Formicea
Chapter 208

<What do you mean? My family is obviously coming with me!> (E)

Why would she make it sound like this isn't the case?

<Is that so? I see issues with taking your family to your hive. Your father, maybe, but the others are bound.> (L)

<I, I don't understand.> (E)

<You don't? It's quite simple. Your mother is assigned to Princess Honiu, and therefore going to stay by her side in the human main settlement. Your 'brother' is similarly invested in his studies as a scholar.> (L)

<My mother is going to stay in the capital? Why am I only now hearing about this?> (E)

<Because you seldom show interest in my mother's commands or try to avoid them entirely. It was decided that Honiu would remain in her current position. Her handling of the affairs in the human main dwelling was exceptional. Aside from the fact that she allowed your capture, that is. Therefore, she will be allowed to continue with her role as an intermediary and build her own hive at this location. Establishing our presence in this region will allow our swarm to keep the humans in check.> (L)

<You're saying my mother is going to permanently stick with Honiu in her hive?!> (E)

Hell will I just agree to this!

<Your mother is Princess Honiu's personal nurse. A role that will neither allow her to stop nor does she actually wish for its cessation. Your brother, on the other claw, what kind of role would you see for him in your hive? He won't be able to continue his studies in the chamber of knowledge if he has to leave, and you can't provide him with a similarly stimulating environment. At least not yet.> (L)

I can't accept this!

<Do you have any idea how important family is to humans? For a short time, it's manageable, but you can't rip us apart like this!> (E)

<Given how many humans requested in the past days that I'd allow them to return to their families, I have an idea, thank you. For this reason, I worked out an alternative for you.> (L)

Should I be grateful or dreadful about Liseti focusing on managing my family?

<What alternative are you speaking about?> (E)

<Simple. Your brother will continue his studies until he learns the absolute basics of a scholar. His training was already adjusted in this regard. Once this is taken care of we'll send him to Honiu.> (L)

<Honiu!?> (E)

Like I would entrust my whole family to her!

<Despite your different judgment, Honiu is quite accommodating towards your family. She listens to your mother more often than not, and I doubt she'd agree to any harm befalling them. Your brother, on the other claw, would be able to fulfill a meaningful role in this 'capital'.> (L)

<What kind of role are you talking about?> (E)

<As you already brought up and Honiu confirmed not too long ago, there is this human version of the chamber of knowledge that you referred to as 'library'. As I brought it up to her, Mother decided that it would be a worthy cause to copy any knowledge we can procure from this place and add it to our own chambers of knowledge. We will need an enormous number of scholars for such a task, but it will be worth it. Your brother in this regard would have it easier to mingle with the associated human personal. I noticed how the scholars are causing distress to most humans. For this reason, he'd have an honorable position as our representative. Your father should accompany him for this because of his early maturity stage.> (E)

I kinda wish I could retort to this.

Unfortunately, it's making sense.

Building my hive is going to bring quite a lot of necessary trouble with it.

My family would probably not be well-accommodated.

Not even taking into account the risk of having them mingle with other humans who may hate all who are with the giant insects now.

Honiu at least knows how to take care of such matters.

At any rate, I didn't hear of any greater clash or similar issues during the time I handled the negotiations.

She dealt with all of them.

Furthermore, it's even that time for me when a girl of my age would have to think about leaving the parental household and becoming independent, whether that be through marriage or supporting myself through only my own efforts.

Although I suppose neither of those options are available to me now.

I’m fairly certain marriage is no longer in my prospects, and I wouldn’t be allowed to live on my own even if I wanted to.

However, I will be creating my own hive, my own home, along with all of my brood.

Yet I certainly don't have the means to take care of my family at this time.

I fear I'm not even quite ready to take care of myself yet.

I'll need to remedy this!

<Fine. I get your point. But I'll eventually make it so they'll be back at my side, understood?> (E)

<As you say. But then you should be able to provide an appropriate environment. I'm anticipating how your hive is eventually going to turn out. I'm sure it's going to be very special.> (L)

Yeah, yeah, cause I am "special".

Not necessarily meant in a benevolent way.

As I caught up Liseti for long enough, I bid her farewell and depart.

Seems like I now have a personal mission to fulfill.

For this reason, I move with renewed vigor straight towards my new goal.

And if I say straight, I mean straight, as I jump right off the next ledge, catching my fall with my wings.

Just then, during the descent, I perceive Kyska speaking up.

<My princess, I can't follow you if you act like this. Neither can the flight-incapable members of your escort. It's a problematic habit to do so on a regular basis without a substantial reason for such haste.> (K)

Oh right.

Kyska... has no wings.

Damn, just now I felt a little less bad about how I executed Gioras.

I flap my wings and ascend back to her.

<Sorry, Kyska. I forgot for a moment.> (E)

<Now that you're already up in the air, I think you should go all the way. It can't be on me that my princess is held back.> (K)

In my opinion, having got limbs cut off is a convincing reason to ask for a bit of consideration.

Yet this is no argument a dedicated nurse such as Kyska is going to take from me.

So I head back down, closely followed by the flight-capable insects of my escort.

Yet I would like to have Kyska by my side.

I absolutely have to look into having her wings restored.

I mean, I got mine from nothing, and with all the manipulation of humans I saw Honiu doing, having one pair of wings grown back shouldn't be demanding too much.

Yet it clashes a bit with my current focus on hive establishing.

However, no matter what I choose to do, there can be only one suitable location.

The chamber of knowledge!

Yep, I need to gather everything I can about the peculiarities of hive establishing, and where else to look but in the direct recollection of the experiences of former princesses?

As I can approach in a straight line, the time I need to cover the distance isn't even comparable to how it would've been if I'd been walking.

I'm sorry for Kyska, but it would've really cut into study time.

So I arrive, but notice that somehow Miwa is already there, apparently having flown here at a breakneck speed while I was still dealing with Kyska.

Next to her are the scholars who tend to this place.

<Princess Erys. Your coming was anticipated. I'm Likriades if you remember my insignificant self.> (Likriades)

Uh, I guess I met this guy before.

But it's been quite some time and the memories are hazy.

Seems like I'm the only one who was unaware that I should have started preparing since long ago.

I'll just try glossing over it.

<Hello. Good to see you're so prepared. I wanted to study all you got about hive establishing. Also, if there's still time, about how one induces mutations in a living being.> (E)

Can't forget about Kyska.

Again...

<Naturally. We'll guide you to the respective pheromone pods. We have just the right kind of escort for you on this.> (L)

Why does this sound as if I'm in for a weird surprise?

Just then, I take notice of how the other scholars part way for a smaller, likely much younger one.

The pheromone imprint tells me enough that, before he even speaks, I already know what he'll say.

<Mother.> (D)

I guess that's the scholar of my brood already training here.

What was his name again?

Dimion!

Yes, that was it!

And I do not only know because of the convenient pheromone marking.

It's kinda weird to look at this small scholar.

Apparently, they don't grow as fast as some other drones, who are within a month already a juvenile version of their adult forms.

This one is still almost two heads smaller than the average scholar.

The fact that those tend to look rather skinny and move with the grace of a person too frail for sudden movements doesn't make him appear any more mature.

However, the head is already quite big and the many arms and legs, albeit thin ones, are already as pronounced as with the adult scholars.

I'd assume it also shows the same kind of intelligence innate to our thinker class.

To be honest, dealing with those capable of clearly conveying their thoughts is more difficult for me with all the adoration I usually receive in the process.

<Please follow, Mother. I'll guide you to the pheromone pods you need.> (D)

Huh, I didn't expect him to be so indifferent.

Yet being all business-like is something I can work with.

So I follow them into the depths of the swarm's assembled cultural knowledge.

There I'll have to learn all I can if I don't want to face some nasty surprises, which means lots of learning hours for me.

However it may turn out, one thing is for sure.

My break is officially over!