Chapter 28

After finishing their meal, Yu Seongun led Jio to Cheonggyecheon.

“...”

But sure enough, it was very different from the Cheonggyecheon in Seoul that Jio remembered.

“Here, this is Cheonggyecheon.”

“It is an exceptionally natural sight.”

“Right?”

“Flowers are blooming even though it is winter.”

Had the world gone insane?

‘Has Earth finally been unable to endure humans any longer and started breaking down?’

Fortunately, Yu Seongun added an explanation.

“I don’t know what you’re thinking, but they just took separate measures to make it like a greenhouse.”

“What kind of measures?”

“The city has a department in charge of urban landscaping. When the city is built, they make sure a certain amount of plants remain.”

“They turn it into a greenhouse like this even in winter?”

“That’s right. Look. The air is very mild, isn’t it?”

Yu Seongun gestured through the air, indicating Cheonggyecheon.

“It’s been magically treated, so anyone can enter except Grade 5 citizens, which includes criminals, and threatening monsters. It blocks the cold winter air and only lets sunlight through. A truly greenhouse-like system.”

“...”

“Wasn’t it fairly warm in front of our company too? Places near companies with money to throw around, or public spaces where people gather often, are magically treated like this. In the former case, the company owner installs it privately, and in the latter, the government pays for it...”

Jio, who had been mulling over Yu Seongun’s words, asked.

“When you say threatening monsters... does that mean non-threatening monsters can enter?”

“Ah...”

After thinking for a moment, Yu Seongun nodded.

“I suppose it can’t be helped. Even if they’re monsters, they’re already members of Earth’s ecosystem and play a part in the cycle of nature, so we can’t just reject them outright.”

At those words, Jio understood that monsters were half treated like stray cats or city pigeons.

“I suppose monsters aren’t only seen when a dungeon breaks open.”

“Hm? Ah, well, humans aren’t competent to that extent, no matter what.”

Yu Seongun continued explaining.

“When I was young, they say there were a lot of arguments that all monsters had to be dealt with. But no matter how many Hunters there are, there aren’t enough to protect all of humanity, and even if there were an extremely strong Hunter, making that person chase down and deal with every single monster would be inhumane.”

He shrugged.

“Most of all, if a Hunter that strong caused a terrorist attack from stress, how would anyone handle it? It’s the same even if they aren’t a strong Hunter. Hunters are people too, so how could they only work?”

“I see.”

“They say most of the native monsters that settled on Earth now are ones they failed to deal with in the early days of the Cataclysm.”

“In the early days?”

“Back then, Hunters were much weaker than they are now, the system was sloppy, and there were few people with tracking skills, so it was only natural.”

“Then the monsters that were left behind because they couldn’t be killed back then...”

“Became part of Earth.”

Saying that, Yu Seongun glanced toward the stream where clear water flowed.

“Like that one.”

FLUTTER.

In the middle of the stream, a round bird was preening its feathers.

“That one’s a monster too.”

“...”

It was definitely a bird Jio did not know.

But the system knew.

“...”

A silkworm cocoon?

‘It looks almost like a ball.’

In any case, Jio accepted it.

“Cotton-fluff birds are not threatening, then.”

“... You know that thing?”

“I just found out.”

According to the system’s explanation, it was almost like a silkworm cocoon in the form of a bird, but watching the rather large cotton-fluff balls preening in the stream made his heart peaceful.

Yu Seongun stared at Jio, then soon continued speaking.

“... Mm, yes, things like that. Most of the ones judged to be large in number and small in size, but not very harmful to humans or the ecosystem, settled as Earth’s native monsters.”

“They are cute.”

“They don’t look that way at all, but you like things like that, huh?”

“If something is small and round, doesn’t it look surprisingly harmless in a good way?”

“No wonder your water bird is that round too...”

Yu Seongun laughed in disbelief.

“That said, we leave the current native monsters alone because they’ve already entered the cycle, but we’re dealing with all newly introduced invasive species. To begin with, monsters as a species hate Earthlings greatly.”

“Is that so?”

“Usually. Even if they have no hostility, they can still be enough of a threat to humans. The native monsters that remain now are ones the Association has already completed safety checks on and that are managed at the government level.”

Yu Seongun pointed at the cotton-fluff bird again.

“Those things, too, maybe because they’ve stayed on Earth for a long time and adapted, have had their hostility toward humans soften to the level of ordinary wild animals. In the early days of the Cataclysm, they were supposedly dangerous monsters that would eat human flesh, but now they’re about as harmless as pigeons.”

“Aha.”

“Since they’re still monsters, touching them or keeping them privately is illegal... but it means coexistence is possible. Dungeons and Earth are inseparable, so I think they judged this was better than unconditional rejection.”

Coexistence with monsters. It seemed Earthlings had become quite tough while he had not been looking.

“That’s enough explanation. Want to walk around for a bit? The water quality is strictly managed, so it won’t do any harm. The monsters and animals here are all on the harmless side too.”

“...”

Jio looked at the clear, rippling stream, then soon moved his feet.

‘It’s as clear as liquid glass.’

Seen up close, the stream was even more beautiful with the sunlight shattering across it.

The weather was as mild as spring, and large trees, vines, and flowers filled the place here and there like an enormous greenhouse. Pastel-toned butterflies sat on petals, and a squirrel-like creature gnawed at tree fruit.

Why were the birds that resembled sparrows plucking flowers from the trees? They might have been doing it for fun, or they might have been trying to eat the nectar inside the flowers.

“... If the seasons are changed according to human whims like this, does it cause no problems for the ecosystem?”

“There was a time when there was a lot of controversy over that, but apparently they somehow adjusted everything now. Most of all, there are many cases where they deliberately create seasons so Earth’s original animals don’t go extinct because of monsters.”

“I see.”

In many ways, it was different from the time Jio had lived in.

“If you’re all right with it, try dipping your feet in.”

“May I?”

“There are rules saying not to pick the fruit or pull up the flowers, but there aren’t any particular regulations on that part. In the crowded summer, a lot of people come here to play in the water.”

“For that, there is no one here today.”

“Who would play in the water in the middle of working hours, when it’s neither vacation nor a holiday? To begin with, there are probably many people who don’t want to get their bodies wet in winter.”

“You are right, Yu Seongun.”

Jio took off his shoes and socks, and just like that.

He dipped his feet into the flowing water.

“...”

It was cool.

‘And soft.’

There was a sweet scent.

He could not tell whether it was the scent of flowers, the scent of trees, or the scent made by the monsters living in this water. Or perhaps, unlike the water of the past that had been colorless and odorless, the stream water itself had evolved.

But the sight of pebbles rolling through the water like in a summer valley...

“...”

The tiny living creatures, moving in little flickers.

Made Giovanni happy.

“... It is beautiful water.”

His black eyes held the color of the water.

“Clear, and deep.”

“...”

“It is deeper than I thought.”

“...”

“Why does this place smell of the sea?”

Yu Seongun sensed some kind of change.

“... Jio?”

“It smells of the sea. A little briny like the surface of iron, cool like pine needles, and like the fierce wind that scatters sand...”

“Jio.”

“It resembles that place.”

A gentle but emotionless voice.

“The color of the sea.”

At that moment.

“...”

“The color of a mermaid.”

All kinds of underwater creatures gathered silently at Giovanni’s feet.

“Watched over by the deep sea...”

Before anyone knew it, his feet had changed to a transparent water color...

“—Jio.”

“...”

The voice of a “friend.”

He blinked twice.

“... Yes.”

“... You...”

“Did you call me?”

Jio turned back to Yu Seongun.

“...”

“...”

“... You’re Seo Jio, right?”

“That is correct.”

He nodded.

“My name is Jio.”

Yu Seongun’s face twisted strangely.

* * *

Some time later, in front of a hotel room.

Yu Seongun handed Jio a card key marked “Room 4501.”

“Here, this is yours.”

“Thank you.”

“I’ll be in the room right next door, so call me if you need anything.”

“Yes.”

“Dinner is reserved for 6:30... so we can just meet around 6.”

At that, Jio asked.

“What is the dinner menu?”

“French. It’s a restaurant with a set course, so we just have to go and eat.”

“I understand.”

“Then rest well.”

Yu Seongun entered his room alone like that.

“...”

He was breaking out in a cold sweat.

“... I’m sure, earlier...”

When they had been at Cheonggyecheon.

“... That wasn’t ‘Jio.’”

Something had changed.

Perhaps because he was conscious of being in Korea, the usual Jio introduced himself as “Seo Jio.” Even though Yu Seongun had pointed that out, the one at Cheonggyecheon had defined himself as “Jio.”

‘Then what change exactly took place?’

Yu Seongun still remembered the Black Cloak at Cheonggyecheon.

It had begun from the moment Jio’s bare feet touched the water of the stream. An indescribable sense of wrongness came over him, then something rippled strangely, and Jio’s eyes, which had been ordinary black the whole time, changed into the color of the sea.

When Yu Seongun clearly recognized that change and spoke to him, Jio, who wore a slow smile, seemed as if even his very personality had changed.

‘What color was his hair...? Was it silver? Or platinum blond? It was hidden by the hood, so I couldn’t check properly.’

It began slowly coloring in here and there, and then his body transformed to the point where it was impossible to distinguish water from feet. The shape was the same, but those were clearly not human feet, but things of water.

Even when he saw minnows naturally climbing up those transparent ankles, Yu Seongun could no longer stop himself from calling Jio.

That was.

“...”

Not human.

It seemed not to be alive, but he could also tell that it was not dead. It did not breathe, yet it held life.

Something that, only minutes before, had been a human he could grasp in his hand and converse with, changing into something else, something more... close to nature, was not a sight he could endure with a clear head.

“... Haa...”

How foolish.

‘Did I let my guard down because his caliber had fallen?’

A Root entity could never become human. Especially if it was an existence like Jio, who could not even be defined as a monster.

‘No matter how much he dresses himself up to be extremely similar to a human, that can never become the same kind of being as us.’

But Jio had been too human and too kind, so he had failed to be wary.

“I need to get my head straight.”

At this rate, I’ll have my Gardener qualifications revoked.

“... Well, still, it went far more smoothly than I expected.”

He pointlessly let out a breath.

Yu Seongun threw the bag containing basic supplies onto the bed, then sat down beside it himself. Then he reviewed everything from the beginning of the day to just now.

“...”

There was nothing that would be a problem.

‘... There were a few awkward points, but perhaps because he has human memories after all, Jio is skilled with the rules of human society. He’s on a level that can’t be compared to other monsters.’

If it were an ordinary monster, no matter how intelligent, it would be unable to understand why it had to pay a set price to obtain something.

‘Actually, that is normal. When humans look at an anthill, do they consider the ants’ circumstances before digging it up?’

It was the same principle. From a monster’s position, it could simply take the food or luxury items that were openly laid out before it.

If they did not exist, that was one thing, but there was no need to go out of one’s way to return without taking something that existed. That was their natural daily life and rule.

So from Jio’s perspective, Yu Seongun’s act of paying money and receiving a meal must have been incomprehensible.

“Still, judging from how he got through it without issue, does that mean he intends to try imitating humans in his own way...”

In truth, if one were to be strict, there were many immature points even for that.

“It was obvious at a glance that he was curious.”

Things a human would already know, or would roughly grasp by intuition and move past. Jio asked Yu Seongun about each and every one of those things.

What was this, what was that, could he have this, how was that made...

“It’s hard to call Jio a monster, but in this respect, he’s definitely similar to humanoid monsters too.”

They had always been curious about human objects and rules.

“... Mm, maybe being too light for a human is one of those parts too.”

He had lowered his caliber to almost human level, but it seemed his body itself had not become a complete human body. On the way to the hotel, Jio had nearly been blown away by the wind.

‘Even if it was only enough to make him float for a moment, it makes no sense with that height and build.’

Jio had always been so light that his footsteps could not be heard. Today, Yu Seongun had thought he might have become about as heavy as a human, but the shoes and clothes had only added a sense of weight, and he still seemed excessively light for a human.

“...”

Thinking of Jio, who had nearly been blown away for an instant, though the wind had been a little strong...

Honestly, it was somewhat chilling.

“... He really isn’t human.”

Jio was not human.

‘His usual light weight, and what happened at Cheonggyecheon too.’

A human could not be that light.

There was the weight of the clothes they wore, the weight of their organs and bones, and the weight of the blood circulating within. If he were human, there was no way he could make no sound at all like a leaf set down, the way Jio did.

And tiny minnows could not climb through the inside of that body.

“...”

The sight of his pale skin slowly changing into transparent water because his feet had touched the water.

The sight of fish and air bubbles burrowing through it had been a mysterious and grotesque moment, to the point that it was difficult for his brain to recognize it.

“But that isn’t even a monster...”

Nature imitating a human.

“...”

That was probably more accurate.

“... It’s frightening.”

A Root entity was, of course, classified as nature with a sense of self, but for some reason Jio seemed different from even that, giving Yu Seongun a baseless fear.

It felt as if he was receiving the goodwill of an existence that should not exist.

* * *

At that time, Jio.

“It’s the forty-fifth floor.”

“Gurgle!”

Together with Honey, whom he had secretly smuggled in, he was enjoying the top floor of the five-star hotel.

That was right. He had no thoughts whatsoever.