Chapter 70

“……”

“So….”

Yu Seong-un made a request to Priest Kang Seo-dam, who was sitting in the chair across from him.

“If possible, I’d like you to treat ‘The Black Cape’ and ‘Seo Jio’ as separate individuals.”

“Separate individuals?”

“By separating the ‘stories’ that way, there will be fewer problems in coexisting.”

“I understand what you mean.”

Kang Seo-dam nodded.

“The Hunter I saw in the ‘Temple of the Deep Sea’ must be that person named ‘Seo Jio’.”

“Right, and as for the man in the pitch-black cape witnessed by the Association's Hunters this time, he’s a complete unknown. You probably know they’re the same person, but….”

“If that is the will of a god, I will accept it. The Goddess also expressed her intention of friendship to him, so it will not be difficult to simply keep my mouth shut.”

He readily accepted Yu Seong-un’s request.

It wasn’t just because it was the will of the goddess he served.

“I had no intention of reporting that I saw a god in the ‘Temple of the Deep Sea’ either. He didn’t seem to want his identity revealed, and if I were to say that a god appeared at the initiation ceremony I officiated, I would be pestered for a while. For my own sake as well, I will not speak of it.”

A considerable amount of time had passed since their haphazard escape from the ‘Temple of the Deep Sea’, but Kang Seo-dam had not submitted a proper report about ‘Seo Jio’ to the religious order.

As a priest of the order, it was a unilateral action he would not have taken without the Goddess’s will, but it was a decision that would have been impossible if the priest himself lacked flexibility.

Yu Seong-un had also grasped that fact and attempted this contact.

Yu Seong-un let out a feigned sigh of relief.

“Thank you for saying that. The employees within our guild can be managed by the Guild Master, but I was worried about how to silence Priest Kang Seo-dam, since you are a member of the religious order.”

“‘Silence’ is a harsh expression. But I agree that we must be cautious about the matter of ‘The Black Cape’. The being I met then did not feel like a typical god.”

Not all gods could imitate humans and enjoy their amusement.

“Was that perhaps a type of evil god? I am aware that among the beings who can fit themselves into human standards enough to enjoy amusement, there are quite a few evil gods. If that is the case, then this separation measure could be a huge gamble.”

“We’re still figuring it out.”

“So the collector has dealt with it vaguely again, with all that ‘beloved artwork’ talk. I still cannot comprehend the attitude of the Collectors guild members who can feel at ease just because he looks lovely and safe in the Guild Master’s eyes.”

“Still, we can’t send Jio to a laboratory, can we?”

“It is true that unethical acts are as common as breathing in the Association’s laboratories, but for the safety of humankind, that would be the correct choice. Of course, this is if he is an evil god. The probability of that is low for someone who seems to value peace and mercy, so I once again swear to the sun that I will keep this matter to myself.”

However, the fact that the being named ‘Seo Jio’ was by no means safe for humans remained unchanged.

Mystical beings of such a grand scale had annihilated the entire human race of a dimension without any malice, and had created countless living hells.

“Besides, to be able to come and go from a dungeon with a humanoid monster as its owner as if it were his own home and rescue people….”

That level of power was far beyond the authority of a typical god.

A god couldn't be omniscient and omnipotent in all aspects.

Fundamentally, a being called a god was closer to an intangible fate or nature with a will, so not only could they not enjoy amusement in human form, but they also couldn't enter a dungeon so casually.

This could be said to be something that required strong will, deep experience, and immense ability.

“As someone who has received much mercy, this is an extremely ungrateful thing to say, but the fact that ‘Mr. Seo Jio’ is a dangerous being does not change.”

Kang Seo-dam looked at Yu Seong-un.

“Isn’t this a being that even the collector, who has the best eyes in the world, could not grasp?”

“It may be a very frustrating way of handling things from the perspective of the order or the Association, but we are also doing our best to understand.”

“Is there no possibility that he will be hostile to humanity? I remember that the aura I felt was quite close to death.”

“Well, he’d become a disaster if he gets angry. He might harm humanity unconsciously. Wouldn't the Earth be destroyed?”

“That would be troublesome.”

The Earth was already barely holding on by a thread, thanks to the mercy of a few powerful individuals.

“…I’m saying this again, but I have no intention of interfering with Mr. Seo Jio's amusement. Hunter Yu Seong-un, you must know that is why I did not report to the religious order.”

“I know full well, that’s why I came to see you. I know that Priest Kang Seo-dam has no intention of revealing his identity either… but given the situation, I wanted to hear a proper affirmation.”

To create a world where they could coexist with this fearsome portrait, and hoping for the day he could appreciate more of its forms, Bisabeol was hoping for the successful separation of ‘Seo Jio’ and ‘The Black Cape’. Yu Seong-un felt the same.

“The image of Jio with blond hair and blue eyes was already revealed in the ‘Temple of the Deep Sea’, so we can’t deny his existence, but the only one the Association has officially identified this time was ‘The Black Cape’.”

“I understand well what kind of thinking led to that decision. A mere human cannot stop the amusement of such a powerful god. It’s obvious that a future with only innocent victims will emerge.”

“We reached a similar conclusion. I do think it’s a rather irresponsible form of neglect, but the Collectors want coexistence rather than his control. It's the time-honored motto of our guild.”

In any case, the incidents caused by ‘Jio’s Portrait’ could not be stopped by humans.

In that case, the plan was for the Collectors to officially manage the side of ‘Giovanni’ that had already been revealed, while quietly appeasing Jio behind the scenes to reduce the conflict between him and humans.

“It’s not that the Collectors will just sit back and do nothing. I think if we pay some attention, we can at least reduce the public’s unrest.”

“How do you intend to reduce the unrest?”

“By turning ‘The Black Cape’ into an urban legend. The idea is to make it an ordinary story that people can enjoy casually.”

“……”

Kang Seo-dam’s expression twisted subtly.

It looked close to a face that was painstakingly and politely crushing down annoyance, discomfort, and bewilderment.

“…I don’t think that will work. If things go wrong, the name ‘The Black Cape’ could instead become an object of fear, and he might become an even stronger disaster.”

“For now, it’s working for the Collectors. Our employees are treating ‘The Black Cape’ as a kind of ghost story, and have found a balance in their own way according to its rules.”

“I believe that is due to the unique nature of the Collectors Guild. I am sure it will not be easy when you consider the city, Korea, and on a larger scale, everyone in the world.”

“Still, it’s better than doing nothing, isn’t it.”

“…Hoo….”

Perhaps thinking it wasn't his place to argue, or perhaps because it was too difficult to talk about the same topic anymore.

Kang Seo-dam, who was pressing his brow with a tired face, soon threw another question.

“…But, is it okay to call a god so familiarly? Like ‘that guy’, or ‘Jio’….”

Kang Seo-dam’s reaction was one of slight weariness.

“You are so casual in addressing that enormous being who is imitating human skin.”

“Jio wants that.”

“……”

“Does it feel uncomfortable from a priest’s perspective?”

“…It can’t be helped.”

Regardless of religion, there were three rules required of a priest who served a god.

“First, do not look into God's eyes. Second, do not call the god’s name. Third, do not test the god…. I believe Hunter Yu Seong-un is well aware of these.”

“They’re famous rules.”

“It means not to try to know the essence of a god. Priests basically try to maintain a certain distance when dealing with a god. Treating a god too familiarly also has the potential to violate that essence, so we try to prevent it in advance.”

“……”

“The faith of this era is certainly being used as a means. Because of that, humans’ attitudes towards gods have become more intimate than before the Great Catastrophe, and their images have become much more secular… but it doesn't change the fact that those with divinity are intangible disasters.”

Although they distinguish between traditional gods and evil gods, in reality, if you consider the absolute standard, it is quite ambiguous.

It's because a divinity that is clearly harmful to humanity is evaluated as an evil god.

But how can nature and fate be divided into good and evil? No matter how insignificant beings like humans measure and classify them, it would only cause headaches.

“Whether they have the will or not, a being called a god can at any time become a disaster for humanity.”

Priests had to know that better than any other human.

“To forget that is the same as being unqualified as a priest.”

“That’s quite profound.”

“I meant for you to be careful too, Mr. Yu Seong-un. I have seen countless people who called a god’s true name and burst from being crushed by the weight of fate. Receiving a god’s gaze all to oneself means that.”

“I know that well, too.”

In fact, Yu Seong-un might know it better.

“I’m something of an expert in this field myself.”

From Yu Seong-un’s, the Gardener's perspective, the gods of the current generation are classified as a type of ‘child of the Source.’

Closely connected to the Source, a formless, soundless disaster that can exist in any dimension.

A fate with a will and a living story.

All these conditions align with a ‘child of the Source.’

‘But I can’t tell that to the priest.’

He would be lucky if all he got was called irreverent.

In the first place, the existence of the Gardeners and the knowledge related to them was uncontrollable and dangerous information that only a few people knew and could handle, so he couldn’t go blabbering about Jio’s story just to save his own face.

“Anyway, don’t be too surprised when you see Jio active in society soon. The Jio at that time will probably be quite flexible and have a good personality, so he won’t cause any trouble. His identity will be solid too.”

“……”

“He’ll be introduced as a Tamer who is a devout follower, enough to handle holy power, so I meant for you to play along. His essential aura might be a bit different, but primarily, Jio is close to the Sun God lineage.”

“I’m telling you not to talk like that. It’s uncomfortable to hear.”

“What can I do, this is my way?”

“Haa….”

“Ah, come to think of it.”

Yu Seong-un blinked and asked.

“Has the Association officialized the information about ‘The Black Cape’?”

One of the things the Association did was to organize and inform Hunters of the rules regarding beings they should be aware of.

Yu Seong-un thought that the ‘Black Cape’ witnessed this time was sufficient to be officialized as such.

“They need to open the floodgates on their end so it’s easier for us to spin it as a ghost story.”

“The dungeon at the newly discovered entrance has also been named, so ‘The Black Cape’ will be sorted out soon.”

“As expected of a priest from the Solar Cult, you’re quick with information. What’s the name of that dungeon?”

“It is not much different from the place we visited.”

Kang Seo-dam continued.

“They call it the ‘Country of the Deep Sea’.”

“Well….”

Yu Seong-un nodded his head.

“It’s intuitive and good.”

It was a fitting name.

***

“Hunter Jeong Da-un.”

“……”

“Hunter Jeong Da-un, are you ready?”

“……”

The woman with limp brown hair nodded her head.

“…Yes, I’m ready.”

“We will now begin a question-and-answer session about what happened in the ‘Country of the Deep Sea’.”

“Yes.”

“As the team leader, Hunter Jeong Da-un will be taking the questions, but if the information is insufficient, we will also seek help from your colleagues, Hunter Jeong Da-un.”

“Yes.”

“First of all….”

The man in a doctor’s gown sitting across from the Hunter continued.

“Let’s start with some light talk.”

“……”

“You seem to be very nervous. It’s been about 3 days since you completed the exploration of the ‘Country of the Deep Sea’. Was it not enough of a rest for you?”

“……”

“I am not interrogating you about why you haven’t recovered yet, so please speak comfortably. We can only conduct the Q&A session once Hunter Jeong Da-un’s mind and body have stabilized.”

“…Yes.”

The hesitant Hunter let out a hollow laugh and spoke awkwardly.

Her voice was recorded on the recorder.

“I’m sorry, my body has fully recovered.”

“I’ll say it again, there is nothing to be sorry about.”

“It’s just… that thing won’t leave my head….”

“By ‘that thing’, are you referring to the ‘Black Cape’ that was witnessed this time?”

“Yes, that’s right. The Black Cape.”

The woman raised her head.

“Ah, has the name been decided as ‘The Black Cape’?”

“It has been temporarily named as such, but we don’t know how the designation will change in the future. The Association has absolutely no information about The Black Cape.”

“Am I the first discoverer…?”

“We requested cooperation from the Hunter Associations of various countries, but we have not received any information about the being you witnessed. We need to check a little more, but there is a high probability that Hunter Jeong Da-un’s sighting is the first.”

“…I see.”

In fact, the first discoverer was Bisabeol, who had recognized his identity long ago, and even if counting sightings by non-related civilians, there was Cha Ara, but because things had proceeded so peacefully, the information about him had not been passed on to the Association.

“Then my answers become very important.”

“Yes. I don’t want to burden you, but as he has been identified as being of a considerably high class, the response measures organized by the Association will change depending on how accurate the information you provide is.”

“……”

The hunter nodded her head.

“I’m ready.”

“Then we will begin the questioning.”

The man, a researcher from the Association, began the main questions.

“Where was the location where you first witnessed ‘The Black Cape’?”

“…It was the temple, in the ‘Country of the Deep Sea’.”

“Let’s continue from there. The ‘Country of the Deep Sea’ is said to have a structure of stage 1, above the sea. Stage 2, a submerged city below the water’s surface. Stage 3, a giant temple. Is that correct?”

“Yes, that’s right. When you first enter, Hunters are standing on the sea. You don’t fall in unless you intentionally try to enter. If you move a bit too aggressively, you fall in… but you can come back up again.”

“In that case, the ‘Country of the Deep Sea’ must be a structure where the danger level increases as you go down.”

“That’s right, there wasn’t anything you could call a monster on the sea. We confirmed that you can breathe even when you go below the surface. There is resistance from the water, so your movements are restricted, though.”

“You said monsters were witnessed from stage 2.”

“A zombie-like feeling that lives in the water…? There was also a strange slime that looked like a lump of flesh. Besides that, various other things… but I believe my team members have reported on this part.”

“Yes, we were just confirming it once more.”

The researcher nodded his head.

“Then let’s move on to the temple. Is there a big difference between the monsters in stage 2, the ‘submerged city’, and the monsters in stage 3, the ‘temple of the deep sea’?”

“The fact that they looked more heinous? The types themselves seemed similar. But the monsters found in the temple were much more grotesque and ferocious. Naturally, the danger level was also higher.”

“Then from here on is the main point.”

The researcher took out a photo from the file, and pushed it to show the Hunter.

“This is a photo taken by one of your team members, Hunter Kim I-yeon.”

“……”

Pictured in the photo was a man completely surrounded by a pitch-black cape.

“You all described this being as a man, but in fact, it might not have a gender at all. Since its whole body is covered in a cape, there’s no guarantee it has a human form.”

“…That’s true.”

“Nevertheless, is there a reason you described him as a ‘man in a black cape’?”

“Because… it felt that way.”

As a skilled hunter, she knew well about the ambiguity of monsters.

Just because a voice was deep, or because it was tall, didn’t make it male.

She had never seen the entity inside the cape, so she didn't even know if it had a human form.

‘The Black Cape’ didn’t even make a sound when it walked.

A very light rustling sound of grass could be heard, in which case it was strange to be sure that the inside was a heavy human body.

“……”

Yes, it's strange.

“…Still, it felt ‘human’.”

She knows it’s not human, yet she ends up saying ‘human’.

“As if it were a very natural fact….”

If Jio had heard, he would have felt a bit wronged, thinking, ‘But I am human.’

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