Chapter 277

Chapter 277

After hearing Gio’s explanation, Yoo Seongun checked again.

“...So the original creator of ‘Dream Amusement Park’ got driven out and made the ‘Four-Legged Rainforest Underground’?”

“In summary, yes.”

“I did think it was an awfully similar space, but...”

The fact that it was a forest. The fact that all kinds of dangerous poisons and living creatures existed. Human selfishness. Besides that, and so on... there were plenty of parts you could think of as similar. But wasn’t the history completely different?

So Yoo Seongun had thought that even if it resembled it a lot, it was a separate space.

‘Gio definitely said something like that back then... ah.’

Even back then, Gio had only said things like “it’s a separate dimension,” “it’s not my hometown.” He had never said there was absolutely no connection. Maybe even ‘Gio’s portrait’ had only realized it recently.

Anyway, it was both surprising and awkward.

“...So how do you feel, Gio?”

“I feel a certain sense of responsibility.”

“Responsibility? Why?”

“Because I need to be prepared to welcome a new family.”

“So that’s why you said brother.”

“At the time, I could not recognize them.”

“Because you hadn’t fully assimilated with ‘Argio’?”

“But they likely recognized me.”

“Oh, well...”

Yoo Seongun blinked. He thought of the wisteria water dragon that had treated only Gio especially warmly. Back then, too, it had been a time when the ‘Argio’ content was high, so Gio’s words might be right.

“Uh...”

But he didn’t know what to say.

“...Have a good trip?”

“I will do so.”

As always, the portrait greeted him curtly.

‘...Somehow...’

Yoo Seongun’s eyes rolled sideways.

‘Looks like nothing happened.’

He felt that they had returned to everyday life.

After that, in the ‘Four-Legged Rainforest Underground,’ the dragon of rage was occasionally spotted.

* * *

“In that sense, today I intend to eat a meal.”

At Gio’s words, the teddy bear sitting in a dining chair tilted its head.

“Kkuu?”

“Isn’t it a joyous day, with a new family member joining us?”

“Kkukkukku...”

The doll clapped with its soft cotton paws. It had the feeling that it didn’t matter as long as Gio liked it. The other family members’ reactions weren’t much different.

For now, Honey was looking at Gio with eyes that said, “So where’s the food?” Dana was rubbing around nearby as if she liked the wisteria water dragon hatchlings. The water dragons were sniffing around, exploring the unfamiliar house.

It was total cuteness.

‘As expected, if you leave the house, you go through hell.’

If not for Mr. ‘Argio’s’ pigheaded stubbornness, none of this would have happened.

‘Now I really have to rest.’

In truth, since he had directly started things, he had been busy. Anyway, with the Argio incident, Gio had keenly realized, “Ah, if I’m not careful, my precious lazy life could collapse.” He decided to be more cautious.

‘For the time being, I’m sealing assimilation.’

Who knows if the next Gio might be a workaholic?

“Kkuku? Kku?”

“Hm? Ah, yes.”

Gio nodded at the teddy bear father’s question.

“The guardian is here with us as well, so you probably don’t need to worry.”

For reference, inside Gio’s cabin right now, the gigantic water dragon that had been supporting the ‘Four-Legged Rainforest Underground’—that is, the dungeon itself—had also come along. Gio took out one modest flowerpot from inside his cloak.

“...? Kku?”

“Yes.”

“Kkuuu...”

“It’s Urimi.”

“Kku.”

“My naming sense was originally terrible, Father. There’s nothing I can do. You can tell from the fact that your eldest grandson’s name is Honey. It may be miserable, but accept reality.”

“Kku...”

“With Wisterias and Urimi, I think it would be better to eat outdoors today. This table is too human-centered, so it will be uncomfortable to eat. The weather is bright and nice, so it’ll make for an excellent lunch.”

For smooth conversation, Gio placed Urimi on the table first.

“...”

Urimi looked somewhat uncomfortable.

“Is something the matter, Mr. Urim?”

“...”

“Pardon? I don’t understand what you mean. How could I possibly tear apart and eat Mr. Urim?”

“...”

“Putting you on the table doesn’t mean I intend to eat you, does it?”

It was the same as back in Sancalut’s time. Urimi asked whether the reason he put it on the table was to eat it. Gio strongly denied it. He wasn’t that kind of person.

“I am not a pathetic fellow who tears apart and eats fragile trees like Mr. Urim.”

“...”

“Mr. Urim? Why are you not speaking?”

“...”

“...You’re asking if I eat trees that aren’t fragile? I said it without any real meaning—please believe me.”

“...”

“Sometimes somewhat larger trees become good medicinal ingredients or a kind of tea, so I said that, but I did not mean I would truly eat you. With a body this tiny, like you were just born, where could I even tear to eat...”

The Urim in the flowerpot was currently closer to grass that was just beginning to take on the form of a tree.

“Above all, it’s not as if I would eat my family.”

Urimi didn’t withdraw its suspicious gaze. Well, it didn’t have eyes, but anyway, it didn’t withdraw its suspicion. Argio was not traditional divinity, so he could lie as much as he wanted.

“To be so distrusted by family makes me so sad that I feel like sprinkling water on you.”

“...”

“I’m glad you like that. Today, Mr. Urim’s meal will be forest spring water.”

“...!...!!”

“Why on earth are you reacting like that! This water is so sweet and cool! I swear on my three meals a day, you’ll become healthy quickly!”

“...!!!”

“To protect those little friends in this harsh world, you must be robust, Mr. Urim...!!”

Dana observed with interest the rare sight of a young tree desperately twisting its whole body. It was an astonishing scene she couldn’t see in caves where plants didn’t grow.

In the end, Urimi’s meal compromised on cold tea Gio brewed. They said it would be enough to use water made by melting an ice pearl from the ice storeroom. Gio was deeply regretful that he couldn’t prepare an incredible meal.

“I really can feed you well...”

“Kungkungkung.”

“Even you don’t trust Dad.”

“Kung...”

Honey looked up at Gio as if to say, “That can’t be helped.” It was full of affection but had no trust. At this truly painful fact, Gio grew melancholy. He had wanted to turn the whole world into pigs.

“...Then I accept the next meal proposal.”

Thankfully, the wisteria water dragons had mouths, so they could eat, too.

“If I opened a mouth for Mr. Urim as well, he could eat, but he refused.”

“Kkukkukku.”

As if that was only natural, the teddy bear laughed. Beings born of the fate of providence found change painful. It was similar to humans, who suffer severe mental pain in addition to physical pain when an existing hand is cut off.

The same would be true for a tree whose heart had been beloved by God. So its creator must have cast a curse that turned it into a water dragon. It would have been a very effective punishment.

“Then let’s see. First, stew doesn’t seem right.”

“Aeaaek.”

“So Dana was thinking the same thing. Right, we ate that too often. Of course, even if we eat it that often, Dad can make 340 kinds of delicious stew that won’t get tiresome, but that’s a bit... no matter how I think about it, it seems like a dreadful thing.”

“Aek.”

“Thank you for agreeing, my daughter.”

Stew was an excellent meal, but it wasn’t a situation where they could only do that, so stew again? Once more? Again? One more time? Pig Teacher Seo Gio said that was against propriety.

“Then the dongpo pork made with Father’s power...”

“Kung.”

“We ate that last time because we gave it to Moonie.”

Moonie, unexpectedly, had quite a big appetite. Was it because there were so many family members inside?

“But by that logic, there’s nothing we can eat.”

Moonie recognized food and the gourmet experience that comes with it as a kind of sweet knowledge. Moonie kept pressing Gio. To let it taste more diverse foods. Gio had no choice but to make and offer every food he knew.

‘For Moonie to become small enough for people to hold, there was such a terrifying deal.’

Perhaps because of that, there was no food he could find that he hadn’t fed Moonie.

“But dongpo pork is definitely something we ate quite recently. How about going back a bit earlier. For example, tacos. You wrap various meats and vegetables in a tortilla made from corn flour and eat it.”

“Mmeung.”

“Still, that would be uncomfortable for Dana to eat. Seeing how you lost a lot of weight while Dad couldn’t pay attention, I have to feed you something right away, but then it can’t be something with too small a portion. What should we do. I think meat would be good for now...”

Gio, who had been still, tilted his head.

“Roast whole?”

Not bad.

“Dad can roll pulled pork incredibly well. Of course, whole roasting will feel different from low-temperature cooked pulled pork, but trust Dad, son of the sun and benefactor of the sea. I’m confident in controlling temperature and juices.”

“Kkurururuk.”

“You can look forward to whole roast as tender as soft tofu.”

Gio headed to the ‘Animal Kingdom.’

* * *

“So you came to hunt?”

“Do you have any complaints?”

“Such a thing cannot exist.”

The fox tribe chief, Rami, laughed while rubbing both hands together.

“I asked in case you needed other workers. Fortunately, after the war you granted mercy, so things have stabilized a lot. Look—aren’t they beautiful?”

Just as Rami said, ‘Dream Amusement Park’ boasted a dreamlike beauty. The ground floated in the air like clouds, and on those big and small cloud islands, diverse flora and fauna each grew.

And it wasn’t only that. Fragments of the luxurious amusement park were flying through the empty air and glittering. There were merry-go-rounds, sweet candies and chocolates, and bright ivory rails connected here and there.

“Ah, of course, we are also diligently managing the surface and the underground world. The black forest and the ruins are still maintained. The violent beasts there also seem to have stabilized a lot; they don’t come out of their territory.”

“Then what should I hunt and take...”

“As long as it isn’t one of our foxes, anything is fine, Master!”

The fox smiled brightly, swishing its tail. Rami, who had been imitating a human for the first time in a while, pointed a finger at the wolves.

“In terms of bulk, wolves don’t lose either—how about them?”

“Hey.”

A wolf that had come to welcome its master back for the first time in a while made a face like it had chewed on dung.

“Don’t suddenly offer someone up.”

“Surely you’re not saying you don’t even have that level of loyalty...?”

“Why is it that you don’t mature even as you get older?”

“Isn’t that a story about wolves with small brains?”

“You’re still continuing the bite-sized—.”

The wolf tribe chief, Gargal, ground his teeth, then let out a sigh.

“...If you’re all right with it, I will go down and bring back suitable prey. If it becomes known that you want it, all the beasts will help. How much meat do you need?”

“...Mm, well...”

After thinking, Argio said,

“I think about five plump sheep should do.”

“? Who are you catching that for to eat?”

The wolves, each as big as a house, basically ate a lot.

“It’s not exactly in exchange, but I have something I’m curious about.”

“Ask, my friend.”

“What happens to this world now?”

“It has become your property. Do you not remember our promise?”

“I remember. I just wondered if you might plan to use it again.”

“There will be no need to use this place as a battlefield again.”

“It’s reassuring, and yet... regrettable.”

“What is there to regret? It’s not as if I’m leaving forever.”

This place was Argio’s hometown, so it could never be separated.

“Still, thinking like that, I’m worried about Ather...”

“...Ather? Wasn’t he dead?”

“Ah, it’s a bit different. But he still needs to rest, so I’ll leave him be.”

“Mm, uh, yes. Understood...”

Gargal nodded.

“I’ll go hunting.”

* * *

And so Gio returned with 58 sheep, 42 cows, 10 pigs, and 95 chickens.

All of them were alive and healthy.

“...”

“...Ta-da.”

As if making excuses, Gio added,

“It’s fine. We’ll probably make most of them into us. Or release them into the forest.”

“...Kkuuu?”

“Yes, they’re all rather large. Even if we catch one, we expect quite a lot of meat will come out, but we also have to eat to live, don’t we? We can do it.”

“Kku.”

“If we have leftovers after making them, we can share them with Mr. Yoo Seongun and Ms. Juhyeon.”

As always, it was a peaceful ending.

(To be continued in the next chapter)