The Artist Who Paints Dungeon
Chapter 1

Prologue

Why, seems like I've become a haunted portrait.

I have become a painting.

Not a memorial portrait, but a real painting.

And I've also landed in the middle of a cabin in the forest.

“… I guess I'll just consider this as moving to the countryside.”

Although I ended up being treated as a haunted portrait while being perfectly alive, it's fun so it's alright.

Seo Gio was an art teacher.¹

To explain why a respectable member of society like him became a haunted portrait, it was because Seo Gio failed to escape the school in time during a fire and ended up trapped in the art room, falling right into his own painting.

For real.

“If I'm going to die anyway, I wanted to die at my favourite place.”

That place was exactly the art warehouse. The place where a landscape painting of a cabin in the forest was placed, which eventually turned into a painting showing him.²

“Living life, I've come to have such an experience.”

Gio sat on the bench, taking in the landscape within the painting.

The weather was mild.

Birds chirping harmoniously as if singing in a choir. The light and soft spring breeze, gentle as silk.

Jewel-like sunlight shone through the dense foliage. The perfect temperature and the rich forest scent, as if moistened with dew…

“Hmm.”

It was peaceful.

“It's nice.”

It's been about a week since he regained consciousness in the cabin inside this painting.

'The flow of time has been so inconsistent that I'm not sure exactly how long I've been here…'

It's natural for the tenants to inspect their new home, and so Gio discovered a few minor rules within this painting.

Firstly, everything he painted in this place became real.

Seo Gio, who was observing the apple he had painted, put it down with a light touch. The well-ripened apple emitted a pleasant fragrance.

He felt proud.

'I'm freed from food expenses.'

Indeed, he was proud of himself.

Haunted portrait or not, this was very welcome news to Seo Gio, who was both a gourmet and a glutton.

If he painted an apple, it became a real apple. If he paints a bag of salt, it becomes real salt. The same was true for kitchen utensils other than food ingredients, such as pots and spatulas, as well as plants like flowers and trees. R

'At this point, there's one thing that anyone might be curious about.'

But he can't paint people.

He might become the first human to create a human with paint, so he tried painting, but all that came out was a warm corpse, not a living, moving human.

“It's a relief that the limits are clear.”

Gio almost got scared. For him who values friendship, peace, and love, the ability to create humanity was nothing but harmful.

Above all, Seo Gio's dream was closer to that of a landlord than a creator.

'I was relieved to replace that I hadn't gained the ability to harm the cuteness and adorableness of my life.'

And the second rule.

Gio's gaze landed on a frame hanging on a wooden pillar.

“Is it something like a front door?”

Through the frame, Gio could see the scenery outside this place.

“It might be hung there to emphasize the importance of communication, so as not to grow old alone.”

It was possible to interact with reality, and he could even step out of the painting if desired. Compared to numerous haunted portraits in ghost stories that Seo Gio knew, this one had a relatively high degree of freedom.

'As expected of me.'

Even as a painting, he doesn't follow the same path as others.

Gio was greatly satisfied with his own uniqueness, something unparalleled in human history. It seemed like there couldn't be another one like this in the world. If there were, it would be fate, which would be even better.

Anyway, moving on.

“… There seems to be no need to go into a society reeks of exhaustion and start a new life.”

Why bother leaving this clean zone?

“In just a few years, many things have changed from what I remembered ….”

At the ripe age of 29, it was a rather bitter thing to mutter, but that was the reality. It had already been about 30 years since the fire accident occurred.

'31 years to be exact.'

Upon learning this, Gio leisurely returned to the world within the painting. This talking potato lacked the confidence to adapt to the new society.

“It must have been quite a while since my death report was filed, why would I leave this place which might made me be subjected to some kind of biological experiment?”

Obviously, he had no intention of leaving this peaceful home, where he didn't have to pay for food, rent, or electricity, just to suffer needlessly.

“I'm a bit worried about the kids from our class… The world has changed so much, I have no idea how everyone is doing.”

Thirty-one years ago, when the fire accident occurred, it seemed as if the Earth had turned upside down.

'They called it the 'Great Catastrophe.”

Since that day, the world seemed to have completely changed.

When he saw an unbelievable sight of a businessman in a suit holding a bow and fighting a monster the size of a house, Gio, who was very frightened, readily accepted his identity as a painting.

“One can experience such things in life.”

Even if his body dies and dies again a hundred times, his bones turn to dust with no way to restore, and his soul remains intact and well, it's still better to live the peaceful and comfortable life of a haunted portrait than suffer from monsters in modern society.

“There are various ways of living in this world, and among them exists the life of a portrait ….”

And to discuss the third report at this point.

“… Hmm.”

This forest is another ecosystem.

“Shall I go gathering?”

Gio grabbed a sturdy basket. He planned to fill it with plenty of food.

'All I had drawn was a two-story cabin and the forest surrounding it, but as I wandered around, I found plants and geographical features that I had never drawn.'

It seemed as if it had been created based on Gio's imagination.

Rustle.

“Hello.”

“Squeak.”

“Yeah.”

Gio watched as a rabbit that had jumped out of the bushes rubbed its body against his foot and went on its way.

'It's small.'

It was much smaller and rounder in shape than the commonly known Korean rabbit, and it seemed to reflect Seo Gio's preference for small and harmless things.

'I like it.'

Mainly because it seemed like it couldn't harm him. He liked the fact that Seo Gio himself could probably win if they fought seriously.

'Is it because I, the owner of the painting, am harmless that only harmless creatures are placed in it? That's a plausible speculation ….'

After that, creatures slightly different from those in reality occasionally brushed past Gio.

A squirrel with round puffed cheeks. A sparrow with fluffy feathers as if it were winter. A deer with clear, jewel-like eyes and a slender neck ….

Gio thought.

The fourth rule.

“… Even though it's our first meeting, they're are so kind, it's as if they recognize me as their father.”

All beings within this picture show favour towards Gio.

'Is it because I'm the one who drew this place?'

Despite how he had become part of the painting, Gio was still a painter, and this world was also a work of art he painted.

'Maybe it's natural for the characters living in such a work to be friendly towards me, their creator.'

Gio walked in the opposite direction of the stream.

“… As an unemployed person with nothing to do, maybe I should replace a sunny spot and take a nap.”

Thus he went on his way to replace the spring, the source of this vast forest.

'It would be even better if I could gather some things along the way.'

Seo Gio was still a gourmet and a glutton. Although he had become a painting and did not feel hunger or sleepiness, he could eat as much as he wanted and sleep if he wanted to.

'Considering that I feel bloated if I eat too much, or that I can't go back to sleep immediately after a long sleep… it seems that basic life patterns are still maintained.'

Anyway, being able to eat as much as he wanted was a great advantage.

“… Ah.”

Gio, who was following the stream in the opposite direction, found small red, round berries.

“These would be perfect for a snack.”

The short tree, which seemed to be just under two meters tall, had branches that drooped like an overturned dish, thin and bent. On those slender branches, berries the size of marbles sold in stationery stores were fully ripe and abundant.

The shape of the tree resembled a cherry tree more than a grapevine, with the very soft berrie clusters spread out along the elongated branches.

“I wonder if they would have a texture similar to raisins if dried in the sun ….”

At that moment, Gio's 'system' described the small red fruit.

Goby Fruit

It has a reddish colour. It is sweet and sour, with a mainly sweet taste. The fruit is spherical in shape, with a diameter ranging from 1cm to 2cm.

Refinement Method: Grind the thoroughly dried fruit into powder and mix it with Lulupu juice to make a dough. Form this dough into small rice cakes and dry them in a dark place for more than a week, and it becomes a medicine beneficial for bleeding and recovery.

“… If you could give a heads up before coming out ….”

The fifth rule.

“… Well, seems like this will take a while to get used to. Time will be the best medicine.”

It's not exactly accurate to call this a rule of the forest … but it seems that Seo Gio has undergone what is known as an awakening. It's a phenomenon said to manifest in those with supernatural abilities that appeared after the 'Great Catastrophe.'

Nowadays, the people of Earth call people with such supernatural abilities 'Hunters,' which he found fascinating.

'That I've become one of those people with supernatural abilities.'

How should he put it?

“It's like a game.”

It felt like he was dropped into a healing game of gathering and cooking.

'Though thanks to that feeling, fortunately I was able to accept this unfamiliar environment without much difficulty.'

It wasn't that he thought of this place as a game as an escape from reality. It simply meant 'It's easy to adapt because I'm in a harmless and convenient environment, like in a game.'

After reading the system again, Gio checked the basket. There was still a lot of space left.

“…Should I put more in?”

He plucked the fruits until the bottom of the basket turned red. Then he made a place for the fruits by separating them with large, cleanly washed leaves.

It was to prepare space to place other gathering items when found, and perhaps thanks to that, he was able to replace another medicinal herb before long.

“What is this?”

A small flower that looked similar to an orchid.

Vaivamnil

It has a pale blue hue. It emits a soft vanilla cream scent. It can be eaten after steeping in hot water for 10 minutes. It blooms in the place where the forest butterfly of 'Oblivion Forest' has died. The petals resemble the wings of forest butterflies.

Refinement Method: Blanch in hot water to remove the toxins, then dry in a dark place for ten days. Drying on the leaves of the Salasala Tree can enhance the medicinal effect.³ Once the flowers are completely dried, infuse them in a gentle heat for a day to make a fragrant medicinal tea. It is excellent for stopping bleeding, and for recovery and increasing immunity.

'The taste might be quite different, but at least the texture felt like a well-cooked spinach.'

Spinach with a vanilla cream scent might sound strange, but it was surprisingly quite alright to eat. It was good to blanch and eat it as a snack when feeling a bit hungry.

'The texture was also interestingly fun due to how soft it is, almost easily mashed with the tongue like a well-ripened chestnut.'

For reference, 'Salasala' refers to a type of tree in this forest that is chubby like a baobab tree but much shorter in height.

The round, curled leaves are plump and taut like water-filled balloons, and such Salasala trees were located near the hut, allowing Gio to easily gather its leaves.

“Just in case.”

Gio continued to gather diligently. It was necessary to gather a wide range of items, not only food but also medicine for emergencies.

As he continued his gathering, Gio arrived at the spring, the source of the stream.

“….”

Gulp.

Trickle ….

“….”

Spring water is trapped in the pure white tree roots, as if it has gathered both sunlight and moonlight.

Among the sparkling spring water as transparent as glass, bloomed thin and beautiful flowers, as if made from silk of jewels. They were lush flowers, somewhat resembling lotus blossoms.

“With this…”

Lulupu

A flower with a lush bud. It can only grow in clean water, and it blooms using that water. A fully bloomed Lulupu retains its shape even when plucked. However, the petals can only produce juice when coming in contact with warm water. It is edible, but apart from a strong fragrance, it has no taste.

Refinement Method: Place the petals in warm, edible water and wait until they dissolve and the juice comes out. One must never interfere during the process. The produced juice can be used with various medicinal herbs.

Available Refinement Method: Excellent Blood Recovery Rice Ball Cake made with Goby Fruit and Lulupu Juice.⁴

“Making medicine might come in handy someday.”

Thud.

The basket was set down.

'It doesn't seem like I'll need it, but I was bored anyway….'

Thinking that it was a very suitable new activity, he reached out for the Lulupu flowers after washing his hands clean in the spring water.

With his characteristic blunt and gloomy face, Gio snipped the flower stalk. Despite his downcast expression, his touch when handling the flowers was quite delicate.

'It would be fun to take the whole plant with the roots, but this isn't the kind of plant I usually grow… It's a water flower, so I don't even know where the roots start or end. I'd be upset if the population decreased because of a careless attempt, so I need to be careful.'

The Lulupu he picked must have already fully bloomed, as they did not wither nor drip any water, meaning—Gio had harvested the flowers in the right way.

“The scent is nice.”

Gio carefully placed the flower bud into the basket.

In the pond, there were about twenty flowers in bloom, but just in case, he only collected three of them. The petals themselves were so large and abundant like those of a lotus that it felt wasteful to pick more.

'The stems are quite sturdy, I wonder if there are other ways to use it. It feels like fibre, but somehow it felt as if it might peel off like thread when being torn vertically ….'

Soon, Gio had gathered all the flowers.

“This should be enough.”

As for the exact amount, he decided to determine it leisurely by feeling while making the medicine. Then, Gio set the basket filled with flowers back down on the ground.

And he admired the spring.

Drip.

Trickle ….

The sound of shallow, clear water flowing.

The pure fragrance emanates from a clean spring.

The humid air of the forest.

“… It's nice.”

This spring, which existed even though he had not painted it, was more beautiful than he could have imagined.

The tree that stood firm despite being dead shone a brilliant white, resembling the expensive Carrara marble.⁵

Between the trees with their intricate veins, through which the sky faintly shone, the transparent spring water flowed, breaking the sunlight like gold.

'It looks like pearls being thinly spread out.'

The sap of the tree had hardened into gems. Whether it secreted sap before dying or not, wide and winding jewel-like formations in the shape of plates with a light blue hue, protruded from all over the tree like shelf mushrooms.

The transparent, turquoise objects resembled large jewel-made plates. They held the spring water bathed in sunlight and carrying a gentle light.

Drip…

The spring water flowed down sequentially along the jewel plates.

From the highest place, step by step, one by one. It made a clear ringing sound like dawn's jade marbles as it struck the jewel plates. If one listened closely, it felt just like listening to a butterfly sing.

The sunlight leaking through the leaves of the forest scattered and shone upon the marble-like trees, making it feel as though one had entered a temple.

Thus, the spring water that had flowed down pooled around the roots of a dead tree, creating a shallow well.

The overflowing spring water spread throughout the forest, and butterflies with wings resembling sunlight illuminated the area around it. They were just like fireflies.

Fireflies that can be seen even during the day.

“That's cool.”

The spring, which took the giant tree soaring high into the sky as its base, also looked like a giant pond.

'… There's a saying that good water emits fragrance, but I wonder if it applies to water this clean.'

The air enveloping this place was rich and sweet, as if one were lying above a flower bed. Perhaps the fragrance from Lulupu petals mixed with the spring water.

Indeed …

“People should return to farming in the countryside.”

Gio liked this place.

He settled down among the soft, blanket-like moss and slowly took an afternoon nap.

***

“Here it is.”

An art warehouse in a now-forgotten abandoned school.

Inside the portrait hanging there, a man was quietly closing his eyes.

“Look at this painting.”

“Wow, how did it not burn and remain like this?”

“It's in good condition … I wonder if taking it would count as an achievement?”

“Seems like the piece has a name too.”

“It has a name? It was an item, then.”

Now, the last rule.

Gio became a painting.

“It's called 'Gio's Portrait.'”

That was a clear fact.

“It's sure convenient to travel with someone who has appraisal skills …. but is this really from Earth?”

“Is it possible for an ordinary portrait to still be this clean despite being inside an abandoned school in the mountains like this? There's no one taking care of it, right?”

“I guess that's true.”

“It must be an item that came from some dungeon, obviously. There are many other dungeons around here too.”

“Anyway, Collection would love this. They go crazy for this kind of stuff, don't they?”⁶

And like that, while Gio was asleep.

The painting's entrance was changing on its own.

¹: 서지오 (Seo Ji-o), but due to reasons I'll use Seo 'Gio'.

²: basically the painting of the forest cabin now has an additional Gio with closed eyes on it.

³: I don't know how to write the name for this one, 도롱도롱 열매 was the name of a fruit in one piece (サラサラの実 — salasala fruit), so idk anymore and just translate the name as 'Salasala Tree'.

⁴: it was Gyeongdan actually.

⁵: the image for better imagination.

⁶: this is the name of a guild, you'll see it often afterwards.

t/n: another slice of life novel. I was very tempted to split this chapter, as this chapter is more than twice longer than the ones I usually did (it's 3.5k+ words and this isn't even the longest chap I've read, it's mid). but I decided not to split this ch 1 because this ch is what made me interested into this story and I want to drag yall down this hell too (mwahaha).

I was looking for a fantasy slice of life with slight romance when I stumbled onto this accidentally. well, I don't think this has romance, still, the story is just sooooo good I can't help but pick this up (and the MC is actually really cute lmfaooo).

for me, this series is just up to my plate, after all, it have similarities with both other projects I took (MPBGS with its misunderstood protagonist trope and horror comedy and TSDDBM with the slice-of-life genre).

anyways, I hope you guys replace this series as interesting as I do c: