Capítulo 675: Chapter 675: Let’s Meet Again and Talk
At Sotheby's auction house, where the world's elite gather, entry is strictly reserved for those holding an invitation.
Sotheby's meticulously selects participants to cultivate the perception that auctions are a high society affair, sending invitations to only a chosen few.
It's a realm unknown to the common folk—a world exclusive to the privileged. That's Sotheby's auction house.
Just receiving an invitation is a badge of honor, a testament to one's entry into high society…
They even established a dress code for the auction, ensuring that every detail maintained the house's elite reputation.
It stood in stark contrast to the more accessible atmosphere of Christie's auction house.
However, that doesn't imply the auctions at Christie's lack prestige or worth.
'The Prime Minister, Princess Anne, and Prince Andrew are all here. It's a gathering of British royals and nobles.'
I scanned the room and made my way toward where Princess Anne and Prince Andrew were.
The royal guards eyed me warily, keeping a close watch.
"Your Highness, it's an honor to meet you."
I adjusted my accent to match the British tone.
The two individuals engaged in conversation turned their attention toward me.
"I'm Kim Mu-hyeok from Korea."
Their gazes conveyed a desire for an explanation rather than a greeting.
"I run a small business in Korea. Additionally… I'm the owner of the Premier League club, Leeds United."
"Leeds?"
Andrew reacted at the mention of Leeds United.
"I heard it was acquired by Dream High in the U.S., though."
"I'm the real owner of Dream High."
"Oh?"
A man, likely his secretary, whispered something to Andrew.
"You are more famous than I expected."
"It's an honor to meet you, Duke."
"Ha ha ha. A skilled Eastern gentleman in royal etiquette! Your English pronunciation is impressive."
Interest glimmered in Andrew's eyes.
"Today's auction might get heated, knowing the owner of Dream High is participating."
At that moment, a man approached Andrew and me.
"Duke! Long time no see!"
"Wait, aren't you Jakob Wallenberg?"
Wallenberg?
The family that plays a significant role in Valtiche?
"You're still in good health, Duke."
"Well, I'm still young, though my successor has dropped out already. What can I do?"
"Your Highness."
The secretary tried to interject, but Andrew ignored him.
"How is the family head of Wallenberg doing?"
The mention of the family head wiped the smile off Jakob's face.
"You and I have both failed in succession already, haven't we?"
"Your Grace, we are different from the British royal family. Without ability, no one succeeds here."
"Marx Wallenberg's abilities are superb. Who else meets the standards for the Wallenberg heir?"
Though it was a brief conversation, I gathered plenty of information.
First, Andrew harbors immense resentment toward Prince Charlie.
Secondly, there seems to be tension between Jakob, the chairman, and the family head of Wallenberg.
"Succession and leadership are separate issues. Our family always has two successors battling it out. This time, it was just Marx and me."
"But the leader remains Marx Wallenberg, doesn't it?"
Their conversation came to an abrupt stop.
I seized the moment.
"Hello. I'm Kim Mu-hyeok, running a small business in Korea."
Jakob's gaze switched from Andrew to me.
"Greetings. I'm Jakob Wallenberg."
His tone was sharp, suggesting he was still upset.
His glare was piercing. After all, it wouldn't be right to express annoyance at Prince Andrew for the unwanted conversation.
Andrew laughed boisterously at the scene.
"Hey! Chairman Jakob, you shouldn't be reacting like that. You do know the name Dream High, right? They say you're the owner!"
"Ah! Charlie?"
"Yes. Please feel free to call me Charlie."
He shook my outstretched hand.
"I've heard a lot about you. You're young; I expected that, but you're even younger than I thought."
"Thank you."
"Well then, I'll leave you two to your conversation. I must take my leave."
With diminished interest, Andrew moved toward Princess Anne.
"I never expected to meet a Wallenberg heir responsible for Sweden's economy."
The Wallenberg family motto is 'To exist but not be seen.' That's the power that has allowed them to dominate Sweden's economy for over a century.
"It seems our family customs are as they are."
"Esse, Non Videri."
I recited the Wallenberg family motto in Latin.
"Oh! You know it?"
"I run my business in a similar fashion. I know the Wallenberg family motto better than anyone else."
There are companies operated by the Wallenberg family.
The peculiar aspect is that, as a successor, they do not directly own shares in these companies.
A holding company called Investor holds sway over the firms, which are governed by three foundations established by the family.
Though the foundations own about 23% of Investor's shares, they possess 50.1% voting rights.
This was made possible by Sweden's unique culture. By 1900, Wallenberg's influence on Sweden's economy had amplified, leading to frequent disputes between labor unions and management. Ultimately, they brokered a tripartite agreement for the Saltsjöbaden Convention.
The family attained differential voting rights, acknowledging corporate control while mandating that 85% of company profits were to be paid as corporate tax.
This is why, even after more than a century of influence over Sweden's economy, no one dares to criticize them.
"Ha ha ha. Thank you for the compliments."
Just then, an announcement signaled the start of the auction.
Before stepping into the auction hall, I quietly proposed to him.
"Could we meet separately sometime to talk?"
"Will we have the opportunity to meet privately?"
"Valtiche and Duke Marx."
Jakob slowly turned his head towards me as he was about to enter.
"What are you talking about right now?"
"We can discuss that next time we meet."
He's aware of Valtiche's presence.
Even if Marx is the leader, knowing he shares responsibilities as an heir for the family would make it impossible not to know about Valtiche.
I received a business card from Manager Ma and handed it to him.
"If you wish to converse with me, please contact me there. Then…"
I turned my back on Jakob and stepped into the auction hall, gathering my thoughts.
'I unexpectedly gained something valuable.'
It wasn't just high society culture for nothing. Meeting one of the heirs of the elusive Wallenberg family was remarkable.
Upon entering the auction hall, staff members checked invitations and guided me to my designated seat.
Perhaps Peterson had arranged this, as I got a private room typically reserved for VVIPs.
The room contained a phone and a button, along with a small fridge against the wall.
The table had a simple selection of snacks prepared for easy nibbling.
I took a seat and looked down upon the auction hall. I noticed Peterson engaging in a serious conversation with someone.
The auction hall was divided into three main areas. In the center sat on-site bidders, while one side hosted those bidding by phone and the other side consisted of representatives for written bidders.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I am Peterson, your auctioneer for today. Most of you are familiar faces. It's great to see you all here together again."
Though I found his joke flat, the attendees familiar with British humor burst into laughter.
"Today, we'll be presenting only the finest selections from Sotheby's. In addition to the five pieces already disclosed, we have five more artworks, making a total of ten for the auction."
Gathering this many people in one place is a rare occasion for Sotheby's.
The items being auctioned today are likely not only valuable but also rare pieces beyond what I had commissioned.
"Let's get started."
The auction staff entered with a piece and placed it on the table beside Peterson, unveiling the cover.
"The first item is a gift from Emperor Hongzhi of the Ming Dynasty, famed for being the best emperor, to Empress Zhang."
Peterson elaborated on the history of the artwork. The attendees checked their calendars, focused intently on his explanation.
"Among Chinese emperors, the romantic Hongzhi is the only one who gazed solely at his empress. What a beautiful story this is!"
Peterson praised the auction item before announcing its starting price.
"Let's start at 5 million dollars, increasing by 100,000 dollars each time."
Finally, the first auction commenced.
Bidding quickly escalated.
"10 million dollars. We'll rise by a million from here on out."
The auction was heated from the start, with the final bid reaching 23 million dollars. The successful bidder was an anonymous phone participant.
The subsequent items introduced were those already mentioned in the auction invitation.
Most of them were sold between 10 million and 50 million dollars. They were all successfully bid with not a single item left unsold.
"This is interesting. What do you think, Manager?"
"It's my first auction, and I find it fascinating."
I hadn't placed a single bid.
Though I didn't lack interest in the auction items, I simply didn't feel the urge to acquire something right then.
"From now on, we'll present items that haven't been disclosed yet. You could say today's auction was prepared for this. The sixth auction item is…"
The auction staff entered holding a small wooden box. Inside was a small Buddha statue.
"This Buddha sculpture was created in the 7th century in the small kingdom of Baekje in East Asia…"
I frowned and said to Manager Ma beside me.
"Doesn't this seem like they're trying to sell me a Korean cultural asset?"
"It seems so."
It felt like they were presenting this item to urge me to bid.
"This is the gilt bronze Avalokiteshvara, discovered along with the national treasure of Korea, the gilt-bronze Bosatsu."
It was a cultural treasure of national importance.
"Starting at 3 million dollars, bidding will increase by 100,000 dollars each time."
I immediately refrained from bidding. The price would surely rise, so there was no need to participate from the outset.
Bidding increased steadily, surpassing 10 million dollars.
"10 million dollars bid! Now we increase by 1 million dollars from here on out."
It halted at 15 million dollars.
A national treasure of our country sold for a mere 15 million dollars. It was under 200 billion won.
I pressed the button and picked up the receiver.
"30 million dollars."
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