The Artist Who Paints Dungeon-Chapter 351

There might be someone who would argue otherwise, but it was certain. Until now, the “attacks” from the garden had been passive.

They simply existed, entranced, and drove people’s minds to ruin, but never took an active stance. However, it was clear that once people began to adapt to the presence of the “mystery,” the participants’ actions had triggered something.

“Explain in detail—what do you mean, a clown? Don’t tell me there are clowns here too?”

“They looked similar, but... b-but it was nothing like what we saw on Earth! They attacked us directly, and it was contagious on top of that...! Seoyeong turned into a clown and I—I killed her!!”

“Calm down. If you talk like that, I can’t get a proper report. What exactly were you doing when the clown appeared? I sent you to scout—what were you doing and where?”

“W-we strayed off... to the edge of the stairs....”

This “Garden of Pleasure” was, in many ways, unlike a normal dungeon. Unlike typical dungeons with a beginning, middle, and end, this one was simply nature itself.

Like a surrealist painting, the space and time here were distorted. Words like “edge of the stairs” couldn’t accurately pinpoint a location.

But there was one thing that could be clearly understood.

“As soon as we found this... the clown came chasing us....”

“...This is...”

The woman frowned and looked at the ornament. It was a piece of jewelry so tarnished, cracked, and broken, it was hard to believe it had come from this beautiful and pristine dungeon.

The guild master murmured,

“A bracelet, maybe...?”

Another guild member looked at the object in the guild master’s hand and spoke.

“Ah... I think it’s more like an anklet.”

“An anklet? For the foot?”

“There’s a part that goes around the ankle, and another that wraps around the toes.”

“The larger part is for the ankle, and the smaller one for the toe, then.”

“Yes. There are also items designed like that for the hands, but...”

The guild member inspected the broken ornament with gloved hands and nodded. Since he was responsible for inspecting and managing all the items that came into the guild, it was no surprise he knew a lot about accessories like this.

“Judging by its length, it’s an anklet. It’s small enough that a slightly larger person could wear it on the hand, but this middle part is too long for that. It’s meant to be worn on the foot.”

“What kind of kid wears an anklet like this? They’d catch a chill. It doesn’t seem to be enchanted with any warmth or defensive buffs either.”

“Right, I found that strange too. Anklets of this shape... they’re kind of like slippers or flip-flops. You wouldn’t be able to wear shoes over this. So usually, anklets like these are cursed items.”

“You mean, it’s probably not something with a positive purpose? Hmm, if it’s cursed...”

“We almost never see this type of item in our guild.”

The gems embedded in the jewelry were badly damaged, but still large and glittering. Above all, the design was excessively ornate. It was definitely not something that could be hidden under a shoe.

“Usually, items—especially accessories—combine the effects of human-made artifacts with other properties. They naturally accumulate multiple meanings. That’s what makes them special.”

“This doesn’t really feel like an item, though... but you’ve got a general idea of what it was used for?”

“It doesn’t seem like a typical item, so it’s more about what it means than what it does. Given the small size, it was for a child. Given the extravagant look, it was meant to be seen. So they couldn’t wear shoes. It’s one of two things: for restraint or for display.”

“Uh... either way, that sounds kinda perverted, doesn’t it?”

“Judging by the wear marks, it wasn’t just an item that fell out of thin air. Things like this that come from other dimensions often have twisted backstories, Guild Master. Compared to that, this one’s relatively tame.”

The guild member expertly read the story behind the accessory.

“Most likely, the wearer was a child of low status. If they’d been of high status, they wouldn’t have made them unable to wear shoes. Or it was an environment where status didn’t matter.”

“An environment where status doesn’t matter... ah, like a kidnapping?”

“That’s possible too. Either way, it’s an item that disregards the wearer’s health and comfort, even though the target was a vulnerable child.”

“And also.”

“Like I said, it’s either for restraint or for display. The former is so they can’t run far without shoes. The latter is because the child was pretty enough to warrant such a flashy thing. No matter how you look at it, it feels like it was meant for display.”

“Ugh, that’s perverse. A pedo?”

“That could be. Either way, it’s the classic bird-in-a-cage scenario. If someone gave a child something this flashy, they were treated well in appearance, but clearly couldn’t escape.”

One of the guild members, seemingly out of it until now, suddenly grabbed her guild master.

“...G-Guild Master... what about Seoyeong...?”

“What do you mean, what about her? You killed her.”

“No, I didn’t mean it like that...!”

“What, you want me to resurrect her? Sorry, can’t do that.”

“...Ah...”

“Well, at least we learned something useful. If we can read the story behind it, that might help us in clearing the dungeon. I’ll add some incentives later.”

“......”

“Where exactly did you find this? If the story matters in this dungeon, there must be specific conditions to finding items like this, too.”

“......”

“Tsk... out of it, huh.”

The guild master clicked her tongue and generously granted mercy. It looked like the scout needed some rest before she could speak. Considering the result, that much leniency could be allowed. The woman began piecing things together on her own without a witness’s help.

This was the first time the garden had shown a non-passive attack. And this broken ornament, out of place in the dungeon, told many possible stories. Taking it all together...

“This must be the dungeon master’s story, huh?”

“Mm... at the very least, it’s related.”

“Good. Let’s try to find a few more like this. We’ve got to clear this dungeon anyway.”

She wasn’t a particularly bad guild master. At least, not by today’s standards.

She never delayed salaries, gave extra compensation for overtime or outstanding work, didn’t neglect her guild members, and didn’t leave civilians or porters behind in dungeons.

But happiness is subjective, and the grief of losing a close friend is intensely personal.

“...Seoyeong...”

That team was wiped out over the span of three days.

It was probably the work of a clown.

***

“...If we had to categorize this one, I’d say it’s more of a defensive battle this time.”

“A defensive battle?”

“Ah, Cha Eun-Hyeok, you wouldn’t know.”

“I can guess—it means fighting to defend, right?”

“That’s pretty much it.”

Yoo Seong-Woon, who had shared all information with every reachable team, explained to Cha Eun-Hyeok.

“Dungeon clearing usually falls into two basic types. One is a search-and-destroy mission, and the other is a defensive stand. The former is about going to find the enemy. The latter is about the enemy coming to you.”

“You’re talking about monsters, right?”

“Yeah. This space has been reconstructed into dungeon form, so monsters would make sense. It seems those clowns from Earth are showing up here too... but they don’t seem to be gathering anywhere in particular.”

“And they even come looking for us on their own, right?”

“Seems like if you trigger something, they come rushing in. Or they creep up in a roundabout way. Apparently, they’re really good at causing internal conflicts and wiping out teams from within.”

Cha Eun-Hyeok asked again.

“Then as long as we don’t trigger anything, it stays peaceful, right?”

“We can’t exactly live here forever in peace...”

“Ah...”

“We still have to clear it.”

At that moment, Bisa Beul chuckled and spoke.

“In your case, Cha Eun-Hyeok, don’t you need to find your sister as well?”

“...That’s true. But I came without much of a plan, just hoping to find some clue... now that things are like this, I don’t even know what to do...”

“Even just providing us with a safe zone is an incredible contribution. The Collector always honors its deals. I promise, we’ll support your search for your sister.”

“...Thank you.”

“And this came in just now—only the guild master has received the message.”

It was a message from outside the dungeon—Earth, to be exact.

“They think the first trigger was... that anklet, right?”

“Yes. An anklet small enough for a child.”

“It seems that, as a result of that, the clowns on Earth have disappeared. We can’t say for certain given their nature, but the Association and Justitia are both leaning toward that conclusion.”

“......”

Yoo Seong-Woon rubbed his neck and asked,

“Do you think all of them came here?”

“It’s quite possible. Congratulations, Cha Eun-Hyeok. If you’re lucky, you might reunite with your sister in this dungeon.”

“Guild Master, please...”

Yoo Seong-Woon calmly panicked, and the other staff silently panicked. Bisa Beul’s words were no different from saying, “Your sister’s a clown now.” Agitating an already fragile civilian sponsor—what was he thinking?

But Bisa Beul remained incredibly shameless.

“Well, it’s good news, isn’t it? There’s a higher chance of recovering at least one of the missing siblings.”

“It might be best if Father refrained from speaking.”

“Shall I shut up?”

“Please do.”

The Collector discreetly observed Cha Eun-Hyeok’s condition.

“......”

Yes, a few days ago, they had received information that his sister Cha I-Sol had gone missing as well.

“...I’m fine.”

“That was definitely our Guild Master’s fault.”

“I’m really okay.”

“Ah... yes...”

“Seriously... ha...”

In the end, Cha Eun-Hyeok cried.

All eyes from the Collector staff turned toward Bisa Beul. Their looks said, “Really? You made a young man cry at your age?” But Bisa Beul had the thickest of skins.

Since it wasn’t appropriate to berate their guild master in front of outsiders, the Collector staff resorted to scolding him with gestures and glares alone.

‘Guild Master, please.’

‘Why would you do that to a young man working hard for his family?’

‘He’s crying...!’

Nobody knew exactly what had happened at the beginning. But a few reports had come in that, after the advance party entered, the Church of the Sun team began experiencing internal conflict. Later, another team discovered a scene of carnage where only traces of the Church remained.

Based on the scene, it was assumed that most of the priests had been killed. They didn’t know if any had fled, but no one had seen the body—or even pieces—of the young apprentice priest, which was, in a way, a small mercy.

Of course, that didn’t mean the situation was hopeful.

“...She’ll be okay.”

“Y-yeah, she probably ran away safely.”

“Priest Kang Seodam said he’d personally look after her.”

“Priest Kang Seodam is famous. An elite of the Church of the Sun. If he was taking care of her, I’m sure he got her out before anything happened.”

“I... think so too.”

Cha Eun-Hyeok’s eyes were red after a deep breath. Lately, he had been zoning out and crying often. Because of that, the skin around his eyes was raw and inflamed. Compared to when they first met, he looked significantly more haggard.

“...What the Guild Master said isn’t wrong.”

He tried to think calmly, objectively. It would be a lie to say there was nothing unpleasant about what was said, but Bisa Beul wasn’t wrong when he said, “At least it’s something.” That had to be acknowledged.

“It’s probably easier to find them if they’re all in one place. In Cha Ara’s case, even Association staff couldn’t find any trace of her—she just vanished without a clue. If she really did become a clown, then at least her body would still be intact.”

“Cha Eun-Hyeok...”

“And the same goes for Cha I-Sol. Just the fact that no body has turned up is something I’m grateful for. In times like this, even having the body intact is a win. I know that. I do.”

When Cha Ara awakened as an F-rank and chose to become a porter, Cha Eun-Hyeok had already prepared himself multiple times for her death. It was the same when Cha I-Sol awakened as a priest.

If you become a hunter—or a frontline priest—it’s common to lose the body. There are sites so brutal not even a strand of hair is recovered. Compared to that, ending up dressed like a clown was practically a joke. At least all the limbs would still be there.

“Just...”

Yes, the truth was—he was slowly letting go of hope.

“...Sorry, I know having a civilian with us is uncomfortable...”

“We’ve benefited so much from your safe zone. Please don’t say that.”

“I’ll pull myself together. I’m sorry.”

It was better not to have hope.

‘If I keep thinking too deeply, I’ll start blaming someone.’

And the one he’d blame was obvious: S-rank Bisa Beul, and the divine Black Cloak. If their ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) vision was so great, why hadn’t they found his sisters? If they were gods, why had they left his kind siblings alone?

But he knew that was an absurd thought. His heart said so, but his reason did not. It couldn’t. Who was he to dare place blame?

‘If I did, I’d be no different from the ones at the mermaid dungeon.’

Everyone knew what “Sergio Hunter” had gone through. There were whispers of civilians blaming him, saying, “Why didn’t you come save us sooner?”—and how he’d been kidnapped by the mermaids in their place.

Just because someone is strong doesn't mean they owe it to you to save the weak. If they offer kindness and mercy, be grateful. You must never demand it.

Of course, Sergio Hunter wasn’t an ordinary human. He was a god, a mystery. But that was beside the point. In many ways.

Most importantly, it was a dangerous attitude—one that could lead to massive loss before it even touched morality.

‘And people like him... probably already know I’m thinking this.’

How ridiculous it must seem. Some nobody, blaming them for not doing something they never owed him. Cha Eun-Hyeok was consciously trying to let go of hope for his siblings.

Because that way, if they were dead, he could at least believe their souls would pass on peacefully to the afterlife. And for that to happen, he had to stay in the good graces of the divine being watching him. It was selfish, but that’s what he thought.

“Cha Eun-Hyeok.”

“...Ah, yes?”

“Thank you.”

“.......”

He blinked in confusion at the sudden thanks.

“...Sorry?”

“For trying. I appreciate the effort.”

“No, I just... do what I can. It’s not really effort, it’s just...”

“Thank you for thinking of others too.”

“...Uh...”

He’s been found out, hasn’t he?

‘...If you’re a god, reading someone’s thoughts must be easy. Is that what this is? A roundabout scolding? Like, “I know your arrogant thoughts”?’

Cha Eun-Hyeok looked at Sergio Hunter’s face. Eyes that glowed blue like the ocean. Lips curled in a gentle smile. There was no scorn or hatred anywhere. Of course, a being like him could easily control his facial muscles, but still.

A strange stillness passed.

Cha Eun-Hyeok instinctively realized that the Collector staff were intentionally keeping quiet. Somehow, every word from Sergio Hunter and the silence that followed felt like some kind of ritual.

‘...Something feels... off...’

And then, a vast, towering presence praised him.

“You’re a kind person.”

“.......”

And that’s when it happened.

“―...Uh, uhhh! Uuuhhh!!”

A familiar voice echoed from the distance.

“Hyung!!”

“.......”

“Hyung hyung hyung!! Hyuuuung! Hyung!!”

“.......”

“Hyung, I’m hungry!!!”

It was Cha I-Sol, running with Iru Da and Kang Seodam by her side.

“Gimme some food...!!”

She wailed as she ran.

Cha I-Sol was exactly as he remembered. No—she was bandaged and limping, clearly injured—but all her limbs were intact. That was his sister. Unless this was an illusion.

But if that really was his sister—

“...Ha.”

...They say Black Cloak gives gifts to good people.

Maybe it was true.

***

“......!”

My god.

‘What in the world?’

For the record, even Gio hadn’t expected this appearance.