The Artist Who Paints Dungeon Chapter 51

Episode 51

Sergio, who grew up in his grandmother’s care, never saw anyone starve.

‘Students who look like they’re only high school students are forced to work without even eating?’

To be honest, it felt more terrifying than a natural disaster. Natural disasters are natural events that occasionally erupt when the Earth is bored, but if a child is starving, it is a problem caused by humans.

‘I can’t forgive you.’

Geo, who had once been a teacher, felt a great sense of responsibility.

“Does it taste okay?”

“Oh my gosh, it’s so delicious…!!”

“I am glad that you enjoyed the food. You are wonderful.”

Look at that nice meal.

‘I wish I could go out and gain 5kg.’

There was nothing that made me happier than seeing a young student enjoy the food I prepared for him.

‘What a blessing it is to eat so well.’

Geo didn’t notice, but the air in the cabin also became warm, responding to his mood as the master of the forest.

Cha Ara, who was already excited about eating dinner for the first time in her life, quickly realized it.

‘… Oh, something feels lighter.’

The atmosphere at the funeral seemed light, like an intensive care unit.

‘By the way, this is really delicious….’

If Cha Ara, aka the ‘learned hunter’, had been frightened by this strange phenomenon, he would have been frightened.

I had a vague feeling that this cabin was a dungeon, and that the dungeon’s owner was the black cloak in front of me, but it wasn’t very common for a dungeon to change its environment depending on the boss’s mood.

The dungeon that changes according to the boss’s mood is no different from a living creature. In other words, right now, Cha-Ara is eating inside the stomach of a monster called ‘Geo’. If she had known a little more, she would have thought about it that way.

But I was so taken aback by the miraculous kindness that suddenly came to me.

“Even if you only eat rice, it’s really delicious. Hey, is this… is the rice delicious? Or is it because you cooked it well?”

“The rice is ordinary.”

It’s rice made by drawing on the packaging of rice we ate when we lived on Earth. It felt like it was my first time doing art for college entrance exams in a long time, so it felt a bit new.

‘Anyway, there’s nothing better than something delicious to help kids relax.’

Actually, this didn’t seem to be just a story for kids. People who were afraid of Geo due to the influence of the portrait were able to relax a little after receiving a delicious snack. I thought it might be along similar lines.

Geo was determined to fatten up this skinny student.

“If there’s one thing different, it’s that this is rice cooked with broth.”

“Add broth…?”

“I used broth instead of water. It’s a little different in that I used deer bones instead of the more commonly used pork or beef, but to be exact, this rice was made with bone broth.”

“… If it’s bone broth… .”

Isn’t it really expensive?

‘People in the city can eat it if they go to a restaurant, but for people in rural areas like us, if we’re lucky, we have to slaughter a large cow in the village… .’

It felt like a waste of money to use it for cooking rice instead of anything else.

‘What am I eating now?’

I was hungry and the food was delicious, so I ate it without thinking much about it, but wasn’t this a situation that was more extreme than I imagined?

Geo said to Cha Ara, who was secretly sweating.

“Even if it’s not necessarily bone broth, it’s also delicious if you make it with anchovy broth, chicken broth, or vegetable broth. If you don’t like oily things, that would be better.”

“Uh, no, that… .”

“There’s quite a lot of it, so you can eat as much as you want. But you should be careful not to ingest it. I didn’t want to say anything because it seemed like you were chewing it thoroughly, but if you overeat, you’ll get an upset stomach.”

“…thank you.”

Anchovies and chicken are burdensome, but I thought I could make it at home with vegetables that I grew in my garden.

‘I need to make this meal before the youngest goes into the dormitory.’

Because we lived so frugally, it was difficult to even eat rice. The most common foods we ate were baked potatoes or sweet potatoes, and the eggs that the village chief occasionally gave us were considered luxurious.

‘If I just pick some vegetables here and there from the garden, I can do it somehow, but what should I do about rice…?’

Cha Ara muttered to herself and soon gave up on the idea.

“… … .”

Let me enjoy it first.

‘I thought I would starve to death or be eaten by ghosts, but I never thought I would get this lucky.’

Perhaps because her stomach was full, Cha Ara’s tension had eased a lot.

Although I couldn’t completely let go because my opponent was a humanoid monster, I felt relieved at the thought that there was no need to bother poisoning the food when it wasn’t even my rule.

‘In this respect, monsters are more trustworthy than humans.’

At least the monster didn’t deny his own rules. He trusted the monster who had never threatened him and was polite from beginning to end, rather than the human who lied as easily as breathing.

Of course, you shouldn’t trust them. There were monsters that pretended to be kind and deceived humans, making them let their guard down. If you thought of Geo as a monster, it was a mistake you shouldn’t have made.

“… … ?”

“Is there a problem?”

“No, my legs… seem better…”

“ah.”

Geo nodded.

“Have you ever broken a bone?”

“Huh? Oh, yes, I once encountered a monster while moving luggage in a dungeon and my leg broke.”

“The bone broth in the rice you are eating now has the effect of restoring bone abnormalities.”

“Oh… ah… oh… .”

“After you finish your meal, I’ll check to see if your bones have healed before you go home. If not, I think it would be a good idea to give you some soup. I didn’t prepare this meal with the expectation of this effect, but I’m glad it helped.”

“Oh, I see… .”

Who cooks rice with potions?

‘This is how you act inhuman.’

I didn’t know because it looked like a normal dining table.

‘It’s like my bones are all glued together after eating just a few spoonfuls of rice.’

I don’t know for sure since I’m a lowly Chaara, but it would be a fairly high level recovery potion.

It was surprising that they cooked rice with it, when the form itself was a bone soup. I could clearly feel that their way of thinking was different from that of humans.

‘Still… I never thought I’d say this, but it seems like a good monster.’

As she ate the rice, which was so well-cooked that it felt sticky and had every grain of rice crumbling down, Chaara thought, “Those bad guys make bad rice.”

‘Monsters have their own rules, so as long as you don’t break them, it’ll be fine.’

Cha Ara decided to ask outright.

“Excuse me, is there anything I should be careful about when dealing with Mr. Sergio so that he doesn’t feel bad?”

“What should I watch out for?”

“Uh, so… like, don’t make a mess of the house… there are things that Sergio particularly hates or wants you to keep from doing.”

“hmm.”

The monster blinked twice and answered.

“I would appreciate it if you could just observe basic manners.”

“is it so?”

“I don’t really care as long as you don’t commit a crime.”

“Ah, crime… .”

As I felt in the ‘Jewel Vein’ I encountered earlier, it was clear that this monster hated it.

‘I guess you hate rude and bad people.’

And Cha Ara was confident in that direction.

‘I suffered what I got, but I’m not strong enough to bully anyone.’

He was a F-class porter, the lowest class among hunters, openly called a slave class. He had no intention of committing a crime in the first place.

When Cha Ara learned the rules of the monsters, she felt much more at ease. It was something that the weak Cha Ara would never have done.

“… … .”

That doesn’t mean you can completely relax, though.

‘… His actions are very kind and polite… .’

Strangely, it was difficult to treat him comfortably.

‘I know you’re trying to be considerate. And you’ve never been particularly overbearing, so I don’t understand why you’re cowering like this. I feel a strange sense of pressure…’

But Cha Ara was steadfast.

“…Just one more bowl of rice…”

“It’s nice to see you eating well.”

“Oh, it’s me.”

But the food was delicious.

‘Is this the monster my late grandmother sent me? It’s really delicious.’

I think our village chief needs to learn cooking skills.

* * *

“… … .”

Yoo Seong-un felt dizzy.

“I was in trouble, but thank you for helping me.”

“… Oh, no. Just this much.”

“I don’t know much about Korean geography, so I needed help.”

“I’m grateful that you called me.”

I never thought a sane person would pop out from behind this gloomy frame.

“What did Hunter say his name was?”

“Chachachacha…”

“Oh my, you’re so nervous.”

Even Yoo Seong-un, who said that, was nervous. Wasn’t it a situation where he had hastily released Geo due to his own greed and that of the guild leader?

‘… It was fortunate that I had prepared myself mentally in advance. It was a much more peaceful situation than I had imagined.’

Even though it was part of the process of finding a way to coexist, it was right after he gave Geo a list of dungeons he could visit… an action that could be quite harmful to humanity.

I was drinking coffee and staying up all night, thinking that something unexpected might happen. I might hear news that a deserted dungeon had exploded.

‘I thought the association might step in, but it doesn’t seem like it’s that big of an issue. It’s just a person being spit out of a picture frame.’

Still, it was surprising.

‘I never expected it… I never thought it would be connected so openly like this.’

Geo said to Yoo Seong-un, who had come to see him after receiving another indecipherable letter. He said that he had found a young human while playing in the ‘Jewel’s Vein’, and that he felt bad about sending him away alone, so he asked if he could take him home.

When Geo said ‘young human’, I thought for a moment that he was around 10 years old, but thankfully that wasn’t the case.

‘Well, from Geo’s perspective, it might be difficult to figure out what’s young.’

Just as it is difficult for people to estimate a dog’s age, Geo seemed confused as well.

‘If you’re 18, you’re definitely an adult.’

Even if we didn’t know that the Earth’s culturally correct Hunter was an adult, it would be a bit ambiguous to call an 18-year-old young man ‘young’.

Yoo Seong-un rubbed the back of his neck.

“… I think it would be right to bring Mr. Cha Hunter home first. Is there anything I should know?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Okay, then. Let’s continue the conversation when you come back later. Thank you for calling me first.”

After Yoo Seong-un’s greeting, the portrait closed its eyes.

Since it meant that he had nothing more to say, Yoo Seong-un looked back at Cha A-ra without hesitation. He had to take this young hunter home so that he could complete the request that wasn’t really a request.

“Tea Hunter….”

“yes yes?!”

“…ah.”

Yoo Seong-un was a little flustered by the strong reaction, but soon realized something.

“If you don’t mind, may I ask what rank you are in?”

“… … .”

“I know you may feel offended by my sudden request for personal information, but I do not mean it in a bad way.”

“… It’s an F-class…”

“Aha, so that’s why.”

I thought he was a bit overly nervous, but he was definitely too weak of a hunter to be here.

‘There’s no way an F-rank hunter could tolerate the gallery of the Bisabal Guild Master so easily. And this is on the 5th basement floor.’

It was a gallery full of all sorts of dangerous items. Only Hunters with a C-rank were allowed entry. Those below that level were restricted from visiting to protect the Hunters.

‘I didn’t show any consideration because such a weak person would not come in. It’s a very different atmosphere from the association’s research institute where even researchers of the average level can enter through complete control.’

As a former research team leader of the association, Yoo Seong-un said that although they were comparable, each had its own strengths and weaknesses. From the gardener’s perspective, he felt that the association’s research institute was excessively abusing the existence of the source.

In any case, only those employees who can enjoy even a minimal level of communication with such dangerous works can become curators, so it would have been difficult for an F-class hunter with no connection to them to endure.

“I’m sorry, this is the first time a C-rank or lower hunter has come here, so I couldn’t pay attention to you.”

“No, no, no, that….”

“Shall we go out for now? There are a few things I want to ask, but I don’t think it’ll be possible to do so here.”

“Yes, yes, yes, yes… .”

“I’m the curator here, so don’t worry too much. If you stay by my side, you won’t get hurt.”

There were a few works that occasionally gave me a heads up, but I didn’t plan on going near them, so it wasn’t a problem. Yoo Seong-un led the trembling, frightened Hunter Cha Ara to the elevator.

That was when I arrived at the first floor.

“… … .”

“… … .”

Yoo Seong-un almost closed the elevator door again for a moment, but he was able to stop his muscles from moving thanks to the patience of capitalist society.

A giggling Bisabal appeared in front of his eyes. Yoo Seong-un couldn’t help but ask.

“…What are you doing here, Guild Leader?”

“I was watching the CCTV, and I think I caught something really interesting.”

Should I say that in front of the F-class hunter who was trembling pitifully? It must have been hard to be so openly happy, but he really was an amazing person.

‘It is clear that all the consideration that the Guildmaster of the Visabal should have given to humanity went to his own collection.’

Even if this world had fallen into the abyss of human rights, this wasn’t it. Yoo Seong-woon shook his head to protect his guests.

“I don’t want to hear any more. I should be the first to interview Mr. Cha Hunter. You were very nervous because you just came out of the gallery, so it would be awkward if you came out like this.”

“It is very unfortunate, but Curator Yoo Seong-un has no right to stop my enjoyment. No matter how you try to harass me, I am still the guild leader, right?”

“Should I get a promotion?”

“No matter how much I get promoted, I won’t be as good as the guild leader, but I wish I had done it when they told me to.”

“after.”

Yoo Seong-un felt like chewing his tongue, but he couldn’t hand the frightened, pale young hunter over to this crazy hedonist. In that case, he would be at a loss for words to say to Geo.

“… I know, it’s an extremely exceptional situation that has caught the guild master’s interest. But wouldn’t it be enough for me to check first and then report back to you? After all, the guild master is the face of our guild, so if you personally handle small tasks… .”

“Wouldn’t it be comfortable for you guys?”

“Please, have some dignity, please have some dignity.”

It’s a very good thing to do in front of a hunter you’re meeting for the first time.

‘Still, it’s one of the top 3 guilds in Korea, so they’re making an image for cheap.’

Hunter Chaara was unable to accept the situation as it was going and was completely frozen.

It seemed that he had decided to become a handful of air rather than accept this situation, but he was not the type of person to leave his tempting prey alone.

“Okay. You said you were Mr. Tea Hunter, right? What is your name?”

“Cha, Ara… It’s Cha Ara… Please save me…”

“Oh, dear. You’re so scared! No one kills Hunter!”

The thought, ‘Why would you kill such an interesting person?’ was written plainly on his face. It was more like the eyes of a viewer watching a wonderful relic or a meaningful movie than a human being.

It seemed like only Yu Seong-un noticed, but Cha Ara slowly hid behind Yu Seong-un.

‘… I was also wary of you when we first met, but I thought I would be safer than that human. Should I call that wise…?’

Yoo Seong-un hid her out of pity. But that didn’t mean he could avoid the situation where the guild leader was holding the elevator button in his building.

“… … .”

Now that it has come to this, it has become difficult to get this poor hunter away.

“… I was planning to go to the interview room… .”

“Shall we go together?”

“… I see.”

It seemed that the only way to stop the meteor shower was to block it from the center as much as possible.

Geoya, you tried hard.

* * *

The visa was excited.

“Then, come on Hunter.”

“Yes, yes, yes.”

“Can you tell me what happened?”

“I just, nothing….”

“I don’t want to blame Hunter Chaara.”

This was quite a surprise.

“I am just amazed.”

Oh my, the being of origin is embracing a human? And a weak F-class at that.

‘Contrary to what Curator Yoo Seong-un said, who prefers the appearance of overweight humans, Hunter Cha Ara is on the thin side. No, was it rather a choice to gain weight? Aside from the fact that she looks quite innocent, she is not a particularly special porter, but perhaps it is this innocent side that catches Geo’s interest.’

The yellow eyes of the visage gleamed.

‘Is it really necessary to have an innocent lamb rather than a sinner? Considering Geo’s innocent nature, there would have been no need to offer pure blood like when dealing with traditional evil spirits, but if a good, young human had been offered from the beginning, a more certain response would have been obtained… .’

Bisabal thought of Yoo Seong-un, who had reported to him after the portrait and tour. He had been a little disappointed because Geo’s first experience with human society had ended too smoothly, but this bait of visiting Earth’s dungeons seemed surprisingly successful.

‘Is it because he is the original being that he moves more actively in the dungeon? Since Geo has a fair amount of favor towards the human race itself, it may be inevitable that he becomes active in places where there are few humans who are easily frightened by his status. That is an interesting story in its own way.’

Portraits that arbitrarily draw humans into frames and then spit them out, no matter what the meaning, could not help but be sweet to collectors.

Visabal’s smile deepened.

“Please explain how the painting ended up on the other side of the frame, what happened inside, and why you met the monster wearing a black cloak.”

I’m already looking forward to hearing what an interesting story he’ll tell.

“Would you please do that?”

“…yes….”

“thank you.”

Bisabal was very curious as to what artistic miracle this worthless hunter had managed to survive.