The Artist Who Paints Dungeon

“…….”

“…….”

“…I was just wrapping things up, so I'll have to make a new batch. Is that alright with you?”

“It's fine.”

“It might take a while.”

Cha Eun-hyuk, who quickly resigned himself, started making the fish-shaped buns.

'This is a disaster.'

Because business was unusually good today, he hadn't made it to the terminal until the last train had already left.

He didn't have to worry about getting arrested since he had permission beforehand, so he thought he'd spend the night sleeping outdoors, but then a new customer showed up.

“…….”

Clatter.

His hand trembled slightly as he closed the fish-shaped bun mould.

'…It's not going to kill me out of nowhere, right?'

Like most monsters, this one seemed to have its own set of rules.

Only opening its eyes when the sun was up, only sticking by the side of a blind person, only stepping on white stones.

Many rules were as harmless as a child's prank, but there were also rules that threatened human lives.

'But it's the first time I've met one that can talk, so I can't be sure.'

It was the first time he'd encountered something that could imitate a human so well.

There was sense of incompatibility here and there, but aside from the strangely chilly atmosphere, its words and actions were incredibly similar to those of a human.

'It even has a card.'

Suddenly, Cha Eun-hyuk realized.

'…If it didn't steal it, someone else must have lent it to him.'

In that case, doesn't that mean there's someone looking after this thing?

“…Is there anyone else with you?”

“There was, but not anymore.”

“…….”

“He’s probably asleep by now.”

For a moment, he thought it meant it had killed him.

'This is the first time I've ever felt so resentful at someone I don't even know.'

In a world where you couldn't even walk a dog without a leash, no matter how much this thing looked like a human, how could someone just let such a dangerous creature roam free?

“…….”

No, wait a second.

'The fact that it was given a card means someone thought it was capable of using it.'

There's no way a monster that's invisible to others could use a card.

So, was the being in front of him not a monster, but a human?

“…In Seoul….”

Cha Eun-hyuk cautiously began to speak.

“Is this your first time?”

“It's not my first time. But I am here for sightseeing.”

“Oh, sightseeing. Have you visited Gyeongbokgung Palace?”

“Yes, it was fun because there were various foods to eat.”

The conversation was cut off somewhere, but he gathered enough information.

'So, other people can see him too?'

Does that mean he's just an ordinary person with an unusually chilling atmosphere?

Or maybe he's one of those humanoid monsters that are supposed to be mentioned in textbooks….

“…….”

“Coo.”

Cha Eun-hyuk flinched.

'A bird?'

It was because a bird that glowed subtly peeked out from under the hood of the black cloak.

“Honey, go back in.”

“Coo…”

“I'll give you some later, so stay inside.”

“Coo-coo.”

“Good.”

Commanding a small monster like that looked like the image of ‘trainer’ known to the world, but somehow, Cha Eun-hyuk didn't think the black cloak in front of him and that bird were a pair of human and monster.

That sense of dissonance became even clearer the moment his gaze met the bird's eyes.

“…….”

“Coo.”

“…….”

Cha Eun-hyuk couldn't maintain eye contact and lowered his head.

'…It’s dangerous.’

He broke out in a cold sweat and felt like his hands and feet were getting cold.

‘That’s a really dangerous guy.’

The bird, with its sweet colour like honey and a small body, was cute and pretty by any standard. However, to Cha Eun-hyuk who could faintly sense its true essence, it was a deception that wasn’t even funny.

Could it be the owner who had named it 'Honey'? Its essence was like a raging storm at sea—impulsive, wild, and powerful. Still, it took on such a frail form, likely because that's what its owner wanted.

“…….”

If that's the case, what kind of being is the owner, the one in the black cloak?

'Damn, I didn't expect this.'

Among the beings that Cha Eun-hyuk only sees, there were definitely those who had an interest in human food. Some would savour the offerings left out by villagers for spirits, or sneak bites of the side dishes at restaurants one by one.

But never had any of them ordered food so openly. Most of them imitated human life by taking on human forms, but they never actually tried to interact with humans like this.

'I let my guard down.'

I should have been more careful.

'That bird doesn't seem to like me very much either….'

The bird, hidden deep in the hood of the black cloak and watching him, felt downright oppressive.

“…Here are your ten fish-shaped buns.”

“Thank you.”

After receiving the fish-shaped buns, the black cloak paused for a moment.

“…….”

“It's a gift.”

“What?”

“Thank you for your hard work at dawn.”

“No, wait a minute….”

As Cha Eun-hyuk tried to refuse, the black cloak spoke again.

“If I scared you, I apologize. I only came because I smelled the fish-shaped buns. You stopped cleaning up and it became a mess again, so I must express both my apology and my gratitude.”

“It's no problem.”

“Thank you.”

With that, he quietly disappeared, leaving behind a single blue gem that he had just seen.

“…….”

Cha Eun-hyuk stared after the black cloak until he couldn’t see its back, and once the edge of the cloak was no longer visible, he collapsed.

“…Ha, haha….”

Shit.

I survived.

'I thought I was going to die.'

Ever since he realized he could see beings others couldn't, he had a premonition about his end. He will die so strangely that no one else can even guess the right cause of his death. That’s what he thought.

But dying while selling fish-shaped buns? That was too much.

“Wow….”

Cha Eun-hyuk wiped his face with both hands.

“That was terrifying.”

He still didn't know what the black cloak was.

If other people could see him, then is he human? But his essence was too overwhelming and sinister for that. So, is he like the beings he usually sees? But communication was far too smooth in comparison. A humanoid monster? There aren't any dungeons nearby.

If it’s none of those, maybe he's a type of monster he doesn't know about.

“…….”

And either way, it was terrifying.

'Can a person really survive after meeting a humanoid monster?'

It was when he thought so.

“Coo?”

“…….”

He heard that earlier.

“Coo….”

“…….”

“Coo, coo, coo-coo-coo-coo-coo.”

“…Oh….”

“Coo.”

When he lifted his head, he saw a large beak. He could see rows of teeth beyond his Adam’s apple. He could see a pitch-black tongue.

“Coo.”

A metal-like hard beak half swallowed Cha Eun-hyuk’s head.

“…….”

Tuk, tuk.

It made a few biting motions, then spat him out.

“Coo.”

“…What, what….”

“Coo.”

When his vision cleared again, 'Honey' had returned to the small form he had seen earlier.

“…….”

But now, it looked like an unbearably sickening display of false modesty.

“What the hell.”

The bird flew away.

“What was that, really….”

He has no idea, but one thing's for sure—he almost died just now.

The honey-coloured bird seemed to be saying this.

'This much is okay.'

It said.

“…….”

It felt like it was saying, ‘You've passed.’

Goosebumps run down his spine.

“…I need to move to a new spot tomorrow….”

He hoped he would never see them again.

***

The next day, at 2 PM.

“Do you sell fish-shaped buns?”

Cha Eun-hyuk found himself face-to-face with the ghostly black cloak again.

“…Yes….”

“I'll take ten, please.”

“Okay.”

What kind of world is this small?

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