Formicea
Chapter 212

So it's time I get into studying.

Toris was right, it definitely helps to identify things one should commonly watch out for.

It also makes me realize where I need to prepare a bit more.

However, a bit into my studies, a pressing concern arises, and I decide to take my leave.

<Ahem, I think we'll call it a day here. This was very helpful, and we should definitely go for another session. But as I told Dimion, acting on insights is also important. And you, Toris, I hope you keep up your studies. I'm sure they'll one day pay off for you. I wish I could stay and spend some more time with you, but I need to leave now. I realize there's a lot to do.> (E)

I need to confer with Uma about my plans, send notifications to Valera for materials and help I need, and set up a meeting with a certain merchant.

Who would've thought I'd become so busy?

I need to admit that I'm slightly overwhelmed by all the things that suddenly plop up.

Speaking of which:

Yeah, I made it out of the chamber of knowledge just in time.

Having a laying session just there, with all the scholars, would've been a bit much.

However, while I let the eggs leave me and the nurses do their job, I sincerely think about what is required for now.

Rather pressing would be a talk with Uma.

I'll need a lot of support and resources.

The way it sounded, the establishing of my hive is something me and my brood should do by ourselves.

At least, this was a common topic with all the pods I accessed.

Like building one's own house so you can truly recognize it as a home.

But this doesn't mean I'll have to do everything completely by myself.

For example, I can definitely request materials and food.

Only that this has to be talked over with the one responsible for allowing me to take stuff.

Which is unfortunately Uma.

Yep, despite this being about becoming independent, I can't go without her involvement.

Also, I need to send messages.

One to Honiu and the king in order to request anything they might have in Tarsona about keeping fish.

Something I hope a nation that extremely revolves around ships and the sea is knowledgeable about.

The other goes to Olira, as I plan to make use of her contacts.

You know, fish catchers, engineers, maybe even materials.

She's very likely to demand a considerable commission for helping me out, but I hope she sees helping me with my fledging hive as an investment, so I hopefully can get around being in debt with her for eternity.

Here, I become aware that I seriously have to look into improving my handwriting.

Even my reading skills aren't quite up to par.

Conveniently, the usual way of delivering information in the swarm offers a workaround.

I simply have to give a respective pheromone concoction to a messenger.

Either prepared in a pod or directly.

However, the former is a bit weird, as I basically have to spit in a vessel while thinking very hard about what I want to convey.

Nonetheless, I'm rather confident about the Formicean delivery system.

It doesn't take long before I already receive an answer from the queen.

She's saying that she will grant me an audience the next day, as today's activity interval is almost over.

I can live with that, as it was a very busy day and I also fear I might jumble up something in my exhaustion.

Yeah, a night in my alcove will work wonders for my mental state.

Until I wake up again.

<Princess! You're awake.> (S)

Was Suki always so jittery?

Or maybe she just really missed me.

Respectively, to serve me, which is kinda weird if I contemplate the fact that there's nothing greater for her.

That is the kind of thought process that can screw up your personality.

<Scruuh/Yeah, I need to get up and talk with Uma. Please help.> (E)

My two nurses guide me out of my alcove and I stretch my wings.

Which subsequently earns me ire from my nurses about them.

<My princess, you barely take any time for your cleaning routine!> (S)

<The maintenance was difficult during her absence. Our princess often deemed it appropriate to forego basic hygiene in pursuit of her goals.> (K)

<I was ending a war!> (E)

<Which is no reason to forego basic needs. Already the stress you put on yourself during the past 'month' was very concerning to me.> (K)

Huh, she uses human times.

That's neat.

Even if she uses it against me.

However, I need to admit that their massage feels as great as ever.

It's like the tension directly leaves my body.

<Now please take the time for a proper meal.> (K)

Sigh.

Yeah, why not leave the queen waiting?

As my nurses are relentless on that matter, Suki even going as far as to bring Dad and Toris so I don't have a good way to cut breakfast short, I'm forced to take in a full refill of my energy storage.

Did I mention that when I do this my chest starts to feel a little tight?

Not like the plus in energy wouldn't outweigh any extra weight, which I already sufficiently carry in eggs inside me, but it's a bit of an odd feeling.

But eventually, I can get on my way.

To Dad and Toris, the excuse that I have to talk with the most powerful being in existence I know of to decide my and many others' future is a good one.

That is to say, like basically every single time I have to go this way, I feel extremely anxious. Whenever I interact with Uma, it always devolves into a test.

From as much as I’ve gotten to know her, I’d wager that not calling for me herself, even though I didn't really work on my hive founding project, rather enjoying my break, was very likely a test.

Yep, sounds like her to see if I would come to show initiative and make important individual steps by myself.

I can really imagine her saying something like: "Isn't taking independent action important for being independent?"

Which would make sense, but is still a bad trap to lay out.

Nonetheless, I need to confront her.

Soon I reach her hall, my royal guard once again having to stay out.

<Erys! How nice of you to bless me with your presence.> (U)

It's a thing with pheromones.

There are so many nuances and things that are conveyed other than speech that one can't be completely sure to have got all of them right.

This goes even more so if you're having to deal with the overwhelming output of a queen.

In this sense, while her positive impression about my coming is certainly genuine, I'm not totally sure if there was a sense of bemusement to her welcome.

<Likewise. I hope you don't mind that I'm here to discuss some more practical things.> (E)

<What about our interaction would fail to be practical?> (U)

Sigh.

No chance to use noble speech on her.

Then, matter-of-factly it is.

<I'm sure you know that I'm not as far as I should be with my deployment to establish my own hive. I took a bit of a break and forgot to deal with this kind of business.> (E)

<Certainly. I was concerned if you'd be able to head out in time. The cycle is drawing to an end, which is when the setting in cold will severely decrease the capabilities of your brood. Even heading out at the earliest opportunity could be too late. Yet keeping all of your brood in the hive will cause its own problems. You may have noticed, the humans require significant space. I wouldn't quite wish to force them into the cold. As I came to know them, they wouldn't survive.> (U)

I'm a bit stunned how for Uma genuine care and slavery go hand in hand.

But she's right.

It's already early autumn.

In a few months, it will be winter.

This is neither a time to throw human refugees out nor to have an insufficient hive to settle down in.

<I understand. Though, I still would wish to depart in this cycle, despite my mistake.> (E)

<Erys, are you even aware what your mistake was?> (U)

Why does this queen find so much joy in making me go over my past transgressions?

<I forgot that this hive project was still on the list and chose to take it easy when I shouldn't.> (E)

<Close, but not quite. Your mistake was to believe that there is such a thing as a 'break' for a princess. You can't escape your duties just as you can't escape yourself. You can only choose to neglect your responsibilities.> (U)

Seriously, this sounds quite a lot like too much strain on me.

<Please, the past months were really hard on me. I thought now that the war is basically over I could take it a little bit easier. Isn't this recommended?> (E)

What about mental stability to improve production?

<You do have a point. Neglecting your duties to concentrate on your production is a choice you can make. In this case, the poor execution of your hive founding due to negligent preparation can lead to a severe loss in drones. Yet if you'd rather concentrate on your future brood, this is your choice to make. As is the essence of independence. Choice!> (U)

A choice that isn't one.

Yeah, letting my brood die is out of the question.

<I know I messed up. So would you please help me out a little? I'm at a disadvantage and will require a lot of support if this hive establishment is still supposed to work. I'm still confident I can make it, but I'll need materials, food, and maybe a bit of political backing.> (E)

Having the queen as an enforcing factor behind me will certainly help accelerate things.

<You always present such fascinating concepts. Political backing, huh? A powerful factor for humans.> (U)

<So, is this a yes?> (E)

<Hah, Erys. Was it ever in question whether I would support you? I may not agree with all of your plans, but my daughters can always be certain that I'll make sure they don't come to harm.> (U)

<Hah. Thank you.> (E)

I guess.

<Yet if you still want to make it, there's a lot of work lying before you. Especially, your drone composition is still lacking. Don't you agree?> (U)

<I know. Scholars and nectar units. I'm producing them right now.> (E)

It's more of a vague feeling, but I somehow can tell apart that there are eggs like this inside me.

<In this case, you'll need the facilities to raise the nectar units. The scholars should be trained here, so they may learn about everything that is to be gathered from our extensive reports.> (U)

Probably for the best.

I wouldn't quite know how to handle them as well with everything that has to be set up.

I tried to get a grasp on all the things that have to be arranged, and it's kinda overwhelming.

So I go through everything on my list with Uma, trying to get on her good side.

In the end, she seems bemused if nothing else.

<You never fail to surprise me, Erys. Your thinking is difficult to discern, following foreign patterns. Oh, I will miss our discussions once you're gone.> (U)

While I wouldn't say so openly, I admit to myself that Uma can be helpful at times.

<Just good that I decided to take you up on your offer of having regular councils with my princesses.> (U)

Yeah, that was to be expected.

Me and my big trap.

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