Chapter 22
After nodding and returning to his spot, Morinus had finished his appraisal.
Wiping his sweat, he said confidently,
“This is holy water.”
She almost whistled. Despite his attitude, he seemed to have real skill.
“Looking at the bottle’s base and shape, it’s a Lutian glass bottle. You can see a tiny green paper torn off, which as everyone knows, is Chad Trading Company’s symbol. Since Chad Trading Company’s base is in Lutie, it must have come from there.”
Morinus spoke rapidly.
“Also, I sense divine energy from the item. Since there’s only one god remaining on earth, this must be holy water made by Lionel Milliard. As everyone knows, Chad Trading Company once had a connection with Lionel Milliard, so I’m certain.”
He’s accurate.
Baeksan felt oddly pleased by his experienced deduction.
‘Sophs Appraisal House really is high level.’
After finishing his statement, Morinus turned to Baeksan triumphantly.
“And you? Still thinking?”
“Ah.”
Come to think of it, was this a speed game?
Having forgotten, Baeksan shrugged.
“I agree with your assessment.”
“What? Ha!”
Some appraisers laughed along with Morinus. Others frowned in disappointment.
Regardless, Baeksan flipped his hair back and stepped forward.
‘He’s quite capable, but he picked the wrong opponent.’
As the atmosphere grew strange, Elize cleared her throat several times and quickly moved things along.
“Opening the next box.”
The workers began bringing a new box.
At that moment, Baeksan spoke to Morinus.
“Mr. Morinus.”
“It’s too late to beg for mercy now.”
“That’s not it.”
“Then what?”
Thud.
The box was placed on the table.
“I’m saying I won’t let you observe anymore since I’m done watching.”
“…What?”
Just as Morinus asked dumbly, the box lid opened.
What appeared was a small but intricate stone figurine.
From that moment, Baeksan’s eyes gleamed.
[Arahan’s Burial Goods]
Burial goods meant to be interred with Sorek’s tyrant Arahan. A surviving servant who served the prince managed to smuggle it out.
Before the item could even be placed on the cushion, Baeksan spoke.
“This is a burial good meant for Tyrant Arahan of Sorek’s tomb. Next.”
“…!”
Morinus’s eyes widened in surprise.
Elize gestured to the workers to keep bringing boxes.
Thud.
The wooden box’s lid was removed.
[Giacomo’s Mask (Fake)]
A fake mask of the notorious playboy ‘Giacomo.’ The real one is in Bonaparte’s underwater vault.
“This is Giacomo Casanova’s mask but it’s fake. If you want to know where the real one is, pay up. Next.”
Thud.
[Old Realm’s Contaminated Soil]
Black soil collected from Old Realm of Trevereum. Evil energy still remains.
<QUEST>
Go to Trevereum to meet the one who contaminated Old Realm long ago, and survive!
-Success: 666,666,666,666,666,666 gold
-Failure: Restart
…’Survive’? What’s that about?
Slightly creeped out, she immediately dismissed the quest window.
“This is soil from ‘Old Realm.’ Don’t touch it. Next.”
Boxes kept coming.
They were running out of stage space and had to place them on the floor, but Baeksan didn’t stop.
“Madame Dumore’s necklace. Next.”
“Draft of Navigation Theory interpretation. Next.”
“Next.”
“Next.”
Continuously calling out “next,” Baeksan belatedly realized the surroundings had gone quiet.
Looking around, everyone was staring at her dumbfounded. Morinus too had lost his composure.
Only then did Baeksan stop her appraisals.
After what seemed like endless silence, Morinus approached, stumbling over his words.
“Just now…”
“Yes.”
“Without a loupe or magical tools…”
“Yes.”
“…Kuh!”
Morinus’s face turned red as he picked up Giacomo’s mask.
While Baeksan secretly yawned from post-lunch drowsiness, he barely finished his appraisal.
The expression disappeared from Morinus’s face.
“It really is fake… And it is indeed a forgery of Giacomo’s mask…”
His arms went limp, and the forged mask fell to the floor.
“Impossible…”
“Nothing’s impossible.”
“It is impossible!”
Morinus suddenly shouted at Baeksan. His eyes were bloodshot.
“It’s impossible! To have mastered archaeology, geology, and history! At that age! To be able to appraise Sorek’s burial goods, to identify Old Realm’s soil just by its black color!”
He shouted, spittle flying.
“You must have used some trick!”
“No magical energy was used.”
One of the surrounding mages said.
Morinus, his face full of frustration with nowhere to direct it, choked out:
“…But how could such a rookie!”
Everyone seemed to share the thought as all eyes turned to Baeksan.
It seemed like she needed to explain something.
What excuse should she make?
“Well, I just…”
After considering, she just said whatever came to mind.
“I’m a genius.”
“…”
Through the stunned faces, Elize stepped forward to quickly smooth things over.
“As you can see, Mine is a very special talent. So I trust there will be no more complaints about my placing her on the fourth floor. If I hear any more about this…”
She spoke coldly to Morinus.
“You’re welcome to leave Sophs Guild.”
“…!”
Morinus’s face, which had been blank, swelled up as if about to burst.
As he turned around sharply enough to make a sound, Baeksan didn’t miss the chance to say:
“But you should apologize before leaving.”
Morinus’s body flinched. He clenched his fists and his shoulders trembled.
“Kuh. For doubting… Sor…”
“Can’t hear you.”
“Sor… sor…”
“Still can’t hear you.”
“I said I’m sorry!”
Morinus shouted and stomped out of the room. He seemed to be heading to the employee personal room with lockers.
Baeksan called out indifferently after him.
“Have you learned your place now?”
SLAM!
The sound of a locker door being violently shut echoed.
She couldn’t help but smile.
‘That’s what you get for going on about knowing one’s place.’
Turning her head with satisfaction, she met the eyes of several appraisers. They were the ones who had been snickering on Morinus’s side.
Baeksan smiled again.
“Need something?”
“N-no…”
Everyone turned pale and avoided her gaze.
Seeing this, the third floor mages smiled warmly and approached to celebrate, but Baeksan politely declined.
“Since things seem to be wrapped up, I’ll head back up now.”
Though Elize maintained a cold expression while directing the workers to clean up, she couldn’t fool the system.
[Elize Barrett]
Feeling satisfied after getting many items appraised for free while establishing your position.
Since it was just annoying enough, Baeksan just gave a small smile.
‘With an annual salary of 300 million, I can let it slide.’
Just then, Lira and Agnes excitedly approached.
“Mine, you really are an amazing appraiser?”
“Mineee! You’re so cool!”
“Thanks. You were worried, huh?”
“Of course we were. Morinus is a capable appraiser after all.”
At Agnes’s words, Lira stuck out her tongue and made a disgusted face.
“I hate that guy. He’s always acting arrogant and looking down on officials. Serves him right!”
Just then, several people approached behind the excited Lira.
“Um…”
Looking their way, there were several appraisers from the second floor.
Unlike the expressionless Baeksan, Lira and Agnes’s eyes grew sharp.
“What business do you have with Mine?”
“W-well…”
The most innocent-looking young man with brown hair spoke up.
“Would you… like to have lunch with us next time?”
At these words from the young man, Baeksan blinked with an “oh,” while Lira and Agnes frowned.
“Weren’t you the ones saying Mine only got her position because of Elize?”
“W-we never said that!”
“That’s right! Not everyone thought like Morinus!”
A black-haired woman with glasses cut in from the side.
