Arriving at Maersk headquarters, the three of them were guided by a staff member up to the chairman's office.

"Why am I this nervous? It's not even our chairman we're meeting."

Byeong-jin wiped his palms on his trousers over and over and glanced back at Jeong-cheol Choi.

"And this one's just frozen solid."

"A-Am I going in too?"

Jeong-cheol Choi asked carefully, worried whether a mere secretary ought to be entering at all.

Seong-ho gave his shoulder a light pat.

"Don't worry. Just stay beside me. And you need experiences like this — it's how you learn to handle whatever situation comes up later. Isn't that right?"

"…Yes, sir. I'll do my best."

Seong-ho watched with a smile as the trembling in Jeong-cheol Choi's body finally subsided.

After a short while, a man who appeared to be Mortensen's secretary approached them.

"The Chairman will see you now."

Rising from their seats, Seong-ho and the others followed the secretary toward the chairman's office.

Knock, knock.

Mortensen's secretary knocked, opened the door, and said to Seong-ho,

"Please go in."

Seong-ho thanked him and stepped inside.

"Welcome."

The elderly gentleman, dressed now in an immaculate suit rather than his restaurant clothes, greeted Seong-ho warmly.

"Everyone has been waiting for you, President Kim."

Chairman Mortensen was not alone in the office.

Seated on the sofas were figures of roughly Mortensen's age, along with a man and a woman who looked somewhat younger.

Mortensen personally guided Seong-ho in and introduced the people seated there.

"Say hello. These are our company's finance officer and our vessel procurement officer. And this is our vice-chairman, who also serves as deputy chair of the shipping alliance, and this is…"

Mortensen introduced the Maersk executives one by one.

Listening to the introductions, Byeong-jin broke into a cold sweat, rigid with tension.

Does that man not feel nerves at all?

Watching Seong-ho greet them as easily as if they were executives at his own company, Byeong-jin clicked his tongue in disbelief.

"A pleasure to meet you all. I'm Seong-ho Kim, President of Ilhyeon Heavy Industries, from the Republic of Korea. This…