The Artist Who Paints Dungeon-Chapter 335
“Oh, Sun Above...”
Meanwhile, “Gio” wasn’t just sitting still.
“Someone please drag Zeorge out of there.”
“Bullying the young and weak... tch. Pathetic.”
“Suddenly became the trash who scared children. What a downfall.”
“To be honest, I’m insulted to be lumped in with him. Can’t we be treated separately?”
“You failed to stop him beforehand. That makes it hard.”
“Totally out of control in every way. This is a problem.”
“Before the young sister gets even more frightened, let’s pull ourselves together.”
“Honestly, you should only joke around with people who can take it.”
“Never thought I’d see the day he started bothering children...”
Eventually, Gio willingly slipped on the leash.
“He really is... something else.”
Sometimes, Zeorge seemed completely emotionless.
To love or to hate—either required care, yet he didn’t seem to need either. It was strange.
***
“Ugh, I really didn’t mean to scare anyone...”
“......”
“...Everyone’s scolding me.”
“...Ugh.”
Iru Da instinctively stepped back.
She didn’t know what kind of being this was. But the divine power she had felt from “Cha I-Sol”—that much had been real. Even if it was a copy, it meant, at the very least, this thing was tapping into divine mystery.
‘Maybe I overreacted because I was too sensitive to the form it took. I shouldn’t have provoked it...’
Was this thing an evil god?
‘No... maybe that kind of categorization means nothing to a being like this.’
The distinction between gods and evil gods was entirely human-made. Even a seemingly “benevolent” god could be seen as evil from another angle. This appeared to be one of those cases.
‘Priest Kang Seodam always said—don’t trust divine power.’
They might study humanity and think in human terms—but only rarely. And even then, it was just an imitation of human perspective by something unfathomable. They could still bring about calamity, large or small.
Still, she couldn’t help but wonder—
‘...I know it’s foolish to think this about a divine mystery, but even so, does it not find this world disgusting?’
The fact that this wasn’t a human was becoming increasingly clear. And then, the thing wearing Cha I-Sol’s form spoke.
“Sorry. I didn’t think you’d hate it that much.”
“...! You read my mind...!”
“That thought was so painful it slipped right out. Could you tell me what exactly felt disgusting? I’d like to avoid it the next time I invite you.”
“......”
“Ruda?”
Yes. This thing had no human heart. It mimicked her partner so precisely it was revolting. It only wanted to “study” humans.
Iru Da hesitated, then took a deep breath.
‘...Despite the instinctive disgust, fortunately it’s adopting a friendly posture. When a high-level entity offers to imitate humanity, I should go along with it.’
Playing along with the rhythm of such beings was key to survival. Iru Da calmly reviewed what she’d learned in the temple, reaffirming it in her mind and heart.
Now, the question was whether this being tolerated lies.
“...Can you tell a lie?”
“Of course. We all live with lies, don’t we?”
“Then I suppose I can lie too, since I’m the same kind of ‘human’ as you.”
“Oh, how adorable... I can only imagine how scared you must’ve been to muster up that sharp little proposal.”
“Cha I-Sol” smiled sweetly. The expression was so natural, it sent a shiver down Iru Da’s spine. This being didn’t just wear her partner’s form—it knew exactly how to use it.
It nodded as if to say, I allow it.
“Of course, you may lie—if that’s what you want.”
“You don’t see lying as deception?”
“It can be poison or it can be medicine. But if everyone had to be honest all the time, how could humans build society? A small lie can be a good lubricant for relationships.”
“...I understand.”
A little lie.
‘...In other words, play along.’
That was safer than being forced to answer honestly. If honesty had been demanded, she might’ve had to say something offensive. But at least that wasn’t the case here.
“...What did you ask me just now?”
“I wanted to know how this place could be improved.”
“I’ve already answered everything about that while holding your hand. Utopia cannot exist—and it must not. It is, by its very nature, deception and contradiction.”
“You believe deception and contradiction shouldn’t exist?”
“No. But if this place was truly created to make humans happy and satisfied... shouldn’t it at least not be unpleasant?”
“What part was unpleasant?”
“The fact that ideal happiness is said to exist.”
Still horrifying.
“And that all the happiness and satisfaction here exists solely for the sake of humans.”
“You’ve got quite a broad view, Ruda. Most people judge the world based on their own species.”
“But this isn’t it. Even without realizing it, many would feel discomfort here. These... these things...”
After hesitation and internal debate, Iru Da decided to speak frankly.
“The plants and animals in this space you’ve created were all modified for humans. They were taxidermied alive. They’ve been shaped into what humans find lowest and most juvenilely appealing.”
You couldn’t call this an ecosystem. And yet, it was pretending to be one—mimicking beautiful nature. All of it acting for the sake of a single human in this world, putting on a show.
What happens when the only audience, Iru Da, disappears? These plants and animals, dedicating themselves to her as if happiness were an obligation, were terrifying. Horrifying.
“...It’s grotesque.”
“Ah, how sad... I worked so hard on it.”
“...Do the animals and plants here have any will of their own?”
“They’re just dolls and food, my dear friends.”
“How can you call them ‘friends’ if they’re just dolls and food...?”
“Because I see even the smallest bugs and roadside stones as friends.”
“Cha I-Sol’s” face crumpled, as if genuinely sorrowful.
“Is it so hard for us to be friends?”
“...I’ll think about it.”
“Thank you for your consideration, my friend.”
“......”
“But please believe me.”
And then the form changed.
Into a flower.
Like a bouquet.
Like petals filled with every scent.
Like a butterfly resting atop.
Like the wind—it changed like that.
“No malice was intended.”
“......”
“...Ah, how sad...”
Beautiful.
“Then let’s pretend none of this happened, shall we?”
And yet, grotesque.
***
Upon returning, Zeorge’s first order of business was to get smacked.
***
“......?”
10:00 a.m. A fresh and timely wake-up, perfect for vacation.
“...What is this?”
“Gasp—eat it with me!!”
“What even is it?”
Iru Da looked down at the mini bouquet placed on her chest.
“Oh, it’s chocolate...?”
“Gio hyung made it.”
“You’re holding something too.”
“I got jelly! Animal-shaped jelly!”
“Aha...”
Looking again, the colorful flower-shaped chocolates had clearly been dyed with food coloring. So delicate they might crumble just by picking them up, they looked exactly like real flowers. A small bouquet of roses and others mixed together, but all chocolate.
Still dazed, Iru Da picked one.
“...There are no thorns...”
Gio poked his head out from the kitchen at her murmuring.
“They’re artificially crafted edible roses. Wouldn’t it be a problem if they did have thorns?”
“Oh... it just looked so real I guess I got confused. But yeah, putting actual thorns in chocolate would be kind of weird...”
“I’m really glad you find them so beautiful.”
“Uh... you’re that happy about it?”
His smile was filled with genuine joy, and it caught Iru Da off guard. For some reason, she thought she understood the reason behind that joy.
“Have I ever said I didn’t like one of your gifts, Sergio Hunter?”
“Hmm... No, I don’t believe you have.”
“...Ah. Right...”
Something about it left a faint sense of unease. Iru Da furrowed her brow without realizing.
‘Am I missing something?’
Her eyes drifted again to the flower chocolate. It wasn’t melting in her hand, and there was no coolness either. Maybe he’d used a skill of some kind.
‘...It’s delicious.’
She felt guilty eating right after waking up, but it wasn’t just for show. It tasted strongly of strawberry. The lemon and citron came in later—probably different flavors for each color.
“Um... why the sudden gift?”
“I was disappointed we didn’t play more last night, so this is a token of my regret. I suppose I got greedy hoping to see you all enjoy it more. This is my apology gift.”
“Oh no. Wanting us to have more fun isn’t greed at all.”
“But even happiness can become poison when it’s forced, don’t you think?”
Sergio Hunter’s ocean-colored eyes curved gently.
“Though... a lot of people in the world don’t seem to realize that.”
“Uh, yeah... right.”
“Sister Iru Da, you really don’t need to worry.”
“...Okay, I’ll try.”
“You might lose your appetite, so let’s stop there. Cha Ara Hunter and I are preparing breakfast. I heard you like medicinal herbs, so I made samgyetang.”
“Oh, I love that...”
She still felt like she was forgetting something. But if she couldn’t recall it at all, it probably wasn’t a big deal. Thinking that, Iru Da stood, following the aroma that reached her nose.
Cha I-Sol asked, watching her rise:
“Did you have a good dream?”
“Huh? Nah, I don’t really dream much...”
“Then let’s dream together next time!”
“What kind of nonsense is that, Cha I-Sol... is this another way of saying we should sleep together again?”
“Heehee.”
Cha I-Sol, who had been waiting in the next garden expecting to play with Ruda, swallowed her disappointment lightly. She had learned not to force her own likes on others.
‘She said Ruda got too scared to come. Zeorge hyung said he’d formally apologize later too.’
That was enough, wasn’t it?
The ginseng chicken porridge they had as dessert was delicious.
***
“So... I ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ think I’ve figured it out.”
“......”
“Want to hear it?”
“...Heh. You’re really something.”
Jeong Hae-Woon gave a small laugh, swirling his wine glass before nodding.
“You’re trying to ruin one of my few human relationships, huh?”
“If you really don’t want to hear it, I can’t help that...”
“But I’m always on the side of our merciful gardener. I’m your right hand, your student, your disciple. Use me however you like.”
“No, Hae-Woon. You have to want it. Otherwise, what meaning would there be in anything you do?”
It was a massive pile of flowers. A garden burying corpses. A grave adorned with blossoms. A lukewarm hand, barely warm, patted Jeong Hae-Woon’s head, then tapped his shoulder lightly.
A long bouquet standing behind him whispered:
“Can’t call up a virtual dungeon, because our eldest brother already used that.”
“Right.”
“And using dreams—that’s second brother’s territory. Hurts my pride.”
“So...”
“But the world’s still full of garden paths with no exits...”
“Aha. So that’s it?”
Jeong Hae-Woon leaned his head back, gazing out at the garden.
“You trying to turn all of us into gardeners?”
“Nothing wrong with that, is there?”
“You just want to be loved that badly?”
“If I’m not, I’m nothing.”
“But you hate being loved.”
“I still like it. Being cherished.”
Its face resembled a garden blooming with moonlight.
“So much it makes me want to die.”
“......”
“I love it...”
Jeong Hae-Woon drained his wine glass and set it down.
“...Teacher.”
“Yes, Hae-Woon.”
“Teacher.”
“Jeong Hae-Woon.”
“Don’t die.”
“You too.”
“You can’t die, okay?”
He said it again.
“Don’t die.”
It was a hideously tragic situation in every way—
But he laughed anyway.
Because his teacher was here.
