DDB Ch 13

Yusando.

A very beautiful island, landscaped like Jangsado or Oedo in the South Sea.

In the center of this island, like a Greek temple, stands the headquarters of Heritage Beyond.

Jiwoon, stepping out of the car, looked up at the enormous building with wide eyes.

How many slabs of marble did they stack to create this? No, how did they even transport such marble here?

It felt like looking up at the pyramids of Egypt. Jiwoon, with her mouth agape, swallowed hard as she gazed at the round glass window at the top of the building, not a temple.

‘It looks just like an eye. The eye of a giant looking down on the world.’

Giotto, the master of the Giovanni workshop in Florence and her mentor, once said about Heritage, their top client and patron:

“Heritage is a giant that will swallow the world. Even just one speck of dust from this giant can keep us well-fed for generations. So, don’t upset them, serve them well. Got it?”

While everyone else nodded, Jiwoon stood tall and asked:

“What happens if you upset them?”

“…What happens?”

Giotto, furrowing his brows, pondered for a while before giving a chilling answer:

“You’ll die without anyone knowing.”

She heard they held the leash of the Mafia. Not only the Mafia but also the Eastern Triads were like their limbs.

“But you won’t die easily. They’ll make you taste hell in the most horrific, cruel ways before you die.”

It wasn’t just for the sake of scaring her. Giotto’s eyes were filled with fear as he added each word.

“So, do well. Impress Heritage with your best skills. You’ll get back as much as you impress them.”

That’s why the restorers at Giovanni took their work much more seriously whenever they got a commission from Heritage Beyond.

Jiwoon had to be at the center of every commission and job because they needed to show their best skills, and Heritage was always very satisfied with the results, generously tipping Jiwoon.

Maybe that’s why Jiwoon thought of them as goblins from old tales.

Goblins who would mercilessly smash you with their hammer if they didn’t like you, but if they did, they’d shower you with bags of money.

“Stand up straight.”

At that moment, Ishin’s hand touched her back. Her back had unknowingly hunched from fear.

Until now, they were just goblins from another country who faithfully sent money overseas, but from now on, they would hold her fate in their hands.

‘Then this man…’

Jiwoon, tilting her head up, looked at the man beside her who was straightening her spine.

‘Might be like a goblin’s deputy leader.’

A deputy leader plotting rebellion, at that…

With such thoughts, she looked at the man whose eyes were gently curved in kindness as he whispered softly:

“Shall we go?”

Even as Jiwoon started walking with the slight push on her back, she was entranced by his eyes.

Oh. What’s with this sweetness?

An alliance bound by lies, plans, conditions, and rewards.

Even knowing that the smile he gave her was just for politeness, she felt her mouth watering.

“Let’s go.”

While her feet had already started moving, her answer came a step late, and the man’s laughter pleasantly brushed past her ear.

For no reason, her palms itched.

🐬🌊🐳

A little later, Jiwoon arrived at the top of the building and stood before the chairman of Heritage Beyond that Ishin had mentioned.

But it was quite… unexpected.

With a name like [Heritage Beyond] and an epithet like “multinational investment & information corporation,” she expected the goblin king ruling such a place to be an imposing figure like Ishin, but he wasn’t.

The man standing in front of the window, which looked like the eye of a giant, was extremely ordinary.

A small, stout 50-year-old Korean man.

With slightly balding hair revealing his scalp, a protruding frog-like belly, short legs, an oily face, and a slimy expression, yet his chin was raised high to assert his superiority. He was quite a disappointment for the fearsome goblin king of Heritage.

This man scanned Jiwoon from head to toe and then let out a snort of laughter. Then, a thin voice came out through his purple lips.

“Is she to your taste, Director Baek?”

His gaze briefly turned to Ishin.

Ishin’s smile in response to the man was equally light.

It was a situation where Jiwoon felt like the only one frowning while watching the exchange of glances between the two men.

The man then smiled brightly as he approached Jiwoon.

Limp, limp.

He had a limp, which wasn’t evident when he was standing.

“Sorry. I was so curious that I peeked earlier…”

He then glanced at Jiwoon’s attire.

“When you were kidnapped, you were in pajamas and barefoot, but the clothes you’ve been dressed in for coming here are this style, so I wondered if Director Baek’s taste was this demure… I imagined something more provocative.”

Despite the suggestive content, his tone was rather plain.

“Nice to meet you.”

The goblin king suddenly extended his hand.

“I am Heo Seung-jae, honorary chairman and vice president of the Heritage Beyond Foundation.”

Even as he suggested a handshake, Heo Seung-jae’s eyes were still scanning Jiwoon all over.

Jiwoon, pressing her lower lip tightly, looked at Ishin before taking Heo Seung-jae’s hand. Ishin’s dark eyes were continuously signaling her to behave politely.

“It’s an honor to meet you, Vice President Heo Seung-jae. I am Seo Jiwoon.”

Her crisp, clear voice made Heo Seung-jae’s eyes widen.

“Her voice is as pretty as her face.”

Then, narrowing his eyes, he stared deeply into Jiwoon’s eyes, his gaze sharp as if gauging something.

“And her eyes are full of spirit?”

Spirit?

Jiwoon clenched her lips tightly at the word, and Ishin spoke up from behind Heo Seung-jae.

“But…”

His voice, though low, sounded threatening rather than intimidated in front of the goblin king.

“As you already know, she is by far the best at replication, Mr. Vice President.”

At his words, Heo Seung-jae released the handshake and turned to look at Ishin with a furrowed brow.

“Is it okay to speak so bluntly in front of our technician lady?”

His face was full of concern, yet his voice was light.

Ishin’s eyes curved slightly in response to Heo Seung-jae.

“I’ve explained it roughly.”

“Ho—”

Heo Seung-jae, who had let out a long exclamation, turned back to Jiwoon.

“So, you’ve decided to work for our side instead of Director Oh Kyung-seok’s side.”

Director Oh Kyung-seok?

The name rang a bell, and Jiwoon’s mind raced.

Oh Kyung-seok, Oh Kyung-seok.

‘Ah, the person who commissioned work to Giovanni…!’

As Jiwoon seemed to recognize Oh Kyung-seok, Heo Seung-jae spoke again.

“You know him, right? Since he always commissioned work to your workshop under his name.”

“……Yes, I know. He was our workshop’s largest investor and an external director of the Restoration Association?”

At Jiwoon’s response, Heo Seung-jae grimaced.

“Yeah, that bastard. That bastard conspired with your master to replicate my painting for his own gain. And Baek Ishin cleaned that up this time.”

So, what? The master and this Oh Kyung-seok person conspired to replicate the painting and cut me out, but Baek Ishin intercepted it?

“And now, our restorer is willing to work for our side, not for that Oh Kyung-seok.”

“……Work?”

“To replicate the painting. I ultimately lost the original. That dead British guy never revealed where he hid the painting.”

“……”

But this vice president doesn’t know that Baek Ishin took “Guinevere”?

Ha, Baek Ishin… what are you? Did you fool everyone at once?

‘That’s so cool.’

While Ishin observed Jiwoon’s flushed cheeks and her eyes sparkling with excitement, he spoke up.

“Why check everything one by one? Seo Jiwoon is obviously on our side.”

Jiwoon echoed Ishin’s words as if to confirm.

“Of course, that’s obvious. Obviously, I’m on our side.”