The Artist Who Paints Dungeon - Chapter 106



Only Noblemtl

Episode 106

“I like the honey pot I saw last time.”

“Honey pot? You mean that one with the honey-filled, ball-shaped flowers?”

“Yes, that’s right. I heard that they only sell seedlings because it’s difficult to sprout.”

“Is there anything else you want?”

“I use salt a lot, so if possible I would like limestone.”

“It’s a sagebrush plant, it was in the catalog last time. What else do you need?”

“That’s enough, thank you for your help.”

“Rather, I should be thankful.”

This is a deal that guarantees your life in this abnormal dungeon.

‘It’s a business with too much left over.’

Yoo Seong-un was a typical hunter of this era who valued his health and life. It was a truly difficult ending to accept that he was swayed by capitalist society and ended up dying during a mission.

‘I wonder if it’s okay to conclude the deal like this…’

He examined the details of the portrait.

“… … .”

“Is there a problem?”

“… No, there isn’t any.”

It’s something that gardeners always have to think about, but human standards are meaningless to the being of the origin.

If you borrow 3 and pay back 4, but end up paying back 5, then the being of the origin will get angry. Even if it is incomprehensible to humans, Yoo Seong-un knew well that catering to their tastes was the shortcut to longevity.

“Then let’s end the deal here.”

The transaction with the source of existence had to have a clear beginning and end. Yoo Seong-un asked after clearly concluding.

“I don’t know if it’s rude to ask this, but how did you know I was here?”

“The City of Emptiness” informed us that Mr. Yoo Seong-un had visited this place.

“I thought so.”

It would have been even stranger if Geo, the owner of this dungeon, didn’t know the state of the dungeon’s interior.

‘But the more that happens, the more disadvantageous it becomes for me to take out Hunter Park Eun-gyeom.’

It became increasingly clear that Geo had intentionally brought humans here. It was a difficult situation for Yoo Seong-un, who had to do all his assigned work.

‘Get angry.’

This portrait has come to take out the human who has shown direct hostility. It will be quite unpleasant for the being of origin who cannot change the choice he has made.

“… … .”

“Mr. Yoo Seong-un, why did you come here?”

“…I came to work.”

Rather, it was better to tell it now.

‘Because deceiving Geo may also fall into the category of evil acts.’

Besides, didn’t Geo ‘promise’ that he would save Yoo Seong-un?

“As far as I know, today is Christmas.”

“Huh? No, in Korea it’s the 26th, so it’s not Christmas. Most companies guarantee a holiday, so many people have the day off until today.”

“Then everyone is resting, but Mr. Yoo Seong-woon is working.”

“When have hunters ever had a holiday? It’s a common occurrence.”

“Can’t people with the job of hunters take a break even on public holidays?”

“Not really, but… well… I guess I guess so.”

No matter how angry he was, the source of existence never went back on his words. The atmosphere wasn’t too bad, so Yoo Seong-woon cautiously opened his mouth, believing that.

“… The reason I came here was to take one person out of here.”

“Is it your job to get people out of here?”

“Yes, Hunter Park Eun-gyeom… I’m not sure if you even know his name.”

“Park Eun-gyeom.”

The portrait retrace the three characters of the name.

“… … .”

“… … .”

And then silence flowed.

It was an eerie silence for a meteor cloud that had been stabbed.

‘… Are you still in a bad mood?’

The child of origin, who simply imitated stories without the ability to think, and the ‘Portrait of Geo’ were completely different beings. Geo had clear emotions, and because of that, he sometimes appeared as a monster or even a human.

‘That means I’ve declared that I’m going to do something against that guy’s will.’

Besides, since he said, ‘I will save Yoo Seong-un,’ I couldn’t kill him.

‘Of course, there are many ways to punish him without killing him, but that’s something I have to handle. Anyway, Geo can’t be in a good mood all the time.’

Yoo Seong-un had mentally prepared himself to withstand Geo’s attack. That was something he had already prepared himself for when he had unintentionally encountered the master of this gray city.

“… … .”

The portrait, which had been silent, gestured to the man in black suit.

“… … ?”

Although it was a difficult action to understand, Yoo Seong-un silently watched the situation.

The black suits, which had been increasing one by one at the master’s beckoning, approached him. Then, like servants serving their masters, they bowed slightly respectfully and showed an attitude of listening.

‘what?’

Ignoring him, Geo asked the man in black suit.

“Do you know the position of the person named Park Eun-gyeom?”

“Yes, I know.”

Yoo Seong-un was a little surprised. It wasn’t simply because something transparent without hands or mouth was imitating human speech. It wasn’t because the guy who had only been using awkward sign language until just now was suddenly speaking.

What Yoo Seong-un focused on was the voice of the man in the black suit.

‘… that voice… .’

It was a voice that reminded me of a man in his 30s.

‘But that’s not a voice that suits that monster.’

The voice of a human being who has been with one self for a long time usually takes on a tone that represents that self.

The voice that the man in the black suit spoke in contrast to his polite and noble gestures, and there was something frivolous and nervous about it.

There was no way that Geo, who had the identity of a painter, would have chosen the voice of his work, Black Suit, carelessly. Even so, if the voice was so incongruous, then this was… .

‘…no way?’

Is that Hunter Park Eun-gyeom’s voice?

Despite Yoo Seong-un’s suspicions, their conversation continued.

“Why did he come here?”

“Yes, I have bullied and neglected weak humans.”

“Then you are an evil person.”

“Yes, he is an evil person.”

It was a strange conversation.

“Is there a problem with getting that human out?”

“No, there is no problem.”

“Then I will do as you wish.”

“Yes, that is also our wish.”

“I understand.”

After finishing the conversation, the portrait looked at Yoo Seong-un.

“I will take it out for you if you want, Mr. Yoo Seong-un.”

“…okay?”

Although he tried not to show it, he was extremely surprised.

‘You’re reacting so nonchalantly?’

That was actually creepy.

‘We’ve definitely confirmed that Geo is a being that can feel emotions…?’

If I had emotions, I couldn’t help but get angry at someone who broke my rules. If that’s the case even among humans, then how much more so with the being of the origin?

‘And yet you respond so coolly?’

The gardener’s bad habit arose from the indelible doubt.

“… … .”

It was interesting.

“… Isn’t it unpleasant?”

In the end, Yoo Seong-un couldn’t hold back his questions.

“I don’t know exactly what the situation is, but your subordinates brought him here. And on top of that, Park Eun-gyeom is already a human who belongs here.”

“That could be the case.”

“But I wonder if it’s right for me to just take it like this. If you don’t want it, I won’t take it. I don’t want to treat a guy who doesn’t know how precious his comrades are and throws them away as a fellow hunter.”

This was the truth. Park Eun-gyeom was not a person worth risking his life to save or recover his body.

‘Besides, the request from the association wasn’t to save Park Hunter.’

What they wanted was information about the process, cause, and result of the ‘Black Cloak’ attacking humans. In other words, there was no reason for Yoo Seong-un to save Hunter Park Eun-gyeom.

Geo asked him.

“But didn’t Mr. Yoo Seong-un say that was something he had to do?”

“I said that, but….”

“Then I can do whatever you want, Mr. Yoo Seong-un.”

“Are you sure there’s no problem…? Are you not offended?”

“It doesn’t matter since it’s something I haven’t paid much attention to from the beginning.”

Geo really didn’t know anything. The void had never told him about such a person.

I almost felt sorry for a moment that someone was wandering around in the house I built, but then I was like, ‘What if I do this?’ when I heard that he was a human abuser and neglecter.

‘Even Mr. Yoo Seong-un is said to be a human not worth saving.’

Then it wasn’t Geo’s part-time job anymore.

But just like I’ve given gifts to many passersby over the years, if the person wanted it and I had the means, there was no reason not to grant it.

‘Above all, this is Yoo Seong-woon’s work, so even if the situation is difficult, I have to help him.’

If an office worker goes on a business trip and fails to achieve his goal, how much more will he be criticized at work? As a former respectable member of society, Geo really wanted to give Yoo Seong-woon what he wanted.

“So, Mr. Yoo Seong-un, you don’t have to worry at all.”

“These are truly kind words.”

And those were eerie words.

‘…I didn’t know that this kind of indifferent attitude would be scarier than being angry.’

He was a being who knew how to show affection to the young and weak, and admire things that were splendid and wonderful.

The fact that such a ‘portrait of Geo’ responded to this situation with indifference rather than anger was a bit creepy for Yoo Seong-un, who was a human.

‘If you were going to tolerate it so easily, why did you take Hunter Park with you in the first place?’

From the conversation between the black cloak and the black suit just now, you might have thought, ‘Geo didn’t even know that Park Eun-gyeom was here!’

But because the atmosphere of the conversation was so strange, Yoo Seong-un thought it was some kind of show-off theater. Like many children of the origin.

“… … .”

That’s why Yoo Seong-un had no choice but to come to a strange conclusion.

‘… It was a kind of isolation… .’

Geo is friendly towards humans. In other words, ‘Portrait of Geo’ could be interpreted as liking the human race, but this portrait also dislikes rude and evil humans.

So Yoo Seong-un thought.

‘I don’t know if this is consideration for humans from Geo’s perspective, or simple self-satisfaction… but this behavior of attacking evil humans could be a way to weed out impure seeds like Park Eun-gyeom so that the average human race value can be polite and good.’

Just as humans slaughter livestock that attack their own kind.

‘When I think about it that way, I can see Geo’s point of view.’

It was a little creepy, but I felt relieved once I found out.

“…hmm….”

If you feel fear about each of these things, you can’t do gardening work.

“Then when can we take Hunter Park Eun-gyeom with us?”

“There is a price to pay to get him out of the Void City.”

“cost?”

The meteor cloud stopped.

“I don’t mind, but do I need to pay that kind of price when I leave…?”

“Mr. Yoo Seong-un, you can leave as is.”

“Then what about Hunter Park Eun-gyeom?”

“There is a price to pay to get him out.”

“… … .”

“That’s what they say.”

Geo was speaking with absolute purity and honesty.

‘I don’t know either, but that’s what the system said.’

And it was Yoo Seong-un’s job to interpret it.

“…aha….”

I remembered when Hunter Chaara visited ‘Geo’s Portrait’ before.

‘The tea hunter at that time said he didn’t offer any price.’

And this time Geo said that the meteor shower didn’t require a price.

‘Perhaps those who entered the frame upon Geo’s invitation do not need to pay a price. Assuming that it is certain that they will eventually leave the frame, the 1:1 rule of once in this world and once in the other world is also maintained.’

However, if you are forcibly dragged into the frame.

‘It looks like it’s being treated as one picture.’

The only time Geo received payment from Yoo Seong-un was when he drew something for him. In order to bring that into reality and give it to Yoo Seong-un, Geo had to receive something in return as well.

It didn’t seem that different from the current situation.

“Then what price should I give you this time?”

“Mr. Yoo Seong-un, you don’t have to pay me anything.”

“Oh, are you okay?”

“Yes, this time I will receive the payment from a human named Park Eun-gyeom.”

“oh….”

Curiosity arose.

‘What on earth do you want in return?’

Geo asked him in a still soft voice, not knowing whether he knew Yoo Seong-un’s feelings or not.

“Is it time to leave work?”

“Huh? No, hunters like me don’t really have set quitting times….”

“Do you want to leave work?”

“Of course I want to do that. I just can’t go home because I haven’t finished my work.”

“Then I will send you out.”

Before he knew it, Geo was holding a picture frame in his hands.

“…uh?”

It was the living room of Yoo Seong-un’s house.

“Wait a minute, here… .”

“Good night.”

And when I came to my senses.

“… … .”

My breathing became clear.

The heating is good, so you can feel the warm air on your skin, and the furniture is covered in dust because it hasn’t been touched for a while.

A dark house with no lights on, showing that no one was home.

“… … .”

Yoo Seong-un was standing in the living room of my house.

“…oh my….”

Thanks, but it was really creepy.

‘What beat should I match this to?’

Is there such a creepy consideration in the world?

Yoo Seong-un smiled awkwardly for a while.