Chapter 60

“Something I’ve been curious about for a while.”

Yu Seong-un asked once they arrived at the hotel.

“Are your personalities split?”

“You ask if my personalities are split.”

“It’s, how should I put it, like multiple personalities.”

“…….”

Jio, who was sitting on the edge of the bed pondering for a moment, tilted his head.

“I do not know.”

“…Right?”

“But I do know that I change from time to time.”

Jio pushed back and took off the black hood that had been completely covering his face.

Once again, Honey, who had been hiding inside, fell with a plop and a roll onto the bed.

Jio picked Honey up in his hand.

Soon after, Jio’s ‘color’ changed.

“…….”

“…….”

Platinum blond hair, close to silver, and emerald eyes that resembled the sea of a famous resort.

“…Uh….”

Life even seeped into the expression that had been merely gloomy and calm.

It was the expression of a very gentle and mature person.

A hint of mature playfulness could also be felt in the way he grinned as if to show off.

“…So, has your personality changed?”

“I do not think of this as a change in personality.”

Jio’s manner of speaking still had a formal tone.

However, unlike the previous emotionlessness that was like a machine spitting out programmed words, his current voice had a calm cadence.

“Because even now, I am ‘Jio’.”

Nevertheless, what the Black Cape said was the truth.

“…….”

Yu Seong-un asked.

“…How many of such ‘Jio’ are there?”

“The ones I know of are three for now.”

“I see.”

He could be sure.

‘At the center is Jio's Portrait, and within it, numerous personalities coexist.’

He felt he would need to hear more of the story to understand how that was possible.

“The current Jio… should I just call you Jio?”

“It does not matter, I was called that before as well.”

“If you say you ‘were called that,’ does that mean you have a separate real name?”

“It is not to the extent of being a pseudonym or a true name.”

Jio, colored in faint hues, looked like a considerably polite and noble aristocrat, but one could feel a light cheerfulness in the smile he faintly wore.

It was a completely different impression from the ‘Seo Jio’ who was heavier than a thousand-geun weight.

“I once used the name ‘Giovanni’ in this form.”

Should I say that he seemed like a kind, gentle, and also healthy and vigorous young man.

It seemed like he would be loved by the elderly and make many friends wherever he went.

“The reason people called me ‘Jio’ was merely a nickname. Therefore, it is not strange for you to call me Jio, Mr. Yu Seong-un.”

“…That’s a different person from ‘Seo Jio,’ right?”

“A very similar, yet completely different person. We are just one now, but it was like that in the past.”

“…I see….”

If that were the case, the probability that a person named ‘Seo Jio’ actually existed on this Earth also increases.

‘I’ll have to talk to the Guild Master about this part. He seemed to be investigating something, so he might have some information now.’

Mulling over the Guild Master who became sinister in strange ways, Yu Seong-un soon came up with a guess.

‘What if Jio's Portrait is… repeating death and resurrection?’

The existence of dungeons and the Source had already revealed the fact that there were dimensions other than Earth in this world.

If so, the ‘Giovanni’ before his eyes right now could have been a version of ‘Jio's Portrait’ that lived in another dimension.

‘…If you look at it that way, it also explains why the personality of the portrait, Jio, is at the center. After finishing one life, he may have returned to the state of a portrait and is slowly reviewing his past personalities….’

Jio had clearly said, ‘The ones I know of are three for now.’

This meant that more personalities could exist, and that Jio himself knew of that possibility.

If this guess of Yu Seong-un’s was correct, then until when would this review of the portrait’s personalities continue?

Does it even end?

In the case that he ends up reviewing a personality that holds hostility towards humans….

“…….”

No, for now, it was nothing more than a delusion.

‘…But I understand now that there is a center called Jio's Portrait, and alongside it exist numerous personalities named Jio. That’s enough reason to prepare.’

Yu Seong-un rolled his eyes.

‘If he considers these to be a kind of past lives for this portrait, it also explains his way of thinking, where he can define himself as just Jio despite the numerous personalities.’

After finishing a simple organization of his thoughts, Yu Seong-un asked.

“…Then is there anything I should be careful about? The person named Seo Jio might like sweet potatoes, but the person named Giovanni might hate them. It would be great if you could tell me things like that to keep in mind.”

“I do not think there is much to be careful about.”

“But, uh, you know. If we make something like rules, I can also be more polite… let’s make each other comfortable in advance.”

“Hmm….”

Perhaps that nature of being sensitive to etiquette and good and evil was maintained despite the change in personality, as Yu Seong-un’s words fortunately got through.

The young man of pale but gentle coloring answered after a moment of thought.

“It is difficult for me to leave a patient alone when I see one.”

“…Oh?”

Come to think of it, he had checked on Cha Eun-hyeok’s condition back when he was bitten by Honey.

“You said you were a doctor? No, a priest?”

“Both are correct. As a priest, I also worked as a doctor. I went further than that, building a hospital in a country village and traveling around to treat people.”

“That’s amazing.”

“To be honest, nothing comes to mind even if you ask me for rules right now.”

The young man, who smiled sheepishly, continued.

“Maybe something like, I would appreciate it if you did not insult the Sun God in front of me?”

“Badmouthing someone is a rude thing to do. I’ll be careful to make sure that doesn't happen.”

“Thank you, and….”

“And?”

“…….”

Giovanni, who seemed to be recalling something, said.

“I may be a little sensitive about mermaids.”

“…Mermaids?”

Come to think of it, during Jio’s first sightseeing trip, he had rarely brought up the topic of ‘mermaids’. Based on a rather reasonable deduction, Yu Seong-un asked.

“When you were Giovanni, did you live with mermaids?”

“Yes, it was a world where two races, humans and mermaids, lived together.”

“In what sense are you sensitive?”

“In many ways….”

Jio shrugged his shoulders.

“I was eaten to death by a mermaid.”

Just as I was thinking it was certainly a topic to be sensitive about, Jio continued in his still neat voice.

“But it was not because that child wanted it.”

“…….”

“The humans and mermaids of that time were experiencing a great conflict, and my students and I were caught for the crime of having formed a bond and received an absurd punishment.”

“…So that mermaid child ate you?”

“She must have been hungry.”

He added a tidy smile.

“I was already in a dying state as well.”

“…I didn’t intend to hear about your death like this….”

“Was it a sudden story?”

“A little bit.”

“I do not remember it well either.”

At the same time as those words, the color drained in an instant, and Jio returned to a shadow-like black.

It was the person Yu Seong-un knew well, ‘Jio's Portrait’ and ‘Seo Jio’.

Jio, with a coolly sunken impression without a single trace of a smile, continued.

“Because I am still in the process of remembering.”

“So you take your time and recall the memories of your personalities like that?”

“There are times when I get confused. Whether I liked the sea, or if I hated swimming. There are times when trivial parts like that are at odds between the ‘Jio’s.”

“That sounds like a real headache, are you okay….”

“It is not as confusing a process as you might think.”

Jio’s voice was heavy and calm.

“It is close to recalling forgotten childhood memories.”

“If that’s the case, then that's a relief.”

Suddenly, Yu Seong-un felt like he knew the origin of the heavy silence he felt from Jio.

‘…This portrait was forged from countless deaths, far more than I could ever imagine.’

That must be why he is so heavy and quiet.

Because death is that kind of thing.

***

“…….”

Consciousness.

It rises to the surface of the water.

“…Ah….”

He saw the sun.

“…….”

“Excuse me, are you alright?”

A youthful voice was heard.

“Can you breathe?”

“Cough.”

“Thank goodness, you’re awake.”

“…….”

When he opened his eyes, he saw pure white pupils.

Pupils of a mysterious color that held the color of a pearl were something only mermaids could possess.

“…A mermaid?”

“Do not worry, I have no intention of harming you.”

“Why am I here….”

Only then did he come to his senses.

“Ah.”

He had gone out to the sea, was caught by a mermaid, and dragged into the water.

“Did you save me?”

“Ah, yes.”

The mermaid, who appeared to be male, said with an apologetic look on his youthful face.

“I am sorry, it was my older sister who dragged you into the sea.”

“I’ve never heard stories of mermaids eating humans… wasn’t that a superstition?”

“It is a superstition. She did not drag you in to eat you. However, my older sister is very curious about humans, so I think she pulled you in to observe or analyze you more closely.”

“Thanks to that, I thought I was going to die, but I survived. Thank you for your kindness.”

The young mermaid seemed to think he would get angry, but he wasn't particularly angry.

It was because he recalled that the mermaid who had dragged him into the sea had no malice, and that she was very young.

Even if humans and mermaids had a rather bad relationship, he held no ill feelings toward mermaids.

Especially since mermaids had a different way of thinking and emotional system from humans, it wouldn't be strange for them to suddenly drag a human into the sea.

“Hmm….”

Looking around, it was the same beach he had first been strolling on.

“You brought me all the way here.”

“Since my older sister caused you trouble, it is only natural to guarantee your minimum safety.”

“I understand very well that I am incredibly lucky to have met such a kind mermaid.”

After all, he could have died.

“However, there is a village around here. You seem to be a fairly young individual even for a mermaid, and if you stay here too long, people might attack you.”

“Ah, was there a village here?”

“Yes, they are in a very agitated state due to having lost three family members to mermaids recently. If they see a young mermaid like you, they will try to bully you out of resentment… so while I am grateful for your kindness, it would be better for you to return quickly.”

“Thank you for providing the necessary information to protect myself.”

The young mermaid seemed very happy, as if this was his first interaction with a human.

“I am glad that the first human I have spoken to is such a good person. Do you reside in this village?”

“I was just looking around, thinking of settling down. I am a priest who left the temple to open a hospital, but I suppose mermaids do not really like the followers of the sun, right?”

“My older sister and I do not care about such things.”

The mermaids served the God of the Deep Sea, and the humans served the Sun God.

Between humans and mermaids, whose ways of thinking, eating habits, and everything else were different, causing frequent disputes both large and small, such a moderate conversation was like a miracle.

Perhaps the young mermaid did not want to miss out on that small miracle.

“My name is Iseur. May I visit you from time to time? If it is alright with you, I will bring my older sister as well to formally apologize.”

“Iseur… it is the language of the sea for the Milky Way. It is a good name.”

The weak had to be protected and treated with kindness.

Even if the subject was a mermaid and not a human, the warmth of the sun was something that could reach anywhere.

“My name is Giovanni.”

And so, Giovanni formed a bond with the young mermaids.

It was a happy time.

***

“…….”

Lying on the hotel bed, Giovanni blinked his eyes.

“…Ah….”

He was crying.

This too must be a lingering attachment.

***

“…….”

“Kkuk.”

“…….”

“Kuruk.”

“…….”

“Kkungkkungkkung….”

“Hatcha.”

Only when he heard his son’s dissatisfied cries did Jio come to his senses.

“The synchronization rate has gotten considerably high.”

The last he remembered was about 31%, but it had become 59% in just one day.

Jio, having confirmed Giovanni’s synchronization rate which had jumped by nearly half, finished grasping the situation.

“Is it because I had a dream?”

No, rather than that.

“The one I saw at the event hall then….”

The child with blue hair.

“…….”

“Kururuk?”

“Dad’s not sleeping.”

“Kkuk.”

“Right.”

That too was a dream, so the memory is already faint, but for some reason, the child he saw at the event hall and the child he saw in his dream looked quite similar.

Perhaps because their hair color was similar, he had recalled Giovanni’s memories using that as a trigger.

‘Could it be that he is the child I saw in my dream?’

Jio, who thought so, soon shook his head.

“Impossible.”

Wasn't it a story from a distant dimension that one could only meet after crossing twenty-five alleys at best?

There was no way a kid who should be in Giovanni’s dimension would be in Seo Jio’s dimension.

“Even if it were true, it would be a rather shameless act to say I know him as a 33.3% pure Giovanni.”

Should I say it feels like becoming a malicious boss who includes gift certificates in the salary.

“…….”

Well, anyway.

Jio decided to just sleep.

“Lie down, Honey.”

“Kkuk.”

“You’re warm.”

No matter what past or future came his way, Jio with his thick nerves did not care.

Though it might be good to care a little.

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