Chapter 65

The Painter Who Draws Dungeons — Episode 65

Iser prided himself on not being stupid.

‘...Of course, compared to my older sister I’m endlessly close to a tiny microorganism, but I can’t be stupid.

I, who learned so much under such excellent geniuses.

My reason is solid enough, and therefore something to be proud of.’

Perhaps because he had spent such a long time with his cold-blooded older sister, crossing dimensions, her chill and dryness had also rubbed off on Iser.

It meant he had become someone who could put reason before emotion.

So a situation like this was very rare.

“...I apologize. I lost my composure for a moment.”

“No, it was a sudden situation—Gio-ssi must have been flustered as well.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

“Not at all.”

Inside Iser, reason and emotion were fighting fiercely.

Even in this brief moment of answering, he repeated similar worries dozens of times.

‘...From this man, I can feel the sun god’s energy very strongly.

If so, did the sun god who knows of my existence and Sister’s existence mold our one and only weakness into human form and pass on the sun’s divinity?

Meeting our dead mentor so suddenly is impossible.

It’s too contrived.’

But,

‘This face, presence, habits, voice, and every sensation I feel points to our dead mentor.

And with what method could the sun god accomplish the revival of our mentor, which even Sister—who imprisoned the sun god in the sea—could not achieve?

The one before my eyes is the teacher who has been reborn through a natural process.’

Both were plausible, which only made it more confusing.

‘If there is one thing that is certain, it is that there will be no existence closer to Giovanni than this person.’

Whether the being before his eyes was an incarnation of the sun god imitating his mentor, or a reborn mentor who had not yet established his own personality.

Either way, it was clear that this was a being Iser could not afford to miss.

“When the waves surged, my mind grew dull for a moment.

I apologize for showing you an ugly sight in my confusion.”

“...”

“My head still hurts, but could you tell me exactly where this place is?”

“Th...”

He seemed to know it was a dungeon, but did not seem to know exactly what place this was forming.

‘Should I call it fortunate?’

Even as he once again felt that his mentor was not complete, Iser could not help but feel relieved.

“...”

For Iser as well, and for Giovanni as well.

That he could not recall the horrifying things he had suffered here was luck for both of them.

‘...The teacher’s personality is clearly not in a complete state.’

But the longer they stayed here, Gio’s memories might become clearer.

If he recalled the reaction he had shown the moment he arrived at the deep-sea research facility, after there had been no reaction at the Sun Temple...

“A moment ago Eunha-gun said it once, but this is a virtual dungeon, Gio.”

“...”

“...I haven’t had long to grasp the situation either, so I don’t know well, but it seems to be a dungeon related to the sea.”

Yoo Sungwoon glanced at Iser and continued.

“I don’t know how many people from the Sun Temple got dragged in, but the number we can confirm right now is already considerable, and they’re scattered, so it’s hard to grasp the exact situation.”

“Where are the preliminary priests?”

“For now, I don’t see them in this pupil.

Given that it seems to have erupted at the closing event of the initiation ceremony, it’s a virtual dungeon full of clear intent, so there’s no way the preliminary priests weren’t dragged in too.”

“Then we should gather people first.

Shouldn’t we?”

“It’s easy to say...”

It might look different to Gio’s eyes, but it wouldn’t be easy to unite people scattered in terror like this.

The one lucky point was that thanks to the dungeon owner’s mood calming, the threat had lessened a little.

‘The chimeras that looked like they might jump out and attack people at any moment are now sprawled out quietly, and if things go well, it feels like we might get out of the dungeon with minimal casualties... but can we?’

It was then.

“—Honey.”

“Kku?”

From inside Gio’s hood, something small and yellow

popped out.

“Gururururur!”

Early to bed and early to rise, the nation’s good little bird—Honey.

Honey flew into the middle of the chilly shadow, and soon shone brightly.

“...Oh.”

Almost... like a small sun.

“Are you kidding me??”

Yoo Sungwoon was dumbfounded.

‘He was with Honey again this time too?

Why can I feel the sun god’s energy from a monster with a body as small as Honey?

Why?

Is this right?’

Whether he was dumbfounded or not, the people who had been wandering in fear calmed down one by one in the light, full of warm energy.

At least it was as if a light had been turned on in the dark and eerie research facility.

“Wait, what is that light...?”

“That’s a bird?”

“F-first, everyone, gather over there.”

The people scattered across the vast pupil instinctively gathered beneath Honey, following the comforting light.

Some already looked relieved, sniffling with softened faces.

Seeing that, Gio turned to Yoo Sungwoon.

“It’s done.”

“...”

Yoo Sungwoon felt like he could hear a voice saying, ‘How is it, easy, right?’

“...Good job...”

“Yes, I did well.”

“Wow, so capable.”

Let’s just make sure they don’t find out you’re a portrait.

‘In this already confusing situation, if even your identity gets exposed, I don’t think I can clean it up.’

Even Bisabeol, who had become S-rank with only an Emotion skill, had not been able to fully grasp the identity of ‘Gio’s Portrait.’

He could become human, he could become a monster, he could become a child of the Origin, or he could even become a god.

‘If the people here realize that fluidity, hostility could suddenly gather toward us.’

There had been people who, even to a nothing special C-rank hunter, shouted in agitation that he should take responsibility for this mess.

In that chaos, if they saw something that wasn’t human—especially something with divinity—there was no telling how much of a riot they would cause.

“...”

Yoo Sungwoon, who had been looking closely at the unexpectedly gentle light, soon called Gio.

“Gio.”

“Yes, I am listening.”

“I couldn’t tell you in advance, but soon an A-rank hunter certificate was going to come to you.”

“Am I a hunter?”

“That’s better for operating on Earth, right?

I think the guildmaster wanted to make things convenient in his own way.”

So.

“Since you were going to receive the hunter ID anyway, when you introduce yourself to people, explain that you’re an unofficial A-rank hunter ‘Seo Gio’ affiliated with the collectors’ guild.”

“I see.”

“Your profession is Tamer.

Since you bring Honey around, that’ll also make it easier for you to mix with other people.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

“Well, it’s nothing.”

There was a small wish that he would act more humanlike.

‘I know that’s an excessive expectation.’

Since the danger level of an existence of the Origin changes depending on the size of the ‘story,’ Yoo Sungwoon wanted to cram Gio into the category of “human” as much as possible.

He was also imitating a human himself.

But lately, Yoo Sungwoon felt that Gio might not even have the will to imitate a human.

Whatever his true feelings, Gio could never act exactly like a complete human.

‘That’s why I’ve been thinking of separating Gio the human and Gio the mystery.’

This was part of that work.

‘...Gio’s heavy atmosphere is still there, but since he’s lowered his standing to an A-rank hunter level, unless someone is extremely sensitive to presence, they won’t be able to confirm Gio’s sense of wrongness.’

Of course, it was only at the level of not being able to confirm it; anyone would still feel a subtle sense of alienness, but that “can’t confirm it” was the important part.

At that level, you could insist it was holy power or a skill.

“...”

“...”

Yoo Sungwoon’s gaze met Eunha’s.

“...Anyway, with things like this, are you still going to keep acting coy?”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“This situation is turning out pretty funny.

Completely different from what I expected...”

Watching Gio walk toward the gathered people, Yoo Sungwoon asked in a voice low enough that the crowd couldn’t hear.

“You don’t seem like you’re going to step up and massacre them anymore, right?”

“All that has changed is that I no longer wish to stain my hands with blood.

That’s all.”

“That’s something I’m truly grateful to hear.

I get what you’re saying.”

“...”

“You don’t want to be seen as a bad kid by Gio, right?”

Yoo Sungwoon whistled.

“That’s more than enough.”

That monsters’ behavior changes depending on Eunha’s emotional state, that the dungeon’s internal atmosphere is adjusted—this was an integrated dungeon that lives as one body according to its owner’s mindscape.

Because Eunha didn’t want to be a ‘bad kid’ to Gio, the difficulty of this dungeon would obviously drop.

“While you cooperate, I’ll also keep your identity quiet, so don’t worry.”

“Humans have a vile habit of hastening their own deaths.

It would be best not to act arrogant, Hunter Yoo Sungwoon.”

“So scary.”

To be honest, it really was scary.

“Would it kill you to live easily.”

He didn’t want to die in a place like this.

‘If I die, it’ll also cause problems for garden management.’

Yoo Sungwoon was, among the ‘gardens’ that could be called the Origin’s bloodline, roughly in the position of the aorta.

He didn’t have the leisure to die out of nowhere when he would be busy educating a successor for a while even if he found one.

“...”

Glancing at Yoo Sungwoon, Iser turned his sunken pearl-colored gaze and took in the man in the black cloak.

A dream soon filled those eyes.

‘...Really...’

It’s the same.

‘There’s no difference.’

Even if the colors were different, that gentle 모습 of soothing and comforting the sun’s creation while holding warm holy power was unmistakably Giovanni’s.

No matter how suspicious it was, he couldn’t deny even that.

“A sight so holy I’d feel sorry to watch it for free.

Isn’t he just like a saint, like that?”

“...There is no reaction I should give to your worthless words, but he was indeed called a saint.”

And yet he had to die so cruelly.

In that fishbowl full of cold, by the teeth of the student he had taught, his windpipe...

‘...As expected, humans are disgusting creatures.’

At the sight of Gio granting mercy while holding those vulgar monkeys, Iser felt the smile always drawn on his lips twist faintly.

He still didn’t know whether that man was truly his mentor.

But seeing a being that looked like him granting mercy to humans made Iser uncomfortable.

‘Why am I watching this scene?’

Suspicion toward a sudden stroke of luck.

Longing and torment toward repeating memories and nightmares.

Anxiety, wanting to separate the black cloak from those wormlike, disgusting beings.

Desperation.

As the mermaid sought a way to define this emotion, he recited inwardly.

‘I really hope they all die.’

At that moment.

“...”

“Eunha-student.”

“...Yes.”

“Don’t be alone—come over here.”

A hand that had now grown cold reached out toward Iser.

“Please take it.

You look lonely.”

“...”

At his saying that I looked lonely, I couldn’t answer.

The hand of Gio, which I silently took, was cold as well.

Compared to my teacher’s hand in that long, faded memory—always warm—it was a temperature no different from a corpse.

But it was still kind.

“...It is cold and dark, so I am frightened.

This space is very barren.”

“Eunha-student is honest.

Then I will stay with you.”

“Will you do that for me?”

It’s a lie.

“Relieving.”

Even if you are descendants of the deep sea, I will remain by your side.

You said that to me back then.

‘...Saying those words now will only twist my insides.

Only now, when everything has grown cold...’

When nothing can be turned back.

Without realizing it, I wanted to blame something, but the firm grip of the large hand holding mine gradually calmed the thoughts that had been surging.

As if waiting, like a forgotten habit, soon a voice came—calm like an evening spring breeze, and holding warmth.

“Are you alright?”

“...”

Someone like Giovanni was not fit to receive the blame of something cold like me.

“...I don’t think I’m alright.”

“...Are you in pain somewhere?”

“I am frightened.”

I want to kill all of the wormlike humans here.

I still did.

But I couldn’t reveal those thoughts.

Because whether this person is an imitation of my mentor or his rebirth, the fact that I must keep hold of him was unmistakably clear.

‘...What should I do.’

Deep killing intent and anxiety came at once.

‘I have to keep this person alive.’

So I have to claim him...

* * *

Meanwhile, Gio.

‘The world has really advanced a lot.’

He wasn’t thinking anything at all.

“It’s my first time experiencing a virtual dungeon directly, and it’s very fascinating.”

“Haha, Gio-ssi, you’re truly bold even in a situation like this.”

“Isn’t it fascinating?”

“Usually, people are more frightened than fascinated.”

“I see.

I understand.”

Opening his eyes and closing them, it felt like he’d flown into a haunted house, so Gio was simply interested.

‘Could I count this as part of an adventure, too?’

An adventure you enjoy cozily among a crowd of people—this was a situation Gio, who had often been alone lately, could quite welcome.

‘It’s a little tiring, but...’

Right after the massive program called the Sun Church initiation ceremony ended, new content called a virtual dungeon walked into Gio’s arms of its own accord.

‘Nice.’

No matter how he thought about it, the current situation was extremely far from anything like a ‘cozy adventure’ or ‘new content,’ but Gio’s ultimate positive mindset did not buckle before a mere threat to life.

‘Maybe because it isn’t a situation where I’m about to die any second, honestly it just feels like I’ve come to a really well-made movie set.

I feel like I have no tension, but how was one supposed to tense up again?’

They said there was a way to escape—so isn’t this just a concept-heavy escape room?

‘Ta-dah.’

Having reached a crisp conclusion all on his own without anyone’s consent, Gio was a little excited at the bustle of people for the first time in a while.

He actively responded to people who asked him things or struck up conversation to show friendliness.

“Then Seo Gio-ssi, you’re a hunter of the collectors’ guild?”

“That’s how it turned out.”

“Wow, I didn’t know the collectors had such a tall hunter...”

Yoo Sungwoon cut in.

“There are many hunters like me who don’t show their faces to the media.

Since the collectors is a guild where the main work is gathering and managing the guildmaster’s collection rather than clearing dungeons, there are also many hunters like Gio who don’t show their faces.”

“No, but you’re this handsome—why...?

If you showed your face on TV even once, wouldn’t you get a fan club right away?

Not just anything—doing hunter work with a face like this and not showing it to the world is a crime, a crime.”

“Haha...”

Yoo Sungwoon forced a smile.

“...Gio is shy.”

Gio felt very wronged at that, but Yoo Sungwoon thought he wasn’t saying anything wrong.

Recalling ‘Gio’s Portrait,’ which had shown behavior avoiding even facing people, it was an obvious judgment.

Worrying whether Gio might make a mistake by showing he wasn’t human, Yoo Sungwoon closely examined the reactions of the people whispering over there.

“As expected, a hunter from one of the big three guilds is different.

It’s my first time seeing a tamer...”

“But isn’t he kind of scary?

Feels like if you misspeak, he’ll look at you with contempt.”

“His behavior and walk are aristocratic—could he be royalty?

Then even with that face, there’s a reason he hides it.”

“Judging by holy power, he seems like a believer of the sun god too...

But he’s a tamer, so he can’t be a priest.”

“He’s kind, but for some reason it’s hard to talk to him.

Is it because he’s too handsome?”

Roughly the reactions he’d expected.

‘...I was worried how civilians would see Gio’s existence, but the reactions are friendlier and more favorable than I expected.

At this level, we can cover it smoothly even if he goes out.’

In that case, now they would have to officially acknowledge the existence of the hunter named Gio, but both Yoo Sungwoon and Bisabeol had already expected it to some extent.

‘Someone of that standing isn’t something you can hide by locking in a gallery, and even if you could somehow hide it... that’s different from the collectors’ motto.’

Besides, they’d already concluded it would be impossible to cram the ‘story’ of this portrait into the category of “human.”

Because even if he wanted to hide it, he couldn’t—so whether Gio wanted it or not, people would someday end up feeling the unfathomable standing of ‘Gio’s Portrait.’

In that case, it was better to distinguish Gio the human and Gio the uncanny.

‘Gio, who treats himself as human, will try to associate with other people somehow.

If we have to keep Gio the human anyway, it’s better to separate the more dangerous story in advance.’

That was why there was the identity of “Seo Gio,” an unofficial hunter of the collectors.

‘With this identity, part of Gio that imitates a human... can substantially lower the danger level of that story.

It’s a far safer choice than exposing all of Gio’s portrait to the world.’

This sudden dungeon exploration had only pushed Gio’s social life a little forward.

It was only a difference in timing; there was no need to be flustered.

Having organized it that way, Yoo Sungwoon thought inwardly.

“...”

Everyone seems calm now.

‘This can’t be called a normal situation at all, but should I see this as Gio’s power too?’

Like the case with Hunter Cha Ara before, Gio strangely had an ability to charm people well.

Even though he couldn’t even fully hide his chilling standing, too.

He didn’t know whether that was the aftermath of his standing or a personal ability, but...

“Gio, I think we should start moving to check if there are the Cha family or other survivors.”

At Yoo Sungwoon’s words, people grew uneasy again, murmuring.

“S-Seo Gio Hunter, can’t you stay here?”

“There are already three hunters besides Yoo Sungwoon-ssi.”

“While we’re here... could you clear the dungeon and come back...”

“Do we have to move too?”

“What if we all die then?

Someone has to stay behind.”

They were expected reactions, but the way Eunha’s smile—someone who seemed to hate humans—was gradually deepening was, no matter how you looked at it, a danger signal.

‘If this keeps up, they’ll all die.’

As Yoo Sungwoon sighed and was about to soothe the people, Gio stepped forward.

“Then I will leave Honey here.”

“What?

But Seo Gio Hunter’s summon is too small...”

“Honey is stronger than I am.”

“No, don’t joke.”

“I’m serious.”

Gio spread his hands as if insisting he was innocent.

“We’ll be back soon, so don’t worry too much.

I will help you.”

“...”

“You have strong will, so everyone will be able to return safely.”

Even though it wasn’t much, sniffling sounds rose again among the people.

It seemed Gio’s words had comforted and reassured them, but Yoo Sungwoon was a little dumbfounded.

‘When I said it, they wouldn’t even listen.

How come no one is grumbling that it’s empty words?’

In the meantime, Gio came up and said,

“Now let’s move.”

“...”

Since the nuance was to run before they grabbed him again, Yoo Sungwoon’s feelings were strange.

He didn’t know whether what he’d just said was sweet talk or sincere comfort, but Gio’s 모습 of clearly separating public and private work stirred a bizarre impression.

‘To be able to sway people’s hearts this easily with just a few words...’

This really is a talent.

“You... you’d be good at being an idol or something.

An actor, or, you know, a celebrity.”

“It is an excessively generous compliment, but I believe I have 충분히 the aptitude.”

“Even I think so.”

“Thank you for playing along with my joke.

How could a timid person like me become a celebrity?”

“...”

If you can grasp and shake a crowd with your words and face, shouldn’t you really become a celebrity or start a cult?

‘...I need to keep my head straight too.’

Yoo Sungwoon felt even more responsibility at the dizzying talent shown by Gio’s new persona.

* * *

“...”

“...N-noona...”

“Shh.”

Cha Ara covered Cha Isol’s mouth and cautioned him, and Cha Eunhyuk nodded in agreement.

“Be quiet.”

Now was a time when even breathing had to be restrained.

Cha Eunhyuk briefly swept his two siblings hiding behind him, then turned his head forward again to scan the surroundings.

Cold sweat flowed on its own in the blood-reeking situation.

“Hu-hu-hungry... hungry... hu, hu...”

“KyaaAAAAH...!!

Aah, aaahhh!!

S-save me...!!”

“Hu-hu-hu...”

The sight of people tearing into one another.

It was clear there was an infection-type monster here.

Fortunately, Cha Eunhyuk and his siblings had been able to hide safely under a desk before the situation worsened.

Even so, they were still trapped, unable to escape, but Cha Eunhyuk shoved his terrified, frozen siblings farther into the corner.

“...”

He could see preliminary priests hiding here and there, exchanging glances.

“...Hoo...”

Perhaps because they were small-bodied, the only ones who had survived in this pupil were all child priests.

The only adults, at most, were Cha Eunhyuk and Cha Ara.

‘Dogshit.’

He didn’t know if they would survive.

Fantasy, modern,