The Artist Who Paints Dungeon-Chapter 353

Kang Seodam hadn’t always been a rational person.

“Hey, Kang Seodam.”

Of course not. Humans are creatures that grow with age. Some people waste those years, sure, but the basic principle still holds. Kang Seodam was just one of those ordinary humans who grew up like that.

And though it was a natural truth, there were still moments when he felt it was unfair. He didn’t even know who to blame for that unfairness, but it still felt a little unjust. Just a passing feeling.

“What are you brooding over so much?”

“......”

“This bastard’s ignoring me again.”

All wounds eventually get forgotten. Even if a scar remains, you can’t spend every day staring at it. There were a few such scars Kang Seodam had long since forgotten, naturally, over time.

Wasn’t that how everyone lived? The past is the past. If time allows you to forget it, it’s better that way. Humans grow, and they must live facing forward.

“Ignoring me’s become your thing now, huh.”

“......”

“What, another dispatch order? The higher-ups nagging again?”

“......”

“Told you to let that crap go in one ear and out the other.”

But just like always, the voice that brushed past was far too vivid for that. Kang Seodam rubbed at his numb ear. His heart wanted to rip it off, tear his eardrum open, but he knew full well that wouldn’t stop the sound from coming.

“Old farts who can’t do anything are all like that. This isn’t your first day, right? Or was it the foreigner thing again? Senile old bastards, seriously.”

“......”

“Who the hell doesn’t know you’re Korean, dumbass? I don’t know what crap they fed you this time, but stop bottling it up and say something, will you? That way this hyung can at least buy you a drink.”

This was a sound from his brain. No—just an auditory hallucination he was mistaking as real. So forget it. But can you really forget a voice you’re hearing in real time? He didn’t know. He really didn’t know.

“You know, right? Yeah? The future of the Church of the Sun belongs to us.”

“...The hell do you mean, belongs to us?”

“You only reply when I start spewing bullshit.”

“Crazy bastard...”

“Aren’t you lucky to have a mad dog like me to lose my shit for you?”

The voice asked if having a friend like that didn’t make life a little easier.

Instead of replying, Kang Seodam rubbed his face. The bone structure beneath his hand felt nothing like what the elders would call a “pure-blood Korean.” And that reminded him of what kind of face the owner of this voice had.

Dyed blond hair, deep dark-brown eyes. A dumbass who ignored all the priests’ nagging about washing that thug-like look out of his hair.

“...Shut up, you damn chicken.”

“Why so prickly? I didn’t do anything.”

“Just shut it.”

And surprisingly—it went quiet.

“......”

This damn hallucination would even go silent when told to shut up.

'Fucking hell.'

What a joke of a situation.

'If only it were a normal hallucination.'

This one could interact. It borrowed the voice he was starting to forget, responded with the same personality, and even quieted down when it sensed his mood. Just like the real guy used to.

Again, he thought—he wanted to rip his ears off. To shred his eardrum. He knew it was a sound echoing inside his brain, but the urge to do something about it was unbearable.

'But that would just cause trouble.'

Kang Seodam wasn’t alone right now. He had two apprentice priests under his protection. If it weren’t for those senile vermin at the Church of the Sun, none of this would’ve happened. Hell, maybe he should’ve thrown himself on the ground and screamed in front of their smug faces.

Sending “apprentice priests” into a dungeon like this had been a mistake from the start.

“...Kang Seodam.”

“......”

“It’s not your fault.”

He wished it would just shut the hell up.

'If you’re going to attack, act like it.'

The words rose to his throat.

He’d rather the voice had blamed him. Said “I died because of you,” called him a hypocritical bastard. Then he could’ve been sure this was the enemy’s whisper, testing him.

But this voice... it truly mimicked his old partner.

'Or wait—was it really just mimicry? What if it actually was his soul?'

Even if it were, it didn’t change the fact that this was part of the dungeon’s attack. He had to reject it, pretend not to hear. And yet, strangely, he kept listening.

Yeah, that was the voice. That was the tone. That was exactly the kind of person he’d been. Memories he’d pushed aside to survive came flooding back—not particularly welcome memories, either.

“Handsome guys like us don’t do self-blame.”

“......”

Correction—it was kind of welcome.

“Priest Kang Seodam?”

“...Hunter Sergio.”

“You seem tired.”

“......”

“That voice.”

The merciful voice said with a smile,

“You seemed to want to keep listening, so I didn’t interfere.”

Whether it was mercy or indifference, he couldn’t tell.

“...Don’t you usually treat hallucinations?”

“Your face looked like someone enjoying a memory. That’s all.”

“Even so.”

“If you’re asking me what’s right or wrong, I can only say—I’m not a judge.”

“I wasn’t asking such a hard question.”

Kang Seodam rubbed his ear.

“You speaking to me seems to quiet it down.”

“Hm. I didn’t touch anything.”

“Could it be that your presence alone dispelled the evil spirit?”

“Your jokes are getting better.”

A quiet laugh echoed.

'Satisfaction? Affection?'

That far-off, elderlike affection in the laugh made Kang Seodam lower his hand, eyes narrowing with mild embarrassment as he looked at the other.

“...You seem to be enjoying yourself.”

“I’m enjoying it because you’re being more open with me than usual.”

“To be honest, it’s because I’ve let my guard down. Not something you should be pleased about.”

“Isn’t it my right to decide what brings me joy?”

“...Are you saying that to me?”

It was probably a convenient interpretation, but the divine being seemed to be saying it was okay. That it was fine to soak in old nostalgia for a little while.

“If I mess up because of it, that’ll be a big problem.”

“I don’t think you’re the type to fall that easily.”

“You seem to expect a lot from me. But I stumble more often than people think.”

“I’ve only ever seen you standing. That just means you’re good at getting up.”

“...I guess I’ve turned out to be a decent adult after all.”

He glanced over. Apprentice Priest Cha I-Sol had fallen asleep in her brother’s arms. Her partner, Iru Da, lay beside her. A rare moment of rest.

“......”

Perhaps the sleeping faces brought some measure of comfort. Normally he wouldn’t be like this, but suddenly, all remaining rationality melted. Kang Seodam looked at the god again.

Merciful and benevolent Sun. So vast it could embrace the sea, a great flame.

“...Would you listen to my story for a moment?”

“I like that sort of thing.”

“I thought you might.”

Truly, it was a choice he wouldn’t have made under normal circumstances. No one addressed a god like this. Close communion with divinity could bring unforeseen consequences.

But so what? Even if he suffered side effects—what did it matter? Kang Seodam looked at the "Hunter Sergio" sitting across from him. A beautiful face, a gentle smile.

“May I share my story, Priest?”

“...Of course.”

It was a familiar tale.

“I had a partner, once. The Church of the Sun... often pairs up apprentice priests like that in the beginning.”

His story was simple.

Their personalities clashed, but their abilities meshed perfectly. They fought often, but grew close. They came to trust and rely on each other. Until one of them, due to an unexpected accident and society’s injustice, made the wrong choice.

He tried to summon an evil god—and was corrupted. Kang Seodam killed him himself. Passed judgment. Proved his innocence to the Church and the world. But he couldn’t save his friend’s soul... or so he thought.

“......”

“...Bit of a cliché, wasn’t it.”

“I don’t know about that. But I listened closely.”

“I’m curious... what did you think?”

“I’d like to meet him sometime.”

“...That was the last thing I expected to hear.”

Then again, he was a divine being—maybe it was possible. They said Black Cloak could draw the afterlife. That his messenger with garnet-like eyes personally guided innocent, young souls.

“But I’m not sure my friend... was kind enough to be worth your time.”

“If he was someone Priest Kang Seodam cared for this much, then surely he was kind.”

“He summoned an evil god and caused all that, though.”

“Humans are always complex beings.”

“That hits different, coming from you.”

“I’m just curious. He sounds like a fun person.”

“...He was nuts, though.”

Totally unlike Kang Seodam, who believed the world would end if he didn’t follow every rule. An absolute mess of a priest, acting like he didn’t know the first thing about manners or common sense.

“...Still...”

Honestly speaking—

“...Yeah, he was fun.”

“I figured.”

“He was a ridiculous bastard.”

“Is he still talking to you?”

“He’s grumbling about something. Thinks I laughed at him.”

“Well, raise him properly.”

“You can raise a hallucination?”

“That’s up to you.”

Leave it to a divine being to come up with something like that. Raise a hallucination—even when it was clearly a dungeon attack. But Hunter Sergio answered with serene ease.

“If you only drink enough to avoid causing trouble, who would stop you?”

“...So you’re comparing this to alcohol? But alcohol’s not good for your health.”

“If you can control it, what does it matter? It’s a matter of taste. Besides, I can’t imagine you getting drunk.”

“Neither can I.”

“Why’s that?”

“I don’t really enjoy alcohol, so I’ve never had that happen.”

“That’s a good habit.”

“......”

Kang Seodam pressed his ear with his hand, then asked Sergio,

“...I know you care about the two apprentice priests.”

“No matter what happens, I will look after them.”

“That puts my mind at ease.”

The relief he felt, realizing he’d shed responsibility, made it clear—he still wasn’t a fully grown adult. It wasn’t something to take comfort in, even if he was better off than his former partner.

“If someone becomes a clown... do they die?”

“Do you want that?”

“If that happens... I thought maybe I’d go find the bastard.”

“Ah, you want him to become a wandering ghost.”

“That just now... didn’t sound all that bad.”

“Then come find me. Let’s be friends.”

Hunter Sergio smiled brightly.

“I’m a haunted painting too, you know.”

“...Alright.”

Kang Seodam let out a small laugh, as if in resignation.

“A ghost friend, huh...”

“Is that okay?”

“Yeah. That doesn’t sound so bad.”

He had rested enough.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Time to start living again.

***

“Anyway, I’ll report accordingly.”

“Wait, Priest Kang Seodam.”

Yoo Seong-Woon raised a hand with a calm face.

“I have a question.”

“Yes, go ahead.”

“Where exactly does the ‘anyway’ come from in that sentence?”

“Does that matter?”

“...Not really.”

The important thing was clearing the dungeon.

“Please continue.”

“Yes, then...”

Ahem. Kang Seodam cleared his throat and continued in his usual curt tone.

“From the perspective of myself and the two apprentice priests, the incident happened roughly five weeks ago.”

“May I ask a question?”

“Yes, Mr. Cha Eun-Hyeok. Go ahead.”

“Are you telling me my kid’s been a vagrant for five weeks?”

“That’s precisely correct.”

“Can’t we send the kids outside the dungeon first, then continue the report?”

“If that were possible, I would’ve done it already.”

Leaving Cha Eun-Hyeok groaning and clutching his head, Kang Seodam continued.

“There were frequent internal conflicts in the Church of the Sun’s advance team from the start. If communication had been working, some information would’ve been shared. To summarize—it was a powder keg waiting to go off.”

“And what lit the fuse...?”

“This.”

Kang Seodam held up a flashy earring. A large piece covered in gems, though a bit worn and damaged now. It probably once scattered light like a chandelier when first made.

But now, despite all the gems, it looked worthless. Clearly it hadn’t been cared for by a loving owner.

“The problem began right after Apprentice Priest Cha I-Sol found this.”

At that, Cha Eun-Hyeok looked silently at his sister. Cha I-Sol averted her eyes. Despite the sibling tension, Kang Seodam pressed on with the report.

“The entire Church team began reporting auditory hallucinations. And over time, other senses were affected as well.”

“The whole team?”

“Yes. It seems this was the trigger.”

“We’ve had similar reports from other teams. They found a necklace. Clowns aside, the words they spoke became seriously distorted...”

“As you said, it seems finding a ‘point of strategy’ in this dungeon comes with a debuff.”

“A debuff tied to the body part the accessory is worn on?”

“That’s the most likely theory right now.”

What followed was predictable. Already full of internal strife, the Church team imploded, and clowns slipped into the cracks.

“The clowns—did they attack? Physically?”

“There was some physical violence, but mostly mental attacks.”

“In what way?”

“They snuck in between us quietly. Spread rumors. The weakened priests fell under their spell—and began attacking each other.”

Until they were all dead.

“Fortunately, I wasn’t affected. I escaped with the apprentice priests. It might not have been a noble act to leave the team, but...”

“Better than dying in the chaos. Leaving was the smart call.”

“That was my thought as well. No one was in a state to be reasoned with. I realized the advance party’s attempt had failed, and began searching for another team with the apprentices.”

“With the earring?”

“Once the trigger has activated, just carrying it doesn’t seem to cause further effects. It’s like it explodes once and that’s it. I brought it along in case it would help—figured I’d show it to another team.”

“And that was us—the Collector?”

“Yes. And thankfully, you weren’t a hallucination.”

This time, it was Bisa Beul who asked, after listening quietly.

“How exactly do the clowns enchant people? Is it like on Earth?”

“Yes. They make themselves feel normal. I only realized it was a clown after seeing blood.”

“No matter how bad things got, I wouldn’t expect the Church’s priests to be that incompetent. Their internal conflicts must’ve been intense.”

“This dungeon creates mini-dungeons based on personal vulnerabilities, right? That made it hit harder. Divine power alone couldn’t protect us. And...”

Kang Seodam hesitated, then cleared his throat and added:

“...Several scandals from within the Church surfaced that way, and it became impossible to trust one another.”

“Oh dear.”

“Has the Collector ever had its own dungeon form?”

“Well, we do have some exceptional people.”

Bisa Beul gestured proudly toward Hunter Sergio and Yoo Seong-Woon. Caught off guard mid-tea, Gio widened his eyes. Yoo Seong-Woon, fixing his blanket, looked over at Bisa Beul.

With a sour face, he said,

“...What?”

“Look at that sass.”

“I’m freezing to death.”

“As you can see, Yoo Seong-Woon’s made significant sacrifices.”

Kang Seodam nodded.

“Certainly, having a gardener in the team prevents dungeon distortion. Even if it’s called a dungeon, this place is fundamentally a garden. The gardener’s ability to regulate and maintain it seems invaluable.”

“Still feels like I’m dying from the cold, though.”

“Honestly, I envy you. Having a gardener on your team.”

“Without one, it’s a severely disadvantaged battle.”

Giovanni agreed with a sigh. This vicious dungeon never let people rest. Typical of Zeorge’s garden—charming but antisocial.

“Think the other teams suffered major losses too?”

“Hm, let’s see...”

Bisa Beul rubbed his chin, blinked, then replied.

“Probably not a small number.”

Everyone has flaws.

Even those who seem perfect.

***

“Oh my.”

A newly warped garden.

Dan Haera brushed her cheek and murmured.

“Feels... familiar.”

This time, it looked like a school from a day long past.