Chapter 212
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 212
The strange, familiar monster that Yoo Seong-un had once encountered was no longer confined to the Subterranean Quadruped Rainforest.
Rattle.
“…What is that?”
“…A bird…?”
At some point, a new type of monster began appearing at random across multiple dungeons.
“No, wait… is it made of water?”
It was living water in the shape of a bird.
Lacking vocal cords, it made no cries, but it produced faint noises with the plants or minerals trapped within its transparent body. These objects were usually ripe fruit, fallen leaves, or gems.
“What? If it’s water, can’t we just drink it?”
“We don’t even know what kind of creature it is. Acting so rashly is…”
“Hey, wait a second. This could be like a living elixir or something.”
“No…”
Gulp.
“…”
“…Huh?”
The hunter stared at his companion, who was now trapped inside the creature’s transparent body. Their eyes met. Belatedly realizing his predicament, the trapped man opened and closed his mouth as if trying to scream, but not a single air bubble escaped.
Then, in an instant, he dissolved.
“…A-Aaaaargh!!!”
Information about this unusual monster quickly became a hot topic among hunters.
Its victims were primarily humans who harbored malice. Even if that malice wasn’t directed at the monster itself, anyone with impure thoughts would be attacked. Hunters who heard about this unique creature felt a strange sense of familiarity.
“…Isn’t that just like the Black Cloak?”
“Ah, you’re right. Good point. That explains the déjà vu.”
“I was wondering why it felt so familiar. It was the Black Cloak…”
Among them, a few hunters who had participated in clearing the dungeon known as the ‘Subterranean Quadruped Rainforest’ were able to make further deductions.
“A bird made of water?”
“It sounds a lot like the contracted beast that Hunter Seo Gio carries around.”
“Ah, right. That… Water Bird named Honey, correct?”
“It looks a bit different, but even so, there are definitely a lot of similarities.”
“I thought he’d tamed it in some remote dungeon, but it turns out there was a whole separate flock of them.”
It wasn’t all that rare for a tamer to train an unidentified monster. After all, there were countless dimensions among the dungeons that could never be visited again, and taming monsters native to those places was a common occurrence.
This was especially true in a world where individualism ran so deep that even public figures rarely disclosed their personal information. Thanks to the Collector Guild’s efforts, Hunter Seo Gio’s contracted beast was not widely known, but for the hunters who had cleared dungeons alongside him, it was a different story.
Even those who hadn’t witnessed it in person belatedly realized, through information posted on the Association’s community boards, that the subject of the recent rumors bore a striking resemblance to Hunter Seo Gio’s contracted beast.
“So, has the species name of this monster been confirmed? I think Hunter Seo Gio just called it a water bird…”
“According to appraisers, it really is just ‘Water Bird.’”
“Why such an uninspired name? I thought he just called it a water bird for convenience because it’s a bird made of water.”
“Well, since it probably lives in water, it’s not entirely wrong, is it…?”
“Anyway, how did he tame it? Given its similar habits, is it a monster that lives in the Black Cloak’s dungeons?”
While some thought along those lines due to their shared traits, other opinions naturally emerged.
“Maybe they just hang out because their personalities match. You know, those kinds of monsters—the ones whose habitats are unclear, but they keep popping up in places with similar environments.”
“Ah, right. There are monsters like that.”
While Gardeners called this mystery the ‘Children of the Origin,’ hunters referred to it by another name.
“A Share Monster, then.”
This term referred to ‘monsters that borrow other dungeons.’ Strictly speaking, it was a slightly different kind of mystery from the ‘Children of the Origin.’ However, because they shared similar characteristics, it was difficult for anyone other than a Gardener to tell them apart.
“It’s not uncommon for monsters with shared traits to borrow each other’s dungeons.”
“True. It could be a newly appeared Share Monster.”
Dungeons, simply put, were other dimensions. Even when a gate didn’t open on Earth, monsters fought amongst themselves, sometimes leading to an influx of new species. Thus, it wasn’t strange for an unfamiliar monster to suddenly pop up.
And as is always the case with the emergence of new monsters, there were minor incidents.
“…U-Uh, wait. What is that thing doing?”
“Where is that bastard going? Hey! Hey!!”
“Over there… there’s a tree, a tree…”
“What’s wrong with him? Block him! He’s about to fall in!”
This living water bewitched people.
“It’s beautiful.”
The creatures mostly blended into nature, in places where flowers and trees bloomed in abundance.
They would gather to form puddles beneath trees or perch on branches in rainy forests, looking down at people.
If they held miscellaneous gems or fruits, they might be noticed, but when only the Water Birds gathered, they were indistinguishable from ordinary puddles.
But at night, the story changed.
“Look, life is dissolved in it.”
They glowed red or blue, but on rare occasions, they shone with an enchanting, mesmerizing golden light. People found themselves unconsciously drawn to that light.
However, despite the word “bewitched,” the situation wasn’t too severe. No matter how many tiny droplets gathered, they only amounted to a puddle, and unless they congregated in deep areas, they were nothing more than shallow creeks.
Except…
“The lake over there…!”
“Grab him!”
…sometimes, that wasn’t the case.
—Splash!!
When a massive flock of Water Birds, too numerous to count, gathered in a deep pit or an already existing lake, they were no different from living water ghosts.
Yet, even here, life and death depended on the victim’s morality. Those who were good or had lived ordinary lives could snap out of their daze, even if they were lured and fell into the water.
Peck! Peck!!
“Ouch!”
Peckpeckpeckpeckpeck!!!
The Water Birds would rush over and peck at them furiously, as if to say, ‘Wake up, you idiot!’ Though they were made of water and couldn’t be grasped, their pecks stung quite a bit.
“W-What is this all of a sudden…!”
“You were about to fall into the Water Bird lake!”
“M-Me??”
On the other hand, the wicked and insidious were left to drown on the spot. While the Water Birds didn’t chew them up and swallow them directly as they did when someone displayed open malice, they acted with cold indifference, as if they couldn’t care less if a wicked human drowned.
Observing this behavior, people nodded in understanding.
“They must be on the Black Cloak’s side.”
“They really do resemble him…”
And naturally, Yoo Seong-un was hearing all of these whispers.
*
“I hear your children have been spotted often lately.”
Yoo Seong-un chuckled softly during their hallway meeting, the first in quite a while.
“Some are even asking if they’re the Black Cloak’s angels.”
“I have never painted an angel,” Gio replied.
“Well, in this day and age, ‘angel’ is often used for any servant of a divine being. I suppose that’s where the comparison comes from. Though I’m sure you didn’t paint those children with that in mind…”
Since when did the Origin ever have an intention when creating its children? Does a tree think before it blooms?
Unlike a divinity, which was a destiny or nature with its own will, Gio simply created life.
And that’s the terrifying part, Yoo Seong-un thought.
He was an existence for whom birthing life was that effortless.
“Are you satisfied with the work you created this time?”
“There is no reason for me to paint a picture I do not like.”
“I suppose so…”
Yoo Seong-un glanced between Ju-hyeon, who looked serene, and Gio, whose face was hidden.
…Did they sort things out between themselves?
The ‘White Frame’ that had recently sent deep, quiet ripples through the world was likely a concept akin to the ‘tombstone’ Gio had mentioned before. Yet, Ju-hyeon seemed completely unchanged.
Their eyes met.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Ju-hyeon asked.
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
Well, as long as there was no problem, it didn’t matter.
It’s not like Mr. Ju-hyeon is the type to cause trouble because he can’t control his own greed.
Yoo Seong-un didn’t have much interest in the ‘White Frame’ either. Since it was another child created by Gio, he wasn’t completely indifferent, but that was the extent of it. Even if it was a materialized heaven, it didn’t appeal to him.
He was already a Gardener harboring a massive mystery akin to purgatory within his own body.
“…It’s a bit embarrassing that we gathered but don’t have any grand topics to discuss. Oh, by the way, does everyone know how Cha Yi-sol is doing? I looked into it, just in case. Mind if I share?”
“There’s no reason not to,” Gio said.
“First of all, I heard he got an earful from student Iruda.”
“Ah, an earful… I see…”
“Apparently, he told Iruda that he wasn’t kidnapped by the mermaids but had crossed over on his own through the frame. It’s only natural she’d be angry when her partner vanished to such a dangerous place without a word.”
Cha Yi-sol was quick-witted and good at hiding things despite his innocent appearance. He had even written and submitted an apology letter, but he reportedly only told the full truth to Priest Kang Seo-dam, who already knew Gio’s identity.
“Aside from that, I heard he made some achievements.”
“Achievements?”
“He did quite a bit of work during this raid, I heard.”
Gio nodded at that.
“He was of great help in dealing with Iser. That was the very reason my father pushed student Cha Yi-sol into that dungeon. It seems he wanted him to properly learn how to wield the power of the sun.”
Additionally, his father likely wanted him to gain the experience of ‘killing a sentient creature.’ From a divinity’s perspective, there was no better opportunity. Since the target had accepted their own end, the psychological burden on the killer would be lighter.
“I am worried because my father seems to hope student Cha Yi-sol will grow into an outstanding Priest of the Sun.”
“Ah, worried… I see…”
“Children are busy enough just staying healthy.”
“You know, Mr. Gio, you seem surprisingly knowledgeable about children.”
“Despite how I look, I used to be a high school teacher.”
“Isn’t calling someone seventeen or older a ‘child’ a bit of a stretch…?”
After all, they were modern people, with a slightly different perspective from Seo Gio, who was a modern person from an older era. In this day and age, even a fifteen-year-old was considered ‘fully grown.’
“I’m glad student Cha Yi-sol didn’t seem too traumatized,” Ju-hyeon said.
“Well, it wasn’t something Cha Yi-sol did all by himself. I heard Priest Kang Seo-dam was with him when they faced Iser. Since they did it together, it probably didn’t feel too heavy,” Yoo Seong-un commented.
“No, it was indeed a heavy situation,” Gio stated.
“Well, aren’t you firm,” Yoo Seong-un shrugged. “…I do agree that it’s a relief Cha Yi-sol wasn’t deeply traumatized. He seemed quite friendly with the mermaid Iser, even calling him ‘Eun-ha.’”
He had killed someone he considered a friend with his own hands. Given his young age, he could have easily spiraled into self-blame, yet Yi-sol remained as cheerful as ever.
Gio spoke. “He seemed to understand that it was a necessary process for Iser. Cha Yi-sol shares many similarities with me, so he does not place an excessive amount of weight on the state of death.”
“…Now that sounds a bit chilling,” Yoo Seong-un laughed awkwardly. “Will Cha Yi-sol become like you when he grows up?”
“He will be very different from me. Our cognitive structures may be similar, but his attitude toward life and his surroundings is not the same as mine. Student Cha Yi-sol is highly sociable.”
“He certainly seems that way.” Stroking his chin, Yoo Seong-un asked, “By the way, about the gift you gave Miss Iruda.”
“Yes, the Basram flower tea?”
“Did you give it to her anticipating this as well?”
Yoo Seong-un and Ju-hyeon shared information with each other. Thanks to that, he knew Gio had gifted tea to Iruda when he visited the Sun Cult previously. It was quite a coincidence.
Because of that, Miss Iruda was able to play an active role in this raid.
Under the supervision of Priest Kang Seo-dam, she had offered the gift she received from Gio to the Goddess of the Sun. While it was hard to fathom the joy or happiness of a divinity, it must have been a pleasing offering, as Iruda had recently shown outstanding progress in wielding the power of the sun.
And with that power, Miss Iruda helped kill the mermaid Aria.
Gio answered a moment later. “I merely thought it could be used in some way.”
“Is that so?”
As expected, he was surprisingly cold.
Would he react the same way if I died? Yoo Seong-un wondered. He smiled casually and asked, “That’s a much cleaner reaction than I expected. Are you really okay? Even if the other Gios aren’t, those two were deeply meaningful connections to Giovanni, at least.”
“That is a mischievous question.”
Gio replied in his usual flat, mechanical tone.
“But I am truly fine. As I mentioned last time, I have made my own arrangements.”
“…Wait a minute.”
“Yes?”
“You answered like that before, and it’s giving me a bad feeling. You said ‘your own arrangements’ just now, right?”
“Yes.”
“Uh…”
For a fleeting moment, the random thought crossed Yoo Seong-un’s mind that Gio’s tone sounded just like the Man in a Black Suit residing in the Void City. But then, he caught on to a hidden meaning he hadn’t noticed before.
“…Did you take some kind of measure? Are they inside your White Frame?”
“Those two are not residents suited for the ‘Diary.’”
“Or did you resurrect them?”
“What is already dead is dead; it cannot be undone. Nor should it be.”
“I’m actually surprised by how sensible your answer is.”
“However, I did collect their remains after they dissolved.”
“……?”
Yoo Seong-un turned to Ju-hyeon. “Were there any mermaid remains left?”
“…N-No? I heard they both dissolved into water…”
Gio nodded. “Mermaids are born from the sea, and when they die, they return to the sea. It must have been a part of that process.”
“Then how could you have collected their remains?”
“They were already residents I had collected.”
“Residents?”
“They were residents on my Palette.”
“…Is it just me, or does that sound a bit ominous?” Ju-hyeon muttered.
“Mr. Ju-hyeon, you have absolutely nothing to worry about,” the Portrait spoke in its usual flat, monotonous voice. “The mermaids are dead, and now they can harm no one.”
“…….”
Ju-hyeon replied after a long pause.
“…I see!”
“Indeed.”
“But could you please explain it more clearly, openly, and in detail?”
These damn mysteries really needed to enroll in a speech academy.