Chapter 29

We traveled to dinner by boat.

“This is the boat we’ll be taking.”

“Oh.”

As a young man of romance, my heart pounded.

‘To think we’re traveling to the restaurant through a waterway….’

It felt just like I had come to Venice.

“It is a peculiar sight to see roads and waterways together.”

“Is it? Then again, I did hear that there were almost no waterways in the Republic of Korea before the Great Catastrophe.”

“Why were they created?”

Thud.

I asked as I followed Mr. Yu Seong-un onto the water taxi.

“You would need a large amount of water to create a waterway.”

“It’s actually the opposite. They didn’t draw in water to create the waterway, but rather, there was just too much water, so they created the waterway to control it.”

“Are you saying there was that much water?”

“Because the water level is considerably high compared to the country's land elevation.”

To think it was at a level where they couldn't endure it without building waterways.

Just how far was this hellish Republic of Korea going to go?

Mr. Yu Seong-un continued his explanation.

“Most of it is still an area that humans can't explore, but there are so many dungeons that formed in the sea and monsters that came from them. I've heard that the water level rose because the volume inside the sea physically increased.”

“It would be difficult for just one or two monsters to cause that.”

Just how many, and how large, were the monsters that had settled on Earth that they couldn't endure without building waterways?

Mr. Yu Seong-un, having understood my question, opened his mouth.

“There are many underwater monsters large enough to easily surpass a single building in size.”

“I see.”

“It's not just one of those monsters, but many of them of various types, so the water level has likely risen compared to before the Great Catastrophe. In fact, I heard our country wasn't originally a place where the seawater rose so easily….”

“How do they manage the rising seawater in the provinces?”

“I know that they've dug waterways to the extent that it doesn't have a major negative impact on farming and various other aspects of life. They said they created paths in various ways to prevent the salinity of the seawater from seeping into the land, but of course, they don't have as much capital as the city… so they probably can't farm near the waterways, right?”

“…….”

“So in areas where the seawater comes in excessively, I heard they've been fishing instead of farming from the very beginning. Fish from some famous regions are even imported to the city.”

It seemed that despite the situation, everyone had found a way to survive.

‘The adaptability of humans is tremendous.’

In any case, I was intimidated.

‘I need to stay cooped up in my portrait.’

The Earth had now become a world where it was difficult to survive with only romance, passion, and hope, without any real physical power.

Just how strong did one have to be to live in this tough world, paying rent on time every month?

It was surely a level I couldn't even dream of.

“I believe you said the restaurant itself is floating on the water.”

“Actually, it's less that it's floating and more that it's a restaurant built on a small island….”

“I heard it was located within the Han River.”

I asked as I sat down in the taxi seat.

“Was there an island in that location originally?”

I knew that even 31 years ago, there were small islands like Nodeul Island.

But Mr. Yu Seong-un had said there was only a single restaurant sitting there with no other land, which made me curious as to how such a location came to be.

Mr. Yu Seong-un answered without difficulty.

“That's because that spot was originally the site of a fixed-type dungeon.”

“…A fixed-type dungeon?”

“…Ah, do you not know much about dungeons?”

Seeing his surprised face, it seemed he thought I would naturally know.

But unfortunately, that was not the case.

In the blink of an eye, I had become an ancestor from 31 years ago and I had been left behind, unable to develop in step with the changing times.

‘How did I, who once injected social skills into the sprouts of the Republic of Korea, end up like this?’

Kids, your teacher misses you.

Fortunately, Mr. Yu Seong-un quickly returned to his usual nonchalant expression and began to explain.

“Dungeons are usually divided into fixed-type and mobile-type. Literally, a dungeon that is fixed in one place, and a dungeon that moves according to its own rules. In the case of a fixed-type dungeon, it can sometimes create terrain that wasn't originally there.”

“In that case, is the restaurant we are heading to now also built on a terrain created like that?”

“Yeah, that's the restaurant's theme, in the first place. The dungeon that was there was related to cooking, and it was a dungeon that was cleared after being moved by the food of a civilian chef who was dragged in by chance, despite not being a Hunter….”

“Aha.”

The narrative was deeply moving.

“A grand restaurant was left at the location that was cleared like that and the chef who participated in the clearing at that time took over the restaurant and is still running it. He's already 92 years old, but he's still active on the scene.”

“92 years old?”

“Seems long-lived for a human, doesn't it?”

Yu Seong-un smiled once and continued.

“In the first place, he's a person who awakened as a chef after the dungeon clearing, so he would have been less affected by age. Besides that, there would be assistance from skills or items. If you saw him in person, he'd probably look to be in his 50s.”

“…….”

“He also often participates in national-level clearings and takes responsibility for the team members' meals. So that means his basic combat skills aren't bad either. I've never seen it myself, but I heard his main weapon is a baseball bat with nails in it.”

“A baseball bat….”

“Surprising, right? I thought he'd use a kitchen knife. But he was interviewed saying how he could use a knife for cooking to slice up monsters. I guess chefs really have a different mindset.”

“Oh.”

I think I knew what kind of mindset that was, but in any case, I was intimidated.

Humanity has grown stronger.

“Do Awakeners age slowly?”

“As far as I know, most do. At least, if they're a C-Class Hunter or higher.”

“Is the standard for a good Hunter divided starting from C-Class….”

“The average situation and perception itself is like that.”

It was truly a scary world.

‘There isn't a single thing my grandmother said that was wrong.

Let's always live humbly and politely.’

I didn't want to live a perfectly fine life only to be exorcised as a haunted portrait.

I pondered.

‘I need to plan my own survival strategy well. I don't know what will happen to my cabin if the portrait burns down, and it's not like I can prevent all mishaps just by acting conscientiously myself….’

But then again, I didn't want to receive a passing grade as a human and live on Earth again either.

“What are you thinking about?”

“I was thinking that the Earth is a scary place.”

“Uh…?”

It was really, really scary.

“Why are you suddenly getting scared, it's not like you're a target for subjugation.”

“That is true.”

But conversely, it meant that if I became a target for subjugation, my limbs could be torn apart.

‘I like things the way they are now.’

Was there a way to maintain my status as a haunted portrait without being criticized or attacked by people?

I decided to think about it for the sake of my own comfortable survival.

“…….”

First, after I eat.

“…It smells good.”

“It does, even though we can't see the restaurant. Isn't it strange?”

“Is this a scent that only comes from this waterway?”

“I think I've heard that it's a kind of promotional strategy.”

“Understood.”

The waterway that exuded a rapturous scent from afar without being unpleasant was strange, but what was stranger was the fact that the scent of the sea and the scent of food could be smelled separately.

‘…The scent of the sea in the middle of a city like this….’

If I lowered my head a little, only the scent of the sea came through.

It was the scent of seawater, sharply piercing the brain.

I felt a sense of longing.

“…….”

I leaned my body close to the water's surface.

“Jio, that looks dangerous.”

“The scent of the sea was nice, so I was just smelling it for a moment.”

My voice, lost in old memories, became much gentler.

“It's strange that it smells of the sea even though it's a waterway connected to the Han River.”

“Well, unless it's a mountain, the streams and waterways in places like this are all strongly mixed with seawater….”

“Is that so?”

Giovanni, he liked this kind of scent.

The scent of the sea.

“…….”

The scent of a mermaid.

“…Just once….”

To the point of wanting to fall into those depths.

It was heart-wrenching.

“Jio, stop.”

“…….”

“…The driver is getting flustered, too.”

At those words, I looked at the water taxi driver.

“…….”

With a very flustered face, looking a little scared, he was looking at me.

“…I see.”

I admitted that I had acted rudely.

“I am sorry, it was my first time in a waterway like this, so my curiosity was stirred.”

“It's okay, I was worried you'd get hurt, I wasn't angry.”

“Thank you for your understanding.”

While Mr. Yu Seong-un said ‘worried,’ the driver's face looked closer to ‘fear,’ but I decided to just let it go without thinking.

It was natural to be scared if a passenger you were carrying was about to fall into the water.

‘Like a passenger who suddenly opens the door and tries to jump out on the highway….’

I successfully convinced myself.

‘Anyway, if it's not that, then I must have let out some strange energy again.’

Just like I had done without realizing it from time to time at Mr. Yu Seong-un's company.

I sat down properly in my seat again.

I was reflecting on the fact that I had caused a nuisance by being distracted by the strange waterway.

Mr. Yu Seong-un, who was watching me as if observing me, hesitated with a face that said, ‘can I ask this,’ before carefully asking.

“Do you like the sea?”

“…Pardon?”

No? Not particularly?

“I do not particularly like it.”

“But both at Cheonggyecheon and here at the waterway, you seemed to particularly like the scent of the sea. Of course, if I was mistaken, I'm sorry.”

“There is nothing to be sorry about. I do not dislike the sea, but I do not particularly like it either….”

Having said that, I then changed my words.

“…Now that I think about it, that might be the case.”

“Hm?”

“I think it is ordinary, but I also like it.”

It was a strange thing to say, but it wasn't wrong either.

‘Jio’ didn't have strong feelings about the sea, but ‘Giovanni’ did.

So, to the question ‘do you like the sea,’ I could only say yes and no.

Since both were my own thoughts, it was hard to deny either one.

But then, a thought suddenly came to me.

“Are there mermaids here, too?”

“…A mermaid, you say.”

Meanwhile, Yu Seong-un sensed the anomaly he had felt at Cheonggyecheon once more.

‘He definitely said, here, too.’

It seemed that Jio had some kind of connection with mermaids.

“Hmm….”

After thinking for a moment, Yu Seong-un slowly nodded his head.

“Sometimes, that kind of monster pops up. Even if it's not strictly a monster… there are also certain beings that take that form.”

“…….”

“In a world where idol worship, legends, or myths can create real monsters, mermaid-related monsters pop up here and there on Earth.”

“Is that so?”

“The story of ‘The Little Mermaid’ by a very old author is a famous fairy tale.”

The Little Mermaid.

At the appearance of the familiar words, I was lost in thought again. It was a thought about ‘Giovanni’s’ request.

‘Come to think of it, I think there was a quest related to The Little Mermaid.’

But for now, I decided to put it aside.

“I think we are almost there. It is a spectacular restaurant.”

“Oh, it is.”

“The building is more wonderful than I imagined, so I am looking forward to it.”

They say you shouldn't worry at the dinner table.

***

A luxurious restaurant that seemed to be made of a mixture of ivory and marble.

It was beautifully decorated like a single castle, yet the structure was inefficient, with multiple rooms, stairs, and lobbies mixed together in a way that felt like it wasn't made by human hands.

But ironically, that strangeness solidified the concept of this restaurant.

“…….”

White and pink, light green, sky blue.

The pastel tones, spread out like a patchwork quilt on an ivory base, made one feel drowsy as if they had entered a dream.

It was dizzyingly beautiful.

“There is something I was unable to ask earlier….”

And in the meantime, Mr. Yu Seong-un and I had taken our seats at a cream-colored table.

After sitting down, I asked.

“Did you not say that this place was made from the remains of a fixed-type dungeon?”

“Hm? That's right.”

“In that case, do fixed-type dungeons originally leave behind terrain or buildings like this even after being cleared? And that dungeon left this land and this restaurant?”

“Ahhh… uh, yeah. It's something like that.”

Thinking it would be best to resolve all my questions before the main meal came out, Mr. Yu Seong-un explained with his characteristic nonchalant smile.

“There are various types of dungeons, regardless of whether they are fixed-type or mobile-type. They are usually divided into virtual dungeons, villa dungeons, and entry dungeons.”

“There are as many as 3 types?”

“Actually, there are more, but these 3 are the representative types of dungeons.”

Yu Seong-un continued his explanation, folding his fingers.

“In the case of a virtual dungeon, a game proceeds in a virtual world by eating up personnel who satisfy arbitrary conditions without a clear boundary. For example, under the condition of 10 men in their 30s who stopped by a convenience store at 9 PM sharp, the clearing proceeds on a game board that is implemented similarly to the convenience store.”

“That sounds very unreasonable.”

“Right, other Hunters also find this part very troublesome. How many Hunters suitable for clearing a dungeon would there be among those 10 men in their 30s? Virtual dungeons appear quite rarely, but they are difficult to grasp and the damage is large, so they are one of the worries of modern people.”

I can't help but think that a world where something like this is called a ‘worry of modern people’ is a bit terrifying.

Unaware of me being thoroughly horrified thanks to my atrophied facial muscles, Yu Seong-un calmly continued his explanation.

“Next is the villa dungeon. An arbitrary terrain and rule newly appeared on Earth.”

“Is that the case with this restaurant?”

“You seem to understand well. As you said, this restaurant building was created as part of a villa dungeon. A single restaurant suddenly appeared in the middle of the Han River where there was originally nothing.”

Yu Seong-un rolled his eyes as if recalling a memory.

“As far as I know, this restaurant wasn't just a restaurant that appeared on a newly created terrain. It's an excessively long restaurant with a basement deep enough to reach the bottom of the river. However, since the only part visible above the water is the restaurant, it was given the name ‘the restaurant floating on the water’….”

He nodded his head and continued.

“In this way, a villa dungeon is like an alien dimension's villa being suddenly built on Earth. It's already been replaced with that terrain, so it can't be restored. So most villa dungeons, once they appear, remain as they are with only the rules disappearing even after being cleared. How to handle and utilize them is up to the people of Earth.”

“…….”

“Last is the entry dungeon, I guess? This one is similar to a game. Though I do wonder what kind of games you know and what they might be….”

Yu Seong-un said, wagging his last finger.

“It's a bit different from a virtual dungeon, which has no physical boundary at all, and a villa dungeon, where the boundary exists but its line is ambiguous. It's a case where only an entry passage appears, and if you go inside, you can proceed with the clearing of another dimension.”

“Aha….”

It was certainly like the dimensional gates commonly seen in games.

The kind of game where there's only a door, but if you enter, you can move to a different map.

I understood completely.

Yu Seong-un, as always, continued in his nonchalant and kind manner.

“But cases like this restaurant, where the remains of a dungeon are utilized as a restaurant, are very rare.”

“It seems unique and nice, so that is surprising. Why are they not utilized in this way?”

“Humans are fearful beings.”

Hyung, are you going to keep treating me like a haunted portrait?

“Problems could arise when letting in ordinary people, there are few people with the guts to live there and utilize the remains of a dungeon, and above all, the remains themselves are quite picky about people… so they usually try to demolish them somehow.”

“Is it picky about people?”

“Like making someone who they don't like feel a chill when they enter?”

“It sounds like a haunted house.”

Said the haunted portrait.

“…….”

That's right, I was actually inwardly acknowledging my own identity.

‘Well, ordinary humans don't build a cabin inside a portrait and live a healing life.’

Not that I had any intention of strongly asserting that I was human anyway, I slyly made an excuse.

“…I do not make people feel a chill.”

“Right, right, because Jio is a person. Right?”

“That is correct.”

I was so grateful that he was coddling me like a 4-year-old cousin that I could have cried.

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