- Erys -

 

After yesterday's events, I needed some time to gather myself.
This was especially necessary, thinking about what's to come.

Today is the great meeting.
Not only will all the important figures of Tarsona that were available be attending, but also the very queen of the Formicean swarm empire along with her princesses.
Basically, we're going to decide the fate of the whole country along with all its inhabitants.

My position is a difficult one.
While I don't want my brood to die in a war, this doesn't mean I want this to happen to the poor civilians.
I may not know them as personally as I do my brood, but nobody deserves what almost happened to me.
It's just as Uma said.
The blood of men, women, and children would be on my hands, as indifference can kill just as well as an active action.
I seriously don't want that, even after all that happened to me.
Yet how I'm supposed to convince Uma to do something or if I'll even have a chance to do so isn't certain.

Anyway, I won't achieve anything if I don't attend.
While I'm quite sad that my royal guard got reduced in number, the vestiges assemble to guide me to the meeting room Honiu built.
They're more determined than ever before to keep me safe.
Especially Miru, who with her new scars looks especially menacing.
However, as there are by now only two-thirds left of their initial batch, I feel really sorry seeing them struggling to leave no gaps.
I'd really like to raise their numbers again.
On the other side, the way it put me, in so many ways, out of commission back then is a big issue for me.
I just can't afford to become so enormously stuffed again.

 

<Kyska, would it be possible to create new royal guards? I mean without getting me into 'that' condition? Like a toned-down version?> (E)

<There might be an option.> (K)

<Really? What is it?> (E)

<As you have already experienced their pattern, it should have been ingrained in your brooding memory, even if they're not common. Therefore, it might be possible not to commit fully but just put in one or the other.> (K)

<You mean I can just lay like one or two royal guards at once, and they won't put too much of a burden on me?> (E)

 

Quickly thinking it through, it needed a hundred eggs of the huge royal guard size to make me swell so much that I couldn't move anymore.
A tenth would probably be almost possible to handle.
Though, maybe half of it would fit better.
...Literally.

 

<Yes, something like this should be possible. Yet it requires a keen awareness of your inner workings and you shouldn't forget that their development will take longer and like this reduce your overall production.> (K)

 

Yep, it took over a week till I got to my next laying.
So this naturally means the eggs that would take this space won't be laid in this time.
In any case, this is certainly something I'm going to consider.
Ugh, was that a stomach cramp?

Anyway, I'll head now to the meeting room.
One thing I notice is that it's apparently located relatively high, considering how much I am walking upward.
This is interesting, as this means slightly lower temperature and I didn't think that Uma would be making compromises to accommodate humans.

Eventually, we arrive at some kind of entry hall.
At least the huge gate I can see on the other side, where a considerable army of guardians and interceptors prevents entrance, supports this notion.
That and the waiting people and Formicean princesses in front of it.
Honiu and Liseti seem fine, conversing with some of the humans.
From their general looks, all of them are of wealth.

Among them, I spot one person talking to Honiu, who I feel conflicted about.
Yet maybe even more about her outfit.
Just why did the duchess have to wear fake wings?

 

<Skriku, scra-ak!/You can be sure that applying this was quite the ordeal!> (C)

<The lasting effect seems to be negligible.> (H)

<Oh my, I can truly understand you! And likewise the other way round!> (C)

<Did you expect any less coming from me?> (H)

<By no means, no! But it's fascinating. The discomfort from the usage wasn't great, but the results are magnificent. A completely new kind of communication opening up with just a single application.> (C)

<Amicable that you can understand this, human. Your peers don't seem to share your opinion.> (H)

<I won't deny that some of them aren't adaptable enough to see the obvious advantages such perks can offer. Speaking of which, how about the wings and advanced speech adjustment I asked for?> (C)

<Your advanced stage of maturity might pose an issue. Invoking greater changes in a developed body is beset with considerable difficulties, even though humans tend to be quite adaptable. Attempting anything other than simple patterns seems unlikely to produce results. Also, you'd require a nurse and her cleansing fluid for maintenance.> (H)

<How unfortunate. But if there is anything you could provide in this regard, it would be quite a boon to receive. Also, regarding the cleansing fluid, would it be possible to make a human create this liquid? I have just the candidate in mind. If you could grant me this, I'd be truly indebted to you.> (C)

<We'll see if I deem it beneficial for me to offer such 'boons'. The fluid emission would be simple enough, and while I am also interested in learning what the result would be of introducing the complex pattern required for flight to an adult human, it will depend on the outcome of the meeting. In this sense, it's welcome that you finally managed to arrive here, Erys!> (H)

 

Seems like I was spotted.
Something that puts me off is that, immediately, most of the present nobles seem to focus on me.
Not on Honiu.
Which tells me that they were able to make sense of her speech.
This again tells me that Honiu apparently had too much freedom to make use of her mutation agent.

 

<Oh, my, Princess Erys! I'm so glad to see you doing fine! You cannot imagine how concerned I was after the events of that fateful day!> (C)

 

You don't say?

 

<Yes, I'm as well rather glad to have been able to make it back here. I hear your speech. Is everything okay? Are, are the others as well...> (E)

<Oh no! The speech adjustment was optional. Most of them were too great cowards to really go through with it. Yet it was obligatory to have the smelling one. Which should be obvious. After all, how would they partake without understanding a thing?> (C)

 

Makes sense.
Also, I'm rather sure that Uma's entrance made it clear that it's a rather pressing matter to attend here.
However, I wouldn't exactly call it 'cowardly' not to go through with having one's speech altered.

 

<I can understand those who didn't take the second potion. It's quite a big change to be subjected to. Aren't you the slightest bit concerned about your voice?> (E)

"Ahem, truly not. Theere is hardly anything negative about iet. Those who unable to push through such mienor inconveniences are cErtainly not worth their title." (C)

 

Wow, she can't have had much time to practice.
In that regard, it's extremely impressive.
I wouldn't even wonder if she manages to regain an accent-free, normal speech by the end of the month.

 

<I hope your idle chatter is coming to an end, as the council is about to begin.> (H)

<Of course! But please don't forget about the further adjustment I requested. Oh, and while I can still talk to you, would it be possible to employ one of your nurses?> (C)

<You want one of my nurses?> (H)

<Certainly! It would be such an honor. I would pay every price for this.> (C)

 

Did I mention that this woman irritates me on some level?
The banter of these two continues and I start looking around the room.
I notice the king talking to someone who looks like a military official, as well as other nobles mingling with each other.

 

<Ah, I forgot! I wanted to introduce you to someone.> (C)

 

She reaches for my hand, but already the presence of my royal guard is enough to keep her at bay.
I need to say, I also feel unwell about this kind of meeting since I got abducted the last time.

 

<Well, then just follow me roughly in the direction.> (C)

 

I suppose I should.
While she seems playful, I doubt she only does things for the fun of it.
We stop at the king and the military guy he was talking to.
Lady Carina does seem more interested in the latter.

 

<Here! This is the marshall of the Tarsonian army! Lord Legio Stormheart! I presumed it might be a good idea for you to know him. General Stormheart! This is Princess Erys> (C)

 

She's probably right with this.
If he's truly commanding all of Tarsona's troops, then this man is probably the most important figure in the current conflict.
I hope we'll be getting along.

 

"So this is the one who was in the center of the recent events. The source of all our dismay." (St)

 

Or maybe not.

 

"Pleease, Lord Stormheeart. I can assure you that thee princess took alwayz a very favorable positieon towards us." (Ki)

"This remains to be seen. As of now, we can barely hold the front with our meager supplies, not to speak of the general moral." (St)

<She's nonetheless a friend.> (Ki)

"Tsk, don't know if I'll get ever used to hearing these sounds like this." (St).

 

While I'm starting to ask myself how much longer we're going to stay here, I abruptly hear Liseti raising her voice, as well as pheromones, for attention.

 

<Screeeoooh! Skreak, scriku!/This is for the present humans! You are going to meet my mother! Queen of the He'ora swarm! I expect proper conduct! Aside from the obvious avoidance of demeanor that only savages would embarrass themselves with, you only need to mind one simple rule! Don't speak while Mother is talking! Otherwise, you will face severe consequences. Yet you would in general be advised not to interrupt another's speech.> (L)

 

An insect princess berating human nobles about conduct.
I have to fight hard to hold back a grin at this ridiculousness.

With this, it's finally time.
The guardians give way, and the assembled are separated into two groups.
One naturally consisting of us princesses, and the other, the king and his high nobles.

So we enter and I seriously marvel at the inner architecture.
A gigantic round hall with almost perfectly even walls, a spacious round table in the center, where I can see a map of Tarsona, and above it all a small gap in the ceiling where light from the ceiling falls through... directly onto an incredibly huge insect queen.

 

<Welcome! The council will begin now!> (Uma)

 

Her words are heavy and certainly carry the importance of the situation to those in front of her.
This is not only because she's a titan and most of them look somewhat sick after witnessing her far-too-strong pheromones for the first time.