Chapter 71

Turning back time a little, after Jio escaped the ‘Temple of the Deep Sea’ and returned to the cabin.

“I knew that unlike the Earth I remember from 30 years ago, the Earth now was a pretty dangerous place….”

“Kururu….”

“I never imagined a terrorist-like incident would break out at such a huge religious event. It was the first terrorist incident I’ve ever experienced in my life.”

Jio was composing himself.

“It’s a truly scary world, at the bright young age of 29, I almost went to join my family.”

Having experienced a miracle beyond miracles by merging with the Source in a mere human body, he probably wouldn't die so easily, but since he himself knew nothing about it, we’ll move on.

It was surprising enough that student Eun-ha from the initiation ceremony was the same person as the Iseur in Giovanni’s memories, but to think that kid had even orchestrated this terrorist incident.

“…….”

Giovanni became very distressed.

“He wasn't that kind of kid originally, so why did he become like that?”

“…….”

“…If I had to find a reason, it would probably be my fault, right?”

"Kkuru."

“Oh, Sun.”

Yes, honestly, dying like that was a bit too much. Giovanni knew his sin.

“Iseur especially thought of me as a father. He was such a good and sincere friend, so that incident must have been much more shocking to him. When good kids decide to go astray, it can be very scary….”

He let out a pained sound.

“I should at least make sure he gets a meal."

And these things called Jio never worried deeply.

It was the fusion of two guys whose basic creed was ‘So what’.

He was a good person, if you could call him that, but more than that, he knew how to make judgments that were objective to the point of being cold.

He didn’t blame or regret things that weren’t his responsibility.

This terrorist incident was no exception.

It seemed like an incident caused by a disciple who went astray after being shocked by his master's death, but that couldn't possibly be the fault of the dead master, Giovanni.

There was no reason to be intimidated when someone else caused the trouble.

“This teacher knows everything. It's all because he was hungry and got sensitive."

“Kkuk…?”

“People can only afford to consider others' circumstances when their own stomachs are full.”

Far from feeling any guilt, Jio summed up the condition of his disciple, Iseur the mermaid.

“Most incidents and accidents classified as crimes committed by humans happen because the perpetrators are not mentally healthy. Most people wouldn't do such things if they were living a stable life.”

If Iseur, who couldn't even handle a fish, let alone a person, had maintained a happy and healthy mind, would this have happened?

Jio, now with black hair, advised.

“Honey, you should remember this well too. There's hardly anyone who is irritable when their body is healthy and their stomach is full. Just by filling their stomachs, most people will become gentle.”

“Kkukkung?”

“If someone is still irritable after that, they're a truly strange person, so avoid them. If you give them food and they repay kindness with evil, it's either because the one who gave the food killed their parents, or the one who ate it is weird.”

“Kkuk.”

“Now is the most important time to decide how I should respond. How should this foolish master react to the disciple who ate him? The fact that he grew up to be a terrorist is quite a headache, so I could just live my life without ever seeing him again, but….”

Of course, Jio couldn't do that.

“How many times did I feed those kids? I can't just see him once and pretend I don't know him."

He doesn't care about things that aren't his responsibility.

The terrorist incident at the Solar Cult's initiation ceremony was clearly not his fault, but there was certainly some responsibility on Giovanni's part for making his former disciple, Iseur, grow up that way.

“It was the best I could do at the time, but if I hadn't been eaten alive, Iseur probably wouldn't have become so twisted.”

“Kururuk.”

Honey nodded. Its face said, ‘You might be right about that,’ so Jio had nothing more to say.

“…Anyway, so….”

Wanting to clean up the mess as a human, an adult, and a teacher, he devised a way to meet the mermaid siblings again.

“In my memory, the ‘Breathing Sea’ and Iseur's dungeon had quite a similar atmosphere."

But even so, it seemed difficult to find the ‘Temple of the Deep Sea’ through the ‘Breathing Sea’.

How could he do something so reckless, not knowing where anything was in that vast world?

And he didn't even know if the two were really connected.

Jio nodded.

“Fortunately, I have the ability to visit other people's dungeons as I please.”

“Kururuk?”

“Yes, let's try painting it."

Hadn’t he already experienced it once with the ‘Vein of Jewels’?

He had failed in his goal of having a desirable social life back then, but thanks to it, he was able to save a young student named Cha Ara.

“This is a pretty useful ability."

If Yu Seong-un had heard, he would have made a small retort, saying, ‘It’s probably more than just pretty useful,’ but Jio was a recluse.

“I can also make roasted sweet potatoes…. They’re really delicious with a bit of butter and salt, and a drizzle of honey."

“Kurrrrrruk!!”

“It's similar to Stir-fried Honey Sweet Potato, but a little moister and softer. Ah, and if you add a little whipped cream on top, it's truly fantastic….”

There was no way a lonely young man cooped up in a cabin with no internet would know such common sense.

To him, the ability to paint was no different from a meal truck that filled his stomach.

Jio went to find his father.

“Father.”

“Kkuu.”

It was the Sun God, teddy bear ver., who had started living in the cabin at some point.

“You were playing with Dana."

“Kku kku….”

“I'm glad you seem to be getting along.”

The jewel cat he had brought back from the ‘Vein of Jewels’ last time, Anticat Dana, was cold-bodied.

So he had wondered if it would get along with the teddy bear that held the warmth of the sun, but their compatibility seemed very good.

“It's just that I'm going to try to meet Iseur again.”

“Kkuuu.”

“Thank you for your support. I'm thinking of creating a passage by painting, but it seems like the process will take a lot of time….”

“Kku kku.”

“Thank you for your consideration. I’ve put snacks in the storage, so please help yourselves."

Even on this trip to Seoul, he had said, ‘Hehe, I’ll just watch the event and come right back home,’ but how much time had he ended up spending at the temple?

In preparation for a similar situation this time, Jio wholeheartedly finished all preparations so that the cabin could be harmonious even without him.

“…….”

Sitting in his workshop, Jio blinked about twice. He muttered.

“…Come to think of it, that temple, maybe….”

The ‘Temple of the Deep Sea’ that Jio had seen was, for some reason, familiar.

“Is it the place where I died?”

“Kkuruk.”

“I don't remember that part in detail.”

Synchronization Rate 94.5%

“…….”

Still, he properly remembered what the dungeon looked like.

“Let's paint it."

Jio began to paint the ‘Temple of the Deep Sea’.

The pure white pillars that held divinity and the high ceiling, and a laboratory that wasn't entirely out of place.

The numerous monsters roaming about and the air shimmering with water scales….

“…….”

Jio became absorbed in the painting.

***

The storage where finished works were covered with black cloth.

“…….”

The Sun God, sitting in the middle of the storage with Anticat Dana in its arms, raised its head and looked towards one side that was emitting a cold light.

“…Kkuu.”

“Myung?”

"Kku kku….”

The ‘Breathing Sea,’ which could be called the Sun God’s hometown, was resonating.

"Kku."

May that story come to an end.

The sun submerged in the sea prayed earnestly.

***

“…….”

Jio, with his black cape pulled down low, was in the ‘Temple of the Deep Sea’.

“Oh.”

This actually works.

“I felt it when I went to the ‘Vein of Jewels,’ but this is a truly convenient means of travel.”

“Kururuk.”

“Should we look around a bit?”

Perhaps because the place itself was so vast, he didn't immediately think about finding Iseur.

Considering he was trespassing, Jio decided to be a bit more cautious and look around.

He had come right after painting in his workshop, so he was still barefoot, but it wasn't that cold.

The shallow seawater on the floor made a pleasant splashing sound.

“…….”

Giovanni, having become a scoundrel who entered his disciple's finely decorated home without permission, felt a moment of self-disgust.

“Should I buy a new phone?"

“Kkung….”

“Right, the signal won't get through."

It was unavoidable due to the nature of portraits, but considering what happened at The Collectors' guild gallery, it seemed that Jio was destined to get used to trespassing.

‘No one would let a portrait into their home expecting a living person to pop out of it.’

Jio humbly accepted his destiny to startle many more people in the future. It was a bit funny, so it was okay.

“It hasn't changed much from the last time I saw it."

“Kururuk.”

Fortunately or unfortunately, finding his way wasn't that difficult.

“Somehow… it feels familiar too.”

It was largely thanks to Giovanni's memories.

“Because this was where I used to work."

“Kkuk?”

“Ah, that's right. This was where I worked. I remember now."

Giovanni nodded.

“I wasn't stationed here permanently, but I did receive training here. Only after being properly recognized as a priest could you go to other regions and operate independently; until then, you have to train at a temple like this."

“Kkuru.”

“You don't have to worry, my memory isn't perfect, but I haven't forgotten the way. Spending time here with others before brought some things back to me….”

Walking along, Jio looked around.

“But it still feels unfamiliar."

The temple he remembered didn't have any research facilities like this.

“…….”

After feeling that gap in time, Giovanni's disposition softened.

“Let's go to the exit."

“Kururuk.”

Jio found the temple stairs and climbed them.

And then, he met people.

“…….”

“…….”

“……?”

Why are you coming out from there?

***

“…….”

Returning to the present, Hunter Jeong Da-un of the Association continued.

“…Does it still sound a bit strange?”

“To be frank, yes, I don't quite understand.”

The researcher nodded.

“But I understand what you're trying to say, Hunter Jeong Da-un. You mean that while you rationally recognized the opponent was not human, you instinctively felt they were human, right?”

“Yes, that's right.”

“Then, could it not be some kind of brainwashing?”

Among monsters, especially humanoid monsters, many possessed mental-type skills.

“Even if they're not humanoid monsters, many monsters attempt to mimic humans. It would make more sense if it hid its body with a cape to conceal its true form and used a mental-type skill to make you perceive it as human.”

“…I don’t think that was it.”

Recalling the memory, the Hunter shook her head.

“It was a dungeon that appeared in the sea right after the ‘Temple of the Deep Sea,’ which was judged to be a dungeon of considerable risk. Although we didn't know at the time that the two were connected dungeons, we attempted entry assuming there would be at least some connection.”

“So you're saying you entered after thorough preparation.”

“Yes, among our preparations, we had an item to counter brainwashing. As you may have already been briefed, that item is A-Class and can nullify mental-type skills for up to 10 people. Of course, you could say that the ‘Black Cape’ used a skill of A-Class or higher, but….”

After a moment of hesitation, the Hunter continued.

“I'm sure of it. The item didn't react to the ‘Black Cape’ in the first place.”

“Not at all?”

“It wasn't that it failed to defend, but that it wasn't applicable at all. The ‘Black Cape’ never once used a mental-type skill against us.”

“And yet, you say you felt the opponent was human, Hunter Jeong Da-un. To an opponent with whom you felt such a great sense of disparity that it felt alien.”

“It was a feeling that was even close to certainty. To the point where I thought it was impossible to deny it myself.”

That was truly something that made no sense.

“For some reason, I felt relieved as if I were lying in a cozy bed, and I was also surprised by that side of myself, which gave me the chills. It became a bit of a reliance… I'm sorry, I can't describe it in detail.”

“I understand.”

The researcher, offering a simple consolation, continued with his questions.

“Then let's return to our previous topic. Please don't focus on the ‘Black Cape’s’ identity, but describe its actions. How did you first encounter it?”

“…It was after we entered Stage 3, the ‘Temple of the Deep Sea.’ Perhaps because it was a place that had devoured people in the form of a virtual dungeon, we could certainly see traces of other people. Of course, in the end, there was no one who could be called human….”

The Hunter spoke as if she was still dizzy from the memory.

“As we were looking around the temple like that, we encountered a humanoid monster.”

“The report states ‘Iseur the mermaid,’ do you judge it to be the same entity as the ‘Eun-ha’ reported by Priest Kang Seo-dam of the Solar Cult?”

“I suppose it couldn't be anything else, could it? Ah, of course, the entity we encountered was in the form of an adult, not a child. It was our first time encountering a humanoid monster, so we were all tense.”

“Well, it is the first officially witnessed humanoid monster in a very long time.”

The Hunter, bowing her head as if thankful for the understanding, continued.

“He introduced himself as a mermaid named Iseur. As described by Priest Kang Seo-dam, he had pearl-colored eyes and light blue hair. Based on the photo of ‘Eun-ha’ that he reported, it certainly seemed to be the same individual.”

The Hunter, with a tired face, crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair.

“The dungeon's story, as you already know….”

“The report described it as ‘A monster born from the tragedy of horribly losing a beloved human’.”

“Like all monsters, its hatred for humans was immense. But its skill in mimicking a human was so excellent that at first, we thought it might be a priest who hadn't managed to escape.”

Its appearance as it approached with a benevolent smile unique to priests was certainly closer to that of a human.

“But it didn't continue the mimicry. We were only confused for a moment and quickly realized the opponent was a monster, and it seemed Iseur the mermaid had no intention of acting for long either… because a battle started.”

“And you said you escaped safely. Is that right?”

“For some reason, the opponent showed a strange reaction. Our team at the time judged that there must have been some problem with the dungeon. It made the other monsters in the dungeon deal with us and went off somewhere.”

“But the cause of that was….”

“Yes.”

The Hunter nodded as if to say, what you're thinking is correct.

“The reason Iseur fled was probably because of the ‘Black Cape’… We knew it the moment we saw that being.”

“I'm asking again, but how did you come to meet it?”

“…It asked for our identities.”

The memory was still vivid.

“It asked… what our names were.”

The eeriness of that moment, the Hunter added, was beyond description.

It was a remark that would surely make Jio complain indignantly, ‘Can’t I even exchange names?’

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