Chapter 85

Kang Seo-dam, who was reviewing the curriculum for the new prospective priests, answered the phone.

“Yes, Hunter Yu Seong-un.”

“By any chance, are there gods who can be summoned by drawing a picture?”

“I don't know what you're suddenly talking about, but I'm busy too, so to give you an answer, yes, it's possible. Characters and patterns often used in rituals are a type of drawing, after all.”

“It wasn't a very professional drawing.”

“How unprofessional was it?”

“The level a kid would draw?”

“Still, it's not impossible. Even if it's very crude, as long as its purpose is clear.”

Kang Seo-dam, holding the phone between his shoulder and chin, continued to speak while writing a document.

“The will of the subject, what they intend to do through the ritual, is the most important thing. If the will of the person performing the ritual is sufficiently strong and clear, and the recipient of the rite is broad-minded enough to accept such a flawed ritual, it's entirely possible.”

“How is that possible?”

“This is generally the case with evil gods… but I understand that this kind of summoning ritual is often possible even if it doesn't target a god. This is because mysterious beings with their own summoning rituals exist everywhere. If it's a very receptive being, you can catch their attention just by calling their name.”

“But why?”

“It’s difficult to understand from the perspective of an insignificant human, but those close to being gods can know where they are being called and seen. A being called a god can respond to each and every prayer from their followers simultaneously, from anywhere in the world.”

Kang Seo-dam rolled his eyes as he checked the document.

“Even if it's not necessarily a god, a mysterious being of a lower class might spread its own summoning ritual here and there. After all, there's nothing like the faith of one's followers for raising one's own status and strengthening one's divinity.”

“What if it’s a being whose status is already remarkably high? To the point where they don't particularly need faith. And what's more, they wouldn't even want their status to rise any further.”

“I was so busy I tried to keep ignoring you, but is this about Him after all? The pitch-black Him? The Cape Him? The one who made stairs by evaporating the dungeon's seawater and then cleaned it up with a single gesture? Him?”

“Thank you for finally acknowledging it.”

“What a disaster.”

A being called a destiny with a will, or nature, is referred to as a ‘god.’

And they clearly know what they exist for and what they intend to do.

It means they also know what kind of existence they are to humans.

But the ‘Black Cape’ is not like that.

“If faith builds up unwittingly, he won't be able to learn how to handle his own status. His summoning ritual seems to be easy and simple enough for a child to perform with a drawing, correct?”

“That’s right.”

“In that case, we can only pray that he never gets angry in his entire life. At the very least, when he isn't angry, he will collect himself and be considerate of the fragile humans, so there won't be a major problem then. He's quite fond of humans in the first place…”

“And if he gets angry?”

“As you well know, Hunter Yu Seong-un, only ruin awaits. As they say, only those who have eaten meat know how to eat it; likewise, only those who have been angry know how to get angry well. If a god doesn't know how to get angry safely without hurting anyone and just expresses their emotions recklessly, it would be a disaster in the truest sense.”

Kang Seo-dam pondered for a moment, then asked.

“Ordinary gods have a clear reason for their existence. Unless they inherited their divinity from a pre-existing god, the one who created the summoning ritual for a certain god is that god of the summons in the first place. The reason for summoning rituals and sacrificial rites came to be from the start is to raise their status.”

“But the subject we're talking about is not like that.”

“It could be the case if he received the corresponding ritual along with the divinity when he inherited it from a pre-existing god. Is the mysterious being you're talking about now, Hunter Yu Seong-un, one that falls under that category?”

“I can’t say he doesn’t have such characteristics, but it’s not entirely so. He is a qualitatively different being from a god.”

“……”

Kang Seo-dam, who had briefly taken his eyes off the monitor, soon continued.

“It is very rare, but there are those whose status naturally rises within the laws of nature, simply because they existed as a mysterious being corresponding to a certain rule. To give an easy example, the act of people breathing itself could be an act that increases the faith in a certain mysterious being.”

“I’m sorry, but I still don’t quite get it, what does that mean?”

“To put it more simply, there are beings who grow stronger just by existing. Just as it's a natural rule for past time, for history, to deepen as time flows.”

Kang Seo-dam’s fingers started typing again.

“In our Solar Cult, we do not call such beings gods.”

“Then what do you call them?”

“Just nature. A rule, and destiny.”

“Other gods also have a will…”

“They are nature and destiny, that is correct, but this is a different context.”

The reason was simple.

“As you said, Hunter Yu Seong-un, they have a will and a goal. But the mysterious beings in the cases I’m speaking of now have no such thing. They did not want to become gods, they don’t even know they have been defined as ‘gods,’ they just… exist, flow, and grow stronger.”

“That’s a disaster.”

“From the perspective of humans, even an earthquake caused by the Earth’s tectonic movements is felt as a disaster. They simply exist. They may or may not have an ego or preferences, and they may or may not have perceived humans.”

“Hmm…”

Yu Seong-un asked after a moment.

“The Solar Cult can say this because it has observed such a mysterious being before, right? A mighty something that can’t even be called a god?”

“That’s classified. Just as the Collectors have a few such secrets.”

“I understand for now. Would it be alright if I visit you again later with a gift, Priest?”

“Do not come. I am busy.”

“I’ll send a package.”

The call ended.

“……”

Well, even if he says that.

“…If it’s him, I don’t think he’ll become a great disaster.”

Kang Seo-dam had certainly felt divinity from the Black Cape.

Judging from the aura he felt and various circumstances, it seemed to have been inherited from a predecessor god, which meant there was a parent to teach him how to act as a god.

Even if there was no parent god, wasn't there the Sun God of this Earth?

His goddess was quite favorable towards the Black Cape, so she might offer some help.

“In the end, it wasn’t a matter for me to worry about. Tsk, in the middle of all this work.”

Muttering to himself, Kang Seo-dam quietly resumed reviewing the curriculum.

It was overtime he had grown accustomed to recently.

***

And here was another Hunter working overtime.

“Yes, Jio.”

“A pleasure to meet you.”

“You’re really active.”

It was, of course, Yu Seong-un.

“So, our dear Cha Isold summoned Jio?”

Cha Isold, who was slowly grasping the situation, confessed voluntarily.

“I’m sorry for making you work overtime.”

“If you apologize like that, what does that make me, Cha Isold.”

In truth, it wasn't a situation with that much of an impact.

“Well, the time I usually talk to Jio is around 4 AM anyway, so…”

“Were you tired?”

At that, the Black Cape, Jio, made a gesture as if touching his chin.

He seemed to be mimicking human surprise, but because his face was not visible, absolutely no emotion could be felt, which made the back of his neck ache a little.

“I apologize for the inconvenience. You came often at that time, so I thought you liked that time. If you wish, I will reschedule our conversations.”

“No, I have a lot of work to do before and after that time anyway, so moving the conversation schedule won't make my bedtime any earlier. It just changes the order of the things I have to do at that time.”

“That is regrettable.”

“I feel the same…”

Anyway, it was now 7:41 PM.

“Has everyone had dinner?”

“We, we were just about to make bulgogi when…”

“So that’s how it happened.”

Though she was a Hunter, she was F-Class; how much experience could Cha Ara possibly have?

Her face showed she couldn't even understand why this was happening, so Yu Seong-un looked back at Jio.

“Before we begin our main conversation, Jio.”

“Please speak.”

“I’d like you to soften the atmosphere a bit.”

To put it bluntly, it was a request to ‘lower your presence,’ but if he said it like that, Jio, who considered himself human, would feel offended.

Yu Seong-un, who had gained a greater sense of caution through his conversation with Priest Kang Seo-dam, had no intention of doing so.

He intended to treat him as a god who had no awareness of being a god.

However, this too seemed to be a difficult statement, as Jio expressed his confusion.

“I did not understand the meaning of your words.”

“You’re very scary right now. You don't seem human.”

“Understood.”

Immediately after, Jio threw back his hood.

“……”

“Will this do?”

What came out from within was the distinctly platinum-blonde Giovanni.

“In my experience, this tends to improve the atmosphere…”

“For now, yes.”

“I wonder if the color of the cape is the problem.”

“That’s probably part of it.”

Yu Seong-un secretly let out a sigh of relief.

‘…It’s a relief that there’s a way to lower his presence, even if it’s like this. It’s also a relief that Jio doesn’t find it unpleasant to lower his own presence. If he were a typical god or a Child of the Source, he would have felt displeasure and torn me to shreds right now…’

He couldn't know how great a fortune it was that a Jio of this stature was human-friendly.

“I’m going to try and explain this phenomenon, is that alright?”

“You may do as you wish.”

“Thanks for understanding.”

Yu Seong-un finally began his story.

“It seems that Mr. Cha Isold has summoned Jio.”

“…I thought that might be the case, but how is that possible?”

“Mr. Cha Eun-hyeok’s question is valid and I too had trouble understanding, so I asked Priest Kang Seo-dam, who has more experience in this area than I do, and he said it's something that can happen from time to time.”

Of course, out of consideration for Jio, he omitted the parts about presence and gods.

“He said that in extremely rare cases, there are mysterious beings who have their own summoning rituals even if they didn't intend to. In Jio's case, the condition for that ritual would have been ‘to draw Jio.’”

Yu Seong-un looked back at Jio.

“In the first place, Jio, why did you come here? What did you know that made you come?”

“I knew that I was being drawn. I also naturally came to know that the person who drew me was the Cha brother. In the midst of that, he said such a cute thing about wanting to be my friend…”

“And so you appeared?”

“I was also curious about how he had been doing recently. I left the dungeon without saying goodbye, so I was worried about the Cha brother and thought it was a good opportunity. Wasn’t he kidnapped, after all?”

The platinum-blonde Jio asked with his characteristic gentle smile.

“Has the Cha brother been well? Are you hurt anywhere?”

“Th-the Black Cape was Jio-hyung…?”

“Ah.”

Giovanni looked back at Yu Seong-un.

“……”

“…Even if you look at me like that, you won’t get an answer, Mr. Black Cape.”

“I wanted to protect a child’s innocence in this cruel world.”

“Wouldn’t his innocence be better protected than by the fact that Santa isn’t actually real?”

Cha Isold was shocked.

“There’s no Santa?”

“The two Cha siblings must have raised you with great care. Am I sorry for being the one to shatter his innocence first?”

“I was going to give Santa Claus a massage if I ever met him…!”

“Oh dear, what a good kid.”

“I was going to ask if he could live at our house when he retired…!”

“What a firm sense of self.”

Anyway, Cha Isold wasn't as shocked as he had thought about Jio being the Black Cape.

“But why did it happen like that? Do you really give presents to good people, Jio-hyung?”

“If it’s someone who needs it, I try my best to be considerate and respectful.”

“Why?”

“I have the leisure and the ability to do so, and since the people who receive my goodwill would want those gifts, there is no reason not to grant them.”

“Woooow…”

Cha Eun-hyeok thought to himself.

‘With this level of innocence, where is he going to be sold off to.’

It seemed that he, as the eldest son, had no choice but to keep his wits about him.

“S-so, did we do something wrong, or…”

“Huh? No, no.”

Yu Seong-un looked back at Cha Isold.

“You were drawing the Black Cape because you thought he was cool, without any particular intention, right Cha Isold?”

“Yes, because they said he’s really famous these days.”

“Is he?”

The Collectors, who had made that ghost story famous, had nothing to say.

“It doesn’t matter as long as this ritual isn’t widely known. Jio, if someone draws you, do you always have to become aware of it or be summoned to that place?”

“I can be aware of it, but as for the summoning… I believe it's just my choice.”

“If that’s the case, then it really doesn’t matter. I rushed over because this whole incident was so absurd and had a lot of potential for misuse.”

Cha Isold bowed his head once more.

“I’m sorry for causing trouble.”

“It's nothing. If you apologize that much, it makes me feel too embarrassed.”

“But…”

“It’s really okay, it seems Jio wants to see you anyway, Cha Isold. Everyone was worried since you were kidnapped by monsters, even if you weren't harmed.”

“I’m fine, though.”

“You seem fine, which is quite amazing. It's a great mindset. It makes me a bit sad to think about what a great person you’ll become with that kind of mindset already, but anyway, everything is fine and there are no problems, but…”

Yu Seong-un was just dumbfounded.

“…I just hope you don’t go around spreading this summoning method anywhere.”

Then a lot of people would get tired.

And with a 100% probability, Yu Seong-un would be included among them.

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