The Artist Who Paints Dungeon - Chapter 112



Only Noblemtl

Episode 112

Well, whatever.

‘I was just being playful like this.’

In any case, Yoo Seong-un’s words, “I felt threatened in my identity as a human,” were sincere.

‘I thought, ‘This is what they mean by an area that humans cannot handle.’

While tending the garden, Yoo Seong-un had acquired a sense of the ‘realm beyond limits’ many times. However, even for him, this meal was a little creepy.

‘Just one meal at a time…’

Wouldn’t it be difficult to even think that ‘I’m going to get eaten’?

‘… This situation is so absurd that I can’t even call it a joke.’

Geo treated Yoo Seong-un to a meal with pure intentions. It didn’t seem to mean much to him. He was a guy who enjoyed giving presents, so treating him to a meal wasn’t a big deal.

However, if peace is too extreme, it can lead to death, and if pleasure is too excessive, it can turn into pain. From Geo’s perspective, it may have been an intention to treat his guests, but from a human’s perspective, it was a kindness that was difficult to bear.

“… … .”

There was one silver lining.

“Hyaaaaaaaaaaah―….”

“I am still human.”

Judging from the fact that Anticat hates him this much, Yoo Seong-un is still human.

‘This is the first time I’ve had such a comfortable and satisfying meal, yet also so scary and uneasy.’

For some reason, it felt bitter.

‘That’s why you shouldn’t be invited to the banquet of the gods.’

There was a saying that we should not covet even the smallest thing that belongs to God.

Geo is not a god, but rather a source with the characteristics of a god, but that makes him even more burdensome. As I keep saying, it was funny that Yoo Seong-woon had to react like this to a meaningless meal.

‘No, it’s not like I was invited to some grand palace or anything… .’

It was just a warm meal in a hut like this.

“… … .”

Still, Geo’s cabin was beautiful. It was idyllic, like a scene from an old fairy tale.

There was an eerie longing here.

“Was the meal satisfactory?”

“… I thought that if a person was too happy, he might die.”

“Mr. Yoo Seong-un, you are giving me such generous praise.”

“that….”

Yeah, if that’s what you think, then that’s fine. Yoo Seong-un decided to just give up.

“… I really enjoyed the meal, yeah.”

“That’s fortunate.”

Geo said so and sat down across from Yoo Seong-un.

“We couldn’t prepare the dessert in advance, so it’s being solidified in the icehouse.”

“ice house?”

“Yes, it will act as a refrigerator. Would you like me to serve you some tea first instead?”

“Ahhh… no, just give me a glass of water.”

I asked for the most ordinary thing, not knowing what evil blessing might come.

“Here it is.”

[The source of spring water]

It is water supplied from the source spring.

“… … .”

The most unusual thing has appeared.

“… … ?”

The emotional status window suddenly appeared even though he hadn’t used any skills. Before he began to doubt whether his skill was broken, Yoo Seong-un felt gratitude towards the intangible thing that had shown him this explanation window.

‘It’s as if someone was quietly helping me to live as a human being.’

Yoo Seong-un asked cautiously.

“…Is this water?”

“… isn’t it?”

“It is water.”

Damn, no matter what I eat, I still get goosebumps.

‘All the water used in the food I ate came from the source.’

Indeed, it was natural to feel a sense of crisis. Yoo Seong-un quietly applied strength to his tightly shut lips.

‘How can you still be human? Is there such a miracle?’

One of the basic requirements for gardeners was that they should not ‘eat what is in the garden’. They were merely the labor force and managers of the garden, not the owners.

The moment such a gardener took part in the garden, he could never go out of the garden again, because he too was treated as a part of the garden.

“Can I… can I go home? Am I okay?”

“I don’t know why you’re doing this, but I’m not a ruffian who detains guests….”

“Are you flustered? I guess so, then that must be it. I’m sorry for making you flustered, but I’m just really scared.”

“What did I do wrong? I’m sorry for making you scared.”

“You didn’t do anything wrong… but… .”

“Mr. Yoo Seong-un?”

“… … .”

What on earth was I thinking coming here?

‘… Well, I didn’t know this was the source until I came in, so it was an unavoidable situation for me to figure out the identity… .’

Even considering that, it was an overly generous choice. You could say that it was the words of someone who approached ‘Portrait of Geo’ as if it were another gardener’s garden.

Yoo Seong-un admitted that it was an overly hasty approach.

‘It took just as much preparation to enter an immeasurable dungeon.’

Although Yoo Seong-un was so scared and anxious, he didn’t care if he could return to Earth as a human. He decided to believe Geo’s words that he could return home at any time.

“… … .”

I desperately needed to smoke again, but I decided to hold out for now because I thought Geo would give me ‘something’ in the form of a cigarette.

Yoo Seong-un regained his senses with great difficulty.

“… Sorry, I guess I was really flustered because this is my first time experiencing something like this.”

“If you have trouble adapting to new environments, that could be quite possible.”

“Thank you for saying that….”

Yoo Seong-un looked at the water in the glass with strange eyes.

[The source of spring water]

It is water supplied from the source spring.

“… … .”

That’s something in the form of water.

The description is strangely brief, so I don’t know the details, but at least I know that it’s not water for humans to drink.

Yoo Seong-un was lost in thought.

‘… If I think about it, all the gifts Geo gave me had the same sentence in them.’

The phrase was, ‘Geo, the master of the forest, is fair and can even accept human bodies.’

All the gifts Geo had given so far, namely food, had explanations like this.

‘But there is no such explanation here.’

Yoo Seong-un quietly put down his glass.

“… I’m sorry for changing my mind, but… .”

After a while, Yoo Seong-un asked.

“Can you give me some tea?”

“I don’t have much tea left, so is the flower tea I gave you before okay?”

“Isn’t that a light blue colored car? That’s nice.”

Yoo Seong-un realized.

‘You must not eat anything unless Geo himself has made it fair.’

A chill ran down my spine.

‘It’s only natural when we remember that the garden we manage is also part of the source. I don’t know exactly what process it goes through to become safe, but we should not carelessly consume raw food from this garden.’

Yoo Seong-un calmed his mind as he thought about the gardeners of the past who had been unable to die and lived on as part of the garden.

Even this place is the origin itself. It might not end with just losing human identity. Yoo Seong-un, who had gathered his thoughts, emphasized it again.

“Anything you make yourself is fine.”

I was sincere.

“I’m sorry I just take it, but can you help me out a little?”

“It is my pleasure to serve you. Please have a seat.”

“Yeah, yeah… .”

Geo soon brought the ‘Forest Butterfly Flower Tea’.

“This is Byabamnilcha.”

“… Baibamnil? Is that the name of this flower?”

“Yes, it’s delicious if you just boil it in water and eat it.”

“What an amazing recipe.”

“It’s a snack with a nice texture like vegetables.”

“Is it a vegetable?”

After drinking tea like that, Yoo Seong-un’s blood vessels, which were already healthy, were regenerated, his cells were reconstructed, and he was in a state where his immunity against minor illnesses had to last for 6 months.

“… … .”

It’s true that if you stay here for three days, you’ll become immortal.

‘I feel like my life has been extended.’

About 50 years.

‘The Forest Butterfly Flower Tea doesn’t have that much effect, so of course it’s just my imagination, but I still feel uneasy. Is it because Geo himself made it? The effect shouldn’t vary depending on the person who drinks it… That shouldn’t be the case.’

Yoo Seong-un wanted to live as a human and die as a human. That was the greatest desire of any gardener.

“…Who else besides me has received such hospitality? Hunter Chaara?”

“Except for you two, I have never received any guests from Earth.”

“Oh, so maybe they’re the mermaid siblings? I heard they come to the house often.”

“I stop by for a meal once every two or three days.”

“That happened.”

Indeed, it meant that those monsters were of a certain level.

‘I can’t believe I can eat this kind of food so casually.’

Doesn’t that mean that he has at least the rank of a devil?

“… … .”

“… … .”

“… Hey, wait a minute.”

Yoo Seong-un stopped Geo from pouring more tea.

“I think you drank too much.”

“I think the glass was small, did you feel that way?”

“I need to digest it a bit. How about we take a break?”

“Weren’t you resting?”

“Yeah, how about taking a walk to help with digestion?”

It seemed that for Geo, eating something meant the same thing as resting.

Even though I ate this with a nervous heart, wondering if eating it would make me leave the human realm, I was not able to do that at all.

“Can you at least show me the house?”

“I’m going to see the house.”

“Oh, I’m sorry if I was rude. I just…”

“No, that’s not true.”

Geo nodded.

“After seeing this house, let’s go out into the forest and spend some time.”

“…Can I go into that forest?”

“I have no intention of treating this vast forest as private property.”

“… … .”

I wasn’t asking for permission, you know.

‘He was saying that if I go into that forest, I won’t die.’

Anyway, Geo had already gotten up.

“It will take a little more time for the dessert to set. Can I introduce you to this place?”

“… I would be honored if you would guide me personally.”

As expected, Yoo Seong-un got up from his seat and asked.

“But is it okay to leave our cat friend like this?”

A translucent cat monster with a lot of jewel fur. It had stopped yapping, but Dana was still wary of the meteor cloud.

“When our eyes meet, he opens his mouth wide without making a sound.”

“You won’t get eaten.”

“I don’t know, Geo. Monsters are really scary these days.”

“We are Dana, so you don’t have to worry.”

“You’re not saying you’re not going to eat it?”

“Because it’s a monster.”

Geo continued speaking with his characteristically calm expression.

“But he’s a good kid, and he won’t do that because I’m here.”

“I will truly trust only you.”

Honey, who Geo drew himself, looked at Yoo Seong-un with neither hostility nor favor, just like her parents, but the monster was different. Since Anti-Cat was also a monster, it was not strange for Yoo Seong-un to feel uneasy.

Above all else.

“The original anti-cat wasn’t that big.”

“I gained some weight after feeding him this and that.”

“Have I really gained weight?”

Just imagining how the monster that was so generously loved by its source would evolve gave me goosebumps.

A teddy bear with the sun god in it stepped forward to see Yoo Seong-un still looking anxious. Dana, who had been irritated by Yoo Seong-un for some reason, was soon held in the teddy bear’s arms and petted.

“oh….”

Dana let go of her obvious irritation and calmed down.

“You two get along well.”

“That’s the kind of thing it is.”

Then, Yoo Seong-un was guided to the cabin.

At first, it was an ice storage. Yoo Seong-un was surprised that the storage that Geo had mentioned, which functioned as a refrigerator, would be so deep, but soon he became interested in the sight of the ice storage, which did not seem strange even if it was a growing cave.

“This was the ice pearl you gave me last time.”

“That’s right. It’s not something that happens often, even in this icehouse.”

“It’s strange that there’s still water in this cold weather.”

Next was the studio. For some reason, I was confused by the sight of blank canvases strewn about, but soon I remembered Geo’s characteristics and found peace.

Since the paintings he painted became real, there was no reason for the canvas to be full.

“Oh, there’s a warehouse connected to the workshop?”

“Yes, it’s where I mainly store my completed landscape paintings.”

“What is that black cloth covering the canvas?”

“I’m being careful because if I don’t cover it, the entrance opens without me knowing.”

“Um… um, yeah? Oh, yeah. I see.”

Next was the garden behind the cabin.

“A garden?”

“I would appreciate it if you could tell me so.”

“…This is the result of planting the seeds I gave you?”

“you’re right.”

“… … .”

Yoo Seong-un swallowed his breath as he looked at the crops that had grown so strong that they had a sense of self. The shock and fear he was feeling right now was due to the immense nature that was in front of him.

‘These guys must have grown up drinking from the fountain of the origin.’

Even humans with egos become part of the garden when they consume the garden, and these seeds were even growing from the source. Nothing on Earth could resist this overwhelming evolution.

What should I say about this? Yoo Seong-un muttered, feeling a strange sense of regret that stemmed from fear.

“I think it’s already been digested.”

“Then would you like to explore the forest after you eat dessert?”

“Oh, yeah… the forest. Yeah, I guess so.”

Just after returning to the cabin.

“… … .”

“Wow, this is amazing.”

Yoo Seong-un encountered a mermaid wearing a dress.

“Why are there humans here?”

The murderous intent was dripping down.

“… … .”

“… … .”

Yoo Seong-un nodded.

“I’m going home.”

Save me.