The Artist Who Paints Dungeon - Chapter 135



Only Noblemtl

Episode 135

Now that he has come to his senses, Joo-Hyeon is no longer afraid of the black cloak.

“It’s been a while since you woke up, so I prepared porridge for your first meal.”

“Do you know how to kill someone?”

“Even though I look like this, I can cook just about any dish.”

“It smells really good, thank you.”

Joo-hyun, who had regained her energy while sleeping, smiled brightly and expressed her gratitude.

‘Boiling a monster to death??’

Of course, it was different from his true feelings. Joo-hyun was inwardly sweating with deep embarrassment and a feeling of being truly absurd.

A demon who cooks his own food, serves it to humans, and takes pride in his own actions. The reason he wasn’t scary right away was largely due to this absurdity.

‘No, even if you say it’s an evil god, this… It’s even stranger if you say it’s an evil god.’

The association reported the black cloak as a monster, but Joo-hyun, who had accumulated some experience, also knew the truth. The association often hid the truth for various purposes under the pretext of a greater cause. This time it seemed similar.

But I still didn’t understand. It’s very rare for God to treat humans to a meal, but even then, he doesn’t cook for them.

‘Furthermore, if you think of this world as a kind of dungeon, it becomes even more difficult to explain. Among the monsters, only those that meet the qualifications can create their own dungeons. But God… God doesn’t have a dungeon that he can stay in, right?’

Joohyun stopped thinking at that point.

“…It’s delicious?”

It was because the porridge was delicious.

“It’s the most delicious porridge I’ve ever had in my life.”

“I feel good because you are eating happily.”

“Why is this meat so delicious? Is this okay?”

It wasn’t some kind of petty flattery, it was genuine shock and amazement.

Joo-hyun didn’t really like porridge. Porridge was usually something to make rice bigger, or something to eat when you’re sick. However, the porridge that Black Cloak gave him was so delicious that it made his brain hurt.

“Even porridge can be this delicious.”

“It was the most gratifying compliment I could ever hear as a cook.”

“Wow, this is amazing, with such a taste and texture… I could eat this every day without getting tired of it.”

It’s been a long time since I felt not a sense of worldliness, but pure admiration.

“It’s really delicious.”

He keeps saying the same thing over and over again like an idiot, which is unusual.

The dead rice grains were almost melted, and their softness was similar to that of rice cake soup. However, the traces of fluffy rice still remained, and it had a soft, crumbly texture, as if the rice grains of well-cooked shikhye were warm and nutritious.

And the unique nutty and sweet flavor of rice spreads gently in the mouth. The vegetables interspersed between the rice were chewed with a soft warmth, and the meat, which was generously included, added a sense of solidity.

‘I feel very full…’

ethmoid?

“…Did you put in bone broth?”

“You got it right, you have a talent for cooking.”

“Well, I guess you could call it talent….”

“Thank you for your deep consideration.”

A bright smile bloomed across his pale face. For some reason, Black Cloak looked truly happy.

“I gave you a small amount because it’s just the beginning. Do you need more?”

“ah….”

When I came to, I saw an empty bowl.

“… If you don’t mind, I would like to ask you a favor.”

I felt very embarrassed, as if I was bothering an evil spirit, but I shamelessly accepted another bowl.

“Do you need more side dishes?”

“Yes, by all means….”

“I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

It was a very filling dish despite the fact that it was dead, but the sight of people eating so well was so pleasing that Black Cloak brought a larger bowl full of porridge.

“I think the first serving was too little, so I increased the amount.”

“Thank you.”

“We’ve made it so that it’s as easy to digest as possible, but we recommend that you don’t overeat.”

“Yes… I will do that.”

The porridge that Black Cloak served melted in my mouth like cotton candy. I could feel the shape of the rice grains, but the texture melted on my tongue, and I could tell how much care had been put into rolling the rice.

‘And it feels like some kind of nutritious food.’

It seems to have a slight medicinal scent… .

“… … .”

Medicinal herbs?

“… Hey, Black Cloak… Teacher?”

“Mr. Joohyun, you can call me Geo.”

“Yes, Mr. Geo. Is there any medicine in this?”

“…? I didn’t put any medicine in separately.”

“okay.”

“Except for rice, all the ingredients used are locally grown.”

“Aha, thank you for explaining that.”

Joo-Hyeon, who expressed his gratitude with a kind face, was not at peace inside.

‘Food from here?’

It was information that made me break out in a cold sweat. My smiling lips gained strength.

As soon as Joo-hyun woke up, he recalled the fairytale-like scenery he had seen before. That dreamlike sight that shook people just by looking at it.

‘What are the odds that food ingredients from the mystical land of a divine being are actually ordinary ingredients?’

In an age overflowing with all sorts of strangeness and mystery, Ju-hyeon studied hard to be of help to the world. He especially knew the influence that the act of ‘eating’ had in the midst of mystery.

‘I just now… was I… perhaps too boldly devouring the mystery in the form of a porridge?’

But the death was delicious.

“… … .”

Yum.

There was no sin in the food.

‘… It’s already a discarded body anyway.’

Joo-hyun had given in to his impulses and even thought of becoming a sacrifice to Sankalut. Now, even if he were to become something inhuman in the arms of an unknown mystery, well, it wouldn’t be a big blow.

After finishing the meal with a strangely bittersweet heart, the black cloak asked.

“For dessert, would you rather have something light or sweet?”

“…Light tea?”

“Do you not enjoy sweets?”

“That’s not it, but I like my tea to be on the spicy side….”

“It’s a sophisticated car.”

The black cloak was seen blinking twice as if thinking about something.

“Most teas brewed from grains have a strong, nutty flavor.”

“That is true.”

“I’ll keep that in mind for my next meal.”

“…thank you?”

Joo-hyun suddenly felt afraid as he seemed to be showing a will to improve in hospitality. Even now, he wonders, ‘Have I ingested something that is not supposed to be eaten by humans?’

Soon after, the black cloak brought out a cup of tea with a warm blue tint.

“This tea is excellent for restoring immunity.”

“Oh, I see. Thank you for your consideration.”

For a moment, he wondered, ‘Is this really the level of immunity recovery?’ But half in self-abandonment at having abandoned his body, and half intoxicated by this ecstatic scent, Ju-hyeon sipped the tea. The scent was sweet like cream, but the taste itself was light.

“… Good.”

“We dry the flowers that grow in this forest and make tea.”

“I saw the forest you mentioned from the terrace of the room you gave me.”

“Isn’t it peaceful and beautiful?”

“Yes, I felt at ease while watching it.”

The moment the tea warmed her body, Joo-hyun felt her reason gradually becoming clearer.

“… … ?”

Is it because of my mood?

‘It seems too unconscionable to say that this was just a feeling.’

What am I drinking now?

‘I feel uneasy. If I had awakened my emotional skill, I might have been able to check it out.’

Although Ju-hyeon, who was not an Awakened One, did not know, the Vivamnil flower tea reconstructed the cells in the body of an ordinary human, making them always immune to minor illnesses.

It was impossible for a mere human brain to remain sluggish while taking the elixir of origin. It was not for nothing that the previous visitor, Yoo Seong-un, was afraid, saying, “If I continue like this, I will not be able to live my life in another way.”

But Joo-hyun, who didn’t know the truth, just sipped the delicious tea.

“hmm….”

Only when my head cleared did I feel like I could breathe.

“Am I drinking too much precious tea?”

“What’s precious about food? After all, it goes into people’s mouths.”

“That’s true too.”

A human society that risked its life for a single elixir or potion came to mind, but Ju-hyeon did not bother to refute Black Cloak’s words by mentioning the greed and desperation of such people. Ju-hyeon possessed an excellent sense of worldliness.

Only then did Joo-Hyeon begin to gradually understand the situation and gain the will to sort things out.

“When we first met, I was very rude. I think I was rude because I was in a very chaotic situation. I think I was able to recover a lot thanks to your consideration.”

At the time, when he was consumed by destructive impulses, he had literally given up everything. However, Joo-hyun, who had regained some clarity of reason, began to calculate the situation he was in.

There was no particular reason for that, it was just a habit of someone with the ability to deal with the world who had lived his whole life judging everything. It was a habit that allowed him to endure everything even when he was in a disadvantageous position.

“Can I introduce myself properly?”

“As much as you want.”

“My name is Joo-Hyeon. I don’t have a last name, and I’m 36 years old this year.”

“My name is Geo. I have many names, but I am 29 years old now.”

“I feel so embarrassed to be receiving help from someone so young.”

Although she spoke coquettishly, Joo-Hyeon’s mind was still in chaos.

’29 years old…? Surely that can’t be true, and is it some kind of game? Or is it a role? Considering that most evil spirits enjoy some kind of game, it’s possible that Jio was absorbed in the setting of a 29-year-old youth… Does the fact that he has various names refer to the color of his black cloak changing?’

He was busy acquiring and organizing as much information as possible about the Black Cloak.

‘If I remember correctly, she has black hair now, but there were times when she changed to platinum blonde or red hair. However, even if the color didn’t change, there were times when she acted as if her personality changed. If we consider her as a human, is she an actress? Or maybe it would be more correct to say that she changes clothes.’

Joohyun touched the transparent glass teacup with blue tea water rippling in it.

“As you may know, I worked in the association’s research institute.”

“It is an association research institute, so I understand that the working environment is quite harsh.”

“Yes, although there have been various incidents and I have now been suspended.”

“You must have been very tired. You need some rest.”

The black cloak nodded and asked.

“Then what would you like for dessert?”

“… … .”

Are you listening to me?

‘… I can’t tell if this is a consideration for the other person since he’s not human, or if he’s really not interested. He introduced himself as an evil spirit, so I recited my misfortunes, but there was no response… Why?’

The purpose of the evil spirit, or rather, the god, coming to visit humans was to use the toys he liked for the purposes he liked. However, the black cloak did not seem to be interested in Joo-hyun’s unfortunate circumstances.

Joo-hyun, who had thrown a kind of bait, was inwardly embarrassed, but as expected, he smiled brightly and answered without letting it show.

“Well, what kind of dessert do you have?”

“We have small cakes, fruit pudding and ice cream.”

“Then, may I have it as pudding?”

“Of course.”

Pudding was soon brought by a fluffy teddy bear.

“… … .”

“Thank you for your help, Father.”

Is the teddy bear your father?

“Thanks to you, I always receive a lot of help.”

“Kuk kuk kuk…”

Did you laugh out loud?

‘I think I had similar thoughts before I fell asleep.’

Feeling a strange sense of deja vu, Joo-hyun tried to straighten his face, which was trying to distort subtly. As he was not an awakened person, he did not know that the soft-looking teddy bear in front of him contained the sun god, but he knew that it was not ordinary.

When Geo looked back, Joohyun immediately smiled brightly.

“Thank you for the pudding.”

“Kukuku.”

The teddy bear nodded, took his share of pudding, and went out of the house with the big cat. Black Cloak added an explanation as Juhyun watched the cat’s fluttering jewel tail.

“There are chairs and a table outside the cabin. The sun is rising, so maybe you and Dana want to enjoy a snack while watching it.”

“Ah… Dana?”

“That’s the name of the long-haired cat you saw earlier. I brought her from the dungeon called ‘Jewel Vein’ and started raising her, and she’s grown up quite a bit. I also raise her like a daughter.”

“I see, I can feel your affection.”

As expected, Joo-Hyeon’s mind was noisy.

‘If it’s a cat that you meet in the vein of jewels… jewel hair… long-haired… is it an anti-cat after all? However, it is said that the anti-cat is a monster with a body as small as a kitten. No matter how much time passes, it never grows from that state, so people thought it was perfect. But was there room for it to grow more?’

If it had been reported to the academic society, it would have been enough to grab someone by the collar and ask, “Where on earth did you come across such valuable information?” But Joo-hyun quickly swallowed a hollow laugh. He wondered why he was worried about this when he had already been suspended from the association.

“Puding is….”

“I put in a fruit called a mango fruit.”

“There is a fruit like that, it’s the first time I’ve heard of it.”

“This is the most common fruit in this forest and is very sweet.”

“It smells good.”

“We also ripened the fruit called the weeping berry there.”

“I think a lot of effort went into it.”

I took a bite of the pudding, smiling kindly as if it were my habit.

“… … .”

“Is it delicious?”

“It’s so delicious that I don’t know if I can eat it.”

“You don’t deserve such praise.”

“No, really….”

The pudding, which had a rich, fruity flavor, probably due to the milk, literally melted in my mouth and disappeared onto my tongue. It was a pudding with a creamy flavor that left a faint sour taste.

“… … .”

And I felt healthier.

“…It’s so delicious.”

I’m not sure if it’s just my mood.

Why did your eyesight improve?