“The job I’d like to propose is… transportation business.”

Transportation business?!

It was something I hadn’t thought of at all.

What connection could there be between the ability to tame animals and the transportation business?

“Please explain in more detail.”

“In the Eldora Empire, the place where gates appear most frequently is ‘Pandora Forest’ adjacent to the capital. You know that, right?”

“Yes! Of course. It’s also a place I often deploy to.”

The Guildmaster nodded.

“And gates occasionally appear in the provinces too. Unlike the capital, high-rank monsters don’t appear there.”

That was true. S-class or A-class monsters usually appeared in Pandora Forest.

“But that’s how it is now, no one knows how long this state will continue.”

“…Right?”

“It means strong monsters could appear in the provinces too.”

“That’s right.”

“Since strong espers are usually concentrated in the capital, Chelsea Centers with branches in the provinces need to secure means of ‘transportation’. A means to efficiently move espers and guides.”

I nodded solemnly as if I was listening intently.

“Moving by land has many constraints and is slow.”

That’s why Benjamin and Lambert… would leap off the ground and move through the air.

And I, who couldn’t leap, always got delayed in deployment because I had to take a hired carriage.

“You should start an air transportation business.”

“So how exactly…”

At that moment, Bless, who I had kept in my arms, jumped out.

With just one flap of its wings, it landed on the table in front of the sofa.

―Coo coo. Coo-oo coo-oo?

‘Suspicious man. Are you saying to use me?’

“What did it say?”

“It’s asking… if you’re going to say to use it?”

The Guildmaster burst into hearty laughter.

“Hahaha. The bird is smarter than its owner.”

“……”

“That’s right. You tame monster birds, and have people who are slow to move or have no mobility ride on the backs of these monster birds.”

The Guildmaster reached out his hand to Bless and continued.

“Flying high in the sky.”

“……”

“Of course, it doesn’t necessarily have to be monster birds. Any bird that can carry people will do.”

“Oh!”

I opened my eyes wide as if I had forgotten being called dumber than a bird.

“You make money with that. What do you think?”

It was truly a brilliant idea.

Especially for guides like me who are always left behind, with no mobility!

If we could move through the sky riding monster birds like horses, it would reduce travel time and could be a special experience.

A slogan to promote the transportation business even popped into my head.

「You who have never ridden a monster bird!

Once you try it, you might never want to ride a carriage again ^0^

Experience the amazing speed and comfortable ride!」

…Crazy. Doesn’t it make you want to try it so badly? I can feel the vibe of a big hit!

The clear sound of golden coins rolling echoed in my ears like an auditory hallucination.

It was undoubtedly an opportunity to make a fortune.

“Honey! Aren’t you so smart?”

I grasped the Guildmaster’s outstretched hand.

The Guildmaster flinched slightly but didn’t push my hand away.

“Honey… I think I might be able to save my life thanks to you.”

“Your life?”

“There’s something like that.”

But this man. Why is his hand so soft?

Feeling that nice texture, I unconsciously kneaded the Guildmaster’s hand. The Guildmaster flinched again slightly and quietly withdrew his hand.

“Well then, shall we set the commission rate now?”

“Huh? Commission rate?”

“Yes. You weren’t planning to keep all the income from the transportation business for yourself, were you?”

I replied as if it was obvious.

“Yes!”

The Guildmaster shook his head.

“In business, distribution and promotion are fundamental. That’s not something Guide Yerena can do alone.”

“……”

“And I’ll help you connect with Chelsea Center as well.”

It wasn’t a bad proposal.

And if the Guildmaster helped, it would be easier to hide my identity.

After leaving Chelsea Center, I hoped the Allen Knights wouldn’t know my whereabouts.

No, before that, would those guys even be curious about my disappeared whereabouts?

I shook my head.

“Alright. Then how do you want to set the commission rate?”

“7 to 3.”

“Ah. I get 7 and Honey gets 3?”

The Guildmaster wagged his index finger left and right.

“The opposite.”

“What! Are you a con artist?”

“Because I’ll be providing the initial requirements to start the transportation business. Things like an office.”

“Still, 3 is too harsh!”

“Alright. Then 6 to 4.”

This person. Trying to take advantage of me.

As I glared at the Guildmaster, he spoke as if granting a favor.

“How about 5 to 5?”

Even 5 to 5 felt like a loss, but it wasn’t a bad condition considering it was better than 7 to 3.

“Okay. Let’s go with 5 to 5.”

“Thank you.”

“But I have a condition. I’d like you to pay the amount I request in advance.”

The Guildmaster agreed without even hearing the amount.

“Let’s do that.”

“…It’s quite a large sum, you know?”

“I have the ability to lend you that much.”

“So you’re not just Honey, but Rich Honey. Chaebol Honey!”

The Guildmaster neatly cut off my praise.

“Anyway, I’ll summarize what we’ve discussed in a contract and send it to you.”

Such a cold person.

But maybe because he agreed to lend me money, he didn’t seem entirely dislikeable.

“Okay.”

I planned to use the money borrowed from the Guildmaster to pay off my debt to Chelsea Center.

I was slightly worried that I was incurring an even bigger debt, but…

‘Well, it’ll work out somehow.’

A strange confidence arose that the transportation business wouldn’t fail.

I looked down at Bless, who would help the transportation business flourish.

It was interestedly listening to our conversation, alternately looking at me and the Guildmaster.

Then suddenly, a thought occurred to me.

“But isn’t Bless too small… to ride around on as a monster bird?”

How could we ride on something only as big as my palm?

The answer came from the Guildmaster.

“I’m not sure exactly what this monster bird is, but it should be possible to make it grow larger.”

“Really?”

“Yes. There’s even a possibility it could grow large enough to carry several people.”

It was hard to believe that the adorable Bless could transform into something so large.

“Bless, is that true?”

Then Bless answered.

―Coo.Coo.Coo.

“Kuk. Kuk. Kuk. It says.”

So can it grow or not?

The Guildmaster shrugged his shoulders.

“Honestly, I don’t have much more to say about the growth aspect of monster birds. It’s my first time seeing someone who can tame monsters from another world.”

Growth method…

It would be really nice if Bless could become the mascot of the transportation company I’m going to start.

―Coo coo! Coo coo coo! Coo-oo coo-oo.

‘Owner! Don’t worry! My friends will also be your strength.’

“Clever one.”

I recalled the black gate that looked like a black hole. And I also remembered Bless’s friends that had popped out of that gate.

If I could grow them well and create something like a ‘Monster Bird Carriage Only Available for VVIP Customers’, wouldn’t I become so rich my eyes would pop out?

It seemed like people would line up to experience riding monster birds.

Just imagining it made my heart swell.

But it was still uncertain if this was achievable. So it seemed I should start with what I could do now.

That was to tame large birds that could carry people.

Unlike the world I originally lived in, there were some birds here as large as pterodactyls.

I wanted to tame those birds and lay the foundation for the transportation business.

“Honey. Then I’ll be in your care from now on.”

The Guildmaster responded to my words with such nonchalance.

“Understood, darling.”

The strange form of address was a bonus.

“…W-Why are you calling me that?”

“Since we’ve become business partners, ‘darling’ seems more appropriate than ‘customer’, doesn’t it?”

It somehow seemed to make sense.

“Darling. So when and how much of an advance payment should I deposit for you?”

If I were to demand here that he not call me ‘darling’, it felt like he might not give me the money.

And being called ‘darling’ by an unfamiliar man wasn’t all that unpleasant.

Is it because I’ve never dated before?

Or is it because this man’s voice is very nice?

“Would it be possible in the near future?”

“It’s possible.”

The Guildmaster offered a handshake. It was a signal that our deal had successfully concluded.

His hand, which I held again, was warm.

Hoping for the success of our business, I shook the clasped hand up and down.

Having finished the handshake, I was about to leave the guild.

Just as I was flipping my hood on, the Guildmaster called out to me.

“Darling, just a moment.”