Artifact Reading Inspector

Chapter 19: Unrecorded Legacy (4)

“Hua… hey, I’m too tired. Can we go slowly now?”

Byeongguk was panting, only then did Haejin slow down. It wasn’t like they had stolen something, but he still felt nervous.

“Okay, let’s drink something at this coffee shop.”

“Let’s do that. Hu, I’m so tired.”

They each got themselves a drink and sat down. It took them a while to catch their breath.

Byeongguk then asked, “What happened back there? Why did that Momoko tell us all those secrets, and how did you know she would tell us everything?”

Haejin couldn’t say that it was magic. Even though he was close to Byeongguk, he felt that it was a secret that should never be spoken out loud.

“Actually…”

“Yeah, what?”

“I hypnotized her.”

“What? You hypnotized her? When?”

It made no sense, but that was the only excuse Haejin could think of.

“I hypnotized her as soon as we entered the gallery. I was worried that it might not work, but even I didn’t expect it to work so well?”

“Really? You really hypnotized her?”

“Yes, I used to not believe in that stuff, but you know what happened to my father. He once entered a strange tomb and got a disease that even doctors couldn’t identify.”

“Yes, of course, I know that.”

“So, I tried everything I could to cure him. I also happened to hear from a psychologist that self- hypnosis can work on serious diseases, even cancer. If someone really believes that he or she has fully recovered, keep eating healthy food and work out, the effects will be much greater.

“Yeah, I think I saw that on the news.”

“So, I learned some hypnosis skill from that psychologist and thought that if I make my father believe that he has recovered, he would really recover… ha… however, by the time I met him, it was already too late. This is the pendant I used to hypnotize people.”

Haejin then took out a baby angel necklace from the pocket of his trousers. He actually bought that during a date with his ex-girlfriend. He had left it somewhere and brought it with him this time for the situation.

As for why he didn’t throw it away, it was because… he was just lazy and didn’t really care about it.

Anyway, he felt bad about dragging his late father into this. Father, I’m sorry.

“Oh, I wish he came to you to cure his disease! But it is too late… so, she was hypnotized by you and then confessed everything? How does your hypnosis even work so well?”

It was normal for Byeongguk to doubt him; however, no one would think, ‘Isn’t Haejin using magic?’

Momoko, who had been enchanted, would not think so, either. Would she even ask herself, ‘Was I enchanted by Park Haejin?’ after what happened to her? Even if she thought so, who would believe her?

The CCTV was there to prove that Haejin only looked at the celadon, it would be impossible for anyone to assume that Momoko panicked because Haejin used some magic on her.

If Mizno Toru, Momoko’s boss, heard her excuse, he would think that she was siding with Sungjun and told him everything.

No sane person would think that this happened because of magic.

“I didn’t expect it to work so well. I might have some kind of talent. Anyway, it should be kept secret that I can hypnotize people, okay?”

“Oh, of course. To whom would I even tell this kind of thing?”

Haejin thought Byeongguk was buying his excuse, so he immediately changed the subject.

“Anyway, I didn’t know that the teacup belonged to General Lee Sunsin.”

“You didn’t know? Then, why did you even do something like this?”

“Because the more I thought about it, the weirder it seemed. The teacup is not worthless, but the celadon was clearly worth much more, but they still wanted to trade it. So, I thought there must be something we were not aware of. I could not just say I don’t know in front of the Vice Chairman’s daughter, so I asked for some time, and indeed there was something…”

Haejin thought that he was a great actor while shaking his head.

“Well, I thought it was strange, too. No one would suggest that kind of trade, except for idiots. But what are you going to do now? We can tell them what we just heard, but if that Momoko says that we’re lying, then that’s it.”

Haejin recorded everything that Momoko said, just in case, in the way he did at the Cheonjin Appraising Agency. However, he could not play the recording in front of Sungjun. He would definitely find it strange that Momoko was telling everything.

To tell him that she was hypnotized and then gave the answers? That was risky. Haejin could trust Byeongguk and, even if they fall apart later, Byeongguk was nothing more than a grave robber.

However, Haejin couldn’t reveal himself in front of Sungjun who had both power and wealth.

“I should tell him about the treasure of the Terauchi Family. Of course, I need to add some more lies, and you must help me with that part.”

“You want me to make your story reliable? You know I’m good at that.”

“Anyway, I don’t know what that Terauchi treasure says, but when they find out the teacup belonged to General Lee Sunsin, they will never be able to sell it.”

“Of course. Who would try to sell Lee Sunsin’s teacup? It literally is a national treasure! Well, of course.”

Strictly speaking, the teacup was not a national treasure, but it was a treasure that had great meaning and immeasurable value. Especially for those who greatly admired Lee Sunsin.

“Oh, but I am curious about what the Terauchi family treasure is. Ha… I should have asked that, but I couldn’t because she ran away. That’s too bad.”

Haejin thought that if he used his magic, he would definitely get her answer. However, she ran away from the spot… the truth-telling magic had this unexpected flaw.

“There’s nothing we can do about it. Anyway, we’re going to Saeyeon Gallery, right? Sujeong is coming tonight, so we have to go to the airport.”

“This case is worth a lot… at least ten million.”

“Hey, you just earned five hundred million a few days ago.”

“You mean that five hundred million that isn’t in my account yet? The money I haven’t even seen yet…”

“Khmm… anyway, we should finish this quickly. Let’s go.”

Embarrassed, Byeongguk hurried to get up and leave the shop. Haejin smiled and followed after him.

It was still too early to have lunch, so they went to Saeyeon Gallery straight away. When they arrived, Eunhae was busy preparing for the exhibition.

“Have you already finished?”

“Yes. Please call Ms. Hyoyeon. I have my conclusion, so we should meet. Should I tell her father or her?”

Eunhae must have been extremely curious, but she didn’t ask for anything when Haejin didn’t mention what happened. ‘She really is patient,’ thought Haejin.

“Okay. Please wait.”

A while later, she came back.

“Do you have time? You have to go to Pyeongchangdong.”

“He is the Vice Chairman but has a lot of free time? It’s not noon yet but he will meet us at his home.”

That could sound offensive, but Eunhae faintly smiled.

“My uncle has important meetings at his home. He doesn’t go to work every day.”

“Oh… so the rich work in a different way. Anyway, let’s go.”

“Let’s take my car. He asked me to come with you.”

Eunhae looked nervous while she was driving. Meeting Sungjun, her uncle and the Vice Chairman, was probably not easy for her.

It was their second meeting and Sungjun looked kinder this time.

“Welcome. Please, sit.”

Haejin, Byeongguk and Eunhae sat opposite to Sungjun.

“The appraising fee was sent quickly. Thank you.”

Sungjun slightly frowned. Even though it sounded like a thank you, it was actually a complaint about not receiving the money for the artifact sold while the appraising fee was, instead, given so quickly.

“You don’t have to thank me. That’s only right. Director Lee will take care of the money, you should receive it as soon as possible.”

“Oh, thank you.”

Byeongguk seemed glad to hear that.

“Anyway, you said that it will take three days. You came earlier than I thought.”

“Yes. I had to check something, and I could do that faster than I thought.”

“I am excited.”

Sungjun nodded. Next, Hyoyeon ran down from upstairs while making large sounds.

“You said it will take three days, but you finished earlier. Dad, I can hear the result with you, right?”

She sat down even before Sungjun answered. That probably happened all the time since Sungjun didn’t scold her. He looked at Haejin.

“First, the Greyish-Blue-Powdered Celadon was great. You must have heard this from Ms. Hyoyeon, but it resembled the Black Grapes White Porcelain, which is a national treasure. The celadon is not a national treasure, but it certainly has a considerable value.”

Black Grapes White Porcelain was made in Gwanyo (kiln for government use) and was thought to be painted by the best artisan of the time. It had an immeasurable artistic value.

“I didn’t expect it to be so valuable, but it definitely is a great artifact.”

“Yes.”

Sungjun’s lips moved. He thought for a moment and spoke again.

“Hmm…. as far as I know, that teacup is not as good as the celadon. You have seen it, so you must know this. However, the other appraisers said that it was worth less than a hundred million. Someone even said that thirty million is too much. Is that why you asked for three days’ time?”

“It was similar to that.”

“Similar? Then, did you recognize the real value of the teacup when you examined it?”

“I assumed so, but I couldn’t be sure of it.”

“That is a vague expression.”

“So, I went to Yang Sojin to check. More specifically, it was to meet Kitagawa Momoko. She works for Mizno Toru, the man who employed Yang Sojin.”

Sungjun interest was piqued. He leaned forward and asked in a low voice, “So?”

“She told me one thing. This teacup was stolen by a Japanese about a century ago, but it disappeared in 1985. It was then discovered again in Saeyeon Gallery. So, I asked who that teacup originally belonged to and, surprisingly, she said it had been stolen from General Lee Sunsin’s descendants.”

Sungjun was surprised.

“General Lee Sunsin?”

“Yes. Actually, there is no record about the teacup in Korea, so appraising its true value is very hard. However, they knew it. Because there is a record about the teacup on the treasure that has been handed down in the Terauchi family. That is how they immediately recognized the true identity of the teacup.”

“Hmm… the Terauchi family. You mean Terauchi Masatake’s family? The first governor of the Japanese colonial era?”

Just as Haejin had expected, Sungjun knew about the Terauchi family.

“Yes.”

“But there’s something I want to know. How did you manage to make Momoko tell you all that? I heard that you didn’t know her before.”

This was the critical part.

“We made a deal.”

“A deal? What deal?”

Haejin felt sorry for Momoko, but he had no choice.