A week had passed since then.

During that time, Jinjijo Transportation became so busy that I didn’t have a chance to think about Benjamin, whom I had encountered at the Tachis Cathedral.

The Pteros, who had driven away the scale powder of the S-class monster Moth, had become instant heroes, and the Center frequently called for them.

At first, the Center’s Espers and Guides were unfamiliar with the large bird-like Pteros, but they quickly warmed up to them due to their obedient nature.

These days, it’s said that more Guides prefer riding Pteros over getting help from teleporting Espers.

Apparently, they now find Pteros cute or something.

‘Hehe. I can hear the sound of becoming rich.’

The Pteros’ performance played a big part in things going well.

They actively helped people as long as it didn’t endanger their own lives.

For instance, they would use methods like flapping their wings to create wind and distract otherworldly monsters, just as they did with the Moth.

Oh my, such clever creatures.

After the first dispatch, I didn’t go directly to the battlefields anymore.

It was because some people had seen me disappearing while riding the leader Ptero.

I shouldn’t create situations where I might get caught.

Instead of accompanying them to battle sites, I frequently visited the Pteros’ residence to provide them with the food they would find satisfying.

As the official interpreter, I had to be present for all these matters.

At 6 PM, I heard a “Kyaaak!” from the crystal ball used to communicate with the Pteros.

It was a sound that woke me up from dozing off in the office after dispatching the Pteros earlier in the day.

“Did you return safely?”

―Kyaak! Kyaaak!

That’s what they’re saying. They returned safely today too, without a single Ptero getting injured.

“Good work today! It seems no more monsters will appear tonight, so rest well!”

Otherworldly monsters usually appeared only once a day.

In other words, regardless of their number, they rarely exceeded one occurrence per day.

This was knowledge I had gained from my bone-breaking work as a Guide over the past three months.

The Ptero responded to my near-certain statement.

―Kyaaak!

They’re saying, ‘Night snaaack!’

I couldn’t help but smile at that sincere request.

After a big job, a night snack is essential.

“Alright! I’ll send you the most delicious food!”

The Pteros left words of gratitude and ended the communication.

I leaned back in my chair, contemplating what kind of night snack to send the Pteros.

I recently learned that the Pteros, who I thought would only eat meat, actually quite like vegetables too.

Among them, they especially like potatoes…

“Should I ask Honey for some potatoes?”

We could supply potatoes in abundance.

I had Honey, the self-proclaimed ‘Wholesale King of Potatoes’—he said it himself.

Where could the Potato Prince, the Guildmaster, be now?

He seemed so busy today that he hadn’t visited my office even once.

Perhaps he became even busier because of what I told him a few days ago.

I recalled the conversation we had that day.

“Honey, you know how recently there was one time the Pteros couldn’t deploy?”

“Yes.”

Why couldn’t they deploy then?

It was related to the monster that appeared at that time.

The A-class monster ‘Nessie’. It was a monster that emerged from a deep lake, resembling a plesiosaur with a long, thin neck and a plump body.

I had never seen a monster appear from water before. They say it had appeared just once before, and it’s a monster that’s rarely seen.

Nessie, simply put, was a water monster, and the Pteros showed reluctance to its appearance.

If their wings got wet near the lake, it could endanger their lives.

Understanding their concern, I didn’t make them deploy that day.

Fortunately, Baron and Lambert, who had been released from probation, easily dealt with Nessie, I heard.

Well, even without seeing the battle, I could imagine how they killed Nessie.

Baron would have used telekinesis to float above the lake, and Lambert would have reinforced his legs to avoid sinking into the lake.

In contrast, how were the other Espers?

They say they couldn’t even get near Nessie.

I thought it would be good to have a collaborator who could operate in water. And I expressed this thought to the Guildmaster.

“Do you think there might be creatures that could help Espers and Guides in the water?”

The Guildmaster said he would look for suitable ones.

I had also been reading various books over the past few days, looking for animals and monsters living in the Eldora Empire, but I couldn’t gauge which one would be suitable.

Animals were too weak, and there were hardly any monsters living in water.

It would be great if there was a creature that could function on land but also breathe underwater, with a sturdy body and a reasonably large size.

At that moment, Bless flew in through the open window.

Bless had just returned from a walk.

He landed on the desk where I was sitting and spread his small wings wide.

He looked like he had something urgent to say.

“What’s wrong? Did something happen during your walk?”

I asked while gently scratching under his chin.

Bless moved his small beak incessantly, as if he had been waiting for this.

―Kyuuuu! Kyukyu!

“You saw a pitiful monster that seemed to be abused?”

Bless nodded his head vigorously.

“What do you want me to do?”

―Kyuuuuu!

‘Let’s go rescue it!’

Of course, I wanted to help a poor creature in danger too.

But I didn’t respond immediately because practical thoughts came to mind.

‘Can I, without any abilities, rescue an abused monster?’

I was doubtful.

At that moment, as if reading my concerns, Bless started to peck gently on the back of my hand.

―Kyuuu! Kyuukyuu!

‘Why hesitate! You’re with me.’

I couldn’t help but laugh at those confident words. This tiny creature was fearless, perhaps too fearless.

If this creature, hundreds of times smaller than me, could be so confident, what was I worrying about?

I stood up, having been sitting for a long time.

“Alright. Let’s go and see!”

Bless, seemingly pleased with my decision, slipped into my robe.

We were ready for action.

***

I hate getting hurt or dying to an unbearable degree.

That’s why Yerena escaped from the three ruffians before being torn to shreds by the spider monster.

Well, what human wouldn’t fear death?

That’s why I might not be able to actively help the “seemingly abused monster”.

Bless might be disappointed, but it couldn’t be helped. In this world, there are things you can do and things you can’t.

But the Honey Guildmaster, unlike me, seemed capable of rescuing that monster.

The reason I was moving now was because Honey was behind me.

As I left the office, I even left a message, just in case.

「Honey. I’m going out with Bless for a bit.

And you know what? This is really just in case… If you’re worried about me, please attach a parrot to me like before. Your white parrot was really pretty. Hehe.

I miss it.」

Honey was watching me wherever I was, even knowing the location of the log cabin that the three ruffians and Rosie couldn’t figure out.

So if I were to fall into danger, wouldn’t he come to rescue me?

‘But since I plan to just quietly observe, I shouldn’t end up in danger.’

Bless suggested we take a carriage to get near there.

I thought that would be better too, so I hailed a hired carriage.

The destination was the G-2 sector of Pandora Forest.

The G sector was an area where gates rarely appeared.

Hence, it was a place where animals and monsters native to the Empire lived relatively well.

If you ask what the difference between animals and monsters is, I could answer simply.

The crucial difference between the two lies in their ‘potential for evolution’.

In other words, monsters could evolve from D-grade to S-grade. On the other hand, animals underwent natural selection and became less active.

Usually, smaller entities could be considered animals.

Anyway, since gates rarely appeared in the G sector, the probability of encountering the three ruffians was extremely low.

Even if a gate were to appear by some chance, I could escape before the Center’s Espers were dispatched.

Because I brought the Center’s watch with me!

‘Hehe. I thought there might be a chance to use it so I didn’t throw it away, and now the day has come.’

Fortunately, there hasn’t been any notification of monster appearances yet.

“By the way, Bless, about that monster. What does it look like? Tell me in detail.”