《The Artist Who Paints Dungeon》 Chapter 1 Prologue Why, seems like I''ve be a haunted portrait. I have be a painting. Not a memorial portrait, but a real painting. And I''ve alsonded in the middle of a cabin in the forest. ¡°¡­ I guess I''ll just consider this as moving to the countryside.¡± Although I ended up being treated as a haunted portrait while being perfectly alive, it''s fun so it''s alright.*** Seo Gio was an art teacher.1 To exin why a respectable member of society like him became a haunted portrait, it was because Seo Gio failed to escape the school in time during a fire and ended up trapped in the art room, falling right into his own painting. For real. ¡°If I''m going to die anyway, I wanted to die at my favourite ce.¡± That ce was exactly the art warehouse. The ce where andscape painting of a cabin in the forest was ced, which eventually turned into a painting showing him.2 ¡°Living life, I''vee to have such an experience.¡± Gio sat on the bench, taking in thendscape within the painting. The weather was mild. Birds chirping harmoniously as if singing in a choir. The light and soft spring breeze, gentle as silk. Jewel-like sunlight shone through the dense foliage. The perfect temperature and the rich forest scent, as if moistened with dew¡­ ¡°Hmm.¡± It was peaceful. ¡°It''s nice.¡± It''s been about a week since he regained consciousness in the cabin inside this painting. ''The flow of time has been so inconsistent that I''m not sure exactly how long I''ve been here¡­'' It''s natural for the tenants to inspect their new home, and so Gio discovered a few minor rules within this painting. Firstly, everything he painted in this ce became real. Seo Gio, who was observing the apple he had painted, put it down with a light touch. The well-ripened apple emitted a pleasant fragrance. He felt proud. ''I''m freed from food expenses.'' Indeed, he was proud of himself. Haunted portrait or not, this was very wee news to Seo Gio, who was both a gourmet and a glutton. If he painted an apple, it became a real apple. If he paints a bag of salt, it bes real salt. The same was true for kitchen utensils other than food ingredients, such as pots and spats, as well as nts like flowers and trees. R ''At this point, there''s one thing that anyone might be curious about.'' But he can''t paint people. He might be the first human to create a human with paint, so he tried painting, but all that came out was a warm corpse, not a living, moving human. ¡°It''s a relief that the limits are clear.¡± Gio almost got scared. For him who values friendship, peace, and love, the ability to create humanity was nothing but harmful. Above all, Seo Gio''s dream was closer to that of andlord than a creator. ''I was relieved to find that I hadn''t gained the ability to harm the cuteness and adorableness of my life.'' And the second rule. Gio''s gazended on a frame hanging on a wooden pir. ¡°Is it something like a front door?¡± Through the frame, Gio could see the scenery outside this ce. ¡°It might be hung there to emphasize the importance ofmunication, so as not to grow old alone.¡± It was possible to interact with reality, and he could even step out of the painting if desired. Compared to numerous haunted portraits in ghost stories that Seo Gio knew, this one had a rtively high degree of freedom. ''As expected of me.'' Even as a painting, he doesn''t follow the same path as others. Gio was greatly satisfied with his own uniqueness, something unparalleled in human history. It seemed like there couldn''t be another one like this in the world. If there were, it would be fate, which would be even better. Anyway, moving on. ¡°¡­ There seems to be no need to go into a society reeks of exhaustion and start a new life.¡± Why bother leaving this clean zone? ¡°In just a few years, many things have changed from what I remembered ¡­.¡± At the ripe age of 29, it was a rather bitter thing to mutter, but that was the reality. It had already been about 30 years since the fire ident urred. ''31 years to be exact.'' Upon learning this, Gio leisurely returned to the world within the painting. This talking potatocked the confidence to adapt to the new society. ¡°It must have been quite a while since my death report was filed, why would I leave this ce which might made me be subjected to some kind of biological experiment?¡± Obviously, he had no intention of leaving this peaceful home, where he didn''t have to pay for food, rent, or electricity, just to suffer needlessly. ¡°I''m a bit worried about the kids from our ss¡­ The world has changed so much, I have no idea how everyone is doing.¡± Thirty-one years ago, when the fire ident urred, it seemed as if the Earth had turned upside down. ''They called it the ''Great Catastrophe.¡± Since that day, the world seemed to havepletely changed. When he saw an unbelievable sight of a businessman in a suit holding a bow and fighting a monster the size of a house, Gio, who was very frightened, readily epted his identity as a painting. ¡°One can experience such things in life.¡± Even if his body dies and dies again a hundred times, his bones turn to dust with no way to restore, and his soul remains intact and well, it''s still better to live the peaceful andfortable life of a haunted portrait than suffer from monsters in modern society. ¡°There are various ways of living in this world, and among them exists the life of a portrait ¡­.¡± And to discuss the third report at this point. ¡°¡­ Hmm.¡± This forest is another ecosystem. ¡°Shall I go gathering?¡± Gio grabbed a sturdy basket. He nned to fill it with plenty of food. ''All I had drawn was a two-story cabin and the forest surrounding it, but as I wandered around, I found nts and geographical features that I had never drawn.'' It seemed as if it had been created based on Gio''s imagination. Rustle. ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°Squeak.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Gio watched as a rabbit that had jumped out of the bushes rubbed its body against his foot and went on its way. ''It''s small.'' It was much smaller and rounder in shape than themonly known Korean rabbit, and it seemed to reflect Seo Gio''s preference for small and harmless things. ''I like it.'' Mainly because it seemed like it couldn''t harm him. He liked the fact that Seo Gio himself could probably win if they fought seriously. ''Is it because I, the owner of the painting, am harmless that only harmless creatures are ced in it? That''s a usible spection ¡­.'' After that, creatures slightly different from those in reality asionally brushed past Gio. A squirrel with round puffed cheeks. A sparrow with fluffy feathers as if it were winter. A deer with clear, jewel-like eyes and a slender neck ¡­. Gio thought. The fourth rule. ¡°¡­ Even though it''s our first meeting, they''re are so kind, it''s as if they recognize me as their father.¡± All beings within this picture show favour towards Gio. ''Is it because I''m the one who drew this ce?'' Despite how he had be part of the painting, Gio was still a painter, and this world was also a work of art he painted. ''Maybe it''s natural for the characters living in such a work to be friendly towards me, their creator.'' Gio walked in the opposite direction of the stream. ¡°¡­ As an unemployed person with nothing to do, maybe I should find a sunny spot and take a nap.¡± Thus he went on his way to find the spring, the source of this vast forest. ''It would be even better if I could gather some things along the way.'' Seo Gio was still a gourmet and a glutton. Although he had be a painting and did not feel hunger or sleepiness, he could eat as much as he wanted and sleep if he wanted to. ''Considering that I feel bloated if I eat too much, or that I can''t go back to sleep immediately after a long sleep¡­ it seems that basic life patterns are still maintained.'' Anyway, being able to eat as much as he wanted was a great advantage. ¡°¡­ Ah.¡± Gio, who was following the stream in the opposite direction, found small red, round berries. ¡°These would be perfect for a snack.¡± The short tree, which seemed to be just under two meters tall, had branches that drooped like an overturned dish, thin and bent. On those slender branches, berries the size of marbles sold in stationery stores were fully ripe and abundant. The shape of the tree resembled a cherry tree more than a grapevine, with the very soft berrie clusters spread out along the elongated branches. ¡°I wonder if they would have a texture simr to raisins if dried in the sun ¡­.¡± At that moment, Gio''s ''system'' described the small red fruit. Goby Fruit It has a reddish colour. It is sweet and sour, with a mainly sweet taste. The fruit is spherical in shape, with a diameter ranging from 1cm to 2cm. Refinement Method: Grind the thoroughly dried fruit into powder and mix it with Lulupu juice to make a dough. Form this dough into small rice cakes and dry them in a dark ce for more than a week, and it bes a medicine beneficial for bleeding and recovery. ¡°¡­ If you could give a heads up beforeing out ¡­.¡± The fifth rule. ¡°¡­ Well, seems like this will take a while to get used to. Time will be the best medicine.¡± It''s not exactly urate to call this a rule of the forest ¡­ but it seems that Seo Gio has undergone what is known as an awakening. It''s a phenomenon said to manifest in those with supernatural abilities that appeared after the ''Great Catastrophe.'' Nowadays, the people of Earth call people with such supernatural abilities ''Hunters,'' which he found fascinating. ''That I''ve be one of those people with supernatural abilities.'' How should he put it? ¡°It''s like a game.¡± It felt like he was dropped into a healing game of gathering and cooking. ''Though thanks to that feeling, fortunately I was able to ept this unfamiliar environment without much difficulty.'' It wasn''t that he thought of this ce as a game as an escape from reality. It simply meant ''It''s easy to adapt because I''m in a harmless and convenient environment, like in a game.'' After reading the system again, Gio checked the basket. There was still a lot of space left. ¡°¡­Should I put more in?¡± He plucked the fruits until the bottom of the basket turned red. Then he made a ce for the fruits by separating them withrge, cleanly washed leaves. It was to prepare space to ce other gathering items when found, and perhaps thanks to that, he was able to find another medicinal herb before long. ¡°What is this?¡± A small flower that looked simr to an orchid. Vaivamnil It has a pale blue hue. It emits a soft vani cream scent. It can be eaten after steeping in hot water for 10 minutes. It blooms in the ce where the forest butterfly of ''Oblivion Forest'' has died. The petals resemble the wings of forest butterflies. Refinement Method: nch in hot water to remove the toxins, then dry in a dark ce for ten days. Drying on the leaves of the Ss Tree can enhance the medicinal effect.3 Once the flowers arepletely dried, infuse them in a gentle heat for a day to make a fragrant medicinal tea. It is excellent for stopping bleeding, and for recovery and increasing immunity. ''The taste might be quite different, but at least the texture felt like a well-cooked spinach.'' Spinach with a vani cream scent might sound strange, but it was surprisingly quite alright to eat. It was good to nch and eat it as a snack when feeling a bit hungry. ''The texture was also interestingly fun due to how soft it is, almost easily mashed with the tongue like a well-ripened chestnut.'' For reference, ''Ss'' refers to a type of tree in this forest that is chubby like a baobab tree but much shorter in height. The round, curled leaves are plump and taut like water-filled balloons, and such Ss trees were located near the hut, allowing Gio to easily gather its leaves. ¡°Just in case.¡± Gio continued to gather diligently. It was necessary to gather a wide range of items, not only food but also medicine for emergencies. As he continued his gathering, Gio arrived at the spring, the source of the stream. ¡°¡­.¡± Gulp. Trickle ¡­. ¡°¡­.¡± Spring water is trapped in the pure white tree roots, as if it has gathered both sunlight and moonlight. Among the sparkling spring water as transparent as ss, bloomed thin and beautiful flowers, as if made from silk of jewels. They were lush flowers, somewhat resembling lotus blossoms. ¡°With this¡­¡± Lulupu A flower with a lush bud. It can only grow in clean water, and it blooms using that water. A fully bloomed Lulupu retains its shape even when plucked. However, the petals can only produce juice whening in contact with warm water. It is edible, but apart from a strong fragrance, it has no taste. Refinement Method: ce the petals in warm, edible water and wait until they dissolve and the juicees out. One must never interfere during the process. The produced juice can be used with various medicinal herbs. Avable Refinement Method: Excellent Blood Recovery Rice Ball Cake made with Goby Fruit and Lulupu Juice.? ¡°Making medicine mighte in handy someday.¡± Thud. The basket was set down. ''It doesn''t seem like I''ll need it, but I was bored anyway¡­.'' Thinking that it was a very suitable new activity, he reached out for the Lulupu flowers after washing his hands clean in the spring water. With his characteristic blunt and gloomy face, Gio snipped the flower stalk. Despite his downcast expression, his touch when handling the flowers was quite delicate. ''It would be fun to take the whole nt with the roots, but this isn''t the kind of nt I usually grow¡­ It''s a water flower, so I don''t even know where the roots start or end. I''d be upset if the poption decreased because of a careless attempt, so I need to be careful.'' The Lulupu he picked must have already fully bloomed, as they did not wither nor drip any water, meaning¡ªGio had harvested the flowers in the right way. ¡°The scent is nice.¡± Gio carefully ced the flower bud into the basket. In the pond, there were about twenty flowers in bloom, but just in case, he only collected three of them. The petals themselves were sorge and abundant like those of a lotus that it felt wasteful to pick more. ''The stems are quite sturdy, I wonder if there are other ways to use it. It feels like fibre, but somehow it felt as if it might peel off like thread when being torn vertically ¡­.'' Soon, Gio had gathered all the flowers. ¡°This should be enough.¡± As for the exact amount, he decided to determine it leisurely by feeling while making the medicine. Then, Gio set the basket filled with flowers back down on the ground. And he admired the spring. Drip. Trickle ¡­. The sound of shallow, clear water flowing. The pure fragrance emanates from a clean spring. The humid air of the forest. ¡°¡­ It''s nice.¡± This spring, which existed even though he had not painted it, was more beautiful than he could have imagined. The tree that stood firm despite being dead shone a brilliant white, resembling the expensive Carrara marble.? Between the trees with their intricate veins, through which the sky faintly shone, the transparent spring water flowed, breaking the sunlight like gold. ''It looks like pearls being thinly spread out.'' The sap of the tree had hardened into gems. Whether it secreted sap before dying or not, wide and winding jewel-like formations in the shape of tes with a light blue hue, protruded from all over the tree like shelf mushrooms. The transparent, turquoise objects resembledrge jewel-made tes. They held the spring water bathed in sunlight and carrying a gentle light. Drip¡­ The spring water flowed down sequentially along the jewel tes. From the highest ce, step by step, one by one. It made a clear ringing sound like dawn''s jade marbles as it struck the jewel tes. If one listened closely, it felt just like listening to a butterfly sing. The sunlight leaking through the leaves of the forest scattered and shone upon the marble-like trees, making it feel as though one had entered a temple. Thus, the spring water that had flowed down pooled around the roots of a dead tree, creating a shallow well. The overflowing spring water spread throughout the forest, and butterflies with wings resembling sunlight illuminated the area around it. They were just like fireflies. Fireflies that can be seen even during the day. ¡°That''s cool.¡± The spring, which took the giant tree soaring high into the sky as its base, also looked like a giant pond. ''¡­ There''s a saying that good water emits fragrance, but I wonder if it applies to water this clean.'' The air enveloping this ce was rich and sweet, as if one were lying above a flower bed. Perhaps the fragrance from Lulupu petals mixed with the spring water. Indeed ¡­ ¡°People should return to farming in the countryside.¡± Gio liked this ce. He settled down among the soft, nket-like moss and slowly took an afternoon nap. *** ¡°Here it is.¡± An art warehouse in a now-forgotten abandoned school. Inside the portrait hanging there, a man was quietly closing his eyes. ¡°Look at this painting.¡± ¡°Wow, how did it not burn and remain like this?¡± ¡°It''s in good condition ¡­ I wonder if taking it would count as an achievement?¡± ¡°Seems like the piece has a name too.¡± ¡°It has a name? It was an item, then.¡± Now, thest rule. Gio became a painting. ¡°It''s called ''Gio''s Portrait.''¡± That was a clear fact. ¡°It''s sure convenient to travel with someone who has appraisal skills ¡­. but is this really from Earth?¡± ¡°Is it possible for an ordinary portrait to still be this clean despite being inside an abandoned school in the mountains like this? There''s no one taking care of it, right?¡± ¡°I guess that''s true.¡± ¡°It must be an item that came from some dungeon, obviously. There are many other dungeons around here too.¡± ¡°Anyway, Collection would love this. They go crazy for this kind of stuff, don''t they?¡±? And like that, while Gio was asleep. The painting''s entrance was changing on its own. 1: ??? (Seo Ji-o), but due to reasons I''ll use Seo ''Gio''. 2: basically the painting of the forest cabin now has an additional Gio with closed eyes on it. 3: I don''t know how to write the name for this one, ???? ?? was the name of a fruit in one piece (¥µ¥é¥µ¥é¤ÎŒg ¡ª ss fruit), so idk anymore and just trante the name as ''Ss Tree''. ?: it was Gyeongdan actually. ?: the image for better imagination. ?: this is the name of a guild, you''ll see it often afterwards. t/n: another slice of life novel. I was very tempted to split this chapter, as this chapter is more than twice longer than the ones I usually did (it''s 3.5k+ words and this isn''t even the longest chap I''ve read, it''s mid). but I decided not to split this ch 1 because this ch is what made me interested into this story and I want to drag yall down this hell too (mwahaha). I was looking for a fantasy slice of life with slight romance when I stumbled onto this identally. well, I don''t think this has romance, still, the story is just sooooo good I can''t help but pick this up (and the MC is actually really cute lmfaooo). for me, this series is just up to my te, after all, it have simrities with both other projects I took (MPBGS with its misunderstood protagonist trope and horroredy and TSDDBM with the slice-of-life genre). anyways, I hope you guys find this series as interesting as I do c: Chapter 2 ¡°Well, then ¡­.¡± A well-organized kitchen in a cabin in the forest was filled with warm air. ¡°It''s time for dinner.¡± Gio was preparing a meal. ¡°Not having to work and just eating and sleeping, can life get any happier than this?¡± This was the so-called happiness of being unemployed. ¡°Only now that I''ve be unemployed can I finally fulfil my role as a pig potato ¡­. I''ll have to sit at the dining table for three hours.¡± Seo Gio was a gourmet and a glutton. The life of a teacher, who had to lead a regr, unobtrusive, proper and well-bnced social life, was too harsh for a cultured pig like him. ¡°I''ve always wanted to enjoy my favourite menu alone at a time personally convenient for me.¡±Seo Gio nodded his head with his characteristic blunt expression. ¡°This is exactly the life of returning to the countryside¡­¡± Not sure if this really falls under the category of returning to the countryside, but anyway, it is what it is. Contrary to his appearance, which seemed as if he had been carved out of Arctic ice, Seo Gio, who hailed from a mountain vige in Gangwon Province, had been waiting for the right moment to return to the countryside ever since he moved to the city. ¡°To think that I would achieve my dream of a rural life only after losing my job and bing a portrait, life really is a hurricane, isn''t it?¡± It was unpredictable and even fun. Though of course, an actual hurricane wouldn''t be fun. ¡°So, for today, let''s keep it simple¡­.¡± With antern that wouldn''t go out even in the wind hung above, Gio took out the ingredients. Sweet potatoes. ¡°¡­.¡± Large sweet potatoes. Gio blinked twice as if nning the day''s meal and soon came to a conclusion. ¡°¡­ Maybe I''ll try making honey sweet potato stir-fry.¡± It was a dish he often made when the elders asionally sent him sweet potatoes, requiring only a bit of honey and salt, sweet potatoes, and butter. Nothing else was needed. Fortunately, all these ingredients were in the cabin. Like a tree well that existed even though he hadn''t thought of it at all, the furniture and food ingredients inside the cabin were also piled up together. In particr, the food ingredients that always maintained their best condition even after several days, perhaps due to characteristics of the painting world, greatly impressed Seo Gio. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Rattle. Gio took out a jar of honey stored in the cypress-scented cupboard. ¡°¡­ Are the dairy products in the basement?¡± Dairy products like milk, cheese, and butter, as well as basically all food items that required refrigeration, were all gathered in the cabin''s underground storage. The storage, blocked on all sides by transparent ice, maintained a cool chill and served as an excellent refrigerator. Although one''s breath could be seen upon entering, perhaps due to him evolving into a haunted portrait, he did not feel the cold. ''Just cool enough.'' Seeing that other ingredients did not freeze either, he wondered why breath woulde out in the first ce. ¡°It''s a phenomenon thatpletely ignores thews of physics¡­ but it''s funny, so it''s alright.¡± As he descended the stairs toward the underground storage with a small bowl and knife, the door made of cold heavy wood-like metal appeared before him. Soon after opening the door, he saw a few small, clumsily arranged jars and arge shelf inside the ice cave. ''Last time I checked, there seemed to be a variety of types.'' He rummaged through the butter disyed on the shelf. ¡°I wish there was butter with a milder scent.¡± Among ingredients that provide sweetness, honey was particrly strong in vour. It would have been enough with just sweet potatoes and honey, but if the scent of the butter was too strong, it might be a bit overwhelming. Seo Gio found a pale yellow butter among the various kinds and cut it into small pieces. ¡°Too much would make it greasy¡­¡± Gio took only as much butter as needed for this dish, wrapped it up neatly, closed the storage door carefully, and went back up to the kitchen. Seo Gio''s cooking skills were excellent. Otherwise, he, a gourmet, would not have even thought of cooking for himself. ¡°Ah, so fresh.¡± Gio skillfully cleaned the sweet potatoes. Then he pondered how to divide them. ¡°¡­ Fo After blinking twice, he divided the sweet potatoes into long rectangr shapes. They were the right length for sticks. ¡°¡­ Since there aren''t that many.¡± Gio prepared the seventeenrge sweet potatoes. The small pieces of sweet potatoes on the iron te went straight into the wood-fired oven. The preheated wood-fired oven quickly cooked the surface of the sweet potatoes. When the strong heat made the surface crispy but the inside was still raw, Gio took them out of the wood-fired oven. And those sweet potatoes with the outside cooked and the inside still raw went onto therge wok. ¡°Here are the butter and salt.¡± He maintained a low heat to prevent the butter from burning and sprinkled a little salt over it. The sweet potatoes, cooked slowly over the gentle fire, were coated with butter and emitted a sweet and savoury scent. ¡°And put in ¡­.¡± Sizzle¨D ¡°¡­ A little honey.¡± Gio drizzled the spooned honey gently and quickly flipped the wok. The honey and butter, mixed with the strength as if making fried rice in a Chinese restaurant, settled right on top of the sweet potatoes. ¡°¡­.¡± It seemed about right. ¡°Nice.¡± Gio turned off the fire and flipped the pan a few more times. It was to help the butter and honey blend together without being out of ce. If this process was not done, the butter would separate and drip, and the honey would taste unpleasantly sticky. ''It might be delicious, but¡­ .'' Obviously, when ites to cooking, one must pay attention to the texture as well. Even with the same taste, the texture alone can make it apletely different dish. ¡°¡­ Done.¡± Gio ced the finished honey sweet potato stir-fry into a bowl, and immediately soaked the dirty wok in water. ''No matter how foolish humans may be, I will not repeat the same mistake.'' The dried, buttery honey stuck onto the pan was like the devil''s spirit, testing the patience of a good person like Seo Gio. Anyway, this was his dinner menu today. ¡°Nice.¡± Honey sweet potato stir-fry is not only easy to cook, but it also makes an excellent dish for both snacks and meals. Sitting at the wooden table, Gio picked up a sweet potato stick with a fork. It looked like sweet potato candy with a shiny surface, with the smooth honey coating added with butter, it gave off a ratherplex scent. Seeing how easily the fork sank softly into the sweet potato, it seemed to be very well cooked. Gio put the sweet potato straight into his mouth. Chew ¡­ He came to a conclusion. ¡°Dewiciouws.¡±1 It was ordinarily delicious. ''I prefer this over sweet potato candy. Grandma did too¡­''2 Unlike sweet potato candy, which can sometimes poke the roof of one''s mouth while eating, this honey sweet potato stir-fry had a tender exterior. The mixture of honey and butter only added a smooth and soft texture. It was a dish that provided a different kind of pleasure from sweet potato candy, which has a somewhat crunchy texture. ''Indeed, sweet potatoes and honey make a goodbination.'' And it was a set that went well with both butter and salt. The addition of butter to the potentially simplistic honey aroma gave it a different kind of savoury vour, and a little salt that was added prevented the dish from being too greasy or sweet. ¡°Seems like it would be okay to add a bit of herbs on top.¡± If it''s amonly used spice like pepper, parsley, or rosemary, seemed like it would be fine to add some. ¡°But then the scent might be a bit strong. It might be hard to enjoy it lightly.¡± Gio liked it just the way it was. ''The texture is just to my liking.'' The surface of the sweet potatoes, which had lost moisture in the wood-fired oven, still maintained their crispness even after being rolled in honey and butter. On the other hand, the inside of thepletely raw sweet potato seemed to have be moistly cooked, thanks to the honey and butter coating. ''The moisture inside must have been trapped by the strong heat of the wood-fired oven. I did a good job of baking the outside until crispy first.'' It was fun to eat it by cutting it into long shapes, and it has a variety of textures. Eating too much might feel greasy, but with this amount, it was enough to enjoy a pleasant meal. Gio was a person who ate a lot anyway. Gio thought as he looked at the bowl with only a faint trace of honey butter sauce left. ''Sure enough, I''m a cool potato.'' He didn''t want to eat too much right before going to sleep, but it was just the right menu. ¡°I like it.¡± Thentern light ced on the dining table emitted a soft glow. It had a profoundly analogue sentiment, and quietly observing it made him feel a sense of nostalgia, even though this wasn''t his hometown. ¡°It would be perfect for camping.¡± In a peaceful sense of fullness that seemed to encourage sleep, Gio remained like that for a while. Feeling the idleness of an empty but notcking bowl, and the lullingntern voice that softened the air around ¡­. Soon after, Gio''s gaze turned to the window where the spring breeze greeted him shyly. After staring outside which had be dark since a while ago, Gio soon got up from his seat. ¡°¡­ It would be better to prepare the medicinal ingredients in advance.¡± It was to make medicine rted to bleeding as the system had informed him before. Although it didn''t seem like the day to use it woulde easily, making one piece at a time and umting them was also a pleasure for an artist. It was kind of a collection. ¡°First, let''s wash the Goby fruits andy them out. It will take quite some time to dry them enough to be powdered. Because of their size, seems like it will take longer than making raisins ¡­.¡± He almost fell asleep for a moment, but perhaps thanks to the sugar, his mind was working quickly. ¡°Let''s start with about fifty pieces forter. Even if not much juicees out because there are only three flowers, if I make a lot of powder, I''ll be able to use itter anyway.¡± After reaching a conclusion, Gio moved. He washed the fruits cleanly with the drinking water he had scooped up in advance from the stream. The Goby fruit was quite an stic fruit, and when it went into the water, the inside appeared faintly visible. ¡°¡­ It kind of resembles gooseberries.¡± Of course, the difference was clear with how the Goby fruit waspletely filled with pulp on the inside. Gio continued his idle thoughts as he washed all the fruits. Scrub. ¡°Nice.¡± The bright red, bead-shaped fruits soaked in the transparent and clean stream water. They made refreshing sounds while being scrubbed clean in Gio''s hands, which was a more pleasant experience than expected. After washing all the fruits, he ced the Goby fruits on the wooden tray. ¡°My mouth might get bored, so let''s set aside some for a snack.¡± Even though it was evening now, it was best to leave the fruit outside where it was well-ventted and sunny to dry. Gio ced the tray with the fruits spread out right in front of the cabin. ¡°And¡­¡± After entering the house, he approached the wood-fired oven where the wood was stacked. ''Now I need fire.'' Crackle, swoosh. Gio shook a round bulb attached to a grass. Then, from inside the fruit, a small and dull noise rang out, and mes burst forth with a whoosh. It was a small but fairly strong fire, as the colour was blue. From there, a faint fragrance was gradually rising. It was nice to look at, like a bonfire burning in winter. Gio threw it onto the wood in the wood-fired oven to light the fire. Bellflower A flower that blooms with a ck bulb instead of typical petals and is not edible. When the flower is still in bulb form before fully blooming, shaking it causes the stamen and pistil to collide and produce fire. However, since a strong up-and-down motion is required to spark the fire, natural ignition rarely urs. It means it can be used as a substitute for a lighter or matches. ¡°¡­ It''s light and pretty, so if this were sold on Earth, it would have been a huge hit as a trendy camping item ¡­.¡± With his blunt face, Gio muttered about worldly greed as he rummaged through the basket. Then he took out ten stems of Vaivamnil, which resembled orchids. He also lightly washed them and ced them on a small tray, then hung a pot over the fire in the wood-fired oven and poured water into it. Then, he waited for it to boil. ¡°¡­This should be about right.¡± After confirming that the water was bubbling appropriately, Gio added the Vaivamnil. The unique deep and sweet scent of vani wafted through the air. Ssh, ssh¡ª! ¡°Hmm¡­¡± It would be good if it could be eaten the same way as vegetables, soaking it briefly and then taking it out, but these flowers are not vegetables. Moreover, if not nched properly, it can remain poisonous. ''It takes a total of ten minutes for the poison to disappear.'' Gio faithfully followed the system''s instructions. He ate the Goby fruits he had set aside earlier while waiting for the poison to drain from the flowers. ¡°Is it done?¡± After checking the time with the system, Seo Gio stood in front of the pot again ten minutester. He ced the wilted flowers onto the tray with long chopsticks. Despite having been boiled for quite some time, their shape remained intact. He washed the nched flowers with clean water and left them as they were for a while. Gio did not extinguish the weakened fire in the wood-fired oven but only changed the pot on top. The water left after boiling Vaivamnil would still contain poison. ¡°I should dry this too.¡± Gio carried the tray with the flowers outside again. And as he opened the door. Whoosh ¡­. A gentle spring breeze blew. ¡°¡­ It''s refreshing.¡± The texture and temperature felt as if lukewarm clouds are gently enveloping his face. It was a pleasant breeze. ''Soft and cool.'' Gio blinked his eyes slowly in the hazy wind that strangely heart-fluttering and made him slightly drowsy. ''It would be perfect to fall asleep like this.'' The wind, neither hot nor cold, was as soft as fine Korean paper or silk, tickling the tips of his fingers. Gio, having savoured the unexpected small happiness, soon moved his feet. ¡°¡­ I hope they dry well.¡± Gio, who had ced the Goby fruit and flower trays side by side, returned to the cabin. There were already two trays in front of the cabin, but there were still more to be prepared. This time, Gio had caught a transparent flower named Lulupu. What should he do with this? As drowsiness crept in, his thoughts were not clear, so after pondering for a while, Gio asked the system for help. ¡°Refinement method.¡± Refinement Method: ce the petals in warm, edible water and wait until they dissolve and the juicees out. One must never interfere during the process. The produced juice can be used with various medicinal herbs. Avable Refinement Method: Excellent Blood Recovery Rice Ball Cake made with Goby Fruit and Lulupu Juice. ¡°Thank you.¡± After expressing gratitude to the system, Gio poured water into the newly reced pot. The cold water entered the preheated pot, changing it to a lukewarm temperature. When he ced his hand just above the water, the gentle steam rising seemed quite warm. ''If it''s not hot water but warm water, this temperature should be about right.'' Thinking so, Gio held the flowers he had brought from the spring in his hand. The Lulupu flowers, seemingly made of water yet woven like silk and sturdy, emitted a clear and sweet fragrance, like dewdrops made of honey. As he carefully ced it into the pot ¡­. The gxy-like sparkle of the flower petals spread throughout the water in the pot. ¡°¡­ Surely Lulupu''s sparkle must be due to scattering the light from sunlight ormps.¡± Was it trapping the bright sunlight or the clear light of themps within itself? It felt like watching ice made of glitter melting in warm water. ¡°¡­ Oh.¡± Soon the sparkle subsided, and the water in the pot emitted a clearer fragrance. The capitalist thought that it would sell well even if made into perfumes suddenly crossed his mind, but Gio scooped out the contents before the waterpletely boiled away. ''I was almostte.'' The scooped-out flower water went into a ss bottle he had prepared in advance. ¡°It doesn''t look like much at first nce, but this can be used to make medicine.¡± The Lulupu juice, though only dissolved in water, emitted a mesmerizing light as if it was a paint crafted by an artist who poured his soul into it. He wondered if it could really be made into medicine. Well, there''s nothing that can''t be done if you try. That''s just how life is. ¡°Even a perfectly living human can be a haunted portrait, so why couldn''t I make a medicine with a strange colour?¡± Having finished all the preparations, Gio went up to the second floor of the cabin. The drowsiness that had been tickling his eyelids for a while now encouraged him to sleep. The wooden stairs that touched the soles of his feet felt warm. Despite being clearly made of hardwood, it strangely had a soft texture, and with howforting the scent wafted from various ces, seemed like it was made of good-quality wood. The bed in the bedroom he climbed up to felt as soft as if it was made of water. ¡°Haa ¡­.¡± Thump¡ª He dove into the bed. His eyes blinked a couple of times as if summarizing the day''s events, before soon quietly closing, like a child being caressed in their parent''s embrace. Through the wide-open window, the wind carrying the forest''s fragrance flowed in, and a delicate breeze passed cautiously over his body as if shy. Once across his forehead, once on his fingertips, once on his knees ¡­. In the pitch-dark view, the evening cries of birds faintly receded. And with the soft singing of grass bugs as a luby. Gio fell asleep. 1: he was saying ''delicious'' while chewing so idk how to say it (???). 2: sweet potato candy looks like this ig, I think what he meant could stibby stabby mouth because it seems coated with sugar a little like tanghulu? not sure though never eat one. Chapter 3 At a prestigious auction house. ¡°Uh¡­?¡± ¡°Why, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°J-just now ¡­ I think this painting moved.¡± ¡°How clumsy.¡± One of the managers snorted. ¡°There¡¯s no way an ordinary portrait would be up for auction here. It must have been an item from some dungeon.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°They say it was found in the art warehouse of an abandoned school,but since its origin is unclear, the price will drop significantly. It¡¯s going to be auctioned early in the first part, so prepare in advance.¡±¡°Yes, sir.¡± Despite the boss¡¯s reassuring words, the employee¡¯s expression was not good. He looked at the portrait in front of him with a sense of unease. ¡°¡­.¡± Just now. It seemed like their eyes met. ¡°¡­I hope it¡¯s not a cursed item¡­¡± While the item must have already passed the safety inspection, the world is vast and there are all kinds of items. The mystery of its origin and function which even appraisal skills couldn¡¯t rify must have been the reason why it made it to this auction, but that was exactly why the employee felt a sense of foreboding. ¡°Isn¡¯t this how horror movies usually start? Something ominous and the people around who are unaware of the danger¡­ It¡¯s perfect.¡± He just hoped that he wouldn¡¯t be the first victim to die here. ¡°Ouh, how scary.¡± That painting, ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait¡¯ silently watched this scene. He then closed his eyes. *** 31 years ago. The Earth was ruined. When this all-toomon introductory phrase became reality, from then on, all science fiction movies disappeared from Earth. Suddenly being dragged into another dimension and torn apart by irrational rules or monsters crawling out from the cracks of pitch-ck dimensions felt much more real than any movie. ¡°Crazy¡­!¡± ¡°Excuse me, are they filming for a movie?¡± ¡°Do you think it¡¯s a movie, damn it?!¡± And as if that was expected, people with supernatural abilities appeared. ¡°Uh ¡­ Isn¡¯t this a game window?¡± ¡°Wow, I got that too.¡± ¡°What did it say? Mine says I¡¯ve awakened as a priest?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have that ¡­ just a list of skills. But if you¡¯re a priest, do you have a religion?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m a Christian. Is it determined this way?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know either¡­?¡± They changed thendscape of Earth. ¡°Ah, deal¡­! What are you doing without adding deal!!¡±1 ¡°How can I deal when hyung is blocking the front¡­!¡± ¡°Are you kidding me?! Shouldn¡¯t the tank block the front instead of the back?!¡± ¡°Wow, this strategy is screwed¡­¡± ¡°Hiyaaaa ¡­!¡± They hunted monsters as if they were ying a game. This phenomenon, defined as ¡®awakening,¡¯ manifested randomly in individuals, and no matter how much research was conducted, there was no precise rule or standard for it. The onlymonality among those who had awakened was that they had a system window like that in a game. Of course, hunting monsters wasn¡¯t as light a task as ying a game. ¡°¡­ Hey, at least take care of things he left. Even if there¡¯s no body, we should still hold a funeral.¡± ¡°Our team¡¯s dealer is gone ¡­. I¡¯m beat. How old did you say he was?¡± ¡°Eighteen years old. He said he wanted to go back to high school.¡± ¡°To drag a kid who wanted to study at school out here, the country must be crazy.¡± ¡°What can we do? They even make ten-year-olds work if they¡¯re awakened ¡­.¡± ¡°Well, an eighteen-year-old dealer is pretty decent.¡± ¡°This is fucked up.¡± The so-called ¡®Awakeners,¡¯ or ¡®Hunters¡¯ who hunted monsters were few in number, so it was hard for them to escape from ¡®death by overwork¡¯. In the face of global changes during a transitional period, individual lives were treated as mere numbers. However, South Korea was a country that quickly suppressed the chaos worldwide, centred around three heroes. They rapidlyid the foundation through a series of tumultuous changes. ¡°Honey, can you hear me? Ye-rin has awakened¡­¡± As a result, citizens of well-organized cities began to feel more rxed. ¡°The teachers told me that she had awakened at the kindergarten today.¡± [ Huh? Ye-rin? Oh my ¡­ Does she have a profession? What about skill? What rank is it? ] ¡°I don¡¯t know, Ye-rin says she doesn¡¯t have a profession and her skill is D-rank. Seems like we¡¯ll have to check at the centre for the exact details.¡± [ Then let¡¯s not make Ye-rin a hunter. Ask her what she wants to do, and if she doesn¡¯t want to, don¡¯t make her a hunter. ] ¡°I was thinking the same. Okay, thanks, I¡¯ll hang up now.¡± With established guilds and centres, the system was organized¡ªthe dimension was named ¡®Dungeon¡¯, and there are now distinctions between ¡®Awakener¡¯ who simply have awakened abilities and ¡®Hunter¡¯ who have the profession of hunting monsters. ¡°Yeah, just because the child has awakened doesn¡¯t mean she has to be a hunter.¡± ¡°Mom, am I going to catch monsters ¡­? I¡¯m scared ¡­ I don¡¯t want to do that.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. Our Ye-rin doesn¡¯t have to catch monsters.¡± From a certain point, Awakeners also began to have different jobs. Awakeners, who possess powers qualitatively different from ordinary people, were strictly managed by the country, but within a mere 31 years, after various incidents urred and with the government changing dozens of times, the treatment towards Awakeners improved. For Awakeners below the C-rank, the range of job choices expanded significantly. ¡°Wow, that person must be a hunter.¡± ¡°Definitely, seeing the guild emblem, they must be a hunter.¡± ¡°Amazing ¡­ Who is that? I¡¯ve never seen them before, a neer? Have you seen them on TV?¡± ¡°The ck wings are really cool. So that¡¯s what a real hunter looks like.¡± ¡°I heard that flying-type skills are rare¡­.¡± ¡°That person has made it in life.¡± And with that, envious gazes towards hunters grew even more. ¡°I want to be a hunter if I awaken.¡± ¡°Eh, I¡¯m not really into dangerous stuff.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s still cool. You can earn a lot of money and be popr.¡± In the end, they were treated like celebrities. ¡°Uh¡­ hey, hey, seems like they heard us. Let¡¯s stop and go.¡± ¡°I, I just thought it was nice. Sorry¡­.¡± Whether the hunters themselves wanted it or not, that was the flow of the world. ¡° Some hunters were tired of the excessive attention. ¡°Are we soldiers or idols¡­? Why are there so many requests for photos when approaching us? Are we going to dance on stage next? In other countries, this kind of thing wouldn¡¯t even be a dream.¡± ¡°Last time, I heard that a sasaeng fan entered our new recruit¡¯s room. Does that even make sense? I mean, shouldn¡¯t a hunter be worried about dying rather than this ¡­ A hunter¡¯s job is to hunt monsters, not to manage fans.¡±2 ¡°Poprity is one thing, but this is obstruction of work, isn¡¯t it? It¡¯s too distracting. I came here to hunt monsters, not entertaining the public. Korea¡¯s perception of hunters is too frivolous. This needs to be fixed.¡± Additionally, there were opposing opinions. ¡°Hmm, I like it though. And what do you mean by entertaining? Are you looking down on entertainers?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± ¡°Come on, let¡¯s not fight. After all, it¡¯s better to be popr than not. I¡¯m not defending sasaeng fans or work interference, but¡­ once a system is in ce, these inconveniences will decrease.¡± ¡°Yeah, the association will help with that. If it bothers you, you could file aint.¡± Thus, the perception of hunters went beyond that of people with supernatural abilities, monsters, and soldiers to celebrities. As time passed, this perception solidified, and at least for city dwellers, monsters and dungeons fell to the level of a disaster. Which means, they were categorized as simr to a fire that firefighters could suppress. And among the three major guilds that emerged in South Korea¡ª ¡°Guild leader.¡± ¡°Yes, please speak.¡± ¡°No matter how much we are called ¡®Collection¡¯¡­.¡± 3rd rank domestic guild, ¡®Collection¡¯. ¡°This time, isn¡¯t it a bit too much?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it too much to tell a collector not to collect?¡± ¡°Do you know how much money was spent to buy this portrait?¡± ¡°I¡¯m buying the thing with my own money, why is this an issue?¡± The guild leader there, ¡®Collector¡¯ Bi Sa-beol. The middle-aged man thinly smiled. While he looked refined like a polite gentleman, his smile left a somewhat unsettling impression. ¡°This piece even caught the attention of the Association President. What do you think, isn¡¯t it surprising?¡± ¡°The Association President? That¡¯s certainly surprising.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a piece that was bid up to 2000 by a person whose only hobby is raising monsters, let alone collecting.¡± ¡°2000, huh¡­¡± The 2000 mentioned here did not mean twenty million won, but two hundred billion won. Even if it wasn¡¯t in the trillions, it was by no means a trivial amount. ¡°¡­ My appraisal skill is too weak to recognize the true value of this piece. I apologize for my hasty judgment.¡± ¡°Since you didn¡¯t know the situation, it¡¯s understandable to scold a collector who has collected quite a number.¡± ¡°Thank you for your immeasurable consideration. Then, what function does this portrait have?¡±3 ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± ¡°That¡¯s nonsense¡­¡± There are three main factors when evaluating a hunter. A ¡®profession¡¯ that can intervene in the world¡¯s rules just by its existence. The ¡®aptitude skill¡¯ that one naturally acquires at the moment of awakening, like a first birthday grab.? The ¡®level¡¯ that indicates the proficiency of their profession and all skills. To hear a detailed exnation of one¡¯s profession and other skills avable to learn, one should seek help from the centre, but for now, the hunter¡¯s rank is disyed by the so-called system byprehensively evaluating these three factors. ¡®And¡­¡¯ Bi Sa-beol was a person who became an S-rank hunter solely due to his aptitude skill, ¡®Appraisal¡¯. ¡®That such a person failed to understand this piece, what a terrible joke.¡¯ Perhaps oblivious to the big bewilderment of the employee, the collector just smiled as if he was having fun. ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s more desirable.¡± The unique thing about ¡®Collection¡¯, one of Korea¡¯s top three guilds, was that all guild members had appraisal skills. And Bi Sa-beol, the leader of that ce, had appraisal skill so outstanding that it could be considered the best in the entire world. That Bi Sa-beol didn¡¯t know the exact function of this piece. ¡°I think I understand why the Association President bid for 2000.¡± It was even terrifying. ¡®¡­Maybe it¡¯s just my feeling, but the atmosphere of the piece is a bit heavy. Even though it¡¯s just a portrait of one person¡­¡¯ The clerical guild member nodded. ¡°It seems more like a work suitable for research rather than appreciation.¡± ¡°Isn''t that why the Association President coveted it so much? But in the end, I¡¯m the one who won.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re done talking, I¡¯ll be leaving now. Getting caught in a whale fight is not my hobby.¡±? ¡°I don¡¯t know how all our guild members are so chic.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s the guild leader¡¯s karma for gathering only such people.¡± ¡°That¡¯s sad.¡± The guild member left the office with a disgusted look at Bi Sa-beol, who was smiling broadly instead of a sad face. He had the expression of someone who hade to deliver documents but suffered an unexpected misfortune. Left alone, Bi Sa-beol lifted the portrait with telekinesis and headed towards the hidden elevator in his office. Clunk. The narrow elevator, barely big enough for three people, went down to a very deep ce. It was the ¡®Collection¡¯ guild¡¯s warehouse, which was designated as a forbidden area by the government. Unless one was an authorized employee or a customer, they could not enter or leave this ce. Simply put, it was a gallery exclusively for Bi Sa-beol. As he arrived at the warehouse. ¡°Haaa ¡­.¡± Bi Sa-beol let out a sigh of overwhelming emotion. Therge veins on Bi Sa-beol¡¯s hand, which held his lower jaw tightly, bulged with delight and satisfaction. ¡°Good.¡± His snake-like, bright yellow eyes flickered with fanatical obsession. Bi Sa-beol¡¯s collection warehouse was his personal space. This was because, rather than disying items brought by guild members from dungeons or overseas, it disyed the items the guild leader personally purchased. Bi Sa-beol¡¯s collection warehouse was filled with dangerous works and items. ¡°Very good.¡± Unable to give up on artworks, Bi Sa-beol did his best to put all safety measures in ce, and the government, recognizing his efforts and achievements, would often entrust him with problematic items. ¡°This spot would be good.¡± ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait¡¯ that Bi Sa-beol had purchased this time was no exception. Click. ¡°Excellent.¡± It was a painting of a man. With a blunt and gloomy expression that matched his pale skin. Jet-ck hair that seems to not reflect a single speck of light. Yet, instead of being droopy and gloomy, it had a sharp and cool atmosphere with restrained arrogance ¡­. And the peaceful forest scenery that harmonized with him. ¡°I wonder who was drawn.¡± It was a portrait that made one curious about the painter who drew it and the model who became the subject of the piece. ¡°If this is just human skill, it¡¯s amazing. Even if it¡¯s not, it¡¯s the same. It¡¯s as if it really contains a living human being ¡­.¡± At that moment. The man in front of him. The pale portrait opened its eyes and looked at Bi Sa-beol. Bi Sa-beol held his breath. As if every organ and muscle were captured by something huge, he couldn¡¯t say anything. ¡­ What is this? ¡®What is this?¡¯ It was ck. It was all ck. Even though the white and ck are separated, it was an abyss where the boundary waspletely indistinguishable. Its centre was so deep that it was unfathomable. It was a shadow. And it was the night sky. And¡­. Does it resemble the universe? ¡®Dark.¡¯ Deep. Colourful. It resembled life where warmth and coldness coexist. The veins and ties of fate that spread throughout it. When Bi Sa-beol unknowingly touched the ck eyes of the man in the painting ¡­ The portrait soon. ¡°¡­ Oh.¡± Closed its eyes. ¡°My goodness.¡± At that moment, Bi Sa-beol intuitively felt that he had hit an unexpected jackpot. ¡°It¡¯s not an ordinary painting, is it?¡± He felt very pleased. *** Meanwhile, the man in the painting, Gio. Was scared. ¡°Um ¡­¡± He quietly stepped back with a rarely disgusted face and looked at the frame hanging on the tree. It was the frame he called the ¡®front door¡¯. Upon confirming that the only entrance was blocked, Gio muttered in frustration. ¡°I¡¯m just an ordinary painting.¡± He was a little desperate, enough to make excuses despite how no one would hear him. ¡®¡­Is this what they call a threat to life? I thought such things would not happen in this peaceful cabin, but as expected, the world does not always go as one thinks. It¡¯s a truly harsh world.¡¯ Before he started making medicine in earnest, Gio, who wanted to check the outside world, noticed that his frame was being moved somewhere. Upon checking asionally, it seems like he had been put up for auction. And thest ce he arrived was none other than a huge warehouse ¡­ ''¡­ Rather, it should be called a gallery or museum.'' The all-white building and well-maintained interior showed that only carefully selected works were on disy. It seemed to be a gallery that received a lot of love from its owner. And the more love he poured into it, the more troubled Gio became, having lost his one and only front door. ¡°Now every time I go outside, I¡¯ll bemitting trespassing. Why did this happen to me, a model student who listens well, goes to bed early and wakes up early? Is it because I didn¡¯t brush my teeth before bed yesterday?¡±? Gio had already surprised an employee by trying to take a brief look outside. Although he never died, he didn¡¯t want to be burned at the stake as a haunted portrait. ¡°If the portrait is ruined, I don¡¯t know what will happen to this painting world ¡­.¡± Indeed, the Earth had undoubtedly be stronger in 31 years. It was too rough and harsh of a world for the timid and weak Seo Gio, a newly born potato from the Gangwon Province, to survive.? ''It''s dangerous outside the nket.'' Gio once again acknowledged his identity as a portrait and resolved to stay here. Yet the very next day after he thought to be more careful than now to survive in this harsh world, staking the honour of a haunted portrait¡ª ¡°Hello.¡± From beyond the wooden frame, the red-haired man he saw yesterday was loitering around. ¡®Oh.¡¯ Not really, truly, sincerely with any discriminatory or derogatory intent, but objectively seeing without any personal feelings, Gio thought. Those bright reptile-like yellow eyes were creepy. For some reason he couldn¡¯t understand, they even sparkled. Why really? But he didn¡¯t want to understand. It was too harsh of a dilemma for Gio, who had stepped out into the yard expecting a refreshing morning. ¡°Nice to meet you, sir. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s a good morning, afternoon, or evening, but for us humans, it¡¯s a good morning. Did you sleep well, sir?¡± ¡°I think I was very rude yesterday. Would you like to talk to me? What is your name? Since I appraised it as ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait,¡¯ it seems your name is Gio¡­.¡± ¡°Sir? Are you listening? Seeing you open and close your eyes, as someone eagerly seeking conversation, it¡¯s quite tempting. You seem to have a great skill in captivating people.¡± Damn the heavenly gods and earthly spirits. ¡®It¡¯s been thirty-one years since someone talked to me, so something good is bound to happen tomorrow. But even considering that, an utterly uneptable misfortune has struck.¡¯ Modern society, this scary child. Gio hoped that the person beyond the frame would maintain a proper distance and pour an appropriate amount of interest. ¡®¡­ It¡¯s burdensome¡­.¡¯ Outcast potato Seo Gio just shrank in front of the man who did not hide his enormous energy.? Of course, it was a grateful thing that there was someone who would talk to this loner. It might not feel like thirty-one years, but it had been that long since he had the opportunity tomunicate. ¡®The fact that the other party seems quite friendly tells me that this is a reasonably good situation.¡¯ But still¡­ ¡°Sir? Are you there? Sir? If it¡¯s because I came empty-handed, I can prepare something you want ording to your taste.¡± ¡°Hmm, do I need to offer a sacrifice¡­? What kind of sacrifice is usually received in such cases? The mostmon case is either a human with many sins, or perhaps apletely innocent human. But thetter is too difficult to find¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve contacted the prison. In today¡¯s world, finding a human with many sins is a piece of cake. I wonder how many would be enough?¡± Oh. ¡®It¡¯s tough.¡¯ Even for Gio, the idol of a mountain vige, it was an opponent he couldn¡¯t prepare tomunicate with. 1: deal here means to deal damage. 2: sasaeng fan is a crazy obsessed fan with extreme behaviour and invasion of privacy. if you look at google, the first search result is Jungkook¡¯s BTS sasaeng fan iirc you can think of that¡ª 3: this dialogue uses ??, while the word could mean reconciliation, I thought it was referencing the one with ºÓº£ hanja so like ¡®thanks for your understanding like the vast sea¡¯? sth along this line ig? correct me if I¡¯m wrong though. ?: ??? refers to a Korean tradition called ¡®Doljabi¡¯ where a child is encouraged to grab an item during their first birthday celebration, and the item they choose is said to symbolize their future career or path in life. so basically random gacha skill upon awakening. ?: ?? ??? ? ??? ? is a Korean idiom that trantes to ¡®like a shrimp¡¯s back getting torn in a whale fight,¡¯ which means getting hurt as an innocent bystander in a conflict between other stronger entities. ?: actually this one was ??? (new world/utopia) reference, but I don¡¯t get this, from looking it up, it seems to mean someone who listens to their parents and teachers so well they can be people of the new world? I don¡¯t understand ¡­. ?: ???, a potato that is freshly harvested or newly born that year ¡­ smh his way of talking about himself ¡­. ?: ?? (literally ¡®outsider¡¯), basically an outcast. Chapter 4 Rustle¡­ A long and pale hand disturbs the delicately dried light sky-blue flower petals. It was Gio. ¡°Hmm.¡± He was making medicine. ¡°Seems like all have dried up now.¡± It has been eleven days since he dried the boiled Vaivamnil flowers on Ss tree leaves. The flowers, dried under the warm breeze and sunlight, hardly emitted any scent. It was a different feeling from the strong fragrance that had emanated when they were first boiled in water to remove the toxins.¡°I wonder if the scent will return if I put them back in water.¡± Seo Gio murmured softly as he carefully packed the well-dried flowers into a sterilized ss jar. ¡°I wonder if a good hemostatic medicine can be made by brewing tea with this ¡­ But no matter how I look at it, isn¡¯t this just flower tea?¡± Gio¡¯s eyes then turned to another tray. It was the tray where the Goby fruits had been left to dry. The Goby fruits, which had dried up as much as raisins in just eleven days, had turned a peculiar deep yellow colour. ¡°It seems the scent gets stronger the more it dries.¡± In terms of the intensity of the scent, the Goby fruits and Vaivamil wereplete opposites. The scent of the Goby fruits became stronger as they dried, while the Vaivamil¡¯s scent weakened. Gio¡¯s eyes blinked rapidly twice as he calcted the work he had to do in the future. ¡°¡­ Seems like there¡¯s still a long way to go before it¡¯s dry enough to be powdered.¡± Darn, it¡¯s still moist. ¡°You have the qualifications to be my colleague, crispy on the outside, moist on the inside fried potato.¡± He coolly gave up on the Goby fruits and only took the Vaivamil into the cabin. The system exined that Vaivamnil herbal tea greatly aids in hemostasis and immunity. It didn¡¯t specify the exact temperature or how much to take, though. ¡®Maybe I¡¯m supposed to figure it out myself. Seems like this friend called system trusts me too much, I wish it didn¡¯t do that though. I¡¯m just a newly born potato from Gangwon Province ¡­.¡¯ Though with that in mind, Gio decided to brew the tea as he saw fit. Cool potato Seo Gio also had talent in tea ceremonies. Gio, who had ced the jar containing the flowers on the dining table, paused for a moment. As if aputer was rebooting, he stood there nkly and then opened his mouth. ¡°Seems like I don¡¯t have a tea set.¡± Tea set. Simply put, teaware. ¡°Right?¡± To put it more simply, it means a teapot and teacups. Seo Gio, who had a keen interest in gourmet food, was also well-versed in tea sets used for brewing tea. There are various types of teaware including a teapot for brewing tea leaves, teacups for pouring the brewed tea, a cooling bowl for cooling the tea, and a tea waste bowl for throwing away the tea leaving only the scent. Among them, Gio decided to make only a teapot and teacups. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the studio.¡± Fortunately, Gio had the ability to turn paintings into real objects. ¡°To think I¡¯d have superpowers at this age¡­ Indeed, no matter how worn out an adult had be due to society, they must have some childlike innocence in their hearts to be a magical girl someday.¡± So said the 29-year-old man. ¡°I¡¯m a potato, a cool potato.¡± Under the beautiful names of friendship, peace, and love, Gio honourably ignored the unusual changes happening in his life. ¡®The direction I take is the path itself.¡¯ Even if it¡¯s a derailed roller coaster. Yet perhaps due to consideration of how he lived so thoughtlessly, this world helped Gio in various ways. The structure of the cabin, the furniture, and the household items were the same, and there was even a studio, reflecting Seo Gio¡¯s taste who had painted several works even after bing a teacher. Going to the second floor, Gio headed to the studio that upied half of the floor. ¡°Let He sat in front of an easel with a canvas on it. There were various paints and brushes in shapes familiar to Gio. ¡°What should I draw?¡± Gio had to draw a tea set. It would be filled with Vaivamnil flower tea full of vani scent. As the saying goes, if it¡¯s the same price, might as well go for the red skirt. Since it doesn¡¯t cost more to draw more borately, Gio thought deeply about it.1 About ten minutes passed like that. After a while, Gio, with the canvas in front of him, finally opened his mouth. ¡°¡­ The tea wille out with a pretty colour.¡± His characteristic calm and even tone flowed out as if reasoning with his students. ¡°White porcin would be good.¡± What makes a good tea set? Gio, who had seriously brewed tea several times before, knew the answer. First, it must be pleasing to the eye. ¡°As white as a nk canvas.¡± Second, it must befortable to hold. ¡°With a sense of stability¡­¡± Third, it must be in harmony with the tea. ¡°It should have a clean colour.¡± Gio may not be a great artisan, but he enjoyed his modest world of gourmet food. Since he had painstakingly made precious flower tea, he naturally wanted to brew it in an excellent tea set. He chose a fine-grained white paint. It was a dense colour, like whipped cream stood up straight. The studio in the cabin was like an old pharmacy, with all sorts of materials hidden in small drawers. Among them were seashells that shone white like porcin, which Gio had finely ground and made into paint. Paint made from seashells that should be found near the water. Pure white teaware painted with that paint. That teaware to brew the light sky blue petals ¡­. ¡°Alright.¡± Nice. ¡°It seems good.¡± He was pleased. ¡°It will look exactly like a pond contained in the roots of a spring. That should do.¡± His hand moved. And following that hand gesture, Gio¡¯s eyes moved as if licking the canvas. Since the tea inside would be blue, the colour should be warm rather than cool. Both actual temperature and the visual temperature contribute to making the body feel warm. He wanted to drink warm tea. This teaware would have been made with hands as delicate as silk. With hands so delicate that not a single fingerprint would be left on the moist white y, he would have gently and slowly worked on it, turning the potter¡¯s wheel while humming a tune on a leisurely spring day. Perhaps the person moulding the y has been wearing a warm smile that would put onlookers at ease. Because it would be lifted with a light and kind heart, the handle is heavy and smooth. The handle, extended to the side for an easy grip, is like ivory. It emits such a warm light. Round off the edges. Round off the body as well. Smoothen the surface so gently so that there are no sharp edges. Gently stroke the moist y to tidy up the inside, and then bake it in a hot kiln. What would it call itself? It is a clean canvas, without any drawings or curves. It would also be good for containing tea. Its ze resembles a clear, unblemished water stream. It covered the pure white porcin meticulously, as if it had been dipped a hundred times into clean water and then coated with melted transparent stars. The round teaware was once again baked in the kiln ¡­. The moment he drew out its shadow, giving it weight. And with a thud. It falls onto Gio¡¯sp. tter. A light and transparent sound. ¡®But sturdy ¡­.¡¯ He put down the brush and grasped the teaware in his hand. The sensation wrapping around his palm was as desperate as a child searching for their father. ¡°Alright.¡± And finally, he was really pleased with how it was as light as a cloud and as soft as cotton. Being able to turn paintings into reality was a wonderful thing. ¡®Convenient.¡¯ Gio leisurely enjoyed his tea. The teaware, made with paint instead of y and ze, pleased Gio. It matched very well with the gently flowing blue Vaivamnil tea. ''Perhaps because of the high density of white colour, it harmonizes well with the creamy soft scent from the flowers.'' The grip felt in his hand was also stable. Unless someone charged like a bull and delivered a ser kick, it seemed unlikely to slip away. ¡°It¡¯s good.¡± The tea was savoury without being sweet, but the aroma was so vividly sweet that he thought it would go well with cookies if eaten togetherter. ¡®How about making iced tea with fruit and sugar? Or it would go very well with milk tea too, especially with its strong creamy scent¡­.¡¯ There¡¯s no oven, but there is a hearth, and there¡¯s flour in the storage, so he should try making cookies someday. As the ancient saying goes, the more food, the better. ¡®This is said to be very helpful for hemostasis and immunity, but it doesn¡¯t feel convincing.¡¯ Gio was a little puzzled. ¡°Has my body changed?¡± Originally, Seo Gio was a person who saw great effects from the efficacy of the ingredients he consumed. It¡¯smonly known that blueberries are good for the eyes, but unlike others who don¡¯t feel much change after eating them, Seo Gio felt his eyes be refreshed even after eating just a few. But even though he was drinking medicinal tea recognized by the system, he felt no change ¡­. Gio blinked twice. ¡®If I think about it, then it¡¯s strange that this body has no physiological phenomena at all.¡¯ Yet before even starting with the ¡®w¡¯ of ¡®worry¡¯, Gio stopped. The cool potato had already understood well. He could eat and sleep, but he never felt too cold or too hot beyond the normal extent. He had never sweated, and in the same context, he never had to rely on a toilet¡ªregardless of whether there was a bathroom in the cabin or not. ¡®Let¡¯s just say I¡¯ve evolved exceptionally. I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m worrying about something so pointless when I¡¯ve already be a haunted portrait.¡¯ Anyway, it¡¯s funny so it¡¯s alright. Thinking that way, Gio took another sip of the Vaivamnil tea. It was delicious. ¡°Sir?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not responding today either, I¡¯m very sad. Aren¡¯t you lonely being in there by yourself? I can be a really good conversation partner¡­.¡± ¡°Sir, are you sleeping? Knock knock knock? Are you not responding because it¡¯s in Korean? But that can¡¯t be it, there hasn¡¯t been a response in any of the 27nguages ¡­.¡± It¡¯s delicious, but feels like he would get indigestion. ¡®Then that person would be recorded in history as the only human who made a haunted portrait suffer indigestion while drinking tea.¡¯ It¡¯s been eleven days since the gentleman named Bi Sa-beol started his self-promotion in front of the front door. ¡®The time of the world inside the painting flows ording to my mood and schedule, so it¡¯s not urate, but anyway ¡­¡¯ It was impressive how much passion and sincerity he showed to a portrait he had only briefly made eye contact with. ¡°Is he someone obsessed with ghost stories?¡± It¡¯s possible that he was thrilled by an amazing painting that was able to open its eyes on its own. That¡¯s the charm of a haunted portrait. But the fact that this man named Bi Sa-beol wasn¡¯t such an idle person pushed Gio into a world of fear and craziness. ¡°I heard he¡¯s the chairman of one of the top three conglomerates in South Korea ¡­.¡± Chairman, what are you doing instead of working? The warehouse where Gio¡¯s Portrait was hung was Bi Sa-beol¡¯s personal gallery, and he had a very strong desire to collect art pieces ¡­ This was known through conversations with other employees who often visited the gallery. Maybe because there were so many items, thisrge gallery wasn¡¯t something Bi Sa-beol could manage alone, so inevitably, there was more than one manager assigned per piece. ¡®Although they kept changing for some reason, but there were managers assigned to me too.¡¯ Thanks to the conversations they shared, he was able to learn a few things about Bi Sa-beol. ¡®A man obsessed with collecting.¡¯ Usually, he was a gentleman with a bit of a yful side and normal sensibilities, but when it came to art, he became a madman who would stop at nothing. ¡®Harmful.¡¯ Nevertheless, Gio did not harbour any bad feelings towards the person named Bi Sa-beol. Gio¡¯s gazended on the frame hanging on the tree. The moment he saw Bi Sa-beol trying to converse again outside, information that only Gio could see popped up on the smooth ss of the frame. He blinked twice. Safe Surprisingly, that frame measured the danger level of the creature lurking beyond the portrait. Judging by the reactions of people on the other side, it seemed that only Gio himself could see that sign. ¡°Sir? Sir? Do you really have no intention of talking with me?¡± ¡°If you tell me what kind of offering you want, I can catch it alive for you. Sir?¡± ¡­ So, there was no particr reason why Gio had to leave Bi Sa-beol in that state. ¡®But I can already see a future that¡¯s too much to handle just because I started a conversation.¡¯ It was frankly burdensome. Gio was not a vessel big enough to contain a human called Bi Sa-beol. ¡®Newly harvested potatoes from Gangwon Province must be handled carefully so as not to damage them ¡­.¡¯ Although his tone was quite polite and his actions were refined, no matter what anyone said, a stranger who camps out in front of someone¡¯s front door for fifteen hours is definitely burdensome. He didn¡¯t particrly dislike him because he didn¡¯t seem malicious nor seem like a bad person. ¡°¡­ I guess I¡¯m just a bit reluctant.¡± Just listening one-sidedly was already tiring. ¡®I¡¯ll be drained of energy.¡¯ Gio was just¡ª ¡ªWaiting until he deemed it possible to have a conversation. ¡®But I can¡¯t keep doing this forever. When that person runs out of energy, let¡¯s try to interact with others.¡¯ He didn¡¯t want to lose energy for no reason. ¡®A scary person.¡¯ Gio nodded at the fact that he could avoid that scary person. ¡°It¡¯s a really nice ce to live.¡± Gio, having been already outside the portrait several times, knew. What people could see now was only a portrait of Gio himself. What mattered was Gio¡¯s own will. When he had the will to interact with the outside, the ¡®Gio¡¯ in the painting opened his eyes. This was a fact he discovered after installing a mirror when he was at the abandoned school. ¡®So no matter how much I rx inside, it won¡¯t be seen from the outside.¡¯ In this ce, Gio¡¯splete freedom was guaranteed. It didn¡¯t matter if the chairman of argepany waited eagerly for his response outside, he could still enjoy a peaceful rest. Fortunately, Gio was able to enjoyplete peace after the busy red-haired gentleman, befitting of a conglomerate chairman, disappeared after announcing another challenge. In a way, it¡¯s nice to hear him chatter away, so he leaves him be, but ¡­. ¡°¡­ I can¡¯t leave my only front door unattended like this.¡± He had to reim ownership. After a moment of thought, his gaze turned towards the outside of the frame, where no presence was felt. Eventually, Gio¡¯s mouth opened. ¡°Shall I go out?¡± His fate of automatically bing a trespasser just by stepping out of his front door wasmentable, but like all adults in the world, Gio eventually epted his fate. As people live, they might end up trespassing. And it was mutual anyway since he was also kidnapped. He wonderedif there were people who asked for the portrait¡¯s opinion before purchasing them, but in any case, they hung him in the gallery without Gio¡¯s consent. Then there would be an infringement of portrait rights. ¡°¡­ Tada.¡± Gio¡¯s ultimate positive mindset has sessfullypleted rationalization. 1: ?? ??? ????? ??? is a Korean proverb which trantes to ¡°If it¡¯s the same price, might as well go for the red skirt.¡± It implies that if there¡¯s no difference in cost, one might as well choose the more attractive or valuable option. t/n: ¡®derailed roller coaster¡¯, I couldn¡¯t help butugh at that line like seriously, and for those who didn¡¯t realize, between these ¡®eleven¡¯ days, Gio already trespassed or interact with the other employees to gather information, but he never talk to Bi Sa-beol between that time at all. Chapter 5 Suddenly one day, a strange rumor began to circte. ¡°They say there¡¯s a ghost.¡± A curator who was just about to head to the basement frowned at his coworker¡¯s words. ¡°¡­ Pardon?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a gallery on the fifth basement floor.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. I know.¡± It was impossible not to know. ¡°The new piece I¡¯m in charge of is also on the fifth basement floor.¡± Collection¡¯s gallery only allowed entry to about 300 curators, including the owner, guild leader Bi Sa-beol, and guests who came to purchase the artworks.The gallery had a total of five floors. Each floor housed different types of collected works, and among them, thest fifth floor was home to Bi Sa-beol¡¯s most beloved pieces. For reference, Bi Sa-beol¡¯s affection for a piece was proportional to its danger. The fact that the curator this time was in charge of just a piece on the fifth floor meant that. ¡°What happened on that 5th floor? It should be a floor that is well-managed due to its high level of risk.¡± To that question, the colleague replied. ¡°I told you earlier. They say it¡¯s haunted.¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯m not saying that I heard that rumour for the first time. So what I mean is, I¡¯m asking if that rumour originated from some kind of incident or ident.¡± The curator, whoughed awkwardly, naturally scratched his neck perhaps out of habit. ¡°There have been several ghost disturbances in this gallery before, haven¡¯t there?¡± Bi Sa-beol¡¯s gallery, which collected all sorts of bizarre and beautiful works from around the world, had always been prone to idents. Bi Sa-beol didn¡¯t care about the true identity of the items, even if they were essentially monsters, as long as they were considered ¡®art,¡¯ he collected them. And so far, most of the ghost disturbances in this gallery had been caused by monsters. ¡°What kind of monster is this piece? Judging by the fact that they¡¯re calling it a ghost, it seems close to human form.¡± ¡°They said it¡¯s a human.¡± ¡°That¡¯s even more puzzling. Are you saying that a humanoid monster has entered our gallery?¡± In such a situation, if it could be evaluated as ¡®human,¡¯ then naturally, there were humanoid monsters. ¡°Why would such a dangerous monster be in a gallery like this instead of a dungeon? Especially if it¡¯s humanoid, it would have high intelligence and strong pride.¡± Humanoid monsters were not only rare but typically possessed intelligence beyond that of average humans, and their hatred towards the outside of the dungeons was intense. Humanoid monsters, equipped with both intelligence and power, would usually reign over their own dungeon, toying with any hunters that visited. ¡°If that were true, why would the guild building be so quiet? It would have rushed out and killed everyone by now¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s strange. Every situation we can assess is contradictory.¡± The coworker continued. ¡°We¡¯ve already received 17ints.¡± ¡°17 times already?¡± For curator Yoo Sung-woon, the first time he heard the rumour about the ¡®ghost¡¯ was two weeks ago. If there were 17ints in just two weeks, it would be difficult to dismiss it as mere rumour. ¡°That¡¯s quite frequent. If it¡¯s to that extent, it seems like it wouldn¡¯t have stopped at just rumours.¡± ¡°The HR department is controlling the information. As you know, it wouldn¡¯t be good if rumours of a problem in the guild leader¡¯s gallery spread outside.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. If there¡¯s a problem with Collection who handles South Korea¡¯s finances, even the president would have to jump into action immediately.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a joke though, so I can¡¯tugh. Fortunately, the scale of the incident was small, so it wasn¡¯t difficult to control.¡± The HR employee sighed after saying that. ¡°But if it¡¯s serious enough for them to file a formalint, it means it¡¯s not something to be overlooked.¡± ¡°The fact thatints have been filed even though the curators are not such easygoing hunters ¡­.¡± ¡°They must have judged that they couldn¡¯t handle it on their own.¡± ¡°This is a bit troublesome.¡± Unlike regr curators, curators with hunter licenses were erudite beings. Even if they weren¡¯t very powerful, their ability to appraise and respond to monsters and items was far superior to ordinary hunters. Among them, Bi Sa-beol employed some of theworld¡¯s most talented individuals. The fact that such talents couldn¡¯t resolve the issue on their own and had filedints with the HR department representative in front of him meant the incident was not to be taken lightly. ¡°¡­This is really¡­¡± At this point, curator Yoo Sung-woon seemed to understand why the HR department had called him. ¡°What should I do?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to bother you when you¡¯re already busy.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s my duty to respond if an incident urs.¡± He was an employee whose abilities were recognized even among the curators directly employed by Bi Sa-beol. He was already an A-rank hunter and had countless certifications rted to alchemy and barriers. Yoo Sung-woon was often called upon when additional work arose, so he was used to taking tasks like this. ¡°You¡¯re so reliable.¡± The HR department coworker continued speaking with his characteristically cold expression. ¡°We¡¯ll be grateful if Mr. Yoo Sung-woon could be in charge of administrative management.¡± ¡°I appreciate the favourable opinion, but still, that¡¯s a bit¡­¡± Yoo Sung-woon shook his head. ¡°Isn¡¯t it odd for someone who was an association researcher to take on administrative duties?¡± ¡°I remember that you were not just a researcher, but a research team leader.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why. I received enough res when I left the association. I don¡¯t want to stand out.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s how you feel, I won¡¯t insist any further.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you very much.¡± Scratching his neck, Yoo Sung-woon asked. ¡°Anyway, if there have been seventeen cases, doesn¡¯t that mean the monster has no intention to hide its appearance?¡± ¡°If it was a monster that had excellent concealment ability to pass our guild¡¯s inspection and be safely disyed in the gallery, it could have hidden itself as much as it wanted.¡± As if waiting for this, the HR employee nodded. ¡°I was just about to inform you some information about this ghost.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good news.¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s a strange phenomenon witnessed seventeen times. We can¡¯t be negligent in gathering information.¡± The employee continued. ¡°Although not as much as Mr. Sung-woon, thanks to the other curators also beingpetent, we¡¯ve fortunately been able to hear various stories about the ghost.¡± The HR department employee handed the documents to Yoo Sung-woon. ¡°You¡¯ll see when you read it¡­¡± ¡°Is there a picture?¡± ¡°Based on testimonies of the witnesses, we¡¯ve added illustrations.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± As Yoo Sung-woon looked at the illustrations, the HR employee exined. ¡°In all 17 sightings, the ghost¡¯s attire did not change. He wore arge ck cloak that covered his entire face and body, and his inner clothing was said to be a ck shirt and suit. The height was about 188cm, quite tall for a humanoid.¡± ¡°Then is the physique somewhat robust?¡± ¡°Due to therge cloak, detailed confirmation was impossible, but the general consensus was that it wasn¡¯t a thin build. However, there were noments about it being overly muscr, though.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s that hard to see the inside, seems like no one really knows if it¡¯s truly humanoid. It could be an undead type. What¡¯s the reason for determining it as a humanoid monster?¡± ¡°There was only one curator who saw the face.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°To describe it¡­¡± The HR employee continued. ¡°He said it was handsome. He was a curator with high standards.¡± ¡°¡­ It may sound absurd, but if someone who meticulously examines others¡¯ appearances says it¡¯s handsome, then the facial features must be very distinct and well-defined. And we¡¯ve ssified it as human.¡± ¡°No¡­ Handsome or not, what about the features?¡± Yoo Sung-woon asked with a grim expression. ¡°Like the colour of the hair, the shape of the eyes, the condition of the skin, or if there are any moles¡­ Those kinds of features. It seems that there was no facial illustration, so there were no testimonies regarding this part?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, it was only seen briefly, so the curator couldn¡¯t confirm its features properly. However, during that fleeting moment, the thought ¡®handsome¡¯ came to mind, but this was only after proper reasoning returned after the escape, so there is nothing to say about its external features.¡± The representative added. ¡°For some reason, everyone finds it hard to make eye contact. So it¡¯s difficult to describe the facial features, and naturally, if you can¡¯t see the eyes, you wouldn¡¯t know what the face looks like.¡± ¡°Maybe there¡¯s a skill rted to the eyes, or perhaps that¡¯s the main body. Then what about parts other than the face, like the hands or feet?¡± ¡°Luckily, I guess I can tell you that.¡± The HR department employee nodded. ¡°The skin was said to be extremely pale. It was so white like someone who had never been exposed to sunlight, and there were testimonies that it was particrly noticeable amidst its entirely ck attire.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then it might be a monster with a story¡­ It could have drifted in from some dungeon.¡± ¡°And it was said to be barefoot.¡± ¡°Is it to avoid making noise?¡± At Yoo Sung-woon¡¯s murmur, the HR department employee firmly denied it. ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± ¡°Why are you so sure?¡± ¡°¡®When the ghost walked, it made no sound at all.¡¯ All 17 curators testified unanimously. Even if it was barefoot, there would have been some noise, so there was no need for it to take off its shoes.¡± ¡°Then theck of sound when walking is probably just an individual characteristic of the monster.¡± In this case, it¡¯s usually one of two things. ¡®A monster with a skill to hide sound, or a monster so light that it makes no sound¡­¡¯ Since it was judged to be humanoid, the former is more likely. Yoo Sung-woon soon frowned. ¡°Did you report this to the guild leader? If it¡¯s really a humanoid monster, it¡¯s not just a matter of interest, but a research subject.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already reported on the matter, but I was only told to check internally as much as possible and not to disclose it externally. He said he didn¡¯t want it to be taken away by the Hunter Association for research.¡± ¡°¡­I understand what you meant. If it¡¯s the guild leader, then that¡¯s possible.¡± Yoo Sung-woon nodded. The words ''and what if someone dies'' did note out. In today¡¯s world, the life of someone who dies while working is treated as trivial as a pebble on the roadside. ¡®At least Bi Sa-beol is a person who cares a lot about his employees, so I can trust that he took measures in this aspect. He¡¯s not a boss who recklessly assigns dangerous tasks¡­.¡¯ At that time, the HR department employee said. ¡°Starting next week, we n to begin enhanced safety training for curators. All trainees will be given an artefact, so please make sure to receive it, Mr. Yoo Sung-woon.¡± ¡°Aha.¡± Indeed. It made sense. ¡°As expected, our guild works really hard. They also know how to save people''s lives.¡± ¡°That¡¯s kind of you to say. But these are all orders from the guild leader.¡± The HR department employee continued the exnation. ¡°The first ghost sighting was 15 days ago, at 4:32 AM.¡± ¡°If it was 4 AM, it must be when there were hardly any people around. Our gallery¡¯s day and night operate the same way, so it would be a time when it¡¯s quiet with no one around.¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. It¡¯s also one of the characteristics of this ghost. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s conscious of people¡¯s gazes or if there¡¯s a condition, but it usually insists on showing in early morning hours when not many employees visit.¡± ¡°It sounds either timid or cunning, but ¡­.¡± Yoo Sung-woon flipped through the documents, tilting his head. The data that should be there was not provided. It didn¡¯t seem like an oversight. ¡°¡­ There were no casualties.¡± It wasn¡¯t like a humanoid monster. No, it just wasn¡¯t like a monster. ¡®¡­Even if humanoid monsters are adept at schemes, just watching people for two weeks is definitely unusual. Even if it used other mental skills for a dyed attack like a time bomb¡­ This secure guild can¡¯t be unaware of it.¡¯ Then if that was the case, it really means that this ¡®ghost¡® has been just watching people for two whole weeks. ¡°A monster without malice doesn¡¯t exist, does it?¡± Yoo Sung-woon, who was once an association researcher, knew how much malice monsters held against Earth¡¯s creatures. It was at an unbearable level, even for humanoid monsters with high intelligence. Even if that were possible, monsterscked knowledge and understanding of humans. Even if they approached humans with goodwill, it could never have a positive influence. ¡®Is this why it was evaluated as a ghost?¡¯ At least ghosts would have a high level of understanding of humans. Yoo Sung-woon thought to himself as the employee¡¯s exnation reached his ears. ¡°The locations where it¡¯s been sighted are getting closer to the ground the more recent it is.¡± ¡°Starting from the first sighting, it wandered around the fifth basement level for a total of seven times, then the next four times on the fourth floor, and the following two times on the third floor. Then the second floor for another two times. And once it was witnessed on the first floor. It came up one floor at a time.¡± ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t that a bit dangerous?¡± ¡°But thest sighting, the seventeenth, was set on the 5th basement floor.¡± ¡°Ah, it went back?¡± ¡°After that, there were no sightings for five days.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°It seems its exploration has beenpleted.¡± ¡°What a headache.¡± Finding a monster that had already hidden in its home was an even more difficult task. ¡°Are there any other peculiarities? Like its behaviour. Usually, monsters like this set their own rules and try to force other humans into their rules. Especially if it¡¯s humanoid, it seems even more likely that it would have its personal rules.¡± The employee nodded. ¡°As you said, there was a peculiarity.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It gives gifts.¡± It doesn¡¯t seem like he had lived that long, but to think that in his lifetime, he had even heard of monsters giving gifts. ¡®¡­The works in the gallery often show such behaviour, but if we consider that, it bes quite difficult to ssify this guy as a simple monster¡­.¡¯ Yoo Sung-woon asked after organizing his thoughts. ¡°¡­Gifts, you say?¡± The employee, empathizing with Yoo Sung-woon¡¯s sceptical voice, made a subtle expression, coughed once, and then returned to his poker face. The employee continued the exnation. ¡°When you first encounter the ghost, it approaches pretending to be human.¡± ¡°Who would believe that¡­¡± ¡°Maybe it really believes it¡¯s human. Anyway, after that, it asks the employee it meets for a conversation. What¡¯s your name. How old are you. What do you do. Where is this ce. Why are you here.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°The content is mostly mundane and nothing special. It doesn¡¯t ask for deep personal information, and even if you¡¯re reluctant to reveal your identity, it doesn¡¯t pry further. If you sessfullyplete the conversation, the ghost gives a gift.¡± The HR department employee gestured to flip through the documents. As Yoo Sung-woon flipped through with a nervous expression, he saw photos of the ¡®gifts¡¯ the employees had received. ¡°¡­T ¡°Yes, as you can see, it¡¯s food.¡± ¡°What kind of domestic monster is this?¡± The photo showed snacks like cookies, choctes, and candies that were easy to take in one bite. Considering the neat and modest packaging, no matter how much he thought about it, it was definitely homemade. A homemade snack made by a monster was something that would get criticized for lying too much if it was published in an article. ¡°Have you done aponent analysis?¡± ¡°It was conducted under the guild leader¡¯s orders, and the test results came out a week ago.¡± ¡°Like poison or¡­¡± ¡°No, on the contrary, it was medicine. Types like iron supplements, digestive aids, pain relievers, fever reducers, antidiarrheals.¡± ¡°The research team couldn¡¯t figure out how on earth ordinary cookies or choctes could have such medicinal properties. After all, both taste and ingredients were just normal snacks.¡± Yoo Sung-woon asked while flipping through the documents. ¡°Then how did you detect the effects of the ingredients?¡± ¡°As you know, with the full support of the guild leader¡­¡± ¡°Did he bring them from prison again? Somehow, that does seem to be the cleanest way.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a ce full of useful test subjects.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. But even with the help of prison, wasn¡¯t the research done quickly?¡± ¡°I don''t know why, but there happened to be prisoners that the guild leader had prepared.¡± In an era where the lives of healthy employees are treated like pebbles, the human rights of criminals are nonexistent. The leader of the Collection guild was someone who was very good at utilizing this aspect, and it was roughly guessed that this experiment probably also used such criminals. The HR department employee continued. ¡°What''s even more surprising is that the gift was just the right medicine for the employee.¡± ¡°¡­ Are you saying that it gave snacks with digestive ingredients to employees who felt nauseous, and snacks with fever reducers ingredients to employees who had a fever?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± Yoo Sung-woon rubbed his face. ¡°If it has an appraisal skill that can be used against living beings, then it must be of a high rank.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a troublesome opponent since it¡¯s showing goodwill towards us.¡± ¡°It would be easier to fight a rampaging monster, but we can''t subdue or appease this one.¡± Yoo Sung-woon let out a long sigh and nodded, seemingly epting his fate of soon taking on additional work. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it. This is my speciality.¡± ¡°Thank you. And there¡¯s one more thing I¡¯d like to tell you¡­¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about the date when the incident started.¡± ¡°This sounds ominous.¡± ¡°It started after the guild leader disyed ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait¡¯ in the gallery.¡± ¡° The HR department employee looked at Yoo Sung-woon¡¯s exmation with pity. It makes sense, because ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait¡¯ was the piece that Yoo Sung-woon had recently been assigned to. ¡°¡­ Another night of overtime, I guess.¡± He couldn¡¯t help but let out a hollowugh. ¡°Stay strong.¡± ¡°I have to.¡± He was already tired. Chapter 6 Pure white gallery. Pure white lighting. Amidst the artworks sparkling under the light, a lone man in ck stands out. ''¡­ It came out.'' Yoo Sung-woon, who was lying in wait at the gallery at the request of the HR department employee, watched the ¡®ghost¡® while concealing his presence. Whether it was good luck or bad, on that very day he received the request, Yoo Sung-woon encountered the subject of the rumours. Indeed, just as he had previously heard, it was a tall man wrapped in a ck cloak. ¡®Sound of footsteps ¡­ there¡¯s none.¡¯ The rumoured ¡®ghost¡® was barefoot.¡®Though no matter how barefoot it is, this level of silence is strange.¡¯ But it wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t hear anything at all. ¡®It seems like the previous curators couldn¡¯t hear because theycked enhanced hearing skills ¡­.¡¯ Yoo Sung-woon closed his eyes. Rustle, rustle. Swish¡­. Very. It was a very faint noise. ¡®¡­ He opened his eyes again. ¡®¡­It sounds like nts brushing against each other.¡¯ It was an oddparison, but that¡¯s what it seemed like. The sound of light vines or dry petals weighing less than 1g, being rolled up and tumbling. This faint yet overly hollow sound was not the kind of noise you¡¯d expect to hear from a man as tall as 188cm. ¡°¡­.¡± Yoo Sung-woon continued to observe from his hiding spot between the artworks and pirs. ¡®¡­ It¡¯s admiring them.¡¯ The ¡®ghost¡® wandered inside the empty gallery, asionally stopping in front of artworks protected by ss walls. He spent a particrly long time in front of sculptures and paintings. What was surprising was that he was truly just ¡®looking¡¯ around. ¡®With so many dangerous items around, touching just one could cause chaos, but fortunately, that didn¡¯t happen. He must be a high-intelligence type of monster, a rare case indeed.¡¯ That¡¯s not to say he didn¡¯t admire other forms of artwork. ¡®I wonder if it was interested in art, killing time ¡­ or looking for an item to use.¡¯ The behaviour of the ¡®ghost¡® who walked through the gallery with hands sped behind its back like a noble aristocrat or an educated soldier, had a certain heaviness and precision to his movements. It was almost enough to make one think he owned the ce, and Yoo Sung-woon found himself unexpectedly recalling a story about a vampire from an old castle. ''Vampire Count ¡­ a bit childish, isn¡¯t it?'' Considering his corpse-like pale skin and the inhuman aura, theparison seemed to fit quite well. As the ck cloak continued to circle the gallery for a while ¡­. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± He looked straight at the hiding Yoo Sung-woon. Their gazes. Met with each other. ck eyes. At that moment, Yoo Sung-woon felt his consciousness fading. ¡®¡­ What is that? ¡®ck.¡¯ Too ck. Yet it was bright. It seemed warm but was cold, empty yet heavy. Despite the clearly long distance, he couldn¡¯t look away to the point he could even see the blood vessels in his eyes. No, it might not have been blood vessels. The thin and elegant branches made of gold and silver were so vast that it was almost like a forest. The ck centre, where the pupil could not be distinguished, was dark enough to instil a sense of fear. It was too immense. So immense that it was too deep for humanprehension. It felt suffocating. He felt anger and awe without any basis. Even though he wasn¡¯t constricting his breath, there was a power within it that made his breathing stop on its own. Not dying, not showing off, just there¡­ Existing. Two blinks. Swish¡­. With a faint noise, the cloak moved. A little further away. More further away. And then the presence that had stopped even further away disappeared. Yoo Sung-woon moved his feet. The ce where the presence had been cut off was none other than in front of ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait.¡¯ ¡­ Was he pretending to be innocent or just timid? He closed its distant eyes as if nothing had happened. ¡°This is driving me crazy.¡± Day 1,pleted. *** Even in a world with supernatural powers, not everything about ¡®ghosts¡® could be exined. The fact that shamans still existed was proof of that. Therefore, exining a moving portrait would be difficult. 4:29 AM. The portrait opened its eyes. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Yoo Sung-woon subconsciously let out an exmation. The gloomy-looking man, ¡®Gio,¡¯ opened his mouth and spoke. ¡°Good morning.¡± ¡°A good morning to you.¡± ¡°Morning, you say¡­¡± At those words, Yoo Sung-woon looked at the background of the portrait. Ah, indeed. A forest bathed in bright sunlight. ¡°¡­ But it¡¯s dawn here.¡± ¡°I see.¡± With that, ¡®Gio¡¯s¡¯ eyes captured Bi Sa-beol¡¯s gallery. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize it was dawn because it¡¯s always lit with white lights.¡± His voice, which gave off a sense of difort, was more blunt than he had imagined. He was clearly talking, and Yoo Sung-woon was listening, but for some reason, he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that it was ¡®quiet.¡¯ What to call this sense of alienation? It couldn¡¯t be described as mechanical. Rather, it was a bit more¡­ ¡°I apologize.¡± ¡°¡­ There¡¯s no need to apologize for that.¡± ¡°Thank you for your consideration.¡± His tone was steady, as if he knew exactly what he was going to say next. His clear voice, as if it had predefined inputs, strangely resonated easily in his ears. ¡°But I was surprised.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°It¡¯s rare for someone to see a talking portrait and not be scared.¡± His calm voice and blunt face showed no emotion. His im of being surprised didn¡¯t quite match his reaction. ¡®He¡¯s not good at lying.¡¯ Or perhaps he didn¡¯t feel the need to lie convincingly. After all, that gloomy stiff face didn¡¯t seem capable of acting flexibly. While he was thinking this, the portrait asked again. ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°I am¡­¡± Even though Yoo Sung-woon was a mere human, a true name could be dangerous anywhere. ¡®They say the most important thing in all contracts that bind souls in this world is each other¡¯s names.¡¯ So this portrait, ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait,¡¯ could potentially make a strange contract upon hearing Yoo Sung-woon¡¯s name. For strange beings from all cultures, names were such an important concept. But he answered obediently. ¡°It¡¯s Yoo Sung-woon.¡± The seventeen employees who had told their names to this portrait had not suffered any harm. It wouldn¡¯t make sense for him to start misbehaving with just Yoo Sung-woon now, given the consistency he had shown so far, so he could afford to reveal that much. The portrait remained expressionless even after hearing his name. Despite leading the conversation, the portrait did not seem very impressed. Would it be strange to think that he was arrogant? ¡°That¡¯s right, Mr. Yoo Sung-woon.¡± ¡°From your expression, you seemed to have questions for me.¡± ¡°Yes, I do.¡± ¡°Would you like to talk with me?¡± He was invited to converse. ''It''s the same train as the previous seventeen people.'' Yoo Sung-woon felt a strange weight. ¡®This must be the weight of rules.¡¯ It was dense enough to make floundering difficult, but not so heavy to feel like sinking into mud. This air and sensation felt as if a giant whale was controlling the waves out of consideration for mere humans floating in the sea. Yes. This is ''consideration''. ¡°¡­ Then I¡¯d like to ask a question.¡± Since it was hard to back down now aftering this far, Yoo Sung-woon decided to have a conversation as the portrait suggested. ¡°Can you possiblye out of that portrait?¡± ¡°Yes, I cane out.¡± Monsters hate humans. He thought there would be some hesitation since it was about his own information, but the response was quicker than expected. Was it obvious that he was flustered? ¡®Gio,¡¯ who had been staring at Yoo Sung-woon without blinking, pointed it out. ¡°You look flustered.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think you would answer so¡­ willingly.¡± ¡°There was no reason I couldn¡¯t tell you.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because you asked.¡± ¡°What if I had asked with ill intentions?¡± ¡°That would be a lie.¡± The portrait spoke in a low, quiet, but clear and firm voice. ¡°Mr. Yoo Sung-woon is a kind and polite person.¡± ¡°¡­ Me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I spoke to you.¡± ¡°Is this a sufficient answer?¡± Yoo Sung-woon decided to be cautious. ¡®This portrait is sensitive to good and evil.¡¯ And although he didn¡¯t know the standard, he also had the ability to distinguish the good and evil of others. It could even ssify someone it had never conversed with before. ¡®Then, if someone deemed to be evil speaks to this portrait ¡­ would it simply ignore them?¡¯ Or would it attack? ¡°Do you have any questions?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ yes.¡± Yoo Sung-woon asked, recalling the recent ¡®ghost disturbance.¡¯ ¡°The ck cloak I saw yesterday was ¡®Gio,¡¯ right?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°So, the ¡®ghost¡® who was said to be haunting the gallerytely, wearing a pitch-ck cloak while handing out delicious gifts ¡­ that¡¯s you, isn¡¯t it?¡± What was he thinking? ¡®Gio¡¯ blinked his eyes twice then murmured. ¡°A ghost.¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯m sorry if that offended you.¡± ¡°No, a talking portrait can certainly be described as being possessed by a ghost.¡± The portrait continued in its characteristic blunt tone. ¡°However, I have never died.¡± ¡°Still, the ¡®ghost¡® Mr. Yoo Sung-woon mentioned seems to be me.¡± ¡°¡­ Was there a reason for you to roam around the gallery?¡± ¡°I was curious about where I am.¡± His voice was very calm and slow. It was a voice that made it hard to imagine that he felt any interest in anything. ¡°I was curious because there were rare works on disy.¡± ¡°I was curious about what kind of ce this gallery is, I was curious about the people working here, what kind of lives they lead, what names they had and what tastes they like.¡± Although his tone was still dry, the answer was truly monster-like in that it was very interested in human lifestyles. ¡®No¡­ it¡¯s not certain, but maybe it¡¯s not a monster.¡¯ In that case, things would be moreplicated. ¡°One tends to look for someone to talk to when alone.¡± What was intended to be ''Gio''s pitch-ck eyesnded on Yoo Sung-woon. It was an artificial gaze movement, as if to let him know, ''I''m watching you.'' ¡°Even more so to a polite person like you.¡± ¡°I guess you like polite people?¡± ¡°At least, I decided that the employees managing this gallery would be more suitable as conversation partners than the red-headed boss here.¡± ¡°The boss ¡­ Um, are you talking about Bi Sa-beol, the guild leader? ¡°He¡¯s a talkative person.¡± The portrait¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. It was a very subtle change that was difficult to notice, but the meaning was clear. ¡°He talks so much, it¡¯s hard to respond.¡± Ah, guild leader. ¡®He must have been disliked.¡¯ That¡¯s why he couldn¡¯t even have a conversation. All the curators on the fifth basement floor knew that Bi Sa-beol was very interested in ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait.¡¯ That was why he often talked to ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait,¡¯ and said that it was a very special portrait. ¡®But why didn¡¯t that person say anything about this portrait ¡­.¡¯ Since even though he knew ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait¡¯ could talk and move, he had never actually conversed with ¡®Gio.¡¯ Because ¡®Gio,¡¯ judging Bi Sa-beol to be rude, deliberately did not respond to his conversation attempts. ¡®He got what he deserved.¡¯ He knew he would end up with a loss living like that. Honestly, that person deserves a bit of a loss, but anyway. Yoo Sung-woon bowed his head politely after sorting out his thoughts. ¡°I apologize.¡± ¡°I apologize on behalf of our guild leader.¡± His role was to manage the work here. Among those works, there were many which have their own consciousness like ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait¡¯. Especially since it was assumed that ¡®Gio¡¯ was a humanoid monster, there was nothing to gain by upsetting him by breaking his rules. ¡®Especially since he seems to be more sensitive to manners.¡¯ Fortunately, the portrait¡¯s expression was still blunt. He didn¡¯t look pleased, but he wasn¡¯t angry either. He remained gloomy and pale, but only stiff without showing any displeasure. As expected, the portrait spoke in a calm voice. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°Our guild leader is a bit of an odd person.¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t seem like a bad person. So it¡¯s alright.¡± Yoo Sung-woon keep in mind the additional information. ¡®If they¡¯re not evil, he won¡¯t be hostile even if theyck manners.¡¯ Even thinking about that, he felt suffocated. Because he couldn¡¯t carelessly measure the opponent¡¯s abilities. ¡®Does he have an appraisal skill that can judge the good and evil of even guild leader Bi Sa-beol ¡­ It¡¯s a monster that¡¯s hard to handle in many ways. That level of appraisal skill would be hard to find anywhere in the world.¡¯ No, to begin with, whether a being with such ¡®eyes¡¯ can be defined as a monster is ¡­ After a brief silence, the portrait spoke again. ¡°Do you have any questions?¡± ¡°¡­ Your bluntness surprises me, Gio.¡± ¡°I was just being polite.¡± ¡°Polite?¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t humans be polite?¡± That¡¯s what makes it seem not human-like. ¡®Ordinary humans don¡¯t keep their manners that meticulously.¡¯ Rather, it felt overly thorough, as if a monster with a vague understanding of human life was excessively imitating it awkwardly. While Yoo Sung-woon was feeling a bit tired, the portrait shifted to another topic. ¡°It was my first time seeing Mr. Yoo Sung-woon. Is that correct?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Guild leader Bi Sa-beol said he no longer had time to manage your portrait, and the previous curators were assigned to other works. So I took over the task.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to thank you for keeping the portrait clean. I wanted to thank the previous people too, but I wasn¡¯t ready until now. I thank you again on their behalf.¡± ¡°Managing the work is a duty that those people and I naturally have to do, so there¡¯s no need for thanks. But I¡¯ll let them know that you were grateful.¡± But now he was curious. ¡°¡­ Can you tell what people outside are doing even when your eyes are closed? Were you continuously observing us from inside the portrait?¡± To his question, ¡®Gio¡¯ replied with an inscrutable blunt face. ¡°You are in the frame, so I have no choice but to watch.¡± ¡°Moving pictures are interesting.¡± ¡°¡­ Is that so.¡± Somehow. It was a bit creepy. ¡®The picture is not itself, but the humans outside ¡­ is that what it means?¡¯ Even Yoo Sung-woon himself couldn¡¯t pinpoint exactly what part was creepy. But if what the portrait said was true, then ¡®Gio¡¯ sees everything outside the painting as a picture. Even though to them, the painting is ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait.¡¯ To that painting, we are ¡­.. A painting. ¡°Is this a sufficient answer?¡± ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± Indeed, this is a dangerous entity. ¡°Perhaps.¡± Day 2,plete. Chapter 7 Afterpleting Day 3, Yoo Sung-woon confirmed that the portrait had closed its eyes. He went to find the guild leader as soon as it was 9 AM. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous.¡± ¡°What¡¯s dangerous?¡± ¡°That portrait is dangerous.¡± He reported with a calm face. ¡°The portrait¡¯s goodwill towards us humans is irrelevant. There are indeed monsters that rarely show goodwill towards humans, but it¡¯s also true that their goodwill has be a great poison to humans.¡± ¡°Are you saying that Gio¡¯s Portrait has the same kind of goodwill as those monsters?¡±¡°No, it¡¯s more dangerous than that.¡± Yoo Sung-woon reported what he had confirmed. ¡°That portrait knows exactly what it¡¯s doing, how it appears, and the impact of its actions. It¡¯spletely different from the monsters that suffocated people by indiscriminately spreading goodwill.¡± Above all. ¡°It perceives himself as a human.¡± So it would try to interact with humans in some way. He doesn¡¯t seem to be reluctant to converse. ¡°But at the same time, he didn¡¯t see us as humans.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°Gio judges us as paintings. That¡¯s how he appreciates us.¡± Yoo Sung-woon felt Gio¡¯s powerful soul. It was something that any creature with intelligence could naturally feel without any sophisticated analytical equipment or skills. It wasn¡¯t just the dignified gait, the heavy atmosphere, or the noble appearance that exuded power. Yoo Sung-woon still couldn¡¯t forget the profoundness he felt when he looked into Gio¡¯s ck eyes. The appearance of something immensely vast pretending to be a mere human. ¡°Yet it calls itself human. Whether it really thinks that way or is trying to be, it seemed genuinely sincere. It wasn¡¯t a lie.¡± In such a case, even though it was normally safe, once something happened, it was bound to escte beyond imagination. Because he was fully aware of what he was doing. ¡°Moreover, he¡¯s sensitive to good and evil. Yet, we don¡¯t know where its standardse from. Even if we consider it as something ordinary, if ¡®Gio¡¯ concludes that it¡¯s evil ¡­. I can¡¯t even imagine what would happen.¡± ¡°You really can''t imagine?¡± ¡°Yes, this time¡­ probably not.¡± Yoo Sung-woon sighed. ¡°There is no group topare, nor is there any data that can be used as a reference. This is my first time dealing with a talking portrait.¡± Weapons with consciousness are treated as rarities and are loved by many hunters. But a portrait with consciousness, whose identity is impossible to tell whether it¡¯s a ghost, a monster, or a human¡ª Even for him, who has had many unique experiences, this case was difficult. ¡°Have you thought about sending it to the Hunter Association for research ¡­.¡± ¡°Do you think I would?¡± ¡°I knew it. I know, that¡¯s what I thought.¡± Yoo Sung-woon covered the corner of his mouth as if to stifle a sigh, then controlled his expression before continuing. ¡°Then I¡¯ll report to you periodically. It¡¯s hard to identify its exact nature in just a day or two.¡± ¡°Please do. I n to try talking to it again soon, but it would be hard if I get ignored again, so please find out what Gio likes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a very personal request, but I understand. It¡¯s my job, so there¡¯s no need to ask. Isn¡¯t that what I¡¯m supposed to do?¡± ¡°I wonder why all of our employees are so chic.¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because you¡¯ve only gathered such people.¡± That was how Yoo Sung-woon starteding to work at 4:30 every morning. *** ¡°Aren¡¯t you lonely?¡± At Yoo Sung-woon¡¯s question, the portrait blinked twice. ¡°I¡¯m not lonely.¡± Still a blunt answer. Yoo Sung-woon faintly smiled. ¡°If it was an inappropriate question, I apologize, but this ce is not frequented by people other than the employees whoe to manage the artwork.¡± ¡°I just guessed ¡­ that perhapsing out of the portrait to look around sometimes was partly due to such emotions.¡± ¡°I like ces without people, so it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Do you feel ufortable having conversations?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it. However¡­¡± The portrait continued. ¡°I¡¯ve already spoken so much that I¡¯ve imagined a future where I don¡¯t have to speak all the time.¡± ¡°A quiet ce where I don¡¯t have to speak too much, don¡¯t have to be involved too much down, and don¡¯t have to care too much ¡­. That¡¯s what I¡¯ve always wanted. This ce suits my wish.¡± Then Yoo Sung-woon asked. ¡°¡­ Were you a human before?¡± ¡°I am still a human now.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. So what I meant was ¡­ were you an ordinary human being not living inside the painting? Ordinary people usually aren¡¯t framed.¡± ¡°Yes, I was.¡± ¡°I see.¡± There are two types of humanoid monsters. Those who were born as monsters but evolved to take on human forms, and those who were originally humans but became part of the ¡®origin¡¯ at some point and turned into monsters. ¡®Is this thetter case?¡¯ Monsters with memories of being human usually are especially swayed by negative emotions. ¡®This one seems¡­ rather peaceful.¡¯ But it wasn¡¯t a pleasant kind of peace. It was like a funeral. ''Gio''s Portrait'' looked exactly like someone''s death. ¡°Well, then¡­ aren¡¯t you bored?¡± ¡°Sometimes I am bored.¡± ¡°How do you deal with such boredom? Do you have your own way?¡± ¡°I usually eat.¡± Ah, this was quite surprising. ¡°¡­ Eat?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The portrait answered in its characteristic blunt voice. ¡°I enjoy eating.¡± He hoped the ingredients weren¡¯t human. ¡®¡­ It doesn¡¯t look like a face that would enjoy eating.¡¯ If one were to think of him as an ordinary human, well, it also didn¡¯t seem like he was obsessed with food. ¡®¡­ Rather, he had the impression of not feeling impressed by anything, showing a cold-blooded indifference.¡¯ He is an eye-catching handsome man. His physique is not thin, but neither is it thick. The pale skin, the very dark eyelids, the face that doesn¡¯t move like a marble sculpture. It didn¡¯t look like he would find enjoyment in eating. But there was something more surprising. ¡°If it¡¯s not too rude to ask¡­¡± ¡°I can eat.¡± ¡°Yes, sorry. I asked something obvious.¡± A painting that eats. ¡°May I ask how do you eat?¡± At Yoo Sung-woon¡¯s question, ¡®Gio¡¯ answered as if it was nothing special. ¡°I cook. I think of the food I want to eat, get the right ingredients, prepare them, put a pan on the fire or in the wood-fired oven ¡­ and finish cooking.¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m an ordinary human.¡± Even though the way he exined it made him feel even less human. When Yoo Sung-woon didn¡¯t respond, the portrait described another case. ¡°There¡¯s also another way to feel enjoyment while being inside the portrait.¡± ¡°Oh, how is that¡­?¡± ¡°I need a little help, but Mr. Yoo Sung-woon can also give me some enjoyment.¡± ¡°¡­ What kind of enjoyment are you talking about?¡± The ability to give enjoyment. For a moment, he was anxious as the monsters¡¯ rampage in history came to mind, but the portrait didn¡¯t demand living sacrifices or warm blood. Like ck paint on paper, he looked at Yoo Sung-woon with emotionless eyes. ¡°Are you good at drawing?¡± ¡°¡­ If you can describe the object, then I can draw it. Sometimes I have to include drawings of unfamiliar objects or nts in reports¡­¡± ¡°Then please draw an apple.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not difficult, is it?¡± Yoo Sung-woon asked back with a slightly surprised face. ¡°¡­ Do you mean ¡­ on the portrait?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°¡­ I understand.¡± ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait¡¯ is an entity with clear rules. Yoo Sung-woon was not foolish enough to ignore the demands of such an enigmatic being. He took out paints and brushes from the hard case he always carried. Seeing this, the portrait asked. ¡°Do you always carry art supplies with you?¡± ¡°I try to carry a variety of items as much as possible. You never know what will happen in this gallery, so it¡¯s better for my well-being to be prepared in various ways.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Although the portrait¡¯s response was still calm, Yoo Sung-woon couldn¡¯t help but feel a chill inside. ¡®What would have happened if I didn¡¯t have my drawing tools¡­¡¯ The ¡®Gio¡¯ he had been conversing with so far was a being with its own flexibility, but, well, this otherworldly being always showed an unpredictable side. Yoo Sung-woon quietly took a deep breath and ced his brush on the portrait. He felt a sense of immorality, as if he was defiling a noble work. ¡°I''m not that good at drawing.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°Uhm¡­¡± He soon drew a bright red apple. ¡°¡­ It¡¯s not a very pretty apple.¡± Yoo Sung-woon smiled awkwardly. ¡°Here I drew the apple you wanted.¡± ¡°I got it.¡± ¡°Can I eat it?¡± As he said so, ¡®Gio¡¯ reached out for the apple drawn in the corner of the portrait. ¡°Thank you.¡± It moved. A white and thick hand soon picked up Yoo Sung-woon¡¯s apple. And then, Crunch. The yellow flesh inside the red apple was visible. The portrait that looked like a model said after taking a bite of the apple. ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡± ¡°It''s ripe and smells good. It¡¯s a bit small, but it¡¯s perfect for a snack.¡± ¡°That¡­¡± This was the first time he had seen such a thing. ¡°Is it fascinating?¡± Yes, it was fascinating. Enough to make his heart flutter a little. ¡°¡­It¡¯s amazing.¡± Yoo Sung-woon was a person who observed and managed out-of-ordinary beings. He had been doing this since he was formerly with the Hunter Association. Since dungeons appeared and monsters emerged, Yoo Sung-woon had always been in charge of exploring and researching the strange phenomena and beings at the centre of it. There was certainly pride and satisfaction in that. He was able to be in this position also because he loved it. ¡°Honestly, yes, I was surprised¡­ It¡¯s my first time seeing something like this.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°So, are you currently eating the apple in the painting?¡± ''Gio'' nodded his head. ¡°I¡¯m an ordinary human, but I exist within the painting. Therefore, I can also be said to be a painting. In the same context, I can do a lot of things within the painting.¡± ¡°On days I don¡¯t feel like cooking, I drawpleted dishes like this. It¡¯s convenient.¡± ¡°¡­ I see.¡± ¡°So, I can repay your kindness.¡± The portrait blinked twice. ¡°Then I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± ¡°Tomorrow?¡± ¡°I''m not ready right now.¡± ¡°¡­ I understand.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Day 4,pleted. *** When the portrait closed and opened his eyes, there was a brush in his hand. ''Gio'' started to draw. It was very red, just like the apple Yoo Sung-woon had painted at dawn yesterday. The shape was a triangle with rounded lines. The structure was clearly three-dimensional, and the transparent light made it even clearer. The light, seemingly soft and warm as if struck by the sun, shattered into pieces and spread across the entire structure. The colour resembled a pomegranate. It was transparent and red. But it was even redder than that. The stark red colour, as if filled with freshly spilt blood, was so intense that it hurt to look at for too long. It soon came to life. Its edge became as sharp as a knife. And it embraced darkness, eventually casting scattered shadows beneath it. ¡°Here.¡± The portrait spoke. ¡°This is my gift in return.¡± As he pushed out the red gem that seemed to contain a heart with his finger, Tap, thud. It fell onto Yoo Sung-woon¡¯s hand. ¡°It¡¯s yours.¡± ¡°¡­ This is ¡­.¡± He asked. ¡°What kind of gem is this?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°But it must have been deep underground to be hot enough.¡± ''Gio'' continued the story of the gem. ¡°After being in a ce hot enough to be the heart of a, perhaps it had developed warmth like its friend. Then, after a very long time, it was discovered by human hands ¡­ and would have taken a beautiful form.¡± Whose story could this be? ¡°¡­ That¡¯s an interesting story.¡± ¡°If it sounded that way to you, I¡¯m d.¡± ¡°Haha¡­¡± Yoo Sung-woon let out a hollowugh subconsciously. ¡°What did you use to paint this gem? Obviously your brush clearly had no paint on it¡­¡± ¡°This gem looks real.¡± The portrait did not answer. Instead, Yoo Sung-woon asked, ¡°May I take this with me?¡± ¡°You gave me a gift.¡± He was referring to that clumsy apple drawing. ¡°This gem is my reciprocation.¡± The portrait¡¯s words sounded exactly like the devil¡¯s. Even though there was absolutely no reason for it, but the strangeness, haziness, and ecstasy made him think so. And unable to bear the sense of unreality, Yoo Sung-woon expressed his honest feelings. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And that sounds exactly like an answer given by the devil.¡± He couldn¡¯t contain his curiosity. That¡¯s what a researcher was like. ¡°Why do you always answer with such simplenguage? Gio, you, well ¡­ you speak in a very simple and precise manner that could satisfy other people¡¯s wishes.¡± ¡°I know this is a rude question. But I have no choice but to ask. Could it be that it was because youck human emotions? Or did you choose to be that way?¡± The portrait looked at Yoo Sung-woon without answering. After a while, only after it blinked twice, ¡®Gio¡¯ replied, ¡°I don¡¯t understand what Mr. Yoo Sung-woon is saying. I haven¡¯t used overly simple grammar, nor have I given answers to satisfy people¡¯s desires or wishes.¡± ¡°I have always been like this.¡± His voice was still blunt and soft, but it seemed twisted somewhere. It was not peaceful. As if a dead person buried in a coffin had been dragged out into the world of the living, it was still quiet and yet somehow strange¡­ ¡°I have human emotions, to the point that I don''t know why I need to exin it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I have no emotions, nor is it my choice, whatever it may be. I have always been like this.¡± The portrait seemed angry, and asionally seemed as if he was making excuses for being stabbed in a sore spot, or perhaps it was truly frustrated because he couldn¡¯t understand what the other person was saying. Yet maybe all of this was just his misconception, and he felt nothing. ¡®I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking.¡¯ Yoo Sung-woon said cautiously, ¡°Of course, I know. I know you¡¯re just an ordinary human.¡± ¡°You seem to feel loneliness, joy ¡­ and many other emotions. But you have a way of speaking that doesn¡¯t show any emotions or personal desires. As if you had nothing ¡­¡± As if it¡¯s just a kind of service. ¡®¡­ I shouldn¡¯t say any more.¡¯ Yoo Sung-woon felt curious. At the same time he was also impressed. Although he was employed by Bi Sa-beol as a curator, his essence was always ¡®research¡®. The portrait opened its mouth again. ¡°I am an ordinary human.¡± He continues to speak. ¡°I wanted to eat an apple, so I asked Mr. Yoo Sung-woon to draw it for me.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That was my personal wish. Mr. Yoo Sung-woon drew an apple for me, so I gave you a gift in return. We gave each other gifts, and that¡¯s justmon courtesy between people.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°I was just being polite.¡± ¡°So, I don¡¯t quite understand what you are saying.¡± It was impossible to tell whether his words were lies or truth. It was difficult to read his intentions from the voice with a constant pitch. ¡°Do you know that your eyes are very ck?¡± ¡°Quite a bit of people have ck eyes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°ck eyes aremon. There¡¯s nothing special about them.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think of me as too special. It would be better not to.¡± It was like a giant whale exining to a human that it is small. Did he deny that statement despite knowing it is contradictory? ¡®Or does it really not know?¡¯ ''Gio''s'' blunt face obscured all his inner truth. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll be careful.¡± Day 5,pleted. After that, the portrait did not open its eyes for a while. Ah, really. ¡°I should fix this habit¡­¡± Did he make him run away? *** It¡¯s hard to socialize after such a long time. ¡°¡­ Should I rest?¡± His ultimate positive mindset is activated. ¡®Let¡¯s rest.¡¯ And so, he returned to his countryside life. ¡°Ta-da.¡± This was the reason why Gio was stuck in the portrait for ten days. Chapter 8 Gio had no thoughts. People imagined all sorts of things because of his stiff expression, gloomy atmosphere, and overly polite speech. They thought he might have lost a loved one or have done something dangerous in the past¡­ It was a misunderstanding. ''What should I eat today.'' Seo Gio was just a pig potato. ¡°¡­ Cheese fondue ¡­.¡± A spring breeze blew over the bed. He, who had stretched out like a sleepy cat, got up. ¡°Cheese fondue sounds good.¡± Today''s meal was fondue.When ite to meals, the pig did not hesitate. Gio went down to the ice storage to pick out the cheeses to use for this dish. ¡°How should I do it.¡± Cheese fondue could be easily made by anyone as long as they had the ingredients. Of course, there would be idiots who would refute it if he said this, but it didn''t matter because Gio was not an idiot. However, cheese fondue was not a dish that requiredplicated techniques, and there were also various recipes for cheese fondue. ¡°The base should be Brie cheese.¡± Brie cheese was the mostmon choice among the ingredients used to make cheese fondue. ¡°Is this Brie cheese?¡± The brie cheese wrapped in white paper had white mould spread surrounding it like silk. It was as if sweet sugar powder had been sprinkled generously on the sticky surface of the rich cheese. There was no name written on it, but when he smelled it and cut it in half, it was definitely Brie cheese. ¡°It''s mild-tasted and nice.¡± Brie cheese is not a strong-smelled cheese. It''s soft and has a subtle mushroom and nutty scent, making it just perfect to use as a fondue cheese. It goes very well with bread or fruit. ¡°If I only put this in, it might be a bit nd.¡± The downside of brie cheese is that it can feel greasy and burdensome if eaten in arge amount. The soft melted brie cheese has a creamy quality that melts smoothly without being chewy, and due to its mild scent and texture, one can easily be tired of it. Gio blinked and then muttered to himself. ¡°I wish it was a bit saltier.¡± He was attracted to cheese that had a strong scent, salty, and pungent. Since Brie cheese is mild ¡­. ¡°Parmesan would be appropriate.¡± The formal name would be Parmigiano Reggiano. ''Parmesan cheese'' is known to Koreans as a seasoning usually sprinkled on pizza. However, this is a degraded version of Parmigiano cheese, and the two are almost nothing alike. ¡°It was here.¡± Gio found the parmesan cheese that had been divided into smaller pieces. ¡°It would be troublesome to cut the whole thing¡­¡± This cheese is a very difficult cheese that requires ageing for more than a year. So it was very hard, but the texture inside was clear. If not cut along the texture, it will shatter into pieces. In that sense, the fact that it was pre-divided was very appreciated. Parmesan cheese sold in whole isrger than a tyre and also very expensive, so Gio had never tried dividing it himself. ''It''s good that I didn''t have to waste the cheese.'' Gio put the appropriately sized cut cheese into the basket. The scent was already strong. ¡°Nice.¡± The parmesan cheese, which emits a pungent aroma, has a very diverse taste. First of all, it''s very salty. Even if you eat only as much as a fingernail, your tongue tingles and the aroma goes straight to your head, as the vour is very intense. At the same time, it gives the pleasure of the rich sweetness of honey that gently moistens the tongue like a soft peach and then disappears without a trace. ''That''s why it''s also delicious to eat raw.'' Unheated hard cheese retains a much milder aroma. If one is new to cheese, it''s rmended to eat it raw, as there are vour peaks in the crystals at that state of Parmesan cheese. Gio liked that small but crunchy texture. ''It also has a nutty aroma.'' If one puts too much, it may be overwhelming, but if one adds a small amount, it''s suitable for enhancing the vour of the fondue. ¡°And¡­¡± If he were to add one more thing. ¡°Gruy¨¨re.¡± Gruy¨¨re cheese would be appropriate. This cheese is hard like Parmesan cheese, but it''s a bit more flexible than Parmesan, it ages up to a year and is saltier and much sweeter than Brie cheese. ''One of the interesting things about it is that it has a subtle walnut aroma.'' The rich nutty aroma was attractive in many ways. This deep aroma would surely match well with the previously collected cheeses. ¡°¡­ I should stop with the cheese.¡± Too much would make the scent and taste strange. Gio went up to the kitchen on the first floor. ¡°Now¡­¡± tter. Gio found a thick earthenware bowl in the drawer. ¡°Let''s start cooking.¡± The cooking method was simple. First, prepare the ingredients you want to eat with the cheese. Anything is fine. Cherry tomatoes, asparagus, sweet potatoes, potatoes, onions, broli, zhini¡­ In addition to these, soft-textured white bread, crispy croutons, chewy ciabatta, etc. It was even good to eat with fruits. ''But I''ll pass on this.'' Since it was not for a snack but for a meal, sweet and sour things didn''t appeal to him. ¡°Should I stir-fry it roughly?¡± After putting the ingredients cut into bite-sized pieces into the wok and heating them once, Gio put all these ingredients into the wood-fired oven. The thick surface was roasted with strong heat briefly and then taken out. The ingredients roasted in the wood-fired oven emitted a subtle smoky aroma. It was worth preparing firewood with a good scent in advance. ¡°This one is ready.¡± Next is the cheese. The brought cheese is finely chopped into small pieces. All the cheese must melt at the same time to mix well without separating, but if the chunks are too big, the melting times of each cheese differ, and the oil and fatyers will separate. ''I remember the first time I made it, the whole thing melted, and the cheese oil formed a river. Even now that I think about it, it was a disaster.'' In the preheated earthenware bowl, pour olive oil and add a clove of garlic to make it smell good. ¡°And wine.¡± It''s a cheat key that captures the cheesy scent and enhances the vour. In Gio''s basement cer, there were also bottled wines withoutbels. Among them, he used the cleanest-tasting wine, white wine, which had a pleasant scent that blended well with the garlic and olive aroma. Tap. Gio closed the wine cork and thought. ''I should try making alcohol sometimes.'' All he had left was time, so the cumbersome process was hardly a big deal. Gio vowed to try making everything from wine to spirits, flower liquor, and fruit wine. An unemployed person has the right to waste time. When all the alcohol had evaporated, Gio brought out the cheeses he had cut. ¡°Put it all in¡­¡± He dumped the messy cheeses in the earthenware preheated over low heat. ¡°Next is stirring.¡± When the cheese had melted enough for the oil to rise to the surface, he added a bit of starch solution prepared in advance. It helped to blend the oil and fatyers of the cheese which separated no matter how well it was melted. ¡°A spoonful of alcohol.¡± He preferred a high alcohol content with a strong vour like whiskey or brandy. And so, the cheese fondue that was smooth like porridge or soup, yet somehow still chewy, waspleted. ¡°Ta-da.¡± He was pleased. Gio brought the cheese and various ingredients to the table and sat down. To keep the cheese warm and stretchy, a small candle was lit underneath. ''This part is a bit of a hassle.'' If the cheese cooled, it would harden again, so it had to be heated continuously like this. That''s why fondue tools are essential if you want to eat cheese fondue. ¡°Good thing I made it in advance.¡± Anyway, the meal began. ¡°Firstly ¡­.¡± Gio picked up a well-ripened asparagus. After dipping it deep into the cheese and pulling it out, the cheese, softened by alcohol and starch, stretched out. The asparagus, which had been roasted in the wood-fired oven, still maintained its deep green colour. The unique aroma of fresh vegetables and the soft, subtle scent of asparagus wafted up. Especially, the fresh vour of asparagus, which pairs well with fat, looked promising. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Crunch. The stem snapped crisply. ''Delicious.'' The sweet water that oozes out of the asparagus, like the juices from well-grilled meat, contains a mysterious bitterness. Just enough to not be out of ce, the bitterness of the asparagus was like the astringent taste of yuzu tea, harmonizing very well with the other ingredients. The once burnt surface was like crumbling thin leaves. Just beneath it, the stem was tender and juicy from being heated in the pan and wood-fired oven, and further below, the still-alive core of the nt was crunchy. ''It goes well with the cheese.'' The creamy and smooth brie cheese provided a solid base. The sharp aroma of Parmesan prevented it from being nd, while the rich walnut scent of Gruy¨¨re connected everything. The delicate vour of asparagus pairs especially well with fat. This means things like cheese, whipped cream, and butter matched perfectly well with this fondue voured with garlic. Moreover, thanks to its juicy and crunchy texture, it felt like eating well-ripened spring vegetables. This is life. ¡°¡­ A life where you fall asleep even while eating ¡­ Nothing could be more ideal than this.¡± Eating the fondue that gently caressed his insides, while feeling the soft spring breezeing in through the wide-open window, this ce was heaven. ¡°After I finish eating, I should go out and take a nap. Where should I sleep today?¡± Next, he chose Ciabatta. ¡°It''s well-baked.¡± Ciabatta was a bread famous for its fluffiness and chewiness. The surface, lightly dusted with flour, was swept away with butter, giving off a vour like the roux in soup. Thanks to being baked in the wood-fired oven, the outside was very crispy, and the side heavily coated with butter had a crunchy yet soft texture, like croutons in soup. ¡°Now then, the cheese ¡­¡± Plop, soak it in. Chomp. He put it in his mouth. It was very good. ''This is it.'' Gio ced a well-baked potato on top of the cheese-covered bread. ¡°Ummm ¡­.¡± Indeed, the joy of fondue was to eat inbinations. The crispy and chewy bread, the cheese with its varied textures, and the fluffy, strongly voured potatoes cooked in butter. From texture to taste, theposition was wless. ''I''ll cleanse my pte with a tomato ¡­'' Crunch! ¡°¡­ Ah, this is also delicious.¡± The cherry tomato, which was briefly and intensely heated to prevent the flesh from being overcooked, was still crunchy with a subtly warm juice inside. Its surface had a tender snap, like a well-cooked sausage. ¡°It should go well with the cheese.¡± After eating it with the cheese, he felt happy with the diverse vours. ¡°Should I try adding croutons this time?¡± Gio ate whatever he could grab. Crunchy croutons dipped in chewy cheese once, perfectly cooked tender broli in cheese that spread like cream once, sweet and fluffy sweet potatoes in salty, savoury cheese once¡­ It was quite a lot, enough to fill arge bowl, but Gio quickly finished them all. He marvelled at the miracle his stomach had performed. Even though it couldn''t be as good as Noah''s Ark, it seemed like it could be Gio''s Ark.1 ¡°Have my appetite increased?¡± He was definitely a glutton, but he didn''t think he was this much before he entered the painting. Gio''s ultimate positive mindset kicked in. ''It''s fun anyway, so it''s fine.'' Ta-da. His rationalization was sessful. Even after eating so much, he didn''t feel full. For Gio, a gourmet and a big eater who truly found joy in eating, this was a wee urrence. ¡°These days, people are spewing fire from their mouths,pared to them, I''m nothing.¡± People can evolve as they live, can''t they? ¡°Now I should take some snacks and go out for an afternoon nap ¡­¡± Gio packed a cleanly washed basket with well-dried Goby fruits, Vaivamnil tea leaves, and a ss bottle filled with warm water. The deep golden Goby fruit had shrunk to the size of raisins, bing a handy snack. ''The ones dried outside havepletely hardened. Soon, I''ll be able to make Goby fruit medicine.'' Gio wore a ck cape. ''I also want to upgrade thister.'' The cloak he made when he first regained consciousness inside the painting was still usable. It was made to avoid being seen by any dangerous beasts and to prevent his body from brushing against poisonous nts or his clothes from tearing. For something hastily sewn together from the fabric in the cabin, it was quite good. ''Light, thick, and well-ventted.'' Although his body wasn''t sensitive to cold or heat, lying on the bare ground inevitably made his back feel cold. In such a situation, the cloak would make a pretty good nket. After adjusting his clothes, Gio headed to the spring. As he walked slowly, he soon arrived at the spring, which was still beautiful, quiet, and yet filled with the sounds of various creatures bustling about. So what to do now? Sleep. ¡°Nice.¡± He was sleepy. Chewing on the dried Goby fruit, Gio soon fell asleep without even taking a sip of tea. The cloak,rge enough to wrap around his body, turned out to be an excellent nket as expected. Flutter¨D flutter¨D¡­ Soon after he fell asleep, butterflies resembling sunlightnded on top of him. ¡°Ppik.¡± ¡°Purr¡­¡± ¡°Keung.¡± Followed by five or six rabbits with round bodies. A long-legged deer. Plump cats resembling civets, and several small andrge birds that chirped away. And they all gathered together, falling into a deep sleep. It was a peaceful nap time. 1: Noah Ark is the ship from bible that was said to be so huge and carried a whole lot of animal pairs as the worlde to an end with flood from what I remember. Chapter 10 Although the portrait closed its eyes due to Yoo Sung-woon''s impatience, the painting''s owner, Bi Sa-beol, did not scold him. ¡°After all, it''s a portrait that wouldn''t respond even when I spoke to it. It wouldn''t even look at me.¡± ¡°The seventeen employees that had conversed with it so far ran away, unable to withstand the pressure of the portrait. In that sense, Mr. Yoo Sung-woon''s attempt can be seen as significant and sessful.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Although making Gio run away was certainly not a good choice, I scouted you because I was impressed with Mr. Yoo Sung-woon''s curiosity. There''s no need to apologize for that.¡± ¡°I will be more careful in the future.¡± ¡°That''s all you need to do.¡± Fortunately, Bi Sa-beol was someone special to his own people.A curator''s duty is to maintain and manage the artworks. This kind of inquisitiveness a researcher might have isn''t appropriate. Nevertheless, it was a blessing to have a boss who defended Yoo Sung-woon like this. ¡°Haa ¡­.¡± But Yoo Sung-woon was still troubled. ''Just because there''s no big problem doesn''t mean the mistake disappears.'' It had been quite some time since he was employed by Bi Sa-beol as a curator. He thought he had be quite dull over time as he appreciated and managed Bi Sa-beol''s collection, but perhaps it was his nature after all, as he was captivated by the mystery of the dungeon he saw for the first time in a long while. Yoo Sung-woon entered his private workroom and bit into a candy. Adults weary from fatigue needed sugar. Yes, that''s right. ''Gio''s portrait is not an ordinary monster.'' That was what piqued Yoo Sung-woon''s curiosity. ¡°¡­ It could simply be a mutation, but¡­¡± A soft murmur. Yoo Sung-woon sat in his chair for a long time, staring into space. Soon he opened his mouth. ¡°¡­Should I contact the gardeners?¡± Gardeners were a profession secretly operated by associations in various countries. In fact, it wasn''t to the level of being ''secretly operated'', as anyone with the aptitude could do it.1 However, since there were so few candidates with the aptitude, it was more appropriate to say that it was unavoidable for it to not widely publicized. ''But as a researcher, it''s awkward to contact them again since I leave under the guise of retirement.'' Gardeners, a kind of secret researcher and adventurer, were people who hade close to the truth of the dungeons. They knew various information not known to the world, but even with the knowledge of a former Gardener, Yoo Sung-woon still couldn''t exin ''Gio''s Portrait.'' It was a type of existence he had never seen before in his life. ¡°¡­Well, it''ll work out somehow.¡± Creak¡­ Yoo Sung-woon sighed and slumped in his chair. ¡°There''s no need to rush, let''s take it slow.¡± No matter what humans do, the ''origin'' does not run away. ''It''s too big to do so.'' There was no reason to hastily dig up the secret, nor did he feel like doing so. After all, it was only a few days ago that he made ''Gio'' run away by acting rashly. ¡°Let''s reflect, reflect¡­¡± Fortunately, ''Gio''s avoidance did notst long. A few dayster, Yoo Sung-woon was able to see the portrait with its eyes open. *** ¡°Good evening.¡± ¡°¡­Hello?¡± Yoo Sung-woon smiled awkwardly. ¡°It''s a nice evening.¡± ¡°Yes, it is.¡± The forest in Gio''s Portrait was an evening with twinkling stars. ¡°It''s evening for us too.¡± ¡°Wasn''t it dawn?¡± ¡°I came a bit early today. It''s not even midnight yet.¡± ¡°It seems definitely earlier than usual, is there a reason?¡± ¡°I came to check on the other works I''m in charge of.¡± Yoo Sung-woon shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Then I saw you, Gio, was awake.¡± ¡°I am always awake.¡± ¡°That''s an amazing story.¡± Yoo Sung-woon, who had been joking around, asked in his characteristic calm voice. ¡°What were you doing now?¡± His gaze was on the brush held in the hand of the portrait. It was a very strange sight, a painting holding a tool that could paint. ''The guild leader''s eyes will roll back if he saw this.'' Gio answered obediently. ¡°I was making a bird.¡± ¡°Ah, you were painting a bird.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°May I see it too, if it''s not too rude to ask?¡± ¡°If Mr. Yoo Sung-woon wishes, I will show it to you.¡± The man with the blunt face put down the brush in his hand, and soon tapped somewhere invisible to Yoo Sung-woon. As his delicate fingers called something in a subtle manner, something extraordinary happened. The sound of water rippling was heard, and soon a bird appeared. Yoo Sung-woon was surprised. Of course, unlike the previous gem, it was definitely t, like an existence beyond the painting ¡­ but at least it felt as alive as Gio. ¡°¡­Tha ¡°It''s my new family.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± He wanted to respond as calmly as possible, but he wasn''t sure if he did well. To be honest, Yoo Sung-woon was a bit excited. ¡°It''s a wonderful bird.¡± The bird was very small. Ifpared to species in Korea, perhaps it resembled a bull-headed shrike? But its tail feathers were much longer, and merged with its transparent body, its wings were hardly visible. Perhaps they were fused together just like that. It was made of very clean water. It resembled the holy water Yoo Sung-woon, a former gardener, asionally saw in dungeons, or the spring water in remote ces where no life existed. ¡°Gio, did you just create it?¡± He seemed to understand why he said ''made'' rather than ''painted.'' It was definitely a living creature. ¡°You were holding a brush.¡± ¡°I''m having fun, so I''m making several of them.¡± ¡°Several?¡± ¡°Right now, it''s about ¡­ probably less than 100.¡± ¡°That''s impressive.¡± It means that he drew each of those 100 animals one by one. ¡°It must not be easy.¡± ¡°It doesn''t matter since I have time to spare.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°It''s also fun.¡± He seemed to have a surprisingly curious nature. ''That''s something to keep in mind.'' Although it''s hard to get a sense of it due to Gio''s excessively polite and stiff expression, but the fact that an existence, whether it was a monster or something else, leads a life focused on interest, was something to be wary of as a human. Yoo Sung-woon, who had memorized the information in his head, asked again. ¡°It seems to be made of water, can that bird cry?¡± ¡°It has no vocal cords, but¡­¡± Splish¡­! Ssh, ssh! ¡°¡­ Like this.¡± ¡°Aha.¡± When the bird shook off its body like a wet puppy, there was a sshing sound. It sounded like a small water bottle being shaken, and also like a thin, viscous jelly being stirred around. Yoo Sung-woonughed slightly. ¡°So it cries like that.¡± The portrait added. ¡°It can cry in other ways too.¡± ¡°But didn''t you say it has no vocal cords?¡± ¡°It''s a simr method to before.¡± Gio took out a small gem from inside his suit. ¡°How about this.¡± Crunch¡­! Nibble! ¡°It''s yours.¡± Chomp. The small bird snatched the green gem from Gio''s hand. It nibbled on the gem, seemingly sizing it up with its petite mouth, before swallowing it down in one gulp. ¡°Ah.¡± Gio, still with a blunt expression, handed over a few more gems. ¡°Now it will be able to cry.¡± ¡°How¡­¡± At that time, a ttering sound was heard. Yoo Sung-woon soon realized how the bird in front of him cried. ''¡­By moving or colliding the objects inside its body¡­'' It was a scene reminiscent of a fairy tale. The gems trapped inside the bird''s transparent body floated around, making sounds when colliding with each other once in a while. Despite appearing to be dense gems, they floated inside the small body, twinkling with the light scattered inside the water. Gio spoke as if teaching a newly born animal. ¡°That''s right.¡± Rattle! ¡°You''re doing well.¡± Clink, clink! Then he saw him blink twice. Perhaps it was his imagination, but even though his stoic expression hadn''t changed, he looked tired. ¡°They''re chatterboxes.¡± ¡°It seems pretty quiet though.¡± ¡°If there had been vocal cords, I can''t even imagine how noisy it would have been.¡± ¡°That''s¡­ true, but.¡± The bird, with its characteristic quick movements of a small physique animal, fluttered and pped its tail busily as it moved back and forth on Gio''s hand. Then it spread its wings and pped them as well. ''The wings are bigger than I thought.'' The wings,rge enough to envelop its entire body, were absorbed back into the torso, losing their form. ''That aspect is very much like a slime.'' It also looked a bit simr to how it tries to put something into its body. Though it seems like this guy does it not for hunting but to adorn itself¡­ He wondered how it would react when meeting an enemy. ¡°¡­ Your painting is really cool.¡± Is this a portrait and also a painter? With that thought, Yoo Sung-woon who had spoken looked at Gio. His eyes, so dark that they even seemed bright, captured Yoo Sung-woon for a moment before he opened his mouth. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I didn''t say anything rude, did I?¡± ¡°That was the perfectpliment for someone who paints.¡± ¡°Then that''s a relief.¡± But a living painting¡ª ''Everyone would say that''s cool.'' As Yoo Sung-woon stared nkly at the bird, the portrait asked. ¡°Do you have any other questions?¡± ¡°Ah, a question¡­.¡± Is this also one of the rules of ''Gio''s Portrait''? ''It seems like it always gives opportunities like this.'' Yoo Sung-woon answered while gauging the opponent''s patience and goodwill. ¡°I always have questions. So I have one this time too, since Gio, you showed me such a cool painting.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°This bird is really beautiful. Do these guys each have their own sense of beauty, or do they act ording to your taste, Gio?¡± The portrait blinked twice and answered. ¡°I don''t know much about these friends.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°But they like to adorn themselves by putting something inside their bodies.¡± Perhaps due to already having had quite a bit of conversation, Gio continued speaking without hesitation. ¡°So far, I''ve created about a hundred birds, but each of them preferred different things. This friend prefers jewels, some birds wanted flowers, and others looked for twigs or pebbles. There were also times when it was small fishes or fruits of trees.¡± Ssh! When the portrait waved his hand, the bird sitting on it flew away. There was the sound of water. ¡°They don''t move ording to my aesthetic sense. They have their own distinct tastes. It might have been slightly influenced by me, but¡­ it''s not something I can impose on them now.¡± ¡°It looks like a real bird.¡± ¡°This ce is a painting. As the owner of the painting, the painting drawn by me bes real. If they desire it, they cane to life and breathe. It can happen.¡± ¡°Is this a sufficient answer?¡± After a moment of silence, Yoo Sung-woon soon opened his mouth. ¡°This bird doesn''t seem like just a painting. It seems alive. Could ite outside like you, Gio?¡± ¡°I''m not sure.¡± Gio didn''t give a clear answer. It seemed like he himself didn''t know what would happen, or perhaps he wasn''t that keen on sharing. Yoo Sung-woon did not mind much and moved on. Still, he cautiously asked. ¡°Is there ¡­.¡± ¡°¡­ A soul inside?¡± Now, 31 years after dungeons appeared, people have acknowledged the existence of ''souls.'' It was an inevitable trend as various skills targeting souls had emerged. Despite there is nothing rare about such skills. ¡°Did you create a bird with a soul just now?¡± ¡°I''m not sure.¡± The same answer as before. ''I can''t figure out his intentions.'' The portrait remained blunt. It was a face that couldn''t be seen as someone who had just created a life, making it all the more foreign and eerie. ''Perhaps it feels even more bizarre because it performs actions that don''t seem human at all, yet it has eyes, nose, and mouth just like a person.'' There was a sense of disharmony that was different from the monsters or simr beings he usually saw. The portrait answered calmly. ¡°I don''t know either.¡± ¡°If you, the owner, don''t know, then who would?¡± ¡°Maybe no one knows.¡± His voice was clear. ¡°I just drew a painting. And I am a person who entered inside this painting.¡± ¡°I can decorate this painting, and the drawing decorating this painting bes real within this portrait, just like thest time when Mr. Yoo Sung-woon drew an apple for me ¡­.¡± ¡°After all, it''s a painting.¡± It might sounded like wordy, but it wasn''t wrong. ''A painting within a painting is indeed real.'' After a moment, Yoo Sung-woon asked again. ¡°You created a bird within the painting. You drew a gem for me and gave it to me, and you were able to deliver it to me.¡± ¡°That''s correct.¡± ¡°Gio, you are definitely a painting, but you''re human at the same time and can also influence reality.¡± He asked. ¡°If so, can you paint the real life here?¡± ¡°Not justing out of the painting and then going back in like thest time, but can you draw something like destiny, past, or memory? Or perhaps¡­¡± ¡°A real person.¡± Gio soon replied. ¡°It might be possible, or it might not be.¡± ¡°But I don''t want to do that.¡± ¡°¡­ Why? Isn''t it lonely or boring inside the painting?¡± ¡°I don''t feel lonely here.¡± His tone was still blunt. ¡°I''mfortable here. Here, the weather is always nice, the spring breeze blows, and the scent of the forest fills the air, nothing is troublesome or difficult.¡± ¡°If I ever get bored, I can just create new friends like now. That''ll be enough.¡± Yoo Sung-woon was a bit surprised. ¡°Are you satisfied with your peaceful painting world?¡± The out-of-ordinary beings he had seen so far always coveted things of reality. Regardless of whether they had consciousness or not, their actions were instinctive, like the stem of a nt reaching towards the sunlight. ¡°Don''t you have the desire toe out?¡± ¡°I''m tired.¡± ¡°That ¡­ might be possible, but¡­¡± ¡°I don''t want to go out. This ce is my home now.¡± He definitely just said, ''now.'' ''¡­ So there was a time when he didn''t live in this portrait.'' The portrait imed to be human and said there were times when he didn''t live inside the portrait, but there was no guarantee that the ce he stayed was necessarily Earth. ''It could be a dungeon or another dimension. No, considering Gio''s usual remarks and demeanour, the probability for it to be thetter seems more likely.'' Regardless of Yoo Sung-woon''s thoughts, the portrait continued. ¡°I cannot create a living being that threatens me.¡± ¡°¡­ A threatening living being?¡± ¡°Humans always have the potential to harm other beings. The living beings I can create are only friends who are friendly to me. That''s the rule of this portrait.¡± ¡°At first, I didn''t know either, but after trying a few times, I figured it out. Since I am the owner of this portrait, I cannot create a being that can erase me. Therefore, I cannot draw humans.¡± The portrait recited. ¡°Since a portrait cannot exist without its subject.¡±2 Having said that, Gio looked at Yoo Sung-woon again. ¡°I''m reluctant to create humans.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°That''s too special of an event.¡± ¡°Isn''t it good if it''s special?¡± ¡°I''m not special enough for that, so it''s not good.¡± ¡°I am content with my speciality just to the extent of being a talking portrait.¡± It was certainly so profound that it was hard to believe it was merely a portrait with consciousness. ''It''s definitely not an ordinary monster or item.'' That''s why it had an eerie side. ¡°Is this a sufficient answer?¡± ¡°For today, yes.¡± Neither a monster, nor an item. If it''s neither a ghost nor a human. ¡°I''ll see you next time.¡± What on earth could this be? 1: I want to phrase this better, but I don''t know if this is referencing to ''aptitude skill'' as the author uses the same word, sorry ?? ????? ?? as far as I read the gardeners haven''t shown up yet so I''m not sure about gardener stuffs. 2: ''subject'' here has the same word as ''owner'' in Korean (??), but in this line, I think using ''subject'' made more sense ¡­. right? (not me questioning my own choices¡ª) Chapter 11 Gio stood in the studio. What he was looking at were the numerous drawers that covered the entire surrounding walls. What he was thinking about were the paint materials quietly sleeping inside those drawers. Soon, Gio moved. ¡°¡­ Let''s just go with what I usedst time.¡± He brought out the materials he had used to make waterfowl in the past.But that wasn''t all. Not only gems resembling aquamarine and emerald, but also white and transparent pebbles like marble by the stream, A piece of obsidian branch hidden among the forest pretending to be a burnt tree, light green tree bark that seemed so vibrant as if juice woulde out when it was pressed¡­ Only when he thought it was enough did Gio stopped taking out materials from the drawers. ¡°It''s tiresome to put back leftovers, so if it''s not enough, I can take out moreter ¡­.¡± Clink, tter. He ced the materials on the workbench. ¡°¡­ Today''s activity.¡± Making his own paint. ¡°Nice.¡± The basic materials needed to make oil paint are pigments to provide colour, oil to mix them, and a ss te and muller to blend these ingredients together and make fine paint.1 If one wants to mix them well, a palette knife of the right size is also necessary. Among them, what Gio was now trying to make was the pigment that would provide colour. ¡°Let''s break it down first.¡± It was impossible to make proper paint with just the materials taken out of the drawers. They all had to be made into coloured powder, and it was necessary to crush them first to do so. Gio prepared a sharp nail and a hammer. As he gazed intently at the transparent gem, he soon ced the nail on a certain spot and, tap! Hit it. Despite not being a strong force, the gem that was hit cracked precisely into two. Gio thought. ''As expected, I''m a cool potato.'' This mountain vige idol knows exactly where to split just by looking at the mineral. ''I should have be a miner.'' Gio continued with his work. tter. Tap, ta-tap. Crack¡­! Clink. ¡°¡­ Alright.¡± Perhaps because he only identified the weakest points and struck them, the gem quickly split into pieces smaller than Gio''s little fingernail. ¡°This should be enough.¡± Gio smashed the finely fragmented gems with a hammer, swept the smaller fragments into a ceramic mortar, and forcefully ground them. At some point, the grating noise striking his ears had be smooth like rolling ss beads, and all the gems had turned into powder. ¡°¡­ What could be the principle behind this ¡­.¡± A pigment with a mysterious mixture of blue and light green waspleted. ¡°It''s troublesome, all the things that made up me are so special that I shouldn''t be caught by a researchb.¡± The materials in this studio were all unique. Normally, grinding a gem would only produce stone powder. Most gems are transparent and have beautiful colours thanks to their molecr structure, but grinding them would make their transparency disappear. But the gems here were different. ''Even after grinding, their colour and transparency remain intact.'' Despite going through the process of an amateur like Gio, the fact that its original colour remains intact truly shows the benefit of excellent materials. When grouped together, the finely grounded gems shine with unique refreshing transparency. Gio silently turned all the materials into pigment and slowly mixed them with the prepared oil. Even though he had ground it into pigment, the raw stone powder mixed with the oil did not float. Normally, you would have to prepare oil that matched the characteristics of the pigment, but the wax in his studio showed excellent viscosity and blending capability. ¡°¡­ Mix in the scent ¡­.¡± Moving beyond simply producing colour, Gio also added a matching scent. Interestingly, the oil scented with flowers or fruits blended well with the pigment. ¡°Grind it, then put it in ¡­..¡± Gently smoothen the pigment and scented oil on top of the ss te. So that it felt like silk brushing against his hand. Very finely. *** The waterfowls Gio made were more yful than expected. ¡°Kids.¡± Rustle. ¡°The back of Dad''s neck feels cold.¡± They were wriggling inside Gio''s cor, making a nest. Inside the cor of the shirt, inside the slightly open sleeves, pants, jackets¡ªwherever there was space, waterfowls were squeezed in. ''Isn''t that ufortable?'' Yet topare them to small water balloons¡ªthe sight of them distorting their original shape and settling inside the clothes hardly seemed like balloons or birds. Gio looked at the ceiling for a moment as they maintained a minimal round shape despite distorting. He''ll let it slide because it''s funny. ¡°¡­ Maybe it''s because I''m their parent, but they seem to like being squeezed nearby. Or maybe they like hiding.¡± Waterfowls had the habit of flocking together. Otherwise, they preferred to gather in one ce. Sometimes when he went outside the cabin, he was surprised by the puddles he saw even though it wasn''t raining. ''It''s definitely different from an ordinary puddle, so you can recognize it right away.'' The puddle where they gathered emitted a faint blue glow, was unusually transparent, and had various misceneous items rolling around inside. Considering their usual round bird shape, it was ironic that they didn''t feel viscous at all when gathered together. ¡°On the outside, it looks like just water.¡± Ssh. ¡°If you keep making a fuss, I might just stick a straw in and suck you up.¡± Rustle, rustle. ¡°It was a joke, I won''t drink. Even I think that was a scary thing to say.¡± Living water, how can one possibly drink something like that? ¡°Eating something alive, drinking paint, or consuming a child I created from paint are all physiologically difficult.¡± Rustle? ¡°Before I''m moved by your filial piety, willing to sacrifice yourselves if your dad is thirsty, I feel fear. It would be better to restrain yourselves.¡± Gio, who was having a meaningless conversation with his nearly hundred children, was now sitting in his studio. ¡°I need to build you a home.¡± At first, he didn''t think much of it, but it was quite nerve-wracking to see living water wandering near the house. It wouldn''t be a problem if they just quietly stayed together, but they often came into the house, caused idents or even stole things. At that point, Gio might have let it slide thinking they were cute, but since they also sometimes hid in the stream water ¡­. ¡°I''ve been saying this, but I really don''t intend to drink. I misspoke, kids.¡± Splish. ¡°No, I don''t like that. Don''t nder this dad with strange tastes. I just wanted to drink water.¡± ¡­ He almost drank the waterfowls. ¡°Do you know how surprised I was when you popped out of my mouth? Yes, you, the one with nothing in your stomach right now.¡± The only way to distinguish the waterfowls was by the faint light and misceneous items within them, but without their own things andpletely blending in with the stream water, they became indistinguishable. When Gio felt the squirming water in his mouth, his heart dropped. The parties involved didn''t seem to care, and surprisingly seemed to enjoy it, but Gio didn''t have such a ruthless taste. ¡°You all should have a home too.¡± Rustle, rustling? ¡°You need your own habitat.¡± Do theyck money, time, ornd? In this abundant and vast world, it''s absurd to live in someone else''s shadow. ¡°And¡­¡± There was also personal interest. ¡°I''m trying to decorate here little by little.¡± Tap tap, ttap! ¡°Because it''s too monotonous now.¡± A single cabin, a vast forest, and a beautiful spring. That alone was not enough. ¡°I should create a fishing spot.¡± The poprity of open-world RPGs isn''t without reason. After all, a map in any content is not just enough for it to be vast, it also needs to be rich in enjoyable elements. ¡°This isn''t really a game, but it is true that it needs to be developed further. It''s the same context, after all.¡± Gio''s outdoor activities currently are at best gathering and farming. He had to increase the activity he could do one by one so that he wouldn''t get bored even without going outside the painting. ¡°It''s strangely unfriendly outside right now.¡± Rustling. ¡°Maybe it''s because it''s not the world I remembered ¡­..¡± Rustle. ¡°I don''t want to live there.¡± Gio liked the world inside the painting. ¡°It''s good to be unemployed.¡± Actually, this was the best. ¡°¡­Come out now.¡± Rattle! Rattle! ¡°I don''t mind you watching me draw, but it bothers me if you keep staying inside my clothes. Even now, my shirt is about to burst, poor thing.¡± Rustle¡­ ¡°Do you think this dad is doing this for personal interest, kids? Remember, this is all to build your home.¡± Fortunately, the waterfowls obediently came out from Gio''s clothes. Thanks to the children who knew how to listen when he spoke, Gio could finally hold the brush. He opened his mouth. ¡°If I were to fish¡­¡± Argeke would be nice. ¡°Let''s make it ake.¡± Let''s make it ake where the trees and water arepletely in contact. There would be fish living underneath. There would be small minnows that flowed in from the stream, and also t fish camouging themselves at the bottom, hidden in the sand. ¡°Nice.¡± Let''s also build a bridge for fishing. There would be a wooden bridge spanning the middle of thergeke. Would the colour be a little light? A light and soft colour like freshly baked bread would be nice, and when one sees theke water peeking through the gaps of the wooden nks, it will sparkle in the sunlight during the day. What would the evening scene be like? Every time the water''s surface ripples due to the breeze, it will shine with a softntern light. When it gets dark at night, he wishes he could see the insides clearly. He wish he could see all the way inside the deepke. Thus it will be a bright yet subtle light, like the glow bracelet he cherished when he was young, watched alone under a thick nket inside a dark room. ¡°¡­ It would be nice if the colour changes depending on your mood.¡± Swish. ¡°On a good day, it would be golden, on a bad day, it would be red, on a sad or gloomy day, it would be blue ¡­ on an ordinary peaceful day, it would be green.¡± Swish, swiiiish. ¡°Since you don''t have vocal cords, you can''t cry.¡± Since one can''t hear, let''s make them visible. ¡°That way, I can alsomunicate with you guys.¡± Although Gio was the creator of the waterfowls, he couldn''t control them at will. Since he didn''t know what the waterfowls were thinking, with how their appearance was blurry and how it was quiet without vocal cords, he wouldn''t know where they were if he didn''t listen carefully. ''It wasn''t for no reason that I almost ate it. Such a disaster must not happen again.'' If it weren''t for their yful and talkative nature, Gio would definitely not have been able to find them. That would be a bit sad. ¡°I''lle out to y when it''s night. We can talk then.¡± Flick. ¡°If it shines like that in the dark evening, I''ll be able to see it even if I''m in the cabin. Yes, that''ll do. I''ll be watching you from the veranda, so you can tell me what you want to say then.¡± Flick, flick. ¡°Okay.¡± Gio moved the brush again. ¡°Let''s do that.¡± Theke he painted was embracing the night. ¡°¡­I like it.¡± Theke had more than just one colour. Waterfowls like to flock together, but the treasures they put inside their bodies are all different. Their personalities are different. What they say, think, and do are all bound to be different. ''So, the whining and bragging they whisper every night will all be different.'' Thus he ced each of their group of light one by one with a brush. ¡°It looks just like pointillism.¡±2 Up close, he would be able to tell who among them is struggling and in pain, and who is joyful and happy. From afar, he could tell what they all wanted to tell him, and when he shoulde tofort and talk to them. ¡°Nice.¡± It looked like a flower garden blooming on the water''s surface. Perhaps because it was painted with homemade paint, there was an inexplicable freshness even though it was obviously water. ¡°I like it.¡± Or maybe due to fireflies or forest butterflies that roam around resembling sunlight and moonlight. It could have perhaps resembled the twinkle of transparent lights reflected in a ss window. When Gio finished painting all their emotions, theke was tinged with gold. ¡°¡­ Seems good.¡± The pleasure of bringing something from imagination to reality was indescribable. Thiske will be located a bit far from the cabin, clearly away from the spring, with the trees right on the edge of theke will still maintaining their greenness. ¡°During the day, it will be blue.¡± When scooping up the water, it will appear as clear as if it contained the sky, while inside is a chilly blue like the sea, with the shimmering surface looking almost white when touched by sunlight. There, many waterfowls hiding and moving around might asionally pop their heads out and y when they''re bored. ¡°At night, you''ll scatter sparkles ¡­¡± Sparkle like water made of mist. ¡°¡­ As you please.¡± Like a newborn babyughing at the slightest breeze, you will all shine brightly. Imagining that made him feel really good. Tuk. As soon as he tapped the canvas, the painting disappeared. Whether it was just his imagination, a watery scent drifted from afar. It was a subtle fragrance that made him want to lie down on the moss and fall asleep right away. ''A scent from water that has nothing, it feels simr to the white tree spring water.'' The birds on his shoulder flutter as they smell the scent, and the birds sitting on the canvas p their wings. p-p-p! Flutter, flutter! Swooooooosh¨D Rustle, rustle! Ssh¡­! Numerous birds that had been hanging on themp flew out through the open window. Like migratory birds returning to their homnd, their lively p of wings is refreshing, as if a breeze from the seaside has passed by¡­ As expected, he liked it. And so did the waterfowls. 1: ss te and muller: 2: pointillism (painting with dots) Chapter 12 ¡°It''spletely hardened.¡± Gio picked up the Goby fruit that had been dried in the cabin''s yard. ¡°¡­And it''s not even yellow¡­¡± The glossy shimmering metallic lustre gave off a colour truly reminiscent of gold. The size, weight, and shape were all just like an ugly piece of cer gold. ¡°Since when did I start walking the path of an alchemist?¡± It was amazing how the plump, juicy red fruit had transformed like this. ¡°Doesn''t the colour look simr to sunlight?¡± The fruit, hardened enough to be grounded into powder, didn''t look like food. But knowing that this could be made into medicine, Gio tilted his head and ced all the dried fruits into a ss jar.Gio went back inside the cabin and sought the system''s help for the first time in a while. ¡°Looking for a knowledgeable friend to teach me how to make Blood Recovery Rice Ball Cakes.¡± Refinement method: Make a dough by grinding the dried fruit thoroughly into powder and mixing it with Lulupu juice, shape the dough into rice ball cakes and dry them in a dark ce for over a week to create a medicine beneficial for bleeding and recovery. ¡°Right, here''s that knowledgeable friend. It was a well-founded self-confidence.¡± Today''s activity. Making Blood Recovery Rice Ball Cakes good for recovering blood loss. ¡°Ta-da.¡± It was a lot of fun to waste time doing productive tasks. For Gio, who liked making and growing things, these things were never a hassle. ''Making rice ball cakes in a cosy cabin with sunlight streaming in.'' It was exactly to his taste. Gio headed to the studio with the ingredients. ¡°Though I won''t be painting, there''s no better ce to work.¡± As the studio was so spacious, enough for him to use the workbench efficiently as long as he avoided the paint. Gio ced all the ingredients on the workbench that had been cleaned in advance. After washing his hands, Gio hesitated. ¡°¡­Should I start by grinding it into powder like when I made pigments? Is this the narrow-mindedness of an art teacher who has only handled art materials? Though it''s called ''dried fruit,'' it''s almost as hard as a mineral¡­.¡± ? Caught in a moderate panic, Gio unconsciously fiddled with the dried fruit. Surprisingly, peace came to his body and mind. ¡°It''s warm.¡± The forest, clear day after day, always had plenty of sunlight. As one could feel from its cosy hues, the well-dried Goby fruit also carried the warmth of the sunlight. It wasn''t just the skin that felt warm, there was a subtle heat that permeated down to his veins within. ¡°This is the power of sun-dried fruit¡­ Amazing.¡± His heart, receiving that energy, began to beat leisurely and vividly, much like during a drowsy afternoon nap. It was a gentle sensation as if he was rolling around on a nket full of the smell of sunlight. Bang-!! Gio struck it with a hammer. ¡°It''s harder than I thought.¡± Bang, crack! ¡°Next time, I shouldn''t dry it whole like this¡­¡± Crack¡­ ¡°Maybe I should grind it before drying.¡± Crunch, thud. ¡°But then it would be hard to trap all the juice like this.¡± With a dull sound, the fruit, which was hard as a mineral, shattered. This should be enough. ''Let''s put it in a bowl and grind it.'' Gio nodded his head. Gio had made pigments using all sorts of hard things such as gems and shells. Naturally, the bowls would get scratched or broken, thus Gio prepared for such cases by making several bowls in advance. Among them, Gio brought an exceptionally clean ss bowl and began grinding the fruit. Grind, grind. ¡°No, just what kind of hardness ¡­.¡± Even though he had crushed them finely, the sound made him wonder, ''Is this right?'' No matter how he thought about it, it seemed true that Gio had awakened as an alchemist. ''Should I make a millster?'' Given this insane hardness, it might have been dried for too long. ¡°Maybe I was toocent, thinking forest materials wouldn''t spoil.¡± One of the characteristics of this forest was that all ingredients and crops neither dried out nor spoiled. The same applied to cooking. A world where food never moulds¡ªit seemed like every chef''s dreame true. However, this fruit made it clear that the condition was not infinitely maintained. The long-neglected Goby fruit hadn''t spoiled but continued to dry and became excessively hard. Is that why it has a warm atmosphere? ''¡­I need to think more about this. I have to actually try it myself to know what results wille from sticking to a particr method.¡± The dried fruit had a warm atmosphere not felt in ordinary fruits. Remembering how it was a normally dried fruit until a week ago, it certainly seemed to have its special characteristics. Anyway, it was funny and nice. Now Gio could say that he had tried refining gold somewhere. ¡°This should be enough.¡± Rustle¡­ A slightly moist powder. ¡°It looks just like snow.¡± Among them, it looks like snow that sticks together well. Obviously, it was certainly dried as hard as possible, yet where was this subtle moistureing from? In reality, there was no moisture at all, but Gio might have been mistaken due to the oddly dense and fluffy feeling. ¡°¡­Hmm.¡± Tasting the powder, he felt a warmth spreading through his body and sweetness spreading across his tongue. Gio blinked his eyes twice. ¡°¡­It would be delicious to put it together for baking.¡± In the past, when sugar was scarce,mon people used to make powder from chestnuts they found along the roads as a substitute for expensive sugar or strong-voured honey. That savoury and subtle sweetness paired well with various dishes, so it was even used to make crepes. ¡°There''s nothing I can''t do.¡± The powder from sun-ripened Goby fruit has almost lost its original sourness and retained only the rich sweetness unique to dried fruits. The sweetness was intense, yet it also had a light taste like grains or eggs. It was something he didn''t feel when eating the freshly picked Goby fruit, making him wonder, ''Is this the taste of sunlight?'' ¡°The fruit''s strong unique taste might make it unsuitable for meals, but it would go well in sweet treats like crepes topped with whipped cream or ricotta cheese, or madeleines. The fresh lemon scent of Goby fruit would alsoplement it nicely.¡± A pig could be considered a true pig if they thought about what they would eat when washing, eating, and sleeping. In that sense, Gio was indeed a pig. ¡°I guess I should dry them in advance.¡± The Goby fruit, filled with fruit pulp, was incredibly juicy. It felt like drying jelly the size ofrge grapes. ''If I want to use this powder for cooking too¡­.'' It seemed wise to dry them inrge quantities in advance. ''It will take quite some time.'' Having ground all the fruit into powder, Gio lifted the ss jar. ¡°Since it might fail, I''ll store most of it and just attempt with a small amount. One should always anticipate failure. That''s the key to longevity.¡± He left just enough powder to make a tiny sphere, smaller than the marbles sold at stationery stores. After organizing all the Goby fruit powder, Gio picked up the bottle next to it. Inside, something shimmered deeply like a transparent gxy. It was Lulupu''s juice, a flower from the spring, which he had made some time ago. ¡°¡­Of course, it hasn''t spoiled¡­¡± The Lulupu juice in the ss bottle somewhat resembled the spring water from where it grew. Should he say it was simr to water containing sunlight? Or perhaps it should be said that it contained a bit of warm moonlight. Lulupu''s juice, having materialized all the light it had absorbed throughout its life into its own blood, was difficult to describe as merely water with glitter. ''¡­It really looks like the gxy. Would it feel like this if the gxy was reflected on the shallow water of the white tree spring?'' Maybe because it was so visually appealing. Gio, who had been staring at it for a while, soon muttered. ¡°Impressive.¡± Gio dropped Lulupu''s juice over the bowl filled with finely ground powder. Even with just a few drops, the powder waspletely soaked and took on a deep golden hue. The powder,bined with Lulupu''s unique moisture and its refreshing blue hue, had a strangely cool aspect to it. ¡°¡­It looks like wet gold powder.¡± After pondering for a while, Gio kneaded the powder, then soon brought it to his hands and gently rolled it. Although the attempt was timid and the result was very small, a rice ball cake was nhelesspleted. It looked like a bead made of real gold. ¡°¡­?¡± Shouldn''t this be called Gold Rice Ball Cake instead of Blood Recovery Rice Ball Cake? ¡°Well, anyway.¡± Gio, getting a feel of the powder''s moisture and the juice''s dampness, began making the rice ball cakes one after another. Perhaps thanks to his experience with tearing and eating sujebi1 and making and eating honey-filled rice cakes2 at home, he made pretty decent rice ball cakes. Gio managed to create a total of 15 rice ball cakes. Gio felt a moment of emptiness as all the carefully ground Goby fruit powder was used up. Life was tough. There was wisdom in that. ¡°¡­At least there''s juice left.¡± Given the powder''s inherent moisture, it was impossible to use up all the Lulupu juice that soaked ridiculously well. Far from half, in the end, he only used up about a third of the bottle. ¡°What to do with the rest?¡± Just at the moment as he pondered about this. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Gio made eye contact with a waterfowl sitting by the studio window. ¡°Uh, wait a moment.¡± tter, tter, tter!! ¡°No.¡± Ssh¨D!! The Lulupu juice was stolen. What was this. The waterfowl puffed up its body to the fullest, wrapping itself around therge ss bottle and covering it with its entire body. Gio was taken aback by the greedy form, much like a slime that appeared in games. ¡°What do you n to do with that?¡± It was amusing to see that chubby body try to swallow a bottle three times its size, but he was genuinely curious as to why it was doing this. ¡°Why did you show such determination when you couldn''t even swallow it all?¡± Rustle ¡­. ¡°I''m telling you that stubbornness won''t help, the ss bottle is bigger than your body.¡± Rustle! ¡°Do you see this bottle sticking out? See? I dere that you have the qualities of a pig.¡± Bite!! Chomp!! ¡°Such a clear bite mark, this is quite an impressive performance art. You really are my child.¡± What struck him the most was how nonchntly bizarre it was. It seems that these days, even traits can be inherited through paint. ¡°What are you nning to do with that?¡± He wondered what use a waterfowl would have for that, but the waterfowl proudly slipped right into the ss bottle. In the blink of an eye, the waterfowl was crumpled itself in the bottle''s shape. ¡°Uh?¡± Then, the waterfowl merged with the Lulupu juice. ¡°What is this¡­.¡± ¡°Coocoo.¡± ¡°Did you just talk?¡± ¡°Coo.¡± ¡°Are you making sounds?¡± Has it evolved? After all, you are my child. ''Things never go as expected.'' When Gio turned the bottle upside down and shook it, the waterfowl, which had been trying to stubbornly cling on for some reason, soon slid out with a swish. Squeak, pop! St¨D! The creature fell with a cute sound, like a slime toy from a stationery store, and was glistening with Lulupu''s juice filled throughout its body. ¡°Cooo.¡± It talked, and above all. ¡°¡­It''s warm.¡± He felt the warmth. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Coocoo.¡± ¡°This is absurd and amusing, but I have no idea what kind of trick this is. Life really is a continuous stream of content.¡± ¡°Coo.¡± ¡°Does drinking Lulupu juice cause animals to evolve? But nothing changed when I took a sip? Is this discrimination?¡± Perhaps it was a possible change due to waterfowl being a species created by Gio''s hands, since bymon sense, it was impossible for a creature made entirely of water to make such coocooing sounds as if it had vocal cords. ¡°I don''t think it''s good to grow up all of a sudden. This isn''t a harmful change for your body, is it?¡± ¡°Coooooo.¡± ¡°Then it''s a relief, but¡­.¡± Gio, who had been pondering about life is an egg, soon epted this entire situation positively.3 ''It''s funny so it''s alright.''? Yes. In fact, Gio had no thoughts. He sessfully concluded all his worries. ¡°A talking, flying water is truly amazing.¡± ¡°Cooco?¡± ¡°Your body colour seems a bit different too¡­¡± The once transparent body had turned light yellow, like water mixed with gold powder. The waterfowl that drank Lulupu juice was the one that often carried gems, and its shiny body was now filled with yellow and transparent gems, matching Lulupu''s unique shimmer, reminiscent of sunlight and moonlight. ¡°Hmm.¡± This colour, as visible as a yellow road sign, would be noticeable even if one passed by on a KTX train. A creature full of vibrant and gentle colours. This would certainly set it apart from the others. ¡°If it stands out to this extent, I can give it a name.¡± ¡°Coococoo?¡± ¡°Do you like that? I''m d.¡± Soon, Gio spoke. ¡°Golde¡­¡± ¡°The moment I said it, I thought it wasn''t right. This dad sometimes makes slip of the tongue.¡± Gio had never seen water look so serious before.? Though he was its parent in his own way, there were things one should and shouldn''t say to a child. The naming sense of ''Golden'' definitely fell into the category of things he shouldn''t do.? The Seo family had never been talented at naming things throughout generations. He tried to put more effort into thinking and seriously racked his brain. ¡°Then Honey ¡­. how about that.¡± ¡°Coocoo?¡± ¡°Because it''s a sweet colour.¡± The bird, imbued with warm golden light, not only resembled sunlight or moonlight, but also flowing honey with a rich fragrance. Gio said as he stroked the golden bird, which had be slightly squishy yet firm. ¡°That''s it the best for my naming sense.¡± ¡°Coococoo.¡± ¡°You''re so merciful that you don''t hate it.¡± Honestly, he thought it would dislike being named Honey. ''Maybe it doesn''t understand the meaning of honey.'' For a moment, he thought that way, but since it liked the name anyway, what could he do? Gio watched as Honey wriggled back into the ss bottle. ¡°How cute.¡± Watching it was healing. ¡°A cat crammed in a box¡­¡± ¡°Cwooooo.¡± ¡°When your body is squished, your sounds are squished too? That''s even cuter.¡± ¡°Cyoocoo.¡± ¡°This is the epitome of cuteness.¡± Holding the ss bottle with Honey stuffed inside, Gio noted that the oddly warm ss bottle was just at the right size like a hot pack. ''It even smells sweet.'' It felt like watching a crackling campfire, making his mind go nk. ¡°Hmm.¡± As he quietly gazed at the warm, sweet-smelling, and beautiful ss bottle, a drowsiness andnguidness simr to that of attending a ss after lunch on a spring afternoon came over him. Eating and sleeping are the duties of a pig. And Honey seemed to feel the same way. Gio put the ss bottle inside his outerwear without covering the mouth of the bottle. ¡°I''ll take that as a yes.¡± ¡°Coo.¡± And soon¡ªthe two of them fell asleep, sprawled out likeundry left to dry. 1: sujebi (hand-pulled dough soup or Korean-style pasta soup) is a Korean traditional soup consisting of dough kes roughly torn by hand, with various vegetables. 2: ?? (kkeultteok) is a Korean steamed rice cake that trantes to ¡°honey cake¡±. It''s simr in shape to songpyeon but smaller, and is usually bite-sized and shaped into balls. Kkultteok is chewy and traditionally served with honey-infused syrup, but it can also be stuffed with Korean syrup. It''s often eaten as a dessert or sweet snack and can be found at specialized shops. 3: I believe this is referencing the pun [boiled egg/life is an egg]. basically a word pun since ?? could mean ''boiled''/''life is''. ?: at this point, you must have realized that this was sth Gio spoke often. so I actually went back and forth to decide the word to use since ch 1. my first choice was actually ''it''s amusing so it''s alright'' but Inded upon a goofy MC fanart with his pets and I thought using ''It''s funny so it''s alright'' show up his personality more lmao so there ya go ?? ????? ?? but just so you know, if that line arises, it could also mean ''It''s amusing so it''s alright'' / ''It''s interesting so it''s alright''. ?: this isn''t a typo for those wondering. ?: ?? was used. It actually means ''Gold Piece'' but using it on the trantion feels weird to me, so I use ''Golden'', very different meaning but better flow ¡­ right? sorry tho TT * regarding point 6, I never said this but I actually did the same with ''Collection'' too, which in the raws actually means ''Dealer'' (an organization that collects things and sells them) but it won''t go well with Bi Sa-beol''s ''Collector'' title, and the words are almost the same with only one character difference, so I was sceptical to use ''Dealer''. In the end I decided to go with ''Collection'' instead, thinking of ''Collection House''. t/n: had such a hard time deciding Honey''s noises, honestly still not sure if using ''coocoo'' is the correct one and honestly coocoo is so inflexible. It''s hard to use variations with that. sorry for thete update guys TT Chapter 13 Gio spoke as soon as he woke up. ¡°¡­Fruit tea¡­.¡± He wanted warm and sweet fruit tea. ¡°Let''s make syrup.¡±1 That''s how today''s activity was decided. Making syrup wasn''t that difficult. It was enough with tools sterilized with love, fruits grown with affection, and an equal amount of sugar. ''Ahh, it seems like I need a lot of sugar, enough to think I would get diabetes.'' And most fruits could be turned into syrup. It was fine to use more than one type of fruit as long as it went well together.¡°¡­¡­¡± The first fruit Gio chose was the Goby fruit. ¡°But this might be too sweet.¡± To sessfully make fruit syrup, which is essentially sugar water imbued with the vour of the fruit, the necessary vours are, first, sourness, and second, bitterness. Sugar alone would already be sweet enough to make the tongue tingle, and adding sweet fruit to it would turn it into no different from canned fruit. Gio learned this fact after trying to make syrup with fully ripened, super-sweet tangerines. ¡°It does have its own taste, though.¡± However, what Gio wanted now was a fruit tea with a bitter taste, ented by sourness with sweetness as the base. It wasn''t a particrly difficultbination. ¡°I''ll need some sour and bitter fruit to go with the Goby fruit.¡± Thebinations often made in real life were mainly strawberry and lemon. Strawberries aren''tpletely devoid of sourness, but they are generally soft and sweet. On the other hand, lemons, with their sour flesh and bitter peels, added depth to the one-dimensional sweetness of strawberries. It was simr this time. ¡°Although Goby fruit has some sourness, it is generally sweet.¡± And since the sweetness would be so intense because of that, it seemed best paired with fruits that were sour like lemons or astringent like yuzu. Such fruit syrup with a variety of vours was particrly satisfying when enjoyed as a warm tea. ¡°Honey.¡± ¡°Coooo.¡± ¡°Let''s go.¡± Gio, with a golden waterfowl on his shoulder, bravely embarked on an adventure. He told Honey, who had moved into the basket before he knew it. ¡°I could just paint and create something like lemon or yuzu, but all the foods made that way end up tasting mediocre ¡­ so it''s better to harvest directly like this.¡± ¡°Cococoo?¡± ¡°It''s for my better satisfaction, and it''s good for the fruit syrup I''ll be making in the future. I''d rather use unique fruits from this forest than weaker-vored ones if possible.¡± Gio could paint and create food to eat. However, strangely, the foods and ingredients produced this way were all somewhat nd. They were okay to snack on when he was just a little peckish, but he didn''t want to use them in any serious cooking. In honour of his grandmother, who was a prominent figure in the vige, Gio vowed to create a fantasy-like fruit syrup. ¡°Thinking about it, farming doesn''t seem like a bad choice either.¡± ¡°Coo.¡± ¡°From what I''ve seen as a newly harvested potato from the Gangwon province, the soil here is very suitable for farming. It''s always mild spring weather here, but that doesn''t mean there''s no wind, and though it has never rained, the soil is always moist, and there are streams everywhere. It''s a good environment for watering.¡± ¡°Chooo¡­¡± ¡°There are no seeds or seedlings, but we can get help from Mr. Yoo Sung-woon with that part. If I want to receive something from beyond the painting, I''ll have to give something in return, but I can certainly afford that¡­¡± Human life with guaranteed unlimited activities had such an onion-like charm. Even if it didn''t seem like it, once you peel it, something would alwayse out. ¡°Nice.¡± Excellent. Such freedom was indeed the greatest joy of being unemployed. ¡°It would be difficult for crops grown by my hands, filled with the spirit of the Gangwon province mountains, to taste bad, right?¡± ¡°Coooooo.¡± ¡°I really feel like I''m living a countryside life, like I''ve returned to farming. I should have lived such a peaceful and warm life long ago ¡­.¡± For Gio, born in a remote mountain vige in Gangwon province, it might have felt like a homing. ¡°I''ve always enjoyed helping out with various tasks since I was young. Thanks to the wide range of activities the elders had set up, I had tried beekeeping, dug up wild ginseng, and even encountered wild boars¡­¡± ¡°Choo?¡± ¡°I''m not talking about poaching. We literally just ran into each other, and no one got hurt or killed, we parted ways peacefully. I think we met thanks to the person who was wandering around the mountain, collecting mushrooms and ginseng.¡± There was no one who didn''t have a vegetable garden, and some even raised chickens, ducks, or quails on a small scale. He recalled the joy of making cheese from fresh milk obtained from an acquaintance''s ranch across the street or simply mixing it with honey. Gio was someone who had tried almost everything a person could do with thend. ¡°There''s no way someone like me wouldn''t be able to farm.¡± Grandma, please watch over me. ¡°I''ll prove my talent in the name of our vige.¡± ¡°Cooo?¡± ¡°I learned that you don''t have to stake your name on things like this.¡± If it seemed impossible, use the name of an elder in the household¡ªthat was Grandma''s principle. ¡°Of course, I don''t think she meant it for this kind of context.¡± Interpretation was a matter of personal freedom. ¡°Then what seeds should I ask for¡­.¡± ¡°Coo?¡± ¡°¡­ First of all, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and corn are essential.¡± Gio started his speech. ¡°It''s not for nothing that it''s one of the world''s staple crops, so it''s good to grow it in case of emergencies. And I want to grow radishes too. It''s so delicious especially when you pick the tender young radish sprouts and mix them with rice, sauce, and oil.¡± ¡°Coo, chooo.¡± ¡°Pumpkins? Pumpkins sounds good. Large, mature pumpkins are great for making porridge, and small, sweet pumpkins taste good simply boiled and drizzled with honey, while long, plump zhini adds a savoury vour to soups, making it very fulfilling. You know quite a bit.¡± Many other things came to his mind. ¡°How about lettuce?¡± ¡°Coo coo coo ¡­¡± ¡°It''s surprisingly good. It''s easy to grow, and just pulling up well-grown leaves to eat with rice and soy sauce makes a quick meal. Or something like bok choy tastes good when boiled in clear broth.¡± ¡°Coocoo.¡± ¡°Peas would be nice too. Ah, cherry tomatoes¡­ I like that too. In any vegetable garden, it''s essential to grow at least one tomato nt.¡± Gio, who spoke so far, then looked down at the basket in his hand. ¡°Cooo.¡± ¡°Aha.¡± Inside the basket, he saw Honey spread out like a spilt liquid monster. ¡°Well.¡± It''s cute so it''s alright. Honey was a bird that typically carried gems. It was quite a treat to see the jewels filled in the basket, with shiny golden liquid as if it was flowing thick honey water. It seemed like he wouldn''t be bored whenever they were together. As Gio was talking about his future farming ns, he soon stopped in front of a certain tree. ¡°Ah¡­.¡± A pitch-ck tree. It was a tree made of obsidian. ¡°I found this first.¡± Starflower Tree A living obsidian tree. It grows by absorbing starlight reflected on its body. The flowers of the Starflower Tree bloom every dawn, nourished by the absorbed light and obsidian remnants, and are effective in treating burns and frostbite. The sap and bark of the tree are mainly used as materials for artwork. Refinement Method: Buds right before blooming are good for frostbite, while fully bloomed flowers are good for burns. To use it, boil it in boiling water until it softened, then soak it in Ss leaf juice for ten days. Consuming the flowers without the process above can cause burns and frostbite, so be careful. Gio blinked twice as he looked at the automatically disyed description. ¡°Did I use too much obsidian paintst time?¡± During the process of creating a habitat for the waterfowls, a significant amount of obsidian powder was consumed. It was a material often used to create a transparent texture like water or ss, so this would be a good opportunity to collect it. Gio found a chisel and hammer in the basket. It was tools that didn''t seem to match the word gathering at all, but there was no better helper for harvesting the Starflower Tree. ¡°Time to get up, son. Yourzy appearance is quite adorable, but Dad has to work.¡± ¡°Coooo.¡± ¡°This isn''t even your type of thing. Give it to me. That''s right.¡± After gently coaxing Honey, who was ying around with the tools, Gio retrieved the items, ced the basket down on the ground and approached the obsidian tree. He touched the obsidian tree branches to check their temperature and moisture. As if to prove that it was alive, he felt a faint warmth and the sap flowing like blood in between. ¡°Maybe¡­¡± Gio found a dead branch among them. ¡°This one.¡± It had an unusually chilly aura, and it reflected light sharply instead of sparkling, and the branch was hard¡ªseemingly devoid of any moisture. Gio fiddled with the branch attachment to confirm, then brought the chisel and hammer closer together. Then, tap, tap. Cling¡­! ¡°Done.¡± The obsidian branch easily fell off with a clear sound. Branches that were still alive couldn''t be detached so easily. They were excessively hard, and due to the sticky sap intertwined inside, they didn''t break easily. ''Such hard obsidian is also inconvenient when making paint.'' It was difficult to turn living branches with sticky sap into clean powder. Unless the goal wasn''t to make sharp knives or arrowheads or extract sap, it was best to only pick out as many dead branches as possible. ¡°That would be better for the tree too.¡± Although the obsidian tree has a ssy texture, it is definitely alive. Since this tree produces flowers that serve as excellent medicinal herbs, removing the dead branches would also be much more beneficial for the tree. Gio split the long branches into pieces, careful to not shatter the weakened dead branches. The obsidian pieces imbued with the chilly energy of the stars in the night sky, all ended up in Honey''s belly inside the basket. ¡°Are you going to take care of it?¡± ¡°Cooooooo!¡± ¡°Alright, let''s do that.¡± It seemed as though Honey was collecting an independence fund in advance, or perhaps it was just the bird''s penchant for shiny stones, yet it looked like an embodiment of greed, which didn''t match its clear and pure face. ''Can''t resist shiny stones, did you?'' If itmits a crime, it will at least not be med. Gio looked up at the Starflower Tree again. The pitch-ck tree stood, reflecting the sunlight clearly like a mirror. The chilling ck obsidian, which was so chilling that it seemed like it could only be seen on a snowy mountain, blended well with the vibrant spring environment where flowers and grass bloomed vividly, perhaps because it was alive. asionally, a forest butterfly, an embodiment of light, would alight on it. Gio, who had been admiring the sharp and hard tree for a while, moved his feet again. ¡°¡­ I need to find some fruits.¡± ¡°Choo.¡± ¡°I hope there are some good fruits.¡± Fortunately, it didn''t take long for Gio to find a fruit that he liked. Drought Jar A tangerine fruit with light brown peel and cracked skin-like field in a drought. It won''t rot for nearly a year even after harvest, making it a preservation food during drought seasons. It is sour and bitter when eaten raw, but eating it over a fire or leaving it under the hot sun for 3 days makes it sweet like honey. Rich in nutrients, canned goods or soup made from these can serve as an excellent nutritional supplement, capable of saving even those on the brink of starvation. Refinement Method: Process the Drought Jar into an edible form to consume it. ¡°It''s a nutritional supplement.¡± That part is also very interesting. ¡°¡­ Sour and bitter?¡± Gio was drawn to this point more than anything else. ''Since there''s no mention of it being poisonous, it seems safe eating it raw, but I wonder how sour and bitter it is that there''s even a separate way to eat it sweetly.'' He bravely plucked the fruit. About the size of a Korean tangerine with a bit of tougher skin, but otherwise, it was simr in shape. Except for the dark yellow pulp inside like honey, it resembled a tangerine in all respects. Chomp, Gio, smelling the sour scent, chewed one fruit without hesitation. Gulp. Gio decisively swallowed the fruit. ¡°Coo, cooo¡­ Cocoo¡­¡± ¡°Well.¡± In response to Honey''s nervous reaction, Gio nodded with his characteristic blunt face. His facial muscles, which had long since degenerated, did not sumb to the hardship and ordeal that urred on his tongue. ¡°It''s sour and bitter.¡± It was a taste that made him understand why the refinement method was simply ''process into an edible form to consume''. ''Even the historical poisons probably tasted sweeter than this.'' It was a shockingly intense sensation, enough to make his head spin. Barely holding onto his fading sense of rity, he realized that the texture was firmer and less juicy than a tangerine. However,pared to the astonishing taste, these details were hardly significant. He took deep breaths for a while. Why did he not dislike it? Gio felt more confident. ¡°At this level, it wouldn''t be overshadowed by the sweetness of the Goby fruit.¡± Honey, who was in the basket, wriggled out with disgust. The taste seemed too shocking for the sweet Honey to handle. 1: it wasn''t normal syrup as in the picture (or at least in my area ''syrup'' wasn''t sth like that), it was actually ''cheong''. cheong (?; œ[) is a name for various sweetened foods in the form of syrups, marmdes, and fruit preserves. in Korean cuisine, cheong is used as a tea base, as a honey-or-sugar-substitute in cooking, as a condiment, and also as an alternative medicine to treat themon cold and other minor illnesses (from Wikipedia). also ?? ??. drought jar/droughtplex/drought area, all seems like a very weird fruit name tbh. Chapter 14 Fruit syrup is really easy to make. ¡°It''s a bit of a hassle to prepare, but all you need is mix the pulp and sugar in equal parts and let it sit, then it bes fruit syrup.¡± Gio brought a cleanly sterilized ss jar filled with friendship, peace, love, and affection. It was sorge that it was more of a pot than a jar, but Gio, who took after his grandmother, a prominent figure in the vige, won''t spare on any ingredients when cooking. It had to be this big. ¡°Okay, let''s see.¡± He washed the full Goby fruit, and the Drought Jar, which had a sour and bitter aroma thoroughly in water. The pulp of the Goby fruit was as soft as tender jelly and juicy, whereas the Drought Jug was like an unripe tangerine, with less juice and firmer pulp. Since the skin of Goby fruit was so thin it could melt away, so he simply cut it into quarters without any additional processing, while the Drought Jar was peeled off all the white and translucent skin, leaving only the flesh. ¡°And¡­.¡± Just pour it in.''It would be better if the juicy Goby fruits are on top.'' At the bottom of the ss jar, heid ayer of Drought Jar, then lightly sprinkled it with sugar. Then he added ayer of Goby fruit and poured a generous amount of sugar to form ayer. Once the sugaryer is solidly formed, repeat once again. Gio pressed down firmly to ensure no air pockets formed between the pieces of fruit. ¡°Because I don''t want it to spoil.¡± While food in this forest didn''t spoil or mold, this process was necessary for the pulp to mix well and allow the sugar water to prate. Gio filled the ss jar without any gaps. ¡°All done.¡± Once sealed like this, it would be ready after being stored in a cool, shaded ce for a few days. ¡°I hope it ripens quickly, but it will probably take some time.¡± ¡°Coo coo coo.¡± ¡°You can''t eat it yet. If you take it out and eat it now, it''s just fruit covered in sugar. Later, when the fruit bes musher and the fragrance infuses into the sugar water, you can drink it as tea.¡± ¡°Coo.¡± ¡°Cooking is sometimes about the art of waiting.¡± Honey grumbled and expressed dissatisfaction, but there was nothing that could be done. It took some time for the fruit syrup to fully ripen. ¡°It won''t take too long. Since the weather is warm, the sugar will quickly melt. The juice wille out smoothly too.¡± ¡°Cooo.¡± ¡°Don''t stick to the floor, you''ll get dust on you. Geez, at this rate, you''ll end up cleaning our house''s entire floors. You''ll turn from a Honeybird to a Dustbird.¡± Having just returned from a sessful fruit syrup adventure, it waste, and he was hungry. It was time to seek a meal rather than waiting for the fruit syrup that won''t ripen anytime soon. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Let''s keep it really simple. ¡°Let''s make rice balls.¡± ¡°Coo?¡± ¡°Can you eat rice, too?¡± ¡°Coooooooorrrr.¡± ¡°I wonder where the food goes and how it gets digested in that transparent body¡­¡± Indeed, Honey was full of the qualities of a pig. Gio, the father of this round pig bird, nodded with pride. ¡°Cooorrrr!!¡± ¡°Alright, I get it. Let''s go.¡± This time, the rice balls Gio was going to make were literally just the food. Freshly cooked rice with a little salt and sesame oil. ¡°I''m d I cooked the rice in advance.¡± Though there was a wood-fired oven in the cabin, there was no electric rice cooker. It was a world without electricity in the first ce, so it couldn''t be helped. However, Gio had previously drawn a huge cauldron due to that reason and ced it in the kitchen behind the cabin. When he lifted the heavy iron lid, white steam billowed out. ¡°Nice.¡± As he nodded, the steam that had been drifting around suddenly vanished without a trace. At that moment, he noticed Honey beside him. He wasn''t sure if it was just his imagination, but for some reason, Honey seemed to have grown a bit bigger. ¡°Cooococo.¡± ¡°¡­ Could it be that you''re eating all the steam rising from the rice, now?¡± ¡°Coo.¡± ¡°Your body smells like freshly cooked rice. It smells really good, but if I sleep next to you, I''ll be too hungry to fall asleep.¡± ¡°Cooong.¡± ¡°I''ve seen people use steam on their faces for skin care, but I''ve never seen anyone actually eat the steam itself before¡­¡± So this must be what they meant by, ''Give it to your stomach, not your skin''?1 ¡°That''s novel.¡± The unique sweet scent of Lulupu''s juice and the savoury smell of freshly cooked rice mingled. I couldn''t even define what kind of scent it was. Feeling a bit unsettled, Gio started to scoop out some of the rice. No matter how surprising it was, living beings had to eat. ¡°Let''s make porridge with the rice that''s scorched in the bottom.2 It''s a veryforting food, good to eat anytime. I''ve never heard of anyone feeling sick after eating it.¡± ¡°Cooor.¡± ¡°First, let''s make the rice balls, thenter, having the scorched rice (nurungji) porridge3 when groggy in the morning will feel refreshing.¡± Returning to the kitchen, Gio lightly sprinkled the fluffy rice with salt and sesame oil. There was no need to worry about this or that since the cabin cupboard had provided all the basic ingredients. ''What will happen if I use up all of this?'' It would be fun if it will be refilled automatically to when he first checked the cabin, and even if not, he could always paint new ones, so it was fine either way. However, so far, it didn''t seem to be refilled on its own. Gio gently stirred the hot rice with chopsticks and seasoned it. ¡°Actually, this alone is tasty.¡± The freshly cooked rice had a unique smooth and savory taste, which was delicately enhanced by the rich scent of sesame oil, and the rice balls that lightly seasoned with salt was incredibly warm when eaten right after it was made. ¡°It''s a good meal when you have to eat but don''t want to make something fancy.¡± ¡°Cooooorrr.¡± ¡°If you can eat it, go ahead. I''m not sure how you eat it, though¡­ Was the steam from the pot earlier not enough? Your body seems to be bigger, but are you not full yet?¡± ¡°Coooo.¡± ¡°Alright, then try it.¡± Water eating rice would be a sight to see. ''It looks like fun, so let''s leave it be.'' Gio resolved inwardly as he formed the rice balls. About 39 in total. ¡°Dad''s hungry.¡± ¡°Cooococoo¡­¡± ¡°It''s because I''m hungry.¡± Gio was a glutton. ¡°Sometimes you have to eat a lot like this to feel full.¡± But he didn''t stop there. ¡°I''m going to grill them for the texture. Rice balls that are browned on both sides have a nice texture and stronger vour.¡± ¡°Cooo¡­¡± ¡°I''m not sure if it''s because the stronger scent of sesame oil or because the grains are slightly burnt, but grilled rice balls like this are much tastier than the in ones.¡± ¡°Coooo.¡± ¡°But wouldn''t one get fed up if only eat rice?¡± Giomented the situation created by his ownziness. In the end, he knew that the day woulde when he would regret it like this. ¡°I should have prepared some side dishes in advance. Then I could eat a more varied meal even with just rice.¡± ¡°Coooor¡­.¡± ¡°It might be nice to make a soup with fish caught from theke, soaking the salted fish inside various mixed ingredients. Having some meat soup would also be great, but it''s a bit difficult to eat meat here.¡± Hunting creatures in this area was out of the question, not only because Gio didn''t know how, but he was also reluctant to eat the cute, round animals that suited his taste. Besides, it was uncertain how much meat one could get from their small, round bodies. ¡°Should I ask Mr. Yoo Sung-woon for this, too?¡± ¡°Coooorrrrr.¡± ¡°Seeds and all, right?¡± Gio ced the well-made rice balls on a sufficiently heated pan on the wood-fired oven. As he did so, a sizzling sound apanied by the rich aroma of sesame oil and the toasty smell of burning grains filled the air. ''A simple but goodbination.'' After grilling all the rice balls, Gio sat at the table and took a bite. As expected, it was delicious. ''¡­ Maybe thanks to being grilled, the rice came out firm and well, but had a good texture and aroma. The salt seasoning is also just right, not too much.'' The rice used here was painted by Gio, so while it wasn''t of exceptional quality, it wasn''t bad either. Therefore, expecting the taste from the ingredients was a bit difficult, but the rice balls still turned out quite delicious. ¡°Maybe it''s because it''s a meal after work.¡± ¡°Cooooorrr.¡± A rice-ball-shaped bird entered Gio''s field of vision. ¡°Oh.¡± No, it was Honey who had swallowed a rice ball. ¡°God of Heaven and Earth.¡± ¡°Coocoo.¡± ¡°He swallowed it.¡± ¡°Cooooroooroo.¡± ¡°Even though it''s bigger than your body.¡± Gio was convinced after three seconds. ¡°It''s funny.¡± ¡°Coo.¡± ¡°Since it hase to this, would you like to have another one? You could even get bigger.¡± ¡°Cooocoo.¡± ¡°Yeah, I''m sure you haven''t done digesting yet. No problem. It does look like it.¡± ¡°Coo?¡± ¡°Yeah, dad knows everything.¡± And so, another peaceful day passed like that. *** Step¡­ Yoo Sung-woon tilted his head in front of the portrait. ¡°These days, it doesn''t open its eyes.¡± He had been waiting from midnight until the current time of 5 AM, but the portrait never opened its eyes. Yoo Sung-woon murmured as he stroked his chin with his fingers. ¡°There doesn''t seem to be a specific rule for this part.¡± The portrait usually would choose least-staffed hours to open its eyes. The time they could have a conversation varied every day. It didn''t flee as long as he didn''t ask rude questions, but that doesn''t mean it was always looking outside the painting. It seemed he was content with the world inside the portrait. ''Personally, I think it would be wiser to do so.'' No matter how the world inside the portrait was formed, it would certainly be much more pleasant than observing the dirty andplicated mess of modern society. Yoo Sung-woon certainly thought so. ¡°¡­ Thinking about it that way¡­.¡± It seemed that ''Gio''s Portrait'' preferred quietness. ¡°This might be considered one of the rules.¡± Yoo Sung-woon leaned against the wall in front of the portrait and took out his notebook. ¡°I should make a record.¡± His task involved observing, analyzing, maintaining, and managing unknown objects or phenomena. With Yoo Sung-woon''s vast knowledge, ''Gio''s Portrait'' was probably the first time he paid so much attention to. Fortunately, ''Gio''s Portrait'' was a rtively amiable entity toward humans. It responded to questions and reciprocated favours, which could be considered quite gentlemanly. ¡°Looks like I''ve roughly organized it?¡± Thanks to that, the analysis wasn''t that difficult. [ Values politeness ] [ Enjoys giving gifts ] [ No change in facial expression (perhaps because it''s a portrait?) ] [ Well-informed about humans and respects them ] ''¡­ This part is definitely unique.'' While he hadn''t fully grasped Gio''s identity yet, caution was warranted. There was a reason why humanoid monsters were set as the highest threats regardless of their attitudes. ''Because they knew very little about humans.'' Eleven years ago, a humanoid monster friendly to Earthlings was sighted for the first time. Based on this, associations in various countries sought ways to interact with residents beyond the dimensional gate. However, a situation where the envoy bodies who had crossed the gates in the name of friendship returned as ''healthily deformed'' happened. ''The humanoid monster that time expressed it as its favour¡­'' From the perspective of the humanoid monster, the envoys'' bodies had many inefficient parts, so their legs were extended into four and their mouth was divided into six parts. It was a favour, but at the same time, it was a disaster for humans. That''s when the saying ¡°Monsters are monsters for a reason¡± came into being. ¡°Even thinking about it again, it''s terrifying.¡± Since that incident, humanoid monsters have also be targets of subjugation without exception. No matter how friendly they were to humans, it was impossible to know how and when their terrible true natures might be revealed. ''So I want to be wary of this portrait as well, but there are too many suspicious aspects to do so. Gio knows too much about humans to be considered a regr humanoid monster. He doesn''t unconditionally hate all Earth creatures.'' He wasn''t extremely friendly to humans, nor he was overtly hostile. Somewhat cynical, yet simultaneously polite and considerate, ''Gio''s Portrait'' seemed just like a severely blunt ordinary human being. Tuk. Yoo Sung-woon tapped his notebook with a pen. ¡°That part is even harder to understand.¡± Gio didn''t seem like a monster. ''Unless one is a curator or a gardener, they might say it''s a monster, still ¡­.'' He wasn''t certain either. ¡°Well, it could really be a monster.¡± It could have been an item with consciousness, it could have been just a cursed portrait, or it could have been an illusion at a high level unimaginable to him. ''It''s only been about thirty years since dungeons appeared, so we can''t know everything.'' Therefore, Yoo Sung-woon''s best course of action right now is to analyze and respond to this portrait. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± First of all, there was something he was curious about. The portrait''s eyes seemed distant, as if they weren''t human, and its appearance¡ªwith its otherworldly beauty, gave off a strange sense of unreality with its pale yet stimting colours. ''Like AI, its business-like tone and unchanging facial expression also add to that oppressive feeling.'' But. ¡°Anyway you look at it, Gio is a gentleman.¡± As evidenced by the rules summarized above, Gio has never been a threatening or violent opponent based on his behaviour so far. Shown from his deep understanding of humans, he definitely cared and respected them. ''Unlike the ignorant humanoid monsters before, he seems to think from the perspective of humans.'' This showed a depth of understanding not seen in other monsters. ''And he bases his kindness and consideration on that.'' Didn''t he even give gifts? Yoo Sung-woon contemted for a while before writing a new sentence in his notebook. [ Prefers a kind or polite person (1:1 rule?) ] ''¡­ Not certainly, but.'' If one looks at the people to whom Gio has given gifts so far, all of them are people who he owed or treated him favourably. As it is a portrait that can distinguish between good and evil in humans, he thought he might prefer a kind and polite person. ''Well, anyway.'' That wasn''t the important part. ¡°¡­The problem is why the other employees reacted with such rm and fled¡­¡± All the employees here were meticulously recruited or transferred by Bi Sa-beol one by one. Bi Sa-beol''s tendency to collect was not only limited to objects, but also people, and such Bi Sa-beol who have strong attachment for his employees definitely wouldn''t choose foolish or ipetent people. Thus, no matter how low the employees'' rank, would Bi Sa-beol casually selected employees, especially for those to manage his beloved gallery? They were all strong and capable individuals. ¡°And yet, they felt frightened and pressured upon encountering Gio.¡± Yoo Sung-woon had never directly encountered Gio. Thest time he went outside, all Yoo Sung-woon did was follow him and keep watch. Therefore, what those who had directly encountered Gio felt¡­ he couldn''t figure it out. He could only vaguely guess. If merely existing could put pressure on humans, it indicated the immense quality of that soul. ''¡­ Thinking about it that way, shouldn''t we be grateful that he is quietly sleeping inside the portrait?'' Yoo Sung-woon sighed deeply with a troubled expression on his face. ¡°This guy Bi Sa-beol, what on earth did he bring here ¡­.¡± Are you finally nning to destroy the Earth? It was the kind of day that made him want to smoke, despite how he had quit five years ago. 1: ?? ?? ??? ????? is a famous cosmetic ad line, ''Do not eat and give it to your skin'' (https://youtu.be/NBb-abkg3N8?si=gzGXhTwWVZ51V6C0). now in this line, Gio reverses it ?? ?? ??? ?????, so I wrote it as ''Give it to your stomach, not your skin.'' 2: nurungji. 3: nurungji porridge. Chapter 15 ¡°I concluded it was a resolution issue.¡± ¡°¡­Resolution?¡± Unexpectedly, the portrait easily answered Yoo Sung-woon''s question. ¡°When I go outside, it''s like the painting bes reality.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°In that case, wouldn''t there be a difference in the realm that humans perceive?¡± Gio, who had opened his eyes for the first time in a long while, nonchntly continued. ¡°I¡¯m not sure since I''ve never looked into a mirror outside the painting, but most of the employees here find me distant, as if facing the unknown, even though they see and talk to me directly. The fear intensifies even after we finish introducing each other and exchanging information ¡­¡± ¡°Do you think there''s a problem in the perception process?¡±¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Quite a good analogy. ''To express the level of the soul like this, if he were a teacher, it would suit him well.'' Unaware that Gio was speaking a sincere guess without a shred of lie, Yoo Sung-woon thought it was simply the most usible analogy the portrait could offer. Resolution was something he could make sense of. ''Come to think of it, Gio has been exchanging introductions with everyone he meets for the first time.'' At this sudden thought, Yoo Sung-woon asked. ¡°Do you put importance in exchanging introductions?¡± ¡°By exchanging names, you can increase intimacy. I thought that would be the case as well.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± What do you mean, it was to increase the level of intimacy? Yoo Sung-woon asked back with a slightly perplexed face. ¡°Did you purposely introduce yourself to make people feel more intimate?¡± ¡°That¡¯s human courtesy, too. If you want to know the other person, you should have introduced yourself first.¡± ¡°I see.¡± He didn''t seem to realize that this might be even scarier. ''¡­For a being whose soul is so immense that it causes perception issues just by being in front of you to ask for your name, it''s really hard to feel intimacy from that.'' For spiritual beings, a true name is always a bargaining chip. Unless one is from a rural area or elderly, people would know the danger of exchanging true names. ? ''Moreover, Gio, who is entirely ck, might even seem like a grim reaper, making people more cautious.'' Of course, this is a rule that applies among humans. In fact, introducing oneself is a useful technique when extracting information from others. Just sharing a name can build a bit of trust. In that sense, it¡¯s something he felt every time. ''¡­Does Gio really consider himself a human?¡¯ It was something to be careful of. ''If Gio''s current natural respect and consideration for humans came from such a misconception, as much as possible, it''s best to maintain his belief that he''s human.'' Otherwise, there''s no telling what kind of catastrophe might ur. ¡°Hmm¡­ That''s right.¡± If he thought of himself as human, it was easier to ask him about various things. ¡°Then, how old are you?¡± ¡°I''m 29 years old.¡± But this was a bit unexpected. ¡°¡­29 years old?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s young.¡± ¡°I often hear that I look older, but it''s a reaction that hurts.¡± ¡°Oh, no, it¡¯s not like that¡­.¡± It was funny even for Yoo Sung-woon who asked, assuming the portrait had an age, but he didn''t expect the portrait, which looked so distant that he couldn''t even meet its gaze, was not even thirty years old. ''Is this another one of his misconceptions?'' If Gio perceived himself as an ordinary 29-year-old human, it was a statement that could easilye out, despite how long this portrait had actually existed. Yoo Sung-woon awkwardlyughed. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were younger than me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious about Mr. Yoo Sung-woon¡¯s age. Can you tell me?¡± ¡°I''m 33 years old.¡± ¡°I thought you were in your twenties.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a very nice thing to say.¡± ¡°You look young.¡± The portrait spoke in its characteristically blunt tone. ¡°Then it''s okay for you to speakfortably.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ can I do that?¡± ¡°I don''t remember ever asking you to use formalnguage.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± He had been using formalnguage deliberately, thinking the portrait valued manners, but it didn''t seem to mind that. Maybe it valued polite actions over shy words. ''Anyway, it doesn''t seem to dislike me.'' He wouldn''t be asked to speak informally if he were unpleasant or unlikable. ¡°Then I''ll speak morefortably.¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± ¡°It feels awkward trying to switch to informal speech after using formal speech all this time.¡± ¡°Despite that, you''re speaking quite naturally.¡± ¡°Oh, that''s because¡­ I''m originally more used to informal speech¡­¡± Though he got used to hierarchical life as a curator or researcher, he was a wanderer in his past life as a gardener. Though he didn''tpletely ignore etiquette and manners like a rascal, he honestly found informal speech morefortable. ¡°More than that, who said you look old?¡± ¡°It''s something I hear often.¡± ¡°You don''t particrly look old. Did someone nder you?¡± ¡°There are people who don¡¯t believe me when I say I¡¯m in my twenties¡­.¡± ¡°Oh, that I understand.¡± Yoo Sung-woon was convinced. ¡°You have a heavy atmosphere. It doesn''t feel like you''re in your twenties.¡± ¡°That''s also something I hear often.¡± ¡°Then it''s clear. It must be because you don''t have the atmosphere of a young man.¡± Whether this portrait was once human and then turned into a painting, or it was just a painting with human memories, but if people said, ''You don''t seem your age,'' it was probably because of the atmosphere. ¡°Besides, before even talking about looking old, you''re just handsome.¡± ¡°Thank you for thepliment.¡± ¡°If you''re that handsome, the sense of maturity doesn''t matter at all.¡± His smooth skin, like it was covered with white powder, was like porcin, and the features within it were strong and clear, leaving a strong impression. His expression, which could seem angry or just peaceful, suited his bluntness well. ¡°You must have been popr.¡± ¡°I have no dating experience.¡± He didn''t expect to hear this kind of words from a portrait. ¡°¡­None? With that face?¡± ¡°I''ve never experienced a confession either.¡± ¡°What about doing so?¡± ¡°I wasn''t interested, so I didn''t.¡± ¡°I think I can imagine the situation.¡± Yoo Sung-woonughed helplessly. The context is the same as before. Even if they had feelings for him, the atmosphere was too heavy to confess, or they assumed that face already had a lover and backed off. ''¡­ Judging from these remarks, it seems like he was once a human who then became a portrait.'' Considering the remarks that seem to indicate that he has experience in social life. ¡°Well¡­.¡± But still, it wouldn''t be appropriate to ask about such things yet. ''I made him run awayst time, too.'' Yoo Sung-woon decided to change the subject. ¡°More importantly, it seems like you don''t go out much these days?¡± ¡°Aren''t we having a conversation right now?¡± ¡°Not like this, there were times you actually went outside.¡± Thanks to that, scary ghost stories were still circting among the curators, but Yoo Sung-woon couldn''t exin the truth behind the ghost story because Bi Sa-beol had kept it hushed. ¡°At that time, it seemed like you were almost going outside the gallery.¡± ¡°I apologize if I made you misunderstand, but I never intended to go out then either.¡± ¡°That¡¯s unexpected. I thought you wanted to go out the gallery because your range of movement kept expanding.¡± ¡°I was just curious about how far the ce I¡¯m in was.¡± ¡°So now that you''ve checked all the way to the first floor, there''s no need to go out?¡± ¡°That''s part of it¡­.¡± The portrait looked down at Yoo Sung-woon. ¡°I originally tend to avoid active adventures in crowded ces, and I''m trying to refrain from doing so as much as possible because I thought it¡¯ll cause you all trouble.¡± ¡°¡­No, that was a really unexpected reason. Is that why you weren¡¯ting out? That''s such a considerate decision.¡± It would be great if other monsters or weapons with consciousness could learn from Gio''s behaviour. ''I never expected to receive such consideration from a non-human. It would cause quite a stir if reported to the academy.'' Should he call it fascinating or remarkable? The portrait¡¯s true identity was still unclear, but as a gardener, he was grateful for the luck to encounter such a special existence. Seems all this consideration was possible because Gio thought of himself as human¡­. ¡°Then, would you tell me your story now, Mr. Yoo Sung-woon?¡± ¡°¡­My story?¡± ¡°I feel like I''ve only talked about myself so far.¡± ¡°Oh, that''s true.¡± Yoo Sung-woon was convinced. ''Is this also be considered part of the 1:1 rule?'' It was a portrait that really liked fairness. Well, since he had been asking about the portrait''s story, it was only natural to reciprocate, even without the rule. ¡°What should I talk about first¡­.¡± Yoo Sung-woon blinked as he picked a topic to bring out. ¡°¡­First of all, I¡¯m a curator. I¡¯m in charge of maintaining and managing the gallery of the guild leader here, Bi Sa-beol, but beside me, there are many curators here.¡± ¡°When you say gallery, does that mean you also sell artworks?¡± ¡°Sometimes, yes. This gallery houses the world''s rarest and most dangerous items, so sometimes there are people buying the artworks here for subjugation or research purposes.¡± Yoo Sung-woon sometimes also deals with exining the artwork to such customers. ¡°That''s why any artwork that no curator can exin is marked as not for sale without exception. Even though this gallery only collects the world''s most dangerous items, if the customer gets harmed after buying it, the responsibility will ultimately fall on us.¡± ¡°Can you pretend not to know?¡± ¡°Even if we want to pretend not to know, we can''t. It can escte not just to legal disputes but also to armed conflicts, making things moreplicated. Even if we have customers sign a contract saying ''we have warned you of the risks, you are to me for any of the loss¡¯ ¡­ we can''t quell all the customerints.¡± Moreover, curators who aren''t highly skilled as hunters, could face direct retaliation. In fact, otherpanies have had several curators killed by hired assassins. ¡°The guild leader is very protective of his employees, so such things never happen here, but curators in other ces frequently face retaliation.¡± ¡°Don''t thosepaniese up with any measures?¡± ¡°Why would they? There are plenty of people wanting the job. It''s cheaper to hire new employees than to protect the current ones, so most just leave it be.¡± ¡°Cold-hearted.¡± ¡°That''s just how the world is.¡± It might be disillusioning for the monster who seems to favour kindness, but it wasn''t a big deal in the human world. ¡°Outside the city, people are already dying. There isn¡¯t enough manpower to protect them, and monsters keep appearing ¡­ The rural areas,cking proper infrastructure, are almost like nature itself.¡± ¡°The civilization level difference between cities and rural areas are almost a century apart, though there are people who prefer the countryside because they don''t have to deal with all sorts of hardships or oppression.¡± The portrait spoke bluntly. ¡°It''s tiring.¡± ¡°Did I talk too much?¡± ¡°I meant that it''s nice inside the painting.¡± ¡°I agree with that.¡± Though he didn''t know what the inside of the painting was like, it seemed much more peaceful than living in this dirty and harsh world. Soon after, the portrait asked. ¡°So Mr. Yoo Sung-woon has been working as a curator all along?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ that¡¯s, no. I¡¯ve only been employed for a few years.¡± ¡°If you don''t mind, could you tell me what you did before?¡± Could he tell even this? After a moment of contemtion, Yoo Sung-woon soon confessed. ¡°I used to be a researcher.¡± ¡°That''s an unexpected answer.¡± ¡°And before that, I was a gardener. I¡¯m actually still a gardener now.¡± ¡°A gardener who manages a garden full of nts and flowers?¡± ¡°No, we manage the origin.¡± In this world, there was the origin. ¡°Not sure how much you know, but there are things called dungeons on Earth. It¡¯s a den of monsters made up of various themes¡­.¡± ¡°Even though each is clearly on a different dimension, sometimes the same nts are found in separate dungeons. We call those ''children of the origin.''¡± nts of the same type are found in both dungeons filled with fire and cave dungeons. Such urrences happen even though the dungeons have no direct connection, and some researchers believe it''s possible because it was a nt derived from the origin. ¡°Can you exin about the origin?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know the details either.¡± But the origin was such an existence. The most fundamental concept at the bottom of all dimensions. ¡°If we think of it as a tree, the dungeons are the fruit and the monsters inside are the seeds, while the origin is the root of the tree.¡± ¡°In other words, we suspect that the power of the origin might be what creates dungeons.¡± ¡°Thank you for telling me such a fascinating story.¡± ¡°I find it fascinating, too.¡± Yoo Sung-woonughed casually and continued. ¡°The gardener analyzes, manages, and shares incidents that ur from the origin. It''s simr to researchers who analyze the names and powers of new monsters that appear. It''s also simr to geographical hunters who traverse dungeons and create new maps.¡± ¡°It seems unrted, why are you called gardeners?¡± ¡°Hmm, well.¡± Yoo Sung-woon blinked his blue eyes. It soon took on a slightly brighter colour. ¡°Some consider the origin as one garden.¡± ¡°¡­ In reality, it¡¯s also managed as a ''garden.''¡± The portrait asked. ¡°A garden.¡± ¡°Yes, a garden.¡± ¡°Is it different from the origin?¡± ¡°It could be said as a part of the origin.¡± Yoo Sung-woon answered faithfully. ¡°If you call a person the origin, the garden we talk about refers to parts like their blood vessels, nails, heart, or eyes.¡± ¡°It''s vast and numerous. A very small number of gardeners with high aptitude are assigned one of those gardens each, but it''s quite a challenging task¡­.¡± Yoo Sung-woonughed as if sighing. ¡°Many die. It''s a profession where it''s hard to be at ease no matter what.¡± ¡°Is it something that someone has to do?¡± ¡°In the first ce, once chosen by the origin, you must do the work, neglecting it sharply raises the difficulty level of many dungeons.¡± ¡°It¡¯s scary.¡± ¡°¡­ Even if you say it''s scary, I can''t tell¡­ .¡± Yoo Sung-woon scratched his ear, feeling as if he¡¯d heard something unbelievable, and continued. ¡°I¡¯m still a gardener. Bing a gardener isn¡¯t something one can choose on their own, so even though I¡¯m currently working as a curator, I can¡¯t throw away my qualifications as a gardener.¡± ¡°Is it hard?¡± ¡°A little?¡± Yoo Sung-woon shrugged his shoulders. ¡°But it¡¯s worth it.¡± When he closed his eyes, he could see the vast snowy mountain. He could see the ciers. Its grandeur captivates people. ¡°Having my own garden is pretty cool.¡± Soon, the portrait responded. ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I feel the same way.¡± ¡°I see.¡± That¡¯s how the conversation ended that day. Though he wasn¡¯t sure how the portrait felt about it, but at least for the gardener, it was quite an enjoyable time. Chapter 16 ¡°Oh my.¡± An exmation that came out while suppressing a smile, as if pretending to be polite. Bi Sa-beol asked. ¡°Did he stay hidden because he thought people would be scared?¡± ¡°I didn''t say it exactly like that, but to summarize, that''s not wrong either.¡± Yoo Sung-woon nodded. ¡°It seemed like he understood that problems could arise if someone with a high soul level as himself encountered a defenceless person. Still, it seems strange that he insists on being an ordinary human ¡­.¡± With that, Bi Sa-beol narrowed his eyes like a snake and spoke. ¡°We can''tpletely rule out the possibility that he might be a humanoid monster in the form of a portrait, but he can''t be seen just as a simple monster either. He doesn''t hate humans at all.¡±¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°If even Curator Yoo Sung-woon is unsure about his nature, then he''s probably rted to the origin, but judging by the fact that you haven''t submitted an official report yet, it seems like he''s a type of existence you''ve never seen before.¡± ¡°Yes, for now.¡± There were few origins existences that Yoo Sung-woon, a gardener, did not know. ''Dungeon monsters are also born from the veins of the origin, but they''re on a different level ofplexitypared to the children of the origin. If Gio is a type of child of the origin that I''ve never seen before, the story will be much moreplicated.'' The so-called ''children of the origin'' could be found in all dungeons. They could not be solved by simple subjugation like ordinary monsters. Thus, extensive knowledge and skills to deal with them are necessary, and Yoo Sung-woon was a veteran who had been working as a gardener since he was eleven years old. ''Gio''s Portrait'', an existence unknown even to such a Yoo Sung-woon, was clearly something to be wary of. ¡°Anyway, even if he''s a ''child of the origin'', it''s certain that he''s an unusual existence.¡± If there''s somethingmon between monsters and children of the origin, it is that they don''t understand how fragile Earthlings are. Even if they knew, monsters hated humans, while children of the origin were indifferent to humans. Either way, they were bound to be harmful to humans. ¡°It''s rare for them to be this friendly to humans.¡± ¡°It''s certainly something the association would want.¡± ¡°I asked youst time, but are you going to hand him over?¡± ¡°I have no intention of doing so.¡± Bi Sa-beol had a strong sense of possessiveness and never left something that was his in others'' hands, even for a brief inspection. Unless it was a clear and clean transaction, he wouldn''t do such a half-hearted thing. R ¡°Curator Yoo Sung-woon seems to be taking care of it well. Is there any reason to hand it over to the association''s researchb?¡± ¡°If Gio is a child of the origin, he might harm people without any sense of guilt. He might im he was just following his own rules, but¡­ it could be a great catastrophe for humans.¡± An investigation was necessary. ¡°At this level, all I can understand are stories from the portrait. I can''t tell exactly what skills he uses, how high his soul level is, or what role he holds within the origin.¡± ¡°I''m not someone who seeks such things.¡± ¡°Do you remember the things I asked you to do when I hired Mr. Yoo Sung-woon?¡± Yoo Sung-woon sighed as he answered. ¡°To analyze, maintain, and manage gallery works.¡± ¡°That''s right.¡± ¡°But I''m no longer the head of the association''s research team. There''s no ce that can analyze ''Gio''s Portrait'' as well as it can.¡± ¡°What a disheartening thing to say. As curator Yoo Sung-woon knows, I''m not interested in weapons.¡± ¡°Yes, that''s right.¡± ¡°I want art.¡± Bi Sa-beol smiled, narrowing his eyes. The natural arrogance of someone used to look down on others since birth was evident. ¡°That''s why I established this guild, thispany. I have no pride whatsoever as a hunter, let alone an artist.¡± ¡°No collector cares about which evil spirits Van Gogh''s self-portrait repels or what good dreams it brings. No one is interested in those functions. They only wonder about the story contained within the painting and want to preserve that story with their own hands.¡± ¡°It could be very dangerous. It is the only existence that escapes the guild leader''s appraisal skill, and even if he respects and considers humans, his rank is too high. He might not feel divine, but he''s probably of a level that priests serve. Even if the portrait is cautious, humans can''t be at ease.¡± ¡°Have you seen those eyes?¡± That was abrupt. ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± ¡°Have you seen those eyes, Mr. Yoo Sung-woon?¡± ¡°¡­Are you talking about the eyes of the portrait?¡± ¡°Oh, it seems you haven''t seen them.¡± ¡°No, I have, but.¡± ¡°Then tell me.¡± Bi Sa-beol gestured gracefully with his hand. Even the gesture urging for an answer carried the elegance of someone important. ¡°What were they like?¡± Yoo Sung-woon didn''t ponder long. ¡°¡­ It was distant.¡± Fear. Awe and disgust, anger and sorrow, joy and delight, despair, loneliness, and dizziness. A colossal presence that couldn''t be fully grasped in a single moment¡­. ¡°¡­I don''t know how to describe it well. I also have an appraisal skill, but I couldn''t objectively grasp it because its rank was so clear even without using skills.¡± It was so distant that it couldn''t be expressed with a boring word such as ''universe''. It felt like he was directly touching something visible yet unseen. ¡°They were clearly ck but also appeared white. They were so dark they felt bright, and while it seemed the pupils and irises were indistinguishable, when I looked inside ¡­ I could see intricate paths.¡± There was rainwater within. There were streams, brooks, and water veins. It was as intricate as the roots of a tree and as delicate as human blood vessels. It was also so vast and expansive, so colourful that humans couldn''t fullyprehend it. It felt like glimpsing something humans shouldn''t be seeing. Something so immense resided within those narrow pupils. ¡°It reminded me of the saying that eyes are the window of the soul.¡± ¡°A decent impression. Not bad.¡± ¡°Seeing you say that, seems like my impression is unsatisfactory.¡± ¡°It can''t be helped.¡± Bi Sa-beolughed as if appreciating the mistake of a very immature child. Yoo Sung-woon suddenly recalled his actual age. He was old enough to teach Yoo Sung-woon. ¡°I told you to look at his eyes, but you just observed the artwork. ¡°Before our respective professions and tastes, we are humans capable of conversation.¡± ¡°If Gio has consciousness, it means he also has eyes that canmunicate with humans.¡± He asked again. ¡°Have you ever seen his eyes?¡± ¡°¡­In the sense of what you have just said, no.¡± ¡°Have Mr. Yoo Sung-woon ever thought about what emotions Gio feels and how he looks at you, other than his soul level and paths in his eyes?¡± ¡°No, I haven''t.¡± Who could think that in front of such a colossal presence? How could something as small and insignificant as him dare to? ¡°¡­That kind of thing ¡­ was only something someone like Guild Leader Bi Sa-beol could do.¡± ¡°A gardener shouldn''t be so narrow-minded. Think bigger, broader.¡± ¡°Aren''t you expecting too much from a mere gardener?¡± ¡°Gio is a good person.¡± ¡°He is very kind.¡± Bi Sa-beol continued, as if teaching a child. ¡°Even though he dislikes inconveniences, he doesn''t hate. How kind must someone be to not resent what makes them ufortable? He is full ofpassion, maintaining politeness and respecting others without imposing.¡± ¡°That''s a generous assessment.¡± ¡°And he''s afraid of hurting someone.¡± It was an unexpected story. ¡°¡­Gio? At most, it would be like a human stepping on an ant.¡± ¡°That''s right.¡± ¡°It''s not the feeling of disgust at the insects bursting in front of him, but fear of harming it?¡± ¡°Didn''t I say he was kind?¡± ¡°After barely exchanging a nce without any conversation, you''re saying all this¡­¡± ¡°One must have this level of ability to be a guild leader. To discern this much just from a single nce.¡± ¡°¡­That''s true.¡± Bi Sa-beol created one of South Korea''s top three guilds solely with his appraisal skill, without any additional power. Considering his physical abilities were that of an average male, it was clear how remarkable his eyes and mouth were. ''That kind of person must see things differently from me. His way of seeing the world is probably different.'' Yoo Sung-woon swallowed a sigh and spoke. ¡°¡­I understand. You mean to proceed as it is without any additional measures, right?¡± ¡°I''m d you seem to understand. Gio will also probably try his best not to harm humans, so please avoid making him angry. Kind people are scarier when angry.¡± ¡°That''s exactly what I''m trying to prevent from happening¡­¡± ¡°There''s no way to prevent an individual''s anger, and if there were, it would involve sealing or destroying the portrait, right? No matter how harsh the world has be these days, we can''t treat a person who''s just trying to get along well like that.¡± Yoo Sung-woon asked with a subtle expression. ¡°¡­ Person ¡­ are you considering it as a person? ''Gio''s Portrait''?¡± ¡°Then who has been conversing with Curator Yoo Sung-woon all this time?¡± ¡°Isn''t there a difference in level?¡± ¡°But it is a being with the will tomunicate, considering itself a person.¡± ¡°That''s¡­.¡± ¡°How is that different from humans?¡± Bi Sa-beol said, as if singing. ¡°Even without Gio''s portrait, there are plenty of dangerous humans. Right now, there are five high-risk hunters in South Korea alone, and they are all living well on their own. Some treat them like dangerous dogs and pick fights at every turn, but that has always been the case, even a hundred years ago when there were no dungeons.¡± ¡°If we act recklessly like that, something we will regret might happen. Gio is certainly a being capable of that.¡± ¡°Those dangerous hunters are enjoying their daily lives, so why should we suppress a portrait?¡± ¡°It''s not suppression, it''s investigation¡­.¡± ¡°What if Gio gets angry?¡± ¡°He''s a friend who values manners, but he might get angry if you rudely pry into his feelings, and that would be a greater catastrophe. Just be a good conversational partner for Gio.¡± He pointed beyond the window that made up the entire wall. ¡°Take him outside often too.¡± ¡°¡­Are you serious?¡± ¡°I understand what you''re worried about, Mr. Yoo Sung-woon.¡± Bi Sa-beol nodded. ¡°Of course, I understand. Aren''t children of the origin extremely secretive and cautious beings? They are part of the ecosystem with little interest in humans. They are nature itself, and therefore, I understand that it cane off as a significant disaster. Because that''s what they are.¡± ¡°But humans are also part of nature.¡± He spoke calmly. ¡°Gio is no different.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Treat him well. If there are rules, follow them, and if there are any childish conflicts, resolve them by bickering.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°If he said he''s 29, then that''s what he is. He is a young man who hasn''t even reached thirty, so as a senior in life, shouldn''t you look after him?¡± ¡°¡­There is a high chance that Gio is mistaken. He may not actually be 29, but his memory might be aligned with that of a 29-year-old young man, so he said that. In reality, he might be well over a thousand years old. If he''s a child of the origin, that''s entirely possible.¡± ¡°Why is that so important?¡± Yoo Sung-woon sighed and nodded. ¡°That''s right.¡± He was a gardener. He devoted his heart and soul to his garden, poured his affection into it, and felt pride in it. Gio was a being rted to the origin that formed the foundation of the garden. He said action was needed, but unless the portrait showed a reaction first, he wanted to treat it gentlemanly on his end as well. ¡°I''ve advised you as a curator of Collection to the best of my ability.¡± ¡°I''m always grateful for our curator Yoo Sung-woon''s thoughtfulness.¡± ¡°It''s disgusting, stop it. Anyway, so¡­.¡± Yoo Sung-woon nced at his watch and asked. ¡°Are you saying that I should be Gio''s guide?¡± ¡°If possible, give him a tour of our guild, introduce him to our employees, take him outside to watch a good y, buy him food, and guide him to tourist attractions.¡± ¡°You''re really asking me to be a guide. But no matter what, introducing him to the employees might not be appropriate¡­ The employees would probably reject us first, and Gio also doesn''t like noisy things either.¡± ¡°You can judge that on your own. If Gio likes quietness, help him see thepany or the outside even at dawn.¡± ¡°What on earth do you believe in¡­¡± ¡°Didn''t I say I saw it?¡± A vivid smile. ¡°I, saw it.¡± Bi Sa-beol sees things that humans can''t. Yoo Sung-woon decided to believe that. ¡°¡­Understood.¡± ¡°Please take good care of him in the future, Curator Yoo Sung-woon.¡± ¡°If an ident happens, I know nothing about it.¡± ¡°I''ll take care of that.¡± ¡°Anyway, what are you thinking¡­.¡± Although grumbling, Yoo Sung-woon was in a pretty good mood. ''I can expand his activity range.'' He had been worried about Gio, who was always inside the portrait. Even if Gio said he was morefortable and liked it in there, informing him that he could officially enter and exit would be better for him. ''I guess since it''s my first time encountering such amunicative child of the origin, when watching him, I can''t help but want to do this and that for no reason¡­.'' From the perspective of a gardener and a curator, Yoo Sung-woon felt a sense of pride. The story would be different if he faced that huge figure in person, but for now, Gio was just a talking portrait. Since Yoo Sung-woon was in the position to manage him, this kind of feeling wasn''tpletely strange. ''¡­It''s true that it''s a reckless feeling. I''ll be careful not to stiffen and make Gio ufortable when I face that figure properly someday.''1 As he stepped out of the guild, something entered Yoo Sung-woon''s view. A fish-shaped bun (bungeoppang) stall. ¡°¡­This is rare.¡± Yoo Sung-woon approached the fish-shaped bun cart with joy. ¡°Are you open?¡± ¡°Ah, yes, I am.¡± ¡°How much for ten fish-shaped buns?¡± ¡°It''s 5,000 won.¡± ¡°Please.¡± ¡°Just a moment.¡± The cart owner was a young man with a blunt impression. ¡°Here you go.¡± ¡°Looks delicious¡­. Will you keeping here?¡± ¡°I''lle until I get caught.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Somehow, his blunt tone reminded him a little of Gio. Ah, right. ¡°Give me ten more, please.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± ¡°I''m the one who should be grateful.¡± ¡°What are you grateful for?¡± ¡°There aren''t many ces selling fish-shaped bun these days. It''s bing harder to find recently.¡± ¡°Aahh¡­.¡± As it seemed like it would take some time for new fish-shaped buns toe out, Yoo Sung-woon continued the conversation. The young man, seemingly bored, responded softly despite his blunt tone. ¡°It''s hard to do business. Even if I tried to sell fish-shaped buns outside the city, no one would buy them, so Ie in from time to time to sell them.¡± ¡°Oh, so youe all the way here from outside the city?¡± ¡°Who among the city people would do this kind of business?¡± The young man shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Most people either work office jobs or are hunters.¡± ¡°Even so, it must be quite a long way. It must be tiring, impressive.¡± ¡°Some people help out because they find fish-shaped buns nostalgic, so it''s still doable. My younger sibling is also working as a hunter nearby¡­.¡± ¡°Ah, would it be a little expensive to find a house around here?¡± ¡°It''s hard to afford city rent, and bing a city resident isn''t something just anyone can do.¡± ¡°Aren''t short-term permits easily granted? I heard that the hurdle for that has been lowered.¡± ¡°I do have a permit, but sometimes I can''t finish work before the terminal''s closing time¡­ so I just don''t get a room. It takes time and money, and there''s no benefit to it.¡± The young man who flipped the fish-shaped bun mould said. ¡°In addition, I have a 10-year-old younger sibling at home, so I have to go back.¡± ¡°Oh, then definitely ¡­ you have to go back. If you leave him alone and a monster appears in the vige, it will be a disaster. Having an older brother around is more reassuring.¡± ¡°My younger sister also works as a porter, so she earns money here, but she goes home every three days and then leaves the following week. Right now, my younger sister is at our parents'' house, so I''m the one working.¡± ¡°That''s amazing.¡± ¡°It''s good because it sells well around here.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­.¡± Yoo Sung-woon tilted his head and asked. ¡°So how long can you keeping?¡± ¡°It''s still winter ¡­ so probably until early spring. When it gets warmer, I''ll look for another job.¡± ¡°Sounds like you''ll be here for a while. I''ll see you often.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± The young man took the fish-shaped buns out of the machine. Steam rose from the freshly made fish-shaped buns. It smelled delicious. ¡°Eat it while it''s warm.¡± ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± Yoo Sung-woon headed back to thepany with the fish-shaped buns. To be precise, in front of ''Gio''s Portrait'' inside Bi Sa-beol''s gallery. ¡°Gio, are you awake?¡± ¡°Gio?¡± Fortunately, Gio soon opened his eyes. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°There was a fish-shaped bun vendor in front of the station, so I bought one.¡± ¡°It doesn''t seem to be one.¡± ¡°Oh, right. It''s not just one. I thought you might like it, so I brought about ten.¡± The portrait, which blinked twice, soon nodded. ¡°Thank you. It''s been a while since I''ve had fish-shaped buns.¡± ¡°Do you know fish-shaped buns?¡± ¡°I didn''t know if there would still be any fish-shaped buns left.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± As expected, Gio seemed to be a being with experience living in Korea. ''Or maybe a being from a simr dimension¡­ Even if he didn''t live there, he might have only received the memories.'' When Yoo Sung-woon extended the bag containing the fish-shaped buns, it quickly seeped into the painting. ¡°Oh¡­ it literally became part of the painting.¡± ¡°Thank you for the gift.¡± ¡°It''s nothing special. I hope it suits your taste.¡± ¡°I like this kind of street food.¡± ¡°That''s a relief.¡± He had been worried because of the cold expression that seemed imprable. ''His demeanour seems quite noble.'' Gio seemed like a heavenly aristocrat who had never touched the water with his hands or like an AI civil servant created for the busy modern society. He was worried for a moment whether Gio, with his sharp and heavy atmosphere that could be felt just by looking at his expression, would like street food. He wondered if he might despise it and ask, ''How dare you give me this as food?'' ¡°Next time, if there''s something like egg bread or takoyaki, should I buy you one too?¡± ¡°¡­Gio?¡± After a moment of silence, Gio soon took something out of his arms. It was a neatly tied white bag. ¡°¡­What''s that?¡± ¡°It''s tea leaves.¡± ¡°Tea?¡± ¡°There were flowers with good scent, so I tried drying them.¡± ¡°It''s a thank you.¡± As he extended his hand¡ª ¡ªOutside the painting, Gio''s hand popped out along with a tea bag. ¡°¡­This is different.¡± ¡°Please ept it.¡± ¡°Oh, um, thank you.¡± Rustle. A pleasant aroma wafted from the paper bag ced on his hand. ''It smells like cream.'' It was a scent that coulde from sweet custard or milk cream. It felt a little strange. ''¡­Would it be rude from the perspective of origin with rules if I tell him that he doesn''t need to reciprocate like this every time? It feels awkward since it feels like I''m being treated so generouslypared to what I always give.'' Yoo Sung-woon put the bag inside his coat and said. ¡°Thank you, I''ll have to drink tea after a long time.¡± ¡°I hope it suits your taste.¡± ¡°First of all, it smells very nice. I''ll drink it gratefully.¡± ¡°And I have a favour to ask.¡± ¡°Huh? A favour?¡± Gio asked. ¡°May I ask for seeds?¡± ¡°¡­What kind of seeds?¡± ¡°Anything that can be grown in a field.¡± What on earth is he doing in there? ''A field.'' Suddenly, Yoo Sung-woon became curious about the scenery inside the portrait. 1: ?? ? ??? ???/?? ?? (the liveres out of the stomach / to have a swollen liver): to be overbold and foolhardy, ignoring apparent hardship. Chapter 17 Forest Butterfly Flower Tea Rank: ¨C Tea made by drying flowers grown from the corpses of forest butterflies inhabiting the veins of fate. It has a light blue colour and a soft creamy scent. Processed directly by Gio, the owner of the forest, it can even be consumed by the human body. The moment it is consumed, blood vessels regenerate, making it excellent for severe injuries, and it restructures cells to provide constant immunity from minor diseases. Duration: 6 months Yoo Sung-woon, who hadpleted the appraisal, brushed his face with tightly pressed lips. ¡°¡­Gio, this guy¡­.¡± What on earth did he give him? ¡°This isn''t tea you can exchange for ten fish-shaped buns.¡±*** As he had always thought, ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait¡¯ was an absurd existence. ''I still don¡¯t know its true nature.'' Whether it''s a monster, an item, or as Bi Sa-beol and Yoo Sung-woon spected, a child of the origin. ''But it has a human form¡­ and it knows quite a lot about humans and society.'' Still, whatever its true identity, the fact that it personally bends to the rules of such humans is close to a miracle. Perhaps there might never be another existence like this in the world. At least not in this small dimension called Earth. ¡®It means guild leader Bi Sa-beol, known for his keen eye, didn''t pour that much money for nothing.'' And what that ''Gio¡¯s Portrait'' asked for was¡­. ¡°Is this enough?¡± It was seeds. Crop seeds. ¡°I gathered them as much as I could.¡± Yoo Sung-woon showed the seed bags in his arms with an awkward smile. The next day after receiving the tea leaves, he gathered them in a few hours early in the morning. Tomatoes, corn, potatoes, sweet potatoes, lettuce, cabbage, cucumbers, peas, pumpkins, red peppers, carrots, radishes, watermelons, eggnts, and more¡­. ¡°I wanted to get you better seeds, but there aren¡¯t many shops selling such seeds around here. I barely scraped them together from a shabby store tucked inside an alley, hope you don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Of course I like it. Seeing the amount you brought, I understand how hard you worked in such a short time. You look apologetic considering how much you brought.¡± ¡°It''s because the bnce feels off when I receive such precious tea but only give seeds in return¡­.¡± Yoo Sung-woon said, handing over the seed bags over the frame. ¡°Even if the seeds aren''t that cheap, the tea you gave me was too much.¡± Gio, who was checking the seeds, asked. ¡°Aren''t seeds very cheap?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, right. Normally, one bag of seeds you''re holding costs about the same as most decent meals ¡­ so on average, I don¡¯t think they are that cheap.¡± ¡°¡­Did you ask for seeds thinking they were cheap?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Though the portrait remained blunt and emotionless, looking into those ck eyes, he felt that Gio was sorry. Indeed, as Bi Sa-beol had said, he was a kind fellow. Gio blinked twice, perhaps in thought or it was just a meaningless habit, and spoke. ¡°I apologize. I did not think it would be so expensive.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you''re apologizing for. It can''tpare to the tea you gave me.¡± Gio¡¯s simple and pure goodwill towards humans was evidently quite overwhelming. Yoo Sung-woon awkwardlyughed and waved his hand. ¡°Since you made it yourself, the value of its sincerity cannot be measured, and with all these various effects¡­ To be honest, it was such a precious gift that I wondered if I could even drink it.¡± Even at first nce, the tea Gio gave was highly valuable. After all, didn''t the haunted portrait say that it was made by itself? ''Whether Gio¡¯s true identity is a humanoid monster or child of the origin, the fact that it is unusual remains unchanged.¡¯ Moreover, with effects that seem capable of even reviving the dead¡­. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m truly grateful for your kindness, however¡­¡± After a moment of hesitation, Yoo Sung-woon soon continued. ¡°¡­I¡¯m a little worried. Although I n to enjoy the tea you gave me to rx, please don''t give such precious gifts to others.¡± ¡°Most humans don''t know how to ept goodwill as it is. They aren¡¯t as generous as you think.¡± First, there was a high probability that his goodwill would be perceived as fear. Unless one was exceptionally greedy or indifferent to everything, it was hard to simply be grateful for such an excessive gift. ''Surely someone would perceive it as a threat and either get angry or panic, but even if a greedy person received such a gift, problems would arise.'' Though it felt regrettable, from Yoo Sung-woon¡¯s point of view, Gio seemed to give tea more for him to enjoy rather than for treating ailments. ustomed to the rules of the origin, Yoo Sung-woon had no intention of selling or using the tea in a way that might upset Gio. ¡°It would be unpleasant if the tea leaves you gave unknowingly be put up for auction, right?¡± ¡°Auction? I didn''t think such a trivial tea would hold such significance.¡± He acted as if saying, ¡®humans behave iprehensibly, like attaching value to meaningless things¡¯. ¡°I guess it does seem that way.¡± Yoo Sung-woonughed awkwardly. ''¡­iming to be human but showing such tant iprehension.'' But for Gio, who doesn''t think deeply, it was an unavoidable judgment. His system clearly described it at the level of a fatigue recovery drink, and Gio had no reason to doubt it. At best, it was worth about the same as a vitamin supplement, so Yoo Sung-woon¡¯s words seemed fussy. In response to Gio¡¯s indifferent reaction, Yoo Sung-woon couldn¡¯t help but think, ''Indeed, there¡¯s a slightly different aspect from humanmon sense.'' Just like how a gold nugget is no different from a mere stone to most monsters. ¡°Well, I mean¡­.¡± Yoo Sung-woon continued. ¡°You may have given it as a gift simply for its value as tea, but from the perspective of ordinary humans, it''s not just that. It would be better to refrain from giving gifts that would attract the eyes of greedy people.¡± Surely, Gio, the owner, must have been aware of the effects of ''Forest Butterfly Flower Tea'', but from the beginning, he said, ¡®I made it into tea because it has a good scent¡¯, so he probably had no interest in its uses beyond tea. Such indifference was certainly like that of any other beings of the origin. ''Monsters and children of the origin alike often fail to understand human greed. No matter how well Gio knows human physiology, showing such carefreeness that is clearly inhuman¡­ certainly leaves no room for excuses.¡¯ An insignificant stone to monsters can be a valuable resource for humans. Beings born from veins of the origin didn''t understand such facts well. There were also many times they often described humans as making a fuss. ¡°¡­Well, right, if you call it making a fuss, I have no retort¡­.¡± It was just about preventing potential idents. ¡°Your goodwill, without any intention, can feel overwhelmingly significant to us. Isn''t that right? What can I say, it''s a gift from a portrait.¡± ¡°Actually, you seem too tough to be hurt by such human greed¡­ but there are many people who are more persistent than you think. Be careful not to let your kindness be taken advantage of.¡± Gio stared at Yoo Sung-woon. ''¡­His silence makes it even scarier. The fact that he¡¯s inside the portrait must lessen the intimidation, but still, it''s this intense? Scary indeed.'' There was no trace of emotion on Gio''s face in the portrait. That inorganic expression sent chills down Yoo Sung-woon''s spine. Bi Sa-beol had said, ''Look beyond the intimidation and see Gio''s true essence,'' but how could that be easy? It wasn¡¯t easy; it was like asking an average person who suddenly plummeted down from 50km in the sky to appreciate the view. That''s how heavy the gaze of ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait¡¯ was. ¡°¡­Was I being presumptuous?¡± Since Gio in particr had a well-established consciousness and was a being from the origin, he would have firm rules of his own. The babbling of a mere human who he had only met recently might have been annoying. ¡®But I couldn''t pretend not to know. Preventing potential problems as much as possible is what we have to do.'' That''s all what gardeners do. Wandering around from ce to ce, taking measures to ensure that the origin and the Earth can coexist. Especially since ''Gio''s Portrait'' was a special case, he had to ask this. Humans are beings who easily discard their identity out of greed. ¡°No.¡± It was slightly cool and very heavy, but gentlemanly and calm. Thankfully, the portrait remained unchanged. ¡°Thank you for the advice.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you for epting it as advice.¡± ¡°Honestly, I think the word ''strange'' is appropriate, but the world outside of the painting is different from what I know.¡± Gio continued with a voice so polite that it felt strange. ¡°It must have been bothersome, but thank you for being considerate enough to exin it to me.¡± ¡°¡­Still as straightforward as ever¡­.¡± Did Gio know that this aspect is what made him seem even less human? ''He seems to think of himself as a normal human, but did he ignore that contradiction even though he was aware of it, or is he really unaware¡­.'' Around that time, Gio asked. ¡°By the way, why are seeds so expensive?¡± ¡°¡­Huh? Oh, seeds?¡± Realizing that the topic had shifted back, Yoo Sung-woon nodded and answered. ¡°Well¡­ because it allows you to farm. Whether it¡¯s tomatoes, lettuce, or whatever it is, once you start farming, you can at least take care of your own meals for the day. Even if not, you can sell them in the market to others and use that money to buy meat or various necessities¡­.¡± ¡°Most families that want to farm usually prefer wild seeds that can be found for free in ces like mountains, rather than refined seeds like this. Anyway, in many ways, seeds sold in stores tend to be quite expensive.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Well, for someone like you who lives close to nature, it might be hard to understand.¡± ¡°No, I understand.¡± ¡°Then that¡¯s a relief.¡± Yoo Sung-woon continued. ¡°Anyway, making seeds or seedlings by yourself is very troublesome, and the quality is lower. That¡¯s why there are speciality shops. If it¡¯s homemade seeds, that¡¯s one thing, but seeds sold by professionals like this are quite expensive.¡± The portrait then murmured softly. ¡°Farming¡­.¡± ¡°Did you ask me because you were interested?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Gio nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve done it a few times before.¡± ¡°Really? Before¡­¡± ¡°And with all the time inside the portrait, I also thought it would be nice not to keep my hands idle.¡± ¡°You have many hobbies. With painting and all, you must not be bored living.¡± ¡°To live a joyful life, there should be no time to be bored.¡± ¡°That''s true.¡± Understandable. ''To spend that infinite time, you must have a lot of hobbies.'' Gio maintained his consciousness cleanly enough to mistake himself for a human. There was no hostility or madness typical of monsters, nor the excessive indifference shown by the children of origin. He was overly blunt, but he still maintained enough intelligence to appear human. ''That''s not an easy feat.'' On the other hand, it was also pitiful. ''¡­ Living the life of the origin with a human mind must be quite tough¡­¡¯ It would be easier if he gave up his humanity. But from a gardener''s perspective, that was something that shouldn''t happen. ''The same goes from a human''s perspective.'' That delusion was something that had to be maintained tost for as long as possible. Yoo Sung-woon shrugged and shook off all his emotions, then he asked Gio with an easygoing smile as always. ¡°Then are you going to start farming now?¡± ¡°It seems so.¡± ¡°I guess there must be a ce to farm inside the portrait? That¡¯s amazing.¡± ¡°It''s just an ordinary cabin.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± A cabin. ¡°That sounds very peaceful.¡± ¡°It really is peaceful. The weather is always mild, the ground is soft with moisture, and there''s a clear stream flowing through the quiet, cosy forest.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s really¡­.¡± Sounded exactly like the story of the origin. ¡°¡­A ce I''d like to visit.¡± ¡°I will invite you someday.¡± ¡°I guess it''s not possible now?¡± ¡°The house is dirty, so it''s not possible now.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± Considering Gio¡¯s personality, the statement ¡®the house is dirty¡¯ is highly likely to be a lie, but anyway, he can¡¯t enter without the homeowner¡¯s permission. Naturally, Yoo Sung-woon had that much sense. ¡°Then enjoy your farming time.¡± ¡°Can I see you again tomorrow?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡­ Is it because of the return gift?¡± ¡°Now that I¡¯ve received so much, I have to reciprocate.¡± ¡°It''s nothing much, really.¡± ¡°Moreover, Mr. Yoo Sung-woon gave me good advice.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± Refusing further would only provoke him. ''Existences of origin have their own rules.'' The monsters in dungeons created under the influence of the origin have consistent habits and behaviours, and there were separate methods for interactions or attacks. In the case of ¡®children¡¯ closer to the origin, if they were strong, then their rules were at least as strong, or even stronger. ''He''s already judged to be a child of the origin. He would have high pride in his own rules, and even if not, physiologically, viting that would be impossible¡­ I can¡¯t refuse from my side.¡¯ The origin is nature itself. Just as a mere human cannot prevent a disaster, to coexist with nature, humans must learn humility and adjust to it. ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± Yoo Sung-woon awkwardlyughed. ¡°Please make it something not too extravagant.¡± ¡°Tea leaves weren''t extravagant either.¡± ¡°I guess so¡­?¡± For a child of origin, identifying items valuable to humans would be difficult. After a brief thought, Yoo Sung-woon spoke with difficulty. ¡°¡­ Then something delicious?¡± ¡°Are you asking for cooking?¡± ¡°Just snacks you gave to the employees you met before would be fine. You said you gave them things like chocte, cookies, and jelly.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. They were all kind, so I gave them gifts.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Judging from what he said, it certainly seemed that Gio gave gifts to ''kind people.'' Perhaps he judged all acts, such as being polite, facilitating conversation, and giving him gifts, as ''kind''. ¡°I think snacks like that would be fine.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± ¡°Oh, and by the way.¡± Yoo Sung-woon passed on what he had heard from the guild leader Bi Sa-beol. ¡°He said it''s okay for you toe out.¡± ¡°You used toe out of the portrait often. Since the employees were scared, you mostly appeared at dawn. I''ve been the only one you could talk to.¡± ¡°There was no need toe out.¡± ¡°But you might feel stuffy, so the guild leader Bi Sa-beol said that if you want, you cane out and look around thepany building. Here, an ess card.¡± ¡°I''ve never been employed by the Collection Guild. Besides you, Mr. Yoo Sung-woon, I don''t know anyone else, so is it okay for an outsider like me to wander around?¡± ¡°Important ces are off-limits, but I¡¯ve made it so that you can go to areas essible to general employees. If youe outter and run into other employees, you can show this card, it should smooth things over somewhat.¡± Though it would only be a rough excuse. ''Because of the high level of his soul.'' Still, for future treatment, having was more convenient than not having. Members of the Collection Guild were quick-witted, so they would be cautious on their own. The portrait looked at the white ne card handed over by Yoo Sung-woon. ¡°Well, you seem to have ways to move around even without it, but it would be morefortable for you to have formal ess, right?¡± ¡°If possible, I wish you coulde out in a time like now when there are no people, but ¡­. you cane out during the day if you don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°That''s a sufficient answer.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ and don''t hurt other people.¡± ¡°What should I do if I''m attacked first?¡± ¡°Then that can¡¯t be helped.¡± If a foolish human deliberately stepped on an angry tiger¡¯s tail and got eaten, that would be a natural death. ¡°I''m on neither side.¡± Yoo Sung-woon aimed to help the origin and humans coexist as much as possible, not unconditionally take the side of humans. A gardener always had to remain neutral. ¡°You attack too.¡± ¡°I can''t do that, so I''ll try to run away.¡± ¡°I''d appreciate it if you do so.¡± So, this was a sign of trust that humans could show. And as it has always been, he just hoped ''Gio''s Portrait'' with its 1:1 rule, would reciprocate appropriately. *** A monthter. A ghost story began to circte around Collection. ¡°It was a ck cloak.¡± There were no deaths. Bi Sa-beol''s gamble seeded. t/n: ess card get ?? guild map unlocked ?? city map we are one step closer to our potato gaining freedom to roam around the city ???? ? ? ? )? (not really) Chapter 18 If there is a most important ce in the Collection building, it is Bi Sa-beol¡¯s gallery. Since only dangerous and sensitive items are gathered, idents frequently ur. On top of that, there are those who target such rare artworks. Therefore, to prevent any human casualties, the security guards patrol inside the building even at thetest hours. That day was just another ordinary day patrolling the building at dawn. ¡°Huh?¡± Pure white walls. Pure white lighting. A pitch-ck man standing alone in a long, clean corridor. He was draped in a ck cloak from head to toe.His face was not visible. One could only tell that he was wearing a ck suit through the open front. ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°Excuse me, but please identify yourself.¡± There are a total of eight members in the dawn patrol team, and the floors from 1 to 10 are their responsibility. No other guard is assigned on the same floor. Therefore, that ck cloak must be an employee who stopped by the guild for a while because he had something to do at dawn, or an unknown outsider. But something felt strange. ¡°¡­Please identify yourself.¡± Really, something was strange. Yet he couldn¡¯t exin exactly what was strange. An eerie chill ran down his spine. ¡®¡­What is this?¡¯ The guild¡¯s building is always brightly lit for the patrolling guards or overtime employees. The corridors are cleaned frequently, so it was spotless, and the pure white marble walls are elegant and beautiful, as per the guild leader Bi Sa-beol¡¯s taste. So there was nothing to be afraid of. There is no shadow anywhere under bright lights like daylight, but that particrly pitch-ck being that stands out¡­. ¡°¡­Who are you?¡± ¡ªFelt as if it shouldn¡¯t exist. ¡°If you¡¯re an outsider, please show me your pass.¡± ¡°What brings you here at this hour? We haven¡¯t been informed of any other guestsing from the first floor. Unauthorized intrusion into the guild is considered a serious crime and¡­¡± ? ¡°¡­In the trial, it may be disadvantageously applied ¡­ you may experience inconvenience in appointing awyer, and may be suppressed by force without a separate process, so please note this point and answer the questions¡­ I ask of you.¡± Isn¡¯t it strange? The initial tiny oddity gradually grows bigger. The longer he observed, the more visible he looked, the greater the sense of incongruity, and soon, the guard realized. ¡®Why?¡¯ Why did he think that shouldn¡¯t exist? ¡®No, why in the first ce?¡¯ Why did he think that was ¡®that¡¯ while looking at a human-shaped being? The thought that something was wrong wouldn¡¯t leave his mind, and the confusion clung all over his body, making his consciousness disoriented. An eerie sense of alienation crept up his spine and slowly tickled his heart. It was a very slow and natural pace, like breathing in sleep. Under the hood of the pitch-ck cloak. As if nothing should be there under the pitch-ck cloth, a voice flowed out. ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°My name is Seo Gio.¡± A clear voice that seemed to be etched to his brain, and a distinct pronunciation that was impossible to misunderstand. Without even being able to resist, he thought it was a good voice. It politely asked, ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious about your name.¡± He couldn''t answer that good voice. ¡°Would you like to talk to me?¡± Because he could tell. ¡°¡­ I.¡± This is not a human being. ¡° It was neither a monster, an item, nor an illusion. ¡®¡­What should I do?¡¯ His breathing became heavy as if he had never had a way to breathe. The Collection guild had numerous incidents and idents, and he was an experienced guard, but he had never encountered such a being until now. A huge inhuman thing wore human skin while mimicking humans. If only the imitation had been clumsy, it would have been better. Like bizarrely moving ball-jointed dolls he had seen before, or a monster with a significantly low level ofprehension babbling nonsense due to imitation. ¡°Sir.¡± ¡°What is your name?¡± But that. It was perfect. ¡°My name is Seo Gio.¡± It looked like a perfect human being. Even so, paradoxically, He knew it could never be human. ¡®What nonsense is this¡­¡¯ He was so sure that the other party was not human, even though they lookedpletely human. Without any evidence, he defined the other party as neither a human, a monster, an item, nor an illusion. So, what on earth is that? ¡°Can¡¯t you hear me?¡± ¡°¡­Why are you asking my name?¡± ¡°The basic courtesy in a conversation is introducing oneself.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just being polite.¡± Polite? Exactly what human politeness it was imitating wasn¡¯t known. ¡° ¡°It¡¯s Park Na-gil.¡± He spat out his name like he was possessed, but he didn¡¯t feel his soul being taken away. However, the ck cloak seemed to be satisfied. That was the most chilling part, but he didn¡¯t even have the energy to show it. His breath was caught in his throat. ¡°Nice to meet you. I am Seo Gio.¡± Does that being know it just introduced itself as ¡®Seo Gio¡¯ several times? ¡®As if emphasizing that it is a human like us¡­¡¯ Soon after, the ck cloak pulled out and showed an unexpected item. ¡°I have an ess card.¡± ¡°¡­ This is¡­ a guest¡¯s ess card.¡± ¡°I have received permission to tour by Bi Sa-beol, the guild leader here.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so.¡± At least the guild leader knows about its existence. ¡®And he¡¯s condoning his actions.¡¯ But why on earth? The guard raised his head and looked at the ck cloak again. ¡°Is this a sufficient answer?¡± ¡°¡­Of course.¡± The voice was extremely businesslike. The typical rhythmic voice seemed to have an appropriate pitch, but when listening closely, it seemed to go back and forth between high and low notes. ¡®Even if he has an ess card, I should verify his basic personal information¡­.¡¯ Clearly, it was a male voice he was hearing, but as time passed, it became ambiguous to guess its age and gender. Even though it was right in front of him, he couldn¡¯t recognize it. All he could see was just a pitch-ck cloak and a figure of a body that was neither thick nor thin. Is there really something with a human form inside that ck cloak¡¯s shadow? ¡°Mr. Park Na-gil.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°May I look around here?¡± The guild leader allowed it. So, as a mere guard, he too should give a positive response, but his mouth couldn¡¯t easily move. It was because of the ominous feeling, as if promising the devil to be allowed to cause disaster. In the face of the gloomy, heavy, or chilling figure, the guard nodded with difficulty. ¡°¡­Of course¡­yes.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°If the guild leader has given permission, there is no problem with visiting as much as you want.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°¡­How long are you nning to stay?¡± The ck cloak answered after two seconds. ¡°Until the sun rises.¡± It was a chilling answer. ¡°¡­I see.¡± He felt like vomiting. He couldn''t understand why it was so creepy, where exactly the bizarreness was felt, and where this indescribable silence came from despite how they were currently having a conversation. This feeling of his cognitive abilities breaking down and his judgment getting buried in fog shook as if causing seasickness. It felt like he was facing something he couldn¡¯t handle. ¡®No, I am indeed failing to handle it.¡¯ It felt bothersome, as if he was interacting with something that he ''shouldn''t'' recognize. ¡°Mr. Park Na-gil.¡± Every time it called his name, his spine trembled. How should he describe the feeling of his body temperature dropping one degree every time, the feeling of all his blood vessels being grasped in someone¡¯s hand? ¡°Yes, yes.¡± ¡°Thank you for your kind response.¡± ¡°¡­ It was something I had to do.¡± ¡°You have a strong sense of responsibility.¡± ¡°It¡¯s amendable deed, I think.¡± It was strange. The ck cloak highly praised me, and despite that nauseating level of fear, he was so happy as if he could fly away. ¡®Am I crazy? Or is it driving me crazy?¡¯ Despite it being in an absolutely inappropriate situation, he was moved and felt proud of himself. He couldn¡¯t even figure out why he was feeling this way. Seeing him like that, the ck cloak extended its hand. ¡°It¡¯s a gift.¡± ¡°Please ept it.¡± The ck cloak handed over a small envelope, neatly wrapped in paper. It smelled intoxicatingly sweet. ¡°It¡¯s yours.¡± The bizarrely businesslike voice felt strangely friendly. ¡°I apologize for the inconvenience.¡± ¡°Oh, no.¡± ¡°Then, see you next time.¡± Is it leaving? The moment he raised his head with that intuition, his eyes¡ª ¡ªMet its eyes. Those eyes. Eyes. Eyeball. Iris, pupil, that round sphere. Inside that. That. That round thing. That. That. ck and white colours. Pitch-ck, or pure-white. Was it ck? Or was it white? Dark or bright. Shadow or light. Death or life. Connection or fate. The inside was too deep. Too deep. Too deep. It was so deep, it was scary, so deep inside. Deep. It felt like falling. Falling. Is it possible to get out? It¡¯s impossible. It won''t work. That¡¯s not an eye. It¡¯s not an eyeball. It''s not an iris, it¡¯s not a pupil No, it''s not, it can¡¯t be. It shouldn¡¯t be. It was clear that it wasn''t. It''s not. It''s not. It''s not, it''s not. It isn''t. ¡°Mr. Park Na-gil.¡± The moment he heard the extremely businesslike voice. ¡°Keep up the good work.¡± ¡­ He was dragged out. For a long time, he stood in ce. Even as the pitch-ck cloak moved, not a single rustling sound was heard, and even the bare feet without shoes didn¡¯t make a sound when they touched the smooth floor. It was strange that only the rustling sound of small creatures was heard. Even though that ck thing cannot be called a small creature¡­. Soon after, the sound subsided. Only silence remained. ¡°¡­ Where did it go? The guard moved his feet. Following the corridor where the ck cloak had moved, he headed to where the sound had stopped. It didn''t take long for him to reach the ¡®ce where the sound had stopped.¡¯ A portrait he had never seen before was hanging in the corridor. ¡°Ah.¡± It was a painting of a man with a serene face as if he were asleep, set against the background of a forest with a peaceful cabin. But his insides churned. He fled with slow steps. With exactly the same speed as usual. ¡ªHe didn''t have the courage to touch it. If he had to fulfil his duty as a guard, he would have reported and handled the unidentified work, but he couldn''t even think of that. As if he was bewitched, the guard simply left the spot. And the next day, the portrait was gone from the same ce. *** ¡°Have you heard?¡± Collection guild was originally a ce with a lot of ghost stories. It was all because of the guild leader Bi Sa-beol, who had a habit of collecting and picking up so many strange things, causing various incidents and idents. As a result, employees who have worked at Collection for over two years were not surprised by such ghost stories. ¡°ck cloak?¡± ¡°Yes, there''s a rumour going around these days.¡± ¡°It''s probably one of the guild leader¡¯s works causing trouble again.¡± ¡°That''s what I thought too.¡± It is a world where most ghost stories can be exined by monsters or items. In an era where fellow humans were scarier than ghost stories, rumours about ¡®ck cloak¡¯ were just a topic of conversation to pass the time. ¡°I heard he''s really handsome, I''d like to see him.¡± ¡°But they say you can''t see his face well because of the cloak?¡± ¡°For a work brought by the guild leader, he sure is shy.¡± ¡°At least he''s not causing trouble. No one''s been hurt, right?¡± However, as time passed, such a light atmosphere gradually became heavier. ¡°They say that the witness this time also took a vacation.¡± ¡°¡­Is it that scary¡­.¡± ¡°I heard he was originally going to resign, but the guild leader coaxed him into just taking a vacation.¡± ¡°If even the guild leader had to step in, isn''t the situation more serious than we thought?¡± Usually, this kind of ¡®ghost stories¡¯ were mostly resolved within a week. After all, the identity of these kinds of ghost stories was usually due to monsters or items that popped out from Bi Sa-beol''s artworks or mental skills triggered by them. It would be strange if it wasn''t resolved within a guild swarming with hunters. But now, that ¡®strange thing¡¯ was happening. ¡°No, why isn¡¯t this monster being suppressed like this?¡± What are the curators doing?¡± ¡°There''s talk that they couldn''t handle this monster either.¡± ¡°Then we should just throw it outside the guild¡­.¡± ¡°¡­I said something stupid.¡± Collection Guild operated a special gallery that could never be reced by any other ce. Dangerous items gathered from all over the world are regted enough to require direct intervention from the government. Where in the world could they throw away things Collection cannot handle? Another disaster was sure to ur. Until now, all incidents and idents had stopped at the level of ¡®ghost stories¡¯ before bing such catastrophes. ¡°But being unable to suppress it to this extent¡­¡± ¡°There were also rumours that it wasn''t being suppressed in the first ce.¡± ¡°Why is that? Wouldn''t it be better to destroy or seal it?¡± ¡°They know they won''t seed anyway, so they''re trying not to provoke it¡­.¡± ¡°Does it even get upset? That means it has that level of intelligence¡­ does it also have a consciousness?¡± ¡°The most credible rumour is that it''s a humanoid monster, so it probably has a consciousness.¡± ¡°Wow, this is driving me crazy. To do so much and then bring in a humanoid monster.¡± ¡°How many years ago was thest humanoid monster seen?¡± Bi Sa-beol had never once neglected a ¡®ghost story¡¯ like this before. He was someone who knew well how much efficiency increased when the employees felt secure. Yet, such a situation had arisen. ¡°Did anyone get hurt?¡± ¡°Not really¡­.¡± And as this situation continued. ¡°¡­Then there¡¯s no problem, right?¡± The employees began to understand on their own. ¡°There were no injuries, no deaths. Then why on earth is it a ghost story?¡± ¡°Essentially, ghost stories are strange tales ¡­ if it''s really just a rumour, then it makes sense.¡± ¡°Was it just a rumour? Since there are witnesses, it seems to exist, but it''s really strange.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying.¡± This is the ¡®Collection¡¯ guild. Every guild employee was a collection gathered by Bi Sa-beol himself. The realistic and cynical employees who matched his taste gradually calmed down on their own. ¡°Hey, seems like it was a lie after all.¡± ¡°There was someone who saw it, though?¡± ¡°Then it must have been an illusion skill or something.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Anyway, it''s not dangerous, right?¡± ¡°Maybe the guild leader secretly brought in a new employee.¡± ¡°Yeah, we don''t know all the employees. Didn''t something simr happen before?¡± ¡°It was just a quiet employee, but there was a rumour he was a ghost. Considering that, it seems like a possible story.¡± ¡°For things like this, it¡¯d be nice to give notice in advance, right?¡± ¡°The guild leader has a very unique personality, right? Let''s all understand.¡± ¡°That''s true. When will the new employee be introduced this time¡­.¡± The guild leader Bi Sa-beol was someone who cared deeply for his employees. If it''s a ¡®ghost story¡¯ that such a person would leave alone, it was certain it wasn''t that dangerous of an existence. Whether it existed or not, regardless of what its identity is, the employees trusted Bi Sa-beol. Bi Sa-beol himself knew that too. ¡°¡­Did you anticipate this?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Collection regained its peace. Even though nothing had been resolved. Chapter 19 ¡°That was dangerous.¡± Yoo Sung-woon said with a sigh. ¡°Although I agreed to it, seeing the employees gossiping about the ''ghost story'' made my heart flutter. It could have easily led to an internal strife.¡± ¡°Our guild members aren''t so narrow-minded that they would cause internal strife over a mere ghost story. Curator Yoo Sung-woon seems to have little faith in his colleagues?¡± ¡°It was too much of a gamble, trust and self-confidence. This was not a matter to be reassured simply based on trust among colleagues.¡± Though things had turned out well, it didn''t change the fact that it was a dangerous gamble. ¡°It''s like wepletely let loose an existence of origin whose identity we haven''t even properly grasped¡­.¡± They still didn''t know what Gio''s identity was. Really, somehow it still was. No matter how much Yoo Sung-woon searched through books, he couldn''t find anything simr. If they left it to the association for investigation, they might get an answer, but the probability was uncertain, and Bi Sa-beol wouldn''t allow that in the first ce.''He''s someone who puts so much care into what is his.'' What was certain, however, was that the ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait¡¯ was clearly a being strongly influenced by the origin. Gardeners and some humans who knew their existence called such monsters, items, skills or phenomena ¡®beings of the origin.¡¯ It was a vague term used because they were hard to define specifically. Although it¡¯s a bit embarrassing to admit as a professional in this era, ''Gio''s Portrait'' was exactly such a case. ¡°We almost released a catastrophe.¡± ¡°Well, Curator Yoo Sung-woon, what do you think Gio''s true identity is?¡± ¡°Are you changing the subject¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an ordinary question.¡± Yoo Sung-woon shrugged. ¡°I don''t know. Just like it''s always been.¡± Gio was different from the usual beings of the origin. ¡°First of all, it¡¯s highly likely that it¡¯s not a monster.¡± ¡°Indeed, they are hostile to civilization outside the dungeon.¡± ¡°Their hostility is instinctual. Like how humans freak out or want to kill a cockroach on sight, it''s a reflex. It''s not something that the monsters themselves can control¡­..¡± ¡°Even if they could, with that level of patience and judgment, they''d already be beyond the level of ¡®monsters.¡¯¡± ¡°For that reason, I judged it unlikely to be a monster.¡± Gio''s goodwilles from his affection for the species itself, so while it may sometimes feel indifferent or even merciless, that doesn''t mean it isn''t genuine. So it couldn''t be a monster. ¡°It''s showing apletely different pattern from monsters.¡± Yoo Sung-woon nodded. ¡°Of course, there are monsters that are friendly to humans, but strictly speaking, it¡¯s more of a love-hate rtionship than affection. If the deformity incident eleven years ago had been out of pure goodwill, they would have observed the humans¡¯ terror and helped to settle things.¡± ¡°But didn''t they say that they enjoyed it?¡± ¡°Some of them have no intention of understanding humans, and perhaps they just found the humans¡¯ reactions amusing. Though regarding this, since the incident was hastily resolved and left unsolved ¡­ I can''t say anything for certain.¡± ¡°That''s not what''s important right now, so let''s move on.¡± ¡°Um, and¡­.¡± Yoo Sung-woon rolled his dark blue eyes and continued. ¡°It¡¯s not an item either.¡± ¡°But there are items with consciousness.¡± ¡°The consciousness imbued in items is clearly created by humans. It has limits.¡± He added. ¡°You can¡¯t determine it with how human-like they can think¡­ it¡¯s about their essence.¡± ¡°Essence?¡± ¡°Gio created life, even if it was only in the portrait.¡± Yoo Sung-woon tilted his head after thinking for a moment. ¡°Perhaps the life created that way cane out of the painting. Although I haven¡¯t asked Gio for an answer, seeing as he himself cane out freely and can easily smuggle objects out of the painting, the possibility is high.¡± ¡°What if Gio draws a monster and ites out?¡± ¡°That seems possible. Even if it doesn¡¯t work, the fact that Gio himself cane out freely is already confirmed. Even if it was just an item instead of a monster, or if Gio were to bring out a contract creature he had subjugated with his soul, those alone would already be impossible to handle.¡± ¡°And mere items can¡¯t do that?¡± ¡°All items are created by humans. No matter how much we set aside our biases, only a highly intelligent monster could create them. Creating life is impossible for either humans or monsters, and the fact that its soul¡¯s level is iparable to that of humans has already been testified by numerous witnesses. It¡¯s not an item.¡± ¡°Aha.¡± Bi Sa-beol chuckled, as if finding it amusing. It was a really immature expression for his age. ¡°Then what about a type of skill? As for skills, it was proven long ago that souls can be handled. Although there is only one, there exists a user of a resurrection skill that can even bring the dead back to life.¡± ¡°That too is just manipting an existing soul, not creating a new one. Even if a skill capable of creating souls exists somewhere in the world ¡­ from the start, skills are intangible energy that can only be handled by intellectual beings.¡± ¡°You are saying Gio, who has form and consciousness, can¡¯t be a remnant of a skill, right? But what if he¡¯s just a kind of awakener who gained a skill that can turn himself into a portrait?¡± Bi Sa-beol said, waving his finger. ¡°Gio also called himself a 29-year-old young man and said he once lived in human society. If so, he could simply be an undiscovered type of awakened person.¡± Yoo Sung-woon shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s impossible.¡± ¡°Why? Mr. Yoo Sung-woon, who was the head of the association¡¯s research team, did you see something?¡± ¡°As one would see it, the guild leader would likely see it better than me ¡­ I just know a bit, that''s all.¡± ¡°Then what do you know?¡± ¡°Do you know why people with supernatural abilities are called ¡®Awakeners¡¯ in the first ce?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± Bi Sa-beol shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s not a field I¡¯m very interested in.¡± ¡°Seems like it¡¯ll damage your high self-esteem if you simply say you don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll damage a lot, considering I''m the head of one of South Korea''s top 3 guilds. Can you even imagine how expensive this tiny bit of pride is?¡± ¡°Of course it is.¡± Yoo Sung-woon let out a dryugh and continued. ¡°It¡¯s easy if you consider the meaning of the word ¡®awakening.''¡± ¡°1. To wake up ande to one¡¯s senses. 2. To realize and understand. 3. Toe to one¡¯s senses, carefully and be vignt.¡± ¡°¡­You say it¡¯s not a field you¡¯re interested in, but you sounded like a Korean dictionary¡­.¡± ¡°If I don''t even know the meaning of the word, then what¡¯s the point of bing a guild leader with just one appraisal skill?¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Of course it is.¡± ¡°So which one is it?¡± ¡°Well¡­ Anything is fine.¡± Yoo Sung-woon continued nonchntly. ¡°The important point is the essence.¡± ¡°That¡¯s interesting.¡± ¡°Regardless of what it means, awakening is a newposition from an existing state.¡± He propped his chin on his hand. ¡°Whether wake up ande to one¡¯s senses, straighten out an unfortunately twisted mindset, or mature internally to reflect on one¡¯s younger days¡­ it¡¯s a change happening within the originally existing person.¡± ¡°Aha, so?¡± ¡°An awakened person¡¯s skills are not a newly received ability, but rather abilities that were originally buried within their nature have awakened. Dungeons appeared, and new energies and resources not originally on Earth emerged, and along that, the environment changed, and humans evolved to adapt to these changes.¡± ¡°I think I read something simr in the centre¡¯s materials. So can I understand that it¡¯s like realizing the stone you originally had is a diamond, thanks to the new era?¡± ¡°More or less.¡± Yoo Sung-woon scratched the back of his neck. ¡°In that sense, Gio can¡¯t be seen as an Awakener.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± ¡°Even if he is an Awakener, it¡¯s just the awakening of the original level of his existing soul, not a newly bestowed one.¡± ¡°As expected.¡± These two didn¡¯t know it, but Yoo Sung-woon¡¯s statement had a w. Seo Gio had very, berry, crazily, unexpectedly merged with the origin during Earth¡¯s rebirth process, raising the level of his soul. This was a mutation with miraculous probability that is difficult to observe in such a small dimension as Earth. ¡°It''s a headache.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a troubling.¡± Of course, since at this point it was just 30 years after the Great Catastrophe, these two couldn¡¯t have figured it out. To those who were ordinary humans, ¡®Gio¡¯s Portrait¡¯ was simply a non-human being from the start. Bi Sa-beol, who was blinking his bright yellow eyes in thought, opened his mouth. ¡°Then what about calling Gio ¡®child of the origin¡¯?¡± ¡°I think that too ¡­ is a bit strange.¡± ¡°Please exin in what sense it is strange.¡± ¡°Most children of the origin can¡¯t be called rational. No, without even needing to consider the children, this applies to almost all beings born from the origin ¡­.¡± Yoo Sung-woon spoke with a reluctant expression. ¡°In short, beings of the origin can be described as ¡®living stories.¡¯ So they can¡¯t think. Even if they appear to think, it¡¯s an illusion; they aren¡¯t truly thinking.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°¡­Not entirely¡­ no. Even though I may be a gardener, this field hasn''t been fully understood yet. Yoo Sung-woon, who had been hesitating, continued again. ¡°However, I said this because all the children of the origin I¡¯ve seen so far could be viewed as nature itself.¡± There are often cases where humans with strong thoughts create a dungeon based on their own rules and be the boss monster there. But they couldn¡¯t be called ¡®children of the origin¡¯. ¡°Monsters are one of two things. Either they were born in a dungeon, or became monsters because they created a dungeon.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s different from ¡®children of the origin¡¯, beings created directly from the origin or identally aligning with its veins and appearing randomly in various dimensions.¡± ¡°It¡¯s always fascinating to hear about that.¡± Bi Sa-beolughed, his eyes narrowing like a snake. ¡°From my perspective as a hunter, the biggest secret in the world seems to be all about dungeons.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. There are still many people who can''t adapt just to the existence of the dungeons, but if they hear that dungeons are formed from a cosmic concept called the origin ¡­ their mind would shatter.¡± ¡°Even so, I''m always grateful to our gardeners. Shall I get you some coffee?¡± ¡°No thanks. I¡¯m fed up with caffeine.¡± Yoo Sung-woon openly grimaced. Already busy and frequently working overtime, but he recently had to consume all the caffeine he could find to converse with Gio, who only wakes up at dawn, to the point where he felt nauseous. ¡°Anyway, well, that¡¯s right. If anything, it would be much easier to exin Gio as a child of the origin. Besides that, there is no other way to exin it¡­ The origin is not a concept narrow enough for mere Earth beings to grasp in just 30 years.¡± ¡°Indeed, given that we haven¡¯t even fully grasped dungeons yet, we couldn¡¯t afford to explore deeper knowledge.¡± ¡°The association president still seems to be very interested, but I¡¯m not sure. It¡¯s still hard to say anything definite about Gio¡¯s true identity.¡± The origin is an ecosystem and nature. Just as nitrogen in the atmosphere can¡¯t understand humans, children of the origin inherentlyck understanding of humans. They simply survive in their own way, cultivating their own ¡®stories.¡¯ However, Gio was different. ¡°How that¡¯s possible¡­ I don¡¯t really know. But if he said he was human in the past, perhaps focusing on that point for investigation might reveal something¡­.¡± ¡°Even so, I don''t understand how a human could be a child of the origin. Even if he was human, it''s possible that he wasn¡¯t a human from Earth.¡± Many novice gardeners confuse ¡®monsters¡¯ and ¡®children of the origin,¡¯ but just because the two were formed under the great influence of origin doesn¡¯t mean they are the same. ¡°Monsters are born in dungeons, children of the origin are born from the origin. They can¡¯t be the same when they are born from different wombs in the first ce.¡± ¡°Roughly like the rtionship between an uncle and nephew?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I guess it should be somewhat simr.¡± The order is that from the womb called the origin, ''dungeons'' and ''the children of the origin'' are born, and monsters are formed from those ¡®dungeons¡¯. Usually, this is the flow that follows. ¡°If it¡¯s a humanoid monster or something simr, they would first create their own dungeons and then establish new rules or create monsters there, but such cases are rare¡­.¡± The terms uncle and nephew aren''t so wrong. ¡°There is also a talk that from the beginning, dungeons itself is one of the children of the origin.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± ¡°This part still requires more research. I can¡¯t say for certain. Anyway¡­.¡± Yoo Sung-woon looked at Bi Sa-beol. ¡°So, was it okay?¡± ¡°We decided to let such an unknown existence roam freely.¡± In response, Bi Sa-beol shrugged his shoulders. ¡°¡­ Didn''t we already discuss the answer to that earlier?¡± How on earth do you intend to not let that uncontroble, unknown existence be free? ¡°It''s not a monster, not an item, not an Awakener. But it''s too strange to be called a child of the origin.¡± ¡°It creates life, has a high level of soul, and there''s nothing it can''t do. It does everything by itself. As foring out of the portrait, it would be understandable if there were any limitations or conditions, but he does that freely and easily.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°How do you n to stop it? Is it even possible? We can''t handle even the gods we''ve gotten friendly with, so how do you n to stop ''Gio''s Portrait'' whose identity is even more unknown?¡± Bi Sa-beolughed and waved his hand. ¡°Ah, maybe if we took a human he cares about hostage, it might be possible.¡± ¡°Are you insane?¡± ¡°Naturally, I expected that kind of response. It¡¯s not to the taste of good-hearted people like us from the perspective of humanity, and from the start, we don¡¯t even know how effective this method would be. With Gio''s abilities, he could easily rescue any hostage ¡­ and that would only provoke his anger.¡± ¡°Do you understand?¡± He smiled pleasantly. ¡°We can¡¯t stop it.¡± ¡°¡­I know.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the difference with trying to stop a tidal wave with a very small child as a meat shield? If we can''t stop it anyway, we should at least avoid making it angry.¡± He smiled thinly. It was a smile that seemed to beforting a child who was upset, with also a somewhat elderly gaze. ¡°And as much as possible, it would be better to win his favour.¡± In the greatest fortune amidst misfortune, ''Gio''s Portrait'' is very gentlemanly, values politeness, and is also fair. If he receives something as a favour from someone, he¡¯ll return it with the same favour but with an even greater value. Perhaps that is Gio¡¯s ¡®rule¡¯. ¡°This incident was a kind of vination. A preliminary warning for coexisting with entities we can never handle. Fortunately, I know my employees very well, and they showed the indifference that matched my expectations.¡± ¡°¡­ The numerous ghost stories that have urred in the guild so far must have yed a part. They must have thought that there''s no need to tremble over a ghost story now when nothing had happened so far.¡± ¡°That''s exactly it.¡± ¡°This is ''Collection¡¯.¡± A ce managed by Bi Sa-beol, filled only with employees chosen by Bi Sa-beol, and brimming with works loved by Bi Sa-beol. That was South Korea¡¯s thirdrgest guild ¡®Collection¡¯. ¡°Remember, Mr. Yoo Sung-woon. ''Gio''s Portrait'' is not something we can control.¡± Thinking of fighting it was foolish. ¡°It''s a natural disaster, and fortunately, itmunicates with us and bears goodwill. That''s a truly incredible fortune, an unbelievable miracle beyond words.¡± ¡°Don''t foolishly waste this miracle thinking the fate of the earth is in your hands. We must be cautious, must be bold, and must always be kind.¡± ¡°¡­Did you buy Gio knowing this would happen? Since once he''s out of the auction house, he''ll be revealed to the world, did you preemptively prepare for the potential disaster that might ur in the process?¡± ¡°I see quite a lot.¡± ¡°I didn''t think it was an ordinary piece.¡± Following that, Bi Sa-beol smiled with a childish and yful expression. Dressed like a gentleman, it seemed out of ce, yet instead he actually seemed lively. He said, ¡°Because it was the only work I couldn''t read.¡± He was right. ¡°¡­I trust you, guild leader.¡± ¡°It would be difficult if you trust me too much.¡± ¡°To be exact, I trust your judgment.¡± He trusted those eyes. Since it was a sessful gamble in the end, Yoo Sung-woon decided to hold back his words. ¡°Even so, I still feel uneasy because I''m just a mere human.¡± ¡°How could you not, when you''re holding a talking disaster?¡± ¡°It''s like the feeling ¡­. just before a horror movie starts.¡± Ah, right. It¡¯s like that. ¡°¡­Maybe because it''s so huge in front of me¡­.¡± What can be done about a heart that shrunk in front of a giant? Humans are inherently such small beings. *** On the other hand, Gio, who had subconsciously merged with the origin and evolved into a haunted portrait on that day which was supposed to be Earth¡¯sst, which was something truly unbelievable, beyond shocking, and utterly impossible, a miracle among miracles¡ª ¡°This is the taste.¡± ¡ªWas farming. That means he had no thoughts. Chapter 20 ¡°Nice.¡± As always, this activity has been quite sessful. ¡°People need to sweat.¡± ¡°Coo?¡± ¡°Those who don¡¯t work, don¡¯t eat.¡± ¡°Coo coo coo¡­?¡± The sweet-colored waterfowl, Honey''s body trembled. At its cry sounded like it was asking, ''Then what about me who doesn''t work?'', Gio firmly shook his head. ¡°What are you worried about when you look so cute?¡± ¡°Coo.¡±¡°You''re already doing your part by being cute, so don''t worry about weird things.¡± Even though Gio lived thoughtlessly, he wasn''t an irresponsible author enough not to take responsibility for a creature he created with paint. As the son of Gio, a gourmet and glutton, Honey would never have to starve. ¡°Do you understand?¡± Honey was convinced and sprawled outfortably¡ª ¡°But get out of there.¡± ¡°Coor.¡± ¡ªIn Gio''s basket, no less. ¡°It¡¯s hard to take out the seeds.¡± ¡°Coooong.¡± ¡°Whom did you take after to be so stubborn?¡± ¡°Coo?¡± ¡°Me? You unfilial child.¡± Gio bent down and rummaged through the basket. Honey''s body, which had only a slight viscosity and was transparent water itself, wasn''t much of a problem, but the seeds were all mixed up because it yed with them. ¡°This¡­.¡± ¡°¡­ Seems like eggnt seeds.¡± Fortunately, Seo Gio,ing from a mountain vige in Gangwon province, could identify the seed types just by looking at them. It wasn''t because it was something everyone from Gangwon province could do, but because Gio himself was sincere about farming. Gio, who enjoyed farming from a young age, stood up with the eggnt seeds and ced them in holes he had dug in advance. ¡°Is it time to nt potatoes now?¡± ¡°Cooo?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± There was a briefmunication error, but soon Gio realized what Honey was curious about. ¡°Dad didn''t mean to nt dad.¡± ¡°Cooon?¡± ¡°Potato is a nickname. It''s like a second name.¡± There was an anecdote where his mother, who loved potatoes, saw the fetal ultrasound photo and said, ¡®It looks like a potato,¡¯ and so she named the fetus ¡®Potato.¡¯ Then, when the grandmother saw the newborn Geo, she nodded her head and said, ¡®She only ate potatoes, and now she¡¯s given birth to a potato.¡¯ ¡°All the adults called me a potato, so I thought I was a potato until I was four years old.¡± Maybe that''s why he grew up so healthy and harmless. ¡°Well, that''s enough.¡± ¡°Cooorr.¡± ¡°You should grow up healthy, too.¡± The Seo family had respected the free will of new life for generations. After a few days, Gio finally seeded in nting all the seeds Yoo Sung-woon had given him. From potatoes and sweet potatoes to corn, which are famous famine relief crops, it seemed impossible to starve to death now. ¡°Well, it would be harder to starve to death with this body.¡± ¡°Cooorr..¡± ¡°Even if dad is starving, dad won''t eat you, Honey.¡± The crops were nted in the garden behind the cabin. ¡°Actually, at this point, it''s awkward to call it a garden.¡± Although it had only grown a bit, it was still nevertheless a garden. Since it wasn''t asrge and vast as the fields of those who farm for a living, Gio had his own justification. Anyway, it was indeed a vegetable garden. Gio was a great adult who couldpromise with reality. ¡°Then let''s go back.¡± ¡°Coocoo.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll need to try the syrup I made.¡± It was time for the fruit syrup he had made earlier to ripen. ¡°Since sweet and sour goby fruit mixed with sour and bitter drought jars, thebination is excellent.¡± What was worrying was whether the quantity of both bnced well, but it didn''t bother him much. With his extensive solo living experience, at some point Gio had developed his grandmother''s touch in cooking. ¡°Even though I only used rough estimates and visual measures, there''s no way I would get thebination of what I''ll eat wrong.¡± As if to match that confidence, the ss jar already emitted a pleasant aroma. ¡°Hmm.¡± Gio entered the kitchen and blinked as he looked at the cupboard where the fruit syrup was stored. ¡°Since I''ve sweated after a long time, should I drink it as a cold tea?¡± ¡°Cooor?¡± ¡°I sweated in my mind.¡± Honey pointed out that Gio''s body doesn''t actually produce waste such as sweat, but anyway, didn''t he work? Humans who work should drink cool and refreshing tea to boost their work efficiency. ¡°Then I''ll have to get some ice from the storage.¡± Pigs don''t hesitate in front of food. Without even bothering to wipe off his nonexistent sweat, Gio immediately headed down to the storage. The ice storage filled with all sorts of food ingredients naturally had ice. In every corner of the storage room, which almost looked like a cave and was so vast that it was impossible to tell where the ice ended, shattered ice could be seen. ¡°Is it a bit cold?¡± As he opened the heavy door and entered the storage, Honey stiffened. ¡°Co, coooo.¡± ¡°If it''s too cold, you can stay out¡­ oh.¡± ¡°¡­ Are you frozen?¡± Seeing Honey turned into transparent ice, Gio showed a slight, intense reaction despite his expressionless face. Despite being in a frozen state, Honey shook his body once and tidied up his fur. ¡°Coong.¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°Coo.¡± ¡°Did you evolve?¡± ¡°Coooou.¡± ¡°Just as I evolved from a human to a haunted portrait, there''s no reason why a waterfowl can''t turn into an ice bird.¡± At first, he thought Honey had died when he suddenly turned into ice, and then he was surprised again at how fluidly he moved despite being ice, but as long as there were no issues, then it didn¡¯t matter. Honey was still cute even when frozen, so it¡¯s alright. ¡°Moving ice birds seems quite interesting.¡± ¡°Cooooooooooor!¡± ¡°Seeing you happy pleases this father''s heart too.¡± Honey, resembling his creator and born without a sense of crisis, was just very happy with his transformation. Even though it''s a bird created with a body made of water, he wondered if it was supposed to freeze so quickly, but given that Gio himself had turned from a human into a portrait, he wasn''t particrly surprised. ¡°Since when have we obeyed thews of physics?¡± Life was really fun, having ignored thews of physics. ¡°First of all, the ice¡­.¡± ¡°Coo cooo.¡± ¡°Over there, huh? Thank you.¡± Honey''s wings, which had be ice, did not fold back as one on his body like before. Perhaps because he had gained feathers or other body parts he didn''t originally have, he informed him of the location of the ice and then busied himself tidying his feathers. It seemed like a special trait of birds, to constantly preen their feathers. ¡®When it was water, it was a bit less active.'' Leaving Honey on his shoulder, Gio slowly strolled through the ice storage. It was cool. ¡°Haa¡­.¡± His breath came out. A breath thick enough to be seen at a nce. This indicated that it must be quite cold, yet Gio didn''t feel the chill, nor did the food ingredients freeze. It was unclear whether the ice storage was fooling Gio, or if he and the food ingredients were stronger than the ice. ''I guess it''s thetter.'' Gio lowered his head and looked at the floor. He murmured. ¡°It would be a disaster if it broke.¡± He could see the ice floor, which was like the abyss. ''It seems like a solid ice block, but it''s transparent as if there''s ake underneath the ice.'' The floor was very transparent. The ice that had frozen very slowly was not opaque but as clean as ss, and such ice covered the floor entirely. Gio couldn''t even gauge its depth. It was slightly smooth, had a soft blue glow, and asionally, light patterns sparkled from within. These lights would shine like fireflies for a few seconds before disappearing, making Gio curious about their identity. ¡°Are they some kind of inhabitants simr to forest butterflies?¡± ¡°Coo?¡± ¡°Or they might just be glowing moss or bacteria.¡± They didn''t move. They merely shone briefly and then vanished. They resembled faint starlight. It was a dreamy scene. ¡°The colour is also simr to ciers.¡± It didn''t smell strongly of the ocean, but the transparent blue ice floor, with unknown depth, reminded Gio of ciers. Though he had never actually seen the ciers on Earth, he imagined this might be what they looked like. Gio lifted his head to take in the view of the entire ice storage. ¡°Where on earth did this icee from? It¡¯s all ice everywhere.¡± He was curious every time he saw it. ¡°This ice storage is located far down from the first floor of the cabin. So, perhaps there was groundwater beneath the cabin.¡± Then that would create a contradiction. ¡°Right, it doesn''t make sense for groundwater beneath such a forest with a mild climate to be frozen solid like this.¡± That is what made it all the more mysterious. ¡°Nice.¡± It was interesting. ¡°It feels just like a fairy tale¡­.¡± He liked it. Gio moved his feet with his usual expressionless, blunt face. Honey, having already adapted to his body that no longer spread out like before, flew around therge, cave-like ice storage with a happy cry. It was like a scene straight out of a movie. As Gio walked for quite a while through the cave made of ice, he was able to find what he had been looking for. ¡°Yes, right. It was here.¡± It was ice that had grown like stgmites in a cave. ¡°This seems good too.¡± ¡°Coo?¡± ¡°It''s just like a cave.¡± Though it was absurd, the ice storage also looked like a limestone cave made of ice. It was uncertain whether the water was flowing from somewhere, had melted, or if there were even underground water veins like those of a tree. In various ces in the ice storage, water was dripping, and perhaps due to the low temperature, it would sometimes form lines or create pirs like this. ¡°Typically, limestone caves are like this. Water containing high amounts of lime drips down, slowly building pirs on the cave floor, with water droplets sshing here and there, creating coral-like protrusions, or¡­.¡± ¡°Here. They will remain pearl-like like this.¡± These are actually called cave pearls. ¡°Of course, these aren''t cave pearls but should be called ice pearls¡­.¡± Doesn''t this make it feel like a real cave? A magnificent formwork created by nature. Ice Pearl A pearl in the form of ice that naturally urred in the ice storage beneath Gio''s cabin. A transparent pearl with a faint, mother-of-pearl-like lustre, and is edible. Melts at high temperatures like actual ice, with no scent or taste. Refinement Method: when melted and consumed, it shows great effectiveness in stabilizing mental disorders such as depression and mania. ¡°Let¡¯s take this.¡± Regardless of its effects, it supposedly tastes like actual ice, doesn''t it? ¡°Cutting and taking that huge ice bamboo shoot would be a hassle.¡± ¡°Coocoo.¡± The ice bird Honey flew and swallowed one of the round ice pearls. Gio couldn''t help but admire its swift action. ¡°Are you eating it? Like a pig?¡± ¡°Cooooooooo!!¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s a misunderstanding. If it sounded like I was saying something, it was a huge misunderstanding. Dad likes pigs.¡± Having spent most of his life growing up under his grandmother''s care, Gio shared some of her tastes, one of which was not being able to leave skinny people alone. In that sense, it was actually a happy thing if Honey, who could be called his child, became plump. ¡°Kids should eat a lot and grow up quickly.¡± Turn into a pig, zap. ¡°Then let''s go up now.¡± ¡°Coococoo¡­.¡± ¡°I actually quite like it, pig.¡± ¡°Cooooooo!!!¡± ¡°Kids are supposed to be chubby to grow up wellter.¡± Soothing Honey, Gio came up from the ice storage and headed straight to the kitchen. A good scent was already emanating from the fruit syrup he had taken out from the cupboard in advance, and he was already looking forward to how delicious it would be. He took out a clean ss and scooped two spoons of the fruit syrup into it. ¡°It really smells nice.¡± The more the goby fruit was dried, the stronger its scent became, but even without drying, going through a kind of ripening process seemed to also further amplify its aroma. The goby fruit, moistly soaked in sugar and infused with its aroma, produced a uniquely refreshing sweet scent. ¡°Even the drought jar seems to have a citrus aroma, maybe because it is a fruit within the citrus family¡­.¡± Should he say it has the bitter and sour scent unique to lemon peels? ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± The fruit syrup in the ss itself had artistic value. Having absorbed the sugar entirely and generously released its juice, the fruit syrup shone with a glossy sheen. The pulp of the goby fruit had turned into a soft, jelly-like form, and the drought jar, which had its thin membranes peeled off one by one, hardened slightly and spread out enough for its grains to be visible. ¡°Now, adding the ice pearls here¡­.¡± ¡°Coocoocook.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the pearl you had earlier. Put it back.¡± ¡°Coo?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t refuse.¡± Before he knew it, Honey, who had turned back into water, was about to perform the bizarre act of vomiting up the ice pearl he had just swallowed, but was stopped by his father¡¯s authority. It wasn¡¯t like it was penguin milk or anything, so he didn¡¯t expect it to go that far. ¡°Now, gently stir it and¡­.¡± Clink, clink. The ss and ice pearls made a clear sound as they collided. ¡°¡ªThe fruit tea isplete.¡± ¡°Coook.¡± ¡°Are you a chicken?¡± ¡°Cooo.¡± ¡°I can''t tell what you are.¡± The finished fruit tea was so beautiful that he wanted to paint it. The scarlet tea shining through the ss was very transparent despite its deep colour. Whether it was due to the effect of the ice pearls, the sparkling blue light he had seen in the storage kept shining and disappearing like shooting stars, and in between, pieces of full-moon and crescent-shaped pulp could be seen. Taking a sip as it was¡­. He felt a heavenly vour. ¡°¡­Delicious.¡± It was a vour and savoury taste that he had never tasted before. The scarlet tea water was smooth and cool, with a sweetness that felt too strong initially, but a gentle bitterness followed soon to politely settle it down. The intense sourness of the drought jar, when mixed with the goby fruit and sugar, felt like the cute whining of a child. ''I like the texture of the pulp too.'' The goby fruit, stripped of all its juice by the sugar, felt like jelly. It was simr to konjac jelly in a way, but much more soft and pliable. It had a soft yet strangely stic texture, like a grape with all its skin peeled off. The drought jar had a popping vour, just like the pulp of grapefruit or orange. It seemed like it had lost its juice to the sugar, simr to the goby fruit, but it felt slightly more firm. However, it wasn¡¯t an unpleasant hardness. The grains that spread gently in the mouth delivered a pleasant texture. ''The taste and aroma are all mixed together, making it hard to distinguish, but ¡­'' The tea liquid, which shows a vour like soup, is by no means one-dimensional. The fruit pieces add pleasure to the texture that could otherwise be monotonous. And there is a strange transformation that softly melts on the tongue. That small change probably came from the lights trapped in the ice pearls. ¡°¡­Popping candy?¡± It wasn''t particrly bursting or popping like fireworks, but the blue light dots scattered between the tea liquid added a subtle savoury vour. There was a tongue-pleasing sensation that couldn¡¯t be described as simply sweet or salty. It was a fruit tea that made one¡¯s mouth water for no reason. ¡°Cooooo?¡± ¡°It''s perfect for a gift.¡± Thinking it was plenty, he thought of packing up a little. ¡°I should give it to Mr. Yoo Sung-woon.¡± The desire to share one''s own cooking is a grandmother¡¯s instinct. And having grown up up hearing from his life mentor, his grandmother, to ''live generously,'' Gio wanted to fatten up Yoo Sung-woon. Chapter 21 ¡°Gio.¡± 4:29 AM. Yoo Sung-woon called the portrait. ¡°Gio, are you awake?¡± ¡°I¡¯m awake.¡± ¡°That''s great.¡± Although he called knowing he usually woke up around this time. ''Even if there are days when he skips, the time we canmunicate is usually between 4 and 5 AM ¡­. I¡¯ll have to watch the situation more, but it''s better to think of this too as a rule.'' This ''Gio''s Portrait'' is friendly to humans, but no being of origin shows mercy to a human who breaks their rules. Even if it looks gentlemanly enough to seem almost human, one has to be careful.¡°I¡¯d like to talk to you.¡± ¡°Do you have any business with me?¡± ¡°I heard you¡¯ve been wandering around thepany buildingtely. There are a lot of rumours.¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious about what kind of rumours it is.¡± ¡°I''m not sure if you''ll like it¡­ but they call you ''ck Cloak.''¡± Yoo Sung-woon continued with his characteristic easygoing smile. ¡°I heard there''s a rumour that ''the ck Cloak gives gifts to good people.''¡± They were guild members personally recruited one by one by the sharp-eyed Bi Sa-beol. Regardless of theirbat abilities, their thinking skills weren''t bad. They have figured out ''ck Cloak''s'' rules in their own way. ¡°It seems you gave gifts to other people again this time?¡± ¡°I did not give them to everyone.¡± ¡°I know, you gave them to those who were particrly polite or kind, right?¡± There was amonality among those who received gifts from Gio. ''Either too weak, or too strong.'' He could guess it to some extent. The very weak people trembled in fear at the sight of him, so Gio probably gave them gifts as an apology, and the strong onesmunicated rtively well in front of Gio''s presence, so Gio would¡¯ve probably judged them as ''polite.'' Gifts of apology or gratitude. It was a result that fit the 1:1 rule. ''On the contrary, those who were neither received no gifts.'' Those who were moderately strong enough not to shed tears with runny noses but not tough enough tomunicate properly in front of a great presence did not receive gifts. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± To prevent possible idents in advance, he thought an exnation was necessary for this part. ''Since Gio is imitating a human, he''s not so rough thatmunication is impossible.'' Well, how could one define a being of origin as gentlemanly? ''This much should be okay.'' Yoo Sung-woon opened his mouth after mentally preparing himself. ¡°If someone among our employees doesn''t answer you properly, runs away, or avoids answering¡­ it doesn''t mean they''re bad people. They''re just a bit scared.¡± ¡°Wouldn''t anyone be afraid if a big, unidentified person wearing a ck cloak suddenly appeared in the corridor at dawn when no one was supposed to be there?¡± Yoo Sung-woon deliberately described Gio as if he were an ordinary person. Since Gio thought of himself as an ordinary human, there seemed to be no good in revealing his soul''s level or his true nature. ¡°Of course, it may feel rude to you. But I¡¯m saying that those people didn''t intend to be rude to you on purpose; they might have just found it a bit overwhelming because they were timid.¡± Soon, a calm voice was heard. ¡°I understand what you mean.¡± ¡°Really? Then thank you.¡± As a curator and gardener, Yoo Sung-woon couldn''t help but worry. ''It''s natural for a rabbit to shrink in front of a wolf, but if that''s judged as rude and evil, things can get pretty difficult. If not careful, innocent people might end up dying.'' To a being of origin, human standards are meaningless. In particr, since ''Gio''s Portrait'' is sensitive to good and evil and manners, the problem was that Gio''s standards might differ significantly from those of humans. Someone not particrly wrong or even good from a human perspective could be a severe evil from the perspective of a being of origin like Gio. It was terrifying considering how Gio had expressed his dislike for rude and evil people multiple times. ''When I found out that there were people who didn''t receive gifts, it really sent shivers down my spine.'' Doesn¡¯t that mean Gio was ''distinguishing'' humans? ¡°You, right. You said that Bi Sa-beol, the guild leader, wasn''t a bad person, right?¡± ¡°Yes, that''s correct.¡± ¡°All employees in thispany were handpicked by that person. Not just through job postings and select them throughrge-scale interviews, but they were carefully scouted one by one.¡± ¡°That must have taken a lot of time and effort, it¡¯s amazing.¡± ¡°I wanted to say that even though our guild employees aren''t necessarily kind, they''repetent and good people.¡± In a world like this, it''s hard to find someone who hasn''tmitted any crime, but at least those handpicked by Bi Sa-beol were not evil enough to be called viins. ¡°Even if they don''t have particrly good personalities, they''re just ordinary people.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­Would it be too presumptuous to hope that you don''t view them negatively?¡± No one knows exactly how Gio distinguishes good and evil in humans. ''But just as humans have appraisal skills¡­ Gio certainly has his own criteria for judgment. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have outright decided that guild leader Bi Sa-beol, whom he hasn''t even talked to, isn''t a bad person.'' Contrary to Yoo Sung-woon''s thoughts, Gio had no way of determining the ''safety'' of the other person beyond the frame yet, unless he was in the portrait. The reason some received gifts this time and some didn''t was simply because Gio gave gifts as a concept of reward whenever he thought ''Oh, thank you'' or ''Oh, I''m sorry.'' There was no particr value judgment involved. However, unaware of such circumstances, Yoo Sung-woon couldn''t help but suspect Gio''s appraisal skills. ''I hope the criteria for his skills aren''t too harsh.'' Bi Sa-beol said that this ghost storymotion was a kind of vination. It is to give the human beings of this world a chance to understand and care for him so that the natural disaster known as ''Gio¡¯s Portrait'' that can neither be dealt with nor controlled, can adapt to this world and respect its members. Therefore, Yoo Sung-woon had no choice but to try various methods. ¡°What do you think?¡± Fortunately, or perhaps naturally, Gio replied with a blunt face as always. ¡°I didn''t think of them as bad people.¡± ¡°Did you?¡± ¡°The only reason I didn''t give them gifts was because I judged they wouldn''t need them, and some people ran away before I could do anything. I didn''t think they were evil.¡± ¡°I simply thought there was no need to give them gifts.¡± That was a really fortunate story. ''At least he didn''t judge those people as rude and evil. There was a reason why there were no casualties despite the increasing eyewitness ounts.'' Just as he was about to feel relieved, Gio continued. ¡°I do have a bit of resentment towards those who ignored or ran away without answering my questions.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°But I understand. As you said, an unidentified man in a ck cloak appearing suddenly in a deserted corridor could certainly be quite terrifying. It would be a lie to say I wasn''t displeased, but I don''t intend to get angry.¡± Gio, who said so, added an exnation. ¡°But as I am also a person, I can¡¯t help but feel negative emotions.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve tried to converse politely, but it hurts me when such things keep happening. I really hope the employees here don''t ignore or avoid ''ck Cloak'' like this.¡± ¡°I''ll talk to the guild leader about that.¡± Yoo Sung-woon swallowed his awkwardness with difficulty. ''¡­So he was angry after all.'' It was just at the level of ''not a bad person,'' not that ''they weren''t rude.'' Even an ordinary person would be angry if people around him rejected him, moreover Gio, a being of origin who thought of himself as a human. Even if he mistakenly thought of himself as a human, there was no way he wouldn''t be angry at humans who vited his clear rules. ''No matter how much ¡­ we can''tpletely subdue the fear of the ghost story. Since his soul level is so high, it''s natural for the humans standing in front of him to be intimidated. Then at least we should create new rules within thepany building to regte the employees'' behavior.'' After a brief contemtion, Yoo Sung-woon nodded. ¡°¡­We have a close-knit rtionship centred around the guild leader. Since the guild leader personally brought each and every one of us, the employees have a strong attachment to him.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°To ensure that the difort you felt does not continue, I will try to improve it as much as possible by talking to the guild leader. If the guild leader insists strongly, I believe other employees will understand.¡± ¡°If you could do that, I would be grateful.¡± As he said that, Gio was holding a ss bottle he had never seen before. No, that¡¯s not right. Wait a minute. ¡®A jar?¡¯ It was a jar, not a bottle. It was sorge that it had to be held with one arm rather than one hand. ¡°¡­What is that?¡± ¡°I would say it¡¯s a thank-you gift for listening to myints and requests.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t even finished the cookies you gave mest time.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°Ah¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not angry. I was just curious as to why there is still some left when it¡¯s such a small amount. Can you answer me?¡± If he were an ordinary human, he might think, ¡®Is he being sarcastic and actually angry?¡¯ but Gio was clearly a being of origin. It seemed like a pure question, so Yoo Sung-woon answered with an apologetic face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it''s just that when I eat it when I''m tired, it''s so effective that I''ve been eating it sparingly bit by bit. I didn¡¯t finish it not because your gift was ufortable or didn¡¯t suit my taste.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no reason to apologize to me. I gave you a gift, and it is now Mr. Yoo Sung-woon¡¯s. You don¡¯t need to make excuses for me. I¡¯m just d that it gave you strength when you were tired.¡± ¡°Since you said it that way, I actually feel honoured instead¡­.¡± Yoo Sung-woon looked at the ss jar in the portrait. ¡°So, what is that?¡± Gio took his hand that was wrapped around the jar and showed it to him. ¡°It¡¯s fruit syrup.¡± ¡°¡­That?¡± ¡°It¡¯s clearly fruit syrup to anyone who sees it.¡± ¡°Ah, I see¡­.¡± Anyone can tell that it''s not fruit syrup. ¡®¡­Is that really fruit syrup?¡¯ Although fruits and sugar were expensive ingredients and notmonly eaten, Yoo Sung-woon was a capable hunter. With his considerable ie, there was no way he had not tried the fruit syrup that even second-ss citizens could buy. ¡®But it¡¯s ¡­ very different from the fruit syrup I know.¡¯ It had the colour of twilight. Should it be called scarlet, which is close to orange? The transparent and clean liquid shimmered like the surface of a gem, and inside it, reminiscent of the evening glow, was a deep colour so vivid that it was almost dazzling. ¡®Something simr to fruit is settled inside, but¡­.¡¯ The colour was so enchanting that it didn¡¯t seem like it could be eaten. ¡°This is ice that goes well with it.¡± ¡°¡­It looks just like pearls.¡± ¡°It¡¯s called ice pearls. Mr. Yoo Sung-woon seems to have the insight to get the name right on the first try.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. Insight¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s ice that doesn¡¯t melt unless it¡¯s at a high temperature, so if you want to consume it, I rmend melting it in hot tea.¡± Wow. He can feel it. ¡®I don¡¯t think I can handle this.¡¯ The first time he received tea leaves from Gio and asked him to ¡®refrain a little,¡¯ he got cookies in exchange for the seeds. That too was not ordinary. The immense fatigue recovery effect made it impossible to eat them all at once, resulting in the current situation. ¡®But this time, there¡¯s a lot more.¡¯ Gio seemed to enjoy cooking and seemed to be quite generous. It seemed that this entity of origin didn¡¯t know how small a human stomach was. ¡°Please take it.¡± ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t this too much?¡± ¡°Please eat a lot. It would be good if Mr. Yoo Sung-woon gained more weight than now.¡± ¡°As for me, I¡¯m on the sturdy side.¡± Although he had never seen his body directly, judging from the outline of the cloak, Yoo Sung-woon had more muscle mass than Gio. But to tell him to gain more weight here? Yoo Sung-woon found it hard to understand. ¡®¡­Wait a minute, does he mean ¡®flesh¡¯ when he said weight?¡¯ Was Gio a monster that ate humans? ¡°I¡¯m not tasty.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a funny joke.¡± ¡°I meant it.¡± Fortunately, it didn¡¯t seem like he had the mindset of a cookie house witch fattening humans up before eating them. ¡®It¡¯s not for humans to judge what kind of aesthetic tastes an entity of origin has.¡¯ Perhaps Gio liked the look of slightly chubbier humans. Despite having such a perfectly bnced body himself, it was a bit odd that he preferred to see plump people. It was hard to understand what kind of background story this entity of origin had. ¡®¡­Come to think of it, all the gifts he¡¯s given are food, and he said he enjoys cooking or eating when he¡¯s bored. He seems to really like food in various ways. He also likes seeing people with a bit more weight¡­ and he has an unusuallyrge hand¡­ and he likes giving gifts¡­.¡¯ This guy, is he a grandmother? ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± ¡°Ah, sorry. I was just thinking about something else for a moment.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Fortunately, Gio didn¡¯t ask further. ¡°This is a gift in response to your kindness, so I do not require anything in return. More than anything, the newlybined fruit syrup seemed to have ripened deliciously, so I wanted to share it with all of you.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I see.¡± While nodding calmly, Yoo Sung-woon thought to himself. ¡®¡­Does he know he¡¯s bound by some rules?¡¯ Gio''s words just now seemed to imply that ¡®If I''m going to give you a gift, I must receive something.¡¯ Perhaps that one-to-one rule wasn''t something Gio himself had created. ''Or maybe he had created it but had forgotten.'' At that level, if only the memory of a 29-year-old young man exists, it was a usible hypothesis. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll take it since you¡¯re giving it to me¡­.¡± Yoo Sung-woon used his appraisal skills while looking at the fruit syrup. Honey of the Water Vein Rank: ¨C Fruit syrup made with Goby fruit and drought jar that grew on the water veins of fate. It has a scarlet hue and a characteristic sweet and sour vour with a deeply savoury taste. Processed directly by Gio, the owner of the forest, it can even be consumed by the human body. Drinking it after diluting it in water can restore human physical abilities to their limit. It is particrly excellent for malnutrition. If the ice pearls that naturally grow in the cier beneath Gio''s cabin are added, it¡¯ll have an excellent effect in restoring physical and mental functions. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it smell good?¡± ¡°You¡¯re really good at cooking.¡± It would be okay if it was a little less good. Chapter 22 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 arge ss jar in his hand. Bi Sa-beol, who was visited out of the blue, was also immediately attracted by therge 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 ced 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 cookiesst time?¡± ¡°If I eat too much, I can¡¯t sleep. Even if we¡¯re cogs in a capitalist society, ves 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 d 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 particrly 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 bing mummies could be saved.¡± ¡°To be weed 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 nd 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 bes known to the public, the government will impose regtions, 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-beolughed 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 circting 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 vignce 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 alsocking.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just like nibbling on the watermelon rind.¡± ¡°The fact that there are few people who can detect the origin also ys 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 ce, and if you don¡¯t touch it, it won''t get angry¡­¡± Yoo Sung-woon sighed. ¡°Although Iined 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 sayst 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, isposed 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 overtimetely.¡± ¡°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 ce, 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 arge 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 iplete.¡± Employees who met the so-called ¡®ck 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, in such a way. ¡°So the name of the portrait is ¡®Gio,¡¯ not ¡®Seo Gio.¡¯ Then, isn¡¯t that different from his own im?¡± ¡°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 be 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 be 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 ying 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 ur.¡± ¡°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 ur 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 be 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 iplete. Regardless of whether his essence rted 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 nonchnce with which he could dismiss his transformation as, ''I was human, but after dying anding 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. Bing a portrait from a human in the first ce 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 simr context, he didn''t even think that Yoo Sung-woon would be curious about his past. ¡°Even though he calls himself human, Gio naturally epts 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-d 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 tomit 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 tribtions in life were nothing more than the menu for three meals a day. In the first ce, 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¡ªit''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 thepany soon.¡± The portrait where Gio stayed was too alien to be called a ce 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 willst 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 camouge 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 be 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 ufortable. 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 regting 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. Chapter 23 Meanwhile, Gio was deep in a very mundane dilemma. A truly mundane dilemma. Sinceing to this world, he hadn''t drawn andscape painting even once. ''No, it wasn''t never.'' Come to think of it, there was a time when he created ake for Honey and his fellow waterfowl, but that was all. Strictly speaking, that was just adding another essory to this world, not a properndscape painting. Then, a question arose. ¡°Fruits, buildings, animals¡­.¡± He could paint them all. ¡°Then, what aboutndscapes?¡±What would happen to the world I paint? While still holding onto his doubts, Gio continued to paint. For now, about three pieces. *** ''Breathing Sea'' Searching¡­ ¡­¡­. ¡­. ¡­¡­. This dimension exists Entry possible ¡­¡­. Suitable person confirmed Synchronization possible ''Animal Kingdom'' Searching¡­. ¡­¡­. ¡­. ¡­¡­. This dimension exists Entry possible ¡­¡­. Suitable person confirmed Synchronization possible ''Void City'' ¡­¡­. ¡­. ¡­¡­. This dimension does not exist. Would you like to register? *** You have 3 unchecked notifications. ¡°What is this?¡± Please check the new notifications. Gio felt it. ''A premonition of enjoyment.'' After finishing farming, new content appeared with ghostly timing. Nightwork is a sacred act that symbolizes the free spirit and thepanion of an artist. Gio, who painted all night,pleted a total of threendscape paintings. ?? ¡°Hmm.¡± Seeing that there were three notifications, he had a rough idea. He felt good as if he had received a Christmas present wrongly delivered on Chuseok. ¡°Good adults are always rewarded eventually.¡± ¡°Coong?¡± ¡°Where is there a person as good as dad in the world?¡± ¡°Cooooo¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s indeed absurd to trust the rtionship between a father and son. Howmentable.¡± Gio, with a solemn face, skillfully babbled nonsense as he checked the system notifications. And then asked. ¡°Where can I find help?¡± Yes. He couldn''t interpret it. ¡®I know it¡¯s rted to the three paintings I finished yesterday.¡¯ Gio painted the seandscape first, a wildernessndscape the second, andstly a cityndscape where no one was there. ''Breathing Sea, Animal Kingdom, Void City¡­ I''ve never named them like this before.'' It seems perhaps the system must have given them on its own. ¡°The system seems to have known my naming skills and snatched away the opportunity to name my works ¡­ But even so, what does ¡®this dimension exists¡¯ mean?¡± Directly speaking, it sounded like there was a real dimension consistent with thendscapes Gio painted. ¡°To have the ability to discover a dimension, I wonder how it is possible as a human.¡± Though of course, for the newly evolved New Gio as a portrait, this could have been possible. With humans evolving into paintings, human standards could be temporarily left beside the Andromeda. ¡°Tada.¡± Afterpleting his stunning rationalization, Gio continued his above Sherlock Holmes deduction. ¡°Since they said entry is possible¡­ It seems that there are real dimensions among the paintings I made, and I might be able to enter it directly.¡± Thisrge-scale update was unexpected. In the first ce, human life did not seem to have such diligent management, but it could be said to be a very encouraging change. ¡°It¡¯s nice.¡± A fresh soul of Gangwon Province that doesn''t walk the same path as others. Gio epted and cheered for the unique challenge that he was going to take on his own, even though he hadn''t even thought about it. ¡°But there¡¯s something I still don¡¯t understand¡­.¡± He couldn''t understand the words ''suitable'' and ''synchronization.'' ¡°I wonder what is suitable, and what synchronization?¡± ¡°Coo?¡± It¡¯s cute, but one shouldn¡¯t be fooled. That didn''t mean ''Really?'' but ''How should I know?'' ¡°Right.¡± Gio nodded. Judging by that impure gaze, it seems like puberty has arrived, but seeing how he still responds consistently to his dad''s words, he could see just how diligent of a son Honey is. There may be bad paints in the world, but there were no bad paintings. Honey was like that. ''What a remarkable thing.'' Gio, who was checking the system window, soon discovered a new list. List of Suitable Person Anyone could see that it was the right answer. ¡°Let¡¯s see.¡± Breathing Sea_Giovanni Synchronization Rate 0% Animal Kingdom_Argio Synchronization Rate 0% What was this. Exnation: Suitable Person ¡°You have a conscience.¡± Suitable Person A way to understand unfamiliar dimensions more conveniently. Among the existing beings in the indicated dimensions, the ones corresponding to ¡®Gio¡¯ were named as ¡®suitable person¡¯. If you get the consent of the suitable person, you can borrow their soul and body to easily understand and travel through the dimension. ¡°What are you going to do if I still don¡¯t understand? I wonder how you¡¯ll react.¡± But he understood. ¡°So if there is a ¡®suitable person¡¯ in the existing dimensions, you can move around in that person¡¯s body¡­.¡± This ce does a good job. I''m not sure about the thoughts of the so-called suitable person, but from the user''s perspective, it was a very thoughtful structure. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know about culture in that dimension, and most of all, there might be bacteria that don¡¯t fit my current body. Even though we breathe air on Earth, in another ce we might be breathing something like nitrogen.¡± In that sense, getting help from a ''suitable person'' would have been a convenient choice. ¡°The criterion for finding that suitable person would probably be that the other person is ''Gio''¡­¡± The names on the list gave him a rough idea. Breathing Sea_Giovanni Synchronization Rate 0% Animal Kingdom_Argio Synchronization Rate 0% ¡°Maybe these people were also called ¡®Gio¡¯.¡± Anyway, is it suitable if the name has ¡®Gio¡¯? ¡°¡­No, if that were the case, they wouldn''t have used a term like ''suitable person.'' There must be other conditions, and because there are more, they must have deliberately made a list and managed it carefully.¡± Perhaps they were checking the synchronization or adaptation potential with Gio himself. ¡°It¡¯s fun.¡± He liked it very much. ¡°I¡¯ll never get bored for the rest of my life.¡± The amount of updated data is so huge that he doesn¡¯t even know if he can enjoy it all within his lifetime. ¡°An update on a dimensional scale?¡± It was truly amazing. However, even after this long exnation and analysis, there is still one step left. ¡°What is the Void City?¡± ¡®Void City¡® This dimension does not exist. Would you like to register? ¡°Does this mean I created a new dimension?¡± That sounds truly crazy. ¡°I can hear the sound of my life bing more splendid from here.¡± It was very nice. Gio never thought deeply. This time was no exception. Of course, if world peace, friendship, and love are at stake, he would think deeply about it with the pure heart of a young mountain boy who hadn¡¯t been spoiled by time, but this doesn''t really motivate him much. Gio looked like someone who would only drink espresso every morning, but he actually had the taste of an elementary schooler who would spit out bitter things and swallow sweet ones. ¡°Hmm.¡± His ultimate positive mindset did not falter at the mere act of creating dimensions. ¡°Just because I¡¯ve created a new dimension doesn¡¯t mean that any nuclear power nt on Earth will explode in a second.¡± That was it. ¡°Honey, you agree as well, right?¡± ¡°Cooooo!¡± ¡°Then that was really it.¡± With the consent of his family, there was no further hesitation. Even though it was on a scale that had never been experienced before in life, such minor information could not prevent the growth of the deep-rooted tree called Gio. Gio was a portrait with conviction. ¡°Life is amazing.¡± As one lives, new content always emerges. ¡°I¡¯m not human if I don¡¯t enjoy this content right now.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re silent, but Honey, trust this dad.¡± Gio was confident. He was very confident that he¡¯d enjoy it. ¡°Life is a hurricane.¡± As Gio moved his tongue and spoke freely, he chose ¡®Giovanni¡¯ as the suitable person from the list. It was because the name was often used in Italy on Earth, so it was familiar for no reason. And Gio¡­. ¨DPlop. ''Plop?'' ¡­. Was left alone in an operating room. Honey, who should have been on his shoulder, was gone. Sadness came flooding in. ''I''m lonely.'' No, what kind of situation is this. Due to the system¡¯s trickery, Gio found himself in an operating room that one would expect to see in 18th-century Europe and muttered to himself. ¡®I was just amazed by the system¡¯s god-like management skills and vast content not even 30 minutes ago, but what is with this careless delivery service?¡¯ He was hurt by the system''sck of consideration. The system should have asked Gio''s opinion again and kindly informed him of the move before proceeding. While Gio was wondering where the customer satisfaction centre was to file aint, he noticed that someone was standing in front of him and stopped his fussing. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Startled by the sudden presence of someone, Gio momentarily felt embarrassed. Though he didn''t know who he was, the person had stealth skillsparable to Senior 007. ¡°¡­ Hello?¡± At that moment, while Gio was lost in a ridiculous thought about a ¡®fantastic self-introduction¡¯ like in 101 Dalmatians, the first person to speak was the man who appeared to be in his early 30s who seemed to be the owner of the operating room. ¡°Nice to meet you, I''m Giovanni of the Ban family.¡± ¡°¡­ I ¡°Yes, I know. You can call me Giovanni, Sir.¡± The person had a kind and trustworthy smile that suited him well, and remarkably, he looked very simr to Gio. Gio thought that perhaps if he was a Westerner and aged a little bit more, he might look just like that. And Gio bravely couldn¡¯t hold back his questions. ¡°You look very much like me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure we''re simr in many ways.¡± ¡°I can''t smile as kindly as you do. I''m not good at smiling at all, so I''ve been misunderstood a lot.¡± ¡°It''s a cute and honest concern, just like the students I used to teach. It''s okay, from now on, you''ll be able to smile like me.¡± Giovanni, who had said those meaningful words, soonughed with a little awkwardness. He was an adult who seemed much more cheerful than Gio. ¡°Sir Seo Gio seems to be a very straightforward and affectionate person.¡± ¡°I think the same is true for Mr. Giovanni. Seeing how youplimented me upon first meeting, I feel that you¡¯re a kind person from the way you think.¡± ¡°To affirm the light of another is something that the priest of the sun should do. There''s no need to talk about being kind or not.¡± ¡°¡­ Pr Priest? ¡°¡­This ce looks like a hospital, weren¡¯t you a doctor?¡± ¡°I¡¯m also a doctor. Being a priest of the Sun doesn''t mean I must only chant scriptures in the temple. There are many priests like me who go outside and perform activities.¡± ''Giovanni'' who said so, soon let out a sigh. ¡°No¡­ there were many.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°My world was submerged and destroyed by seawater.¡± Ah, all of a sudden? ¡°Isn¡¯t the fact that Mr. Giovanni¡¯s homnd was destroyed too deep of a topic for someone meeting for the first time ¡­.¡± ¡°Listen.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll listen.¡± ¡°Now, the only thing left in that world would be the mermaids hiding under the sea. Our has shrunk and be regrized like a game board.¡± ¡°Like a game board?¡± ¡°I believe it turned into¡­ what they call a dungeon.¡± ¡°Do you know about dungeons?¡± ¡°It was a concept that didn''t exist in our world originally, so I didn''t know about it until I died.¡± Judging from the way he spoke, it seemed like ''Giovanni'' was already dead. ¡°But I found out the moment you called me, Sir Seo Gio.¡± ¡°We are the same ''Gio''.¡± He spoke while still wearing a gentle smile. ¡°But it is by no means we are the same person.¡± ¡°Can I consider you as me in a parallel world?¡± ¡°No, that''s not true. We are justpletely different individuals who miraculously share many things inmon.¡± ¡°Simr faces, simr voices, simr skills¡­ but our souls are by no means the same colour.¡± Gio thought for a while and asked. ¡°Do you like drawing? After all you''ve said, I''m really curious if your tastes are simr to mine.¡± ¡°It¡¯s one of my secret hobbies. I really enjoyed drawing seas that resembled mermaids.¡± ¡°Seas that resembled mermaids¡­¡± They even shared the same taste in drawing. That alone made Gio recognize that they were the same ''Gio''. ¡°I want to see it.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see it soon.¡± A voice filled with gentle confidence. Gio couldn''t help but feel a question arise from that soft yet resolute tone. ¡°I know I''m taking your soul and body. Aren''t you afraid or resentful? I''m just robbing you of everything for the sake of exploring a new dimension.¡± ¡°This isn''t robbery. In the first ce, I already died, my soul had returned to the Sun¡¯a side, and my body had be earth and was buried in the ground¡­ well, it didn''t exactly be earth or get buried either since even thend must have been flooded by seawater now.¡± ¡°Isn''t this sound like one of those dark jokes where old people say ''I''ll die soon, so no need to buy anything expensive¡¯? You may not mind, but I do. You seem to have forgotten that we''re meeting each other for the first time.¡± ¡°Hahaha¡­.¡± Giovanni, whoughed as if he had just told a hrious joke despite it wasn''t funny at all, soon continued. ¡°My soul will be one with Sir Gio¡¯s. You might call it a sort of resurrection or reincarnation. I''ll merge into you, spend more time, build memories, and live within the origin that way.¡± ¡°¡­ The origin?¡± ¡°It''s probably still a strange concept to you.¡± He gave a gentle smile. ¡°But you are already living there.¡± ¡°Are you saying that the ce where I reside is called the ''origin''? I''ve recently heard about it from a new acquaintance.¡± ¡°Actually, even that was probably the name given by people on Earth. No one knows what it''s truly called, or what rules and form it has. As a humble soul, I merely respond to the call and respond to you.¡± Soon after, Giovanni opened his mouth, looking somewhat apologetic. ¡°If possible, please take care of the Sun God. To be precise, the Sun God from the world I was in.¡± ¡°I can''t believe such a request to take care of a god came from a mere humble soul. You''re making quite the joke again, though it''s not very funny.¡± ¡°I thought the same when I was alive, but without the origin, even gods are forgotten when they have no followers. The Sun won''t cease to exist, but as his son, I can''t help but be concerned.¡± ¡°How can I take care of God? I¡¯m just an ordinary human being.¡± ¡°Just remember him, talk to him from time to time, or borrow his strength. As a priest of the Sun, I swear on my honourable soul that it won''t be too much of a burden for you.¡± Gio nodded. ¡®He said God, but to summarize, does it feel like visiting elderly people who live alone?¡¯ Gio, who had been an art teacher, often volunteered since his university days. Some of those he encountered were elderly people with unfortunate stories, growing old alone. Thinking about it this way, Gio was a career person. His confidence which had been shrinking at the mention of god returned. ¡°I¡¯m good at that.¡± ¡°Haha, that¡¯s a relief. I ask this of you then.¡± ¡°Is there anything else you want?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it burdensome just to ask you to take care of God?¡± ¡°It was burdensome just before, but not now.¡± In the super-duper ageing society of the remote mountain vige in Gangwon province, Gio was the only child. At the very least, he was confident in entertaining the elderly. Feeling such confidence, ¡®Giovanni¡¯ hesitated and opened his mouth. ¡° ¡°Aria?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my student¡¯s name.¡± ¡°The story has be quite long.¡± His tone was still gentle, but now it carried a hint of sadness. ¡°Please give her an end.¡± At that moment. Gio returned to the cabin bed. ¡°Cooo¡­.¡± Breathing Sea_''Giovanni'' ¡°It''s okay.¡± Giovanni''s Quest ¡°Dad is okay.¡± Communication with the Sun God (0/1) Ending for the Little Mermaid (0/1) ¡°Really¡­.¡± Synchronization Rate 1% ¡°It''s okay.¡± ¡°There''s no problem.¡± It was a strange feeling. With cold running through his entire body, pain cutting through his bones, and even sadness far greater than that, Giovanni cried without even knowing why. He couldn¡¯t remember anything. He cried like that until the moon set and new sunlight came¡­. ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t regret it.¡± With swollen eyes, he smiled. He was happy. t/n: Giovanni uses ???, while Gio uses ?. I keep ??? as ¡®Sir¡¯ and ? as ¡®Mr¡¯ mostly since I started this series. Senior 007 means James Bond if anyone doesn¡¯t know and needs to search it first to know (like me). you know when I first read this chapter, I kinda let out a speechless scream, like daaaaaaamn¡ªI love love LOVE how I literally can¡¯t predict what will happen in this story, and it went in an amazing direction too aahh!!! I never like westernizing names unless it was a European setting or something simr, so this series is probably the only one I chose to use ¡®Seo Gio¡¯ instead of ¡®Seo Jio¡¯ because of this chapter. the foreshadowing of this series is crazy huhuhu I live for it. there are so many details in this chapter it was so damn good AGHH. Chapter 24 ¡ºNew Employee Notice¡» Recently, there has been an unpleasant disturbance within the guild rted to a ghost story. Since the internal confusion has yet to settle, we are notifying everyone so that all employees may be aware and avoid causing further disruption. ¡­¡­ ¡°What should I write?¡± Bi Sa-beol sat in front of the monitor, pondering for a long time. ¡°¡­ Let''s make it fun.¡± He soon moved his hands. The name of the man in the ck cloak is Gio. Gio is a member of the early morning shift. Do not ask about his identity.¡­. *** ¡°Gio.¡± As usual, Yoo Sung-woon called out to Gio inside the portrait. ¡°Are you awake?¡± ¡°Yes, I am awake.¡± ¡°Then I have a proposal I''d like to make.¡± Even while maintaining aposed demeanour, Yoo Sung-woon observed the other party closely. He was about to make an offer to a being of origin. He had to understand the weight of it. ''And I know it all too well.'' Originally, beings that lived within the origin didn''tmunicate well with humans. Something as simple as sneezing from afar could be perceived as a terrible insult, andughing during a conversation might bring them sadness. Beings of origin had their own set of rules. Their rules, from a human''s perspective, were extremely irrational and unpredictable, so one must never treat them from a human¡¯s perspective. ¡°By any chance, do you not want toe outside? I¡¯m saying this on the premise that if you want to¡­.¡± Continuously observing and analysing was the only means to survive. ¡°You seem to be unaware much of the outside world. Like the incident with the seedsst time.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, Mr. Yoo Sung-woon. I don''t know much.¡± ¡°That''s why I was asking if you''d like to take a tour. I''ll cover all the necessary items and expenses, and of course, I''ll be there to guide you.¡± ¡°You will guide me?¡± ¡°Yes, all you need to do ise with your body.¡± Although it was carried out with Bi Sa-beol¡¯s permission, smuggling an entity of origin whose nature was still unclear outside was a bold gamble even for Yoo Sung-woon who was known for his audacity. ''¡­Still, there''s no need to worry too much. Worstes to worst, I''ll just say he''s a new hunter from outside the city.'' As long as Gio maintained his gentlemanly attitude, there wouldn''t be a significant problem. Of course, not knowing Gio''s true nature meant that he might interact with something in reality regardless of his intentions. But that didn''t matter. If something was bound to happen anyway, it was better to know in advance. ''Even if there''s a little damage.'' As Yoo Sung-woon waited for a response, the gloomy, noble-looking portrait soon opened its mouth. ¡°A tour, huh.¡± Although he thought he had gotten used to it, a shiver still ran down his spine. The portrait¡¯s tone remained disturbingly blunt. ¡°Very well.¡± ¡°¡­ Really?¡± ¡°When would be a good time?¡± The answer came quicker than expected. ''I thought he might attack me, saying I was trying to pull him outside.'' Gio was a portrait. From his perspective, trying to bring a painting into reality might be considered an insult. But thankfully, it seemed Gio didn''t care about such things. ''Maybe because he''se out a few times before on his own ¡­. In that case, it was a good thing that I had taken measures beforehand so that Gio could move freely.'' Pausing his thoughts, Yoo Sung-woon replied. ¡°Let''s make it Tuesday morning, two days from now.¡± ¡°Will you be able to call me then? The flow of time here and outside seems to flow a little differently, so I''ll need your help.¡± ¡°That''s no problem. I''ll call you in two days, so you can take your time and get ready then¡­¡± After thinking for a moment, Yoo Sung-woon took out a small timer. ¡°I''ll leave this on the floor here, so you can check it like this. I''ll set it to ring three times at 8 AM in two days. It''ll be easier for you to keep track of time this way, right?¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°No need to thank me.¡± Yoo Sung-woon inwardly sighed in relief. ''¡­He readily epted the offer. As expected, Gio is moremunicative than other beings from the origin. Of course, since he''s not human, there are moments of misunderstandings ¡­. but it''s safe for the most part.'' The portrait seemed to think the conversation was over and closed its eyes. Yoo Sung-woon also didn''t hold on to Gio any longer. After all, they''d be spending all day together in two days, so there was no point in exhausting each other now. Moreover, Yoo Sung-woon had a lot to prepare for the tour with Gio. ''I should probably book one of those hotels exclusively for trainers. I don''t intend to treat Gio as some sort of contracted beast, but those kinds of hotels are well-prepared for any emergencies.'' Given the risks, careful preparation without making Gio feel ufortable was necessary. ¡°¡­But then again, when was it ever not like this.¡± Bi Sa-beol''s stance was firm. He wanted to observe how ''Gio''s Portrait'' interacted among humans. Even if there were some casualties, as long as it wasn''t a massacre of more than fifty people, he would cover it up. ''It''s a wise decision.'' Gio coulde out of the portrait at any time he wanted, with no restrictions or conditions. If something was going to happen anyway, it would be better for Yoo Sung-woon, the curator and gardener, to observe by his side. But this world, where human life was treated like an insects, never ceased to feel tiresome. ''¡­Even if these aren''t people from outside the city, but those from within, guild leader Bi Sa-beol said he could handle it. As long as the casualties are less than fifty people, it''s fine, and even if it happens, it would be okay as long as it doesn''t reach the media.'' Of course, it would be much better if they finished the tour without anyone dying. ¡°I''ll just have to trust in Gio''s gentlemanly demeanour in this part.¡± Yoo Sung-woon mumbled softly as he left the guild. Even though Gio reacted quite simrly to humans, he couldn''t be at ease. Even humans could act normal one moment and then throw a tantrum at lunch the next day. There was no guarantee that beings from the origin wouldn''t have such duality. ''I''ll definitely look into one of those hotels¡­ and maybe set the tour route to ces where it could be handled in case of an emergency. Gyeongbokgung Pce is nearby, so there should be plenty of sights to see.'' Since he had chosen to use the name ''Seo Gio,'' showing him something Korean might not be a bad idea. ''I think the Gyeongbokgung Pce¡¯s night market opens after 6 PM. Since it¡¯s a tourist attraction in the Jongno area, there will be many hunters wandering around. If anything happens, it''ll be easy to ask for help under the guild leader Bi Sa-beol''s name.'' Was it due to the constant overtime work or the growing worry? His head felt a bit foggy. ''I''ll have to think about how to introduce Gio by then¡­'' However, if an ident did happen, seems like it would be better to voluntarily report it to the association. Since the association president was aiming for it, they probably weren''t entirely unaware of ''Gio''s Portrait¡¯ either. Yoo Sung-woon sighed deeply as he stepped outside. ¡°This is a headache.¡± No breath escaped his lips. Yoo Sung-woon muttered to himself, somewhat pointlessly. ¡°¡­ Man, this is why working for a bigpany is the best.¡± Scratching the back of his head, he resumed walking. Though the overtime was inevitable, he still had enough stamina. ''I''d better get things ready soon.'' He hoped everything would go smoothly. *** After finishing his conversation with Yoo Sung-woon, Gio returned to his bedroom. Yes, it was Gio. Fortunately, Gio had returned to his original personality after briefly bing ''Giovanni.'' ¡°Hmm¡­¡± His state as ''Giovanni'' didn''tst long. He was just flustered by the unfamiliar transformation he experienced for the first time, but once he figured out the trick, he could return to his usual self. ¡°It''s not that hard.¡± By focusing his mind, he could switch back to being Gio. ¡°Like blowing your nose.¡± In this way, Gio came to understand this new rule. ¡°Meet the suitable person, gain their consent, and carry out their quest as you travel through that world.¡± And one more thing, ''synchronization.'' This part wasn''t particrly difficult either. ¡°It progresses much faster when I have Giovanni''s personality, but even if I don¡¯t synchronize the personality, the synchronization rate itself is gradually increasing.¡± asionally, he would be Giovanni without realizing it, but apart from that¡­ ¡°Once the synchronization begins, it seems like it can''t be stopped.¡± Though he had never experienced it before, it felt like recalling a past life he had forgotten. Even though it was clearly said that he was a different person, Gio didn''t feel as though he and Giovanni were separate individuals. Thus, Gio had organized his thoughts within a few days. ¡°I''ll never have such an extraordinary experience again in my life.¡± ¡°Coo?¡± ¡°It¡¯s rare to have an experience that feels like the left and right brain are acting separately.¡± Now, he could be both ¡®Gio¡¯ and ¡®Giovanni¡¯ at the same time, and it wasn¡¯t difficult to change his personality depending on the situation and his mood. He felt Giovanni''s emotions. ¡®Though the memories aren''tplete.¡¯ Perhaps because the synchronization rate was still low, Gio couldn''t recall all of Giovanni''s memories. It felt like following Giovanni who had forgotten his past due to amnesia, but even that was enough for him to understand what kind of person he was. Giovanni was very warm-hearted, gentle, and possessed a soft charisma that couldfort and lead people. He had an ambition for peace but valued the daily life with those around him even more. That was ''Ban Giovanni.'' After blinking twice, Gio murmured in a small voice. ¡°Is this really okay?¡± Yoo Sung-woon suggested a tour. ¡°They seem scared of me.¡± Though he didn''t dwell on it, Gio wasn''tpletely oblivious. ''It can''t just be because I''m a big, ck-cloaked man that people are scared of me.'' Yoo Sung-woon seemed to be exining it in a roundabout way, as if worried Gio might be shocked, but Gio understood. The current Gio must have been a bit excessively frightening to ordinary people. ''As expected, it seems there''s an issue with the resolution since I''m roaming around in the body of a portrait.'' Or maybe this was the true power of the haunted portrait¡ªthe ability to turn even harmless things into something terrifying, a power that changed the genre to horror-thriller just by existing. ¡°People outside seem to find me scary.¡± ¡°Coo.¡± ¡°It''s embarrassing, but I''m not entirely displeased, so don''t worry.¡± Although he had no such intention, it felt like being part of a hidden-camera horror prank. He felt a little sorry, but honestly, he found it more funny than ufortable. But there had to be limits to that. ¡°If it disrupts the tour, that would be problematic.¡± It wasn''t just a solo tour, but a tour where he was entirely reliant on someone else''s money and guidance. If he looked this intimidating without any solution, it would inconvenience Yoo Sung-woon, who was apanying him. ¡°This is a tour I''m enjoying myself with a reliable guide like Mr. Yoo Sung-woon. It''s rare to have such an experience on someone else''s money.¡± ¡°Do you think money justes from the ground? I bet the prices have gone up even more now. Dad doesn''t have any money.¡± Oh, wait. Comining to a child about being broke might negatively impact the child¡¯s development. Gio btedly added. ¡°Of course, if Honey wants something, Dad will buy it all for you.¡± ¡°Coo?¡± ¡°We shouldn''t waste, but as long as you enjoy what you buy, it won''t feel like a waste.¡± Besides, here it felt like money might juste out of the ground. If drawing a painting could bring roasted sweet potatoes, why wouldn''t moneye from digging the earth? ¡°But anyway, it¡¯s not like that outside the frame. Honey, listen carefully. If someone offers you something delicious, you should run over and eat it right away¡ªthat''s what makes one a true pig.¡± Personally, he hoped Honey would get plump. If he had be plump¡­ ¡°¡­Coo¡­ rrrrr¡­ rrrrr¡­.¡± ¡°There''s no need to be so angry, is there?¡± ¡°Coooorrrrrrr¡­.¡± It seemed he didn''t like that. ''What a pity.'' A plump bird is the epitome of cuteness, but it seemed the self-disciplined waterfowl didn¡¯t seem to think that way. ''Judging by the way he adorns himself with gems, he¡¯s quite the picky one.'' Anyway, that was what Gio was concerned about. He needed to make himself look more harmless. ¡°I want to look so harmless enough that I could pass for an ordinary passerby, but at this point, I''m already a harmless talking potato, so I don¡¯t know what more to do. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve reached the limit of harmlessness.¡± When he was alive¡ªthough he had never really died¡ªback when he worked as a teacher, Gio often heard people say he had a ¡®scary look¡¯, but it was never to the point where it would make someone cry in fear. ¡°Since aside from my talent for growing healthy wherever I was ced, back then I was practically a corpse.¡± But now, Gio was being treated like an urban legend, simr to the ¡®Red Mask¡¯. Though no one directly told him so, he got the rough idea by judging by how everyone he met looked terrified. ¡°Seeing how everyone struggled with their perception of me, it''s definitely¡­ a resolution issue.¡± ¡°Coooor.¡± ¡°I think there must be some kind of problem because I''ve transitioned from a painting into reality. But I''m not an engineer, so¡­.¡± And Gio had already received a solution for that issue from the system. tip. Resolution Solution Please apply ''Gio'' ¡°This must be referring to the suitable person.¡± Perhaps because ¡®Giovanni¡¯, who was synchronizing with him, was still treated as a human rather than a portrait. When he activated Giovanni''s personality, he noticed his body felt slightly heavier. Unlike before, he needed to use the bathroom, got hungry, and required a certain amount of regr sleep. ¡°So, if I go outside as Giovanni, people won''t be scared.¡± Feeling Honey''s lukewarm gaze, Gio nodded. ¡°It''s called having a split personality.¡± He needed to be harmless for now. Gio acknowledged his excessiveness under Honey who kept staring at him. ¡°¡­ Well, I admit, even I think split personality is a bit far-fetched.¡± ¡°Coo.¡± ¡°If I may offer an excuse, I honestly didn''t mean to cover it up like that.¡± It was a tour kindly suggested by Yoo Sung-woon. A trip that he would enjoy with his help, and they would be going around together, so he didn''t want to cause unnecessary inconvenience. ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t necessarily have to act as ¡®Giovanni¡¯, as long as the synchronization is in progress, there¡¯s room to adjust. Even if I act as I normally do, people might not be as frightened.¡± ¡°Coo?¡± ¡°Of course, I still need to be careful. If I''m careless, the resolution issue might resurface again, even during synchronization. But this alone is a significant gain.¡± This was something he confirmed with the help of the dawn patrol guards within the guild. ¡°I''ve been making various attempts so Mr. Yoo Sung-woon wouldn¡¯t find himself in such a troublesome situation.¡± For example, a situation where hispanion unexpectedly develops a split personality. ¡°¡­Well, anyway¡­.¡± Gio who had been lying sprawled on the bed, got up. ¡°¡­Now, it''s time to take care of our elder¡¯s meal. Honey, let''s go.¡± ¡°Cooorrrrrr!¡± Honey nodded vigorously in agreement, and the small bird fluttered,nding on Gio''s shoulder. Gio picked up the 77 colourful sandwiches he had prepared in advance and moved to the studio. The ce where his footsteps stopped was in front of thendscape painting titled ¡®Breathing Sea¡¯, andscape painting of the sea. Now, it was time to open this tightly shut door. ¡°Do you want to build a snowman¡­.¡± ¡°Coo.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Copyrights are important, after all. Recalling ¡®Winter Kingdom¡¯, the home of his heart during his childhood innocence, Gioposed himself. Waking up to find that 31 years had passed, it wasn''t impossible that Korea had turned into a country ofwsuits afterwards. Clearing his throat while uttering nonsense, Gio soon prepared to eat with his family. A brief moment of silence. His jet-ck hair gradually became lighter. As his water-coloured eyes blinked twice. Giovanni was there in his ce. ¡°¡­May I enter?¡± The door opened. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Yes, this priest is veryte.¡± ¡°Please understand.¡± In a world submerged in the sea. ¡°Since the weather is nice, my body has be sluggish.¡± The sun was barely breathing. Red Mask or ¡®Woman With the Red Mask¡¯ is a variation of kuchisake-onna (slit-mouthed woman), just the Korean version. ???? is Frozen¡¯s Korean name. a direct trantion would be ?? (Winter) ?? (Kingdom). Chapter 25 8 AM. Looking at the ck cloak revealed in front of the frame, Yoo Sung-woon blinked his mint-colored eyes. Hmm. ''It feels a bit different.'' It wasn''t just a feeling. The pitch-ck figure standing in front of the portrait didn''t exude the same eerie atmosphere as before. As if it had turned from a monster into a human. ¡°Gio.¡± ¡°Are you here?¡±¡°Did Ie toote?¡± ¡°No, I arrived early.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Yoo Sung-woon responded indifferently, thinking to himself. ''¡­Even his voice sounds different than usual.'' Unlike before, when his speech was strangely orderly to the point of feeling unsettling, today''s Gio didn''t feel odd despite how he thought ''He''s a bit overly polite''. It gave off the vibe of a person with an innocent nature. ''Perhaps there''s a level difference when he''s inside the portrait versus outside¡­.'' But that raised questions, as the testimonies from previous witnesses conflicted with this. Yoo Sung-woon rolled his eyes for a moment before smiling and asking. ¡°Are you in a good mood, by any chance?¡± ¡°Yes, I am.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Your atmosphere seems lighter than usual.¡± ¡°I''ve always been light.¡± ¡°Let''s say that''s the case.¡± He''s definitely different from usual. ''I don''t feel that overwhelming pressure either.'' Even though Yoo Sung-woon only saw his back, he knew how terrifying Gio could be outside the portrait. That suffocating feeling and dizziness weren''t sensations easily experienced despite him having no malice or killing intent. ''Even so in a world full of various creatures, monsters and humans.'' It was said that the sensation became even more intense when you faced Gio head-on, but it was really strange. The current Gio simply felt like an ordinary human. Perhaps sensing his doubt, Gio spoke first. ¡°I made some adjustments.¡± ¡°Adjustments?¡± ¡°I adjusted the resolution so that others wouldn''t be startled when they saw me. Judging by Mr. Yoo Sung-woon''s reaction, it seems my attempt wasn''t bad.¡± ¡°Ah, I see. No wonder.¡± He seemed quite human. Yoo Sung-woon nodded nonchntly, but his inner thoughts weren''t as calm. ''Does that mean¡­ he can adjust the level of his soul?'' In the past, Gio''s level was so twisted that it couldn''t be expressed within human standards, but now it seemed to be around the level of an A-rank hunter. The thought of being able to adjust the level of one''s soul at will felt like a truly nasty joke. ¡°¡­You''re not straining yourself, are you?¡± If he forcibly lowered his level, the fatigue would be immense. ''It''s basically like cursing yourself.'' He had softened his words, asking if there was no strain, but adjusting his level like this would cause more pain than fatigue. In response to Yoo Sung-woon''s question, Gio looked down at his hand before shaking his head. ¡°It''s okay.¡± ¡°That''s a relief, but¡­.¡± How can someone be so nonchnt after doing something so insane? Yoo Sung-woon quietly felt a chill. ''This is way too calm for someone who just self-harmed. If you want to pretend to be normal, be more thorough.'' Even a 10-year-old would understand the gravity of the current situation. In ordinary terms, it was like cutting off all your limbs and gouging out both of your eyes. ''It''s no different from tying a leash around the neck of someone crawling around with just their torso and putting weights on them¡­'' Of course, Gio had no idea. ''I''m hungry.'' After all, he was someone who¡ªat least in his perception¡ªhad been living in an ordinary human state until recently. His body that didn''t feel thirst, didn''t need sleep, and neither hungered nor felt full was certainly convenient¡­ but he didn''t feel any aversion to his current state either. He had lived this way originally, so there was no reason to feel difort. Rather, he was used to it. ¡°So where should we go now?¡± ¡°¡­Oh, right.¡± Yoo Sung-woon answered while trying to keep a calm expression. It would be rude to keep showing concern to the fellow who came out to have a good time. When dealing with a being of origin, even he had to be careful of such small reactions. ¡°It''s morning, so I thought we could grab some breakfast.¡± ¡°What kind of ce?¡± ¡°The one I''m rmending is a restaurant that serves set meals.¡±1 Gio had once expressed himself in the Korean way as ''Seo Gio''. Whether that was truly based on Korean customs or not was uncertain, but since Gio seemed to know Korea well in many ways, he opted for a set meal for breakfast. Just in case, he added an exnation. ¡°It''s an all-in-one meal thates with side dishes, rice, and soup. You can also order fish or pork.¡± ¡°It''s not too spicy overall, but since it''s breakfast, I found a restaurant that would be easy on the stomach.¡± ¡°That sounds good.¡± Although Gio could eat just about anything, he had grown up under his grandmother who always served set meals, so he liked suchforting food. It made both his body and mind feel at ease. Yoo Sung-woon nodded. ¡°d to hear it. Shall we go?¡± Gio followed behind him. ''¡­I can hear footsteps.'' He seemed to have been barefoot before, but now Gio was wearing shoes. However, what surprised Yoo Sung-woon more was hearing the sound of footsteps carrying the weight of a person. ''Has he really lowered himself to a human level? I still can''t believe it.'' Starting from the sheer possibility of how that could happen, to why he would do such a terrible thing, his feelings were conflicted. ''Maybe he did this deliberately to be considerate of other humans¡­'' Before Yoo Sung-woon could even feel embarrassed about thinking of excuses for any ured damage, a strange sense of guilt crept in. It was hard to handle such a ridiculous kindness, as if it involved cutting off parts of his own limbs and soul. And the fact that he gave such out-of-the-ordinary kindness so casually made him feel even less human-like. ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± Yoo Sung-woon snapped back to his senses and led Gio to the elevator. ¡°Let''s ride.¡± ¡°This is a first for me.¡± ¡°What is? This elevator?¡± ¡°I usually moved through paintings.¡± ¡°So you really did move through paintings.¡± He had already suspected as much, but this confirmed the mysterious portrait sightings often reported by night guards in the hallway. Despite that, the ghost story of ''ck Cloak'' had already taken root in this guild. ¡°Since I gave you an ess card, why didn''t you use the elevator?¡± ¡°I thought it might be awkward if I encountered others in such a confined space.¡± ¡°¡­Makes sense.¡± After all, even just encountering Gio in the wide corridors would often result in guards needing vacations, but in such a narrow space, they might have fainted with foam at the mouth. However, that wasn''t exactly what Gio had meant. ''Knowing the kind of people who work here, why would I risk being in a confined space with them?'' Gio, who knew when to retreat, was scared. The 31 years added with fantasy were enough to make even his homnd feel like a mysterious terror. ''Who knows how much culture has changed? From the perspective of a haunted portrait, it''s too risky to act carelessly. Moving through the paintings is faster too.'' It was a decision that took into consideration his convenience in many ways, but¡­ Yoo Sung-woon couldn''t help but interpret it a bit differently. ''¡­Isn''t this too kind? Maybe I''ve been worrying about the wrong things.'' He was starting to get concerned. ''Worried that people might be pressured by his presence, he avoided the elevator and moved through the paintings. He even cut down his own level to avoid any unpleasant incidents during the tour¡­.'' There were other suspicious details too. ''Come to think of it, his fondness for giving gifts is a bit unsettling now that I reflect on it.'' This tour had been nned out of concern that the portrait might cause trouble, but if the humans ended up harming Gio instead, that would be an ident in another sense. ''It seems I picked the wrong target to be cautious of. Instead of worrying about the gentleman Gio''s sudden actions, I should have been concerned about humans approaching and provoking him instead¡­.'' Despite feeling exasperated, Yoo Sung-woon couldn''t help but wonder if his concerns were in the right direction. ¡°¡­Okay, let''s get off.¡± ¡°This took quite a while.¡± ¡°Well, the gallery is deep underground.¡± Yoo Sung-woon exined with a small smile. ¡°The items in the guild leader''s gallery are gathered from all over the world. Some items were personally purchased by the guild leader, others were identified and purchased by guild members, and some were so dangerous that they were entrusted for safekeeping¡­.¡± In other words, it was a den of chaos. ¡°The restrictions on entering the gallery are partly to prevent theft, but also because one wrong move could easily kill a dozen people. Collection''s gallery is well-known for being filled with works with all sorts of bizarre characteristics. Thanks to that, when rumours of ghost stories arise, the gallery is usually the source.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°That''s why the gallery is intentionally located in such a ridiculously deep ce. It''s designed that way so that if an unknown bomb explodes down there, it can be handled more easily, or¡­ to at least minimize the damage.¡± After saying that much, Yoo Sung-woon looked back at Gio. ¡°Hmm, right.¡± ¡°¡­Is there a problem?¡± ¡°Keep wearing your hood.¡± Although the intimidating air had lessened after he lowered his level, it still wasn''tpletely harmless. Above all, Gio''s face was just too conspicuous. If he walked around without covering it, he would undoubtedly get caught up in all sorts of troublesome matters. ''If his face is covered, I can at least pass him off as an unofficial hunter. There were a lot of unofficial hunters in the Collection guild, so others wouldn''t suspect him either.'' The employee at the entrance of the first-floor lobby greeted Yoo Sung-woon. ¡°Are you off work already?¡± ¡°No way, I''m on a business trip. I just got here, so there''s no way I''m leaving already.¡± ¡°I almost got jealous there. That''s a relief. Let''s suffer together.¡± The security guard joked with a cheerful attitude and then looked at Gio, who was standing behind Yoo Sung-woon. ¡°And this person is¡­?¡± ¡°A guest of the guild leader.¡± ¡°Will he be joining as a new recruit soon?¡± ¡°That could be the case.¡± Even though it was his first time seeing him, the guard who seemed friendly spoke to Gio as if they were long-time acquaintances. ¡°Then maybe you could change the colour of your cloak a bit. You know, we''ve got a new ghost story going around the guild recently, and as you know¡­ we''re the kind of people who easily get caught up in that kind of ghost stories.¡± Yoo Sung-woon asked in response. ¡°Are there still people who get scared by the ck cloak story these days?¡± ¡°Well, since there have been many witnesses, it''s inevitable. Apparently, it really does exist, so everyone''s on guard to some extent.¡± ¡°Ah, that''s troublesome.¡± Yoo Sung-woon chuckled lightly as he mumbled and bowed his head. ¡°Then, I guess we won''t be seeing each other for a few days.¡± ¡°Long-term business trip?¡± ¡°Well, I guess I''ll know once I get there¡­.¡± ¡°Take care then.¡± The guard, who politely bid farewell, soon turned his attention away from Yoo Sung-woon and Gio. Therge ss doors of the lobby opened, and as they stepped outside the Collection guild, Yoo Sung-woon spoke. ¡°As you can see, rumours about you have spread. I''ve already informed the guild leader about the inconvenience you''re experiencing, but it might take some time for it to take effect ¡­.¡± Yoo Sung-woon spoke as if making excuses. ¡°I''ll tell people you''re the guild leader''s guest. What do you think?¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Are there any other questions?¡± ¡°I''m curious why the guard was so certain I''d be a recruit.¡± ¡°Oh, that.¡± Yoo Sung-woon nodded. ¡°It''s just the guild leader''s habit to pick up people from anywhere.¡± ¡°Pick up and bring people? The guild leader seems to possess an unusual level of conviction.¡± ¡°He even tried to recruit an assassin who was hired to kill him.¡± ¡°He attempted to recruit someone who came to kill him? That''s bold. He seems to be very tolerant.¡± ¡°His preferences are so unique that if you see someone unfamiliar in the guild, there''s a high chance they''re the guild leader''s guest. There have been more than a few times where he invited someone to the guild to try to recruit them.¡± There''s a limit to how many times he can sugarcoat things. Not realizing that such sugarcoating only made him seem even less human, Gio quietly resigned himself to the seemingly endless entricities of Bi Sa-beol. ''With the limited strength granted by Heavens and Earth, such overwhelming presence is beyond what I can handle.'' He didn''t seem like a bad person, but the unpredictability made him the type of person he absolutely didn''t want to talk to. ''If we somehow be close, he''ll probably drag me out of my corner and throw me into the middle of some trendy extroverts'' social gathering, offering me up as the party''s sacrifice ¡­.'' It was horrifying. ¡°Now we''ll need to take the overground train. Are you okay with that?¡± ¡°¡­Overground train?¡± Not the subway? Thanks to lowering his level, Yoo Sung-woon could now better understand Gio''s confusion and quickly exined. ¡°Hmm, it''s a train that runs above ground. Like the bus, it has a set route, but it''s a bit faster and runs on a fairly higher altitude.¡± Saying this, Yoo Sung-woon pointed his finger towards the sky. ¡°See over there?¡± A rail that cut through tall buildings or passed between them. The entire rail wasn''t visible¡ªonly parts of it could be seen. It seemed like special measures were taken for the city''s view, as some sections had been made transparent. This triggered Gio''s sci-fi sensibilities. ¡°It''s quite high.¡± ¡°It runs at about the height of the 60th floor of a building.¡± Gio nodded inwardly. ''They say even mountains and rivers change in 10 years, but the world has definitely changed in 30 years.'' Maybe it''s because it''s the metropolitan area that such feelings are stronger, but even taking that into ount, the buildings and infrastructure have advanced significantly. Now Gio truly felt that he had be an ancestor. Most buildings were basically over 30 floors high, and the overground trains running between them looked exactly like roller coasters. ''Although the rail lines and speed won''t be as intense as that¡­.'' Gio felt a sense of romanticism towards the futuristic design. ¡°Gio, this way.¡± People''s fashion had also changed considerably from before. Some wore armour, others hadrge swords strapped to their backs, and some even had wings or tails. They say trendse and go, but it seemed like some ecological disturbance had intervened along the way. With his cloak on, Gio seemed rtively ordinarypared to the overly unique styles of everyone around him. There were even people exchanging gems and weapons here and there. While gems were one thing, seeing people nonchntly handling fierce weapons with sharp edges¡­ Ouh. Gio realized that he was shrinking inward, like a slice of pork belly grilled on high heat. ''Here I was, worried that I might seem harmful as a haunted portrait, but now that worry feels silly.'' Contrary to his thoughts, some quick-witted people were stealing nces at Gio. ''That''s some heavy presence¡­. Is he a hunter? Judging by his disciplined movements, maybe a knight¡­ or a priest?'' ''He''s probably at least A-rank. He seems unfamiliar, so it''s highly likely that he''s an unofficial hunter.'' ''He''s dressed entirely in ck. Maybe he has a skill that involves colour, or perhaps it''s all part of a set item¡­.'' Yoo Sung-woon was also aware of some of the people''s gazes. ''Please, just don''t talk to him.'' It was as expected, but thanks to Gio''s help, they were receiving less attention than they otherwise might have. He fervently prayed that no one would approach and cause any sort of trouble by talking to Gio, who had only just stepped into human society. ¡°This is the entrance to the overground train.¡± Yoo Sung-woon tried to distract Gio so that he wouldn''t meet other people''s gazes. ¡°See here? If you tap your card here, you can pay the fare.¡± ¡°You pay the fare in front of the elevator?¡± With his hands sped behind his back as a habit, Gio observed the entrance to the overground train with interest. It looked like an elevator one would find at a subway station or some overpass. The elevator, which was tall and protruding rather than hidden within a building, connected directly to the overground train line. ''Is there no station separately?'' Seeing the bare, exposed rails without a building, it seemed like there likely weren''t any stations, though he did notice some small, bus stop-like areas dotted along the route. It seemed like they were really using systems like buses. ¡°I''ll give you my card. If you want to buy anything, use this. There''s no spending limit.¡± Gio was startled. ''I''ve lost count of how many times I''ve been startled today.'' It was dangerous outside the nkets. ''Why are you giving me a card with no limit?'' Terrified, he decided to call him hyung from now on, hyung-nim. Of course, as a selective introvert, Gio would never actually call Yoo Sung-woon ''hyung'' after only meeting him a few months ago. Gio still remained polite as he used his card to board the overground train''s elevator. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± ¡°I have something I''m curious about.¡± Gio asked. ¡°I don''t understand why there''s only one elevator when its speed is not very fast. Wouldn''t there be dys when there are a lot of people?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Yoo Sung-woon awkwardly smiled. ¡°I think it''s because not many people use it anyway, so they only installed one.¡± ¡°It seems like a useful means of transportation. Why don''t many people use it?¡± How could they leave such an interesting new technology just sitting unused? ¡°It''s not for any grand reason.¡± Yoo Sung-woon exined the reality. ¡°Because it''s expensive.¡± Aha. ¡°Of course, that makes sense.¡± Gio, who was quite familiar with capitalist societies, understood. ''But that thing is still alive?'' Longevity, indeed? 1?? / °×ïˆ (baekban) is the set meals described here. the dictionaries wrote it ''meal with a bowl of rice, soup, and side dishes''. but it wasn''t sth like mcd set meals either, it''s usually homemade and like the image below. trendy extroverts'' social gathering is actually ?? gathering, it''s basically the opposite of outcast (??) in chapter 3. basically those trendy, socially active, popr people, so I thought to phrase it that way. hyung means older brother. Chapter 26 The stop of the overground train they arrived at was quite high up. ¡°Why, is something wrong?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been at such a high ce.¡± ¡°Well, that makes sense.¡± Yoo Sung-woon nodded. ¡®A portrait wouldn¡¯t usually have a reason toe up this high.¡¯ But since he said, ¡®It¡¯s been a while¡¯, it seemed like he hade out of the portrait and gone up on his own before. ¡®Or maybe he has memories of climbing mountains or cliffs as a human.¡¯Since he could move on his own, there could be various cases. Perhaps he even moved while still in his portrait form. Unaware of Yoo Sung-woon¡¯s thoughts, Gio was looking around the overground train stop. ¡®¡­I didn¡¯t realize it from below, but it¡¯s covered with a transparent barrier. It seems to prevent idents from falling or blocking the strong wind at high ces, but what¡¯s the exact material? It looks much more transparent and sturdy than ss or stic.¡¯ Gio had a great interest in growing and creating things. Such new materials, like something out of a sci-fi movie, made him unable to hold back his questions. ¡°What is this wall made of?¡± ¡°Huh? Wall?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s blocked by a transparent wall so clear you wouldn¡¯t notice unless you touched it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not exactly an expert in this area either, but¡­ it¡¯s probably made of intangible crystal.¡± ¡°Intangible crystal?¡± ¡°I heard it¡¯s an ingredient extracted from one of the frequently appearing monsters.¡± Yoo Sung-woon didn¡¯t know the exact name of the monster. Unless it was a particrly threatening or unique monster, there was no point in remembering it. ¡°I heard most of the transparent windows installed in the city use this material.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Yoo Sung-woon gave him a serious look. ¡°Don¡¯t take it. It¡¯s public property.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Your reaction doesn¡¯t seem like someone who knows.¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right.¡± ¡°¡­If you really want it, I¡¯ll get it for youter, so hold on for now.¡± Although intangible crystals were used in various industries, their price wasn¡¯t expensivepared to their versatility. This was because the monsters from which the crystal could be extracted weren¡¯t rare, and the amount of crystals that could be extracted from each was alsorge. ¡°What would you even use something like this for?¡± ¡°It seemed like an interesting material, so I wanted to observe and make use of it.¡± ¡°Your curiosity is truly remarkable¡­¡± Yoo Sung-woon smiled with a strange feeling. Showing interest in human-made rules or objects was a typical trait of beings of the origin. As they were chatting away, the overground train soon arrived. ¡°It''s just the two of us in this car.¡± As Yoo Sung-woon said, there were only two of them in the car marked ¡®No. 6.¡¯ Gio quietly thought. ¡®People really don''t ride it.¡¯ It felt a bit regrettable. ¡®Such an amazing new technology, yet people can''t ride it because it''s too expensive.¡¯ Even when he tapped the card at the elevator entrance on the first floor, there was only a green light indicating allowed entry, and no specific amount spent was disyed. So he didn¡¯t know the exact fare for the overground train, but it felt oddly bitter. ¡®It feels like the gap between rich and poor has worsened over the past 31 years, or is it just me?¡¯ Gio asked. ¡°Is it usually this empty?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s not it.¡± Yoo Sung-woon shook his head. ¡°Normally, it¡¯s more crowded than this. There would be at least 10 people per car, but I don¡¯t see anyone today. Maybe it''s because it''s in the middle of working hours ¡­. but I¡¯m not sure since it¡¯s been a while since I rode it at this time either.¡± Wait a minute. Something felt off. ¡°Is it working hours?¡± ¡°Yeah, it''s 8:38 right now.¡± Yoo Sung-woon continued after checking his wristwatch. ¡°Although it slightly varies frompany topany, the average start time is 7 AM.¡± ¡°Gio?¡± ¡°Work starts at 7 AM?¡± ¡°For most people, yes.¡± Is this ce devoid of human rights? ¡®In my memory, the typical start time for office workers was definitely 9 AM.¡¯ Gio suddenly lost confidence in his ability to survive in this harsh reality. Even his nonexistent patriotism seemed to disappear, making him think that a portrait might suit him better after all. Why has this country be like this? He quickly came up with a usible reason. It was because of the 31-year gap in Gio¡¯s memory that he coulde up with such a reason. ¡°Was it set like this because most people wake up early due to gic or cultural reasons?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ no, it''s not like that. If no specific time is set, many people would sleep until lunchtime. This is just a rule that people have agreed on.¡± ¡°I see.¡± It was a clear answer, but it left him feeling uneasy. Gio stared intently at Yoo Sung-woon. ¡®Does this person sometimes not see me as human?¡¯ It felt like a butler exining human society to a talking cat. ¡°Hmm? What?¡± ¡°I''m an ordinary human being.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ okay.¡± Even if he searched through his reaction with eyes wide open like a high school senior analyzing a college entrance exam text, there was no sign that he truly believed him. ¡®¡­Well, if I were in Mr. Yoo Sung-woon''s shoes, I wouldn''t feel that a haunted portrait was the same as me either. In a world like this, at least I should be grateful for not being openly treated as a monster.¡¯ Moreover, being treated like a monster had its perks. Even without money ormon sense, people would overlook it, thinking ¡®Well, it¡¯s understandable since he¡¯s not human.¡¯ Though his pride as a human felt a bit trampled, the thought remained unchanged that living as a portrait would be better for his mental and physical health than returning as a faithful ve in a capitalist society. Gio subtly asked. ¡°Do Ie across as an uncultured and impolite person?¡± ¡°Why are you asking that all of a sudden?¡± ¡°I don''t want to cause Mr. Yoo Sung-woon any difort, so I''ll be careful.¡± ¡°¡­I''m not sure how to respond, but¡­ okay, thanks.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± As expected, Yoo Sung-woon truly was a reliable and considerate person. Gio sat down next to Yoo Sung-woon, he noticed that the doors of the overground train hadn''t closed yet. ¡°It''s been open for quite a while.¡± ¡°Subways or buses close much faster than this.¡± After briefly informing him of basicmon sense, Yoo Sung-woon continued exining about the overground train. ¡°Since it takes time toe up by the elevator to the overground train, and there aren¡¯t many tforms, so they keep it open longer for those who are a bitte.¡± ¡°Even in winter?¡± ¡°Well, luckily, the cold is automatically blocked.¡± Right, it was the middle of winter. ¡°Ah,e to think of it¡­ if we¡¯re lucky, we mighte across some street food while walking around.¡± At Yoo Sung-woon''s words, Gio¡¯s heart raced. He was loyal to his instincts. ¡°Street food, like fish-shaped buns?¡± ¡°Yeah, or octopus balls¡­ egg bread¡­ or maybe fish cakes too.¡± ¡°I want to eat it.¡± ¡°I''ll try my best to find some, but don''t get your hopes up too much. There aren''t many ces selling that anymore.¡± ¡°Why is that? Warm street food should be quite popr on cold days.¡± ¡°Becauseints that it doesn¡¯t look good, not many people willing to do it. Once aint is filed, it bes difficult to re-enter or continue business in the city.¡± Yoo Sung-woon shrugged as he spoke. ¡°And in the first ce, city people generally don''t want to run street food stalls. And for people from the countryside,ing all the way here to sell food is too inconvenient.¡± Oh. Gio was flustered. ¡°It seems there¡¯s a strict distinction between city and rural people.¡± ¡°Huh? Uh, well¡­ I suppose so?¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± Yoo Sung-woon let out a deep sigh. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to exin this, but it¡¯s just the way people live. It¡¯s embarrassing to admit, but we ssify each other by ranks.¡± ¡°What kind of ranking?¡± ¡°For example, someone like me who lives in the city and works as both a hunter and a curator is first-ss. As far as I know, hunters above B-rank are practically first-ss, as long as they''re not criminal red hunters.¡± Yoo Sung-woon pulled out his ID card and showed him the words ¡®first-ss¡¯ next to his name, then pointed it out over the window of the overground train. ¡°People with modest ies and jobs but still live in the city are second-ss.¡± ¡°As for countryside people I mentioned earlier, they¡¯re usually ssified as third-ss. And some of the poor people living between the city and the countryside, those who don¡¯t even have ID cards, are implicitly considered fourth-ss.¡± ¡°¡­Is there a fifth-ss?¡± ¡°That''s where the criminalse in. Unlike the fourth-ss citizens who don''t even have their names recorded, these people are officially listed in records, but they¡¯re not treated as humans. It''s practically set up so you can kill them on sight.¡± How could life be this miserable? The sensitive Gio felt like he was about to cry over the unbelievable development of his homnd. ''¡­I always thought a caste system woulde back someday as long as the Earth¡¯s lifespan ousted humanity¡¯s, but I never expected to experience it in my lifetime.'' Looking at the still-open door, Gio asked again. ¡°Is there a reason for such distinctions?¡± ¡°Well, one reason is probably the huge difference in infrastructure between urban and rural areas.¡± Yoo Sung-woon, perhaps determined to y his role as a guide, answered kindly. ¡°I¡¯m talking about various facilities and benefits within the area, though there¡¯s a significant cultural and administrative gap between cities and the countryside. People in the countryside tend to make a living by farming while city residents purchase the food delivered from there¡­¡± ¡°You could say the gap is almost a century wide. If you go to the countryside, it''s hard to even find a two-story building, let alone an overground train. Hardly anyone owns a car. There''s usually at least one vige train running ¡­. but that might be the reason why they don''t bother buying cars.¡± Since there¡¯s already a means of transportation, there¡¯s no need to spend money on a private car. Yoo Sung-woon muttered quietly and continued. ¡°Well¡­ the biggest difference is the defence line.¡± ¡°What does the defence line mean?¡± ¡°In reality, the city outskirts are protected by arge wall like a fortress wall. Secondly, there are specialized public officials responsible for managing the city¡¯s internal security, and most importantly, there are already many hunters in the city ¡­ so even if an incident urs, it will be dealt with quickly.¡± Yoo Sung-woon scratched the back of his neck. ¡°In short, it''s a survival benefit. Most fourth-ss citizens would rather live as poor people than risk their lives outside the city. Many people want to enter the city for the same reason, but¡­ not everyone can live here. After all, resources and space are limited, right?¡± ¡°So that''s why they divide people into sses?¡± ¡°Only second-ss citizens and above can live in the city. Third-ss citizens can visit or find jobs in the city, but if they try to live here without permission, they''re treated harshly.¡± ¡°In what way does it get harsh?¡± ¡°How should I put this? Well, first of all, their ID is revoked, so they can''t find jobs¡­ It¡¯s not as bad as fifth-ss, but they''re treated less than humans. People who blindly settle in the city, not wanting to die in the countryside to monsters, be fourth-ss citizens¡ªthe poor.¡± In summary, is this a dystopia? ¡®Listening to something that sounds like it came out of a movie makes it feel even less real.¡¯ It was a world hard for Gio, who loved friendship, love, and peace, to ept. It felt like everything had gotten twistedpared to 31 years ago when human affection could still be felt. Though Gio tried to maintain a poker face despite shrinking internally, Yoo Sung-woon, who wanted Gio to fully understand human society, continued his exnation. ¡°In the first ce, dungeons can pop up anywhere, and even if it''s not necessary from the dungeons, many monsters have already settled on Earth. In cities, these monsters are managed well, but in the countryside, there''s ack of manpower and equipment, so if you''re not careful, you can end up dead.¡± ¡°That sounds scary.¡± ¡°That''s why people living in countryside viges are told not to go outside after 5 PM. Or, in many cases, the vige is run by hunters below C-rank. No matter how weak they are, Awakeners are much more reliable than ordinary people.¡± Around that time, the overground train doors finally closed. ¡°It¡¯s finally moving.¡± ¡°No one else got on.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not lunchtime yet¡­.¡± ¡°It is morning, though.¡± ¡°What kind of office worker has time for breakfast?¡± It was a tone of voice that implied that eating breakfast wasn¡¯t normal. It seemed that the phrase ¡®three meals a day¡¯ had long disappeared from the current world. ''Yet here we are, running around to eat three meals right now.'' As he listened to the horrific realities of modern society with one ear and let it out the other, Gio slowly appreciated the overground train that resembled the structure of the subway he knew. The most impressive thing was the transparent walls and ceiling. ¡°Are these walls and ceilings also made using intangible crystals?¡± ¡°Probably. Its durability and transparency are iparable to Earth¡¯s traditional materials, so it can withstand monster attacks to some extent.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Apparently, in the past, they used to make windows like this out of ss and stic¡­ It¡¯s surprising they used such weak materials.¡± Just like that, Gio suddenly fell to the status of an ancestor. From being the young blood of the education world to bing an ancestor in an instant¡ªthe exponential fall made him dizzy. ¡°Is ss or stic not used anymore?¡± ¡°We still use them, but ss¡­ is mostly used for decorations, right? It''s much easier to shape than intangible crystals, and you can mix colours too. Even though it can be made artificially, it''s still considered a type of gem, so it''s a bit expensive.¡± ¡°What about stic?¡± ¡°stic? It¡¯s hardly used anymore? It can¡¯t be recycled and doesn''t dpose well.¡± Caring for the Earth? It seems Earthlings have made some progress over thest 31 years. Gio had thought they were busy evolving into a dystopia, but it wasn''t all bad. ''The Earth''s lifespan might have increased a bit.'' Gio turned his gaze back to the overground train. The backrest of the seats was covered in soft fabric and leather, almost like a sofa, but the windows and ceiling above the shoulders were so clean they seemed nonexistent. The shining walls of the buildings beyond and the clear blue sky gave him a strange thrill. ''A gentlemanly roller coaster¡­'' There was no sense of speed or bumps, but this ridiculously high-altitude train stimted Gio''s romanticism. It felt like a scene straight out of a sci-fi movie. ¡°Ah, Gio. We''re getting off soon.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°The reserved restaurant and hotel are near this stop.¡± ¡°I''m looking forward to it.¡± ¡°You can look forward to it, I''ve reserved all the good ces.¡± As he listened to Yoo Sung-woon''s words with interest, Gio suddenly had a faint realization. ''Earth is no longer a ce where harmless beings like me can live.'' For the weak Gio, who didn''t even have the Taekwondo white belt that everyone else had, he didn''t have the strength to ovee this terrifying world. He would have to stay inside the portrait for life, ensuring his personal safety If Yoo Sung-woon had heard this, he probably would''ve trembled in disbelief. Chapter 27 The restaurant Yoo Sung-woon led him to have all the employees wearing hanbok. ¡°We have a reservation for two under Yoo Sung-woon.¡± ¡°Customer Yoo Sung-woon, confirmed. Please take off your shoes, and we will guide you inside.¡± Gio, standing a step back, looked at the restaurant as Yoo Sung-woon received the employee''s service without hesitation. The restaurant he led him to was a hanok1 with a strong, antique atmosphere, as if drawn in ink. The pirs had curves that highlighted the natural beauty of the woods, the subtle, bitter scent of cypress, and the high ceiling provided afortable atmosphere. What he saw was not a noisy crowd of customers, but a quiet and neatly arranged wooden corridor. Each room visible between the corridors stood out for its particrly strong sense of individualism. Is this¡­ a set-meal restaurant? ''The definition of a set meal restaurant I know must have changed in 31 years.''Where did my noisy yet cosy set meal restaurant, where I used to sit on the wooden bench cross-legged and tear apart and eat yellow corvina, go? ¡°Gio, let''s go in.¡± ¡°Are we eating here?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Yoo Sung-woon spoke as if making an excuse, as if unsure exactly what he was concerned about. ¡°Just ignore the presence of people. Even so, the presence and noise are pretty well blocked at this level.¡± ¡°If it''s too inconvenient, should we move to another restaurant? There''s even a ce where we can have an entire building to ourselves.¡± Is this man serious? ''Does he really think of me as a walking nuclear power nt?'' He wondered just how sensitive he perceives himself to be. ¡°It''s not inconvenient.¡± ¡°Really? That''s a relief.¡± ¡°Is it divided into rooms?¡± ¡°Yeah, but the rooms aren''t that small, so you should be able to eatfortably.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Gio wasn''t the type of person to refuse a free meal unless it was really bad. ''Anyway, it looks delicious, so it''s fine.'' Though feeling somewhatplicated about how much the world seemed to have changed in thest 31 years, Gio cast aside his worries and followed behind Yoo Sung-woon, led by his hungry stomach. ¡°If you''ve finished selecting the menu, please press the bell.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Have a pleasant time.¡± The employee, dressed in a hanbok with soft tones like petals, quietly left the room. As the sound of footsteps faded, Gio, who had been waiting for a moment, asked. ¡°Is this a set meal restaurant?¡± ¡°¡­Ah, yes.¡± Although not very noticeable, Yoo Sung-woon''s response carried a hint of realization. Gio''s question was merely intended to ask, ''Is this shy ce really a set meal restaurant?'' But it seemed Yoo Sung-woon had interpreted it as, ''So what exactly is a set meal restaurant?'' ¡°A set meal is a meal where you eat rice with soup and side dishes.¡± Due to his pride as a teacher, Gio felt a sudden urge to argue, but he decided it wasn''t a misunderstanding that would clear up by arguing, so he kept silent and listened to the exnation. He prided himself on this mature decision. ¡°Rice is always the same, but the soup changes daily. Today ¡­. I think it''s seaweed soup.¡± After saying that much, Yoo Sung-woon asked with a questioning look. ¡°Do you eat seaweed?¡± ¡°There is no food I can''t eat or dislike.¡± ¡°That''s good to hear.¡± Yoo Sung-woon opened the menu that had been ced at the edge of the table. ¡°The basic side dishes are all the same. What we need to choose is the main dish. It''s usually divided between meat and fish, but what do you feel like?¡± ¡°I feel like eating meat right now.¡± Gio, who had a soft heart, couldn''t hunt animals in the forest. Not only did he not know how to hunt in the first ce, but even if he did hunt those round, cute little creatures, the yield would definitely be low anyway. While Gio wasn''t picky and was happy no matter what he ate, since he was already out, he wanted to eat meat. ''I should eat it while I can.'' Yoo Sung-woon nodded. ¡°Then let''s go with Gwangyang Bulgogi.¡± He pressed the number buttons on the edge of the table. It seemed to be a system where you enter the menu number, and the kitchen directly prepares it after receiving the order. After pressing the red bell button onest time, Yoo Sung-woon looked back at Gio. ¡°Of all the set meal restaurants I''ve been to, I think this one is the best. They don''t even use monster meat.¡± ¡°Do they usually use monster meat?¡± ¡°It''s fairlymon, right? Buting to a restaurant to eat monster meat seems a bit much.¡± Somehow, it seemed like ''restaurant'' was being ced on a higher pedestal than Gio was familiar with. As an ancestor who''d been in hibernation for 31 years, Gio pondered how to ask without sounding odd. ¡°Why, do you have something you want to ask?¡± ¡°¡­ Are restaurants a different cepared to other facilities?¡± ¡°Hmm? For the most part, yes, I think so?¡± Yoo Sung-woon scratched the back of his neck as if it was an unexpected question. ¡°It''s not just about eating outside, you''re paying for someone else to prepare your meal. For me, it''s not a big deal, but for second-ss citizens and below, it can be a bit burdensome.¡± ¡°Are all restaurants like that?¡± ¡°Generally, yes. In the first ce, restaurants are ces to eat, but more importantly, they''re ces to receive service. There are people who just go to restaurants to eat like me, but there are more whoe specifically to be served.¡± Gio felt that this definition of a restaurant was a bit different from what he knew. ''Compared to what I used to know, it feels more like fine dining or omakase. Does this mean all restaurants have be more upscale¡­.?'' Wait a minute, then what about deliveries? ¡°Don''t people use delivery services?¡± Yoo Sung-woon''s expression looked like he never expected to hear the word ''delivery'' from Gio. Gio briefly wondered just how much he was being regarded as some ancient ancestor, but he didn''t feel like exining, so he kept quiet. ¡°Delivery is¡­ still amonly used service. It''s even more expensive, though.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°If you run into a monster on the way, it could cause a major ident. Avoiding them is a hassle too.¡± What kind of monsters were being treated like stray cats? Considering the damage that was definitely not on the level of stray cats, he felt it was even more absurd. ¡°So, unless it''s for a party, most people don''t usually order deliveries. I''m like that too.¡± If it was a deliveryrge enough for a party, he wondered if it might be closer to catering. ¡°¡­So, does that mean most people cook their own meals at home?¡± ¡°Usually, yes. Buying ingredients already costs money, and not everyone can afford to pay for service on top of that. Going to a restaurant itself isn''t all thatmon.¡± Did the world end and get rebuilt or something? ¡°But we''re at a restaurant now, aren''t we?¡± ¡°Well, I told you I''d take you around on a tour¡­.¡± ¡°Aha.¡± It must have meant that he intended to treat him to a grand experience. Gio seriously contemted why even simplemunication seemed to be malfunctioning. ''¡­Should I go through social skills training again? It would be difficult to go through mandatory education at my age. Should I even consider re-enrolling in college?'' The world has changed too much in just 31 years. At this rate, Gio would be treated like an alien from Sirius whenever he spoke to someone. ''Or treated as a shut-in nuisance who was isted from society.'' Damn gods of heaven and earth, thetter seemed to be true, making him even more terrified. ''Is this how the elderly who can''t keep up with a changing society feel ¡­.?'' Grandma, I finally understand how you feel. Keeping up with a rapidly developing era is truly difficult. Gio deeply sympathized as he looked at the meal the waiter was preparing. ¡°It''s hot, so please step back a little.¡± Saying that, the waiter dropped a single ember in the middle of the table. Then the fire red up, forming something like a gas stove, and the waiter ced a grill over the circr me. After putting a few slices of bulgogi on it, he then left the room. There''s nothing there, but the fire is lit. ''The table''s made of wood, but it''s not burning.'' Correction. What Gio needed was not college, but to re-enroll in kindergarten. Judging by Yoo Sung-woon''s expression, this seemed perfectly normal, but to Gio, who had been out of touch with society for exactly 31 years, it was just surprising. ¡°Hmm, it seems like beef.¡± ¡°¡­What other kind of meat would it be if it''s not beef?¡± ¡°Like I said earlier, there''s a high chance it''s monster meat, right? It''s cheaper than beef ormb.¡± ¡°Is it not tasty?¡± ¡°It''s not that¡­¡± Ssssss¡ª Yoo Sung-woon stirred the meat as he continued to speak. ¡°It''s just the general social sentiment. There''s no reason to avoid most meats unless it''s from some special parts that contain poison, but monsters are creatures that attack people¡­ and most of them look pretty disgusting, right? It''s hard to wee meat from a monster that eats humans.¡± ¡°Hearing it that way, that makes sense.¡± ¡°But generally, it''s meat that''s often used at home. Cheap, high-volume chunks of protein are always popr. Still, eating monster meat in a restaurant where you''re supposed to be treated well feels a bit off.¡± ¡°Isn''t it dangerous?¡± ¡°Not all monsters carry poison in their bodies?¡± Yoo Sung-woon chuckled. ¡°And until about 20 years ago, people were still saying, ''How could you eat something so dangerous?'' It was a different time, I guess. I was still young back then, so I don''t remember well.¡± ¡°Even though 20 years ago isn''t that long, it seems people''s perceptions changed quickly.¡± ¡°Well, the government and the association have done a lot of work here and there¡­¡± A government that works so well that it can change Koreans'' perceptions about the meat they eat in just 20 years? ''How did so many things change in just 31 years?'' It was a more surprising story than Gio himself evolving into a portrait in the mes. Yoo Sung-woon''s opinion might be a little different, but for Gio, that was the case. ¡°Sounds like the government ispetent.¡± ¡°Well, if they don''t want their heads chopped off, they better be.¡± ¡°After several heads rolled, only thepetent ones are left.¡± Gio flinched. Why was this hyung talking like this before eating meat? ''¡­Then again, hunters are like living war machines. I guess politicians wouldn''t be untouchable either.'' Gio quickly epted this and joined in stirring the meat. ¡°Is it ready to eat?¡± ¡°Yeah, I think it''s done.¡± ¡°Thanks for the meal.¡± ¡°Hope it suits your taste.¡± ¡°I think it will.¡± There are three main types of Korean bulgogi. First, Seoul-style. Second, Gwangyang-style. Third, Eonyang-style. Of all of them, Gio''s favourite was this Gwangyang-style bulgogi. The bulgogi marinated in broth and sauce thatmonly known is Seoul-style bulgogi, but unlike the hot pot-like Seoul-style, Gwangyang-style is grilled dry on the grate. Each house does it slightly differently, but in most cases, the meat isn''t marinated in seasoning for long. ''That''s why the meat''s vour stands out more.'' The beef, beaten thin and spread out several times to make it tender, is grilled on a grate until the outside is crispy and the inside remains moist, and the juicy Gwangyang-style bulgogi isplete. A piece of bulgogi from the grill was picked up. Without sauce or rice, Gio put the whole piece of bulgogi directly into his mouth. ¡°How is it? Tasty?¡± ¡°It''s very delicious.¡± Given that he was in a private room, he didn''t do more. If he were alone, he would have given it a standing ovation for how excellent it was. ¡°They must use good quality meat. The vour of the beef isn''t gamey, and it''s rich. The texture is also very good. Judging by how much it was tenderized yet didn''t tear at this thickness, the chef''s skills must be impressive.¡± ¡°You¡­ talk a lot when you''re eating something delicious, huh.¡± ¡°My apologies.¡± It was just so delicious he couldn''t stop. ¡°But it''s really delicious.¡± ¡°I can see that.¡± ¡°It''s a vour I want to try making.¡± The charred exterior, grilled to a crisp on the charcoal, had a bitter taste characteristic of burnt meat for a moment, but it harmonized with the sweetness of the slightly charred meat. The right amount of fat embedded in the meat gave it a rich vour-like stock, and it alone was enough to reveal the quality of the meat. ¡°The seasoning is also just right.¡± The deep sweetness soaked into the meat probably came from pears. Did they use grated pears to tenderize the meat? There was also subtle bitterness, likely from some kind of alcohol, which added a refined depth to the vour. ¡°It pairs well with garlic. The aroma is just right, not overwhelming.¡± The sharp scent of garlic nestled deep into the meat, pricking the inside of his tongue, but after being grilled on the charcoal, its harshness melted smoothly. The sesame oil must have been high quality as well, as its fresh aroma lingered. ¡°Hmm? What is it?¡± ¡°It seems like the soy sauce was homemade.¡± ¡°Are you a gourmet? How did you figure that out?¡± ¡°Am I right?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I did hear it from the owner here.¡± Gio nodded. ¡°I was wondering since the pepper vour was particrly strong.¡± ¡°You really do have a sensitive pte. No wonder you love eating.¡± ¡°Even the dipping sauce¡­ is delicious.¡± The ingredients seemed simr to the bulgogi''s seasoning, but this curious sweet and sour vour. The deep vour of plum was blended naturally into the sauce, enhancing the taste. ''It''s not plum syrup¡­'' It must have been vinegar made of plums. Dipping the meat lightly into the brown sauce with bits of garlic showing, and pairing it with the steaming, fluffy white rice¡­ ¡°Is it good?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I see.¡± As expected, rice was delicious when you eat a whole mouthful. 1: Hanok (Korean traditional house): Seoul-style bulgogi: Gwangyang-style bulgogi: Eonyang-style bulgogi. btw plum syrup that was stated here is plum cheong. Chapter 28 After finishing his meal, Yoo Sung-woon led Gio to Cheonggyecheon. But as expected, it was quite different from the Cheonggyecheon in Seoul that Gio remembered. ¡°Here, this is Cheonggyecheon.¡± ¡°It''s a very natural scene.¡± ¡°Isn''t it?¡± ¡°Even though it''s winter, flowers are blooming.¡± What is this craziness? ''Has Earth finally started breaking down after putting up with humans for too long?''Fortunately, Yoo Sung-woon added an exnation. ¡°I don''t know what you''re thinking, but they''ve taken special measures to make it like a greenhouse.¡± ¡°What kind of measures?¡± ¡°There''s a department in the city that manages urbanndscaping. They make sure to leave a certain amount of nts when constructing the city.¡± ¡°So, they make it a greenhouse even in winter?¡± ¡°Yeah, look. The air is really mild, right?¡± Yoo Sung-woon pointed at Cheonggyecheon, waving his hand in the air. ¡°It''s handled with magic, so anyone can enter except for criminal fifth-ss citizens or threatening monsters. It blocks the cold winter air and only lets sunlight through, like a real greenhouse system.¡± ¡°Wasn''t it pretty warm in front of ourpany, too? ces nearpanies that make a lot of money or public ces where people gather often have this kind of spell. In the case ofpanies, the owner installs it privately, and in the case of public ces, the government funds it¡­.¡± As Gio was processing Yoo Sung-woon''s words, he asked. ¡°When you say threatening monsters¡­ does that mean non-threatening monsters can enter?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Yoo Sung-woon pondered for a moment before nodding. ¡°Well, they kind of have to. Even monsters are now part of Earth''s ecosystem, contributing to the natural cycle. We can''t just exclude them.¡± From those words, Gio realized that monsters were treated like stray cats or chicken pigeons. ¡°It seems monsters aren''t only seen when dungeons break open.¡± ¡°Hm? Oh, no matter what, humans aren''t that capable.¡± Yoo Sung-woon continued exining. ¡°When I was young, there were a lot of arguments that all monsters should be eradicated. But even if there are many hunters, it''s not enough to protect all of humanity, and even if there''s an extremely strong hunter, it would be inhumane for them to chase down and handle every monster.¡± ?? He shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Besides, how would we handle it if such a strong hunter causes a terrorist act out of stress? Even if it''s not a strong hunter, the same applies. Hunters are people too, how could they only work?¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°They say that most of the native monsters that have settled on Earth now are because they weren''t dealt with in the early days of the Great Catastrophe.¡± ¡°In the beginning?¡± ¡°Back then, hunters were much weaker than now, the system was loose, and there weren''t many people with tracking skills, so it was inevitable.¡± ¡°Then the monsters that were left behind because they weren''t killed back then ¡­.¡± ¡°Have be part of Earth.¡± Yoo Sung-woon said, nodding toward the river with a clear flowing stream. ¡°Like that one over there.¡± p¡ª In the middle of the river, a round bird was grooming its feathers. ¡°That one''s also a monster.¡± Indeed, it was a bird Gio didn''t know. But the system knew. Cotton Bird Named by Koreans for its resemnce to cotton. Its wings, body, head, and neck are indistinguishable, forming a round shape, but its actual physique is simr to an ordinary bird except for the puffed-up feathers. If you boil the egg of a Cotton Bird and pull threads from it, you can make bandages. A silkworm cocoon? ''It almost looks like a ball.'' Anyway, Gio understood. ¡°The Cotton Bird isn''t threatening.¡± ¡°¡­Do you know that bird?¡± ¡°I just found out.¡± ording to the system, it was almost like a bird-shaped silkworm cocoon, but watching the slightlyrger cotton balls grooming their feathers in the river brought a sense of peace. After observing Gio, Yoo Sung-woon soon spoke again. ¡°¡­Um, yeah, those kinds of creatures. They''re numerous and have small body sizes, but it''s been judged that they don''t cause significant harm to humans or the ecosystem, so most of them have settled as native monsters on Earth.¡± ¡°They''re cute.¡± ¡°They don''t look cute at all, but you like things like that?¡± ¡°If it''s small and round, it looks remarkably harmless, so I like it.¡± ¡°No wonder your waterfowl is so round too¡­¡± Yoo Sung-woonughed helplessly. ¡°Even so, the current native monsters have already been integrated into the ecosystem, so we leave them alone, but all the recent invasive species are being dealt with. To begin with, monsters have a strong hatred toward Earthlings.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Usually, that''s how it is. Even if they don''t have hostility, they can still pose a significant threat to humans. The native monsters that remain have already passed safety inspections by the association and are managed by the government.¡± Yoo Sung-woon pointed at the Cotton Bird again. ¡°Those creatures have probably adapted to living on Earth for so long, so their hostility toward humans has mellowed down to the level of regr wild animals. They were said to be monsters dangerous enough to eat human flesh during the early days of the Great Catastrophe, but now they''re as harmless as pigeons.¡± ¡°Aha.¡± ¡°Since they''re monsters, it''s illegal to touch them or keep them personally, but¡­ coexisting with them is possible. Dungeons and Earth are inextricably linked, so they''ve probably concluded that this approach is better than outright rejection.¡± Coexisting with monsters? It seemed Earthlings had grown considerably tough since hest saw them. ¡°That''s the end of the exnation. Do you want to walk around for a bit? The water quality is thoroughly managed, so it won''t cause any harm. The monsters and animals here are all harmless, too.¡± Gio, who had been looking at the clear, flowing river, soon moved his feet. ''It''s as clear as liquid ss.'' Up close, the river with sunlight reflecting off it, looked even more beautiful. In this weather as mild as spring, therge trees, vines, and flowers filled the area like a giant greenhouse. Pastel-toned butterflies perched on petals, and creatures resembling squirrels gnawed on the fruit of the trees. Why were birds resembling sparrows plucking the flowers off the trees? It could be for fun, or maybe they were trying to eat the nectar inside the flowers. ¡°¡­Won''t changing the seasons as people want it like this cause problems for the ecosystem?¡± ¡°There used to be a lot of debate about that, but apparently now they said they''ve managed to adjust everything somehow. More importantly, there are many cases where seasons are intentionally created to prevent the Earth''s native animals from going extinct due to monsters.¡± ¡°I see.¡± In many ways, it was different from the time Gio lived in. ¡°If you''d like, why don''t you dip your feet in the water?¡± ¡°Is that allowed?¡± ¡°There are rules like not picking fruit or plucking flowers, but there''s no specific regtion on that. In the summer when there are lots of people, manye here to enjoy the water.¡± ¡°For something like that, there''s no one here today.¡± ¡°It''s work hours, and it''s neither vacation nor a holiday. Who woulde to y in the water? Besides, in winter, most people don''t want to get wet.¡± ¡°What Mr. Yoo Sung-woon said is right.¡± Gio took off his shoes and socks, just like that. He then stepped into the running water. It was cool. ''Soft.'' There was a sweet scent. Whether it was scent from the flowers, the trees, or perhaps the monster residing in the water, he couldn''t tell. Maybe, unlike the colourless, odourless water of the past, the river water had evolved. But the way pebbles roll smoothly in the water, like in the summer valley¡­ Like small creatures, moving minutely. Made Giovanni happy. ¡°¡­It''s beautiful water.¡± His ck eyes contained the colour of water. ¡°Clear, and deep.¡± ¡°It''s deeper than I thought.¡± ¡°Why does it smell like the sea here?¡± Yoo Sung-woon sensed something changing. ¡°¡­Gio?¡± ¡°It smells like the sea. A little fishy like the surface of iron, cool like pine needles, and resembling the strong wind that scatters sand¡­.¡± ¡°Gio.¡± ¡°It resembles that ce.¡± A soft yet emotionless voice. ¡°The colour of the sea.¡± At that moment. ¡°The colour of a mermaid.¡± At Giovanni''s feet, various underwater creatures gathered silently. ¡°The deep sea watches over¡­.¡± Before anyone knew it, his feet had turned into a transparent colour of water¡­. ¡°¨DGio.¡± The voice of a ''friend.'' He blinked twice. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Did you call?¡± Gio turned back to Yoo Sung-woon. ¡°¡­You''re Seo Gio, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I am.¡± He nodded. ¡°My name is Gio.¡± Yoo Sung-woon''s face twisted strangely. *** Sometimeter, in front of the hotel rooms. Yoo Sung-woon handed the key cardbelled ''Room 4501'' to Gio. ¡°Here, this is yours.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I''ll be in the room next door, so call me if you need anything.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Dinner is reserved for 6:30, so¡­ seems we can just meet around 6.¡± Gio asked in response. ¡°What''s for dinner?¡± ¡°French. It''s a restaurant with a set course, so we can just go and eat.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Then, rest well.¡± As Yoo Sung-woon entered his room alone. He was sweating coldly. ¡°¡­Earlier, for sure¡­.¡± Back at Cheonggyecheon. ¡°¡­That wasn''t ''Gio.''¡± Something had changed. Whether he was aware of himself being in Korea, Gio would usually introduce himself as ''Seo Gio.'' Even though Yoo Sung-woon had pointed that out, he had defined himself as ''Gio'' in Cheonggyecheon. ''So what exactly changed?'' Yoo Sung-woon still remembered the ck cloak at Cheonggyecheon. It began from the moment Gio''s bare feet touched the stream''s water. An inexplicable sense of difort appeared, something oddly rippled, and Gio''s eyes¡ªwhich had been in ck the whole time¡ªtransformed into the colour of the sea. When Yoo Sung-woon spoke to him after realizing the change, Gio, who had smiled slowly, seemed as if his entire personality had changed. ''What colour was his hair¡­? Was it silver? Or tinum blonde? I couldn''t see clearly because of the hood.'' Slowly here and there, he began to get dyed, and soon his body transformed to the point where his feet were indistinguishable from the water. His form remained the same, but those were clearly not human feet¡ªthey belonged to the water. When a minnow naturally climbed up his transparent ankle, Yoo Sung-woon couldn''t help but call out to Gio. That was. Not human. It didn''t seem alive, but he could tell that it wasn''t dead either. It wasn''t breathing, but it had life. What had been a human he could talk to and touch a few minutes ago had transformed into something more¡­ akin to nature, and was certainly not something that could be handled with a clear mind. ¡°¡­ How foolish. ''Did I lower my guard just because his aura seemed weaker?'' A being of the origin could never be human. Especially for someone like Gio, who couldn''t even be defined as a monster. ''No matter how simr he made it to appear humans like us, it can never be the same.'' However, Gio was too human and kind to be wary of. ¡°I need to get a grip.¡± At this rate, he''ll going to lose his status as a gardener. ¡°¡­Still, well, it went much smoother than I expected.¡± He exhaled for no reason. Yoo Sung-woon threw the bag of basic supplies onto the bed and sat down next to it. Then he reviewed everything from the start of the day until just now. There were no problems. ''¡­Though a few things felt awkward, perhaps it''s because he has human memories. Gio is skilled in the rules of human society. He''s at a level iparable to other monsters.'' Most monsters, no matter how intelligent, wouldn''t understand why they had to give something to receive something in return. ''Actually, that''s normal. When a human observes an anthill, do they spare the ants any consideration before digging it up?'' It was the same logic. From the monster''s perspective, it made sense to simply take whatever food or items that were openly avable. If it didn''t exist, they wouldn''t notice, but if it existed, there was no reason not to take it. That was their natural everyday life and rule. So, from Gio''s perspective, Yoo Sung-woon''s act of paying for food must have been iprehensible. ¡°But since it went smoothly, it seems like he''s trying to imitate humans in his own way ¡­.¡± Strictly speaking though, there were still many immature aspects. ¡°He''s clearly curious about a lot of things.¡± Things humans would either already know or just pick up on intuitively. Gio asked Yoo Sung-woon about each and every one of them. What is this, what is that, can I have this, how was that made¡­. ¡°Though it''s hard to call Gio a monster, he''s definitely simr to humanoid monsters in this regard.¡± They were always curious about human objects and rules. ¡°¡­Hmm, another reason was probably his lightnesspared to that of a human.¡± Though he had lowered his aura to almost human levels, it didn''t seem like his body hadpletely transformed into that of a human. On the way to the hotel, Gio had almost been blown away by the wind. ''Even if he only floated for just a moment, it made no sense for someone of his height and build.'' Originally, Gio had always been so light that one couldn''t hear his footsteps. Today, perhaps thanks to his shoes and clothes, he seemed a little heavier¡ªbut even then, he was still too light to be considered human. Even though it was indeed a bit windy, recalling how Gio was nearly blown away by the wind for a moment¡­. Honestly, it was a little eerie. ¡°¡­He really isn''t human.¡± Gio wasn''t human. ''His usual lightness, and also that at Cheonggyecheon.'' Humans couldn''t be that light. The weight of the clothes worn, the weight of one''s internal organs and bones, and the weight of blood circting inside. If one were human, they wouldn''t be as soundless as a leaf falling softly, like Gio. And tiny minnows couldn''t have climbed up his body, either. The sight of his pale skin slowly turned into transparent water as his feet touched the stream. The scene of fish and air bubbles slipping through him was such a mystical and bizarre moment that it was hard to process with his mind. ¡°But he''s not even a monster¡­.¡± Nature imitates humans. That seems like a more urate description. ¡°¡­Scary.¡± Though beings of the origin were considered as nature with consciousness, for some reason¡ªsomething about Gio felt different, evoking a baseless sense of fear. It felt like he was receiving kindness from a being that shouldn''t exist. *** Meanwhile, Gio. ¡°It''s the 45th floor.¡± ¡°Coo coo!¡± He was enjoying the top floor of the five-star hotel with Honey he had secretly smuggled in. Indeed, he had no thoughts. Chapter 29 They move to the dinner ce by boat. ¡°This is the boat we''ll be taking.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Romantic youth Gio''s heart raced. ''To travel by waterway to the restaurant¡­.'' It felt just like being in Venice. ¡°With both roads and waterways around, it''s quite an unusual sight.¡± ¡°Is it? Well, I heard there were almost no waterways in Korea before the Great Catastrophe.¡± ¡°Why were they made?¡±Thud. Gio asked as he boarded the water taxi following Yoo Sung-woon. ¡°You''d need arge amount of water to create a waterway.¡± ¡°It wasn''t intentional. It wasn''t that they brought water in to make waterways, but rather there was just too much water, so they made the waterways to control it.¡± ¡°Are you saying there was that much water?¡± ¡°The water level was significantly highpared to the height of thend.¡± It was so high that it would have been unbearable if they hadn''t made the waterways. Just how far this hellish Korea could go? Yoo Sung-woon continued his exnation. ¡°Most of the areas are still unexplored by humans, but there are so many dungeons that appeared under the sea, and monsters that came out of them. I heard that the water level rose because the physical volume inside the sea increased.¡± ¡°If it''s that much, it must be hard for only one or two monsters to cause that.¡± Just how many, and how big, must the monsters that settled on Earth be for it to be unbearable without creating waterways? Yoo Sung-woon, understanding Gio''s question, spoke up. ¡°There are many underwater monstersrge enough to easily surpass the size of a building.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°And it''s not just one monster, there are various kinds with many of them, so naturally, the water level would have risenpared to before the Great Catastrophe. Actually, I heard that our country wasn''t originally a ce where the seawater rose this much¡­.¡± ¡°How do they manage the seawater that has risen in the countryside?¡± ¡°I''ve heard they''ve dug waterways enough that it doesn''t significantly harm farming or daily life too much. They made various paths to prevent the salt from the seawater from seeping into thend, but since they don''t have as much capital as the cities¡­ farming near the waterways would be difficult, I suppose.¡± ¡°So, the areas where the seawater flows in excessively have been focusing on fishing instead of farming from the beginning. Some fishes from famous areas are even imported to the cities.¡± Despite the situation, it seems like everyone has found ways to survive. ''Human adaptability is truly incredible.'' In any case, Gio was intimidated. ''I should stay tucked away in the portrait.'' Earth had be a world where it was nearly impossible to survive with just romance, passion, and hope, without any practical power. In such a tough world, how strong must one be to live while paying monthly rent on time? It was clear that this was a level Gio couldn¡¯t even dream of. ¡°I believe you mentioned that the restaurant itself is floating on water.¡± ¡°Well, it''s more like a restaurant built on a small ind than floating, really¡­.¡± ¡°I heard it''s located within the Han River.¡± As he sat in the taxi seat, Gio asked. ¡°Was there always an ind there?¡± He knew that there were small inds like Nodeul Ind 31 years ago. But Yoo Sung-woon said that the restaurant was sitting alone without any other structures nearby, so he wondered how such a location came to be. Yoo Sung-woon easily answered. ¡°That''s because it used to be the site of a fixed dungeon.¡± ¡°¡­A fixed dungeon?¡± ¡°¡­Oh, do you not know much about dungeons?¡± Judging from his confused face, he must have assumed that Gio would naturally know about it. But unfortunately, reality wasn''t like that. In the blink of an eye, Gio had be an ancestor from 31 years ago, unable to keep up with the changing times and thus left behind. ''How did I, who once instilled social values in Korea¡¯s children, end up like this?'' Kids, I miss being your teacher. Thankfully, Yoo Sung-woon soon returned to his usual calm expression and began exining. ¡°Dungeons are usually divided into fixed and mobile types. As the name suggests, fixed dungeons stay in one ce, while mobile dungeons move ording to their own rules. Fixed dungeons can even create terrain that originally wasn¡¯t there.¡± ¡°Does that mean the restaurant we''re heading to now was built on such created terrain?¡± ¡°Yeah, that''s the theme of the restaurant in the first ce. The dungeon that was originally there was rted to cooking, and because it was moved by the food of an ordinary chef who wasn''t even a hunter but got involved by chance ¡­. it was cleared.¡± ¡°Aha.¡± The story was incredibly touching. ¡°A grand restaurant was left behind at the location where the dungeon was cleared, and the chef who participated in the conquest at that time was said to have inherited and run the restaurant ever since. He''s already 92 years old, but he''s still active on-site.¡± ¡°92 years old?¡± ¡°Quite long-lived for a human, right?¡± Yoo Sung-woonughed once and continued speaking. ¡°Since he was awakened as a chef after clearing a dungeon, he probably isn¡¯t as affected by age. There would be support from skills or items, too. If you see him in person, he likely looks to be in his 50s.¡± ¡°He often participates in national-level raids and takes care of the team''s meals, so seems like hisbat skills must not be bad either. I haven''t seen it myself, but I heard his main weapon is a nail-studded baseball bat.¡± ¡°A baseball bat¡­.¡± ¡°Surprising, right? I thought he''d use a kitchen knife. But he said in an interview, how could he use the knives he cooks with to slice monsters? I guess chefs really have a different mindset.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Gio felt like he understood that mindset, but in any case, he was still intimidated. Humanity had be stronger. ¡°Do Awakeners age more slowly?¡± ¡°As far as I know, most of them do. At least, if they''re C-rank hunters or higher.¡± ¡°So, C-rank is the standard for a good hunter¡­.¡± ¡°The general reality or perception itself is along those lines. It was truly a frightening world. ''Everything Grandma said was right. Always live humbly and politely.'' He didn''t want to live only to end up being exorcised as a haunted portrait. Gio was worried. ''I also need toe up with a good survival strategy. If the portrait burns, I don''t know what will happen to my cabin, and just living diligently doesn''t mean I can prevent all disasters¡­.'' But he didn''t want to pass as a human and return to live on Earth either. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± ¡°I think Earth is a scary ce.¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± It was really terrifying. ¡°Why are you suddenly scared? You''re not even a target for subjugation.¡± ¡°That''s true.¡± But on the other hand, if he did be a target for subjugation, he might be torn apart. ''I like things as they are now.'' Was there a way to keep being treated like a haunted portrait while avoiding criticism and attacks from people? Gio decided to think more about how to ensure hisfortable survival. First, though, he needed to eat. ¡°¡­It smells good.¡± ¡°Right, we haven¡¯t even seen the restaurant yet. Isn¡¯t it fascinating?¡± ¡°Is this smell only from this waterway?¡± ¡°I think I heard it''s a kind of promotional strategy.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Far from unpleasant, the fact that this waterway emitted such a delightful smell was fascinating, but what was even more strange was that the scent of the sea and the food could be distinguished separately. ''¡­To think there¡¯s scent of the sea in the middle of the city¡­.'' If he lowered his head just a little, only the scent of the sea filled his senses. It was a pungent, brain-piercing, salty smell of seawater. It made him feel nostalgic. Gio leaned closer to the water¡¯s surface. ¡°Gio, that looks dangerous.¡± ¡°I just wanted to smell it for a moment because I like the scent of the sea.¡± Gio''s voice, immersed in old memories, softened considerably. ¡°It''s strange that it smells like the sea even though this is a waterway connected to the Han River.¡± ¡°Well, unless it''s in the mountains, all the rivers and waterways in ces like this are strongly mixed with seawater¡­.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Giovanni loved this scent. The scent of the sea. The scent of a mermaid. ¡°¡­ It made him want to dive deep into that scent. It tugged at his heartstrings. ¡°Gio, stop.¡± ¡°¡­Even the driver looks rmed.¡± At those words, Gio looked at the water taxi driver. He was looking at Gio with an extremely flustered face, also seemingly a little scared. ¡°¡­I see.¡± Gio acknowledged that he had acted rudely. ¡°Apologies, this is my first time on a waterway, and my curiosity got the better of me.¡± ¡°It''s fine, I was just worried you might get hurt, not angry.¡± ¡°Thank you for your understanding.¡± Yoo Sung-woon''s face showed ¡®concern¡¯, but the driver¡¯s face appeared closer to ¡®fear¡¯, though Gio just let it pass without thinking much. It was natural to be scared if the passengers you were carrying looked like they were about to fall into the water. ''Like a passenger suddenly opening the door and jumping out onto the highway¡­'' Gio sessfully convinced himself. ¡®Otherwise, it might be that I unknowingly let out some weird energy again.¡¯ Just like how it had happened a few times before at Yoo Sung-woon''spany. Gio quietly sat back down, reflecting on the fact that he had been distracted by the fascinating waterway and caused trouble. Yoo Sung-woon, who had been watching him as if observing something, hesitated with a face that seemed to ask, ¡®Is it okay to ask this?¡¯ and then cautiously inquired. ¡°Do you like the sea?¡± ¡°¡­ Yes?¡± No? Not really? ¡°I don''t particrly like it.¡± ¡°But earlier, at Cheonggyecheon and here in the waterway, it seemed like you were particrly fond of the sea''s scent. Of course, I apologize if I was mistaken.¡± ¡°There''s nothing to apologize for. I don''t dislike the sea, but I don''t exactly like it either¡­¡± Gio then quickly changed his words after saying so. ¡°¡­Come to think of it, maybe I do.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I think I consider myself indifferent, but I might actually like it.¡± It sounded strange, but it wasn''t exactly wrong either. ¡®Gio¡¯ had no strong feelings toward the sea, but ¡®Giovanni¡¯ was different. So when asked ''Do you like the sea?'' Gio could only answer both yes and no. Since both thoughts were his own, it was hard to deny either one. However, a thought suddenly urred to him. ¡°Are there mermaids here too?¡± ¡°¡­Mermaids?¡± Meanwhile, Yoo Sung-woon sensed the strangeness simr to what he felt at Cheonggyecheon once more. ¡®He definitely said ¡®here too.¡± Gio seemed to have some kind of connection with mermaids. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± After a moment of thought, Yoo Sung-woon slowly nodded. ¡°Sometimes, creatures like that do emerge. Even if they''re not necessarily monsters¡­ there are entities that take on such forms.¡± ¡°In a world where worshipping statues, legends, or myths can bring real monsters into existence, mermaid-rted creatures do appear from time to time in different parts of the Earth.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°There''s a famous fairy tale by a very old author called ¡®The Little Mermaid.''¡± The Little Mermaid. The familiar words made Gio fall into thoughts once again. He was thinking about ¡®Giovanni''s request. ¡®Come to think of it, there was a quest rted to The Little Mermaid.¡¯ But for now, he decided to leave it aside. ¡°It seems like we''re almost there. It''s a fancy restaurant.¡± ¡°Oh, you''re right.¡± ¡°I''m looking forward to it since the building is more impressive than I expected.¡± They say you shouldn''t worry while at the dining table. *** A luxurious restaurant that seemed to be made of ivory and marble was blended together. It was beautifully decorated like a castle, yet its structure¡ªwith several rooms, stairs, and lobbies mixed together¡ªwas inefficient, as if not built by humans. Yet, ironically, this oddity only served to solidify the restaurant''s concept. White, pink, light green, sky blue. The soft pastel tones, scattered like patchwork on an ivory-coloured canvas, gave off a dreamlike quality that made people feel dazed. It was breathtakingly beautiful. ¡°There''s something I didn''t get a chance to ask earlier¡­¡± Meanwhile, Yoo Sung-woon and Gio''s party had taken their seats at a cream-coloured table. Gio, now seated, asked a question. ¡°This ce was said to have been made from the remnants of a fixed dungeon, right?¡± ¡°Hmm? Yes, that''s correct.¡± ¡°Then, do fixed dungeons always leave behind terrain or buildings like this after being cleared? And is that how this dungeon left behind thisnd and restaurant?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ yeah, something like that.¡± Perhaps thinking it would be good to clear up any lingering questions before the main meal arrived, Yoo Sung-woon exined with his characteristic easygoing smile. ¡°Dungeonse in various types, whether fixed or mobile ones. Usually, they are categorized into virtual dungeons, vi dungeons, or entry dungeons.¡± ¡°There are three kinds?¡± ¡°Actually, there are more than that, but these three are the mostmonly known dungeons.¡± Yoo Sung-woon folded his fingers as he continued his exnation. ¡°In the case of virtual dungeons, there are no clear boundaries. The dungeon randomly traps individuals meeting certain conditions, and the game takes ce in a virtual world. For example, ten men in their thirties who visit a convenience store exactly at 9 p.m. might be pulled into a game, where the game board resembles the convenience store.¡± ¡°That sounds incredibly unfair.¡± ¡°Exactly, and that''s why virtual dungeons are such a headache for hunters. How many of those ten men in their thirties would actually be suitable hunters for clearing the dungeon? Virtual dungeons are quite rare, but they''re hard to avoid and cause a lot of damage, making them a real concern for modern people.¡± A world where this could be considered a ¡®concern for modern people¡¯ seems to be a bit unsettling. Yoo Sung-woon, unaware that Gio had bepletely terrified thanks to his stiff facial muscles, continued his exnation calmly. ¡°Next, we have vi dungeons. This is when some random terrain and rules suddenly appear on Earth.¡± ¡°Is this restaurant an example of that?¡± ¡°You''ve got it. Just like you said, this restaurant building was created as part of a vi dungeon. One day, out of nowhere, a restaurant suddenly appeared in the middle of the Han River.¡± Yoo Sung-woon rolled his eyes as if recalling the memory. ¡°As far as I know, this restaurant wasn¡¯t just a restaurant built on top of a new terrain. It¡¯s an excessively long restaurant with a basement deep enough to reach all the way to the riverbed, but since only the restaurant is visible above the water, it''s known as the ¡®water-floating restaurant.''¡± He nodded as he continued. ¡°In this way, vi dungeons mean that mansions from other dimensions suddenly get built on Earth. Since the area has already been reced with such terrain, there''s no way to restore it. So even after a vi dungeon has been cleared, it usually remains in ce, with only its rules gone. How to handle and utilize it is left up to the people of Earth.¡± ¡°And thest one is the entry dungeon. This one is simr to a game. I''m not sure what kind of games you know, but¡­¡± Yoo Sung-woon shook hisst finger as he spoke. ¡°Unlike virtual dungeons with no physical boundaries or vi dungeons with existing but vague boundaries, entry dungeons are different. It¡¯s a case where a gate appears, and once you enter, you can begin clearing a dimension from another world.¡± ¡°Aha¡­¡± It indeed looked like those dimensional portals often seen in games. A game where entering a gate takes you to another map. Giopletely understood now. As always, Yoo Sung-woon kindly and casually continued his exnation. ¡°However, examples of utilizing dungeon remnants as a restaurant like this one are pretty rare.¡± ¡°It''s unique and seems like a good idea, so I''m surprised it''s not done more often. Why is that?¡± ¡°Humans are fearful creatures.¡± Hyung, are you going to keep treating me like a haunted portrait? ¡°There could be problems with letting regr people in, and there aren¡¯t many people brave enough to live there or make use of the dungeon¡¯s remnants. Above all, these remaining remnants tend to be picky about people¡­ so most of the time, it was preferred to demolish them.¡± ¡°Picky about people?¡± ¡°Like, if someone it doesn''t likees in, it¡¯ll make them feel chills?¡± ¡°That sounds like a haunted house.¡± Said the haunted portrait. Yes, Gio did actually acknowledge his own identity. ¡®After all, normal people don''t usually build a cabin and live a healing life inside a portrait.¡¯ Gio, who didn¡¯t intend to strongly assert himself as human anyway, made a subtle excuse. ¡°¡­I don''t give people chills.¡± ¡°Sure, sure, Gio is a human. Right?¡± ¡°That''s right.¡± He was so grateful that he ¡®yes, yes¡¯ him like a 4-year-old cousin that it almost brought him to tears. Chapter 30 ''I''ve been to French restaurants a few times before¡­.'' Gio looked around the interior of the restaurant again. ''They really nailed the concept here.'' Gio, who is more romantic than fearful, wasn''t fazed even by the words, ''This is a restaurant that was made from a dungeon where dozens of people died.'' ''Why should I be scared when the food is good?'' To Gio, even the air in this restaurant, ''Histoire,'' felt sweet. ¡°Do you like this ce?¡± ¡°The atmosphere is nice.¡±There was fun in appreciating it. It was confusing yet clean, dreamlike yet neat. The cool but gentle feel of the colours was likely due to the designer''s ability to blend white and pastel tones appropriately. It was a bizarre yet fantastic design, as if it embodied someone''s beautiful dream. ''There''s a high probability that this building wasn''t designed by a human ¡­'' Theplex and beautiful building, like a dream brought to life, and the sweet air that made your mouth water as if an illusion was being materialized, made him feel excited as if he was at an amusement park for a unique ride that he had never experienced in his life. Even on Earth, originally there had been something called immersive dining. It referred to restaurants where you could watch performances in theatres designed with a single concept and enjoy a meal immersed in that theme. You could say it''s a participatory y where you could enjoy a meal. ''And here, this restaurant called a dungeon, has a story connected to an actual dimension, unlike the pure, fictional ys that could be considered lies, it''s a real story, and it was even said that the chef here was the protagonist of that story.'' The restaurant was quite tall, but its centre was open, so you could see the ceiling even from the first floor. But that didn''t mean the centre waspletely open in a circr shape. There were stairs connected inyers and a round lobby without any railings, where the guests could also dine. People dining in the aerial lobby were seated in such a visually pleasing position as if they had been chosen as the main characters of this y. Gio and Yoo Sung-woon sat on the seats at the edge of the fifth floor. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Yoo Sung-woon asked with a curious expression. ¡°Did you actually want to sit in the lobby? It''s a popr spot since it''s where the dungeon''s story took ce.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Ah, you answered quickly. You kept looking at the aerial lobby, so I thought you might prefer that spot.¡± ¡°I liked the building''s structure, so I was just admiring it. It''s a pleasure to look at.¡± Though he didn''t reject it outright out of courtesy, he absolutely did not want to dine in the aerial lobby. ''Having all that attention focused on me would be too intense of an experience for someone with a soft heart like me.'' If you think of it as immersive dining, that spot could also be part of the y, but he didn''t want to eat in such a space where he could be stared at by unfamiliar strangers. Gio covered up his shyness. ?? ¡°I was just admiring it.¡± ¡°Well, that''s a relief.¡± At Gio''s clean yet firm tone, Yoo Sung-woon inwardly sighed in relief. ''¡­I can''t have Gio exposed in such a public spot like that.'' Though Gio was still wearing his hood as he wished, that didn''t mean he could hide his physique or the atmosphere around him. No matter how much he tried to lower his status by imitating humans, where would his true essence go? ''About 19 people are watching¡­ 11 of them are hunters. 4 seems to be on guard, preparing for any unexpected situations. 1 is C-rank, 2 are B-rank, and 1 is A-rank.'' Histoire was a unique restaurant that utilized remnants of a past dungeon, so most ordinary people who hadn''t awakened avoideding. The hurdle was too high for them to casuallye just to enjoy a meal. The price was one thing, but more than that, the fact that it was a ce where many people had died in the past made it a no-go for most. ''Many people said they''d have nightmares if they ate in a ce like this.'' For hunters, witnessing people dying was a daily urrence, so over 70% of the customers at Histoire were hunters. However, even among them, the reactions varied. ''Because the influence of the remnants still remains.'' Histoire''s building could cause anything from hallucinations and auditory illusions to, in extreme cases, schizophrenia symptoms. Though it wasn''t easy to get to that point unless someone caused a disturbance in the restaurant, many customers couldn''t handle the subtle pressure that the building itself emanated. Gio, this guy. ''If you''re going to imitate humans, at least do it properly.'' By showing such calm enjoyment of the restaurant, he naturally drew the attention of the other guests. In a space that became increasingly bizarre the more you looked, he tantly showed that he wasn''t human. ''¡­Moreover¡­.'' Even without such eerie behaviour, Gio had an air of nobility around him. ''Maybe he fits so well in this French restaurant because he looks like real nobility.'' Should he call it elegance, or perhaps intimidation? He wasn''t even trying, but even though he was trying to lower himself, every gesture that came out exuded a certain dignity. ''I didn''t notice it much when we were only talking through the portrait, but now that he''s out here, he definitely has an elegant atmosphere. He even has a neat vibe like those priests in the temple.'' Does he really think that the word ''ordinary person'' fits him when he has this kind of atmosphere? ''There aren''t many people like this even among humans¡­'' Even though Gio had a deep respect and understanding of humans, he still had gaps here and there. Judging from hisck of attention to detail showed that he wasn''t human after all. Of course, Gio wasn''t thinking about anything. ''It''s been a long time since I''ve been to a restaurant like this.'' As Giovanni, that was what he thought for a moment. In fact, all the elegance, poise, and priestly demeanour he had shown up until now came from ''Giovanni,'' who had been a noble, a doctor, and a priest. He simply wasn''t aware of the habits and atmosphere that naturally came out. ¡°Here''s the opening bread.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Gio''s heart raced. ''It''s bread.'' He hadn''t been this excited for a lump of flour in a long time. It reminded him of the meals he shared with his disciples during his life as Giovanni, making him feel even better. Yoo Sung-woon seemed to sense Gio''s joy. ¡°Do you like bread?¡± ¡°Don''t worry, I eat everything and I''m not picky.¡± ¡°You really do enjoy food, don''t you¡­.¡± ¡°Yes, I do.¡± Gio tore off a small piece of bread and ced it on his te. ''It''s small and round.'' Then he broke it into pieces and ate it bit by bit rather than all at once. Yoo Sung-woon observed Giovanni''s behaviour. Yoo Sung-woon was inwardly convinced. ''A noble¡­ or at least someone of a simr ss.'' Given how meticulous the manners he put into each and every bite, that much was clear. ''It didn''t stand out as much at the set meal restaurant, but¡­ did he have some connection to France? Or maybe it''s just something else rted to Western customs¡­.'' While Yoo Sung-woon pondered, Gio continued his meal. ¡°The bread is delicious.¡± ¡°Really? It does have a nice aroma.¡± ¡°It''s mild and savoury.¡± The surface of the bread was dry, almost to the point of being overly crisp, but it wasn''t tough or hard like bad bread. Inside the crispy outeryer which broke apart like ayer of pastry, was a warm, soft centre, with steam rising from it. ''It doesn''t feel like regr sliced bread or morning rolls. If I had topare, it''s closest to Ciabatta. But even so, it''s incredibly softer than that it''s quite different from what I know¡­.'' It felt as ifyers of meringue had been puffed up, creating a delicate chewiness between the soft textures. The crunchy crust, the tender softness inside, and the slightly chewy texture made it enjoyable to chew. The mild and savoury taste of the bread itself, bringing out the natural grain vour, and the subtle wood-fired oven aroma was also excellent. ''It''s not overdone, everything is harmonious.'' He wanted to kidnap the person who made this. ¡°This oil smells great too.¡± ¡°Oh, really? I heard it''s olive and mushroom mixed with oil.¡± ¡°Olive and mushroom?¡± ¡°Both are dungeon-improved varieties. This might suit your taste more.¡± ¡°It''s certainly a uniquebination. I like it. It''s nice.¡± Normally, the oil used for dipping bread like this before the meal was often paired with balsamic vinegar. Balsamic vinegar, which could be called sticky grape vinegar, had a uniquely rich, sour vour, but interestingly, this oil had salt in it instead. ''It almost feels like eating sashimi.'' Gio suddenly thought of the mermaid with navy blue hair. She was a proud and sensitive child. ''¡­Aria didn''t like strong vours, so she liked dipping bread in oil without vinegar. But if I added salt like this, it would''ve been fine¡­ I didn''t think of it back then.'' Well, salt was expensive at that time, and it was hard to keep a sufficient supply. Even if one lived in a seaside vige, salt was a precious ingredient. It definitely tasted like sashimi. The texture of the bread was particrly unique, soft but tender, yet chewy like fatty tuna belly dipped in sesame oil. The bread also gave off a lively feeling. ''¡­Maybe because the oil and salt are mixed together, the vour is amplified, and the sweetness of the grain is more pronounced. It''s definitely abination that pairs well with the texture of freshly baked bread.'' While he was nibbling on the bread, the second dish arrived. ¡°It''s an onion soup with three kinds of cheese.¡± Unlike the creamy soups most people think of, this was a transparent brown soup relying solely on the sweetness and savoury vour of onions. The thick yellow and orange cheese melted perfectly, covered the soup so much that you couldn''t see through it. Gio gently scooped up the soup. ''The cheese isn''t that thick.'' The inside of the crispy grilled outeryer of the cheese was soft and delicate. Perhaps because it was in contact with the onion soup, it had absorbed the deep savoury vour unique to well-fried onions. ''The onion''s texture is well-preserved. Even though it was cooked so tender that it melts on the tongue, the onion''s original form is still visible, which means they made this soup with extreme care. It must''ve taken quite a bit of time.'' Cheese on top of onion soup. Amonbination, yet Gio didn''t particrly like thick cheese on top. It was due to his personal preference that didn''t like how the cheese became rubbery when the soup and bowl cooled down. ''Some might say that thick cheese adds texture, like radish or meat in soup¡­ but that''s not for me. I just want to eat soup.'' However, the bowl of this soup maintained a warm temperature, and the cheese was neither too thin nor too thick, making it easy to scoop. Thanks to this, the natural vour of the onion was even more emphasized. ¡°Do you like it?¡± ¡°It feels nice, like it''s warming my body.¡± ¡°Indeed, onion soup feels like a bit of a healing dish.¡± ¡°I think so, too.¡± The process of saut¨¦ing white, firm onions until they turned a deep caramel colour. That process was the key to making onion soup. If the onions were burnt or undercooked, you''d end up drinking nd onion water instead of tasting its savoury vour. But this soup, which had extracted every bit of sweetness, savoriness, and richness of the onions, was worthy of being called a healing dish. With ordinary effort and time, one wouldn''t be able to bring out all the vours of the onion to this extent. ''Kidnapping.'' Let''s kidnap the chef. ¡°This is a cheese flower sd with Amura pur¨¦e.¡± Upon hearing the new dish and the unfamiliar term, Gio naturally turned to look at Yoo Sung-woon. It was a beautiful sd with a pale yellow sauce drizzled on top, cheese shaped like flowers scattered around, surrounded by neatly trimmed flower petals. An exnation was needed. ¡°Ah¡­ are you curious about the ingredients?¡± ¡°If it''s alright, may I ask what Amura is?¡± ¡°It''s one of the representative fruits sessfully cultivated after being brought from a dungeon. Do you know avocado?¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°It''s a fruit with soft flesh simr to that, but with a strong nutty aroma like that of nuts. The fruit contains a massive amount of oil, and that oil doesn''t burn easily at most temperatures, so I hear it''s often used in Chinese cuisine.¡± ¡°Then the flesh itself¡­¡± ¡°That''s right. This is the first time I''ve seen a ce that uses Amura as a pur¨¦e. Last season, there was a fruit sd. Histoire changes its menu every four months, so it''s always fun to visit.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The fruit called Amura had a pale yellow colour, even lighter than a chick. ''¡­It has a nuttiness simr to that of peanuts or walnuts.'' But it didn''t immediately remind him of nuts. Strictly speaking, it was more like the subtle sweetness and nuttiness you get from chewing rice for a long time. Then, in the end, a rich sweetness like honey, and the tanginess unique to fruits hit¡ªadding variation to the vour. ''It''s definitely rich in oil. It almost feels like marbling in beef¡­'' This sweet oiliness, somewhat reminiscent of bone broth, paired perfectly with the refreshingly spread petals. Gio''s eyes naturally fell on the cheeseflower, which resembled the shape of a korean rosebay. When he slightly split the cheeseflower, he could see that it was a ''flower'' grown naturally like this from the beginning. ¡°¡­ Cheese flower¡­¡± ¡°Are you interested? Should I get you some seedlingster?¡± ¡°Please do.¡± ¡°Alright. I''ll buy it for you on the way back after the tour.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± A flower that grows into cheese¡ªwhat an exciting story to gather up all the childhood innocence anyone ever had. It seemed like something straight out of a fairytale he had read as a child. ''Considering how much effort it takes for humans to make cheese, this is an incredibly charming flower.'' What even is cheese in the first ce? Wasn''t it a symbol of effort, where you boil and boil the sweet milk, roll and roll it until one finally got a small quantity after all that work? And now, this processed product was naturally growing as a flower¡ªhow could that not be surprising? The petals were thin and beautiful like a work of art. ''What''s the mechanism behind this? The taste itself seems simr to T¨ºte de Moine cheese¡­'' The semi-hard cheese maintained its shape but crumbled softly when touched, with the softness and nuttiness typical of milk, but with a strong, nutty aroma and a pungent, spicy vour. The cheese flower had a slightly stronger spiciness on the tip of the tongue, but it wasn''t unpleasant. It was just enough to refresh the oily taste of the Amura pur¨¦e and the characteristic richness of the cheese. ''Thisbination is a work of art. Could the chef be a living cultural treasure?'' Above all, the cheeseflower, being twice as sweet and nuttier than T¨ºte de Moine, also carried a hint of honey. It was like the delicate sweetness you get when you flip over a korean rosebay flower and sip the nectar. That sweetness matched the sd so well, it was almost frightening. Gio was excited at the thought of nting this flower back at the cabin. ¡°You look really happy.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± What an obvious thing to say. ¡°Humans are happiest when they eat.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ really?¡± ¡°Well, I am, at least.¡± It had been that way since he ate the potatoes his grandmother roasted in the wood-fired oven. He couldn''t escape from this extremely primal pleasure. The rest of the meal course was just as fantastic. There was gratin with a rich truffle aroma, french fries lightly topped with cheese, slow-cooked beef brisket infused with the aroma of wood, and garlic that was made into crispy chips. For something known to be oily like French cuisine, the harmony was exquisite, making it a course that didn''t get tiring. ¡°How was it overall?¡± ¡°It wasn''t just good, it was excellent.¡± ¡°I''m d you enjoyed it¡­¡± If you''re going to mimic humans, why don''t you at least pretend to care about your surroundings? ''Humans are more social creatures than you think¡­'' Yoo Sung-woon, who had to bear the brunt of ''what the hell is that'' gazes directed at Gio, smiled bitterly. korean rosebay (pink azalea): from what I look around, seems like most azalea is poisonous, only this pink azalea is edible. T¨ºte de Moine cheese (the only thing I know is that this cheese is expensive): Chapter 31 ¡°Then shall we head to Gyeongbokgung Pce now?¡± Gyeongbokgung Pce is it. ''I''ve taken my ss there a few times for field trips. The kids hated it because they thought it was boring, but¡­'' As Gio recalled the bustling past, he asked. ¡°You mentioned there''s a night market?¡± ¡°That''s right, there''s no better ce to feel the atmosphere of Korea.¡± ¡°It sounds fun.¡± ¡°Do you want to try wearing a hanbok too?¡±¡°Hanbok¡­.¡± His not-so-distant memories came flooding back. It was a ce he wouldn''t have visited unless it was for the school trip, but it was still fun to dress the kids up in hanbok and take pictures at Gyeongbokgung Pce. ''Especially thest ss I was in charge of, they put on a live performance of pce fights.'' Gio was lost in his memories. The bloody battle between the queen and the eunuch was the best. Thanks to being in charge of such lively and cute students, Gio had many fond memories of Gyeongbokgung Pce. Although he had never worn a hanbok before because he always had to lead the group, he didn''t dislike the idea of wearing one. ¡°That sounds good.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Yoo Sung-woon secretly let out a sigh of relief at Gio''s response. ''I was worried that since his essence is a portrait, he might be ufortable changing outfits.'' Fortunately, Gio seemed to be the type who wasn''t particrly opposed to trying out various experiences. ¡°Great, I know a good ce.¡± ¡°Are you talking about a hanbok rental shop?¡± ¡°It''s not a crowded ce, so we can take our time.¡± ¡°I''m looking forward to it.¡± ¡°Then shall we take the overground train now? It should be arriving at the spot soon.¡± ¡°Is there a set time for arrival?¡± ¡°It''s not a very frequent means of transportation¡­.¡± As Yoo Sung-woon led Gio toward the stop, he was lost in a strange thought. ''Since he introduced himself as Gio, I assumed he was imitating Korean culture, but the culture he''s mimicking doesn''t seem to be Korean?'' The table manners Gio had shown at the restaurant didn''t quite match those of Korea. Looking back, Gio''s words suggested he knew a lot about Korea, yet his manners leaned more toward Western customs no matter where he observed, which was quite peculiar. ¡°¡­Hmm.¡± But now, it didn''t really matter. ¡°How was the restaurant?¡± ¡°It was delicious.¡± ¡°That''s a response that makes the guide proud.¡± When his level had been so high, it was hard to tell what expression Gio was making, but now he could tell that Gio was enjoying the situation in his own way. ''Thanks to that, the guide is going smoothly.'' Yoo Sung-woon continued his thoughts. ''Since he''s behaving quite human, unless other hunters don''t pick a fight, there shouldn''t be any problems. Guild leader Bi Sa-beol said before, Gio is the type who avoids conflict whenever possible¡­.'' Gio spoke up his admiration. ¡°The overground train passes right through the buildings.¡± ¡°Doesn''t it makemuting to work easier? It''s convenient when it drops you off directly inside the building.¡± ¡°That''s true.¡± ¡°In two more stops, there''s a stop that goes through a department store too.¡± ¡°Is there no issue with the noise?¡± ¡°They''ve done soundproofing. I''m not sure exactly what the magic department used, but¡­.¡± Judging from the way he enjoyed every single thing he was guided through, Gio seemed to like this world of humans. ''A man nearly 190 cm tall acting like this would havee off as childish, but¡­.'' Strangely, the angle of his neck as he turned his head or the way his fingers lightly brushed the window didn''t make him seem immature at all. He was clearly enjoying himself, but instead of the pure amazement of a child, it felt more like the detached observation of a bystander. ''Is it because of the heavy atmosphere?'' Instead ofughing from an equal footing, it was more like he was observing from above with his hands behind his back¡­. ¡°Are we getting off soon?¡± ¡°Oh, yes.¡± Yoo Sung-woon led Gio off at the Gyeongbokgung Pce stop. Pointing below the stop, he said: ¡°This is Gyeongbokgung Pce.¡± One of the advantages of the overground train was that it gave a clear view of the city. Lanterns floated gently at a not-too-high altitude swaying softly as if they were alive, and below themy Gyeongbokgung Pce and the Hanok Vige. Since the area was lit by fire rather than electricity to light the night, the entire scene was bathed in a warm glow. People who stopped by after work or came for sightseeing bought food from the night market stalls lined up inside and outside of Gyeongbokgung Pce. The hanboks worn ording to their different roles, fluttered in the winter breeze. After waiting for Gio to take in the entire view, Yoo Sung-woon opened his mouth again. ¡°If you''re in Seoul, you have to visit Gyeongbokgung Pce. It''s a world-renowned tourist attraction.¡± ¡°What? Is it too crowded for your liking?¡± ¡°No, I just didn''t expect the atmosphere to be this nice.¡± ¡°I''m d you don''t dislike it. Then we should enjoy it, too¡± Yoo Sung-woon took the direct elevator down and led Gio to Hanok Vige. People wandered around every narrow alley, some in hanbok, some not. The hanboks for rent in winter were all lined with warm materials, that was probably why despite it being midwinter, the outfits didn''t look too bulky. ¡°Come here, let''s change clothes first.¡± ¡°Are we going to the Hanbok rental ce?¡± ¡°That''s right. To enjoy it properly, we need to get everything ready.¡± Though it was easy to get lost for beginners in Gyeongbokgung Pce''s Hanok Vige, finding the rental shop wasn''t difficult since Yoo Sung-woon had visited several times before. Such tourist attraction filled with so many ''stories'' often gave Yoo Sung-woon work to do. ''¡­They seem a bit excited today. It doesn''t look like they''ll cause any trouble, but they''re unusually lively¡­.'' He saw ''stories'' pretending to clear snow off the hanok''s roof, or imitating schrs or noblewomen, all while dressed in hanbok. Yoo Sung-woon nced away after confirming the figures wearing wooden masks. They usually wouldn''t attack first, but the ones in Gyeongbokgung Pce weren''t the kind you''d want to lock eyes with for too long. In a courtyard draped in silks, with gentle-colourednterns hanging from the eaves, Yoo Sung-woon led Gio who was silently admiring the surroundings inside the hanok. ¡°Boss.¡± ¡°Oh my, isn''t it Mr. Sung-woon?¡± A middle-aged woman, elegantly dressed in a hanbok adorned with floral patterns, greeted him. ¡°It''s been a while. Guiding a guest again?¡± ¡°It''s apany guest this time, so I need to be extra careful.¡± ¡°Then our hanboks are just the right thing.¡± The woman smiled gracefully and looked over to Gio. ¡°Is this the guest?¡± ¡°We''ll be going around the night market rather than ying, so please pick somethingfortable.¡± ¡°Why, not enjoying the festivities? They''ve got a lot of fun stuff going on this time.¡± ¡°We''ve been walking around all day, and we''repletely worn out.¡± ¡°Then should I dress you both as schrs? If the clothes are too thick or heavy, they''ll be ufortable, so a light schr''s outfit should do.¡± ¡°That would be good.¡± Yoo Sung-woon turned to Gio. ¡°What about your face? Do you want to keep it covered, or¡­.¡± ¡°I''d prefer to keep it covered.¡± Please ensure the anonymity of the portrait. Gio, overwhelmed by therger crowd than expected, felt intimidated. Always wanting to stay far from people''s attention, Gio desired to cover his face to block out the gazes. Although Yoo Sung-woon didn''t fully grasp Gio''s timid heart, he guessed that Gio wouldn''t enjoy such a busy and noisy situation. So he quickly understood and asked the boss. ¡°Do you have a mask?¡± ¡°Should I give you a loose one?¡± ¡°That would be morefortable. Yes, please.¡± ¡°Then let''s pick the clothes first.¡± The boss turned to Gio and asked. ¡°Could you take off your cloak? You can put it back onter if you want, but I need to see your build to choose the right hanbok.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Gio obediently took off his cloak and draped it over his arm. Then Gio looked at the boss proudly, having followed the instructions well. ¡°¡­ Boss?¡± Yoo Sung-woon called out to the boss who had be a stone statue. ¡°The guest is going to run away at this rate.¡± ¡°¡­Oh my, I''ve embarrassed myself.¡± The boss finally reacted. ¡°I lost my breath for a moment because the guest is so handsome.¡± ¡°Don''t say weird things to my guest.¡± ¡°The hangers are great, it''ll be a pleasure to pick an outfit for such a handsome guest. Just wait a moment.¡± Soon, the boss returned with two young women, each bringing a hanger with two types of hanbok hanging on them. One had a cool, blue-toned hanbok, while the other had a hanbok with achromatic colours. ¡°Both are silks woven from our household''s silkworms. It''s smooth and won''t irritate your skin.¡± ¡°The blue one is mine, right? Isn''t it a cold colour for winter wear?¡± ¡°I just brought the outfit that suits you best. Who else would wear such a colour in winter besides you, Mr. Sung-woon?¡± ¡°I''m not sure if I''m being used here¡­.¡± ¡°It would be great if you could promote it while you''re wearing it around. Anyway, hunters really make great clothes hangers.¡± The boss turned back to Gio. ¡°Judging by your thin clothes in this cold weather, I assume you''re a hunter, right? Our hanboks are made sturdy and light so that hunters can move around easily, don''t worry.¡± ¡°I wasn''t worried.¡± To begin with, Gio wasn''t a hunter. ''Would it be strange to correct that now?'' The boss smiled, waving her fan. ¡°Hunters don''t like cumbersome clothes, so I was concerned. Since I don''t recognize your face, you must either be unofficial or have recently obtained your license, right?¡± ¡°If you don''t want to talk about it, that''s fine too. Judging by how you''re keeping your face covered, you must really hate having your personal information exposed but don''t worry, I''ll hide you very stylishly.¡± Exposed personal information? ''Is getting their personal information exposedmon for hunters?'' Is there such a scary world? Deciding to ask Mr. Yoo Sung-woon about itter, Gio draped himself in the ck hanbok rmended by the boss with elegant tied-up hair in a hairpin. It was a ck dapho1 and a grey dopo2. The waist sash was clean white. ¡°If you''re going to Gyeongbokgung Pce, you''ll need a gat too. Yes, it suits you well. Even if you attach lots of norigae3 ornaments, it would look great. This one''s made of coral, try attaching one.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°This is a scarf. Oh my, white suits you so well. Maybe it''s because your skin is so clear. Beautiful. This is a coin pouch to carry your traditional coins, make sure to tie it securely so it doesn''t fall off.¡± ¡°And here''s a veil.¡± Gio was momentarily startled by the wide and bby, pitch-ck fabric. He knew what a veil was but had never worn one before. ¡°¡­How should I wear this?¡± ¡°I''ll help you. Ms. Dan-woo,e help our handsome guest with the veil.¡± ¡°Yes, boss.¡± A young woman with a pink daenggi? in her hair approached and wrapped the ck fabric around Gio''s gat. Strangely, the view ahead wasn''t obstructed at all, as if nothing was covering him. ¡°You said you''d mostly be roaming the night market, right? Then you''ll probably eat often, so covering your mouth with a mask would be inconvenient. A long veil like this is perfect for those who don''t want to reveal their identity.¡± ¡°Though with your overall vibe, people might recognize you anyway, but with all the fancy clothes and ornaments, who would pay close attention to your face?¡± ¡°That''s true.¡± ¡°The scarf''s so thick it covers most of your lower face, so you''re pretty much fully covered. Now, enjoy our vigefortably, sir schr.¡± On one side, Yoo Sung-woon, now dressed in a blue-coloured hanbok, asked the boss. ¡°We''re also thinking about buying somenterns.¡± ¡°My, you''re really going all out? What kind ofnterns are you looking for?¡± ¡°I don''t have anything particr in mind. What''s the most popr these days?¡± ¡°Well, youngdies tend to like moonnterns.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ What about guys? We''re not exactlydies.¡± ¡°Do you think it''smon for just two men to hang out together like Mr. Sung-woon?¡± After a moment of thought, the boss called over another person with daenggi in her hair. ¡°Ms. Hong-yeon, could you bring over the water tank?¡± ¡°Yes, boss.¡± The woman called Hong-yeon soon brought over arge ss case. Inside, severalnterns made of hanji? were submerged in light and moving as if they were alive. The boss scooped out two small fish among them. The tiny flickering figures looked almost like real fish. ¡°How about goldfish? They''re small and subtle, so they''re not hard to carry around.¡± ¡°That sounds good.¡± Gio was in a state of cultural shock. ''Thenterns are alive?'' When Yoo Sung-woon mentioned nterns'', Gio had thought of hand-held skynterns or hangingnterns. However, the goldfishnterns that Yoo Sung-woon purchased floated gently through the air, and soon one of them settled beside Gio''s face. Even staring directly at the flicking tails of thentern didn''t hurt his eyes. ¡°Then, enjoy yourselves.¡± The boss waved them off. As they left the courtyard where silk was hung here and there, they stepped back into the bustling vige street again. Yoo Sung-woon called out to Gio, who was looking around the vige with interest. ¡°How''s it? Not ufortable, right?¡± ¡°Veryfortable.¡± ¡°If you want to look around the vige before we head into Gyeongbokgung Pce, that''s fine.¡± ¡°The vige?¡± ¡°The vige market closes earlier than Gyeongbokgung Pce. If we wander the night market too long, the vige lights will probably already be dark when wee out.¡± ¡°Then, may I look around the vige for a bit?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Yoo Sung-woon led Gio, who seemed unfamiliar with the surroundings, into a fan shop. As Gio stood nkly outside the shop, he blinked twice at a group of figures loitering nearby, all wearing crude wooden masks. Their movements weren''t stiff, but they acted uniformly, like pre-programmed machines. They didn''t look like humans. As Gio tilted his head as he couldn''t figure out who they were, Yoo Sung-woon spoke to the boss. ¡°Boss, can I see some fans?¡± ¡°Oh my, look at these handsome schrs. What kind would you like to see?¡± ¡°Something sturdy would be good¡­.¡± ¡°Then this one is the best.¡± Gio soon turned his attention away from the masked group hanging around, and curiously observed the vige market. ''All the shopkeepers are wearing hanbok.'' Traditional hanbok, or modernized hanbok. Or some merchants wore modern clothes underneath, with only a durumagi? draped over on the outside. They mainly interacted with tourists walking around in hanbok, ying along with them. Soon, Yoo Sung-woon presented Gio with a ck fan. ¡°Here, take it. A schr''s outfit isn''tplete without a fan.¡± ¡°¡­Is a fan an essential item for a schr?¡± ¡°It can be, or not. It''s just a meaningless souvenir.¡± ¡°Souvenirs from tourist spots are special.¡± The fan, made of ck bamboo and fabric, looked quite high-ss. Gio wondered if carrying apletely ck fan would make him look too much like the Grim Reaper, but since he liked ck, he epted it obediently. ¡°Most shops in Gyeongbokgung Pce''s Vige sell souvenirs or food ingredients. They sell whole chunks of meat or agricultural and marine products they grew themselves. It''s much fresher than the goods distributed from the countryside, so many people prefer shopping here.¡± Gio nodded. ¡°The atmosphere is really nice.¡± ¡°Right?¡± After wandering around the vige for a while, they eventually entered the Gyeongbokgung Pce. ¡°Wait, we need to exchange money.¡± ¡°Money?¡± ¡°The boss gave you a coin pouch, right? That''s a basic service provided for storing traditional coins. Inside Gyeongbokgung Pce you can only use traditional coins, so it''s better to exchange enough beforehand.¡± ¡°What to do with the leftover traditional coins?¡± ¡°You can either keep them as souvenirs or exchange them back at the exchange counter.¡± Yoo Sung-woon soon returned with the coin pouch bulging with traditional coins?. ¡°They say the traditional coins are made lighter on purpose, but they''re still a bit heavy.¡± ¡°Don''t people find this method inconvenient?¡± ¡°Well? If you look for them, there might be some, but moste here to enjoy the experience. The merchants in Gyeongbokgung Pce also prefer getting paid in traditional coins because they receive more than the listed price.¡± ¡°How can they get more?¡± ¡°The government support the merchants.¡± Yoo Sung-woon smiled faintly. ¡°That way, people will use traditional coins more actively.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Here, take it. This is your identity card.¡± A card too? Traditional coins made sense since they''d be used as currency, but what''s the use of an identity card? Gio looked at Yoo Sung-woon, who shrugged. ¡°Free pass.¡± ¡°Aha.¡± That was really nice. t/n: ¡°Guiding a guest again¡°, the guiding here is ?? (reception). I don''t know how to make this sentence work with that word. I personally thought it''ll be easier to imagine with the images, but if I ruined the immersion with the images in the middle, please let me know and I''ll move the images all down to the bottom. 1: dapho (I believe the one implied here is short-sleeved so you can imagine without the red inner one): 2: dopo (it''s said to be outerwear but I think in this case it was positioned inside the dapho): 3: norigae ornaments: ?: daenggi: ?: hanji paper for making the goldfish papernterns: ?: durumagi: ?: I wonder if I should just use brass coins instead of traditional coins for this tbh. anyway regarding the hanbok parts, feel free to correct me if I''m wrong! Chapter 32.1 Gio sniffed the food from the night market. ¡°Do you have any questions?¡± ¡°No, you eat well.¡± ¡°Yes, that''s right.¡± Gio was a big eater. ¡°Aren''t you full?¡± ¡°I usually eat a lot, so it''s fine.¡± ¡°I think it''s impressive.¡±¡°If the food wasn''t good, I would''ve stopped in moderation, but everything tasted delicious.¡± ¡°Well, it has to taste good for people toe.¡± While that was a valid point, if all restaurants and food were delicious, no business would ever fail. ''Anyway, in 31 years, this tourist spot has be pretty solid. When I visited with our ss children, wasn''t it almost like walking through history? It was quite a task trying to cheer up the bored kids.'' Gio casually lifted the veil and chewed on rice cake coated with grain syrup, grilled over charcoal. This was the true Korean tanghulu. ''Gyeongbokgung Pce used to be just a typical cultural heritage¡­ it had such a boring feeling.'' It was a ce filled with many memories, but what made those memories wasn''t the Gyeongbokgung Pce itself, but themunication with the students who wandered around trying to find their self-identity wearing hanbok. ''Seeing the tearsing up for no reason makes me wonder what happened to that idol trainee who used to say he must have been a king of Joseon in his past life. I''m curious if everyone is doing well.'' If it weren''t for the students who faithfully stuck to their nonsense like true high schoolers who couldn''t live with their right minds, Gio wouldn''t have enjoyed Gyeongbokgung Pce so much. The hanok was beautiful and old-fashioned, but there were few students who protested when they had toe here, especially in the summer. ''But today''s Gyeongbokgung Pce has be more practical. There''s definitely a lot more to enjoy.'' People wearing hanbok enjoyed role-ying, and they often swapped thenterns they bought with others. Everyone looked happy. If there was one thing to be curious about. ''What is that?'' He saw something transparent like a shadow, wandering around wearing a hanbok. ''It was like that at the fan shop too, and in the alleys of the Hanok Vige¡­ those simr things are wandering around.'' There could be exceptions, but all the ones Gio saw were wearing masks. There was a group of shadowy figures resembling sadangpae1 on tightropes, swaying withnterns attached to their backs, a bunch of children with daenggi hair hopping around among the people, and a group of civil officials going in and out of restricted areas inside the pce¡­. ¡°¡­Mr. Yoo Sung-woon.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°What do you call that?¡± ¡°What¡­ ah.¡± Yoo Sung-woon spoke as if it was something Gio should naturally know. ¡°They''re fairy tales, living stories. It''s probably your first time seeing them in a ce like this, right?¡± ¡°They usually prefer ces without people, so seeing them in such a bustling tourist spot is rare. Still, they are one of the proper children of the origin.¡± This was something he had heard before. ¡°You mentioned something simrst time.¡± ¡°About what? The children of the origin?¡± ¡°Yes, could you exin in a bit more detail?¡± ¡°¡­Oh, I guess I did.¡± Yoo Sung-woon scratched the back of his neck and continued. ¡°I think I roughly mentioned it when I was exining about gardenerst time¡­ but it was a bit vague back then. It''s hard to sum it up, but I''ll exin.¡± ¡°There''s a transcendent being we humans define as the ''origin,'' you could call it the god of gods. It''s like a system that manages bnce and creates various rules across the universe and dimensions.¡± ¡°A system is it.¡± ¡°And this origin usually creates other children. We call them ''children of the origin.'' They''re beings that can be ssified as part of nature, like waves, wind, or animals and humans.¡± ¡°These children of the origin can be categorized into a few types¡­.¡± Yoo Sung-woon pointed to the figure of the civil officials moving inside the pce. Their faces were obscured byrge hats and veils, and their sleeves were so long that no part of their bodies could be seen. Their collective movements had the precision and allure of a military drill, drawing attention, but for that very reason, they didn''t seem like living beings. It was more like shadows wearing clothes, imitating people. ¡°Those are called ''fairy tales.''¡± ¡°What kind of beings are they?¡± ¡°Like most children of the origin, they''re not interested in humans and don''t harm them. ''Fairy tales'' are living stories that also take on forms close to humans.¡± ¡°Then, are their mind simr to humans''?¡± ¡°They don''t actually think like humans, they just mimic traces. The children of the origin are skilled at shaping their appearances. It''s not something learnedter on, it just seems like the nature of their essence themselves.¡± Yoo Sung-woon took a sip of persimmon juice before continuing. ¡°Fairy tales, regardless of their type, all wear masks, but beyond that, there''s no face. It''s not that they have a human body or the ability to think like one, they''re just imitating the appearance.¡± ¡°Drawing a picture of someone doesn''t make that picture a real person, does it? Ah, well, I''m not sure about your case, but ¡­ normally, there are limits to the dimensions.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± A portrait like his wouldn''t bemon in the world. When Gio nodded in agreement, Yoo Sung-woon continued. ¡°They have their own stories, and when the story ends, they disappear. Despite therge number of people, Gyeongbokgung Pce is oddly a ce where quite a few fairy tales reside.¡± While observing the people, Gio asked. ¡°Can''t people see those children of the origin?¡± ¡°Not many people can.¡± Yoo Sung-woon nodded. ¡°Most people can''t detect the frequencies dolphins or bats use, right? It''s simr. The children of the origin exist in the world, but only a few can perceive them. Even though it''s not like they''re hiding.¡± ¡°Ghosts?¡± ¡°Well¡­ you could see it that way, but the fact that they don''t understand humans at all makes them slightly different. No matter how much they imitate humans on the outside, they''re empty inside. Their roots are different.¡± He spoke as if something had just urred to him. ¡°Oh, right. In the past, there was no one who could see these children of the origin. It''s said that because the Earth was greatly influenced by the Origin, leading to the emergence of dungeons¡­ people with supernatural abilities were born¡­ and due to the ecosystem itself changing, we were able to see these things.¡± It was a mysterious story, like a fairy tale. ¡°As you can see, I''m one of the few humans who can perceive the origin that way.¡± ¡°I suppose I am too.¡± ¡°Yeah, I guess so.¡± Yoo Sung-woon''s expression was slightly awkward, even though he tried to hide it. It was probably because he thought of him as something other than human. ''Anyway, Mr. Yoo Sung-woon would understand that whether I''m human or not, I''m a harmless being who can''t even kill an ant, so it doesn''t matter whether I''m human or not.'' Fearing he might be dragged out of his portrait, Gio didn''t bother correcting him and instead took in the view of Gyeongbokgung Pce again. ''Earth and humanity have be stronger.'' Certainly, he would be eliminated. Gio, who only knew how to eat, sleep, and draw, had no confidence that he could survive in this harsh world. ¡°How many people can see the beings of the origin?¡± ¡°Are you asking for a percentage of the human poption? Well, not many.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The more special you are, the more you tend to get stabbed. Gio once again vowed to dedicate his life in the portrait. Sitting absentmindedly on the bench, Gio soon noticed a smallmotion. ¡°I can hear the sound of fighting.¡± ¡°That''s rare, in a tourist spot like this.¡± Yoo Sung-woon, who had been leaning back in his chair, leaned forward. ¡°The guards will probably catch them soon, but¡­.¡± Sure enough, guards wearing a thick hanbok were grabbing the shouting man. A middle-aged man was making a scene, trying to charge at a rather handsome man dressed in a schr''s robe. The schr, who had probably been grabbed by the cor, was fixing his shirt with a troubled expression. The young man clearly had a kind-looking face, but¡­ Let''s create a picture frame to check the safety (0/1) Reward: Seal Gio had a hunch. ¡°Gio?¡± A picture frame. Gio raised his hands, forming a camera shape with his fingers, and brought them to his eyes. Dang Five stars. ''Very dangerous?'' It seemed like the guards had mistakenly grabbed the wrong person to take out. Would you like to check the record? Yes/No Does he really need to do that? 1: Sadangpae: troupes of street performers that were formed vastly in 17~18th century Korea. Chapter 32.2 The young man wearing the schr¡¯s uniform and Gio¡¯s gazes met. ''Was I staring too much?'' Although Yoo Sung-woon seemed to find Gio''s sudden action strange, he didn''t say anything. The schr looked Gio up and down as if sizing him up, nodded slightly, and then walked away. He had the expression as if he thought he had picked a fight with him. ¡°Coo.¡± ¡°Oh, you scared me.¡± Yoo Sung-woon was startled by the sudden appearance of Honey. ¡°¡­Huh? Waterfowl? Wait, Gio, this¡­ the one you showed mest time¡­.¡± ¡°It''s Honey.¡±¡°You could bring a few of them out?¡± ¡°I haven''t tried with other birds, so I''m not sure.¡± ¡°Hmm, I see, uh¡­ got it.¡± Yoo Sung-woon had a somewhat resigned expression. ¡°It''s about time the Earth falls apart.¡± ¡°It seems to be holding up well, I don''t know why you''re suddenly saying something so random.¡± ¡°It was definitely a sandcastle that would crumble with a light push¡­.¡± Yoo Sung-woon, who had been smiling with a resigned face, soon returned to his usual expression and asked. ¡°So, what about that person? Is it bothering you?¡± ¡°He seemed dangerous.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡°He didn''t seem to like me.¡± A scary person. ¡°I didn''t want to start a fight.¡± He had forgotten for a moment that when you make eye contact for more than 3 seconds, it boils down to either ''Is that guy into me?'' or ''Does that guy want to fight me?'' ¡®I should have politely and kindly spoken within 3 seconds, but their impressive background made me miss the timing to act friendly. It''s clear that the intuition of Seo Gio, once called the Pok¨¦mon Trainer of the 21st century, has dulled.¡¯ This was the so-called battle if eye contact is made. Whether in a good or bad way. ''That guy just now seems to have taken it in the bad way.'' In this tough era where businesspeople in suits fight off monsters, what was he thinking, provoking a fight with a five-star danger guy? ''No, isn''t it a problem if the danger level of a random passerby is this high?'' Gio, feeling frustrated by this mad hellish Korea, spoke sincerely. ¡°I¡¯m scared.¡± ¡°Even if you say you¡¯re scared, it¡¯s hard to take that seriously¡­ Are you being sarcastic?¡± ¡°I think it''s best if we return to the hotel.¡± ¡°If that''s what you want.¡± Gio gently tucked Honey, who was trying to peek out from his scarf, back in and left Gyeongbokgung Pce. Honey seemed pleased with the shiny fishnterns, as he had already tucked one into his belly. And then, when he woke up at 3:32 AM after passing out in the hotel bed. Gio confirmed that Honey was gone. ¡°Please.¡± Can''t you leave me in peace now? He might just start crying. *** In a dark, deste alley in the slums. ¡°¡­ So what on earth was that guy earlier?¡± The man, now rid of his schr''s robe, roughly ran his hand through his hair. ''I had a strange feeling.'' It was a man dressed in a pitch-ck hanbok. He was so heavily bundled up that his face was obscured. He seemed about 190 cm tall, but guessing the person''s identity from just their gender and height was difficult. ¡°Something feels off.¡± Normally, he would''ve just dismissed it as some weirdo picking a fight and moved on. But. ¡°That hand gesture back then, something about it¡­.¡± A hand movement that mimicked framing something, like a picture frame. Though it onlysted for a moment, it felt as if every single detail of his identity was being exposed. The man scratched his head furiously. ¡°¡­No, damn it, something''s definitely wrong. That guy must have been an Awakener, right?¡± The person sitting next to him was Hunter Yoo Sung-woon. With Bi Sa-beol''s curator standing beside him and personally guiding him, the guy was probably some recently awakened rich young master or something. ''He had this annoyingly proper manner about him.'' But it was troublesome. ''If things I''m nning get exposed¡­.'' It wouldn''t just end with him being demoted to a fifth-ss citizen. There were far more Awakeners than one would expect who possessed abilities that allowed them to read someone''s thoughts or memories or even glimpse their past. It wasn''t that rare a skill, people just didn''t talk about it because they were afraid of getting stabbed. So, the man dressed in pitch ck at Gyeongbokgung Pce night market might have used such a skill to peer into his thoughts. Given the odd hand movement, that conclusion made sense. Sigh ¡­.. A sigh escaped him. ¡°The event will start soon, so what''s with this mess?¡± If he thought about the potential aftermath, he couldn''t just let this slide. What he was doing now was far too dangerous, a betrayal of humanity. Though he had never felt guilt, getting caught would be an undeniable disaster. No matter how much he thought about it, after all. ¡°I have to kill him.¡± How much time and effort had he put into securing his position in the Temple of the Sun? Now, he couldn''t just leave a dangerous element behind because of a lingering sense of unease. Just as he resolved to track down the man he saw at Gyeongbokgung Pce. ¡°¡­What the?¡± A squishy-looking bird was perched on a pipe. Inside, one of the tourist attraction''s fishnterns was swimming, making it quite bright. He couldn''t understand why he hadn''t noticed it earlier in this dark alley. Something felt off. ''¡­This doesn''t look like any city monster I''ve seen before.'' Besides, generally speaking, monsters in bird form, especially small ones like this, usually moved in flocks. Those who moved alone did so because they had the strength to protect themselves. So how likely was it that this insignificant-looking bird was just an ordinary monster? ¡°¡­This, damn it, don''t tell me¡­.¡± Was this a surveince monster that the bastard from Gyeongbokgung Pce had set on him? ''A trainer?'' He hadn''t expected the guy to be a hunter with a profession. No wonder that cunning Yoo Sung-woon had treated him so well. Clearly, that Awakener had enough value to warrant it. The man gripped his staff tightly. ¡°¡­Well, I guess this is convenient.¡± It seemed that the bird''s owner was a rookie. The bird was practically oozing its owner''s scent. It looked like the novice had sent a spy without realizing that he could be traced back. The man forced a smile. ¡°If he''d noticed something strange, he should''ve told Yoo Sung-woon right away.¡± There was no threat felt from this bird, which was just staring nkly at him. It seemed like nothing more than a surveince camera, and if that was the case, it would be easy to track him down. ''He wasn''t confident enough to report his suspicion to Yoo Sung-woon?'' Failing to report your suspicions to a superior in advance¡ªthat was a mistake rookie hunters often made. ''What an idiot.'' Whatever this bird was, he needed to deal with it now. Thinking that way, the man reached out to grab the tiny bird that was barely a mouthful in size¡­. ¨DCrunch. ¡°Huh?¡± His hand. Was gone. Inside the bird''s transparent body, his hand was visible. The squirming fish swam around his severed hand. And soon, the two slowly melted away. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± ¡°Coo.¡± ¡°Fuck.¡± The man wasn''t ipetent. ¡°Cooor?¡± ¡°This¡­ this damn¡­.¡± ¡°Ccoooooorrr?¡± ¡°¡­This is ridiculous.¡± ¡°Cocooor.¡± As a priest of the Sun, a rank that couldn¡¯t be taken lightly, he had the right to be arrogant. However, from amon-sense perspective, all of this was a situation where things that shouldn¡¯t exist piled up and realized like a disaster rather than a miracle. It wasn''t a difficulty that a single person could handle. The once-tiny bird¡¯s body began to swell in an abnormal way. ¡°Fuck, fuck, fuck.¡± ¡°Cooorr?¡± Feathers shimmered with a light that was hard to tell if it was the moon or the sun. Strong ws and long legs resembling hooks. And a massive beak. ¡°No¡­!¡± Gulp¡ª There was the sound of water flowing. ¡°Ugh, gag¡­!¡± Then the sound of swirling was heard. ¡° Soon, There was silence. The man was nowhere to be seen. ¡°Coor.¡± Only a tiny bird, fluttering leisurely, remained. *** ¡°Honey.¡± Gio likes things that are small and harmless. But the children of origin are skilled at shaping their appearances. ¡°Where have you been?¡± ¡°Coor.¡± ¡°You''re cute, so it''s fine.¡± Then. What exactly is their essence? ¡°There''s some fish-shaped buns over there.¡± ¡°Coo!!¡± ¡°You''re my son after all.¡± ¡°Cooool?¡± ¡°You''ve got a taste for the good stuff.¡± ¡ªEven the children of origin themselves didn¡¯t know that. Chapter 33.1 He had been seeing strange things since he was a child. ¡°What? A person?¡± ¡°Yeah, over there. Can''t you see?¡± ¡°¡­What are you talking about, it''s just an empty lot.¡± ¡°Did you see a monster or something?¡± ¡°It''s not a monster¡­.¡± Sometimes, it would take a shape simr to a human. ¡°¡­Sorry, I think I was mistaken.¡± ¡°Are you sure you''re okay, oppa?¡±¡°Maybe I''m still half-asleep.¡± Like squirrels or stray cats, its long tail would trail through the bushes, or it would stand still like a tree, emitting a strange scent, or sometimes it would float up high in the sky as if it were a cloud¡­. He knew that it was fundamentally different from the nts and animals he knew. Sometimes it was very simr, but other times it was grotesquely sloppy. ¡°Maybe you''ve been pushing yourself too hardtely. How about taking a break?¡± ¡°It¡¯s still manageable.¡± Like most wild animals, they didn''t acknowledge his presence. ¡°I should work while I still can.¡± So, Cha Eun-hyuk also pretended not to see them on purpose. ''Can anyone else see them?'' He thought hard about what they were. ''¡­Are they ghosts? But if they were ghosts, they''d look more like regr people. These definitely have animal forms. Although sometimes they only mimic parts like ears or tails. Then are they hallucinations? But they leave actual traces, so I can''t just call them hallucinations. So, are they monsters? But monsters don''t usually ignore people like that.'' They would sometimes dance. They sang songs, appreciated flowers, or floated on the water. Cha Eun-hyuk instinctively knew that as long as he didn''t disturb them, they wouldn''t harm him. But very asionally, dangerous ones would appear. ¡°They say a fire broke out at that house.¡± ¡°No wonder, thedy in that house has been so forgetfultely¡­.¡± ¡°They say the whole family burned to death in that house.¡± The vigers med the fire on the housewife who had dementia. That might have been true, but Cha Eun-hyuk knew the real issue was something else. Something with a ¡®bundle¡¯ had been following that housewife around. ''Ah, I see.'' It was clear that it must have killed thedy. He didn''t know exactly what it did. But from that point on, Cha Eun-hyuk realized that among those creatures, there could be some dangerous ones. Even though they didn''t seem to have any malice, their mere existence could be a threat to humans. ''So, they are a type of monster after all.'' Cha Eun-hyuk came to that conclusion. ¡°Oppa, are you still nning to sell fish-shaped buns?¡± ¡°It sells pretty well, doesn''t it?¡± ¡°Don''t city people say anything? I heard there''s a lot of discrimination against lower-ss citizens in ces like that¡­.¡± ¡°Everyone''s been kind so far. I haven''t met anyone who''s said anything about me being a third-ss citizen.¡± In fact, he didn''t have the time or energy to worry about monsters or strange creatures. ¡°Of course, there are some people who give me looks, but the youngest will have his initiation ceremony soon.¡± ¡°We have to buy his priest''s robes, pay for his dormitory, and give him pocket money for when he''s living there.¡± ¡°¡­Of all things, he awakened as a priest.¡± ¡°I''m just d we have two hunters at home It''s reassuring.¡± Both of his younger siblings were Awakeners. His younger sister was at the lowest rank, F-rank, so she could only work as a porter. She didn''t make much money, and he had to buy her equipment to increase her survival chances when she entered the dungeons. ?? The youngest, his younger brother, had awakened as a ''priest,'' a profession useless unless he could make a contract with a god. It was said that without the help of a temple, receiving divine grace was nearly impossible. ¡°We''re lucky though. The Sun religion in Seoul took in our youngest.¡± ¡°Our youngest will be a second-ss citizen soon. And how can I rest when you''re working? I have to maintain my dignity as the eldest.¡± ¡°Well, I''m an awakener ¡­. and I have more stamina than you, don''t I?¡± ¡°I understand, so don¡¯t worry and just rest.¡± ¡°¡­Should Ie with you to work? If people in Seoul give you trouble, I can protect you¡­.¡± ¡°Someone needs to look after the youngest at home.¡± Money was tight. ¡°Don''t worry.¡± So, there was no time to be concerned about strange creatures. ''As long as I don''t get close to them, there won''t be any danger.'' Those creatures seemed to have their own lives. Just like how you wouldn''t get hurt if you didn''t mess with a poisonous toad on the road, as long as you didn''t provoke them, they were harmless. ¡®It''s not that I can''t avoid them because I can''t see them, and there''s no way I¡¯d get caught off guard when I can see them clearly. Since there''s no problem, it''s okay.¡¯ However, if there is a problem. Therees a moment when avoiding them isn''t enough. He never expected that moment toe just as he was finishing selling fish-shaped buns and getting ready to pack up. What should he do. ''Its been staring at the fish-shaped buns for a while now.'' ''It'' that had approached at this odd hour was a man in a pitch-ck cloak. He was very tall, and his clothes were luxurious. But since they were all ck, he looked like a mourner at a funeral. The air around him seemed heavy and dead, sending a chill down his spine. He didn''t seem like a Grim Reaper or a death god. He felt more like something close to nature than those beings who collected souls with their own consciousness¡­. He could tell it was definitely one of ''them.'' Should he speak to it or not? ''I''ve never seen anything good happen by getting involved with these creatures.'' But he was afraid of the consequences of ignoring it when it was staring so tantly. ''I miss the youngest.'' He pretended to stay calm since he didn¡¯t want to provoke it, but cold sweat was running down his back. Cha Eun-hyuk had guessed that these things were a kind of monster. Compared to the visible ones, they were more docile. But sometimes, they would casually destroy a person without any malice, and that was terrifying. ''¡­It''s still staring at the fish-shaped buns¡­.'' Maybe if he gives it one, it''ll go away. It was then. ¡°How much for a bag?¡± Did it just speak? ''A monster?'' He didn''t show it, but he was shocked. He had often seen these creatures take human forms. They would mimic human lives, but their actions were hollow, and none of them had ever spoken. ''And it''s asking how much?'' Is it really mimicking humans to this extent? ¡°Ah¡­.¡± But he couldn''t just ignore the question. ¡°Five thousand won for ten.¡± ¡°Do you only ept cash?¡± ¡°Cash is preferred.¡± The man in the ck cloak, who had been standing with his hands behind his back, reached into the hood of his cloak. Cha Eun-hyuk wondered what he was doing, but soon a gem sparkling with a transparent light appeared in his hand. Even Cha Eun-hyuk, a man from the countryside, could tell that this beautifully crafted gem was far more valuable than ten fish-shaped buns. ¡°Will this do?¡± Just as he was about to think it was quite a convincing human imitation, it pulled this stunt, and he felt a sudden rush of frustration. ''Who pays for fish-shaped buns with a gem?'' Cha Eun-hyuk felt a chill down his spine. Attempting barter, not knowing the conventional value of the desired item¡ªno matter how much the other party tries to imitate humans, all of it only creates a sense of difort. ''And yet, it seems so human, which makes it even more unsettling.'' He barely managed to reply. ¡°¡­That''s too much.¡± ¡°I have nothing else.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have a card¡­.¡± ¡°Does a card work?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ yes.¡± ¡°I see.¡± He didn''t think he would do it, but he really handed over a card. Chapter 33.2 ¡°¡­I was just wrapping things up, so I''ll have to make a new batch. Is that alright with you?¡± ¡°It''s fine.¡± ¡°It might take a while.¡± Cha Eun-hyuk, who quickly resigned himself, started making the fish-shaped buns. ''This is a disaster.'' Because business was unusually good today, he hadn''t made it to the terminal until thest train had already left. He didn''t have to worry about getting arrested since he had permission beforehand, so he thought he''d spend the night sleeping outdoors, but then a new customer showed up.That too, is a strange, unknown monster customer. tter. His hand trembled slightly as he closed the fish-shaped bun mould. ''¡­It''s not going to kill me out of nowhere, right?'' Like most monsters, this one seemed to have its own set of rules. Only opening its eyes when the sun was up, only sticking by the side of a blind person, only stepping on white stones. Many rules were as harmless as a child''s prank, but there were also rules that threatened human lives. ''But it''s the first time I''ve met one that can talk, so I can''t be sure.'' It was the first time he''d encountered something that could imitate a human so well. There was sense of ipatibility here and there, but aside from the strangely chilly atmosphere, its words and actions were incredibly simr to those of a human. ''It even has a card.'' Suddenly, Cha Eun-hyuk realized. ''¡­If it didn''t steal it, someone else must have lent it to him.'' In that case, doesn''t that mean there''s someone looking after this thing? ¡°¡­Is there anyone else with you?¡± ¡°There was, but not anymore.¡± ¡°He¡¯s probably asleep by now.¡± For a moment, he thought it meant it had killed him. ''This is the first time I''ve ever felt so resentful at someone I don''t even know.'' In a world where you couldn''t even walk a dog without a leash, no matter how much this thing looked like a human, how could someone just let such a dangerous creature roam free? ? No, wait a second. ''The fact that it was given a card means someone thought it was capable of using it.'' There''s no way a monster that''s invisible to others could use a card. So, was the being in front of him not a monster, but a human? ¡°¡­In Cha Eun-hyuk cautiously began to speak. ¡°Is this your first time?¡± ¡°It''s not my first time. But I am here for sightseeing.¡± ¡°Oh, sightseeing. Have you visited Gyeongbokgung Pce?¡± ¡°Yes, it was fun because there were various foods to eat.¡± The conversation was cut off somewhere, but he gathered enough information. ''So, other people can see him too?'' Does that mean he''s just an ordinary person with an unusually chilling atmosphere? Or maybe he''s one of those humanoid monsters that are supposed to be mentioned in textbooks¡­. ¡°Coo.¡± Cha Eun-hyuk flinched. ''A bird?'' It was because a bird that glowed subtly peeked out from under the hood of the ck cloak. ¡°Honey, go back in.¡± ¡°Coo¡­¡± ¡°I''ll give you someter, so stay inside.¡± ¡°Coo-coo.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Commanding a small monster like that looked like the image of ¡®trainer¡¯ known to the world, but somehow, Cha Eun-hyuk didn''t think the ck cloak in front of him and that bird were a pair of human and monster. That sense of dissonance became even clearer the moment his gaze met the bird''s eyes. ¡°Coo.¡± Cha Eun-hyuk couldn''t maintain eye contact and lowered his head. ''¡­It¡¯s dangerous.¡¯ He broke out in a cold sweat and felt like his hands and feet were getting cold. ¡®That¡¯s a really dangerous guy.¡¯ The bird, with its sweet colour like honey and a small body, was cute and pretty by any standard. However, to Cha Eun-hyuk who could faintly sense its true essence, it was a deception that wasn¡¯t even funny. Could it be the owner who had named it ''Honey''? Its essence was like a raging storm at sea¡ªimpulsive, wild, and powerful. Still, it took on such a frail form, likely because that''s what its owner wanted. If that''s the case, what kind of being is the owner, the one in the ck cloak? ''Damn, I didn''t expect this.'' Among the beings that Cha Eun-hyuk only sees, there were definitely those who had an interest in human food. Some would savour the offerings left out by vigers for spirits, or sneak bites of the side dishes at restaurants one by one. But never had any of them ordered food so openly. Most of them imitated human life by taking on human forms, but they never actually tried to interact with humans like this. ''I let my guard down.'' I should have been more careful. ''That bird doesn''t seem to like me very much either¡­.'' The bird, hidden deep in the hood of the ck cloak and watching him, felt downright oppressive. ¡°¡­Here are your ten fish-shaped buns.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± After receiving the fish-shaped buns, the ck cloak paused for a moment. ¡°It''s a gift.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Thank you for your hard work at dawn.¡± ¡°No, wait a minute¡­.¡± As Cha Eun-hyuk tried to refuse, the ck cloak spoke again. ¡°If I scared you, I apologize. I only came because I smelled the fish-shaped buns. You stopped cleaning up and it became a mess again, so I must express both my apology and my gratitude.¡± ¡°It''s no problem.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± With that, he quietly disappeared, leaving behind a single blue gem that he had just seen. Cha Eun-hyuk stared after the ck cloak until he couldn¡¯t see its back, and once the edge of the cloak was no longer visible, he copsed. ¡°¡­Ha, Shit. I survived. ''I thought I was going to die.'' Ever since he realized he could see beings others couldn''t, he had a premonition about his end. He will die so strangely that no one else can even guess the right cause of his death. That¡¯s what he thought. But dying while selling fish-shaped buns? That was too much. ¡°Wow¡­.¡± Cha Eun-hyuk wiped his face with both hands. ¡°That was terrifying.¡± He still didn''t know what the ck cloak was. If other people could see him, then is he human? But his essence was too overwhelming and sinister for that. So, is he like the beings he usually sees? Butmunication was far too smooth inparison. A humanoid monster? There aren''t any dungeons nearby. If it¡¯s none of those, maybe he''s a type of monster he doesn''t know about. And either way, it was terrifying. ''Can a person really survive after meeting a humanoid monster?'' It was when he thought so. ¡°Coo?¡± He heard that earlier. ¡°Coo¡­.¡± ¡°Coo, coo, coo-coo-coo-coo-coo.¡± ¡°Coo.¡± When he lifted his head, he saw arge beak. He could see rows of teeth beyond his Adam¡¯s apple. He could see a pitch-ck tongue. ¡°Coo.¡± A metal-like hard beak half swallowed Cha Eun-hyuk¡¯s head. Tuk, tuk. It made a few biting motions, then spat him out. ¡°Coo.¡± ¡°¡­What, what¡­.¡± ¡°Coo.¡± When his vision cleared again, ''Honey'' had returned to the small form he had seen earlier. But now, it looked like an unbearably sickening disy of false modesty. ¡°What the hell.¡± The bird flew away. ¡°What was that, really¡­.¡± He has no idea, but one thing''s for sure¡ªhe almost died just now. The honey-coloured bird seemed to be saying this. ''This much is okay.'' It said. It felt like it was saying, ¡®You''ve passed.¡¯ Goosebumps run down his spine. ¡°¡­I need to move to a new spot tomorrow¡­.¡± He hoped he would never see them again. *** The next day, at 2 PM. ¡°Do you sell fish-shaped buns?¡± Cha Eun-hyuk found himself face-to-face with the ghostly ck cloak again. ¡°I''ll take ten, please.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± What kind of world is this small? Chapter 34 ¡°Hmm?¡± Yoo Sung-woon looked at the face of the young man and showed a friendly expression. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who was selling in front of the Collection buildingst time?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I haven''t seen you aroundtely, you must have moved to a new spot.¡± ¡°If I stay in one spot for too long, I risk getting caught in a crackdown.¡± Street food like fish-shaped buns weren¡¯t typically subjected to intense crackdowns. But without a city resident ID, it wasn''t possible for him to stay in the city. Moreover, if anyints came in, they would soon be encouraged to vacate, so Cha Eun-hyuk made it a habit to frequently change his location. It was wise for Cha Eun-hyuk to be cautious when things went smoothly if he intended to do business. ¡°Though, noints havee intely.¡±¡°It''s a pity because if you stayed in one ce, word-of-mouth would spread better.¡± ¡°It can''t be helped, it''s not an officially permitted business.¡± ¡°Well, they usually don''t grant permits for fish-shaped buns carts.¡± ¡°Still, I''ve gotten permission to stay for a few days.¡± In general, without a city resident ID, staying for over ten days would incur a fine. But how strictly can rules be applied in the world of people? With certain applications, one could stay in the city for about a week, even if not staying at an amodation. ¡°¡­And, umm, more than that¡­.¡± Cha Eun-hyuk''s gaze drifted to Yoo Sung-woon''s side,nding on the ck cloak. ¡°¡­Hmm?¡± ¡°¡­No, it''s just¡­.¡± That guy isn''t human. ''¡­What, does this person not know the exact identity of the ck cloak either?¡¯ The male figure with his face covered in a ck hood, staring intently at the fish-shaped buns. It was definitely the same ck cloak he''d seen at dawn, though now his aura was less intimidating, and the customer''s reaction was a little too nonchnt. ''Was he really just a human¡­? They say there are hunters who can''t fully control their aura, maybe he''s just one of those types¡­.'' While thinking this, Cha Eun-hyuk noticed something within the depths of the hood¡ªa bird with a honey-like colour. ¡°Uh, is there a problem?¡± ¡°¡­I was just curious¡­.¡± Cha Eun-hyuk tried to roughly gloss over it because he didn¡¯t want to be in trouble, but soon hesitated and asked. ¡°¡­Is the person next to you a trainer?¡± Logically speaking, it was most likely that he was a trainer. ¡°He¡¯s walking around with a monster.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, he''s a trainer. He had permission to have it out here, so don''t worry.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Anyway, hearing he had permission eased his mind. ''Now, even if someone dies, it won''t be my fault for ignoring it.'' The true identity of the ck cloak was still unclear, but no, hadn''t that white-haired hunter himself said he had permission? ''And he did say he''s a trainer.'' That was enough, he didn''t want to delve deeper. With family members to take responsibility for, it was natural that he didn¡¯t want to draw attention from ¡®something¡¯ that seemed like it could kill him with just a little involvement. But the ck cloak didn''t seem to think the same way. ¡°Thank you for this early morning.¡± ¡°Huh? Early morning?¡± Yoo Sung-woon turned to look at Gio in surprise. ¡°You went out this early morning?¡± Cha Eun-hyuk sensed his stomach tighten again at Yoo Sung-woon''s rmed reaction. It seemed that the ck cloak''s solo wandering at dawn had been unexpected for the white-haired customer as well. ''Which means¡­ he''s not supposed to be wandering on his own¡­.'' For a first-ss citizen, visibly affiliated with a prominent guild, to be this vignt¡ªjust how dangerous could this existence be. ¡°Yes, I went out looking for Honey because he disappeared.¡± ¡°I told you to tell me if you want to go out.¡± ¡°I found him right away.¡± ¡°That''s not the problem ¡­.¡± The white-haired customer seemed about to say more but calmed down shortly after. ¡°¡­ Fine, I can¡¯t do anything about natural disasters.¡± ¡°I''m not a natural disaster.¡± ¡°Perhaps the typhoon thinks so too.¡± Yoo Sung-woon felt warmhearted. How could heck self-awareness to this extent? Taking a deep breath, Yoo Sung-woon asked the young man selling fish-shaped buns. ¡°Did anything happen at dawn?¡± ¡°¡­He bought some fish-shaped buns.¡± ¡°Anything else¡­?¡± Cha Eun-hyuk hesitated before answering. ¡°That bird¡­.¡± ¡°Oh, yes.¡± ¡°It went after chewing my head twice.¡± Yoo Sung-woon was speechless. ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Oh, I mean, it didn''t really chew me, just nibbled like a cat ying around ¡­.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Yoo Sung-woon turned back to Gio, at a loss for words. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°¡­I apologize.¡± ¡°Tell him sincerely.¡± ¡°I sincerely apologize.¡± Given his facial muscles had long since stiffened, while it didn¡¯t look like that, even Gio was quite taken aback by the young man¡¯s words. Like that horrifying feeling when your pet parrot screams ¡®you little rascal!¡¯ in front of others. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± ¡°Oh, no. It just nibbled, so I''m not injured.¡± ¡°Still, I apologize. My son¡­.¡± Perhaps as a side effect of sleeping for 31 years, Gio identally spoke his mind in front of a stranger. Then, quickly realizing, he adjusted his words with a bit of social skills. ¡°Mypanion bird has caused you trouble.¡± In his mind, it was something that came out from frequently joking around in the cabin, saying things like, ''Oh, our son¡¯ ¡®coo coo coo¡¯ yfully, but to Yoo Sung-woon and Cha Eun-hyuk, it sounded unusual. ''Son¡­? I heard he drew it as a painting, but does he view those that were created that way as his own child? I might need to be cautious about this.¡¯ ''¡­ He just calls it son. If he naturally called it that, even though they appear to be a different species, then I guess he really isn¡¯t the human he appears to be ¡­.¡¯ Gio noticed the subtly shifting expressions of the two despite not knowing their thoughts, but he ignored them. ''I can do dad-son with Honey, why not.'' Even 31 years ago, there were quite a few people who would sometimes dote on their pet dogs and cats, calling them ''my baby'' or ''our precious one.'' Gio feels confident about belonging to the fairlymon category. ¡°Could I take a look at your forehead for a moment?¡± ¡°I''m not hurt.¡± ¡°As a doctor, I can check injuries. I¡¯m doing this because I¡¯m sorry, so I¡¯d appreciate it if you could let me take a look once.¡± Yoo Sung-woon was hit in the back of his head again while staying still. ¡°A doctor?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ right.¡± How could you be a doctor. ''¡­Even if he had human memories, I didn''t expect him to actually be a doctor. If he¡¯s a doctor with such a heavy atmosphere, surely there''d be plenty of patients mistaking him for a grim reaper ¡­.¡¯ And yet, surprisingly¡ªand quite shockingly¡ªGio really was a doctor. ¡°Please excuse me.¡± And he was a priest. ¡°This may feel a bit warm.¡± ¡°Sorry? Oh, uh¡­.¡± ¡°I purified it just in case.¡± ¡°Purified?¡± ¡°You had a slight scratch on your scalp¡­ It would be serious if it led to an infection.¡± Looking at the young man with a bewildered expression and the portrait imitating human, Yoo Sung-woon simply gave up. ¡®Will there ever be a day when I fullye to know Gio''s identity?¡¯ This was peeling an endless onion. ¡°¡­Then, I''ll take ten fish-shaped buns, please.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°No, and I¡¯m really fine with what yourpanion bird did¡­.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Gio rummaged through his cloak with an ¡®ah, right¡¯ expression. ¡°This is your reward.¡± ¡°¡­ This is a gift?¡± ¡°The purpose of giving it isn''t the issue here.¡± How could he be giving a gem when not even a drop of blood was shed? ¡°This is far too much for me. Honestly, the gem you gave me yesterday was already overwhelming for me.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s a fair price.¡± ¡°That is¡­.¡± Just as Cha Eun-hyuk was about to object, Yoo Sung-woon shook his head behind Gio. ¡°That?¡± ¡°¡­No, I¡¯ll gratefully ept it.¡± Cha Eun-hyuk noticed Yoo Sung-woon¡¯s nodding with a relieved face. ¡®There will be some kind of consequence if I don¡¯t ept this¡­.'' He wasn''t sure exactly how the misfortune might strike, but after seeing someone trying to help him with such a desperate look, he couldn''t ignore it. Cha Eun-hyuk epted Yoo Sung-woon¡¯s earnest advice with gratitude. But it wasn¡¯t as scary as before. Cha Eun-hyuk, fiddling with the sparkling, tangerine-coloured gem, looked up. ¡°I heard you¡¯re doing some sightseeing.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. Do you have any rmendations?¡± ¡°There will be an event in the square in a few weeks.¡± ¡°An event, you say¡­.¡± ¡°An initiation ceremony.¡± Yoo Sung-woon nodded in understanding. ¡°Ah, is it that time to begin?¡± ¡°Since usually it was held in midwinter.¡± ¡°Which temple¡¯s initiation ceremony is it? If it¡¯s nearby, is it the Moon? Or the Sun?¡± ¡°The Temple of the Sun.¡± Without realizing it, Cha Eun-hyuk nced over at the ck cloak. ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t know you were a believer. Usually, trainers don''t follow any deity¡­.¡± He had organized his thoughts in his own way. ''He must be a hunter of such high rank that he could be mistaken for a monster.'' When the ck cloak brushed his forehead and infused him with energy, he felt the same warmth he''d felt at the Temple of the Sun. If he could perform purification rituals on his own, doesn''t it seem like might be a very devout believer? ''He said he was a trainer, so he wouldn¡¯t be a priest.'' An awakener can only hold one profession. Since the white-haired customer clearly said he was a trainer, he couldn''t be a priest, which was a bit of a pity. With that level of talent, he would have made a good priest. A person who could wield such a warm aura couldn''t be bad. Above all, he had never heard of a monster wielding divine power. ''I must have been so startled since I¡¯m seeing a hunter of such a high rank for the first time. Priests generally don''t tend to control their energy, and it''s said that their energy itself is very different from that of humans¡­.¡¯ Cha Eun-hyuk figured he must have been intimidated by the divine energy. Being highly sensitive to others¡¯ energies and having no prior experience seeing high-ranking hunters or typical priests, Cha Eun-hyuk drew that conclusion. It was relief born of ignorance. ¡°The youngest member of my family has awakened as a priest and will be having an initiation ceremony this time.¡± ¡°Oh, so they got a profession. And as a priest, no less¡ªthat''s impressive.¡± ¡°I¡¯m worried though, about what he¡¯d do for a living if the deity don¡¯t choose him.¡± ¡°If he awakened as a priest, his divine affinity would naturally stand out, so temple office work would also be possible.¡± ¡°That would be great.¡± Perhaps it was because he thought it was all just a misunderstanding, but Cha Eun-hyuk rxed a bit and smiled. ¡°They say it''ll be quite grand this time, so it should be interesting if youe and watch.¡± ¡°That sounds like a must-see. Thanks for the tip, it''s hard to know the schedule of the initiation ceremony without insider knowledge¡­.¡± ¡°For me, the more people at my younger brother¡¯s initiation ceremony, the better.¡± Just as ants scattered all over are easier to spot when they cluster together, the more people gather, the easier it is to receive the deity''s gaze. The more they are exposed, the higher the chance of receiving divine grace. ¡°Enjoy your meal.¡± ¡°See you at the initiation ceremony.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± When they had walked a bit further away, Yoo Sung-woon asked Gio. ¡°Last night, nothing really happened, right?¡± ¡°As you heard, there¡¯s the ident with Honey.¡± ¡°Any other idents?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± From within the hood, a small crying sound was heard. ¡°Coooo.¡± ¡°He ims he¡¯s innocent.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ I see.¡± He wasn''t sure if the ¡®innocence¡¯ imed by an existence of origin would match that of a human. ''Especially since Gio is sensitive to good and evil and manners, it makes me concerned.'' Honey was Gio¡¯s creation, his son. So Gio''s disposition must have influenced him a lot, thus hearing that he flew around on his own while Gio closed his eyes made his heart skip a beat. ''He could have been flying around, killing people he considered evil.'' Though since there hadn''t been anymotion, he hoped nothing serious had happened. ¡°And, um, regarding the gem¡­.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I was wondering if you could change it to another kind of gift.¡± No matter how apologetic he was, giving a gem outright was bizarre by human standards. ¡°Normal people don''t readily exchange goods of that kind.¡± ¡°¡­They don¡¯t?¡± ¡°I''m not sure what you were thinking, but it¡¯s probably not that.¡± Gio was taken aback. ''Are you saying in this macho-like world that seems straight out of hell, they don''t even have that kind of toughness?'' Wherepany employees catch monsters, flowers made of cheese bloom from the ground, overground trains fly through the sky, and there''s a lively spring stream in winter¡ªyet, giving and receiving payment with gems is considered strange? ¡°I thought it would be fine since I''ve seen people adorned with gems all over their body like crows.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just a personal taste. Or it could enhance their own ability, or perhaps it''s an artefact that serves as a type of armour.¡± ¡°I understand what you''re saying.¡± Realizing he''d gotten too far, Gio decided to reflect. ''Perhaps because of the synchronization, I might have thinking too much like Giovanni.'' In Giovanni''s world, payment with goods was indeedmon. He did remind himself to keep his bnce as he was gradually regaining Giovanni''s memories these days. So maybe he''d spent too much time in his cabin, making his sense as modern people dull. His reactions in specific situations were evidence of that, too¡­. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± ¡°Why, is there a problem? Or did you think of a ce you''d like to go?¡± ¡°What is a trainer and what is a priest?¡± ¡°¡­That¡­ uh¡­ Yoo Sung-woon looked determined. ¡°Now that it hase to this, I¡¯ll have no choice but to say you¡¯re a hunter.¡± ¡°So I''m a hunter now?¡± ¡°And while we''re at it, I''ll exin the hunter system and ranks. Do you know anything about it?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I thought so.¡± Having lost his consciousness for 31 years and been trapped in a painting, Gio felt a little guilty. Chapter 35.1 ¡°The main factors that determine a hunter''s rank are three things.¡± Coming into a small, enclosed Chinese restaurant, Yoo Sung-woon exined to Gio. ¡°Profession, aptitude skill, and level.¡± ¡°The hunter''s rank I''ve been talking over and over again is assigned byprehensively evaluating these three factors.¡± ¡°Is rank evaluated by people, like an administrative exam?¡± ¡°No, it''s assessed by the ''system'' that''s presumed to have the help of the origin. That''s why, there are cases where an Awakener that seems ipetent to humans can manifest as A-rank.¡± Yoo Sung-woonughed softly. ¡°There was a time when people tampered with their ranks, back when there wasn''t a system in ce and peoplecked basic knowledge about hunters. But since ranks aren''t something that can be assigned by humans, those who tampered with them were quickly found out¡­¡±¡°They must have been criticized.¡± ¡°It didn''t end with just criticism. Back then, Hunters were seen as powerful figures you couldn''t mess with lightly. In a time when brute strength was closer than thew, people with supernatural abilities who could take down monsters were highly respected.¡± These were people who deceived their rank to receive respect on their own, even in tough times. ¡°There was no way their ending would have been good.¡± Yoo Sung-woon returned to the main point. ¡°Ranks are usually indicated by letters.¡± ¡°Is there a particr reason?¡± ¡°Maybe because it would have been cumbersome to unify each country. One would think numbers would be far more consistent globally, but separate from that, it was confirmed that the first Awakener appeared in the United States.¡­¡± ¡°So it was adjusted to suit American¡¯s point of view.¡± ¡°That doesn''t mean the whole system is in English, though. Anyway, the lowest rank is F, then it goes up to D, C, B, A, with the highest rank being S.¡± As he said that, Yoo Sung-woon rolled his eyes for a moment. ¡°¡­Mm, but schrs currently believe this isn''t everything. In the case of F-rank, they''re just a bit tougher than the average person, so what''s the point of going lower? But it¡¯s only been 31 years since the Great Catastrophe happened.¡± ¡°So it''s too early to make a conclusion?¡± ¡°Exactly, there''s even a rumour that Korea¡¯s association president is hiding a higher rank.¡± Even Yoo Sung-woon, who had been the association''s research team leader, didn''t know the full truth. ¡°It''s surprisingly not that rare for a Hunter to be S-rank. That might be why there are rumours of a hidden higher rank. Anyone can see that this S-rank is vastly superior to that S-rank, yet they''re categorized the same.¡± These ranks also influence public perception. ¡°For instance, there''s aw that S-rank hunters must be publicly recognized.¡± ¡°Publicly recognized¡­ does that mean revealing personal information?¡± ¡°Not all details, but mainly showing their face or appearing on TV programs, so you could say they''re a type of celebrity. Being S-rank means they could devastate a whole country if they wanted to, so certain restrictions are in ce.¡± ¡°That must be ufortable.¡± ¡°Many of them actually enjoy that kind of poprity.¡± However, as Gio said, there are indeed many hunters who also find it ufortable. ¡°That''s enough about ranks. Now, should I exin about professions, which you asked about earlier?¡± ¡°So the priest and trainer the student mentioned earlier are ssified as those kinds of professions.¡± ¡°That''s right.¡± Yoo Sung-woon nodded. ¡°These professions don¡¯t necessarily manifest for everyone.¡± ¡°So there are people who gain professions and those who don''t?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It''s not something everyone can have, but since it also affects rank, a culture has developed that values Hunters with professions when possible.¡± ¡°It¡¯s amazing.¡± ¡°An awakened person with a profession gains influence over the world''s rules. From the perspective of mere humans, it''s incredibly attractive.¡± Even if it wasn¡¯t a problem with rank, a ''profession'' also has a significant image attached to it. ¡°There are a total of ten professions.¡± ¡°That''s fewer than I expected.¡± ¡°I actually think that''s a lot¡­ Any more, and it would''ve been hard to distinguish them.¡± Doctor, Priest, Knight, Teacher, Spy, Architect, Artist, Magician, Chef, Trainer. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it seem a lot after listening to it?¡± ¡°If we''re considering real-world professions, not really¡­¡± ¡°That''s true, but these are very different from those professions.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°The priest and trainer you heard earlier are a rtively umon profession.¡± Priests wield divine power to influence reality, and trainers exert influence over intelligent beings. Both of them are considered difficult professions because they require the help of their contract subject to be fully functional. ¡°The more they seed, the greater the praise they receive.¡± Especially for priests, this tendency is strong. ¡°A trainer can tame as many as they want, but a priest can''t. A priest has to endure and wait until the god they serve takes notice and bestows grace. The initiative doesn''t lie with them.¡± ¡°But didn¡¯t you say that a priest who doesn¡¯t serve God can¡¯t fully function?¡± ¡°That''s the inconvenient aspect of the profession. But since they''re wielding the power of an extraterrestrial deity on Earth, I think it¡¯s actually a blessing for humanity to have this inconvenient aspect. Otherwise, it could turn into a catastrophe.¡± Of course, those who awakened as priests would likely be frustrated. ¡°Still, once awakened as a priest, they gain a high level of affinity for the divine. While they can''t wield the power of the deity directly, they can use divine energy as a follower of the god.¡± ¡°Divine energy is it.¡± ¡°The fish-shaped bun young man earlier mistook you for a ''devout trainer,'' didn''t he? The only profession that can openly roam with monsters is trainer, but anyone devout enough can use divine energy, not just priests. That''s why he was mistaken.¡± ¡°So it''s not necessarily just about the profession.¡± ¡°Correct, it''s not the only way to evaluate a Hunter. In the first ce, while professions can be innately manifested upon awakening, as it can also be acquired through effortter, it''s flexible.¡± The other professions also had their own unique rules. ¡°Just with a profession, the Awakener can exert influence over the rules of the world. Simply put, a priest gains high divine affinity, and a trainer gains affinity with non-human entities.¡± ¡°Is it all about affinity?¡± ¡°That''s because, unlike skills, awakening a profession doesn''t suddenly grant you abilities you didn''t have before. Instead, you gain a level of potential ability impossible for an ordinary person. Wouldn''t it be more appropriate to call this affinity?¡± Yoo Sung-woon moved on to the next topic. ¡°But that¡¯s not the case with aptitude skills.¡± ¡°In what way is it not?¡± ¡°This is a basic element acquired upon awakening, and it doesn''t increase even with additional individual effort. Of course, the more you use and understand it, the more your proficiency will naturally increase¡­.¡± But there are no awakeners without an aptitude skill, nor are there any with more than one. ¡°At least until now? We don''t know what exceptions may appear in the future, but even with possible exceptions, this regrity is fairly universal among awakeners.¡± An aptitude skill was somewhat like a doljabi. Although the awakener had no choice in the matter, it often provided a rough outline of what kind of life they might lead. ¡°With just that skill, you can roughly tell the Awakener¡¯s disposition and abilities.¡± ¡°Can it tell the future as well?¡± ¡°Wouldn''t it be roughly simr? Once an aptitude skill manifests, they''ll have to live with it for life. Naturally, it''s bound to affect the Awakener¡¯s life.¡± Most newly awakened individuals first study this aptitude skill. Professions are something one may be lucky enough to have, but aptitude skills be an inseparable part of their destiny. Chapter 35.2 ¡°There are a lot of people who cry because their aptitude doesn''t suit them.¡± When awakened, but unfortunately granted trash collection, imagine how absurd such a skill would be. ¡°Right?¡± ¡°¡­Does such a skill actually exist?¡± ¡°It truly exists, and in some cases, it''s even an aptitude skill. I heard that the person is now working as a city sanitation officer, but I don''t know the full details.¡± ¡°Still, they¡¯ve made good use of their aptitude skill.¡± ¡°They''re a positive fellow.¡± For reference, skills are divided into ¡®aptitude skills¡¯ acquired at awakening, and ¡®general skills¡¯ acquired through post-awakening efforts. While there isn''t a big difference in the skills themselves¡­ ¡°Of course, aptitude skills are generally valued higher.¡±¡°If the content is the same, why is one valued more?¡± ¡°Aptitude skills serve as a criterion for evaluating a person''s soul and potential, so it''s unavoidable.¡± For example, let''s say there are Hunters 1 and 2, and they both have the same skill, Skill A. Even though they have the same A skill, for Hunter 1, it''s an inherent aptitude skill, while Hunter 2 learned itter as a general skill. ¡°So, they''re starting from different points from the beginning.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°More importantly, aptitude skills don''t have levels. From the moment they manifest, they can be used at the highest mastery level. But in reality, proficiency typically increases the more a skill is used. So even for the same skill, there''s bound to be a significant difference based on who uses it.¡± And here''s where human pettinesses into y. ''It''s like a form of hierarchy¡­.'' Maybe the idea of innate skill stirs something in people''s hearts. Those who are awakened with rare or highly useful aptitude skills often be conceited, and people tend to look up to them. ''I don''t really want to share this part.'' Though he felt somewhat aristocratic and imposing, he didn''t want to taint Gio, who had an innocent side much like a child who still believed in Santa us. For the sake of humanity''s peace, it was better for Gio to know a bit less about human ugliness. ¡°General skills can be learned by going and applying at the centre. Even Awakeners without a profession or good aptitude skills can raise their rank through post-awakening efforts.¡± ¡°That''s flexible.¡± ¡°And as I''ve been mentioning bit by bit, the visible indicator used to evaluate the proficiency of all this is called a ''level.''¡± The level evaluates profession, skills, and physical abilities. ¡°The lowest level is 1, and the highest level is 10. Sometimes I wonder why they didn''t use letters ¡­. but since levels can even go to decimal points, I guess precise indicators were necessary.¡± ¡°Is it disyed up to the decimal points?¡± ¡°Well, like 2.8, 4.9, that sort of thing¡­.¡± ¡°Is it the same for Mr. Yoo Sung-woon too?¡± ¡°Uh¡­.¡± Yoo Sung-woon hesitated momentarily before adding, ¡°Rank details are fine, but for your information¡ªpeople usually don''t ask each other specific details about their system.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yeah, it''s seen as a matter of politeness.¡± Though his expression remained blunt and cold, Yoo Sung-woon sensed that Gio might have been a little shocked. ¡°¡­I apologize.¡± As expected, Gio promptly apologized, showing once again that he had a side that valued politeness. ¡°I caused offence because I didn''t know much about these matters.¡± ¡°It''s fine, it''s not like you did it knowingly. Just asking won''t curse either of us.¡± Though there was no actual harm, it was simply a kind of cultural thing. ¡°Just like you wouldn''t ask someone about the colour of the underwear they¡¯re wearing today¡­.¡± ¡°My sincere apologies.¡± ¡°I may have exaggerated a bit, so don''t try to shake Honey down to give me gems. Put Honey down. Hey, hey, you''re squishing him. I don''t think it''s very normal to hand over gems every time you do something wrong.¡± ?? Only then did Gio gently set down Honey whom he had been shaking. Honey had already started pecking and swallowing the gems that had fallen. It was so natural that it made his head spin. ¡°Keep acting like that, and Honey will sulk.¡± ¡°We sometimes y around like this¡­.¡± ¡°How in the world do you guys y?¡± It didn''t seem like a lie, as Honey looked quite pleased. ¡®Where did I even find satisfaction in that round face?¡¯ Both of them were expressionless, yet their emotions were crystal clear. Indeed, it was undoubtedly fitting to call them a father-and-son pair. Looking at this, perhaps this was what was called a child born of the heart. Though technically, it was a child created by a brush. ''¡­But certainly,pared to being inside the portrait¡­.'' He seemed more human. ¡°¡­In any case, people usually don''t ask detailed questions about Hunter¡¯s system. It''s like inquiring about someone''s exact height or weight¡ªit''s personal information, so people don''t tend to readily share it.¡± ¡°I''ll be more careful next time.¡± ¡°Oh, then I appreciate it.¡± To encounter such a cooperative being of origin was more than wee¡ªit felt miraculous. As a gardener, it warmed his heart. ¡°Since you seem curious, I''ll tell you: I don''t have a profession. My aptitude skill is ''appraisal,'' and I''ve learned several general skills. My proficiency in general skills is at its peak. My overall rank is A.¡± ¡°Is it okay to tell me this?¡± ¡°If the person says it themselves, what''s the harm?¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Well, it''s not something people easily share. Professions are so outwardly obvious that such cautious behaviour doesn''t apply, but if someone tells you their rank, that''s an incredible gesture of goodwill.¡± To exin simply, it is like this. ¡°It''s like saying, ''I trust you. You are my friend, my lover, my family¡­.''¡± ¡°Well, that''s more or less the idea.¡± ¡°That''s romantic.¡± ¡°So you like things like this.¡± He really was an innocent guy in some ways. ¡°Did Mr. Yoo Sung-woon mean the same thing?¡± ¡°Of course, I told you my system as a gesture of goodwill and trust.¡± And the fact that the other person wasn¡¯t human also yed a big factor, making it easier to share openly. Perhaps since he was someone ignorant of human culture, he wasn¡¯t bothered by whatever was revealed to them. If anything, dealing with humans would be even more ufortable. ¡°If you have more questions, I can get you a book. There are textbooks used at the Awakener Training Center They even have ones for beginners who''ve just awakened, so let me know if you need one.¡± ¡°Thanks to Mr. Yoo Sung-woon''s good exnations, I think it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°If you say so¡­ hmm.¡± Yoo Sung-woon asked, ¡°Are you nning to return to the portrait soon?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Gio nodded as if it were the most natural thing. ¡°Outside, there are lots of people, lots of fun toys, plenty to see and feel¡­.¡± ¡°But this doesn''t seem like my ce.¡± Yoo Sung-woon understood what he meant. ''It''s amazing that he was able to maintain that form for so long.'' An ordinary awakener wouldn''t evenst a second. Gio''s status was beyondparison to that of humans. At the very least, within the painting, he was a being who enjoyed god-like authority. Yet he suppressed his own grandeur, cut off his limbs, and wandered through the chaotic human world with weights attached to his torso. It was utterly terrifying. ¡°Of course, I enjoyed it.¡± ¡°I''m d to hear that. By the way, are you nning to attend the initiation ceremony that the fish-shaped bun guy mentioned?¡± ¡°Yes, I''d like to see it.¡± ¡°When the timees, I''ll let you know. For now, just rest in the portrait.¡± And with that, Gio returned to the portrait. *** Back in the cabin, Gio slept the entire day. ¡°It''s dangerous outside the nket.¡± ¡°Coooong.¡± Completely drained, Gio needed some time to himself. Chapter 36 Gio didn''t hate having fun, but the energy allotted to him was quite limited. ¡°¡­Honey, if Dad copses like this, you should at least nag him.¡± ¡°¡­Coo ¡°If both of us are sprawled out, there''s no hope.¡± The busy, busy modern society Gio had returned to drained every ounce of his stamina. ''Getting drained by a vampire probably wouldn''t be this exhausting.'' He never thought it was a peaceful and gentle country to begin with. But after 31 years, South Korea had be ¡®Hell Joseon¡¯, and frail Gio couldn''t help but be intimidated.Lying on the bed like a 29-year-old rag, Gio idly fiddled with Honey, who had spread out like a liquid monster. ¡°As far as I know¡­ I should still be synchronizing with Giovanni.¡± ¡°Cooor?¡± ¡°I feel it much less inside here than I do outside.¡± ¡°Cooorrr?¡± ¡°The synchronization speed has also slowed down.¡± Synchronization rate: 14.8% ¡°When I dipped my feet in Cheonggyecheon, it filled about 6%.¡± ¡°Coor.¡± ¡°When I went to the restaurant using the waterway, I gained about 4% more¡­.¡± Themon factor was those actions rted to water. ¡°Is it because he has many connections to water?¡± It was Giovanni¡¯s story. Anyway, the synchronization speed was much faster in the real world than when he stayed still inside the painting. ¡°It must be the characteristics of the world inside the portrait.¡± ¡°Cooooo¡­.¡± During synchronization, it felt like going back to his old lifestyle patterns. He got hungry at the right times, had to sleep after working hard, and his body which felt unusually light, would be heavy ¡­. ? However, after returning from his tour in Seoul, he realized that sensations like those had dulled a bit within the portrait. ¡°Even though I''m synchronizing, it might be because, I''m treated as a painting rather than a human inside the portrait. Here, even the emotions I felt are treated as ''paintings.''¡± When Gio was the main subject, even intangible things seemed to be judged as ''paintings.'' Just like when he felt gratitude toward Yoo Sung-woon in the past and randomly gifted him fruit syrup, the 1:1 system didn''t seem to have any issues. Will he return to being a ¡®portrait¡¯ after synchronization ends? ¡°What kind of person is an individual who''s nothing more than a portrait unless they synchronize with someone else?¡± ¡°That¡¯s downright impressive.¡± ¡°Cooor¡­.¡± ¡°There''s probably no other portrait like me anywhere in the world. I''ll take pride in that.¡± Today, Gio''s self-esteem soared sky-high. ¡°I¡¯m truly amazing.¡± Gio''s humanity wasn''t swayed by the identity of being a mere haunted portrait. His sense of self was too strong to let such trivial matters doubt his own identity. ¡°Let''s eat.¡± ¡°Coooo.¡± As always, the conversation eventually shifted to food. They were practically pigs. ¡°Alright.¡± It was only after 29 hours and 36 minutes had passed that Gio finally lifted himself from the bed. Honey, still sprawled out, showed no intention of doing the same. He was clearly a spoiled young master who knew very well that Gio would take care of him. ¡°Do you even know how annoying and cute you are when you act like that?¡± ¡°Coo.¡± ¡°You think being cute is everything? That¡¯s right. That''s all there is to the world.¡± ¡°Cooooooooorrrr.¡± ¡°You''ve already fulfilled your purpose just by being cute.¡± In Gio¡¯s thought, there was no feeling more capable of bringing peace to humanity than cuteness. ¡°I''ll handle today''s dinner.¡± As usual. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, should we check how much the garden has grown?¡± ¡°Coocoocoo¡­.¡± ¡°You''re toozy even to fly there? Yourziness has reached the sky. Stay put, and I''ll load you into the basket.¡± ¡°Cooooooong¡­!¡± ¡°Where are you trying to send me alone? Hmph, nope. Not happening. You¡¯reing with me, dad feels lonely.¡± Gio swept the jelly-like liquid monster into the basket. Honey grumbled but slid into it, and Gio left the cabin, carrying the basket with a satisfied expression. And then he witnessed Mother Nature. ¡°What is this?¡± Where had his modest garden gone? Was this the Amazon? ¡°Where on earth did my precious little garden go?¡± ¡°Coo, coong¡­.¡± ¡°My garden wasn''t like this.¡± At most, he expected to see some tiny sprouts, but instead of cute seedlings, the cherry tomatoes had grown to about three meters tall. ¡°No, can you even call a 3-meter cherry tomato a ''cherry'' tomato?¡± No. ¡°Is it even a tomato in the first ce?¡± The tomatoes he knew weren''t supposed to be the size of small watermelons? Having grown every kind of crop at least once before, Gio was utterly baffled by the results he''d never seen before. It hadn''t been that long since he''d left the garden unattended, and he was certain he''d nted ordinary seeds and seedlings. So how did the garden turn into a monster patch instead of a vegetable one? ¡°What about the lettuce¡­.¡± ¡°It''s the incarnation of Cthulhu.¡± ¡°Coorr?¡± ¡°There is something like that.¡± There''s an octopus monster god that can drive even a perfectly sane person¡ªsomeone who could calmly buy fish-shaped buns for 5,000 won¡ªout of their mind. ¡°It looks just like that.¡± And Gio realized that''s where he''d nted the lettuce. ¡°I nted octopus instead of lettuce.¡± ¡°Cooor.¡± ¡°Don''t agree with that, Honey. Dad''s feelings are fragile.¡± The lettuce, with leaves even sturdier than autumn cabbage, was towering sky-high. Itsmanding presence was so overwhelming that Gio felt as if he had been rejected even before confessing. ¡°This reality is beyond my imagination.¡± And the corn. ¡°Terrifying.¡± Gio was scared. ¡°Is it a tree?¡± The stalks were so thick, and the kernels were even thicker. It was genuinely frightening. The potatoes and sweet potatoes, hidden underground, were even more terrifying. Though they hadn''t fully revealed themselves, the vines crawling above the ground were straight out of a horror movie. ¡°This overwhelming vitality¡­ they''re alive.¡± ¡°Coo.¡± ¡°Of course, they''re alive¡ªHoney, don''t state the obvious. Even Dad knows that much.¡± ¡°Coor?¡± ¡°What I meant is they look like they''ll start crawling on their own any moment now. That''s not supposed to happen.¡± If this wasn''t a horror movie, what was? ¡°The peas¡­.¡± ¡°¡­Even zombies crawling out of hell wouldn''t cling this desperately.¡± The pea vines, thin and long, clung to the nts growing nearby as if they were parasites, making them even more bizarre. They looked like they might start eating insects soon, like spiders. ¡°So what on earth is this?¡± What have I done? ¡°As expected, I''m amazing.¡± No, that''s not it. ¡°At this point, it¡¯s funny.¡± ¡°¡­Coong?¡± ¡°Yeah, that''s what I wanted to say.¡± When such an unexpected situation arose, it was just fun. ¡°Surely, the taste hasn''t changed.¡± That''s good enough. ¡°It has turned into an intimidating garden, as if it could soon start talking with me¡­¡± ¡°Still, let''s call this ce a garden. Even though I felt embarrassed saying it, we, who know its humble beginnings, must preserve its identity.¡± ¡°Coor¡­?¡± ¡°Honey, think carefully. Those guys look like they might start moving soon, so we need to make a good impression on them before they do, or we might end up as their meal.¡± It was half a joke and half sincere. ''In a world where even humans can evolve into portraits, wouldn¡¯t it be normal for nts to have consciousness?¡¯ His grandmother always said that we should always live humbly and wisely, as we couldn¡¯t predict when disasters will strike. Today, Gio the good grandson faithfully followed his elder¡¯s wisdom. But when something goes wrong, the instinct to shift me to someone else is just human nature. ¡°¡­ Could it be that Mr. Yoo Sung-woon gave monster seeds from the beginning?¡± ¡°Coo.¡± ¡°Right, the seeds looked normal when I saw them. It must be this world''s problem after all.¡± So, he was very curious to see if they would taste good. ¡°Let''s see how they taste¡­.¡± As Gio entered the monster field, he couldn''t believe his eyes. ''Am I getting farsighted?'' Or was this a hallucination? ¡°If this is real, wouldn''t our safety be at risk, Honey?¡± ¡°¡­Coooorrrr¡­.¡± ¡°Why is there a dead deer here?¡± Gio was very scared. ¡°Oh, God of Heaven and Earth.¡± Please take care of this pitiful portrait. ¡°So why is it really here?¡± ¡°Cooor, coo, coo.¡± ¡°You think you can do it too? No, don''tpete. So who the hell caught this? And where did the deer evene from? Dad is so confused right now, Honey, so pleasee out of the basket and stop self-promoting¡­¡± The monster patch was so overgrown that he couldn''t see well, but when he went inside, there was a deer that was clearly dead, lying there in a very fresh state. Judging by itsrge, sturdy appearance, this wasn''t one of the animals originally from the forest around Gio''s cabin. The local animals were all cute and small, matching his taste. Treehorn Deer A herbivore that camouges itself by blooming flowers or leaves on its antlers ording to the season. Usually avoids fights with other animals but enters an extreme frenzy when its camouge is exposed, causing rampages. Its metallic antlers, teeth, and hooves can easily crush the bones of other animals. Emits scents of nuts, flowers, or fruits as part of its camouge. Refinement method: processed dried meat made by hanging and sun-drying provides strong satiety and heals minor scratches. Habitat: The destroyed Avs Rainforest_Animal Kingdom Gio shuddered. ¡°I inevitably caused trouble.¡± In this unpredictable life of ours, he always suspected that living thoughtlessly like this would eventually lead to doom¡ªbut he didn''t expect the end toe so soon. ¡°The day of doom is near.¡± ¡°Coo?¡± ¡°An invasive species has entered.¡± As his only means to protect himself was the ability to paint potatoes, it was clear that Gio wouldn''t endure. ¡°Coooor, coooooooor.¡± ¡°Honey?¡± ¡°Coo coo coo Coooo, coo.¡± Watching Honey, who seemed desperate to convey something, Gio who was examining the situation closely realized. ¡° ¡°Cooo!¡± ¡°There''s a hole in its forehead.¡± And on a nearby sweet potato vine, he noticed blood stains. ¡°Coooo?¡± ¡°Are you saying the sweet potato vine moved on its own, pierced the forehead of the invasive species from beyond the dimensional gate I created, and killed it instantly?¡± ¡°Coo.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Gio pondered. ''Which should I be more afraid of?'' The violent invasive species entering from an unknown dimension VS The sweet potato that moves on its own and can pierce through even solid skulls in an instant ¡°Goodness, Gods of Heaven and Earth.¡± Both were scary. As of today, Gio was frightened for the third time. ¡°Honey, can a fragile being like me survive in this wild?¡± ¡°Don''t give me that look. Dad''s serious. I think I''m too weak to survive in this grand nature.¡± ¡°Coong.¡± ¡°Where else would you find someone as pitiful and helpless as your dad?¡± After longmunication, Gio was assured that all living things in the monster field would be friendly to him, just as all flora and fauna in the forest had been friendly to Gio, his cultivated crops were simr. There wasn''t any concrete evidence, but¡­. ¡°Well, that''s okay.¡± Gio''s ultimate positive mindset pulled him out of his ridiculous fears. And more than anything, he was just about to prepare a meal. ¡°There''s meat.¡± ¡°Cooor.¡± ¡°Meat¡­.¡± Come to think of it, the refinement method mentioned ''processed meat.'' ¡°¡­Nice.¡± And that¡¯s how today''s menu was decided. For reference, Gio did know how to butcher. *** ck, ck¡­. Thud. ¡°¡­How strange.¡± In a quiet alley of a slum. A woman with dark blue hair resembling the calmly rippling deep sea muttered. ¡°The traces end here.¡± She had been very worried since her beloved human coborator¡¯s energy had suddenly vanished, but what the hell was this? ¡°There are no signs of a fight.¡± She had carefully selected someone appropriate and ced them under the sun. He was a guy with decent infiltration skills andbat abilities, yet considering there were no signs of an escape, let alonebat, it was hard to ept. Still, it didn''t deny what had already happened. ¡°He got caught.¡± By whom, she didn''t know. ¡°That requires further investigation.¡± Humming a tune, the woman spoke almost like singing. ¡°It seems even the temple is troubled, it hasn''t been made public in the media, and even though it''s an incident that urred in the slum, no one knows the details. How absurd is this situation¡­.¡± She understood the temple''s stance. ¡°So much cautiousness for those who have always liked hiding things tightly. Truly insidious.¡± However, with an uing event, it could have indeed been troublesome for them. ¡°I was trying to ruin the Sun Festival, you see.¡± ¡°But the person who was supposed to ruin it is gone.¡± The woman turned to the child. ¡°Iser, the only gxy by my side.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You''ll have to handle this.¡± ¡°I won''t disappoint you.¡± ¡°Don''t push yourself too hard.¡± The woman revealed her shark-like teeth as sheughed. ¡°This is all for fun, after all.¡± Her dress which resembled the sea fluttered. And soon, only the child with blue-green hair remained at the scene. The child was showing a benevolent smile. Chapter 37 The reason for learning how to butcher was simple. ¡°I had a brother1 I knew in Majang-dong.¡± ¡°Coo?¡± ¡°After having drinks with him a few times, I picked up some of his skills.¡± Though he had never actually dismantled fully intact animals before. He used to say that handling knives shouldn''t be entrusted to just anyone, so in case he ever needed to buy some, he had once taught him how to cutrge cuts of raw meat into parts at home. But that''s all. The point was, he had never really butchered anything properly before. ¡°But even if I haven''t done it myself, I know how it''s done.¡± Gio had excellent learning abilities.¡°Judging that the body wasn''t cold, it hasn''t been dead long, has it? It''s like a warm stone.¡± ¡°Cooo?¡± ¡°I need to drain the blood. It''ll be harder to drain its blood if too much time passes after its death.¡± The blood flowing from its forehead seemed to have soaked deeply into the ground, yet Gio felt quite uneasy about the deer''s unusually soft body. It seemed like this world, where food didn''t spoil or decay easily, was influencing it. Yes, it was ''food''. ¡°¡­A deer that''s already dead counts as edible, right?¡± Even Gio himself was attempting butchery now. ''Anyway, it''s much easier to work with if the body hasn''t stiffened.'' Dragging the deer as big as a house, Gio managed to hang it on a Ss tree at just an appropriate height. He then pierced its neck to let the blood flow out. ¡°Honey.¡± ¡°Coo?¡± ¡°It seems clear, Dad must''ve evolved.¡± ¡°Coo.¡± ¡°I thought I only evolved into a portrait, but I didn''t expect to be stronger as well.¡± Lifting and hanging a deerrger than himself on the tree with ease¡ªit was hard to tell if this was because thews of physics in this painting world werex, or if Gio himself had grown stronger. ¡°Alright, while the blood drains, let''s get the innards out.¡± ¡°Cooorrrrrrrrr.¡± ¡°¡­Honey, don''t drink the blood from below. That''s dirty.¡± The sight of a tiny bird drinking the trickling blood was horrifying. ¡°Dad''s spooked.¡± ¡°Coo.¡± ¡°I''m not lying.¡± The trust between father and child was abysmally low. But it was funny, so it''s alright. ''I should take the innards out before anything spoils.'' Even though it doesn''t seem it''ll spoil easily considering the rules of this painting world, he recalled how the Goby fruit left under the sun had hardened to the point of bing almost like a mineral. It was best to do what could be done since you never knew what problem might show up. ¡°The leather is thick.¡± There was also a considerable amount of fat under the skin. ¡°The system said this deer came from the rainforest but isn''t rainforests usually humid? I don''t get why it has such thick fur and so much fat.¡± ¡°Coo.¡± ¡°Stop drinking the blood, Honey. Dad said it''s creepy.¡± ¡°Coocoocoo¡­¡± ¡°Being cute won''t let you off the hook.¡± He wasn''t keen on keeping a blood-scented birdpany. ¡°Coo.¡± Honey ''coocoo''ed as ifining as he suddenly spat something out. ¡°Coooorrrrr.¡± ¡°A gem¡­?¡± It was a sparkling gem that was Honey''s favourite, yet considering how Honey, previously reddish, returned to its usual colour after vomiting up the crimson gem, it didn''t seem like a mere coincidence. ¡°Did you turn the blood into a gem?¡± ¡°Coo.¡± ¡°As expected of my son, truly extraordinary.¡± Gio decided to stop worrying about it. ¡°Can Dad use that for paintingter?¡± ¡°Coooorrrrr!¡± ¡°Thanks for letting me, drink all you want¡ªI won''t say anything.¡± ¡°Cooo!¡± ¡°You really had a n, didn''t you.¡± Drinking the blood of a hunted animal might not be that strange after all. As a human, Gio would have thought, ''What the hell with that?'' But Honey is a bird, isn''t he? It was natural for animals to have such instincts. ''As long as you can revert to your original state, it''s fine.'' Even if he was his child born from paint, suppressing an animal''s instincts wasn''t a parent''s job. Drinking deer blood wouldn''t kill him, after all. ¡°Let''s cut open the belly now, but be careful not to spill the innards.¡± ¡°Coo.¡± ¡°Alright, let''s see¡­.¡± Gio focused his nerves on his fingertips, feeling along the deer''s belly. ¡°I heard you''re supposed to cut from the anus for easier dissection.¡± Start cutting from the anus sounded brutal as a fellow living being, but that was just how the food chain worked. ¡°Here we go.¡± Even though the knife hadn''t been sharpened, it was sharp enough to easily cut through the belly. When the abdomen of the upside-down deer was cut open, revealing its innards, Gio spotted something unusual. Why is there a gem here, too? ''It looks much bigger than the gem Honey spat out.'' Based on its location, it seemed to be where its heart should be. ¡°¡­ Isn''t this a little funny¡­?¡± A jewel heartmon sense was crumbling. ¡°How did it purge and make blood with something like this?¡± ¡°Cooorrrrrrr.¡± ¡°Dad will give it to youter after confirming it''s safe, so get down.¡± Despite Honey, unable to resist anything shiny, made a fuss, but Gio shook his head. No matter how you looked at it, handing over a beast''s innards felt too odd. ¡°Let''s just finish dismantling it.¡± From the anus to the ribcage, Gio carefully cut the belly open. Though this was his first attempt at butchery, he managed to avoid the disaster of rupturing any innards. ¡°Better drain the blood properly.¡± ¡°Coo?¡± ¡°If you don''t drain the blood on time, the blood will seep into the meat. Then the meat can spoil easily and be too gamey¡­ Ideally, you should drain the blood right after hunting the animal.¡± The remaining innards were removed carefully to avoid bursting them. ¡°If one bursts, it''ll be a disaster.¡± It would be hell. The skinning should start from the hind legs, where it''s easiest for the hands to reach. ¡°There''s so much fat I''m not sure if the leather could be used.¡± ¡°Coorrr?¡± ¡°To make the leather craftable, all this fat needs to be removed. Still, it''s fluffy enough to make a cloak, it coulde in handy when going back to the real world.¡± ¡°Coo.¡± ¡°I can''t keep relying on you.¡± The day before the tour, Gio had considered painting some winter clothes since he didn''t have any, but Honey had helped him out. Since just holding Honey kept his whole body warm, making additional winter clothes unnecessary. But he couldn''t always depend on that. ¡°I should trim the leather.¡± Nheless, the abundance of fat was a good thing. ¡°The meat has a pleasant aroma. Even the fat smells savoury. If I refine and save this fat instead of discarding it, I can use it for stir-fried dishester. It''ll double the vour.¡± ¡°Eating fat as it is isn''t as tasty as you think.¡± Looking at Honey eyeing the fat intently, Gio felt his heart warm. It felt like looking at a mirror or a photo album. This must be what family is. Being a big eater, Honey definitely takes after him. ¡°While you''re at it, how about putting on a little more weight?¡± ¡°Coo.¡± ¡°If you don''t want to, fine.¡± The thick leather was cut away. Slowly, the deer''s foreskin was stripped off, while he checked the muscle fibers as he went. Fortunately, despite its thick fur, the leather wasn''t particrly tough, so the task wasn''t too difficult. ¡°Starting with the hind legs¡­ then the torso¡­.¡± The skin was removed starting from the hind legs, where the bone lies directly under the skin simr to a human''s ankle. Next came the torso, the front legs, and finally, the skin was taken off along with the deer''s head,pleting the dismantling. Surprisingly, the leather was quite intact, thanks to the separation being done without any mistakes. ¡°Let''s separate the fat now.¡± ¡°Cooor.¡± ¡°¡­Just a taste.¡± Gio allowed Honey, who was eyeing the fat, to have a taste, and Honey, having tasted the fat with his dad''s permission, squirmed in difort. ¡°I told you it wouldn''t taste good right now.¡± ¡°Co, co¡­ coooooo¡­.¡± ¡°Please trust what Dad say¡ªI''m an expert when ites to knowing when something tastes bad.¡± ¡°Coooooorrrr¡­.¡± ¡°Are you seriously about to cry?¡± Honey, shocked that the fat wasn''t as tasty as its savoury aroma, was sad and on the verge of tears. Gio, seeing Honey still unable to recover from the shock of the strange food, tucked him into his cloak''s hood. ¡°Now, let''s start the proper dismantling.¡± With the innards, leather, and fat separated, it was time to remove the meat. ''Just as the system exined, the aroma is certainly pleasant.'' They said wild animal meat was often tough and had a gamey smell, this didn''t seem to be the case here. As someone who quite enjoyed cooking, Gio was very familiar with the smell of raw meat. No matter how well-raised the veal was, it had a distinctive fishy scent. But this deercked any of that unpleasant odour. ¡°¡­ I think it smells a bit like nuts.¡± If he had to specify, it leaned more toward a walnut aroma than peanuts. ¡°That''s funny.¡± It was the first time he had encountered such a scent from a meat. While he was a little taken aback, it wasn''t an odd sensation like mint-voured potato chips. Rather, the harmony of the aroma brought a different kind of delight. ¡°Indeed, another world is another world.¡± ¡°Coor?¡± Even if the ingredients appeared simr, their taste and aroma had subtle differencespared to those on Earth. ¡°To be honest, it''s a bit of a shame that the heart turned out to be a gem. The heart of a freshly hunted animal is a pretty good cooking ingredient, so I was considering grilling it, but¡­ in this state, it might be tricky to eat.¡± ¡°Coooorrrrrrr.¡± ¡°Right, even if it''s not for me, you can eat it. Dad will cook it for you.¡± Since it wouldn''t have tasted good in this state anyway. ¡°¡­By the way, there''s quite a bit more than I expected¡­.¡± He removed the tenderloin, deeply buried inside the back. Then he dismantled the legs and stripped off the tough meat. ¡°Hmm.¡± This part seems like it needs to be simmered slowly. At least the upper leg meat seemed to be tender enough to eat. After removing the ribs, tenderloin, and everything else¡­ ¡°Ta-da.¡± ¡°A mountain of meat has been made.¡± ¡°Coo.¡± ¡°Doesn''t it seem like a lot?¡± ¡°Coor.¡± ¡°As expected.¡± The system''s advice to make sun-dried processed meat was clearly for a reason. With this much quantity of meat, most of it would need to be salted or dried for storage. ¡°It won''t spoil if I put it in the ice storage¡­ but I might as well make what I can.¡± For now, jerky and sausage came to mind. ¡°Should I start with the jerky first?¡± Sausage would take much longer to make. ¡°Let''s drain the blood first.¡± ¡°Cooooorr?¡± ¡°Even though it was hung upside down to drain the blood, not all of it would havee out. It wasn''t hung for that long either, so to fully get rid of the gamey smell, we''ll need to soak it in water to draw out the remaining blood.¡± Gio soon returned from the cabin, carrying arge basin. ¡°Honey, put the meat in.¡± ¡°Coorrr!¡± With the tasty jewel heart as leverage, Honey proved to be an excellent worker. The two ced the meat for jerky into arge basin and poured plenty of water from the stream gently flowing around the cabin over it. The streams scattered throughout the forest were always a useful resource. ¡°If I were doing this on Earth, I''d probably add some rice wine here¡­.¡± But the only alcohol avable was wine, and since the meat hardly had any gamey smell, it wasn''t an issue. ¡°While the blood drains, I should prepare the seasoning.¡± ¡°Cooor?¡± ¡°The crops in the garden have all grown, isn''t this the perfect time to use them?¡± After washing his hands stained with the deer''s blood, Gio picked a few crops from the monster field and soon returned to the cabin. Thankfully, the monster field didn''t seem to mind Gio taking some of its crops. ¡°It must recognize who its dad is. All that sunlight and water I gave it paid off.¡± Then standing in the kitchen, Gio pulled out several powders off the shelves. ¡°And let''s use some syrup too.¡± He fetched the Goby fruit syrup he''d stashed away in the corner of the kitchen. It was what he''d set aside before giving the rest to Yoo Sung-woon. ¡°Adding syrup like this enhances the sweetness.¡± ¡°Coocoocoo¡­.¡± ¡°It might sound strange, but it''s surprisingly tasty.¡± The sweet-and-savourybination was a timeless truth everywhere. Gio checked the ingredients. ¡°Fresh onions. With this much meat, let''s use about ten¡­ garlic and ginger powder are already here. I''ll add some sugar too. A little Goby fruit syrup should also do the trick¡­.¡± Making jerky wasn''tplicated. Finely chop the cleaned onions until they form a porridge-like paste, then mix in various spicy and pungent powders to neutralize the gamey smell. Add a touch of syrup for sweetness and a bit of sugar to eliminate any dull taste, and the marinade jerky isplete. ¡°The blood should be drained by now.¡± By the time he ted the marinade and washed the cutting board and knife, quite a bit of time had passed. As he looked at the darkening sky through the tree leaves, Gio stepped out of the cabin. At night, Honey, who glowed faintly like moonlight, helped him navigate the darkness. ¡°Ah¡­ this looks about right.¡± ¡°Coorrrr?¡± ¡°This is dirty, it''s just bloody water. I''ll give you something elseter.¡± Gio ced the soaked meat on ader and went back to the kitchen. ¡°I should finish this quickly and get some sleep too.¡± The rest was simple. Shake off the excess moisture from the meat, and when it feels appropriately dry, knead the pre-made marinade thoroughly into it. After ensuring the seasoning seeped deeply into the meat, Gio washed his hands clean. ¡°It''s done¡­.¡± ¡°¡­Honey, why are you so obsessed with the innards?¡± Even if it was his son, he couldn''tprehend such tastes. In the end, the deer''s innards were happily shared and eaten by Honey and his waterfowl friends. The golden waterfowlke held an air of something mysterious and eerie as bloodstained innards floated around. ¡°Ah, except for this.¡± ¡°Coo.¡± ¡°We''re going to make sausages.¡±
  1. hyung-nim, older brother (friend).
Chapter 38 When Gio fell asleep after sessfully finishing the making jerky activity, the world outside the frame was still in the middle of working hours. ¡°So, you called me for this.¡± ¡°Come on, let''s have a chat. Why the scary face?¡± ¡°If you think I''m only responsible for ''Gio''s Portrait,'' you''re gravely mistaken¡­.¡± ¡°I''ll give you incentives.¡± ¡°Damn capitalist society.¡± Yoo Sung-woon had been summoned by the guild leader. ¡°Didn''t I already tell you I''d finishpiling the full report soon?¡±¡°How can I wait until then?¡± ¡°Why can''t you just wait for this?¡± ¡°You know me.¡± ¡°No, I don''t.¡± ¡°You have to talk with the person face-to-face.¡± ¡°This is an excessive insult for our highly advanced modern society.¡± ¡°The world these days is too cold. Our employees are even more so.¡± ¡°I don''t know what kind of warmth you expect in this miserable world, and I don''t know why you''re demanding it from me either.¡± ¡°Everyone''s so cold-hearted.¡± ¡°Talking nonsense, even though it''s your personal taste.¡± Bi Sa-beol smiled brightly as he poured some fruit juice for Yoo Sung-woon, who was looking very tired. ¡°Why don''t you drink this to regain your energy?¡± ¡°Poison, perhaps?¡± ¡°Oh,e now. How could a gift from our esteemed portrait be poison?¡± ¡°Just give me poison instead. At least I can lie down after consuming it¡­.¡± Though ''Gio''s Portrait'' was considered gentle, it was a being of origin and, simply put, a monster. Dealing with such a rare humanoid monster alone was overwhelming, yet that wasn¡¯t the only task assigned to Yoo Sung-woon. ¡°I''ve also been called out again because the sea has been unusually noisytely.¡± Yoo Sung-woon was handling external requests as well. ¡°I''ve observed that the movements of the children of the origin are quite peculiar. I''ll submit a report on this matter soon, likely by tomorrow or the day after¡­.¡± ¡°That can be reportedter. It''s not my request anyway.¡± ¡°I knew it.¡± ¡°Now, can you tell me about Gio?¡± ¡°I knew it woulde to this.¡± For reference, Bi Sa-beol still hadn''t managed to have a conversation with Gio. ¡°With such burdensome behaviour, isn''t it natural that Gio avoids talking with you?¡± ¡°No, what did I even do?¡± ¡°There are many employees who im to have seen the ck cloak, but the guild leader himself hasn''t even spoken to him once. This is practically dereliction of duty.¡± ¡°I''ve tried to talk to him, you know?¡± ¡°I meant you should try changing your approach a bit.¡± It was an issue rted to Gio''s characteristics. ¡°Gio hates rude people, doesn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°He doesn''t hate them.¡± ¡°That''s true, but¡­.¡± There were two things that ''Gio''s Portrait'' disliked: Rudeness and malice. ''¡­But even though he dislikes rude people, he doesn''t view them too negatively.'' Just as some people love dogs, some people love cats, yet some dislike reptiles, Gio disliked rude people in a simr sense. He didn''t dismiss their existence outright, but he didn''t enjoy associating with them. ¡°In that indifferent aspect, he does resemble the children of the origin.¡± ¡°That''s likely the case. Even if he ims to be human, he can''t be entirely the same. Perhaps he''s trying hard to ignore the fact that he isn''t human¡­.¡± In reality, Gio simply didn''t think about it at all. ¡°Well, it doesn''t seem like he has that indifference toward criminals.¡± While he could think, ¡®It could happen¡¯, when dealing with rudeness, Gio exhibited clear disgust when faced with malice. Although he hadn''t directly encountered a criminal, his usual demeanour made it evident. ¡°In any case, we must remain cautious. You should be careful too, Guild Leader.¡± ¡°I''ll try to restrain myself.¡± ¡°You''re just saying that again. Anyway, back to the matter at hand¡­.¡± The reason Bi Sa-beol had called Yoo Sung-woon was obvious. ¡°Are you curious about Gio''s behaviour during his Seoul tour?¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯m curious. A being of unknown origin wandered through human society and to think it even returned without causing any major incidents? ¡°Indeed.¡± Of course, there was one unsettling fact. ¡°One of the Priests of the Sun went missing, didn''t he?¡± ¡°Well, from what I''ve checked, his record wasn''t exactly clean either.¡± ¡°That exins why they''re keeping it quiet internally as well.¡± ¡°With the initiation ceremonying up, they likely don''t want to publicize it further.¡± ¡°¡­ Seems like Gio had a hand regarding the disappearance case.¡± A hunter capable of being a curator requires more than ordinary observation and memory skills. Yoo Sung-woon still remembered encountering a man in traditional schr attire at Gyeongbokgung Pce, and the missing priest this time turned out to be the same person. ¡°That day, Gio formed a hand gesture resembling a camera and looked at the man.¡± ¡°A camera? Considering it¡¯s Gio¡¯s Portrait, wouldn''t a frame be more fitting?¡± ¡°That''s possible. In any case, after making eye contact with the man, he suggested we leave Gyeongbokgung Pce, but he didn''t seem particrly pleased.¡± ¡°Was he displeased because he encountered someone bad that didn''t match his preferences?¡± ¡°That seems highly likely.¡± ¡°So, Gio appraises people like that. That''s valuable information.¡± When checked through Bi Sa-beol¡¯s informationwork, the priest was already suspicious. Yoo Sung-woon trusted Bi Sa-beol, and neither considered the possibility that the priest Gio dealt with might not have been a bad person. ¡°Still, handling it quietly shows how much understanding Gio has regarding human society. He likely wanted to avoid drawing attention.¡± Not really. It was just Honey acting alone while Gio was asleep. It¡¯s not like Honey was avoiding making amotion either, he simply sensed a threat to his dad, dealt with him and returned. However, Gio didn''te across as thoughtless. On the contrary, his strongposure seemed like because he knew a lot, and the two of them continued their discussion under the assumption that Gio was already aware of everything. ¡°In this case, I wonder what will happen if he faces a criminal directly.¡± ¡°Well, even if you''re curious, why are you curious about something like that? Please don''t have strange curiosities.¡± ¡°How cold.¡± How does he act like that at his age? ''I must never grow up like that.'' Yoo Sung-woon ignored Bi Sa-beol, who pretended to be pitiful. ¡°The most remarkable part of this tour and observation was that Gio lowered himself to a human level.¡± ¡°¡­Lowered himself?¡± Bi Sa-beol looked genuinely surprised for the first time in a while. ¡°Gio? He lowered himself to the level of humans?¡± ¡°Yes, surprising, isn''t it.¡± ¡°More than surprising¡­.¡± Bi Sa-beol paused briefly, before soon finding the right word. ¡°It¡¯s eerie.¡± Indeed, Gio wasn''t human. ¡°For him to carve out his own flesh so nonchntly.¡± ¡°I was horrified when I first saw it too. If Gio were human, he would never have made such a decision.¡± ¡°Especially if it was just to avoid causing a disturbance, that was even more iprehensible.¡± Though Bi Sa-beol hadn''t spoken with Gio, he had ¡®seen¡¯ him many times. From what Bi Sa-beol knew, Gio''s status was iparable to humans. ¡°Yet the fact that he deliberately lowered himself to the point he felt like a human¡­.¡± It was no different than being torn apart alive. ¡°Did he appear to have any health issues?¡± ¡°No abnormalities that I could detect, and his expression was as nk as usual.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Gio was originally human, thus such sensations didn''t feel strange. However, to others, it seemed more bizarre than gouging out one''s own eyeballs, severing their own limbs, or extracting their own internal organs. ¡°Was there anything else unusual?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Yoo Sung-woon chose a light topic. ¡°He seemed to enjoy eating.¡± ¡°No wonder he keeps giving food as gifts.¡± ¡°He appeared interested in both eating and cooking.¡± This raised some concerns as well. ¡°If not careful, he might easily be taken advantage of.¡± ¡°Oh dear.¡± That was indeed a bit of a problem. ¡°You mentioned you spoke to him about that, right?¡± ¡°I''m not sure if he fully understood, though.¡± ¡°Seems like a benevolent existence of origin is much more difficult to handle.¡± If it had been an ordinary monster, it would''ve been straightforward to handle. However given the need for ongoing interaction, there were more factors to consider. It was like how protecting was more difficult than attacking. ¡°Fortunately, his willingness to cooperate seems strong.¡± ¡°Since he¡¯s a kind guy after all¡­.¡± Except for his status¡¯s eerieness, Gio was undoubtedly a good guy. ¡°His mere existence feels threatening, though.¡± ¡°Well, that''s beyond our control, isn''t it?¡± ¡°I know, I know.¡± Still, regardless of Gio''s sincerity, maintaining vignce seemed necessary. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± ¡°Is there something else?¡± ¡°It''s about Gio''s personality.¡± ¡°Personality, you say? That''s already intriguing.¡± ¡°When his status is lowered, Gio truly resembles human.¡± This required a bit of exnation. ¡°It''s to the point where he seemed like apletely different being from the usual Gio.¡± ¡°In that case, it doesn''t seem to simply be a matter of high or low status, is it?¡± ¡°It appears to have some impact on his personality as well.¡± ¡°Could it be a side effect of lowering his status?¡± ¡°Isn''t that more likely? While it¡¯s better for us since this is less harmful ¡­¡± In the painting or when he asionally wandered around buildings at dawn, Gio had something eerie about him. He was like a grim reaper. ''No, perhaps closer to death itself, devoid of will or emotion.'' Draped in a pitch-ck cloak, his footsteps barely audible, always sping his hands behind his back and walking with the poise of an aristocrat, observing the world with curious eyes. Yet his expressionless and sombre face exuded a certain coldness. This coolness didn''t signify Gio¡¯s personality was cold. It was just as if his very existence itself was incapable of holding warmth. Gio, who didn''t lower his status, is extremely polite,posed, and heavy. Even people who didn''t speak with him and only saw his portrait oftenmented, ''It feels like it depicts someone on his deathbed.¡¯ Gio felt like a being that was the embodiment of a funeral. Besides that, that profoundness. ¡°It''s impossible to call him human.¡± ¡°But does this personality shift really warrant discussion?¡± ¡°It''s confirmed that it certainly has an influence.¡± Gio, after lowering his status, truly seemed like an ordinary person ¡°A somewhat blunt and polite individual.¡± But the usual Gio was different. ¡°He''s a bit more arrogant.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°No, the word arrogant feels a bit strange¡­ How should I put it¡­.¡± It was difficult to describe. ¡°¡­As if he were someone of great importance¡­.¡± Gio looked down on humans. Like someone with a hobby of raising insects, admiring a hardworking ant carrying loads¡ªor even finding it cute. ¡°In fact, Gio gave gifts to people several times. While there was an element of reward, it distinctly carried the form of a grant. Despite referring to himself as a 29-year-old ordinary human, he evaluated and praised employees much older than himself.¡± At this, Bi Sa-beol asked, ¡°But the Gio with a lowered status was different?¡± ¡°Yes, he genuinely looked like a normal young man back then.¡± The ''Gio'' that Yoo Sung-woon confirmed was a 29-year-old well-mannered and quiet person. ¡°Well ¡­. except for being a bit overly curious or trying to settle bills with gems¡­.¡± ¡°He''s not truly human, so such peculiarities are inevitable. Still, it''s fascinating that he behaved convincingly as an ordinary young man.¡± ¡°He mentioned making some adjustments, so that''s probably the reason.¡± There were also some concerns. ¡°Normally, one wouldn¡¯t think of trying anything due to his high status, but seeing him look like an ordinary 29-year-old young man, I worry he might fall for some strange scam.¡± ¡°¡­Would it go that far? Still, there¡¯s his appraisal skills¡­.¡± ¡°When he became a human, not only does his personality be gentler, but his abilities seem to be restricted as well. Even the appraisal skill required deliberate gestures, like framing his hands.¡± And there was one more thing. ¡°The longer he stayed outside, the weaker he became.¡± Though it was just because he was drained of energy after being exposed to modern society for the first time in a long while, Yoo Sung-woon, who paid great attention to Gio¡¯s every state, couldn''t help but interpret it more deeply. ¡°I''m worried someone might mess with him.¡± ¡°That would certainly be an issue.¡± ¡°Right?¡± ¡°Gio too, but well¡­.¡± Bi Sa-beol stroked his chin. ¡°Even with his status lowered, his essence doesn''t change.¡± Imaginepressing one of tworge metal pieces into very much smaller ones. Once that happens, surely one side will be bigger, and one side smaller, but the weight would still be the same. Rather, since it be smaller, it could be easier to wound humans. A simr example would be a bomb. Even if processed into a small, cute shape, it would still explode when lit. If anything, the morepressed it is, the more intense the explosion might be. ¡°Without precise analysis, this is merely spection, but¡­ since Gio thinks of himself as human, digging at that essence might cause a far greater bacsh. There''s no need to cause such a catastrophe.¡± ¡°I think so too.¡± ¡°It''s not like the entire nation agreed tomit collective suicide, right?¡± Therefore, when Gio was in his ''human'' state, he seemed to require definitive protection. ¡°We should issue a hunter''s license.¡± ¡°That alone would definitely reduce the trouble.¡± In this world, hunters were a type of power figure and celebrity. Showing a hunter''s license in conflicts often resolved the situation, as the association strictly prohibited fights between hunters. ¡°And one more thing.¡± Yoo Sung-woon continued. ¡°This is also about his personality.¡± ¡°What other issues could there be at this point?¡± ¡°When Gio is human, he can be defined as a 29-year-old young man called ''Seo Gio.'' Right?¡± However, Yoo Sung-woon clearly witnessed it. ¡°When Gio dipped his feet into Cheonggyecheon stream¡­.¡± ¡°And when he boarded the water taxi.¡± A change had urred in Gio. ¡°He gazed at the water as if he were a different person.¡± That gaze did not belong to the blunt and quiet 29-year-old young man Gio. Rather, he seemed to look more experienced, his emotions seemed clearer, and while there was a clear sense of distance, it was not cold¡ªit was gentle, like that of a beloved exemry student. There was even a light and cheerful part on his faintly carved smile, like a refreshing sea breeze. In many ways, it differed from the previous ''Seo Gio'' or the ''Portrait.'' ¡°Even his appearance changed. His hair turned paler, and his eyes reflected a water-like hue.¡± ¡°Oh, doesn¡¯t that sound quite simr to you, Curator Yoo Sung-woon?¡± ¡°It felt a bit¡­ different from me. We¡¯re indeed in a simr category, but¡­.¡± The colour was much warmer. Like the summer sun, or the surface of the ocean. It wasn''t certain. ¡°I''ll look into it further.¡± ¡°Let''s do that.¡± There was too little known about Gio. Chapter 39 Thest piece of jerky was hung out in the yard. Gio pped his hands. ¡°It''s like a field of meat that wasn''t found anywhere.¡± ¡°Cooool.¡± ¡°This dad agrees¡ªit''s a beautiful sight.¡± However, that didn''t mean every piece of meat was turned into jerky. Trusting the forest that kept ingredients from spoiling, he also stored some raw meat in the ice storage. And then¡­ ¡°The rest of the meat should either be made into sausages or preserved.¡± The system stated that ''sun-dried processed meat'' had specific effects. So for now he marinated the sliced meat in seasoning and hung them up like dried food. However, he deliberately used only the tender parts to make it easier to eatter.It was time to deal with the leftover meat from making the jerky. ¡°I deliberately separated the intestines and stomach to remove the unpleasant smell, so we can start using them now.¡± Not all the deer''s innards were given to the waterfowl. The long, rope-like intestines and the stomach, which was clearly full of traces from eating a lot, were left out. He removed all the smelly parts and soaked them in a blend of apple, lemon, and onion juice, which should take care of any unpleasant odours. ¡°As far as I know, we still have plenty of meat left.¡± ¡°Coooor.¡± ¡°I''m still inexperienced in butchering¡­ so there''s a lot of chopped-up meat, which seems suitable for making sausages.¡± It wouldn''t be bad to use them in a stew, but to maximize the effectiveness of the tree-horned deer''s meat, the system suggested preparing it as ''sun-dried processed meat''. Rather than drying each piece of chopped-up meat one by one, bundling them into sausages and hanging them up seemed more efficient. It''s also one of the great ways to store leftover meat. ¡°Let''s save the remaining bones and meat for making soupter.¡± ¡°Coooooor!¡± It might be a good idea to prepare bone broth in advance. ¡°Now the important question is how to season it.¡± Honey seemed pleased. ¡°Coor.¡± ¡°Pig?¡± ¡°Cooor.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Was it finally acknowledging its identity? ¡°While we''re at it, I''d like to try some new spices¡­.¡± Even a brief nce showed that the forest surrounding the cabin was vast. Gio''s routes were always the same, so there were surely plenty of ces and fruits he had yet to discover. ¡°Shall we go on an adventure for the first time in a while?¡± ¡°Coocoocoo.¡± ¡°Of course, I''ll take you with me.¡± Recalling how it had devoured deer innards in abative manner, he felt a sense of security. ''While the forest animals might be friendly to me, there''s no guarantee that creatures from other dimensions will be. It''s scary, so I absolutely have to bring Honey along.'' That''s right¡ªGio was scared. ¡°No matter how much I think about it, invasive species were nerve-wracking.¡± ¡°Coo ¡­?¡± ¡°If a deer with metallic antlers and hooves rampages, I''m confident I''d die in 10 seconds.¡± ¡°Coocoo¡­.¡± ¡°Please protect your fragile dad.¡± So, where should he go to look for some spices? ¡°Once I start moving, won''t something I want to doe to mind?¡± Havinge to a clear conclusion, Gio pulled out his cloak and put it on. He wore it whenever he thought he''d go a bit far, yet the cloak remained perfectly clean. ''I really should upgrade thister too.'' He had thought about it over 50 times already, but never got around to it. ¡°Cooor¡­.¡± ¡°I''ll do it someday.¡± As usual, Gio, who brought a basket, set his priority. ¡°I''d like to find new spices or sauces. There must be unique ingredients only found in this fantasy world¡ªsomething like Lulupu or Goby fruit¡­.¡± For example, things like pepper, salt, sugar, etc. ¡°There is a limit to continuously relying on the cabin.¡± The hut''s cupboards and storage are fully stocked with basic ingredients and spices. However, it''s unclear how long they''llst or if they''ll automatically restock like before when used up. ¡°It''s better to prepare in advance than to deal with the hassle of painting it one by er.¡± ¡°Coooo.¡± ¡°Especially salt¡ªit''s essential for living¡­.¡± The water in the waterfowl''ske was salty, so evaporating it might yield salt. ''I haven''t tried it yet, but it shouldn''t be impossible.'' Gio muttered to himself. ¡°It''d be nice if a cow or chicken just appeared out of nowhere.¡± He was even hoping for livestock. ¡°Then we could always get milk and eggs.¡± ¡°Coooorrrr?¡± ¡°Aren''t you¡­ male?¡± He had assumed it was male, despite having no evidence to back it up. Could it perhapsy eggs? ¡°Not a son but a daughter?¡± ¡°Coong.¡± ¡°Oh, that wasn''t it?¡± ¡°Coocoo.¡± Apparently, it seemed like it had no gender. ¡°That''s impressive.¡± Indeed, when looking at the waterfowl of theke, which multiplied their numbers by splitting like amoebas, a process like mating didn''t seem necessary. Gio nodded. ¡°Thinking too deeply is tiresome, so let''s just call you a son, do you agree?¡± ¡°Cooor.¡± ¡°Good.¡± For a moment, Gio almost feared the limitless potential of his abilities but soon felt at ease, realizing all he could do with them was make roast potatoes. ¡°There''s no way someone as harmless as me could be a creature that threatens world peace.¡± ¡°Agree with me, Honey. Your dad is a harmless being.¡± Honey didn''t agree until the end. ¡°So stubborn.¡± Honey was a being who could say no when something wasn''t right. The forest around the cabin was very cool. If one stepped into the shade, a refreshing breeze blew, and if under the sunlight, like a spring nket, the warm air wrapped around them. Wandering without any particr purpose was like going on a pic, giving off a pleasant sense of leisure. ¡°Ah.¡± As Gio walked without much thought, he finally reaped a decent harvest. ¡°This looks edible.¡± ¡°Coooorrrrr.¡± ¡°Right? The aroma is also unique¡­.¡± It was a nt with small, transparent tetrahedral fruits hanging in clusters like lily-of-the-valley flowers. Milky Way Mary A flower characterized by its transparent fruits and ck stems. Named ''Milky Way Mary'' after its first discoverer, Mary, and its distinctive appearance. Each nt bears 11 fruits. While slightly toxic when eaten raw, the fruits can be dried and hardened into a spicy, pungent seasoning. The first discoverer? ''So there was the first discoverer named Mary?'' It was a revtion that broadened his understanding of this world. Does it mean nts and animals growing here might also exist in some other dimensions? ¡°So this ecosystem wasn''t created solely from my imagination.¡± ¡°Cooorrr?¡± ¡°No, I''m not upset.¡± It was just a bit funny how expansive the world-building turned out to be. ¡°Dear God of Heavens and Earth.¡± Where on earth did he end up? ¡°Life truly is a rollercoaster.¡± Refinement Method: Soak in Ss tree sap to neutralize the toxicity and halt drying. Store them in a canned form, grind them with forest butterfly wings, and shape them into small pills for an excellent fatigue recovery agent. Keep it in a dark ce away from sunlight. The system also provided a refinement method, but he wasn''t particrly interested. Gio was focused solely on the vour and aroma. ¡°So basically, it''s pepper?¡± Fatigue recovery or whatever¡ªit didn''t matter. Delighted by the discovery of a new spice after a long while, Gio quickly picked the ''Milky Way Mary'' fruits. Since the fruits were fully ripened, they dropped with a light touch. ¡°I must remember that.¡± Gio muttered, stretching his back as he collected more than a handful of fruits. ¡°This must be a Milky Way cluster.¡± The flower field, with small, transparent fruits glistening all over, was so beautiful it felt like a waste to see it alone. Perhaps because the forest was so dark, the transparency of the fruits stood out even more, to the point it truly resembled the Milky Way. ¡°It must look even more beautiful at night.¡± ¡°Coorrr¡­¡± ¡°Well, anyway, the pepper is taken care of.¡± Sniff, sniff. He tried to catch the scent but couldn''t detect anything at the moment. ¡°¡­Is it the kind that releases fragrance when it dries?¡± Like the Goby fruit, perhaps. ''I wonder what kind of spiciness it will have.'' The description said it was spicy and pungent, but it was hard to grasp the exact feel. ¡°It might not be pepper but rather something like a small, spicy chili peppers.¡± ¡°Cooorrr?¡± ¡°Or could it be simr to the Sichuan pepper? But Sichuan peppers are more numbing than spicy¡­ Seems like we''ll have to dry it first to see what kind of dishes it suits.¡± The small fruits glistened like transparent beads but felt fragile and crinkly as if made of thin stic. Inside, the flesh seemed firmer than the skin ¡­. but still appeared easily crushable. ¡°To think this bes hard when it dries.¡± It was a curious kind of vegetation, like something out of a storybook. Its appearance matched as well. ¡°I''ll have to try using it when grilling meat.¡± Feeling a sense of fulfilment in life, Gio held the basket dearly in his arms. In the past, pepper was treated almost like gold on Earth, and Gio''s current feelings were no different. ¡°Are there any other spices around here?¡± ¡°Cooor?¡± ¡°No matter what, it''d be too in to make something with only pepper.¡± ¡°Coo.¡± ¡°Let''s go in a bit further.¡± Sausages can be made in various ways. ¡°First, meat and fat are the basic ingredients.¡± This part was already prepared and divided into sections. It was ced in a cool storage and covered with arge cloth to prevent it from spoiling. Once all the other ingredients are gathered, I n to start processing the leftover meat. Although the meat butchered this time didn''t carry any gamey smell, other spices were needed to enhance the savoury vour. Making sausages with just salt, pepper, and meat would be too dull. ¡°A proper sausage needs to have deep vour and aroma.¡± Fortunately, he had already discovered ''Milky Way Mary,'' which served as both chilli and pepper. ¡°But it''s still not enough.¡± The fun part of making sausages was how the taste and aroma varied drastically depending on what herbs and spices were added to the mix. Using only Milky Way Mary, which was presumed to have a mixed scent of chilli and pepper, might produce decent sausages, but ¡­. ¡°Let''s keep going.¡± ¡°Cooorrrrrr.¡± ¡°If any dangerous animals appear, let me know.¡± As Honey''s dad, Gio instinctively knew that this round waterfowl was far from weak. Though small and precious, Honey yed the role of a reliable bodyguard. Walking through the forest, Gio continued talking. ¡°There are key conditions for making a delicious cured meat.¡± First, adjust the amount of salt to match the storage period and climate. ¡°In a forest like this, where the ingredients don''t rot, it might sound unnecessary¡­¡± ¡°Coor?¡± ¡°But too much salt in the cured meat makes it difficult to use in cooking despitesting longer, whereas too little salt results in improper curing, causing the meat to spoil.¡± ¡°Coongcoongcoong¡­¡± ¡°Yes, it''s troublesome.¡± And that''s the funny thing. The intricate recipes of the world held an irresistible charm that always stirred Gio''s sense of challenge. ¡°The temperature of this forest is moderately mild, and as long as the curing is done well, there''s no worry about the meat spoiling, which I think is great. I don''t particrly like overly salty jerky or sausages anyway.¡± ¡°Coooorr¡­¡± ¡°If it''s too salty, you can''t eat much. You''ll get full too quickly.¡± ¡°Coo.¡± ¡°I knew you''d agree with me.¡± The duo reaffirmed their mutual trust. ¡°And second, drying it ording to its intended use.¡± ¡°Coong?¡± The reaction seemed to ask, ''Cured meat has specific uses?'' ¡°Sausages aren''t all the same.¡± Having his son by his side, not needing to talk to himself, was truly a source of happiness. This is why people need friends. ¡°Normally, the longer you dry the meat, the tougher it gets, so there are many types.¡± ¡°Cooor¡­¡± ¡°Sure, you''d eat anything, but try thinking about it from a human perspective.¡± In the world, there were more types of cooking methods than the number of people. ¡°There are sausages eaten fresh, and sausages cooked after beingpletely hardened.¡± The former was usually eaten boiled or grilled, while thetter was either boiled like fresh sausages or steamed. ¡°Fresh sausages overflow with juices when barely heated, but fully dried sausages don''t. Since no one wants to chew on hard sausages, maybe they''re trying to somehow replenish theck of moisture inside¡­ isn''t that the case?¡± And third. ¡°This one''s the most important¡ªvour and aroma.¡± ¡°Coorrrrrrrrr.¡± Honey agreed enthusiastically. ¡°You''re such a foodie.¡± Truthfully, he believed 99.9% criteria for a good sausage depended on this. ¡°This dad hates tasteless food.¡± ¡°Coong.¡± Once again, Honey expressed intense agreement. ¡°So, if I''m making it anyway, I want to do it well this time too.¡± The ingredients and their forms varied slightly depending on the type of sausage being made. ¡°There are endless ways to make sausages. If you want light-voured meat, add a little salt and just enough spices to neutralize any gamey smell. If you need something stimting as a side dish, add spices that are pungent and tingly on your tongue.¡± ¡°Coong¡­¡± ¡°If you want to experience more diverse vours, you can add vegetables, not just spices. Of course, if it''s vegetables with too much moisture, it can be a bit challenging ¡­ In my experience, it''ll be good if you salt them and remove moisturepletely before adding them, since it''ll prevent water or mould from forming inside the sausage.¡± Gio rolled his eyes as he imagined the sausages he would make. ¡°I''m starting to crave something spicy, so if there are spices or vegetables that can heat up the tongue, I''d like to find and take them. When making such sausages, adding ingredients with a slight bitterness makes the vour richer. Of course, adding too much could result in a bizarre dish¡­¡± But Gio''s self-esteem was excessively high to feel anxious about such things. ¡°I, with the spirit of a top-tier artist, would never make such a mistake. Just trust me.¡± ¡°Cooor?¡± ¡°¡­ Are you worried that you might not like spicy food? Well, it might indeed be too spicy for birds.¡± Gio nodded. ¡°Then we should also make a mild-voured sausage. For such sausages, it''s the same¡ªif you want a richer vour, we can add ingredients that produce a neutral and soft aroma. Mild-scented herbs would be good.¡± ¡°But still, I want to eat something spicy. How about trying to make a spicy one and onepletely salty sausage? It would be nice if there were ingredients thatplement well with spices like Milky Way Mary or ginger.¡± Seeing Honey''s questioning look that seemed to say, ''Can you really pull this off?'' Gio confidently nodded. ¡°There''s nothing this dad can''t do.¡± For delicious food, what wouldn''t he do? Gio was filled with confidence. Just then, he spotted something interesting. Crying Hem Unrefined Crying Hem has a dark teal hue and produces a spicy taste and aroma. Washing it in a solution of water, sugar and Ss tree sap removes its toxicity. ¡°That''s an excellent description.¡± Chapter 40 ''Spicy taste and aroma.'' It was exactly what Gio had been looking for. Of course, there was more exnation about the Crying Hem. ¡­A herb growing like a concave bell. When dried in sunlight for over a month, it turns pink, and its leaves be plump. The refined pink Crying Hem produces an intensely sweet taste enough to tear your tongue apart. When pickled with the juice of these leaves, Lulupu petals greatly aid in optic nerve recovery. Refinement Method: Dry the Crying Hem under the sun for over a month. The optimal time is when they turn deep pink and the leaves thicken to about 3 cm. Extract the juice from the leaves that have be swollen due to absorbing moisture from the air. This itself makes an excellent pain reliever, and if you put Lulupu petals in it and store it in a cool ce, you can create a medicine for optic nerve recovery within three days. But it was too long. He just skimmed through it.''I''m looking for spices, not medicinal herbs.'' The only part that caught his eye was the ''spicy taste and aroma'' part. Whatever optic nerve recovery benefits it had, the goal here was to enjoy some tasty sausage, not to find a remedy. ¡°Does it look like morning glory?¡± While not identical, its flutteringce-like leaves and vines clinging to trees were quite simr in form. However, its leaves were muchrger than Morning Glory''s¡­. ¡°It''s almost as big as my hand.¡± ¡°Coorrrr?¡± ¡°Yeah, it''s pretty big.¡± Despite Gio''s hands not being particrly small, the size of Crying Hem was slightlyrger than his palm. ¡°And the vine being a deep white colour is also unusual.¡± The leaves of Crying Hem disyed a green gradient that darkened towards the tips. Its vine connected to the leaves was opaque white, which seemed like it would stand out prominently at night. ¡°Anyway¡­.¡± He harvested some peppers. ''I''ll try making chilli powder with this.'' He was very pleased. ¡°Let''s check how it is.¡± He plucked and tore a Crying Hem before sniffing it. The pungent and spicy aroma was exceptional. Although not exactly the same as Earth''s peppers, it was close enough and had a uniquely soft scent that seemed like it would pair well with the nutty vour of the meat. Though theplex aroma was almost dizzying. ?¨¢ ''It''s like a mix of chilli, Sichuan pepper, and¡­ a faint hint of star anise? It also has a subtle sweetness simr to pandan leaves ¡­. Since the meat already has a walnut or hazelnut-like aroma, if I use this right, I might just whip up sausage with the taste of dandan noodles1.'' As Gio thought this far, he muttered. ¡°But¡­.¡± There was a problem. ¡°This seems like it would be overwhelming if used too much.¡± As someone who eats everything, he had no issue with strong chilli aromas. However, the vour of Sichuan pepper, star anise, and pandan leaves might be a bit too potent. The numbing spiciness of Sichuan pepper and the mushy sweetness of pandan leaves could be overlooked, but the star anise¡­. ¡°This is a bit too strong.¡± ¡°Coorrrrrr¡­¡± And tearing a small piece and tasting it confirmed his thoughts. ¡°Yeah, it''s too strong.¡± The aroma was so intense it seemed to pierce through his nose into his brain. ¡°An assassination?¡± Technically, it was closer to suicide, but the scent was that extraordinarily sharp. Star anise is typically used to mask the gamey smell of pork. Its unique trait is its pungent yet somewhat bittersweet aroma. The problem was that its ''sweetness,'' whenbined with the subtle sweetness of pandan leaves, gave an overwhelming heaviness. ¡°I shouldn''t use too much of this.¡± The earlier description mentioned that, with the right process, this nt could be intensely sweet, and noticing traces of peculiar sweetness in its scent, he vaguely understood. If handled correctly, it could indeed be very sweet. ¡°But it''s not bad.¡± ¡°Coor¡­¡± ¡°Don''t worry, Honey. I''m not going to make you eat it raw.¡± After all, it was all going into the sausage anyway. At that moment, he suddenly had a thought. ¡°¡­Are all the ingredients I''m using medicinal herbs?¡± ¡°Coo.¡± ¡°What kind of sausage am I even trying to make?¡± Anyway, if there were too many, he''ll wrap the rest for Yoo Sung-woon. *** After a long adventure. Gio returned to his cabin and proudly dered: ¡°I did it.¡± He had found ginger. ¡°It''s quite different from the ginger I know, but the vour and aroma are simr enough to call it ginger.¡± ¡°Coo coo.¡± ¡°I''m not bluffing, it really is that simr.¡± Arum It has light brown skin and a faint pink hue. The flesh is dark red. It contains a high amount of starch, making it efficient when dried into powder. It can be consumed without additional refinement. A nt in the ginger family, characterized by its sharp aroma. Refinement Method: Thinly slice and dry the pieces used as tea are effective for headaches. If powdered and dried under sunlight, it aids digestion and is excellent in restoring immunity. ¡°See?¡± ¡°Coor¡­¡± There wasn''t just one kind of ginger on Earth anyway. ¡°There''s also a variety called gngal. It has a moreplex aroma and softer vour than the gingermonly used back in my hometown¡­.¡± ¡°If this is boring, you''re free to say so.¡± ¡°Coo.¡± ¡°Okay, then.¡± The ''Arum'' found this timepletely won Gio''s heart. The taste was quite spicy but leaned more toward a fiery sensation than numbness. The aroma was as strong and pungent as gingermonly used in Korea, and if utilized properly, it seemed like it could make an excellent spicy and pungent spice. ¡°Ta-da.¡± And there were plenty of other things he''d found this time. ¡°This is nutmeg¡­.¡± Raven Walnut The shell is red, the flesh is white, and the seed is ck. Mainly ¡­ ¡°Sir, am I not speaking right now?¡±2 ¡­ the seeds are the part used, which can be consumed raw or dried. It''smonly used as a spice for its soft and deep vour. The shell and flesh can be made into medicine. Refinement Method: The seeds can be steamed and eaten in a softened state after peeling off the flesh. They can also be finely chopped or dried until hardened to be used as spices. The shell, when dried under the sun for over a day and brewed, became a medicinal drink beneficial for joints. The flesh, when its juice is extracted and solidified, bes an ointment effective for healing external wounds. ¡°What a stubborn friend you are.¡± ¡°Coorrrr¡­.¡± ¡°d you agree.¡± Even Honey seemed to approve. Anyway, he had found a nutmeg-like spice named Raven Nut. Even on Earth, it was a well-regarded spice¡ªnot overly stimting, but capable of neutralizing odours and elevating the sophistication of dishes. And the biggest discovery. ¡°The discovery of vinegar is truly remarkable.¡± Wow, the wonders of nature! ¡°It''s not just that, it''s truly vinegar crafted directly by nature ¡­.¡± ¡°Coooorrrk?¡± ¡°I think it''s a bad habit to want to eat anything you think you can absorb all at once, son. If you keep doing that, someday you might eat something strange and end up with a stomachache, so try to develop some self-control.¡± ¡°Corrrrrrrrrrr¡­¡± ¡°Well, vinegar is not something that just forms naturally in nature.¡± Life was truly an intriguing thing. ¡°I was already considering making vinegar or alcohol from Goby fruits.¡± The ingredients for making vinegar were diverse. ¡°You can make vinegar with grains like rice, barley, or wheat¡­ fruits like dates or peaches, flowers like lotus or roses, or even honey.¡± However, the process of making it required significant effort. ¡°That''s how it is with all fermented foods.¡± The crucial point of fermentation was that if one isn''t careful, it could easily turn into spoiled porridge. Only by maintaining the proper temperature and amount to cultivate the right bacteria can proper fermented food be achieved. And as he had thought several times before, this ce was a chef''s paradise. ¡°There''s even arge tree that produces vinegar on its own.¡± It was a rather peculiar-looking tree. There were trees with round, bead-like bulges near the roots on the base of each trunk, and among them, there was one that was particrly hard and was in dark red. Attracted by the tangy scent, he approached and noticed vinegar seeping out bit by bit from the swollen trunk. ¡°It was an amazing sight.¡± Gio had to once again cry out to the god of Heaven and Earth. Candytrap Tree A tree with a rounded base resembling candy. It is monoecious, with leaves on the outside but fruits growing inside the swollen trunk. The fruit of the Candytrap Tree, with a strong sweet and bitter taste, begins to rot from the inside if not taken out on time. Depending on various conditions, this fruit mixes with the tree''s sap to be vinegar, juice, or fruit wine. Refinement Method: By extracting the fruit before fermentation and soaking it in the Ss tree sap, it can be used as an excellent nutritional supplement. ''I should also look for trees that produce juice or fruit wine.'' Anyway, that was all of the misceneous ingredients. ¡°The time hase.¡± He was ready to make sausages. ¡°This is the main activity.¡± ¡°Coong?¡± ¡°You have served your purpose with your cuteness. Just watch.¡± Gio washed his hands. ¡°I wonder how the intestines I soaked before have be.¡± Gio approached the basin where he had soaked the deer''s intestines. Modern sausages typically use cogen casings. This would have made production much easier, but since this ce waspletely isted in the middle of the forest, far from the modern world, Gio had no choice but to stick to the traditional methods. ¡°No matter how much I searched, I couldn''t find casings in the cabin.¡± ¡°Cooo?¡± ¡°Painting casings is a bit difficult.¡± Casings made of paint seemed like it would tear easily, which felt unsettling. He also thought it would be a hassle to draw the thin, transparent casings one by one. Honey, staring at the intestines, let out a low cry, as if to say it were different from what it knew. ¡°It''s been prepared, so it will be slightly different from what you know. All the fat or foreign substances thatpletely filled the inside have been removed, leaving only the skin, so the shape has also changed a bit from how it was.¡± There was no bad smell in the intestines pickled in the sour fruit. ¡°Maybe it''s because the meat didn''t have any musty smell to begin with.¡± After checking the intestines were cleaned and deodorized, Gio lifted the basin containing the intestines. Now, he nned to go down to the kitchen and start chopping the meat. ¡°When making sausages, it''s best to use tough and strongly voured parts. Depending on preferences, deciding how tough the meat should be and which parts to mix is one of the pleasures of cooking.¡± ¡°Corrrrrrrrrr¡­¡± ¡°Since we can''t eat it now, why don''t you just step back and see?¡± He immediately minced the meat. ¡°At this rate, the piglet will snatch it all away.¡± He needed to make the sausages quickly. ¡°It should be fine to do a little more in this part.¡± ¡°Coong?¡± ¡°That''ll improve the texture.¡± How the meat is minced also greatly affects the sausage''s texture. If cut coarsely, it would be hard for the pieces to cling together but result in a thick, chewy, and lumpy texture. If minced finely, it will have a soft texture that slowly melts in the mouth. ¡°Mixing them appropriately works even better.¡± On Earth, the uniformity of ground meat size was crucial due to drying issues, but this ce was a painting brimming with the wonders of nature. Thanks to this, Gio could design sausages with unique textures. Slightly coarsely cut pieces, orpletely minced. ''The texture will be good if done this way, and it will also improve the appearance as it will fill the gap with the casing .'' Afterpletely mincing the meat, Gio brought the ingredients to mix with the ground meat. Milky Way Mary'' to add the aroma of pepper and chilli, ''Crying Hem'' to provide an intense and stimting taste and aroma, and ''Arum'' of the ginger family, which is definitely spicy like chilli and pungent. He smoothly removed off-odours and added a sophisticated vour with ''Raven Walnut,'' along with the sweet and tangy vinegar from ''Candytrap Tree'' that adds variation to the taste ¡­. How exciting. ¡°Nice.¡± He couldn''t contain his excitement. ¡°Who else could have such an experience?¡± Mysterious ingredients found deep in a quiet forest devoid of human presence. The experience of cooking with ingredients holding vors one couldn''t have imagined, while breathing in the refreshing phytoncides. That day, Gio made approximately 10kg of sausages. In his enthusiasm, he got a bit carried away. ¡°I admit my mistake.¡± He nodded. ¡°There''s nothing to worry about, it''s okay.¡± ¡°Coong.¡± ¡°We have Mr. Yoo Sung-woon.¡± ¡°Cooorr.¡± They both agreed on how to deal with the excessive stock. *** ¡°Gio, are you here?¡± Yoo Sung-woon went to give Gio some fish-shaped buns after a long while. ¡°I saw the student we metst time selling fish-shaped buns, so I bought a bag.¡± ¡°I see. Thank you for your kindness.¡± ¡°It''s nothing big, so just take them. If you really feel you must return the favour, keep it simple with some food like before.¡± ¡°I happen to have just the right dish.¡± ¡°Oh, really? Perfect timing, I was getting hungry.¡± How much time had passed? He exited the gallery, holding a paper bag full of sausages. ¡°¡­ This isn''t appropriate at all.¡± Though it was apletely different situation, he couldn''t help but feel a bit cheated. Chapter 41.1 Forest Intestines Rank: ¨C Sausage made from the meat of the Treehorn Deer, herbs, and fruits that grow naturally along the veins of fate. Processed directly by Gio, the owner of the forest, it can even be consumed by the human body. This sausage, providing a deep sense of fullness, is excellent for healing certain injuries and restoring immunity. ¡°Help.¡± ¡°Ah, you startled me.¡± ¡°Please help me.¡± ¡°Could you stoping to me every time you receive a troublesome gift, Curator Yoo Sung-woon?¡± ¡°This time, it''s something I received personally, so I can''t even share it with others.¡± At the sudden appearance of Yoo Sung-woon, Bi Sa-beol cheerfully responded.¡°Then couldn''t you have asked if you could share it?¡± ¡°Is that really the only way?¡± ¡°Have you tried this gift yet?¡± ¡°I had about three at home beforeing here.¡± Yoo Sung-woon nodded. ¡°It was delicious.¡± ¡°Oh, now that you say that, I suddenly feel tempted too.¡± ¡°Wait until Ie back after asking Gio about it.¡± ¡°If you''re not going to let me eat it, why did you bring it to me?¡± ¡°Because if others see it, it¡¯ll obviously put me in an awkward position.¡± ¡°Ah, so it''s for safekeeping ¡­.¡± Bi Sa-beol chuckled bitterly. ¡°Our employees really are too cynical after all.¡± ¡°Aren''t they all people you gathered yourself?¡± ¡°Still, who uses their guild leader as a safe? No one treats me with enough respect.¡± ¡°Who created this atmosphere, and now you''reining?¡± ¡°So, what does it do?¡± ¡°You''re changing the subject.¡± After a brief thought, Yoo Sung-woon scratched the back of his neck. ¡°It¡¯s supposed to be excellent for healing injuries and restoring immunity, so I haven''t seen its effects since I don¡¯t have such injuries yet. However¡­.¡± ?? ¡°However?¡± ¡°I do feel like my vision is bing a bit clearer.¡± ¡°Clearer vision?¡± Even in this world, medical technology rted to eyesight is still underdeveloped. Worn-out optic nerves became harder to recover over time. In that sense, the effect Yoo Sung-woon mentioned sounded quite intriguing. ¡°Is its effect certain?¡± ¡°As far as I can tell, yes. If others try it as well, we''ll have aparison group and can analyze the effects in more detail.¡± ¡°Then we first need to get Gio''s permission. Why didn''t you ask when you received the gift? Gio doesn''t seem like someone who would outright refuse.¡± ¡°You shouldn''t make assumptions about an entity of origin''s behaviour like that, and besides, at that time I was mentally drained after pulling an all-nighter. I just saw fish-shaped buns and went to give them, not expecting to receive such a gift.¡± ¡°If you''re that tired, why not eat the cookies you gotst time?¡± ¡°I finished them long ago.¡± Once again, Yoo Sung-woon had be a ve to caffeine. ¡°The fruit syrup I received before ¡­ it doesn''t exactly look like one, but anyway, what do the other employees think about the fruit syrup?¡± ¡°The response was very positive. But they also seemed confused. After all, the main benefit of honey of the water veins is ''restore human physical abilities to their limit¡¯ ¡­.¡± ¡°Even if they haven¡¯t read the description, it''s only natural to be suspicious since they must have felt it in their body.¡± Bi Sa-beol smiled as he asked, ¡°Would you like a cup of fruit tea before you go?¡± ¡°¡­Please.¡± Yoo Sung-woon, who was on the verge of copse from overwork, needed recovery. Drinking the fruit tea that had a rich soup-like vour, he let out a small sigh. It was truly delicious, but the thought of consuming something so extraordinary just to recover from fatigue brought a sense of uneasiness. ¡°If we took it into the dungeon, it would be incredibly helpful. It seemed like it could significantly affect mortality rates.¡± ¡°That''s true.¡± ¡°But actually bringing it in would cause quite a stir.¡± ¡°That''s also true.¡± ¡°¡­An existence of origin being overly benevolent is a problem too.¡± It was a new realization. ¡°So, didn''t the employees suspect anything? They must have felt something was off?¡± ¡°Everyone was curious about the source of the fruit syrup but didn''t ask me again. I said it was something I bought at an auction, but they still found it hard to believe.¡± ¡°So what did you say?¡± ¡°What could I say? Since no one asked more, I didn''t exin. Our employees really dislike getting involved inplicated matters.¡± ¡°No one likes to take extra work.¡± ¡°Seriously, everyone''s so cold-hearted.¡± As Bi Sa-beol drank his share of fruit tea, he remarked, ¡°Still, it seemed like only a few people guessed it to be an ¡®artwork¡¯s piece''.¡± An ¡®artwork¡¯s piece¡¯ was a term used within Collection to refer to objects, blessings, or curses given to a curator by an artwork locked in Bi Sa-beol''s private gallery. ¡°After all, who would even think an artwork would give food as a gift¡­.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± The number of creations with consciousness in Bi Sa-beol¡¯s gallery was quite significant. Depending on how refined that consciousness was, a high-level curator was assigned to manage it, paying close attention to the bond between the artwork and themselves. So, very, very asionally, very rarely, there would be curators who received such ¡®pieces¡¯. ¡°Usually, they give items.¡± ¡°Well, food is technically an item too.¡± ¡°Rather than that, they give something like essories, paintings, or weapons.¡± ¡°Yes, in most cases.¡± It wasn''t likely there were other artwork as into cooking as Gio. ¡°Is cooking Gio''s only hobby?¡± ¡°No, as I mentioned before, he also enjoys painting.¡± ¡°And those paintings be corridors or living creatures.¡± ¡°Correct.¡± ¡°Then what would happen if he painted andscape?¡± Yoo Sung-woon''s face crumpled like crinkled foil. ¡°Don''t make me anxious while I''m trying to rest.¡± ¡°It wasn''t that significant of a story.¡± ¡°I had a rough idea about what might happen in that case, but I don¡¯t want to think about it now.¡± ¡°How pitiful¡­.¡± ¡°When a superior calls their subordinate pitiful, isn''t it just sarcasm?¡± Looking at his exhausted subordinate, Bi Sa-beol nodded with a smile. ¡°I was just curious. Gio can create anything with his paintings, so it''s intriguing to think what could happen if he made andscape painting.¡± ¡°Maybe he could create another world.¡± ¡°Like a dungeon?¡± ¡°That''s fascinating.¡± Bi Sa-beol stroked his chin as he spoke. ¡°ording to several night guards, Gio reportedly moves through certainndscape paintings.¡± ¡°What I heard was a bit different¡ª was itndscape paintings, not portraits?¡± ¡°Apparently, if Gio is inside, it''s a portrait. If he''s outside, it''s andscape. Quite convenient, isn''t it?¡± ¡°That''s really frustrating¡­.¡± ¡°It''s said that the artworks hung in the hallway disappear at dawn, so it''s clear they can also be used for transportation purposes.¡± ¡°But wasn''t that something you had already guessed?¡± ¡°So I was wondering, if he could move through paintings to existing locations ¡­.¡± Then. ¡°Could Gio move to other dungeons as well?¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious.¡± ¡°That¡­.¡± Yoo Sung-woon frowned. ¡°Sounds like a slightly dangerous thought.¡± ¡°Is that what it sounded like?¡± ¡°I don''t know exactly what the guild leader saw in Gio, but from my perspective with my poor vision, that''s how it seems.¡± ¡°Gio has already toured the outside world under Curator Yoo Sung-woon¡¯s guidance.¡± ¡°While I agreed to that, what you''re suggesting now is to expand Gio''s range of activity.¡± It felt unsettling. ¡°Showing more than just favour to Gio as an artwork ¡­ of course, I have no excuse either. But this is just the nature of gardeners. Something etched into the soul.¡± Gardeners are like that. They don''t perceive threats as threats, nor do they recognize cruelty as cruelty. To those who tend the garden, beings of the origin were simply entities to be cared for. ¡°When I epted the guild leader''s offer and signed the employment contract, I told you, and I''ve told you over and over again: gardeners are not on humanity''s side.¡± Having been born as humans and cultivated a garden, he wishes for both to coexist. It was inevitable for Yoo Sung-woon to be captivated by Gio, who seemed to be an existence very close to the origin. It''s impossible to survive as a gardenerwithout being near the origin. It''s an eternal preference that cannot and must not change. ¡°However, guild leader, you are entirely human, aren''t you? If I am not thorough enough as a curator, you should point it out and correct me.¡± ¡°The guild leader allows too many things ¡­ for your artworks. It wouldn''t be strange to say that it''s concerning.¡± Bi Sa-beolughed. ¡°Isn''t it the same reasoning that allows Mr. Yoo Sung-woon to use me as a safe?¡± ¡°¡­..I''ve received help both big and small several times thanks to the guild leader''s favouritism, so I know I''m not in a position to say anything.¡± Every guild member of the Collection Guild was one of Bi Sa-beol''s collections. Showing a weak side to the point of seeming pathetic and disying excessive generosity both originated from Bi Sa-beol''s irrational desire for his collection. Bi Sa-beol loved all his collections. ¡°Even so, I think using the world as an experimental field for your own artworks will have serious repercussionster.¡± ¡°Repercussions, you say.¡± ¡°Every time an out-of-the-ordinary artwork like Gio appears, the guild leader acts like this.¡± ¡°How did I act?¡± ¡°No matter how the world crumbles or how many die, you behave as if you couldn''t care less as long as you can understand and appreciate your artworks.¡± ¡°You''ve observed well.¡± Bi Sa-beol nodded. ¡°That''s why I hired curators to manage things in my stead while I''m busy appreciating the artworks.¡± It was an outrageously irresponsible remark, but not entirely incorrect, so Yoo Sung-woon sighed. ¡°If even a gardener like me is siding with humans to this extent, it means it¡¯s really serious.¡± ¡°I thought I was restraining myself to some extent, but if Mr. Yoo Sung-woon says so, perhaps I''ve gone too far.¡± Bi Sa-beol''s eyes curved sharply. ¡°But aren''t you curious?¡± Those were the eyes of someone with no intention of hiding their greed. ¡°I''m curious about what kind of being my artwork is. I''m curious about how much of an upright young man Gio is, if he can kill a person, and if so, how much and in what way he would kill them.¡± ¡°Gio is a painter. He''s also a portrait. He has a personality that avoids conflict. He perceives himself as a 29-year-old young man. How will he blend among people? How will he react to unpleasant experiences? I''m curious about how he will change when he realizes he''s an artwork.¡± ¡°To be honest, I don''t care how the world turns out because of Gio. It would be infuriating if my artworks were damaged because of foolish people, but I''m not scared of my artworks fighting, getting hurt and burning each other.¡± That was Bi Sa-beol''s honest greed. ¡°Have you ever heard that the higher the rank, the further one strays from humanity?¡± ¡°¡­It''s a well-known story. Tales of how inhuman S-rank hunters are are always popr.¡± ¡°With such insignificant physical abilities, it''s very embarrassing to assert this, but I hope you understand that I too am S-rank.¡± He was close to being inhuman. ¡°If this world were beautiful and serene enough for me to cherish, it would''ve been nice, don''t you agree?¡± Hearing such absurd words directly, Yoo Sung-woon''s face twisted with fatigue. ¡°¡­Ordinary people don''t even consider the possibility of mass ughter, regardless of whether the world is beautiful or radiant, guild leader¡­.¡± ¡°That''s because their perspective of the world is too narrow. To put it more bluntly, even if the worldes to an end because of my artworks, it''s simply because it was something that was bound to happen anyway.¡± ¡°The association president should have heard this. In the association where regtions on dangerous-grade items are strict, isn''t Bi Sa-beol''s gallery the only one they trust and rely on?¡± ¡°You must have known this, but that person doesn''t particrly trust me either. It''s just that the association presidentcks the time and resources to manage everything, and as the number of dangerous artworks increases, I''m merely the only lesser evil left to take charge.¡± Due to bearing half of the work of the government and the association, Bi Sa-beol gained the gallery''s autonomy. ¡°So, it¡¯s not like the association president really trusts me. That person just needed a space and manpower which could consistently provide minimal management.¡± ¡°¡­Despite that distrust, the association hasn''t taken your artworks away. From my experience as a researcher there, it''s clear the association was definitely after the guild leader¡¯s gallery¡­.¡± ¡°That''s why life is all about timing. If I had opened this gallery just ten yearster, would the association have been so amodating?¡± Bi Sa-beol''s face brightened as if he had heard an amusing joke. ¡°Bi Sa-beol''s gallery is very famous in the world today. It''s far more performative, provocative, and visible to the public than the association that quietly researches, analyzes, and controls.¡± ¡°What''s more, what I manage is a gallery. Customers can visit, and they can even purchase artwork. The association cannot suppress this gallery with its long history, supported by loyal clients.¡± Bi Sa-beol''s face dramatically expressed sorrow. ¡°Oh, truly¡­ When I think of the artworks trapped within the association, tears blur my vision. How harshly are they being treated, barely surviving?¡± ¡° ¡°Moreover, thinking of the humiliation and pain my precious and delicate artworks will suffer at the association''s researchb, I absolutely cannot hand them over. Artworks contain souls, you know.¡± ¡°Oh, yes¡­.¡± From Yoo Sung-woon''s perspective, who was once the association''s research team leader, it was truly outrageous, but since he works under him and enjoys the conveniences provided, he decided to let it pass for now. ¡°So you have no intention of holding back?¡± ¡°I''m already holding back plenty, so I don''t know what more you expect me to restrain.¡± ¡°This is a Demon King''s Castle.¡± When an incident urs, the resulting catastrophe would be unimaginable. ¡°When something goes wrong, it''ll go really wrong. You know that, right?¡± ¡°Well, that''s why I also provide curators with hazard pay, don''t I?¡± ¡°It wasn''t a question of whether you knew that. Korea might be wiped off the map.¡± ¡°That sounds truly frightening. Before that happens, I trust our curators will handle things well.¡± ¡°What an irresponsible director. I hope you at least realize this is your own gallery.¡± Bi Sa-beol''s gallery was more provocative and open than the association''s researchb, but it was less secure. ''If these dangerous and sensitive artworks are to be managed safely¡­ stronger control would be necessary.'' This ce was operated with minimal control despite the overwhelming quantity. It was theplete opposite of the association''s researchb. Bi Sa-beol loved his artworks and managed them with love. One of the basic requirements for curators here was to ''form a strong bond with the artworks.'' Indeed, the current Earth was being maintained too precariously. ''Even though it''s an inevitable situation, given that the entire system copsed and was rebuilt¡­.'' Everything depended solely on the mercy of a few powerful individuals on Earth. ''If even one of them went astray, it would be utter chaos. Fortunately, such a disaster hasn''t urred yet.'' It felt like it was barely holding on. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll try to work more diligently. That includes matters rted to Gio.¡± ¡°In that sense, don''t you think you should help Gio make new friends? He would be lonely on his own. ¡°Are you not even trying to disguise it with some grand cause anymore? It''s clear you let everything I just said go in one ear and out the other.¡± At this point, it seemed fated that Gio was auctioned off to Bi Sa-beol rather than the association president. Well, yeah. Yoo Sung-woon himself, who weed Bi Sa-beol¡¯s artwork-friendly opinion despite having the perspective of a gardener, was also a very amusing person. He nodded. ¡°I''ll ask him.¡± He was nning to go and have a conversation with Gio this early morning anyway. Asking at least one question at that time should probably be okay. Chapter 41.2 At that moment, Gio. ¡°I made a few.¡± ¡°Coong?¡± A few? ¡°Well, it''s a bit much, isn''t it.¡± ¡°Coong?¡± A bit? ¡°Yeah, Dad was being overly enthusiastic. I got so excited I couldn''t control myself.¡± ¡°Coooorr.¡±¡°I''ll reflect on it.¡± He handed about 5kg of sausages to Yoo Sung-woon, but even then, another 5kg of sausages remained. ¡°Since they''ve been dried in the sunlight once, they shouldn''t rot if we keep them in the ice storage¡­.¡± ¡°Coorrr?¡± ¡°As I said earlier, part of it was because I got too excited, and also wanted to give them some gifts because I''ve been neglecting the waterfowl''s nests. It''s about sharing with everyone, not just eating it all by ourselves.¡± ¡°Cooorrrooorooorr.¡± ¡°I knew you''d like it.¡± The grilled sausages, piled high, were so abundant that they looked just like a small hill. Even so, it was still smallerpared to all the waterfowl living in this forestbined, but what does it matter? The fact that the amount is excessivelyrge remained unchanged. However, Gio was resolute. ¡°Try this first. I thought you might not like spicy food, so I made this one mild.¡± He was thrilled. He would''ve enjoyed it even if the sausages were made with ordinary ingredients. But isn''t this food made with fantasy ingredients? ¡°This one is a sausage made with Arum, Raven Walnut, and vinegar. I also ground a bit of Milky Way Mary into it. Honestly, it''s a little too mild for my taste¡­ but I thought you''d like it.¡± ¡°Coorrrr.¡± ¡°That doesn''t mean I won''t eat it.¡± Gio had set up a table outside his cabin for the first time in a while and finished preparing the meal. On the table were freshly cooked white rice from a cauldron, all were ced abundantly¡ªdetoxified Vaivamnil which was seasoned like vegetables, and warm, homemade sausages full of juices grilled in the wood-fired oven as if fried. ? ¡°I''ll bring the grilled sausages to the waterfowl''s nestter. For now, we''ve set the table to taste it ourselves, so let''s eat slowly and visit the nest afterwards. Don''t you agree, son?¡± ¡°Coorrrr.¡± ¡°As expected, you really are my son.¡± Without cutting the long sausage, Seo Gio put one in his mouth and subtly nodded in agreement. ''¡­Someone who likes stimting vours like me might find it a bit nd. Honestly, it''s a little in, but the seasoning is just right, so it''s good for eating with rice.'' The sausages, perhaps due to having been briefly dried in the sun and had been grilled once, had a very crispy exterior. Even so, the meticulously prepared casing by hand using intestines had a nutty and chewy texture, yet was soft enough not to resist the teeth. The texture was a harmony of crispiness, chewiness, and softness. ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± Crunch! ¡°Ah, it''s hot.¡± Juices overflowed from the contents inside. A subtle wood aroma seeped into the roof of his mouth. The sausage, freshly grilled in the wood-fired oven where firewood zed fiercely, was warm enough to feel hot, and the sweet yet slightly sticky meat juices, tightly enclosed within the casing, soaked his mouth. Warm and¡ª Delicious. ''¡­.Though it was made to be mild, the aroma is truly delightful.'' By reducing the amount of salt as much as possible, the natural vour of the meat was enhanced, and variousplex vours were added toplement the meat. The result was the sausage before him today. The subtle nutty aroma characteristic of the deer meat,bined with Raven Walnuts, unified the vours of the sausage. Moreover, the sharp aroma of Arum hidden deep beneath, along with the mild yet distinct Candytrap Tree fruit vinegar on top, asserting its presence in a mild yet distinct manner. ''As I eat this, it''s better than I thought. I expected it to bepletely nd.'' The faint bitterness from the vinegar itself blended beautifully with the rich smoky scent of the firewood used to grill the sausage. The sausage was great, and the cooking method too was excellent. ¡°Especially the vinegar, it was a good addition.¡± ¡°Coong?¡± ¡°Maybe because it''s a naturally fermented fruit vinegar? It has a subtle sweetness, and with sourness and bitterness that bnced out the greasiness ¡­. it all pairs perfectly well.¡± Next was the sausage made exclusively for Gio himself. Crunch! The red sausage immediately stimted the taste buds upon the first bite. ''My mouth is burning.'' There was a certain burning sensation that lingered on his tongue. ''It doesn''t linger too long. It''s a very smooth and clean spicy vour.'' The sausages made exclusively for him contained all the ingredients discovered this time. Milky Way Mary offered a clean scent reminiscent of a blend of chilli and pepper while Crying Hem provided a strong spiciness along with a mysterious, rich sweetness. Arum''s ginger-like aroma brought together the diverse mix of scents into a harmonious whole, while the Raven Walnut added a mild, smooth, and deep fragrance on top. Lastly, the Candytrap Tree fruit vinegar added bursts of tangy sourness here and there, creating a delightful variation in vour¡­. Maybe it was a bit too much. ¡°But the taste is good.¡± ¡°Coong.¡± ¡°You might as well give it a try instead of avoiding it.¡± ¡°Coocoocoo¡­.¡± ¡°If you don''t like it, then so be it.¡± Regardless of Honey''s preference to avoid the spicy sausage, Gio found it perfectly suited to his taste. It felt like his previously uneasy stomach waspletely soothed. It was like the feeling you get after downing a bowl of samgyetang1 in one go, plunging into a steaming hot bath, then heading to a jjimjilbang2 with a cold bottle of sikhye3, sipping the icy drink through a straw while sweating profusely. That sense ofpleteness fills in exactly what was missing. ¡°Nice.¡± Happiness wasn''t far away. ''I was worried since it was my first time using these ingredients, but it turned out better than expected.'' Although the sausages focused on spiciness, the sausage overall had a subtle sweetness, and the oil coating the entire meat made the spiciness feel exceptionally clean. When it came to spicy food, as long as the spiciness was clean, it could be considered over 90% sessful. ¡°It''s rewarding to have honed my cooking instincts. Grandma''s culinary touch is meant for moments like this.¡± ¡°Coocoocoocoocoong¡­.¡± ¡°It''s not that Dad made it wrong, but our tastes are just a bit different.¡± This level of spiciness was truly delicious. The vor-savvy Seo Gio also enjoyed chicken feet. When he usually eats spicy chicken feet, he''d dip them in sesame oil sauce or pair them with a sweet drink if it became too overwhelming. Then, he could enjoy the dish with a calm and refined demeanour, almost like an intellectual. The sausages he made this time followed the same principle. ''The vour and aroma were generally spicy and tangy, but Crying Hem already carried a subtle underlying sweetness. Plus, Raven Walnut added the characteristic soft sweetness of nuts. Not to mention the naturally produced vinegar from the Candytrap Tree, which was said to bore extremely sweet fruits¡­.'' When the spices felt overwhelming, the mild aromas suppressed them. If the spiciness was too intense, the slightly abundant deer fat soothed the tongue like silk. If the fat felt greasy, the vinegar''s sourness will assert its presence, calming the queasiness. Overall, the bnce was excellent. ''Arum ys a significant role in binding the overwhelmingplexity of vours and aromas into one harmony. It''s effect is far better than what I expected.'' Even as he chewed, Gio was already thinking of new recipes. ¡°When making something with a mix of various ingredients, adding Arum really elevates the quality of the dish.¡± ¡°Coong¡­?¡± ¡°I''ll make it less spicy next time. You seem to have some aversion to the spicy aroma.¡± Arum managed to bind the distinct, scattered personalities of the spices together. Its effectiveness was so impressive that, despite theplexity of vours, the dish never felt overwhelming. ''Plus, I paid special attention to the texture of this sausage.'' Gio nodded. ¡°It has a bit of a chewiness to it, doesn''t it?¡± ¡°Cooorrr.¡± ¡°Yeah, it''s delicious, isn''t it? Changing the size of the meat grains definitely made the texture more diverse. I''ll have to think more about how to adjust the texture next time I make it.¡± ¡°Coocoo¡­.¡± ¡°I always think this, but I really like how mould doesn''t grow in this forest.¡± Without that, this entire process would have been impossible. ''I used real intestines which retain high moisture content for casing¡­. It''s a miracle they didn''t spoil during the process.'' If the meat grains were uneven, air pockets would form inside the casing, increasing the likelihood of mould. At least, that''s been the case with all the sausages Gio has made so far. ''Such weak-willed creatures.'' If you''re true pork, shouldn''t you be able to withstand a little mould with determination? ¡°Hmm.¡± Anyway, thanks to that, even the texture of this sausage was outstanding. The meat, already mashed to a soft, porridge-like consistency, pleased the tongue by touching a corner of the mouth even before chewing. Meanwhile, the uneven meat chunks gave a pleasant bounce as they were chewed by the teeth. ''The meat juices were flowing, and the texture of the intestine casing was better than I had expected.'' Since the intestines were so plump, it felt just like chewing on thin gopchang4. The pre-cleaned intestines had no unpleasant odour, and they offered a perfectbination of chewiness and savoury vour typical of innards. Additionally, the sausages were grilled in the wood-fired oven, making the outer casing as crispy as a cracker while the inside remained sticky. There was also a faint bitterness unique to nuts. Gio muttered. ¡°This is nice.¡± He wished he could live like this his whole life. Peacefully. Chapter 42 After finishing a fantastic meal, Gio threw sausages to the waterfowl and returned to the cabin to rest. Perhaps because he had eaten so much, he didn''t feel hungry even when dinner came. ¡°Scorched rice¡­.¡± ¡°Coorr?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t eat right now, but let¡¯s cook scorched rice tomorrow. It¡¯ll be delicious.¡± ¡°Cooooorororrr.¡± Lying on the bed, Seo Gio poked Honey who was lying next to him. ¡°Coong.¡±¡°Coocoocoong.¡± ¡°So soft.¡± ¡°Coong!!!¡± Honey protested vehemently, but it only made him even cuter. ¡°This harmless little guy.¡± He thought that if it grew just a little bigger, he might even use it as a pillow. ''Would it be possible to create something that feels simr?'' Feeling bad about using a living waterfowl as a pillow, he considered making a soft pillow that wasn¡¯t alive. Lost in such thoughts, Gio blinked. He couldn''t sleep at all. ¡°Phew¡­.¡± There were times like this asionally. ¡°Is this the fate of an artist?¡± ¡°¡­Coong?¡± Honey reacted as if to say, ''Stop talking nonsense and just sleep,'' but it wasn''t that simple. Rubbing his face a few times against the softness of the nket stuffed full of feathers, Gio soon got up from his spot. ¡°Honey, Dad''s leaving.¡± ¡°Coor.¡± ¡°You heartless guy.¡± Leaving the tired Honey behind, he headed to his studio full of all kinds of materials. His severe insomnia was triggered by a sudden interest in something. ¡°¡­I''m curious about the view outside thepany.¡± By pinpointing a location and imagining it as precisely as possible, Gio could visualize the scenery of that ce. At first, he thought it was just his imagination. After all, even if he imagined what the third floor of the ¡®Collection¡¯pany might look like, it shouldn''t match the actual view. ? However, as he continued to imagine it and graduallypleted the painting, he realized something. ''Thendscape of the location I imagined is rtively urate.'' He suspected it might be one of the benefits he gained after bing a portrait. ¡°The outside¡­.¡± Gio murmured. ¡°It''s probably a dark dawn.¡± It wasn''t a ce he had never seen before, and painting a ce he had already seen once wasn''t difficult. Gio began to move his brush as he recalled the view he had seen while standing against a wall in an alley. Soon, a picture frame appeared in a certain alleyway in Seoul. *** ¡°Haaah¡­.¡± In the early morning streets, a woman ruffled her hair. ¡°Where else should I cling to next?¡± The woman with short ck hair, Cha Ara, couldn¡¯t hold back her sigh. ''As expected, there is no ce that wees F-ranks.'' Even as an Awakener, F-ranks were treated as nothing more than porters. Cha Ara''s rank was F. Her main skill was ''Body Reinforcement.'' She couldn''t afford to learn any other skills, and it was no surprise that she didn''t have a profession. She had the typical porter¡¯s status. Today, after being dismissed from her original team, she sat aimlessly on a bench. ¡°¡­Well, who would hire a porter with an injured leg?¡± It was due to a leg injury she sustained in the dungeon she visited that afternoon. With plenty of other F-ranks who wanted to be porters, there was no reason to hire someone who limped. ''I liked that the team was rtivelyposed of decent people.'' Though they weren''t particrly kind, it was a team consisting of people who didn''t meddle in each other''s business. Even though they treated Cha Ara as invisible due to her being an F-rank porter, the team members themselves were generally indifferent to one another. Such indifference was hard to find and was one of the virtues of modern people. ¡°Though that''s also why I got fired so easily.¡± Having no more usefully, Cha Ara was told they could no longer hire her and was kicked out. It was a relief that at least they settled her payment before kicking her out. Cha Ara stared at the bnce on her ount disyed on her phone for a long time. Altogether, it amounted to about 500,000 won. It wasn''t enough to pay the rent and buy a priest''s robe for her youngest sibling. ¡°The rent went up this time¡­.¡± Groan. Cha Ara let out a distressed sound. ¡°¡­Now, what should I do.¡± Looking up at the sky where snow began to fall gently, Cha Ara clicked her tongue. ¡°This is awful.¡± As if the cold wasn''t bad enough, why did it have to snow too? ''¡­The terminal must have been cut off long ago. Anyway, with oppa at home, the youngest should be fine. As long as he¡¯s not somewhere giving away his things like a pushover again, it''s fine.¡¯ Inwardly feeling a sense of loneliness, Cha Ara sniffled and got up from the bench. ¡°Better find a ce where I won''t get snowed on.¡± Tightening the scarf her youngest sibling had made for her, Cha Ara started moving her feet. She had originally intended to just sleep on the bench, but with snow falling, she might not wake up the next morning. ''If only I could sleep near a station or corporate building.'' Public facilities or areas near rtively well-offpanies, where there was a lot of foot traffic, had warmth spells cast on them If she could sleep near there, she wouldn''t have to worry about finding a ce to sleep out in the open, but if caught, she could be demoted to a 4th-ss citizen at worst. ¡®I¡¯ve secured a city stay permit for a few days with my hunter¡¯s license, but that doesn''t mean I can sleep out in the open anywhere. If I get caught by security, it''ll be in trouble ¡­.'' At times like this, she envied her older brother, Cha Eun-hyuk. ¡°That guy can at least sleep in his fish-shaped bun cart.¡± Her older brother, who sells fish-shaped buns, made a living by always moving his cart from the countryside to the city since left unattended in the city, someone might steal or destroy it. ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± So naturally, Cha Ara didn''t expect that she could sleep on his cart. After wandering aimlessly for a while, Cha Ara''s steps led her into a dark alley. ¡­What''s that. ''¡­A portrait?'' On one side of the alley wall, hung a portrait of a man. ¡°¡­What the hell, it''s creepy¡­.¡± The man in the portrait was handsome, as if he were a sculpture or doll, but rather than his striking looks, it was the stillness in his quietly closed eyes that seeped into her skin. It felt like staring at a painted corpse, so ominous that Cha Ara backed away and left the area. ''Some lunatic hung a painting here.'' It must have been the work of some crazy guy or a hunter with bizarre skills, so Cha Ara decided not to pay it much attention. She had no intention of sleeping in this ce where snow fell directly, anyway. After walking a bit further, Cha Ara came across a woman. She had been hit by the cold snow for so long that a thickyer of white snow had already piled up on her. Judging by the appearance of the woman curled up like a ball, she seemed to be a fourth-ss citizen illegally residing in the city. Her thin body was faintly moving, not dead yet as she seemingly still breathing. ''She''s pretty far out.'' Usually, the poor stayed in deeper alleys. Cha Ara initially intended to ignore the vagrant and walk past, but stopped after taking a few steps with an extremely ufortable expression before returning to stand before her. Whether they had fallen asleep or passed out from the cold, the vagrant was breathing but hadn''t regained consciousness. She didn''t even seem to notice Cha Ara right in front of them. ¡°¡­Damn it.¡± Cha Ara took off her scarf, lightly wrapped it around the vagrant''s neck, and quickly walked away. Hearing faint sounds of the vagrant moving, her pace quickened even more. ''Damn it, this is embarrassing. Damn it, damn it¡­.'' Feeling the chill on her now-bare neck, Cha Ara grew somewhat resentful. ¡°Why is she sleeping so pitifully like that¡­!¡± Her chest tightened inexplicably. The vagrant''s age seemed to be simr to or younger than her own. At most, she couldn''t have been over twenty years old. She couldn''t just walk past when someone she could have called a friend looked like they were on the verge of death while sleeping. ¡°Ah, darn it. The youngest knitted that for me¡­ Youngest, ah¡­¡± It was a scarf painstakingly woven from the fur of livestock and monsters caught in the vige. The youngest had decent skills, so it was quite a good scarf, and she had been using it well all winter. But now, she had lost it in such a stupid way. ''Damn it¡­ I shouldn''t have said anything to oppa or Cha Yi-sol¡­'' As Cha Ara trudged along the road, something strange soon caught her eye. A portrait of a man. ¡°¡­Huh.¡± She had seen it earlier. ''¡­W, what is this? I didn¡¯t see this here before. Did I see it wrong? Or were there multiple picture frames?¡¯ The frame was half-hidden in the shadows, making the face hard to see, but she immediately recognized it as the same portrait she had just seen. For some reason, a chill ran down her spine, like seeing a horror movie. ¡°Uh, uh uh¡­.¡± Even if she was F-rank, an awakener was still an awakener. She could instinctively feel danger. ¡°Am I screwed?¡± At that crude remark, the portrait, buried in the shadows, opened its eyes. The mouth of the portrait, no longer obscured by the darkness, moved smoothly. ¡°My apologies.¡± It spoke in an aristocratic tone. When Cha Ara blinked at the overwhelming sense of unease. The picture frame was nowhere to be seen. What, woah, what. ''What was that?'' It was only then that Cha Ara realized she had copsed to the ground. ¡°¡­D-d Someone save me. Her hand, resting on the snow-covered ground, trembled. Cha Ara knew¡ªand the world knew¡ªthat it wasn''t simply because of the cold. Though it was nonsense, deep down, she felt like I wouldn¡¯t be able to keep herposure if she didn''t at least ramble such nonsense. ¡°Crazy¡­.¡± Cha Ara realized something without even intending to. ''I almost died.'' Though the situation hadn''t been truly that dangerous, Cha Ara knew that the bizarre portrait she had just encountered was an extremely dangerous existence. Had it been even slightly less polite, enough not to feel the need to say, ¡®My apologies¡¯, who might say for sure if Cha Ara couldn''t have ended up as a corpse? ¡°¡­What, what was that. Seriously, what was that. What did I just see.¡± Cha Ara, who was gathering her strength to escape this ce, felt something cold and hard brush her hand while fumbling around. At the small and hard texture, Cha Ara, whose skin crawled all the way to the top of her head, couldn''t even scream¡ªher mouth gaped and closed wordlessly. As she groped around with her hand again, uncontrobly shaking, a cold small object soon entered her hand. With her heart sinking, she inspected it ¡­.. ¡°¡­A g, gem?¡± It was a ck and transparent-coloured gem. ¡°¡­What is this¡­¡± She also instinctively knew one thing. Cha Ara knew that this was a gift from the portrait she had just encountered. Before they died, her parents had always told her that good deeds would be rewarded. This entire situation felt like a chilling fairy tale. *** Meanwhile, another person was just as unsettled. ¡°Stalking is a bad thing.¡± Gio couldn''t regain hisposure at his own rudeness. Painting the alley at dawn had been fine. However, after finishing the painting, he saw a woman moving inside the frame and briefly worried whether she might be in danger at such ate hour. As a result, Gio¡¯s gaze kept following her even without himself realizing ¡­. ¡°And ended up stalking her.¡± He had observed the other person without her consent. ¡°She must have been surprised.¡± He would simply quietly observe the buildings inside Collection or move between frames normally, so he didn''t realize. However, through this opportunity, Gio came to know for certain. ''If I fix my gaze on something that moves, the frame in the real world moves along with them.'' That was how the moving portrait incident that followed Cha Ara came about. ¡°I hope my apology was conveyed well¡­¡± Because he had just been absentmindedly watching the bob-haired woman, he saw her giving her scarf to a poor person and the sight of her being terrified at seeing his frame. Only when the woman turned pale and froze, copsing with a thud did Gio finallye to his senses. He felt admiration toward the woman who still seemed to be about a high school student¡¯s age, worried about whether she was okay being alone at thiste hour, and guilty for having startled her with his rudeness. This deep emotion was recognized as an item of trade, and Gio gave a gem to Cha Ara as a gift. No, wait a moment. ¡°Did I scare her even more?¡± Overwhelmed by his own rudeness and being out of it, he couldn''t think straight. But if he suddenly gave a gift to a high schooler already terrified by a living, moving portrait without saying a word, who would pick it up saying, ''Wow, it''s a gem?'' ¡°Ah¡­.¡± He should have just given her something like cookies. ''Of all times, I didn''t have any baked cookies on hand, so I ended up drawing her a gem instead without realizing it.¡¯ If he had given her some trivial snack, it might have been less frightening. Gio faintly saw the back of the bob-haired student running away in panic through the frame. ¡°My apologies¡­¡± At that moment, Gio realized something. Does my personality change sometimes? It was the moment he became truly aware of himself as the ¡®ck Cloak¡¯. Chapter 43 In the morning, back to bed. ¡°Coorr?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Gio was lost in shallow thoughts. It wasn''t the first time he learned that his personality could change. ¡°There''s also Giovanni''s case.¡± But now that he thought about it btedly, Gio seemed to sometimes deviate from his usual personality. Mainly when interacting with people outside in his ''portrait'' state. ¡°Come to think of it, praising employees or giving gifts out of the blue isn''t exactly a normal reaction either.¡±¡°Cooor?¡± ¡°There were people older than me too, but for me, a healthy young man from the country of etiquette in the East1, to act that way¡ªhonestly, it''s not exactly normal considering my current state.¡± The problem was that Gio himself didn''t feel any sense of difort about such changes. ¡°At the time, I just thought it was natural.¡± It seemed certain that the identity of being a ''portrait'' was indeed changing him. ¡°Oh God of Heaven and Earth.¡± ¡°Coongcoong¡­¡± ¡°When I stayed inside the portrait, I felt the same as usual so I didn''t notice anything strange.¡± ¡°Cooor?¡± ¡°No, it''s fine.¡± Whether his personality changed or whatever else changed, Gio wasn''t one to falter by just this level of mystery. ¡°But I should be careful not to act rudely towards others.¡± At this rate, it seemed he might soon find it natural to pat the head of a stranger he''d never met before. ¡°I can''t do such an unsightly thing no matter what I be.¡± The act of patting someone''s head was only possible in fiction or when parents did it to their children. Even between lovers, such a bold touch was discouraged, so Gio felt the need to be careful with his behaviour. ¡°Of course, I''ve never had a lover.¡± ¡°How dare you look at your heavenly father that way.¡± I''m allowed to not have a girlfriend, you know. ¡°Anyway, personality changes aren''t that unfamiliar of a situation. Even when I went on the tour in Seoul, there were times when my awareness as Giovanni grew stronger¡­ I think it''s quite simr to the topic I''m thinking about right now.¡± However, it didn''t feel like the ''personality'' itself was literally changing. ¡°If it was that extreme, I would have noticed long ago.¡± If he had to describe it, it was closer to the feeling of recalling forgotten memories. ¡°It''s not quite ''Seo Gio'', but it is me, that kind of feeling¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Cooorrr?¡± ¡°It''s not a dual personality. That''s a misunderstanding.¡± Just as in his past life he lived as the priest Giovanni with his trademark benevolent smile, but in this life he lived as Seo Gio who was often asked ''Do you not know how to smile?''. It was simr to btedly recalling his past life and having forgotten habits pop up here and there. ¡°I didn''t expect there would be problems due to my identity as a portrait as well.¡± Gio muttered. ¡°I think it''s a simr issue to resolution. When trying to act human-like with a portrait''s body, errors seem to ur somewhere. My speech bes stiffer, and my actions and thoughts be strange¡­¡± It seemed he would need to be careful. ¡°Let''s try to be more self-aware from now on.¡± ¡°Coong.¡± ¡°You think it''s bothersome? Honey, you should work on your social skills.¡± Seeing Honey grumbling, Gio ced the round waterfowl on his hand and rolled it around. Honey, rolling around like a plump water pouch, didn''t seem to mind too much. ¡°Are you having fun?¡± ¡°Cooorrrrrr.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Gio, who had been momentarily surprised by the personality change, was able to settle his mind at that carefree sight. ¡°Anyway, it''s fun so it''s alright.¡± What could be stranger than not finding this ever-changing life entertaining? ¡°Then shall we eat now?¡± ¡°Cooorrr?¡± Though Honey expressed doubt, Gio got up from his seat without minding. ¡°Even if not right now, it''s good to prepare soup or side dishes in advance. We already have bones from the dismembered deer, so if we clean them up and make bone broth, we can store it in the ice storage and use it whenever needed.¡± Bone broth can be a hearty meal on its own. Gio nodded. ¡°Whenever I had indigestion, my grandmother told me to drink bone broth with a bit of green onion and salt.¡± He didn''t know about others, but when Gio had indigestion, such bone broth was much easier on his stomach than porridge. While it didn''t fill his stomach since there were no solid ingredients, perhaps being a rich broth, it still felt like he was eating something. ¡°If you add a pinch of salt, some chopped green onion, and freshly cooked rice to milky white broth, that''s beef bone soup2. The deeply simmered bone broth has an incredible savoury vour. That''s why even such a simple meal feels filling.¡± ¡°Cooorrrrrr¡­?¡± ¡°That''s not spicy.¡± Honey, who had shown a strong aversion to spicy sausagesst time, seemed to be wondering if beef bone soup was spicy. But unless red pepper powder or spicy seasonings are added and mixed in, beef bone soup shouldn''t taste spicy. ¡°If it''s too in, you can add meat, or add noodles instead of rice. It''s not bad to eat both together either. I think one of the charms of beef bone soup is that you can add as many seasonings or pepper as you like.¡± There were many ces to use bone broth as well. ¡°Even if you just boil spicy ramen with broth instead of water, it creates an amazing vour.¡± ¡°Coor! Coor! Coor!¡± ¡°Still, the broth itself makes the soup milder¡­ Alright, let''s move on from this.¡± Honey, who disliked spicy food, voiced strong opposition, and Gio, being the dad, respected Honey''s opinion. If there are humans who eat everything well in this world, there are also fragile waterfowl somewhere who can''t eat anything spicy at all. ¡°Then it might be good to add more vegetables and make a different soup. dumpling soup3 would be a representative example, I suppose.¡± Gio muttered. ¡°Then sliced rice cake soup4 is good too. army base stew5, made by boiling various vegetables and ham all at once, isn''t bad either¡­ But even simple dishes like soybean paste soup6 or seaweed soup7 be much richer in vor with bone broth.¡± ¡°Coong?¡± ¡°Except army base stew, the rest won''t be spicy, unless you add Cheongyang chilli peppers8¡­ Come to think of it, did you know that using broth instead of water when cooking rice makes it taste much better?¡± ¡°Coorrr.¡± ¡°Right, let''s go make the broth.¡± Ever since eating rice ballsst time, Honey had be a waterfowl who loved rice more than anything in the world. It was obvious he was imagining how delicious grilled rice balls made with bone broth rice would be. As Gio was heading down to the ice storage where the bones were stored, he suddenly felt uneasy. ¡°Come to think of it, isn''t bone broth usually made with cow bones?¡± ¡°¡­Coo?¡± ¡°Well, when I cleaned and organized itst time, it was quite full of marrow. Perhaps because it was just freshly butchered, the red edges of the bone cross-section were distinct, so its condition shouldn''t be bad. Thanks to the deer being sorge, the bones are thick and sturdy, so simmering bone broth should be fun¡­¡± ¡°Well, since when have we only eaten Earth''s food to be so particr about this?¡± When making bone broth, the bones used are usually from the legs of animals. If it were a cow, it would be the cow''s feet, but Gio figured it wouldn''t be much different for a deer, so he had prepared it. He brought out the bones from the ice storage to the kitchen. ¡°I washed them once back then, but it still feels a bit unsettling.¡± After thoroughly washing the bones that had been cut to clearly show the marrow, he dropped them all into arge pot. When he lit the firewood with bellflowers, the water quickly boiled. ¡°I drained all the blood when I first butchered it, so there shouldn''t be too many impurities rising. It should be quite clean too since I drained it for almost a day, but there are still some foreign substances left inside. We need to remove those to get good broth.¡± ¡°As you''re probably guessing now, it''s a disgustingly long process.¡± ¡°Coocoocoong¡­¡± ¡°I wasn''t even expecting to be able to eat the broth today anyway.¡± Once the bones arepletely clean after being nched in boiling water and washed, it bes a battle of time and dedication from that point on. There was a reason why ''real'' bone broth was expensive. ¡°You can just keep boiling it in the pot like this, but you shouldn''t boil it over too high heat. Even if it takes a bit longer, simmering over low heat brings out more of the savoury vour in the broth.¡± ¡°The longer you boil it, the more oil and various impurities float to the surface. Perhaps because the bone marrowes out as it is, the first broth is usually too greasy and rich, and it was said to be ufortable to eat. So we can''t even eat the first broth thates out¡­¡± ¡°Coong.¡± ¡°You''re saying you''ll eat it?¡± ¡°Coor.¡± ¡°Pig.¡± Honey protested vehemently, but that doesn''t change reality. The affection that refuses to give up even the first broth, which makes your mouth greasy to the point of making slurping sounds. This obsession. ¡°You''re already a splendid pig.¡± ¡°Coorrrrrrrrrrrr!!!¡± ¡°ept reality.¡± If anything, he wishes he''d get a bit plumper. ¡°Enough for me to lean on¡­¡± More precisely, he wished he''d get plump enough for him to lie down and use as a pillow. At the face that showed firm determination, Gio nodded. ¡°Is it puberty?¡± He could sense a strong determination that he would maintain the current cute and adorable appearance no matter what. ''He knows he''s cute.'' Even if he was a son born from paint, if the child has the right convictions, he should support him. Gio decided to back off. Fat animals are cute, but forcibly fattening them up is animal abuse. ¡°Anyway, the bone broth won''t be ready right away. The impurities only rise after some time has passed, so there''s nothing we can do just stick right next to it.¡± ¡°Coorrr?¡± ¡°Right, so we need to prepare another dish. Let''s give our generous bone broth friend some alone time.¡± Gio looked at the pot that wasn''t even boiling yet due to the freshly added water. ¡°I don''t know for sure, but I''ve heard that boiling bone broth too many times is actually bad for the body¡­ I''m not sure how to handle the Treehorn Deer''s legs.¡± Treehorn Deer Bone The prepared bones from the legs of Treehorn deer. They are greasy due to being full of bone marrow, but bones boiled for over three days willpletely dissolve into the broth and be a tonic. Characterized by a strong meaty vour to the point it could feel nutty or salty. Refinement method: After thorough cleaning, boiling over low heat for three days causes the marrow and bones to fully dissolve, bing a tonic. The medicine made this way can be used immediately, and when used on humans, all bone abnormalities will be healed. The degree of recovery varies depending on the amount consumed and the individual constitution. Gio nodded. ¡°There was no need to worry.¡± What kind of realistic concerns was he having in this fantasy world? ¡°It said the marrow and bones will dissolve on their own, so we just need to filter out the impurities asionally while waiting. Let''s stop worrying about those self-sufficient fellows and start thinking about our lunch now.¡± ¡°Coorrrrr.¡± ¡°Then something good would be¡­¡± After pondering for a moment, Gio soon made up his mind. ¡°The day has finallye.¡± ¡°Coorr?¡± ¡°It''s time to go fishing.¡± After eating arge amount of meat, didn''t his tired stomach need to be refreshed with some fish? ¡°That''s proper manners for my tongue and stomach.¡± And Seo Gio was a true gourmand who learned the term Engel coefficient (the proportion of food spending in household expenses) at the age of five. He still remembered his grandma''s warm voice, whoughed warmly while saying, ''We have a pig potato at home.'' Like that, Gio thought about eating fish. There were many ways. ¡°Although the stream is narrow, it''s quite deep and I''ve seenrge and small fishes here and there when passing by. Especially since the waterfowl''s nests are connected to the stream or spring so that various creatures can move around¡­ just going to the nests should be enough to find good fishes.¡± At Gio''s words, Honey, who had been tilting its head, soon came close to his ear and poked his cheek. It didn''t hurt at all, as the beak was so small and harmless to the point where it was unclear why it even existed. ¡°What''s the matter, Honey?¡± ¡°Corrrrrrrr.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Come to think of it, Gio had another source of fishery. ¡°There was the ''Breathing Sea.''¡± The ''Breathing Sea,'' one of the dimensional gates Gio had previously created, was literally a world submerged in the sea. Thest time he saw it, it was clearly overflowing with all kinds of creatures. Gio epted Honey''s advice. ¡°You''re smart.¡± ¡°Coor.¡± Honey puffed up proudly. It was extremely cute. ¡°No matter how cute you act, the only one you can conquer is your dad.¡± ¡°Coocoocoong.¡± ¡°Do you think acting cute elsewhere will get you someone who can treat you as well as I do? Where in the world would you find such a capable butler like me? You should just stick close to your dad.¡± Today, too, they were a happy family. Gio went straight to the second floor, specifically to the storage wherepleted works were collected. That was because the frame that allowed him to travel to ''Breathing Sea'' was hanging there. Gio, standing in front of the frame filled with blue light, seeped in slowly as if melting. And soon after. He was underwater. ¡°It''s been a while, Father.¡± Giovanni had entered the ''Breathing Sea.'' ¡°It hasn''t been that long, has it?¡± ¡° ¡± ¡°I just went out to see the outside world for a while.¡± The one conversing with Gio was none other than the Sun God of the destroyed world, the lonely old man whom ''Giovanni'' had previously requested him. He asked Gio what had brought him here today. ¡°Ah.¡± And Gio was confident anytime, anywhere. ¡°I came to do some fishing.¡± Hand over the fish. ¡°If it goes well, I''ll share it with you.¡± ¡° ¡± ¡°I knew you''d like it.¡± The Sun God was pleased. As expected, it was clear that only pigs had gathered at that ce. Chapter 44 The so-called ¡®Breathing Sea¡¯ was literally a world submerged in water. There was no one else besides Gio. The water was filled up to such a high level that even the sun seemed trapped under it, and traces of human civilization like brick houses and fences were also submerged as he was. Among all this, Gio was sitting at the edge of a cliff. ¡°Beingpletely underwater, I have no idea how to fish.¡± ¡°Cooooorr.¡± ¡°Honey, stop drinking the seawater. Your body is getting too big and scaring away the fish.¡± Many aquatic creatures could be seen everywhere. A creature with a body that looked like an extremelyrge hermit crab making ticktockticktock noises while moving clumsily, crossing a red roof with itspanions. Meanwhile, a snake with a gentle impression that appeared to be a water snake kept popping out from within the sand with a pop sound and hiding repeatedly. Besides these,rge whale pods were floating high in the watery sky, colourful seahorses dancing in pairs as if singing, fish hiding among seaweed growing between bricks¡­¡°Maybe I just don¡¯t have a talent for fishing.¡± ¡± ¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think a fishing rod is going to get me anywhere in this situation.¡± ¡± ¡± ¡°A? That¡¯s not a bad idea either.¡± Though he was enjoying the dreamlike scenery, he hadn¡¯t caught a single fish. ¡°Since it¡¯s not like I¡¯m a great swimmer.¡± Thanks to ¡®Giovanni¡¯s¡¯ world having a very close rtionship with the sea, 90% of humanity was skilled at swimming. ¡®Giovanni¡¯ belonged to the 5% who were particrly bad at it. ¡°When I first met Aria, our rtionship continued because she threw me into the sea. Personally, I can¡¯t say Aria was a good child, but she was still a diligent student.¡± ¡± ¡± ¡°Since Father doesn¡¯t resent Aria, my heart is at ease too.¡± Gio¡¯s characteristic kind smile soon turned into a troubled expression. ¡°But¡­ how should I catch fish after all?¡± Giovanni wasn¡¯t skilled at swimming, and while Seo Gio was good at swimming, he had never caught fish like this before. No matter which skill he relied on, it didn¡¯t seem like he could snatch the fish that looked agile just by looking at them. ¡± ¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Gio turned to look at the bright yellow waterfowl who the Sun God pointed at¡ªnone other than Honey. Honey sparkled brilliantly under the Sun God¡¯s spotlight like an actor on stage. It was none other than God¡¯s divine revtion. ¡°Honey?¡± ¡°Honey, can you catch them?¡± ¡° ¡°Why are you avoiding Dad¡¯s gaze?¡± Seeing the face that clearly said ¡®I can do it but I don¡¯t really want to¡¯, Gio tilted his head. If it was just not wanting to, he wouldn¡¯t force it, but it wasn¡¯t exactly a reaction of disliking work itself, so it was hard to interpret. ¡°Why don¡¯t you want to?¡± ¡°Coocoocoong¡­¡± Seeing the father and son struggling tomunicate, the Sun God discreetly revealed the truth. ¡± ¡± ¡± ¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Only then did Gio recall that his waterfowl was not an ordinary bird. Well, of course, living water in the shape of a bird would never be ordinary, but anyway. Honey had much more powerful potential than Gio had expected. ¡°Our child can evolve?¡± ¡°Oh my sun.1¡± Honey was very capable indeed. ¡°So you¡¯re being sulky now because you need to evolve to catch fish but don¡¯t want to take that form¡­.? Really? Oh my, that¡¯s both amazing and ridiculous. You really have a conviction to maintain your cute appearance, don¡¯t you?¡± His son clearly had a princeplex. ¡°I thought I told you just thirty minutes ago that no matter how cute and adorable you act, the only one you can conquer is your dad. What¡¯s the point for you to be so recklessly cute like this?¡± ¡± ¡± ¡°I apologize, I was being a bit silly. But Father, don¡¯t you think your grandson very cute?¡± The Sun God justughed, saying that the family rtionship looked very nice to see. Though he didn¡¯t get a clear exnation, Gio decided to be satisfied with this. The most important thing now was for everyone to work together to ovee this hopeless situation, catch some fish, and prepare a meal. Not wanting to force him to work, Gio simply exined the reality of their situation. ¡°Honey.¡± ¡°Coong.¡± ¡°Dad can¡¯t swim.¡± ¡°¡­Coo?¡± ¡°So I can¡¯t catch fish either.¡± ¡°If you really don¡¯t want to, that¡¯s fine, but if you don¡¯t catch fish for us, we¡¯ll all have to go hungry. If you still refuse, we¡¯ll have no choice but to grill the leftover sausages fromst time for lunch today.¡± At those words, Honey¡¯s pupils shook. Though it was unclear where exactly the pupils were in those eyes made of water, it was evident that Honey was trembling with shock at the reality of their situation. Gio nodded solemnly like a judge delivering a verdict. ¡°Yes, we¡¯re in a situation where we have to eat the same menu over and over again.¡± It was a miserable reality that was hard for them to ept as gourmets and big eaters. ¡°But if you still don¡¯t want to, this dad will try his best to make stir-fried sausages, sausage fried rice, and sausage soup for lunch today.¡± The Sun God was startled by the strange confrontation. Even to him, stir-fried sausages, sausage fried rice, and sausage soup seemed a bit excessive. The Sun God, who had gotten used to the meals Gio prepared for him recently, anxiously watched the situation. The winner was Gio. ¡°Coorr.¡± But there was a condition. ¡°You want me to close my eyes?¡± ¡°Coo.¡± ¡°But dad can love our son no matter what he looks like. Why is that?¡± So why?¡± ¡°Coo.¡± ¡°Puberty hase after all.¡± Well, even from parents, everyone has secrets they want to keep. Although Gio had never even dated, let alone gotten married or had children, he knew it was important to respect a child¡¯s personal space. Gio nodded with his eyes closed. ¡°You don¡¯t want to show your evolved form that much? Dad is truly, really, very curious, but if this can make you feel at ease, Honey, I can close my eyes as much as you want¡­.¡± ¡°Coorr.¡± ¡°As expected, teenagers are not easy.¡± He heard the sound of somethingrge swaying once, followed by the sound of seawater being stirred. Yet not long after listening carefully to the sound. ¡°Coocooorr.¡± Ah, already? ¡°Can I open my eyes now, son?¡± ¡°Coorr.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± And Gio saw. ¡°Oh.¡± He saw about thirty fishes caught inside Honey¡¯s body, which had swollen up from holding seawater. ¡°That¡¯s impressive?¡± ¡°Coorcoor.¡± ¡°You look like an excellent pig.¡± ¡°That was apliment.¡± Honey being this plump was something he had seen constantly sinceing to the ¡®Breathing Sea¡¯, so this form couldn¡¯t be Honey¡¯s ¡®evolved¡¯ form. ¡®He probably swallowed the fish in his evolved form and then returned to his original form.¡¯ Anyway, it was funny and good. ¡°Pig¡­¡± ¡°Coo.¡± ¡°A pig with fish inside¡­¡± ¡°Coocoocoo.¡± ¡°Nice.¡± Giovanni beamed brightly with his characteristic cheerful smile. ¡°This is so reassuring.¡± Gio had big hands. * * * Upon returning to the cabin, Gio immediately began preparing the fish. ¡°Exactly 33 pieces.2¡± It was a number that meant Gio¡¯s hands would be worked to the bone today, but he decided not to mind. Showing weakness in front of just 33 salmon-sized fish would be a disgrace as a pig his grandmother acknowledged. ¡°Fortunately, they¡¯re all edible, so I can prepare them without worry.¡± ¡°Cooorrrrrr.¡± ¡°Honey, spit out one piece.¡± ¡°Coo.¡± Ptooey. The stillrge Honey spat out one fish. Staggering as he received the fish, Gio felt dizzy for a moment. ¡®What kind of challenge have I gotten myself into?¡¯ Anyway, it was time to prepare seafood, where freshness is the key. Although food doesn¡¯t spoil in this painting world, it was uncertain if it would prevent an already dead fish from bing fishy over time. Gio firmly poked the forehead of the first fish with an awl and sent it to the Dragon Pce. ¡°Hmm.¡± He confidently believed it was a technique as nimble as that of an assassin¡¯s skill in martial arts novels. ¡°It pays to have experience in filleting fish.¡± ¡°Coor?¡± ¡°The taste of cutting and eating freshly caught fish on the boat is something special.¡± Reminiscing about the fond past, Gio quickly moved his hands. He cut off the fin area, scraped off the scales with a satisfying sound, and then inserted the knife to an appropriate depth to avoid bursting the innards, cutting all the way to the vent. ¡°There¡¯s hardly any fishy smell even from the innards, so it must be really fresh. Now, after removing the innards like this, next¡­¡± ¡°Cooorrrrrrr.¡± ¡°Honey, if you only eat the innards, someday you¡¯ll be as fishy as them.¡± Where on earth did that habit of snatching only the innards while Dad was cookinge from? ¡®¡­More than that, the way he dissolves objects selectively is always fascinating.¡¯ Waterfowls enjoy decorating themselves by putting things inside their bodies. Honey, who likes gems, was no different, but in the case of food rather than just for decoration, it quickly dissolved inside Honey¡¯s body. To be more precise, rather than dissolving, it seemed more correct to say that the nutrients that entered the body were converted into water. The swallowed food gradually became more and more transparent and rippled until it soon became invisible. Whose son was born to be so interesting? ¡®How fascinating.¡¯ Even the way he ate was interesting, so it was clear that Honey was indeed Gio''s son. He seemed like a kid for whom even the simple act of breathing was remarkably content. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Coong?¡± ¡°I was just wondering when I¡¯d finish preparing all of this.¡± If it were fish already prepared from the market, he would have bought a lot without worry, but preparing live fish personally was a task that required quite a lot of effort. ¡°Let¡¯s continue.¡± He removed the innards and emptied the belly of the fish, in human terms¡ªscraping out all the blood pooled inside the ribs. Gio diligently washed the inside of the belly clean and continued dissecting the fish. And he discovered a surprising fact. ¡°¡­Was it really salmon?¡± ¡°Coor?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s true that it¡¯s not salmon.¡± But the flesh inside was very peculiar. ¡°The texture is like white fish, but the colour is orange like salmon or trout.¡± When separated like sashimi, the visible flesh inside was soft and easily crushed with just a little pressure, like salmon. However, the texture was round and chewy, divided into segments like white-fleshed fish such as flounder or sea bream. Munch. The taste was simr to salmon, yet given the refreshing watermelon vour that felt cool, it also seemed like trout. ¡®The texture is much more springy and chewy though¡­¡¯ It felt very strange. Even for a fantasy world, having something that ovepped with elements he knew in this way was, well, a bit oddly funny. ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Coong?¡± ¡°¡­It tastes good, so it¡¯s fine.¡± Thanks to the soft flesh, the preparation was quick. ¡°I¡¯ll slice some for sashimi, and fry some whole in oil after trimming them properly.¡± ¡°Cooorr?¡± ¡°It¡¯s tastier than I expected. In the first ce, there¡¯s no way food fried in oil could taste bad. Honey, don''t worry and just wait for the fried fishfortably.¡± ¡°Coorrrrr¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s even more delicious if you add some spicy sauce.¡± ¡°Coongcoongcoong¡­!!!¡± ¡°Is there really a need to dislike it that strongly? There are plenty of fish left, so don¡¯t you want to make at least one spicy fried fish for your dad, son?¡± After finishing all the cooking, Gio half-fainted. ¡°Cooorrr.¡± ¡°It was a record-breaking day.¡± The conclusion was that 33rge fish were too much. The stressful and repetitivebour tires Gio out.
  1. it''s a parody of ''oh my god'' (????).
  2. counter for animals, I put pieces here hopefully that''s alright.
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