Taking Himself Hostage

The highest floor of the Collector's Guild. Bi Sa-beol's office.

"It's a dangerous temperament."

"Temperament?"

"You could put it that way, yes."

Having listened to Yu Seong-un's report, Bi Sa-beol stroked his chin and asked,

"He took himself hostage to threaten the merfolk?"

"…In summary, that would be it."

"How bold of him."

The smile that accompanied Bi Sa-beol's murmur looked somehow bitter.

"To think my collectible would walk into hellfire of his own accord."

"That hellfire was the light of the sun. Please refrain from saying things that could create friction with the Sun Temple."

"Which is why I don't say them in front of the people themselves. That should be enough."

"You never know where a word might leak. Especially a story that could be taken as blasphemy…"

"People who are crazy for religion never listen to reason, do they?"

"Isn't that just the nature of priests in general?"

"Our Giovanni shouldn't grow up like that…"

"He's already grown, that Giovanni fellow. Grown so much he died."

"Don't go killing off my beloved artwork as you please, Curator Yu Seong-un."

Apparently finding this ridiculous exchange rather pleasing, the previously slumped Bi Sa-beol soon let out a small laugh.

"We can take it that he feels no lingering attachment whatsoever to his own annihilation or suffering. Even the gods themselves are extremely sensitive about annihilation, so under these circumstances, it would be no exaggeration to say that humanity has lost its most traditional countermeasure against calamities."

"We simply shouldn't create situations that would require fighting 'Ji-oh's Portrait' in the first place. If things ever deteriorate to the point where we have to find a way to subdue Ji-oh, it won't be a calamity that ends with offering a few sacrifices the way one does with wicked gods."

"It would have been a little easier to prepare if he were an ordinary god. Though of course, Ji-oh isn't a traditional god but something that merely possesses the traits of one, so thinking about it that way won't yield any answers."

"That aside, Ji-oh also possesses human characteristics. The fact that he wasn't swayed by affection even while possessing a clearly human personality is something we need to consider carefully as well. How to subdue him is a problem we'll have to keep thinking about."

At that, Bi Sa-beol asked,

"Seeing as he neither killed them nor punished them outright, couldn't we take it as treatment that still took old ties into account?"

"That's a separate issue from whatever result he produced. I observed Ji-oh from right beside him, and those weren't the eyes of someone buried in the past."

It simply seemed that Giovanni had made that choice because he considered it the natural course of events, and the right one. He truly appeared to believe that tormenting himself would be the greatest punishment for the merfolk.

"Ji-oh seemed to take on the most appropriate responsibility he could bear. By placing Giovanni in the hands of merfolk whose sensibilities had been dulled by becoming monsters, he gave them meaning and made them endlessly agonize."

"So that was the punishment."

"As long as Giovanni remains at their side, the merfolk will have to take responsibility for everything they've done. It seems Ji-oh himself wanted that, and set out to make it so."

Yu Seong-un spoke as he recalled Giovanni from that time.

"He was extremely resolute. By his own words, those merfolk were the ones Giovanni had raised like his own children back when he was human, yet whether he was angry or not…"

"……"

"The way he kept smiling even while bleeding and with his limbs broken was rather chilling. He was truly no different from the portrait. Even when the mermaid called Aria wept and pleaded, he continued with what he was doing."

"The idea of a mermaid crying is quite interesting in itself, but—threats?"

"It was a method that made Ji-oh suffer along with them, so strictly speaking… well, yes, probably. No matter how you dress it up, the essence of it is hard to change."

It was also difficult to claim it wasn't a threat.

"The unusual point, however, is still that he took himself hostage."

"If things hadn't worked out properly back then and Giovanni had ultimately died, did it seem as though his personality would truly have reached death?"

"He said so himself. That the personality called Giovanni might die, and that if it didn't, he would simply keep dying dozens or hundreds of times right in front of her."

"Either way is chilling."

"The mermaid clearly thought so as well. The fact that he said it while smiling gently only made it sound more terrifying. Even to my ears, Giovanni's words didn't feel like mere bluster…"

"It must have made for a fine punishment for the merfolk."

Bi Sa-beol shrugged.

"Though I don't think it means they'll stop tormenting humans from now on."

"Still, as long as Ji-oh is at their side, I expect there won't be any major incidents…"

"That 'major incidents' alone won't happen is precisely the part we need to focus on."

So long as it didn't rise to the level of mass slaughter, Ji-oh wouldn't say a word about the merfolk's cruelty either.

'Ji-oh's Portrait' was a gentlemanly Child of the Source who liked things that were good and well-mannered—but he himself was not good.

"He is not a hero. He may once have been a hero, and he may possess a 'Ji-oh' of such a nature, but at the very least, 'Ji-oh's Portrait' is a force of nature and of fate."

Bi Sa-beol smiled as he continued.

"As Gardener Yu Seong-un would know better than anyone, it's one of the traits of beings close to the Source. Unless it's driven by particular malice, the lives and deaths of humans are, to Ji-oh, not so different from flowers blooming and falling."

The pitch-black portrait pursued interest while pretending not to, and judged death and suffering—his own, that of those around him, and that beyond—as mere states and information. He felt no half-baked pity for things that broke and collapsed outside his own hands.

Of course, 'Ji-oh's Portrait' loved humans impartially—but to say one loves everything is, from the start, the same as saying one loves nothing at all.

In a way he was cold, and indifferent. Unless something caught his interest, he left what would flow to flow.

"As evidence, the entrance to the 'Abyssal Kingdom' still hasn't closed, has it? If the merfolk had truly reflected on their past and wished to respect humans, they would have closed that access point, shut down the dungeon, and ensured no more humans got hurt."

But even after a week, there was no sign of that. It meant that the merfolk, being monsters, had not abandoned their hatred toward humans—and that Ji-oh, likewise, did not unconditionally side with humanity.

"If either one of those had happened, the dungeon would have closed."

"Beings of the Source aren't the type to dance to humanity's tune. They are nature."

"Which is why we ended up having to buy it. Because we never knew who else might die as the merfolk vented their frustration."

Bi Sa-beol laughed as if he were enjoying himself.

"Of course, there was also the concept of it being a gift for our Hunter Seo Ji-oh!"

"…I trust you'll handle the media side of things, but are the expenses alright…?"

"This Collector Bi Sa-beol isn't going to take a hit from buying a mere single dungeon."

"You really are reliable, especially in a capitalist society like today's."

"I've always been a reliable guild master."

"Ah, yes."

"The point is that Ji-oh cannot be called entirely on humanity's side."

Bi Sa-beol smiled as he looked at Yu Seong-un.

"Just like Gardeners such as yourself, Yu Seong-un."

"……"

At the long-unheard word 'Gardener,' Yu Seong-un shrugged.

"From what has been revealed so far, the Source is closer to a system than a personality. He is impartial toward every personality that exists in the universe—humans, monsters, Children of the Source, and so on. If so, then the Gardeners who manage the veins of such a Source ought to maintain an impartial perspective as well."

A sense of balance that took no one's side was the most important virtue of a Gardener. They were milestones that maintained the minimum equilibrium, and bystanders living within the Garden.

"In that sense, I sometimes get the feeling that Ji-oh is similar to a Gardener."

"In what way did you get that feeling?"

"Hunter Cha Ah-ra was the first human to visit the inside of 'Ji-oh's Portrait.' The cabin she described sounded rather similar to the Gardens we manage."

"Then perhaps Ji-oh is a Gardener who was consumed by the Source."

"How would a Gardener consumed by the Source maintain a sense of self…?"

Yu Seong-un raked a hand through his pure white hair, wearing a look of pure revulsion. His sky-blue eyes narrowed.

"That's absurd."

Even if a Gardener were consumed by a Garden, maintain a sense of self? That was impossible. A Gardener who became the property of a Garden could no longer even be called an intelligent life-form.

"But thinking about it from this angle, it becomes clear that Ji-oh won't take anyone's side precisely between humans and monsters. Considering that, you can tell that Ji-oh isn't simply hoping to punish the merfolk."

He had merely solved the problem right in front of him. He had taken only the share of responsibility Giovanni ought to have borne, and placed the minimum of control upon merfolk who possessed the power and ideology to threaten humanity.

That was all. As Bi Sa-beol said, Ji-oh was not a passionate being who would take on work that didn't interest him even at a loss to himself.

"Ji-oh loves beings that are good and well-mannered. That is the part that interests the portrait."

"The merfolk weren't particularly good, though. For Ji-oh, who abhors evil things, to show that much mercy—it could be a kind of favoritism, just as you reported, Yu Seong-un."

"Saving people was something he did lightly, on the side. The estimate is roughly clear."

Yu Seong-un stroked his neck as he gazed into empty air, as if gauging something.

"He likes it when everything proceeds simply and peacefully. This is the basic attitude with which 'Ji-oh's Portrait' approaches the world, and there are about two exceptions."

"The first would be ties from the past, and the second would be objects of interest."

"And those objects of interest would be beings that are good and well-mannered. It seems 'Ji-oh's Portrait' basically takes these three directions as rules, but…"

"It's still too early to decide. We've only seen the second 'Ji-oh,' after all."

"Yes. We should consider ourselves lucky this time. In Giovanni's case, his temperament itself was that of a gentle, merciful priest. We also have to account for the possibility of a 'Ji-oh' whose direction is hostile to humanity."

"Since 'Ji-oh's Portrait' itself values peace and has a strong will to interact, I don't think it'll be a major problem."

"That's exactly why you shouldn't treat beings of the Source as if they were people. Anyway, what I want to say is, um…"

Having been speaking as if sorting out a headache that encouraged overtime, he soon opened his mouth again.

"That from now on, we also need to find a way to coexist with the merfolk."

"……"

"Guild Master, I think you'll need to prepare countermeasures."

This old guild master truly hated doing anything unrelated to his collectibles. Bi Sa-beol slumped into his chair and spoke bitterly.

"…What if we permanently sealed the dungeon entrance? Let no one in."

"Would that work? What you purchased, Guild Master, is the right of entry to the dungeon, not the dungeon itself. More importantly…"

"We don't even know what resources might be inside, so if we prevented anyone from entering, the Hunter Association wouldn't sit still."

"You already know that perfectly well. Why are you doing this?"

"Haa…"

Buried deep in his chair, Bi Sa-beol sluggishly forced his upper body upright.

"…And even if there were no resources inside, no one would believe us?"

"There's already news circulating that the Collector's Guild is trying to monopolize special resources found in the 'Abyssal Kingdom.' Saying something like that at this point would only look like a deception."

"You're right."

Bi Sa-beol put on a light smile.

"Then what can we do? We'll just have to leave them to go looking for places to die on their own."

"Ah, is that how you'll handle it?"

"I plan to set a toll soon. I'll respect the brave souls who crawl in there hunting for whatever special resources the Collector's Guild supposedly found. And if they die inside, it's not really my fault, is it?"

"I'll take that as settled, then."

Given the scuffle with Ji-oh, the merfolk of the 'Abyssal Kingdom' wouldn't go out of their way to cause trouble outside the dungeon—but neither would they leave alone the humans who came in.

"I also don't think Ji-oh will easily help beyond that point anymore. The reason Ji-oh had been visiting the Abyssal Kingdom so often was to converse with the merfolk, but now that he's already achieved that goal… he won't go all the way there just to help hunters."

"The 'Ji-oh's Portrait' we've seen wasn't that altruistic or devoted a being, was it?"

"Right. He's merely considerably more friendly and gentlemanly than other beings of the Source."

There would no doubt be idiots who crawled into an S-class dungeon trusting only in the existence of the 'Black Cloak,' but it was about time they got a taste of how sharp that was.

"This is the right direction."

Yu Seong-un nodded.

"Hunters these days treat the 'Black Cloak' like a convenient vending machine. Hunters who held such pathetic mindsets never received much help from Ji-oh's side to begin with, but…"

"Anyway, that kind of easygoing image can't possibly help Ji-oh."

"Yes. So the time has come for them to learn that the 'Black Cloak' is a natural disaster that does not move according to their whims. If they die in the 'Abyssal Kingdom' without even catching a glimpse of the 'Black Cloak,' they'll come to understand reality."

There were still plenty of fools in the world who thought they could compromise with monsters—that is, with beings of the Source—and use them. Even though those beings were clearly disasters, not resources.

"I'll give Ji-oh a heads-up about this part. There is a chance that Ji-oh, who found pleasure in drawing and rescuing people, might step up to save more hunters, but he isn't that active a portrait, so I think the probability is low."

At that, Bi Sa-beol said,

"I can talk people around too, you know."

"No matter how well you talk, what are you going to do if Ji-oh himself refuses?"

"At this rate I might end up laying out a sleeping bag in front of the portrait."

"Then Ji-oh will get angry…"

"Tsk."

Clicking his tongue, Bi Sa-beol soon changed the subject.

"Come to think of it, is that apprentice priest who got kidnapped doing alright?"

"You're only asking now. I hear he's finally moving into the dormitory next Monday."

"The Sun Temple must have been in complete chaos. Under normal circumstances they would have taken in and raised the students long ago, but of all things they became the merfolk's prey and the whole schedule fell apart."

"Priest Kang Seo-dam seemed to be under a great deal of stress from that incident. You know how it is—it even made the news this time…"

"Still, now that things will proceed according to the original schedule, the Sun Temple's situation should improve a little."

Yu Seong-un nodded.

"The apprentice priest you mentioned, young Cha I-sol, didn't seem to have any major psychological issues either."

"That cynicism like a perfectly ripened fruit—is he talent for the Collector's Guild that I haven't brought in yet?"

"He's already a priest of the Sun Temple. Would he join a private guild that isn't even a religious order? More than that, he's a child far removed from the kind of cynicism you're thinking of. He's just a bit…"

"A bit?"

"His nerves are extremely thick."

He had known he was being kidnapped and still calmly observed the merfolk's ecology the whole time, after all.

"It didn't seem like he did it out of a child's innocence without understanding. He was simply quick on the uptake, yet possessed a firm spirit that didn't take damage easily."

"Does he have the makings of a pushover? Or the makings of reckless courage? Either way, it's not welcome. No wonder there were reports that Ji-oh was fond of him."

"We've already processed the victim compensation generously on that end as well. No matter how fine he himself is acting, a victim is still a victim."

And then—

"Huh."

"Did you get a text?"

"Yes. It's that… Cha Eun-hyeok, of all people."

"The older brother of the apprentice priest we were just talking about, right?"

"That's correct."

After checking the message, Yu Seong-un fell silent for a moment.

"……"

"Is there a problem?"

"…Apparently Ji-oh is there."

"…Where?"

In answer to Bi Sa-beol's question, Yu Seong-un replied with difficulty.

"At young Cha I-sol's house."

"……"

He had already figured he wouldn't be getting off work today, but Yu Seong-un caught the familiar scent of overtime.

And why are you over there this time?

"Th-this is…"

Cha Ah-ra asked, stumbling over her words.

"What the hell happened?"

"You have to believe me."

"Believe what?"

"Well, Noona, you know…"

Faced with his older sister's reaction—unable to believe even what she was seeing with her own eyes—Cha I-sol answered honestly.

"I drew a picture, and Hyung Ji-oh came out of it…"

"What are you even saying?"

"It's true. I drew a picture and Hyung Ji-oh came out, I'm telling you."

"No, what the…"

Unable to decide how to react to the absurdity, Cha Ah-ra eventually turned a complicated look toward the Black Cloak.

"……"

"It's a pleasure to meet you."

"…Ah, yes…"

Is today the day I die?

There didn't seem to be any hostility, but damn if the Black Cloak wasn't terrifying as hell.

(To be continued)