Chapter 96

At some point, the ‘Black Cape’ disappeared.

“H-Hey, they said it was here…! They said the Black Cape was here!”

“Fuck, look for a picture frame! Isn't there a frame somewhere?!”

“They say it’s not easy to see…! S-So if we look, surely…!”

“Arrrggghhh!!!”

The Hunters who visited the ‘Kingdom of the Deep Sea’ believing solely in the ‘Black Cape’, who was said to purely help humans, died helplessly.

As complaints flooded in about the suddenly vanished Black Cape and the Association that had provided information on it, an official statement was released.

“The Association has not included any phrase in its public information urging reliance on the ‘Black Cape’.”

Rather, they emphasized.

“Even if it shows unexpected behavior, it is ultimately a monster. The Association has clearly maintained its stance of caution and has never once stated that the ‘Black Cape’ is a safe and helpful monster.”

In the first place, the strangely distorted rumors were largely to blame.

“What kind of monster in the world would help humans?”

“But there are cases where the ‘Black Cape’ has helped humans escape dungeons on numerous occasions.”

“However, the ‘Black Cape’ categorized and limited the humans it would help. This means it cannot be a monster that is solely beneficial to humans.”

The Association employee, with a straight, emotionless face, spoke as if it were all utterly absurd.

“It seems many Hunters have forgotten the fact that the ‘Black Cape’ is a monster.”

It was a remark mocking the absurd judgment of the Hunters.

With the Association responding in this manner, the Hunters could no longer protest.

Leaving aside the fact that the Association's authority was considerable, there was nothing incorrect in their words.

“No, but still….”

“Didn’t they say the Black Cape helps humans?”

Though many people still had complaints.

“Did you guys not even read the official notice? There was nothing wrong with what the Association said.”

“The Association repeatedly said to keep a close watch on the Black Cape.”

“Aren't the ones who went to an S-Class dungeon swayed by baseless rumors the stupid ones?”

The situation soon calmed down.

“If it weren't for that rumor….”

“What are you talking about, it’s the fault of the morons who attempted the conquest without even reading the official notice.”

“Kugh….”

This was because the conclusion was reached that ‘the Hunters who tried to use a monster for their own convenience from the start were stupid’.

“Don't they teach you when you get your Hunter license? To be wary of monsters?”

“A monster isn't a vending machine drink…. What on earth were they thinking, entering a dungeon trusting a single monster?”

“Hunters of the past weren't like this. You can really feel how much the standards of the current generation have dropped.”

“What kind of hunter who doesn't even know to fear monsters acts like a hunter.”

“Even morons like these are running wild, calling themselves Hunters. This is the end of the world.”

If they had merely considered the possibility of coincidental help based on the monster's characteristics, the criticism would not have been so harsh.

But hadn't the problem arisen because the majority of Hunters were those who jumped into a dungeon rated as S-Class, relying solely on the mercy of the ‘Black Cape’?

Even the Hunters who had been seriously considering the ‘Kingdom of the Deep Sea’ for a long time showed a negative reaction.

“It makes no sense to rely only on a monster to conquer a dungeon.”

“Aren't they taking the conquest too lightly? No matter how long the exploration season was.”

“Interest was focused on it because the Collectors bought the entry pass, but this is a bit….”

Just as the atmosphere seemed to be settling down.

“…….”

Yu Seong-un was watching.

‘…Is it getting sorted out?’

It wasn't a bad flow.

‘The situation was getting a little strange. I should be glad it ended at this point.’

Yu Seong-un, who was watching the Hunters and the ordinary citizens chattering about the incident, took a piece of candy from his chest.

His sugar was running low from running around here and there to check how the aftermath of the ‘Black Cape’ was concluding.

“Hah….”

“…….”

“So, what is it?”

Yu Seong-un asked, sensing a presence from the bench behind him.

“You seem to have business with me.”

“You look tired.”

“If you're not tired after working overtime for over a week, you're not human.”

“I agree.”

The Association employee, who nodded his head, was wearing a black padded jacket, disguised as an ordinary citizen.

Sitting on the bench behind the one Yu Seong-un was on, he looked at the park, which had taken on the appearance of spring despite it being winter due to government measures and spoke.

“I don't intend to take up much of the busy Hunter Yu Seong-un's time. I would like to ask a few questions, would you be able to answer them?”

“Hmm… I would appreciate it if you could finish within 15 minutes. I need to take a train later to check the condition of the sea.”

“Thank you for your cooperation.”

The Association employee's question followed naturally.

“The Collectors seemed to know about the ‘Black Cape’ incident this time.”

“There are many things that are suspicious, but what is the basis for your statement?”

“Because the source of the interesting urban legend that ‘the Black Cape gives gifts to good people’ seems to be the Collectors.”

“That is correct.”

Yu Seong-un continued his answer nonchalantly.

“There were quite a few of our employees who encountered the Black Cape.”

“Then it seems the information on the homepage needs to be corrected. Could you provide testimony from the first witness?”

“I'll ask when I have time. You're not going to drag them away by force, are you?”

“Of course not. We simply felt the need to correct the information about the Black Cape.”

“Anyway, our employees have encountered the Black Cape a few times, so we know its rules. It really dislikes rude and bad people.”

Even as he said this, Yu Seong-un had no intention of revealing the exact circumstances of the ‘Black Cape’.

This was because if he openly revealed the fact that it was the ‘Jio's Portrait’ that even the Association President had coveted, there was a high possibility of becoming publicly entangled by the Association approaching for research purposes.

‘Jio wouldn't want that either.’

Since he lived in a peaceful cabin, he wasn't the type to like troublesome things.

“And I'm not sure if it should be called a ‘gift’. The Black Cape is said to give gifts to good people, but it’s closer to a form of goodwill rather than something material….”

“Can we assume it has a rule of showing goodwill to polite and good humans?”

“Yes, well. I'm sorry for not reporting it beforehand. But I don't have the right to order my employees to immediately report a monster they happened to encounter, do I?”

At that, the employee asked.

“Is it a monster?”

“…….”

“I'm asking you, Yu Seong-un the Gardener.”

“…In that case, I'll have to answer no.”

“I see. Do you have any intention of returning to the Association's research institute?”

“It seems to be an order from the Association President, but please tell him I have no intention of doing so.”

“Understood.”

The employee returned the topic to the original one.

“Can I understand that you did not intentionally spread the rumor about the Black Cape?”

“It was half-intentional, but….”

Yu Seong-un mixed in a moderate amount of truth.

“Separate from that, I had no intention of causing confusion like what happened this time.”

“Then for what purpose was the rumor amplified?”

“The Black Cape dislikes rude and bad people, so I wanted to prevent them from causing unnecessary trouble by doing stupid things in front of it.”

“The Collectors wanted to emphasize the ‘good person’ part, but the Hunters were enchanted by the ‘gift’ part, I see.”

“Even the Collectors didn't know the Hunters would be that stupid.”

“I understand.”

“…….”

Even by doing this, he didn't expect to be able to completely hide the ‘Jio's Portrait’ from the Collectors.

‘…The fact that the Association didn't call me in directly and only confirmed things this way must mean that they've already figured some things out but have no intention of digging deeper.’

The Association President was a renowned hunter who was evaluated to be hiding a rank higher than S-Class.

Since such a person had seen the ‘Jio's Portrait’ and coveted it himself, he might have already guessed that this ‘Black Cape’ was highly related to it.

‘In the first place, there was the huge commonality of it being a portrait.’

The fact that the Black Cape was witnessed in the form of a portrait was already a known fact.

At this point, he had no choice but to think that they knew all they needed to know and were just asking for formality's sake.

Therefore, the purpose of this deceptive conversation was only twofold.

‘Based on this rumor and the chaotic situation, does the Collectors intend to misuse the Black Cape? If not, do they have any intention of handing over the Jio's Portrait to the Association for research….’

Well, he had denied both.

“…….”

Yu Seong-un opened his mouth.

“Is there anything else you want to ask?”

“Gardener Yu Seong-un, have you identified the true identity of the Black Cape?”

“…No.”

It would have been great if he had.

“I don't know.”

“…I see.”

“So I ask that the Association also pay special attention.”

“Are you saying there's a need to raise the response level?”

“That might be better.”

It was a being of the Source that even Yu Seong-un couldn't grasp.

Even if the Black Cape had no malice, there was a high probability that it would become a disaster for humans in some way, so it would be advantageous for the survival of the weak humans to be on high alert.

“We will also submit a report if we identify anything on our end.”

“…We'll be counting on you.”

The employee moved away naturally, as if he had never had a conversation with him.

“…….”

Feeling the presence move away, Yu Seong-un closed his eyes.

‘It’s been a while since I've received the Association's attention like this.’

Still, it seemed his response wasn't awkward, as the scene in the park was not much different from before.

There was no one pretending not to, while focusing on this side.

‘I guess I didn't act awkwardly.’

As he quietly closed his eyes, he could hear the chatter of the people gathered in the park with its mild air.

“In the end, what was the Black Cape…?”

They were also experiencing confusion.

“They said it was a monster that didn't fit in with the ‘Kingdom of the Deep Sea’ from the start.”

“I heard that sometimes monsters from other dungeons cross over, could it be a case like that?”

“The Black Cape might have its own separate dungeon.”

“But they said it's a humanoid monster. Are there cases where a boss monster crosses over from a dungeon?”

“I heard that you can sometimes see it outside the dungeon too….”

“No way, then it's a monster that roams around freely without a set area.”

“That's too much. It definitely seems like a baseless rumor.”

Yu Seong-un soon opened his eyes to the voices that sounded like the fluttering of a small bird's wings.

All talk of the Black Cape.

“…So it turned out like this.”

It was a planned confusion.

‘Still, this is a pretty good defense.’

Jio was a being who could go anywhere.

He could become anything because he was a painting, and he could create anything because he was a painter.

Since there was no way to stop such a ‘Jio's Portrait’, what the Collectors chose for the sake of national stability was, in the end, the control of information.

‘If people can slowly get used to the existence of the Black Cape this way….’

It was clear that there would be less confusion than revealing the ‘Jio's Portrait’ on the front lines.

The urban legend that wasn't an urban legend spread by the Collectors and giving Jio a Hunter license as a human, were all in the same context.

To classify and regulate the ‘story’ of the Source.

“…….”

Nevertheless, Jio's identity was still a mystery.

‘What kind of being is he to make these things possible?’

Even a god could not perform such bold acts in succession.

“Not a god, not a human, and certainly not a monster….”

Yet a being that could be all of those things.

“How should I define this?”

It's too contradictory.

Even Yu Seong-un, who had set foot in the Garden from a very young age, could not adequately explain that existence.

This was because its very standard was completely different from the beings of the Source he had seen and studied so far.

“…….”

Sighing, Yu Seong-un got up from his seat.

“Time to work.”

The feeling of fumbling for the way with his hands after losing his sight.

A strange eeriness towards the being that still remained a mystery despite having seen and heard so much, quietly crept up the nape of his neck.

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