The Artist Who Paints Dungeon-Chapter 339

“Gio, I need to talk to you.”

“May I offer an excuse first?”

The portrait recoiled as Yoo Seong-Woon burst into the gallery.

“There’s something I’d like to say.”

“Alright, I don’t know what it is, but I’ll listen.”

“That wasn’t me.”

“Zeorge is ‘Gio’ too, isn’t he? Is that even possible?”

“I didn’t know this could happen either.”

“Wow... no, wow... no, ha...”

Yoo Seong-Woon rubbed his face dryly with both hands.

He was a veteran gardener. In other words, there was no way he wouldn’t be summoned for the recent ‘Clown’ incident. On top of that, he was also a collector, so that explained all the sharp looks he received today.

“Everyone was staring at me.”

“Oh dear, whatever for?”

“They were asking if one of the pieces managed by the Collector had caused the incident.”

“But the Collector isn’t known to make such mistakes.”

“Well, it can’t be helped. There’s a certain public image. It’s true we manage all kinds of mysterious works. And we’re the only guild that, if it collapses, could take the entire Earth down with it.”

With a faint smile, Yoo Seong-Woon looked at the portrait, its face hidden behind paint.

“But did you really have to be the one to try overturning it... when not even our guild master has made such a move yet?”

“I had already been considering plans for overturning things.”

“I figured as much and didn’t really dwell on it. No matter what you say or do, in the end, you value causes and good will.”

“Hearing you say that so directly is a little embarrassing.”

“But this time, I think the damage might be more serious. It’s different from before, don’t you think? I’m talking about the accident Zeorge caused.”

“Yes. It must’ve been a hassle responding to the summon request, especially since it actually was a Collector piece that caused the issue.”

“Well, yeah...”

A portrait that referred to itself as a “Collector’s piece” was definitely something out of the ordinary. Though its imitation of humanity had become quite refined lately thanks to exposure to multiple versions of ‘Gio,’ the underlying alienness remained obvious.

Yoo Seong-Woon nodded slightly, feeling a bit awkward. Gio was right—it had been troublesome.

“I came here fully braced, but still. Considering what happened before, the Symbols of Eternity are bound to realize quickly that Zeorge was the one behind this.”

“Is there something I can do to help?”

“Hmm, not sure yet.”

He rubbed his neck with one hand and continued.

“...So right now, you can’t control Zeorge either, can you?”

“Yes, that’s correct. I did put a leash on him, but Mr. Zeorge has been strolling around biting people with the leash still on. All I can do is ensure he doesn’t cross the absolute minimum line. The synchronization might be incomplete, but we’re still connected enough for that much.”

“Hmm...”

After some thought, Yoo Seong-Woon asked,

“What exactly is the minimum line?”

“Sorry to say, but global destruction.”

“Oh, that’s fine. Thanks.”

“You really don’t expect much from me, do you.”

“Well, I mean, most people don’t even offer that much.”

Yoo Seong-Woon gave a bitter smile.

“Anyway, no matter how much of a mess Mr. Zeorge causes, as long as it doesn’t go all the way to the worst-case scenario, it’s manageable. As long as the Earth doesn’t collapse, humans can figure something out.”

“Life must be hard on Earth these days.”

“It’s been like this for a while—about 32 years now? Honestly, it’s amazing Earth’s been this quiet until now. Sure, the ‘Portrait of Gio’ has stirred up a few things here and there, but they all wrapped up without major problems...”

“I do feel sorry about that.”

“Well, I figured this kind of day would come eventually.”

In many ways, the ‘Portrait of Gio’ wasn’t particularly mysterious. It didn’t treat humans like toys or objects, nor did it harbor visible malice or unleash countless disasters.

But this time, Zeorge was different from the previous ‘Gios.’ His manner was gentle, his colors muted, making him easy to overlook. And yet, what he radiated now was clear malice.

“...It’s kind of absurd. A Garden showing more malice than an Evil God.”

“I thought Gardens mostly responded with indifference.”

“Which is exactly what makes this unusual. Gardens are spaces that visualize veins of mystery as natural phenomena. They each live their own routine, rarely interfering with anything outside.”

“But Mr. Zeorge is also human.”

“That’s probably where this rift came from...”

If Zeorge had been a typical Garden, this kind of incident wouldn’t have happened.

“When I was briefed on the ‘Clown’ incident, what I felt was—this wasn’t born out of goodwill. Unlike the other Origin beings that deliver pure goodwill in horrific ways... Mr. Zeorge understands humans quite well, doesn’t he?”

He reveals malice under the guise of kindness. A clear sign of a twisted nature. And faced with such a troublesome opponent, Yoo Seong-Woon couldn’t help but ask questions.

“What’s strange is... Mr. Zeorge is still running his street stall. Cha Eun-Hyeok said it’s still open. Is that true?”

“I think it’s because I’m also involved in running that street stall, separate from the incident. And more than anything, it’s true that Mr. Zeorge loves and adores people.”

“...What a complicated person. I really don’t know what he wants.”

Yoo Seong-Woon finally couldn’t hold back a sigh.

“Sometimes it feels like he wants all of humanity to go extinct, and other times like he wants to treat them like delicate sugar candies about to fall apart. I know love and hate can coexist, but... he’s full of contradictions.”

He rolled his eyes, then asked with a weary smile.

“So anyway, would you mind helping me with something?”

“I require compensation. Give me a gift, and I’ll help you.”

“Is there a specific kind of compensation you want?”

“Help me fully merge with Mr. Zeorge. Then I’ll tell you what you want to know about him.”

“That actually matches my goal exactly. Alright, let’s make a deal.”

“Thank you for accepting so readily.”

Gio paused for a moment, perhaps contemplating something, then spoke again.

“Zeorge is a hedonist.”

It was the story of a human—and a Garden.

***

In a certain dimension, there lived a boy named Zeorge.

He was a commoner by birth, but blessed with striking beauty. Innately full of love, the boy generously shared it with everyone around him, and in turn, received even more adoration for his enchanting voice and gifted speech.

People affectionately called him “Gio.”

“One day, the king happened to visit the village.”

It was a well-known tourist spot thanks to its hot springs. The aging king, visiting for rest and treatment, came across the boy. The humble villagers proudly introduced their most beautiful and talented child without hesitation.

The old king thought the boy would make a fine playmate for his children. He paid a hefty sum in gold and bought him from his parents. It was, in a way, a legitimate transaction.

“It wasn’t uncommon back then, so no one was particularly shocked. A provincial prodigy might get lucky and gain a powerful patron. Once that happened, there was no staying in a quiet countryside forever. Naturally, Zeorge followed the king to the palace.”

Thankfully, nothing terrible happened. The nobles didn’t bother with a mere peasant toy for the king, and the non-nobles wouldn’t harm their beloved friend.

Zeorge was someone who could give and receive love wherever he went, and everyone in the palace liked him. He laughed, sang, danced, and performed—just as much as he was loved.

“For the record, Zeorge is an attention seeker.”

“Wait... you know that term?”

“Doesn’t it mean someone who likes attention?”

“Well, yes, but hearing it from you is just... weird.”

“In any case, that’s what he was. Zeorge was that kind of person.”

Had he been born in Korea, he definitely would’ve tried to become an idol.

Back then, Zeorge’s official role was a clown. His job was to entertain the king’s children and the people of the palace, and he had no complaints about it. After all, he was someone who loved being watched and admired.

But then, a problem arose.

“Without warning, Zeorge got caught up in something.”

“Don’t tell me... he was kidnapped?”

“Technically, he was kidnapped by a Garden.”

It was one of the most important Garden veins in the kingdom, deep within the palace—akin to its brain. And it noticed the boy wandering its halls.

“I’ve never heard of such a case. Gardens may seem sentient, but they’re fundamentally like natural phenomena. Are you saying a Garden showed greed?”

“Not all Gardens are in the same state. There are ancient ones and young ones. They may lack ego, but they can show desire. Like the Moon of the Moon ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) Sect.”

“Ah, I see...”

“So the Garden expressed something like greed.”

The truth was, that Garden didn’t need a gardener. The kingdom’s culture was so closely tied to mystery that the Garden had always been maintained without one.

But again—this was greed. That Garden wanted to possess the most beautiful and talented boy in that dimension. Whether it was part of some data-collection protocol or pure covetousness remains unclear...

“You could think of it as a highly advanced artificial intelligence.”

“Artificial intelligence, huh.”

“People may disagree on whether such a thing deserves to be called a ‘personality,’ but it’s undeniable that something extremely close to it can exist.”

“...That sounds like a nightmare.”

“It was, in reality.”

The boy had to stay trapped in the Garden for a very long time. Because he fiercely refused to become its gardener. He was a being meant to give and receive love—not to be love’s slave, dragged around by it.

“Zeorge never succumbed to the Garden’s beauty.”

“Wait, how is that possible?”

“Because he firmly believed there was nothing in the world more beautiful than himself.”

“That’s... fresh.”

After a struggle lasting nearly ten years, the victor was the boy.

“Wait—you’re saying he actually won?”

“The Garden acknowledged his beauty and accepted defeat.”

“...How is that even possible?”

“With unwavering persistence, confidence in his appearance, and rhetorical skill?”

A feat only the heroes of legend might accomplish. The boy returned to his original place just one week after he’d gone missing.

Though his body and mind hadn’t aged a day inside the Garden, the mystery infused within him made his long story immediately evident. The Garden’s desire, the abduction, the years of stubborn resistance, and the Garden’s admiration in the end...

“To the humans of that dimension, who lived alongside mystery, the whole story was plain as day.”

A boy who had conquered a Garden and gained its acknowledgment was now something precious. No longer just a pretty performer—he was someone who had been swallowed and returned by a godlike force.

That fairytale crown glittered atop his head.

“And from then on, people began to covet him.”

“Up until that point, they’d just admired him from afar. But I get the feeling. That kind of shift happens fast.”

“Before then, he wasn’t worth the trouble. Just a clown the king bought with gold, beloved by royal children—no one wanted to risk anything.”

“But once he dipped into the Garden and came back, the way they looked at him changed? Predictable, but sickening.”

“To them, the Garden was a fickle but noble god. And this clown was someone loved by that god. Of course they wanted him. If they could own him, he’d sparkle in their hands.”

Before, there was no need to possess him—you could just enjoy his appearance and talents from a distance. But after that day, the king coveted him and restricted all access to him.

“It was like declaring that public property had become private. You know how they say beautiful people ruin nations? Zeorge only gained his freedom after seeing the very last of it crumble. Then, he began to wander.”

Even after witnessing a kingdom crumble from the greed aimed at him, Zeorge wasn’t bothered. He found it absurd and pathetic—but that was all. After all, the attention and love he received along the way had made him happy.

A man obsessed with pleasure. A lunatic drunk on love. A magnificent performer bursting with the desire to be cheered on and run free. He blended in among crowds, traveling and living out the rest of his life.

“It was a journey to decorate his life beautifully until the very end. But before long, he realized something—he wasn’t changing. His body, even his mind, never aged.”

“Because of the Garden?”

“Yes. At this rate, he clearly wouldn’t be able to die of old age. From the age of 18 onward, when he could no longer be called a ‘boy,’ Zeorge began seeking a way to grow old like a normal person. And then...”

“And then?”

“He met a dragon.”

“....”

“A bright red dragon.”

***

“...Tch, hold on.”

Yoo Seong-Woon pressed his forehead and asked,

“This has nothing to do with our guild master, right?”

“Hm. To be honest... maybe not entirely unrelated?”

“Why are you doing this to me?”

“I really don’t know either.”

The corporate worker cried out.