- Erys -

I, I'm absolutely not sure if I'm fine with this.

The way the conversation went I was not left with much of a choice, but it somehow ended with the conclusion that half of my guard, led by Miru, went into the forest to intercept whoever was heading in our direction.

Yes, I know they're expected to protect me, but sending them out against a possible enemy, completely on their own?

That sounds so unfair.

Not only this, but they're in some way, my children.

It's still a difficult idea for me, but I have to accept that as my reality.

And now my children were sent out to fight.

Put at risk just because of me.

God, if one of them gets hurt I am responsible.

And they're still so young.

Not even two months old.

What kind of mother sends her babies to fight life-and-death battles?

Well, all Formicean broodmothers, but that's not really an excuse.

God, I'm a terrible person.

My brood is completely on their own!

Those poor little things.

(F)

(E)

(H)

their safety! I sent kids to people who might attack them! This is plain wrong.> (E)

(H)

Oh, right.

They totally would kick babies into a pit to see which of them crawls back out.

(E)

(H)

(E)

(H)

(F)

(K)

(H)

It's at least a bit reassuring.

Even if the humans might be able to overwhelm them, not all of them will die.

It's not great, as some might still die in this scenario, but it's better than nothing.

Nonetheless, I'm nervously looking at the forest they entered.

God, please let them be fine.

Then I first feel it before I see anything.

They're returning!

A short moment after I caught their scent the first ones of my guard already emerge from the forest.

Some look a bit roughed up in their dirty, tattered cloaks.

There's also blood on them, which should tell enough about how peaceful negotiations went.

God, has this one an arrow in its shoulder?

That other one in their leg?

Just what happened there?

These poor kids must've been through hell!

The first injured ones approach the nurses, who start doing as their name implies, by treating all the wounds with their fluid.

(F)

(K)

A pierced torso is no minor ailment!

Still, mum stays, which sends Honiu into a weirdly smug mood.

Then I see Miru, dragging a body by the feet behind her.

Another one does the same with another person next to her.

Miru quickly approaches our coach and throws the human on the ground next to her.

I guess it's needless to say, that our human escort throws in unison weird glances at this display.

(E)

(M)

Something tells me that Miru might also be a bit too radical for negotiating peaceful solutions.

(E)

(M)

Maybe an extreme radical.

(E)

(M)

I sent her into a death battle.

The least I can do is to allow her to call me mother, no matter how awkward it feels.

Honiu meanwhile became slightly agitated at this remark against her subjects.

(H)

(M)

(H)

(E)

(H)

Wow, Honiu has really no love for the queen or anyone who's related to her.

Poor creatures.

Intended to overwhelm the enemy with sheer numbers without a care for the individual.

If not for the strain I just too vividly remember that time put on my body, I would prefer my royal guard to limit any deaths.

But I guess it also depends on the conditions.

Not every combat situation can be decided by quality alone.

Especially not in the tunnels where flesh is thrown against flesh and their wings are pretty much useless.

However, they showed me here that they're truly as good as I intended them to be.

They even surpassed my expectations.

They are reliable and just protected me.

I should show my gratitude.

(E)

Anything else would've felt wrong.

They just slaughtered a bunch of people, the splattered blood on them is telling enough.

However, we were attacked and I'm glad it was them and not my guard.

(M)

Woah, why always such excessive responses?

I can feel the pheromones and because of this know that this came from the bottom of her heart.

I'm not even sure if I understood it right.

The thing is, it was something far more fundamental than just a statement.

Basically, she showed me what she with all her existence believes.

Not only am I the absolute greatest for her, but she feels so much towards me that she would give me everything.

Absolutely everything.

Be it her life, another one's, or doing everything necessary to achieve my goals.

My words before didn't just make her happy.

She simply had no other way but to show me this to come even close to a, for her, satisfactory response.

And if I'm right all the others are the same.

I can just be glad that none of them craves a deeper personal relationship because then I wouldn't make it out of this situation unscathed.

No, they're not imposing on me but rather the opposite.

They would never dare to. Sigh.

(E)

(M)

She points at the unconscious man on the ground.

He still seems to be alive, albeit in quite a worrisome state.

(E)

(M)

I start to believe that all the stuff I equipped them with might make people find them a bit scary.

At least someone could get the wrong impression when they discover that I gave them everything they need to abduct people by paralyzing them and flying away with them.

At least this man, even if he's an enemy, won't speak too fondly of them when he wakes up.

And as I cannot deny that I'm related to them I care about my guard's reputation.

Honiu, meanwhile, emits curious pheromones while scrutinizing the man.

(E)

(H)

Before I can further contemplate her answer, Honiu's stinger rushes out and pierces into this man's side.

The next moment his eyes lash open and he rushes up.

"Wha-whaa!" (S)

Frantic, he looks around and the fact that he only sees giant insects in his close proximity isn't helping him to calm down.

I guess he wants more than anything else to run away, but before he has any chance to move several of my guards hold him tightly in place and point their weapons at him.

(E)

(H)

While that sounds very interesting maybe we should focus on the person we captured.

He seems quite upset.

"Let me go, you hideous freaks!" (S)

(H)

(E)

Which is a bit hurtful, since I still look mostly as I did.

(H)

"I'm gonna kill every last one of you abominations!" (S)

"No you won't. Instead you're going to tell me what you hoped to gain from this attack. Please, elaborate." (H)

Honestly, I'm curious as well.

It's not like we would be a good target.

We haven't even any formal alliance yet and there's nothing we do to really contribute to the war.

This whole caravan isn't even transporting anything helpful to the capital while being armed to the teeth.

Meanwhile, the fact that Honiu talked in human words, after all her clicks and screeches, is putting the man off.

"I, I won't tell you a thing." (S)

"Silence is not an option, human. You will speak!" (H)

(E)

(H)

She doesn't know?

Even if I conveyed the meaning in Formicea?

Well, drones don't lie, so torture might have no application for them.

Am I maybe a bad influence?

I can't tell her more than this about such a difficult topic.

"Farrah, may you elaborate since Erys isn't telling me more?" (H)

Mum!?

(F)

Why is my mum telling her?

(F)

"Understood. Though I don't share those reservations against measures that will prove effective on humans. There were two, so I'm certain one will talk as soon I discovered how much "torture" one individual can endure." (H)

"Wha-... You can't!" (S)

"Why not? Do you truly think your human customs apply to me? You can either choose to tell me why you intended to attack us or endure long enough till you change your mind. I am curious, but I'm not pressed for time." (H)

"Please, just say why you attacked! We don't want any military secrets. Only the reason." (E)

I just want this situation to come to an end.

"The reason! What else would be the reason other than that you were a target? We heard about an important transport of the enemy and had to stop it!" (S)

An important transport?

While it's technically true it's also completely misleading about the nature of our trip.

"And who told you?" (H)

"I thought you didn't want military secrets?" (S)

"We don't. Honiu, they probably have spies among the humans we interacted with, to gather intel." (E)

"Scruh. Then they failed their role. Good. I don't have any further questions. Bring him away." (H)

She's talking to Miru, who doesn't look pleased.

"You're, not my, broodmother." (M)

"At least they're loyal." (H)

Meanwhile, the king's envoy decided to approach us and our prisoner of war.

I guess he's also of interest for their war.

"I see you made prisoners. Would you mind handing them over to us for questioning?" (A)

"You! I'd never thought Tarsona would stoop so low as to use such creatures? What do you do? Feed them your children?!" (S)

"Tsk. As if a slaver could berate me! Take him away!" (A)

"You, are not, my, broodmother!" (M)

I guess it's difficult to talk to my giant guard captain.

"It's fine, I guess. Seems like that was all. I'm glad this ended without serious consequences. Thank you, Miru. Tell the others they did a good job." (E)

Since the crisis is over I think I can again switch to human speech.

However, Miru continues to stare.

"It's, not, finished, yet. There, is one, more, thing." (M)

Huh? What would that be?

Abruptly Miru turns to the right and dashes toward the king's envoy.

"Wha-urgh!" (A)

A moment later she holds him with two claws at his neck, dangling in the air.

The human knights are impeded by more of my guards who moved simultaneously and now keep them at bay with spears.

"What, was the, meaning, of this, human?" (M)

While saying this she begins to point two swords at him with her lower arms.

"I-I-I don't under-... stand." (A)

"Miru! What is the meaning of this?! You can't do such a thing! Let him down!" (E)

"I, can't, comply, mother. Your safety, is, more, important." (M)

She's not listening? Is this even possible for Formicea?

(H)

Not the right moment for critique!

"I... cannot...." (A)

"He needs to breathe!" (E)

At least she changes her grip, so he gets air.

"As, my mother, requested, I observed you, continuously. I was, looking, for any, signs, that, my mother, might be, at risk. And, there, were, indeed, enough! Did you, truly believe, we wouldn't, notice?" (M)

What does she mean?

"I, I don't... understand." (A)

"You, do. Very, well. So many, signs. You were, all tense, when we, left. Then, it got, better. And, then, worse, again. Tight, grasp, on the, weapons. Always, observing, the environment. I thought, you would, lash out, any moment. But then, the moment, you heard, about the, coming, attack, it stopped. Why was, that, so?" (M)

Was it really like this? I told her to pay attention, but that it would happen to that degree.

But isn't there a completely logical explanation for this?

I mean, we're terrifying. Okay, it's not completely adding up with her claim that they calmed down after this, but still, this is extreme.

Which is their base setting if I'm being honest.

"The drone has a point. I noticed as well, that you were all 'nervous' about the revelation of the attack. But it wasn't because of the attack itself, but because we told you. So what was the reason for such behavior." (H)

Great, Honiu just awakened the interrogator in herself.

"Could you at least put him down?" (E)

"Yes, mother." (M)

Fortunately, she truly does.

Yet only while ten more guards point an excessive number of sharp weapons at him while he's kneeling there.

"Hah! That's what you're getting for collaborating with those monsters!" (S)

"Cough! Fuck you!" (A)

This man will just make everything worse.

"Please, someone take him away! Now!" (E)

Before I can even look, two of my royal guard already dragged him quite a distance away.

Honiu uses the silence to turn again to the envoy.

"Now that you can speak more freely, I would be very interested in your explanation. This group of humans came straight to us. How did they know?" (H)

"How would I know? Maybe they thought we were traveling merchants to pillage and confused us with an easy target. You heard him, they have spies." (A)

"Fascinating. Lies. This concept when humans deliberately convey false information. It interested me the moment I heard about this how such a society could exist. How could it work? And now I'm seeing it in practice. You're telling me they chose us on what basis? One glance is enough to know we are no 'easy target'. And still, they came. Do human 'spies' really work so sloppily? So they knew where we were, but not who we are? How does that add up?" (H)

"Tsk." (A)

What was that?

He looks more annoyed than intimidated.

"You play this very risky, human. Please enlighten me. What is your game?" (H)

Did she learn this way of talking from our gaming sessions?

"Who would've thought that insects could deduce? Fine, just to say it, those weren't our men." (A)

What the fuck is going on here?!

"Then why were you relieved to know about them? This is definitely unbecoming." (H)

"It might be that we deliberately relayed information about an important transport to the capital, to the enemy. So they would notice." (A)

"You truly tried to get us killed by humans and through this raise the wrath of the swarm? This doesn't seem smart." (H)

"Pah, as if they could even hope to get enough troops past the border to challenge your usual escorts. No, we didn't expect them to win. We just expected the Koresoans to attack you and like this get on your bad side. They deliberately assailed you, princesses of the swarm, with the intent to kill. Isn't this the slightest bit raising your ire? And if a bunch of this scum dies, all the better." (A)

What an asshole!

They chose to get us attacked! With this, every bit of patriotism I ever felt towards my country is gone.

"And what now? What do you intend to do?" (A)

"We..." (E)

"Naturally we will proceed with this endeavor." (H)

"We will?" (E)

"Naturally. They tried to act in the interest of their swarm. I can understand this. And aside from an already established need to stay vigilant, the possible gains are still the same, as are the risks. There's no need to give up yet." (H)

Who would've thought that Honiu would be the one to make us continue this diplomatic mission?

"Hah." (A)

Visible relief.

But also very warranted, as this could've ended with a war between species.

Well, then we can just proceed with our tour.