Chapter 52
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 52
After listening to the entire story, Yoo Seong-un’s mind grew complicated.
“……”
No, it just made his stomach churn.
‘I never expected an Existence of the Origin to tolerate a human. Has there ever been a case like this before?’
No matter how gentlemanly Gio was, he was still a creature born from the Origin. The closest comparison would be something like a ‘Child of the Origin,’ but that didn’t really matter now.
The problem was that what Cha Ah-ra had seen was likely…
“…A cabin in the forest, you said?”
It was highly suspected to be a ‘Garden,’ a type of Origin. If he had to find the closest match, that was it.
‘That’s not a place just anyone can visit. If someone without qualifications enters, they’ll die. You can’t even call it a normal dungeon in the first place.’
At Yoo Seong-un’s question, Hunter Cha Ah-ra fidgeted with her fingers. She then nodded, her posture defensive.
From what Yoo Seong-un could gather, she seemed to have a rather sensitive and prickly personality. The fact that she was currently more intimidated than anything else made it easy to guess how she was usually treated.
“Yes. I’ve never been outside the house, but… I think so.”
“I see.”
Yoo Seong-un massaged the back of his neck.
‘What a headache.’
Apparently, the very atmosphere had changed according to Gio’s mood.
Hunter Cha Ah-ra didn’t seem to have thought that far, but even among humanoid monsters, few boss-level monsters were so deeply assimilated with their dungeons.
‘At that level, the monster and the dungeon must be treated as a single entity.’
In other words, Hunter Cha Ah-ra had gone inside Gio’s stomach and come back out alive.
‘And not just any dungeon, but a Garden… Does this even make sense?’
To Yoo Seong-un, who knew the terrible consequences of an unqualified person entering a ‘Garden,’ her story felt like an absurd, almost malicious lie.
‘No matter how much Gio permitted it, that place isn’t merciful enough for a fragile F-Rank hunter to simply survive and walk out.’
If what she saw was truly a Garden, then even if Gio were a unique type of Gardener, he wouldn’t have been able to protect Cha Ah-ra. A mere Gardener did not possess that level of authority.
To put it in perspective, it was like a piece of gimbap entering a human’s mouth, refusing to be digested, and then punching a hole through the solar plexus to walk back out. It was impossible, which made it difficult for Yoo Seong-un to define the current situation.
“……”
Then Gio was, truly…
“…Thank you for answering so sincerely, especially when you must have been flustered by this sudden situation.”
Fortunately, Bisabeol only grinned and didn’t interrupt, making it easy for Yoo Seong-un to control the flow of the conversation.
Yoo Seong-un continued, intending to wrap up the meeting for now and let her rest.
“It feels like we’ve been the only ones asking questions. If you have anything you’re curious about, you may ask.”
“…Am I really allowed to ask?”
“……”
As expected, she was sharp and intensely wary.
She seemed to be testing the waters before acting, but even so, the young hunter’s sensitivity couldn’t be hidden. No matter what survival tactics she usually employed, her base personality didn’t seem particularly gentle.
‘And yet he managed to completely disarm someone like her and even feed her a meal.’
He hadn’t thought about it much since so many people found Gio terrifying, but perhaps Gio possessed an ability that could break down even a person’s deepest wariness.
Pushing that speculation aside, Yoo Seong-un nodded slowly, trying to put her at ease. Since she was a historically valuable witness for Earth, it was only right to treat her with the utmost consideration.
“Of course you are.”
Seeing that it would be better to explain things first, Yoo Seong-un immediately continued.
“What you met, Hunter Cha Ah-ra, is a work named ‘Gio’s Portrait.’”
“…A work? Not a monster…?”
“We are still investigating his exact identity, so we ask for your understanding. For ease of comprehension, however, it might be better to think of him as a humanoid monster.”
“That makes even less sense…”
“You can understand him as a monster with a much lower level of hatred toward Earth compared to other monsters.”
In truth, they viewed him as ‘something’ of a much higher status, but he couldn’t share such details with a hunter he was meeting for the first time. Though she didn’t seem like a blabbermouth, there were always variables in the world.
“The work named ‘Gio’s Portrait’ possesses an ego defined as ‘Gio.’ Just as you saw him at dawn on that snowy day, Hunter Cha Ah-ra, he can travel through frames and can even emerge from the painting to act in the real world.”
“…That… So…”
“He is quite friendly toward humans, and because we have no way to stop him from painting and traveling beyond the frames, the Collector is leaving him be, focusing instead on persuasion.”
“What? No, wait, what?”
Cha Ah-ra flinched violently.
“How can you just leave such a dangerous person alone like that…! You said he’s a work, so doesn’t that mean he’s kept in the Collector’s Gallery? Can’t you… can’t you lock him up or something?”
“……”
Yoo Seong-un felt a flicker of doubt.
‘Did she just call him a person?’
That wasn’t a word that would easily slip out after feeling the overwhelming pressure of that black portrait. It was strange.
‘Even as she calls him a work and asks us to lock him up, she perceives Gio as an individual person. This is definitely unique. Unless Hunter Cha Ah-ra herself is special, is this one of Gio’s abilities?’
While mulling this over, Yoo Seong-un spoke with his characteristic, easygoing smile.
“In Korea, there are only two places that store dangerous items like ‘Gio’s Portrait.’”
“…Ah, there’s another place besides the Collector’s Gallery…?”
“It’s not well known, but the Association’s Research Institute is one. It’s a place with much tighter security than the Collector’s Gallery.”
“Then why didn’t you send him there…?”
“Our Guild Master was adamant on the matter. The ownership of ‘Gio’s Portrait’ belongs to Guild Master Bisabeol, who won the auction.”
The Guild Master’s opinion was that his ownership and viewing time were more important than people dying from a dangerous work. Cha Ah-ra seemed lost for words at that shameless answer.
Did she understand her own powerlessness in a harsh world where she couldn’t protest, even when faced with a dangerous work? Seeing her fall quiet, Yoo Seong-un spoke again.
“Because of this, our guild will compensate you for the inconvenience you experienced, Hunter Cha Ah-ra.”
“…Are you telling me to take the money and shut up?”
“We would appreciate it if you did. Is there any compensation you desire?”
“……”
“If nothing comes to mind yet, you can use the remaining time to ask other questions. You must have been very flustered by this situation as well, Hunter Cha.”
Fidgeting and reading the room, Hunter Cha Ah-ra soon spoke up.
“That… that… person…? Anyway, that thing, it’s not human, right?”
“As I said earlier, it’s best to think of him as a humanoid monster you can communicate with. That doesn’t mean he’s truly a monster, but I can at least assure you that he is not human.”
Bisabeol chimed in.
“You can think of him as a god who enjoys amusement. Though we don’t know his exact identity, his status doesn’t seem any lower than the gods the priests worship.”
“Guild Master, spreading unconfirmed information to a hunter we’re meeting for the first time could be a major source of anxiety.”
“But wouldn’t that be easier to understand? A ‘humanoid monster you can communicate with’ isn’t a term that really resonates with hunters. On the other hand, eccentric gods who enjoy amusement aren’t entirely unheard of.”
At Bisabeol’s words, Cha Ah-ra muttered with a dubious expression.
“But he cooked, too…?”
“……”
“Are there… cooking gods, too…?”
At her hesitant muttering, Bisabeol burst into silent laughter, while Yoo Seong-un barely held back a sigh.
Seriously, Gio, are you a grandmother or something?
‘Even if you like chubby humans, why are you so eager to feed everyone you see?’
Since it wasn’t information he couldn’t share, he nodded readily.
“…Yes, that is one of the habits ‘Gio’s Portrait’ displays. Many people in our guild have already received gifts from Gio. Though they were mostly cookies, chocolates, and candies…”
Yoo Seong-un glanced at Bisabeol, who nodded with lingering amusement. With that permission, Yoo Seong-un continued comfortably.
“In my case, as the one in charge of managing ‘Gio’s Portrait,’ I’ve received gifts like fruit tea and sausages. The tea Gio served you in the cabin was likely one of his creations. I suspect the type of food varies depending on the level of goodwill Gio feels, the relationship, or his personal judgment.”
“Ah… Ah…”
“But… I have a question.”
Yoo Seong-un asked Cha Ah-ra.
“Did you happen to give Gio anything before eating at the cabin?”
“…? No? I-I’m broke… I don’t have anything like that…”
“It doesn’t have to be anything special. Did you give Gio anything, even a pebble? Or did it seem like Gio felt some strong emotion toward you, Hunter Cha Ah-ra?”
“……”
Cha Ah-ra looked confused, caught between irritation and bewilderment, as if wondering, ‘Why on earth is he asking this?’ But deciding it wasn’t just a useless question meant to tease her, she fell into deep thought.
A bit of time passed, but Cha Ah-ra’s answer remained the same.
“…I don’t think so, no matter how much I think about it… And as for emotions, not at all…”
“Is that so? And Gio didn’t make any remarks about considering you a friend?”
“He did mention at the ‘Vein of Jewels’ that he came to find a friend, but… uh, well, no. He said I was too young and weak to be his friend.”
“Aha.”
It was a strange standard.
‘Thinking an 18-year-old is young is certainly a peculiar standard of Gio’s, but anyway… did he think an 18-year-old and a 29-year-old couldn’t easily be friends? I’m not sure if he was worried she would be crushed by his status, or if he reached that conclusion based on common human perspectives…’
Yoo Seong-un nodded.
“It seems certain that he didn’t receive anything from you.”
“Is… is that not allowed?”
“From what we’ve gathered, there has never been such a case.”
One of Gio’s rules was the 1:1 Rule.
“When interacting with humans, ‘Gio’s Portrait’ would return something if he received something, and expect something if he gave something. It was the same even if the exchange wasn’t material. Gio always gave a gift of apology to people he thought he had startled.”
“Ah, ahhh…!”
“……?”
“A gift of apology!!”
Cha Ah-ra rummaged through her pockets as if she just realized something.
“Th-that…! The gift I got on the snowy day, when I saw him then…!!”
“Please calm down and speak slowly.”
“Huuuuh…”
Taking a long breath, Cha Ah-ra soon pulled a pitch-black gem from her pocket.
“I… I received this. I found it when I fell to the ground in surprise.”
“……”
“I forgot about it for a bit, and I wasn’t sure if Mr. Gio… was really the one who gave it to me, so I didn’t mention it…”
“…May I take a look?”
“Ah, yes.”
“Hmm…”
Putting on gloves, Yoo Seong-un lifted the gem and observed it closely.
“……”
A crystalline structure that faintly rippled like liquid.
Yet, it was a hard mineral.
“…It is indeed from Gio.”
“R-really?”
“Yes, only Gio can create a gem like this.”
At least, from what they had discovered so far.
“If you don’t mind, would it be alright if our Collector purchased this gem?”
“What? This?”
“Because it has a crystalline structure that doesn’t exist on Earth, it will cause a lot of rumors if you put it up for auction. In the worst-case scenario, you and your family could be harmed, Hunter Cha Ah-ra.”
“Uh…”
“It would be best for us, who manage ‘Gio’s Portrait,’ to keep it.”
Saying so, Yoo Seong-un shrugged.
“I’m not forcing you.”
“You’re totally forcing me… You’re threatening me by bringing up my family…”
“I merely stated the reality. The choice is yours, Hunter Cha Ah-ra.”
“Ugh…”
“I don’t mean we have to buy it right this second. That is, if you will allow at least minimal protective measures, Hunter Cha.”
“Protective measures? Do you mean surveillance?”
“We can’t just leave a mysterious gift given by none other than ‘Gio’s Portrait’ unattended.”
“No…”
“As I said, we aren’t demanding it right now. Forcibly taking a gift given by ‘Gio’s Portrait’ would be a huge burden for us as well.”
Snatching it away before she could even grasp the situation wasn’t the Collector’s way. He had no intention of acting like a thug toward a young hunter who seemed inexperienced in trading or auctions.
“You can contact us when you’ve made up your mind.”
“…You’re not taking it?”
“Aside from its unique crystalline structure, which might be useful as research material, the gem itself has no inherent value.”
Although perhaps not as advanced as the Association’s Research Institute, the Collector also had a separate team to study new works or fragments of works. Gio’s gems had already been confirmed by Gio himself to have ‘no special function,’ and their safety had been verified through various experiments.
‘Though we can’t be completely at ease… it’s not so dangerous or precious that we need to resort to harsh measures to take it from an already terrified young hunter.’
Besides, Bisabeol’s opinion was that if one died from a work’s goodwill, it was just death by natural causes. As his employee and a Gardener, Yoo Seong-un had no reason not to follow that direction.
Yoo Seong-un continued his explanation.
“Most gems are highly valued simply because they are beautiful, and the Collector often purchases gems that are merely beautiful. That doesn’t mean there will be any issues with you possessing this one.”
“What exactly…?”
“I meant that simply possessing the gem won’t cause any problems. If you hide it well so other hunters don’t notice, no one will know it’s special unless they look closely. If you plan to use it for normal display, I actually recommend not selling it.”
Of course, she might get it stolen and face misfortune, or get seriously hurt by a danger the Collector hadn’t yet identified, but the guild would provide protective measures for that.
‘We also need to prevent the world from becoming overly chaotic due to Gio’s existence.’
Yoo Seong-un pulled out a red gem to reassure her.
“I have also received a gem in return from ‘Gio’s Portrait’ before.”
It was a gem he received after drawing an apple for Gio a while ago. It remained transparent and beautiful even without any special treatment.
“We inspected it as precisely as possible at the Collector’s level, and it is as harmless as any ordinary gem on Earth. It doesn’t break or scratch easily either. Aside from being excessively hard, there’s nothing wrong with it.”
“Ah…”
“Personally, I also recommend keeping it for display, but detailed research on ‘Gio’s Portrait’ is still ongoing. Since we don’t know when or what kind of harm the gem might cause, you can contact us whenever you wish to trade.”
At that, Bisabeol suddenly became sullen. It was a truly detestable reaction.
“You’re not selling it now…?”
“Please maintain your dignity, Guild Master. This is not an auction house.”
“But I… I don’t have one… I don’t have Gio’s gem, and I’ve never even talked to him…”
“That’s why I keep telling you to fix your personality.”
Just how overwhelming must he be for even the kind Gio to avoid talking to him?
‘There’s no way Bisabeol would get along with someone who likes quietness in the first place. He’s not a bad person, but he’s by no means a good one either… He’s harmless to works, but truly toxic to fellow humans.’
Since they were in front of an outsider, he barely held back a sigh. No matter how much the Collector branded itself on a free-spirited atmosphere, there was nothing to be gained from an employee putting down the Guild Master.
“Besides, we also have to ask Gio’s opinion on whether it’s alright to sell a gem received as a gift to our guild. Monsters are strict about rules.”
“…Th-that’s… true…”
“Regardless of that, there shouldn’t be any issues for the time being, so it’s best to keep it for display. If it makes you uncomfortable, you can sell it now.”
He didn’t want to see Bisabeol jumping for joy, nor did he want it to fall into other people’s hands and cause a stir in the academic community.
As long as no unexpected situations arose, it wasn’t a bad thing for an individual to simply own it.
‘Of course, keeping it unofficially stored at the Collector’s would be the safest.’
Cha Ah-ra was a rare hunter who had received an abundance of goodwill from ‘Gio’s Portrait.’ She was the only person who had eaten a meal directly prepared by Gio, rather than just receiving simple gifts like cookies or fruit syrup.
‘It would be a shame to earn the hostility of such a person. She’s naturally wary of others… Let’s not displease her.’
As a Gardener, he was also curious about what kind of effect Gio’s gem would have on an F-Rank hunter. Yoo Seong-un spoke again.
“Even we at the Collector don’t know much about ‘Gio’s Portrait’ yet. But since you’ve received Gio’s goodwill, you might encounter ‘Gio’s Portrait’ again someday, Hunter Cha Ah-ra.”
“……”
“So, let me share some things with you.”
After all, it would be troublesome if Hunter Cha Ah-ra accidentally incurred the portrait’s wrath.
“As I mentioned earlier, Gio prefers 1:1 transactions. Hearing your story, Hunter Cha, it seems this rule only applies when there is a frame between you. You said there was no issue when you ate inside the painting, even though you didn’t give Gio anything.”
“Ah, yes, that’s right. I didn’t really…”
“If you happen to encounter ‘Gio’s Portrait’ again, just talking is fine. However, if you give something to Gio, or receive something, you should be prepared to pay a corresponding price.”
“H-how? What kind of price do I have to pay?”
“We have confirmed that even ten bungeoppang are perfectly acceptable as payment.”
“……”
How modest.
Cha Ah-ra made a bizarre face, as if she had just seen a talking panda. She seemed to think that for his status, he accepted incredibly trivial, ordinary things—a sentiment Yoo Seong-un agreed with one hundred percent.
“We have also confirmed that telling Gio personal information, like your name, is not an issue. Several of our Collector’s employees have introduced themselves to the portrait, and no one-sided contracts were initiated.”
“…That’s a relief.”
“And…”
Yoo Seong-un suppressed a sigh at the sudden wave of fatigue.
“……”
Whether the outcome was good or bad, an Existence of the Origin being favorable to humans was truly mentally exhausting.
He probably wouldn’t meet such an existence again in his lifetime.
* * *
“……”
“What… is this?”
“These are the rules compiled by our Guild Master himself.”
“Am I really allowed to see this?”
“Actually, maybe not…”
Extreme fatigue was written all over Yoo Seong-un’s face.
“But since the Guild Master himself told me to show you, it doesn’t matter.”
“Is it really okay for it to ‘not matter’...? That’s so careless. Can a major corporation really be run this haphazardly? The way you manage the artwork and everything else is just weird.”
“These rules were originally drawn up for our staff, so please keep that in mind when you read the terminology.”
“R-Right…”
Scanning the rules, Cha Ah-ra tilted her head in confusion.
“Um, but what’s going on with rules four and five? It reads like they were written by two different people. It’s like one of those lists of rules from a horror story.”
“Ah, that’s because Gio saw the rules the Guild Master drafted and added those parts himself…”
“You let a monster edit his own rules? No, wait—why would you leave it like that in the first place?”
“The Guild Master thought it was funny and told us to leave it in.”
“…”
“If you’ve committed them to memory, may I escort you home now?”
Seeing the bone-deep exhaustion etched onto the employee’s face, Cha Ah-ra gave a tentative nod.
“Y-Yes, please…”
I guess working for a major corporation isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
It was a profound realization.