The Artist Who Paints Dungeon-Chapter 236
Just for reference—
“......”
Giovanni had seen scenes like this several times before.
‘Isn’t this the kind of spectacle you get when someone’s possessed by a demon?’
Gio looked up at the ceiling. The marble, once shimmering coldly like silver, had completely vanished. In its place were black-red masses of flesh and squirming hunks of meat.
And deep within that vast pit that had formed inside—it looked like something colossal was staring back.
“...Mmm...”
“Please, do not look.”
The bishop who had accompanied him lowered her gaze and stopped him.
“It may harm your mind.”
“Aha.”
So it really was Cthulhu.
‘The details are a little different, but the broad strokes are strikingly similar.’
Gio had always had a wide range of tastes, including various media genres.
One of those genres was cosmic horror—stories where humans, overwhelmed by incomprehensibly massive entities, mentally fracture in grotesque ways.
‘Well, I suppose for those lacking the proper vessel, divinity itself might feel like that...’
As Sergio, he’d never experienced it. As Argio, he was an evil god, so objectivity didn’t come naturally. And Giovanni had such a vast vessel from the beginning that nothing ever overflowed.
Only Giovanni, who had once seen countless mysteries with human eyes, could vaguely grasp the gravity of the situation.
‘The Moon Sect... was secretly nurturing a little disaster that could devour the world.’
Cute, really.
“It’s alright.”
“...Are you sure?”
“You may leave if you wish.”
“I didn’t bring you here expecting you to solve this immediately, Hunter Sergio.”
For some reason, the bishop spoke as though telling him not to push himself.
“If anything happens to you, I won’t be able to face the Collector’s Guild. Just assess the situation, if you would.”
“It’s alright, Bishop.”
There probably wasn’t anyone else on Earth more qualified.
“I think I can help, so I’d like to take a closer look.”
“...Then I’ll stay by the door.”
“You won’t leave?”
“I can’t leave an outsider alone in the temple.”
“Understood.”
Her words made it sound like temple rules forbade outsiders from being left alone, but in truth, she was likely worried about the safety of the Collector’s Guild’s distinguished guest. These clergy types really did love talking in circles.
‘It’s interesting how this trait shows up across multiple dimensions. Perhaps it mirrors how divine speech sounds vague to human ears... like how children and parents share certain quirks...’
After a brief detour in thought, Gio looked around again.
The space the Saintess resided in was heavily warped. The ink-black blood on the floor had formed impressively elaborate patterns, occasionally pulsing like living creatures.
“...?”
Ah, now that he thought about it—wasn’t that the Moon Sect’s emblem?
‘It looked so grotesque I didn’t recognize it at first.’
Along the emblem’s edges were finger-like growths resembling those of the Saintess. Gio decided to stop his description there—for the sake of those who might be listening to his story—lest it turn into a mental assault.
‘Still, looking at the whole picture...’
Taking in the entire room—
‘...it resembles space.’
It felt like being inside the moon, floating in the void.
You know those conspiracy theories, right? About aliens living inside the moon, performing all kinds of horrific experiments...
‘Or maybe the moon itself is actually a living creature.’
That was the kind of impression it gave.
‘Not necessarily wrong.’
After all, all of this had originated from the “Moon” they worshipped.
Centered around what had once been a bed, muscles and veins now stretched like spiderwebs or arched bridges.
The marble pillars that had once adorned the room spiraled like strands of DNA. Stained red as though soaked in blood, they had become translucent and glowed like beautiful crystals.
Even the framed paintings and candlesticks now twitched as if alive.
‘A bleeding universe...’
It felt like gazing at a universe of flesh and blood. As if something that didn’t quite understand humans had tried decorating a child’s room.
‘A little over the top.’
But the intention didn’t seem malevolent.
“......”
Joo-Hyun would probably object to even this thought. Gio found himself thinking of his friend again.
‘In some ways, she was right.’
Divinities who wished to reside on Earth really ought to attend a speech academy or at least get some basic education. Of course, Gio was an exception—he already seemed to do just fine.
“......”
“Hyeh, ha, haha. Hahahaha... ha...”
“She looks tired.”
Her hair, bleached ghost-white, had grown so long it filled the entire room. No human could grow it that naturally. Clearly, it was the Moon’s influence.
Her nails were long. When he gently touched them—carefully, so she wouldn’t startle—they crumbled like chalk. Then immediately grew back.
“So fragile...”
The girl’s body was drenched in blood.
‘It doesn’t look like she self-harmed.’
Blood was leaking from every opening. Even her sweat pores were secreting a slimy red fluid; the backs of her hands were sticky. It felt like severe blood loss, yet she showed no signs of collapse.
‘Hmph.’
Where’d the “All Ages” rating go?
‘This is getting problematic.’
Before the story fully shifted genres, Gio decided it was time to intervene. He called out the creature hiding inside his hood.
“Honey.”
“Purruuu.”
“Let’s help.”
“Purr.”
Joo-Hyun always told him—
‘Stop performing miracles solo.’
She insisted he rely on his familiars and visibly magical tools, so that no matter what he did, there would at least be a plausible excuse.
Today, Gio followed her advice to the letter. He brought Honey, Dana, and the golden staff that Iser had returned. With this kind of lineup, it would be difficult to suspect Gio himself of anything unnatural.
“Excuse me.”
Gio turned to the bishop.
“May I begin the treatment?”
“...Are you saying you can treat her?”
Wait a second—wasn’t that why you called me here?
“......”
He almost wanted to ask, Then what exactly was I invited to do? But then it hit him: the Moon Sect had reached a point of desperation, and so had grasped at even a faint hope by calling in an outsider.
‘They probably only expected some general advice, maybe a word or two from a fellow saint. In cases of divine mystery, even a single phrase can cause a miracle...’
Still, judging by her reaction, Gio could read the subtext: “That’s possible? No way.”
‘How far am I supposed to humor them?’
Beneath his calm expression, Gio was genuinely baffled. Apparently, the expectations placed on him were far lower than he imagined.
Then again, it wasn’t exactly common to reverse a situation that had deteriorated to this degree in an instant.
‘But if I don’t act now, this girl’s life really might be in danger...’
Between hiding his identity and saving the poor Saintess, the choice was obvious. Besides, with his divinity and acting skills, he could manage the aftermath.
So, as always, Gio smiled serenely.
“I’ll help.”
“......”
“Will you give me the chance?”
“...I don’t know much about you, Hunter Sergio.”
“You mean you don’t trust me.”
“But we’ve been helpless to do anything.”
For the reclusive Moon Sect to request help from the Collector’s Guild was unprecedented. They’d already exhausted every internal solution. Sergio was the best candidate they could invite.
The bishop stared at the man smiling like a painting.
‘The one they call the Saint of the Black Cloak...’
If he truly was a saint—
‘Then there’s no one more reliable in all of Korea.’
Time was of the essence. The divine mystery had twisted the Saintess’s body and was now beginning to warp the space around her. If they didn’t act, this curse might spread to the other priests as well.
After what must have been dozens or hundreds of thoughts, the bishop finally nodded.
“I will place my trust in you. If anything happens, it will be my responsibility. But if you succeed, we will honor you as the benefactor of the Moon Sect and accept you as one of our own.”
“Is that so.”
“If that future moves your heart, then I humbly ask for your help.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
Hunter Sergio looked around with theatrical grace and said,
“Would you kindly close your eyes?”
“...Very well.”
“Thank you.”
With this, I initiate concealment.
‘Not that there’s much to gain from watching anyway.’
Giovanni wouldn’t be affected—his vessel was far too vast. But the bishop, who barely matched the Saintess in endurance, might not fare so well. Gio lightly tapped the shadows of his cloak.
“Meow.”
“That’s right.”
Dana leapt out, her body reduced to the size of a teenage cat after releasing her soul.
“There’s work to be done.”
“Meow.”
“Looks like you understand.”
These were the disguises prepared for containment.
Gio looked the girl in the eye—the girl who held the entire crimson-black universe within her. Her eyes no longer had discernible pupils or irises, yet Gio had no trouble catching her gaze.
And he smiled ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) gently.
“Can you see me?”
“......”
“Then, for starters...”
He slowly closed his own eyes.
“Let’s practice sleeping.”
Lately, it seemed like he was helping a lot of strangers with physical therapy.
***
And so, Gio successfully reclaimed the genre.
“...Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
The bishop’s voice still trembled with disbelief. All Gio had done was lull the girl into sleep—nothing too flashy—yet that alone had been enough to calm things down.
‘I should proceed slowly from here, let them see progress gradually.’
It was easier than restoring Ather, who’d been in a meat-soup state for millennia. But to others, it likely didn’t seem that way.
Though he’d corrected the Saintess’s grotesquely twisted body, she remained asleep.
Through sleep, her fatigue would ease, and she’d slowly return to the human side. That was a good thing.
“It would be best to move her to a different room. The space she’s been in is already warped by divine mystery... If she remains here, she might once again stray toward that path.”
“We’ll prepare another space for her to rest. We had considered it before, but we were afraid of contagion or further anomalies. Is there anything else we should watch for?”
“No need to worry about meals. Until the divine energy in her body is fully purged, eating anything might be toxic. A nutrient drip might be better.”
“Ah, food...”
The bishop hesitated, then said,
“She rarely ate, even before.”
“......”
Gio was silent for a moment, then asked,
“...Was there a reason?”
“As you said—she had grown too close to divinity. It wasn’t that food poisoned her back then, but she didn’t feel hunger or wish to eat.”
“Aha.”
She skipped meals...?
Unforgivable.
Another potential pig lost... Sun God, forgive this gluttonous priest.
I really did want to respect your lifestyles and values. But if you keep being so casually self-destructive, I can’t help becoming a wicked crone.
With a bitter smile toward fate, Gio spoke.
“If she skips meals, she’ll walk the divine path again.”
“I’d rather she went all the way... but I suppose that’s not possible?”
“Not at the moment.”
A truly ambiguous talent.
“As you said, her vessel is vast, but her mind remains human.”
But then again, that made Gio her senior. He too had a mystical body and a human heart. In that way, he could probably help her.
Gio smiled.
“She won’t wake for a while. Her physical and mental wavelengths are stabilizing. You don’t need to worry too much.”
“Yes, thank you.”
“And...”
“Ahem.”
Cough.
“Hhk, khk...!”
“H-Hunter Sergio!”
“Cough!!”
Gio coughed up blood.
The bishop, horrified by the sight of their guest spitting blood, ordered most of the priests in the reception hall to clear out. The few who remained seemed to be her most trusted. They stepped forward to help—but Gio waved them off.
“I-I’m fine.”
“But you—”
“I think I just overexerted myself a bit.”
“...Ah...”
“It’s not as impressive as it looks.”
Sweating coldly, Gio forced a smile.
“If it’s alright... could I rest somewhere for a bit?”
“Of course. You’ll need treatment—let me bring you to the infirmary...”
“Sorry, but I’d prefer to be alone.”
“......”
The bishop paused, then nodded.
“...So be it.”
“Thank you.”
And so Gio was escorted to a resting place under the zealous care of the Moon Sect’s priests. The bishop repeatedly asked if he needed healing, but Gio refused each time—until all the priests eventually left the room.
“......”
Alone now, Gio thought to himself—
‘The bluff worked perfectly.’
With this, he had blocked most of the angles Joo-Hyun could scold him from.
After all, one of the perks of being a portrait was that...
You can do just about anything.
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