After the battle at the wormpath.

- Diroen -

The situation seems untenable.

So to say, hopelessly dire.

Surrounded by these creatures as we are, it's clear that the sad remnants of us no longer stand a chance of fighting.

While most of the enemy forces separated with the two princesses, the last third remains.

They took our weapons and are more numerous and in better condition than we are.

From one thousand who entered this tunnel system, only between two to three hundred remain.

About their general condition, I don't even want to get started.

All of this because the lord couldn't let go.

He was literally obsessed.

The way he sacrificed our men in the palace.

Or how he chastised me for not pushing for the princess against the overwhelming forces we faced.

Serving this man was truly a chore.

And see where it got me!

Sigh, but complaining once things go wrong is easy.

If he would've succeeded, this could've decided the war in our favor.

Every single one of us knew this and was willing to give their lives.

Now blaming the one in charge is unreasonable.

As a simple troop commander, I don’t carry much authority on the battlefield, yet as Gioras’ direct aide, I held significant responsibility for his operations.

Of those assembled here, quite a number were selected by me to be part of this army.

Men and women who love their country enough to risk death in this devious underworld.

Yet, at this point, many of them have found it, and as such, left me tentatively in charge of the survivors.

However, the ones to whom they were directly loyal to are dead, and defeat and subsequent captivity by giant insects have left them all frightened.

As am I.

The one positive point seems to be that the insects don't intend to kill us this instant.

Some of the so-called nurses even treated the injured, which is probably going to dramatically reduce the expected number of causalities.

Yet who knows if this might change in the near future, as none of us knows what they're planning?

When I look at this princess, she seems to be in a mix of eager proactivity and questioning contemplation about how to deal with us.

(C)

It comes in handy that my lord made me use one of these potions that allows one to understand these creatures.

No idea how he got it, but the ability to anticipate their movements was very helpful during the fight.

Now it might serve me in other ways.

That is, if there even is a way for us.

I continue observing this peculiar princess.

And yes, she is very peculiar, as her mannerisms are of the kind I'm just all too familiar with.

It's almost funny how much she resembles my lord in this regard.

The same nervous twitch, the same inability to stay still, repeatedly checking everything for an upcoming problem.

The typical signs of an overworked person in charge.

The question now is if I can make use of this.

For now, no, as the circumstances won't allow me to approach her.

From all I know about the fanatical relationship these insects have with their princesses, I wouldn't be in one piece by the time I came anywhere in range.

What I can gather for now is that she has something in mind.

Which could be good for us survivors.

Plans usually involve keeping the utilized functional.

Our treck continues back through the same tunnel we traveled to this cave.

Once we reach the junction that theoretically would lead us back up, things get a little problematic.

The princess set a wall of those guardian units in advance to block the exit, but that doesn't prevent some of our group from trying.

They know it's their last chance and the darkness is taking its toll on their ability to make rational decisions.

I don’t even attempt to hold them back.

They wouldn’t listen to me anymore, and who could hold it against them after everything that happened?

Especially, as our base camp is just up there.

Of course, still quite a distance away.

Yet we had to set up camp if we wanted to claim our chance the moment the princesses left this hive.

There wouldn't have been any other chance.

Actually, that was the main function of the earth mages accompanying us.

My lord brought the kind who's proficient in scanning the ground in preparation for his plan.

Usually, this kind of mage is used to find good locations for a mining operation, or a suitable foundation for a building, yet in this case they were supposed to check the vicinity of the fortress for approaching insects.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Yet then they became handy during the chase.

We couldn't risk approaching the hive with its thousands upon thousands of voracious inhabitants.

Instead, it was their job to scan this particular fraction of the tunnel.

Earth magic might not be as profound to allow for detailed information, yet skilled earth mages can feel noteworthy tremors in the ground.

If they know where to look, they can at least do that much.

Yet now all this preparation went to waste.

There's no way for us survivors to get back up, as the ones trying are now to realize.

They're quickly dealt with.

It wasn't surprising how easily those huge monstrosities took care of unarmed soldiers.

There was never a chance to begin with.

(C)

Now her drones are gathering the bodies, but I'm not sure where they're taking them.

Though, it seems like reinforcements are coming from the direction they're going with them.

Even some of those terrifyingly huge behemoths they used against us.

(C)

Is she aware that she's talking in front of us?

Though, it's not like she's in a position where she can't allow such things to happen.

The way her forces surround us now, we are completely at her mercy.

But then she walks up to us and speaks up.

(C)

Does she expect us all to understand her?

Yet this might be my chance.

As selfish as this thought might be, as the designated spokesperson for my people, it would also tremendously improve my personal situation.

(C)

Yeah, just as unreasonable as my boss.

I should act before she loses her temper.

So I walk out of our throng of people and raise my voice.

"Your Highness, I fear that these people won't be able to understand you." (D)

(C)

She intently focuses on me.

Then a tailspear emerges from behind her.

Oh shit, I know that from the reports!

"Sstk"

"Graah!" (D)

It hurts!

It hurts!

Shit, if I wouldn't know what happens here I could swear I'm about to die.

(C)

(D)

(C)

Damn.

And I thought the smelling potion was bad.

The burning agony I now experience is worse by a multitude.

Even when it settles, everything in the area she hit feels raw.

While I'm trying to work my throat, the princess addresses me again, pointing at the corpses of the ones her troops just massacred.

(C)

My humans... As if I would have any kind of control over them at this point.

Only a few remain of my small command, and I was never trained to lead an army.

Much less a defeated one.

(D)

(C)

Hmm, she seems truthfully interested in the subject.

This could be good.

(D)

(C)

Well, if this doesn't sound ominous.

(C)

As if I would know. It's not like just telling them they won't get eaten is in any way convincing.

(D)

(C)

This seems to become excruciatingly difficult.

It's clear that she has no idea how humans work.

(C)

Should I disclose this?

It's not like it matters much for our situation at this point.

We already lost.

The few guards left behind at the camp won't change anything about this.

(D)

(C)

(D)

(C)

What is it now with her?

(D)

(C)

Damnit. Is she planning on attacking the surface?

But even if her forces increased compared to before, this much is certainly not enough to conquer noteworthy territory, not to speak of holding it.

(D)

I'd even say she got the half that was worse off than the other.

It shouldn't end well to just attack without any thought.

(C)

What else would it be?

Sigh.

Seems like I managed to get in.

(D)