The Portrait's Rules

After hearing the whole story, Yu Seong-un felt his insides twist into knots.

"……."

No—his stomach simply burned.

…I never imagined a being of the Source would actually allow a human inside. Has anything like this ever happened before?

No matter how gentlemanly Ji-oh behaved, he was still a creature born of the Source. The closest classification they could manage was something like a Child of the Source, but at this point that hardly mattered.

The real problem was what Cha Ah-ra claimed to have seen….

"…A cabin in the woods, you said?"

Because that sounded exactly like a Garden—a manifestation of the Source. It was the nearest parallel they had.

…That isn't a place just anyone can visit. Anyone without the proper qualifications would die the moment they stepped inside. It isn't even a normal dungeon to begin with.

At Yu Seong-un's question, Hunter Cha Ah-ra fidgeted with her fingers. Then, looking thoroughly defensive, she gave a short nod.

From what Yu Seong-un could tell, she was prickly and sharp-tempered by nature—yet she seemed even more withdrawn than that, which told him volumes about how she had been treated until now.

"Yes. I never went outside the house, but… that was what it felt like."

"I see."

Yu Seong-un rubbed the back of his neck.

What a headache.

According to her, the very air inside had shifted to match Ji-oh's mood. Cha Ah-ra herself clearly hadn't realized the implication, but among humanoid monsters, bosses that synchronized so completely with their dungeon were vanishingly rare.

At that level you have to treat the monster and the dungeon as a single body.

In other words, Cha Ah-ra had gone into Ji-oh's stomach and come back out again.

And not just any dungeon—a Garden. Does that even make sense?

As a Gardener who knew exactly how catastrophic it was for an unqualified person to enter a Garden, the story struck Yu Seong-un as both impossible and in thoroughly bad taste.

Even if Ji-oh gave permission, a Garden is not so merciful that a fragile F-class hunter could walk out alive after something that small.

If what she had seen truly was a Garden, then even if Ji-oh were some entirely new type of Gardener, he would never have been able to protect Cha Ah-ra. An ordinary Gardener simply did not possess that kind of authority.

It was the equivalent of a seaweed roll walking into a human mouth, refusing to be digested, and then punching a hole straight out through the sternum under its own power. Impossible. Which left Yu Seong-un struggling to define the situation at all.

"……."

Which meant Ji-oh was, in truth….

"…You must have been quite shaken by the sudden events. Thank you for answering so thoroughly."

Fortunately Bi Sa-beol only sat there beaming and did not interrupt, which made it easier for Yu Seong-un to keep control of the conversation. He decided to wrap things up and let the girl rest.

"We've been the only ones asking questions so far. If there's anything you're curious about, feel free to ask."

"…I can actually ask?"

"……."

Yes—she was definitely sharp, and more than a little wary. She seemed to be trying to read the room and act accordingly, but that did nothing to hide how high-strung she was. Whatever survival tactics she usually relied on, her personality itself was far from gentle.

And he managed to melt someone like that all the way down to the point of feeding her a meal.

With so many people terrified of Ji-oh, Yu Seong-un had never considered it before, but perhaps Ji-oh also possessed the ability to dismantle a person's defenses. He filed the speculation away in a corner of his mind and nodded slowly, trying to put her as much at ease as possible. She was, historically speaking, an invaluable witness; the least they could do was treat her with care.

"Of course you may."

It looked as though an explanation from their side would help, so he continued without pause.

"What Hunter Cha Ah-ra encountered is the work titled Ji-oh's Portrait."

"…A work? Not a monster…?"

"We are still determining its exact nature, so please bear with us. For the sake of understanding, however, it may be easiest to think of it as a humanoid monster."

"That actually makes it harder to understand…."

"Simply understand it as a monster whose hatred toward Earth is comparatively low."

In reality they regarded it as something of a far higher order, but there was no reason to share that with a hunter they had only just met. Her mouth did not seem especially loose, yet the world was full of variables.

"The work known as Ji-oh's Portrait possesses a self defined as 'Ji-oh.' It can move through its frame in the same manner you described seeing on that snowy dawn, and it can even step outside the painting to act freely."

"…So that's… why…."

"Because it maintains a remarkably friendly attitude toward humans, and because there is no practical way to prevent it from painting its way through frames, the Collector Guild has chosen to leave it alone—as a form of persuasion, if you will."

"What—no, wait, what?"

Cha Ah-ra gave a violent start.

"How can you just leave someone that dangerous alone…! Y-you called it a work, so that means it's stored in the Collector Guild's gallery, right? C-can't you just lock it up somehow?"

"……."

Yu Seong-un felt a flicker of curiosity.

…Did she just call it a person?

After feeling the oppressive presence of that black portrait, "person" was not a word that usually came easily. Strange.

Even while she talks about locking the 'work' away, she's clearly treating Ji-oh as an individual personality. That's definitely unique. Unless Cha Ah-ra herself is special, this must be one of Ji-oh's abilities.

Even as he thought it, Yu Seong-un kept his usual mild smile and answered.

"In Korea there are exactly two places equipped to store dangerous objects of the same class as Ji-oh's Portrait."

"…Ah, so there's somewhere besides the Collector Guild's gallery…?"

"It isn't widely known, but the Association's research facility is one. Its security is far more rigorous than our gallery."

"Then why didn't you send it there…."

"There was a strong opinion from the Guild Leader. Ownership of Ji-oh's Portrait belongs to Guild Leader Bi Sa-beol, who won it at auction."

In other words, the Guild Leader valued his ownership rights and the time he could spend appreciating the piece more than the possibility of people dying because of a dangerous work. Cha Ah-ra seemed to lose her words at the shameless answer.

Perhaps she had simply accepted the harsh reality of a world where one could not protest such things, and her own place within it. Watching her quiet down a little, Yu Seong-un continued.

"Because of that, our guild will provide compensation for the inconvenience Hunter Cha Ah-ra has suffered."

"…And then I'm supposed to keep my mouth shut?"

"We would be grateful if you would. Is there any particular compensation you desire?"

"……."

"If nothing comes to mind right away, feel free to ask any other questions in the remaining time. You must still be quite shaken by everything that happened."

After a hesitant glance around, Hunter Cha Ah-ra finally spoke.

"Th-that… person…? Anyway, that thing—it's not human, right?"

"As I said earlier, it is best to think of it as a humanoid monster capable of conversation. That does not mean it is truly a monster, but we can at least state with certainty that it is not human."

Bi Sa-beol cut in.

"You may also think of it as a god who enjoys amusement. We do not know its precise identity, but its stature is unlikely to be lower than the gods the priests serve."

"Guild Leader, spreading uncertain information to a hunter we have only just met strikes me as an extremely risky factor."

"But isn't that easier to understand? 'A humanoid monster that talks' doesn't exactly resonate with hunters. On the other hand, eccentric gods who amuse themselves are not unheard of."

At Bi Sa-beol's words Cha Ah-ra made a dubious face and muttered,

"He… cooks, though…?"

"……."

"Are there cooking gods… too…?"

At that uncertain murmur Bi Sa-beol silently cracked up, while Yu Seong-un barely suppressed a sigh.

So, Ji-oh—are you someone's grandmother?

Even if he likes plump humans, why does he get so frantic about feeding every person he meets?

It was not classified information, so Yu Seong-un simply nodded.

"…Yes. That is one of the habits displayed by Ji-oh's Portrait. Quite a few people in our guild have already received gifts from him. Cookies, chocolate, candy and the like…."

Yu Seong-un glanced at Bi Sa-beol; the man, still smiling, nodded permission. Yu Seong-un continued more freely.

"In my own case, as the one responsible for managing Ji-oh's Portrait, I have even received prepared dishes such as fruit tea and sausage. The tea he served you in the cabin was probably the same sort. I suspect the type of food changes according to the degree of goodwill he feels, the nature of the relationship, and his personal judgment."

"Ah… ahh…."

"However… a question has occurred to me."

Yu Seong-un asked Cha Ah-ra,

"Before you ate at the cabin, did you give Ji-oh anything at all?"

"…? No…? I-I'm a beggar… I don't have anything like that…."

"It does not have to be anything special. Even a pebble would do. Did you give Ji-oh anything? Or did it look as though Ji-oh felt some strong emotion toward you?"

"……."

Cha Ah-ra's face cycled through irritation and bewilderment, as if asking Why on earth is he asking me this?, before deciding the question was not mere harassment. She sank into thought.

A little time passed, but her answer remained the same.

"…I don't think so, no matter how hard I try… Not even emotions or anything…."

"Is that so? Ji-oh also made no remarks about considering you a friend?"

"He said he came looking for a friend back at the Vein of Gems, but, uh, um, no. He said I was too young and weak to be his friend."

"Ahh."

An odd standard.

…Considering an eighteen-year-old 'young' is certainly typical of Ji-oh's peculiar criteria, but so he decided that an eighteen-year-old and a twenty-nine-year-old couldn't be friends. Whether he was worried his own stature would crush her or simply aligning with ordinary human social views, I can't say….

Yu Seong-un nodded.

"It does seem certain that you received nothing."

"I-is that a problem?"

"As far as we have observed, such a case has never occurred."

One of Ji-oh's rules was one-to-one exchange.

"Whenever Ji-oh's Portrait interacts with humans, if it receives something it returns something; if it gives something it expects something in return. This holds even for non-material things. When Ji-oh believed he had startled someone, he always made a point of offering an apology gift."

"Ah, ahhh…!"

"……?"

"An apology gift!!"

As if she had suddenly remembered something, Cha Ah-ra rummaged through her clothes.

"Th-that…! The one I got on the snowy day, when I saw him then, the gift…!!"

"Please calm down and speak slowly."

"Grrrrrk…."

After a long exhale, Cha Ah-ra produced a pitch-black gem from her pocket.

"I-I received something like this. I found it when I was so startled I fell on my butt."

"……."

"I'd kind of forgotten about it, and I wasn't even sure whether Ji-oh… gave it to me, so I didn't mention it…."

"…May I examine it for a moment?"

"Ah, yes."

"Hmm…."

Wearing gloves, Yu Seong-un lifted the gem and studied it up close.

"……."

A crystalline structure that shimmered faintly, almost like liquid.

Yet the mineral itself was solid.

"…This was definitely given by Ji-oh."

"I-it was?"

"Yes. Only Ji-oh produces gems like this."

At least according to everything they had learned so far.

"If you have no objection, would you allow the Collector Guild to purchase this gem?"

"What? This?"

"Because its crystalline structure does not exist on Earth, putting it up for auction yourself would generate endless rumors. In the worst case, even Hunter Cha Ah-ra and her family could be harmed."

"Uh…."

"It would be best for us, the ones managing Ji-oh's Portrait, to keep it."

Yu Seong-un shrugged.

"I am not forcing you."

"You totally are… You're threatening me by bringing up my family…."

"I merely stated reality. The choice remains yours, Hunter Cha Ah-ra."

"Ugh…."

"I am not saying we must buy it this instant. Only if Hunter Cha Ah-ra will at least permit minimal protective measures."

"Protective measures? You mean surveillance?"

"We cannot simply leave an unidentified gift from Ji-oh's Portrait unattended."

"No…."

"As I said, we are not demanding anything right now. We also feel considerable reluctance about forcibly taking a gift given by Ji-oh's Portrait."

Snatching something from someone who had not yet grasped the situation was not the Collector Guild's style. Nor did they intend to behave like thugs toward a young hunter who looked inexperienced with both deals and auctions.

"Once you feel certain, simply contact us."

"…You're not taking it?"

"The crystalline structure is unique, so it may be of research interest, but the gem itself has no particular value."

The Collector Guild, though not on the Association's level, maintained a separate team capable of studying new works or fragments of works. Ji-oh's gems had already been declared "without special functions" by the man himself, and multiple experiments had confirmed their safety.

Still, we can't be completely at ease… but it is neither dangerous nor precious enough to justify roughing up a terrified young hunter to seize it.

Besides, Bi Sa-beol's policy was that if someone died from a work's goodwill, it counted as natural causes. As both his subordinate and a Gardener, Yu Seong-un had no reason to oppose that direction.

He continued explaining.

"Most gems are valuable simply because they are beautiful, and the Collector Guild frequently purchases gems that are nothing more than beautiful. That itself is not a problem."

"What exactly are you getting at…?"

"I mean that merely possessing the gem will cause no issues. If you hide it carefully so other hunters do not notice, no one will realize it is special unless they examine it up close. If you simply intend to keep it as a decorative piece, I actually recommend not selling it."

Of course, she might later have it stolen and suffer an incident, or be badly injured by some danger the Collector Guild had not yet identified—but in that case the guild would provide protective measures.

We also need to prevent the world from becoming excessively noisy over Ji-oh's existence.

To reassure her, Yu Seong-un produced a red gem of his own.

"I too once received a gem in return from Ji-oh's Portrait."

It was the one he had been given after drawing an apple for Ji-oh. Even without special treatment it remained clear and beautiful.

"We examined it as thoroughly as possible at the guild level. It is as harmless as any ordinary Earth gem, and it neither breaks nor scratches easily. Apart from being excessively hard, there is nothing wrong with it."

"Ah…."

"Personally I still recommend keeping it as decoration, but research on Ji-oh's Portrait is far from complete. We cannot know when or how the gem might cause harm, so if you ever wish to trade, simply contact us then."

At that Bi Sa-beol suddenly looked sulky. The reaction was truly shameless.

"So you're not selling it now…?"

"Please maintain some dignity, Guild Leader. This is not an auction house."

"I… I don't have any… I don't have Ji-oh's gems… I've never even spoken with him…."

"That is exactly why you need to fix that personality of yours."

How burdensome did someone have to be for even the kind-hearted Ji-oh to avoid conversation?

There's no way Bi Sa-beol suits a creature that prefers quiet. He's not a bad person, but you couldn't exactly call him a good one either…. Harmless to the work, yet thoroughly harmful as a fellow human.

With an outsider present, Yu Seong-un barely managed to hold back a sigh. No matter how free-spirited an image the Collector Guild cultivated, having a staff member openly criticize the Guild Leader would do no one any good.

"Moreover, whether it is even permissible for us to buy a gem received as a gift is something we must ask Ji-oh as well. Monsters are strict about their rules."

"…Th-that's true…."

"Setting that aside, there should be no problems for the time being, so I recommend keeping it as decoration. If it bothers you, you may sell it now."

He had no desire to watch Bi Sa-beol leap about in delight, nor did he want the gem passing into other hands and setting the academic world abuzz. As long as no unexpected incident occurred, personal ownership was not a bad option.

Of course, unofficial storage by the Collector Guild would still be the safest.

Cha Ah-ra was a rare hunter who had received Ji-oh's goodwill in abundance. She was the only person who had been treated not merely to cookies or fruit preserves, but to an entire meal Ji-oh himself had prepared.

Making an enemy of someone like that would be a waste. She is fundamentally wary of others… let's not give her reason to be offended.

As a Gardener he was also curious what effect Ji-oh's gem might have on an F-class hunter. Yu Seong-un spoke again.

"Even we at the Collector Guild still know very little about Ji-oh's Portrait. But since you have received Ji-oh's goodwill, Hunter Cha Ah-ra, you may well encounter Ji-oh's Portrait again someday."

"……."

"Therefore I will share a few points."

It would be troublesome if Hunter Cha Ah-ra somehow incurred the portrait's anger, after all.

"As I mentioned earlier, Ji-oh prefers one-to-one exchange. From your account, that rule seems to apply only when a frame stands between you. When you ate inside the painting you gave him nothing, yet nothing went wrong."

"Ah, yes, that's right. I really didn't…."

"If you happen to meet Ji-oh's Portrait again, conversation itself is fine. However, if you give him something or receive something, you should prepare yourself for a corresponding return."

"H-how? What kind of price do I have to pay?"

"We have confirmed that even ten fish-shaped buns are acceptable as payment."

"……."

Modest.

Cha Ah-ra made the same face one might wear upon hearing a panda speak. She seemed to think that, for a being of Ji-oh's stature, accepting something so ordinary was almost disappointingly plain—and on that point Yu Seong-un agreed completely.

"We have also confirmed that telling Ji-oh personal information such as your name is not a problem. Several staff members of our guild have exchanged names with the portrait, and no one-sided contract was formed."

"…That's a relief."

"And…."

Yu Seong-un barely held back a sigh as a wave of exhaustion rolled over him.

"……."

Whether the outcome was good or bad, a being of the Source showing goodwill toward humans was still mentally exhausting work.

He would probably never meet another existence like this while he lived.

"……."

"What… is this?"

"Rules personally compiled by our Guild Leader."

"And I'm actually allowed to look at them?"

"Well, maybe not, strictly speaking…."

Yu Seong-un was suffering under extreme fatigue.

"But the Guild Leader himself told me to show them, so it doesn't particularly matter."

"Does 'it doesn't matter' really cover this…. He just gave up, didn't he…. Is it okay for a major corporation to run this loosely? Between the work management and everything else, something feels off."

"These rules were prepared for distribution to our staff, so please take the wording with a grain of salt."

"R-right…."

After examining the rules, Cha Ah-ra tilted her head and asked,

"Um, about that—what are numbers 4 and 5? It totally looks like two different people wrote them. This isn't even a ghost story."

"Ah, those are the parts Ji-oh himself added after he saw the rules the Guild Leader had compiled…."

"You're letting a monster edit the rules himself? No—why did you leave them like that in the first place?"

"The Guild Leader said it was amusing and ordered us to leave them as is."

"……."

"If you have familiarized yourself with them, shall we escort you home now?"

Faced with the expression of a thoroughly exhausted office worker, Cha Ah-ra carefully nodded.

"P-please do…."

So even a major corporation isn't all sunshine and roses.

It was a moment of quiet realization.

(To be continued)