Chapter 155
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 155
“What do you think?”
Yoo Seong-un shrugged at Bisabeol’s question.
“It went just as you predicted.”
“And how would you know what I predicted?”
“I trust your judgment, Guild Master.”
Bisabeol let out his characteristic chuckle at Yoo Seong-un’s show of faith.
“Does that mean you don’t trust me as a person?”
“I’ve long been aware you have no conscience.”
“How cold.”
“Please, I’m exhausted.”
“Then I’ll wrap this up quickly for you.”
Bisabeol tapped the desk with his ring-adorned hand. Tap, tap.
“I knew he wasn’t the type to give in to temptation so easily.”
They were talking about Ju-hyeon.
“Even if there’s an easier path, he won’t take it if he thinks it’s an unfair advantage.”
“He did seem a bit stubborn, almost to a fault. He clearly has his own set of principles.”
“In that sense, you could say he’s like a scholar from the Joseon Dynasty.”
“…Is that supposed to be a compliment to Mr. Ju-hyeon?”
“Interpret it as you will. I simply meant he’s inflexible.”
“Well, that upright, unbending nature of his is probably what caught Gio’s interest.”
Yoo Seong-un nodded.
“He didn’t even consider using Gio to get something for himself.”
“He’s not the type to be dulled by such petty greed.”
“I wouldn’t call greed particularly petty.”
That was the nature of human desire. Decency was a conscious construct, not an innate instinct. When a being of immense mystery declared itself your ‘friend,’ it was only natural to want something in return.
Unlike decency, greed was instinctual.
“Gio is in a position of power in many ways. Even as ‘Mr. Seo Gio,’ he holds more power and a higher status than Mr. Ju-hyeon. Gio is… well, extravagant enough to use rare elixirs that would make any human burn with envy just to prepare a single meal.”
If that was the case, it would be easy to think along certain lines.
“Mr. Ju-hyeon could have expected something. Since things so precious to him are as common as roadside weeds to that mystery, he might have wanted to obtain them without any effort. After all, taking a small pebble from someone else’s yard doesn’t burden either party.”
Furthermore, Ju-hyeon was not wealthy. Even if one was born without financial greed, when the body grows weary and life becomes harsh, a certain level of greed born from necessity is bound to arise.
“He worked as a researcher at the Association for a long time, but whether it was the stigma of being from the Gita Orphanage or some other issue, he remained stuck at the assistant manager level. His promotion was delayed for quite a while.”
“And what little he earned, he either donated or used to sponsor the orphanage.”
“And yet, judging by his reactions, he has almost zero greed for money. He views it as a useful tool, but not as an object of desire. He is a rare, upright man.”
Yoo Seong-un crossed his arms.
“Both you and Gio described Mr. Ju-hyeon as a hero. Considering that, it makes sense that he lacks an instinctive greed for money.”
After all, a hero’s nature was born from their instincts.
“But even so.”
There was definitely something Ju-hyeon wished for, something he desperately wanted.
“He may lack greed for material wealth, but as a human, he still has desires. I hear he has an incredibly firm goal of making the world a peaceful place.”
“That in itself makes him a glutton for desire. It’s just that his greed isn’t aimed at his own well-being. From an objective standpoint, Mr. Ju-hyeon’s greed flows in an altruistic direction.”
“Yes, ‘altruistic greed’ is the perfect term. Though, if wanting to change the world to fit one’s will is considered selfish, then it could also be called a selfish desire.”
“That’s why I don’t particularly like Mr. Ju-hyeon. Right now, they’re just awkward new friends keeping up appearances, but once they get closer, how much will he exploit Mr. Seo Gio to fulfill his own desires?”
“Surely Gio won’t be so easily taken advantage of. It would be more accurate to say Gio is bestowing mercy and goodwill upon a mere human. Since that would also be to Gio’s liking… I’m honestly not worried about that.”
Yoo Seong-un shrugged.
“In the first place, Gio isn’t some fragile being that a human needs to worry about.”
“Ah, my work…”
“He is the Origin before he is your work, Guild Master. Please, let it go.”
A collector’s obsession was truly something else.
“Mr. Ju-hyeon won’t exploit Gio for his own gain. Not only is it impossible, but there is almost nothing he would even think to ask of Gio.”
Yoo Seong-un wore his characteristic smile.
“Of course, that doesn’t mean there’s absolutely nothing.”
“Deep down, he must be hoping for mercy to be shown to the souls of the dead.”
“More likely, he has just become aware of the possibility.”
“Authority over life and death is a domain any god can meddle in, after all.”
“For Mr. Ju-hyeon, who recently lost his family and friends, it’s something he can’t help but consider.”
Although introduced as an Evil God, Gio seemed merciful enough, and any god naturally possessed the authority to handle the souls of the dead. Having received the portrait’s favor from within the frame all this time, Ju-hyeon must have thought: How wonderful would it be if such a merciful divinity could comfort my poor family and friends?
“Moreover, since he believes he caused the tragedy himself, his sense of debt toward the victims must be immense.”
“He must have wanted to atone and repay that debt somehow, yet he didn’t seem to choose Gio, which would have been the easiest way.”
“It looked as though he believed he had to take full responsibility for his own actions. No matter how incredibly powerful Gio is, or how vast his authority…”
“He probably thought he shouldn’t accept help from Mr. Seo Gio, his new friend.”
Bisabeol sneered.
“But how can a mere human repay a debt to the dead? All the living can do for their deceased friends is remember them and dwell on their own sins.”
“And isn’t his mindset that he wants to do at least that much?”
“Perhaps he vaguely believes that such anguish and atonement are enough to repay the debt. He might be able to repay the debt to his deceased family that way, but why choose such a thorny path?”
His lips curled as if he had witnessed something incredibly foolish and displeasing.
“It’s all because Mr. Ju-hyeon’s perspective is so narrow.”
“For someone with a narrow perspective, he harbors a rather grand cause.”
“He lacks humanity.”
“You could put it that way, but…”
“He’s just a fool who doesn’t know how to rely on others.”
“Now, now.”
Yoo Seong-un placated his Guild Master.
“Still, he’s Gio’s new friend. Please try to see him in a better light.”
“I find that the only thing that grows with age is self-righteous stubbornness.”
Bisabeol smirked and continued.
“He’s not stupid. It’s not that he doesn’t understand the usefulness of connections. If anything, he’s quite shrewd. He knows how to calculate every angle, yet he casts aside worldly desires like some monk, chasing only his grand cause.”
“Isn’t that a good direction for humanity?”
“As I always say, I have no interest in the inclinations of humanity. What matters is the impact on me and my collection. A man like Ju-hyeon is a scoundrel who wouldn’t hesitate to ruin my work if his convictions demanded it.”
Bisabeol grumbled.
“It’s true that the world becomes a bit more peaceful when people like him exist… but that would be far too boring.”
“How can you say something that sounds like the creed of humanity’s ultimate evil so casually?”
“Mr. Ju-hyeon is not someone who doesn’t know greed. When it comes to putting his grand cause into practice, he is greedier than anyone. He’s ravenous. He doesn’t care in the slightest if others criticize him or how they view him; he’s too busy moving forward.”
Bisabeol’s lips twisted.
“When people like him cause trouble, they cause it on a massive scale.”
“That is certainly a concern, but didn’t Gio prevent that?”
“In any case, I admit he’s not someone who would easily cause harm to our Mr. Seo Gio.”
Bisabeol let out a sigh tinged with a rare hint of annoyance.
“He just harms my peace of mind.”
“You really dislike him.”
“I much prefer our guild members.”
“Yes, well…”
Yoo Seong-un laughed awkwardly. Since he did sincerely respect his superior, it wasn’t a completely forced smile.
“We like you too, Guild Master.”
“This affection you show once in a blue moon is just so lovely.”
“Ugh, seriously.”
Yoo Seong-un’s awkward smile vanished, replaced by a grimace of disgust.
“This is why we can’t say nice things to you.”
“Even that insolence is wonderful… Be more shameless. Ah, how thrilling.”
“Ugh.”
“Anyway, I’m glad it didn’t differ much from my expectations.”
Bisabeol wore a clean smile.
“And the vast mysteries love such impoverished heroes.”
“Impoverished heroes…”
“Because they churn out stories that border on Providence.”
His bright yellow eyes narrowed into crescents.
“Perhaps that is how Gio cherishes Mr. Ju-hyeon as well.”
“According to the rules, he’ll be giving him a gift soon. Should I prepare in advance?”
“Since it’s a gift from Mr. Seo Gio, things might get a bit noisy. He’s not one to be unaware of his public image.”
“With nothing holding him back, it’s about time Gio started thoroughly enjoying the human world. I’ll give the media a heads-up.”
“You should get ready to run around yourself, Curator Yoo Seong-un. Out of mutual respect, Mr. Seo Gio probably won’t cause a disaster.”
“Though the favor of a mystery can sometimes look like a disaster… What kind of affection do you expect Gio to show, exactly?”
“That’s obvious.”
Bisabeol smiled like a grandfather watching his grandchild’s cute antics.
“He will make humans human.”
“…Is that the end, or the beginning?”
“I believe it will be both.”
“Gio has always liked humans.”
His favor was fair to all of them.
“Well, there were occasionally humans he didn’t like, but those seemed to be classified as ‘not human’…”
Yoo Seong-un stroked his neck.
“To Gio, death is merely one state a human can take. Isn’t that right?”
“Curator Yoo Seong-un is correct.”
“In that case, Gio, who shows favor to all humans equally, will always maintain that same attitude.”
“You’re thinking along the right lines.”
“Ultimately, to both living humans and dead humans…”
Yoo Seong-un’s hand slid down from his neck. His fingertips trembled with an indefinable emotion.
“He will treat them with courtesy.”
Gio giving gifts to humans was a rule.
“I understand what I need to do.”
“I look forward to your handling of this, Curator Yoo Seong-un.”
“Please enjoy the show.”
A favor too immense often threw humans into a state of terror.
And bringing the terror caused by the Origin down to the level of daily life was precisely the job of a Gardener.
* * *
“I want to give you a gift.”
“Pardon?”
“Is that an impolite thought?”
“Uh…”
Ju-hyeon blinked at the portrait that had suddenly appeared in the orphanage.
“……”
Calm down.
I can handle this.
Ju-hyeon forced a smile.
“…I see! What kind of gift are you referring to, exactly?”
“My apologies. It seems my eagerness got the better of me.”
“Ah, no. It’s true I was a bit startled, but I wasn’t offended.”
He had simply felt a terror that felt like a direct threat to his life.
I guess he has no idea how terrifying he looks.
It was late, close to midnight. He was at a fire scene in a desolate, gloomy area. The abandoned building was filled with acrid air, soot, and the lingering traces of the deceased. Ju-hyeon was searching for any remaining belongings of the people from the orphanage.
The portrait had appeared while he was scanning the dark ruins with a single flashlight. It manifested among the charming drawings left by the children, its face obscured by black paint as it spoke.
He wants to give me a gift.
Ju-hyeon felt proud of himself for not screaming. It was an achievement worthy of praise.
“To ask again… what does this gift entail?”
He didn’t ask the foolish question of how the portrait had found him. For a vast mystery like the Black Cloak, locating a mere human would be trivial. Instead, Ju-hyeon sought to clarify the situation.
“From what I understand, the Black Cloak only gives something in return after receiving something.”
“It is only natural to return what one has received.”
“I also know that you occasionally appear to give gifts to passersby.”
“That was simply a reward for their interaction with me.”
Ju-hyeon nodded unconsciously.
I suppose just encountering him was a big enough deal to warrant a reward.
The Black Cloak was known to appear in secluded places to give gifts to those who had done good deeds. How shocking must it have been for someone to perform a good deed, only to encounter a humanoid monster? If the gift was meant to comfort them, then it made sense. Ultimately, this also fell under the 1:1 Rule that Gio’s Portrait followed.
“……?”
Ju-hyeon tilted his head.
“But I haven’t given you anything, Mr. Gio.”
“This is my gratitude for becoming my friend.”
“Ah, I see.”
Perhaps it was a sort of collector’s impulse. Did he want a ‘human friend’ that badly? Just as Ju-hyeon was marveling at how difficult it was to comprehend the thoughts of a mystery, the paint-shrouded portrait continued.
“Above all, I wanted to give a gift to a good person like you, Mr. Ju-hyeon.”
“Well… I don’t think I’ve ever done a good deed in front of you, Mr. Gio.”
“But it seems many people have been helped by your actions over the years.”
“Is that a reason to give me a gift?”
“It is my selfishness. I wish to repay the joy you have given me.”
“……”
“That is why I wished to ask for your permission.”
Only after a brief silence did Ju-hyeon ask, “…Joy?”
“Yes, indeed.”
“Joy…”
Ju-hyeon wore a faint smile.
“So what I’ve done all this time brought you joy.”
It was a truly bizarre feeling.
“It’s funny, because I think I felt something similar from you before.”
It might sound absurd, but the Black Cloak’s words offered him a warm sense of comfort. He also felt grateful that such a vast existence had acknowledged his efforts.
It was as if the entity was saying, You weren’t wrong. Thank you…
“Ha…”
He found himself wanting a reward.
What an ungrateful thought. Not knowing my place, wishing for a reward for things I did only because I wanted to…
A sigh disguised as a chuckle escaped him. A sudden, heavy fatigue washed over him, making him want to fall asleep on the spot. Feeling an inexplicable lethargy, Ju-hyeon pressed his forehead firmly, trying not to look foolish.
“Then what kind of gift do you wish to give me? I believe this is the third time I’ve asked.”
“Ah, it seems I have been rude by dragging out my explanation. My apologies.”
The portrait continued in its characteristically emotionless tone.
“I can give you high-quality medicine. I can treat you to a delicious meal, paint any jewel you desire, or simply chat with you.”
Just then, a cat leaped gently into the portrait’s arms.
“It seems Dana is very interested in you, Mr. Ju-hyeon.”
“…I’m honored.”
“The things I just mentioned are gifts I can offer simply because we are friends.”
“I’m honored by that as well.”
“So, could you tell me what gift you desire?”
The portrait spoke.
“So that my gift may hold true value.”
“……”
After a long silence, Ju-hyeon finally spoke.
“…Well.”
Unfortunately, he had nothing he wished for. That had to be the case.
If he was to remain himself. If he was to remain a mere human who knew his place.
“Just having you call me a friend… is already more than I deserve.”
“I know you were born without worldly greed, Mr. Ju-hyeon.”
“What I want most right now is atonement for my family and friends, but…”
“But you believe that is something you must achieve entirely on your own.”
“Shouldn’t it be?”
“There is no right or wrong.”
The portrait whispered in a low voice.
“There is only what you believe to be right.”
It sounded very much like the temptation of an Evil God.
“…Are you asking me to ask for your help?”
“I wish for you to see a new perspective.”
“I want to apologize to my family and friends.”
He had to.
“But I don’t want to escape this guilt.”
“Because you believe you can only atone if you remain bound to that emotion.”
“If I overcome this, I will forget my mistake.”
“You will not forget. You are not that kind of person.”
“If I don’t reflect, how am I any different from a beast?”
“Beasts differ in their own ways.”
The portrait’s voice cracked languidly.
“You are no beast.”
“……”
“What is it that you truly desire?”
“…I…”
“Cast aside empty words like atonement.”
“I just…”
Standing amidst the ashes of his family, Ju-hyeon spoke.
“I want them to be at peace, even in death.”
That was his honest desire.
“I don’t care if I have to carry their deaths for the rest of my life, as long as they aren’t in pain.”
“Do you wish for them to rest in the happiest, warmest place?”
“I do. They weren’t perfect, and they were just ordinary people who couldn’t be called saints, but…”
“Even so, you wish for their peace because they were your family and friends.”
“I know it’s unreasonable. I know it’s a selfish thought.”
Ju-hyeon hesitated before continuing.
“But you are an Evil God.”
“Yes, indeed.”
“Will you answer my selfishness?”
“Very well done.”
The portrait’s lips split open with joy.
“Do you need time to prepare yourself?”
“A little.”
“Very well. I shall send the gift soon.”
“What do I need to do?”
“You don’t seem to understand the meaning of a gift.”
A sound like a beast’s chuckle echoed through the ruins.
“Just watch, my friend.”
He wasn’t sure if it was just his imagination.
“……”
Were they always like that?
The eyes of the Jewel Cat cradled in the portrait’s arms shone with an exceptional brightness, like two small moons.