I spoke out loud about what made the Guildmaster amazing.

“You solve everything perfectly, know so many things, and even have that strange potato ability……”

“Haha, I am quite amazing.”

“Although you never learned humility, you’re outstanding in many ways, so I bet you’d be good at politics too……”

“Politics?”

“Someone like you should be ruling the country!”

“……”

The Guildmaster, who should have made a joke, was strangely quiet. I added, as if making an excuse.

“The reason I mentioned politics is because I read something about Empress Patricia in the newspaper earlier. The imperial palace seemed as tumultuous as a battlefield.”

The Guildmaster, who should have been boasting that he could live fine without humility, remained quiet.

Maybe I went too far.

“Are you upset because I said you lack humility? You’re not completely without it, you have at least as much as mouse droppings.”

“……”

“Ah. I’ll be generous. You have as much as bird droppings.”

Still, the Guildmaster remained silent. Only then did I realize something was wrong.

“It was a joke, Honey. Are you angry?”

“I……”

The Guildmaster struggled to get out one word, and after a few seconds, continued.

“How could someone like me, who lacks humility, govern a country? It’s absurd. Staying hidden in back alleys for life, concealing everything – that suits me better.”

“……”

I was lost for words at that sharp response. I had never seen the Guildmaster answer so coldly and harshly before.

I felt frustrated, knowing I had made a mistake but not knowing exactly what it was.

The Guildmaster surely wasn’t upset just because I said he “lacked humility.”

If that were the case, I would have been fighting with him all the time.

I couldn’t decide whether to apologize or ask why he was angry.

When I remained silent, heavy air flowed between us.

It was the Guildmaster who broke the silence after a while.

“I’m sorry. I took out my anger unnecessarily. I’ll head back for today.”

The Guildmaster turned around as if refusing to hear my response. His back looked particularly lonely today.

***

The next day, the Guildmaster and I met again at the Ptero station behind my office.

“It’s a perfect day for departure. The weather is clear and wonderful.”

The Guildmaster acted as if he had completely forgotten about yesterday’s argument.

Unless something was wrong with his head, there was no way he could have forgotten last night’s events in just one day.

I had many things I wanted to ask the Guildmaster, but I decided to go along with his exaggerated cheerfulness.

“Even the sky seems to be blessing my move.”

I didn’t want to ask unnecessary questions and become awkward with him again.

Besides, I didn’t think he would honestly answer about his feelings even if I asked. We were just business partners exchanging trivial conversations after all.

We were in a relationship where we couldn’t pry into each other’s circumstances and stories.

This was something I finally realized after last night’s incident.

‘Well, I don’t even know Honey’s real name or face. What more could I expect?’

I stared at the Guildmaster, who had thoroughly hidden his identity.

While my head had accepted our relationship for what it was, my heart hadn’t, and the disappointment lingered.

Come to think of it, this man knows everything about me, isn’t the information gap too severe?

“Let’s get on with this blessed move. Please get on the Ptero.”

I climbed onto the Ptero I had called in advance.

“Well, I’m off then. Take care, and don’t cry because I’m gone.”

If anyone had lingering attachments, it would be me, so I might be the one crying.

Still, I was thankful that Bless would be by my side to wipe my tears.

“Thank you for your kind words.”

Just as I was about to depart for the Philia Islands, the Guildmaster hopped onto the Ptero.

He took a seat behind me and grabbed the reins I was holding.

“Since I might cry if I’m alone, let’s go together.”

The Guildmaster handled the reins skillfully. This wasn’t the technique of someone who had only ridden a Ptero once or twice.

We crossed the sky without much conversation.

We had only flown a little, but the cobalt sea was already coming into view.

I couldn’t take my eyes off the approaching sea, remembering the flight I had shared with Duncan.

Soon, the Ptero landed on a deserted beach hidden by grass.

We told the Ptero to return in two hours and started walking along the beach.

The Guildmaster planned to take me to the inn and then return to the capital.

Walking along the beach more naturally than I did, the Guildmaster’s gaze was fixed on the sea.

“Were you really going to cry if you were left alone?”

The Guildmaster responded frivolously.

“Yes. I was going to cry my eyes out.”

“Do you even cry, Honey?”

“I’m human too. Of course, I shed tears.”

“When was the last time you cried?”

“When I ran away from home.”

“What?”

Ran away from home and cried? That didn’t suit the Guildmaster at all.

He seemed to think the same, chuckling self-deprecatingly.

“Did you cry because you were miserable? Or……”

Because you could never go back?

I couldn’t finish asking that question.

As I swallowed those unspoken words, I remembered my past when I had just possessed this character in the novel.

I, too, used to cry alone late at night, heartbroken by the fact that I could never return to reality.

After all those years of studying….. If I hadn’t fallen into that manhole, I could have lived well as a civil servant…..

But the Guildmaster’s situation was different from mine, who could never return. His home existed in this world, after all.

“Don’t you want to go back home?”

“I didn’t cry because I was miserable, and I have no intention of going back. I’ve cut ties with my mother too. There aren’t many people who would welcome me.”

“So there is at least one?”

“I suppose there might be one?”

“But remember this. I’ll be the person who welcomes you the most.”

To me, who could never return to my original world, the Guildmaster who shared everything with me was the most precious.

He was my valuable companion who would neither threaten nor betray me.

Between Duncan and the Guildmaster, the two men who made my heart flutter these days, I trusted the Guildmaster far more than Duncan.

“I’m honored to be your number one. I should come to the Philia Islands every day.”

“The Ptero usage fee is not free, dear customer.”

“My goodness, what exactly did I teach you?”

“Business mindset, dear customer.”

At my silly response, the Guildmaster finally burst out laughing. His laughter, carried by the sea breeze, was pleasant to hear.

“While we were talking, we’ve arrived at the place I wanted to show you. That building over there will be Jinjijo Transportation’s first branch.”

“That place……”

Surprisingly, it was familiar. It was the general store where Duncan had brought drinks and blankets.

The building, neither too big nor too small, was located where you could see the ocean.

It seemed I would be able to watch the sea while working. I could probably see the sunrise that Duncan loved and the somewhat wistful sunset too.

“Is there a problem? Or do you not like it?”

“No. The view will be nice since it’s near the ocean.”

“At least you won’t be bored while working.”

“Yes, thank you.”

“Well… it’s a building we bought together with our money.”

That was a sound that brought me back to reality from my romantic musings.

“It was a bit expensive because of the ocean view.”

“Will, will I be able to pay it off?”

“Yes. Let’s work together for a long time.”

If that sounded evil, there must be something wrong with my ears.

***

The downtown area of the Philia Islands that we explored while we were at it couldn’t compare to the capital.

There weren’t many shops, and even those looked old.

‘Wearing fancy dresses here would stand out too much.’

Although I had planned to wear dresses freely in the Philia Islands. That was disappointing.

But if there was one good thing, it was the abundance of seafood.

Fish that I couldn’t afford to eat in the capital were everywhere. Along with cute cats eyeing those fish.

I waved hello to a cat that brushed past me.

“Hello, pretty one.”

Then I heard the cat’s low meow.

—Meooow.

‘This human is crazy…..’

The cat didn’t seem to realize how it had understood human speech. Cute thing.

It was so cute that I wanted to let those cotton-like paws step all over me.

“You just looked like an old man.”

Bless, who had been frantically flying above my head exploring the new place, landed on my shoulder and said.

‘I don’t like the Guildmaster much, but I agree with him this time!’

Even you, Bless…..