episode_0002

-Swish, swish, swish.

“Hmph, hmph, ah! Hello.”

“Eek!”

I waved to Mr. Thompson, whom I’d greeted last night.

Though he screamed and ran off, he waved back as he fled, so it was as good as a greeting to me.

“Phew!”

Having swept all the dirt from in front of the house, I wiped the beads of sweat from my forehead.

No matter how much I swept, the area in front of the house remained dirty. My broom, which had been completely dry, was now soaked, but it would dry by tomorrow, so I propped it against the wall and went inside.

Why do I seem so calm? Because I’ve gained a stable life.

“Huuuugh~”

I stretched to loosen my stiff body and looked around.

The house I was to live in was impeccably clean. No, “impeccably clean” wasn’t enough; it was a new house, no, not just a new house, but the very embodiment of my ideal dark fantasy house.

To find me such a house, thank you.

I offered my thanks to my employer, who had found me the house, and then grilled the fish she’d brought me that morning. How did I grill it? It’s common knowledge that every house has a hearth, isn’t it?

-Clatter, clatter…

“Ahh…”

The plump, cooked fish vanished in an instant, leaving behind only stark white bones. Though I had no sides, the fish alone filled my stomach, so I decided to seriously get to work.

I’d slept soundly, and my stomach was full; for a capable man with all his limbs intact, it was only natural to work.

My job was incredibly simple.

My employer.

-Knock, knock, knock!

“Yes, come in.”

“Yuseong? Am I disturbing you needlessly?”

“Oh, Rie. I was just thinking of you.”

“Oh, really?”

My employer, Leruye, visited my house wearing the same dress as yesterday.

She had told me to address her comfortably first, so I called her Rie for short, and she, in turn, comfortably called me Yuseong.

-Click, click, click.

The sound of shoes echoed through the quiet house.

Rie’s face, which came close to mine, was covered by a veil and unrecognizable, but to my eyes, she seemed to be smiling brightly.

-Whoosh.

Rie slowly stroked my face.

Her mesh-gloved fingertips gently traced my features, caressing my lips before slowly stroking the contours of my face and even playfully pinching and pulling my firm cheeks.

“You’re safe and well today too.”

“Yes, thanks to you, Rie, I slept well and filled my stomach thoroughly.”

“Hahaha, how energetic you are.”

“But Rie, what brings you to my house?”

“I just came to check if you were doing well. Fortunately, you seem to have no problems, so I’ll wait at my shop as I told you yesterday.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“Once the work is complete, you must, absolutely must… bring it to the shop, alright?”

“Haha, naturally.”

-Thud!

Once Rie left the house, silence fell. I really dislike unnecessary quiet.

Next time, I should ask for something so I can at least listen to music.

I picked up the palette and brushes Rie had provided and sat before the easel.

My job was to be Rie’s exclusive painter. She ran a small antique shop and claimed to know many customers who would appreciate my paintings, so she asked me to draw paintings to match their requests.

The payment was the guarantee of all my necessities – food, clothing, shelter – and a comfortable lifestyle.

In short, I was a kept man. Since my childhood dream had been to be a kept man, I had no reason to refuse.

How long could one painting take? If I just drew one a day and brought it to her, she’d take care of everything.

Ah, thank you, Rie.

I could have followed her to the point of forming a faith, but for now, the painting came first, so I quietly looked at the canvas.

A custom canvas made according to my request.

A background as black as ink, and only white paint on the palette.

Even when using a digital drawing program, I only used a white brush on a black canvas. It looked cool, didn’t it?

“Hmm…”

But there was one problem: I was new to oil painting.

In modern terms, it felt like drawing with a tablet instead of a mouse.

I was a little daunted by the thought of using such a luxurious tool after always using only a mouse, but well, Rie wanted it, so what could I do?

What would be good, what would be good?

I placed the brush on the center of the canvas and pondered, gently drawing a circle.

“Ah.”

A white dot appeared in the center of the black canvas. Reality was different from a digital drawing program.

There was no undo function.

Whenever I drew fan art and couldn’t think of anything, I had a habit of drawing a circle.

I hadn’t received any other canvases…

As I stared blankly at the white dot in the center, an idea suddenly came to mind.

The cute octopus that Artist Howard considered his arch-nemesis—I should draw that.

I immediately set my brush to work and quickly completed a small, cute octopus.

An adorable octopus flitting through the sea. But just drawing the octopus felt a bit lacking, so… the seabed. Drawing the sea was too much effort, though. I’d just roughly sketch some ruined buildings.

But it still felt a bit bland. Just one thing was missing… Right, a person.

If there was an octopus, there had to be a person too. It would be lonely by itself.

I poured my heart and soul into spreading my dream onto the canvas.

“Done.”

My first oil painting, finally completed after a long time.

Blowing on the paint to set it, I immediately gathered the canvas and headed out of the house.

She’d surely like it. As I walked towards her shop, imagining Rie excitedly bouncing, thud, I unexpectedly collided with someone.

“Damn it—get the police!”

“Oh, my apologies.”

Though I thought that inwardly, I politely offered an apology first.

“Ugh, ugh-aaaaah…”

The man I collided with got up, supporting himself on the ground, then thump, he tripped over his own feet and fell again.

A man with a shabby appearance, noticeable for his unevenly grown beard, grimy skin as if he hadn’t washed, and yellowed teeth.

What was he in such a hurry for…

I took his hand and helped him up, even dusting off his backside.

His bare, dirty feet and sweat-soaked hair. Anyone would think he’d escaped from prison.

“What’s the rush?”

“I have to go back, I have to go back, I have to go back…”

He clutched an old book tightly, trembling as he looked around.

I was momentarily stunned by the man’s anxious state, when suddenly, he snatched the canvas from my arms!

“Huh? Give it back.”

“This painting, this painting!”

“I drew it, why? Do you want it?”

“Give it to me, how much?! No, please, give me that painting, I beg you. I have to go back!!! She’s waiting, that child is waiting for me! I have to save her, I have to save her!”

“Is your daughter kidnapped?”

“Yes, please!”

What did a kidnapping have to do with a painting? But I couldn’t heartlessly reject such a painful story.

A painting could simply be redrawn, but a lost daughter couldn’t be found if the moment was missed. Well, isn’t that how missing persons cases are?

“Alright. Well, as for the price…”

The moment I willingly gave up the painting and parted my lips to ask for the price, the man vanished.

“Huh?”

I turned around to see the man fleeing without a backward glance, blood dripping from his feet where he’d stepped on sharp stones.

“Damn it, a thief!”

I yelled loud enough for the city folk to hear, but no one looked at me.

Only old Mr. Thompson screamed “Eek!” and holed himself up in his house again, while the residents on the street were too busy chattering among themselves.

“Ugh, it’s hopeless.”

“Huh?”

Just then, I discovered an old book lying where the man had fallen.

A curiously damp and wrinkled old book. It smelled of the sea, but its strangely comforting texture felt good.

I might as well take this. If he comes looking for it later, I can just exchange it for money.

First, though, I should inform Rie that the painting was stolen. I headed towards her shop as planned.

Pant, pant, pant…!

“I’m alive, I’m alive, I’m aliiiive!”

Hevra didn’t stop, even as sharp stones dug into his soles and tree branches poked his eyes, drawing blood.

He mustn’t look back, mustn’t set foot in that hell again.

Hevra, who had run until his life burned out, roared loud enough to shake the forest, reveling in his freedom the moment the grip tightening his soul loosened.

“Damn it, I’m alive! Argh, ahhhhhh!!!”

His joy was short-lived; Hevra remembered his daughter trapped in the painting.

“Ah, my daughter, you’re finally free. I’ll get you out, ah, my child, are you very cold? Daddy’s sorry, don’t tremble, Daddy’s here, Daddy’s…”

“……Daughter…?”

Hevra despaired.

The painting he had received from the man clearly depicted his daughter. His pitiful daughter, with her back to the creeping terror of the deep sea, waiting only to be saved!

But the painting had changed. His daughter’s eyes were erased, and the terror that threatened her had completely blurred, losing its form. This shouldn’t have happened. To retrieve her whole, there mustn’t be any changes at all!

“Ugh-ahhhhhhh!!!”

-Crack, crack, crack!

Hevra swung the canvas with all his might. He swung it at a sturdy tree stump, slammed it against a towering rock, picked up a small stone, and fixed the canvas with his foot, slamming the stone down furiously, but the painting remained perfectly intact.

The painting showed no sign of tearing. If its integrity was compromised, he had to tear the painting to rescue her! But poor, foolish Hevra already knew he couldn’t save his daughter.

Well, what can be done? Isn’t that what a father is? But don’t worry, Hevra.

Your adorable daughter, who so desperately sought only you, has become one with a cute ■■, just like herself? No, perhaps it’s a blessing!

Becoming one means your daughter’s consciousness is still alive. It means if your daughter only has the will, she could open her eyes anew in a cute body and greet her father.

“Monster!”

Oh dear, Hevra’s mind was churning… Ahem, isn’t that a bit harsh? I’d be grateful if you called them pitiful hands.

“Give it back, give it back!!!”

This was originally mine. And so are you.

Come now, your daughter is waiting, isn’t she? This time, comfortably, as if lying down in the sea… Yes, that’s it, slowly accept it.

Ohoho… Welcome back…

But Hevra, you were in good condition just this morning, but your taste has changed already. Is it because you met that person?

Ah, thinking of it again makes my mouth water. Sweet, zesty, chaotic, yet an addictively sweet taste that deliciously wraps around the tongue. Ah, I want to taste it again.

-Ding!

Oops, they’ve already arrived at the shop. I should hurry back.