Chapter 192
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 192
“Are divinities usually a bit childish?”
“What on earth is that supposed to mean?” Yoo Seong-un asked with his characteristic smile as he waited for Ju-hyeon at home. “Did a lot happen at the Portrait today?”
Ju-hyeon, who possessed a strange streak of boldness in the most unexpected ways, had indeed visited the Portrait. Unlike Aria—the clear mastermind of the impending incident—his goal had been to ask her younger brother, Iser, for his thoughts.
“Why? What did Gio do this time to get that kind of reaction from you?”
“Sankalut visited Mr. Gio’s Portrait.”
“Oh.” Yoo Seong-un’s expression turned serious. “I remember that name.”
“Why would an Evil God suddenly show up?”
“I know, right? A divinity that’s supposed to be locked up in the Research Institute just appeared out of nowhere. I was pretty shocked myself.”
“Is ‘pretty shocked’ really the right way to put it? That’s an Evil God with a lot of history tied to you, Ju-hyeon.”
“I suppose I should be reacting more dramatically, but… well, how should I put this…” Ju-hyeon mumbled for a moment before finding an answer. “It didn’t feel real.”
“Ah, if that’s the case, I understand.” Yoo Seong-un quickly grasped his meaning. “Your brain hasn’t fully processed it yet.”
He set a warm cup of coffee down in front of Ju-hyeon.
“Drink this for now. It might help you clear your head.”
“I feel a bit dazed. I wonder what kind of fit I’ll throw once this really sinks in.”
“Don’t worry, I was shocked too,” Yoo Seong-un said, comforting him. “Do you feel any desire for revenge?”
“…I thought about that, but…” Ju-hyeon pondered deeply for a moment, then shook his head. “Not particularly.”
“You’re surprisingly calm.”
“I’m surprised by myself, too.”
“Did you write it off as a sort of natural disaster?”
“Perhaps.”
Or maybe the situation had been so childishly absurd that he didn’t even have the energy to get angry. He wasn’t sure. If he had to describe his current state, “dumbfounded” was the most fitting word.
“It feels like getting slapped in my sleep…”
“But surely you must harbor some resentment.”
“Of course I resent him. I know a mere human’s resentment is nothing more than a light snack to an Evil God, but still… he’s the one who harmed my family and friends.”
“Naturally.”
Although Gio had never explicitly said so, both Ju-hyeon and Yoo Seong-un had deduced that the tragedy of the past was Sankalut’s doing. They had never taken any action beyond that realization.
Ju-hyeon toyed with his coffee cup. “I think I’m able to stay calm thanks to Mr. Gio.”
He had already put the past behind him and moved forward.
“Even during that sudden encounter, Mr. Gio was so casual that it kept things from getting too serious. Besides, I wasn’t even the subject of their conversation…”
“Right. Why did that Evil God, Sankalut, end up at Gio’s Portrait in the first place? Was he planning to pick a fight with Gio? With the mermaid situation going on, this is a real headache.”
As a curator, it was something he couldn’t ignore. When he asked, Ju-hyeon wore an awkward expression.
“Well, he wasn’t exactly there of his own free will…”
“Don’t tell me he was dragged there?”
“That’s what it looked like.”
“How on earth did that happen…?”
No matter how weak or foolish an Evil God might be, their divinity allowed them to perform countless miracles. Sankalut, who had once been worshipped by an entire planet, shouldn’t have been an easy opponent. It was hard to comprehend.
Ju-hyeon asked him, “Do you remember the student, Cha Yi-sol?”
“The kid Gio is quite fond of.”
“It seems he tried to pull something on the boy and got scolded by Mr. Gio.”
“Even when you put it that way, I still don’t quite get it.”
“He was possessing the body of a girl named Iruda and got dragged along with her.”
“…So…” Yoo Seong-un pieced the situation together. “…To target Cha Yi-sol, he possessed his partner, Iruda, to carry out his scheme. But for some reason, both Cha Yi-sol and Iruda were pulled into Gio’s Portrait, completely ruining Sankalut’s plans?”
“You understood perfectly.”
“It seems another bizarre incident almost occurred without us even knowing.”
“I feel like it’s an extension of what happened to me, too.”
“That… is certainly true.”
Accustomed to the ways of entities from the Origin, Yoo Seong-un saw right through Sankalut’s scheme. “He must want a fresh start.”
“I thought he was currently sealed. If that’s the case…”
“There must be an issue with the seal at the Research Institute.”
“Otherwise, there’s no way Sankalut could have reached the children of the Sun Cult.”
“The Sun Cult needs to file a formal complaint with the Association Research Institute.”
“Since Mr. Gio is involved, I’ll reach out to them myself. I became acquainted with Priest Kang Seo-dam last time, so he won’t ignore my call.”
“He’s a flexible man for a priest. He’ll handle it well.”
If they had missed this, it could have escalated into a major incident. But since Gio had stopped it beforehand, it wasn’t something humans needed to worry about too much. As long as they handled the aftermath properly, everything would be fine.
Yoo Seong-un studied Ju-hyeon’s complexion. “But really, are you sure you’re okay?”
“…I’m not sure.”
“…It would be best to talk about this again once you’ve sorted out your thoughts.” He smoothly changed the subject. “How did Iser react? Did you manage to meet him?”
“Yes. I’m not sure if it was because Mr. Gio called for him, or if he was interested himself, but he agreed to my request much more willingly than I expected.”
“What was his opinion on this whole situation?”
“He said he agrees with what Aria is doing.”
“I figured as much, but…” Yoo Seong-un laughed awkwardly. “I’m glad you had a safe conversation.”
“I expected nothing would go wrong with Mr. Gio there, but the conversation was even more cooperative than I’d hoped.”
“I was worried because you’re too brave, Ju-hyeon.”
“I’m sorry for making you anxious.”
“You’re fearless in the strangest ways.”
“Still, I had to hear his thoughts. Of course, I’m not the one fighting the war the mermaids are going to wage, but we do know each other, after all.”
Aria had expressed her views plenty, but Iser hadn’t. Ju-hyeon had been worried about that, so he was satisfied now that Iser had shared his stance.
“I know it’s not my place to worry as a non-Awakened.”
“Well, it allowed both sides to clarify their positions, so it wasn’t a bad thing in the end.” Yoo Seong-un rubbed his neck. “Still, you should be careful. You don’t have many ways to protect yourself, Ju-hyeon.”
“I’ll be careful from now on.”
“Sorry if I sound like I’m nagging.”
“I know you’re just worried about me.”
“Well, if you see it that way…” Yoo Seong-un trailed off and sipped his coffee. “…Any other information?”
“He said they’ll probably make their move in about a month.”
“Is there any chance it’s a lie? Though, I suppose he said it in front of Gio.”
“Mr. Gio didn’t say anything, so I think he was being sincere.”
“What a bizarre way of doing things.”
This must be the eye of the storm.
It shouldn’t be, yet it’s so peaceful.
The world was truly going mad.
* * *
After Iser returned to the sea, only Cha Yi-sol and the sleeping Iruda remained in the Portrait.
“Have you calmed down a bit?”
“Hyung…”
“You haven’t. I figured as much.”
“I just feel so miserable.”
“Your vocabulary is as impressive as ever.”
It was quite remarkable for someone so young to articulate his emotions so well.
“What made you feel so miserable?”
“People are so heartless.”
“I find the world quite frightening these days, too.”
“You too, Hyung?”
“Of course.”
If anything, he felt it more keenly than Cha Yi-sol. After all, Seo Gio was a modern man from an older era, one who remembered the days before the Great Catastrophe when public order was still somewhat maintained.
“The Earth of the past wasn’t as openly grim as it is now.”
“The Earth of the past?”
“I mean the Earth before the Great Catastrophe.”
“How do you know about that? Isn’t that from a really long time ago?”
“I don’t think it was that long ago…”
It hadn’t even been a hundred years.
“Is that why you felt so miserable, Student Cha Yi-sol? Because people are heartless?”
“It’s just so scary. Our village wasn’t like this, but city people are so cold…”
“I can sympathize with you on that point.”
Having lived in a warm-hearted mountain village in Gangwon-do before settling in Seoul, Gio understood how Cha Yi-sol felt. Public sentiment back then hadn’t been as vicious as it was now, but the feeling was much the same.
“So, did you grow to hate people?”
At Gio’s question, Cha Yi-sol mumbled, biting his lip. “…A little bit.”
“You hate seeing everyone despise each other so much.”
“I think so. I wish they wouldn’t.”
“But no matter which dimension you look at, humans always hate one another.”
“…I don’t like that…”
“You resemble me, Student Cha Yi-sol.” His way of thinking was unique. “Because you can’t bring yourself to hate easily, you can’t understand people who slander each other without a second thought. You start to feel a distance from them, and eventually, you drift away.”
“…What did you do, Hyung?”
“I failed.”
In all of Gio’s lives, people had never been able to view him with familiarity. They either idolized him or turned him into an object of fear. Gio couldn’t bring himself to ignore that and draw closer.
Because that was what those people wanted.
“But you are different from me in that regard, Student Cha Yi-sol.”
Cha Yi-sol was very sociable.
“You have a friendly nature.”
“But what if I live like this and drift too far, and end up hating people? Even now, I just want to run away back to my village…”
“It sounds like you want a rest more than an escape. You love your family in the Sun Cult more than you realize, Student Cha Yi-sol.”
“Do you hate people, Hyung?”
“I do not.”
Not only was he fundamentally incapable of thinking that way, it was also because he understood them.
“What do you understand?”
“Why they became so wicked and despicable, why they struggle so desperately, why they are crying…” He understood all of it. “Do you understand what I mean?”
“…Are you pitying them?”
“You understood perfectly.” Gio pitied them. “They are pitiful souls.”
They were beings who ended their lives in agony, plagued by lifelong anxiety and anguish.
“What do you think, Student Cha Yi-sol?”
“But Luda and I were the ones who got hurt…”
“Ah, I am not trying to force my thoughts on you. I was merely asking.”
“…I don’t know what I want to do.”
“That is a truly gentle answer.”
Contrary to his words, Cha Yi-sol was choosing growth over running away.
“Do you want to get angry?”
“A little bit.”
“Do you want the culprit behind this to die?”
“N-no, not that.”
“Do you want him to live in agony for the rest of his life?”
“Not that either…”
“Then you want him to reflect and repent.”
“…Do you think he’ll say he’s sorry?”
“There are many choices.” As long as one was not consumed by it, anything was possible. “You could simply submit to fate and wait for the sinner to repent, or you could help them do so, or even scold them.”
“I don’t know if I can help. Not Luda, nor my other friends…”
“It seems you lack confidence in yourself.”
“I’m not an all-powerful god. I can try my best, but what if I end up making things even worse?”
“Then another path will reveal itself.”
“I’m scared of walking a path I don’t know.” Hesitating, Cha Yi-sol reached out. “Can’t you help me?”
“How would you like me to help?”
“Hug me.”
“That is not difficult.”
Giovanni gently embraced the young priest, and only then did Cha Yi-sol smile as he usually did.
“…I think I feel braver now.”
“I am glad.”
Pulling back from him, Cha Yi-sol asked, “What do I have to do to become your priest, Hyung?”
“You only need to become my friend.”
“Then let’s be friends.”
“This is a joyous day…” Giovanni lightly stroked Cha Yi-sol’s forehead with his thumb. “Your soul shall always dwell in warmth.”
A warm energy seeped into his forehead.
* * *
“I did it!”
“…W-what?”
“Luda, you’re not hurt anywhere, right?”
“What is this? Cha Yi-sol, what did you do?”
“I’m a healer now!”
“I said, what did you do?!”
Iruda, who had woken up in the order’s infirmary, grabbed Cha Yi-sol’s shoulders and trembled.
“Why do I… feel the weight of divinity coming from you?”
“I decided to be friends with the Black Cloak!”
“I told you to consult me before pulling something like this…!!”
What on earth had this rare specimen of a boy done while she was unconscious?