Chapter 128: Chapter 119

 

- Erys -

 

Ugh, I slept in.
After yesterday's negotiations, I had a laying session and was so exhausted afterwards that I directly went to bed.
Kyska insisted quite hard on this and I didn't have much leeway to refute her.
And those worried nurse pheromones are quite tough stuff to deal with.

Originally, I planned to look for mum after I heard that she and Honiu went to town.
But Aaron didn't mention that anything happened, so it should be right to assume that they're fine.
After waking up I first receive the usual breakfast of mushrooms and nectar.
The recent days were stressful and a balanced diet is important to keep up, according to Kyska.
I can fortunately finish it quickly enough.

 

<Okay, I should get ready to head to the palace.> (E)

<My princess... > (K)

 

Wow, it's not Kyska's style to hesitate if she wants to say something.
I directly feel dread about the reason for it.

 

<What is it, Kyska?> (E)

<There has been a development that might warrant your attention.> (K)

 

Okay, that's not the slightest bit ominous, huh?

 

<Are we at war?> (E)

<No. Nothing of this degree. Rather, Princess Honiu acted on her own behalf and there have been... complications.> (K)

 

Graah.
This princess is a pain to deal with.
But fine, I wanted to visit my mum anyway.

I walk through the fairly spacious halls of the newest base my favorite underground insect species created in the shortest time possible over to Honiu's temporary district.
From the outer appearance everything looks calm, so maybe there's no need to worry.
The first one I see is mum, commanding some nurses around.
When I get closer I notice that she has literal rings around her eyes.
Is Honiu pushing her too hard?

 

"Hey mum." (E)

<Ehk, skrik!/Uh, hello Erys.> (F)

 

What was that for a sullen greeting?
She seems kinda uncomfortable with my approach.

 

"Okay, mum, what is going on?" (E)

"What do yuu meean?" (F)

"I mean that I had this expression often enough myself, so I can easily recognize how it looks when someone got caught redhanded and that you're deliberately speaking in human words to avoid giving too much away in Formicea." (E)

"WEll, wee have a bit of a sietuation here." (F)

"And now please in more detail." (E)

 

At this moment, I perceive an unfortunately familiar presence.

 

<Erys, your presence isn't needed here. I have everything under control.> (H)

"Now could anyone please actually tell me what's going on?!" (E)

<Screeh! Skra- Scriieeeeaaaahhh!/Let me out of here! I want to... Wha- What is with my voice?! What is going on here!?! Ahh, help! No, no, no! Help meee!> (A)

 

Gulp! What exactly was that?
I didn't recognize those pheromones.
But I'm sure that wasn't a Formicean drone.
They would never act out like this.
This was far too emotional.

Not that Formicea don't have emotions but they tend to answer more mechanically.
Bewildered I look at mum.

 

"What did you do?" (E)

<Don't look at me like this. I did my best to talk Honiu out of it but she was set. At some point, I could only do damage control.> (F)

"And what exactly did she want to do?" (E)

<I am working on adding human younglings to my brood. A matter of diversity. There are some setbacks with successfully assimilating them into the swarm. But I'm confident they'll be overcome.> (H)

 

She didn't just say this, right?

 

<Screeeak! Screeeak! Screeeehk!/This is too much. No, no, no, no. This can't be true! This isn't real! This is a nightmare!> (A)

 

Setbacks...

 

<You used your mutation agent?! On a child?! Did you fucking lose it?!!> (E)

<Rather sooner than later. It's better if it learns now that being my brood is the only option for it to exist.> (H)

<<I want to wake up. I wanna go back. I, I...> (A)

 

Okay, damage control.

 

<Kyska, can you please look after this... girl? I think she needs help.> (E)

<Right away, my princess.> (K)

 

While I know just too well how this child, which I perceive as a girl, must be feeling right now and that another giant insect nurse won't do too much to help her, Kyska is still the one with the greatest proficiency for such cases that I know.

 

<Okay, what exactly led to this? Yesterday I heard that you went into town and today you two did what? Abduct a young girl?> (E)

<Ehk, I didn't support it, but it's a bit bigger than this.> (F)

<Bigger? In what way?> (E)

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<I didn't just take this one child. I took all of them.> (H)

 

Everything clenches inside me at this comment.

 

<If you're saying all of them... Please tell me that this won't go down in history as the night of the stolen children.> (E)

<Skreaah!/No, no! It was only one orphanage if it could even be called one. The state those kids were in was indicating differently. But we got them with the permission of the authorities.> (F)

 

Okay, mum took pity on some children, but what did Honiu get out of it?
I look over to Kyska who should by now have reached the place where that voice came from.
I need to say, I'm curious, so I draw a bit closer to get a better look.
Weirdly enough, Kyska stands in front of the entrance, talking to a nurse.

 

<I was watching her while the youngling was sleeping. The adjustments proved to be a severe intrusion into the little one's system. She was writhing for a long time during her rest.> (nurse)

<This is a common occurrence. While the changes cause a certain degree of discomfort, the strongest factor is the mentality. It causes the body to actively react, to fight the metamorphosis.> (K)

 

Kyska, I didn't send you to give the nurse tips, but to help the girl!
Oh my, apparently she heard my thoughts.

 

<My princess, from what I could gather this procedure will repeat, so the limited time I'll be able to spend might be better used to sufficiently educate the nurses.> (K)

 

God, this is seriously getting out of hand.

 

<Make this stop! I'm hearing voices in my head! I'm hearing my own voice in my head!> (A)

 

Okay, this girl needs help, and I think a human face might be better suited to calm her down.

So I'm going in there.
The girl I find not only looks like she's close to a mental breakdown but is, in general, in a rather poor state.
Mum didn't overstate things when she indicated that she wasn't treated very well for a considerable period of time.
At least in a way that she's obviously malnourished.
Okay, I should try to appear as nice as possible.

 

"Ehk, hello, I'm Erys." (E)

 

I think human sounds might be more soothing for her to hear right now.
She takes her hands from her face and looks at me.

 

<Scruh!/You have wings?> (A)

 

The moment she states these words she quickly covers her mouth.
Obviously, she's embarrassed by her new voice.

 

"Sorry, I know you went through quite a hard time and everything seems quite bleak right now, but I promise that nobody here wants anything bad to happen to you." (E)

<I can't even control what I'm saying and am constantly hearing stuff!> (A)

"Well, at least you didn't grow a tail." (E)

 

I let my ovipositor emerge and show it off to make a point.
Didn't extend it in a while, but there's no way I wouldn't get familiar with my body over the course of months.

 

"Scriekh!" (A)

 

She swipes at her butt but shows obvious relief when she cannot find anything there.

 

"You see, I know it doesn't feel that way, but it's gonna get easier. And if my case can be taken as a precedent, you'll be able, with a bit of effort, to speak like before." (E)

 

I think what this girl needs now the most is a bit of hope.
When Kyska told me I could recover it helped me so much to have something I could focus on.

 

<What about the others? My brother? Sh-She stung him!> (A)

 

She's pointing at the princess who is the usual culprit I would look at whenever stuff goes downhill anyway.
Well, Honiu makes this impression on others.

Wait!
She stung a boy?!
And now she's wondering about having a bad reputation with the kids?

 

"I'm sure you are allowed to look after them." (E)

<Naturally. They're still in the maturing phase and don't have to perform in a role yet. So this one is free to go. Yet I wish there were more established structures. They might get lost.> (H)

 

I'm pretty sure this was advice not to try to run off.
The poor kid is already terrified by her mere presence, quivering just from looking at her.

 

<I will guide the little one to her quarters.> (nurse)

<While you're at it, ascertain that they're provided with sustenance. As far as I know, there was a severe lack in this regard.> (H)

 

Whoah, that was almost caring.
Not sure if she's even able to feel any real affection but she seems to care for their well-being.
The nurse meanwhile takes her by the hand and walks away with her.
But after the first couple steps, the girl looks down at her body, confused.

 

<My leg... It's fine again!> (A)

<Naturally. The purpose of an alcove is its respiratory effect. Accelerated biological processes are the natural consequence, which leads to a better healing rate.> (H)

 

Okay, she even got her treated.
It requires a certain level of awareness to take notice of an injury.

But now they go for real.
And I'll have to deal with this catastrophe of a princess.

 

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