The Artist Who Paints Dungeons [Novel] Chapter 314

Chapter 314

Most Gardeners have a severe distrust of humans.

“I-I want to go back to the tree…! Waaah…!!”

“Please calm down. You just need to answer a few questions, and it will be over quickly.”

“Liar! You’re going to feed me to the monsters! You’re going to perform biological experiments on me! You’re going to sell me to slave traders!!”

“Nothing like that will happen, so please collect yourself.”

‘Talents’ who serve the Garden appear at random. And within a country, the cities are small while the rural areas are vast. Therefore, most ‘talents’ are bound to be born and raised in rural areas.

Many of them grew up in closed-off cultures. In villages where massive conspiracy theories circulated. Even if treated with the utmost respect, there was no way such a person could remain in their right mind inside the Association.

“Have you calmed down a bit now?”

“Y-You’re really not going to eat me…? Right…?”

“If you want, I’ll even write up a soul contract, so please trust us just a little bit.”

“…Y-Yes, I will do that. I’m sorry.”

“Bring a contract over here.”

However, the Association’s staff were seasoned. As veterans in dealing with Mysteries, they easily managed the anxiety of the rookie Gardeners. It wasn’t a difficult task.

Consistently and politely. In a place where they could clearly see their surroundings, with the door wide open. They just needed to give the other person the belief that they could act independently however they wanted.

Then, it wouldn’t be long before the rookie Gardener opened her mouth.

“I-I was in the village… when suddenly some painting appeared….”

“By any chance, was it the same kind of painting as the landscape painting in this photo?”

“Huh? Ah, y-yes. That’s right. It felt exactly like this.”

What they saw was definitely Black Cloak’s new series, ‘Landscape.’ Black Cloak’s artworks were the only ones that could evoke the exact same feeling as seeing the genuine article just from a photograph.

“But the feeling was really so good. I, um, th-th-those monsters….”

“It’s okay, we know of those monsters’ existence too. You are not crazy.”

“…Yes, it felt completely different from those monsters.”

“If you don’t mind, could you tell us how it felt? While we are aware of its existence, we don’t know what a talent like yourself experiences. We just want to share in it, even a little.”

“Ah, well. It’s like the feeling when you see a really pretty flower or a wonderful tree…? It was incredibly refreshing, and, just, that kind of… feeling. You know how you feel a sense of release when you climb high up a mountain and look down.”

“I see, the feeling of looking at natural scenery….”

This was identical to the opinions spat out by the rookie Gardeners at the Veins of Mystery. Even if they weren’t ‘talents,’ people who saw Black Cloak’s series this time all expressed similar impressions. That it felt like witnessing magnificent nature.

But the ‘talents’ went a little further than that.

“And it smelled incredibly sweet.”

“Was it the scent of flowers?”

“Like honey… maybe, um. Not overwhelming, but… soft?”

“At the very least, it wasn’t an artificial scent, then.”

“Uh, a flower bed? I feel like it would smell similar if I lay down in a flower bed. U-Um, I’m sorry. I want to make a proper comparison, but I don’t know much.”

“Just telling us is a huge help. Was there anything else by any chance?”

“…I felt like it was calling me.”

How should I put it.

“Like someone whispering right next to me.”

“Would it be a different feeling from telepathy?”

“T-Telepathy? Is that a real thing?”

“It’s a skill possessed by some Hunters.”

“Wow, that’s amazing….”

The ‘talent’ who grew up in a closed-off village didn’t know much about Awakened either. Even if she had heard stories, she doubted the reliability of the information. She had grown up in an environment where it was difficult to distinguish truth from fiction.

And then the beautiful painting, ‘Landscape,’ appeared before the youth who grew up in such a village. When the completely captivated youth approached, the painting supposedly whispered softly.

“It asked if I could come inside.”

“The painting did?”

“Yes, th-that tree painting….”

“It spoke to you?”

“Honestly, I don’t really know. It just really felt like it spoke to me, but, uh… if you asked me what language it used, I couldn’t answer. But I really felt that way. I-I mean it.”

“We aren’t saying we don’t believe you. I was just trying to confirm if I understood correctly, so you can rest easy. It truly is fascinating.”

The researcher skillfully coaxed the other person and extracted the information.

“So you went inside the painting, is that correct?”

“My mind got hazy… and it felt like it was morning after blinking a few times? When I came to my senses, the tree I saw in that painting was right in front of me. Wow, it was really so magnificent and grand…!”

“That’s incredible. Did you also say you were chosen like that?”

“Yes, I felt like I belonged to that tree. A-And after that, my hair just turned brown like this… and my eyes turned green… is it going to be like this for the rest of my life…??”

“As far as we know, yes. It might change slightly depending on the state of the ‘tree’ you’re talking about, though. Dyeing is possible through skills or items, but that underlying state will be maintained. If you wish, we can even lend you an item.”

“…Ah, no, I like the colors right now….”

The rookie Gardener smiled shyly and touched her hair.

“U-Um, by the way.”

“Yes, please speak.”

“By any chance… u-um, is there somewhere I could work? W-Well.”

“Ah, I understand what you mean.”

The researcher nodded.

“Are you uncomfortable returning to the village where you were residing?”

“…To be honest, a little bit….”

The village was already rife with superstition, and the way they looked at her wasn’t kind. Since childhood, she had drawn hostility as the ‘ominous child who sees hallucinations.’ But now that her hair and eye color had even changed….

“I might be beaten to death if I go back…!! Please save me!!”

“We will take measures so that won’t happen, so you don’t need to worry too much. We can also get you a residence in a town with a more open atmosphere. Ah, of course, it won’t be free, so you’ll have to pay it back gradually while working, but….”

“W-What kind of work should I do? I’m good at anything! Just tell me what to do and I’ll do my best!”

“Then please listen closely to what I’m about to say.”

From here, the Association employee informed the rookie Gardener of her own identity.

“You have become a Gardener. That giant tree you encountered is the ‘Garden,’ and as someone chosen by that wondrous nature of Mystery, you are called a ‘Gardener.’”

“Uh… y-yes?”

“I’ll tell you right now. If you want to pay back the home we provide and your living expenses for the time being, working as a Gardener will likely be the fastest way and the best fit for your aptitude.”

“Uhhh….”

“Now, it’s okay. I will explain everything step by step from now on.”

And so, the Association employee instilled knowledge into the bewildered rookie Gardener. Then, by mutual agreement, they also recorded the Gardener’s personal information. Basic details like her residence, name, and age.

“We’ve recorded this, but as you might worry, we won’t monitor or oppress you. However, if you seek help through the Association or the government, we need to have records of the Gardeners on our end to decide whether or not to assist you.”

“Ah, y-yes. Understood.”

“If you don’t mind, we can also introduce you to other Gardeners. Now, the people on this list have agreed to share their phone numbers with other Gardeners. You will probably need the help of such colleagues to adapt to your activities as a Gardener.”

“Then I-I’d like to ask for… a recommendation for about one person.”

“Would another woman make you more comfortable? Then I’ll recommend someone around your age. I think this person would be a good fit. She’s the same age and gender as you, but she’s been active as a Gardener for a long time….”

And naturally, during this process, a department was also established within the Association to manage rookie Gardeners. Because they were carefully observing the movements of Black Cloak’s series, ‘Landscape,’ changes could be implemented swiftly.

The person happiest about this situation was, naturally, Gardener Jung Hae-woon.

“Hae-ra, I’m crying.”

“Cry then.”

“I’m really crying.”

He wept, overcome with emotion.

“Oh my, he’s actually crying?”

Association President Dan Hae-ra happily admired the sight for the first time in a while. It was truly rare for her prickly and rebellious friend to show such a side. It was worth putting her work on hold for a moment to watch.

After watching it all, Dan Hae-ra nodded and asked.

“I heard you’re building a good rapport with Black Cloak too.”

“I failed to recognize that precious person and dared to show an arrogant attitude. There was a reason why my past self served and revered the Teacher.”

“Did you really serve and revere him?”

“Oh, of course I did. There’s no way I wouldn’t drop to my cheap knees after receiving the mercy of such a good person. I believe in you, Teacher.”

Jung Hae-woon reflected on himself. Why on earth did I forget all about such a good person and fail to recognize him again? He vowed over and over that he would never act arrogant again. Having slept soundly for 6 straight hours for the first time in a long while, Jung Hae-woon was in an incredibly good mood.

“Can you believe it? I slept for 6 hours! Straight through without waking up once?”

“That’s definitely surprising….”

“When the Gardens, which I only knew the faces of and visited occasionally, were suddenly spread all over the world, I wondered what kind of stunt it was. But right, how could a Mystery of that caliber not have a grand design? It’s just that a mere sparrow couldn’t understand the will of a phoenix; our precious portrait has always been looking over the peace of the Earth….”

“Could you keep those cult-like remarks inside your guild?”

“Alas, to think there are still so many who fail to recognize my guild’s innocence. Anyway, regarding that, Hae-ra.”

“I already created the department. I thought you agreed to it too, did you not?”

“While you’re at it, put a few of our Gardeners in there too. Having active Gardeners around will definitely help the rookies grasp the situation faster. That department only passes on information and sorts out personal affairs, but it can’t help them gain practical experience, can it?”

“…That’s true.”

Dan Hae-ra nodded.

“It’s nice to see you so full of motivation.”

“Now that I can finally see a future ahead, how could I not be motivated? I thought I’d have to stay up all night, every night for the rest of my life, and wouldn’t be able to retire for another 10 centuries.”

“Your retirement has definitely been moved up a lot, hasn’t it? Compared to 1,000 years.”

“I’m seriously so touched.”

Jung Hae-woon pinched the bridge of his nose with a choked-up expression.

“Ah, I’m tearing up. We’ll finally be able to take care of our poor Gardeners’ welfare….”

“Because there was absolutely no system in place until now.”

“It’s not that we didn’t establish one, we *couldn’t*. How are you supposed to build something out of nothing?”

There are few Gardeners. There’s no way to find them. Therefore, training them is also difficult. It’s hard to gather them in one place. Their personalities are all so distinct that unless you kidnap them, they rarely interact. It wasn’t for nothing that Jung Hae-woon had over 50 identities.

But not anymore. A large number of relatively young and highly motivated Gardeners had flooded in. Right now was the perfect opportunity. You have to strike while the iron is hot. Jung Hae-woon was planning to properly establish a system.

“I’m not trying to put a huge burden on the Association. Gardener matters were originally our guild’s job anyway. You guys just do exactly what you’ve been doing up to the probation phase, alright? Just handle the initial containment. Just comfort the rookies who are losing their minds wondering what’s going on.”

“That won’t be difficult.”

“Once you do that and hand them over to us, I’ll train them well. Hah, I’m so moved. To think the time has come to realize my delusion, which I thought I’d only be able to attempt after 800 years had passed. You have no idea how many curriculums I’ve already designed for this very day.”

“Did you have more aptitude as a teacher than I thought?”

“Hmm, not really.”

Jung Hae-woon shrugged.

“Teacher, my ass.”

It was a somewhat uncomfortable word.

***

And a few days later, as the ‘food stall’ began operating in the Garden in earnest.

The concept of the ‘Garden’ became known in an unimaginable way.

“…Why?”

“Because of the food stall.”

“No, I mean, why?”

“Uh… Didn’t we have a conversation with a similar vibe not too long ago?”

“I suppose bunggeoppang and a food stall are pretty much the same thing, after all.”

The Gardeners were experiencing a lot of absurd things these days.

– To be continued in the next chapter –