The Artist Who Paints Dungeon - Chapter 94



Only Noblemtl

Episode 94

It seems like we had some deep conversations last night.

“… … .”

Warm.

Geo’s ultimate positive mind was not bound to such a place.

‘I guess Aria is going through puberty.’

It was also a time when I had all kinds of worries.

‘You have to respect it.’

It was not that Aria was unaware of the fact that Geo’s identity and the surrounding environment were causing her great distress.

However, it wasn’t that serious of a problem for Geo, and he just hoped that Aria would get used to Geo’s situation.

But even for someone like Geo, worries were bound to arise.

“…hmm….”

“Teacher, what’s the problem?”

“Because it seems like I created a dungeon.”

“oh.”

Aria, who had not yet returned home even though the sun had risen, opened her mouth politely as if she were a gentleman, expressing her heartfelt admiration.

“You have a desire for revenge against the perpetrators of your suffering and death, my human teacher.”

“There’s no such thing.”

“Why were dungeons created if not to torment humans?”

“I drew it because I wanted to.”

“aha.”

Aria nodded.

“If you’re a teacher, you can do that.”

“I don’t know what kind of person you think I am.”

“There is something like that.”

In many ways, Geo was an unpredictable being. Even Aria.

Then, he could have unconsciously created the dungeon with fragments of hatred and resentment toward humans, or he could have just been doing his hobby without any thoughts or worries and the dungeon would have suddenly appeared.

Aria looked at the picture frame that Geo was looking at.

“Are you talking about this picture?”

“I drew this a long time ago, but no matter how much I think about it….”

“It’s like a dungeon, right?”

Aria asked, looking at the picture of the city filled with colorless colors.

“What’s your name?”

“… … .”

Geo answered.

“The City of Emptiness.”

The system clearly said so.

“It’s not a name I made up.”

“Then I guess we should consider it as the structure that was attached.”

“What is a structure?”

“Ah… On Earth, they call it the source.”

“The source.”

It was a name I had occasionally heard from Yoo Seong-un.

Contrary to his self-proclaimed gardener status, Yoo Seong-un doesn’t reveal much about his knowledge of the subject, but he does know a little about its origins.

‘The bread of systems… .’

I understood her to be the mother of all systems and the manager of all destinies.

“I see.”

“What do you want to do with this, teacher?”

“I didn’t want to do anything.”

Geo felt a little wronged.

“I just drew it because I wanted to.”

What artist would paint with the hope of practicality in mind?

“All paintings on canvas are for admiration, not to be chewed, picked, tasted, or enjoyed.”

For example, I don’t draw pictures to beat up people. Although they can be traded here and there because they have monetary value or additional elements, pictures basically exist to be appreciated.

Aria, who had been silent for a moment at Geo’s words, asked.

“Are you trying to say that I created the dungeon without any intention?”

“What is the problem?”

“It’s a bit much, but….”

Dungeons couldn’t be created without intention.

It is about creating a world and laws that are nothing else. No matter how diverse the ways in which dungeons are formed are, it must be assumed that they cannot be created without the will of the dungeon owner.

‘But I created this just because I wanted to draw.’

A swaying gray city comes into view.

“… … .”

Soon Aria smiled her characteristically languid smile. A perfect and beautiful smile that would capture the hearts of many women if she were to appear in society right away.

“Well, that could be the case.”

“Right?”

“Then, then.”

Isn’t it Aria who has already given up on fully understanding Geo?

‘I thought he was unusual even when he was human, but I didn’t know his true nature was like this.’

If it were a geomancer of such a high and indecipherable rank, he could have created the world with just one stroke of the brush. It is only natural for a painter to create a world called a painting.

“So what exactly is your concern?”

“I wondered if I could just leave it like this.”

“hmm….”

“I don’t want to throw away the painting.”

“Why are you throwing this away? It’s a shame.”

A dungeon is a dungeon after all, and it is a world that cannot help but draw something in.

‘If we leave it like this, Earthlings will be eaten.’

Even if Geo didn’t intend to do that, what could he do? When a human walks down the street and steps on a bug, do they really mean to do it? Even if Geo had created a world for fun without meaning, someone was bound to end up being dragged into the dungeon.

‘But I don’t think it’s necessary to tell you this now… .’

This picture is also ultimately a world drawn by Geo.

‘It means that in such a world, there is no way that a teacher, who can be called the master and parent, would do something that is not to his liking.’

Time would naturally reveal what laws and tastes this had.

“… I think I might be able to figure out something if I just leave it alone.”

“Is that so?”

“It’s also a dungeon that was created not long ago.”

Aria scanned the gray painting up and down.

“There aren’t any children that the teacher created separately, right?”

It was referring to the monsters in the dungeon.

“A dungeon that has just been born doesn’t do much work. It might be fine if the teacher directly encourages it, but if you leave it alone, its growth will be slow, so there’s no need to worry too much.”

“… … .”

“teacher?”

“…Am I a parent?”

Geo’s heart sank.

“Is this painting alive?”

“…Is it okay to look at it that way?”

Aria explained lightly.

“Not all dungeons are like this, but the closer the dungeon is to its owner, the stronger the tendencies of the creatures become as living creatures. They have their own sense of self and can grow…”

“Is the ‘Empty City’ that closely connected to me?”

“Depending on the master’s abilities, the creature’s appearance becomes clear, but from what I’ve seen, this is enough for that situation.”

“This can’t be happening.”

They became shameless parents who gave birth to a child without thinking and then didn’t even know they had a child.

“I am trash.”

“I understand what you’re thinking, but calm down, it’s not like that.”

If you look at it roughly, it’s a living thing, but strictly speaking, isn’t it a stretch to say that a dungeon is a real living thing?

“If we compare it to Earth, it’s like artificial intelligence. If you look closely at the vast nature, you can see its detailed flow and structure, and when you look at that emotionless system from a distance, it just looks like a single living organism.”

It wasn’t actually alive.

“I’m saying you don’t have to be so shocked.”

“I understand, but I still feel a little sad.”

“It’s amazing that even at that point, a corner of your heart can still ache.”

Geo was now at a level where it was ambiguous to call him a complete human. The fact that he was able to maintain this unique sensitivity was a miracle that even Aria had difficulty explaining.

“hmm….”

Aria continued speaking after examining the painting a little more.

“… It’s definitely a dungeon that was created not too long ago, so there are many immature aspects to it.”

“How did you grow Aria’s dungeon?”

“So, he’s not my child… Well, I guess I should say I raised him, but it’s more like I just created devices here and there.”

“Are you making a device?”

“I’m making a game board.”

Since Aria has observed many dungeons so far, she can explain a little bit.

“In the case of my dungeon, it just grew naturally as I stayed there. The environment was created according to my imagination, and as I studied within it, monsters appeared, and at some point, foreign substances came in, and as I looked for ways to deal with them, various traps were set up…”

They grew up together over a long period of time. To Aria, her dungeon is closer to a close friend than a child.

“I’ve even seen dungeon owners who set up their dungeons with a plan in mind.”

“If you decide to do it, what is it for?”

“He was a guy who put a lot of emphasis on how to express his hatred towards humanity in the most systematic way possible.”

Aria nodded.

“The most important thing in managing a dungeon is the owner’s sense of purpose and his/her image. When the owner is clear about what he/she wants from the dungeon, these things will grow more naturally.”

Of course, this dungeon had many exceptions.

“I’m not sure if the teacher’s dungeon is the same as other people’s dungeons. This kind of world is basically filled with strong emotions toward something, and the dungeon’s owner naturally has a certain purpose…”

“I have no thoughts.”

“If that’s the problem, then it should be called a problem.”

In many ways, it was different from the situations in other dungeons.

“Probably, if it wasn’t for the teacher’s intention, this dungeon would be different from other dungeons. There might be no rules, there might be no monsters, and the circumstances would be different.”

“Is that a problem?”

“I don’t know if it will be a problem or not, but it is clear that it is entirely up to the teacher how he uses it. If he created the world, it had to be that way.”

There is no structure that seeks to go against the will of the Creator.

“The honey that the teacher made is like that too.”

“Oh, is this the same case?”

“Come to think of it, on Earth, they say things like this are called children of the origin….”

“Honey is Geo’s child.”

“… … .”

Suddenly Aria realized.

“… Then I guess the teacher is the source.”

This guy might be the source.

“Isn’t that so?”

A blank sheet of paper that can become anything.

“… … .”

“If that’s the case, then I really don’t have to worry about food expenses anymore.”

“… I’m really saying there’s no tension… .”

“Above all, it is a great fortune to be able to escape the shackles of taxes.”

“Is that really all you have to say?”

So I felt a little relieved.

“It really doesn’t change.”

It may be that it seems like it will stay the same forever, because it has already changed and can change so much.

Aria slowly tilted her head, feeling an ominous, rippling sense of comfort.

“So how do you plan to use this?”

“A resort?”

“Are you serious?”

“Isn’t that okay?”

“… Well, that’s what the teacher wants.”

I thought that the most intense and vivid emotions were anger and hatred.

That is why so many monsters with deep hatred towards humans were able to create this world, and because they were its masters, they created a world that suited their tastes.

‘So, what if the world wasn’t created from those kinds of emotions?’

However he used it, it was Geo’s will.

“… … .”

But I just had this thought.

“If you created a world that wasn’t even a game board, could you call that a human being?”

Geo answered with his characteristically blunt face.

“It can happen as you live, but Aria has such a narrow-minded way of thinking… .”

“Yeah, I knew you’d say that. I’m an idiot for asking even though I knew it.”

It was so consistent that it gave me goosebumps.

* * *

Geo visited the ‘Empty City’ for the first time.

“… … .”

“Indeed, this is the world you created, teacher.”

“Isn’t Isser busy?”

Together with his disciple Isser, who had grown up so much in the blink of an eye.

“Is it okay for the dungeon master to leave his seat like this?”

“In fact, I am the second owner, so it doesn’t really matter whether I have it or not.”

“I see.”

Well, the landlord might not be home, of course.

Geo, the owner of the ‘City of Emptiness’, was visiting for the first time, and it may have been Geo’s narrow-minded idea that he had to be busy just because he was the owner of the dungeon.

“… … .”

But I felt a little strange.

“… This is the feeling of parents who are worried about their children who are of marriageable age but are stuck at their parents’ house…?”

“Where does a mermaid have the spirit of marriage?”

“I feel restless. I definitely want to come home more often, but I feel like I’m settling in too much, so I feel complicated.”

“When did you come to catch me because my neighbor never came to play…?”

“That is true, but.”

Still, I was a little worried.

“The dungeon is probably your home as well as your workplace, so you wouldn’t leave it empty forever, would you?”

“We also thought that it would be a bit problematic for both of us to be absent…”

Isser nodded.

“We decided to take turns coming to the house.”

“I hope you don’t feel pressured to visit your parents’ house.”

“I came because I liked it, so you don’t have to worry about that.”

Isser smiled bitterly as he said that.

“I’m a little scared that the place where my teacher is might suddenly disappear.”

“Even though the door is wide open.”

But Geo didn’t talk any longer. Aren’t they still students that he had raised with much affection, regardless of the annoying things?

‘More than anything, the longer you stay in my house, the more peaceful Isser’s heart will be and the peace of humanity will be preserved.’

In many ways, there was no reason to dislike him visiting my house so often.

“As long as it doesn’t interfere with your daily life, I don’t mind either.”

“Oh, then I’ll see you often.”

“It would be better if you brought some clams when you came.”

“Clams… How about fish?”

“That’s good too. Since I live in the forest, I’m drawn to seafood.”

Geo nodded and turned his head to look at the gray world.

“so.”

“… … .”

“How do you feel about it?”

Isser, who had his eyes on the empty city, slowly opened his mouth.

“…There’s nothing.”

It was an empty city, truly living up to its name.

The painter who draws dungeons