The Artist Who Paints Dungeon-Chapter 144

Argio was, by nature, a cruel being.

"He basically craves blood and treasure."

"You're okay describing yourself like that?"

"What can I do? It's the truth."

The two of them continued their conversation in the collector's lounge.

Gio’s hair was still platinum blond, likely because they hadn’t yet left the outside world, but his expression was calm and blank, like that of the portrait.

‘...That face is very different from the priest I knew. Is this the face of Gio because Gio has now become a complete portrait?’

Just as Yoo Seong-Woon was thinking that, Gio continued in his uniquely quiet voice.

"Argio is highly talented in many fields. If he sets his mind to learning something, he learns it well. He’s unafraid of trying new things. But his nature is closer to that of a beast, so he tends to prefer more intense stimulation. He doesn’t lack patience, I think, but..."

"By stimulation, you mean the blood and treasure you mentioned earlier?"

"In addition to those, he also enjoys alcohol and combat. Among them, what he likes most is facing a worthy opponent with all his might. Rather than simply ‘fighting,’ I think he longs for the thrill that comes from the edge between life and death."

"So, he enjoys the thrill. That’s... something."

Yoo Seong-Woon laughed awkwardly.

"There are a fair number of hunters like that, too."

"Is that so?"

"People who find the meaning of life in fights to the death."

"I didn’t expect that kind of taste to be so common."

"There’s a wide variety of tastes in this world. I can kind of understand Argio’s story, too."

"Thank you for understanding preferences that don't align well with societal norms."

Gio lightly expressed his gratitude, then continued.

"That said, it’s not as if he acts recklessly without any discretion. If he desires alcohol, it must be high-quality artisan liquor. If he wants treasure, it must be gold and silver with a story behind it. If it’s combat, he prefers opponents worthy of going all out."

In other words, his tastes were incredibly particular.

"And to match those tastes, he’s the type who is willing to invest and wait as long as it takes."

"The reason you’re introducing yourself like this now... is it related to what you said earlier about being the Demon King?"

"Of course. Having explained this much, it should be easier for you to understand, Mr. Yoo Seong-Woon."

The platinum-haired Gio stated bluntly.

"I wish to fight a hero."

"...Oh...?"

"In the past, many heroes came looking for me."

"...Heroes?"

"Because I was once considered the evil god that threatened the peace of the world."

There was a time when he was treated as the root of all evil behind every big and small misfortune in the world.

"Back then, I didn’t need to make an effort. Many fine opponents came to find me. For the sake of humanity’s peace, to protect their loved ones, to further the world’s progress—they poured their everything into it."

"......."

"Those battles were truly enjoyable. Though the other divine personas apart from Argio seemed full of betrayal and other messy thoughts, at least for me, that was how I felt."

Gio wore a deeply regretful expression. It wasn’t ‘Sergio’—it was a naturally childish sulk.

"Now that I think about it, that was probably the best cost-performance ratio I’ve ever had."

"Cost-performance..."

"I didn’t even need to advertise. I was so famous that talented people just kept showing up."

"Advertisement, huh. So that’s what this is."

Yoo Seong-Woon gave a subtle smile.

"So the Demon King comment earlier—that was your advertisement."

"You could say it’s a kind of recruitment notice."

Gio’s blue eyes sparkled wistfully.

"As Argio, I’ve come to reflect. After speaking with the god of death, it’s become even clearer. All those battles I enjoyed as the evil god Argio—they were terribly unfair gains."

"Unfair gains?"

"Even though I made no effort to earn those worthy fights, people sent me such talented opponents. I took it as my natural right, but it turns out it wasn’t."

"Isn’t the logic a bit off?"

"The god of death told me that my infamy wasn’t truly mine. It was fame I had temporarily due to luck. So now, it’s time I make the effort to earn it back."

"Oh, I see. That’s impressive."

Yoo Seong-Woon nodded.

"And you don’t hate the people who slandered you as an evil god and framed you?"

"It’s not like I’m not angry. But I’ve gained something even more valuable, so it’s fine."

"Man... that’s not sentimental at all."

If you look only at the facts, it’s hard to find a more unjust story.

‘Born with the instincts of killing and pillage, yet showing enough consideration to be a seed of a hero... then through various false accusations and slanders, ending up as an evil god.’

If there were a dungeon with that kind of story, and its boss was Argio, just how massive of a bomb would it be for humanity? Even the vague idea made him let out an uneasy chuckle.

Yoo Seong-Woon cleared his throat and asked,

"What was the end of Argio?"

"A seal."

"A seal, huh. Doesn’t sound like a pleasant ending."

"But I was glad I could finally stop the meaningless slaughter."

"If it had been meaningful slaughter, would that have been fine too?"

"Mm... no."

Surprisingly, Gio denied it.

"Back then, that divine form was composed of too many victims bundled together. So there were many moments where I had to release anger I didn’t even feel. I wasn’t in control."

He was saying that unless the rage was truly his, it had no value.

"To get angry, to assign worth to someone—every single one of those should be solely under my control. But back then, I couldn’t do that..."

"Was it unpleasant?"

"It was indescribably unpleasant. Even though I’d lived all my life called a beast and acting like one, I still knew how to act intelligently. And yet, it felt like all my precious rationality was sinking into the mud."

Gio gave a faint smile.

"That’s why—aren’t they such precious and admirable people? Those noble souls honed themselves and came to give me peace. They offered a truly meaningful gift, paid with the entirety of their lives."

"You really like heroes for someone who calls himself the Demon King."

"I respect brave warriors. They had upright and kind souls, excellent insight and judgment. They were always careful, yet knew how to be bold when needed."

"You’ve always liked virtuous and well-mannered talents, even back ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) then."

"Mr. Yoo Seong-Woon is right. I’ve always loved those who dream and work hard to make those dreams real. No matter how it ends, just the effort they put in makes it all incredibly precious."

Yoo Seong-Woon understood Gio’s words.

‘That’s a truly long-standing preference.’

Sergio, Gio, Argio... The names varied, and the expressions changed slightly, but in the end, Gio’s love and admiration for humankind remained consistent.

Whether short-lived or long-lasting, strong or weak, regardless of degree or direction, what he loved were those who had walked the path of a hero.

‘In that regard, he really does seem like a god.’

Great mysteries usually favor heroes.

“.......”

Yoo Seong-Woon let out a laugh like a sigh.

“So you want to become the Demon King just to fight those heroes again?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Why does it have to be the Demon King? Can’t you just, you know, ask for a match?”

“Because what I want isn’t a spar. It’s a blood duel.”

“So you’re saying they have to risk everything, including their lives.”

“Fights where everything is at stake—or already abandoned—are the most interesting.”

“Was it that way for you too?”

“I’ve fought every battle alongside death.”

Gio’s hair briefly flushed red.

“A delicacy you can rarely taste.”

“.......”

“...Ah.”

He reverted back to platinum blond. Gio smiled awkwardly—a gentle, cheerful smile.

“Apologies. Sometimes I lose control, since the fusion is still incomplete.”

“...As long as that lack of control doesn’t lead to massacring people, it’s fine.”

“No matter how out of control it gets, that won’t happen.”

“Because Argio never enjoyed meaningless slaughter in the first place?”

“You’re absolutely right, Mr. Yoo Seong-Woon.”

“Hmm...”

He paused to think.

“...But, you know.”

“Yes, I’m listening.”

“How exactly do you plan to act like the Demon King?”

“......”

“You’re, how should I put it...”

Yoo Seong-Woon hesitated before continuing.

“Your personality doesn’t really fit villainy.”

“T-That’s...”

“You’re not even good at doing bad things.”

Never thought I’d say something like that to an evil god, but it was the undeniable truth. Gio just wasn’t cut out for wrongdoing.

“Even when you were Argio, you didn’t go around slaughtering meaninglessly.”

“I did enjoy frequent bloodbaths.”

“So you started fights? Picked on innocent people?”

“That... I didn’t do.”

“Any other bad things you did?”

“......”

After a long hesitation, Gio finally muttered,

“...Theft?”

“What did you steal?”

“From some obnoxious pigs...”

“Alright, so you’ve never harmed innocent people.”

“But harming people who have nothing to do with it—that’s just too cowardly, isn’t it?”

“Just the fact that you think like that probably disqualifies you from being the Demon King.”

“Isn’t there a place in the world for a Demon King who loves fair fights?”

“A fair Demon King wouldn’t even have a subjugation squad sent after them, Gio. The heroes wouldn’t gather.”

“...You’re right, Mr. Yoo Seong-Woon...”

Gio looked genuinely troubled.

Analyzing the increasingly diverse expressions Gio made had become a fun part of Yoo Seong-Woon’s job as a curator. He sipped the cheap instant coffee on the table while admiring the man’s face.

‘Truly a face worth looking at... beautifully balanced.’

How long had Yoo Seong-Woon been observing? Only after quite some time did Gio speak again.

“...Back when Argio’s infamy was at its peak, I didn’t need to think about these things. The fame just came to me. It’s really unfortunate. They say you only recognize the void once something is lost—seems I’ve reached that point.”

“Not sure it’s something to get so worked up about, though.”

“Can’t I expect something similar this time, too? Like, even if I don’t do anything particularly underhanded, people might just frame me, or see me as the embodiment of evil... something like that.”

“I’m really sorry, but that doesn’t seem very likely.”

Yoo Seong-Woon gave a sheepish smile.

“We can think through that part gradually. For now, there’s the matter of Joo-Hyun resting at your place, and you said your awareness as an evil god still isn’t fully formed.”

“You’re absolutely right, Mr. Yoo Seong-Woon. At the moment, it’s not an ideal time to be spreading rumors about being a Demon King. Thank you for the sound advice.”

“Demon King... hmm. I’ll think about that project, too. I’d like to come up with a way that minimizes collateral damage, if that’s okay with you?”

“That’s exactly what I’d like to ask of you. I do have the urge to fight exceptional talents, but I also don’t want people to be so scared of me that I can’t make friends.”

“Thinking about it that way... maybe splitting your identity further would be better. Black Cloak, Sergio the hunter, and the evil god Argio... hmm...”

Yoo Seong-Woon trailed off for a moment.

“...I guess I also don’t want people to be afraid of you.”

“Thank you for understanding, Mr. Yoo Seong-Woon.”

“From the perspective of preserving peace for humankind, it would be a huge problem, too.”

Beings of Origin can shrink or expand depending on the ‘stories’ surrounding them.

Yoo Seong-Woon had barely managed to separate Gio’s portrait into ‘Sergio’ and ‘Black Cloak’ to create a safe zone. And now... Demon King?

A cold sweat trickled down Yoo Seong-Woon’s back.

Not as a curator—but as a human—he could sense how messy things might get.

“Also, um...”

“Yes, what is it?”

“...A weird sense of guilt...?”

“I don’t believe you have any reason to feel guilty.”

“No, I mean... it’s just...”

Wasn’t he basically drawing up a plan to turn an innocent person into a global villain?

‘If the goal is to recreate the situation from the Argio days... that would mean making Gio, who’s done nothing wrong, into the root of all evil, throwing baseless slander and insult on him.’

Even if he says he’s okay with it... is this really right?

‘Sure, from the Origin’s perspective, guilt might not be something they process the way humans do. But still... Gio also has a human-like self. Which makes it hard to say he’s not human at all...’

The whole thing felt strangely wrong.

“...I’ll give it some serious thought, so for now, let’s hold off on doing anything drastic.”

“I’ve been at a loss, but knowing you’ll think through it with me is truly reassuring.”

“You don’t have to thank me for something like this...”

A harmless Demon King, huh.

‘Never mind whether it makes sense—it’s not even something within my authority to approve.’

Yoo Seong-Woon barely held back a sigh.

It was probably time to check in with Bisa Beul.

***

And so Gio returned home.

“.......”

And Joo-Hyun, too, found herself pondering something similar to Yoo Seong-Woon.

“...Ah, the Demon King thing.”

“That’s the gist of it. What do you think?”

“Give me a moment to think.”

What the hell was this even about?

“So basically...”

It sounded like he was asking to be turned into a globally despised villain.

The earnest young man, who had nothing to do with sinister plots, was clearly confused.

“...That’s a little...”

“Hmm?”

“...Isn’t that... way too unethical?”

Didn’t that defeat the whole purpose of becoming the Demon King?