The Artist Who Paints Dungeon-Chapter 67

"The entire atmosphere of the dungeon changing is not something that can happen easily.

‘That can only happen if there’s a change in the dungeon master’s condition, and most masters who can assimilate a dungeon as part of themselves are probably monsters stronger than average....’

With this thought, Kang Seo-Dam looked at ‘Sergio’ in front of him.

“May I ask you a question?”

“Yes, of course. What are you curious about?”

“...Are you currently a hunter?”

This was a question asking if he could cooperate because he was currently imitating a human.

‘...I hope it doesn't sound too rude.’

Kang Seo-Dam still couldn’t meet Gio's eyes, only looking at his lips. The perfectly gentle curve of his lips held an almost alien tenderness as they calmly parted.

“By the way, I realize I’ve failed to introduce myself. I’m Sergio, a hunter from the Collector’s Guild.”

“...I see.”

Now that he thought about it, the white-haired hunter who had stuck with him during the initiation ceremony had surely been from the Collector's side. It was rare to meet an underground-type hunter, not a public one, and their impression had been strong.

‘So, this means he’s receiving help from the Collector's Guild right now. It’s rare for a god to go to such lengths to infiltrate human society.’

Even if a being had become a god from a human, acquiring divinity meant abandoning humanity. In many ways, for such a god to adapt to humans and their society, it wasn’t unusual to receive help from capable groups like this.

‘If it’s the Collector, then... It’s a guild with a gallery of a collector named Bisa Beul. They’re a group that pours affection rather than control over mysteries and oddities, making them perfect for aiding a god's playful endeavors.’

Internally, he was relieved.

‘In that case, the conversation should be easier. If they’ve managed to establish a proper human identity with the help of a human group, they probably won’t dismiss humans so easily. That means they likely have an open heart toward humans...’

Still not looking him in the eyes, Kang Seo-Dam asked cautiously.

“Are you a priest, by any chance?”

“Yes, I am... um.”

The man in the black cloak, who had seemed about to affirm this, paused for a moment. Then, he smiled faintly and continued speaking.

“If you’re asking about my occupation as a hunter, I’m not a priest, but a beast tamer.”

“How should I understand your divine power?”

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“It’s just power granted to me as a child of the sun. It’s not anything grand.”

“Ah, so you’re not a priest, but a follower. Thank you for clarifying.”

Sergio, the hunter from the Collector’s Guild. Platinum hair and blue eyes. His profession was beast tamer.

From the pressure he felt, it didn’t seem too foreign. His rank was likely between A and B, and the reason he could handle divine power was that he was a devout follower of the sun god....

“......”

He remembered.

‘...Based on the pressure, it seems more like something hidden than something cut off. His way of playing with gods seems very aggressive. It’s possible he’s cursed.’

Of course, there was no need for a mere human like Kang Seo-Dam to analyze and ponder over a god's affairs. He was just asking carefully to do his part.

“Would you be able to assist in finding other survivors?”

“That’s exactly why I came here.”

“Ah... thank you.”

Isn’t this god truly benevolent toward humans? Given the deathly energy surrounding them, he couldn’t rule out the possibility of being a dark god, but he couldn't pass up the help from such a politely behaving deity.

‘Exactly what god he is, I don’t know, but he seems to care a lot for humans. Since he’s using a Korean name, it’s probably not his true name... I’ll have to pray for his divine being later.’

For now, he decided to ask about that later. From the god's perspective, it might just be an amusing thought, but the situation among humans was quite urgent.

“Did you see any other survivors while you were on your way here?”

“There were quite a few people where I was. A contract-bound hunter, whom I consider like a son, is watching over them, so you don’t need to worry about them. I came here to check if there are survivors elsewhere, outside of my current location.”

“Ah, it’s the same situation for me. I fell alone into a dungeon full of monsters, and there were no other survivors there. The dungeon I just came from had more people, but...”

“Were there any casualties?”

“......”

“I see.”

Surprisingly, there was sadness in his tone. Kang Seo-Dam quietly hid his agitation.

‘Is there a god who mourns the death of mere humans? This is a very rare case.’

After all, gods were beings like that. They were part of nature and fate. Even if such gods had feelings about human death, it would be more out of curiosity, like a broken toy.

But this ‘Sergio’ seemed to truly mourn the death of people. As if treating it as the death of a friend, on equal footing.

“......”

“Did you bless them?”

“...I’ve done what little I could to help.”

“Would it be too rude if I looked at them once more?”

“If you do, the souls of the dead will be able to return to the sun’s side with lighter hearts.”

A god personally blessing death. While it might sound strange, given that the monsters had killed them, it could only be described as a miraculous blessing.

“Please guide me.”

“Then follow me this way....”

Leading ‘Sergio,’ Kang Seo-Dam felt somewhat reassured. Not all gods were trustworthy, but a god who put effort into mimicking mourning was trustworthy enough.

‘The goddess has also shown a favorable gaze, so as a servant, I should not doubt. I must empty my thoughts and follow the god’s will. That is what a priest should do.’

Kang Seo-Dam decided to go along with the name ‘Sergio.’

Thus, it was the historical moment when the mysterious human identity of the ‘Black Cloak’ was created.

“I was thinking, you know.”

Yoo Seong-Woon stared blankly at the campfire.

“......”

“I never thought I’d be dragged into a virtual dungeon at the sun temple of all places, forced to film a brutal survival documentary where blood splatters and tears flow.”

Hearing this, Kang Seo-Dam nodded sympathetically.

“When I first fell into the dungeon, I had the same thought.”

“Really?”

“It seemed like a cold dungeon where the light of the sun couldn’t reach, so I might have prepared myself to die and take responsibility for the situation.”

“Wow, that’s cool. Just because you awakened as a priest doesn’t mean everyone would be as cool as you, Priest Kang Seo-Dam.”

“I’m just doing my best with what I need to do.”

“Doing your best, huh...”

Yoo Seong-Woon nodded.

“So, now you’re gutting fish?”

“......”

Yes, Kang Seo-Dam was gutting fish right now.

“...I couldn’t leave it for him to do himself.”

“Gio likes doing stuff like that.”

“It’s disrespectful.”

“No, really....”

A campsite had unexpectedly been set up here. Along with a simple tent and campfire, the mood was peaceful, with fish being gutted by the gathered people.

‘Gio, please.’

If Gio was a very gentlemanly god, there might be help in this virtual dungeon, but he hadn’t expected it to turn into this level of comfort.

‘It probably seems like a fun outing or game for you, but this isn’t how ordinary humans feel about it... How are we supposed to enjoy this situation if you go full throttle?’

At least, the fact that Gio had created such a peaceful atmosphere and almost no one seemed to question the situation was fortunate.

Only Yoo Seong-Woon seemed nervously worried that Gio’s true nature might be discovered.

‘Most of the survivors are civilians with unclear dungeon or monster experience, so that probably contributed to the situation.’"

Yoo Seong-Woon muttered.

“Is this really okay for a dungeon?”

“If you don’t like it, why don’t you go out and hunt some monsters?”

“Eunha, you’re really harsh.”

“You’re the dungeon master, aren’t you?”

“Are you okay with this?”

“......”

“Honestly, you think this whole thing is a bit weird, don’t you?”

With a smile that looked like it was drawn, Eunha oddly avoided eye contact, as if something was bothering him. From the monster’s perspective, it must have been a really absurd situation.

‘Seems like Gio’s trying to avoid being labeled a bad guy, but still, the situation is absurd. How did things get so peaceful?’

At least for now, the only people who knew Eunha’s true identity were Yoo Seong-Woon and probably Kang Seo-Dam, the higher-ranked priest. Other survivors just saw Eunha as another potential priest.

Gio approached.

“Are you done gutting the fish?”

“Almost done.”

“If you’re tired, I could help...”

“Don’t worry, I can handle gutting the fish just fine.”

“I wasn’t talking about that, but okay, understood.”

He smiled refreshingly, looking like ‘Giovanni.’

“Since you’re offering, I have no reason to refuse free labor!”

“......”

With that dignified face, he nonchalantly spoke of ‘free labor.’

‘Eunha’s looking at him with that longing expression.’

Giovanni, was this his usual image?

‘He still looks like a pious and noble priest, but... somehow, I get the feeling he’s a bit... shameless? A little too reckless, maybe...’

Yet, his noble bearing never seemed to fade.

“Gio.”

“Yes, Yoo Seong-Woon?”

“Should I just sit here?”

“I think it’s necessary for you to check if any monsters are approaching.”

“That’s true, but...”

Once again, this place had become a campsite. The dungeon master was avoiding being the ‘bad guy,’ so which bold monster would dare approach?

“Don’t you need to check if any other survivors are left?”

“We’ve searched together, but no one else was visible.”

Eunha answered naturally. His words felt like, “There are no other survivors here, so stop poking around.” A chill ran through Yoo Seong-Woon.

‘Eunha’s probably worried I’ll discover something about him or Gio as I investigate the dungeon. After all, dungeons are constructed based on the master’s past and mindset... I wonder if he’s worried about what I might uncover about them.’

Despite this, Gio was enjoying his ‘Giovanni’ persona 120%, having a blast in the situation.

‘As expected, as a humanoid monster, Gio’s emotions are rich. He thinks a lot.’

Gio patted Eunha on the head.

“You really are brave, Eunha.”

“Ah, well...”

“I was worried, but I’m relieved to see you’re fine.”

“......”

Yoo Seong-Woon thought inwardly.

‘This is a landmine.’

He didn’t know the full situation, but the reactions were clear. Gio was dancing a tap dance over Eunha’s landmine, completely oblivious to what he was doing.

‘Well... considering the humans’ safety, it’s probably better if he gets distracted by this.’

Yoo Seong-Woon looked around.

“......”

The people seemed quite calm.

‘Though many people have died due to the dungeon’s opening, surviving in a dungeon that exploded from the temple is almost miraculous. Plus, the survivors don’t look too bad.’

Even though there were naturally some uneasy faces, as soon as Gio spoke a few words, everyone settled down. In this cold dungeon, Gio’s presence was a great comfort.

“Even so...”

Yoo Seong-Woon asked Gio, who had been constantly moving without rest.

“Aren’t you working too hard? Won’t you get tired?”

“Thank you for your concern.”

“Did you say your head was hurting earlier? Is it better now?”

Although Yoo Seong-Woon knew Gio wasn’t the type to be a simple pawn, he couldn’t help but feel uneasy seeing him act so benevolent.

What if Gio got tired and disappointed with humans, and a disaster happened?

Fortunately, Gio’s expression wasn’t too bad. Giovanni answered with a picture-perfect, serene smile.

“I’m taking it step by step, so it’s fine.”

“Oh... step by step...”

That’s not good.

‘...If Giovanni’s personality is established here, things could get complicated. I’m not sure how close Gio and Giovanni are, but it doesn’t seem like they were just on friendly terms. Once Gio regains his memories, he might side with Eunha...’

For now, Yoo Seong-Woon had no choice but to rely on Gio’s goodwill.

“Still, take it easy. I know you want to be kind to everyone, but sometimes people take kindness as a right. No, actually, it happens often.”

Surprisingly, Gio nodded readily.

“I know.”

“Ah, really?”

“But the sun shines on everything, doesn’t it?”

“Ah...”

“If the sun does, then I should too.”

“......”

It sounded like he was truly a devout priest.

‘...If I hear him say, “I’m just doing this because it’s my job,” is it my misunderstanding?’

Yoo Seong-Woon worried that Gio might go too far in believing or caring for humans and end up making a big mistake when betrayed.

But seeing him act this way, he didn’t think that kind of worry was necessary.

‘What should I say about this?’

Ah.

‘He’s like a service worker.’

The ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ perfect example of a capitalist smile.

‘In this situation, Gio can’t really gain any material benefit, but somehow, it feels like watching a skilled public servant handle things...’

He had a vague feeling.

‘Giovanni’s not just a purely good priest.’

It felt oddly reassuring knowing Gio didn’t trust humans too much, but still showed them kindness. If clueless idiots made trouble, he wouldn’t lash out immediately.

But before that happens, Yoo Seong-Woon would have to cut it off first.

“By the way, you caught fish? I don’t know what happened, but where did you catch them? Was there a pond here in this barren place?”

“There was a deep water hole near the edge of the third pupil. The water quality was better than Earth, and the fish living there didn’t seem to be poisonous...”

“You decided to eat them?”

“Aren’t we all hungry?”

“Forget the hunger, but most people don’t think about calmly grilling fish in a dungeon like this.”

“I guess I wasn’t hungry enough yet.”

“You’re so decisive. It’s not wrong, but still.”

Worrying a little, it seemed Gio Giovanni’s persona was actually a decent guy after all.

‘Gio said it’s not his personality that changes, but his character...’

It was just too peaceful, and it was hard to believe.

If Yoo Seong-Woon felt this way, how absurd must it be for the dungeon master...