The Artist Who Paints Dungeon Chapter 22

Episode 22

Yoo Seong-un asked the guild leader for help.

“help.”

“Hey, what is it?”

“I came to practice sharing.”

“Am I a neighborhood bookworm?”

As soon as 9 o’clock in the morning, Yoo Seong-un went to Bisabal and was holding a large glass jar in his hand. The jar was so large that even Bisabal, who had been visited out of nowhere, was immediately drawn to it.

“You have unique tastes, Curator Yoo Seong-un. This is a rare item.”

“Ah, you already know everything, so please don’t stab me and help me.”

“Is that so?”

Visabal immediately realized that the jar was filled with fruit syrup, despite the sealed entrance, and that it was probably Geo who had given it to him.

“Have you tried feeling it?”

“I did it as soon as I got it from Geo.”

“What’s the grade?”

“It is still unknown.”

“Oh, like that.”

Moon.

Bisabal stared at the fruit juice placed on the table.

“… … .”

“Can you see anything?”

“It’s very good for your health.”

“I don’t think it’ll be that good, but I guess I’ll take it.”

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

“If you eat too much, you won’t be able to sleep. No matter how much of a cog in a capitalist society you are, slaves are also human and need to sleep.”

“It would be a great reputation if you gave it to employees who work overtime or guards who come in the early morning.”

“Then we’ll be taken over by the Portrait Society. No matter how tight-lipped they are, information can still leak out.”

“I know, I’m just trying to control myself.”

Visabal laughed heartily.

“Above all, Geo should not be treated as an item dispenser.”

“That part….”

Yoo Seong-un, who had been chewing on Bisabal’s words, soon nodded in satisfaction.

“I’m glad you’re paying attention.”

It was a ‘Portrait of Geo’ whose identity is still unknown.

It would be a way to extend the lifespan of humans to be as alert and conscious as possible, without being overly afraid.

“Even if the effect is secondary, the appearance itself looks divine, so it would be well-received if you donated it to the temple.”

“Yes, well, I heard it’s especially good for malnutrition. I don’t know how it feels since I’m not in that condition.”

“If you talk about nutrition, I would especially like the Temple of the Sun. At this level, even the poor on the verge of mummification could be saved.”

“Since it is welcomed by the Sun Church, I can tell that it is definitely an item that gives off warm energy. Is it really that effective?”

“It’s a concentrate, so wouldn’t it be a great help to the dungeon exploration team if we each took just one spoonful?”

The exploration team is not sent to conquer the dungeon, but rather to find missing people or figure out the dungeon’s structure. Since it is impossible to escape in a short period of time, a lot of food is consumed.

The problem is that, because the dungeon environment is what it is, you can’t take too much. Because of that, it was common to take mostly tasteless nutritional food or potions.

“It looks delicious, and since it’s a concentrate, a small amount is enough, and since it’s in the form of a fruit tea, it’s easy to consume like a potion.”

“… … .”

“It’s a burden to enjoy privately, to the point that the government would impose regulations if it were to become known to the public.”

“I see.”

“But unfortunately, on a global scale, we will have to enjoy it in private.”

Visabal laughed like a foolish young man.

“You can’t sell it, right?”

“Oh, absolutely not.”

It is a gift from the source of existence. If he finds out that it is being sold at auction without permission, the hatred and resentment that Yoo Seong-un will have to endure will be more than he can bear.

That was the ‘rule’.

“I think this every time, but the government is too lax in its vigilance about the root cause.”

It’s been 31 years since the catastrophe. It wasn’t a short time, but it wasn’t that long either.

Unlike dungeons where it is easy to detect abnormalities, it may be inevitable that the government’s understanding of the source of the indifference towards humans is significantly low.

“This president is quite concerned, and there are probably people who don’t know about this source… but in reality, it is not reflected in society.”

Yoo Seong-un let out a frustrated sigh.

“It would be good if safety precautions were implemented not only in the dungeon but also in the direction of the source. It’s very sad to see people or their bereaved families die without knowing the cause of death from the source’s children. There’s also a limit to what the gardeners can do.”

“It’s not even been properly revealed yet, and for now, isn’t the dungeon on the surface the biggest threat? It can’t be helped that we’re more concerned about the dungeon that causes trouble than the source that doesn’t cause any trouble if left alone. And we’re short on manpower.”

“Even though it’s like only eating the rind of a watermelon.”

“The fact that there are few people who can detect the source may also play a role.”

Unlike dungeons that can be seen and recognized by anyone, and the monsters that call them home, the so-called ‘Children of Origin’ are difficult for most people to detect.

There have been many theories so far, but the most widely supported theory is that it is because it is a ‘realm that cannot be perceived by the human body’. That is why only a small number of humans who have evolved or changed as the Earth’s environment changes can see the ‘children of the origin’.

“I think it was said that even if you are a suitable person, you cannot see all the children of the origin.”

“Yes, this is also a kind of talent. Just as everyone has different hearing abilities, there are children that everyone with aptitude can see, while there are also children that everyone cannot see.”

“Your story is always fascinating to hear.”

“There is also a hypothesis that the fewer children who can see, the closer they are to the source. There must be a child somewhere that even I cannot see.”

“It’s certainly a creepy story when there’s danger right around the corner and no one can see it.”

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

Yoo Seong-un sighed.

“I was whining in frustration, but honestly, I don’t think it would matter if the citizens still don’t know about the source. They don’t care about humans.”

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

“Yes, of course there are exceptions… but since they’re not as aggressive as monsters, the damage they take is probably less.”

This rarity was also one of the reasons why the children of the origin were unknown until now.

“Well, anyway.”

“yes.”

“I guess I have to eat this.”

“Yes.”

“It’s a thick concentrate and there’s a lot of it, so it’s a bit much for us to just eat it by ourselves.”

“…Are you planning to call another scapegoat?”

“I guess I’ll have to call the HR team.”

The HR team is made up of the most vocal people in the guild, just like the secretary team. This is because they have to take care of everything from the overall guild members to carrying out secret orders from the guild leader, Bisabal.

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

“That may be true, but….”

“I’ve been working overtime lately and I’m feeling a bit out of it.”

“You even cracked my cookies.”

“I’ll lie and say that this is an item I purchased separately.”

“Thank you for that. I don’t know if it’s an excuse that will work with those smart people though.”

“Hey, everyone is aware of this, so they’ll just keep quiet. They’re employees who hate extra work more than dying.”

“Well, that’s because I only gathered those kinds of people… .”

Yoo Seong-un breathed a sigh of relief.

‘… I don’t think Geo would mind that much, that he shared it with his colleagues.’

Of course, the rules of origin are not something that can be passed over in this way. There were often cases where it became poisonous when consumed by someone other than the designated person.

‘But in the first place, Geo… .’

I definitely want to share this with ‘you all’.

‘That’s what I said.’

This was meant for all the staff of this guild.

“… … .”

“I hope there won’t be any problems?”

“Yes, I recalled it, but it is a gift for all employees, including me.”

“Well, I guess that’s why they gave you such a large jar. It’s too much for you to eat alone, Mr. Yoo Seong-un.”

“Actually, I think I just gave it to him without thinking about that part….”

Because he has such big hands.

“It’s funny how we know what the right amount of source is for human beings.”

“But didn’t Curator Yoo Seong-un say that he has memories from when he was human?”

“I have it, but I don’t expect it to be perfect.”

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

Geo, a young man who died at the age of 29 or was set to die that way. Perhaps that is the memory that ‘Portrait of Geo’ holds.

“But the thing to think about here is, then, why is the portrait defined as ‘geo’?”

It wasn’t built by humans.

“It’s a name defined by the source.”

The skills used by the Awakened, or Hunters, are all aided by the Source. This time around, it was the same.

The source, which could be considered a kind of god or a dimensional system, gave that name to a portrait located in the basement of a building, in a country, on a planet.

“So the name of the portrait is ‘Gio’ and not ‘Sergio’. Then, isn’t that different from your claim?”

“Perhaps… it means that what the source judged and Geo’s memories do not match?”

“That’s right. The names we’re talking about here aren’t ones we gave ourselves or other humans to other humans. They’re names for our essence.”

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

“In other words, the name displayed in the system is the essence of the object evaluated by the source, so it is not something that can be easily ignored by mere humans.”

“So that name is right there for Geo?”

“It’s written so that anyone can interpret it. Whether it’s a low-level emotion skill or a high-level emotion skill like the guild master, they’re all names that can be recognized….”

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

“you’re right.”

Yoo Seong-un waved his hands as if he was cutting something with scissors.

“The source blocked it, saying, ‘You shouldn’t read this.’ It only revealed one thing: the name ‘Geo.’”

“It’s almost like a story about God.”

“They say that anyone who receives the gaze of God goes mad.”

Yoo Seong-un did not deny it.

“The source is generally friendly to humans. No, it is friendly to everything it contains. That is why it sometimes appears indifferent.”

“… … .”

“If he had only been kind to humans, one of his children, Dungeon, would never have been born. However, he helps all his children fight equally.”

Such a distant arrogance is certainly worthy of being called a ‘god’, although the gods of today’s generation are far from being omnipotent.

“It is a portrait of the self that defines the source of such danger, which should not be delved into directly.”

“… … .”

“…it could really be God. Or it could be something more than that. Something that humans simply cannot define.”

It is something that is deluding itself into thinking it is human.

“… … .”

“… I wonder how surprising it would be in a world like today to have something with the characteristics of a god, but anyway…”

Yoo Seong-un let out a deep sigh.

“It’s just a guess. It’s not a monster, it’s not an item, and it doesn’t seem to be one of the children of the Origin, so all sorts of strange hypotheses can come to mind.”

“I thought it was a realistic hypothesis. Priests already worship gods, and there are gods in this world who enjoy playing. It is possible that there are gods who enjoy interacting with humans.”

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

“Hmm, is that so?”

“It would be better for us to think of Geo as an ordinary human being. Since the source is a ‘living story,’ the level of danger changes depending on how people perceive the subject.”

“That’s really amazing.”

The visa versa was very interesting.

“Don’t these kinds of children of origins appear mostly in Japan? Is it because there are so many gods in the country? There are so many children of origins that influence reality. What kind of changes would occur if we started believing in a god called Geo?”

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

“As expected, a living story is scary. But the moment you learn more about it or add additional settings, it becomes even scarier… Accidents are especially frequent in cultures that like mythology, right?”

“Don’t think strangely. What kind of disaster is this guy trying to cause…?”

Yoo Seong-un muttered with a tired face and returned to his usual indifferent expression.

“Anyway, I think Geo’s memories are incomplete. His essence related to the origin is something or other… Aside from that, the fact that he thinks he’s human and yet has no change in his own state or abilities proves it.”

No, Geo just didn’t have any thoughts.

However, the ridiculous indifference that ended his change with something like ‘I was human, but I died and came back to life after 31 years, so I evolved into a portrait’ supported Yoo Seong-un’s claim. People usually don’t act that insensitive to their own bodies.

“If he had been a proper human being, he would have felt fear at his own condition. He had become a portrait from a human being, so it would have been impossible not to feel strangeness or disgust from that point on. Furthermore, it would have been impossible for him not to have been intoxicated by the omnipotence of being able to create everything except humans… That would have been absurd for a human being.”

And that ridiculous story actually happened. Geo’s miraculous insensibility shone through in such an absurd way.

“It’s a situation that cannot exist with human sensibility.”

“It’s definitely not ordinary.”

“Well, I don’t know much about the origin. I’m not sure if he was a human who belonged to the origin, or if some being from the origin took on human form.”

“hmm….”

“But Geo, apart from answering questions obediently, is not good at telling his own story.”

Again, Geo had no idea. He wasn’t the type of person to dwell on the past, and along similar lines, it didn’t even occur to him that Yoo Seong-un would be curious about his past.

“Although he calls himself a human, Geo accepts quite naturally the things that humans cannot do.”

This is also a misunderstanding. I am just living so thoughtlessly that I have not yet fully grasped the situation. Geo, who is enjoying his life like a hurricane, does not have any headaches. He is busy just enjoying his life.

Of course, even if he had figured out the situation, Geo would have been shocked for about 5 seconds and then immediately thought about what to eat for lunch. He was a man of this era who would not allow anyone to pour cold water on his refreshing and soft brain.

“Usually I’m not that calm.”

“That’s right.”

“Isn’t it strange that he has the power to commit mass genocide and cause natural disasters right now and doesn’t care?”

I keep repeating the same story, but I just haven’t thought about it that far. For Geo, the trials and tribulations of life were just the menu for his three meals a day.

Geo originally thought that his superhuman abilities were just the power to ‘make food with pictures’. He never even thought that this power was a threat to humanity.

Geo was a great man who could say, ‘Why would you do something like that when you could make sweet potatoes with this?’

“I don’t think humans are such great creatures.”

It was that big. Geo’s clear-headed way of thinking, which never let in anything bad, had the talent of only letting in ‘information’ among ‘serious information’.

Geo didn’t really care about anything other than the fact that he had evolved into a portrait and that he could make a living by doing so. He was just living a bumbling life.

Of course, it was an unimaginable situation for ordinary people, so they were still serious.

“There is a lot of information that we as humans do not know.”

“… … .”

“Then, in many ways, there must be a gap between your thoughts and reality… .”

“And yet Geo claims that he is human?”

“It may be that he knows the reality but is trying to deny it.”

It was just that I wasn’t fully adapted to the world I live in now, 31 years later. Just like a 90-year-old might stutter when using a kiosk.

But Yoo Seong-un came to his own conclusion.

“In that case, it would be a hint at the level of self-brainwashing, so it would not be good for us to be the first to ask about Geo’s identity.”

“It’s still interesting.”

He looked at the meteor cloud as if he was jealous of the visa. He spoke in a sly tone like a child who wanted to eat more ice cream from the freezer.

“I’d like to have a conversation too….”

“okay.”

“Please help me arrange this.”

“I guess it’s a bit too much.”

“Oh, why?”

“Geo hates it.”

“You don’t hate me, do you?”

“I’m stressed.”

Yoo Seong-un shook his head firmly.

“It was the guild master who entrusted Geo to me. I have a duty to protect Geo’s condition. Geo needs sufficient care as long as he considers himself human.”

“Are you saying that I am not a person fit for that care?”

“Then will it suit you?”

“As expected of Curator Yoo Seong-un. He never spits out nonsense.”

“…under….”

In the end, he himself doesn’t refute it.

‘It’s fortunate that you have some conscience.’

Yoo Seong-un smiled bitterly.

“As before, we need to know more about Geo. We don’t know what he is, or his exact way of thinking, or if there are any other rules.”

“First of all, since he is someone I brought here, please treat him well. All I wish is for ‘Portrait of Geo’ to be satisfied with the service provided by my gallery.”

Visabal nodded.

“Please help me continue to think of myself as a human being.”

“It is a great burden, but I will try my best for the peace of mankind.”

That’s why Yoo Seong-un had an idea.

“… I plan to take Geo on a trip outside the company soon.”

The portrait where Geo was staying was a space too alien to be inhabited by humans.

Geo says that he doesn’t want to break away from his human image, and that he just ‘remains a portrait’… but if he continues to stay in it, he will eventually realize his true nature.

“We are very lucky that Geo still thinks he is human. We need to keep him in that delusion if possible. To do that, we need to put Geo among humans.”

“If you want to hide a tree, go into the forest?”

“… Isn’t it a little different? Anyway, if a humane environment is created, that illusion will last a long time. In that sense, I plan to show Geo around the inside of the city.”

“What is the risk?”

“… … .”

Yoo Seong-un averted his eyes.

“… I guess I have to be careful.”

“Is that okay?”

“What can I do? Rather than waiting for Geo to realize his true nature and explode, it would be better to try something.”

“It’s such a bold choice that I can’t believe it was made by Curator Yoo Seong-un. Of course, I agree.”

“I also realize that I am taking a risky gamble. I just decided it was necessary.”

I don’t know because I haven’t seen a meteor cloud properly yet, but isn’t it a portrait that can make people faint just by making eye contact?

“Geo is very considerate of people. He is gentlemanly and polite. Among the employees I’ve encountered so far, no one has died… In reality, there are few hunters who are as intimidating as Geo.”

“If an S-class suddenly appears, it’ll be a headache if it’s revealed to the media. These days, with celebrities and idols, the rivalry between hunters has gotten stronger, so once word gets out, it’ll spread like wildfire.”

“That might be better. It would be easier to disguise yourself as a hunter. After all, you could fit Geo into human standards.”

“… … .”

“The risk level of the children of the origin varies depending on the size of the story they contain. If Geo’s ‘story’ is reduced to a human level, the safety increases.”

Yoo Seong-un sighed.

“… that is, if Geo had given his permission.”

“What do you think?”

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

“That’s why I gave you extra money.”

“It’s like a fu*king capitalist society.”

Yoo Seong-woon said after thinking for a moment.

“Can you please tell your employees not to be so afraid of Geo?”

“Would that work? Is my brain melting from caffeine? Is it canned and not functioning?”

“Why are you being so harsh? I was asking you to at least make some rules.”

He looked embarrassed.

“Geo felt uncomfortable because everyone he met stiffened so much. He judged them to be rude.”

“… … .”

“There is a limit to how much we can tell Geo not to be offended, so we humans should also try our best to be ‘polite’ towards him.”

“…hmm….”

Visabal nodded.

“If it’s just about regulating behavior, I guess it’ll work out somehow.”

“Is it possible?”

“There is nothing I can’t do.”

This is a collector’s country. There is nothing he cannot do.

This is the power that a guild leader in modern society can enjoy.