'How did I do! Ratatoskr? I brought you one of the Grade Eight Calamity's heads! Wait, why is your face pale? Is this not good enough!?'
Deep inside, you're disappointed but everything has its process. Making enemies will be detrimental for you in the long run, if only you can gain your current leader's approval, it will be much easier to spread your influence within the Assailant Department.
Your aim is not mere relationship and trust, that is the aftermath. Your endgame goal is to raise your influence and gather as much information as you can, strengthen yourself to convince others that you're a Primordial—even though you're not, and lastly, weaponry.
Seeking a compromise to get your own workshop on the Engineering department or even Research dept will surely be beneficial for you as the Flower of Perspicacity raises your intellect like that of a genius. Then again, your heightened mind can't comprehend why Ratatoskr who is in front of you is standing stiffer than a marble statue. Despite you showing your kindest smile.
Thoughts run rampant in your mind as your ego fluctuates.
'Wait! Don't tell me that it's because I didn't follow through her command!? Looking at it again, a strategist usually deems their pawn worth on how good they are at following orders, even a god slayer wouldn't be much of a great teammate if their ears harbored an infection!'
But you feel like you did the job better, despite not following orders, probably because of the last blunder that almost risked everyone in the team. Your stomach sinks in guilt.
The inside of the tiltrotor is also a mess, though the others didn't really mind it.
'Don't tell me the leader is a clean freak!?'
If that is the case, the flesh and intestines you and Lues pulled into the aircraft would've been the reason she's in such distress!
With a hastened flick, you command your Chi of Decidit to absorb every spilled guts and organs without touching the individuals. After having all the smithereens within your artifact, the augmented blood melts the impurities. You can feel something different on the Chi of Decidit after you do that, this needs to be researched later.
With a wide proud smile, you have successfully cleaned everyone and everything inside the vehicle! As if you're a new janitor still in a fresh motivated state with your artifact as the mop and bucket.
The sour expression on Ratatoskr is dulled into awe, as if she misunderstood you from the beginning. Ignoring the grand scheme of things, it will be nice if you can have a non psycho friend along the way.
Just like the usual, the leader makes a weird pose to regain her composure, standing on one feet with two clawing gestures to the side. "In any case! We've successfully retrieved the artifact! Good job! Good job!" She then makes a weird face expression akin to those cheesy kung fu poses. "And also congratulations to the two of our new members."
Ratatoskr then offers her hands forward and continues, "We might be a ragtag full of misfits, but I hope we can get along."
"Indeed." You shake her hands, not long after you think that everything is fine, her expression is plastered with that obnoxious sourness again. It tells you that everything is not fine between the two of you as it seems, it might only be a senior way of not showing their true nature and let the junior feel satisfaction by getting close with them despite being reluctant.
Thinking about it makes your face also go sour like the one in front of you, the handshake ends up becoming a long awkward session for everyone in the 'helicopter'. Lues, meanwhile, feels disappointed as instead of getting more dominance and fear, the reindeer girl is haggling in the presence of the crimson devil with no hesitation or horror in her eyes.
"1,000 KC. I can also pay you weekly for the next one month in 100 KC. At least allow me to buy the Sun Marble from Yaksa Raja, it will be a tremendous asset for both of us with this offer," says Woez in rapid succession. A reluctant grin can be seen on Lues' face but she immediately sprays more shots before Lues can say anything. "I also have Vasaj's bone marrow, two dark crystals, and a medium sized mana crystal—"
"Not my Vasaj's bone marroowww!'' Ratatoskr moans as her hand is still shaking with you.
Lues immediately float to your back, cowering in fear from shady offers and transactions. "Pitka! Handle that scary businesswoman for me!" she says while gritting her sharp teeth.
"Ugh.."
It's true that you're planning on giving the crew more loot, but the sun marble seems to be working differently from a real sun and your interest is piqued from the differences. Then again, for the sake of developing a good relationship, you need to let that sun marble go.
"I'll take 500 KC, one 'Dark Crystal', then the beast is yours," you say, as you're curious about what this Dark Crystal she is talking about.
"I think your offer is a steal. Do know that Yaksa Raja's body parts are heavily sold more than 10,000 KC in the market with their high durability and resistance. I'm offering most of what I have with no intention of actually gaining a great offer. So think more of your decision."
'Holy shit! 10,000 KC minimum! Indeeds, this is a great steal for her, then again. My goal is to raise favorability, not money. It's better to let that pink haired psycho earn those instead of me actually paying for the debt.'
You glance at Lues, who is probably going to follow your decision regarding this. It seems like she is also interested in the 'Dark Crystal'.
"Give me both of the 'Dark Crystal'." you say, as Lues gives her thumbs up to you. "As long as I can sleep and savor more scrumptious cuisines, then money isn't an issue. Just take it as a token of generosity."
Her tired eyes seem to narrow that much further. It must've felt quite unfair to have an offer this good, but it would be even more unfair to pass such an offer too. Judging by her silence, that was the dilemma she was wrestling with. Morality and benefits.
But you weren't there to debate about it.
"If you don't want it, I don't care either." You cross your arms off from the awkward eternal handshake, forcing her to make a decision already.
"Fine." A sigh after the answer. "You've got yourself a deal."
"Some people just need to be prod before making decisions, don't they? How unbecoming." The whining of the crimson devil didn't escape your ears as you gave the Aekha a solemn agreement.
And so comes to an end the first expedition. Though you are still certain the captain is still wary of you in some sort of sense and who knows what else Lues was gonna try and do because it's Lues but from this small interaction, you feel a bit more calm.
"Let's unpack the goods in the loot center. " The flat voice of Woez breaks your bubble.
The business deal isn't quite over yet. Quite the timing, the behemoth wall of Amos Citadel can be seen through the glass window.