The Artist Who Paints Dungeon Chapter 1

Episode 1

I became a picture.

“… … .”

This is not a memorial photo, it’s a real painting.

“… … .”

It also fell into the middle of a cabin in the forest.

“…Should I consider it as returning to farming?”

I was treated like a possessed portrait while living a normal life, but it was fun so it was okay.

* * *

Sergio was an art teacher.

If we were to explain why he, a respectable member of society, became a portrait possessed by a ghost, it was because Sergio, unable to escape the burning school in time, was trapped in the art room and became absorbed in his own painting.

“… … .”

It’s true.

“If I was going to die anyway, I wanted to die in my favorite place.”

That was the art warehouse, the place where the landscape painting of the cabin in the woods was kept, the place that eventually made him a talking picture.

“As I live, I have had experiences like this.”

Geo sat on the bench and took in the scenery in the painting.

“… … .”

The air is mild.

The sound of birds chirping in harmony, as if they were singing in a choir. The spring breeze is light and soft like swaying silk.

Jewel-like sunlight streaming through the lush leaves. The right temperature and the thick scent of the forest, as if soaked in dew… .

“hmm.”

It was peaceful.

“Good.”

It’s been about a week since I came to my senses in the cabin in this picture.

‘I’m not sure exactly how long I’ve been here because the flow of time has been so irregular…’

It’s natural for a resident to inspect a new home. Geo has figured out a few little rules in this picture.

First of all, everything he draws here becomes real.

“… … .”

Sergio, who was observing the apple I had drawn, put it down. The ripe apple had a nice scent.

I was proud.

‘I am free from food expenses.’

As expected, I am special.

It was very welcome news to Sergio, who was a possessed portrait artist, a gourmet and a glutton.

If you draw an apple, it becomes a real apple. If you draw a bag of salt, it becomes real salt. The same goes for kitchen utensils other than food, such as pots and spatulas, and plants, such as flowers and trees.

‘One thing that everyone might be wondering at this point.’

People can’t draw.

I tried to draw a human being with watercolors, thinking I might be the first to do so, but all I got was a warm corpse, not a living, moving human being.

“It’s fortunate that the limits are clear.”

Geo was scared. For him, who values friendship, peace, and love, the ability to create humanity would only be detrimental.

Above all, Sergio’s dream was closer to that of a building owner than a creator.

‘I was relieved that I didn’t have any powers that would ruin the cuteness and elegance of my life.’

And the second rule.

“… … .”

Geo’s gaze fell on a picture frame hanging on a wooden pole.

“Is it like a front door?”

Through the frame, Geo could see the scenery outside.

“It may be because of the importance of communication that tells us not to grow old alone.”

It was also possible to interact with reality and go outside the picture at will. Compared to the many haunted portraits Sergio knew, it had a high degree of freedom.

‘It’s me after all.’

Even if you become a painter, you can’t go down the same path as others.

Geo was very satisfied with his uniqueness, which was unprecedented in human history. It seemed that there were not two such things in the world. If there were, it would be fate, so it was even better.

“… … .”

Anyway, leaving that aside.

“… There seems to be no reason to go out into this smoky society and start a new life.”

Why bother leaving this clean area?

“In just a few years, a lot has changed from what I remember….”

It was a bitter thing to mutter at the ripe old age of 29, but that was the reality. It had already been about 30 years since the fire.

‘Exactly 31 years.’

After realizing this, Geo leisurely returned to the painting. This talking potato was not confident in adapting to the new society.

“It’s probably been a long time since you were reported dead, so why would you leave here and subject yourself to some kind of biological experiment?”

I didn’t want to suffer needlessly when I had this peaceful house where I didn’t even have to pay for food, rent, or electricity.

“I’m a little worried about the kids in my class… The world has changed so much, I don’t know how they’re all doing.”

31 years ago, when the fire happened, the Earth seemed to have turned upside down.

‘Call it a catastrophe.’

From that day on, the world seemed to have changed completely.

When he saw the unbelievable sight of a businessman in a suit wielding a bow and fighting a monster as big as a house, Geo, who was extremely scared, meekly recognized his identity as a drawing.

“That might happen as you live.”

Even if this body dies and is reborn a hundred times, and my bones are not dust and my soul is still intact, I still prefer the peaceful and comfortable life of a haunted portrait to the modern society where I am at odds with monsters.

“There are many different ways of life in the world, and one of them is the life of a portrait… .”

And at this point, let’s discuss the third story.

“…hmm.”

This forest is another ecosystem.

“Should I go collecting?”

Geo took a sturdy basket with him. He planned to bring a lot of food.

‘All I drew was a two-story cabin and the forest surrounding it, but as I wandered around, I found plants and terrain features that I had never drawn before.’

It seemed like it was created based on Geo’s imagination.

“… … .”

Rustle.

“hi.”

“Beep.”

“okay.”

Geo watched as a rabbit jumped out of the bushes and rubbed against his feet.

‘It’s small.’

It was much smaller and rounder than the common Korean rabbits, which seemed to reflect Sergio’s preference for small, harmless things.

‘I like it.’

I liked the fact that it seemed like it couldn’t hurt me, and that Sergio himself could win if they fought seriously.

‘Is it because I, the owner of the painting, am harmless that only harmless creatures are placed there? That’s a plausible guess… .’

After that, creatures that were slightly different from reality occasionally passed by Geo.

A squirrel with round, puffy cheeks. A sparrow with fluffy feathers like it’s winter. A deer with jewel-like, clear eyes and a slender neck… .

“… … .”

Geo thought.

Fourth rule.

“… Even though it’s our first meeting, he’s so kind. He must recognize me as his father.”

All beings in this picture show favor to Geo.

‘Is it because I drew this place?’

Even though it was a painting, Geo was still a painter, and this world was also a work of art he created.

‘It might be natural that the guys living in such a work would be friendly to me, their master.’

Geo walked in the opposite direction of the stream.

“… I’m a freeloader with nothing to do, so I’ll go find a sunny spot and take a nap.”

He was on his way to the spring that was the source of this vast forest.

‘It would be better if you collect some on the way.’

Sergio was still a gourmet and a glutton. He could eat as much as he wanted and sleep as much as he wanted, though he was not hungry or sleepy.

‘If I eat too much, I feel bloated, or if I can’t fall back to sleep right after I’ve had a good night’s sleep… But it seems like I’m still maintaining my basic lifestyle pattern.’

Anyway, being able to eat as much as you want was a huge advantage.

“…ah.”

Geo, who was following the stream in the opposite direction, found some red, round berries.

“This would be perfect as a snack.”

It was a thin tree, barely 2m tall, with branches that were bent like overturned plates. The thin branches were full of fruits the size of beads sold at stationery stores.

The berries were spread out in a mound on long branches, and their shape was more similar to a cherry tree than a grape tree.

“If you dry it in the sun, it might have a texture similar to raisins… .”

At that moment, Geo’s ‘system’ explained the small, red fruit.

Mung bean fruit

It is red in color. It is sweet and sour, and mainly sweet. It is a spherical fruit with a diameter of 1 cm at the smallest and 2 cm at the largest.

Method of preparation: Make a paste by mixing the dried fruit into powder and the juice of the lulupu, and then make a dumpling. Dry it in a dark place for more than a week. It is a good medicine for bleeding and recovery.

“… If you could give me a little notice and come out…”

Rule number five.

“… Yeah, I guess this will take some getting used to. Time will heal the wound.”

Actually, this is the rule of this forest, but… Sergio seems to have awakened. It’s a phenomenon that appears in people with superpowers after the ‘Great Calamity’.

It was strange that the people of Earth now call those with superpowers ‘hunters’.

‘That’s how I became a person with superpowers.’

What should I say?

“It’s like a game.”

I felt like I was dropped into a healing game of gathering and cooking.

‘I guess I should say that it was fortunate that I was able to easily accept this unfamiliar environment thanks to that feeling.’

It wasn’t about escaping from reality by saying that this was a game. It was just about ‘being in a harmless and convenient environment like a game, so it’s easy to adapt to.’

“…hmm….”

Geo reread the system and checked the basket. There was still a lot of space left.

“…Should I put in more?”

He picked the berries so hard that the bottom of the basket turned red. Then he separated the berries by making spaces between them with large, clean leaves.

It was to make space for other forage items to be placed, and thanks to that, I was able to find another herb not long after.

“What was that?”

A small flower that resembles an orchid.

Bye Bye Bye Bye

It has a light blue color. It has a soft vanilla cream scent. It is edible when boiled in hot water for 10 minutes. It blooms in the place where the forest butterfly of ‘Forest of Oblivion’ died. The petals resemble the wings of the forest butterfly.

Method of preparation: Blanch in hot water to remove toxicity, then dry in a dark place for 10 days. If dried on the leaves of the Dorong Dorong tree, the medicinal effect increases. If you steep the dried flowers on low heat for a day, you can use it as a medicinal tea with a good aroma. It is excellent for stopping bleeding, restoring immunity, and increasing it.

‘The taste was quite different, but at least the texture was similar to well-cooked spinach.’

You might wonder what spinach with a vanilla cream flavor is, but it was surprisingly good to eat. It was good to eat as a snack after boiling it once.

‘The texture is also fun because it’s soft enough to be crushed like a ripe chestnut when you mash it with your tongue.’

By the way, ‘dorongdorong’ refers to a tree in this forest that is as plump as a baobab tree but much shorter.

The round, curled leaves are plump and sticky like water-filled balloons, and since there was a deciduous tree like this near the hut, Geo could easily obtain the leaves.

“Just in case.”

Geo continued to gather diligently. It was necessary to gather over a wide area, as not only food was needed, but also medicine for emergencies.

Geo, who continued collecting like that, arrived at the spring that was the source of the stream.

“… … .”

Todok.

Uruk… .

“… … .”

Spring water trapped in pure white tree roots, as if collecting sunlight and moonlight.

Between the springs, which sparkled as transparently as glass, there were flowers blooming as thin and beautiful as silk made of jewels. They were abundant flowers that somehow resembled lotus flowers.

“With this… .”

Lulupu

A flower with a rich bud. It can only grow in clean water, and uses that water to bloom. A fully bloomed Lulupu will retain its shape even if it is broken. However, it can only extract juice from the petals if it touches warm water. It is edible, but has no taste other than a strong scent.

Method: Place the petals in warm, edible water and wait until they dissolve and release juice. Never touch the process. The resulting juice can be used with various medicines.

Available recipes: Blood balls using mandarin oranges and rurupu juice.

“If I make medicine, I’ll probably use it someday.”

Toouk.

I put the basket down.

‘I don’t think I’ll ever use it, but I was bored anyway… .’

He thought it was very suitable for new content, so he washed his hands clean in the spring water and reached out to the lulupu flower.

Geo cut the flower stem with his characteristically blunt and gloomy face. The way he handled the flower was quite delicate, unlike his dull expression.

‘It would be fun to take it by the roots, but this isn’t the type of plant I usually grow… . Since it’s a flower made of water, I can’t tell where the roots begin and end. I have to be careful because if I try to do it recklessly and the population decreases, I’ll be disappointed.’

The Rurupu he picked was already a fully bloomed flower, so it didn’t flow out like water. This meant that Geo had picked the flower correctly.

“It smells good.”

Geo carefully placed the flower buds into the basket.

There were about 20 flowers blooming in the spring, but I picked only three just in case. The petals themselves were so large and plentiful like lotus flowers that picking several seemed like a waste.

‘The stem is quite sturdy, but is there any other way to use it? It feels like fiber, and if you tear it lengthwise into small pieces, it looks like it will peel off like threads… .’

Within, Geo had collected all the flowers.

“I think this is enough.”

Geo decided to slowly get a feel for the exact dosage while making the medicine, and put the basket of flowers back on the floor.

Then I admired the well.

“… … .”

Choke,

Uruk… .

“… … .”

The sound of shallow, transparent water flowing.

A clear scent from a clean spring.

The forest air feels humid.

“… Good.”

This well, which existed even though I didn’t draw it, was more beautiful than I could have imagined.

The tree, already dead but still standing strong, was shining white and resembled expensive Carrara marble.

Between the trees, whose veins were so complex that the sky could be faintly seen through them, a clear spring flowed out, breaking the golden sunlight.

‘It looks like pearls have been spread thinly.’

The tree’s sap hardened and turned into jewels. Before it died, it secreted sap, and large, plate-shaped jewels with a pale blue tint were sticking out from the tree like mushrooms.

It was a transparent, turquoise-colored thing, like a large jeweled dish. It held sun-drenched spring water and gave off a gentle glow.

“… … .”

Crunch… .

The spring water flowed sequentially along the jewel plate.

From the highest point, one by one, the jewel plates struck with a bright sound like jade beads at dawn. If you listened closely, it felt like you were hearing the song of a butterfly.

The sunlight streaming through the leaves of the forest scattered and illuminated the marble-like trees, making it feel like a temple.

“… … .”

The spring water that flowed down like that collected in the roots of a dead tree, creating a shallow well.

The spring water overflowed from there and spread throughout the forest, and the surrounding area was lit up by butterflies with wings like sunlight. They looked just like fireflies.

Fireflies that can be seen even during the day.

“That’s cool.”

The spring, which had a huge tree towering high into the sky, looked like a huge pond.

‘… There is a saying that good water gives off a fragrance, but does that also apply to water this clean?’

The air surrounding this place was sweet and fragrant, as if I were lying down on a field of flowers. Perhaps the scent of the Rurupu petals was coloring the spring water.

“… … .”

also….

“People should return to farming.”

Geo liked it here.

He settled down among the soft moss like a blanket and slowly took a sip of water.

* * *

“It’s here.”

An art warehouse in a now forgotten abandoned school.

A man in the portrait hanging there had his eyes quietly closed.

“Look at this picture.”

“Wow, how did you stay like this without getting on?”

“It’s in good condition… Will it count as an achievement if I take this?”

“I think there is a title for the piece.”

“It even has a name? It was an item.”

Now, the last rule.

Geo became a painting.

“… … .”

“It’s called ‘Portrait of Geo.’”

That much was clear.

“It’s comfortable hanging out with someone with emotional skills… But is this really Earth-friendly?”

“Would an ordinary portrait be this clean in a closed school like this, in the mountains at that? And there’s no one to take care of it?”

“I guess that’s true.”

“Of course it’s an item that flowed in from some dungeon. There are many other dungeons nearby.”

“Anyway, I think the collectors would like it. They’re crazy about this kind of thing, aren’t they?”

While Geo was sleeping like that.

The entrance to the painting was changing randomly.