The Artist Who Paints Dungeon

Long ago, there were two mermaids who called each other family.

The older sister wanted to analyze the limits of humans, and the younger sibling wanted to learn about human culture.

Among them, the younger brother Iser, wished for a world where humans and mermaids could harmoniously live together. In this era rife with fear and contempt between the two races, it was a truly fantastical wish to hope for. The mermaid knew this as well.

“A world where the sky and sea merge—that’s a truly magnificent wish.”

The one who spoke those words was the first human Iser had ever met.

Long, wavy blond hair resembling ocean waves. A blue gaze brimming with wisdom. The man, who introduced himself as a priest and a doctor and always favoured wearing white clothes, said:

“It’s a story that makes me feel good just hearing about it.”

“……”

He was born with a colour that mermaids couldn’t help but be drawn to.

“…Humans are endearing yet fickle creatures. Is it still too much to hope for such a day to come?”

“I won’t say it will be easy. Humans and mermaids are different in many ways.”

He gave realistic advice.

“Even humans fail to understand and hate each other, let alone the conflicts between humans and mermaids—how much worse could it be?”

Then he added kindly.

“But if more people come to share your thoughts, Iser1, such a day will surely come.”

“……”

“Ultimately, it’s a matter of perception. I believe the emotion called hatred can be overcome by understanding each other.”

“…Your words have brought me great joy.”

It was a story as fleeting as a dream.

“I adore the sun. I think it’s as splendid as humans, each living their brief lives with their own beautiful colours.”

“I’ve heard mermaids serve the sea god. Yet here you are, Iser, saying you adore the sun.”

“True, of course, I serve the Deep Sea God… but sunlight is warm and gentle. It holds a different majesty from the deep sea.”

“I understand what you mean. It feels wonderful to occasionally sleep under the sunlight.”

“That’s difficult to do in the sea.”

Iser longed for the land.

“Therefore, I want to witness the lives of humans with my eyes even more.”

“As a son of the Sun, I affirm your courage, Iser.”

“Thank you for not denying the descendants of the deep sea.”

With the help of a human named Giovanni, the mermaid siblings lived disguised as humans—the sister pursued her dream of becoming a doctor, and the younger brother nurtured his dream of becoming a priest.

“Even while serving the Deep Sea God, you wish to become Priest of the Sun?”

“Since I’m not an apostle of the deep sea, I’m not forsaking my duty. Above all, wouldn’t unification come faster if I served both gods?”

“A simple thought, yet a good one. May the Sun recognize your heart as family and grant you divine power.”

Giovanni was the only one who did not condemn Iser’s futile dream.

He was kind and warm-hearted. With a bit of a playful side, he would sometimes toss lighthearted remarks to Iser and his sister—and as both a priest and a doctor, he was skilled enough to save countless people by working through the night.

Though he occasionally rambled nonsense or grew shamelessly brazen to the point of absurdity…

“I want to become like Gio.”

“Then shouldn’t you study medicine diligently as well?”

“Th-that’s not what I meant. I don’t want to see blood.”

Giovanni was a person worthy of respect.

Even in an era full of conflict and condemnation, he alone always remained peaceful, cheerful and gentle.

“There is blood that flows in peace and mercy too, Iser.”

“…….”

In a time when everything was changing, only Giovanni always remained in place.

“Teacher, will you always be here?”

“That cannot be.”

The only thing the siblings worried about was Giovanni’s lifespan.

“Since I am human, I will die much sooner than you mermaids.”

“I already know that well.”

“Therefore, I cannot clearly say I will remain by your side forever.”

“…….”

“But I promise that everything else will remain the same. This human called ‘me’ won’t change by being swept up in this era’s conflicts and suffering.”

“…Can you do that even though you’re human, not a mermaid?”

“Even if I die someday, I’m certain I’ll always remain unchanged when you remember me.”

Though parting with him would be a sorrowful event, even with just this brief conversation—Iser was able to find comfort.

“Can you promise that even if your body returns to the earth, you will remain the same person as now?”

“Rest assured, Iser. Since you are my precious student, how could I go against your expectations?”

“Thank you for quelling my foolish worries. Seeing humans constantly leaving and changing must have pained my heart.”

“I understand your feelings. Even I, as a fellow human, often feel bitter about the flow of the world.”

“It’s truly a relief that I’m not the only one like that. That I’m not alone…”

He hoped Giovanni wouldn’t easily corrupted or crumble like other humans.

However, Iser soon came to regret it.

“…….”

“Run away.”

Why did I make such a promise?

Perhaps if he had made a selfish choice like other humans, it might have led to a better situation.

“G-Giovanni….”

“Never come back here again, do you understand? This place is no longer home or school.”

“Gio, wait a moment.”

“Don’t think about saving me. You are young, and there’s no reason for you to suffer from the current flow of times.”

“…Teacher….”

“Promise me.”

If you had become selfish.

“There’s someone here who hid the mermaids! The traitor is here!!”

If only you had succumbed to the terror of a future where pain and death were predetermined…

“Here it is, set fire here! Burn them all along with those dreadful mermaids!!”

“Drag out that traitor right now!! How terrible of him to raise mermaids…!”

“Why on earth did you hide the mermaids, you who have saved countless humans until now!”

If you had abandoned us, fled or betrayed us… How much lighter this wicked heart would have felt.

“They have not committed sins deserving of your anger. They are just children.”

“You must be insane, calling creatures like mermaids children. He is a traitor to humanity!!”

“If that label could end this village’s nightmare, then you may call me that.”

“This hypocrite…! Pretending to do good deeds with that kind face while raising mermaids behind the scenes!!”

“I pray for this painful bond to reach a peaceful end someday.”

Giovanni remained noble until the end.

“…….”

Even when I was trapped in that cramped aquarium forged by human cruelty.

Even when I couldn’t withstand the starvation so severe it felt like my organs were melting until I sank my sharp fangs into that decaying, festering flesh.

You were still kind.

“…….”

Why is it so cold?

***

“…….”

“Are you okay?”

A human child asked him.

—And only after that innocent face came into view did the mermaid realise that he had woken up from a vile dream.

“Your expression looked really bad.”

“…It seems I had a nightmare.”

“Really? Should I tell the priest?”

“It’s not that big of a problem.”

He refused the kindness with a smile.

‘I don’t want to receive help from humans right after having such a dream.’

Why had he suddenly dreamed of Giovanni?

‘Is it because I’m in the Sun God’s embrace…? Or because of that human named Seo Gio I saw yesterday?’

The mermaid rolled his pearl-coloured eyes and recalled the figure he had seen at the event. The man shrouded entirely in a black cloak undeniably carried a noticeable aura.

The surroundings were eerily silent around him as if all life had perished. Mana withered as if cowering before the emperor’s wrath, and the air itself seemed to shrink away, flowing in stifled breaths.

He was likely a hunter so formidable that he could no longer be considered human.

‘Of all things, for his name to be Gio…’

No—perhaps it wasn’t about the name at all.

“…….”

It was unpleasant.

To be reminded of his noble teacher’s image in such a fickle and selfish human.

Now, he despised it more than his current behaviour—pretending to be human and participating in his sister’s massacre….

“…….”

“Eun-ha, does your head hurt?”

“…A little.”

Stop pretending to be kind.

“But it’ll get better soon.”

Just act horribly, I beg you.

‘There’s no reason for me to show mercy to humans at this point.’

No matter what, Iser loathed humans.

He hated selfish humans for reminding him of the horrific nightmare from that day, and he despised selfless humans for daring to mimic his teacher as if they were anything worthy.

The mermaid’s wrath was not something a mere lifetime could erase.

‘In the end, they’re just vulgar creatures that squirm like mere insects in the face of pain and death.’

The mere fact that they had spoken to him—a mermaid—was revolting enough.

“…….”

Yet he smiled.

It was the greatest act of kindness this wretched mermaid could muster.

“I’m sorry, did I wake you up?”

“No? It’s not that, I’m just not used to the bedding…”

“Then, for now, we can just sleep together.”

“Eum, thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Even as he grew disgusted by himself—blindly despising an entire race, complicit in his sister’s massacre—he couldn’t stop.

Iser curled his lips while watching the human child lying comfortably beside him.

“…….”

As much as my teacher.

‘Just exactly that much.’

I wish everyone would die horribly.

Me too, and all of you too.

***

The day of the main ceremony.

“Huh?”

The priests’ procession began.

“Is that what I think it is?”

“Yep, it’s the priests’ procession.”

“Seeing they’re all so young, it must be an initiation ceremony….”

“It’s about time for the Sun God religion to hold their initiation ceremony.”

“Wow, look how cute the kids are.”

8 PM. As the event was held around the time most office workers were leaving work, there were many onlookers. To receive god’s gaze, initiation ceremonies were typically held in the late afternoon.

“Even though they’re young, their sacredness is extraordinary—perhaps because they’re priests.”

“Just watching them makes me feel purified. Is it because it’s the sun religion? It’s also warm.”

“Should we call others over? You never know—someone might be chosen today.”

Though the concept of gods had become more familiar since the Great Catastrophe, their divine majesty remained. People were excited at the possibility of witnessing the miracle of one of these young priests being embraced by god.

Even without such calculated intentions, the priests’ procession was enough to draw people’s attention. The swaying censers tinkled like bells, and the sun symbols held in the hands of the prospective priests, befitting the Sun God religion.

“Ah, it’s warm….”

“As expected of the Sun God Religion.”

On such a bitterly cold winter day, the sun’s gentle yet majestic procession evoked a unique sense of emotion.

“…Wow….”

“…….”

It was the same for Yoo Sung-woon and Gio’s group as well.

“I couldn’t get a sense of it since I rarely seen initiation ceremonies… So this is what it feels like.”

“Haven’t you seen it often?”

“Initiation ceremonies aren’t held all the time… You have to consider dates and such.”

Among religions with weak influence, there were even some that held events maybe once every ten years.

“Preparing a lavish initiation ceremony like the one we’re seeing now requires significant capital. Religions without money or influence can’t hold grand initiation ceremonies like this. They just do some prayers at their temple and that’s about it.”

Hence, such events were indeed quite a spectacle. For citizens living in the city, it was a rather special event.

“They’re starting to head into the temple. Since we’ve already reserved seats, let’s go in early.”

Yoo Sung-woon looked back at Gio.

“If more time passes, too many onlookers will crowd in and it’ll be hard to find our seats.”

“Understood.”

“Isn’t it difficult with too many people? You didn’t seem to enjoy the commotion the last time you came out.”

Even though the past tour had ended safely, Yoo Sung-woon still knew little about ‘Gio’s Portrait’.

It was unclear which random detail might trigger an aggressive reaction.

‘The guild leader would not only dismiss casualties casually but even delight in having a spectacle to observe… But that’s all the more reason for me to be concerned.’

Bi Sa-beol was only kind toward his own collections, and objectively couldn’t be called a good person, but even Yoo Sung-woon himself—who thought this way–only felt bitter about people dying and left it at that.

Around then, the artwork spoke.

“I am a bit tired, but not enough for you to worry.”

“…I see, that’s good then.”

As expected of an artwork with great patience.

‘Still, I should be cautious.’

As the procession gradually entered the temple and the crowd began to settle, the priest standing at the very front placed the incense he was holding onto the altar and halted the prospective priests’ steps.

Like a choir conductor, he gestured to the young priests, organizing them.

“…Goddess who illuminates heaven and earth with gentle light, please bestow fire upon this place where your servants gather today. These young priests are like sprouts grown under your light….”

The priest who recited the prayer announcing the initiation ceremony, Kang Seo-dam, soon concluded.

“Receive the small light.”

“Receive the small light.”

After finishing the sun religion’s prayer, Kang Seo-dam bowed his head to the altar, then turned around and bowed once more to the prospective priests holding their sun symbols that stood in their respective positions.

Confirming that the prospective priests had bowed in return, Kang Seo-dam spoke.

“This is the Temple of the Sun, but the sun is not forced upon the prospective priests. You will learn how to face the gods and become their servants with the help of the Sun Goddess. May you gain another parent through today’s initiation ceremony.”

Ding—

Having rung the silver bell, Kang Seo-dam continued his speech.

“Before cultivating the mind and body to serve new parents, the prospective priests will have time to express gratitude to their worldly connections. Until the closing event begins, prospective priests may greet their families.”

The initiation ceremony was divided into Part 1 and Part 2, with a sort of rest period in between allowing them to spend time with family. Not all religions did this, but the sun religion’s initiation ceremony was like that.

Thanks to prior training, all prospective priests moved to their assigned positions.

“Mom, Mom…!!”

“Oppa, I’m a priest now!”

“This outfit is cool, right!”

Some scurried off to spend time with their families, while others moved to the waiting room to rest.

“…….”

He, too, was about to move to rest.

“……?”

But Kang Seo-dam’s eyes caught the sight of a prospective priest who for some reason was lingering without going anywhere.

‘…That must be the child called Eun-ha.’

He was a memorable child with blue hair reminiscent of the sea. Perhaps related to his colour, even his divine power carried a strong, cool energy.

‘I was told that as a Carnation child, he has no family to converse with—so why is he standing there motionless?’

He couldn’t afford to neglect even a single priest under his care. Kang Seo-dam glanced around.

‘Who is he looking at?’

Following the child’s gaze, he saw a black-haired prospective priest being embraced by his family.

‘That child….’

His name seemed to be Cha Yi-sol.

“…Ah.”

The black cloak was also among them.

‘That’s the person I saw last time.’

Kang Seo-dam recalled how he’d acted unlike a God, simply observing the event before cleanly departing.

‘The initiation ceremony itself is quite long. If he showed up again today, as expected—was it to select new followers?’

With this doubt in mind, he observed and realized Eun-ha’s gaze was fixed on the black cloak.

“…….”

Perhaps he wanted to slip into that group.

‘Well, that side is particularly bustling. As a Carnation child, it’s no wonder he might feel envious.’

Fortunately, before long, Cha Yi-sol took Eun-ha along. Being quick-witted, he smoothly introduced his partner to his family.

Kang Seo-dam observed carefully, wary that such consideration might wound his pride—but Eun-ha being led along didn’t seem displeased.

“…It should be fine now.”

The black cloak seemed like a god with a high understanding of humans, so there shouldn’t be any major issues.

Only then did Kang Seo-dam finally move to rest.

note: I actually haven’t read up to Aria’s backstory, so I’m leaning towards Iser more with this chapter ( ; w ; )

regarding chapter 60, the author blatantly uses 에메랄드 (emerald). in previous chapters, 푸르른 and 청 also used to describe Giovanni’s eyes, both can also mean blue/green. Giovanni’s eyes should be cyan blue, so I won’t translate it as green-coloured words such as emerald unless explicitly stated. rather than Giovanni’s eyes, I actually feel more confused and interested in Yoo Sung-woon’s eye colour. it was implied that his eye colour could change (I remember his eye colour once described as navy blue/남색), so I was waiting for an explanation about it > <)

also, I change the recent chapters believer -> follower. sorry about this ( ; – ; )