The Artist Who Paints Dungeon-Chapter 110

The hut of Gio was arranged to be a comfortable environment for anyone, human or otherwise.

“The air is really mild.”

“I think it's because it's always spring weather here.”

“That might be true, but...”

There was a sense of calm, like being embraced by a parent's arms.

“...I think I’d be able to sleep well here.”

“That’s actually true.”

Gio, who nodded, soon asked.

“Is there any particular meal you would like?”

“...Ah, you’re offering me a meal?”

“That was the reason I invited you, Seong-Woon.”

“So that was the purpose.”

Seong-Woon, who had accepted the invitation to analyze Gio's true nature, found himself slightly embarrassed.

‘Well, it’s not surprising. This old lady-like fellow wouldn’t treat a guest poorly.’

Despite his reasons, Gio had indeed invited Seong-Woon as a guest. Given that Gio, who regularly handed out gifts to everyone he met, wouldn’t fail to treat Seong-Woon with something.

“I don’t mind anything, but if I say that, you might dislike it.”

“There’s no such thing as ‘anything’ when it comes to food.”

“But really, I don’t have any preferences. I don’t mind anything.”

“Then, I’ll prepare what I want. Is there anything you can’t eat?”

“No, I don’t have any allergies or anything, so it’s fine.”

“Understood.”

Gio nodded, and soon, there was a soft sound coming from the kitchen, like something was approaching.

What could that be? Seong-Woon’s attention was drawn to a fluffy white bundle.

“Thank you for helping with the guest reception, Father.”

“Goo.”

A bear doll holding a teacup...?

“......”

No, a bear doll?

‘...Did a bear doll just bring the welcome drink?’

Seong-Woon was confused.

Being frequently in contact with beings of origins, Seong-Woon was especially sensitive to the energy of non-human entities.

He could usually identify the nature of an entity, but in this case, the bear doll in front of him emanated an energy that felt almost divine.

‘...Wait, if this is divine power like the sun...’

After a moment’s thought, Seong-Woon looked back at Gio.

“...Your father, then?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“So, the former Sun God?”

“That’s right.”

“Thanks for clearing that up.”

There was no actual divinity, but the energy was close enough, and it was the same distinctive warm, tingling sensation from the sun that Seong-Woon had often felt from Gio.

It seemed this bear doll was a vessel for the Sun God, possessing the leftover divine power passed down from Gio.

“Still, is it usual for a bear doll to be involved...?”

“It’s because this form feels familiar to him. I couldn’t change it.”

“That’s a bit hard to understand, though. Why would a god be familiar with a doll’s body?”

“After using this body for meals, I’ve gotten used to it...”

“So, in the end, it’s your fault, right?”

“That’s correct.”

“......”

Seong-Woon awkwardly accepted the teacup handed to him by the Sun God in the form of a bear doll.

“...Thank you.”

“Goo goo.”

Did it just smile?

‘To think I’d see a god smile in my lifetime.’

Of course, the fact that a Sun God was inside an old bear doll was itself a surprise.

“Strange, usually gods from different generations don’t get along...”

“Is there a reason for me to not get along with my father? We are family.”

“Hmm...”

There were many reasons, but...

“...I suspect it’s because of a difference in mindset. Gods who govern life, death, and dimensions have different perspectives, even if they inherit the same divinity.”

It took a long time for one divine era to end, and the difference in thought was similar to how primitive humans and modern humans wouldn’t get along.

“Especially if they were once human before becoming a god.”

“......”

Gio asked.

“Then, am I a god?”

“...Oh... well...”

“So there are gods who don’t do things like this, huh? I guess gods are just like anyone else.”

“...You can think of it however you like.”

“I still think I’m human. Nothing really has changed for me.”

“Then that’s probably the case.”

It seemed that Gio thought of himself as a ‘human who inherited a divine certification’ rather than an actual god.

Though that wasn’t really what a god was, Seong-Woon kept quiet since that’s how Gio saw himself.

‘At least Gio isn’t consumed by divinity,’ Seong-Woon thought.

Becoming a god meant holding the qualification of nature and fate, abandoning the mindset of a living creature.

Still, Gio enjoyed eating, cooking well, and sharing with others—clearly, there were many aspects that made him problematic to call a true god.

No matter what, this ‘Gio’ would never change.

“......”

Because he is an origin being?

‘...How can something like this even exist?’

Seong-Woon watched Gio head to the kitchen, preparing to make the meal.

‘I don’t doubt he’s an origin. As a gardener, I’d never mistake that. This portrait is an origin in a form that humans can perceive, almost like a person.’

But understanding that process was still beyond him.

‘This is more than just living on top of the origin. If that were the case, this space and Gio would have to be separate entities. But they’re not, they’re like bones and flesh together...’

As Seong-Woon pondered, the bear doll approached with soft, fluffy steps.

“Hmm?”

“Goo?”

“...Sorry, I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

“Goo, goo goo. Goo.”

“......”

Seong-Woon felt awkward at the sight of the bear doll flapping its cotton paws in front of him.

‘Is it blasphemy to find a god cute? Religion is not my area of expertise.’

Even without divine power, it was true that the being before him was close to godhood.

Seong-Woon, wary of the bear doll filled with cotton, watched it carefully, wondering if he might make a mistake.

“...Ah.”

Soon, Seong-Woon took the teacup.

“Should I drink it?”

“Goo.”

“Thank you.”

Seong-Woon was momentarily surprised by the cup, which fit so perfectly in his hand.

“...Oh...”

The feel was pleasant.

‘It’s smooth but soft.’

It felt like touching silk-like fur.

Though it was clearly a hard teacup, it felt so soft that it seemed like dust would rub off onto his hand, and despite its sturdy thickness, it was surprisingly light, making it easy to hold.

‘The grip feels nice, too.’

Even though it wasn’t tailored to his hand, it felt comfortably shaped.

“A bit fluffy...”

It felt like a teacup made out of clouds or whipped cream.

“Gio really doesn’t waste anything, not even a teacup.”

“Goo goo.”

“Sorry, I really don’t understand. What are you saying?”

The white bear doll, which had a golden-brown color # Nоvеlight # like lightly roasted rice, soon pointed at something.

“...Ah.”

It was honey.

“Goo roo?”

“...Remember earlier? I was invited, right? I’m the guest?”

“Gooook.”

“It feels like you’re being shown something.”

Seong-Woon realized the bear doll was probably trying to show him that this teacup, too, was something created by Gio.

Seong-Woon unknowingly understood.

“No wonder the feel was different.”

The light pink tea inside also smelled nice.

“...This...”

It had a fresh sweetness similar to vanilla beans but with a unique tangy twist, like honey milk, yet light in a way that didn’t feel overwhelming.

Seong-Woon squinted his eyes.

‘Is this even drinkable for humans?’

Without thinking, he activated his emotional skill.

[Tears Blooming in Silk]

[Grade: - ]

A flower tea made from the tears that naturally bloom in the currents of fate. The sharp scent of the unripe tears adds a slight variation to the sweetness. Brewed by Gio, the ruler of the forest, it can be consumed by humans. Drinking it instantly warms the eyes, recovering the optic nerves. It is effective in nullifying mental skills.

“......”

Forget it.

‘It’s said to be edible, so I’ll just drink it.’

Seong-Woon quickly drank the tea in one gulp.

“...Sweet.”

Normally, tea would only be sweetened with sugar, but this tea was so sweet that it nearly made him feel dizzy. The sweetness was precisely at the limit of how sweet something could be, like it was tightly packed in.

‘It even has a peppery, sharp taste.’

Sweetness and pepper, which seemed strange, actually blended quite well. The clear sweetness and sharp, tingling sensation made his head feel full.

It wasn’t the kind of pleasure you could casually enjoy, like a slow, relaxed meal.

‘This won’t be something I can enjoy with a relaxed mind...’

Around this time, Seong-Woon frowned.

“Ugh.”

It felt like his eyes were burning, like he had eaten something spicy.

It wasn’t quite pain, but it was a strange sensation, like having minty eye cleanser.

After about three seconds, the sensation in his eyes vanished.

“...So this is what ‘Tears Blooming in Silk’ is about.”

Maybe because his sensitive eyes were heated, he even shed a few tears.

‘Definitely feel like my vision has sharpened.’

He once again thought that it would be hard to enjoy this tea with a calm mind.

With its intense flavor and aroma that overwhelmed his mouth, then making his eyes feel hot and even tear up, and improving his eyesight to boot, how could anyone drink this with a relaxed mind?

“......”

It’s like I got free eyesight with this cup of tea.

“I feel a little strange...”

“Goo roo?”

“...Have you tried this?”

“Goo.”

“It was tasty.”

Seong-Woon licked his lips.

‘I feel like I shouldn’t be here.’

Gio’s kindness was too much.

There were many stories about people who entered ‘the world of gods and had their human identity threatened’.

‘For instance, in the East, there’s the story of the Peach Blossom Spring.’

Though it wasn’t exactly the same situation, he couldn’t help but feel that same sense of crisis.

‘It’s overwhelming...’

Spending about three days here, he felt like he would become immortal and leave.

Meanwhile, the owner of the hut had no idea about Seong-Woon’s feelings.

“Hmmm.”

Gio was considering what meal to prepare for Seong-Woon.

‘For Koreans, it’s all about rice.’

That’s right.

“Rice, side dishes, and soup are necessary.”

He had freshly cooked rice from the early morning, made with various vegetables and herbs, making it rich in flavor. The rice had a faint light green tint, and it was especially sweet and nutty.

‘Next, side dishes...’

He had a salmon caught from ‘the breathing sea,’ stored in the basement, and there were also some ham and sausages in the cellar. Vegetables were growing abundantly in the garden behind the hut.

“I’ll grill the fish, steam the meat, and stir-fry the vegetables.”

He muttered with a peculiar resolve, and just then, Seong-Woon spoke up from the living room.

“Gio, I can walk out as a human, right?”

“You’ll be able to walk out on two feet, healthy.”

Though he should be prepared to turn into a pig.

‘I’ll make sure to send this skinny office worker back full and satisfied.’

Gio decided to stake his grandmother’s honor as the village’s biggest benefactor.

For the soup, he prepared a bone broth made from a deer’s shin bones, which had an incredible savory taste. Adding a little chopped green onions would make the soup just perfect.

‘These dishes don’t take too long to make...’

Gio called for Dana, who was lying down in the kitchen.

“Daughter.”

“Meow.”

“You’re just lazily meowing because you’re bored, aren’t you?”

“Mreow.”

“Back to your usual self, huh.”

Gio handed Dana a basket.

“Could you pick some eggplants and bok choy from the garden?”

“Mreow...”

Luckily, Dana didn’t refuse the errand.

“Good girl.”

Dana, now about the size of an ordinary cat, stretched like an arch and left through the back door, holding the basket in her mouth. After confirming that, Honey followed her, probably to help.

‘Since Honey’s going, they should do fine.’

Gio smiled and got to work on the food. He made a generous serving of rice, packed with the rural grandmother’s hospitality. The unique light and deep fragrance of the vegetables immediately stimulated the taste buds.

And soon, it would also stimulate Seong-Woon’s taste buds.

‘Become a pig, will you...’

Gio, who had spent his childhood in his grandmother’s care, had learned to share plenty of food.