Chapter 83
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 83
At the highest floor of the Collector Guild, in Bisabeol’s office.
"He has a dangerous disposition."
"His personality?"
"You could put it that way."
Hearing Yoo Seong-un’s report, Bisabeol stroked his chin and asked, "He threatened the mermaids by taking himself hostage?"
"...To put it simply, yes."
"How dramatic."
Bisabeol’s smile was somewhat bitter as he murmured, "To think my precious work of art is walking into hellfire of his own accord."
"That 'hellfire' was sunlight. Please refrain from making remarks that could cause friction with the Sun Cult."
"That’s why I don’t say it in front of them. That should be enough."
"You never know who might be listening. Especially when it sounds like blasphemy..."
"Honestly, those religious fanatics are impossible to talk to."
"Isn’t that just the nature of priests?"
"Our dear Mr. Giovanni had better not grow up to be like that..."
"He’s already fully grown, that 'Mr. Giovanni' of yours. He’s past grown—he’s dead."
"Don’t go killing off my lovely work of art on a whim, Curator Yoo Seong-un."
Perhaps finding this absurd banter amusing, Bisabeol, who had been slumping in his chair, let out a soft chuckle.
"It seems he has no attachment whatsoever to his own life or pain. Even gods are incredibly sensitive about their own existence fading away. If he’s immune to that, it’s no exaggeration to say humanity has lost its most traditional method of dealing with disasters."
"In the first place, we shouldn’t do anything to provoke 'Gio’s Portrait.' If things deteriorate to the point where we have to find a way to suppress Gio, it won’t be a disaster that can be resolved by offering a few sacrifices, as one might with an Evil God."
"If he were just an ordinary god, it would have been a bit easier to prepare. Then again, Gio isn’t a traditional god, but a being that merely possesses godly characteristics. Approaching it that way won’t yield any answers."
"That’s true, but Gio also possesses human traits. The fact that he wasn’t swayed by personal feelings, despite clearly possessing a human persona, is also something we must consider. How to suppress him is a question we must continue to analyze."
At that, Bisabeol asked, "Since he didn’t kill or punish them outright, couldn’t we say he was being considerate of their past connection?"
"That’s separate from the outcome. I observed Gio up close, and his eyes were not those of someone lost in memories of the past."
It simply seemed that Giovanni made that choice because he believed it was the natural and correct course of action. He truly seemed to believe that tormenting himself would be the greatest punishment for the mermaids.
"Gio seemed to be taking the most appropriate responsibility he could. By giving Giovanni to the mermaids—monsters whose senses had grown dull—he gave them a new focal point, forcing them into constant agony."
"So that is their punishment."
"As long as Giovanni is by their side, the mermaids will be forced to confront everything they’ve done. It seems Gio himself wanted this and acted accordingly."
Yoo Seong-un recalled Giovanni at that moment. "He was incredibly resolute. According to him, those mermaids were creatures he had raised like his own children when he was human. I don’t know if he was angry or what..."
"..."
"Seeing him just keep smiling even as he bled and his limbs were broken was quite chilling. He really was no different from a portrait. Even when the mermaid named Aria wept and begged, he just kept going."
"A mermaid crying is an interesting story, but... you call that a threat?"
"Well, it was a method where Gio suffered alongside them, but yes, I suppose so. No matter how you dress it up, the core of it remains the same."
It was hard to argue that it wasn’t a threat.
"But the most unusual part is definitely that he took himself hostage."
"If things hadn’t gone his way back then and Giovanni had died, did it really seem like that persona would have vanished?"
"He said so himself. He said the Giovanni persona could die, and if that didn’t work, he would just keep dying in front of her, dozens, hundreds of times."
"Either way, that’s chilling."
"The mermaid certainly seemed to think so too. Perhaps because he said it with a gentle smile, it sounded even more terrifying. Even to my eyes, Giovanni’s words didn’t feel like a bluff..."
"It must have been quite the punishment for the mermaids."
Bisabeol shrugged. "Though I doubt that means they’ll stop tormenting humans altogether."
"Still, as long as Gio is by their side, I assume there won’t be any major incidents..."
"The fact that there will only be no 'major incidents' is exactly what we need to focus on."
Unless it reached the level of mass slaughter, Gio wouldn’t say a word about the mermaids' cruelty.
'Gio’s Portrait' was a gentlemanly Existence of the Origin who appreciated good and polite things, but he himself was not inherently good.
"He is no hero. He may have been a hero once, and he may possess a 'Gio' with those qualities, but at its core, 'Gio’s Portrait' is a force of nature—of fate itself."
Bisabeol smiled and continued. "As a Gardener, you would know this best, Mr. Yoo Seong-un, but it’s one of the characteristics of beings close to the Origin. Unless driven by specific malice, human life and death are no different to Gio than flowers blooming and withering."
While feigning otherwise, the pitch-black portrait pursued what interested it, judging its own death and suffering—as well as that of others—as mere states and data. It held no cheap sympathy for things breaking and collapsing beyond its immediate sphere.
Of course, 'Gio’s Portrait' loved all humans impartially, but to love everything was, in essence, to love nothing at all.
In a way, he was cold and indifferent. Unless his interest was piqued, he simply let things take their course.
"As proof, the entrance to the 'Deep Sea Kingdom' hasn’t closed, has it? If the mermaids had truly repented and wished to respect humans, they would have closed the entrance and shut down the dungeon so no more humans would get hurt."
Yet, even after a week, there was no sign of that happening. It meant that the mermaids, being monsters, could not let go of their hatred for humans, and Gio, likewise, did not unconditionally defend humanity.
"If either of those conditions had been met, the dungeon would have closed."
"Beings of the Origin aren’t creatures that bend to human whims. They are nature itself."
"Which is why we ultimately had to buy it. Who knows who else would have died as a scapegoat for the mermaids' rage."
Bisabeol laughed merrily. "Of course, there was also the fact that it was a gift for our Hunter Seo Gio!"
"...I’m sure you’ll handle the media well enough, but is your budget really okay with this expenditure?"
"A mere dungeon purchase won’t put a dent in the pockets of Bisabeol the Collector."
"In a capitalist society like today’s, you truly are reliable."
"I’ve always been a reliable Guild Master."
"Ah, yes."
"But the point is, Gio cannot be considered entirely on humanity’s side."
Bisabeol smiled at Yoo Seong-un. "Just like Gardeners, such as yourself, Mr. Yoo Seong-un."
"..."
At the mention of the word 'Gardener' for the first time in a while, Yoo Seong-un shrugged.
"From what we know, the Origin is more of a system than an individual. It treats humans, monsters, and the Children of the Origin with equal fairness—it’s fair to every sentient being in the universe. Therefore, a Gardener who manages the veins of the Origin must also remain impartial."
A sense of balance that takes no sides is a Gardener’s most important virtue. They are signposts maintaining a minimal equilibrium, mere bystanders living within the Garden.
"Speaking of which, I sometimes get the feeling that Gio is similar to a Gardener."
"What makes you say that?"
"Hunter Cha Ah-ra was the first human to visit the inside of 'Gio’s Portrait.' The 'Gio’s cabin' she described sounded very similar to the Garden we manage."
"Then perhaps Gio is a Gardener who was consumed by the Origin."
"How could a Gardener consumed by the Origin maintain their ego..."
Yoo Seong-un ran a hand through his snow-white hair, looking utterly exhausted. His sky-blue eyes narrowed.
"That’s impossible."
A Gardener maintaining their ego even after being consumed by the Garden? It was out of the question. A Gardener who became the property of the Garden could no longer even be called an intelligent lifeform.
"But looking at it this way, it’s clear Gio won’t strictly take sides between humans and monsters. Considering that, we can see his goal wasn’t simply to punish the mermaids."
He had merely resolved the immediate problem. He shouldered the responsibility that was Giovanni’s to bear and placed a minimal check on the mermaids, whose power and ideology could threaten humanity.
That was all. Just as Bisabeol said, Gio was not a passionate being who would go out of his way to do something he had no interest in at his own expense.
"Gio loves good and polite beings. That’s what piques the portrait’s interest."
"The mermaids weren’t particularly good, though. For a being like Gio, who loathes evil, to show such mercy... that could indeed be a form of favoritism, just as you reported, Curator Yoo Seong-un."
"Saving the people was probably just something he did on a whim. I can estimate his patterns to a certain extent."
Yoo Seong-un stroked his neck, looking into the empty air as if calculating.
"He likes everything to proceed simply and peacefully. This is the fundamental attitude with which 'Gio’s Portrait' treats the world, with two exceptions."
"First would be past connections, and second would be subjects of interest."
"And those subjects of interest are good and polite beings. It seems 'Gio’s Portrait' operates on these three guidelines, but..."
"It’s too early to jump to conclusions. After all, this is only the second 'Gio' to appear."
"Yes, we should consider ourselves lucky this time. In the case of 'Giovanni,' his very nature was that of a gentle and merciful priest. We must also prepare for the possibility of a 'Gio' appearing with a hostile disposition toward humanity."
"Since 'Gio’s Portrait' itself highly values peace and has a strong will to communicate, I don’t think there will be any major issues."
"I keep telling you, you shouldn’t treat a being of the Origin like a human. Anyway, what I want to say is..."
Looking as if he was sorting through a headache that guaranteed overtime, he finally spoke.
"We also need to find a way to coexist with the mermaids in the future."
"..."
"Guild Master, you need to come up with a plan."
This old Guild Master absolutely hated doing anything unrelated to his collection. Bisabeol slumped back in his chair and said bitterly, "...How about we keep the dungeon entrance closed forever? Just don’t let anyone in."
"Do you really think that’s possible? What you purchased were the entry rights to the dungeon, not the dungeon itself. And above all..."
"If we block entry when no one knows what resources might be inside, the Hunter Association won’t just sit back and watch."
"Since you know that so well, why are you even asking?"
"Sigh..."
Bisabeol, who had been buried deep in his chair, sluggishly pulled himself upright.
"...And even if I say there are no resources inside, no one will believe me, right?"
"News is already circulating that the Collector is trying to monopolize a special resource found in the 'Deep Sea Kingdom.' Saying that now will only look like a deceptive ploy."
"You’re right."
Bisabeol gave a light smile. "Then what can we do? We’ll just have to let them dig their own graves."
"Ah, is that how you’re going to play it?"
"I’ll set an entry fee soon. I have to respect the brave souls who want to crawl in there, searching for whatever special resource the Collector supposedly found. If they die inside, it’s not my fault, is it?"
"I’ll keep that in mind, then."
Given their confrontation with Gio, the mermaids of the 'Deep Sea Kingdom' wouldn’t go out of their way to cause trouble outside the dungeon, but they wouldn’t leave humans who entered the dungeon alone, either.
"I don’t think Gio will be offering help in there anymore. The reason Gio frequented the Deep Sea Kingdom was to talk with the mermaids, but since he has already achieved his goal... he won’t go out of his way to travel all the way there just to help some Hunters."
"The 'Gio’s Portrait' we saw wasn’t exactly an altruistic and devoted being, was he?"
"Exactly. He is merely quite friendly and gentlemanly compared to other beings of the Origin."
There would probably be fools crawling into the S-Rank dungeon relying solely on the existence of the 'Black Cloak,' but it was about time they got a taste of reality.
"This is the right direction."
Yoo Seong-un nodded. "Hunters nowadays treat the 'Black Cloak' like a convenient vending machine. Though Gio never really helped Hunters with such pathetic mindsets in the first place..."
"In any case, having such an easygoing image won’t do Gio any favors."
"Yes. It’s time they realized that the 'Black Cloak' is a natural disaster that won’t move according to their whims. Once they start dying in the 'Deep Sea Kingdom' without even catching a glimpse of the 'Black Cloak,' they will face reality."
There were still plenty of idiots in the world who thought they could negotiate with and exploit monsters—or rather, beings of the Origin—even though those beings were clearly disasters, not resources.
"I’ll give Gio a heads-up about this. He found joy in drawing and rescuing people, so he might step in to save more Hunters, but since he’s not a particularly proactive portrait, the probability is low."
To that, Bisabeol said, "I can talk to him too, you know."
"No matter how persuasive you are, what can you do if Gio himself refuses?"
"At this rate, I might just roll out a sleeping bag and lie down in front of his portrait."
"Gio would get angry if you did that..."
"Tsk."
Clicking his tongue, Bisabeol quickly changed the subject. "By the way, is that novice priest who was kidnapped doing well?"
"You’re only asking now. I heard he’s finally moving into the dormitory next Monday."
"The Sun Cult must have been in absolute chaos. Normally, they would have taken in students and started training them long ago, but he just had to become the mermaids' prey, ruining their entire schedule."
"It seems Priest Kang Seo-dam was under a lot of stress because of that. You know how it is, right? It even made the news this time..."
"Still, now that things will proceed according to the original schedule, the Sun Cult’s situation should improve a bit."
Yoo Seong-un nodded. "The novice priest you mentioned, young Cha Yi-sol, didn’t seem to have any major psychological issues either."
"Such cynicism, like a perfectly ripened fruit... Is he a talent I have yet to recruit for the Collector’s?"
"He’s already a priest of the Sun Cult; why would he join a private guild that isn’t even religious? Above all, he’s far from the kind of cynical you’re thinking of. He’s just a bit..."
"A bit?"
"He has nerves of steel."
After all, despite knowing he had been kidnapped, he had calmly spent his time observing the mermaids' ecology.
"It didn’t seem like he did it out of childish innocence or ignorance. He’s quick-witted, but possesses a resilient mind that isn’t easily shaken."
"Does he have the makings of a pushover? Or perhaps foolhardiness? Neither is particularly welcome. No wonder there were reports of Gio doting on him."
"In any case, we’ve processed a generous amount of compensation for him. No matter how fine he acts, a victim is still a victim."
And it was then.
"Oh."
"Did you get a text?"
"Yes, coincidentally, it’s from... Cha Eun-hyeok."
"The older brother of the novice priest we were just talking about, right?"
"That’s correct."
Checking the text, Yoo Seong-un fell silent for a moment.
"..."
"Is there a problem?"
"...He says Gio is there."
"...Where?"
At Bisabeol’s question, Yoo Seong-un answered with difficulty. "Cha Yi-sol’s house."
"..."
He had already figured going home on time was out of the question, but now Yoo Seong-un smelled the familiar scent of overtime.
Why on earth are you over there now?
* * *
"W-what is..."
Cha Ah-ra stammered, "How did this happen?"
"You have to believe me."
"Then what is it?"
"Well, you see, Sis."
Facing his sister’s disbelief, even as she stared right at the reality of the situation, Cha Yi-sol answered honestly.
"I drew a picture, and Gio-hyung came out of it..."
"What are you talking about?"
"It’s true! I drew a picture, and Gio-hyung really came out!"
"No, what the..."
At a loss from the sheer absurdity of it all, Cha Ah-ra soon turned to look at the Black Cloak with a complicated expression.
"..."
"Nice to meet you."
"...Ah, yes..."
Is today the day I die?
He didn’t seem hostile, but the Black Cloak was still terrifying as hell.