Chapter 99
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 99
It was a world where human lives were just another resource. Even when a scoundrel who poisoned society was dragged away by something that was neither monster nor human, no one truly worried about the missing man.
They were simply curious.
“Do you think he’s dead by now?”
“When did the information processing team confirm his disappearance?”
“Around 4:00 PM on the 22nd.”
“Today is the 24th. Roughly two days have passed… It’s safe to assume he’s dead.”
“If so, the manner of his death is also something we need to look into.”
“He might not have been killed. He could have been kept as a toy.”
“The entity is assessed to have considerable intelligence, so that’s a definite possibility.”
Because they had yet to grasp the exact identity of the ‘Black Cloak,’ the Association staff had no choice but to analyze its behavior by comparing it to a humanoid monster.
And considering how humanoid monsters usually treated humans who broke their rules, grim speculation was only natural.
“If he was killed cleanly, we might have to reconsider the meaning of ‘punishment.’ Wouldn’t that imply a lack of personal malice?”
“It could have been an act of ‘cleanup’ rather than ‘punishment.’ It’s only natural to want to remove a human who broke your rules from your sight. We can’t say for sure there was no personal malice.”
“We need to know the definitive outcome of this incident to adjust our response level for the ‘Black Cloak’… especially given the advice from Hunter Yoo Seong-un, the former research team leader.”
To the Association, which had to account for every dangerous variable, the fact that the Black Cloak showed favor to polite, good-natured people was of little importance. What mattered was how this entity—whether monster or something else entirely—inflicted harm on humans.
“Is there no way to track the missing person’s location?”
“According to witness testimony, he wasn’t carrying any tracking devices.”
“True. Even if he had one, there’s no guarantee it would even function.”
“Still, we can’t just process this as a disappearance and close the case.”
“Is there no way to summon the ‘Black Cloak’ directly?”
“We haven’t found any information regarding that yet.”
Cutting through the orderly clamor, the Association President spoke.
“Let us request cooperation from the Top 3 Guilds.”
“…From all of the Top 3 Guilds?”
“Yes. Please contact the master of each guild.”
“Understood.”
Only the executives gathered in this room knew that another name for the ‘Black Cloak’ was ‘Gio’s Portrait.’ The person who had purchased it at the auction was none other than the Collector, Bisabeol—the Guild Master of the Collector Guild.
Therefore, requesting cooperation from the Top 3 Guilds was, in effect, asking them to directly inquire with the Black Cloak about the fate of Hunter Park Eun-gyeom.
Such a direct and blatant request might displease Bisabeol or ‘Gio’s Portrait,’ but…
“As long as we show that we have no intention of touching his artwork, the Collector will be cooperative enough. We can’t predict the ‘Black Cloak’s’ reaction, but the Collector’s curators will manage the situation and assess things directly. They’ll exercise restraint on their own if things get truly dangerous.”
Above all, judging by the Collector Guild’s recent movements, the curator currently in charge of ‘Gio’s Portrait’ was highly likely to be the gardener, Yoo Seong-un.
Since he was an exceptionally serious and cautious person when dealing with an Existence of the Origin, there was no harm in trying.
“We will conclude this matter here.”
“Yes, Association President.”
“Now, for the next agenda item…”
The Association was always busy.
And sometimes, seeking help from friends was a necessity.
* * *
Meanwhile, inside the peaceful cabin within the portrait…
“Today’s menu,” Gio declared, “is gambas.”
“Kkureureureuk!” Honey cried out in joy. “Kkureuk, kkuk, kkureureureureu.”
“Calm down, son. The gambas won’t fly into your mouth just because you’re in a hurry.”
Though the name ‘Black Cloak’ had spread far and wide, especially in South Korea, the details were none of Gio’s concern.
The owner of an ultimately positive mindset, who had accepted life inside a portrait simply to avoid paying rent, was peacefully pondering his next meal once again.
“I said gambas, but… hmm.”
As an excellent gourmet and a big eater, the greatest challenge of Seo Gio’s life was deciding what to eat. Living in a dream cabin with an abundance of time, energy, and resources, Gio willingly exhausted his mind and body on meal prep.
“The official name is gambas al ajillo, of course.”
“Kkureu?”
“Gambas means shrimp, and ajillo means garlic.”
“Kkureureu…?”
“Yes, literally translated, it’s stir-fried shrimp and garlic.”
In truth, although he had announced ‘gambas,’ what Gio was about to make was entirely different from the original.
“For starters, there won’t be any shrimp.”
The only things they had in common were the use of fragrant olive oil and plump garlic. But since the cooking method would be similar enough, Gio decided not to bother changing the name.
“Honey, you know the Club Trumpet Shell we saw last time, right? If you go to the storage, there are some Club Trumpet Shells that Daddy prepped.”
“Kkureuk.”
“Go down with Dana and scoop up as much as you want, including my portion and Grandpa’s. If you see anything else you want in there, bring that out too.”
“Kkureureureureu.”
Honey nodded vigorously, then fluttered over to perch on Dana’s head.
Dana, who had been lying like a spilled cat on the floor warmed by a gentle spring breeze, flailed her two front paws.
“Kkureu.”
“…Mwaaaang…”
Streeeeetch—
Getting up and arching her back in a long stretch, Dana trotted off.
Gio nodded as he watched his two children disappear, Dana carrying a small, custom-made basket in her mouth.
“They get along well.”
“Kkoo?”
The Sun God asked if it was alright for Dana to go to the freezing ice storage. Gio shook his head.
“Dana isn’t a family member I painted, so she could theoretically be affected by this forest. However, her body is naturally very cold, and strictly speaking, she isn’t a normal living creature. She’ll have no trouble in the ice storage. Unless she goes somewhere else dangerous, she won’t get sick just because it’s cold.”
Having eased the anxieties of the household elder, Gio thought to himself, He really dotes on Dana.
Gio understood the feeling. Honey would fly over on his own to demand his daily share of attention, but if left alone, Dana was often so quiet you wouldn’t even know where she was.
She doesn’t even cry unless it’s mealtime…
When she didn’t feel like eating, she would disappear entirely, which seemed to worry the Sun God. Gio doubted anything bad would happen to a child who had survived perfectly well in the barren ‘Vein of Jewels,’ but since Grandpa felt that way, he was more than willing to respect his concern.
“Alright, for now, I should…”
Seafood gets tough if cooked for too long. Since the Club Trumpet Shells Honey and Dana were bringing would be added near the end, Gio just needed to work on the rest of the prep.
“Since Honey and Father don’t really enjoy spicy food, I’ll keep the spices moderate.”
“Kkoo, kkoo.”
“Yes, I’ll adjust it carefully so you can just enjoy the aroma. Don’t worry.”
“Kkoo…”
“Indeed, spicy food wasn’t common in Giovanni’s world. It’s only natural that it feels unfamiliar to you.”
Gio generously poured olive oil into a shallow, wide square pan.
“But in Edlen Village, spicy food was quite developed.”
“Kkoo?”
“I thought it was unusual too. Normally, coastal villages with easy access to fresh seafood don’t use strong, spicy seasonings…”
Fundamentally, spices were used not only to enrich flavor but also to mask unpleasant odors. Using pungent chili powder to cover the gaminess of meat or the fishiness of seafood was a common practice back on Earth.
“Then again, the climate there was hot and humid, with a wide annual temperature range. Since it was the perfect environment for ingredients to spoil, they might have used spiciness to extend shelf life… or perhaps for its sterilizing effects.”
Above all, while Edlen Village’s specialty was shellfish like the Club Trumpet Shell, a neighboring village specialized in spices. Since those spices were easy to obtain, it might have been an environment highly conducive to the development of spicy cuisine.
“One of Edlen Village’s signature dishes was a spicy fried fish. It was a common tavern item, and if you asked, you could get dry bread to dip in the red oil.”
“Kkooo…?”
“It was spicy, but thanks to the unique aroma of tomatoes and the savory oil from the fish, it paired exceptionally well with bread. The fish they used was particularly fatty and plump, and the oil that rendered from it was truly heavenly.”
“Kkoo…”
“Thinking about it now, it would have been great if we could have added pasta to it.”
Reviving a bit of that memory, the gambas he was making this time would also be accompanied by bread and noodles.
“For bread, we have the ciabatta and baguettes I made last time. It would be best to lightly toast both in the oven. Which do you prefer, olive ciabatta or cheese ciabatta? There’s also a baguette baked with sun-dried tomatoes.”
“Kkookkkookkkoo…”
“A wise choice. As Father suggests, I’ll serve a little of everything. Dana aside, Honey takes after me and is quite a big eater, so we’ll be able to finish it all. I’m glad I baked the bread in advance.”
Knowing Gio’s great interest in cooking, Yoo Seong-un often gifted him ingredients. These included unique flours and vegetables that could only be purchased in the modern world, so Gio gladly accepted his generosity.
I should treat him like an older brother.
He possessed an adult’s relaxed composure, was highly capable, and had an easygoing personality with great social skills. To survive in this Hell Korea, Gio resolved once again to stick close to Yoo Seong-un.
“Ah, putting cream cheese and smoked salmon on the baguette would be delicious too…”
Even without salmon, topping it with thinly sliced sausage or ham was a killer combination. Gio brought in some dried fish jerky from the ‘Breathing Sea’ that had been drying in the yard and sliced it into thin, wide strips.
“Nice, it dried beautifully.”
“Kkookkcoo.”
“Then I’ll leave the bread preparation to you, Father.”
He sliced the garlic he had prepped—not too thinly—and dumped it into the pan, which hadn’t heated up yet.
The teddy bear, who was slicing a baguette studded with sun-dried tomatoes, turned to look at Gio at the sound.
“Kkoo?”
“Yes? Nothing’s wrong.”
“…Kkoo?”
“Normally, this much garlic is considered standard.”
“……”
The teddy bear soon resumed slicing the baguette, as if giving up. Since he was a doll with fingers of a sort, he managed to handle the knife, albeit precariously. Relieved, Gio continued with the gambas.
You have to put the garlic in while the oil is still cool so its aroma infuses properly.
The only thing to watch out for was burning it. However, the garlic grown in the cabin’s forest was exceptionally firm and large, so it didn’t seem like it would suddenly burn to a crisp even if he let the aroma develop.
“And…”
Gio took out the dried Milky Way Mary.
“Where is the pestle…?”
“Kkooo.”
“Ah, I see. Thank you.”
Thanks to the Sun God’s guidance, he retrieved the pestle from the back of a cupboard. The Milky Way Mary, dried thoroughly in the sun, sparkled with a dark, translucent sheen, but the grains were too hard to crush by hand.
Grind, grind.
“……”
A spicy, pungent aroma wafted up.
As expected, it’s similar to black pepper. Should I call it pepper with a hint of chili? It’s not very spicy even if I add a lot, so maybe I’ll be generous with it.
Black pepper’s aroma is highly volatile, fading quickly after being ground. But the Milky Way Mary was different; its intense fragrance lasted a long time, so adding it to the olive oil now was no problem.
“Pepper is in…”
Next was the Crying Hem.
“I’ll only add a little bit of this.”
“……”
“If the spicy kick is too weak, it’ll be too greasy to eat much of.”
“…Kkoo…”
“Trust your son on this.”
When making a dish with this much oil, dried spices were far better. If moisture entered hot oil, it would create a highly effective, eco-friendly bomb.
And I dried the Crying Hem in advance for a day like this.
When dried in the sun for over a month, the Crying Hem turned pink and developed an intense sweetness. However, by drying it indoors away from the sun and lightly roasting it over a low flame like dried fish fillets, its spicy aroma had actually intensified.
The fact that it’s still teal makes it feel remarkably different from chili powder, but… the aroma is roughly the same. The sweet scent that made it overly complex has also faded a lot.
The Crying Hem, dried crisp over the heat, was crumbly like thin teal hanji paper, its edges finely wrinkled like lace. As Gio broke it into bite-sized pieces and added it to the pan, a sharp, spicy aroma—one that had remained quiet even after the Milky Way Mary went in—suddenly burst forth.
“This is it.”
“Kkoo.”
“……”
Gio, who had clenched his fist without realizing it, slowly lowered his arm.
“…It won’t be that spicy.”
Oh, seriously.
Under that unwavering gaze of suspicion, he had even acted as a royal food taster and tried it himself just in case. It really wasn’t that spicy. If even Seo Gio, who had a low tolerance for spice, found it mild, then even a teddy bear whose very appearance screamed “mild flavors only” should have no problem.
“I’m serious.”
“……”
“If a father doesn’t trust his son, who will?”
“Kkoo.”
“Abuse of trust? No, trust is meant to be used at times like this.”
Unfortunately, the suspicion of a spice-wimp was not easily broken.
The adults, who had apparently grown old without gaining any wisdom, continued their bizarre standoff until Honey and Dana returned.