"Can a saint be made that way, too?"

At the man's blunt words, Yu Seongun, who had been sitting against the gallery wall, let out a small laugh.

"I'm not certain."

"But as you said, Mr. Yu Seongun, he is following the exact procedure by which someone becomes a saint."

"To begin with, in this case, the object of divinity is taking human beings into consideration, isn't it?"

"It's similar to the god of death."

Saints were people who could bear the divinity they served like a friend or family member, even without any consideration.

Ju-hyeon, who was maintaining a perfectly normal human life thanks to Jio's full consideration, could not be said to be the same as them.

"I was only saying there is a possibility."

There were plenty of examples of ordinary humans ultimately becoming saints through nothing but their own vast capacity.

"To begin with, seeing that enormous mystery as a single young man is already absurd for ordinary humans."

"The fact that he can do it is the same as Mr. Ju-hyeon proving his own qualifications."

"If he keeps proving his qualifications one by one like that, he may end up becoming a saint."

"That is precisely why the Moon Cult has been able to artificially create saints until now."

"Even so, we don't know what type of saint Mr. Ju-hyeon would become."

"More than anything, because Jio does not want it, and because Mr. Ju-hyeon's qualities are lacking, the chances are higher that he will not become a saint."

In other words.

"Mr. Ju-hyeon has merely climbed one step."

If there was a staircase from an ordinary person to a saint, Ju-hyeon had only climbed a single step.

And before he reached that destination, no matter how many steps he climbed, he would remain an ordinary human.

"So I don't think you need to worry that much, senior."

"For now, it is nothing more than the realm of imagination."

"It isn't something for me to worry about."

"But did you explain that part properly to the person involved?"

"I felt like he'd grab me by the collar if I didn't explain properly, so I spilled everything."

"He has such a gentle face, but he has a temper, you know."

"He's surprisingly scary, a person with real backbone."

"Ordinary humans do not pity enormous mysteries."

"Unless, perhaps, they are merely 'humans who only look ordinary.'"

The man clicked his tongue.

"You should tell him to be careful."

"I did say as much, but..."

"Then again, if words were enough to settle things, there would be no tragedies in this world."

"He seemed to be trying to restrain himself, but who knows."

Because they could treat noble divinity as an equal as if it were nothing, many saints in history became the family and friends of gods.

That was not something one could control by will.

"He certainly does have the qualities."

Yu Seongun rubbed his throat.

"That said, the current situation doesn't look that bad to me."

"Is that bad habit of yours acting up again, Mr. Yu Seongun?"

"Ah, of course, there is a little of that too."

As Bi Sabeol's Curator and the Gardener of the snowfield, how could he possibly resist this interest?

Though a Root entity was, by nature, something that could become anything and embrace anything, it was still questionable whether even such a being could embrace a god's child.

But it was not a judgment based solely on Yu Seongun's own interest.

"To begin with, Jio is reluctant to wield the humans he cherishes however he pleases."

Yu Seongun shrugged.

"So as long as Mr. Ju-hyeon does not wish for it, that person will continue to remain an ordinary human."

"Is that something you can be certain of?"

"I have the results of observing and analyzing Jio until now."

"When it comes to rules, a Root entity is more trustworthy than a human."

"So for the time being, I told him to move as his heart leads him."

"If there is no way to do anything about it, that would be better."

The man nodded.

"Jio's Portrait must have embraced that human named Ju-hyeon in part because it liked that foolish nature of his, so people like us adding our words and twisting that direction may be arrogant."

"..."

"If Jio's Portrait is satisfied with that part of the person called Ju-hyeon, it would be best to leave it as it is."

"You, too, refrain from doing anything foolish just because it looks interesting."

"... Of course."

Yu Seongun looked fed up, as if the man was really something else.

"Senior, I think you love Root entities a little too... well, much."

"If one does not love works, does one have the right to become a Curator of the Collector?"

"There is still a matter of degree."

"If you give an excessive amount of your heart to a dangerous mystery, an accident will happen someday."

"I have at least that much judgment."

The man glanced sideways at Yu Seongun, who was crouching in the hallway and biting a lollipop.

"It seems those creatures called Gardeners don't know what to do when they hold such feelings."

"Arrogantly pitying an entire species itself?"

"I'm sorry if that sounded unpleasant."

"But, well, I suppose that's how it is."

"Please just see it as a trivial occupational disease."

Yu Seongun smiled placidly.

"You devoted your life to works, floor chief, just like the Guild Master."

The man's name was Garasani.

He was the fifth-floor chief of the Collector's gallery, known to the world by another name, "Head Butler."

As the person in charge of the most dangerous floor among the galleries Bi Sabeol treasured more than his own life, his love for works was tremendous.

He was also one of the few guild members of the Collector who knew Yu Seongun was a Gardener.

Garasani looked down at Yu Seongun as if he were pathetic.

"I don't know why you're discussing life after signing a waiver giving up your body to enter."

"No, it wasn't a waiver giving up my body, it was just a contract."

"Why would you say something so ominous?"

"I don't see the difference, but in any case, it is only natural for a Curator to love works."

"Of course, senior, everything you say is right."

"Yes, naturally."

"After all, it is none other than the fifth-floor chief speaking."

"It is not that I don't know Mr. Yu Seongun is saying such things out of concern for me."

Garasani raised an eyebrow.

"But I only find it amusing that Mr. Yu Seongun, who has given his entire body to the garden, is worried about my attitude toward life just because I cherish a few works."

"Isn't that so?"

"Mm, if you put it that way, I have nothing to say."

"I am not unaware that the Guild Master and I excessively accommodate the works in particular."

"But we only do so because we have reason enough to do so."

"You really are terribly biased people."

"Not that I'm one to talk..."

When the safety of humans and works were at stake at the same time, they would always prioritize the works.

That was Bi Sabeol, the Collector mad for works, and the fifth-floor chief, his faithful hands and feet.

"Anyway, Mr. Ju-hyeon's matter will be wrapped up well."

"Didn't you simply throw a bomb at him instead?"

"If that was a bomb, it was a bomb Mr. Ju-hyeon had received from the beginning."

"That is not wrong."

"He will agonize over it a little, but he'll do as his heart leads him."

Such minor details were not Yu Seongun's concern.

No matter which direction it bounced, as long as Jio stood firm right there, there would be no problem.

Yu Seongun looked at the reality immediately before him.

What he had to pay attention to now was Jio's first raid.

"I heard you are included in the Collector's dispatch team this time, senior."

"I cannot be absent from the work of taking such a mystery outside."

"Oh, impressive confidence."

"So did you come today to entrust Jio's Portrait to me?"

"I came to see your face once, out of my wish that you take good care of him."

Bi Sabeol had chosen Garasani, the fifth-floor chief, as the Curator who would attend to "Hunter Seo Jio" this time.

He was an excellent Curator who knew how to serve works like masters, and at the same time, he was an A-class Hunter with outstanding escort abilities.

In addition, two cleanup team members and two field personnel would be included in the dispatch team, but as a fellow Curator, Yu Seongun could at least show this much sincerity.

"Please take good care of my work."

"There is no way a work will be damaged when I am there."

Garasani nodded as if he understood.

"Mr. Yu Seongun, you can be excessive at times."

"Pardon?"

"All of a sudden?"

"Yes."

He looked down at Yu Seongun and spoke.

"So do something about those eyes."

"What is wrong with my eyes?"

"I will attend to your work properly and bring him back, so get those eyes off me, Yu Seongun."

"No, how could this be..."

Yu Seongun grinned.

"I've been caught."

How could he not be bothered when his work would pass through another Curator's hands?

"There is also the fact that I have too much to do and can't make time, and the Guild Master was curious whether Jio could be satisfied even with a Curator who is not his assigned Curator."

"So you are displeased with that?"

"I wouldn't say displeased."

"I was only asking you to take good care of our kid."

"It's his first time being dropped among unfamiliar humans, so I feel needlessly anxious, as if I were sending a child out to the water's edge."

There was also the issue that no matter how he planned, he could not make enough time to participate in the raid, but Bi Sabeol wanted to confirm how Jio would interact among complete strangers.

"He gets along just fine even with Mr. Ju-hyeon, whom he met as a wicked divinity, so I wonder whether there is really any need to worry that much..."

"A divinity interacting with a single human it has chosen is strictly different from a divinity imitating a human and mixing among unfamiliar humans."

Garasani continued.

"The fact that the subject was that person called Ju-hyeon must also have contributed to the Guild Master's distrust."

"... Mm, about that."

Yu Seongun forced himself to ask with an expression that said he truly did not want to know.

"I've been curious this whole time, but why on earth does he hate Mr. Ju-hyeon so much?"

There was something excessive about Bi Sabeol's behavior.

It was unlike Bi Sabeol, who always maintained a gentlemanly attitude unless the matter involved his collecting obsession.

Above all, while Ju-hyeon could make up his mind to use Jio, Bi Sabeol himself had admitted that he was ultimately not someone capable of harming Jio.

He had also acknowledged that all that malice was his own futile petulance.

Then why on earth?

"There have been plenty of humans the Guild Master has disliked until now, but as far as I know, there has never been a case where he openly revealed malice like this."

"He would smile neatly to their faces and pull schemes behind their backs..."

"Do you really want to know the Guild Master's personal circumstances?"

"With that expression, you still manage to ask."

"Personal circumstances or whatever else, I would avoid it if I could, but the Guild Master is attempting to bind Mr. Ju-hyeon, Jio, and me together in the same space."

"We are one step away from being treated almost like a set, so I can't ignore even that."

Soon managing his expression, Yu Seongun looked up at Garasani and asked.

"I thought you would know, floor chief."

He was one of the Collector's early executives, and the first collectible Bi Sabeol had taken in.

Curator Garasani likely knew the detailed inside story.

"If my question was rude, you can treat it as if it never happened."

"But I doubt the Guild Master did not expect me to have such questions."

"..."

At that, Garasani opened his mouth.

"He was badly burned by heroes like Mr. Ju-hyeon."

"I expected that to some extent, and that alone is a surprising story, but... how badly was he burned for him to feel such malice toward a complete stranger?"

"Who knows."

"By now, he is sick to death of that sort of human."

"He would find them dreadful."

He added.

"The Guild Master endured quite a number of times, but none of the results were good."

Garasani clicked his tongue quietly.

"It is unfortunate for you, being caught up in it."

"But no matter how much malice the Guild Master feels, he will not cause harm."

"Rather, contrary to his own feelings, he will try to protect him, so you do not need to worry about that part."

"I also don't think the Guild Master would treat an innocent person that way, but that is unexpected."

"He hated him so much that I thought it would not be strange if he harmed him, but it is the opposite."

"If it is the effort of the Collector, wouldn't that be rather grand..."

"If I had to define it, I suppose it should be called love and hate."

"He may hate him with his entire body and heart, but apart from that, he would not sit by and watch Mr. Ju-hyeon get hurt or anything of the sort."

"I will say it once again, but what you are worried about will not happen."

The malice Bi Sabeol showed was a kind of conditioned reflex.

It meant it was not very different from a person naturally feeling anger and shame after being suddenly subjected to insulting personal attacks, or finding a cockroach that had landed on the spot between one's brows so disgusting that it sent chills down the spine.

"Especially his eyes and..."

"..."

"... Mm, yes."

Garasani, who had been about to say something, trailed off when he saw Yu Seongun staring fixedly at him.

"Let us stop here."

It was not very desirable to carelessly speak of his superior's personal circumstances.

Garasani thought even this much had been excessive.

"I told you because it seems you will soon be deeply caught up in those circumstances as well, and I have no intention of telling you any more than this."

"From here on, it is too personal a past, so it is not something I should put in my mouth."

"... Even that much seems like it will be a great help."

"I simply could not understand why the Guild Master would bear malice toward someone far younger than him, and an Unawakened at that."

"I do not think that side of the Guild Master is right either."

"I merely understand it."

"I always side with my own, and from my position, the circumstances are understandable enough..."

Garasani comforted his junior.

"If the Guild Master speaks ill of the person named Ju-hyeon, let it go in one ear and out the other."

"He himself likely knows it is childish and gloomy petulance."

"He would not want you to seriously agonize and worry over such worthless nonsense."

"For that, he certainly grumbles a lot, but understood for now."

"I only asked because when Jio is dispatched this time, Mr. Ju-hyeon will have to go with him, and I wondered if it would be all right."

"Were you worried the Guild Master would send assassins or something?"

"Of course, if he truly felt only hatred and contempt, he might have gone that far, but as I said earlier, this case is different."

"Rather, he will likely send personnel to ensure Mr. Ju-hyeon is not hurt."

Garasani added.

"More than that, I was more worried about Mr. Jio."

"The same goes for the true nature of that anti-cat called Dana."

"Ah... I don't know the details either."

"I also don't know exactly what Jio did through Dana that day."

"I can tell it is an ability related to souls, but according to you, the gift Jio said he would give was definitely..."

Yu Seongun took over his words as if he understood.

"It wasn't a simple funeral, but a 'grave.'"

"But Jio has not yet made such a grave."

"It is also a question where the souls from the orphanage that anti-cat named Dana supposedly led went."

"We cannot determine their whereabouts."

"We will know more clearly if we see how Dana performs in this raid."

"Well, if that doesn't work, we can ask directly."

Yu Seongun spoke as he rose from his seat.

"I hope it all goes well."

After all, this matter had to end successfully, or at least uneventfully, for them to have grounds to let Jio loose to his heart's content.

"If this raid goes well, I'm thinking of taking Jio and Mr. Ju-hyeon with me and enjoying a little vacation."

"I envy the fact that you can enjoy a vacation with a work."

"Right?"

"Do you know how good our kid is?"

"He gives gifts too, and it's no joke."

"Stop it, you sound like a doting fool."

"There is no work in the world like Jio."

"You may envy me as much as you like."

"You really are..."

Garasani, who had been about to get irritated, soon let out a sigh.

"... Yes, see you later."

The fact that he was asking about the Guild Master's secret story, unlike his usual self, and even this annoying reaction now, were both because he was pointlessly anxious, and Garasani was not unaware of that.

As a senior who could be considered an elder, Garasani overlooked the ugly sight of his young junior.

Meanwhile, at the Sun Cult.

"A Curator from the Collector is coming?"

"A Curator from that gallery?"

An elder priest murmured as if troubled.

"Huh, how did such a valuable person end up..."

"I knew Guild Master Bi Sabeol was quite partial to Hunter Seo Jio, but this is unexpected."

"At that point, isn't he truly treating him like a work?"

"Good grief, a proper human being, at that."

"Wasn't it common knowledge that the Collector is Guild Master Bi Sabeol's jewelry box?"

"Even so, there should be limits... this is a bit excessive."

The Collector had added five Hunters to join the team, centered around Hunter Seo Jio.

They said they could not send Seo Jio alone on his first raid, but even taking that into account, it felt quite excessive.

"They say not just any Curator, but the 'Head Butler' himself is coming."

"I mean the fifth-floor chief of the gallery."

The floor chief who managed the deepest level of the gallery, which could be called the heart of the Collector.

With his participation alone, one could tell how much, and in what way, Bi Sabeol cherished Hunter Seo Jio.

"No matter what personnel they pulled from that side, I thought Curator Yu Seongun, who raided the previous 'country of the deep sea' with him, would come..."

"Hunter Yu Seongun is also famous for being busy."

"I don't know the exact circumstances, but in any case, seeing as it is a lineup we have never heard of before, doesn't that mean the Head Butler was not dispatched simply based on personal friendship?"

"Certainly, if a Curator were to be dispatched because of personal friendship, Curator Yu Seongun would have been on the list."

"No matter how busy he is, since this is the first raid, he could have made time if he tried, couldn't he?"

"But apart from that, if a Curator has simply been attached..."

"Could it mean that, apart from personal friendship, Hunter Seo Jio needs a personnel type called a 'Curator' with him?"

"That is exactly what I mean."

A Curator of the Collector was an extremely special force.

The feeling was completely different from the Collector's field guild members who commonly roamed outside the guild.

"Has the Collector ever tried to manage its own guild member to this degree?"

"Not particularly, in my memory..."

"I thought they treated humans as humans, at least."

"But sending a Curator, and a floor chief at that, really means treating him as a work, doesn't it?"

"No matter how all of the Collector's guild members are Bi Sabeol's collectibles, this is a little..."

Curators of the Collector had a high reputation, or perhaps notoriety.

When one made a request for cooperation in order to utilize some item from the Collector's gallery, the Curator in charge of that "work" came along with it.

"We know perfectly well how extreme those Curators are."

They truly loved those bizarre and chilling "works" like family or friends.

There had even been a Curator who, after his assigned work was scratched during use, shed tears of blood and went through the formal legal procedure to sue through Bi Sabeol.

That anecdote had been an enormous topic of conversation even in the Sun Cult.

"As far as I know, isn't the fifth-floor chief one of Guild Master Bi Sabeol's close aides?"

"Yes, I also know the Head Butler to be one of the Collector's early executives."

"Curator Garasani, the Collector's faithful hands and feet, is personally stepping forward..."

A middle-aged priest tilted his head as if he did not understand.

"Is he some hidden son of his?"

"Come now, refrain from such rude words."

"My apologies."

"No matter how I think about it, I cannot understand..."

"It certainly is an unusual case."

Except for a few peculiar individuals, the Curators of the Collector did not even come out of their workplace, the gallery, very often.

They were officially dispatched like this only when the work they were in charge of was connected to the relevant project.

"There is no way Guild Master Bi Sabeol doesn't know this perception."

Nevertheless, he had deliberately included the fifth-floor chief, which made it obvious.

"... He intends to show what kind of treatment Hunter Seo Jio is receiving in the Collector, does he not?"

"... But what on earth should we call this kind of treatment?"

"He is not simply a guild member, this is something..."

Bi Sabeol had not only inserted a floor chief.

"I know a little about the people on that side, and two of the people on this list are cleanup team members from the gallery."

"I am not familiar with how the Collector operates, so what exactly is a cleanup team member?"

"As the words mean, they are personnel who handle matters when an incident breaks out in the gallery."

"You can think of them as between Curators and ordinary guild members."

"Then this really does seem like treating him not as a human, but as a work..."

"Bi Sabeol is famous for not interfering with his own guild members, so this is unusual."

Bi Sabeol's purpose revealed in this list was clear.

"These are personnel meant to escort the Hunter named Seo Jio."

And in truth, at this point, calling it an "escort" had become a little ambiguous.

"Isn't it closer to surveillance?"

"No matter what, a Curator and a cleanup team..."

"As far as I know, the person called Hunter Seo Jio has no major issues with his character."

"To begin with, if he had an issue with his character, he would not have been able to become Guild Master Bi Sabeol's collectible."

"That is also true."

"Huh, then why on earth go this far?"

Among Bi Sabeol's collectibles, there were no people with defects in their personalities.

They were all diligent and capable people, and every one of them had the minimum qualities of wanting to take responsibility for the work they were entrusted with.

Of course, the Hunter named Seo Jio seemed to have a personality far removed from the impression Bi Sabeol usually preferred, but Bi Sabeol did occasionally collect such exceptional collectibles.

So it likely was not an issue with Seo Jio's character.

"When I saw the anti-cat incident this time, I thought he was certainly extraordinary, but... I never thought Guild Master Bi Sabeol would go this far."

"Why on earth?"

"What is the issue?"

"There must be some peculiarity for him to care this much, but is there really no possibility that he is his blood relative?"

"As for appearance, in this day and age, there is no reason one must resemble one's parents."

"That is why I keep telling you to refrain from making such rude speculations about another guild's member."

"Is there any reason to create friction with the Collector before the raid?"

"Everyone, show some moderation, moderation."

Around then, one of the elder priests chuckled and spoke.

"I do not know why he is doing this, but I know the person called Bi Sabeol."

"Though he is greedy, he is not someone who pointlessly ruins another's work with his greed."

If Bi Sabeol had intended to ruin and collapse something, he would have shown signs of it from the beginning.

"Submitting documents officially like this, carefully sending personal information, supporting this raid..."

"It means that at the very least, the Collector's purpose of helping this raid is clear."

"That is true, but..."

"We have no reason to know everything about that young Hunter."

"We have neither the qualifications nor the right."

"If the Collector has decided to help us with our homework, we should simply know gratitude."

"We apologize, this was our fault."

"Arrogance is a sin the Sun also keeps far away."

"And the young man named Seo Jio is said to be a believer who has received the light of the Sun as well."

"It was our greed that dragged him into this raid, so even if variables arise..."

He looked around and spoke.

"We must endure them."

"Is that not so, brothers?"

"We will reflect on ourselves."

"Thank you for your enlightenment."

"Remember, what we must do is finish this assignment."

"Yes, that is indeed true."

"It would be good if we could become close to Hunter Seo Jio, but that would be an additional benefit."

"It seems we were too hasty."

The priests lowered their heads in shame.

"Then again, it is not as though we are going to conduct a background investigation, so we should not be arguing about it like this."

"You there, what ominous words are you saying, background investigation..."

"We are not the Moon Cult."

"Ahem, was everyone not simply flustered because it was too exceptional a matter?"

"Of course, I will reflect on myself, but..."

"Still, since so many valuable talents have gathered, we can look forward to this raid."

"It may be premature excitement, but my heart is stirring."

"They say it is a dungeon rich in vegetation and heat."

"It is a dimension where even a fake sun rises, so if the raid succeeds, it will be a great help to our Sun Cult."

When the atmosphere seemed to have more or less settled, one of the elder priests who had been silent turned to Kang Seodam.

"Brother Kang Seodam."

"Yes, I am listening."

"We ask that you please take good care of this."

"I will do my best."

At that point, Kang Seodam thought.

'... The Collector's dispatch team this time is made up of personnel focused more on cleanup and attendance than favoritism.'

Then again, they would not send the enormous mystery called Jio's Portrait alone.

Kang Seodam decided to be grateful that the Collector at least, truly at least, and in the one genuine blessing amid misfortune, was not thoughtless.

It was then.

"..."

Kang Seodam felt the goddess's gaze.

'... Is she showing interest?'

She really must want to get close to "Mr. Seo Jio" quite badly.

Not knowing why he had ended up caught between gods, Kang Seodam slowly began to want to shut himself inside his office.