Chapter 4
Chapter 4
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: Why Do I Feel This Unease?
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Helios felt a swirl of confusion from that memory, too vivid to simply brush aside.
It had clearly been him standing there and speaking, and even the people he'd just met were identical. Moreover, for some inexplicable reason, even though it was something he hadn't done, it didn't feel unfamiliar at all. It felt familiar, as if he really had said those words.
"Why......"
He couldn't understand why this feeling gripped him.
Helios pounded his chest a couple of times with his fist, frustration swelling as Esther's face resurfaced in his mind. This was different from before.
He knew it wasn't the simple pounding of love's excitement.
This emotion felt familiar—like the uncomfortable sensation rising from the depths when he failed to achieve what he desired. No doubt about it. This feeling was...
"Why am I so anxious?"
Esther's face, which always made his heart flutter with endearing affection whenever he thought of her, today only brought heartache and unease.
As if she would soon leave his side. As if he could no longer hold onto her.
He felt like he had to rush out right now and confirm her presence with his own hands.
Anxiety and overwhelming fear. Overwhelmed by emotions with no clear reason, Helios buried his face in his hands.
Just the intermittent trembling of those hands made it clear—this wasn't some mere whim.
"Unbelievable."
Esther muttered while anxiously biting her nails.
The conversation ended there.
As soon as she showed she had no desire to continue, Helios left with a wounded look in his eyes he couldn't hide, bidding her farewell.
"Why did he come here?"
She never imagined an event from the past that hadn't happened would unfold.
And with the one person she most wanted to avoid, no less. Could anything worse happen?
"I need to get the merchant group back on its feet and leave as soon as possible—even if it's just one day sooner."
Esther muttered as she entered her room.
She sat at the mahogany desk her father had gifted her with joy when she said she'd learn the merchant group's business, then flung open the drawer below.
"Once I handle this, the merchant group will be..."
Esther spread out the documents Ete had bequeathed to her in his dying wish.
Ete had discussed this matter seriously with her, so she had a decent grasp of the deal.
"Oil extracted from grains, right."
Ete, who placed utmost importance on the quality and trustworthiness of traded goods, occasionally led one of their few trade ships himself to inspect merchandise.
One such day, the trade ship Ete was on deviated from its route and reached new land.
"You can't imagine how my heart sank."
The merchant group had nearly held a funeral with Ete and the crew gone so long.
Then, miraculously, Ete returned, and everyone cheered.
Amid the joy, Esther had wept at the sight of his beaming hand offering something without a thought for others.
What Ete brought was Dran Oil, used by the natives of a nation called Inda. He'd traded it for butter and jam and was over the moon about it.
His image was vivid before her eyes—chuckling that the locals treated him so well due to his adaptability and affability, promising to stop by again.
Moreover, the intact ship and the crew laughing safely showed no issues beyond the intense stench.
"I can do this."
Ete had prepared most of it. All that remained was to fetch the goods and sell them.
And Esther knew today was the day for a major decision that would shape the merchant group's future.
As she steeled her resolve, a knock came at the door.
"Miss, are you inside?"
"Yes, I am. Come in."
With the creak of the door opening, Krune Hyde—the one who had looked at her worriedly earlier—cautiously entered, gauging her mood before hesitantly speaking.
"Miss, I'm not sure if now's the right time, but..."
"I understand. It's about the deal, right?"
"Ah, yes."
Krune's eyes widened at how composed she seemed, nodding in affirmation.
It was 9 a.m.—time for the usual internal meeting. With Ete's funeral over, the merchant group couldn't afford to stall any longer.
Esther rose, sweeping up the documents before her.
"Let's go."
"Ah, yes!"
Krune fumbled in surprise at her poised demeanor as she neatly pushed in her chair, growing even more flustered.
Seeing this, Esther—who had passed him and reached for the door—paused and turned back.
"Oh, right. Krune."
"Yes?"
"Head downstairs now and bring the logbook from Father's voyage that time to the meeting room."
With that, Esther strode off without further delay.
She could stall no longer. Reaching the meeting room door, Esther flung it open without hesitation.
"You've arrived."
Inside sat three people besides her—all like family to Esther.
Garan, Dana, and Carter: executives representing the merchant group's most vital divisions. Garan asked her worriedly.
"Miss, are you feeling better now?"
"I'm fine."
Never dreaming she'd hear Garan's gentle concern again, Esther barely contained her surging emotions and took her seat.
The others, save Carter, inquired after her health as well.
"It's Guild Master now, not miss. Mind your words, everyone."
Carter, who had remained silently stoic except during greetings, spoke in a heavy tone, warning those beside him. Esther steadied her heart watching him.
He was the man who had fiercely argued against this high-risk trade right up to the end.
In the end, he'd been right. He possessed sharp foresight and management skills.
But things were different now. This time, Esther had to break his stance.
"Guild Master, I assume you know the topic of this meeting."
Carter fixed her with sharp, upturned eyes, his voice cold. Esther nodded and replied.
"Father prepared the ship's departure for a week from now. What we need to watch closely for that deal is..."
"I have something to say about that."
Esther knew she had to keep her wits about her, struggling to maintain a relaxed expression.
I can do this. She'd been through it once before.
Though back then, he'd barely yielded to the other representatives' words, and casualties occurred due to the perilous route. Not this time.
"To import the Dran Oil, we must go to Inda—and to reach it, we pass the Sabrak Coast."
Carter pointed to the map on the wall, continuing.
"This coast has shallow waters and countless reefs. Rumors say it's perilously narrow for ships. With daily whirlpools and rapids, it's infamous as Hell's Coast."
"......"
Everything Carter said was true. His piercing arguments were just as fearsome the second time.
But there was one difference between then and now: Esther had already experienced it all. And that was a tremendous advantage.
"You're right—we must pass the Sabrak Coast. But what if there's a safe way through?"
"How, exactly?"
Esther smiled at Carter's skeptical retort.
He always wore that expression when looking at her. Probably because he knew how lacking she was as Guild Master.
Esther knew her past self had been deficient. But she couldn't yield this time.
"Narrow channels with strong currents should naturally be avoided, but they change with time. Knowing when allows safe passage."
As Esther finished, Krune knocked and entered, handing her the logbook.
The record of those voyage days when she'd thought Father dead.
"Father crossed that coast the same way. Didn't you wonder why he and the crew suffered no losses?"
"Now that you mention it......"
Garan nodded thoughtfully.
In truth, this had been Garan's initial insight.
Recalling how proud he'd been at that meeting a week later when showing the logbook, a smile tugged at Esther's lips.
"The log records times when the tides weaken. Knowing Father as I did, he..."
"......"
"Would never recklessly endanger his crew. And this seems to be the result."
Carter skimmed the densely noted times and current details, letting out a small cough. As if not done, he pressed on.
"But did you forget the reaction to this oil? Everyone recoiled at the stench, like animal dung."
Esther leaned back leisurely, smiling lazily as if still at ease.
Her father's prank was a secret shared only with her, Ete, and the head chef.
"Do you know, Carter?"
"Know what?"
He scowled, displeased by her attitude.
"Actually, the next day. Remember the party celebrating the safe return?"
"Why ask? What does that have to do with..."
"You wolfed down plate after plate, saying the food was amazing, and got sick the next day, right?"
"......"
Carter coughed awkwardly, turning his head.
"Know what Father gave the head chef to put in the food?"
"What are you getting at?"
Dismissing his glare as nonsense, Esther pulled something from her bosom.
"Dran Oil."
"Pardon?"
"The crew couldn't stop eating that day, saying it was so delicious—the chef was swamped."
"......Hm."
"The smell is foul, but cooked into food? Delicious—you tried it yourself. I'm convinced this will greatly boost our profits."
Carter offered no more rebuttals, and the meeting proceeded smoothly. As it ended, the group departed after sorting preparations, showering her with praise.
Last to leave, Carter—uncharacteristically breaking his silence—spoke.
"Well done, Guild Master."
It was the first acknowledgment from him.
Thanks to the trade ship departing safely a week later, they saved far more time than in her previous life. Esther lifted her teacup amid the ship's horn sounding outside the window.
She fervently prayed everyone would return safely this time when a knock came at the door.
"Come in."
"Sorry to disturb you so early, Guild Master."
"What's the matter?"
Esther eyed Dana curiously as she rushed in first thing in the morning.
"The Imperial Palace wishes to discuss you and the Dran Oil."
"Who?"
The follow-up left even Esther stunned.
"The Cr-Crown Prince..."