The Elder Sister Who Ran Away After Being Cheated by Her Fiancé and Younger Sister - Chapter 11:

Initially, this merchant guild had been consistently circulating funds whether distributing profits among subordinates or reinvesting them rather than hoarding dead capital. Because of this, Estelle had believed they were worth “working something out” for even minor issues.

But around six months ago, the guild master changed, and since then, their behavior had become increasingly suspicious.

A common story.

“I refuse to accept this! You’re impossible to deal with. Fetch Master Cawthorne for me!”

Not that you have any right to order me around.

Cawthorne was Estelle’s predecessor. He had been promoted and replaced by the newly assigned Estelle. He was now her superior.

“The budget doesn’t align. I don’t understand what part of this simple matter you find unacceptable. You’re saying strange things.”

“Who do you think you are, talking down to me like that, you little girl?”

The man snorted contemptuously, looking at her with blatant disdain. Though exasperated, Estelle stood up since the meeting was over.

“Go get Master Cawthorne for me!”

“I’m not going to fetch him. If I call anyone, it’ll be the military police.”

“Huh?”

“You won’t even need to call them. Look, they’re here.”

Contrary to the forceful footsteps, the door opened quietly.

A group of burly men, their bulging muscles barely contained by their uniforms, filed into the room.

Instantly, the room felt much smaller.

“We heard there was someone here insulting our military officers and obstructing their duties.”

Escorted by the efficient military police, the guild representative was led out of the room.

Estelle doubted she would ever see him within the facility again.

◇

Returning to her office, Estelle reported to Cawthorne.

Cawthorne was a middle-aged man of small stature and somewhat broad build, with a timid demeanor. He was exactly the type to be looked down upon by rude guild representatives like the one earlier.

But even so, he was an officer who had survived in the national army. Though he often appeared to be constantly criticized, in reality, he tenaciously evaded and ultimately held his ground. He didn’t win, but he didn’t lose either.

It was a gritty approach, but Estelle held a favorable opinion of her superior.

Above all, he was a devoted husband who had remained faithful to his wife for many years. A quality she admired.

“Thanks for the report. The previous guild master was quite reliable, though…”

“It’s common.”

“Is it really that common?”

“Yes.”

“Such a harsh world…”

Cawthorne let out a deep sigh. Estelle felt the same.

He pulled a bundle of documents from his drawer and handed them to Estelle.

“This is a list of newly applying merchant guilds. I’ve already done some preliminary checks, so just conduct brief interviews with them.”

“Understood.”

“Alright, I’m counting on you.”

Returning to her desk with the documents, Estelle skimmed through the list.

—Huh?

Spotting a familiar name on the list, her heartbeat quickened.

“Petrak Guild.”

It wasn’t that she had completely forgotten, but her days were too busy to dwell on it.

Like the Heinny Guild, the Petrak Guild was a local guild rooted in the frontier. They did have some dealings with the capital, but Estelle doubted they could handle the volume required for military supply contracts.

Wondering what they dealt in, she read through the materials and furrowed her brow.

—I don’t see how this wouldn’t result in a loss.

The expenses were too high. Perhaps they had some kind of advantage?

It wasn’t clear from the brief application materials.

In any case, since the application procedure was correct, she had no choice but to meet with them.

“Sigh.”

She seemed to be sighing a lot today.

◇

Theo, whom she hadn’t seen in years, had—to put it bluntly—taken on a distinctly middle-aged air.

Estelle was inwardly shocked.

His features weren’t bad at all.

But he looked completely worn out.

Even his clothes were shabby not something one would wear to a negotiation.

Perhaps sensing Estelle ‘s speechlessness, Theo gave an embarrassed smile.

That expression was just like the old days, and Estelle felt certain that this man really was Theo.

“Hey, long time no see, Estelle. Remember this? The shirt you picked out for me years ago.”

Only then did Estelle notice. The shirt, which contributed to his mismatched appearance, was far too childish for the grown man he was now.

Back when Estelle had chosen it, he would have been a boy not something for an adult man to wear.

She understood the social gesture of wearing an item gifted by the other party.

But for a grown man to wear childhood clothes to a business meeting, that sensibility was beyond her.

Did he expect her to exclaim, “Oh, how nostalgic!”?

Was Theo really like this?

Tilting her head inwardly, Estelle gestured for him to take a seat on the sofa.

After finishing the interview, which mainly involved supplementary explanations of the documents, Estelle stated clearly, “It would be difficult under the current conditions.”

But she knew that the Petrak Guild was a legitimate business with a history and credibility in the frontier.

Personally, Estelle had many thoughts about the Petrak family, but their track record was respectable.

So, she conveyed that she wasn’t entirely pessimistic about the transaction itself and was willing to consult positively regarding meeting the necessary conditions.

She didn’t know how he took it, but Theo seemed overjoyed.

—Wait, I didn’t say we’d make a contract.

Estelle grew slightly concerned, but if he had normal business sense, he should understand.

Even if Theo didn’t, it was no longer Estelle ‘s concern.

Just when she thought Theo would leave quietly, he began to whine and complain incessantly.

Mostly about what had happened after Estelle left.

It didn’t matter to her, but thinking it might provide useful information, Estelle endured and listened.

However, Theo’s story went far beyond what she had imagined.