The Artist Who Paints Dungeon - Chapter 96



Only Noblemtl

Episode 96

At some point, the ‘black cloak’ disappeared.

“Hey, you said there was that here…! You said there was a black cloak!”

“Fuck, find the picture frame! Where is the picture frame?!”

“It’s not that visible originally…! Well, if you look for it, it’s definitely…!”

“Ewwhhhhhhhhhhh!!!”

Hunters who visited the ‘Deep Sea Country’ believing only in the ‘Black Cloak’ who was said to help humans were killed without warning.

As the outcry over the sudden disappearance of the Black Cloak and the association that revealed his information poured in, an official statement was released.

“Nowhere in the public information did the Association mention relying on ‘Black Cloak’.”

Rather, they emphasized.

“Even if it shows an unexpected appearance, it is ultimately a monster. The association has clearly maintained its stance of caution, and has never once said that the ‘Black Cloak’ is a safe and helpful monster.”

To begin with, it was largely due to the rumors being distorted in a strange way.

“What monster in the world would help humans?”

“However, the ‘Black Cloak’ has helped humans escape dungeons on several occasions.”

“However, the ‘Black Cloak’ has classified and limited the humans he will help. This means that only monsters that are helpful to humans cannot be there.”

The association staff member spoke with a straight face, without any emotion, as if he found it completely absurd.

“It seems that many hunters have forgotten that the ‘Black Cloak’ is a monster.”

It was a sarcastic remark mocking the absurd judgment of hunters.

When the Association responded in this way, the hunters could no longer protest. It was because the Association had considerable authority and their words were not wrong.

“No, but still….”

“The black cloak helps humans?”

However, there were still many people who were dissatisfied.

“Haven’t you seen the official document? There’s nothing wrong with what the association said.”

“The Association kept telling us to keep an eye on Black Cloak.”

“Aren’t those people stupid who went to an S-class dungeon because of groundless rumors?”

Soon the situation calmed down.

“If only it weren’t for that rumor….”

“What are you talking about? It’s the fault of those idiots who tried to attack without even looking at the official document.”

“Ugh… .”

This was because the conclusion was that ‘the hunters who tried to use the monsters as they pleased from the beginning were stupid.’

“When you get your hunter’s license, don’t you learn to be wary of monsters?”

“The monster isn’t a vending machine drink… What on earth were you thinking when you went into a dungeon trusting a monster?”

“The hunters of the past weren’t like this, but I can definitely feel that the standards of the current generation have dropped significantly.”

“How can a hunter who doesn’t even know how scary monsters are be called a hunter?”

“These idiots are running wild, calling themselves hunters. This is the end of the world.”

If it had been based on the monster’s characteristics and had been mindful of the chance help, the criticism wouldn’t have been this harsh.

But didn’t problems arise because the dungeon, which was rated as S-class, was mainly filled with hunters who jumped in only believing in the mercy of the ‘Black Cloak’?

Even hunters who had been seriously considering the ‘Deep Sea Country’ since long ago showed a negative attitude.

“It doesn’t make sense to only rely on monsters when clearing a dungeon.”

“Aren’t you taking the strategy too lightly? Even though the exploration season is long.”

“They say the collector bought the ticket so there’s a lot of attention, but I think this is a bit…”

It felt like the story was coming to an end like that.

“… … .”

Yoo Seong-un was watching.

‘… It’s starting to get sorted out.’

It wasn’t a bad flow.

‘Things were going a little strangely. I guess it’s fortunate that it ended here.’

Yoo Seong-un, who was watching the hunters and the ordinary citizens talking about this situation, took out a piece of candy from his chest. He was running around here and there to see how the aftermath of the ‘Black Cloak’ was ending, and he was running out of sugar.

“ha….”

“… … .”

“So what?”

Yoo Seong-un asked as he felt a presence on the bench behind him.

“I think I have some business to attend to.”

“You look tired.”

“If you work overtime for over a week and don’t feel tired, you’re not human.”

“I agree.”

The association’s staff, nodding, were dressed in black padding and pretending to be ordinary citizens.

He sat behind the bench where Yoo Seong-un was sitting and looked out at the park that was giving off the appearance of spring even in winter thanks to government measures.

“I don’t intend to take up too much of your time, Mr. Yoo Seong-un, who is busy with construction. I would like to ask you a few questions. Would you be able to answer them?”

“Um… I would appreciate it if you could finish within 15 minutes. I need to catch the train later to check the sea conditions.”

“Thank you for your cooperation.”

The questions from the association staff followed naturally.

“It seems like the collector knows about the recent ‘Black Cloak’ incident.”

“There are many things that come up here and there, but what is the basis for your statement?”

“It seems that the interesting ghost story that ‘the black cloak gives gifts to good people’ came from a collector.”

“That is true.”

Yoo Seong-un answered calmly.

“Quite a few of our employees have encountered the black cloak.”

“Then I guess we need to correct the information on the website. Can you please provide the testimony of the first witness?”

“I’ll ask you when I have time. Surely you won’t force me to take you?”

“No way. I just felt that the information about the Black Cloak needed to be corrected.”

“Anyway, our staff and Black Cloak have encountered each other a few times, so I know his rules. He really hates rude and bad people.”

Although he said this, Yoo Seong-un had no intention of revealing the exact circumstances regarding the ‘Black Cloak’.

If it was revealed openly that the guy was the ‘Portrait of Geo’ that even the association president coveted, there was a high possibility that he would be publicly annoyed by the association that approached him for research purposes.

‘I don’t think Geo would want that either.’

He’s not the type of guy who likes a lot of hustle and bustle, as he lives in a peaceful cabin.

“And maybe we should call it a ‘gift’. It’s said that Black Cloak gives gifts to good people, but it’s not something material, it’s more like a favor… .”

“Can we say that we have a rule for showing favor to polite and kind people?”

“Yes, well. I’m sorry I didn’t report it in advance. But I don’t have the right to order my employees to report any monsters they happen to encounter.”

The staff asked him.

“Is it a monster?”

“… … .”

“I have a question for gardener Yoo Seong-un.”

“… In that case, I guess I should say no.”

“I see. Do you have any plans to return to the Association Research Institute?”

“It seems like it was the president’s order, but please tell him that I have no intention of doing so.”

“All right.”

The staff brought the subject back to its original state.

“Can I understand that you did not intentionally spread the rumor about the Black Cloak?”

“It was half intentional, but….”

Yoo Seong-un mixed in some facts.

“Apart from that, I had no intention of causing chaos like this.”

“Then for what purpose did you start this rumor?”

“Black Cloak hates rude and bad people, so he wanted to avoid making a fuss by doing something stupid in front of him.”

“The collector wanted to emphasize the ‘good person’ part, but the hunters were obsessed with the ‘gift’ part.”

“Even the collector didn’t know that hunters could be so stupid.”

“I understand.”

“… … .”

Even so, I didn’t expect that the ‘Portrait of Geo’ would be completely hidden from the collector.

‘… The fact that they only confirmed it like this without calling the association directly means that they already have some idea about it, but they have no intention of digging deeper.’

The president of the association was a renowned hunter who was believed to be hiding a rank higher than S-class. Since such a person saw the ‘Portrait of Geo’ and coveted it himself, he might have guessed in advance that this ‘Black Cloak’ would have a big connection to it.

‘There was also a big commonality in that they were portraits from the beginning.’

It was already a known fact that the Black Cloak was seen in the form of a portrait. At this point, I knew it all, but I couldn’t help but think that he was asking for the sake of formality.

So the purpose of this blind conversation was only two things.

‘With this rumor and the chaos, I wonder if the collector intends to exploit the Black Cloak. If not, if he intends to hand over Geo’s portrait to the Association for study… .’

Well, they both denied it.

“… … .”

Yoo Seong-un opened his mouth.

“Do you have any more questions?”

“Have you figured out the identity of the black cloak, Gardener Yoo Seong-un?”

“…no.”

It would have been nice if that had been the case.

“I don’t know.”

“…okay.”

“So, I ask that the association also pay special attention.”

“Are you saying that there is a need to raise the response level?”

“That might be better.”

It is an existence whose origins even the meteor cloud cannot grasp. Even if the black cloak has no ill intentions, there is a high probability that it will cause disaster to humans in some way, so from the perspective of weak humans, it would be advantageous for their survival to be on high alert.

“If we find out anything from this side, we will pass on the report.”

“…Please take good care of me.”

The employee moved away naturally as if he had never spoken to him before.

“… … .”

Feeling the distant presence, Yoo Seong-un closed his eyes.

‘It’s been a while since I’ve received attention from the association like this.’

Still, the response wasn’t awkward, as the park didn’t look much different than before. There was no one who pretended not to notice and focused on this side.

‘I guess I didn’t act awkwardly.’

As I quietly closed my eyes, I heard the people gathered in the park chatting in the mild air.

“So what was the black cloak after all…?”

They too were confused.

“From the beginning, it was a monster that didn’t fit in with the ‘Deep Sea Country’.”

“I heard that sometimes monsters from other dungeons come over. Was that one of those cases?”

“There might be a separate dungeon for the Black Cloak.”

“But they’re humanoid monsters. Are there cases where boss monsters can cross over to the dungeon?”

“I heard that you can sometimes see them outside the dungeon… ”

“That’s ridiculous. Then it’s a monster that roams around freely without any designated area.”

“That was bad. It definitely sounds like a rumor.”

Yoo Seong-un soon opened his eyes to the voices that sounded like the flapping of a tiny bird’s wings.

It’s all about the story of the black cloak.

“… So this is what happens.”

It was a planned chaos.

‘Still, to this extent, it’s a good prevention.’

Geo was a being who could go anywhere. He could be anything because he was a painting, and he could create anything because he was a painter.

There was no way to stop such ‘portraits of Geo’, so what the collector ultimately chose to do for the sake of national stability was to control information.

‘If this is how people can slowly get used to the existence of the Black Cloak…’

It would certainly be less confusing than having a ‘portrait of Geo’ on the front.

The ghost stories that the collector spread, and the fact that Geo was given a hunter’s ID as a human, were all in that context. It was an attempt to classify and control the ‘story’ of the origin.

“… … .”

Despite this, Geo’s identity was still a mystery.

‘What kind of being is it that is capable of such things?’

Even God could not continue to commit such bold acts.

“Not a god, not a human, and most certainly not a monster….”

And yet, a being that can be all of those things.

“How should I define this?”

It’s so contradictory.

Even Yoo Seong-un, who had set foot in the garden since he was very young, could not properly explain its existence. It was because its specifications were completely different from the original existences he had seen and studied until now.

“… … .”

Yoo Seong-un sighed and got up from his seat.

“I have to work.”

It feels like losing your sight and feeling your way with your hands.

Despite having seen and heard so much, a strange creepiness quietly crept up the back of my neck toward an existence that still remained unknown.

The painter who draws dungeons