Chapter 35: A Faint Smile

"Actually, today you don't have to go hunting, Kat." Seb, who was watering his potato plant with a wooden bucket, said.

Carrying her quiver and bow, Kat glanced at Seb, then started walking. "Okay."

"She will try to tame the beast again." Walking over to Seb, Leva said as she shouldered her pickaxe, ready to mine.

I purposely let Leva not help Manu today. The woman seemed to need some entertainment with mining.

"Oh, I see." Seb nodded.

"It's your first time taming, isn't it, Kat? Remember, taming animals takes time." Leva spoke to the amber-eyed girl. "So be patient. Don't give up."

Kat paused, looked at Leva for a moment, nodded at the red-haired woman, then started walking again.

"Good luck!" Seb half-shouted.

I looked at Leva and Kat in turn. Hmmm... Who am I going to follow this time, huh?

"So, has there been any progress from your mining?" Seb asked the woman.

Leva shrugged. "Well, back then I detected a location with a new mineral, but I don't think it's silver. Maybe iron. I'm not sure I'll keep digging that place or look elsewhere. Nobody can process iron here."

"Just mine the iron, Leva." I said into the woman's ear. "Maybe there will be a new colonist or Manu will learn smithing. It's better than going home with nothing."

"I go first." Leva said goodbye. "Keep up the good work on that venison, Seb."

Seb took a deep breath. "Please, don't remind me again. I do love to cook, but if I'm just making jerky and pemmicans all the time, I'll get really bored."

While Leva said goodbye to the others, I looked at Kat, who was already quite far away.

If I follow Leva, I only see her mining. It looks like it will be more interesting to watch Kat's progress in taming the animal.

Finally, I trailed Kat. I pressed the fast-forward button, and within seconds, we were at the spot where Kat found the dog.

Kat looked around, and soon the dog came out of a bush. I noticed that the animal's legs were no longer shaking.

The girl took out the innards of the female deer grilled yesterday to so it doesn't stink, then put it on the ground. This time, she didn't leave and stayed there waiting.

At first, the animal froze for a moment before finally coming to the food and sniffing it, then eating it.

Kat knelt and reached out to stroke the dog's head. However, the beast jumped back, bared its teeth, lowered its body, and growled. He was ready to attack.

Kat raised her hand and walked backward.

Hmmm... It looks like this is going to take quite a while.

I turned on the fast-forward feature to the max. Everything went unbelievably fast. The moon and sun alternately move in the sky. I occasionally check whether the schedule I made for my colonists is going well. However, since no auto-pause has occurred, it means that nothing dangerous has happened yet.

I need to pay more attention to Leva. I won't let that woman invite anyone else to have sex again.

On the seventh day of game time, since the moment Kat met the dog, everything went back to normal automatically.

[New pet acquired]

Kat crouched down and rubbed the head of the dog, who was now eating the piece of meat from the wild chicken that Kat had just gotten that afternoon.

"Good boy, good boy." Kat's mouth formed a smile.

Huh? Did Kat smile?

I watched the girl's face intensely. Now, her expression had returned to its original state, as flat as a block of wood.

"Show me your smile again, Kat!" I begged her.

Unfortunately, the girl's lips didn't move an inch now. I had to turn on the replay button for the last few seconds.

Indeed, she smiled. Even though it was faint, it was a lovely smile. I spent a few minutes enjoying the view.

After that, Kat rose to her feet and gestured for the beast to follow her. The dog walked behind Kat, sticking out its tongue, wagging its tail, and staring at its new master with sparkling eyes.

Damn. Even this dog is more expressive than you, Kat.

***

When Kat returned to her colony, Leva went straight to the dog. "Look, we have a new member!"

However, the dog immediately took a fierce pose, ready to attack again. Leva immediately raised her hands, refraining from rubbing the beast's head. "Relax, boy. I will not hurt you."

The dog calmed down as Kat rubbed his body.

"Well, he's still newly tamed, so he's not very friendly with the others yet." With a slight bow, Leva studied Kat's new pet. "What's his name?"

"Rox." Kat answered.

"Why did you give him such a name, Kat?"

"Because I chose that name."

Leva snorted at Kat's answer. "That's not what I mean …. Argh! Okay, now his name is Rox!" The red-haired woman looked at the dog again. "Hopefully I can be your friend too, Rox!"

As Seb and Manu walked up to them, Rox took a ready-to-attack pose to defend himself again.

"It's okay. They are not a threat." Kat crouched down and stroked Rox's body again.

"Hmmm …. Actually, this is a good start. His attacking instincts were still there. If properly trained, he'll make a great companion for this colony, Kat." Manu rubs his beard. "He can keep watch and accompany you while hunting."

"I'm more of a cat person, but I'm still happy because we have new friends." Seb flashed his signature big smile.

"But, it seems that someone is not happy that this dog is here." Manu looks towards a tree.

Pif seemed to be peeking out from behind the tree.

"What are you doing there, brat!? Why are you hiding like that!?" Leva called out in a loud voice. "Come here to meet our new friend!"

"Hell no!" Pif sounded like he was about to cry. "And don't bring that ugly fanged beast near me!"

"Hey, why are you talking like that!?" Leva walked up to Pif, but the young man ran away.