The Artist Who Paints Dungeon-Chapter 85

"Why though?"

"From the perspective of a mere human, it’s difficult to understand, but beings close to gods know where they are being called and seen. No matter where in the world the faithful are praying, a god can answer their calls."

Kang Seo-Dam rolled his eyes as he checked the document.

"Even if they’re not exactly gods, beings of lower rank may spread their own summoning rituals here and there. After all, the best way to elevate their rank and strengthen their divinity is through the faith of their followers."

"Well, what if they’re already a significantly powerful being? They might not even need faith, and they may not even want to rise in rank anymore."

"I’ve been trying to ignore it, but is this about that being? The pitch-black one? The cloaked one? The one who evaporated the dungeon's seawater to create stairs and then handled it with just a gesture? That one?"

"Finally, you’ve acknowledged it."

"It’s a disaster after all."

The existence known as ‘god,’ called ‘nature’ or ‘fate,’ is said to know clearly what they are meant for and what they wish to accomplish. They know what they are to humans.

But ‘the Black Cloak’ is different.

"If someone accumulates faith unconsciously, they won’t learn how to handle their rank. The fact that their summoning ritual is so simple that even a child drawing it would suffice shows just how easy it is."

"That’s right."

"Then I guess all we can do is pray that they never get angry. At least when they’re not angry, they’ll be able to control themselves and show consideration for fragile humans. Then, there should be no problem. After all, they really like humans..."

"What happens if they get angry?"

"As you, Yoo Seong-Woon Hunter, know, it only leads to ruin. Only those who have eaten meat know how to eat it, and only those who have been angry know how to express it well. If a god doesn’t know how to express anger safely without causing harm and just lets their emotions run wild, it will truly be a disaster."

After a brief pause, Kang Seo-Dam asked again.

"Usually, gods have a clear sense of their purpose. Unless they inherited their divinity from an existing god, the one who created a summoning ritual must be the god corresponding to that ritual. The reason summoning rituals and sacrificial rites were created in the first place was to elevate the rank of those gods."

"But the subject we’re talking about isn’t like that."

"If someone inherited divinity from an existing god, then they would have also received the corresponding ritual. Is the being you’re talking about, Yoo Seong-Woon Hunter, one of those mysterious beings?"

"I can’t say it doesn’t have that characteristic, but it’s not completely the same. It’s qualitatively a different existence from a god."

"......"

After a brief moment, Kang Seo-Dam continued.

"Very rarely, there are beings that, because they simply fit a certain rule, naturally rise in rank according to the ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) laws of nature. To put it simply, the act of breathing by humans might itself be an act that increases the faith of some mysterious being."

Updat𝒆d fr𝑜m freewebnøvel.com.

"I’m sorry, but I still don’t really get what that means."

"To simplify, there are beings who just get stronger simply by existing. As time passes, their history deepens naturally, just like the laws of nature."

Kang Seo-Dam’s fingers resumed typing.

"In our Sun God Church, we don’t refer to such beings as gods."

"What do you call them then?"

"Just nature. It’s a rule, a fate."

"Other gods also have will..."

"Yes, they are nature and fate, but in a different context."

The reason is simple.

"As you, Yoo Seong-Woon Hunter, said, they have will and goals. But the mysterious beings I’m talking about don’t. They didn’t aim to be gods, they didn’t even know they were ‘gods,’ they just exist, flow, and grow stronger."

"It’s a disaster."

"From the human perspective, even an earthquake caused by tectonic shifts can feel like a disaster. They simply exist. They may have self-awareness, preferences, and they may have recognized humans or not."

"...Hmm..."

A little later, Yoo Seong-Woon asked.

"You must have observed such mysterious beings in the Sun God Church, so you can say this, right? Something so powerful that it can’t even be called a god?"

"It’s confidential. Just as the collector has some secrets, so do I."

"I understand for now. Would it be alright if I brought a gift next time and visited you, Priest?"

"Please don’t come, I’m busy."

"I’ll send it by courier."

The call ended.

"......"

Well, even if it was said this way...

"...I don’t think it will become a great disaster if it’s that being."

Kang Seo-Dam definitely felt divinity from the Black Cloak. Judging by the energy he felt and the situations, it seemed that the being inherited power from a past god. If that’s the case, it meant there was someone to teach how to behave as a god.

Even if there were no parental gods, there was still the Sun God on this Earth. His goddess had been very favorable to the Black Cloak, so she might have given some help.

"In the end, it’s not something I should worry about. Tch, in the middle of everything."

Muttering softly, Kang Seo-Dam quietly continued checking the curriculum.

Lately, late-night shifts had become quite familiar.

And here was another Hunter continuing his late-night work.

"Yeah, Gio."

"Nice to meet you."

"You’re really active."

Naturally, it was Yoo Seong-Woon.

"So, our Cha I-Sol summoned Gio after all?"

Cha I-Sol, having grasped the situation, voluntarily confessed.

"Sorry for making you work overtime."

"If you apologize like that, what am I supposed to be, Cha I-Sol?"

In truth, it wasn’t such a huge problem.

"Well, anyway, I usually talk with Gio around 4 a.m., so..."

"Were you tired?"

At that, the Black Cloak, Gio, made a gesture as if touching his chin. It seemed like he was imitating human surprise, but since his face was hidden, it felt as if there was no emotion at all, which made Yoo Seong-Woon slightly uncomfortable.

"I’m sorry for the inconvenience. I thought you liked that time since you came often. If you want, we can reschedule the conversation."

"No, anyway, even if we move the conversation schedule, it doesn’t change the time I’ll go to bed. It’s just the order of things I need to do at that time."

"Sorry."

"Same here..."

Anyway, it was 7:41 PM now.

"Did everyone have dinner?"

"Well, I was in the middle of preparing bulgogi..."

"That’s how this turned out."

Though Cha Ah-Ra was an F-rank Hunter, how much experience could she really have? Her face showed that she didn’t even understand why this happened, so Yoo Seong-Woon turned his gaze toward Gio.

"Before we have a real conversation, Gio."

"Go ahead."

"I just want to ease the atmosphere a bit."

Bluntly speaking, it was a request to "lower the rank," but if he said that, Gio, who considered himself a human, would feel offended.

Having gained more vigilance through his conversation with Priest Kang Seo-Dam, Yoo Seong-Woon wasn’t planning to do that. He had no intention of treating a god without self-awareness as one.

But this also seemed to be a perplexing question, and Gio revealed his confusion.

"I don’t understand what that means."

"You’re really scary right now, not like a human."

"I understand."

Soon after, Gio took off his hood.

"......"

"Will this work?"

Out came Giovanni, with his bright platinum blonde hair and signature gentle smile.

"My experience says that doing this usually lightens the atmosphere..."

"That’s right."

"Is it the color of the cloak that’s the problem?"

"That might be it."

Yoo Seong-Woon secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

‘...I’m just glad there’s a way to lower his rank like this. I’m lucky that Gio doesn’t mind lowering his rank. If he were a normal god or the child of an origin god, he would have been offended and torn me apart by now...’

Having a Black Cloak like this, who was so human-friendly, was truly a huge stroke of luck.

"I’m going to try to explain this phenomenon, is that alright?"

"Do as you wish."

"Thanks for understanding."

Yoo Seong-Woon finally began speaking.

"I think Cha I-Sol summoned Gio."

"...I had a feeling, but how is that even possible?"

"Cha Eun-Hyeok’s concern was valid, and I too didn’t fully understand it, but when I asked Priest Kang Seo-Dam, who has more experience in this aspect, he said it’s something that could happen from time to time."

Of course, the references to rank and divinity were omitted out of consideration for Gio.

"It’s extremely rare, but there are mysterious beings that have summoning rituals even if they didn’t intend to. In Gio’s case, the condition for the ritual would have been ‘draw Gio.’"

Yoo Seong-Woon turned to look at Gio.

"From the beginning, Gio, why did you come here? What made you come to know?"

"I realized that I was drawn. I naturally came to know that it was the Cha I-Sol brothers who drew me. During that time, when they said they wanted to be friends with me..."

"Did you appear like this?"

"I’ve been curious about how you’ve been lately. I didn’t even get to say goodbye before leaving the dungeon, and I was worried about the Cha I-Sol brothers. It worked out well, didn’t it? Didn’t you get kidnapped?"

Giovanni, with his gentle smile, asked.

"How have the Cha I-Sol brothers been? Are they okay?"

"Wait, the Black Cloak was Gio...?"

"Ah."

Giovanni looked back at Yoo Seong-Woon.

"......"

"...If you see me like that, there’s no answer, Black Cloak."

"I just wanted to protect the child’s innocence in this harsh world."

"Rather than the fact that Santa isn’t real, I think the innocence will still be preserved."

Cha I-Sol was shocked.

"Santa isn’t real?"

"You two must have really treasured him. I’m sorry for breaking the innocence first."

"When I meet Santa, I was going to give him a massage...!"

"Oh, how kind."

"If you retire, would you mind living at our place?"

"Such a strong sense of self."

Anyway, as expected, Cha I-Sol wasn’t too shocked that Gio was the Black Cloak.

"So why did it happen like that? Does Gio really give gifts to good people?"

"If they need it, I try to be as considerate and respectful as I can."

"Why?"

"I have the time and ability for it, and the people who receive my favor will want those gifts, so there’s no reason not to give them."

"Wow..."

Cha Eun-Hyeok thought to himself.

‘With such naivety, I wonder where he’ll end up being sold to.’

As the eldest son, he had no choice but to stay alert.

"So, did we do something wrong..."

"Huh? No, no."

Yoo Seong-Woon turned to look at Cha I-Sol.

"Cha I-Sol, you just drew the Black Cloak because it looked cool, right?"

"Yeah, it’s really famous these days."

"Really?"

The collector who made the rumor famous had nothing to say.

"As long as this ritual wasn’t widely known, it doesn’t matter. Gio, if someone draws you, do you automatically know or get summoned?"

"I can tell, but summoning... I think it’s just my choice."

"If that’s the case, it really doesn’t matter. This was such an absurd situation, and there are so many ways it could be misused, so I rushed here."

Cha I-Sol bowed his head again.

"Sorry for causing trouble."

"Don’t worry about it. Apologizing that much makes me feel embarrassed."

"But..."

"It’s really fine. Gio probably just wanted to see Cha I-Sol anyway. Though nothing serious happened, you were kidnapped by monsters, so everyone was worried."

"I’m fine."

"You seem pretty impressive with such a good mindset. I wonder how big you’ll become with that mindset already... but anyway, everything is fine, and there’s no problem."

Yoo Seong-Woon was just bewildered.

"...I hope you don’t spread this summoning method around."

It would tire a lot of people out.

And Yoo Seong-Woon would definitely be among them.