Traces of war were being erased one by one.
“Are you alright?”
No one knew if the Origin even had a body, but in any case, there could’ve been physical or ntal damage.
“Any pain anywhere?”
“No, I’m fine.”
“Hm... what about your mind?”
“That’s fine too.”
The pale portrait veiled in black paint answered in a chanical, emotionless voice.
“Contrary to your concern, I was able to process it in my own way.”
“Well, that’s a relief, then.”
Though he claid forgiveness wasn’t his to grant, Gio had still shown affection toward the rmaids, calling them “beloved disciples.”
As long as personalities like ‘Gio’ existed, he couldn’t be entirely devoid of human feelings, which was cause for slight concern.
...There’s sothing eerie about it. Most humans in this situation would grieve deeply when soone they cherished dies, regardless of the sins committed...
He’d moved on quite quickly.
Maybe it’s just the sa reaction as not lingering on death itself?
Perhaps he was emotionally detached not only from his own death but from the deaths of others.
That calm acceptance of beginnings and endings made Yoo Seong-Woon quietly uneasy.
Truly, he thought, this must be what it ans to be the Father of countless fates—an Origin.
“So, I’m glad to hear that, but.”
“Is there another issue?”
“I just really wish you wouldn’t go outside again.”
“Am I banned from external activity?”
“Well... it’s just sothing I’d like to see happen.”
Yoo Seong-Woon gave an awkward smile.
“It’s not like you’d listen even if we tried to stop you.”
“My, how shallow the trust between us is. Even so, if I knew you were worried, I wouldn’t dare disobey. I wouldn’t go out if you asked not to.”
“Do you think I’m going to believe that? You’ve gotten pretty used to human society now—you’re even good at lying. But I don’t believe you. You’re a free spirit, acknowledged by , the heavens, and the universe itself.”
“Amazing. However did you know?”
“This isn’t exactly the way I wanted to confirm how close we’ve beco. Anyway, what I an is, I’d like to stop ‘Hunter Sergio’ from appearing in any official activities.”
At Yoo Seong-Woon’s words, Gio tilted his head inside the fra.
“Is that a request?”
“I’m so glad you understood that so clearly.”
He looked completely uninterested in honoring that precious request, to the point where it brought tears to Seong-Woon’s eyes.
“I’m ready. So what do you want to do now, our dear portrait?”
“I didn’t really have anything in mind...”
“Nothing? Really? Can I trust you this ti?”
“Sorry, sothing just ca up.”
“You’re killing here.”
With a sigh that was almost a laugh, Yoo Seong-Woon showed his characteristic smile—his trademark capitalist grin.
“Then what can I do to help?”
“I can handle it myself.”
“Whatever it is, you should run it through first. It’s very beneficial for human ntal health if I act as a buffer. So I’m putting my hands together and begging you. Right now.”
“You’re quite firm. That’s rather unlike you. I wonder if this is growth in an unexpected direction. You’re starting to remind of Joo-Hyun.”
“I learned from Joo-Hyun that this much is acceptable.”
“This is why humans learn so fast...”
For the record, Joo-Hyun wasn’t here.
Yoo Seong-Woon had co alone to manage the gallery’s works after a long ti.
Joo-Hyun had been so worried about Gio being kidnapped that she collapsed from emotional strain.
Of course, Gio tried to deliver dicine, but she firmly refused.
She insisted humans grow by suffering.
Gio understood that well enough, but respected her opinion nonetheless.
“Anyway, it’s not like I’m planning anything grand.”
“Like that Demon King Project.”
“I do have it in mind, but even I understand that’s sothing grand.”
“Well, good. So what do you actually want to do? You’ve been dragging this out—clearly sothing’s on your mind...”
“I’d like to visit Healer Jeong Yeong-Won.”
“...Ah.”
Yoo Seong-Woon nodded, understanding.
“That’s fine, just... try not to freak out too much if she suddenly starts crying.”
“Isn’t that the kind of situation where freaking out is inevitable?”
And so, Gio’s next destination was decided.
Rest was good, but there were always things that needed to be done before one could truly relax.
***
A garden is a being far too noble to be compared with divinity.
To gaze upon its radiant form with re human eyes is to realize the overwhelming grace it offers.
It resembled the vast universe, yet it was a living creature—shimring with fate.
To be able to contain that within one’s own body—what an honor that was...
“......”
“Jeong Yeong-Won.”
“...Ah...”
“Would you like to speak with ?”
Her vision was crimson and black.
She still couldn’t see, but the gentle voice dug into her mind.
“...Sergio...”
She crawled forward pathetically, groping with her hands.
“Gio, I... I...”
“I’m right here.”
“What should I call you that wouldn’t be blasphemous?”
Could such a vast and beautiful mystery be captured in a lowly human tongue?
The way the Garden blood elegant flowers to obscure her sight was clearly a teaching—a reminder to show reverence to the Origin.
“Black Cloak? Portrait? No... there must be a deeper, more rightful na for you...”
“You may call Gio, Yeong-Won.”
“Can I really dare to do that?”
“Of course. Aren’t we friends who’ve shared many moves together?”
“To be called that by such a great being fills this weak one with joy.”
He was truly close.
“May I kiss your feet...?”
“If we’re friends, you wouldn’t be doing that.”
“It was an arrogant desire. I apologize for saying sothing so presumptuous.”
“Please, speak more comfortably.”
“Yes, Gio. I will.”
Her fingers brushed against sothing cold.
“...Did the flowers the Garden blood please you?”
She didn’t need to see.
She knew the room was filled with blossoms.
Even the floor she was crawling on was likely covered in noble, fragrant flowers that overwheld the mind with ecstasy.
“Does the sight of receiving punishnt offend your senses...?”
It was a conceited worry.
The Origin wouldn’t be troubled by a re human’s suffering.
But she was aware of how much she had strayed from a proper form.
Since such an esteed guest had co, she should’ve presented herself with proper dignity—yet she was foolish.
“If I may receive a bit of rcy... may I touch your hand... just once...”
“Would you like to shake hands with ?”
“Ah, thank you. You offer love so freely.”
She felt the smooth, cold shape of his hand—like polished marble, sanded to perfection.
“It is a great honor...”
Tears welled up, bringing with them a sharp pain.
Warm blood flowed down her cheeks.
The Garden rejoiced.
The petals shimred with life.
Leaves reached upward, green and full of light.
Soft, plush emotions—like dolls in a child’s room—filled Jeong Yeong-Won’s heart.
“Oh dear, you’re bleeding.”
“I couldn’t help but shed tears at the grace of the Garden.”
“Flowers blood instead of tears in your eyes, Yeong-Won.
It’s beautiful, but doesn’t look comfortable.
Are you in pain, or is that my mistake?”
“Of course not. Everything you see is true and righteous.”
“You see as a god.”
“...I’m sorry.”
“I understand, Yeong-Won.
The world is dark and full of pain—it’s only natural.
Distorted senses are truly exhausting.”
His cold hand slipped from hers and gently brushed her eyes as if cradling a bouquet.
“Then I’ll take this flower with .”
In a flash—
The pain vanished.
“That is a truly beautiful flower.”
“......”
“It slls wonderful.”
“...Thank you.”
Her vision returned.
“Thank you, Gio.”
Eyes as deep and rich as fragrance looked back at her.
In the room now overwheld by flowers—even the ceiling lights were covered—his enormous gaze, cloaked in a black mantle, rged with the darkness.
The only thing clearly visible was the pure flower the Garden had blood through her... and the white hand holding it.
Yes. She could see the hand.
And the bare feet of the Origin, crouched to et her gaze.
She could not see the face that inhaled the flower’s scent from her eye.
But the eyes still watched her.
“......”
It was rapture.
“I... live inside fate... in the arms of the Garden... among the flowers...”
“I’m listening.”
“I will et my lowly human end within the rciful embrace of the Garden.”
“And after that?”
“I will bloom again as another flower... and beco one with the Origin...”
Inside those eyes, gleaming with destiny.
“...I will beco one.”
“That’s quite a resolve.”
“Thank you.”
“Then it seems like it’s ti for you to sleep.”
“Would you put to sleep?”
“If you’re not against it, I will.”
“How could I be? I’d never refuse such grace.”
“You’re quite dramatic with your gratitude.”
His large, pale hand fluttered down over her blood-soaked eyes like a butterfly.
Jeong Yeong-Won felt her heartbeat and blood flow slowly stabilize, like a lullaby.
She sank into sleep, embraced by the peace of the Garden.
Her even breathing lingered in the flower-filled room.
“......”
And Gio...
“...Hmph.”
Looked down at the sleeping Jeong Yeong-Won with sincere pity.
Yoo Seong-Woon said not to be too surprised if she cried.
It wasn’t just tears.
They were tears of blood.
A very sick person. I’ll be understanding.
It was only natural for soone in pain to lose clarity of judgnt.
Besides, Gio had once been called the living son of the sun due to his divine nature.
Praise like this wasn’t new—it had followed him all his life.
There was no harm in going along with it.
When you’re hurting, you need soone to lean on.
He understood.
Quietly, Gio left her bedroom so as not to wake her.
Not that he would’ve made a sound even if he hadn’t tried.
***
“......”
“So, I’ve finished treating Jeong Yeong-Won as well.”
“...I see!”
Joo-Hyun, still lying in her hospital bed, asked,
“Does anyone else know about what you did for Hunter Jeong Yeong-Won?”
“Yoo Seong-Woon knows, for starters.”
“Anyone else?”
“You.”
“Anyone else.”
“Jeong Yeong-Won probably knows too.”
Joo-Hyun’s smile gained weight.
“Then, inside Eunwol Guild—where Jeong Yeong-Won’s private bedroom is—people are going to discover that Hunter Jeong, who had collapsed from unknown reasons, was suddenly healed and peacefully asleep... right?”
“She usually doesn’t allow anyone in when she’s in that kind of state, so it should be fine. Even if she is discovered, only close work colleagues would be allowed in. I think she’ll handle it discreetly.”
“It really feels like you planned this out from start to finish... I can’t even say it was wrong, but it’s definitely bold and exceptional.”
It was to the point of being dumbfounding.
“I know that even though Gio is unusual and incredibly capable, he still has a heart like any other human.”
“That’s an awfully long explanation for sothing simple. He is just human. He’s above average in too many ways, so people get confused, that’s all.”
“We can sort that out later. Anyway, even with all that considered, Gio’s appearance and abilities are definitely not normal. He knows that too, doesn’t he?”
“I suppose that’s true.”
“And yet, you’re saying it’s fine to brush off Jeong Yeong-Won’s long, heartfelt praise as just the rambling of soone in pain? At this point, you could at least accept it.”
“I’m not a god to Jeong Yeong-Won, am I?”
“......”
Joo-Hyun was at a loss for words.
Gio continued, calmly presenting his argunt.
“Above all, I’m different from those great and mighty gods with glorious histories. If they’re like artisanal patisserie cakes with 300 years of tradition, then I’m more like a cheap sponge cake with whipped cream made by a student in their dorm kitchen.”
“...What the...”
“So Jeong Yeong-Won’s praise was misdirected—both in its target and its expression. She was in great pain. That’s probably why she reacted that way.”
Yoo Seong-Woon, who had been sitting quietly nearby, couldn’t let that one go.
“Don’t talk down about my portrait like that.”
“I’m sorry, but I wasn’t deaning it. I was being objectively self-aware.”
“Since when do you get to redefine what self-awareness ans?”
This absurd portrait was clearly twisting the dictionary on purpose.
It was even more ridiculous because he knew exactly what he was doing and was playing around.
Yoo Seong-Woon was getting genuinely emotional now.
“You should try being humble in a different way for once.”
“I’ll take that under advisent.”
“You’re just going to take it under advisent, aren’t you?”
“I’m truly glad we’ve beco so close.”
As the two bickered, Joo-Hyun held her aching head and asked,
“Why did you go to Hunter Jeong Yeong-Won in the first ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) place?”
“She seed to have overexerted herself during the dungeon assault, so I visited to thank her.”
“I did hear that she played a major role in the recent war.”
Even if one was a plant-type hunter, it wasn’t easy to bring life to barren land.
That’s why they usually carried seeds with them.
Even with that, forcibly manipulating life was difficult.
But Hunter Jeong Yeong-Won, though her primary position was healer, had a license as a plant-type hunter.
She had joined the field while cloaked deeply in her hood and succeeded in helping her colleagues create a blooming garden in the sea.
“Did you feel gratitude toward that?”
“Yes, I did.”
“Then it makes sense that you’d heal her...”
By default, Gio’s portrait followed a one-to-one rule.
If he received sothing, he had to return it.
It seed that principle had applied here too.
“......”
Still, it couldn’t have been easy.
“...Healer Jeong Yeong-Won is like you, Mr. Yoo. A gardener.
If a gardener suffers from the burden of their own garden, ordinary healing won’t work, will it?”
“I suppose not.”
“But Gio managed it. With just one touch.”
“I did.”
“At this point, wouldn’t it make sense to admit that you’re extraordinary?”
“I’m aware that I’m not ordinary. I’m not denying that.”
Gio sounded genuinely frustrated.
“I just an that I’m not worthy of Jeong Yeong-Won’s praise.
I’m not the god she serves.
We don’t even have a proper connection.
I haven’t achieved anything so great that it would benefit all people.”
That argunt... sort of made sense.
“......”
“......”
If only the portrait weren’t the Eye of the Origin.
“...Wait. Yoo Seong-Woon.”
“Hm? Yeah?”
“Have you ever explained to Gio what he really is?”
“...I don’t think I have. But... does he really need that explained?”
“Aha.”
“You’re telling ... you really didn’t?”
Finally, they had uncovered the reason behind Gio’s unreasonable stubbornness.
But even after listening to Yoo Seong-Woon’s long explanation, Gio remained unshaken.
“Is that so important?”
“Knew you’d say that.”
He clearly had no intention of backing down from the start.
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