Chapter 24

The Painter Who Draws Dungeons — Episode 24

Recently, there was an unfortunate disturbance within the guild related to an urban legend.

As the internal confusion has not yet settled, we are issuing this notice. All staff must familiarize themselves with it and refrain from causing any further confusion.

...

“What should I write.”

Bisabeol sat in front of the monitor and agonized for a long time.

“...Shall I have some fun with it.”

He soon set his hands in motion.

The man wearing a black cloak is named Gio.

Gio is a dawn-shift employee.

Do not ask about his identity.

...

* * *

“Gio.”

As always, Yoo Sungwoon called for Gio inside the portrait.

“Are you awake?”

“Yes, I am awake.”

“Then I wanted to make a suggestion.”

Even while putting on a calm face, Yoo Sungwoon watched the other party closely.

Right now, he was proposing something to an existence of the Origin.

He needed to understand the weight of that.

‘And I know it very well.’

Those who lived in the Origin fundamentally did not speak the same language as humans.

A single sneeze from far away could be a terrible insult to them, and laughing while conversing could make them sad.

Existences of the Origin had their own rules.

Those rules were so irrational and irregular from a human viewpoint that you must never deal with them from a human standpoint.

“Do you perhaps want to go outside?

I’m saying this on the premise that you want to, but...”

Constantly observing and analyzing was the only way to survive.

“It seems like you don’t really know much about the situation outside.

The seed matter last time, too.”

“Mr. Yoo Sungwoon is correct.

There is not much that I know.”

“So, in that sense, I was wondering if you’d like to do a bit of sightseeing.

I’ll cover all necessary items and costs, and of course, I’ll guide you at your side.”

“You will guide me.”

“Yeah. In other words, all you have to do is show up.”

Sneaking an existence of the Origin whose identity he didn’t even know outside.

Even if he was proceeding with Bisabeol’s permission, for Yoo Sungwoon—someone who went for it when he went for it—this was a bold gamble.

‘...Still, I don’t need to worry in advance, right.

If something happens, I can brush it off as a new hunter from outside the city.’

As long as Gio continued to maintain only a gentlemanly attitude, nothing big would happen.

Of course, since he didn’t know Gio’s true identity, it was possible that regardless of Gio’s intent he might interact with something in reality, but that didn’t matter either.

If it was going to happen anyway, it was wise to find out beforehand.

‘Even if there’s some damage.’

As Yoo Sungwoon waited for an answer, the portrait with a gloomy and refined face soon opened its mouth.

“Sightseeing.”

He thought he’d gotten used to it a lot, but it still sent chills down his spine.

The portrait’s tone was still eerily blunt.

“Very well.”

“...Really?”

“When would be best?”

It was quite a quick answer.

‘I thought he might attack me, thinking I’m trying to drag him outside.’

Gio was a portrait.

From his perspective, pulling a painting into reality could feel like an insult.

But fortunately, it seemed Gio didn’t care about that.

‘Maybe because he’s come out on his own a few times before...

If so, it was lucky I put measures in place beforehand so Gio could move freely.’

Stopping his thoughts, Yoo Sungwoon replied.

“Let’s do Tuesday morning, two days from now.”

“Could you call for me then?

The time here and the time outside seem to flow a little differently, so I need help.”

“That’s not hard.

I’ll come to call you in two days, so then you can take your time and get ready and come out...”

After hesitating a moment, Yoo Sungwoon took out a small timer.

“I’ll put it on the floor here, so you can check it like this.

I’ll set it to ring three times at 8 a.m. two days from now.

If you want to check the time as you please, this will be more convenient, right?”

“Thank you.”

“For something like this, really.”

Yoo Sungwoon swallowed a sigh of relief inwardly.

‘...He accepts the suggestion readily.

As expected, compared to other existences of the Origin, Gio can communicate.

Of course, since he isn’t human, there are times he goes off track... but overall, it’ll be safe.’

Perhaps thinking the matter was done, the portrait closed its eyes.

“...”

Yoo Sungwoon didn’t hold onto Gio any longer either.

In two days, they’d have to stick together the entire time anyway—why drain each other’s energy already.

Besides, Yoo Sungwoon also had plenty to prepare for the sightseeing schedule with Gio.

‘I should make a reservation at one of the tamer-only hotels.

I don’t intend to treat Gio like a contract beast, but hotels of that type are well-prepared just in case.’

Since this was fairly dangerous, he needed diligent preparation within limits that wouldn’t make Gio uncomfortable.

“...But when has it not been.”

Bisabeol’s stance was firm.

Even if there was some damage, as long as it wasn’t the slaughter of more than fifty people, he would cover it up—so Yoo Sungwoon was to confirm what kind of reaction ‘Gio’s portrait’ would show among humans.

‘A wise decision.’

Gio could come outside the portrait anytime he wanted, without restrictions or conditions.

If an incident was going to happen anyway, it was better for Yoo Sungwoon—the curator and gardener—to watch from his side.

“...”

But it wasn’t like he was unbothered by this world where human lives were treated like bugs.

‘...They aren’t people outside the city, but people in the city, and Guildmaster Bisabeol said he could handle it. If it’s damage under fifty people, it doesn’t matter, and even if it comes to that, it’s fine as long as it doesn’t get to the media.’

Of course, it would be much better to finish the sightseeing without anyone dying.

“I can only hope for Gio’s gentlemanly response, then.”

Muttering softly, Yoo Sungwoon left the guild.

Even if Gio was an existence whose reactions were quite similar to a human’s, he couldn’t relax.

Even humans can act fine and then go berserk the next day at lunch, and there was no guarantee an existence of the Origin wouldn’t have such duplicity.

‘For the hotel, I’ll definitely look into that side... and for the sightseeing route, maybe I should set it in a place where we can clean up if something happens.

On this side, there’s Gyeongbokgung Palace, so it won’t be completely lacking in things to see.’

Since he was even using the name ‘Seo Gio,’ it might not be bad to show him something Korean.

‘I think the night market at Gyeongbokgung usually opens after 6.

It’s a tourist area around Jongno, so there will be plenty of hunters walking around.

If something happens, it’ll be good for asking for help by borrowing Guildmaster Bisabeol’s name.’

Maybe because he’d been working overtime continuously lately, or because he was worrying too much, his head felt a bit foggy.

‘At that time, I’ll have to think about how to introduce Gio, but...’

If something happened, it seemed better to voluntarily report it to the Association.

Since the Association President had been aiming for it, they probably weren’t completely ignorant about ‘Gio’s portrait.’

“...Hoo...”

Having come outside, Yoo Sungwoon let out a deep sigh.

“What a headache.”

His breath did not appear.

“...”

Yoo Sungwoon muttered pointlessly.

“...Man, that’s why big corporations are nice.”

Scratching the back of his head, he started walking again.

Overtime was certain, but his stamina was sufficient.

‘I should prepare quickly.’

He hoped it would go smoothly.

* * *

After finishing his conversation with Yoo Sungwoon, Gio returned to the bedroom.

“...”

Yes, it was Gio.

Fortunately, Gio returned from the state of being ‘Giovanni’ and regained his original personality.

“Hm...”

The state of being ‘Giovanni’ hadn’t lasted that long either.

He’d only been flustered by a change he was experiencing for the first time, and once he got the hang of it, he could return to his usual personality.

“It isn’t difficult.”

If he put strength into his brain, he could return to Gio.

“Like the feeling of blowing your nose.”

That was how Gio could realize this new rule.

“So you meet the Apt One, get consent, and as you go around that world, you progress quests.”

And one more thing, ‘assimilation.’

That part wasn’t so difficult either.

“When I’m wearing Giovanni’s personality, it goes much faster, but even if I don’t necessarily assimilate with the personality, the assimilation rate itself is slowly going up.”

From time to time, he became Giovanni without realizing it, but separately from that...

“Once assimilation starts, it seems you can’t turn it off.”

Though he’d never experienced it even once, it was like recalling a forgotten past life.

He clearly said they were different people, but Gio didn’t feel as though Giovanni and he were separate individuals.

Thus, Gio organized his thoughts in just a few days.

“In my lifetime, I’ll never have an experience this novel again.”

“Gguruk?”

“An experience that makes it feel like my left brain and right brain are playing separately is rare.”

He could now be ‘Gio’ and at the same time ‘Giovanni,’ and it wasn’t hard to shift his personality depending on the situation and his mood.

He felt Giovanni’s emotions.

‘Though the memories aren’t complete.’

Maybe because the assimilation rate was low, Gio couldn’t recall all of Giovanni’s memories.

It felt like following a Giovanni who had amnesia and forgot all his previous memories, but even that alone let him know what kind of person he was.

Giovanni had tremendous warmth, and while gentle, he possessed a soft charisma that could soothe and lead people.

He had ambitions for peace, but valued daily life with those around him even more.

That was ‘Batlan Giovanni.’

“...”

After two blinks, Gio muttered in a small voice.

“Will it be okay like this.”

Yoo Sungwoon suggested sightseeing.

“He was afraid of me.”

He didn’t think, but Gio wasn’t clueless either.

‘It can’t be only because a pitch-black man is scary that people are afraid of me.’

Yoo Sungwoon seemed to be explaining indirectly on purpose so Gio wouldn’t be shocked, but Gio knew.

To ordinary people, the current Gio was certainly a bit excessively frightening.

‘Trying to walk around the world with a portrait body must cause a resolution issue.’

Or maybe this was the true power of a haunted portrait.

The power that makes even harmless things look harmful, the power that turns a genre into a horror thriller just by existing.

“People outside seemed to be afraid of me.”

“Kung.”

“It’s bewildering, but it isn’t an extremely unpleasant feeling, so don’t worry.”

He had absolutely no such intention, but it was like doing a horror prank camera, maybe.

He felt sorry, but honestly, more than unpleasant, it was so absurd it was funnier.

But even that has to have a limit.

“It would be troublesome if it disrupts the sightseeing.”

It wasn’t sightseeing he was doing alone, but sightseeing he’d enjoy together while relying entirely on someone else’s money and someone else’s guidance.

If he looked harmful with no solution like this, it would be a nuisance to Mr. Yoo Sungwoon, who would be accompanying him.

“It’s sightseeing enjoyed with a dependable guide like Mr. Yoo Sungwoon.

You don’t often get an experience like this on someone else’s money.”

“...”

“Do you think money comes from digging the ground.

I guarantee that prices are even higher now.

Dad has no money.”

Ah, this.

If he sniffled about having no money to his child, would it negatively affect the child’s development.

Gio added belatedly.

“Of course, this dad can buy you anything if Honey asks.”

“Kung?”

“You shouldn’t waste, but if you buy it and enjoy it well, there’s nothing to begrudge.”

Besides, it seemed like even here, if you dug the ground, money might come out.

If roasted sweet potatoes come out when you draw, why wouldn’t money come out when you dig.

“Anyway, outside the frame isn’t like that.

Honey, listen carefully.

If someone says they’ll buy you something tasty, you have to run over and eat it right away—that’s what makes you a true pig.”

Personally, he wished Honey would get that chubby.

“...”

“...”

If he got chubby...

“...Kkuung... ggeureureuk... keureuk...”

“You don’t have to get angry over it.”

“Keureureureureu...”

Seems like he doesn’t want to.

‘What a pity.’

A chubby bird is the symbol of cuteness, yet this waterfowl faithful to self-management didn’t seem to have such thoughts.

‘He’s already fussy, judging by how he decorates himself with jewels.’

Anyway, what Gio cared about was that.

He needed to look more harmless.

“I want to become harmless enough to look like an ordinary passerby, but I don’t know what more I can possibly do, when I’m already harmless at the level of a talking potato.

Surely my harmlessness had a limit.”

In his lifetime—well, he hadn’t actually died, but anyway—when Gio worked as a teacher, he did sometimes hear “you have a scary impression,” but it wasn’t an atmosphere that made people cry and snot and wet themselves.

“It’s because, aside from the talent to grow healthily wherever you put me, I’m a corpse.”

But now, Gio was being treated like an urban legend, like the Red Mask.

He hadn’t heard that evaluation outright, but seeing everyone he met flinch, he could roughly tell.

“Seeing that they struggle just to recognize me, first... it does seem like a resolution issue.”

“Ggureureu.”

“Since I become reality from a painting, I think various problems arise, but I’m not an engineer...”

And Gio had already received a solution to that from the system.

tip.

Resolution solution

Apply ‘Gio’

“This must mean the Apt One.”

Would the ‘Giovanni’ currently in synchronization be treated as a human state, not yet a portrait.

In fact, when he ran Giovanni’s personality, he felt his body become a little heavier.

Unlike before, he needed to use the bathroom, he got hungry, and regular sleep was required.

“So if I go outside as Giovanni, people won’t be afraid.”

“...”

Feeling Honey’s lukewarm gaze, Gio nodded.

“It’s called a split personality.”

He needed to become harmless first.

“...”

“...”

Under Honey’s stare, Gio admitted his excess.

“...Yeah, even I think split personality is a bit forced.”

“Gguruk.”

“To make an excuse, I never truly intended to use that as an excuse.”

It was sightseeing Yoo Sungwoon kindly suggested.

It was a trip he would enjoy with his help, and he would be walking around with him openly, so he didn’t want to cause unnecessary discomfort.

“Even if I don’t have to act as ‘Giovanni,’ as long as synchronization is in progress, there’s room to make use of it.

Even if I act as usual, people might not be too afraid.”

“Ggur?”

“Of course, I need to pay attention.

If I leave it without thinking, even if I’m synchronizing, it seemed like the resolution problem comes back.

But even this alone can be called a big gain.”

This was something he confirmed with the help of the guild’s dawn patrol guards.

“I’ve been trying various things, so Mr. Yoo Sungwoon won’t be that troubled.”

For example, a situation where his companion suddenly develops a split personality.

“...Well, anyway...”

Gio, sprawled on the bed, raised his body.

“...Then it’s time for us to prepare our elder’s meal.

Honey, let’s go.”

“Ggureureureu!”

Honey nodded vigorously in agreement.

The small bird fluttered and sat on Gio’s shoulder.

Gio picked up seventy-seven colorful sandwiches he had made in advance in the kitchen and moved to the studio.

His steps stopped in front of ‘Breathing Sea,’ the seascape landscape painting.

Now, he had to open this tightly closed door.

“Let’s make a snowman with me...”

“Gguk.”

“Right.”

Copyright really is precious.

Recalling his homeland of the heart, the ‘Froz○ Kingdom,’ and reminding himself of childhood innocence for a moment, Gio composed himself.

It wasn’t impossible that Korea, thirty-one years after he went to sleep and woke up, had turned into a land of lawsuits.

Clearing his throat while spouting nonsense, Gio soon prepared to dine with his family.

“...”

“...”

A brief silence.

His jet-black hair gradually dyed brighter.

And when he blinked his watery eyes twice.

“...”

Giovanni was there.

“...May I enter?”

The door opened.

“Thank you.”

“ ”

“Yes, this priest is very late.”

“ ”

“Please understand.”

A world submerged in the sea.

“It was such a fine day that my body grew sluggish.”

The sun was barely breathing.

Fantasy, modern,