Chapter 46

The Painter Who Draws Dungeons — Episode 46

Gio returned to the cabin.

“...”

Only now was he checking the reward he had received from the system after gauging the danger level of the young man he had encountered at Gyeongbokgung.

“I’ve been busy.”

Reward: Seal

“I’ve been busy eating.”

He knew the system had no ego, but a pointless excuse still came out.

“So I wondered what a seal was, and...”

Gio stared at the stamp that looked as if it had been carved from marble.

“...”

Gio brought the stamp up to Honey’s softly glowing back.

It shone so clear and pure that it was beautiful, like sunlight passing through a thin blanket.

It resembled marble, but the mineral quality was different.

Looking down at the small pillar that seemed to give off a faint pulse, as if it were alive and breathing, Gio muttered,

“Where have I seen this before.”

“Ggururuk?”

“Don’t look at it with greedy eyes, Honey—this definitely isn’t something you eat.

No matter how much you like jewels, this feels like too much.

If you really want marble, go to the spring where there’s a tree that grew with a similar stone quality.”

“Kungkungkung...”

“Acting cute won’t work.”

It was the system that evolved Seo Gio, who had been an utterly ordinary human, into a portrait that flips personalities around.

There was no way a seal given by such a thing would be ordinary, and he couldn’t just let Honey gulp it down.

“Mm...”

After looking it over this way and that, Gio arrived at an answer.

“Was it a sealing wax stamp?”

Sealing wax, the sentimental item you use to seal letters.

After melting that candle-wax-like wax, you press down and stamp a pretty, cool pattern—this looked like the seal used for that.

In other words, it was a kind of stamp.

In the era Gio had lived in, it was an item chosen more for sentiment than practicality, but setting that aside...

“But I don’t have any wax.”

“Gguk?”

“And I don’t even have anyone to send a carefully decorated letter to.”

“...Gguru...”

“Tears are clouding my vision.”

I am a firefly.

“I don’t have any friends.”

“...”

“...Was this telling me to try making even a pen-pal friend?”

He didn’t know why it had given him a seal like this, but since he didn’t know anything anyway, Gio interpreted it however he liked.

This was clearly the system’s consideration, telling friendless Gio to go make a new connection.

“Then for now, let’s try sending a letter to Mr. Yoo Sungwoon.”

The easiest target, Yoo Sungwoon.

And so, exhausted and tired modern man Yoo Sungwoon was once again struck by misfortune as if it were nothing today, too.

* * *

“...”

After getting off work and returning home, Yoo Sungwoon nearly had his heart stop.

“...Why is there a letter...”

A letter he’d never seen before was lying on the living room table.

“...”

Looking around, he muttered,

“There are no traces of a break-in.”

With the help of Guildmaster Bisabeol, who cares about employee safety, the security of Yoo Sungwoon’s residence was so thorough that unless you were an S-rank hunter, you couldn’t get in.

So of course he was startled to see a strange letter openly sitting inside that house.

After letting out a short sigh, Yoo Sungwoon calmly organized his emotions and sat on the sofa by the table.

“Let’s see.”

Rustle.

The letter made a sound closer to dried grass.

“...”

Dried grass, huh.

“...Gio?”

For some reason, he felt like he could guess who had sent the letter.

‘I’m not sure, but that’s what it feels like.’

The envelope felt similar to hanji, but it was far drier than that.

And far softer.

As Yoo Sungwoon stared at the outer envelope, as black as Gio’s eyes, his gaze soon dropped to the wax sealing the letter.

A texture like a glittering jewel.

“Oh...”

It really is Gio’s.

‘...It looks like he melted it like candle wax and stamped it while keeping the crystal structure of a jewel intact.

I don’t know how in the world such an absurd act could happen, but it’s dreamy and beautiful, like something out of a fairy tale.’

This peculiar presence was something he felt especially strongly from Gio.

Should he call it strangely sentimental?

“A seal...”

It was a pattern he’d never seen before.

“...It looks a bit like... a portrait.”

Plants spreading out from a rectangular border, and a pattern on the inside like a star turned into a geometric shape.

For some reason, it reminded him of ‘Gio’s Portrait’ hanging in Bisabeol’s gallery.

“His tastes really are firm.”

The things he did too—Gio strongly gave off the feeling of a fantasy medieval noble.

‘Like a fairy-tale sensibility.’

He thought he’d said he lived in a cabin too, and he seemed like such a peaceful fellow.

“Then I should see what’s inside.”

Carefully peeling the seal away so as not to damage it—since it seemed worth studying—he saw a pure white sheet of letter paper inside.

Taking the letter paper out, Yoo Sungwoon slowly read the pitch-black writing.

“...”

Then he soon let out a deep sigh.

“...I can’t understand it...”

If you’re going to send a letter, shouldn’t you write it in Earth’s language?

‘...I thought he knew Korean culture in his own way, so I expected he’d write a letter in Korean, but I guess it’s hard to expect that much.

It’s not like Gio is truly Korean, either.’

He considered whether he could interpret it and read it again, but it was still a language he’d never seen before.

It didn’t even feel like it had rules you’d expect in a language, so Yoo Sungwoon felt troubled.

“If it’s a cursed letter, this becomes a headache.”

He didn’t think Gio would suddenly send something bad, but existences of the Origin weren’t the kind you could guess about like that.

If it was an item that brought down a curse if you failed to interpret it properly, it would be quite troublesome.

“...”

Since he didn’t feel any ominous energy, Yoo Sungwoon relaxed a little.

“...I was going to go see him tomorrow anyway, so I guess I’ll ask about this too.”

As long as it wasn’t a bomb that would explode right away, it didn’t matter that much.

Yoo Sungwoon carefully sealed the letter again so it wouldn’t crumple.

The blue jewel seal, which didn’t feel like it had any adhesive at all, was cold and smooth, but perhaps because it had a decent weight, it didn’t float up and instead pressed down on the opening as it was.

“Anyway, I can’t figure out what you are.”

Should he see this as another ‘fragment of a work’?

“You really have a talent for making my heart drop...”

He didn’t know when he would learn Gio’s proper identity.

That point felt a little distant.

* * *

“Gio.”

The next dawn, Yoo Sungwoon came to find Gio.

“This—was that letter you sent me?”

“Yes, it is.”

“As expected, it was you.”

“...”

The portrait still had an expressionless face, but it asked as if puzzled,

“I wrote my name in the letter—did you not check it?”

“Ah, that...”

With an awkward face, Yoo Sungwoon took out the letter paper.

“I’m sorry to you, who thoughtfully sent me a letter, but how could I read a letter written in a language I don’t know?

If it isn’t Earth’s language, I can’t check it.”

“...I see.”

After a brief pause, Gio continued.

“But as I recall, I sent you a letter written in Korean.”

“Huh?

Really?”

“Yes.

I think an unforeseen problem occurred during the delivery process.

Like how you all feel that this portrait’s resolution is misaligned.”

“Oh... mm, that’s... certainly...”

That was possible.

‘The letter’s language didn’t feel like it had any rules at all, either.’

Gio’s letter, like something typed on a broken typewriter, had an outward format that was neat, but the fine language and rules within it were nothing but chaos.

In that sense, Gio’s words could be right.

‘If he says resolution, it’s probably the story we talked about before regarding Gio’s standing...’

Like the immense pressure and fear he especially felt from Gio outside the portrait.

‘Seeing that, it does seem like the frame holding this portrait acts as a kind of filter... a filter meant to contain Gio, an existence humans can’t endure.’

If the language had gotten mixed and twisted as it passed through that filter, then what he was seeing now made sense.

The frame even contained Gio’s standing—then if it was language, wouldn’t it be transformed all the more?

“It’s a little unfortunate from the sender’s standpoint.”

“I’m sorry—you must have been flustered.”

“It’s fine, but then what did you write?”

“There was no special content—just light thanks and greetings.”

“...But didn’t you have a rule of your own?”

A question occurred to him, and Yoo Sungwoon added lightly,

“To bring an item from inside the painting to the outside, someone has to pay a price.

But I don’t remember paying a price.”

“I thought the same, but it seems I was able to avoid being bound by the rule thanks to the seal.”

“The seal?”

“It is a seal I happened to obtain.

If I mark it and deliver it with that, it seems I don’t need to receive a price.”

“Hm, is that so?”

It seemed the one-to-one rule wasn’t something Gio created because he wanted it.

‘If he’s perceptive enough to find a way to avoid the rule like that.’

Seen that way, Gio’s rule was likely a kind of defensive line to keep his enormous standing from overflowing and ruining reality.

Perhaps it was the result of the frame’s filter, as he’d just thought.

‘But if he devised a way to avoid that suppression with something like a seal...’

From the standpoint of a frail Earthling, it was a little chilling.

‘...Even if Gio isn’t the type who enjoys tormenting someone, an existence of that standing can unintentionally break people.

If the rule placed on him exists to protect Earthlings, then this nature of trying to ignore the rule without a care needs caution.’

In any case, he felt somewhat reassured.

He’d slept poorly after receiving a letter that felt strangely chilling, but it seemed it wasn’t a scary bomb that could harm Yoo Sungwoon, after all.

“You startled me.

I got home from work and there was suddenly an unfamiliar letter sitting there...”

“I’m sorry.

I didn’t expect the letter to move like that, either.”

“You don’t usually send letters, do you?”

“Yes, but...”

Rarely, Gio trailed off.

“...I thought I might try making a new friend.”

“...”

After a slow deep breath, Yoo Sungwoon asked in his usual tone,

“...A new friend?”

“It’s embarrassing to say, but the only person I talk with is you, Mr. Yoo Sungwoon, isn’t it.

Before making a new connection, I tried sending you a letter first.”

“That... was very well done.”

Yoo Sungwoon might have a side that coddled existences of the Origin, but that didn’t mean he didn’t know how dangerous Gio was.

It passed smoothly because it was Yoo Sungwoon, but if it were an ordinary person, they would see a letter steeped in strange energy and collapse in surprise.

All the more if they weren’t even a hunter, but a civilian.

“It would be good if you could be a little mindful of that part, since other people will be startled.”

“I will be more careful next time.”

“I’d be grateful if you do.”

Scratching the back of his neck, Yoo Sungwoon asked,

“Then how are you going to find that ‘new connection’?”

How would Gio, who stayed only inside a portrait, make a ‘new friend’?

An ordinary person would move around, or make friends through the internet, but none of that applied to Gio.

“Does that letter get delivered randomly to any target?”

“No. The recipient must be exact for what I wish to send to be delivered.”

“Then that was the case with me.”

“I think I’ll have to think a bit more about how to make a new friend.”

“Hm...”

Was this the perfect timing.

Recalling the conversation he’d had with Guildmaster Bisabeol, Yoo Sungwoon asked Gio,

“Gio, can you also move to other dungeons?”

“Dungeons, rather than simply outside the portrait?”

“Yeah.”

“...”

After blinking twice as if thinking, Gio answered.

“In the case of the worlds I have drawn...”

“Hm?”

The worlds you drew?

“Just now you said the worlds you drew...”

“Yes. In the case of the worlds I have drawn, it is not difficult to move.”

“Huh?”

However, Gio added,

“But the dungeons you mean, Mr. Yoo Sungwoon, do not seem to refer to spaces I have drawn.

Do you mean dungeons whose entrances already exist on Earth, and that Earthlings can also visit?”

“...Uh...”

His head was a little confused, but Yoo Sungwoon maintained as calm a look as possible and replied,

“That’s right.

I mean dungeons whose entrances already exist on Earth—dungeons even hunters like me can visit.”

Thinking he needed to raise Gio’s danger assessment, Yoo Sungwoon continued,

“You created portraits here and there and used them to move around inside the company, right?

So I was wondering if we might find your portraits inside other dungeons too.

Then that would mean you can visit those dungeons as well.”

“I have not tried that part yet.”

After saying that, Gio added,

“But it sounds fun.”

Gio showed interest.

‘Good thing I kept it in mind beforehand.’

Gio’s Portrait was unexpectedly the kind that pursued a life centered on interest.

He had predicted in advance that if he asked something like this, Gio might feel strong interest and suddenly try it.

‘It’s a bit hard to grasp his behavior patterns, perhaps because he has intelligence on par with humans—or higher—but since he’s showing this much interest... it’d be best, if possible, to make a suggestion within a range we can clean up.’

Like Bisabeol said, some humans like Yoo Sungwoon cannot control Gio’s actions.

Even aside from personal desire, that was the case.

Objectively, there was no way to stop Gio—who sees himself as human—from going out into society.

Because simply by drawing, he can go anywhere and make anything.

‘Then it would be better to at least set a direction.

Even if we can’t stop him from moving, we can at least choose where he moves to.’

Yoo Sungwoon took out a sheet of paper from his briefcase.

“Then how about places like these?”

“What is this?”

“I picked out dungeons where it seems like it wouldn’t turn into a commotion even if you visited.”

He chose places where casualties would be as low as possible.

“Places with low rewards and low recognition that hunters don’t visit much, and dungeons that aren’t so terrifying that you’d be in danger...”

“...”

“If you want to experience the environment outside the portrait, I thought something like this might work.

If you move around actively like this, then when you visit a dungeon, you might meet other hunters, right?

Then the chances of making a new friend go up too.”

Did Yoo Sungwoon’s suggestion not sound unpleasant?

Gio nodded.

“Thank you.”

“I hope it helped.”

“Yes, and as a sign of gratitude, I have something to give you.”

“A gift?”

“The jerky I made before has dried well.”

“...Right...”

He hadn’t expected him to make jerky, too.

‘It won’t be ordinary jerky.’

He felt like at this rate he might not live out his natural lifespan in another sense.

‘It’s not like I’ll become immortal from getting too healthy... right...’

Yoo Sungwoon suddenly felt chilled.

* * *

After successfully sending Yoo Sungwoon off with jerky, Gio pondered while looking at the dungeon list he had given him.

“Honey, pick one.”

“Ggururuk.”

“We’ll go to the dungeon where the jewel you spit out stops.”

“Ggugururururuk.”

“I knew you’d like it.”

The dungeon list Yoo Sungwoon handed him had interior photos attached as well.

It seemed to be dungeons that hunters had already finished investigating.

Soon, Honey spat out a jewel—tuk.

“...”

“...”

“It’s here.”

Jewel Ley Lines

“...”

A jewel?

“A jewel, of all things.”

“Ggurru.”

“...Alright.”

“Ggurrururururururururururu.”

“Alright, stop...”

“Ggurrururururur...”

“Stop it.”

If it’s something shiny, you really can’t hold back.

‘Does this guy know Korean?’

He grew very suspicious that it hadn’t deliberately aimed for this.

Fantasy, modern,