- Alea -

Just how did it come to this?

Yesterday I was in the great hall of the palace and now I'm in the inner city to look for this Erys.

Just what happened to my life?

I have no idea where she even is, but this isn't important since they decided to just throw enough troops at the problem till it's solved.

So Honiu just assembled several thousand insects and made them scour the whole capital in teams.

And for some totally incomprehensible reason, she said that she wants to put me in charge of one of those units.

Just why?!

I'm a kid and totally not someone who should lead anything.

Okay, I can talk to humans, which is an advantage, but still completely insufficient as a reason to force me to do this.

The only positive part is that I was allowed to sleep a bit before I had to move out.

The maid insisted on it.

Though sleeping was more on the theoretical side as I was far too agitated to find peace, especially since I could still hear the city alarm bells ringing in the city above me.

But for some reason, Honiu was notified and ordered a nurse to put me in one of those tubs where I fell asleep despite all the stress.

This soothing effect is kinda frightening.

What was less soothing was when another nurse pulled me out of there and first thing in the morning started to "clean" me, so I would be presentable.

Although I was looking for a chance to get around this I didn't manage to accomplish anything aside from stalling a bit while eating breakfast.

So now I’m assigned to this troop consisting of two dozen mid-sized insects and four big ones that is apparently part of a second wave.

Human guards try to run ahead to tell the people not to panic and just let the insects search.

If I understood it right, we're just going to check the houses and then leave again if she isn't there.

One by one until there are no more.

As far as I know, people should already be informed and we just have to enter and check by the scent if she's there.

Although I'm still slightly tired and what I saw before was terrifying, I am in no position to avoid doing this with all these expectant insects around.

I even got a map with the area I have to check.

And while I worry a bit about my skill to read it, I don't have to worry about getting lost since the whole way is marked by a scent trail like those leading to our quarters in the base.

Apparently, Honiu is administering all of this on her own, giving specific orders to every single troop.

This kinda surprised me, since she appears to be rather whimsical most of the time and not... like someone capable.

From what I see, if this princess is anywhere within the town there's no chance for her to slip through any gaps.

Simply, because there are none.

The insects control every gate, patrol the full-stacked walls, and systematically look in every single district before going to the next while carefully watching the checkpoints to the already controlled areas.

Even without those measures, it’s not like there'd be much of a chance with all the searching insects on the streets and those scouting in the air.

According to this plan, the places I have to go looking are the market and the harbor.

I set out in the general direction but soon find it difficult to keep up with all those far bigger creatures who not only cover a greater distance with each of their steps, but usually have more legs to begin with.

About the small jumping ones, I don't even want to get started.

It doesn't take long for me to get tired, and I'm growing embarrassed when the insects repeatedly walk ahead on the trail path only to have to wait for me to catch up.

And I'm surely not becoming any faster the longer this proceeds.

(worker)

One of the workers apparently asks me this.

Wait, since when am I referring to them as workers?

I usually call them "mid-sized" insect monsters but for some reason, I know this is how I have to refer to them.

I'm not entirely sure what "assistance" entails since this part was a bit vague, but I know for sure that I can't keep up.

So I almost instinctually give something like a confirming reaction signal.

And before I know what happens, two of the creatures clamp their claws around my waist and carry me further on the path.

While I panic at first, I soon realize that I'm not injured and it goes much quicker this way.

I wouldn't call it comfortable, but it's certainly not as exhausting.

So I don't fight being carried this way.

But what I should've considered is what this looks like to others.

"Aaahhhh!!! They're abducting children!" (woman)

One of the women among the groups of people on the streets who either want to stay outside while their houses are being searched, want to meet up with each other in this emergency situation, or are simply gawking at what is happening here did the latter and saw me.

I can't do it like this.

(A)

(worker)

"Seee? I'm not getting abductEd!" (A)

I can't waste time trying to avoid misunderstandings.

But neither can I walk all the way by myself.

Instead, I believe the best solution to be a compromise.

I create an according signal and consequently get lifted once again

But this time on the creature's shoulder.

It's a bit high for my taste, but if I ever want to fly I should get used to it.

Also, I'm looking a lot more voluntary in accompanying them now.

This way it doesn't take long for us to arrive at the first house on my list.

Now my part begins.

The target areas and as such the buildings I'm supposed to check are marked on the map.

I only need to approach and let the insects enter, and if we presumably don't find the princess, we'll already be on our way to the next.

Yet now that I'm here it feels totally wrong to me.

I mean, I'm going to knock at a complete stranger's door to tell them I and my insect friends want to enter.

I'm not sure if I can do this.

So I'm standing in front of the door till, suddenly, a winged insect lands directly next to me and starts to speak.

(messenger)

Now I'm startled.

As one should be when a giant insect asks you what is taking you so long.

(A)

I still need to take a deep breath, gathering all my courage before I knock at the door.

"knock, knock"

I hear steps and eventually, the door opens.

Now a man stands there who looks first at me with contempt, then at the insects with disdain but maybe also fear.

"We, we need to look in there." (A)

Yes, I know how weird this request sounds.

You don't have to look at me like this.

At least I tried to sound friendly.

"Fuck off! This house isn't open for creeps!" (man)

Is he for real?

Does he really think the insect monsters will just accept that he doesn't want them here?

(messenger)

You don't have to tell me! I'm well aware!

There's no need to urge me with signals to make it quick.

But what can I do?

"I'm sorry, sir. I don't think you understand..." (A)

"I understand enough! Now piss off!" (man)

"I don't think you do. Whether you want it or not, they're going through that door." (A)

"Are you threatening me?!" (man)

No! That's the simple fact!

(messenger)

The workers look for a moment at the messenger, then at me, before walking forward and pushing that man inside.

When he tries to be violent, a single bash is enough to send him to the ground.

I don't see what happens in there, but soon enough the worker returns.

(worker)

He didn't just say this.

I notice some kind of lingering scent which tells me exactly that.

This way the house is marked in a way that makes it possible to avoid searching it repeatedly.

That was a bit frightening, but it seems like the man is still alive.

Since the insects are insisting on it I have to continue and knock on the next door.

"Knock, knock"

I wait for it to open but nothing happens.

Seems like there's nothing to do about this.

(A)

(guardian)

This time one of the big ones, a guardian, as my mind tells me, answers.

"Crash"

Before I can process what happens, the door gets shattered by their tail spear.

In particular, I need a while to wrap my head around the fact that this big one apparently misunderstood my exclamation regarding the state of the door as a command to break it down.

Directly after this, the units rush in as before, shortly followed by a female scream from further inside.

And I still hear them whimpering when we leave.

They should've just opened the door.

I don't feel too great but have to move to the next door.

This time it gets opened by a man again.

He stares at us and speaks, slightly insecure.

"I, I would like you to leave." (man)

Okay, this is getting ridiculous.

Don't these people understand the situation they're in?

"Do you seee thEm?! Do you thienk thEy care about your objections? I alreeady have a hard time holding thEm back beecause they don't feeel like wasting thee slightEst bit of time. So you mieght just lEt thEm inside your house for half a mienute so thEy can look for their treeasured princEss or you'll gEt ripped apart! You're not the first one to be stubborn today! Do you thienk this is just going to bee resolved for you?! Get out of thee way!" (A)

I... I did it.

He steps back and the insects search the house.

Naturally, the princess wasn't here.

In this manner, it proceeds for a while till we finally move to the harbor district.

This is welcome to me, as this part is more for conducting business than living and so there aren't as many families I'm disturbing.

That is, until I knock at the wrong door.

"Knock, knock"

"They're here! Bring everything away and hide the rest."

Since the door to this storage hall won't open, the guardians are once again quick to demolish it.

And in there, I see a number of people working on some kind of delivery.

At least they did so until someone burst open the door.

Now some of them instead take their weapons and rush at us.

I fail to understand how they could even think about this as a course of action one should consider.

They're not even real soldiers which becomes more than clear once the guardians join the fray and just reap through them.

None of the people comes even close but nonetheless, I'm scared at what I'm seeing.

Those scenes are nothing I would like the others from the orphanage to see.

However, this compartment definitely looks different from others I have seen before.

From an opened box I see white dust.

I don't know what it is, but certainly nothing good if they chose to attack us.

I think I just wiped out a criminal organization!

Why is there so much outrageous stuff happening when I just want to get this over with?

"Princess not here!" (worker)

The same signal as before.

If they'd known that we hadn't the slightest interest in their operation everything would've turned out well for them.

And now we just move on to the next place.

I hope the next door won't mean as much trouble.

It’s starting to take a toll on my mind.

I don't know how much longer I can continue this.

If we'd just finally find this princess.

I really want to find her.