Chapter 185
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 185
The raid concluded, and a meeting immediately followed in the hallway.
Yoo Seong-un asked, “So, you went and handed out snacks?”
“Was that too hasty of me?”
“Oh, no…” Yoo Seong-un smiled as he sipped the Basram tea Gio had given him. “It’s a bit late to worry about that now.”
At first, he had been deeply concerned. Gio handed out gifts far too grand for humans with such casualness that trouble was bound to follow. It seemed like a recipe for disaster for both humans and a being of the Origin.
But now, he wasn’t so worried.
“You’ve already been showering people with countless gifts in your Black Cloak persona anyway.”
“I would not go so far as to call it ‘countless.’”
“Fine, a lot of gifts, then. You’ve handed out that many already, so what’s a few more?”
Fundamentally, the gifts Gio gave humans were safe in multiple ways, and ordinary people would never realize that Hunter Seo Gio’s gifts and Black Cloak’s gifts shared the same efficacy.
“Someone quick-witted might notice that you both give out gifts frequently, always wear a black cloak, and have a similar spectrum of gifts, but…”
“Doesn’t that mean they have figured everything out?”
“The world’s prejudice will protect you. A portrait as human-like as you is unheard of across most dimensions, including Earth. Most people will just assume you two have some sort of secret connection.”
“Is the world’s prejudice really my only saving grace?”
“Our Collector Guild will pull a few strings, too. Besides, the gifts you give as Black Cloak and the ones you give as Hunter Seo Gio are slightly different, aren’t they? From what I know, even their medicinal effects differ. And since no one knows Black Cloak is staying at the Collector Guild, it’s hard for them to connect the dots.”
There was a massive gap between Black Cloak and Hunter Seo Gio. Almost no one would ever suspect that Black Cloak—who inspired an awe bordering on terror with a single glance—was actually a master of mimicking humanity.
At that, Gio asked, “It might be difficult, but couldn’t they easily figure out we are the same person?”
“To be honest, yes. At this point, it’s impossible to deny a connection between Black Cloak and Hunter Seo Gio.”
“I shall prepare an excuse.”
“No need to go that far…” Yoo Seong-un smiled casually. “We can gloss over that with a bit of storytelling, so don’t worry too much. You’re a mysterious figure who’s never been revealed to the world, so there are plenty of stories we can make up.”
“I am not sure whether to be pleased by that.”
“Actually, even without all that, I’m not too concerned about you spreading gifts around.”
Back when he didn’t know Gio well, he’d had to pour all his focus into how to handle the gifts he received. He had worried, If I share this with others, will he get angry? and felt a wariness that made him think, I can’t just show off such an excessively precious gift.
But now, South Koreans had adapted to the existence of Black Cloak.
“You’ve been handing out gifts through your portraits like some kind of Santa Claus, and people have grown used to it. There’s no reason to suddenly start worrying about you handing out gifts now.”
Yoo Seong-un asked, “Are those gifts poisonous to people?”
“They are not.”
“See? You said it yourself. They’re safe.”
Even if someone were to target those precious gifts, they were protected by Void City, one of Gio’s portrait children. Beyond that, it didn’t seem like Black Cloak’s favor, bestowed within the threads of fate, would ever curdle into poison.
Because Gio isn’t just a derived child; he is the Eye of the Origin itself.
A typical Child of the Origin might have bestowed a poisonous favor, but Gio was different. He was as experienced in dealing with humans as the Hunters’ System itself. On top of that, his skill at mimicking humans was nothing short of perfect.
“Man, to be honest, I was terrified when we first met.”
“You did seem tense. But I was grateful for your kindness.”
“You were the kind one, Gio. As for me, well, this is just my job.”
“You also seemed to worry a lot about my gifts.”
“Well, that’s because of what I’ve learned as a Gardener…”
Now that he knew Gio wasn’t one of the beings of the Origin he had studied, it no longer mattered. It was just that his heart had been in his throat at first.
“Many of the entities I know of are like that. They’ll curse you if you share their gifts with others or take offense if you dare to feel proud of their favor—things like that.”
“If they do that, what is even the point of a gift?”
“Anyway, I know very well by now that you don’t fall into that category, Gio. You want the people of the world to become a little more… well-fed. Closer to pigs. There’s no way you’d find sharing gifts unpleasant.”
“If the gifts help them in any way, I am happy.”
“Right. Well… I guess you could say it’s become relatively common, so I don’t feel the need to be overly cautious anymore. That’s why I’m not too worried about how you shared food in the dungeon.”
Holding his mug, Yoo Seong-un shrugged.
“I finished all the fruit syrup you gave me last time, too.”
“Why did you only finish it now?”
“No, it wasn’t that recently. It’s been a while, but…”
It had happened after he became certain that Gio was the Eye of the Origin.
“It tasted even better once I could eat it with peace of mind.”
“Should I make you a new batch?”
“Yeah…” Yoo Seong-un smiled wryly. “A human like me, whose daily life is just a string of overtime, really needs it.”
“Ah…” Gio fell into a solemn silence. “I knew I was right not to live outside the portrait.”
“Hearing that from the portrait himself feels really bizarre.”
“But Earth is too barren right now. I do not wish to live here.”
“Still, isn’t Seoul decent enough to live in? There’s plenty to see.”
At that, Ju-hyeon, who had been listening quietly, chimed in.
“Why are you trying to drag out someone who just wants to live in peace?”
“I wasn’t trying to drag him out, I was just sharing my thoughts.”
“Mr. Gio looks happiest when he’s inside the portrait.”
“Well, that’s true,” Yoo Seong-un readily admitted. “Earth will definitely never be as peaceful as the world inside your portrait.”
After all, a portrait would feel most secure inside its frame.
“Anyway, if you’re making a new batch of fruit syrup, I’d absolutely welcome it.”
“I am glad. If you do not mind, I recently tried making a new flower tea, and I can pack some soon…”
“Stop. Right there,” Yoo Seong-un said firmly.
“What are you trying to do to my humanity?”
“I fail to see what offering a gift has to do with your humanity.”
“Just from what I’ve eaten so far, how much has my lifespan increased?”
“I was hoping we could live peacefully together for a very, very long time.”
“I’m sorry, but could you please let me die on time?”
At that moment, Gio’s hair turned platinum blonde.
“Very well, let us start from there. What is the appropriate lifespan for a human?”
“The more interest you show in things like that, the more terrified I get. So stop.”
Gio’s hair turned black once more as he nodded.
“It was a joke.”
“You need to work on your sense of humor.”
It really hadn’t sounded like a joke.
“Receiving gifts is fine. The snacks you give are truly delicious. So… small gifts like the cookies or chocolates you hand out when you run into people on the street, I’d be more than happy to receive plenty of those.”
Those usually had effects like painkillers, sleeping pills, or tranquilizers. While they were excellent remedies, they were at a level that could easily be mass-produced in modern society.
“But the gifts you hand over like this sometimes are a different story.”
“I assume you mean the fruit syrup, sausages, or flower tea. What exactly is the difference?”
“Let’s just say the mental burden is heavy because I feel like I’ll stop being human if I eat them.”
“Is what you are drinking right now not my gift?”
“That’s a low blow, bringing up what I’m drinking right now…” Yoo Seong-un protectively cradled his mug. “You’re not going to take it back, are you?”
“I am not a wicked person who steals food.”
“Then what are you planning to do?”
“Since you seem to like it, I was thinking of giving you a few bags.”
“Right, and how many bags is ‘a few’?”
“While I was away, my Father found a new hobby, and with his love and affection, we ended up with a bumper crop…”
“Get to the point.”
Gio nodded.
“About fifty bags.”
“Rejected.”
“Forty-five bags?”
“I said, rejected.”
“Forty-three…”
“Uh-uh.”
As Yoo Seong-un shook his head, Ju-hyeon let out an awkward laugh.
“Even with ordinary tea leaves, receiving that much would be a bit of a burden.”
“It is not as if I am giving you a whole box.”
“Still, that’s too much.”
“So, about forty bags…”
“No.”
“…”
A rustling sound came from inside the portrait—the familiar sound of paper packaging. Ju-hyeon asked, “Don’t tell me you’ve already prepared them?”
“I have only packaged them for now.”
“And then you’ll pretend to back down, only for them to be delivered right to the middle of his living room tonight…”
“I shall send Dana ahead of time to deliver a notice.”
“That is not the point.”
“Yes, it was a joke.”
“I see!” Ju-hyeon smiled, but spoke firmly. “Gifts with effects that are too strong are troublesome.”
“But I cannot make food that tastes bad.”
“Is the taste of the food you make linked to its efficacy, Mr. Gio?”
“I have never really thought about it, so I do not know.”
“True… it would be hard to consciously adjust the efficacy.”
When ordinary humans cook, they make food that nourishes the body. Even if told to destroy only the nutrients in a delicious dish, they wouldn’t know how. It was likely a similar concept for Gio, the Eye of the Origin.
Gio looked at Yoo Seong-un and asked, “Then did you really eat all the snacks I gave you before?”
“It’s been quite a while since I got them, and there was no reason not to eat them. They vanished into my stomach long ago.”
“Hearing that makes me proud. I shall take this opportunity to make you a new batch of fruit syrup.”
“If you do that, I’d be truly grateful.”
“You may share the gifts I give you.”
“Well, they’re gifts for me anyway. There’s no absolute need to share them, is there?”
Gio’s gifts were truly delicious, and they were especially helpful to Yoo Seong-un, a modern man living a life of constant overtime. He had worried about it once, but those worries had never materialized.
“Though sometimes, when there’s too much, I do need someone to share it with or store it…”
The most convenient person for that was the Guild Master, Bisabeol. He was the one who had bought ‘Gio’s Portrait’ in the first place, and as an S-Rank, he was reliable in many ways. As a vault, there was no place safer.
Yoo Seong-un looked sheepish.
“Anyway, sorry if I made you feel pressured about the gifts.”
“I only meant that you may do so if you wish.”
“If such a situation arises within the Collector Guild, I’ll do that.”
There was no reason to smuggle fragments of the artwork outside and openly drop hints about the relationship between the Collector Guild and Black Cloak. Doing so would inevitably raise questions about Hunter Seo Gio’s identity.
Yoo Seong-un smiled casually.
“As I keep saying, as long as it doesn’t cause problems for your social life, you can share gifts with other people as much as you want.”
“Is that so?”
“As long as they aren’t gifts far too grand for humans.”
“I happen to have something to tell you regarding that.”
“Yeah, I heard.” Yoo Seong-un nodded. “You resurrected a dead human?”
“They were not dead.”
“Isn’t that a bit too grand?”
“I believe it has been greatly exaggerated.”
“I heard they were at death’s door but came back to life after taking the elixir you gave them.”
“That is true.”
“Haha.”
Yoo Seong-un thought to himself, This is why my heart drops every time I receive a gift… He was always left wondering what kind of bizarre miracle Gio would perform next. He knew his place and had no desire to fall into agony over receiving an excessively precious gift.
In a similar vein, the elixir Hunter Seo Gio had reportedly handed out desperately needed an excuse.
“You said it was an elixir bestowed by the god you serve, but you also said you made it yourself.”
“That is correct.”
“Mr. Ju-hyeon.” Yoo Seong-un turned to Ju-hyeon, who promptly avoided his gaze. “Mr. Ju-hyeon, look at me.”
“Do I really have to?”
“We have things to discuss. I specifically asked you to take good care of Gio.”
“Well… isn’t he still admirable? I told him to use an item if possible, and he followed my advice.”
“That ‘item’ just brought a dead person back to life!”
Gio chimed in, “They were not dead.”
“They would have died if not for you.”
“Humans do not die so easily.”
“Actually, they die surprisingly easily.”
The fact remained that the medicine their precious portrait had suddenly produced had saved someone who should have died.
“For now, we’re going with a Saint concept.”
“It seems we have no choice…” Ju-hyeon nodded at Yoo Seong-un’s words.
Gio expressed his confusion. “Do I have to become a Saint from now on?”
“Honestly, at this point, it’s hard to make any other excuse.” No divinity would bestow such an elixir on a mere devout believer. “First of all, dealing in elixirs like that implies you’re a human capable of communicating with a divinity. And 99.9% of humans who commune with a divinity cease to be human. They usually die or go mad, let alone receive an elixir.”
“I glossed over it as a sort of revelation…”
“That’s because we don’t think that’ll work. Even calling it a simple revelation makes no sense. A Saint is a shepherd who interprets revelations from a god and guides foolish humans. This is impossible to explain unless you’re a Saint.”
Yoo Seong-un stroked his neck. “But if we do this, we’ll have to figure out exactly which god you serve. We need to make it a god who can easily exert influence on Earth, enough to bestow an elixir…”
At that, Ju-hyeon asked, “For example, Black Cloak?”
“…Aha?”
“Black Cloak and Hunter Seo Gio have somewhat similar behavioral patterns. As we mentioned earlier, they give out gifts from the same spectrum, and they wear the same clothes…”
“Birds of a feather?”
“From what I’ve studied, excluding artificial orders like the Moon Cult, gods and Saints with good compatibility usually find each other. Since Mr. Gio possesses divinity, people might eventually find out that Black Cloak is a god anyway.”
“Considering that, it might be better to make the first move. I get it.”
“Since Black Cloak is already exerting a benign influence on Earth, even in the worst-case scenario where he’s treated as an Evil God, he probably won’t be subjugated…”
“And his image is quite friendly to South Koreans now.”
“We can explain him as a divinity that the Association is hiding and classifying as a monster. In fact, there are many cases where the Association disguised playful divinities as monsters or natural phenomena.”
“That would minimize public confusion.”
“Exactly.” Ju-hyeon followed up with another question. “Then what type of Saint should he appear to be?”
“We should probably go with the highest-ranking Saint possible, but…”
“True. Considering Mr. Gio’s true nature, it would be better to lay a strong foundation from the start.”
“That way, people will accept it and won’t pry further. A top-tier Saint is perfect for that.”
“I suppose it needs to be around that level to have an impact.”
“And so,” Yoo Seong-un said, “from now on, you’re a Saint. Sounds fun, right?”
“It does. What kind of Saint exactly?”
“Let’s go with a vessel capable of holding any divinity.”
“Does that mean a human with the talent to serve various gods?”
“You catch on quick. Exactly.”
One of Gio’s identities was the Sun God. Since he would likely have many actual interactions with various divinities, establishing him as a ‘Saintly vessel coveted by gods’ in advance was far more efficient.
“Let’s ask Priest Kang Seo-dam for advice on this.”
They would compensate Priest Kang Seo-dam for his growing worries with material rewards. Since it would put the Collector Guild in his debt, he might grumble, but he wouldn’t refuse outright.
“And… you went wild as Arjio?”
“Yes, it was fun to stretch my limbs after a long time.”
“If you can do that much, surely you don’t need your own battlefield?”
“Mr. Yoo Seong-un, is a cup of instant ramen eaten as a late-night snack the same as your three daily meals?”
“Ah, that kind of feeling…”
“Late-night snacks are optional, but meals are essential.”
“I understand.”
In any case, this part was also a problem.
“Since they saw you physically active like that, they might not have noticed inside the chaotic dungeon, but by now, they must feel something is off. Even if they didn’t, some people probably started suspecting you during the raid.”
Ju-hyeon offered an opinion. “Should we say you’re a hidden S-Rank?”
“Many people probably think that way already.”
“It’s the easiest explanation to come up with in this day and age.”
“There are actually a few Hunters who hide their ranks, and conspiracy theories about that are quite common…”
“The story of an S-Rank hiding their rank has a certain romantic appeal to it, too.”
“It’s similar to the trope of a Hunter who became friends with monsters.”
Since this was an era of extreme Hunter idolization, several absurd ‘romantic tropes’ were associated with that world. Because people were so familiar with them, they would easily accept it if they framed his concept that way.
“A top-tier Saint, a romantic S-Rank… is there anything else we need to add?”
“Um, I’m a bit hesitant to bring this up, but…”
“Hesitant or not, hurry up and give your opinion before Gio’s identity gets leaked.”
“You said you briefly showed Arjio’s appearance, right?” Gio nodded. “That is correct.”
“And Arjio has red hair and golden eyes?”
“Are you thinking of Guild Master Bisabeol?”
“Yes, with him…”
Yoo Seong-un cut off the hesitating Ju-hyeon. “That people might suspect a blood relation with the Guild Master?”
“I don’t know if anyone does yet, but… well, I think we could push things in that direction.”
“True, that would explain why the entire Collector Guild coddles Gio so much.”
“It would also explain why he’s hiding his identity as a Saint or an S-Rank.”
“Uh... wouldn’t that make our Guild Master look like a total creep?”
It would make him look like someone who, for some reason, hid his own flesh and blood deep within the Collector Guild, only let him out at the age of twenty-nine, and even attached surveillance personnel to him. Even the potential ‘reasons’ people might imagine were rather grim.
“After all, the Guild Master… you know how he is, right?”
“He is quite obsessed with works of art.”
“I’m worried he’ll be painted as someone who views his own son as a masterpiece of the century.”
“But don’t you think some people might already suspect that…?”
“Maybe I should have gone on this raid with you.”
“Can’t we just call it Guild Master Bisabeol’s karma?”
“He’s really not that extreme of a person, but sigh, he really should have toned it down…”
Ju-hyeon added, “Mr. Gio’s lack of common sense would also support that theory.”
“I admit I lack common sense.”
“Of course, it’s natural for Mr. Gio not to know much about Earth right now, but other people don’t know that. Nor should they.”
Yoo Seong-un agreed. “That he lacks common sense because he was raised locked away in the Collector Guild?”
“I’m really sorry to say this, but doesn’t it connect quite naturally?”
“You don’t look sorry at all. At this rate, people might even say he’s a child born from a union with a work of art.”
“The Collector Guild is famous for having all sorts of urban legends, after all.”
“Even I find that kind of rumor disturbing, Mr. Ju-hyeon.”
But if they went with that story, it would explain all the anomalies from this raid.
“…”
“Don’t you think that’s a few too many labels?”
“…If it’s you, Gio, you can pull it off.”
“I’m not sure your cheering is going to make that happen.”
“If it’s you, you can embody all those traits.”
“Am I an actor?”
“I believe in your potential…!”
“At this rate, I might as well merge with ‘Gio the Actor.’”
“But the story has to be this over-the-top to cover for you.”
Only by piling on the labels—a top-tier Saint, a hidden S-Rank, and the sequestered son of Bisabeol—would people just go, “Wow, holy shit, that’s insane,” and accept it without question.
“The backstory has to be that shocking so they won’t even think to dig any deeper.”
“So, you want to paralyze their brains with shock therapy before they find out I’m actually a portrait.”
“Exactly. Once a secret that mind-boggling is revealed, very few people would ever suspect there’s an even more shocking truth hidden beneath it.”
“Though I’ve already been found out.”
“Really? I see.”
Yoo Seong-un accepted this new reality with a grim nod.
“How many?”
“Are you going to bury them?”
“I might not bury the people, but I definitely have to bury the secret.”
“Well, about two people so far.”
“I know one of them. Jeong Young-won, a fellow Gardener.”
“Yes. She seemed to have figured it out from the very start.”
“Then who’s the other one?”
“Hunter Sa Na-rae.”
“Sa Na-rae…” Yoo Seong-un, who had memorized the roster for the raid, repeated the name. “Pinocchio?”
“Is that because he’s a famous liar?”
“He’s famous for lying first and thinking later. A notorious punk.”
“We became friends.”
“Wait, what? What is that supposed to mean?”
“He has sharp instincts.”
Ju-hyeon, who had been listening quietly, asked with a look of utter bewilderment, “Pardon? But… it definitely looked like he was picking a fight with you…”
“What’s this about picking fights?” Yoo Seong-un interjected.
“Hunter Sa Na-rae was openly picking a fight with Mr. Gio.”
“I’ll go find out his address right now.”
“Mr. Yoo Seong-un, sit back down. And Mr. Gio, why on earth would you become friends with someone like that?”
Sensing something odd in her tone, Gio asked, “Are you more concerned about my social circle than my identity being exposed?”
“It’s just… he doesn’t seem like a very decent person. And you dislike rude people, don’t you, Mr. Gio?”
“I wouldn’t call him polite, but he wasn’t a bad person,” Gio answered. “He seemed afraid of me, so I wanted to help him relax.”
“…What exactly made you think he was afraid of you?”
“I wasn’t entirely sure myself, but I think he’s been like that from the very beginning.”
“From the beginning… as in, when he picked that fight?”
“Yes.” Gio nodded. “I think he wanted to see what it would take to make me angry.”
He had put himself on the line to gauge just how dangerous Gio was.
It was because Sa Na-rae cherished his family.
* * *
“Mmm…”
Sa Na-rae, lounging in the guild office, scratched the inside of his ear.
“My ears are burning.”
“You’re usually fine even when I talk shit about you all day. Who’s badmouthing you now?”
“Are you jealous? Don’t worry, I belong to all of you.”
“Ah, fuck, cut the crap, Boss.”
“Whoa… you don’t believe me?” Sa Na-rae chuckled, sprawling across the sofa. “That hurts my feelings.”
“Cut the lies.”
“Ah, you caught me.”