The Artist Who Paints Dungeon-Chapter 128

4:00 AM at the Gallery.

“Gio.”

Yoo Seong-Woon called the portrait as usual.

“Are you awake?”

“Yes, I’m awake.”

“I came because I received your letter.”

“......”

The portrait, its eyes covered with black paint, gazed at Yoo Seong-Woon. Its colorless lower jaw spoke.

“Were you able to read it this time?”

“Nothing’s changed. It’s the same as the ones you sent before.”

“I see.”

There was no sign of discouragement.

As usual, the tone of the portrait was blunt and hollow. Its calm voice sounded pleasant, but its weight was not light, making it hard to dwell on for long.

Yoo Seong-Woon let the voice pass without trying to understand its meaning. Then, the portrait spoke again.

“I can show you something interesting.”

“Something interesting...?”

Yoo Seong-Woon nodded, as if he had an idea.

“Did you finally manage to find another ‘Gio’?”

Despite his vast stature, Gio had been able to mimic humans so well because he had awakened another, older persona of ‘Gio.’ It was said that before the human ‘Gio’ became tainted by the portrait, it was easy for him to act as a human.

At Yoo Seong-Woon's question, Gio nodded and elaborated.

“I didn’t find it, I painted it.”

“Is that also a painting then? So, what’s the difference from the portrait?”

“Technically, it’s asking the Gio beyond the painting.”

“Asked...?”

It was quite a mild expression.

“......”

Yoo Seong-Woon quietly composed himself. He was ready to face the calamity.

“So, who is this ‘Gio’ this time?”

“One of the evil gods.”

“Ah, does that mean the earth is about to be destroyed?”

“I won’t destroy the earth.”

“I’m grateful, but it’s still a bit scary.”

Of course, an evil god, of all things.

“...No, if it’s an evil god... doesn’t that mean they’re not human to begin with? Is it okay to accept the help of such a ‘Gio’?”

“Because he is still human, it’s possible.”

“Truly merciful. I always feel like your standards for humans are pretty loose.”

I had already figured that out when you preached ‘you too are human’ to those terrifying mermaids.

‘And considering that you view yourself as a regular human...’

In fact, that seemed to be a kind of joke or act, but still, there was no falsehood in what he ‘believed.’ It seemed that Gio's standards for treating others as human were surprisingly... inclusive.

“So, was that what you wanted to tell me?”

Though Yoo Seong-Woon still couldn’t decipher Gio’s letter, he knew that Gio had something to convey. That was why °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° he had come to visit at this early hour on the day he received the letter.

“Or, is there something you want to discuss with me?”

“Rather than that...”

Clink—

The portrait’s ringed hand grasped the frame.

“......”

The ‘Gio’ covered in black paint surged out as if enveloping Yoo Seong-Woon...

“―Peekaboo.”

It was playing a prank.

“......”

“......”

“Why no reaction?”

“...Uh...”

Yoo Seong-Woon stepped back, and pale bare feet landed in that space. Before long, the ‘Gio’ had fully emerged from the portrait, and Yoo Seong-Woon clutched his heart.

“...Oh, right.”

“What does that mean?”

“Just... I got a little scared.”

“You didn’t think that was my intention.”

“I see.”

For a moment, he really thought he was going to die.

‘Those eyes...’

The instant he locked eyes with those golden ones, his mind went hazy.

Yoo Seong-Woon had previously suspected that the ‘eyes’ of Gio’s portrait were the source used to gather human data.

Since then, he had tried even harder not to make eye contact, but facing them directly now made it difficult to breathe. It truly...

“......”

Yoo Seong-Woon took a short breath and returned to his usual expression.

“So, the Gio I knew is still the same, right?” ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm

“I still remember you and approve of you, Yoo Seong-Woon.”

“Hmm...”

It was certainly a familiar, friendly response.

“...But it feels like a lot has changed. Even back in Giovanni’s time, it was like a complete shift.”

From the stiff, expressionless ‘Seojio,’ he became the kind and cheerful ‘Giovanni’ priest.

‘And now, he’s turned into an evil god with a dark smile...’

Yoo Seong-Woon had always believed Gio would maintain basic kindness, but seeing him become an evil god made him wonder if such a temperament could really change.

‘After all, Gio himself couldn’t have been described as entirely good by human standards. He probably still has a fixed preference for kindness and politeness, but his inherent kindness or goodwill toward humans could change.’

Even after sorting that thought, there was still not enough information. Unlike the usually gentle ‘Gio,’ this one appeared flashy, from his appearance to his personality.

The first noticeable change was, in fact, the color.

“Is this the color of this ‘Gio’?”

“Isn’t it quite flashy?”

“Definitely, it’s really flashy.”

His eyes were a cool golden color, and his hair was dark red, like aged blood. Yoo Seong-Woon could quickly picture a similar color palette.

It seemed Gio had the same thought.

“The guild master here seemed to have a similar color to mine.”

“Ah, yes, that’s right. He also has golden eyes.”

It wasn’t exactly the same color. Bisa Beul’s hair and eyes were a little more saturated than Gio’s now. His hair resembled fresh blood, and his eyes were closer to lemon yellow than gold.

Still...

“Very similar.”

So similar, in fact, that they could almost be mistaken for family.

‘Would he be offended if I mentioned that?’

Given that the other had introduced himself as an evil god, it was important to be cautious. If he described himself as being just like a human, it might be perceived as an insult by a god. It was best to avoid that.

But Gio responded quite coolly.

“Do you think we look enough alike to be family?”

“...I suppose so.”

“Are you good at fighting?”

“Ah... absolutely not, I’ll fly away with a single touch.”

“Really.”

“......”

Yoo Seong-Woon inwardly bit his tongue.

‘So, this is the kind of evil god he is.’

Among evil gods, some are scheming manipulators, while others are berserk warriors who simply sweep everything away. This Gio seemed to lean more toward the latter.

“...So, do you enjoy fighting now?”

“If the opponent isn’t worth it, I don’t rampage, so don’t worry, my friend.”

“Is that so...”

Since he called him ‘friend,’ it seemed that the goodwill accumulated until now hadn’t been wiped away.

‘So, he’s been thinking of me as a friend all along.’

Yoo Seong-Woon felt both grateful and, at the same time, burdened. Being regarded as a friend by an entity with eyes that could be considered the core of a god was undoubtedly an honor, but it also made him feel like he could never truly die as a human.

‘Could it be that I might not live to see my natural lifespan?’

Anyway, it's better to buy goodwill than to make an enemy.

“......”

Scratching his neck, Yoo Seong-Woon spoke again.

“...Can I speak casually now?”

“Someone as good as you, Yoo Seong-Woon, deserves that level of treatment.”

“Even with the same polite language, it really feels different.”

The black Gio’s formal speech was eerily blunt, Giovanni’s was warm and respectful, but the formal speech from the vibrant Gio now had a sharp edge, almost sarcastic.

‘But despite that, I can’t help but feel it doesn’t seem like the usual obnoxious type.’

Yoo Seong-Woon surveyed the interior of the black cloak. He knew that whenever ‘Gio’ changed, so did his attire, though rarely.

The black cloak covered everything from head to toe, making it impossible to see the inside, but if he revealed it himself, it would show. When Gio was Seojio, he wore a black suit, and when he was Giovanni, he wore white priest robes.

‘His hairstyle and fashion seem to change based on Gio’s mood at the time, but this one stands out.’

This Gio’s attire was filled with bones and jewels.

“......”

If he walked out like that, how would he explain it?

‘Explaining everything as artifacts would make the atmosphere really uncomfortable.’

Perhaps noticing Yoo Seong-Woon’s thoughts, Gio laughed.

“Do you think I would walk around like this among people?”

“Then I’m really glad.”

“If needed, I’d wear a suit. It’s cleaner.”

“Then, what about your current outfit?”

“I’m showing it to you, Yoo Seong-Woon, after all.”

His tone kept changing rapidly.

‘He’s quite the fickle type...’

He had to be careful. Despite his words, he could still walk among people in this outfit.

These days, with so many Hunters with unique concepts, it might not be a big deal, but since he introduced himself as an evil god, a careless mindset would be foolish.

“...So...”

Feeling a bit confused, Yoo Seong-Woon spoke first.

“I’m starting to get a grasp of the situation.”

“Is that so?”

“Do you want something from me?”

“I have something I’d like to ask.”

“Something to ask? Is that the main point?”

“Yes.”

Gio asked.

“Am I still scary?”

“......”

It was an amazing question.

‘...Is this Gio still considering humans?’

Though the black cloak didn’t treat humans as such, Gio showed fair affection toward them.

So fair, in fact, that it sometimes felt indifferent, but Yoo Seong-Woon knew that it was the portrait’s consideration.

‘But for an evil god like Gio, is it possible to be this way?’

He had prepared for a lot when Gio introduced himself as an evil god. But somehow, it felt like he was seeing something completely unfamiliar.

“......”

After carefully surveying his opponent, Yoo Seong-Woon shook his head.

“No, I’m not scared.”

“Really?”

“To be more precise, I do feel somewhat intimidated by your presence.”

Yoo Seong-Woon smiled calmly.

“But that can’t be helped. You’re much taller than other humans, and right now, your colors are so vivid, and your gaze is so imposing. Your expression also... has a fierce edge.”

But...

“Still, you feel human.”

Of course, Gio’s eyes were still hard to face directly.

But despite staring at him from such close quarters, Yoo Seong-Woon could quickly pull away because, in the end, this Gio remained grounded in humanity.

Noticing his calm reaction, Gio’s lips twisted in an ambiguous smile. He was probably laughing.

“It feels very strange to hear that.”

“Is it?”

“It’s strange to say I look like a human.”

“Is that... a change from what you are now?”

“Yes.”

Gio squinted for a moment as if thinking about something.

“Everyone used to call me Arjio, but you can call me however you like, Yoo Seong-Woon.”

“Arjio? Is that the word for you?”

“It means ‘cruel beast’ in an old language from my homeland. It’s a kind of derogatory term.”

“...Then I’ll just call you as I normally do.”

There was no need to praise the cruel evil god by calling him ‘cruel.’

‘It would even feel wrong to use a derogatory term for someone who doesn’t show malice.’

Perhaps sensing his thoughts, Gio smiled wryly. That’s when Yoo Seong-Woon realized Gio’s eyes were sharper than he had expected.

‘Now that he smiled, he really does resemble the guild master more.’

Usually, he hadn’t noticed Gio’s sharp eyes, as they were always calm. But now, in this unexpected moment, it seemed like he had to acknowledge it.

The topic felt out of place, so Yoo Seong-Woon didn’t mention it, but Gio spoke.

“Today’s business is done here.”

“Did you check if there were any side effects from merging with another Gio?”

“That’s pretty much it. I’m satisfied.”

He pressed the hood of his cloak deep and wrapped his entire body in the dark cloak. Only his pale bare feet revealed the black suit underneath.

From within the cloak’s shadows, Gio spoke again.

“Thank you for responding to my letter.”

“......”

That was definitely ‘Seojio.’

“...Wow...”

At this rate, it was going to get harder to adjust over time.

‘It’s amazing that I still find this creepy. Maybe I’m still human after all.’

As time passed, the garden’s erosion became stronger, but it seemed that there was no significant impact from direct contact with the origin. Laughing, Yoo Seong-Woon shuddered at the sudden change of ‘Gio.’

To this portrait, ‘Gio’ was just a kind of clothing.

‘He’s trying to fit in with others by changing into the right outfit for the situation.’

Yoo Seong-Woon understood this attempt and consideration. The portrait of ‘Gio’ was trying to adapt and interact with others using countless memories and personalities.

‘So, the reason he called me this time was to show off how well his new outfit fits, like a family or friend showing off?’

It was kind of funny. The portrait’s actions were oddly cute, like seeing a newborn, inexperienced being from the origin.

“Thank you for your kind words.”

“I’ll be able to help you another day.”

“That’s even more appreciated.”

As a gardener, the origin’s help could be a lifeline.

‘Though there’s no historical case, so I don’t know how exactly it will help.’

As Yoo Seong-Woon was about to leave, the portrait called him back.

“Would you like to stay the night at my hut if you’re tired?”

“Hmm...”

He was definitely tired, but...

“I’m not uninterested.”

“Yes.”

“If possible, I’d prefer to visit in a more proper manner.”

“I see.”

“If I delay your kind invitation until the next opportunity, will you be upset?”

“I’m always waiting for your visit, Yoo Seong-Woon.”

“That’s quite a wonderful invitation.”

It was like a ghost inviting a lonely, weary traveler.

“I do like such things.”

Yoo Seong-Woon smiled broadly, his blue-gray eyes flashing.

Meanwhile, in a derelict building in the outer district:

“......”

The man, who had lost everything, sat quietly in the place filled with ash and soot.

What he held was the evil god’s mark, known as the San-Kalluth.