Three Landscapes

Meanwhile, Ji-oh was sunk in a thoroughly idle kind of worry. A truly idle worry.

"……."

Ever since coming to this world, he had never once painted a landscape.

Well… never once might be overstating it.

Thinking back, he had made a lake for Honey and the other water birds of its kind, but that was about it. Strictly speaking, that had only been adding one more accessory to this world—not a proper landscape painting.

Which raised a question.

"Fruit, buildings, animals…."

He could draw them all.

"So what about landscapes?"

What would become of a world he painted?

"……."

Still holding that question, Ji-oh began to paint.

For starters, about three.

"What is this."

"……."

Ji-oh felt it.

A premonition of fun.

Fresh content, dropping at the ghost-perfect moment right after he finished his farm work.

Pulling an all-nighter is an artist's companion and a sacred act that symbolizes a free spirit. Having painted through the night, Ji-oh completed a total of three landscape paintings.

"Hmm."

Three notifications. He more or less had the idea. He felt as cheerful as someone who'd received a Christmas present that had somehow arrived on Chuseok by mistake.

"A good adult always gets repaid eventually."

"Kkuung?"

"Where in the world is there anyone as good as Dad, hmm?"

"Kkurrr…."

"The trust in a father-son relationship is this absurdly lopsided. A lamentable state of affairs."

With a solemn face, Ji-oh expertly spouted nonsense while checking the System's notifications.

"……."

And then he asked,

"Where's the help menu."

Right. He couldn't make sense of it.

I can tell it's connected to the three paintings I finished yesterday.

First he had painted a seascape, second a wasteland, and last a cityscape with no one in it.

Breathing Sea, Kingdom of Animals, Empty City… I never gave them those names.

The System had probably stuck them on by itself.

"So the System figured out my naming sense and snuck off with the chance to title the works…. But even so, what does 'matching dimension exists' mean."

Taken literally, it sounded as if a real dimension matching the landscape he had painted actually existed.

"The ability to discover an entire dimension—what would that even look like for a human."

Of course, for the new Ji-oh who had evolved into a haunted portrait, it was something that could very well happen. Once a human had evolved into a painting, any standards of humanity could be left parked next to Andromeda for a while.

"Tada."

Having finished a stunning piece of rationalization, Ji-oh resumed his deductions that would have put Sherlock Holmes to shame.

"It said entry is possible… so among the paintings I drew, there are dimensions that actually exist, and I can go into them myself."

He hadn't expected an update of this scale. Human life hadn't exactly come with administrators this diligent, but this was a very encouraging change.

"Nice."

A breezy Gangwon-do soul that never took the same road as everyone else. Without ever having planned it, Ji-oh affirmed and cheered on his own unconventional challenge, already underway.

"But there's still something I don't get…."

He simply could not understand the words suitable candidate and synchronization.

"……."

"……."

"Suitable for what, and synchronizing with what."

"Kkung?"

Cute—but not to be fooled. That wasn't a "right?" so much as a "how would I know?"

"Yeah."

Ji-oh nodded.

That impure look in its eyes suggested puberty was arriving, but the fact that it still answered Dad's every word proved what a diligent son Honey was.

There might be bad paint in the world, but there was no such thing as a bad painting. Honey was living proof.

What a good kid.

While checking the system window, Ji-oh soon discovered a new list.

Anyone could see that was the answer.

"Let's have a look."

What is this.

"……."

"So it does have a conscience."

"And if I still don't get it after this, what then? I'm curious how it would even react."

But he understood.

"So if a suitable candidate exists in a real dimension, I can walk around in that person's body…."

This house runs a tight ship. He had no idea what the suitable candidate themselves might think, but from a user's standpoint it was an extremely considerate structure.

"I wouldn't know that dimension's culture, and more importantly there might be bacteria that don't suit this body of mine. Even if I can breathe air on Earth, somewhere else people might breathe something like nitrogen."

In that sense, accepting a suitable candidate's help would be the convenient choice.

"And the criteria for finding that candidate would be that the other party is a 'Ji-oh'…."

Looking at the names on the list, he more or less got the picture.

"These people were probably called 'Ji-oh' too."

Anyway, was having "Ji-oh" in the name enough?

"…No. If that were all, they wouldn't have bothered using a term like 'suitable candidate.' There must be other conditions—important enough that they even made a list to manage them."

They had probably checked for synchronization rate with Ji-oh himself, or potential for adaptation.

"Interesting."

He liked it a lot.

"Looks like I'll never be bored for the rest of my life."

The volume of updated data was so enormous he wasn't sure he could even finish enjoying it in one lifetime.

"An update at the scale of entire dimensions."

Truly astonishing.

"……."

But even after this long explanation and analysis, one step still remained.

"What's the Empty City?"

"Did I create a new dimension?"

That was properly insane talk.

"I can hear the sound of my life getting glamorous from all the way over here."

Very good.

Ji-oh was never one to think deeply. This time was no different.

Of course, if world peace, friendship, and love were on the line, he would have fretted over it with the pure heart of an unspoiled mountain village youth—but this simply didn't stir much motivation.

Ji-oh had the palate of an elementary schooler who looked like he'd only drink espresso every morning and then spit out the bitter and swallow the sweet.

"Hmm."

His ultimate positive mindset refused to be cowed by something as minor as creating a dimension.

"It's not like some random nuclear power plant on Earth is going to explode one second after I create a new dimension."

Then it was fine.

"Honey, you agree?"

"Kkururuk!"

"Then it really is fine."

With the family's consent secured, there was nothing left to hesitate over.

Even if it was a scale he'd never experienced in his lifetime, such trivial information could not stop the growth of a deeply rooted tree named Ji-oh. Ji-oh was a haunted portrait with convictions.

"Life is incredible."

As you live, new content is always springing up.

"If I don't enjoy this content right now, I'm not human."

"……."

"I don't know which part of that made you go quiet, but Honey—believe in your dad."

Ji-oh was confident.

Very confident he would enjoy it.

"Life is a hurricane."

Having freely run his tongue, Ji-oh selected the suitable candidate Giovanni from the list. It was a name often used in Italy on Earth, so it felt oddly familiar.

And then Ji-oh….

—Pyeong.

"……."

Pyeong?

He had been left alone in some operating room.

"……."

Honey, who ought to have been on his shoulder, was gone too. Sadness rolled in.

Lonely.

What kind of situation even was this.

Dropped by the System's mischief into an operating room that looked like something out of eighteenth-century Europe, Ji-oh muttered inwardly.

I was marveling at the System's god-tier operations and vast content not even yesterday—not even thirty minutes ago—so what is this indifferent delivery service supposed to be.

He took emotional damage from the System's inconsiderate conduct. It should have kindly informed him that travel would proceed only after asking Ji-oh's opinion one more time.

While fretting over where exactly one would file a claim with Customer Satisfaction in a case like this, Ji-oh noticed someone standing in front of him and stopped wallowing.

"……."

"…Ah."

At the sudden presence, Ji-oh briefly went shy. Whoever this was, their stealth skills put certain 007 seniors to shame.

"……."

"……."

"……."

"…Hello?"

In the moment Ji-oh was sinking into the ridiculous thought of one hundred and one Dalmatians making a killer self-introduction, the first to speak was a man in his early thirties who seemed to be the master of the operating room.

"A pleasure to meet you. I am Giovanni of the Bartlan family."

"…I'm Ji-oh."

"Yes, I know. You may call me Ji-oh as well, Teacher."

The kind, trustworthy smile suited him extraordinarily well, and he resembled Ji-oh to a startling degree. If Ji-oh were a Westerner and a little older, this was almost exactly the face he would have.

And Ji-oh bravely did not hold back his question.

"You look a great deal like me."

"I imagine we are similar in many ways."

"I can't smile as kindly as you do. I'm so clumsy at smiling that I've been misunderstood a lot."

"What a cute and honest worry—just like the students I used to teach. It's all right. From now on, you'll be able to smile like me."

Having said something freighted with meaning, "Giovanni" soon laughed with a touch of embarrassment. He was an adult who seemed far more openhearted than Ji-oh.

"Teacher Seo Ji-oh, you seem a very direct and warm person."

"I think the same of you, Mr. Giovanni. From the praise you've given me at our first meeting, I can feel that the way you think itself is kind."

"Affirming the light another person carries is only what a priest of the sun ought to do. There's nothing especially kind about it."

"…Priest…."

Priest?

"…This place looks like a hospital. Are you not a doctor?"

"I am a doctor as well. Being a priest of the sun does not mean one must only recite scripture inside a temple. There are many priests who, like me, work out in the world."

Having said that, "Giovanni" soon let out a sigh.

"No… there were many."

"I see."

"My world was covered by the sea and perished."

Ah, all of a sudden?

"Isn't the fact that Mr. Giovanni's homeland was destroyed a rather deep story for me to hear at our first meeting…."

"Please listen."

"Yes. I'm listening carefully."

"What remains of that world now would be only the merfolk hidden beneath the sea. Our planet shrank and was regularized like a game board."

"Like a game board?"

"I believe it became what you would call… dungeonization."

"You know about dungeons?"

"It was a concept that originally didn't exist in our world, so I didn't know of it until I died."

From the way he spoke, "Giovanni" was probably already dead.

"But Teacher Seo Ji-oh—the moment you called me, I came to know."

"……."

"We are the same 'Ji-oh.'"

He spoke still wearing that benevolent smile.

"But we are by no means the same person."

"May I regard you as myself from a parallel world?"

"No. Not even that. We are completely separate humans who, by miracle, simply happen to share a great many common points."

"……."

"Similar faces, similar voices, similar handiwork… and yet our souls are never the same color."

After a moment's thought, Ji-oh asked,

"Do you like painting? Since you've gone this far, I'm curious whether your tastes really are similar to mine."

"It's one of my secret hobbies. I loved painting seas that resembled merfolk."

"Seas that resembled merfolk…."

Even the taste for painting was the same. That alone was enough for Ji-oh to acknowledge that they were the same "Ji-oh."

"I'd like to see them."

"You will, soon."

A voice full of gentle certainty. In that mild tone that would not easily break, Ji-oh found a question.

"I understand that I will be taking your soul and body. Are you not afraid of me, or resentful? I'm stripping you of everything just so I can indulge in a new dimension."

"This is not theft. I am already dead, my soul has returned to the sun's side, and my flesh has turned to earth and been buried in the ground… well. It didn't become earth, and it wasn't buried in the ground either. By now even that ground will have been submerged in seawater, of course."

"Isn't this the same black joke as old people saying they'll die soon so there's no need to buy them anything expensive? You may be fine with it, but I'm not. You seem to have forgotten that this is our first meeting."

"Hahaha…."

It hadn't been funny in the slightest, but "Giovanni" laughed as if he had truly told a great joke, then continued.

"My soul will become one with Teacher Ji-oh's. A kind of resurrection, or reincarnation, if you will. I will seep into you, spend more time, build memories, and live on within the Source."

"…The Source?"

"It will still be an unfamiliar concept to you."

He smiled gently.

"But you are already living there."

"You're saying the place I stay is the Source? I've heard of it recently from a new acquaintance."

"Even that name was probably given by Earthlings. What name it truly bears, what rules and form it holds—no one can know. As a humble soul, I can only answer the call and respond to you."

Then "Giovanni" opened his mouth as if apologetic.

"If possible, please look after the Sun God. To be precise—the Sun God of the world I came from."

"I can't believe a request to look after a god is coming from a mere humble soul. Another very funny joke. Though it isn't actually very funny."

"I thought the same while I lived. But unless it is the Source itself, even a god is forgotten when there are no more believers. That does not mean the Sun will vanish—but as His son, I can't help but worry."

"How am I supposed to look after a god? I'm only an ordinary human."

"Remember Him, speak with Him now and then, or borrow His power. On the honor of my soul as a priest shaped by sunlight, I swear it will not be so great a burden for you."

Ji-oh nodded.

He said "god," but summarizing it, it feels like visiting elderly people who live alone.

As an art teacher, Ji-oh had often gone out for volunteer work since his university days. Among those he met were quite a few elderly people aging alone with heartbreaking stories.

Seen that way, Ji-oh was experienced. He had shrunk at the word "god," but now recovered his confidence.

"I'm good at that."

"Haha. That's a relief. I'll leave it to you."

"Is there anything else you want?"

"Is the request to look after a god not already burdensome enough?"

"It was burdensome a moment ago. It isn't now."

In a deep mountain village in Gangwon-do that was a hyper-hyper-hyper-aged society, Ji-oh had been the only child. At the very least, he was confident in playing cute for the elders.

Sensing that confidence, "Giovanni" hesitated, then opened his mouth.

"…Aria…."

"Aria?"

"The name of my student."

"……."

"I've talked far too long."

Still soft, but somewhere threaded with sorrow.

"Please give her an ending."

In that instant—

"…Ah…."

Ji-oh returned to the bed in his cabin.

"……."

"……."

"Kkurrr…."

"…Yeah…."

"It's okay."

"Dad's okay."

"Really…."

"I'm fine."

"……."

"There's nothing wrong."

It was a strange feeling.

At the cold climbing his whole body and the pain that cleaved bone—and at a grief beyond either—Giovanni wept without knowing why.

He remembered nothing.

"……."

"……."

And so he cried until the moon set and new sunlight poured in….

"…I don't regret it."

With swollen eyes, he smiled.

I was happy.

(To be continued)