144 The Medici and the Aristocrats 1

"You have an art museum, right? We will lease the artifacts from the Uffizi to your museum for a limited period of time."

It was the best thing Giorgio could offer. How could he make such a decision when he wasn't even the director of the Uffizi, Haejin didn't know, but his offer was too appealing.

Actually, he was saying that he was protecting the Italian artifacts, but the krater he was trying to retrieve was more likely to belong to a different country, and the mafia had stolen more than just the paintings of the Italian Renaissance.

The artifacts had to be retrieved, of course, but Haejin was a foreigner. He wasn't going to help without getting anything in return.

In that perspective, the mafia's offer was appealing enough, but the most important thing to Haejin was getting back Korean artifacts, that were currently in other countries, therefore his museum mattered the most to him.

An exhibition of the artifacts from the Uffizi would be enough to put his museum on the highest rank in no time.

"I accept the offer."

Haejin showed Giorgio his phone and refused the call.

Giorgio relaxed only then and calmly asked, "What are you going to do now?"

"I should go back," Haejin replied. "I'm done here now, and I must prepare for the lease with my staff."

He was pressing Giorgio, telling him not to forget the deal.

"Don't worry. The official papers will arrive at your museum in a few days…"

Then, Haejin asked, "I have a question… how can you persuade the Uffizi's director?"

"There's no way I can convince the director."

"What? Then…"

"You know the Uffizi used to belong to the House of Medici, right?"

Haejin realized this was going to be long and sat down.

"Of course. Anna Maria Luisa de'Medici, the heiress of the house, donated the artifacts."

"Yes, but no one knows more about the artifacts in the Uffizi than the Medici family. That fact hasn't changed. So, the Medici has continued to have an influence on the gallery's management."

"Then, the offer you gave me is…"

Giorgio nodded, "Yes, I talked to a member of the Medici family before I came here. I'm not the one who is worried the most about you joining the mafia. He is."

"Oh… but that's a little different from what I've heard. I didn't know the Medici were so passionate about protecting the artifacts in the country."

The desire of the Medici family to collect artifacts didn't decrease.

They were not very interested in contemporary art, so they do not often participate in Sotheby's and Christie's auction, but in private deals and black markets, they have great power.

Additionally, they smuggle in artifacts and work as the middle merchants. They trade a huge number of artifacts, and every country in Europe keeps an eye on that.

The Metropolitan used to buy artifacts from the Medici knowing that they had been smuggled until the 90s, and most of the artifacts in the major museums were taken through grave robbing and smuggling.

So, the Medici worrying about the Italian artifacts being smuggled out of the country didn't sound good to Haejin.

Giorgio sensed that, he waved his hands and protested, "I know there are rumors about the Medici family, but not all of them are true. Most of those stories have been exaggerated. People think huge companies always make dark deals with politicians and that rich families have secrets of their own."

"So, you are saying the rumors about the Medici are no different?"

Giorgio nodded, he was sure.

"Of course. Unlike what you think, the Medici isn't a family that commits evil."

"Hmm… I see."

There was no Medici doing anything suspicious in the past which Haejin had seen through magic, so he decided to move on.

The Medici was going to let him borrow the artifacts in the Uffizi, anyway.

He thought everything was finished and stood up, but Giorgio took out an envelope and gave it to Haejin.

"What is this?" Haejin asked.

"An invitation."

"An invitation?"

"Yes. Cavani di Piero Medici has formally invited you and the lady here to the upcoming charity event."

Now, Haejin had an unexpected schedule.

"What is this charity event?"

"The family hosts this event every year. They sell works of art and donate money to those in need. All the participants are rich, and famous celebrities will also be there," Giorgio explained.

This was getting bigger than Haejin had expected. However, he got more interested because of that reason. Getting to know that kind of people wouldn't hurt.

"That sounds like a big event. Why is he inviting us?"

"You are one of the best appraisers in the world. To a family that possesses many precious artifacts like the Medici family, you are one of the most important guests. Even the best artifacts cannot be sold at a high price without someone promoting it well," Giorgio replied.

Haejin couldn't understand why they needed a good appraiser to sell the artifacts at a good price.

"Wouldn't the head of the Medici family offer good artifacts? The participants would think so, too."

Giorgio smiled faintly and shook his head and said, "Only those who don't have much would brag about themselves. I am this great, and this thing that I have is this good… how could Mr. Medici say such a thing? Wouldn't it be humiliating? So, a good appraiser must help him in explaining the artifacts so that they are sold at a high price."

It meant he needed some sort of a wingman.

"Haha… well, I can see that."

Haejin didn't like that as he had been bragging about himself all the time to get paid more, but as those people had been born as aristocrats, he decided to accept that there could be differences between people.

"The event will take place three days later at the Medici's mansion. I have prepared a place where you can stay until then."

"But I've already booked a hotel," Haejin said.

"I heard that you are staying at a small hotel."

Giorgio already knew which hotel Haejin was staying at. Haejin didn't like to be spied on, but Giorgio shook his hand and said, "Oh, I understand you might not like it, but we followed you because we were worried you might be harmed by the local mafia. The police in this country cannot be fully trusted."

"Khmm… if you say so…"

Giorgio continued, "And they must know where you are staying at as well. That's why they know you haven't left Italy. Please, check out and stay at the lodging we offer you. It will be safer and more comfortable. Mr. Cavani is especially providing you that place."

Giorgio stressed the word 'special'. There was no reason for Haejin to refuse. Plus, it was free.

"Okay, I will go there," Haejin accepted.

"There's a car waiting outside. The driver will take you to the hotel to pick up your luggage and then to Mr. Cavani's hotel. He will also pick you up three days later in the afternoon."

"Okay then, can I go sightseeing in the meantime?"

"I'm sorry, but I recommend staying at the hotel. They can show up anywhere and at any time. They are above the law here in Italy."

It was a shame, but Haejin decided to do so. He just had to endure three days, and he would get to see the famed Medici mansion and its artifacts.

The mansion he had visited when he had gone to Florence with his father had been that of a noble family's mansion, but it couldn't be compared to the Medici family that used to rule Florence.

"Okay, I will do that."

"Then as you are here, please enjoy the artifacts. Normally, you would have to wait for a long time as there are many tourists, but I will let you get a tour right away."

"Thank you."

After that, Haejin and Eunhae looked around the Gallerie dell'Accademia and went back to the hotel to get their things on the car that had been waiting for them.

The place where the driver took them wasn't a hotel, it was a mansion outside Venice.

It was a huge mansion. Haejin had seen places like that only in movies and dramas. There was a butler that greeted them politely, and there were even maids and chefs.

"Dinner is from 6 to 8. Refreshments are prepared in the ground floor's living room, so you can come down at any time to enjoy them. However, the other guests might not enjoy talking, so please, keep that in mind. I hope you have a good time here."

The butler took them to a huge room with two bedrooms and left.

"Wow!"

Eunhae's eyes widened as she exclaimed. The bedrooms had luxurious beds, and the living room had all kinds of expensive decorations.

Even Eunhae, who was a chaebol, was impressed.

"I guess the other guests have been invited by the Medici family, too."

Eunhae nodded. She sat on the sofa that was clearly an antique and looked at the Royal Copenhagen teacups, one of the world's top three porcelains.

"I think so, too. I wonder who's here. When he told us to stay at the hotel for three days, I was a little disappointed, but now I think it is all the better for us," Eunhae said.

"Haven't you come to places like this from time to time?"

"Oh, no… I often stayed at expensive hotels. However, only the European aristocrats and their friends can visit places like this. As Asians aren't close to the old noble families in Europe, getting to stay at places like this is hard."

"Aha… it will be dinnertime when we finish unpacking, so let's go down and have dinner. I wonder what kind of dishes we will get to eat."

"Me, too!"

They hurried to unpack and went down to the first floor where the dining hall was.

"Welcome."

There were six large tables, and three of them were occupied.

The people there were all whites. They kept glancing at Haejin and Eunhae, so they were probably surprised to see a couple of Asians here.

"Please wait and we will bring your dinner. Is there any food you cannot eat due to allergies?" The maid asked.

They replied by saying that they had no such thing and smiled back. However, someone then sat next to Haejin without asking.

Haejin sensed that everyone was now watching with interest.