Reincarnated To Evolve My Bee Empire
Chapter 344 - 344: The Over-Queen

'So you see, at this point there are too many sub-hives for me to share my blood with everybody…' I briefly explained Pollenia the situation so I could actually get to the question.

I feared she wouldn't be happy about it, but I was pleasantly shocked!

'Oh, I expected this to happen one day, Father. The Empire is truly in itself very much like a massive hive. Like in a hive, older workers make way for the younger ones and die peacefully, knowing that their hard work paved the way for the future generations of their sisters. Of course, it would be the same for common Queens like myself and my sister Queens.'

I raised my eyebrows as I was listening to this message, then smiled.

I really underestimated my little princesses maturity. It seemed like just yesterday Pollenia was a little brat with a nose stuck high in the heavens… But now she really let her collectivism mentality show.

Even Queens cared for their hives above their own lives. And for the Empire, as I just witnessed.

I was a proud father of wonderful daughters like Pollenia. And now I was definitely going to come for a visit. Her hive was just a few minutes' flights away at tier 5 speed, anyway!

Meanwhile, the message still continued.

'The Bee Empire is like an over-hive to the sub-hives. And Ambrosia is our Over-Queen! She will reign together with you for dozens of generations of Queens like us. Meanwhile, I will leave my position whenever my change comes. So what was your question, Father?'

'What job would you like instead of being a Queen?'

'A job? I thought my successor would kill me. If she can't even defeat me in a fight, how is she even better than me?'

I choked on air.

I was taking my words back! Polly was not mature and smart and chill at all! She had no chill whatsoever!

'Nobody will be killing anyone! Can't you just retire, Polly? Start doing something else instead?'

'I can, but what if my successor *is* weaker? She will be less experienced, too! I can't leave my hive to just anyone, can I?'

I let out a long sigh.

"What's wrong, Father?" Worriesgone asked, tilting her head slightly.

Ambrosia frowned and gestured at me with a hand.

"Whom are you talking with, exactly, Nectus? Is she being unreasonable? Let me speak with her."

"Yes, please, tell Polly to stop being unreasonable. She wants her replacement to prove herself by killing her in a duel—can you imagine? So what if Polly herself got her position by assassination? It was just conquering brought by necessity. Didn't we move past such barbarism?"

For a moment, Amby looked like she was about to protest, but then nodded.

"That's right. Pollenia doesn't consider at all that specialists of her caliber are more valuable alive! Please, pass this message for me…"

The next part was transferred right into my brain.

'Pollenia, you will ensure that your successor is strong by teaching her personally. But she *will* take over your position and over your harem and you *won't* attack each other. You are not just Queens, you are administrators!'

I wasn't used to transferring the messages, but I did my best copying Amby's intonation. She was speaking sternly enough that even I felt humbled, although the message was for Polly!

The effect was immediate.

'Mother-Queen is with you? Oh… Of course. Alright, we won't fight. I will let the successor prove her mettle by other means, and I will teach her all the intricacies of Hive Hornet's Nest and aphid-rearing. As the oldest of your daughter Queens, I will make the *best* job, of course. Perhaps it will be so good that I will keep guiding my successors until I die of old age. By then she will *surely* learn something from me.'

What a brat.

'You are such a little brat, Polly.'

'Does this make me a bad Queen, Father?'

'Not so far, but it *really* disappoints your mother.'

'Oh… Then I won't be!'

The telepathic chain didn't transfer Polly's intonation well, but somehow I doubted she spoke sincerely.

No, I really had to visit her personally. And possibly bring Ambrosia with me.

Well, maybe the younger Queens will be more reasonable…

***

As the time showed, they were all unreasonable in their own ways.

Some—mostly those whose hives weren't built from scratch, but built in conquered hives of unevolved bees—wanted to fight their potential future successors in duels.

Some others—especially the youngest—just made sad eyes and asked me what they did wrong that I became unhappy with them and wanted them out.

Notably, some of them were blatantly and boldly trying to emotionally manipulate me, while others honestly thought I was cross with them.

The amount of Queens that were *reasonable* outright was staggeringly small.

It took me and Amby two more weeks to iterate between giving direct orders and pacifying those most distraught until all our daughter Queens were ready to prepare for succession of power in their hives.

Coincidentally, it took two weeks for Worriesgone to organize an Empire-wide celebration of my new genes.

It lasted another week, because everybody celebrated in shifts in order to not slow down the carefully arranged chain or work and production in the Empire.

For the entire week, our Artists and heralds played dramatic plays of me sharing blood with my closest advisers. Worriesgone actually gave a suggestion to use these plays to share some immunizing injections with sick bees in sub-hives, which I gladly approved.

We still had some blood available, and even with evolved immunity, we always had some sick people here and there.

The Bee Empire was still much better off than the Naregan Kingdom. But since the first thing Farini did after becoming the High King and executing the core of his political opposition was establishing more hospitals, they were gradually improving.

Our realms were about to enter the new era. As the bees moved to live closer and closer to humans, my eyes fell on other human kingdoms…