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Chapter 155: Chapter 155

"How is it?"

At Bisabeol’s question, Yu Seong-un shrugged his shoulders.

"It is as you expected."

"And how would you know what I expected?"

"I trust the Guild Master’s eyes."

At Yu Seong-un’s trust, Bisabeol let out his characteristic laugh.

"It seems you do not trust me as a person?"

"I was well aware that you have no conscience."

"How can you be so heartless?"

"Please, I am tired."

"Then I should finish this quickly for you."

Bisabeol tapped the desk lightly with his ringed hand.

"I knew he was not someone who would easily fall for temptation."

He was talking about Ju-hyeon.

"Even if there is an easy path, he won’t take it if he thinks it’s an unfair gain."

"He does seem to have a slightly foolish personality. It seems he has his own beliefs."

"Looking at that, should I say he has an aspect like a scholar from the old Joseon Dynasty."

"...May I take that as a compliment for Mr. Ju-hyeon?"

"That is up to you. I was saying he has an inflexible character."

"Well, it must have been that uncompromising character that Jio took a liking to."

Yu Seong-un nodded.

"He doesn’t think of using Jio to get his own share."

"He’s not one to let himself be dulled by such petty greed."

"I don’t think of greed as particularly petty."

That’s how human greed is.

This sense of shame is something created consciously, not something one is born with instinctively.

When a tremendous mystery, of all things, declared it would be his ’friend,’ it was normal to hope for something.

Unlike shame, greed is an instinct.

"Jio is in a position of power in many ways. Even ’Mr. Seo Jio’ has more power and is of a higher position than Mr. Ju-hyeon. Jio is so... well, extravagant, as to use rare elixirs that would make humans’ eyes turn red with envy for mere meal preparation."

Then one could think this way.

"Mr. Ju-hyeon could have hoped. That which is so precious to me is as common as grass on the roadside to that mystery, so he could want it without any effort. Because taking a small pebble lying around in someone else’s yard is no burden to either party."

Moreover, Ju-hyeon was not that wealthy.

Even if he was not born with monetary greed, when one’s body is weary and life is tough, a minimum level of greed born of necessity is bound to arise.

"He worked as a researcher at the Association for a long time, but whether it was because of the label of being from another orphanage, or if there was something else, he remained at the rank of Assistant Manager. His promotion was quite delayed."

"What little he had, he used to support the orphanage or donated it."

"But looking at his reaction, he has almost no monetary greed to begin with. He thinks of it as a useful means, but it does not become an object of greed. He is a rare, incorruptible person."

Yu Seong-un crossed his arms.

"Both Jio and you, Guild Master, described Mr. Ju-hyeon as a hero. Considering that, I can understand that he has almost no instinctive greed for money."

After all, a hero’s nature is something one is born with, along with instinct.

"But still."

There was certainly something that Ju-hyeon wished for, something he desperately wanted.

"He may not have greed for wealth, but as he is human, he has his own desires. I hear he has a very steadfast goal of making the world peaceful."

"That in itself can be called being quite the greedy person. The direction just doesn’t point towards his own well-being; Mr. Ju-hyeon’s greed flows in an altruistic direction from an objective point of view."

"Yes, altruistic greed is accurate. If selfishness is defined as wanting to change things other than oneself as one pleases, it could also be selfish greed."

"That is why I do not particularly like Mr. Ju-hyeon. Right now, they are awkward friends who have just met, so they are being formal, but if they become closer, how much would Mr. Ju-hyeon exploit Mr. Seo Jio for his own greed?"

"Surely, Jio wouldn’t be easily taken advantage of. It would be more accurate to say that Jio is bestowing mercy and favor upon a mere human. That too would be something that pleases Jio... To be honest, I am not worried about that part."

Yu Seong-un shrugged his shoulders.

"In the first place, Jio is not such a humble being that a human would need to worry about him."

"Ah, my work of art...."

"Before being a work of art, he is a Source, Guild Master. Please let go a little."

The obsession of a collector, really.

"Mr. Ju-hyeon will not exploit Jio to look after his own interests. Not only is it impossible, but there is almost nothing Mr. Ju-hyeon could hope for from Jio."

Yu Seong-un gave his characteristic smile.

"Of course, that’s not to say there’s absolutely nothing."

"He must be secretly hoping for mercy to be bestowed upon the dead souls."

"It’s more likely that he has just recognized that possibility."

"The authority over life and death is a domain that any god can interfere in, after all."

"For Mr. Ju-hyeon, who has recently lost family and friends, it is a part he cannot help but think about."

Although he introduced himself as an evil god, Jio appears to be a sufficiently merciful being, and when one says god, they naturally possess the authority to handle the souls of the dead.

While receiving the portrait’s favor inside the frame, Ju-hyeon must have thought.

How wonderful it would be if such a merciful divinity could soothe my poor family and friends.

"Moreover, as he thinks that such a tragedy occurred because of him, the sense of debt Mr. Ju-hyeon holds for the victims must also be great."

"He must have felt the need to atone and repay his debt somehow, but it seemed Mr. Ju-hyeon did not choose the easiest path, which was Jio."

"It appeared as though he thought he had to take full responsibility for what he had done. No matter how great a powerhouse and owner of immense authority, Jio is...."

"He must have thought that he should not receive help from Mr. Seo Jio, who is also his new friend."

Bisabeol sneered.

"How can a mere human repay his debt to the dead by doing that? All the living can do for their dead friends is to endlessly remember and reflect on their deaths and their own sins."

"Isn’t it a mindset of trying to do at least that much?"

"Perhaps he vaguely believes that he can repay his debt through such atonement and anguish alone. Of course, he might be able to repay his debt to his dead family in that way, but why take such a thorny path?"

His lips twisted as if he had seen something very foolish and displeasing.

"That’s all because Mr. Ju-hyeon’s field of vision is so narrow."

"For someone with a narrow field of vision, the cause he embraces is quite large."

"He lacks a human touch."

"One could say that, but...."

"And he’s a fool who doesn’t know how to rely on others."

"No, come on."

Yu Seong-un placated his Guild Master.

"He’s Jio’s new friend, isn’t he? Please look upon him more favorably."

"The only thing that grows with age is stubbornness."

Bisabeol, who had smiled wryly, continued.

"He’s not slow on the uptake. He’s not ignorant of the usefulness of personal connections, and, well, it would be more accurate to say he is rather shrewd. He knows how to do all the calculations, yet he castrates his worldly desires as if he were a monk and pursues only the greater good."

"Isn’t that a good direction for humanity?"

"As I always say, I have no interest in the inclinations and concerns of humanity. What is important is the effect it will have on me and my collection. The human named Ju-hyeon is a good-for-nothing who would ruin my work without a second thought if his convictions are firm."

Bisabeol grumbled.

"It is true that the world becomes a bit more peaceful when there are people of that kind... but that would be too boring."

"How can you say something so casually about the evil of humanity."

"Mr. Ju-hyeon is not a person who does not know greed. When he is practicing the cause he has embraced, he is more greedy than anyone else. He is voracious. He is busy moving forward without caring in the slightest about what others criticize, or how they see him."

Bisabeol twisted his lips.

"When people like this cause trouble, they cause it in a truly grand fashion."

"That part is certainly worrying, but didn’t Jio stop that as well."

"In any case, I admit that he is not a person who would be of any harm to our Mr. Seo Jio."

Bisabeol let out a sigh that was rarely tinged with annoyance.

"He is only harmful to my mood."

"You really dislike him."

"I really like our guild members."

"Yes, well...."

Yu Seong-un gave an awkward smile.

Thanks to the fact that he truly did revere his superior, it was not a very feigned smile.

"We like you too, Guild Master."

"This affection you show so rarely, like beans sprouting in a drought, is just so lovely."

"Oh, really."

Yu Seong-un, who had lost even his awkward smile, was repulsed.

"This is why we can’t say nice, kind things to you."

"I love even that impertinence... try being more brazen. Ah, it’s thrilling."

"Ugh."

"Anyway, I am glad that it is not too different from what I expected."

Bisabeol gave a neat smile.

"And great mysteries like such poor heroes."

"Poor heroes...."

"Because they mass-produce stories that are close to providence."

His bright yellow eyes curved into a thin line.

"Perhaps Jio too will cherish Mr. Ju-hyeon in that way."

"According to the rules, he should be giving a gift soon, so would it be better for me to prepare in advance?"

"Since it’s Mr. Seo Jio’s gift, it might get a little noisy. He’s not one who doesn’t know how he will be seen by the world."

"With nothing holding him back, it is about time for Jio to start appreciating the human world in earnest. I will give a heads-up to the media companies in advance."

"Mr. Yu Seong-un, you should also prepare to run around by yourself. Mr. Seo Jio probably won’t cause a disaster, out of consideration for each other’s faces."

"A mystery’s favor can sometimes look like a disaster.... What kind of affection do you predict Jio will show, exactly?"

"That is obvious."

Bisabeol smiled as if watching the cute antics of his grandson.

"He will make a human, human."

"...Is that an end, or a beginning?"

"I believe it will be both."

"Jio has always liked humans."

His favor was equal to all humans.

"Well, there were some humans he didn’t like occasionally, but it seems they were classified as ’not human’...."

Yu Seong-un rubbed his neck.

"To Jio, death is merely one of the states a human can be in. Is that right?"

"Curator Yu Seong-un’s words are correct."

"In that case, Jio, who shows favor equally to all humans, will always maintain the same attitude."

"You are thinking it through well."

"In the end, Jio will, to the living human, and to the dead human...."

Yu Seong-un’s hand, which had been rubbing his neck, came down. His fingertips trembled with an unknown emotion.

"Treat them in a gentlemanly manner."

It is a rule for Jio to give gifts to humans.

"I understand what I have to do."

"I look forward to Curator Yu Seong-un’s handling of the situation."

"Please enjoy your viewing."

A favor too great often threw humans into fear.

And bringing the fear caused by The Source down to the level of the everyday, that was precisely the job of a Gardener.

***

"I want to give you a gift."

"Pardon?"

"Is it a rude thought?"

"Uh...."

Ju-hyeon blinked his eyes at the portrait that had suddenly appeared in the orphanage.

"..."

Calm down.

’I can do this.’

Ju-hyeon smiled faintly.

"...I see! What kind of gift are you referring to, exactly?"

"I apologize, it seems I got ahead of myself."

"Ah, no. It’s true that I was a little surprised, but I wasn’t offended."

He just felt a fear close to a threat to his life.

’He must have no awareness of how scary he looks.’

A late hour, close to midnight.

A deserted, gloomy area’s fire scene.

An abandoned building with an acrid air, full of soot and traces of the dead.

Ju-hyeon was looking for keepsakes left in the orphanage.

A portrait that appeared while he was looking around the dark orphanage, relying on a single flashlight.

It revealed itself among the cute children’s drawings and spoke with a face obscured by black paint.

’I want to give you a gift.’

Ju-hyeon was proud of himself for not screaming. This was an achievement worthy of praising himself for.

"I’m asking again, but... what do you mean by a gift?"

He didn’t ask the stupid question of how on earth it knew his location.

How would it be difficult for a great mystery on the level of the Black Cape to find the location of a mere human.

Instead, Ju-hyeon requested an interpretation of the current situation.

"As far as I know, the Black Cape only gives back what it has received."

"It is a matter of course to return what has been received."

"I also know that it occasionally appears and gives gifts to passersby."

"That was simply a reward for having interacted with me."

At the portrait’s words, Ju-hyeon unknowingly nodded.

’It would be a big enough deal to require a reward.’

The Black Cape was usually known to appear in deserted places and give gifts to people who had done good deeds.

How shocked they must have been to encounter a humanoid monster after doing a good deed.

If it was a reward to appease such humans, then such a gift was understandable. In the end, it also meant that it was a 1:1 rule that ’Jio’s Portrait’ showed.

"...?"

Ju-hyeon tilted his head.

"But I haven’t given anything to you, Mr. Jio."

"It is my gratitude for becoming my friend."

"I see."

It might be a kind of collector’s desire.

Did he want an ’human friend’ that much?

Just as he was thinking that the way a mystery thinks is hard to understand, the portrait, whose eyes were not visible due to being covered in paint, continued.

"Above all, I wanted to give a gift to a good person like you, Mr. Ju-hyeon."

"Well, I don’t think I’ve done any good deeds in front of you, Mr. Jio?"

"But it seems that many people have been helped by Mr. Ju-hyeon’s actions so far."

"Is that a reason to give me a gift?"

"It is my selfishness in wanting to give you a reward for the joy you have given me."

"..."

"That is why I sought your permission."

Only after a little time had passed did Ju-hyeon ask back.

"...Joy?"

"Yes, that is correct."

"Joy."

Ju-hyeon gave a clumsy smile.

"So the things I have done so far have brought you joy."

It was a truly strange feeling.

"I feel like I’ve felt a similar emotion from you before, it’s quite funny."

It might sound like nonsense, but the Black Cape’s words became a rather warm comfort to Ju-hyeon.

He also felt gratitude for the fact that such a great being had acknowledged his efforts.

It was as if it was telling me that I was not wrong, that it was grateful....

"Ha...."

I want to receive a reward.

’What kind of ungrateful thought is this? To wish for a reward for the things I did solely because I wanted to, without knowing my place....’

A sigh disguised as a laugh escaped him out of a tiredness that for some reason made him want to fall asleep.

Feeling an inexplicable sense of exhaustion, Ju-hyeon pressed his forehead firmly so as not to show a foolish appearance.

"Then what kind of gift do you wish to give me? I think this is the third time I’ve asked."

"Oh dear, it seems my story has gone on too long and I have been rude. I apologize."

The portrait continued in its characteristic emotionless tone.

"I can give Mr. Ju-hyeon high-quality medicine. I can also treat you to a delicious meal, draw you any jewel you desire, and chat with you."

Around that time, a cat gently leaped into the portrait’s arms.

"It seems Dana is very interested in Mr. Ju-hyeon."

"...It’s an honor."

"The things I just mentioned are simply gifts I can give because you are a friend."

"That is also an honor."

"So, could you please tell me the gift you desire?"

The portrait said.

"So that my gift can be worth its price."

"..."

Ju-hyeon, who had been silent for a long time, finally opened his mouth.

"...Well."

Unfortunately, there was nothing he wished for. That was probably the case. And it had to be.

For me to remain as myself. To remain as a mere human who knows his place.

"Just being called your friend is... quite more than I deserve."

"I know that Mr. Ju-hyeon is a person who is not born with worldly desires."

"What I want most right now is to atone to my family and friends, but...."

"You must think that is something you have to do entirely on your own."

"Shouldn’t I?"

"There is no right thing."

The portrait whispered in a low voice.

"There is only what one thinks is right."

It was quite similar to the temptation of an evil god.

"...Do you wish for me to ask for help?"

"I wish for you to see a new perspective."

"I want to apologize to my family and friends."

He had to do that.

"But I do not want to escape from this guilt."

"Because you think you can only atone by being bound by that emotion."

"If I overcome this, I will forget my mistake."

"You will not forget, you are not a person who can."

"If I do not reflect, what is the difference between me and a beast?"

"There are beasts and there are beasts."

The portrait’s voice cracked lazily.

"You are not a beast."

"..."

"What do you truly wish for?"

"...I...."

"Throw away fine-sounding words like atonement."

"Just, I."

In the ashes where his family had burned, Ju-hyeon said.

"I hope they are at peace, even in death."

That was his honest desire.

"I don’t mind living with their deaths for the rest of my life, I just hope they are not in pain."

"Do you wish for them to lay their bodies in the happiest and warmest place?"

"I wish for that. They were not perfect, and they were ordinary people who could not be called saints, but...."

"And yet, because they were Mr. Ju-hyeon’s family and friends, you wish for their peace."

"I know it’s unreasonable. I also know it’s a selfish thought."

Ju-hyeon, who had been hesitating, continued.

"But you are an evil god."

"Yes, that is so."

"Will you answer my selfishness?"

"Very well done."

The portrait’s lips tore into a smile filled with joy.

"Do you need to prepare yourself?"

"A little."

"Alright, I will send the gift soon."

"What should I do?"

"It seems you do not know the meaning of a gift?"

A sound like a beast of prey laughing could be heard.

"Just appreciate it, my friend."

He wasn’t sure if it was just his imagination.

"..."

Was it always like that?

The eyes of the jewel cat held in the portrait’s arms were unusually bright, like the moon.

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