The Artist Who Paints Dungeon
Chapter 177

Controlling the body was easy enough.

‘Because I still have memories from when I was Argio.’

But the abandoned house was in an extremely dilapidated state, and it looked as if it might collapse with the slightest pressure. In that case, it seemed better to ascend to the mansion in a way that wouldn’t place any burden on it at all.

That was why Gio had used the portrait to arrive on the third floor.

“......”

“......”

Sanarae, who had been staring at Gio, asked with his signature smiling face.

“A landscape painting?”

“Yes, it’s right here.”

“A picture of the hut.”

“Doesn’t it look nice?”

“It does look nice.”

“Is that so.”

Giovanni, ever the master of social graces, managed his expression effortlessly.

“I didn’t expect you to come up this quickly.”

“You don’t look particularly surprised though?”

“I sensed you coming up.”

It wasn’t a lie.

‘I sensed it right as I stepped out of the frame, that’s all.’

Knowing that Sanarae had a bit of a contrarian streak, Gio had considered the possibility that he might come up on his own if left alone. Still, he had come up faster than expected, and Gio missed the timing to remove the portrait.

‘I needed a little time to manage my expression.’

That was why Gio had kept his gaze fixed on the portrait-turned-landscape painting instead of turning to Sanarae right away. In any case, it seemed he hadn’t been caught—at least not as the portrait—and that was a relief.

Though if he had been found out, that would’ve led to its own kind of entertainment...

“Shall we take a look around the third floor together?”

“Mm, that was the plan.”

“It would’ve been better if we’d come up together from the start.”

“Well, Hunter Sergio was so quiet, I got worried.”

“I have a fairly decent stealth skill.”

“That’s what everyone seems to think.”

“Do you not think so, Hunter Sanarae?”

“No, I think so too.”

With a smile, Sanarae pointed to the three or so rooms on the third floor.

“Haven’t looked in here yet?”

“I just came up to the third floor myself.”

“Then let’s go together. Oh, how reassuring.”

Maybe his claim that the dust in the mansion hurt his nose was true—Sanarae was surprisingly cooperative when it came to searching the ruins. On the third floor too, they mostly found gold and gemstones.

Hunter Sanarae looked a little disappointed.

“Would’ve been nice if there were actual items.”

“Gold and jewels aren’t enough for you?”

“Better to have gear that can actually be used, rather than pretty minerals.”

“You’re greedy.”

“More like a liar.”

“Hmm, Pinocchio?”

“Not exactly fond of that nickname...”

Clink.

A rusted metal jewelry box snapped shut.

“Just more jewels here too.”

“Don’t hunters like accessories like these? Jewels that only look pretty on the outside?”

“Hunters who’ve made it to an A-class dungeon don’t usually care for basic loot like this.”

“And why is that?”

“......”

Sanarae looked at Gio and continued.

“They’re not worth much. Sure, they might be of some help to ordinary citizens, but we’re fairly high-ranked hunters. After coming all this way, we want a real payday.”

“I’ve heard glass is quite valuable.”

“That’s because it can be melted down and used to craft equipment or items. It takes a lot of work to make, and increasing the clarity costs a lot too. That’s why, out of all jewels, glass is especially expensive.”

“Don’t these gemstones melt?”

The ones I painted do.

‘Maybe because they’re made of paint?’

Gio continued.

“As far as I know, gold and silver melt quite easily. Am I mistaken?”

“...Of course, you can make equipment from gold and silver too, but the upper limits are much lower than with glass. Their nature is too rigid, so they’re not as flexible for diverse equipment.”

“Thank you for the kind and detailed explanation.”

“Especially since hunters’ incomes can’t be sustained on just gems or trinkets. If you want equipment that’ll actually save your life, it costs a fortune. There are tons of hunters out there selling their land deeds or house deeds just to afford gear.”

“Oh dear.”

Gio let out a small exclamation and asked,

“Thank you for the detailed explanation. You’re not getting irritated because I’m too much of a ‘young master,’ are you?”

“Well, are you actually a young master?”

“In some sense, you may have hit the nail on the head... but I wasn’t exactly raised that delicately.”

“Is that so? That’s unexpected.”

“Do you dislike me?”

Gio smiled.

“That’s not it, is it?”

“It’s a weird thing to say, but...”

With a flat expression that conveyed no emotion, Sanarae spoke in an everyday tone.

“Hunter Sergio, you seem older than you look.”

“How old do I look to you?”

“Your profile says 29, doesn’t it? Is that wrong?”

“It’s correct.”

“But you seem older than that.”

“I didn’t expect to be hit with such a painful comment just because I don’t keep up with trends.”

“...It happens.”

They finished searching the abandoned house room by room, eventually arriving at the innermost room.

“This must’ve been the bedroom.”

There was a broken bed frame in such poor condition it was hard to recognize, and a large portrait of a woman. Even that was so decayed that it was barely recognizable as female—rotting and crumbling just like the mansion itself.

A haunted portrait... one that evoked an odd sense of kinship.

‘Oh, another portrait.’

Hello there, fellow painting.

‘...They say all kinds of crazy things happen in dungeons, but I’ve yet to see another haunted painting like me. This one just looks like a regular old ruined portrait. Poor thing.’

Gio, who loved painting and was a painting himself, felt a very human sense of pity.

‘How sad.’

It looked like it might be restorable with some effort.

“......”

“Hunter Sergio?”

“Yes, go ahead.”

“Is there something about that portrait?”

“Nothing in particular.”

“Then why do you keep staring at it?”

“Is that not allowed?”

“Talk to me, would you?”

“Yes.”

Only then did Gio shift his gaze toward Sanarae.

“What is it?”

“......”

Sanarae only smiled gently.

“......”

Around that time, the sunset spilled in, and with the pressure in the air and the fittingly eerie atmosphere, Gio grew nervous.

He felt like he was standing in front of some lunatic—someone who’d be joking one second and start a shooting rampage the next. The sun set quickly and the house went dark, doubling the fear.

‘...What did I do wrong?’

He instinctively realized something was off. That kind of stare meant one of two things: flirtation or war. And this was clearly the latter.

And then Gio realized—

‘Ah, this.’

This was the same atmosphere as when Yoo Seong-Woon and Joo-Hyun scolded him.

“...Did I do something weird?”

“Who knows?”

“Did I scare you?”

“Not sure.”

“Then I’ll apologize for everything.”

Flustered, Gio asked,

“Would you like something sweet?”

“......”

“Doesn’t seem like you’re a fan.”

He had offered sweets at this odd moment hoping the absurdity might lighten the mood, but didn’t get much of a reaction.

Gio patted the sweet chocolate cookie he always kept with him.

‘You’re a good cookie.’

It wasn’t the cookie’s fault. It had simply ended up with the wrong owner.

“......”

“......”

And then he felt a little wronged.

“Don’t people normally admire portraits?”

“They do.”

“Then why are you glaring at me like that?”

“...‘Glaring’? You really use the strangest expressions.”

“Was that weird?”

“You just keep using everyday words, even in this kind of situation.”

Sanarae smiled that familiar smile.

“You’re scary.”

“Am I?”

Is he teasing me again?

“Then tell me why.”

“You’d fix it if I did?”

“So I won’t repeat the same mistake.”

“Eh, I don’t feel like it. I think Hunter Sergio could afford a few more mistakes.”

“I don’t like this kind of atmosphere. I want to do better.”

“That’s why I think it’s okay if you don’t.”

“I don’t understand why you’re saying that.”

So what mistake did I make this time?

‘Can’t I even look at a portrait now?’

He felt so wronged he wanted to start hand-writing a formal complaint. Everyone else could do this kind of thing just fine, so why was it terrifying only when he did it?

“You’re making fun of me. You’re a cruel one.”

“I know you’re not saying that out of anger.”

Sanarae added,

“I just thought that was the most fitting thing to say, don’t you?”

At that, Gio thought,

‘Humans are supposed to run their words through a filter in the brain first.’

But he knew Sanarae hadn’t said that out of thoughtlessness. Gio realized the real issue with the current situation—it was something that had followed him all his life.

“I know I give off a frightening impression. People often misunderstand me.”

He’d met more than a few people who acted like they’d seen a ghost whenever he spoke.

“That’s why I made an effort to smile, but... it wasn’t effective, was it?”

“It probably works well for most people.”

“Then what is it you’re trying to say, Hunter Sanarae?”

“That the more I learn, the more scared I get.”

Gio was baffled.

“What do you know, Hunter Sanarae?”

What do you know about me?

‘How long have you even seen my face, and you already “know” so much?’

Even Yoo Seong-Woon, the first friend Gio made after becoming a haunted painting, had never said that.

“I don’t think we’re that close...”

“So only close people are allowed to know things?”

“In most relationships, yes.”

“Were you offended?”

“What exactly are you afraid of?”

Pretending to be calm, but clearly nervous. Gio couldn’t understand how things had gotten to this point. If this continued, he'd have to either get a new face or live with a metal mask.

‘But even then, the world would still find me scary.’

It was a hard time to live in, being someone with a scary face.

“You shouldn’t treat a perfectly normal person like a ghost, Hunter Sanarae.”

“Then why were you staring at that portrait for so long?”

“I felt sorry for it.”

“......”

Sanarae looked like he had more to say, then smiled again—his eyes curved into crescent moons.

“What do you like, Hunter Sergio?”

It was a bizarrely out-of-context question, but Gio understood. Crazy people often changed topics out of nowhere. And Giovanni, the ever-kind priest of the people, respected the diversity of human conversation.

“I like food that’s delicious and filling.”

“Were you a starving ghost...?”

“I don’t think I’ve ever been possessed.”

“Nothing else?”

“I like kind people.”

“Oh, this is bad.”

Gio had been right.

“I’m not about to get eaten or anything, am I?”

“As I’ve said before, human flesh probably tastes awful.”

“See, that’s not exactly comforting...”

Sanarae had been scared.

For quite a while now.

***

By the time the two left the mansion, the sun had risen again.

“You’re back. Any noteworthy findings?”

“Mostly accessories.”

“No special effects, I see. Understood.”

Garasani, who had been waiting for Gio, continued.

“There was a message while you ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) two were upstairs.”

“From another team?”

“Yes. They’re asking for any available healers to gather.”

This team had two healers: Jeong Yeong-Won and Sergio. Garasani checked the tracking equipment and said,

“Fortunately, they’re quite nearby.”

“Is it injuries? Poison?”

“I heard they ran into a swarm of monsters.”

“Likely both, then.”

Gio smiled. He could tell what Garasani wanted to say. Maybe this was why his attempt to make dried fruit had failed earlier.

“I believe I can be of help.”

Have you ever heard of a blood dumpling crafted by three suns?

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