[Chapter 23 –The first quest – Part 2]

I couldn't care less about his gesture, neither for his words, I only had to ensure the safety of the convoy and nothing more.

As such I nonchalantly gestured Vix to answer him while starting to head towards one of vehicles.

"The team is already here, no need to wait anymore"

I could sense Vix communicating my intentions to the sweaty merchant.

She added a bit of intimidation to the mix though, as she showed him her triangular and sharp teeth, slowly licking them with her long purple tongue.

The merchant was momentarily petrified, he felt to be observed as the hunter would to his prey.

However he soon saw Vix heading toward my direction, not caring anymore about him. Indeed, we had been engaged to protect him and his goods until appointed destination.

Five minutes later that we had entered the second vehicle of the convoy, the doors suddenly closed and we began to move.

During our first day of travel we didn't encounter any real travel. Furthermore the road that connected the two cities was guarded on its own in certain locations. As such the convoy had been attacked only by a pack of beasts once.

It was a pack of ten canine monsters, they had grey uniform fur and long sharp fangs. Nonetheless their physique wasn't as strong, their size were only about 1,5 metres long.

Our teamwork was remarkable too, since we could have fast interactions with our telepathic speech.

Well Dock was not included, since his firearm was effective only in close range he didn't fight at all.

I left a big portion of the beasts we killed for Vix and Zaha to eat, since they could still grow as they didn't reach the adult stage yet.

Other than this little fight we spent most of our time in familiarizing between us. Since from the encounter with my first servant didn't pass that many days.

Due to the bond between me and my real servants we already felt like a family, but Dock has been contracted by the system. The only thing that was keeping him in check was fear, thus we needed to get more in touch.

To make things clear, I didn't want him to become part of what I considered my family.

I didn't trust anyone other than my own kin, but I wanted him to be more relaxed and to respond better to my orders.

This was exactly the point, I didn't want him to get motivated only by fear.

Thus the leash named Vix that I had put around his neck had to become something more of a friend, but this change had to be rather gradual.

Our conversations usually divided in three possible ways, I and Vix would generally chat about our hunts and the powers we had unlocked.

Another one was between Zaha and Dock, she generally retained her gentle behaviour and would quietly chat telepathically with him.

As I was her master I could eavesdrop on them quite easily, and I have to say that Dock knows a lot of useless stuff.

Like a lot of terms to describe things that I hadn't never heard before. At this point I'm becoming quite curious from were he did learn all of these strange words.

Regarding the third type of communication , it was between Dock and Vix, but consisted more of intimidations. However I think that she felt a little of my intentions, as she was becoming less creepy.

Then at the start of our second day of march,

I decided to exchange a few words with him.

[Well Dock, how do you feel inside the team? You can inform Vix in the future for any necessities you might need.]

Hearing my voice he appeared a little startled, but in a few seconds replied nonetheless.

In fact I will indeed put him to work after this quest.

[Y-Yes master, I will make myself useful]

Hearing his answer I sensed some confusion coming from his words.

Obviously he didn't want to disrespect me, but I think he thought to be of no use to me. Although I indeed value strength a lot, he is of another use to me.

[You see, Dock, I won't remain in this lowly planet forever. Sooner or later I'll have to move onto the main planets of the union.

But to do so either way I embark on a mercantile convoy or I'll have navigate from one planet to another by using the teleportation stations.

However we both now that the first method would be rather risky while the second really slow due to its high cost.]

As soon as I interrupted my speech inviting him to continue, Dock understood what I really wanted from him.

[You want me to build you a spaceship right? But that would cost really a lot of coins and would be needed a lot more labour power too.

Master Xeno, even if you want a very basic model it isn't as simple as it seems, even more in an F rank planet like ours.]

He indeed understood my intentions, but he was clearly underestimating me.

[Do not worry, I will give you all the necessary means to proceed with the building. I want a very basic starting model, but it will need to be upgradable in the future.

As for the helpers you might need, I will provide them too, I have my ways.

Soon after we come back from the mission I will purchase more space to our new apartment, in there you will proceed in the construction.

In case Vix will be out for a quest I'll leave another contact.

I want my spaceship ready in about two years, beware that we need just a very basic model for now, we'll upgrade it later on.]

Dock imprinted on his thick skull all of my demands and stood silent, deeply absorbed in his thoughts.

Although I couldn't directly hear his thoughts, he was looking at me rather sceptical, he clearly didn't think I could gain such resources in only two years.

[Sincerely this time frame is too little, I'm not omnipotent.

Without the right materials and devices, in only two years I doubt the final product would be very stable, furthermore to make it upgradable I will need to buy more knowledge from the system.]

In his reply he seemed rather worried to make us travel with an unstable vehicle. I'm a little touched, his character doesn't seem that bad.

But he clearly misunderstood the situation here.

[I see, you are right and seem to have a clear picture of your capabilities. Although you didn't think of a particular point, you better make the best ship of your arsenal.

Since you are coming with us.]

This 'revelation' left him speechless, on the other hand I considered it pretty obvious. It's not like I can't learn how to actually drive the spaceship.

But I'll surely need a team related to more complicated stuff, obviously needed for its upgrades or to eventually fix it after a fight.

In my head he is actually part of this very team already, its only member though.

Ended the initial shock Dock understood that in the future he will probably embark in a rather perilous adventure in the vast space.

But in the company of battle crazed scary looking aliens. I could sense his dreams of a serene and peaceful life completely shatter.

He couldn't resist anymore, suddenly jumped straight up and rushed towards the door.

Then a strange sight occurred, his left hand tried repeatedly to open the damn door but his right one held firm on it.

The contract with the system openly manifested, it reflected the fact that Dock was going against my interests.

Anyway soon Vix grabbed him on his waist and put him back onto his seat. One of her menacing looks were enough to put him to his place.

[I'm sorry master, it was an instinctive action. I swear I will make the ship you desired, but I will need quite a few coins even to start with it.]

Calmed a little, Dock expressed his final statement. As such I ensured him again to respect my part too.

Ten minutes later the convoy suddenly stopped, a loud alarm sounded from the vehicle in front of us.

From the intensity of the signal we understood that this time we weren't against a pack of beasts.

On the contrary we encountered a group of bandits.