vast content—so what is this insensitive delivery service, exactly.’

He ended up with an emotional wound from the system’s inconsiderate behavior.

It should have kindly informed him that the transfer would proceed after asking Gio’s opinion one more time.

While Gio was worrying about where the customer satisfaction center was for filing a complaint in a case like this, he noticed someone was already standing in front of him and stopped wallowing in self-pity.

“...”

“...Ah.”

At the sudden presence, Gio was briefly shy.

Whoever it was, they had stealth skills that put a 007 senior to shame.

“...”

“...”

“...”

“...Hello?”

In the instant Gio fell into the worthless thought of “101 Dalmatians giving an awesome self-introduction,” the one who spoke first was a man in his early thirties who seemed to be the owner of the operating room.

“Pleased to meet you. I’m Giovanni of the Batlan family.”

“...I’m Gio.”

“Yes, I know.

You may call me Gio as well, sir.”

He wore a kind, trustworthy smile extraordinarily well, and he resembled Gio to a startling degree.

To the point that Gio thought: if I were a Westerner, and if I were a little older, wouldn’t my face look exactly like that?

And Gio bravely did not hold back his questions.

“You look very much like me.”

“Many parts will likely be similar.”

“I can’t smile kindly like you.

I’m clumsy at smiling itself, so I’ve been misunderstood a lot.”

“A cute and honest worry, like those of the students I taught.

It’s fine. From now on, you’ll be able to smile like me.”

After saying something meaningful, ‘Giovanni’ soon smiled with a trace of embarrassment.

He was an adult who looked far more hearty than Gio.

“I think Teacher Seo Gio is a very frank and kind person.”

“I think Mr. Giovanni is the same.

From the compliment you gave me upon first meeting, I can feel that even the way you think is inherently good.”

“Affirming the light others have is something I, as a priest of the sun, ought to do.

There’s no such thing as good or not-good about it.”

“...A priest...”

A priest?

“...This place looks like a hospital. Weren’t you a doctor?”

“I am also a doctor.

Even if one is a priest of the sun, not all of us must stay inside a temple and only recite scripture.

There are many priests like me who come out and act in the outside world.”

Having said that, ‘Giovanni’ soon let out a sigh.

“No... there used to be many.”

“I see.”

“My world was covered in seawater, and it was destroyed.”

Ah, suddenly?

“Isn’t it too deep a story for someone I’m meeting for the first time, to hear that Mr. Giovanni’s hometown was destroyed...”

“Listen.”

“Yes, I will listen.”

“What remains in that world now are probably only mermaids hiding beneath the sea.

Our planet shrank and became regulated, like a game board.”

“Like a game board?”

“I believe it likely became... dungeon-ized.”

“You know about dungeons?”

“In our world, it was not originally a concept, so until I died, I did not know.”

From the way he spoke, it seemed ‘Giovanni’ was already dead.

“But Teacher Seo Gio, the moment you called me, I understood.”

“...”

“We are the same ‘Gio.’”

With the same kind smile, he said,

“But we are never the same person.”

“May I see you as myself from a parallel world?”

“No, that’s not it either.

We are entirely separate humans who merely happen to share an extraordinary number of common points, miraculously.”

“...”

“A similar face, a similar voice, similar dexterity... but our souls are never the same color.”

After a brief pause to think, Gio asked,

“Do you like drawing?

Hearing you speak this far, I’m curious whether you truly have tastes similar to mine.”

“One of my secret hobbies.

I loved drawing a sea that resembles a mermaid.”

“A sea that resembles a mermaid...”

Even the taste of enjoying drawing was the same.

That alone made Gio acknowledge that we are the same ‘Gio.’

“I’d like to see it.”

“You will see it soon.”

A voice filled with gentle certainty.

That warm voice, which would not bend easily, made Gio wonder.

“I understand that I will be taking your soul and body.

Are you not afraid of me, or resentful?

For the sake of savoring a new dimension, I’m robbing you of everything.”

“This is not robbery.

To begin with, I am already dead, my soul has returned to the side of the sun, and my flesh became earth and was buried... hmm, it’s true it did not become earth, nor was it buried.

And now, that land itself will surely have been flooded by seawater.”

“Isn’t that like the black joke old people make, saying there’s no need to buy expensive things because they’ll die soon anyway?

You might be fine with it, but I am not.

It seems you have forgotten that we’ve only just met.”

“Hahaha...”

It wasn’t funny at all, yet ‘Giovanni’ laughed as if he’d made a truly hilarious joke, then continued.

“My soul will become one with yours, Teacher Gio.

A kind of revival and reincarnation, perhaps.

I will seep into you, spend more time, build memories, and thus live within the Origin.”

“...The Origin?”

“It will still be a foreign concept to you.”

With a gentle smile, he said,

“But you are already living there.”

“The place I am staying is called ‘the Origin’?

I’ve heard of it from an acquaintance I recently made.”

“In truth, that too is likely a name Earthlings attached.

What name it truly bears, and what rules and what form it holds, cannot be known.

As a faint soul, I can only answer the call and resonate with you.”

Then ‘Giovanni’ spoke, as if apologetic.

“If possible, please look after the sun god.

To be precise, the sun god of the world I was in.”

“I cannot believe that a request to look after a god has come from a mere faint soul.

You are making a very interesting joke again.

To be honest, it isn’t very interesting.”

“I thought so as well when I was alive, but if it is not the Origin, even a god is forgotten in the end if there are no believers.

It is not as though the sun would vanish, but as his son, it cannot help but weigh on my heart.”

“How could I possibly look after a god?

I am only an ordinary human, too.”

“You need only remember him, speak with him from time to time, or borrow his power.

I swear upon my honorable soul, a priest forged of sunlight, that it will not be such a burden to you.”

Gio nodded.

‘He called it a god, but if I sum it up, it feels like visiting elderly people who live alone.’

As an art teacher, Gio had often gone out to do volunteer work since his college days.

Among them, there were quite a few elderly people who grew old alone while carrying unfortunate stories.

Thinking about it like this, Gio had experience.

Having shrunk at the word ‘god,’ he regained confidence.

“I’m good at that.”

“Haha, that’s a relief.

Please, I ask you.”

“Is there anything else you want?”

“Is it not burdensome, even if I ask only that you look after the god?”

“It was burdensome until just now, but it isn’t anymore.”

In a deep mountain village in Gangwon-do, a super-super-super-aged society, Gio had been the only child.

At the very least, he was confident in putting on a show for elders.

Sensing that confidence, ‘Giovanni’ hesitated, then opened his mouth.

“...Aria...”

“Aria?”

“My student’s name.”

“...”

“Our story has grown too long.”

Still gentle, but with sorrow lingering somewhere in the tone.

“Give her an ending.”

At that moment.

“...Ah...”

Gio returned to the cabin bed.

“...”

“...”

“Gurur...”

“...Yeah...”

Breathing Sea_‘Giovanni’

“It’s okay.”

Giovanni’s Quest

“It’s okay, Dad.”

Communion with the Sun God

Give the Little Mermaid an Ending

“Truly...”

Synchronization Rate 1%

“It’s okay.”

“...”

“There’s no problem.”

It was a strange feeling.

At the cold that climbed through his whole body, and the pain that split his bones.

At the grief even worse than that, Giovanni wept without understanding why.

He couldn’t remember anything.

“...”

“...”

And so he cried until the moon set and new sunlight entered...

“...I don’t regret it.”

With raw, ruined eyes, he smiled.

I was happy.

Fantasy, modern,