Chapter 3: An Unexpected Visitor

Emma opened the heavy wooden gate with a steady hand.

Standing outside was not the rough-looking debt collector she had imagined.

Instead, a well-dressed man in his fifties stood beside a horse-drawn cart. His gray robe was plain but clean, and his neatly trimmed beard gave him a dignified appearance. Behind him, a young assistant held a wooden box.

The man bowed politely.

"Lady Emma."

Emma hesitated before returning the greeting.

"Good morning."

"I heard your health has improved."

His voice was gentle, yet Emma sensed he was carefully studying her expression.

"I've been fortunate."

He smiled faintly.

"That is good to hear."

There was a brief silence.

Then he sighed.

"I came regarding the debt, but... after hearing of your illness, I thought it best to visit in person."

So Ethan had been right.

A creditor.

Emma stepped aside.

"Please, come in."

---

The sitting room was modest.

The tea set was chipped, but polished. The wooden table had been repaired several times.

Emma quietly poured tea while trying to remember the fragments of memory left behind by the original owner.

Then it came.

Mr. Carter.

A tea merchant.

An old friend of Daniel's.

Unlike the others, he had never demanded payment with threats.

Mr. Carter accepted the tea with both hands.

"I'll be honest, Lady Emma."

"You owe me three shipments' worth of tea leaves."

"I know."

"But..." he continued, "...I didn't come expecting payment today."

Emma looked up in surprise.

"I came because your husband once helped me when my own business nearly failed. I haven't forgotten that kindness."

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Finally, Mr. Carter placed a folded paper on the table.

"The debt can wait until winter."

Emma blinked.

"What?"

"You heard me."

"My only request is this."

He glanced toward the courtyard, where Ethan and Lily were chasing each other around the old persimmon tree.

"Don't let this house disappear."

Emma followed his gaze.

Lily's laughter echoed through the quiet yard.

Ethan pretended to be annoyed, but he slowed his steps so his little sister could catch him.

The house suddenly didn't feel so empty.

Emma folded the paper carefully.

"...Thank you."

Mr. Carter stood to leave.

At the doorway, he paused.

"Oh, one more thing."

"The Autumn Market begins in ten days."

"If you can bring even a few good products, people may remember that the Hawthorne Merchant House is still open."

With that, he climbed into his cart and disappeared down the dusty road.

---

That evening, Emma sat alone with the account books.

Ten days.

The merchant house had almost nothing left to sell.

The shelves were nearly empty.

The storeroom held only a few sacks of dried beans, some honey, several jars of pickled vegetables, and bolts of ordinary linen.

She rubbed her forehead.

"How am I supposed to rebuild a business with this?"

Just then, Lily quietly placed something on the table.

It was a small copper coin.

Emma looked at her in confusion.

Lily lowered her head.

"I've been saving it..."

"For your medicine."

Emma's throat tightened.

Before she could speak, Ethan walked over and placed two more coins beside his sister's.

"I earned these helping Mr. Miller stack firewood."

"They're not much..."

"...but they're ours."

Emma stared at the three worn coins.

To anyone else, they were almost worthless.

To these children...

They were everything.

She gently pushed the coins back toward them.

"No."

The children looked confused.

Emma smiled warmly.

"Keep your savings."

She reached across the table and took one small hand in each of hers.

"We're going to rebuild this merchant house together."

For the first time since arriving in this strange world, Emma wasn't simply surviving.

She had found a reason to stay.

And in ten days, the Autumn Market would decide whether their new beginning was possible.

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