Artifact Reading Inspector

They thought something urgent had happened and turned on the TV right away. Some important news kept coming up.

[Happy Tears, Hwajin’s hidden painting, has been found]

[The Independent Counsel didn’t investigate properly. It should be reinvestigated…]

Lichtenstein’s painting had been exposed, finally. All the channels were talking about Hwajin’s secret funds.

“Wow… I think they can’t easily get away with this. My uncle is about to be summoned by the prosecutors.”

Eunhae seemed more amused rather than sad.

“He won’t get summoned so easily. It will take months, at least. It has gone to the independent counsel once before… well, we should focus on our business. When should we leave?” Haejin asked.

“Just give me one day. Oh… It’s been way too long since I’ve been to Italy!”

Eunhae didn’t have enough time. Therefore, she ran out to prepare. After that, Haejin spent his time at the restoration room and called Byeongguk from time to time to hear how he was doing in Gimhae.

“Oh, I’m too tired. Pant, pant… I’ve searched every part in the west side of Jangcheok Valley. There’s nothing.”

“I told you that the east of Jangcheok Valley was more promising…” Haejin replied.

“Yeah, I know, but… this part is also within the perimeter you told me, so I started from here. Anyway, I should look around Jangcheok Mountain and Dongsinyeo Mountain.”

“How long do you think it will take?”

“About… a week? A day or two sooner if I get lucky… anyway, I think I will find something in a week.”

Byeongguk approached the spot Haejin knew with great skills and lessened the search area to its half in just three days.

He finished the western part of Jangcheok Vallery in just three days… he was indeed a good grave robber.

Byeongguk then added, “Of course, it’s as long as the point you told me is right. You know that, right?”

“Oh, uncle, you can’t trust me?”

“I trust you… but you can be wrong. This area has also been thoroughly searched by grave robbers during the Japanese colonial area. I once heard about this place from an old man called Yangpyeon. He said there is nothing left here now, not even a bone for a dog.”

Byeongguk was doing his best, but he was way too tired and was thinking that maybe…

“Don’t worry… if you find that tomb, I will put your name in the front. ‘Choi Byeongguk, Park Haejin Art Museum’s senior excavation researcher.’ How’s that?”

“Khmm… okay… I was just saying. I should go now, I must find a place to eat lunch and search more before the sun goes down.”

If Byeongguk could really find that hidden tomb in Gimhae in a week, that would leave a huge footprint on the history of Korean archeology.

Additionally, it was a grave robber who was about to achieve that, not an archeologist. It was ironic.

Haejin spent the whole day in the restoration room to repair the porcelains, that had been recovered from the West Sea, with the other restorers and Sujeong.

The next morning, he then took a plane to Italy.

However, Giorgio Sayor wasn’t with him. He said he was going to stay in Korea for a few more days and then go to America.

He said it was for another business, but Haejin thought he was probably trying to get another appraiser in case Haejin wasn’t good enough.

During the flight, Eunhae kept talking. It’s been a while since they went on a business trip together, and they were going to Florence, the heart of the Renaissance art, so she was very excited.

She kept talking to Haejin, checking all kinds of exhibitions, and although she looked so cute, Haejin felt somewhat hallow.

He recalled Princess Hassena, who used to say she would marry him, even though they didn’t know each other well.

“Yaaay! Florence, Florence!”

“You’ve never been to Florence?”

“Of course not. A pickpocket once stole my wallet here…”

“Huh? Really? What were your bodyguards doing?”

“I couldn’t take them everywhere, especially outside Korea. I boasted that I could take care of myself. I was taking photos in front of the Duomo with one bodyguard, and the next moment, my wallet was gone.”

“It must have been a very skillful pickpocket.”

“Oh… I really love Renaissance art, but the pickpockets here are… the worst.”

“You know that’s how Europe is. Asians have dreams about countries like Italy and France, but once you come here, homeless people, pickpockets, and the smell of the subway destroy those dreams.”

“Oh, you went through that, too?”

“I suffered even more. My dad and I couldn’t eat at a good restaurant or stay in a good place. So, few tried to steal from us, but we were often racially discriminated. We were even insulted at museums. They said Asians don’t know anything about art…”

“Well… racial discrimination is everywhere. Anyway, when we go to the Uffizi, we will be able to enjoy works of Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, and Michelangelo.”

Eunhae was so excited, and Haejin couldn’t help but smile.

“Well, I wonder if we will get the time to do that…”

“Why? Won’t you be free after appraising?”

“Yes, but… strangely, when I leave Korea, appraising something isn’t the end. I really hope it would end after I appraise, but whether that really happens, I don’t know.”

Both Raphael’s painting and the krater he was about to appraise had been taken by criminals and retrieved again, so Haejin had this feeling that appraising wouldn’t be the end.

They arrived at the Uffizi and called the number Giorgio had given Haejin, and a woman answered.

She told Haejin to wait at the entrance, and soon, a woman came to Haejin and Eunhae while smiling brightly.

“Nice to meet you, I am Claudia. Welcome to Firenze, Italy.”

Her English was blunter than Giorgio’s. In fact, while Giorgio spoke in American English, Claudia had a British accent.

“I am Park Haejin, and this is Ms. Lim Eunhae.”

“Nice to meet you, Giorgio told me about you. Shall we go in first?”

She took them to a building next to the Uffizi, not the gallery itself. The ground floor was a gift shop of the Uffizi and the first floor looked like a home, but when Haejin went up there, he could see it was quite a huge office.

There were five workers there, each working at his or her desk. Claudia went through them and took Eunhae and Haejin to a small conference room.

“I think this isn’t your first time in Firenze as you both know art. Am I right?”

That showed how much she was proud of Florence.

Additionally, she was right to be proud since while Rome was the center of politics in Italy, Milan was the center of the economy (and the center of soccer, of course), Florence was the center of art.

You can’t explain the Renaissance art without mentioning Florence. Haejin found that kind of pride a little funny, but he envied it at the same time.

“I’ve been here a few times.”

“The Uffizi is also the best gallery in Firenze. It wouldn’t exist if it hadn’t been for the efforts of the Medici family. So actually, I strongly objected bringing you here.”

She insulted him with a smile, even though Haejin was right in front of her.

“Oh, really?”

“Honestly, I think Asians can never fully understand the Renaissance art. However, as my superiors think differently, I’ve decided to take a step back.”

Eunhae was enraged by her rude words. She raised her eyebrows, but she couldn’t say anything because Haejin remained calm. She just bit her lips.

“I see, but what is your position?”

“Excuse me? Oh, I guess I haven’t told you that yet. I manage the restoration and preservation of artifacts in the Uffizi.”

“Oh…”

Giorgio Sayor was a member of the Italian Cultural Administration, whereas Claudia worked at the Uffizi. They had different perspectives.

She was forced to follow what Giorgio said as he was a government official, but she didn’t like it. She was also not trying to hide that.

“Anyway, a contract is a contract, so… could you wait here for a moment?”

Claudia left to get the painting while Eunhae pouted and said, “Ha! That woman is funny. Who does she think she is to talk about you like that? If she is that smart, she should appraise it herself… she isn’t good enough to do that but looks down on you! This world is really full of weird people.”

Haejin smiled and calmed her down.

“But Koreans also look down on south-east Asians. It’s not that different. Anyway, work is work… so let’s not care about those meaningless things. We should finish this quickly and go sightseeing.”

Eunhae’s expression softened at this right away.

“Hehe… shall we? I am so glad to come to the Uffizi. It’s been so long since I came here. So, let’s take a tour after this.”

“Okay. I am hungry, so let’s have lunch first and then look around. Do you happen to know a good restaurant…”

Then, Claudia came in. Additionally, two workers followed after her while carefully carrying a painting covered with a cloth.

“You have heard of it already, right?”

“Heard what?”

Claudia made the workers leave and lowered her voice.

“This is the only painting we have retrieved. The other paintings are all invaluable, all with great historical and artistic value. So, if you are going to appraise this crudely, please just say nothing. We won’t ask for compensation or anything.”

Eunhae couldn’t stand it anymore and jumped to her feet.

“Hey! Don’t you even know you are being rude? If you are so confident, appraise it yourself! You have zero ability and full confidence…”

Claudia was clearly surprised to hear this. She stammered, “What, what are you saying? I, I didn’t mean… I just meant we should…”

Haejin was also surprised. He hadn’t known she would criticize her so directly, but then, he recalled how fierce she had been while fighting with Yaerin. He then decided that she was capable of saying even more.

“Whatever! If you don’t want that painting to be appraised, let’s cancel everything. I will tell the man from the Cultural Administration that the deal has been canceled and the cancellation fee should be paid before tomorrow.”

Eunhae bombarded the woman like that in anger, and Claudia stood up while trying to stop her.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. Please, forget what I said and appraise it first.”

Before Eunhae could say anything, she uncovered the painting.

She didn’t even want to apologize politely, she just changed the topic quickly.

Eunhae wanted to protest as she wasn’t naïve enough to be fooled by that, but Haejin grabbed her arm.

“It’s okay. She doesn’t know what she is saying… if you keep doing this, you won’t be any better than her.”

He spoke in English on purpose. Claudia’s gaze then turned sharp at hearing that, but the Asians she had been looking down on were not easy preys. She forced her anger down.

“I’m sorry. So please, appraise the painting first.”

According to the deal, the gallery had to pay three times the fee if it canceled the deal on its own.

That was a huge sum of money worth billions, so Claudia realized who held the higher ground.

Haejin smiled to see her change. Then, he went to Raphael’s painting and examined it carefully, and…

“Huh?”

Claudia saw Haejin’s expression wasn’t right. She stood up and came to him as she was worried.