(E)

(K)

She helps me stand up again and supports my body a bit.

I don't think it is necessary.

It wasn't this exhausting and I can still walk fine.

Yet Kyska is not the type to risk anything.

(K)

We are going to the huge pillar in the middle of this whole place.

Gigantic wouldn't be enough to describe it.

In width, it is far bigger than the castle of Osari.

Not to mention the height.

Around the entrances on the ground a fairly large number of guardians... well, guards them.

They keep relentless watch for any irregularity, assisted by an even greater amount of workers.

This kind of security makes me nervous.

(E)

(K)

I become anxious.

Especially as I still don't know what kind of place we will visit.

Inside it is not much different from the tunnels I'm used to.

However, I notice it is considerably warmer in here.

Also, there is an increased number of nurses around.

All of them seem to be flustered by my approach and stop their work when I come close.

I am quite sure I am not fit to be the kind of person who causes something like this.

After climbing some tunnels up Kyska stops after entering a room.

Then she invites me inside.

The interior looks strange.

It is still warm and the air feels humid.

There is a large amount of some kind of tubs.

All of them round with an opening between inwards slanted sides.

Those I see are empty, but Kyska urges me to approach a certain.

(K)

I come closer to the tub she stands.

And I don't really know what I see there.

There is a white wormlike creature embedded in this structure.

Not really a worm, as I can see six appendages protruding out.

It crawls in there and lies in some kind of yellowish-white fluid.

Then I realize.

All the nurses around here...

(K)

This creature looks a bit weird, yet not as bad as one might believe considering how most of these insects look.

Yet, I can already relate the form a bit to the adult version.

It is not cute like a baby, but I understand it is a defenseless young being.

(E)

(K)

(E)

(K)

This is my brood?

I haven't directly seen everything, but there are so many tubs.

These are all mine?

I can't!

I can't be the mother of such an amount of creatures!

(E)

(K)

This strikes me.

Deeply.

I feel wrong in a fundamental way.

My mind flies apart.

They are so many if I think about it.

Seventy-eight if I counted right.

Well, they counted.

I don't have any motherly feels here.

Too many for that and it went too fast.

Yet I feel strange when I look at them with that thought in mind.

(E)

(K)

I've made them.

I've made those creatures that will grow up to be like any of these swarm members.

I produce workers, warriors, service units, and more.

This is nothing I can deal with.

This will be an army.

A part of a perfect system.

And I am literally laying my part.

This feels, wrong!

Not right!

Crazy!

An army!

(E)

(K)

At least I can decide this.

If I would have now produced an army against mankind I could just despair.

It is hard to settle my mind with this.

It shouldn't surprise me.

I knew what happened there.

But seeing the real deal is something completely different from having the eggs just taken away without the need to think any longer about them.

(S)

Suki did hold back for now.

I guess she was ashamed of what she said before.

I can somehow understand what she says.

Every larva will be a part of this all.

Every entity I create is new workforce.

New power.

Strengthening the swarm.

In that way, they say I'm worth all of them and like this offer me their lives.

I don't hate these insects.

They are incredibly weird and scary.

And what they did to me is just not right.

But truly evil is different.

With such a power they could overthrow nearly everything.

But they don't.

They react but aren't going to make aggressive moves.

Also, they eat mostly plants or mushrooms.

That is not unlikeable.

And when something would have trespassed and threatened our fields we would defend them too.

Considering how they were burned down.

So not directly evil.

Just pragmatic, maybe a bit harsh.

To me that is.

Yet, I can also decide things here as it seems.

This might be good in itself, as I can guide them to a degree.

Preventing war and such.

(K)

(E)

I can read a little, but books are incredibly expensive and my mother had only a diary crudely written by some ancestors.

(S)

I held my hopes too high.

(E)

It can be... troubling at times to use them, as the feelings of the creator become rather vivid. Especially when recalling disasters. For this task, there are specialized units only existing to interpret and hold count over the knowledge. Especially to assist such beings as a princess in their decisions.> (K)

So something like a librarian, but not quite.

(E)

(K)

(E)

Sometimes this level of consideration is exhausting.

We walk higher on the pillar.

It seems we will take one of the bridges to connect us to the side where my room lies.

And apparently something like a whole district dedicated to me too.

Disturbing!

The ways are very straight so we make it rather fast to the bridge.

But suddenly Kyska and Suki freeze.

My still present escort seems as well to become agitated.

On the other side of the bridge, I see a gathering.

And then an insect comes closer.

This is novel, as before all of the fairly numerous insects we encountered on this stroll like natural gave way and kept their distance from me.

But not this one.

I would compare it to Kyska and Suki, but this wouldn't right get it.

This one walks as they do on two legs.

Yet it is far more steady in its stride and the appendages look sturdier, while its figure is wider.

Two pairs of wings, different from the single pair of those two nurses are seen.

And it looks strong.

Not much more than a worker in its build, but more the demeanor.

As if it received training.

Like a knight in comparison to a peasant.

Every entity around is fixated on this being and I can understand why.

It has this presence.

Yet some looks for some reason are directed at me.

At a fast pace this being approaches and promptly closes the distance.

It comes so close in front of me to a stop that I fall startled on my butt, scraping my wings little.

(?)

I am startled and at a loss for words.

(?)

The way it stands wide in front of me I can see through its legs.

And then I see it.

It has the same protruding thing I have at my back.

This being is a...

(K)

(Liseti)

(K)

Thank you for talking Kyska.

(L)

(K)

I don't like to hear that, but am unable to speak and can't really deny it.

(L)

Abruptly that thing raises my head with two of its arms and looks in my face.

At the same time, it grabs my arm.

This treatment is rude but it doesn't hurt.

Probably the armor.

(L)

(S)

(L)

Promptly this creature grabs me by the shoulders and lifts me up.

(L)

(E)

My insect screeches, I still did not come to like, sound quivering and unsteady.

(L)

She turns around and walks back on the bridge.

Yet, after some distance she suddenly turns to the side and jumps off, only to ascend directly after this in the direction of the top floors.

The entourage on the other side of the bridge looks troubled, but a good dozen of winged insects jump after her and follow behind.

Those as well look sturdier than nurses.

Some kind of winged combat unit?

Mankind would be so done in a conflict.

A short time after this, some winged nurses fly slowly in the direction that intimidating princess went.

Yet, I need to say she was far friendlier than I thought.

A little rude how she grabbed me, but disturbingly I have a carapace there so that I felt not this much.

The way she acted this superior I was sure she would despise me.

The inferior creature that is in a position it shouldn't be.

But she said I'm a princess.

Even this kind of superior being here is accepting me as such just like this.

I wouldn't have thought this.

After this incident, my nurses lead me over the bridge in the direction of my place.

It is strange to refer to this place as home, yet it is somehow.

It is my private space, somehow.

Also, these two are nice, somehow.

And they care for me, somehow.

It is strange, but this place feels calming.

If not for the fact that this Liseti wants to come here.

(E)

(S)

(K)

(E)

(K)

(E)

(K)

This society is built on innate self-sacrifice from all of its members.

All but the princesses.

They can produce the other units and are like this precious to them.

I grow quiet and after a while we return to my district, as strange as it sounds to call this place like that.

We enter my room again and I have to sit on the stool so that the two can get started.

They make me take off my clothes, but I'm allowed to keep at least my underwear after I explained its importance.

Kyska isn't too pleased, as its condition isn't the best anymore and is set to bring me some new soon.

And so I sit there.

Getting cleaned by my attending insects, as the being inept to do this myself, that I am.

I recount the occurrences today and come to the conclusion that it was quite eventful.

The places I went to, the meeting with the princess, how the escort mutilated this bug, and most troubling to lay eggs again.

In hindsight, the part where I laid eggs was the worst.

And this time was especially bad, as it happened on that stroll.

Doing it might be bad on its own, yet not having any control over it is worse.

So I ask.

(E)

(K)

(E)

(K)

She is hesitating, so there is something, but she just doesn't want to tell me.

Yet I need to know.

I feel pure dread imagining it might happen while I talk to my family.

And also, if it would happen when this other princess comes.

She might even be pleased that I am so diligently, but I would die because of shame.

(E)

(K)

This sounds quite worrisome and the fear I perceive from Kyska is genuine.

Maybe this really is just for emergencies.

(E)

(K)

It sounds really bad.

I would maybe damn innocent lives like this.

Just for my own benefit that’s a bit much.

But maybe just for meeting my family.

(E)

I feel a bit dejected, that I can't prevent it despite knowing.

After that, I eat a bit.

Kyska insists on a large amount to "replenish my resources".

Then to spend my time I try to train human speech again.

My progress is satisfying.

"Seee, see I kneew, knew I could do thies, this. Crk. This iez, is; hard." (E)

"You aree gEettieng betteer aend bEetter prienceeess!" (S)

Suki is getting good too.

Not perfect, but enough to perform a proper conversation where she can relay everything she wants.

"Youur progreEss is greeat too." (E)

Yet, Kyska...

"It is good to see that you are enjoying yourself princess. I am glad that you can perform so well. Your mind should be like this eased." (K)

This is just unfair!

Even her insect accent is barely perceivable.

Is she a human in disguise?

This training is very exhausting since my mentality is urging me to keep the clicks and screeches for my speech.

So after I finished I drown myself again in my tub, while the two give a massage to my wings, leading me fast to doze off.

It was quite the eventful day.