The Artist Who Paints Dungeon-Chapter 216
Since that day, something had changed for Joo-Hyun.
“Joo-Hyun, that’s...?”
“It’s a tamed snake, so please don’t worry too much.”
“Ah, right. But I remember you were a non-awakened civilian... That doesn’t really look like an ordinary snake, though.”
“Gio tamed it and attached it to me as a companion.”
“Aha...”
The snake, only slightly thicker than a child’s wrist, flicked its tail as it shimmered with a glorious crimson sheen. Its round, gleaming eyes and cat-like curved mouth made it look harmless and almost cute.
The Collector’s Guild employee nodded.
“As expected of Hunter Sergio’s tastes—what a flamboyant snake. Sparkling like a gemstone, it looks like the perfect monster to lure people in. Did he make it himself?”
“Mm... something like that, I suppose.”
“So there’s a reason for your visit today. Like with the waterbirds, if you can give me a rough idea of its characteristics and habits, we’ll register it with the Association under an existing monster entry. That should make things easier for your activities, right?”
“I’d really appreciate that. Gio gave me a bunch of snacks, and I was wondering if anyone here might want to share them. There’s a lot.”
“In that case, the Secretariat would probably be the best place to leave them.”
“I’ll drop them off when I have time. For now, I’d like to register this friend first.”
The crimson snake coiled around Joo-Hyun’s neck raised its head.
“Hello.”
“Oh—goodness. It talks?”
“Please call me San.”
“Um... alright, nice to meet you, San.”
As someone used to witnessing bizarre sights, the guild employee wasn’t too startled. She merely turned back to Joo-Hyun with more questions.
“What can it do? Since Hunter Sergio assigned it to you, I’m guessing it’s special in some way. Is there anything dangerous about it?”
“There are some dangerous aspects, but Gio is keeping it under control, so it’s fine. If I had to categorize it, I’d say it’s a mental-type monster. It’s especially talented in charm and mind control.”
“If it’s about your safety, I’d think a monster with direct physical combat ability would be better... But well, I’m sure Hunter Sergio has his reasons. Got it.”
The crimson snake drooped its head, looking sulky.
“I’m weak.”
It wasn’t lamenting being assigned as a bodyguard—it was annoyed that the body Gio «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» had given it was too feeble. Joo-Hyun, half understanding, patted the snake’s head.
“I’ll give you a snack when we get back.”
“Oh, I like that. I especially liked that bright red fruit last time.”
“I’ll ask Gio, so just be patient—”
“Understood.”
After registering Gio’s new contracted beast, “San,” with the help of the Collector’s Guild, Joo-Hyun returned home. Gio, waiting in the form of a portrait within the house, greeted him.
“All finished?”
“Yes, thanks to you.”
From now on, Sankallut would spend time with Joo-Hyun, trapped within the harmless body of a snake. He would protect Joo-Hyun in daily life and, when Gio permitted it, eventually be returned to “that house” of his.
Sankallut was satisfied just not being destroyed by a higher divinity. Gods don’t die easily, but that logic broke down when facing “Gio’s portrait.” As if used to it by now, Sankallut made a request.
“Fruit, give me fruit.”
“You must mean the Mudung berry.”
“The sweet-and-sour fruit suits my taste very well.”
“I’m glad you’ve found food you enjoy.”
Yes, Sankallut had ultimately become a pig under Gio’s care.
“If only I could gain a bit more weight.”
“Uh... Won’t that make you heavy for me to carry?”
“I’ve heard of weight-reduction magic.”
“If you get any bigger here, you’ll draw too much attention.”
“That would be inconvenient.”
The introverted Sergio quickly understood Joo-Hyun’s concern and gave up. Either way, no matter how much he ate, the emaciated body of Sankallut—housing divine essence—wasn’t going to fatten up easily.
“Just stop by now and then for snacks.”
“I will.”
Visiting the hut had become essential just to maintain Sankallut’s state.
“Speaking of which, could I visit now? San finished all the Mudung berries and I’d like to collect more. Otherwise, he won’t behave properly...”
“Mudung berries are one of the easiest things to find in my forest. You can come in anytime and pick as many as you want. The waterbirds will help you.”
As if they heard Gio, translucent waterbirds including Honey fluttered onto the portrait frame. They looked up at Joo-Hyun as if saying, “You coming in?” “Now?” “Come on in now?”
Joo-Hyun chuckled helplessly.
“I’ll step in for a moment.”
Joo-Hyun entered “Gio’s portrait” with practiced ease.
“......”
“Are you alright?”
“...A bit dizzy...”
“I believe it’s due to Mr. Sankallut.”
The bright red snake lifted its head as if wronged.
“I’m innocent.”
“Your very presence can affect things. Especially inside the portrait.”
“...Mr. Joo-Hyun is too weak. He needs to be modified.”
“Mr. Joo-Hyun will live his life just fine as he is. Don’t interfere.”
“I feel wronged.”
Their exchange left Joo-Hyun slightly exhausted.
“You really do sound like Gio sometimes.”
“Well, I’m a physical form partly modeled after him, so it’s inevitable.”
The two began walking. Mudung berries were the most common fruit in Gio’s forest. The waterbirds, having left their nests for the first time in a while, perched on Gio’s body. Gio and Joo-Hyun spent quite some time gathering berries.
Once the basket was nearly full, they headed to a stream to rinse them off.
“Who would’ve thought an evil god would like fruit.”
“I like red things. Give them to me. I’m waiting.”
“What if you really do turn into a pig...”
“I can go on a diet. Please trust me, Mr. Joo-Hyun.”
“...Can snakes even go on diets?”
It hadn’t been long, but in just a few days, Joo-Hyun and Sankallut had started adapting to one another.
Of course, Joo-Hyun’s mindset was “I’m going to cook this thing, one way or another,” and Sankallut’s was “Maybe I can find a way to exploit a weakness eventually,” so they only seemed compatible.
Still, on the surface, they looked perfectly natural.
“While you’re here, would you like to eat something?”
“I was waiting for that.”
“Were you looking forward to it?”
“No, I was bracing myself.”
As always, Gio’s meals gave Joo-Hyun a strange discomfort. It felt like he was eating something no human should consume, though it appeared deceptively familiar.
“What meat is this?”
“Rabbit. Doesn’t it have a unique aroma? The texture is pleasantly chewy.”
“I thought the rabbits in your forest weren’t this big...”
“Lately, animals have been sneaking in from beyond the frame.”
“Beyond the frame? You mean, from the painting?”
“Yes, it’s called ‘The Animal Kingdom.’”
“Straightforward name.”
“I didn’t name it, by the way.”
Straightforward indeed.
“I tried raising a few, but most were in a state of frenzy. I’d need to visit the world beyond the frame to understand why... but I’ve been putting that off.”
“Putting it off enthusiastically sounds contradictory.”
“I’m just glad the food suits Mr. Sankallut’s palate.”
“Avoiding the question again.”
The snake, half-listening, perked its head. Tilting it curiously, it crunched rabbit meat—bones and all—before speaking.
“This is delicious. It’s full of rage.”
Joo-Hyun frowned.
“Rage? Why would rabbit meat be full of rage?”
“I think he’s interpreting the spicy sting on the tongue as ‘rage.’”
“Shouldn’t that be pain then...?”
“......”
“...Gio?”
Instead of answering, Gio looked back at the snake.
“I would’ve thought Mr. Sankallut enjoyed fear more than rage. Interesting.”
“I don’t pick and choose.”
Then he chomped down a heap of red chili peppers on top of the dish.
“But I do like red things.”
“...If the researchers found out the god of pain and terror just liked red, they’d probably faint.”
Joo-Hyun spoke with exasperation, but truthfully, if not for Gio’s red dishes, Sankallut wouldn’t have been this satisfied.
Joo-Hyun knew that too.
‘It’s just... it’s absurd watching an evil god turn into a foodie.’
Humans are creatures of vision. Even if something on the table was a pile of mystery, in the end, it still had the shape of food. Watching a high-ranking divine being gorge itself on nutrients was a weird experience.
“Come to think of it... San, you used to like the blood of children and elders, right?”
“Yes, I like it very much. I favor it.”
“Now it seems like you just like red. Was there a reason for picking those ages before?”
“They are the children of principles that stand at the beginning and end.”
So it was a kind of delicacy.
“They are also the most suitable to enter my paradise.”
“I’ve read the Sankallut Church’s doctrine. That your ideal paradise is a place where victims, after offering their pain and blood, are rewarded with a perfect eternal haven where no one can judge them...”
“That’s correct.”
“...Does that paradise really exist?”
“Of course.”
Apparently delighted with the chili-filled rabbit dish, Sankallut licked his lips.
“It’s like Gio’s diary.”
“That’s a stretch...”
Joo-Hyun grimaced, and Argio’s eyes lit up with interest.
“A paradise crafted by another god? That’s a story I’d like to hear. Would you tell me more?”
“...It’s nothing impressive like Gio’s...”
“I just want to learn. I’m merely a painter. I’m curious what kind of afterlife a true god would create.”
“...Ugh...”
Coiling up with visible discomfort, the snake eventually opened its mouth.
“...I gave them everything they valued. If someone had a lost family, I gave them family. If someone desired a partner, I gave them a mate. If someone hoped for children, I allowed them to conceive.”
Joo-Hyun’s brow twisted.
“But... they all died, didn’t they?”
“In my paradise, they’re alive.”
“I want to say that’s nonsense, but I’ve never died, so I can’t argue...”
“Humans judge life and death based on the biological activity of flesh. I find that a foolish and inefficient standard. I treated their souls very well.”
“So where are those souls now?”
“In my stomach.”
The snake said it as if it were obvious.
“They are part of me, since I ate them. There’s nowhere else they could be. They’re enjoying the feeling of happiness and continuing their stories.”
“Are you using their souls to craft some kind of evil scheme—”
“That’s a hard question. Please simplify it for me.”
“Are you dodging the question?”
Gio waved a hand.
“I think he really doesn’t understand.”
“Was my question that complicated...?”
“Think of it this way. It’s like someone asking you, ‘Can you plot an evil scheme using the rabbit meat you just ate today?’ Doesn’t that sound off?”
“Uh...”
“Some questions are too trivial and obvious to dwell on. Young gods still have trouble understanding that. As I’ve said before, Mr. Sankallut isn’t the type to enjoy communicating with humans.”
“......”
Joo-Hyun rubbed his chin.
“Yeah... the more I hear about the afterlife, the more uneasy I feel.”
“Living people don’t need to dwell on the afterlife. It comes with too many side effects.”
Argio nodded knowingly.
“That’s why most divine beings devalue human life. From their view, flesh is just a shell. A human’s life is determined by whether the shell exists or not.”
“Do you think that way too, Gio?”
“If I did, would I be here eating food with you?”
“...Fair point.”
Once again, Joo-Hyun was left with a complicated feeling.
‘...So divine disasters really don’t stem from malice.’
Whether something is good or evil—those are simply standards created by humans. Divinity is merely willful nature, or fate. It can’t be divided by right or wrong.
Just like how stars in the sky have no top or bottom...
“......”
Of course, the fact that Sankallut tried to spread his brand of ‘rightness’—that cruel nature—here on Earth was undoubtedly wrong. Even a god should learn to read the room and adapt.
With that conclusion, Joo-Hyun turned his attention back to Gio.
“This ‘diary’ you made, Gio—what is it exactly?”
“Just what it sounds like. It can be someone’s home, or a travel stop, or a place to rest.”
It was like a vacation house with its doors wide open, where anyone Gio wanted to be friends with could enter. They could settle down, stay briefly, or leave whenever they liked.
Sankallut tilted his head at Gio.
“You’re not going to eat them?”
“I’m not that hungry, not enough to devour precious guests.”
“But it would taste good...”
“That’s your perspective, Mr. Sankallut.”
As expected, it was interesting.
“...Fascinating.”
He may have held a divine essence, but Gio couldn’t exactly be called a proper god.
This 𝓬ontent is taken from fre𝒆webnove(l).𝐜𝐨𝗺
