The Artist Who Paints Dungeon

The stop of the overground train they arrived at was quite high up.

“……”

“Why, is something wrong?”

“It’s been a while since I’ve been at such a high place.”

“Well, that makes sense.”

Yoo Sung-woon nodded.

‘A portrait wouldn’t usually have a reason to come up this high.’

But since he said, ‘It’s been a while’, it seemed like he had come out of the portrait and gone up on his own before.

‘Or maybe he has memories of climbing mountains or cliffs as a human.’

Since he could move on his own, there could be various cases. Perhaps he even moved while still in his portrait form.

Unaware of Yoo Sung-woon’s thoughts, Gio was looking around the overground train stop.

‘…I didn’t realize it from below, but it’s covered with a transparent barrier. It seems to prevent accidents from falling or blocking the strong wind at high places, but what’s the exact material? It looks much more transparent and sturdy than glass or plastic.’

Gio had a great interest in growing and creating things. Such new materials, like something out of a sci-fi movie, made him unable to hold back his questions.

“What is this wall made of?”

“Huh? Wall?”

“Yes, it’s blocked by a transparent wall so clear you wouldn’t notice unless you touched it.”

“I’m not exactly an expert in this area either, but… it’s probably made of intangible crystal.”

“Intangible crystal?”

“I heard it’s an ingredient extracted from one of the frequently appearing monsters.”

Yoo Sung-woon didn’t know the exact name of the monster. Unless it was a particularly threatening or unique monster, there was no point in remembering it.

“I heard most of the transparent windows installed in the city use this material.”

“I see.”

“……”

“……”

“……”

Yoo Sung-woon gave him a serious look.

“Don’t take it. It’s public property.”

“I know.”

“Your reaction doesn’t seem like someone who knows.”

“Yes, you’re right.”

“…If you really want it, I’ll get it for you later, so hold on for now.”

Although intangible crystals were used in various industries, their price wasn’t expensive compared to their versatility. This was because the monsters from which the crystal could be extracted weren’t rare, and the amount of crystals that could be extracted from each was also large.

“What would you even use something like this for?”

“It seemed like an interesting material, so I wanted to observe and make use of it.”

“Your curiosity is truly remarkable…”

Yoo Sung-woon smiled with a strange feeling. Showing interest in human-made rules or objects was a typical trait of beings of the origin.

As they were chatting away, the overground train soon arrived.

“It's just the two of us in this car.”

As Yoo Sung-woon said, there were only two of them in the car marked ‘No. 6.’

Gio quietly thought.

‘People really don't ride it.’

It felt a bit regrettable.

‘Such an amazing new technology, yet people can't ride it because it's too expensive.’

Even when he tapped the card at the elevator entrance on the first floor, there was only a green light indicating allowed entry, and no specific amount spent was displayed. So he didn’t know the exact fare for the overground train, but it felt oddly bitter.

‘It feels like the gap between rich and poor has worsened over the past 31 years, or is it just me?’

Gio asked.

“Is it usually this empty?”

“Ah, that’s not it.”

Yoo Sung-woon shook his head.

“Normally, it’s more crowded than this. There would be at least 10 people per car, but I don’t see anyone today. Maybe it's because it's in the middle of working hours …. but I’m not sure since it’s been a while since I rode it at this time either.”

“……”

Wait a minute.

Something felt off.

“Is it working hours?”

“Yeah, it's 8:38 right now.”

Yoo Sung-woon continued after checking his wristwatch.

“Although it slightly varies from company to company, the average start time is 7 AM.”

“……”

“Gio?”

“Work starts at 7 AM?”

“For most people, yes.”

Is this place devoid of human rights?

‘In my memory, the typical start time for office workers was definitely 9 AM.’

Gio suddenly lost confidence in his ability to survive in this harsh reality. Even his nonexistent patriotism seemed to disappear, making him think that a portrait might suit him better after all.

“……”

Why has this country become like this? He quickly came up with a plausible reason. It was because of the 31-year gap in Gio’s memory that he could come up with such a reason.

“Was it set like this because most people wake up early due to genetic or cultural reasons?”

“Uh… no, it's not like that. If no specific time is set, many people would sleep until lunchtime. This is just a rule that people have agreed on.”

“I see.”

It was a clear answer, but it left him feeling uneasy. Gio stared intently at Yoo Sung-woon.

‘Does this person sometimes not see me as human?’

It felt like a butler explaining human society to a talking cat.

“……”

“Hmm? What?”

“I'm an ordinary human being.”

“Uh… okay.”

Even if he searched through his reaction with eyes wide open like a high school senior analyzing a college entrance exam text, there was no sign that he truly believed him.

‘…Well, if I were in Mr. Yoo Sung-woon's shoes, I wouldn't feel that a haunted portrait was the same as me either. In a world like this, at least I should be grateful for not being  openly treated as a monster.’

Moreover, being treated like a monster had its perks. Even without money or common sense, people would overlook it, thinking ‘Well, it’s understandable since he’s not human.’

Though his pride as a human felt a bit trampled, the thought remained unchanged that living as a portrait would be better for his mental and physical health than returning as a faithful slave in a capitalist society.

Gio subtly asked.

“Do I come across as an uncultured and impolite person?”

“Why are you asking that all of a sudden?”

“I don't want to cause Mr. Yoo Sung-woon any discomfort, so I'll be careful.”

“…I'm not sure how to respond, but… okay, thanks.”

“Thank you.”

As expected, Yoo Sung-woon truly was a reliable and considerate person.

Gio sat down next to Yoo Sung-woon, he noticed that the doors of the overground train hadn't closed yet.

“It's been open for quite a while.”

“Subways or buses close much faster than this.”

After briefly informing him of basic common sense, Yoo Sung-woon continued explaining about the overground train.

“Since it takes time to come up by the elevator to the overground train, and there aren’t many platforms, so they keep it open longer for those who are a bit late.”

“Even in winter?”

“Well, luckily, the cold is automatically blocked.”

Right, it was the middle of winter.

“Ah, come to think of it… if we’re lucky, we might come across some street food while walking around.”

At Yoo Sung-woon's words, Gio’s heart raced. He was loyal to his instincts.

“Street food, like fish-shaped buns?”

“Yeah, or octopus balls… egg bread… or maybe fish cakes too.”

“I want to eat it.”

“I'll try my best to find some, but don't get your hopes up too much. There aren't many places selling that anymore.”

“Why is that? Warm street food should be quite popular on cold days.”

“Because complaints that it doesn’t look good, not many people willing to do it. Once a complaint is filed, it becomes difficult to re-enter or continue business in the city.”

Yoo Sung-woon shrugged as he spoke.

“And in the first place, city people generally don't want to run street food stalls. And for people from the countryside, coming all the way here to sell food is too inconvenient.”

“……”

Oh.

Gio was flustered.

“It seems there’s a strict distinction between city and rural people.”

“Huh? Uh, well… I suppose so?”

“Why is that?”

“…Uh…”

Yoo Sung-woon let out a deep sigh.

“I don’t know how to explain this, but it’s just the way people live. It’s embarrassing to admit, but we classify each other by ranks.”

“What kind of ranking?”

“For example, someone like me who lives in the city and works as both a hunter and a curator is first-class. As far as I know, hunters above B-rank are practically first-class, as long as they're not criminal red hunters.”

Yoo Sung-woon pulled out his ID card and showed him the words ‘first-class’ next to his name, then pointed it out over the window of the overground train.

“People with modest incomes and jobs but still live in the city are second-class.”

“……”

“As for countryside people I mentioned earlier, they’re usually classified as third-class. And some of the poor people living between the city and the countryside, those who don’t even have ID cards, are implicitly considered fourth-class.”

“…Is there a fifth-class?”

“That's where the criminals come in. Unlike the fourth-class citizens who don't even have their names recorded, these people are officially listed in records, but they’re not treated as humans. It's practically set up so you can kill them on sight.”

How could life be this miserable?

The sensitive Gio felt like he was about to cry over the unbelievable development of his homeland.

'…I always thought a caste system would come back someday as long as the Earth’s lifespan outlasted humanity’s, but I never expected to experience it in my lifetime.'

Looking at the still-open door, Gio asked again.

“Is there a reason for such distinctions?”

“Well, one reason is probably the huge difference in infrastructure between urban and rural areas.”

Yoo Sung-woon, perhaps determined to play his role as a guide, answered kindly.

“I’m talking about various facilities and benefits within the area, though there’s a significant cultural and administrative gap between cities and the countryside. People in the countryside tend to make a living by farming while city residents purchase the food delivered from there…”

“……”

“You could say the gap is almost a century wide. If you go to the countryside, it's hard to even find a two-story building, let alone an overground train. Hardly anyone owns a car. There's usually at least one village train running …. but that might be the reason why they don't bother buying cars.”

Since there’s already a means of transportation, there’s no need to spend money on a private car. Yoo Sung-woon muttered quietly and continued.

“Well…  the biggest difference is the defence line.”

“What does the defence line mean?”

“In reality, the city outskirts are protected by a large wall like a fortress wall. Secondly, there are specialized public officials responsible for managing the city’s internal security, and most importantly, there are already many hunters in the city … so even if an incident occurs, it will be dealt with quickly.”

Yoo Sung-woon scratched the back of his neck.

“In short, it's a survival benefit. Most fourth-class citizens would rather live as poor people than risk their lives outside the city. Many people want to enter the city for the same reason, but… not everyone can live here. After all, resources and space are limited, right?”

“So that's why they divide people into classes?”

“Only second-class citizens and above can live in the city. Third-class citizens can visit or find jobs in the city, but if they try to live here without permission, they're treated harshly.”

“In what way does it get harsh?”

“How should I put this? Well, first of all, their ID is revoked, so they can't find jobs… It’s not as bad as fifth-class, but they're treated less than humans. People who blindly settle in the city, not wanting to die in the countryside to monsters, become fourth-class citizens—the poor.”

In summary, is this a dystopia?

‘Listening to something that sounds like it came out of a movie makes it feel even less real.’

It was a world hard for Gio, who loved friendship, love, and peace, to accept. It felt like everything had gotten twisted compared to 31 years ago when human affection could still be felt.

Though Gio tried to maintain a poker face despite shrinking internally, Yoo Sung-woon, who wanted Gio to fully understand human society, continued his explanation.

“In the first place, dungeons can pop up anywhere, and even if it's not necessary from the dungeons, many monsters have already settled on Earth. In cities, these monsters are managed well, but in the countryside, there's a lack of manpower and equipment, so if you're not careful, you can end up dead.”

“That sounds scary.”

“That's why people living in countryside villages are told not to go outside after 5 PM. Or, in many cases, the village is run by hunters below C-rank. No matter how weak they are, Awakeners are much more reliable than ordinary people.”

Around that time, the overground train doors finally closed.

“……”

“It’s finally moving.”

“No one else got on.”

“Well, it’s not lunchtime yet….”

“It is morning, though.”

“What kind of office worker has time for breakfast?”

It was a tone of voice that implied that eating breakfast wasn’t normal. It seemed that the phrase ‘three meals a day’ had long disappeared from the current world.

'Yet here we are, running around to eat three meals right now.'

As he listened to the horrific realities of modern society with one ear and let it out the other, Gio slowly appreciated the overground train that resembled the structure of the subway he knew. The most impressive thing was the transparent walls and ceiling.

“Are these walls and ceilings also made using intangible crystals?”

“Probably. Its durability and transparency are incomparable to Earth’s traditional materials, so it can withstand monster attacks to some extent.”

“I see.”

“Apparently, in the past, they used to make windows like this out of glass and plastic… It’s surprising they used such weak materials.”

“……”

Just like that, Gio suddenly fell to the status of an ancestor. From being the young blood of the education world to becoming an ancestor in an instant—the exponential fall made him dizzy.

“Is glass or plastic not used anymore?”

“We still use them, but glass… is mostly used for decorations, right? It's much easier to shape than intangible crystals, and you can mix colours too. Even though it can be made artificially, it's still considered a type of gem, so it's a bit expensive.”

“What about plastic?”

“Plastic? It’s hardly used anymore? It can’t be recycled and doesn't decompose well.”

Caring for the Earth? It seems Earthlings have made some progress over the last 31 years. Gio had thought they were busy evolving into a dystopia, but it wasn't all bad.

'The Earth's lifespan might have increased a bit.'

Gio turned his gaze back to the overground train.

The backrest of the seats was covered in soft fabric and leather, almost like a sofa, but the windows and ceiling above the shoulders were so clean they seemed nonexistent.

The shining walls of the buildings beyond and the clear blue sky gave him a strange thrill.

'A gentlemanly roller coaster…'

There was no sense of speed or bumps, but this ridiculously high-altitude train stimulated Gio's romanticism. It felt like a scene straight out of a sci-fi movie.

“Ah, Gio. We're getting off soon.”

“Is that so?”

“The reserved restaurant and hotel are near this stop.”

“I'm looking forward to it.”

“You can look forward to it, I've reserved all the good places.”

As he listened to Yoo Sung-woon's words with interest, Gio suddenly had a faint realization.

'Earth is no longer a place where harmless beings like me can live.'

For the weak Gio, who didn't even have the Taekwondo white belt that everyone else had, he didn't have the strength to overcome this terrifying world. He would have to stay inside the portrait for life, ensuring his personal safety

If Yoo Sung-woon had heard this, he probably would've trembled in disbelief.

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