The Artist Who Paints Dungeon

When Gio fell asleep after successfully 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 finish compiling the full report soon?”

“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, come 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 noisy lately.”

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 reported later. It's not my request anyway.”

“I knew it.”

“Now, can you tell me about Gio?”

“I knew it would come 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 claim to have seen the black 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 related 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 similar 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 claims 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 explains why they're keeping it quiet internally as well.”

“With the initiation ceremony coming 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 scholar attire at Gyeongbokgung Palace, 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 Palace, but he didn't seem particularly 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 information network, 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 a commotion either, he simply sensed a threat to his dad, dealt with him and returned.

However, Gio didn't come across as thoughtless. On the contrary, his strong composure 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 nonchalantly.”

“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 incomprehensible.”

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 incomparable 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 blank 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 vigilance 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 explanation.

“It's to the point where he seemed like a completely 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 occasionally 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-black cloak, his footsteps barely audible, always clasping 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, composed, and heavy. Even people who didn't speak with him and only saw his portrait often commented, '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—or 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 become 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.”

Imagine compressing one of two large 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 become smaller, it could be easier to wound humans.

A similar example would be a bomb. Even if processed into a small, cute shape, it would still explode when lit. If anything, the more compressed it is, the more intense the explosion might be.

“Without precise analysis, this is merely speculation, but… since Gio thinks of himself as human, digging at that essence might cause a far greater backlash. There's no need to cause such a catastrophe.”

“I think so too.”

“It's not like the entire nation agreed to commit 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 occurred 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—it was gentle, like that of a beloved exemplary 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 similar to you, Curator Yoo Sung-woon?”

“It felt a bit… different from me. We’re indeed in a similar 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.