At 8:00 AM.

Yoo Seong-Woon blinked his mint-colored eyes as he gazed at the black cloak revealed in front of the frame.

"......"

Oh.

'It feels a bit different.'

It wasn't just his imagination. The dark figure standing in front of the portrait didn't give off the same eerie atmosphere as before.

It was as if a monster had turned into a human.

"Gio."

"Have you arrived?"

"Am I too late?"

"No, I was here early."

"Is that so?"

Yoo Seong-Woon casually replied, thinking to himself,

'...Even his voice is different.'

Unlike before, when the conversation had been bizarrely formal, Gio now seemed 'overly polite,' yet it didn't feel strange. The atmosphere was as if it could be normal for a person of pure character.

'The difference between being inside the portrait and outside could be...'

But that thought was contradicted by the testimonies of witnesses so far.

"......"

After a moment, Yoo Seong-Woon smiled and asked,

"Do you feel good?"

"Yes, I do."

"Hmm... you seem lighter than usual."

"I have always been light."

"Let's say that's the case."

Still ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) different from usual.

'There's also less intimidation.'

Although Yoo Seong-Woon had only seen his back, he knew how frightening the Gio outside the portrait usually was.

Despite not feeling any hostility or murderous intent, the suffocating and dizzying sensation wasn't something one could easily experience.

'In a world filled with various kinds of monsters, whether human or beast.'

That feeling was said to intensify when facing Gio directly, which was quite strange. Now, Gio felt like an ordinary human.

"......"

"......"

Perhaps sensing that curiosity, Gio spoke first.

"I've taken some measures."

"Measures?"

"To avoid startling others, I tried adjusting the resolution. Seeing your reaction, it seems my attempt wasn't too bad."

"Ah, I see."

He seemed almost human.

Yoo Seong-Woon nodded nonchalantly, though his thoughts were deeper.

'So... he can adjust the caliber of his soul?'

Gio's previous state had been twisted beyond human measure, but now his caliber seemed comparable to that of an A-class hunter.

Being able to adjust his soul's caliber at will sounded like a cruel joke.

"...Are you sure you're not straining yourself?"

If he had forcibly lowered his caliber, the fatigue would be tremendous.

'It's like he's cursed himself.'

Yoo Seong-Woon's polite inquiry masked a concern that the pain might be greater than fatigue.

Gio looked down at his hand, then shook his head.

"I'm fine."

"That's good to hear..."

It was crazy to go to such lengths and remain so calm about it.

'He's too calm for someone who's self-harmed. If you're going to pretend to be normal, you should at least be more meticulous.'

A ten-year-old child would understand the severity of the situation. It was as if he had cut off his limbs and gouged out his eyes.

'It's no different from putting a neck collar on a torso and hanging a weight from it.'

Of course, Gio was unfazed.

'I'm hungry.'

Until recently, he had lived as an ordinary human, not feeling thirst or hunger.

The convenience of a body that felt neither hunger nor satiation was nice, but he didn't feel averse to his current state.

It was familiar to him to live this way.

"......"

"So, where shall we go now?"

"...Yes, that's right."

Yoo Seong-Woon replied, striving to maintain an indifferent expression. It would be rude to show concern to someone who had come out to enjoy themselves. He had to be careful with every response, given the nature of the entity he was dealing with.

"Since it's morning, I thought we might have breakfast."

"What kind will it be?"

"I recommend a Korean-style breakfast place."

Gio had once introduced himself as 'Seo Gio,' hinting at a connection to South Korean customs, though it was unclear if he was truly following Korean practices. But knowing Gio's familiarity with Korea, Yoo Seong-Woon chose a breakfast place that served a typical Korean set meal.

Just to be safe, he added an explanation.

"It comes with side dishes, rice, and soup. You can order fish or spicy pork."

"......"

"It's generally not too stimulating, but I thought something easy on the stomach would be better for breakfast."

"That sounds good."

Gio, who had always enjoyed the plain meals his grandmother prepared, liked such comforting food. It was soothing for both body and mind.

Yoo Seong-Woon nodded.

"That's good. Shall we go then?"

Gio followed him.

'...I can hear footsteps.'

Gio seemed to be wearing shoes now, unlike before when he appeared to be barefoot. However, the sound of footsteps carrying the weight of a person surprised Yoo Seong-Woon.

'Has he really lowered his level to that of a human? I still can't believe it.'

From how it was possible to the sheer horror of such an act.

'It seems he did this drastic thing to consider others...'

The potential damage was daunting, and Yoo Seong-Woon felt an eerie sense of guilt before he could even acknowledge his embarrassment. Handling such an absurdly kind gesture was overwhelming.

But it made him seem even less human.

"Hmm..."

Yoo Seong-Woon, having regained his composure, led Gio to the elevator.

"Let's get on."

"This seems new to me."

"What does? The elevator?"

"I usually moved through the painting."

"I guessed as much."

The mysterious portrait that night guards occasionally spotted was now explained.

Even so, the legend of the 'black cloak' had taken root in this guild.

"Why didn't you use the elevator even though you had a pass?"

"If I encountered other people in such a small space, it would have been awkward."

"...I see."

Considering that even a brief encounter in the spacious corridors necessitated giving the guards a break, being in such a cramped space might indeed have caused them to faint.

But Gio didn't mean it in that sense.

'What kind of people do you think the staff here are to be in such a small space with them?'

Gio, who knew when to keep his distance, was scared. Thirty-one years of living a fantasy life was enough to instill a sense of unknown fear, even back home.

'It's dangerous to take action on behalf of a haunted portrait. Moving through paintings is faster anyway.'

It was a choice made considering his own convenience from several perspectives.

"......"

But to Yoo Seong-Woon, it could only be interpreted differently.

'...Isn't this being overly nice? Did I worry about the wrong things?'

His concern began to mount.

'Worried that other people would be crushed by his caliber, he moved through paintings instead of using the elevator, and he cut off his own caliber to prevent mishaps during the trip...'

There was another suspicious circumstance.

'Now that I think about it, his liking for giving gifts also seems like a worrisome trait.'

While the portrait was prepared for tourism to avoid accidents, it would be a different kind of accident if Gio harmed a human.

'It seems I've misidentified who needs to be watched. Instead of worrying about Gio's sudden actions, should I have been concerned about humans who might provoke him?'

Yoo Seong-Woon lamented the possibly incorrect direction of his concerns but couldn't dismiss his doubts.
If you are reading this translation anywhere other than Novelight.net or SilkRoadTL, it has been stolen.

"...Let's get off."

"It took quite a while."

"It's a gallery deep underground."

Yoo Seong-Woon explained with a slight smile.

"The gallery's collection includes items from all over the world. Some were bought directly by the Guild Leader, while others were identified and purchased by guild members, and some are so dangerous that they're stored here on consignment..."

In a nutshell, it was like a den of iniquities.

"The restricted access to the gallery is partly to prevent theft, but it's also because a slight mishap could easily kill a dozen people. A collector's gallery dominated by all sorts of bizarre artifacts is well-known for spawning such legends."

"That makes sense."

"So it's deliberately located deep underground. If a bomb goes off down there, it can be contained more easily, or at least minimize the damage."

Having said that, Yoo Seong-Woon turned to Gio.

"Uh, right."

"...Is there a problem?"

"You're still wearing the hood."

While lowering his level had reduced his intimidation, he was far from harmless, and more than anything, Gio's face was too assertive. If he went around showing it, he would get caught up in all sorts of trouble.

'If we just cover his face, we can pass him off as an unofficial hunter. There are unusually many of them among collectors, so others won't suspect.'

The staff member at the lobby entrance greeted Yoo Seong-Woon.

"Are you heading straight home?"

"Hardly, it's a business trip. I just got here; I couldn't possibly be leaving already."

"I almost envied you for a moment. Let's suffer together."

The guard, who joked good-naturedly, noticed Gio standing behind Yoo Seong-Woon.

"Who is this..."

"A guest of the Guild Leader."

"Perhaps coming in as a new recruit?"

"Maybe."

Seemingly amiable, the guard was the first to speak to Gio as if they were old acquaintances.

"Then you might want to change the color of the cloak. As you probably know, we've got a new legend about a black cloak around here."

Yoo Seong-Woon asked.

"People are still startled by the black cloak?"

"Since there are many witnesses, what can you do? It seems to actually exist, so everyone

 is somewhat cautious."

"Ah, that's troublesome."

Yoo Seong-Woon chuckled dryly and nodded.

"Then I'll see you in a few days."

"Is it a long business trip?"

"Well, I'll know when I get there."

"Good luck then."

The guard courteously bid them farewell and quickly lost interest in Yoo Seong-Woon and Gio.

As the massive glass doors of the lobby opened, and they stepped outside the Collector's Guild, Yoo Seong-Woon spoke.

"As you can see, there's some buzz about you. I've already spoken to the Guild Leader about the inconvenience you're experiencing, but it might take some time to reflect..."

Yoo Seong-Woon explained apologetically.

"I'll mention that you're a guest of the Guild Leader. How about that?"

"I understand."

"Any other questions?"

"I'm curious why the guard was so sure I would become a colleague."

"Oh, that."

Yoo Seong-Woon nodded.

"It's a habit of the Guild Leader to pick up people."

"He picks them up? The Guild Leader has an unusual set of beliefs."

"He even tries to recruit subcontractors who come to assassinate him."

"Recruiting someone who tried to kill him is bold. He seems to have great tolerance."

"His taste is so unique that if there's an unfamiliar person in the guild, it's likely they're a guest of the Guild Leader. It's not the first time he's invited someone to the guild with the intention of persuading them."

"......"

Packing things nicely has its limits.

Unaware that such packaging made him appear more inhuman, Gio quietly resigned himself to the endless parade of eccentrics blessed by the gods.

'My physical strength granted by the gods is limited; I can't handle such a colossal presence.'

He didn't seem like a bad person, but Gio didn't want to engage in conversation with someone so unpredictable.

'If we became friends, he'd drag me out of my corner and throw me into the middle of a gathering of insiders as a sacrifice at the party...'

That was horrifying.

"So now we need to catch the elevated train, are you okay with that?"

"...The elevated train?"

Not the subway?

Thanks to his lowered level, Yoo Seong-Woon was able to more clearly perceive Gio's question and immediately explained.

"Yeah, it's a railway that runs above ground. It's like a bus in that it has a set route but it moves faster and at a much higher altitude."

Pointing upwards, Yoo Seong-Woon indicated the sky.

"See there?"

Rails that passed between high-rise buildings or even penetrated them. Not all of the rails were visible; parts seemed to have been made transparent, perhaps as a measure to enhance the cityscape. It piqued Gio's SF sensibilities.

"Quite high."

"If you compare it to buildings, it operates around the 60th floor."

Gio inwardly nodded.

'In ten years rivers and mountains change, in thirty years the world has changed.'

Perhaps more so because it was in the capital region, but even taking that into account, the buildings and facilities had developed significantly. Now, Gio really felt like an ancestor.

The buildings were generally over thirty floors tall, and the elevated train looked almost like a rollercoaster as it traveled between them.

'It's not as intense in terms of rail line or speed as that...'

Gio felt a sense of romance in the futuristic design.

"Gio, this way."

"......"

The fashion of the people was also considerably different from before. Some wore armor or had large swords strapped to their backs, and there were even people with wings or tails.

Fashion comes and goes, and clearly an invasive species had been involved at some point. Given everyone's striking individuality, Gio, wearing a cloak, seemed quite unremarkable.

People were even trading jewels and weapons openly. Jewels were one thing, but weapons with dangerously sharp blades...

"......"

Oh.

Gio discovered himself shrinking like grilled pork belly over an open flame.

'I worried that I, a haunted portrait, might appear harmful, but this sight makes such concerns seem laughable.'

Contrary to his thoughts, some astute people were glancing at Gio.

'His energy is heavy... Is he a hunter? Given his precise movements, maybe a knight or... a priest?'

'Could he be at least A-rank? I've never felt this vibe before, so he's probably an unofficial hunter.'

'All black. Either he values the color for his skills, or it's all set items...'

Yoo Seong-Woon was aware of some people's gazes.

'Please, don't start a conversation.'

As expected, but with Gio's help, they were attracting less attention than they might have.

Yoo Seong-Woon was fervently hoping that no mishaps would occur as he introduced Gio to human society.

"Here's the entrance to the elevated train."

Yoo Seong-Woon drew attention to ensure Gio wasn't noticed by others.

"See here? You can touch your card here to pay the fare."

"At the elevator front?"

Gio, habitually standing with his hands behind his back, looked interestedly at the entrance to the elevated train.

It looked like an elevator one might find in a subway or on some pedestrian bridges. Instead of being hidden inside a building, it protruded high up and was connected to the elevated train's route.

'Is there no station?'

The bare rails suggested there might not be a station, and at best, there were spaces here and there like bus stops, apparently utilized in a similar manner.

"I'll give you my card. If there's anything you want to buy, just use this; there's no limit."

"......"

Gio was overwhelmed.

'How many times have I been startled today?'

The world outside the blanket is dangerous.

'Why would you give me a card with no limit.'

Scary, so I'll call you brother, bro.

Of course, Gio, an introvert by choice who had only known Yoo Seong-Woon for a few months, wouldn't start calling him 'brother.' Maintaining his politeness, Gio used the card to board the elevator of the elevated train.

"......"

"What's up?"

"I'm curious about something."

Gio asked.

"The elevator isn't very fast, but there's only one. Wouldn't operations be delayed if many people were waiting?"

"Ah..."

Yoo Seong-Woon laughed awkwardly.

"It seems they didn't install more because not many people use it."

"It looks like a useful mode of transportation. Why aren't more people using it?"

How could such an interesting novelty be left alone?

"It's not for any significant reason."

Yoo Seong-Woon informed him of the reality.

"It's expensive."

"......"

Ah.

'Of course, that makes sense.'

Gio knew this guy very well in a capitalist society.

'Is that guy still alive?'

He's long-lived, isn't he?