36 chapter

The Artist Who Paints Dungeon — novelight.net · All chapters

36 chapter

Gio wasn't necessarily averse to playing, but the energy he had was limited.

"......"

“Honey, if Dad’s lying around, you should at least scold me.”

"...Krrr..."

“If we both stay like this, nothing will get done.”

The busy modern society they had returned to drained Gio's energy.

‘I don't think being drained by a vampire would be as tiring as this.’

He never thought the country was particularly peaceful or gentle, but after 31 years, South Korea had turned into a "hellish" place. The fragile Gio had become frazzled.

Sprawled out on the bed like a ragged cloth that had been lying there for 29 years, Gio gently prodded Honey, who had sprawled out like a liquid monster.

"As far as I know... I'm still syncing with Giovanni."

“Krr?”

“It feels much less intense inside the portrait than it did when I was outside.”

“Krrr?”

“The syncing speed has slowed down.”

Sync rate: 14.8%

“I think I was almost at 6% when I dipped my feet in Cheonggyecheon.”

“Kkk.”

“It was about 4% when I traveled to the restaurant via the canals…”

The common factor was the water-related actions.

“Maybe it’s because of my connection with water.”

It was Giovanni’s story.

In any case, syncing was much faster when he was outside the portrait.

"Must be a characteristic of the world inside the portrait."

“Krrr...”

While syncing, Gio still felt the same urges he used to. When the time came, he felt hungry, had to work hard, and after a lot of work, needed rest. His body, which had once felt light, grew heavier again…

But after touring Seoul and returning, the sensations inside the portrait had become duller.

"Even though I’m syncing, inside the portrait, I might be treated as just a picture. Maybe that’s why my emotions are also seen as ‘art.’"

When Gio was the subject, even if the entity was intangible, it seemed to be treated as just a ‘painting.’

Before, when he gave fruit syrup to Yoo Seong-Woon as a thank-you, it didn’t cause any issues within their 1:1 system. It was all part of the picture, after all.

"..."

So, when the syncing is complete, will I return to being just a ‘portrait’?

"What would it be like for a human who can’t sync with others, to forever remain a portrait?"

"......"

"That’s really quite… curious."

“Krr...”

"There’s no other portrait like me in the world. I’ll have some confidence about it."

Today, Gio’s self-esteem soared to unimaginable heights.

"I am truly amazing."

Gio's humanity was not undermined by the fact that he was a haunted portrait. His self-assertion was so strong that no small identity crisis could shake his sense of self.

“Let’s have some food.”

“Krrr.”

The topic of their /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ conversation finally shifted to food. No one could beat them at being lazy.

“Up we go.”

Gio didn’t rise from the bed until exactly 29 hours and 36 minutes later.

Honey, on the other hand, showed no signs of getting up. It knew very well that Gio would carry it.

“If you keep this up, do you know how annoying and cute you’re being?”

“Kkk.”

"Do you think being cute is all that matters? Yeah, that’s the world right there."

“Krrrr.”

“You’ve already used up your cuteness card.”

Gio thought that there was no emotion more important to humanity than peace, not even cuteness.

“I’ll pay for dinner today.”

Just like always.

“Shall we go check on the garden and see how much it’s grown?”

“Kkrrr...”

“You’re too lazy to even fly there, huh? Looks like your laziness has reached the heavens. I’ll put it in the basket, so stay still.”

“Kuuuuuurrrr!”

“You’re not going alone. Ah, I can’t let you. Stop it, let’s go together. I don’t want to be lonely.”

Gio scooped the sprawling liquid monster into a basket. Despite its complaining, Honey reluctantly got into the basket, and Gio walked out of the cabin with the basket in hand, smiling.

And there, he encountered nature.

“What’s this?”

Where did my modest little garden go, and is this the Amazon now?

"Where did my precious garden go?"

"Kk, krur..."

"My garden wasn’t supposed to look like this."

Gio had only expected some small sprouts, but instead, a three-meter tall cherry tomato had grown.

"No way, can a three-meter tall cherry tomato still be called a 'cherry' tomato?"

No.

"Is this even a tomato?"

The tomatoes he knew were supposed to be smaller than watermelons, weren’t they?

Having tried farming many times before, Gio was thrown into confusion by the result. He hadn’t left the garden unattended for long, and he clearly planted ordinary seeds and saplings—so how did it turn into this monster garden?

“How are the lettuce doing...?”

“......”

“It’s like the manifestation of Cthulhu.”

“Krrr?”

“Something like that exists.”

Gio was shivering.

“For 5,000 won, I could buy a fish bun, but there are octopus-monster gods out there that can drive you mad."

“That’s exactly what it looks like.”

And Gio realized this was where he had planted the lettuce.

"I planted an octopus, not lettuce."

“Krrr.”

"Don’t try to justify it, Honey. Daddy gets hurt easily."

The lettuce, with leaves as thick as autumn cabbage, was towering high into the sky. Its grand appearance made Gio feel like he was rejected without even having confessed.

“This is an unimaginable reality.”

And the corn.

“......”

“I’m scared.”

Gio was terrified.

“Is that a tree?”

The stem was too thick, and the kernels were even thicker. It was terrifying.

The potatoes and sweet potatoes, hiding underground, gave an even greater sense of fear. The stems creeping above the ground looked like something out of a horror movie.

“This strong vitality... it’s alive.”

“Krrr.”

“It was always alive, Honey. Don’t spoil the moment. I know that much.”

“Kkk?”

“Soon, they’ll probably start crawling. That’s not how it’s supposed to be.”

Isn’t this a horror movie?

“Peas…”

“......”

“…Even zombies crawling out of hell wouldn’t be this obsessed.”

The pea vines had grown long and thin, clinging to nearby plants in an eerie way, as if ready to devour insects like spiders.

“So what is this even?”

What did I do?

“I am amazing.”

No, that’s not it.

“This is getting funny.”

“…Kkk?”

"Yeah, I wanted to say that."

With such an unexpected situation, Gio found it amusing.

“I don’t think it tastes any different.”

That’s good.

“So now it’s a garden with a magnificent appearance that might even talk to me…”

“......”

"Still, let’s call this a garden. I’m a bit embarrassed saying it, but we must preserve its identity since we both know it started humbly."

“Krrr...?”

"Honey, think about it. Those things will probably start moving soon, and we need to show ourselves well before we get eaten."

Half-joking, half-serious.

‘In a world where even humans can be evolved into portraits, a self-aware plant might be average, right?’

My grandmother always said. We never know when disaster will strike, so we should always live humbly and wisely.

Today, Gio became the good grandson and followed the elder's wisdom.

“......”

But when something goes wrong, it’s human nature to shift the blame to someone else.

“…What if Yoo Seong-Woon gave me the monster seeds from the start?”

“Kkk.”

"Yeah, the seeds looked ordinary when I saw them. It must be a problem with this world."

So, I’m really curious if it tastes any different.

“Let’s try a bite…”

“......”

“......?”

Entering the monster garden, Gio doubted his eyes.

‘Have I developed presbyopia?’

Or is this a hallucination?

“If this is real, isn’t our safety in danger, Honey?”

“…Krrr…”

“Why is there a dead deer here?”

Gio was extremely terrified.

“Great gods.”

This poor portrait, have mercy.

“So why is it here?”

“Krrr, krrr, krrr.”

“You think you can do it? No, don’t compete. So, who put this here? Where did this deer come from? I’m so confused, Honey, please stop with your PR and get out of the basket…”

The monster garden was so dense that he didn’t see clearly at first, but as he entered, he found a freshly dead deer lying there.

The deer was strong and sturdy, so Gio knew it wasn’t from his cabin's forest. The animals there were more delicate and suited his taste.

“......”

The wood-antlered deer

It was a herbivore that grew flowers or fallen leaves on its antlers to camouflage itself according to the seasons. It usually avoided fighting with other animals, but when its camouflage was exposed, it went into an extreme state of excitement and caused chaos. Its metallic antlers, teeth, and hooves could easily break animal bones. It emitted scents from nuts or flowers as part of its camouflage.

Preparation Method: Dry the meat in the sun to make dried meat, which gives a strong sense of fullness and alleviates light abrasions.

Habitat: The ruined Avilas Rainforest_Animal Kingdom

Gio shivered.

“I really messed up.”

In a world where the future is unknown, Gio had expected that one day, the end would come unexpectedly, but it came far sooner than he thought.

“Soon, the day of destruction will come.”

“Kkk?”

“Exotic species are coming in.”

With no means of defense other than his ability to paint potatoes, Gio knew he wouldn’t last long.

“Krrr, krrrr.”

“Honey?”

“Kkkk. Krr.”

“......”

Gio noticed Honey seemed to want to communicate something, so he carefully observed the situation and realized.

If you are reading this translation anywhere other than Novelight.net or SilkRoadTL, it has been stolen.

“…This…”

“Kkk!”

“There’s a hole in its forehead.”

He saw that the sweet potato vine nearby was covered in blood.

“......”

“Krrr?”

“Are you saying that the sweet potato vine, which has been alive and moving, pierced the forehead of an exotic species that came through the dimensional portal and killed it instantly?”

“Kkk.”

“I see.”

Gio thought for a moment.

"Which one should I be scared of?"

A violent exotic species from an unknown dimension

A sweet potato that moves and can pierce through thick skulls

“Great gods.”

Both were terrifying. Gio was already scared for the third time today.

“Honey, do you think someone as weak as me can survive in this wilderness?”

“......”

“Don’t look so serious, I’m being serious. I think I’m too weak to survive in this wilderness.”

“Kkk.”

“You can’t possibly be as pathetic as me.”

After a long communication, Gio was assured that all the creatures in the monster garden were likely friendly to him. Just like the animals and plants in the forest, the crops he grew would be similar, he was told.

There was no solid evidence for this claim, but…

“Well, that’s fine.”

Gio’s ultimate positive mindset helped him shake off the fear.

And he was about to prepare a meal.

“There’s meat.”

“Krrr.”

“Meat…”

Now that he thought about it, the preparation method had said “processed meat.”

“…This is fine.”

And so, today’s content was decided.

By the way, Gio had learned how to slaughter before.
Crack, crack… .

“…….”

Thump.

“…That’s strange.”

A quiet slum alley.

A woman with blue hair that swayed leisurely like the deep sea muttered.

“The traces are cut off here.”

I was very worried when my dear human helper’s energy was cut off, but what the hell is this?

“There’s no trace of battle.”

I carefully selected and put the appropriate guy under the sun.

He must have had decent infiltration and combat skills, but if there were no traces of battle, let alone escape, it would be hard to believe.

However, I did not deny what had already happened.

“Did you get hit?”

I don’t know who got hit.

“We have to investigate that further.”

The woman hummed and sang.

“The temple seems to be in trouble, it wasn’t reported to the media, and even though it happened in the slums, no one knows what happened, so how ridiculous is this situation….”

The position of the temple was understandable.

“The cautiousness of those who like to keep things hidden from the beginning will never go away. How sinister.”

The event was about to take place, so it was bound to be difficult.

“I tried to ruin the festival of the sun.”

“…….”

“The person who was going to ruin it is gone.”

The woman said to the child.

“Isser, the only galaxy by my side.”

“Yes.”

“You have to do the work.”