Return of the Irregular Appraiser
Chapter 14

[Translator – Angel Dust]

[Proofreader – ChiSync]

Chapter 14: Aura Stone (1)

It might truly be an ordinary diary, perhaps one where a miner complains about the hardships of mining while boasting about how much ore they extracted today, just like any other ordinary diary.

However, in a situation where even the slightest piece of information is needed, it feels a bit hesitant to just discard it.

Moreover, among the most important things in appraising is authenticity.

These seemingly insignificant pieces of information written by someone from that era can become evidence and serve as materials supporting the conclusions drawn by historians.

Furthermore, if this minor miner was indeed an outstanding miner of his time, there might be useful information contained within.

‘Let’s take a look.’

After some hesitation, I opened the first page.

「Starting today, I have decided to embark on a new adventure. How many minerals exist on this vast continent? I’m tired of extracting the same minerals every day like clockwork. I will venture forth to find unknown treasures within this rugged land and endless abyss. I, Miner, shall venture forth.」

After reading the first entry, I immediately closed the book. It seemed like a typical diary written by a teenager suffering from middle school syndrome. It appears that such individuals also exist in that world.

As I was about to put the book away again, the initial sentence kept coming to mind, making me hesitate.

「How many minerals exist on this vast continent?」

Could that minor be a legendary miner after all? Could there possibly be hundreds of minerals found by this miner recorded in this diary?

Although it seemed unlikely, I decided to open the book again.

I flipped to the next page.

「Today, at the end of a long adventure, I finally discovered a treasure.」

‘Oh…!’

As soon as I read the first sentence, anticipation surged within me.

「My steps led me deep into the rugged ground. A mine filled with darkness below the ground. The pungent smell ignites the passion of miners. Yes! Isn’t this the romance of a miner? Here, I found my first treasure of the journey.」

After reading the second page filled with unnecessary stories, I furrowed my brows.

I didn’t open the book to read about the miner’s romantic ideals.

However, driven by the expectation of the treasure he mentioned, I turned to the next page. After reading this far, how could I stop without seeing what comes next?

「Hard rocks warmed my heart. With a pickaxe in hand…」

The content of the third page was the same. There was no mention of the treasure he was looking for.

「…and then, I found the treasure within.」

Furrows creased my forehead. It felt like a flashback to the days when I used to read web novels during my school years.

I possessed a skill that made it impossible for me to resist flipping to the next page without seeing what’s coming.

Ultimately, I turned the page.

「A red light emanated from the ore amidst the gray rocks.」

Finally, the desired content appeared.

「This ore emitted a brilliant light! Yes! It was the commemorative ore I first discovered since starting my adventure. This ore is named ‘Blood Light’ due to its red glow. However, there is a regrettable fact.」

‘What’s the regrettable fact?’

Unfortunately, this page also ended like this. My hand was naturally flipping through the pages.

「It was my first ore, but I accidentally dropped it and it shattered.」

‘He dropped it and it shattered?’

「It was so fragile that it’s not even useful as a decorative stone. It was my first ore, but I coolly discarded it. Honestly, I wasn’t particularly disappointed. It’s just a useless piece of garbage. It was lacking as my first ore of the adventure.」

Thunk-.

My teeth ground against each other. Didn’t he call it a treasure from the very first page? I endured all this just for that, and now suddenly, it’s deemed useless garbage.

Is this what being deceived feels like? With the urge to throw the book to the ground and stomp on it, I forcefully suppressed the impulse and placed the book back on the shelf.

Even though there’s still plenty of mana left, my head feels like it’s throbbing.

‘Sigh…, no. Just in case, I should keep this too.’

I have enough money now. If I set my mind to it, I could probably buy all the books here.

But I wouldn’t read them anyway. They would just take up space at home.

After calming my breath, I glanced through the bookshelf once more before heading back home.

I stayed up late reading Mana Circuit Theory and then stretched out like I was going to pass out. The next day passed with me reading the Mana Circuit Theory all day.

Ring.

My eyes, heavy from sleep, opened at the sound of my phone ringing.

[Hwang Myeongsu]

Beep.

“Oh. What?”

– Hyung! Did CEO Kang really get caught? Is it true?

“Yeah. You don’t need to go there anymore.”

– Wow! Did you really do that, Hyung?

“Yeah. Oh, and I have something to tell you. Come out.”

– Yes! Where should I go?

“I’ll leave a message.”

I was about to prepare hastily and leave, but another call came in.

[Park Junpyo]

‘Come to think of it, he must have been surprised too.’

He must have heard the news of the office disappearing and the bastard being caught.

“Yes, sir.”

– Woogil! What’s going on? They said CEO Kang was caught? The office disappeared.

“You know how he works. He got caught this time.”

– Did you know?

“Yes. I was there.”

– What? Are you okay?

“I’m fine. But are you okay, sir? Your job is gone.”

– I’m fine! It’s better for you if I think about it. CEO Kang was so desperate to get rid of you.

If Hwang Myeongsu looked like a pitiful person in the bastard’s office, Park Junpyo was the most grateful person. He was the only colleague who always took care of me and worried about me.

And I often found strength in seeing him always working hard.

‘Hmm….’

I’m conflicted. Park Junpyo was undoubtedly a good person in my memories from my previous life. But is he really a good person?

After being betrayed by those I trusted just before dying, without solid evidence, trust is hard to come by.

‘Well, I have insight, so I’ll see.’

I can’t live rejecting everyone if I don’t believe them. If someone seems suspicious, I can dismiss them then.

“Sir.”

– Oh? What?

“What are you doing right now?”

– I went to Representative Kang’s office and got blocked, so I’m waiting for the bus to go home.

“Would you like to meet up? Myeongsu is also coming.”

– Myeongsu? What are you two up to?”

“Just some discussions. Please come. There’s good news.”

– Hmm… I’m not sure what’s going on, but okay. Send me the address.

Beep.

I hung up and immediately sent the address to the man.

Shortly after, I, Hwang Myeongsu, and Park Junpyo gathered at the café.

The two wondered why I had summoned them.

“As you may have already heard, I plan to set up an appraisal office.”

“Huh? Why suddenly an appraisal office?”

Park Junpyo looked confused, not understanding the current situation.

I explained the situation slowly.

“So, CEO Kang failed because the artifacts he stole from you turned out to be fake?”

“Yes. And I received help from Hunter Kim Junghyun by chance.”

Honestly, Park Junpyo didn’t easily believe this abrupt story.

But since CEO Kang indeed failed, and he had seen the office disappear, occupied by people from the Salvation Investigation Team, he couldn’t disbelieve it either.

“I saw it! Hyung brought a beautiful necklace to sell for 100 million.”

“Really? But did you know it was fake because you appraised it?”

“Yes.”

“Does that make sense?”

“If it didn’t, wouldn’t CEO Kang have succeeded?”

“That makes sense.”

Calming down confused Junpyo, I looked at him slowly.

“Um… the ring you’re wearing, sir, is it an artifact?”

“Huh? Yes. How did you know?”

“Give it to me.”

As I reached out my hand, the hesitant man handed over the ring.

[Insight Activated]

[Soul Wave Ring]

A ring made of mana crystals and steel alloy. Finely crushed mana crystals are evenly coated on the steel alloy, enhancing mana supply.

∥B.CD 9th century

∥Enhances concentration

∥Stabilizes the mind and body

‘It’s better than I expected?’

Stabilizing the mind and improving concentration is one of those effects that’s pretty good on its own.

In reality, there are quite a few artifacts with such effects among artifacts. However, there’s a big difference in the quality of those effects.

It’s not a high level artifact, but it’s a pretty well-made craft among artifacts.

“It provides effects of mental stability and enhanced concentration. The mana circuit design itself is simple, so the effect may not be extraordinary, but the maker’s skill is decent. It’s quite good to finely crush mana crystals to increase the surface area and improve mana supply rates.”

“…Yeah. Huh, did you really know how to appraise, Woogil?”

“Apparently so. Where did you get this?”

“My wife used to wear it.”

“…Sir, you were married?”

“Huh? Really?”

Me and Hwang Myeongsu looked at him with surprised faces. sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ N0ᴠᴇFɪre.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

With a bitter smile, he nodded lightly and said, ‘She’s no longer in this world. She had an accident.’

“Ah…”

For a moment, Me and Hwang Myeongsu fell silent, our mouths shut. We felt sorry for bringing up a topic that should have been left alone.

“It’s okay. It’s all in the past, and I didn’t invite you here to discuss that.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. By the way, did you awaken, Woogil? How did you become so appraisally aware?”

“I did. I awakened.”

I told the two exactly as it happened.

Well, there was no need to hide it.

The eyes, noses, and mouths of the two widened, forming five circles on their faces.

With a wry smile at their reaction, I explained, ‘It’s nothing special. I awakened during a moment when I was preparing to become an appraisal practitioner.’

“Then you should go to the academy! Why pursue private appraisal practice?”

“Yeah. What if you ruin your abilities after awakening?”

“I’m not ambitious. I just want to live while enjoying some emotions.”

“Even so…”

The two sighed with regret.

Awakening isn’t something just anyone can do, and awakening individuals can attend the academy for free as long as they pass the entrance exam. Graduating is like a new lease on life.

“With that appraisal ability, you could pursue the elite course at the academy’s appraisal department.”

“Never mind. Anyway, I’m planning to set up an office. Hwang Myeongsu agreed to join as my employee. What do you think, sir?”

I had heard that Park Junpyo had done quite well in his prime.

He was smart, graduated from a prestigious Korean university, and even pursued the elite course.

But after some incident, he gave up everything in life…

‘That seems to have something to do with his ex-wife.’

He was curious, but asking would be rude, so he didn’t.

“Well… Woogil, I might trust you, but as you know, succeeding in private appraisal practice isn’t easy.”

“But Woogil, you noticed that the necklace was fake!”

“It’s not that simple, Myeongsu. Business decisions require caution…”

“Basic salary of 500, plus incentives per case once we register the business and start working in earnest.”

“Oh, 500? And incentives per case?”

“Yes. But you have to work really hard. If you don’t work properly, even if you’re family, you’ll be cut…”

“Boss!”

Suddenly standing up, Junpyo grabbed Woogil’s hand and smiled broadly.

“Myeongsu! What are you doing? Say hello to the boss immediately!”

“Uh… Boss! Hello.”

It was so sudden that he was bewildered. Was Junpyo always like this?

Well, if they offer a lot of money, it’s possible.

“Sit down with this.”

“That’s right. It’s what the boss says.”

“But, sir, didn’t you just say we need to be cautious?”

“This is caution. Opportunities don’t come anytime. Myeongsu.”

“Oh! So this is the opportunity?”

“Of course! Do you think it’s easy to meet someone like our boss? And there’s no other place that takes care of people like us so well.”

“That’s right! Woogil even helped pay for my mother’s hospital bills!”

“Really? Of course! Our boss.”

“…That’s enough.”

Can money really change a person’s character?

“Haha… Should we start writing the contract?”

“…Yes.”

Their reaction was more intense than expected, but it didn’t matter.

As long as they do their job well, everything will be fine.

[Translator – Angel Dust]

[Proofreader – ChiSync]

Sᴇarch the n0vᴇl(ꜰ)ire.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.