The Artist Who Paints Dungeon

Yoo Sung-woon asked the guild leader for help.

“Help.”

“Oh, what’s this about.”

“I’m here to share.”

“I’m just a punching bag, aren’t I?”

As soon as it hit 9 AM, Yoo Sung-woon went to Bi Sa-beol holding a large glass jar in his hand. Bi Sa-beol, who was visited out of the blue, was also immediately attracted by the large jar.

“You have a unique taste, Curator Yoo Sung-woon. This is a rare item.”

“Ah, you already know, don’t poke me and help me out.”

“Should I?”

Bi Sa-beol immediately recognized that the jar contained fruit syrup, as the sweet scent leaked out even though it was sealed. And he also knew that it must have been given by Gio.

“Have you appraised it?”

“I did it as soon as I received it from Gio.”

“What’s the rank?”

“Still unknown.”

“Oh dear.”

Clink.

Bi Sa-beol looked at the fruit syrup placed on the table.

“Do you see something?”

“It’s very good for the body.”

“It doesn’t seem like it’s just very good, but I get it.”

“Didn't you say you couldn't finish the cookies last time?”

“If I eat too much, I can’t sleep. Even if we’re cogs in a capitalist society, slaves are still humans and need to sleep.”

“If you give it to the employees who work overtime or the guards who stay at dawn, your reputation will be really great.”

“Then the portrait might be taken away by the association. No matter how tight-lipped they are, we never know where information might leak.”

“I know, I’m holding back.”

Bi Sa-beol chuckled softly.

“Moreover, you shouldn’t treat Gio as an item dispenser.”

“That part….”

Thinking over Bi Sa-beol’s words, Yoo Sung-woon soon nodded in satisfaction.

“I'm glad you're being careful.”

‘Gio’s Portrait’ was still an entity whose exact identity could not be confirmed.

While not being overly scared, yet staying alert and being as conscious as possible of it would be the way to extend humans’ lifespan.

“Putting aside the effect, it looks so sacred that it would be well-received even if it was donated to the temple.”

“Yes, well, it said that it’s particularly good for malnutrition. Though since I’m not in such a state, I can’t really feel the extent.”

“Regarding nutrition, the Temple of the Sun will especially love it. With this much, even the poor on the brink of becoming mummies could be saved.”

“To be welcomed by the Temple of the Sun, it surely is an item that gives off a warm vibe. Is it really that effective?”

“Since it’s a concentrated liquid, even taking just a spoonful will greatly help the dungeon exploration team.”

Exploration teams are hunters dispatched not to attack dungeons but to locate missing people or understand the structure of the dungeons. As it was impossible to leave in a short period of time, a lot of food was consumed.

The problem is that due to the dungeon environment, they can’t take too much, so they usually bring bland nutritional foods or potions that don’t taste good.

“This seems to be tasty, it’s a concentrated liquid, so a small amount is enough, and since it’s consumed as fruit tea, it’s easy to consume like potions.”

“If it becomes known to the public, the government will impose regulations, making it too burdensome to enjoy privately.”

“As expected.”

“It’s really unfortunate, but from a universal human perspective, we’ll have to enjoy it privately.”

Bi Sa-beol laughed like an immature young man.

“We can’t sell it, can we?”

“Oh, absolutely not.”

It’s a gift given graciously by a being of the origin. If it were known to be circulating in auctions without permission to sell, the hatred and resentment Yoo Sung-woon would have to bear would be unbearable.

That was the ‘rule.’

“Every time I think about it, the government’s vigilance against the origin is too low.”

It’s been 31 years since the Great Catastrophe. It’s not a short time, but it’s not that long either.

Unlike dungeons, where abnormalities can be easily detectable, the government’s understanding of the origin, which is indifferent to humans, is remarkably low.

“This president is quite attentive, and there are people who know about the origin… but still, nothing is practically reflected in society.”

Yoo Sung-woon sighed in frustration.

“It would be nice if safety prevention education were conducted not only for dungeons but also for the origin. I feel a lot of pity when I see the deceased’s family and the person who died without knowing the cause because of children of the origin. There are also limits to what gardeners can handle.”

“It’s not something that’s been properly identified yet, and for now, the most threatening thing on the surface is dungeons, isn’t it? It's inevitable to worry more about dungeons that cause trouble frequently than the origin that doesn't cause any trouble when left alone. Manpower is also lacking.”

“It’s just like nibbling on the watermelon rind.”

“The fact that there are few people who can detect the origin also plays a part.”

Unlike dungeons that even a dog or cow can perceive, and the monsters that make their homes there, the so-called 'children of the source' are difficult for most people to detect.

So far, various theories have emerged, but the most supported one is that it is ‘an area that cannot be perceived by human physical abilities.’ Therefore, only a few humans who have evolved or mutated as the Earth’s environment changes can see the ‘children of the origin.’

“I heard that even if one has the aptitude, they couldn’t see all children of the origin.”

“Yes, it’s a kind of talent, too. Just as hearing ability differs from person to person, some with the aptitude can see certain children, while some cannot.”

“It’s always fascinating to hear about that story.”

“There is also a hypothesis that the fewer people with aptitude that can see certain children, the closer they are to the origin. There might even be some children out there that I can't see.”

“The fact that there is danger right next to us that no one can see is certainly a chilling story.”

“If you can’t see or sense it, you can’t even touch it in the first place, and if you don’t touch it, it won't get angry…”

Yoo Sung-woon sighed.

“Although I complained about it out of anxiety, honestly, it wouldn’t be much of a problem even if citizens didn’t know about the origin yet. They’re indifferent to humans.”

“Didn’t you say last time that there are exceptions?”

“Yes, of course, there are exceptions… but they are not as aggressive as monsters, so the damage will be less.”

Its scarcity is also one of the reasons why the children of the origin are still unknown until now.

“Well, anyway.”

“Yes.”

“We have to eat this.”

“Right.”

“It’s a rich concentrate and there’s a lot of it, so it’s not like we can just eat it by ourselves.”

“… Are you thinking of calling another scapegoat?”

“I guess we should call the HR team.”

The HR team, like the secretary team, is composed of the most discreet people among the guild members. This is because they have to take care of everything from the overall guild members and carry out the secret orders of the guild leader, Bi Sa-beol.

“At least it won’t spread to other teams.”

“That’s true, but…”

“They’ve been mentally exhausted from working overtime lately.”

“You might as well reveal my cookies too.”

“I’ll lie that this item was something I bought separately.”

“Thank you for that. I’m not sure if such an excuse will work on those smart people, though.”

“Well, they are all tactful, so they’ll stay quiet on their own. They’re employees that hate additional work more than death.”

“Considering the kind of people you gathered, indeed…”

Yoo Sung-woon let out a sigh of relief.

‘…Gio wouldn’t mind if we shared it with our colleagues.’

Of course, the rules of the origin weren't something one could just gloss over like this. There were also many cases where it was poisonous when consumed by someone other than the designated target.

'But in the first place, Gio… .'

He clearly said that he wanted to share it with ‘all of you.’

‘That’s what he said.’

It was meant for all employees of this guild.

“Are you sure there won’t be any problems?”

“Yes, upon reflection, it is indeed a gift for all employees, including myself.”

“He must have given such a large jar considering that. It’s too much for Mr. Yoo Sung-woon to eat alone.”

“In fact, I think he just gave it without considering that part…”

He’s naturally generous.

“It’s funny to think that the origin knows what quantity is appropriate by human standards.”

“But didn’t Curator Yoo Sung-woon say that he has memories of when he was human?”

“He does, but I expect it to be incomplete.”

Employees who met the so-called ‘Black Cloak’ testified that Gio introduced himself as ‘Seo Gio.’

A young man who died at 29 or was set up like that, Gio. Maybe that’s the memory that ‘Gio’s Portrait’ holds.

“However, the point to consider here is, why is the portrait defined as 'Gio' if that was the case?”

That wasn’t given by humans.

“It’s the name defined by the origin.”

All the skills used by Awakeners, that is, hunters, are aided by the origin. It was the same context this time.

The origin, which can be considered as a kind of god or an inter-dimensional system, named a single portrait located in the basement of one building, in one country, on one planet, in such a way.

“So the name of the portrait is ‘Gio,’ not ‘Seo Gio.’ Then, isn’t that different from his own claim?”

“Maybe… it means that Gio’s memories do not match the judgment of the origin?”

“That’s right. The name we are talking about here is not something we gave ourselves or other humans named another human. It’s the name of our essence.”

This could be called the ‘true name’ given by the origin, the parent.

“In other words, the name written in the system is the essence of the object evaluated by the origin, so it’s not something that a mere human can easily ignore.”

“Such a name directly attached to Gio?”

“And it is marked so that anyone can interpret it. Whether it’s a low-level appraisal skill or a high-level appraisal skill like the guild leader, everyone can recognize the name… but…”

“The problem is that we can’t find out more than that.”

“That’s right.”

Yoo Sung-woon waved his hand as if cutting something with scissors.

“It’s as if the origin has blocked it, saying, ‘This should not be read., and it only told us one thing, the name ‘Gio.'”

“It sounds like a story of God.”

“They say that those who receive the gaze of God become crazy.”

Yoo Sung-woon did not deny it.

“The origin is generally friendly to humans. No, it is friendly to everything it embraces. That’s why it may seem rather indifferent.”

“If it were only favourable to humans, one of its children, the dungeon, should not have been born. However, it helps all its children fight equally.”

Such lofty arrogance is indeed worthy of being called ‘God, even though the gods of this era have become greatly far from omniscient and omnipotent.

“It’s a portrait with a consciousness defined by the origin itself as dangerous and to not be directly dug into.”

“…It might really be a god. Or it could be something beyond that. Something that mere humans cannot define.”

‘Something’ that mistakenly believes itself to be human.

“…In this world’s day and age, I wonder how surprising it would be to have something with the characteristics of a god, but anyway…”

Yoo Sung-woon let out a deep sigh.

“It’s just one of my guesses. It’s neither a monster nor an item, nor does it seem to be one of the children of the origin, so I can’t help but think of various bizarre hypotheses.”

“I thought it was a fairly realistic hypothesis. The priests already serve gods, and there are gods who enjoy playing in this world. It’s possible that it’s a god who enjoys interacting with humans.”

“If that's true, then the Earth is in danger, so let's stop. The moment Gio realizes he’s not human, a miracle beyond disaster… a catastrophe-like miracle will occur.”

“Hmm, is that so?”

“It’s better for us to think of Gio as an ordinary human. Since the origin is a ‘living story,’ the danger level changes depending on how people perceive the target.”

“That is truly amazing.”

Bi Sa-beol was very interested.

“Aren't such children of origin usually found in Japan? Was it because it is a country with so many shrines? There are so many various children of the origin that influence reality. What kind of changes will occur if we start believing in god Gio?”

“That's why I'm telling you not to think like that. Don't pour the terrifying oil of god story on an already dangerous guy.”

“As expected, living stories are scary. The moment you learn more about them or include additional settings, they could become even more frightening… I heard that in cultures that love myths, incidents are especially frequent?”

“Don't have strange thoughts. What kind of disaster is this guy trying to cause….”

Yoo Sung-woon muttered with a tired face but soon returned to his usual calm expression.

“Anyway, I think Gio's memories are incomplete. Regardless of whether his essence related to the origin … the fact that he thinks he is human but is not disturbed by his state and abilities proves it.”

No, it’s just that Gio didn't have any thoughts.

However, the absurd nonchalance with which he could dismiss his transformation as, 'I was human, but after dying and coming back to life after 31 years, I evolved into a portrait, ta-da,' supported Yoo Sung-woon's argument. Normal people wouldn't be so insensitive to their own bodies.

“If he were a proper human, he would have been terrified of his condition. Becoming a portrait from a human in the first place is something that one cannot help but find bizarre or repulsive. And the fact that he wasn't intoxicated by the omnipotence of being able to create everything except humans… It's a story that makes no sense for a human.”

And that crazy story actually happened. Gio's miraculous insensitivity shone in such an absurd direction.

“It's an unimaginable situation for a human with sensibility.”

“It's definitely not normal.”

“Well, I don't know much about the origin either. I'm not sure if he was a human who became part of the origin, or if some being from the origin took on a human form.”

“Hmm….”

“But Gio doesn't talk much about himself, apart from answering questions obediently.”

Again, Gio had no thoughts. He wasn't the type to ponder over past events, and in a similar context, he didn't even think that Yoo Sung-woon would be curious about his past.

“Even though he calls himself human, Gio naturally accepts things humans can't do.”

This is also a misunderstanding. He just hasn't fully grasped the situation because he's been living too thoughtlessly. Gio, who enjoys his hurricane-like life, didn't bother with headaches. He was busy enough to just enjoy life.

Of course, even if he grasped the situation, Gio was the type of person who, out of courtesy, would be shocked for about five seconds before immediately thinking about what would be on the menu for lunch. He was this era’s iron-clad man who wouldn’t give any room to pour cold water on his bright and clear brain.

“Ordinarily, one can't be so calm.”

“That's true.”

“Isn't it strange that he has the power to commit mass murder and cause natural disasters at any moment, yet remains unfazed?”

Though they kept repeating the same point, it was simply because he hadn’t thought that far. For Gio, the trials and tribulations in life were nothing more than the menu for three meals a day.

In the first place, Gio judged his transcendent ability to be something like 'the power to create food from paintings.' He never even considered that this power could be a threat to humanity.

Gio was a great man who could say, 'Why would I do such a thing when I can make baked sweet potatoes with this?'

“I don't think humans are such great beings.”

Indeed, he was that great. Gio's pure-brain way of thinking, which never took in anything evil, had the knack for only absorbing the ‘information’ part of ‘serious information’.

Gio wasn't very curious about anything beyond the fact that he evolved into a portrait and could make ends meet by living like this. He was in fact, living quite carelessly.

Of course, from the perspective of ordinary people, it was an unimaginable backstory, so they remained serious.

“He doesn't know quite a lot of information that humans should know.”

“If that's the case, then there would be quite a gap between his memories and reality in many ways…”

“And yet, Gio insists he is human?”

“He may be aware of reality but is deliberately denying it.”

It was just that he wasn't fully adapted to the current world after 31 years. Like how a 90-year-old might fumble with a kiosk.

But Yoo Sung-woon had already drawn his own conclusion.

“In that case, it would be a suggestion at the level of self-brainwashing, so either way—it's not good for us to be the ones asking about Gio's identity first.”

“As expected, it’s interesting.”

Bi Sa-beol looked at Yoo Sung-woon as if he was envious. He spoke in a subtle tone like a child wanting to eat more ice cream from the freezer.

“I'd like to have a conversation with him too….”

“I see.”

“Please arrange it.”

“That's a bit too much.”

“Ah, why?”

“Gio doesn’t like it.”

“He doesn't hate me, does he?”

“It stresses him out.”

Yoo Sung-woon firmly shook his head.

“The guild leader entrusted Gio to me. I have a duty to protect Gio's condition. As long as he thinks of himself as human, Gio needs sufficient care.”

“Are you saying I'm a human who's not suited for his care?”

“Would you be?”

“Indeed, Curator Yoo Sung-woon, never utters nonsense.”

In the end, he didn't even refute.

'Thank goodness he still has a shred of conscience.'

Yoo Sung-woon smiled bitterly.

“The point is still the same as before, we need to know more about Gio. We still don't know his true identity, his exact way of thinking, or if there are any other rules.”

“Since he's someone I brought in, please treat him well. All I hope for is that 'Gio's portrait' is satisfied with my gallery's service.”

Bi Sa-beol nodded.

“Please keep making him continue to think of himself as human.”

“Though it's a heavy burden, I will try my best for the sake of humanity's peace.”

That’s why Yoo Sung-woon had an idea.

“…I'm thinking of taking Gio around outside the company soon.”

The portrait where Gio stayed was too alien to be called a place where a human lived.

Gio doesn't seem to want to break away from his human image, simply saying he was ‘staying in the portrait'… but if he stays in there long enough, he will eventually realize his true nature.

“The fact that Gio mistakenly thinks he is human is a great fortune for us. If possible, we need to maintain that delusion as long as possible. To do so, Gio needs to be among humans.”

“To hide a tree, go to the forest?”

“…Isn't it a little different? Anyway, if a human-like environment is created, the delusion will last longer. With that in mind, I'm thinking of showing Gio around the city.”

“What's the risk?”

Yoo Sung-woon avoided his gaze.

“…We must be careful.”

“Will that work?”

“What else can we do? It's better to try something than wait for Gio to realize his true essence and explode.”

“It is an incredibly bold choice, I can hardly believe it was made by Curator Yoo Sung-woon. But of course, I support it.”

“I’m also aware that it's a risky gamble. I just judged that it was necessary.”

Since Yoo Sung-woon hadn't properly seen it yet, he didn't know, but wasn't it a portrait that could make people faint just by making eye contact?

“Gio is very considerate of humans. He is gentlemanly and polite. There have been no fatalities among the employees he has encountered so far… In reality, there are few hunters who gave off as much pressure as Gio.”

“If it's suddenly revealed to the media that an S-rank has appeared, it'll be troublesome. Nowadays, like celebrities and idols, the pride among countries about their hunters has intensified, so once rumours spread, it’ll spread like wildfire.”

“That might actually be better. Pretending he's a hunter would make it easier to camouflage him since it would fit Gio into human standards.”

“The risk level of a child of the origin depends on the size of the story they hold. If Gio's 'story' is reduced to a human level, the safety increases.”

Yoo Sung-woon sighed.

“…That's if Gio agrees.”

“What do you think?”

“Oh, I don’t know, don’t ask me. My head is already about to explode.”

“That's why I gave you extra pay.”

“Damn capitalist society.”

After pondering for a while, Yoo Sung-woon spoke.

“Could you tell the employees to not be too scared of Gio?”

“Would that work? Have your brain melted in caffeine? Has it become canned and unable to function?”

“Why are you being so harsh? I was just asking for some rules to be made at least.”

He looked awkward.

“Every person he encounters gets severely stiff, which makes Gio feel uncomfortable. He judged them to be rude.”

“There are limits to telling Gio not to be offended, so we on the human side should do our best to be ‘polite’ to him.”

Bi Sa-beol nodded.

“If it's just regulating his actions, it can be done somehow.”

“Is it possible?”

“There's nothing I can't do.”

This is Collection. Since it's the country of the Collector, there was nothing he couldn't do.

This was the power that the guild leader of modern society could enjoy.