Chapter 16
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 16
"My, my."
A polite exclamation slipped out, unable to completely hide his amusement.
Bisabeol asked, "So you’re saying he refuses to leave the portrait because he’s worried people will be afraid of him?"
"He didn’t put it in those exact words, but that’s the gist of it."
Yoo Seong-un nodded.
"He seems to understand that an existence with a soul status as high as his could cause problems for an ordinary, defenseless human. Still, I wonder what to make of it, considering he insists he’s just a normal person..."
At that, Bisabeol’s eyes narrowed like a snake’s. "We can’t entirely rule out the possibility that he is a humanoid monster in the form of a portrait, but we also can’t view him as a simple monster. He harbors no hatred toward humans whatsoever."
"..."
"If he’s an existence that even you, Curator Yoo Seong-un, cannot identify, he’s likely connected to the Origin. And since you haven’t submitted a formal report, he must be a type of being you’ve never encountered before."
"Yes, for now."
It was rare for an existence from the Origin to be unknown to Yoo Seong-un, a Gardener.
'Dungeon monsters are also born from the veins of the Origin, but they’re on a completely different level of complexity compared to the Children of the Origin. If Gio is a Child of the Origin of a kind I’ve never seen before, things will get much more complicated.'
The so-called 'Children of the Origin' could be found in every dungeon. Unlike ordinary monsters, they couldn’t be dealt with through simple subjugation. Dealing with them required vast knowledge and specialized skills, and Yoo Seong-un was a veteran who had worked as a Gardener since he was eleven.
For him, 'Gio’s Portrait'—an existence he knew nothing about—was clearly a subject of extreme caution.
"In any case, even if we assume he is a 'Child of the Origin,' he is certainly an exceptional one."
If monsters and the Children of the Origin had one thing in common, it was their ignorance of how fragile earthlings were. Even if they were aware, monsters hated humans, while the Children of the Origin were indifferent. Either way, they were inherently detrimental.
"It’s rare for one to be so well-disposed toward humans."
"He’s certainly a prize the Association would covet."
"I asked you this before, but do you truly intend to hand him over to them?"
"I have no such intention."
Bisabeol’s possessiveness was formidable. He would never entrust what was his to another’s hands, not even for a brief inspection. He didn’t engage in half-hearted dealings; it was either a clean, complete transaction or nothing at all.
"Since you seem to be managing him well enough on your own, Curator Yoo Seong-un, is there any need to hand him over to the Association’s Research Institute?"
"If Gio is a Child of the Origin, he could harm people without any sense of guilt. He might claim he was simply acting according to his own rules... but we have no idea how massive a disaster that could be for humanity."
An investigation was necessary.
"At my level, I can only grasp the story within the portrait. I can’t determine what skills he uses, the true extent of his soul status, or what role he plays in the Origin."
"You know I don’t care about such things."
"..."
"Do you remember what I asked of you when I hired you, Curator Yoo Seong-un?"
Yoo Seong-un answered with a sigh.
"To analyze, maintain, and manage the gallery’s works."
"Precisely."
"But I am no longer the Association’s research team leader. No one can analyze 'Gio’s Portrait' better than they can."
"How disappointing. As you well know, Curator Yoo Seong-un, I don’t want a weapon."
"Yes, I know."
"I want a work of art."
Bisabeol smiled, his eyes curving into thin crescents. It was the natural arrogance of a man born and bred to look down on others.
"That’s why I founded this guild, this company. I don’t have a shred of pride as a Hunter—though perhaps I have some as an artist."
"..."
"No collector expects Van Gogh’s self-portrait to ward off evil spirits or grant them pleasant dreams. No one cares about its function. They are only curious about the story contained within the canvas, and they wish only to protect that story with their own hands."
"He could become truly dangerous. He is the only existence to escape your Appraisal Skill, Guild Master. And even if he is considerate of humans, his status is far too high. We may not feel any divinity from him, but he is likely on the level of a god. Just because the portrait is being careful doesn’t mean humans can let their guard down."
"Have you seen his eyes?"
"..."
The question came out of nowhere.
"...Pardon?"
"Have you ever looked into his eyes, Curator Yoo Seong-un?"
"...Are you talking about the eyes in the portrait?"
"Oh dear. It seems you haven’t."
"No, it’s not that I haven’t."
"Then tell me."
Bisabeol waved his hand elegantly, the gesture itself carrying the nobility of a high-born gentleman.
"What were they like?"
"..."
Yoo Seong-un did not hesitate for long.
"...Unfathomable."
Fear.
Awe and disgust, anger and sadness, joy and ecstasy, despair, loneliness, and vertigo.
All directed toward an existence so massive it was impossible to perceive in a single moment.
"...I don’t know how to explain it. I have an Appraisal Skill myself, but his status was so vividly apparent even without it that I couldn’t grasp it objectively."
It was an abyss that couldn’t be described with a cliché like 'the universe.' It felt as if he were directly touching a place that was visible yet unseen.
"They were clearly black, yet they also looked white. So dark they seemed to radiate light. The pupil and iris were indistinguishable, but if I looked deeper... I could see dense, intricate paths."
Rainwater flowed within them—streams, creeks, and water veins, as dense as the rings of a tree, yet as delicate as human blood vessels. They were so massive, diverse, and vast that no human could ever hope to comprehend them.
It felt as if he had stolen a glance at something humanity was never meant to see. Something that colossal was contained within those narrow pupils.
"It made me think of the saying that the eyes are the windows to the soul."
"A decent impression. Not bad."
"The way you say that makes me think my impression was unsatisfactory."
"Well, that can’t be helped."
Bisabeol smiled as if amused by a young child’s mistake. Yoo Seong-un was suddenly reminded of the man’s actual age; he had more than enough years of experience to lecture him.
"I told you to look into his eyes, but all you did was appreciate the art. Before we are professionals with our own tastes, we are humans capable of conversation."
"..."
"If Gio has a sense of self, then he also has eyes that can communicate."
He asked again.
"Have you ever looked into his eyes?"
"...Not in the sense you mean, no."
"Have you ever stopped to consider what emotions the person named Gio is feeling? Or what kind of gaze he directs at you, Curator Yoo Seong-un? Instead of focusing on his soul status or the torrent swirling in his pupils?"
"No, I haven’t."
Who could possibly think of such a thing in front of that colossal existence?
How could someone as small and insignificant as me dare to?
"...Only someone like you could do such a thing, Guild Master Bisabeol."
"How can a Gardener have such a narrow mind? Open it up, think bigger."
"Aren’t you expecting too much from a mere Gardener?"
"Gio is a good person."
"..."
"He is very kind," Bisabeol continued, as if teaching a child. "He dislikes troublesome things, but he doesn’t hate them. If someone doesn’t resent the very things that inconvenience him, how kind must he be? He is also merciful, maintaining his own manners and respecting others without forcing his ways on them."
"That’s a generous assessment."
"Furthermore, he is afraid of hurting anyone."
"..."
That was unexpected.
"...Gio is? To him, hurting us would be like a human stepping on an ant."
"Indeed."
"So it’s not disgust at crushing a bug, but actual fear of the act of harming itself?"
"Didn’t I say he was kind?"
"You’ve barely had a proper conversation with him. You’ve only met his eyes once at most..."
"It takes this level of insight to be a Guild Master. To grasp all this just by locking eyes once."
"...I suppose that’s true."
Bisabeol was a man who had built one of South Korea’s top three guilds with nothing but his Appraisal Skill, possessing no combat power of his own. Considering his physical abilities were on par with an average man, his eyes and his words were truly incredible.
'A man like that must see things differently than I do. His entire perception of the world is probably different.'
Yoo Seong-un swallowed a sigh. "...I understand. So, we’ll proceed without taking any other measures?"
"I’m glad you understand. Gio will likely do his best not to harm humans, so please just make sure he doesn’t get angry. Kind people are always the scariest when they lose their temper."
"That’s exactly why I’m saying we should prevent such a thing..."
"There’s no way to prevent a person from getting angry. Even if there were, it would involve sealing or destroying the portrait, wouldn’t it? No matter how harsh the world has become, we can’t treat someone who is trying to coexist peacefully like that."
"..."
With a complicated expression, Yoo Seong-un asked, "...Are you viewing 'Gio’s Portrait' as... a person?"
"Who do you think you’ve been talking to all this time, Curator Yoo Seong-un?"
"But his status is completely different."
"But he is an existence with the will to converse, who considers himself a person."
"That’s..."
"How is that any different from a human?" Bisabeol spoke in a sing-song voice. "The world is already overflowing with dangerous humans. Right now, in South Korea alone, there are five Hunters with high-risk abilities, and they’re all living their lives just fine. Some people treat them like dangerous dogs and pick fights at every turn, but that sort of thing happened even a hundred years ago, before dungeons existed."
"If we remain this complacent, something we’ll regret could happen. Gio is fully capable of causing it."
"Even those dangerous Hunters enjoy their daily lives. Who are we to oppress a portrait?"
"It’s not oppression, it’s an investigation..."
"And what if Gio gets angry because of it?"
"..."
"He’s a man who values manners. If we pry into his inner thoughts without permission and incur his wrath, that will be an even greater disaster. Just be a good conversational partner for him."
He pointed to the window that made up an entire wall.
"And take him outside once in a while."
"...Are you serious?"
"I know what you’re worried about, Curator Yoo Seong-un," Bisabeol said with a nod. "Of course I know. The Children of the Origin are incredibly secretive and cautious existences, are they not? They are part of an ecosystem that has little interest in humans. They are nature itself, and because of that, I know they can manifest as a full-blown disaster. That is what they are."
"..."
"And humans are a part of nature, too."
He said it nonchalantly.
"Gio is no different."
"...Yes."
"Be good to him. If he has rules, accommodate them. If petty conflicts arise, bicker and work them out."
"Understood."
"If he says he is twenty-nine, then he’s twenty-nine. He’s a young man who hasn’t even reached thirty yet. Shouldn’t we, as his elders, look out for him?"
"...It’s highly likely to be a delusion on Gio’s part. He probably isn’t actually twenty-nine; his memories are just tailored to that of a twenty-nine-year-old man. In reality, he could be well over a thousand years old. If he’s a Child of the Origin, that’s entirely possible."
"Why does that matter so much?"
"..."
Yoo Seong-un sighed and nodded.
"I suppose you’re right."
He was a Gardener. He poured his heart and soul into his Garden, showered it with affection, and took pride in it. Gio was an existence related to the Origin, the very foundation of that Garden. Although Yoo Seong-un had insisted on taking measures, as long as the portrait didn’t act first, he also wanted to treat him with the same gentlemanly respect.
"And here I was, giving advice to the Collector’s own curator."
"I am always grateful for your thoughtfulness, Curator Yoo Seong-un."
"That’s creepy, stop it. Anyway..." Yoo Seong-un glanced at his watch. "So you just want me to be Gio’s guide?"
"While you’re at it, give him a tour of our guild, introduce him to the staff, take him to a good play if there is one, buy him some food, and show him the tourist spots."
"You really do mean a guide. But introducing him to the staff seems a bit much... they would probably refuse first. Besides, Gio doesn’t like noisy environments."
"You can be the judge of that. If Gio prefers quiet, then show him around the company or the outside world at dawn."
"What on earth are you placing your trust in...?"
"Didn’t I say I saw it?"
It was a vivid smile.
"I said, I saw it."
"..."
Bisabeol saw things humans could not.
Yoo Seong-un decided to trust that.
"...Understood."
"I look forward to your continued assistance, Curator Yoo Seong-un."
"If an accident happens, I’m washing my hands of this."
"I can handle that much myself."
"Honestly, what is he thinking..."
Though he grumbled, Yoo Seong-un was in a surprisingly good mood.
'I can expand his range of activity.'
He had already been concerned about Gio, who was always confined inside the portrait. Although Gio himself said he preferred it and felt more comfortable inside, letting him know he was officially allowed to come and go would surely put him more at ease.
'Maybe it’s because this is my first time seeing a Child of the Origin who communicates so smoothly, but just watching him makes me want to do all sorts of things for him...'
From his perspective as both a Gardener and a curator, Yoo Seong-un felt a certain fondness. If he were to face that massive status directly, things might be different, but for now, Gio was just a talking portrait. Since Yoo Seong-un was in a position to manage him, such thoughts weren’t entirely strange.
'...Though it’s true this is a rather gutsy line of thinking. I should be careful not to freeze up and offend him when I eventually face his status properly.'
As Yoo Seong-un stepped outside the guild, something caught his eye.
"..."
A bungeoppang cart.
"...This is rare."
Delighted, Yoo Seong-un approached the cart.
"Are you open?"
"Ah, yes, I am."
"How much for ten bungeoppang?"
"That’ll be five thousand won."
"Ten, please."
"Just a moment."
The cart owner was a young man with a blunt expression.
"Here you go."
"They look delicious... Do you always set up here?"
"I’ll keep coming until the inspectors catch me."
"Hmm."
His somewhat blunt tone reminded him a bit of Gio.
"..."
Ah, right.
"Give me ten more, please."
"Yes, thank you."
"No, I should be thanking you."
"What for?"
"Because places that sell bungeoppang are rare these days. They’ve become even harder to find."
"Ah..."
Since it seemed the new batch would take a moment, Yoo Seong-un continued the conversation. Perhaps the young man was bored too, because despite his blunt tone, he was surprisingly talkative.
"It’s hard to make a living. But if I try to sell bungeoppang outside the city, no one buys them, so I come in here to sell whenever I can."
"Oh, so you travel all the way from outside the city?"
"What city folk would do this kind of work?" the young man shrugged. "Don’t they all have office jobs or work as Hunters?"
"Still, that’s quite a distance. It must be tiring. That’s amazing."
"A few people buy them out of nostalgia, so it’s manageable. My younger brother is also active as a Hunter near here..."
"I guess finding a place around here is too expensive."
"City rent is hard to afford. And getting citizenship isn’t something just anyone can do."
"Don’t they issue short-term permits easily? I heard the barrier for that was lowered."
"I get the permit. But sometimes I can’t finish work before the terminal closes... I just don’t bother with lodging. It takes time, costs money, and there’s no real benefit."
The young man spoke as he flipped the bungeoppang mold.
"Besides, I have a ten-year-old sibling at home, so I have to go back."
"Ah, that’s true... You definitely have to go back. It would be a disaster if a monster appeared in your village while they were alone. Having an older brother around must be reassuring."
"My younger sister also works as a porter, so we both earn money here. She comes home once every three days, then goes back out the following week. She’s at home right now, so I came out to work."
"That’s impressive."
"They sell well around here, so that’s a plus."
"I see..." Yoo Seong-un tilted his head and asked, "How long will you be coming out here?"
"Probably until early spring... since it’s still winter. Once the weather warms up, I’ll have to find other work."
"That’s still a while. I’ll see you around."
"Thank you."
The young man took the bungeoppang from the machine. Steam rose from the fresh pastries, carrying a savory aroma.
"Eat them while they’re hot."
"Oh, thank you."
Yoo Seong-un headed back to the company with the bungeoppang. To be precise, he went to stand before 'Gio’s Portrait' in Bisabeol’s Gallery.
"Gio, are you awake?"
"..."
"Gio?"
Fortunately, Gio opened his eyes quickly.
"What is it?"
"They were selling bungeoppang in front of the station, so I bought one."
"That doesn’t look like just one."
"Ah, right. It’s not. I brought about ten, thinking you might like them."
"..."
The portrait blinked twice, then nodded.
"Thank you. It has been a long time since I’ve had bungeoppang."
"You know what bungeoppang is?"
"I didn’t expect them to still exist, though."
"...Really?"
As expected, Gio seemed to be an existence with experience living in Korea.
'Or perhaps he’s from a similar dimension... Even if he didn’t live here, he might have just received the memories.'
As Yoo Seong-un held out the bag of bungeoppang, it seeped into the painting.
"Oh... it literally became a drawing."
"Thank you for the gift."
"It’s nothing. I hope you like them."
"I enjoy this kind of street food."
"That’s a relief."
He had been worried because Gio had such an unapproachably cold impression.
'His features are rather aristocratic.'
Gio looked like a natural-born noble who had never let a drop of water touch his hands, or perhaps an AI civil servant manufactured for a fast-paced modern society. He had briefly worried that Gio, with his sharp and heavy aura, might look down on him and think, 'How dare you offer me such a thing?'
"Next time, if I see gyeran-ppang or takoyaki, should I buy some of those too?"
"..."
"...Gio?"
After a brief silence, Gio pulled something from his chest.
It was a neatly tied white pouch.
"...What is that?"
"Tea leaves."
"Tea?"
"I found a fragrant flower and dried it."
"..."
"A gift in return."
As Yoo Seong-un reached out, Gio’s hand emerged from the painting, holding the pouch of tea.
"...Now that’s something you don’t see every day."
"Please take it."
"Uh, um, thanks."
Rustle.
A wonderful fragrance wafted from the paper pouch as it was placed in his hand.
It smells like cream.
It was a sweet scent, reminiscent of custard or fresh milk cream.
"..."
A strange feeling washed over him.
If I tell him he doesn’t have to give me something in return every time, would that be rude to a being of the Origin who lives by rules? It’s just... I always feel awkward because it seems like I receive far more than I give.
Yoo Seong-un slipped the pouch into the inside pocket of his coat.
"Thanks," he said. "I’ll have to brew some tea. It’s been a while."
"I hope it suits your taste."
"The scent is already amazing. I’m sure I’ll enjoy it."
"And I have a favor to ask."
"Huh? A favor?"
Gio asked, "Could I trouble you for some seeds?"
"...What kind of seeds?"
"Anything that can be grown in a field will do."
"..."
What on earth was he doing in there?
A field, of all things.
Suddenly, Yoo Seong-un grew intensely curious about the world inside the portrait.