Artifact Reading Inspector

Cavani di Piero Medici was younger than Haejin had expected.

He didn’t have a single strand of white hair, and his black hair was neatly combed. He was a handsome gentleman with a mustache and a beard.

Additionally, his eyes were very charming.

“I am honored to meet you, I’m Park Haejin from Korea.”

“And I am Lim Eunhae, I am Park Haejin Art Museum’s director.”

Cavani’s eyes twinkled as he looked at Haejin, then he said, “You are remarkably beautiful. I’ve seen many women, but you are the most beautiful Asian that I have ever seen. I am not just saying this, I truly envy you, Mr. Park.”

Cavani looked at Haejin who shrugged his shoulders while saying, “That is good. At least, I something that you are jealous of.”

“However, other than Ms. Lim here, you have many other things that I envy. Anyway, I hope you have a good time today,” Cavani said while smiling. He then left to greet the other guests.

“He looks like a womanizer,” Eunhae pouted after he left.

Haejin then said, “He looks like a womanizer? He just looks handsome to me.”

“He looks so greasy as if he is full of butter inside… but I think many Italian men are like that. They are butter men, but they know how to gain the heart of a woman,” Eunhae said.

“Oho… maybe I should learn from them.”

“You don’t have to. You might not be that greasy, but your face is good-looking enough,” Eunhae gestured at Haejin’s face while speaking.

“I really thank my parents for that. But… wow, there are so many celebrities! Isn’t he a famous pop singer?” Haejin asked while pointing at someone.

“Oh, I think he is, and there are a few models as well. But we are the only Asians.”

Haejin had thought that, as it was Italy, everyone would be foreign to him, but as he looked around again, he realized there wasn’t any Asian.

“There are no black people, either. All whites.”

Eunhae was a little surprised as well. So, she put more strength in grabbing Haejin’s arm.

“Yes, I am a little scared now.”

“I thought these aristocrats would be rich, but this is a really closed society.”

None of them glared at Haejin or Eunhe nor criticized them, but no one greeted them or smiled to them as well.

They were getting more and more uncomfortable for being treated as ghosts, but then, a man came to them.

“Oh! Mr. Park! I’ve been looking for you.”

The man, with light brown hair and blue eyes, was Ed Harper. They had met at the mansion of the Medici family.

Previously, impressed by how he appraised Jan van Eyck’s painting, he had asked Haejin to come to visit Liverpool. However, if he had been looking for him, he clearly had something to say.

“We meet again,” Haejin said.

“Of course. Everyone who stayed at the hotel came to Italy for this event. Oh, there are no refreshments here, so let’s go. There is good wine upstairs.”

He took Haejin and Eunhae through the crowd, and they reached the first floor.

“These are Mr. Park from Korea and his friend,” Ed said.

The first floor had tables with a view of the ground floor, but not everyone could sit there. A few men checked the ID of each person.

They let them pass, and Ed Harper looked back in surprise as he moved forward.

“Mr. Medici must have told them about you in advance. I was going to say you were my friend if they didn’t let you pass, but there was no need. Just as I thought… he cares about you. Well, he must have his reasons to invite you here. Please, this way…”

Haejin was embarrassed by being complimented too much. And before he could say anything, Ed was already moving toward a table that was slightly away from the center and sat there.

A woman, that appeared to be his wife, was already there. She smiled at seeing Haejin and stood up to greet him.

“Oh, welcome. I was very impressed to see you appraise Jan van Eyck’s painting at the mansion. You are so handsome and smart… I wish my daughter was here to meet you!”

She was a little too excited. So, Ed calmed her down and asked Haejin and Eunhae to sit.

“That is enough. Please, sit.”

“Thank you. Is that table in the center for Mr. Medici?” Haejin then asked.

“You are observant. Yes, it is for Mr. Medici, the host of this event. Albert was supposed to sit with him, but…” Ed couldn’t finish the sentence and glanced at Haejin.

“What is it?”

“I don’t know if he will be able to show up after getting humiliated like that…”

“However, any appraiser can make that kind of mistake. No one is perfect.”

“Of course, we all make mistakes, but it is about the people he wronged. He has insulted the Butlers.”

Haejin was a little puzzled since all the other aristocrats were in it. So, he started speaking, “But until now…”

However, Ed interrupted him and said, “Ha! I know what you are asking. The Butlers have been enduring that until now because they were not sure themselves. If the painting had been really been fake, they would have just damaged their honor by arguing, but now, things are a little different. We feel a little sorry for them, of course, but we trusted Albert as an appraiser. The Butlers know that, too. That is why they won’t oppose other families.”

“Oh… it’s complicated,” Haejin commented.

Ed then continued, “It’s simpler than you think. Now, the Harringtons have no basis. The Butler siblings are young, but their retainers are not. Maybe the young siblings would be able to use this as a chance to get more power. On the other hand, the Harringtons are in trouble. They will have to pay for what they did.”

“Are you saying he is about to quit working as the Medici’s appraiser?”

Ed smiled and shook his head, “Haha… no, but he will at least have to give an entire company to the Butlers. He cannot just get away with it. The Butlers have been greatly offended. He dishonored their dead mother, so he must take the responsibility.”

Haejin was shocked to hear that Albert had to gift a company just because he made one mistake while appraising. He thought it was ridiculous.

Haejin then commented, “That is… huge.”

“Hahaha! That’s how we live. Every word and every action should be flawless. In that perspective, you, Mr. Park, impressed us. Your confidence and observation are so… great. Oh, have a glass of wine. This is Henri Jayer’s Richebourg Grand Cru. It’s a masterpiece, worth more than 20 thousand dollars.”

He picked up the bottle and poured wine for Haejin and Eunhae himself. Then, he raised his wineglass to his eyes.

“I’ve heard so much about the wealth of the Medici… but I didn’t expect to taste such expensive wine,” Haejin said.

“Not everyone here can taste this. It is a privilege given to only a few families who can come up to this floor.”

Haejin took a sip of the wine.

“Wow… it’s delicious.”

Wine lovers would have talked about the sourness and lingering aftertaste and so on, but Haejin didn’t know about that kind of thing. He just thought it was delicious.

Ed smiled and took a sip as well. Then, he put down his glass and said, “I started to look forward to this event when I heard a new appraiser from Asia had been invited. Oh, I am not racist. It’s just that… an Asian coming to an event hosted by the Medici is surprising enough, but I was even more shocked to find out that the man was an appraiser.”

“Why? Is it because of Albert?” Haejin asked.

“Yes and no. Although he is the best appraiser, he isn’t Mr. Medici’s only appraiser. What I wondered is, why now?”

“Why now?”

Ed then explained, “There is a painting that has made him very worried, and you showed up just in time. I think it is too good to be a coincidence.”

“Which painting is it?” Haejin asked.

Ed leaned forward and lowered his voice, “Actually, I don’t know what it is, either. I just heard that Albert looked at it, and he failed to appraise it. However, it hasn’t been shown to us yet. And then… you were invited to come here today, and the goods that will be on auction today haven’t been announced. You also humiliated Albert and let the Butlers regain their honor just a few days ago. Because of all that, I think something very exciting will happen today.”

Ed clearly thought it was entertaining. He took another sip of wine and took out a small pair of binoculars.

“I don’t really feel good about being the toy of you aristocrats,” Haejin then said.

“Oh… please, don’t think so. We do admire and respect those who understand art. My heart is already pounding. What kind of painting will I get to see with these binoculars? Aren’t you excited?”

“I am not excited, but I am interested,” Haejin calmly answered.

“I think you can be the star of this evening. Well… what will we get to see?”

He was way too excited. That was going to let him down. When there is too much expectation, it diminishes the feeling you get from the paintings.

Haejin slightly smiled and just drank the wine. He even wanted to ask for more…

After three glasses of the expensive wine, Mr. Medici finally finished greeting every guest and stood at the center of the first floor.

When the visitors saw him standing there, the murmurs disappeared like bubbles.

“Thank you for coming here today. Thanks to you, the Italian poor children will not lose their dreams and find the strength to venture into the world.”

Clap clap!

Mr. Medici then continued, “I admire you and am also proud of you. Because of you, who work for our country in various ways, Italy will prosper even more.”

Clap clap!

“I guess if I keep talking, I will just bore you. Well then, today’s auction starts now. Rachione!”

He raised his hand and pointed at the ground floor. There was a beautiful woman in a silvery dress on the dais with a microphone.

The woman said, “Thank you for participating in this charity auction from the Medici, the family that will be eternal like the never-setting sun in Italy. Then, the auction starts now. It will be in Euro, and there are only two paintings.”

That showed great confidence. To have an auction with only two paintings.

She then continued, “And for this special event, two appraisers will explain the paintings. Mr. Albert Harrington and Mr. Park Haejin from Korea.