NOTICE: Many of the novels have been removed because they might cause violations, which we were not aware of earlier.
Episode 59
“Were you a foreigner?”
“uh?”
Yoo Seong-un asked back at Geo’s words.
“What does that mean?”
On the way back after finishing the first initiation ceremony and parting ways with the Cha family, Yoo Seong-woon tilted his head at Geo’s unexpected muttering. He didn’t understand exactly what Geo was asking.
“A foreigner.”
“The blond priest I saw at the initiation ceremony briefing earlier….”
“Oh, you said something.”
Geo was oddly old-fashioned. He had the old-fashioned common sense of a grandfather, but he seemed to worry that he might have been racist without realizing it.
He was polite and gentlemanly in everything he did. He really didn’t worry about anything.
“That person must be Korean. You’re just confused because he looks a little different from traditional Koreans.”
“You’re Korean. You have blond hair and blue eyes, and your bone structure is a bit different from the Koreans I know, so I thought you were a foreigner from the West. Was that rude?”
“It’s a bit of an old mindset.”
“I will be careful.”
“I can’t help but not know since I’ve been locked in a frame all this time.”
Moreover, from the perspective of a being of origin, it would have been a bit difficult to distinguish between human nationalities. Just as it would be difficult for a person without specialized knowledge to distinguish between all the different types of ants.
‘More than anything, the existence of the source has the side of believing in the rules of humans once they have figured them out…’
The existence of the source does not quite understand human exceptionalism.
There were some guys who couldn’t understand why I didn’t eat three meals a day, and there were guys who couldn’t understand why I didn’t have hair, which is supposed to be there.
‘Isn’t this what humans should be like?’
Rather, it could be said that Geo was great in distinguishing them to the extent of defining them as ‘foreigners of the West.’ In this case, it seems that his superficial knowledge was rather poisonous… .
“Of course, the traditional Korean appearance is generally black hair and black or brown eyes. The bone structure is also a bit different. However, these days, it’s a bit… difficult to distinguish nationality based on hair color or bone structure.”
In order to make the being of origin understand humans, it was good to tell them the flow that originated from its origin. Yoo Seong-un began to tell the old story again.
“You seem to know about the Great Disaster, but I think the Earth was turned upside down once during the Great Disaster. I don’t know exactly what it felt like since it wasn’t my generation, but it must have been much more chaotic than it is now. It must have been like an apocalypse.”
“… … .”
“…Do you know what an apocalypse is…?”
“I know.”
“Oh, that’s great.”
I think it might have been one of the memories that the human personality called ‘Sergio’ knew.
“Anyway, back then, the concept of borders was vague. To be precise, it had become vague. People started to migrate here and there to escape the disasters in their own countries, and as a result, the entire Earth began to mix with various races like a giant salad bowl.”
Because of this, it has become rare to find someone who is considered an ‘authentic Korean’.
“If you were to say pure-blooded Koreans, in our country, you would only find them in very rare places where there is very little interaction with other regions. Some old-fashioned elders are extremely resistant to the idea of their children mixing with foreign blood…”
“There are people like that everywhere.”
“There are always people who hate change. That’s why it’s hard to figure out someone’s nationality just by their appearance. But that blond priest you mentioned is probably Korean, considering he’s even hosting this kind of event.”
“You don’t entrust the event to a foreign priest?”
“No, rather… if he’s hosting such a big event, he must have held a fairly high position in the Sun God Church in Seoul. Then he must be living in Korea, so wouldn’t it be harder to think that he’s a foreigner?”
“aha.”
I understand.
‘In effect, racial distinctions have now disappeared.’
No matter where your blood comes from, no matter what you look like, if you have Korean citizenship, you are Korean. That was true even before the Great Disaster, but the atmosphere then and now is a little different.
‘It’s as if citizenship is being treated as a light qualification, like a driver’s license.’
Yoo Sung-woon said that since the priest commutes here, his race must be Korean. It doesn’t matter where or who he was born, he is simply registered as Korean, so they judge him to be Korean.
“… … .”
A truly united Earth.
‘… It seems good.’
This seemed somewhat desirable.
‘It’s a little unfamiliar, though.’
Geo was still unfamiliar with his hometown. He felt like he couldn’t even order food at a hamburger place anymore.
For Sergio, the living ancestor, this world was moving too fast.
“I don’t think there will be any problems like racial discrimination.”
“It’s a conflict that seems to come straight out of a textbook.”
Yoo Seong-un shrugged his shoulders.
“I said that, but I can’t say that there is no racism.”
“Didn’t you say there is no distinction of nationality?”
“No, that’s not the problem….”
He looked around, made sure no one was listening, and then continued.
“There is class discrimination.”
“ah.”
“It may sound like an excuse… I don’t really have any particular thoughts, but it seems like citizens of the first or second rank are particularly arrogant. In particular, first rank hunters find it unpleasant to interact with citizens of the third rank or lower…”
“… … .”
When I first heard about classifying citizens into classes, I felt ominous. Is the caste system really coming back?
“…Is that the difference between nobles and commoners?”
“Oh, is that easier to understand? I guess you could say it’s definitely a similar perspective.”
“I was surprised that the classification and handling were clearer than I thought.”
“Well, anyway.”
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Yoo Seong-un smiled faintly.
“So be careful not to judge people by their appearance, because people will say you’re a crazy old man. I understand what you’re going through, but other people might think it’s ridiculous discrimination.”
“Thank you for letting me know.”
“I wonder if there are any truly pure-blooded Koreans left in this day and age. Even I’m not a native Korean… .”
Although the feeling was subtle, Geo let it slide for now and asked something else he was curious about.
“Is it because of the mixing of races that hair and eye colors are different? Of course, I know that there is no case where a pure gene produces blue hair, but just in case… .”
“Ah, in my case, it’s just the effect of awakening.”
When it comes to awakening, it seems to be something related to ‘hunter’.
“Does it change color when you awaken?”
“Not all of them are like that, but if there is a particularly friendly attribute, the color will change accordingly. The blue hair you mentioned is not a color that can appear naturally, so it is probably due to the influence of awakening.”
“okay.”
“Attributes aren’t something that the system clearly indicates, like ranks or jobs. Rather, they’re something you roughly define based on your own abilities. By the way, the attribute I have is ‘Freezing.’”
Only then did I notice the white hair, as white as a meteor’s snow, and the blue eyes, as cold as ice. It was a color similar to ‘Giovanni’s’, but it was definitely a color that gave off a cold vibe, unlike his.
“I used to have brown hair and brown eyes, but after I woke up, I became like this.”
“…okay….”
I was wondering if dyeing your hair is trendy these days.
‘Was I too prejudiced?’
To be honest, I didn’t really care even though I saw portraits of people with ghosts and hair or eye colors that stood out. That’s because Geo is an open-minded person who respects human diversity.
‘The world has turned upside down and fashion has become so complicated, but I thought there was nothing I couldn’t do with dyeing my hair…’
Or maybe he just thought it was a form of evolution and just passed it over without thinking. He was a really thoughtless person, even in his own opinion.
“I can change color too.”
“Huh? Suddenly? You were originally black. Wasn’t that your identity?”
“It’s interesting to think that color can be a person’s identity, but I’m not black. I just added it because Mr. Yoo Seong-un said that his color changed.”
“No… to begin with, your black color is a bit too… not native Korean… .”
Isn’t it too black?
‘Just like the abyss or obsidian.’
It was difficult to say that Geo’s color was a simple color. The black color, which seemed to symbolize death or silence, often made people’s minds dizzy.
‘Even now that I’ve lowered my status to the level of a human, I still feel a little uncomfortable making direct eye contact.’
Geo asked back, wondering why Yoo Seong-un was reacting so strangely.
“Isn’t it just plain black?”
“… If that’s what you thought, then fine.”
Yoo Seong-un returned to the topic from before.
“So, you change color too?”
“If I put in a little effort, I can change it. Can I still be considered a modern person?”
“What kind of 29-year-old guy is talking like an old man who can’t keep up with the times… No, is that it? Blonde hair and blue eyes?”
“You knew that.”
“You had that color change at Cheonggyecheon and when you rode the water taxi.”
“Unlike other people, I wonder if I have evolved into a chameleon.”
“Rather than that… .”
I wonder if it wasn’t a change in personality.
“… … .”
“What were you trying to say?”
“… I just thought it was strange.”
By this time, Yoo Seong-un had also gotten a feel for Geo.
‘Geo… likely has numerous personalities.’
Centered around the personality named ‘Portrait of Geo’ by the source, various personalities spread out like branches on its side.
Normally, he acts as the personality called ‘Geo’, but when a certain situation arises, the corresponding personality seems to react.
‘He’s really a difficult guy to deal with. He was hastily sent out into society due to the greed of Guild Leader Nana… but if he develops a personality that’s hostile to humans, it’ll be quite difficult.’
Even if that were the case, Bisabul would preach a taste that was difficult to sympathize with, saying, “Dying while appreciating a work of art is part of art,” but for ordinary people who were not like him or Yoo Seong-un, who had an irrational collecting habit, it would have been a disaster.
‘I am aware of that too.’
Although his conscience has become more rounded after going through various things, there is still a minimum level of good. Yoo Seong-woon, who was thinking about how to deal with Geo for a moment, opened his mouth.
“By any chance, that is… .”
“yes.”
“… … .”
Isn’t this the story we should share here?
“Can you tell me about yourself? Not here, but when we get back to the hotel.”
“I think I’ve told you a lot about myself so far.”
“I want to know more about it. Go back to the hotel and ask, and if it doesn’t bother you, answer me. That’s my job as a curator.”
“I will do that.”
“Thank you so much.”
Geo suddenly brought up a random story, probably thinking that the topic would not come up again until they arrived at the hotel.
“I’m worried about the cat I left at home.”
“… A cat? Did you bring a cat into the house?”
“I met Anticat for the first time at the Jewel Vein this time.”
“… … .”
“But it’ll be okay since the teddy bear is watching over me.”
“… I don’t know how to react since a while ago… .”
Yoo Seong-un asked with a subtle expression.
“I guess you’re an anti-cat, but that’s okay because you’re you.”
“I don’t know what it means.”
“What do you mean the teddy bear is looking at the anti-cat?”
“A teddy bear is literally looking at Dana.”
“Did you make it?”
“The old man entered the doll that was abandoned in the sea.”
“Who is that old man? Why did he go inside a teddy bear of all things?”
“This is the sun god I serve.”
“… … .”
After a brief silence, Yoo Seong-un decided not to ask any more questions.
“Oh, I see.”
It was already confusing enough.
* * *
Soft and blunt hands.
A doll with fur the same color as Giovanni’s slowly stroked the back of the kitten that had curled up in its arms.
The body of the jewel cat spread out lazily, as if it were comfortable in her arms.
“… … .”
The teddy bear was constantly stroking the little jewel filled with the spirit of the dead.
It patted, swept, and sometimes covered me with its warmth. Although it was now a sun with no divinity left and only a trace, it was still able to perform miracles that could warm this cold body.
We’re just holding each other tightly.
“… … .”
The teddy bear looked into the picture frame depicting the blue sea with a stuffed smile. It felt like it was depicting a single person, with a gentle vitality.
My child called this the ‘breathing sea’.
“… … .”
And this is obviously connected to the world of mermaids.
“… … .”
Geo will meet a mermaid.
The teddy bear wished that Giovanni would hold the little mermaid again.
“… … .”
For that, I would not even spare my divinity.
Even without anything that grandiose, this place was… bright and warm enough.