The Artist Who Paints Dungeon

Chapter 140

Hunters with high recognition almost always had a manager.

Yu Seong-un said.

“Well, you can think of it as a kind of secretary.”

“Would someone like me, who doesn't even go outside much, need such a secretary?”

“Of course, secretaries do organize busy schedules, but….”

There were other duties as well.

“The most important job is to manage a specific person's inside and outside, isn't it?”

In particular, Korean Hunters, who had a strong image of being celebrities, often hired managers.

“Korea has a very strong aspiration for Hunters, and because of that, the image consumption of Hunters is very active. How that hunter is perceived by the public is one of the important parts.”

“Isn't being a Hunter simply a job of catching monsters or criminals?”

“You can think of it as somewhere between a soldier and a celebrity. Even so, most Hunters are not government-affiliated, but if you only consider the characteristics of the two occupations, they are somewhat similar.”

Yu Seong-un, who had moved to the parking lot, offered Jio a ride.

“Take any seat you're comfortable in, I'll drive.”

“Then may I sit in the passenger seat?”

“Of course. It'll be easier to talk.”

After getting in the car, Yu Seong-un continued the topic.

“So the reason I'm suggesting you get a manager is….”

Vroom.

The engine started with the sound of a bead rolling.

“You don't really know how the world works right now, do you?”

“You are correct.”

“If you're going to make use of the identity 'Hunter Seo Jio,' it would be better to have a helper by your side.”

“A helper.”

“Like a guide who tells you how to act as a Hunter.”

In fact, many Hunters hired managers in that context.

“A Hunter's work is very diverse depending on their specialty, but a fundamental part to be careful about is what kind of image you will present to the public.”

“I would like to hear your situation as an example, Mr. Yu Seong-un.”

“I'm the type who decided not to engage in image consumption in the first place. I have a stronger sense of self as a Gardener than a Hunter, and above all, I've worked as a research team leader at the Association… so it's ambiguous for me to step forward as a public figure.”

“Is it because of the risk of important information leaking?”

“There's that, and I also don't have the spare capacity to manage my image. If I have time to stand before the public and give them hope and smiles, isn't it more rational to secure even a little more time to sleep….”

Yu Seong-un was a competent Hunter, a veteran Gardener, once a research team leader at the Association, and now both a collection item of Bisabeol and a curator at The Collectors.

To take care of his image on top of all that, even five bodies would not be enough.

Yu Seong-un’s eyes, as he drove the car smoothly, looked fine, but for some reason, they looked gaunt.

“I need rest too, you know.”

“Oh dear, if you need a sweet snack, please tell me anytime.”

“Rather than a snack… invite me one more time next time.”

“My friend, Mr. Yu Seong-un, you are welcome to visit anytime.”

“Thank you, I feel like I could get a really good sleep there.”

There was the minor drawback of facing a slight threat of race change, but didn't the examples of Cha Ara and Ju-hyeon make it perfectly clear?

Jio's cabin was optimized for humans to rest and recover.

‘Although that’s probably limited to humans that Jio likes.’

Yu Seong-un soon laughed it off casually.

“Anyway, I'm the type who doesn't want to manage an image because I'm so busy. Besides me, there are plenty of underground-type unofficial hunters who don't want to appear before the public for various reasons. There are especially many of them at The Collectors, which takes the form of a business company.”

“Can’t I also remain as such an unofficial hunter?”

“I'm also an A-Class Hunter like you and have various activity records, but I worked with a confidentiality clause from the beginning. But it'll be difficult for you since you already have some recognition. For some reason, there are many people who remember you.”

“I’m not confident I can maintain the job of a celebrity well. I’ll hit rock bottom with a personality controversy.”

“That… I understand what you mean. If it's too burdensome, it’s fine to avoid showing your face as much as possible. People might think it's a mystery strategy, but if you stay hidden like this, you'll be forgotten someday.”

Awakeners continued to appear, and among them, even more people became Hunters.

In a situation where the number of Hunters who wanted public recognition was increasing exponentially, if he just stayed quiet, he would be forgotten someday.

“But if you're going to continue your activities as Hunter Seo Jio, it will be difficult to completely avoid people's eyes.”

“Isn't it not a problem as long as I don't make an official appearance?”

“People have a bad instinct to dig deeper the more their curiosity is stimulated.”

“Am I a being that stimulates the public's curiosity?”

“You seem to have plenty of star quality, but you don't appear in the media or make any appearances.”

How should I put it?

“A kind of… hidden picture puzzle? It becomes something like that.”

He used the metaphor of a ‘hidden picture puzzle’ because Jio was a portrait, but it wasn’t particularly wrong.

“And that’s also similar to the known characteristics of ‘The Black Cape’.”

“You mean there’s a possibility that people will realize I and The Black Cape are the same person.”

“So before people who would bother to investigate your identity appear, it's a good method to show the image you want to reveal.”

A handsome A-Class Hunter with strong star quality who never shows his face to the public.

It hadn't become a commotion yet because the number of people who remembered him was small, but the few who did were still searching for the whereabouts of ‘Hunter Seo Jio’.

“It'll be quite troublesome if more people like that appear. Paparazzi will start following you too.”

“Even if I’m not officially active?”

“If something like the ‘Temple of the Deep Sea’ incident happens again, are you just going to stay hidden?”

“Hmm, I will help people quietly from behind the scenes.”

“If you act like that, people can’t help but keep remembering you.”

Hunters who quietly performed good deeds and bestowed mercy without revealing themselves to the public were especially popular.

“To be honest, ‘Hunter Seo Jio’ has too many elements that people would like.”

It was hard to be easily forgotten.

“So what I’m saying is that it would be good to strike first before idiots who want to find out the unnecessary truth appear. If you first reveal ‘Hunter Seo Jio’s’ personal information and image, people whose curiosity has been satisfied won’t bother to investigate your identity. It would be best to completely separate the images of ‘Hunter Seo Jio’ and ‘The Black Cape’ that way.”

“Will there be people who investigate me even after their questions have been answered?”

“There are guys like that everywhere, even I have them. In my case, since I have a history of being with the Association, information control is very good, but still. So you, who are not managed by the government and the Association, will seem to have much more room to be dug into.”

Yu Seong-un smiled with his easygoing smile.

“Well, this is all just a story for when you want to continue using the identity ‘Hunter Seo Jio’….”

“I haven’t fully understood my role yet, but I am satisfied with my current identity.”

“In that case, it would be good to do some image management. Even monsters living in the mountains come down to private houses when there's nothing to eat.”

“A monster?”

“Yes, if they're hungry and there's nothing to fill them up, it's natural to bother innocent people. I was telling you to throw them some bait.”

“In that case, I will make an effort for minimal image management.”

The blond Jio asked with a gentle smile.

“Will I be hiring a manager too?”

“We’ll work hard on that part… and think about it.”

Yu Seong-un smiled awkwardly.

“You can also recommend a person you like first.”

He said various things, but in the end, the most important thing was that the ‘Jio’s Portrait’ was not displeased.

Yu Seong-un hoped that this gentlemanly Source would not come to hate humans, not even in the slightest.

“It's not an urgent matter, so you can think about it slowly.”

“I see.”

“And to explain further….”

“I am listening attentively.”

“What a manager does isn't just image management.”

“As you mentioned earlier, they act as a guide.”

“Right, a guide. And a helper.”

Yu Seong-un nodded.

“Unless they learned from their Hunter parents, most Hunters are also flustered at first. They want to become famous, they want to appear in the media, but they don't know how.”

“I understand.”

“What kind of work they should do as a Hunter. Where and what activities to do to increase their recognition. Where are the places to build friendships with other Hunters, and so on… they also help with a Hunter's social life.”

“That certainly seems necessary for me.”

Jio made a face as if he were greatly impressed.

“I'm worried about how to live not just as a Hunter, but as a citizen of the Republic of Korea.”

“Well, there's a limit to what I can keep telling you from the side….”

Yu Seong-un gave a resigned smile.

“I'm sorry for being a busy person.”

“No, I rather think it’s admirable.”

“That’s really… a thankful thing to say.”

It was also a burdensome thing to say.

‘He says respect, but it's probably closer to expectation, and even that is burdensome.’

Yu Seong-un cleared his throat and continued.

“You often have difficulty using modern civilization, don't you?”

“You are correct, Mr. Yu Seong-un.”

“It would be good to find a manager who can help in that aspect as well.”

Jio would suddenly try to make payments with goods in kind like jewels, appear in public places barefoot, and have many questions because he didn't understand human culture.

“Of course, there aren't any major problems right now, but wouldn't it be good for you to learn a few things?”

“That’s right. I was contemplating whether I should enroll in a school and learn the knowledge necessary for daily life.”

“School? Hmm, I see. But it would be conspicuous for you to enroll in school at your age….”

Jio probably had that thought from the perspective that ‘school is a place where humans learn the wisdom related to daily and social life.’

Even so, there was no way he could enroll Jio in a school.

“Then it would be good for the person who will be your manager to be a quite multi-talented person.”

“It would be even better if it’s a person who isn't afraid of me even after knowing I am The Black Cape.”

“…A person who isn't afraid of you, right, I'll try my best to find one.”

Ah, Yu Seong-un let out a gasp and asked.

“Have you ever had contact with other gods before?”

“I interact with my father often.”

“That… not the former god, but a completely separate god.”

“I have not.”

Jio laughed as if he had heard an amusing joke.

“How could an ordinary person like me interact with a god often.”

“……”

Yu Seong-un smiled with his lips pressed together.

“I see.”

“Please call me an ordinary person.”

“Our Jio is very ordinary.”

There was nothing he wouldn't do if the Source asked him to.

“Didn't you exchange gazes with the Light of Fairness at the Solar Cult last time?”

“If you mean the Light of Fairness, you must be referring to the goddess of the Solar Cult. I have not met her again since then.”

“Then this is the first meeting as a god to a god.”

“You are correct, Mr. Yu Seong-un.”

“Hmm….”

Yu Seong-un, who let out a small groan, asked.

“Do you think there will be an accident?”

“I think I’m past the age of being a prankster.”

“As Argio?”

“I don’t know for sure as I’m not fully synchronized, but rather, it’s safe because of that.”

“Because the initiative is not with that side?”

“That form is also me, so it’s ambiguous to call it initiative.”

“Is that so? Anyway, it’s fine as long as you have no intention to fight.”

Yu Seong-un also knew the mechanism of how ‘Jio’s Portrait’ served as the eye of the Source.

Argio, who introduced himself as an evil god, was merely ‘Jio’ and not ‘Jio’s Portrait’.

‘Since Jio said he won’t cause trouble, he must be right.’

Still, just in case, Yu Seong-un opened his mouth.

“The God of Death you will be meeting is a traditional evil god.”

“A traditional evil god?”

“A god that has a negative influence on humans despite being born within the providence.”

He was a native god of Earth.

“He is also a twin god with the God of Birth, and perhaps because he has existed on Earth for a very long time, he is very gentle and speaks little. He is not a god who actively influences humans.”

“He might not even react to my visit.”

“That could happen, or he might give you a glance like the Sun Goddess last time. But since the God of Death is one of the few gods with an incarnation on Earth, there’s a high chance of communication.”

“What is an incarnation?”

“It's like a doll created for formless beings like divinities to visit the human world. It might be a slightly different case, but it would be similar to… the teddy bear your father is in.”

“Aha.”

Jio nodded with a smile.

“I understand.”

“Then that’s a relief.”

It was quite a surprise for Yu Seong-un to be able to compare a teddy bear and an incarnation.

“The Temple of Death is just a short way past the tollgate.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

“It’s not that popular since it’s the temple of an evil god, but…?”

Around that time they were talking in low voices like that.

Death opened its eyes.

***

“……”

Death looked at its daughter.

“My… daughter….”

“Oh, Death, for what reason have you opened your eyes?”

“…A cruel… divinity….”

“If you mean a cruel divinity, are you referring to an evil god?”

“…Wants… an… invitation….”

“There was one request for a visit permit.”

The woman bowed her head deeply.

“What shall I do?”

“…Guide… them….”

Death whispered from within the veil.

“I will see.”

Is it a sinner, providence, or a hero?

Or if not, what could it be….