The Artist Who Paints Dungeons [Novel] Chapter 315

Chapter 315

To get to the bottom of it, this was how it happened.

“They say a food stall has appeared in the dungeon. It must be related to Black Cloak.”

“Can’t we go check it out?”

“It seems there are places we can go and places we can’t…”

“What do you mean, there are places we’re allowed in and places we aren’t? Aren’t they both the same dungeon? Aren’t they both Black Cloak’s works?”

First, the members of the Cloak Order expressed their doubts.

“Why can’t we go?”

Most of the Cloak Order’s believers gathered to receive Black Cloak’s overflowing grace. In other words, they were captivated by the perk of being the first to ‘experience’ Black Cloak’s creations. It was a privilege not just anyone could receive.

However, recently, a place had appeared where they couldn’t do that. A modest and romantic restaurant named the ‘food stall’. A picturesque, mysterious safe zone in the midst of Mother Nature.

The 1st Class Citizen members, who could solve everything with money, power, and fame, were the most baffled. This was another obstacle.

“I guess working hard on volunteering doesn’t mean we get taken there.”

“Perhaps some sort of qualification is needed?”

“Well, it’s natural that civilians can’t enter dungeons, so that doesn’t matter, but…”

“The problem is that there’s a dungeon even Hunters can’t enter.”

“And to make matters worse, that dungeon is a part of our Black Cloak’s series.”

They didn’t know the concept of the ‘Garden’. But they easily caught on that, unlike normal dungeons, Black Cloak’s new work was far stricter about qualifications.

Thrown into minor confusion, they tried various methods. But the results were all the same. It was a perplexing situation.

“It seems volunteering really isn’t enough for this one.”

“But Black Cloak is someone who values the worth of good deeds more than anyone else.”

“It would be more accurate to say that mere volunteering isn’t enough to earn the qualification to enter that dungeon.”

“Just what is the condition to enter that dungeon? Our family members finally obtained information that someone actually went inside.”

“What on earth is the standard? Why is it different from normal dungeons?”

“That means the conditions are completely different from Black Cloak’s previous works. Just what do we have to do to enter this series?”

They were anxious. They felt this way even knowing it was out of greed and covetousness.

It was inevitable because this work was Black Cloak’s first series. An aficionado naturally wants to possess the very first of what they love. After all, it was a group primarily made up of such people, so of course they were in an uproar.

“Ah, so we might not be able to see that magnificent natural scenery for ourselves…?”

“At this rate, we won’t even be able to find any difference between ourselves and the Unawakened who can’t enter dungeons.”

“His works were the only dungeons we could experience with our civilian bodies!”

The ones who were most saddened were the 1st Class Citizen members. More specifically, the Unawakened among them, not the Hunters. Their only hope of appreciating the mysterious dungeons had been Black Cloak’s works.

“Of course, he won’t continue to block Unawakened like us from entering after this piece, but… well. Now that it’s come to this, I’m getting anxious.”

“This foreshadows the possibility that there will be future works that the Unawakened won’t be able to experience. I prided myself on living an overwhelmingly prosperous life thanks to Black Cloak’s grace, but… hah… my heart aches.”

“To think there’s a qualification even I cannot obtain. I thought I would finally be able to enjoy complete freedom in Black Cloak’s embrace.”

But their sorrow was brief.

“…So, what is the condition?”

“…We will try mobilizing the family members a little more.”

“…My friends might know something.”

They didn’t give up. Having previously made the impossible possible through money, power, and fame, they learned a different kind of perseverance in Black Cloak’s embrace. For now, they decided to try knocking even on doors that wouldn’t open.

As they acquired snippets of information, they learned of the ‘Garden’.

“The Garden?”

“By garden, do you mean the one in a yard…?”

“No, I hear it’s a bit different from that.”

“What on earth does it mean, then?”

Gardeners weren’t employees affiliated with a specific place. Therefore, they weren’t systematically managed either.

But it wasn’t as if the concept of the ‘Garden’ was a strict secret, either. Nobody knew about it simply because there was no need to know and no need to make it known.

However, faced with massive rewards and persuasion, a few Gardeners opened their mouths. Some spoke knowing the ripple effect of revealing the ‘Garden’, while others shared the knowledge out of sheer innocence. As a result, the members of the Cloak Order hesitated a bit.

“…Is this knowledge we are meant to know?”

“At the very least, it probably won’t be good if it spreads too rapidly.”

Canary, who had accidentally become the cult leader but was adapting quite well, agreed.

“Let’s be careful so that the information doesn’t leak out of the Order. This too might be the natural providence of Black Cloak, but… shouldn’t we prevent excessive chaos?”

“Then how long should we hide it?”

“Let’s not be so stiff about it. We said to hide it to prevent ‘excessive chaos’. I think I understand Black Cloak’s will.”

Canary nodded solemnly.

“He is definitely trying to impart teachings to Earth once again.”

It wasn’t really that, but they were in a situation where they had to interpret it that way. How many times had the not-so-insignificant snowball launched by ‘Ji-oh’s Portrait’ rolled over already? There was bound to be room for interpretation.

“The Garden and the Gardeners, I see. Black Cloak seems to want this knowledge to be known to the world. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t have planned the ‘food stall’ or the ‘series’ in the first place.”

“Ppiii.”

“Our Ria agrees.”

The yellow water bird, a Child of the Source and the symbol of the Cloak Order, cried out in affirmation. The members of the Cloak Order each nodded their heads, filled with a sense of duty. They were practically a single family by now. They were a group whose cooperation had reached its peak.

“Come to think of it, that food stall… you said it was a kind of safe zone, right? Located in a dungeon?”

“I heard it’s a much more premium version of the safe zones found in normal dungeons.”

“They said it’s safer than just keeping monsters out, they sell food, and you can rest much more comfortably.”

“Strictly speaking, it must be a restaurant meant to help Hunters and Gardeners.”

Having quickly drawn a conclusion, they began to leak the information bit by bit. Actually, even without them, aficionados of Black Cloak who weren’t in the Cloak Order were making their own moves. Naturally, the concept of the ‘Garden’ was bound to become known.

It was just that some people were a bit baffled.

“The Garden is becoming known to the world like this? Because of a food stall?”

“What on earth is this…?”

It wasn’t just the Gardeners.

“Team Leader.”

“Working overtime?”

“Yes, overtime.”

“Damn this miserable life.”

“Let’s head to the meeting room.”

“Why is there so much work these days.”

The Association staff.

“Your Excellency.”

“…”

Even the members of the government.

“…I’ve heard the news.”

The President, Cha Eun-hye, smiled.

“To think the Garden is already becoming known to the world, this is a bit surprising.”

“Cracks have been slowly forming ever since Black Cloak’s series appeared.”

“Right, I know since I’ve been watching too. Then what should we do about this…”

Cha Eun-hye was a rather unremarkable person.

She was merely a C-rank Hunter who got lucky with her awakening. She couldn’t use flashy, explosive skills or fly around hunting monsters like her friends. Nor was she a Gardener. In the first place, Cha Eun-hye didn’t even have the eyes to see the Mysteries that her friends could see.

Something she was particularly good at? Nothing much, really. If she had been exceptionally good at singing or dancing, she would have debuted back in high school. Was she good at acting? Not really.

The thing she could do best…

“I think I need to pay a visit to the school.”

“…The school, you say?”

“Ah, right, you forgot, didn’t you? It’s fine, I remember it.”

“Just say the word and I will have everything prepared immediately.”

“Hmm… it’s okay, I think our Guild Master Seo remembers.”

“Will you not need a separate security detail?”

“I think I should go for this one.”

Only Cha Eun-hye, she alone.

“…”

She was the only repository who remembered everything.

“…Please contact Guild Master Seo Seo-hee.”

“What message should I pass on?”

“Tell her it’s time we went to school for a change.”

“Yes, I will do that.”

“I’m counting on you.”

Saying so, Cha Eun-hye looked at the mirror on the desk.

“…Yeah.”

She was still smiling.

‘For now.’

Of course, she had to be.

Seo Seo-hee came to see her friend right away.

“You called for me as a friend, right?”

She asked with a smile.

“You said we should go to school for a change, didn’t you?”

“Right, I needed my friend Seo Seo-hee. Could you take me to the school?”

“To be honest, I’m a little worried.”

Seo Seo-hee was opposed to Cha Eun-hye going to the school.

“There’s something at that school.”

Seo Seo-hee still remembered the reaction Jung Hae-woon had shown. His pale, drained face looked as if he was shivering in fear. At the very least, in Seo Seo-hee’s ‘memory’, Jung Hae-woon had never made such a face before.

He had shown that reaction after returning from that damn ‘school’. The guy who had previously maintained an attitude of ‘Teacher or whatever, what do I care’, had come back drenched in cold sweat.

Seo Seo-hee was worried about her friend Cha Eun-hye.

“Let’s just go in together. I’ll protect you, you don’t know what might happen. If I ‘remember’ correctly, you said it was practically a monster’s nest. You also said there were several Children of the Source gathered there… It’ll be dangerous.”

“It’s more dangerous if you awaken your ‘memories’.”

“…Just what is at that school?”

At this point, it was just unfair.

“In the end, it’s just an abandoned school. No, I’ve heard about it too. Unlike Hae-ra or Jung Hae-woon, my ‘memories’ haven’t been erased. I received intel that Hunter Seo Ji-oh… Black Cloak frequently stays there. Even if it’s been erased now and nobody knows.”

“It’s different from that.”

“What is different, and how much, huh?”

“You know I can’t tell you.”

Cha Eun-hye patted Seo Seo-hee.

“Please understand. We’ve held on well up to this point; I’m just moving to check on things.”

“…”

Seo Seo-hee, who had been silent, smiled awkwardly.

“…He seemed like a good person.”

“…He was a good person.”

“Enough that I wanted to throw everything aside and get close to him.”

“But we’ve built up too much to do that, Seo Seo-hee.”

“You’re right, I know that too. I know, but…”

Her stomach churned. Ever since she learned of ‘Hunter Seo Ji-oh’, she had suffered from this nausea time and time again. Being unable to remember what she rightfully should was quite a miserable and horrific thing.

Right, they just had to start over from the beginning. They just had to become friends again from the start. Even so, she couldn’t shake off the feeling that she had forgotten something precious.

Because it was the truth.

“…I…”

She felt sorrowful.

“…I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.”

“You must be having the hardest time, yet here I am spouting nonsense.”

“I’m really okay.”

“Thank you for always holding on like this, and I’m really sorry.”

“…Me too.”

Cha Eun-hye lightly hugged Seo Seo-hee and patted her back. Just as her Teacher had once done for his dear students. Recalling how that large, benevolent adult had comforted them, she imitated him.

Cha Eun-hye was a person who only knew how to do things like this. Leaning on her capable people and borrowing their strength.

“…Let’s talk after we get back.”

“…I’ll take you to the front of it.”

“Yeah, please do.”

It was time to see him.

The massive ghost that we loved.

(To be continued in the next chapter)