Synopsis and Starting Chapter Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Chapter 65
Chapter 66
Chapter 67
Chapter 68
Chapter 69
Chapter 70
Chapter 71
Chapter 72
Chapter 73
Chapter 74
Chapter 75
Chapter 76
Chapter 77
Chapter 78
Chapter 79
Chapter 80
Chapter 81
Chapter 82
Chapter 83
Chapter 84
Chapter 85
Chapter 86
Chapter 87
Chapter 88
Chapter 89
Chapter 90
Chapter 91
Chapter 92
Chapter 93
Chapter 94
Chapter 95
Chapter 96
Chapter 97
Chapter 98
Chapter 99
Chapter 100
Chapter 101
Chapter 102
Chapter 103
Chapter 104
Chapter 105
Chapter 106
Chapter 107
Chapter 108
Chapter 109
Chapter 110
Chapter 111
Chapter 112
Chapter 113
Chapter 114
Chapter 115
Chapter 116
Chapter 117
Chapter 118
Chapter 119
Chapter 120
Chapter 121 - Portrait Of Titus (2)
Chapter 122 - Visitor From The Desert (1)
Chapter 123 - Visitor From The Desert (2)
Chapter 124 - Visitor From The Desert (3)
Chapter 125 - Visitor From The Desert (4)
Chapter 126 - Rookie Of Boston Red Sox (1)
Chapter 127 - Rookie Of Boston Red Sox (2)
Chapter 128 - Buddhist Scripture Written With Gold (1)
Chapter 129 - Buddhist Scripture Written With Gold (2)
Chapter 130 - Buddhist Scripture Written With Gold (3)
Chapter 131 - Chaebol, Painting, And Happy Tears (1)
Chapter 132 - Chaebol, Painting, And Happy Tears (2)
Chapter 133 - Chaebol, Painting, And Happy Tears (3)
Chapter 134 - Enemies Are Everywhere (1)
Chapter 135 - Enemies Are Everywhere (2)
Chapter 136 - More Paintings (1)
Chapter 137 - More Paintings (2)
Chapter 138 - To Florence, Italy… (1)
Chapter 139 - To Florence, Italy… (2)
Chapter 140 - To Florence, Italy… (3)
Chapter 141 - People Who Are After The Masterpiece (1)
Chapter 142 - People Who Are After The Masterpiece (2)
Chapter 143 - People Who Are After The Masterpiece (3)
Chapter 144 - The Medici And The Aristocrats (1)
Chapter 145 - The Medici And The Aristocrats (2)
Chapter 146 - The Medici And The Aristocrats (3)
Chapter 147 - The Medici And The Aristocrats (4)
Chapter 148 - The Medici And The Aristocrats (5)
Chapter 149 - Drawings In The Charity Auction (1)
Chapter 150 - Drawings In The Charity Auction (2)
Chapter 151 - Drawings In The Charity Auction (3)
Chapter 152 - Drawings In The Charity Auction (4)
Chapter 153 - Drawings In The Charity Auction (5)
Chapter 154 - Now, To London… (1)
Chapter 155 - Now, To London… (2)
Chapter 156 - Now, To London… (3)
Chapter 157 - Now, To London… (4)
Chapter 158 - Seeing The Light Again (1)
Chapter 159 - Seeing The Light Again (2)
Chapter 160 - Seeing The Light Again (3)
Chapter 161 - Seeing The Light Again (4)
Chapter 162 - Uninvited Guest (1)
Chapter 163 - Uninvited Guest (2)
Chapter 164 - Uninvited Guest (3)
Chapter 165 - Uninvited Guest (4)
Chapter 166 - Dark Shadow (1)
Chapter 167 - Dark Shadow (2)
Chapter 168 - Dark Shadow (3)
Chapter 169 - Change And Progress (1)
Chapter 170 - Change, And Progress (2)
Chapter 171 - Change, And Progress (3)
Chapter 172 - Appraiser Talks Through Appraising (1)
Chapter 173 - Appraiser Talks Through Appraising (2)
Chapter 174 - Appraiser Talks Through Appraising (3)
Chapter 175 - Appraiser Talks Through Appraising (4)
Chapter 176 - Appraiser Talks Through Appraising (5)
Chapter 177 - Inheritance Left By The Parents (1)
Chapter 178 - Inheritance Left By The Parents (2)
Chapter 179 - Inheritance Left By The Parents (3)
Chapter 180 - Inheritance Left By The Parents (4)
Chapter 181 - Star Appraiser (1)
Chapter 182 - Star Appraiser (2)
Chapter 183 - Star Appraiser (3)
Chapter 184 - Terms Of Return Of Artifacts (1)
Chapter 185 - Terms Of Return Of Artifacts (2)
Chapter 186 - Terms Of Return Of Artifacts (3)
Chapter 187 - Terms Of Return Of Artifacts (4)
Chapter 188 - Terms Of Return Of Artifacts (5)
Chapter 189 - Artifact From North Korea (1)
Chapter 190 - Artifact From North Korea (2)
Chapter 191 - Artifact Match (1)
Chapter 192 - Artifact Match (2)
Chapter 193 - Artifact Match (3)
Chapter 194 - Artifact Match (4)
Chapter 195 - Artifact Match (5)
Chapter 196 - What Happened In Austria (1)
Chapter 197 - What Happened In Austria (2)
Chapter 198 - What Happened In Austria (3)
Chapter 199 - What Happened In Austria (4)
Chapter 200 - Bait To Catch The Big Fish (1)
Chapter 201 - Bait To Catch The Big Fish (2)
Chapter 202 - What The Depressed Man Left (1)
Chapter 203 - What The Depressed Man Left (2)
Chapter 204 - Where The Faith Leads Him To (1)
Chapter 205 - Add Painting To Painting (1)
Chapter 206 - Add Painting To Painting (2)
Chapter 207 - Add Painting To Painting (3)
Chapter 208 - Finally, To There… (1)
Chapter 209 - Finally, In There… (2)
Chapter 210 (End) - Epilogue
Categories Genre: All, Completed, Fantasy, Supernatural Status: Completed ______
Total Chapters in book: 210
Estimated words: 468205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 2341(@200wpm)___ 1873(@250wpm)___ 1561(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 468205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 2341(@200wpm)___ 1873(@250wpm)___ 1561(@300wpm)
______
LIST OF LAST 10 CHAPTERS:
Page No. 210 Page No. 209 Page No. 208 Page No. 207 Page No. 206 Page No. 205 Page No. 204 Page No. 203 Page No. 202 Page No. 201 Page No. 200 Chapter 15
Chapter 15: The Meaning of Lion Tamer (3)
“Uh…”
Byeongguk looked back and met Haejin’s gaze. He was implying that it was up to Haejin to make the
decision.
Eventually, Sungjun gestured at Haejin to sit on the opposite sofa.
Haejin didn’t understand what was going on, but he couldn’t just run away. Therefore, he sat on the
sofa while dragging Byeongguk to make him sit next to him. It was to show that Byeongguk deserved
to sit as well.
“Khmm…”
Sungjun’s face hardened as he didn’t like an art dealer sitting opposite to him. He considered most art
dealers as people who traded with stolen goods.
However, he couldn’t just tell Byeongguk to sit up, so he was going to continue speaking. Then,
however, he was dumbfounded again. His daughter plopped down next to him.
“Why did you sit? Get up.”
“I want to hear as well. Although you made me buy the painting, in the end, it was me who bought it. I
have the rights to listen to what you are about to say.”
That argument had some logical flaws, but Sungjun couldn’t argue with his daughter anymore. He
sighed and resumed talking.
“Huh… you, are you also good with ceramics?”
Haejin didn’t know what Sungjun wanted from him, but he wasn’t really interested in hearing him out.
He didn’t like the young girl who was raising an eyebrow at him but, more than that, he wanted to go
home and rest since he was exhausted after using the magic.
It had become less painful but, if it had been as strong as when he was in the Cheonjiin Appraising
Agency, he might have thrown up there.
“No, I’m not. I came here with my uncle, not because I am a great appraiser.”
For a moment, Sungjun looked panicked for the first time. He had asked that to be sure before he got
to his point. He didn’t expect that Haejin would back off here.
“You came to help your uncle, who came here to sell a celadon, but you are not good at ceramics?”
“Yes. So, if you want to give me a task, please think carefully. You must be determined that you will
not make me responsible for the gains and losses from the outcome of my appraising.”
Sungjun had never heard anything this straightforward. He couldn’t even close his mouth.
“You are not the only appraiser in this country. Dad, forget it. We can find someone else…”
“Be quiet! If you don’t want to get up, stay still,” Sungjun yelled at his daughter, he then continued to
speak, “An art dealer called Yang Sojin visited me a week ago. Have you heard of her?”
Sungjun got to the point without any useless chat once he realized that with Haejin, formality wasn’t
needed.
Haejin had never heard of Yang Sojin, so he looked at Byeongguk.
He explained, “She is the director of Haneul Gallery and the best art dealer in Korea. She works on all
kinds of antiques, Eastern and Western…”
“Yes. She showed me something, offering a difficult deal.”
Sungjun got up, went somewhere, and soon put a photo on the table.
Before Haejin saw it, he just wanted to go home…
However, the moment he spotted the celadon in the photo, he started leaning forward.
“It’s a greyish-blue-powdered celadon.”
It was a short remark, but Sungjun read the exclamation in it. He nodded.
“Well? Isn’t it good?”
The object in the photo was a grey-blue celadon. Haejin couldn’t measure its size, as it was a photo,
but the elegant line that started at the round, ample shoulder and shortened to the bottom was
impressive.
Additionally, the thick spiral pattern that ran down from the top to the bottom was bold without any
hesitation. It was good.
“Yes, it is really good.”
“But there’s a problem. The owner is Japanese, he also wants to trade it for something of my own. So,
it is giving me a headache.”
“He is not going to sell it?”
“He will not sell it for money, regardless of the price, and will only trade it for the thing in my gallery.”
“Your gallery…”
“Saeyeon Gallery. I own it.”
Haejin was quite coincidentally going to meet Eunhae again.
“Then, you want me to re-appraise the thing that Japanese wants in return.”
“Yes. It has been appraised again by the experts, but they only said absurd things. I want you to go
there and appraise it yourself.”
“Even if I go and appraise it, I might tell you something similar to what those experts said.”
“That can happen.”
“And unlike them, I have a very high fee.”
“I know.”
“But, is there a reason for you to choose me? Was it only because I found out that the painting was a
fake?”
Sungjun’s daughter also agreed with Haejin. She nodded and looked at her father.
“I have seen a lot of people who try to look worthy. However, they all get timid in front of me. They
don’t state their opinion because they want to be likable. But you are different. Few have requested
tens of millions in front of me. You are either mad or confident.”
“I have already told you I am not confident when it comes to ceramics.”
“So? Are you going to refuse this task?”
Of course not. The greyish-blue-powdered celadon in the photo was worth at least five billion.
“No. I will take it.”
“See? If you are really not confident, you wouldn’t have accepted it.”
Sungjun smiled as if he knew it. His daughter, however, objected.
“He could really be mad… no, he may just be overconfident or in real need of money.”
She couldn’t call Haejin mad because he had revealed the fake painting.
“If he is that mad, that is also an ability.”
Sungjun didn’t even blink an eye at his daughter’s complain. He looked at Haejin’s.
“As I said, my fee is 1% of the appraised price. Even if it’s a fake, it is 1% of the real price. Which
object do you want appraised, the ceramic in the photo in your gallery?”
“Both. I need to know which one is worth more. But, why don’t you show me some gratitude? I am
paying you a high fee, so what about a buy one get one free?”
Sungjun coolly accepted the 1% fee, so Haejin could just say no. However, that would be too cold.
“Okay. I will, however, get 1% of the most expensive between the two. Do you agree?”
“Hmm… fine. That will do.”
Minsung, who had been watching, quickly interrupted.
“But sir, the fee could then be over a hundred million.”
“That’s fine. When Yang Sojin gave me this photo, it didn’t seem like she had only one of them. She
wanted something more from Saeyeon. What if I become the only one who gets fooled?”
“Then, she might have things that she wants from other galleries…”
“Anyway, go to Saeyon Gallery as fast as you can. As I said before, the fee for your earlier appraisal
will be in your account today.”
“I understand. Then, I guess we will meet again after I am finished.”
“It has been a good time.”
Byeongguk was about to leave when Sungjun added.
“Oh, Director Lee Minsung will take care of the money for you.”
Sungjun got up and went into his study as if he had nothing more to say. However, his daughter stood
up, her eyes were sparkling.
“I will see you at the gallery tomorrow.”
“You don’t have to come… if you are going to be there to distract me, why don’t you just wait for the
result?”
“I-I won’t… anyway, I am going.”
Even though she had a thick skin, she couldn’t help but notice how she behaved today. That was why
she left with a steamed red face.
Haejin and Byeongguk went back to the Four Seasons Hotel riding the same car they had used
previously. Haejin then collapsed on the bed.
“Byeongguk, let’s go to Insadong later. Let me rest for now.”
“Why are you so weak at such a young age? Don’t you need to be examined at the hospital?”
In fact, Haejin had gotten a lot better than a few days before, but he couldn’t tell that to Byeongguk, so
he just ignored it.
“Let’s eat meat for dinner. I am famished.”
“Then, let’s go out and eat now.”
“No. I must get some sleep now.”
“Very well. Hey, but how did you know that painting was a fake?”
“I went to Italy with father once and I saw the real painting there. So, I was sure that this was a fake
and took a closer look.”
“I almost had a heart attack. He had hung that painting at the best spot, so he must have liked it a lot,
and you called it a fake… it felt like I was visiting hell.”
Even though Byeongguk has a lot of guts, he now looked relieved. He must have been genuinely
surprised.
“While I talked to Lim Sungjun, I could see why he hung it at the best spot.”
“Really? There’s a meaning?”
“He looked at the man taming the lion and thought he, like the man, was controlling a country. He
must have thought he was the king of this country.”
“Well, he is the No.1 of Hwajin, so he can think like that.”
“Oh, by the way, why did you say three billion earlier?”
Byeongguk took out a bottle of water from the refrigerator. He drank it and winked.
“You think he would have bought it if I had said two billion? He wasn’t going to buy it, anyway.”
“He wasn’t going to buy it?”
“I knew it the moment I saw him. He would buy it after at least two, three meetings.”
“Wow… I didn’t know that, but you are a real seer.”
“Kkkk… hey, you seem to look down on me because I spent few days in school, but I am considered a
petty criminal only in Korea. In China, I am famous. It was just that I got unlucky and got busted…
khmm… anyway, I could tell that he had done a background check on me.”
“Huh? Then, he knew you are a grave robber!”
“Of course, he did. He must have thought the celadon might also be a stolen artifact.”
“That would not have stopped him from buying it…”
Unrecorded, illegally excavated artifacts could be bought at a lower price. Sungjun wouldn’t have
refused to buy it only because it was a stolen good.
“Yes. But he didn’t want to buy it at the right price. I could not just say that I will lower the price in
there, like street merchants do. He couldn’t say ‘I will buy it at … won,’ so he was going to kick me out
first and see how things would go, but my reaction was different from what he had expected, so he
was surprised.
Haejin could now understand the earlier situation.
“Then, you said three billion because…”
“I thought he would call me again only if I lower the price by more than 50%. So, I asked for three
billion… if I knew this would happen, I would have said four billion. What a shame.”
Wow… he just earned three billion in a few minutes and felt bad about not getting an additional
billion… should I just call him bold? Or a fraud?
“So, you were thinking of 1.5 billion?”
“Yes. I can see in his eyes that he knew who I was, so I was going to give up the celadon at 1.5
billion. But my new nephew gave me an additional 1.5!”
Now that he thought about it, Byeongguk had earned 1.5 billion more thanks to Haejin. He couldn’t let
that go.
“You’re right. Then, shouldn’t you give me my share?”
“Hh… originally, when things like this happen, people try to keep everything, but you and I go way
back. Nevertheless, I sold the celadon, so your share is five hundred million. How’s that?”
Haejin raised his hands high.
“Yay!”
“Hahaha! But you shouldn’t get excited like that.”
“Why?”
“You think they will give you three billion at once? In your dreams.”
Haejin was a little disappointed, but five hundred million was big! He was definitely having steak for
dinner
Total Chapters in book: 210
Estimated words: 468205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 2341(@200wpm)___ 1873(@250wpm)___ 1561(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 468205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 2341(@200wpm)___ 1873(@250wpm)___ 1561(@300wpm)
______