Chapter 113

Yu Seong-un came out of the picture frame.

“To think I returned to this land alive.”

“Did you have a good time?”

“Oh, it was so much fun I can’t even put it into words.”

When he had come face to face with the mermaid princess, he was at a loss for words.

“Please tell the princess that I’m sorry for making her uncomfortable….”

“It’s not your fault, Mr. Yu Seong-un. That’s just a tantrum Aria often throws. You don’t have to worry about it.”

“I don’t think I did anything wrong either, but I don’t want to build ill will with the mermaids. There’s no need to earn the resentment of a humanoid monster, is there?”

“Thank you for understanding her unseemly childishness. You are an adult. I wish my disciples would learn from that aspect of yours.”

“A monster that learns from a human, that in itself sounds scary?”

With a small laugh, Yu Seong-un checked the gallery’s clock.

“Is it… 4:41 AM now?”

Then he also checked his cellphone.

“…….”

“Did I take up a lot of your time?”

“No, not really.”

Only about 20 minutes had passed.

“The time inside the picture frame and the time on Earth certainly flow differently.”

“The time inside the painting can go faster or slower depending on my mood.”

“Oh… When is it fast and when is it slow?”

“It goes fast when I’m happy, and slow when I’m resting.”

“Hmm.”

Then perhaps this time could be interpreted as him being in a good mood.

It was an honor for him as both a Gardener and a Curator.

“What about when you’re in a bad mood?”

“I’ve never been, so I wouldn’t know.”

“It’s great to see such a positive attitude, keep living just like that.”

Though he wasn’t even sure if he could feel displeasure, being the Source.

‘…Jio certainly has an ego close to that of a person, so no matter if he is the Source, a day might come when he gets angry. It’s best not to be careless when dealing with the Source.’

Yu Seong-un lifted the small, white box containing the dessert.

“Is it okay for me to take this as is?”

“It wouldn’t have been a problem if you ate it before you left, but….”

“Bungeoppang tomorrow?”

“Sounds good.”

“It’s still a shame I couldn’t look around the forest.”

He had been flustered inside, but now that he was out, a deep sense of regret remained.

It was a gardener's greed.

“I wanted to visit that spring you told me about, too.”

Yu Seong-un recalled that the water Jio had scooped for him was defined as [Spring Water of the Source].

“It sounds like a pretty cool place from what I hear.”

“I will welcome you if you come to visit next time.”

“Then I’ll stop by when I have time.”

That would be after he had made more preparations.

‘I went in with far too little preparation.’

Into the Source, of all places.

‘To be precise, rather than the Source itself, it felt more like… a form that is easy for humans to perceive… that is, like a part of the Source or a dish cooked to be easily eaten….’

In the first place, humans cannot perceive the existence that is the Source.

A mere human cannot contain and analyze its size, which the word ‘immense’ is insufficient to describe.

In that sense, Jio felt like a part of the Source.

‘Is that why I thought it was similar to a Garden?’

If so.

“…….”

“Is there a problem?”

“…Not really.”

Perhaps Jio was in charge of the ‘eyes’.

“I was just thinking it’s a bit of a waste that your eyes are covered with paint.”

There was a lot to talk about regarding Jio, but if he had to pick his most distinctive feature, it would be his ‘eyes’.

Those eyes that seemed to contain everything that existed and did not exist in the world.

“Even though I was the one who asked for it?”

“Do you wish for it to return to its original state?”

“No, for convenience’s sake, it’s still better to have them covered.”

“I see.”

“It was just a curator’s grumbling.”

It was a gardener’s grumbling, too.

‘If Jio can truly be called the eyes of the Source, the reason he takes a human form is….’

For a moment, he was filled with complex emotions, and his breath caught in his throat.

“…….”

He had no intention of doing so before, but now Yu Seong-un could not avoid or despise Jio.

All that was left for the person named Yu Seong-un was an unfathomably deep reverence and distance, and the sense of relief that stemmed from it.

“Right….”

Because as a Gardener, he knew how fair a being the Source was, how close to nature it was.

“Thank you for the kind hospitality.”

“It was my pleasure.”

“True, you were always a gentleman.”

This might be a mishap, but it would never become a disaster.

“I guess we have no choice but to be more careful.”

“Who are you referring to?”

“No, it’s just… I was thinking about what I have to do from now on.”

“People with jobs are certainly busy.”

“They say those who don’t work shouldn't eat.”

Letting out a sigh-like laugh in resignation, Yu Seong-un asked.

“Can I ask you just one thing?”

“As you wish.”

“That….”

There were many questions he wanted to ask, but Yu Seong-un held them back.

‘It’s too early to ask about the Source.’

Jio knew himself to be an ordinary human, or he was pretending to be close to the truth even while knowing, so the day he could ask about this was still far away.

Instead, he brought up the most efficient topic he could at the moment.

“About Hunter Park Eun-gyeom.”

He had been curious since he heard the news that he had come out.

“What price did he pay, exactly?”

“The price, you say?”

“We can’t figure out what’s changed.”

Yu Seong-un had received a request from the Association to investigate the attack methods and results of the ‘Black Cape’.

He reported everything that had happened in the ‘City of the Void’, and based on that report, the Association analyzed Hunter Park Eun-gyeom, who had come out of the picture frame.

But other than being a lot more frightened, he was no different from before.

“By any chance, is that fear the price? Something like his peace was taken away?”

“I left Park Eun-gyeom’s disposal to my children.”

“To your children… I see.”

Now, even the word ‘children’ sounded meaningful.

‘It reminds me of the children of the Source.’

No, was that not actually incorrect?

‘…Cannot be completely dealt with by a Hunter’s skills, appears anywhere regardless of dimension… resembles a monster but is not a monster… a living story….’

It was all the same description as the children Jio had drawn with his paints.

Of course, there were some slight differences.

There was Honey, the jeweled water bird he kept by his side and called his son, and there were the ‘Black Suits’ that grew wild in the ‘City of the Void’.

They had the ability to think.

“…Well….”

There’s so much to think about, the topic keeps getting sidetracked.

“Sorry, my mind wandered for a moment.”

“You seem very tired, are you alright?”

“I’m always alright.”

Yu Seong-un returned to the original topic.

“So I can ask your children what kind of price it was?”

“If you wish, please do so.”

“…Do you happen to already know the price?”

“Of course, I do.”

“Can I ask you?”

“There is no problem at all.”

Jio answered from beyond the black paint.

“Park Eun-gyeom was deprived of his ‘wickedness’ as the price.”

“…….”

“My children wanted that.”

“…That’s amazing.”

How on earth did they take away ‘wickedness’ from a human?

“Humans are creatures that can be wicked at any time.”

“Paying the price is Park Eun-gyeom’s burden, so even I do not know the result.”

“I understand for now.”

It was an abstract price, enough to sound bizarre, but there had been several beings of the Source until now who had taken away such abstract things.

Memories, love, happiness, friendship, sorrow, recollections….

‘This isn’t much different.’

The correct answer was not something he could get by questioning Jio.

‘And I shouldn’t.’

Do not rely on gods.

Jio couldn’t be called a complete god, but ‘god’ was also a term for beings of a higher class that were difficult for humans to perceive.

Humans were beings who analyzed nature and fate, not beings who could demand something from them.

‘It’s also not proper etiquette when dealing with them.’

Having heard this much of a hint, finding the rest of the answer was up to Yu Seong-un and other humans.

That was the manner that was for everyone in an era where humans, gods, and nature lived intermingled like now.

“Then I’ll buy you Korean fish pastry tomorrow for the price of this dessert.”

“Please give my regards to Mr. Cha Eun-hyeok.”

“Don’t worry, we talk from time to time.”

Before leaving the gallery, Yu Seong-un looked back at Jio again.

“…You’re not going to fight with the mermaid princess because of me, are you?”

“As I said before, it was a simple tantrum.”

The black portrait was firm.

“She cannot get angry at me.”

It was an answer like that of a prophet speaking of destiny.

***

“Teacher.”

When he returned to the cabin, Aria called out to Jio.

“Did you see him off well?”

“I confirmed that he left safely.”

“How very kind of you.”

“You’re angry.”

But Jio knew.

“The target is not me.”

Aria could not get angry at Giovanni.

“Because we were apart for too long for that.”

“…Even if that weren’t the case, I would never have gotten angry at you.”

“Life won’t be enjoyable if you have so much anger.”

“Is there a reason my life has to be enjoyable?”

The mermaid smiled softly.

It was a smile clearly different from her younger days when she couldn’t hide her sensitive and sharp nature.

“I hate humans.”

“I understand.”

“I know how much you protect those humans.”

“I’m not protecting them, I’m giving them the treatment they deserve.”

“It’s an undeserved treatment, for those who live such short lives….”

Jio sat down next to Aria, who was leaning against the sofa as if lying down.

“Aria.”

“Yes, Teacher.”

“Were you scared?”

“…….”

“That’s why you were angry, right?”

“…Teacher, you….”

Aria murmured at the hand caressing her cheek.

“…can be a bit much sometimes.”

Yes, she couldn’t deny it.

“You’re right, I was very scared.”

“Why was that?”

“I don’t think that humans could harm us.”

The individual named Yu Seong-un was not a creature capable of that.

“Perhaps because he’s deeply connected to the Source, he’s thoughtful and cautious. He takes gambles at times, but he mostly finds a way for everyone to coexist. He’s strong for a human, but if we fought, I would win.”

“Mr. Yu Seong-un didn’t look that weak.”

“That’s why I said he’s strong for a human. If we fought, I would win, but I would take heavy damage. There must be a power that the existence known as a Gardener holds… it would be hard to interfere with, too.”

But she wasn’t afraid of Yu Seong-un.

“I, Teacher.”

Aria rested her head on Jio’s hand.

“was scared by the fact that a human was here.”

“…….”

“…Because I don’t know when that vile race will set this place on fire.”

Humans were fickle.

“I’m scared that day will be repeated.”

For a mermaid who lived her entire life with a single memory and emotion, whose ego rarely changed, there was a lightness to them that was hard to understand.

Humans were as benevolent as traditional gods who valued peace, and at other times, they acted like miserable beggars who wished for the world’s ruin.

So, the beliefs and personality of a single individual right now were not important.

“…….”

“Humans cannot be trusted.”

Apart from the hatred the mermaid harbored, to the mermaid, that was an unchanging fact.

“We live for such a long time, so it can’t be helped. Compared to us who are congenitally unchanging, humans live short lives, and in that time, they change dozens, hundreds of times….”

“That is called growth.”

“Yes, growth. Humans growing is a congenital habit, just as much as us not changing. I know that. I know that too. And so I curse it.”

It was this difficult for mermaids and humans to understand and reconcile with each other.

“How could you let the human named Yu Seong-un in here, knowing how he would ‘grow’?”

Humans are easily corrupted.

“The standards of good and evil are different for each dimension. Even in this narrow dimension, it’s like that with just the invisible border of a country. It also changes depending on the environment humans live in. So, Teacher, our peace could become a disaster to them.”

Humans who encounter a disaster will resist.

“…And so will the mermaids.”

Who wouldn’t have defied their fate while they were alive?

“If the breath you take becomes a disaster to them, the human named Yu Seong-un will take his own species’ side. Because he too is human, and because he is not evil, he will do so out of his own beliefs.”

“…….”

“They are constantly changing.”

Humans do not make promises.

“…….”

“…….”

Aria hugged her teacher.

“…I know you haven’t forgiven us. And so I know you will never accept us. You, who are so merciful, will not become my god.”

“I see.”

“I also know that you are always ready to accept your fate. And that you won’t listen even if we, who have not received your forgiveness, try to stop you.”

Do you know that too?

Jio did not defy his fate.

He was a person who could enjoy everything, and affirm everything.

It was because he was a being with such a large vessel that Aria could embrace him like this now.

“Thanks to that great tolerance, you took us in as your disciples, but on the other hand, there are times I become anxious. It’s the anxiety that this peaceful and tranquil cabin might disappear at any time.”

The mermaid felt fear for the first time in thousands of years.

“When I get too scared, I get angry.”

“That is the very proof that we are all the same humans.”

“Teacher, you’re always trying to teach something.”

“You all worry so much.”

“That’s true.”

She had thought there was nothing more foolish than fearing a future that had not yet come.

“We worry too much….”

Humans say it’s called fate because you can’t avoid it.

The fact that she was no different in the end made Aria miserable.

Because it feels like I’m a human too.

“…….”

“…….”

That’s why she was afraid she would repeat the same actions, and bring about the same tragedy.

Regardless of my defiance, once more….

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