Artifact Reading Inspector

Silvia bit her lips and started to explain.

“Cardinal Pierosa was born in Greece, but he came to Italy when he was a boy. Because of that, he has always been interested in art, even after he became a cardinal.”

Matias, while looking puzzled, interrupted her, “You seem to know the cardinal very well.”

“I had my reasons to know. I hope that won’t be a problem?”

“Of course not. Please, go on.”

As Matias previously looked like an old man who wanted to win a young and pretty girl, he used to be rude with Silvia. But now, he was certainly a different man.

However, Haejin didn’t know if it was because he had gotten rid of his jealousy or had realized Silvia wasn’t someone he wanted to mess up with. Anyway, Haejin liked that change of attitude.

Silvia continued, “He has used his discerning eye to get wealth and has been sponsoring young and talented artists with that money.”

“Huh… impressive. I’ve never heard about that.”

Matias was truly shocked, and his jaw dropped.

Silvia didn’t care and kept looking at Haejin while explaining, “It might look like he is a good man, but unlike his warm smile, he is very evil. Most of the artists he sponsors have been sexually abused by him.”

“Huh… is that true?”

“Of course, but I have no solid proof,” Silvia replied.

Although she said she had no proof, her seriousness proved she hadn’t said that lightly.

“Then how do you know about it?” Haejin asked.

“Although there is no evidence, there are many victims,” Silvia answered.

“Hmm… so?”

Silvia explained, “If you agree, I am going to make one of them expose everything.”

It was a good idea, but… it bothered Haejin.

“Is it something like MeToo?”

“Catholic priests have wronged so many young people to call it MeToo. It is just one of those unspoken crimes,” Silvia replied.

“However, the victims will be forced to recall the bad times. Would it be really good for them?” Haejin worriedly asked.

Silvia crossed her arms and sighed, “Hu… as I grew up learning the rules of Islam, I am probably more conservative than both of you. However, this is not only about them. Cardinal Pierosa is still sponsoring a number of young artists, and one of them is going to be given a private lecture at his home this evening.”

“But how on earth do you know all this? Even the Medici family cannot know this much,” Matias commented.

Silvia just shrugged her shoulder while saying, “I just got lucky. You do not reveal the source of the paintings you sell, right? It is the same for me, so please don’t ask about my sources.”

Silvia could gather information much better than the NIS did.

The sources she had set when she used to be Princess Hassena were paid by the Abu Dhabi family, and as they only had a few missions to do, they could dig up even deeper info.

Matias’ face reddened at Silvia’s firm refusal and said, “Of, of course. We all have our own story and ways, so I understand. But you know that what you just said is too big, right? It might bring about huge consequences.”

“I know, I am also not the one who told the victims to expose everything. They told me more than once they wanted to expose it at the right moment. What do you want to do?” Silvia asked.

Haejin had felt bad about forcing the victims to talk, but if they wanted to do it, he had no reason to feel guilty.

“What if they expose it?” Haejin next asked.

“Then Italy and the Vatican will be in shock, and the cardinal wouldn’t be able to show up to meet us. He will send someone else instead. Someone he can trust,” Silvia answered.

“Then let’s do it.”

After a few hours, the scandal big enough to shake the entire Italy came out.

They had made no preparation for it, but as the matter was too important, news reports about it came out in no time. Of course, the Roman Curia was on a state of emergency.

When Haejin put on a suit and went into a shabby house near Saint Peter’s Basilica with Matias, someone they had never met before was waiting for them.

He was a young priest, probably not even 30 yet, and his face and smile were both very charming.

“I’ve been waiting for you. You must have seen news about it, but I’m afraid the cardinal wouldn’t be able to come here. So, I came on his behalf, I hope it isn’t a problem?”

Matias smiled and waved his hand.

“Of course not. I am always pleased to meet you, Father Grenoa.”

Father Grenoa worked for Cardinal Pierosa. Silvia and Matias had told Haejin he would be there.

Although he was young, he was ambitious and thorough, so the cardinal trusted him.

“This man is…”

“He is an appraiser. He is working for the Medici family, but I brought him for this special occasion,” Matias replied.

“Appraiser of the Medici family? Then you must be very good at your job. Nice to meet you. You can call me Grenoa.”

“Nice to meet you, too. Isn’t it cheating for a priest to be so handsome? I envy you,” Haejin then said.

Grenoa burst into laughter, “Haha! You are a funny man. I’ve never thought of myself as handsome. I wish we could talk more, but as the situation is urgent, let’s proceed fast. Would you like to see the painting first?”

The painting was leaning against a wall, so Grenoa took off the cloth on it.

“Ohh…”

Even to the ignorant eyes, it was clearly in Gogh’s style. Its unique swirling colors seemed to draw people in.

Grenoa was clearly proud of it and said, “This is the Portrait of Dr. Gachet. As you must know, he was a homeopathic doctor and artist who lived with Vincent van Gogh for two months before his death. It was categorized as decadent art by the Nazi and was excluded from their collection. Then, Hermann Göring bought it for his own collection.”

He was supposed to explain how it ended up there after that, but he finished there as if it was only natural.

Matias nodded to Haejin. It meant he had to start appraising now.

As van Gogh left about nine hundred paintings, even most of his fans do not know all of them.

However, this one was quite famous as it is the portrait of Gogh’s friend.

Paintings with stories were always more expensive, so Father Grenoa had his reasons to be proud of the painting.

Haejin examined it for half an hour and was sure there was nothing wrong with it. Nevertheless, he used magic to look into the past.

He thought it could have been a fake made by Benedict, but more than that, he wanted to find out who had brought it there.

“Huh?” Haejin exclaimed in surprise.

Matias then came close and asked, “Why? Is there a problem?”

“Oh, no. There’s nothing wrong with the painting. This is really van Gogh’s painting. The painting itself is fine, at least,” Haejin replied.

However, his eyes said there was something more. Matias wanted to ask, but he restrained himself and turned to Grenoa.

“I hope the price hasn’t been changed?” Matias asked.

It looked like he and Pierosa had discussed the price before.

“Of course. As you’ve been told, you should pay half in cash and half in gold bars,” Grenoa replied.

“Okay,” Matias nodded and called someone.

After about 10 minutes, he got a text and spoke to Grenoa.

“He said he transferred it. Would you like to check?”

“I just did. You have prepared well, I didn’t know you would pay so quickly.”

Matias replied, “With something without an owner, the ‘finders keepers’ rule applies. I always prepare as best as I can to take the things that don’t have an owner. Also, I think this deal has strengthened our friendship even more. Please call me first when you get another good artifact.”

“Of course, we would call you first. The cardinal sent his thanks. Then, I hope God blesses you…”

The priest turned around and left. Matias quickly covered the painting and put it on the truck he had prepared.

“How much have you paid for it?” Haejin asked.

“Why? You’re curious?”

“Of course, I’m curious.”

Matias replied, “Hhh… it’s a secret. Asking a merchant to tell the cost price of his goods is like telling him to starve to death…”

“Oh…” Haejin was disappointed.

Matias then smiled, “But I can tell you this much, it feels like I spent as much as Saito did. Of course, I’m just saying. I spent less than him, so don’t get too surprised.”

He had to be talking about Ryoei Saito, chairman of Daishowa Paper Manufacturing.

The most famous one among the paintings he bought was Renoir’s Bal du moulin de la Galette. At the time, he paid 78.1 million dollars for it.

“Wow…” Haejin exclaimed, but thinking about it, it wasn’t a high price at all.

Matias said he had spent like Saito, so must have spent at least 60 million. If he put it on auction, he would be able to get that money back with an additional 40~50 million.

Of course, he would get much less of that because of the fee and taxes, but still, it was big money that most people never got to have during their lifetimes. Matias knew it well, so he smiled with joy as he loaded the painting.

“Anyway, I got to make this important deal so quickly and easily thanks to you. Your fee was worth it. Give me your account number, and I’ll pay you immediately. Oh, I can pay you in cash or gold bars if you want.”

“It’s fine. How am I supposed to take that kind of huge cash or gold bars into Korea? Just transfer the money to my account,” Haejin replied.

“Okay, then goodbye. Please give Mr. Cavani my best regards.”

Now that Matias was done there, he left with the painting.

According to the plan, Haejin was supposed to meet Cavani now, but he wasn’t going to.

Technically speaking, Matias buying the painting had nothing to do with the plan, either. It had been kind of a side project.

As he had casted the hearing spell and tracking spell on the cardinal, he now had to approach him in secret and make him talk about the Trinitatis.

“How did it go?”

Silvia had been waiting for Haejin at their hotel’s coffee shop. She smiled brightly when she saw him, but Haejin spoke gravely.

“I found out something important.”

“What? What is it?” Silvia asked.

“Do you know about a private auction in America? It sells expensive paintings that are not on Christie’s or Sotheby’s.”

“Of course, I know that auction.”

She was a wealthy woman. Of course, she knew.

“I think the Trinitatis hiding inside the Roman Curia is hosting that auction.”