The Artist Who Paints Dungeon-Chapter 79

For reference, the kidnapped Chai Sol was not particularly concerned.

"The galaxy eyes are so cool."

He had no thoughts.

It wasn’t just a coincidence that he and Gio got along well.

"They keep flashing."

"Hah..."

"It’s like a dragon!"

"Well, technically, it’s a reptile."

"No, it’s much cooler!"

"Dragons are still a kind of reptile."

"Wait, really...??"

Chai Sol asked with a serious face.

"Then, does Eunha also hibernate when it gets cold...?"

"I don't hibernate. Technically, I'm a fish."

"But there’s no fish."

"What do you mean by that...?"

"It’s not a fish, right?"

"Ah..."

It seemed like Chai Sol was struggling # Nоvеlight # to find the traits of a mermaid in Iser’s appearance.

"...Then, did my eyes look like human eyes?"

"Isn’t a mermaid supposed to have those legs... you know, fish legs...?"

"......"

"You don’t have legs."

"...But I do have them..."

Children really are curious about everything.

"I can explain that part."

"Oh, sister."

"Taking care of children isn’t easy, huh?"

"I can't say it’s not."

The current Iser was no longer the "Eunha" Chai Sol remembered. Despite her now obvious adult form, Iser’s overly familiar behavior was quite disorienting.

She was treating him gently, yet the situation was still one of kidnapping. But Chai Sol wasn’t frightened; he had a strong belief that his brother and sister would come to find him.

Even though he knew this was a kidnapping, he felt like he was at an amusement park, excited instead of scared.

"By the way..."

Iser’s words seemed to catch Aria’s attention too.

"It seems you’re not afraid of mermaids, are you?"

"...? Should I be?"

"Humans from Earth tremble in fear when they meet a mermaid in person."

After the 'Great Disaster' event on Earth, mermaids had been spotted dozens, if not hundreds of times. Naturally, since they were also monsters that attacked humans, most Earthlings feared them.

"And yet, you've been kidnapped by us."

"Ah... I know."

"Then, could you tell me why you're still smiling like this?"

"Well, you didn't hit me, did you...?"

"Oh."

Aria tilted her head.

"You could hit me, though?"

"...Are you going to hit me? Then I'll run away."

"Oh, how unfortunate. It’s a bit late to run away now, though."

"You’re not going to hit me, right?"

"There’s nothing more foolish than abusing a precious hostage. But even if we don't harm you, how could you believe us?"

"Isn’t it up to you to decide whether you will or not...?"

"......"

For a moment, Aria was lost for words, then turned to her younger brother.

"A tough opponent."

"A tough one, indeed."

"Seems like someone Gio would like."

"I think he just feels protective because it’s a child."

"Could be, since he’s someone who cared for something small and weak."

Aria raised her head.

"Here they come."

The sound of the sea stirring could be heard.

"......"

"To have such a good reaction, even though Gio cares for children, this is pretty quick."

"...It probably means they were getting ready as well."

"At least we weren’t the only ones preparing. Whatever the result, it won’t be unfair."

"Since we were not the only ones paying attention."

Suddenly, Iser thought it had been a long time since the word "heart" had come from her sister’s mouth. With a smile on her lips, Iser looked at her sister, then extended her hand to Chai Sol.

She was no mermaid afraid of extending her hand to a human. With Giovanni as her teacher, she could easily be an ideal priestess.

"Shall we go, Priest Chai Sol?"

"We're not priests yet..."

"I am."

Just disgusted by it.

"Is your hand cold?"

"It’s really cold... can I put a hot pack on it?"

"...No. It’ll dry my skin."

"Then, won't you get frostbite?"

"Mermaids, whose body temperature is lower than humans', don’t get that."

After a brief moment, they were ready to meet Gio.

And they didn’t intend to fight.

"......"

"Another nightmare?"

"I’m not having any."

That would be preferable.

"Nice to meet you!"

Gio had died, but even in death, he was Gio.

"Are there any mermaid friends blessed by the ocean here?"

"My goodness, who do we have here."

As Aria gracefully walked down the temple entrance stairs, a gorgeous mermaid dress waved like the sea.

"The uninvited new Sun God, Mr. Black Cloak, I presume?"

"Black Cloak? Now it’s Sergio. Be careful not to make that mistake later."

"Alright, Gio."

"Actually, it’s Giovanni."

"...Could be."

Aria responded with a smile, then looked around at the humans with bewildered expressions.

"Looks like a bunch of humans rushed in to save the child."

"...Are you Eunha’s family, Miss Mermaid?"

"That’s right. I’m Iser’s older sister, Aria, the true owner of this dungeon."

"Oh..."

Yoo Seong-Woon looked at Gio.

"Seems like we should suggest raising the dungeon’s level once we return."

"Why? I think it’s already quite high..."

"There are two dungeon owners now. This doesn’t happen often."

While still maintaining a smile, Yoo Seong-Woon sighed deeply and looked back at Aria.

"Since the true dungeon owner came out so calmly, does that mean you have no intention of fighting us? Is it safe to assume that?"

"I’m glad we can communicate well."

Aria smiled slightly. She was a monster who knew how to play the polite game.

"I apologize for bringing my younger brother without permission, Hunter Chara."

"Ah..."

"I only used you as a tool to call them, so don’t worry about any injuries. Go check on my brother."

"Uh, uh... um..."

"You seem scared to go alone, weak Hunter. How about the other two accompany you? That’s the polite thing to do for a lady."

Yoo Seong-Woon shrugged.

"I’m not a gentleman, though."

What he had to do was take care of the origin and supervise the gallery’s artworks. Yoo Seong-Woon glanced at Kang Seo-Dam and Chara.

"I’ll stay with Gio, so Priest and Hunter Chara, you should secure Chai Sol first. Since Iser isn’t visible, she’s likely with him."

"The chance of combat is low."

"Chai Sol was probably bait to draw Gio in. The situation isn’t emotionally tense, so I believe Chai Sol is truly unharmed. How about we move before we provoke the mermaids?"

"That makes sense."

Kang Seo-Dam led the extremely nervous Chara into the temple. Once they were out of sight, Aria looked at Gio.

"......"

Her blood-red lips opened heavily.

"She looks so much like him."

"Don’t you think it’s him?"

"Mr. Sergio, what do you think?"

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"Actually, it might not be."

"That’s why I feel like the Gio I know is the one."

Aria narrowed her eyes.

"That person always kept the possibility open."

"Was he?"

"He even kept it open for his death."

"I feel ashamed."

"......"

Aria, who had been looking down at Gio and Yoo Seong-Woon from the stairs, turned her body.

"Come on in, gentlemen."

"......"

"Enjoy the mermaid’s invitation."

Yoo Seong-Woon muttered softly.

"...If it weren’t for being with you, Gio, I’d think this was the beginning of a battle."

Aria’s voice was strange and chilling, even though she was smiling softly.

It was because her hatred and contempt for humans were so clearly present.

Aria led Gio and Yoo Seong-Woon to the banquet hall.

"Wow, a seafood party."

Yoo Seong-Woon was speechless.

"Is this okay for a mermaid?"

"Humans are so narrow-minded. Just because they're from land, doesn’t mean they don’t eat fish."

"I get it, but imagine the mood of humans being served a seafood banquet by a mermaid from the deep sea... It’s terrifying. There's no meat on this table, and now I can’t help but think about what kind of message that sends."

"Well, we’re not serving humans on the table, so what’s the problem?"

"It’s still scary..."

Aria's tone had changed to something much more comfortable.

‘Maybe it’s because it feels like home here... or maybe...’

Yoo Seong-Woon glanced at Gio.

‘...Is it just that he feels comfortable having a meal with this guy?’

It could be both.

Gio, however, wasn’t paying attention to their conversation and found his seat. It seemed like he was quite used to it. Yoo Seong-Woon, on the other hand, felt like the banquet hall was too luxurious for a temple.

"This place sure has a lot of stuff for a temple."

"This Sun Cult doesn’t value simplicity."

"Uh... huh?"

Yoo Seong-Woon looked at Gio again.

"Do you also know where this place is?"

"It’s the place where I was trained, so I have to know."

"Trained...?"

"As a priest, I learned many things. It was like a training school for young priests."

"I see."

It seemed that no matter the world, the way priests were raised was similar.

Noticing Aria watching him silently as he processed the explanation, Yoo Seong-Woon swallowed a sigh and sat next to Gio. Aria naturally sat opposite him, not at the seat of honor.

"...? Aren’t you the master here? Why aren’t you sitting in the seat of honor?"

"The master of that seat wasn’t me, but the Pope."

Aria’s eyes widened.

"I ate him."

Gio blinked in surprise and looked at Aria.

"Didn’t get a stomach ache, did you?"

"No... Wait, is that really important right now?"

"That man was packed with saturated fat..."

"Is that really important?"

It seemed like saying "A monster ate a person" left nothing else to say. Aria seemed to think the same.

"You don’t seem very remorseful."

"I went through a lot because of that guy, so why would I speak kindly?"

"With that noble face, you were pretty sharp-tongued."

Her lips, smiling mischievously, made her blue hair sway.

"I guess you are my teacher after all."

"It could be, or maybe not."

"Would you like me to tell you, then?"

Aria smiled.

"Teacher."

"......"

"Mermaid’s human teacher. The embodiment of a saint, Giovanni the Priest. Savior and betrayer of humanity."

"You've made it sound pretty grand without me even knowing."

Gio smiled back at her.

Yoo Seong-Woon suddenly realized how similar the smiles of Giovanni, Aria, and Iser were. They were all smiling, but there was a heaviness rather than joy...

As they spoke, Gio continued.

"So, what will you call me, Aria?"

"Anything’s fine."

Snap

When Aria snapped her fingers, the temple was filled with seawater.

"......"

He could still breathe fine.

"Welcome back to your sea."

Her hair, resembling the deep sea, scattered like coral.

Aria’s dress, like a slow wave, moved like fins. Her pearlescent eyes gleamed, and the tiara atop her head shone mysteriously.

The seafood on the banquet table, now submerged in seawater, raised their dead heads and opened their mouths, welcoming both guests and invaders alike.

"...Yeah, that’s right..."

The sea god was present in that room.

"......"

"Gio."

Eyes that could never be human held the saint, the most human-like of them all.

"Let’s talk."

"Sounds good."

"If I don’t like it, I’ll eat all the humans."

For thousands of years, the mermaid princess had been enraged.

"Even you."

Only toward ‘humans’.

The painter who paints dungeons.