While Kyska makes the last touches at whatever they do to nurse me, Suki brings some food.

It is the same as always, yet this isn't a problem.

It still tastes well and they are rather urging me that I shall eat and drink.

At least it helps to calm down to nibble at those mushrooms.

(K)

This makes me distressed again.

They are all I have to cover my body.

Yet at the moment they just ineptly cover the most important places.

And this doesn't even count wings and this "thing".

And these definitely feel like something that should be covered.

(K)

(E)

(K)

Now I feel dread.

Not only clothes from dead men, but also what they do to them.

(E)

(K)

Alright, calm down.

It's not like they are cruel on purpose.

They haven't planned this.

It just came so that they had some corpses to use.

(S)

(E)

(K)

(E)

(K)

Well, on the surface monsters exist too, why should it be different below?

(K)

Free?

I doubted they would even know this word.

(E)

(K)

It sounds a bit frightening when I remember how I initially was brought here.

Nonetheless, I should get accustomed if I want to live here.

Because to say it franc: I grow wings and a stinger.

To live ever again normal in a human town seems a little farfetched.

And apparently, I'm not even able to maintain my own body, which is rather dejecting.

And asking mum would be a little weird in the long run.

However, having two insects with specialized bodies do it, is not much less.

So I should go out.

Yet, there is one problem.

(E)

(K)

(E)

(K)

That was asked too much, huh?

(E)

(K)

So she leaves me with the other nurse and I don't really know how to behave in front of her.

I always have this worrying feeling that they all see me justified as a failure of a princess and like this might be hostile to such a being.

Especially as I simply don't want any of this.

(S)

What is refreshing, is that they don't lie.

At least not as far I know.

You can ask a question and stay sure to get an answer.

(E)

(S)

(E)

(S)

(E)

(S)

(E)

(S)

Suki who seemed very cheerful to me, as strange as this perception is, becomes unusually serious.

(E)

(S)

(E)

(S)

(E)

(S)

(E)

(S)

I panic and my thoughts become disordered.

(E)

(S)

(E)

(S)

These intervals seem to refer to the times when I was awake and what I felt then.

(E)

I rub at my abdomen, trying to assure myself that I am fine there.

(S)

(E)

(S)

(E)

(S)

(E)

(S)

She must mean hibernation!

That means winter!

She means years!

Eight-thousand years!

(E)

(S)

Oh, good. At least not this many.

I mean I already said I would comply.

(S)

I just stare.

The number won't go away, no matter what.

Twenty-thousand!

Twenty-thousand eggs!

What would that mean per day?

Sixty?

Maybe a bit less.

Still, she can't be serious.

Yet, she is an insect.

Why lie to me?

I start to tremble, tears are gathering in my eyes and I only don't scream to not make these terrible screeching sounds.

(E)

(S)

Used to it?

Laying eggs?

This is crazy!

Just madness!

What do I do?!

I won't have a choice as she said.

It will simply happen.

This is more than I can endure.

"Princess, what is wrong? Your stress pheromones! Every entity in the vicinity is agitated." (K)

She immediately realizes that Suki is calm and like this knows more than her.

(K)

(S)

Kyska seems severely displeased.

(K)

(S)

(K)

Like I already said, you aren't very good at comforting others.

(K)

(E)

(K)

(E)

Would I be forced to sully myself?

(S)

(E)

(S)

(K)

(E)

(K)

They... They even do that?

In fact, they do everything.

Cleaning, feeding, even this.

There is nothing I do on my own.

(E)

(S)

I guessed so.

The truth is, I'm as specialized as they are.

I only have that one function.

I hug my knees and slowly tears fall out of my layered closed eyes.

Not obstructed, as the slit is vertically in the middle.

"Sob!" (E)

I whine quietly, yet the tears are coming steadily.

(K)

Suddenly I feel some pressure around me.

Kyska is hugging me!

(E)

She is carefully stroking my hair.

(K)

This sounds strangely assuring.

Not just this proclaimed hell, where I could have been bound to a spot, forced to press them out one after the other.

I am not really over it, but I ease up a little.